Third-quarter average international airfares paid by corporate travelers fell to $1,638 from $2,010 last year, according to American Express Business Travel. The company also reported that corporate travelers in the third quarter booked 37 percent of air tickets in business class, down from 49 percent last year. Correspondingly, economy class tickets jumped to 58 percent from 44 percent.

Australia's competition authority proposed to "grant authorization" for three years for a proposed Delta-Virgin Blue joint venture covering U.S.-Australia flights. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission "considers that the joint venture is likely to assist Virgin Blue and Delta to compete more effectively against the incumbents on the routes, Qantas and United Airlines," according to an ACCC statement. Interested parties have until 17 November to submit comments.

The International Civil Aviation Organization agreed to supply Amadeus with carbon emissions data, allowing Amadeus users to "estimate the carbon footprint of air travel" using standards developed by ICAO's Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection that take into account "aircraft type, route-specific data, passenger load factors and cargo carried." Amadeus plans to integrate the data into reservation platforms by mid-2010.

Canadian loyalty management company Groupe Aeroplan Inc. announced an agreement to purchase Carlson Marketing for $173 million, subject to government review in the United States and Canada and expected to close in December. Carlson Marketing in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East provides loyalty marketing and engagement and events management services for corporations. Executives said the companies would continue to operate independently with no staff reductions or relocations at Carlson. Carlson Companies president and CEO Hubert Joly said the deal "frees up resources for Carlson that the company can deploy to accelerate the growth of its hotel, restaurant and travel businesses at a time when significant opportunities exist in these markets."

Middle Eastern airline Emirates posted a net profit of AED752 million (US$205 million) for the six months ending 30 September, up from AED284 million (US$77 million) a year earlier. According to chief executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, "We expect it will take at least another year or two before demand for air transport and travel services starts picking up again."

Egencia named Nikki Germany managing director of Egencia Canada and Chris Moreland VP of account management for Egencia United States. Germany joined Egencia from destination resorts developer Intrawest; Moreland previously worked at Johnson and Johnson Company.

Singapore Airlines posted a S$428 million (US$302 million) operating loss for the first half of the fiscal year ended 30 September, reversing a $495 million (US$349 million) operating profit from a year earlier. "Advance bookings indicate that demand for air travel has stopped declining and is gradually recovering," according to a company statement.