Quick Takes – Embraer/Universal, ATR/Lonrho, Horizon’s Virtual Assistant, ATP Freighter/Atlantic Airlines

New Spanish Airline Orders ERJ 195s JJH Capital, owned by Juan José Hidalgo, president of Air Europa and Globalia, signed a firm order for six Embraer ERJ 195s, plus purchase rights for another six aircraft in a deal valued $237 million. The value could double if all rights are confirmed. The deal is...

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New Spanish Airline Orders ERJ 195s
JJH Capital, owned by Juan José Hidalgo, president of Air Europa and Globalia, signed a firm order for six Embraer ERJ 195s, plus purchase rights for another six aircraft in a deal valued $237 million. The value could double if all rights are confirmed. The deal is already included in Embraer’s fourth quarter firm order backlog as “undisclosed”.
The 195s will be flown by Hidalgo’s newly created air carrier, Universal Airlines, serving domestic and intra-European network routes. First delivery is scheduled for May 2008, and Universal will be the first operator in the world to fly the ERJ195 in a single-class, 122-seat layout, which the airline said is competitive cost-per-seat against larger narrow-bodies. “For short- and medium-haul, lower-density routes, the ERJ 195 offers more advantageous costs than any conventional single aisle aircraft, without compromising efficiency or passenger comfort,” said Hidalgo.
“This contract with JJH Capital is very significant for Embraer,” said Mauro Kern, Embraer executive vice president - Airline Market. “We are very proud to break into the extremely active Spanish airline market with Universal.”
On December 31, the ERJ 170/190 E-Jets had logged 764 firm orders and 786 options from more than 40 customers in 25 countries on five continents, and had surpassed one million flight hours.

Lonrho Ups Order to 12
Following on its initial order for 10 ATR 72-500s, Lonrho, the pan-African investment conglomerate, signed for two more for its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lonrho Air. The new ATR 72-500s will be deployed by Fly540, an airline belonging to the conglomerate. All the aircraft will be configured with 66 seats, including 12 in first class, and will be equipped with higher-rated PW 127M engines, with the “Elegance Cabin” and with In-Flight Entertainment (IFE).
Lonrho’s Fly540, is developing an expanding aviation network across Africa, providing much needed air transportation at international standards of comfort and service. Fly540 will be operating in eight African countries by early in 2008 and these new aircraft will allow the airline to continue its rapid expansion to develop its network linking African countries with regional service.
“In conjunction with the roll out of the regional jets to be used by Fly540, [the ATRs] allow Fly540 to offer the best standards of customer service and safety at the most economical rates,” said Lonrho’s Chair David Lenigas. “Modern aircraft and international standards are desperately needed in the African airline sector, and by forward planning with key manufacturers such as ATR, Lonrho can ensure that it can deliver both, and over time, provide much needed international standard aviation services to connect Africa.”
Lonrho Plc is an expanding conglomerate that is rapidly growing a successful business throughout Africa. The company is listed on the London AIM stock exchange (LONR) and is strategically focused on the development of business opportunities in infrastructure, transportation, support services and natural resources. It has over 20,000 shareholders and substantial institutional backing to support its mandate to build a profitable business that plays a fundamental role in the development of the African economy.

DL Vet Names COO of Midwest
Midwest Airlines appointed Joseph C. Kolshak as chief operating officer. In his new role, he will have responsibility for directing all aspects of the company's operations functions, including flight operations, flight standards and training, inflight services, customer service, system operations control, safety and regulatory compliance, and maintenance and engineering.
David Reeve, who held dual positions as senior vice president of operations and president and chief executive officer of Skyway Airlines, will continue to serve in his Skyway executive role and as a member of the airline's senior leadership.
Kolshak, who brings extensive airline experience to his new position, comes to Midwest from Delta, where he served most recently as executive vice president of operations. At Delta he was responsible for all of Delta's domestic and international operations. Kolshak began his 20-year career with Delta as a line pilot and served as general manager of flight operations, director of investor relations and senior vice president of flight operations. He holds an Air Transport Pilot's Certificate and is type rated on the DC-9, B-757/767 and B-777 aircraft. Prior to Delta, Kolshak was a United States Marine Corps pilot and instructor, serving on active duty and in the reserves for 11 years.
Kolshak holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Marquette University in Milwaukee. He serves on the President's Advisory Boards of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and the Northwestern University Transportation Center. He also serves on the boards of the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta and the Atlanta Area Boy Scouts of America.

First Virtual Assistant Introduced in Airline Web Sites
Alaska  and Horizon Air introduced a virtual assistant named "Jenn" at alaskaair.com to answer hundreds of common questions and help customers book travel. “Jenn,” with her own voice and personality, is accessed by clicking the "Ask Jenn" link. When customers type questions in Jenn's chat window, she responds verbally, asks follow-up questions when needed, provides a written response and related Web links, and displays the site's most relevant page. To reveal her personality, Jenn also answers many personal questions on topics such as pets and favorite foods.
"With nearly half of our tickets purchased at alaskaair.com, our Web site has become the single most popular way customers interact with us before traveling," said Ann Ardizzone, Alaska's managing director of customer experience. "Jenn offers customers a more personalized, engaging experience online, while quickly connecting them with the site's most relevant information."
Jenn is the first virtual assistant introduced by a U.S. airline. Alaska and Horizon also were the first North American carriers to sell tickets online in 1995 and the first airlines worldwide to offer Web check-in in 1999.
Jenn was created using ActiveAgent(TM) technology from Spokane, Wash.-based technology company Next IT. The software allows Web sites to interact with users using a natural-language interface, often called an agent, that can retrieve information across databases, answer questions and clarify users' intents by asking follow-up questions.
"Next IT's conversational agent provides a new, enhanced way for Web users to interact with companies online," said Fred Brown, Next IT's president and chief executive officer. "Alaska and Horizon had the vision to see how this technology could improve service to their customers online, and now they're raising the bar for the travel industry."
Next IT Corporation is an innovator in simplifying communication between people and computers. Its core platform, ActiveAgent(TM), accurately understands and interprets natural-language questions and delivers exact results across multiple service channels such as the Web, contact center, Intranet and mobile devices.

ATP Freighter Fleet for Atlantic Airlines
UK freight carrier Atlantic Airlines signed agreements with BAE Systems Regional Aircraft for the long-term lease of a further six ATP Freighters. The addition of the six leased ATPFs will bring the airline’s operational fleet of this eight-ton freighter aircraft type to 11.
The first two leased aircraft were delivered in the last quarter of 2007 to Atlantic Airlines’ engineering facility at Coventry Airport, following conversion with a Large Freight Door (LFD) variant at the Romaero plant in Baneasa, Romania.
At Coventry, Atlantic Airlines installs the BAE Systems E-Class interior into these aircraft. The first aircraft was completed late in 2007 and has entered into revenue service, with the second to enter service early in 2008.
The remaining four leased aircraft are also being converted at Romaero. The first delivery this year will be in the first quarter followed by two in the second quarter and the final aircraft in the third quarter.
The airline currently operates a total of five ATPFs. Four of these are LFD variants and are leased from Regional Aircraft. The fifth aircraft is a bulk-loaded E-Class variant that is leased from International Air Parts Pty Ltd.
All Atlantic Airlines ATPFs are configured to operate either as fully containerised aircraft with the airline’s own bespoke handling system and ULDs, or as a fully bulk-loading aircraft with a vertical transverse net configuration, providing up to a maximum of nine individual loading zones.