ATR

Cape Verde Islands-based Transportes Aereos de Cabo Verde (TACV) is acquiring three new ATR aircraft in a deal valued at $50 million. The airline is taking one ATR 42-500 and two ATR 72-500s, scheduled for delivery in 2007.

Canary Islands-based Canarian Navigation and Aerial Services (NAYSA) ordered four new ATR 72-500s in an order worth an estimated $71 million. The 47-year-old old regional airline, which was founded as Aerial News, will take delivery between 2008 and 2009. NAYSA is currently operating Beech 1900 aircraft. The new aircraft will allow it to develop its already existing commercial agreement with Binter Canarias on inter-island connections.

BAE

Lufthansa CityLine leased 13 Avro RJ85s from BAE Systems Regional Aircraft and expects to operate them in two-class service.

Bombardier

Bombardier (BBD) logged a US$703 million order for 19 CRJ900 aircraft to Italy's My Way Airlines, which could mean that the manufacturer will not have to impose production cutbacks as announced in late August. (RAN, September 11, p.1) The airline can convert 15 firm orders to the CJR900X, a stretch version of the 90-seater, if Bombardier launches the program.

Cape Air

Cape Air, Amtrak and the Provincetown Tourism Office are partners in an eco-sensitive and valued-added alternative to exploring Cape Cod. Called Planes, Trains but no Automobiles, the promotion offers reduced Amtrak fares from Philadelphia, New York and Washington to Boston as well as air fare to Provincetown via Cape Air. With a full fare, companion tickets are available for 50 percent off on both Amtrak and Cape Air. The promotion is for travel over the next two months but the partnership is working on 2007 plans that includes high-speed ferry service between Boston and Provincetown via Bay State Cruise Company and Boston Harbor Cruises.

Denim Air

In an effort to take on more international work, cut crew travel costs and become more centrally located for clients, Denim Air is relocating from its Eindhoven base to Amsterdam's Schipol Airport. A leading European regional airlines ACMI specialist, Denim also just completed the renewal of long-term contracts with Spain's Air Nostrom, which means it will have crews based in Valencia, Barcelona and Palma, Mallorca as of January 2007, when its Bombardier Dash 8 crews will begin operating at those locations. Denim's Fokker 50 crews are already operating out of Amsterdam for KLM and VLM, with other F-50 crews based in Africa and more scheduled for the Middle East.

Eclipse

The FAA granted full type certification to Eclipse Aviation's Eclipse 500 very light jet, clearing the aircraft for flight through the full operating envelope with single- pilot and day-and-night, VFR/IFR operations and group reduced vertical separation minimum certification. The company also broke ground on its $7.2 million, 43,000-square-foot Northeast Service Center at Albany, NY. Built by Albany International Airport and leased to Eclipse, it is scheduled for completion by by mid-2007. It is one of seven maintenance centers planned for the U.S.

Pinnacle

As the result of earning $837 million in scheduled passenger revenue for the 12 months ended March 31, Pinnacle Airlines is now required to report its on-time performance to the Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). The Northwest Airlink, which took in more than one percent of the scheduled domestic passenger revenue for all carriers, becomes the 19th airline to report, after ATA and Hawaiian were dropped from the list because revenues fell below the reporting threshold. Pinnacle is also required to report monthly data on flight delays, cancellations, causes of delays and causes of cancellations as well as mishandled baggage.

Porter

Porter Airlines, the recently certificated new entrant, will launch service from Toronto City Airport on October 23 with 10 daily roundtrips from the downtown airport to Ottawa. The carrier began accepting reservations October 2 offering three fare levels - Freedom, Flexible and Firm - for flight aboard its 70-seat Bombardier Q400 turboprops.