Air Cargo News

Those US Airways numbers netting the carrier $1.64 billion in first quarter ended March 31, should be viewed against the carrier’s net loss of $269 million in the year-ago period. However, the numbers without one-time fund injections totaling $1.92 billion, meant that the company reported a net loss of $282 million compared with a net loss of $286 million a year ago. “The war with Iraq, fuel costs, weak economic conditions and travel demand clearly overshadowed the successful completion of our restructuring as demonstrated by these results,” President and CEO David Siegel said. Still the US Airways numbers as measured against others can be viewed as a big step in the right direction. Elsewhere a recent U.S. State Department report, that 2002 terrorism levels in the U.S. were at their lowest number since 1969, should be given some airing, to do just that to armadas of passenger aircraft parked in the desert . . . Finnair passenger traffic declined 14% in April year on year, the airline said due to the war in Iraq, SARS and the timing of the Easter holidays. Cargo tonnage was down systemwide 3.5% with a load factor of 73.2%. China Airlines wants to delay deliveries of the 10 747-400s/-400Fs and 12 A330-200s, backing up the progression of deliveries set to begin in 2004 by six months. SARS fears slashed CAL’s load factor from 75% to just 50% in April, according to one report . . . Shanghai Airlines reports that SARS and fuel prices slashed first-half net by more than half. As SARS panic and the death toll rises, airlines in Taipei have canceled flights from Taiwan to Hong Kong and Singapore. The downward trend for mainland China airlines is expected to continue with results for the first quarter showing nets dipping at least 50%. SARS has infected more than 2,900 people in China. The government has shortened the traditional week-long May Day holiday. Malaysia Airlines said that it lost about $34 million in revenue due to the cancellation of more than 700 flights due to SARS. Between April 14 and May 28, the national air carrier canceled 716 flights, mostly to Singapore and Hong Kong. April is usually a peak period because of Easter. The airline industry in Malaysia has reported a drop in ticket sales by as much as 51% during the second week of April . . . Air Cargo Leads The Way—Looking for a comeback, when there doesn’t seem to be one right now to end business sagging almost everywhere, up steps the old cargo pro-

Walter Colon

Walter Colon, Royal Jordanian northeast manager who says “Can Do” to a brand new, all-cargo service from Royal Jordanian, flying New York (JFK) to Amman, Jordan commencing May 11th. The flag carrier of Jordan will fly a specially equipped super-efficient A310 departing JFK International every Sunday direct to Queen Alia International. “Not only on Sunday,” says Walter, “but cargo gets big lift via our A340 JFK/Amman five times weekly and also aboard our DTW/ORD services utilizing A340s to Amman.” But as somebody who has been around since Royal Jordanian was known as Alia, Mr. Colon as sures: ”whatever you want to call it, our shippers get the royal treatment including great services, competitive rates and incomparable beyond service to the entire Middle East from our super modern air cargo hub in Amman.” Glad he said that. Contact Walter (718) 632-4740 or 1-800-221-0746 . . . While Airbus lands a huge order and options from JetBlue for up to 100 new A320 aircraft, in America, Boeing and the U.S. Pentagon are celebrating a plan to lease 100 B767 tankers that would offer the Seattle manufacturer a $30 billion dollar windfall in fresh military contracts. The aircraft would replace the nearly 200 KC135 tank ers currently in use. But before anybody gets too excited, one Senator John McCain, chair man of the influential U.S. Armed Services Committee sees the plan as a boondoggle to say the least, describing the plan as nothing more than a Federal bailout for Boeing. The New York Times headlined a story about the proposed deal titled “Creative Deal or Highflying Pork?” in an excellent report of the matter Sunday April 20 www.nytimes.com. The most interesting aspect of all of this is that the B767s cannot carry as much kerosene as the older B707s, plus most of all those old (some went into service when General Eisenhower was President) tankers in reality are flown very little, some as little as 200 hours a year. The U.S. Government Accounting Office (GAO) said that it would only cost about $3.5 billion to upgrade, retrofit and make like new, those old KC135 (B707) tankers already in use Meantime workers will march, lobbyists will lobby and Boeing yearning for some good news as it gets its head handed to it by Airbus, will be orchestrating an effort to get this deal done . . . “