Transportation Industry

Aircraft Finance & Leasing News - North America

AirGuide Business, June 30, 2008

Jun 30, 2008

Some airlines can no longer afford to purchase their own planes, increasing demand for leased jetliners. International Lease Finance said it may order up to 300 single-aisle planes from Airbus and Boeing to meet the increased demand. Jun 26, 2008

Soaring fuel prices may force some airlines to cancel or postpone orders for new jetliners, observers say. Jetmakers Boeing and Airbus now have about 7,000 orders for new planes, but some carriers are already moving to defer deliveries or cancel orders. Officials at Airbus and Boeing acknowledge that they are talking with customers about order delays and cancellations. Jun 25, 2008

U.S. troops will continue to use Eisenhower-era tanker aircraft in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as the Air Force decides how to handle the disputed contract for new tankers, The Wall Street Journal editorial board writes. The Government Accountability Office recently found the Air Force made errors when it awarded the contract to Northrop Grumman. Boeing also competed for the contract. The board notes that the Air Force should take bids on the contract "quickly and decisively." Jun 25, 2008

The Lieberman-Warner carbon dioxide cap-and-trade bill will likely influence legislation eventually passed by Congress, Air Transport Association Chief Operating Officer John Meenan said. He noted that carriers must lobby to make sure future legislation is different from the bill that was withdrawn earlier this month. "The bottom line is that the airline industry, as the [Lieberman-Warner bill was] drafted, is one of the loser industries," he said. Jun 23, 2008

Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines parent Alaska Air Group will spend $60 million to complete the retirement of its McDonnell Douglas MD-80 jetliners. The carrier in a regulatory filing said the charges reflect remaining lease payments on the planes. The airline has been adding more efficient Boeing 737s to its fleet. Jun 24, 2008

Boeing, Lockheed Martin

House lawmakers last week voted to spend an additional $162 billion this year and next year on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill, which still needs Senate approval, includes $3.6 billion for buying 15 Boeing C-17 cargo planes and $2.5 billion for 34 Lockheed Martin C-130J cargo planes. Jun 24, 2008

Bombardier

Bombardier said on Monday it had won regional jet contracts with an unnamed airline ordered four CRJ700 NextGen regional jets with an option for another four. The firm order contract is valued at about US$146-million, but if all four options are exercised, the value could double to about US$302-million. Jun 24, 2008

Bombardier

An undisclosed European customer has ordered 110 Learjet 60 XR airplanes from Bombardier's aerospace division. The contract includes 25 firm orders and 85 conditional units, Bombardier said. Jun 23, 2008

Embraer

The city council in Melbourne, Fla., has approved incentives aimed at attracting Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer to the area. On Tuesday, the council added land-clearing assistance and expedited permitting to the package, which totals $1.25 million in incentives. Jun 25, 2008

Hawaiian Airlines, Boeing

Hawaiian Airlines has elected not to pursue the addition of another Boeing 767 wide-body aircraft to its fleet as had been contemplated under an April letter of intent. Hawaiian cites twin problems, a delay in the date the aircraft was to be in service and an uncertain economic environment. Complications arose in the process of conforming the aircraft to Hawaiian's operating certificate, which would have delayed its entry into service until the fourth quarter. The current owner of the aircraft was not revealed. Hawaiian still plans to acquire four additional 717-200s this fall. Jun 27, 2008

Midwest Airlines

Midwest Airlines says it will take its 12 older McDonnell Douglas MD-80 jets out of service in the fall as the company undergoes a restructuring. The jets, used mainly for flights to major West Coast cities, are considered fuel-inefficient, but analysts say the decision leaves the airline with little long-haul capacity to access the West from Milwaukee. Jun 24, 2008

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