All Networks news – Page 1248
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Garuda in dire straits
Tom Ballantyne Reeling from a freefall in its local currency which has blown up debt, Jakarta's state-owned flag carrier Garuda Indonesia may face bankruptcy unless it auctions off assets. The country's economic collapse, coupled with a string of accidents including a major crash last September in which 300 ...
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Iberia faces inquisition?
Doug Cameron Iberia is courting trouble with the Spanish competition authorities after reaching agreement for a franchise deal with its main domestic competitor, Palma-based Air Europa. Iberia suffered capacity shortages during 1997 and was forced to wet lease a variety of aircraft, resulting in a fall in service ...
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India airlines in doldrums
T Ballantyne/R Prasad India's hard pressed domestics are facing a double challenge to their shaky balance sheets: the renewed threat of a Tata Industries local startup and massive hikes in airport landing charges. The Tata group had earlier plans for a joint venture with Singapore Airlines, backed by ...
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Born free?
While government regulations were the downfall of most of India's first batch of startups, it appears that a second cycle - involving new players as well as the return of some old contenders - is underway. Like large tracts of Asia, cloaked in the fog from forest fires, India's ...
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Arranged marriage
Indian Airlines is destined to wed Air-India, but first the government must accept some responsibility for its financial troubles. Its proposed 'dowry' would be made up of compensation for the enforced grounding of its entire A320 fleet back in 1990, a subordinated loan, and the injection of new capital. By ...
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Tamed by politics
Report by Tom Ballantyne It seems that every time a new Indian aviation policy ship gently eases itself into port, an election storm rears its head and dashes it onto the rocks. As India's two state-owned airlines, Air-India and Indian Airlines, prepared for the New Year after a ...
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Going Dutch on Italian job
Doug Cameron Alitalia can breathe a sigh of relief after securing KLM as a European partner, as KLMlooks forward to its network being boosted. Alitalia rejected Swissair and Air France as possible partners and signed a memorandum of understanding for a broad-based alliance with KLMon 18 December. For ...
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Red ink rains over Korea
Tom Ballantyne South Korea's airlines are scrambling to downsize and slash costs as the region staggers from the blow of Asia's worsening economic crisis. Flag carrier Korean Airlines faces more than US$900 million in foreign exchange losses after the local currency, the won, dived 40 per cent against ...
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US lusts after Latins
Karen Walker US majors are looking southwards as American Airlines receives its long-awaited go-ahead for a codeshare with the Taca group and jockeys with its competitors for other prized Latin American alliances and routes. After 18 months, and a storm of protest from other US and central American ...
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Eleven men to go at MEA
Lois Jones Struggling Lebanese flag carrier Middle East Airlines has named a new seven-man board of directors, after the former board was ousted amid corruption allegations. MEA's outgoing 11-man board has been replaced by one headed by Mohammed Hout, the director of real estate affairs at Banque du ...
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Mexican gulf breaks down
Karen Walker Mexico's chief regional airlines mean to work closer together with the possible aim of becoming a single operation while retaining individual names, shunning concerns about monopolistic behaviour among Mexican airlines. Mexico's major airlines, Aeromexico and Mexicana, and the regionals Aerocaribe, Aerocozumel and Aerolitoral, are affiliates of ...
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Angst up in the Andes
Peru is trying hard to attract foreign capital by opening its skies, but its policies are not uncontested and Peru's military may have plans of its own. David Knibb reports from Lima. Deregulation Peruvian-style is not for the faint of heart. Seventeen local airlines have failed in eight years and ...
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Lufthansa say in SAA?
Roger Makings Lufthansa is set to enter the fray for a stake in South African Airways' partial privatisation, due to be finalised by October this year. Lufthansa had consistently denied that it was interested in buying into SAA, saying acquisitions were 'not its style - we prefer to ...
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Cheap thrills with no frills
Lois Jones Low-cost startups are beginning to looking extremely vulnerable as more majors launch low-cost subsidiaries, ignoring the argument that the independent players should instead be left to satisfy the demand for low fares in underserved markets. By Lois Jones. To your corners, please. To the left of the ring ...
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Thai hold is loosened
Tom Ballantyne Thailand's government is moving towards domestic and international open skies this year, starting with a move to end a virtual monopoly held by flag carrier Thai Airways International on major domestic routes. Thai transport and communication minister Suthep Thueksuban has proposed a new aviation policy, allowing ...
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AMR Eagle merges
The four carriers which have made up AMR Eagle since 1992 are to be merged to form a single feeder carrier for the American Airlines network. Until now Simmons, Flagship, Executive and Wings West Airlines have operated as separate subsidiary companies. The new American Eagle Airlines will help to streamline ...
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Boeing 737-600 takes off
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES The Boeing 737-600 had a successful 2h 28min first flight from Renton on 22 January on a day when firm orders for Next Generation aircraft climbed to 811, with the sale of 59 more to launch-customer Southwest Airlines. The -600's take-off weight was a relatively light 50,395kg, ...
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Air New Zealand leases 737s to boost Australia services
Air New Zealand (ANZ) is leasing three new Boeing 737-300s to enable it to boost capacity on services between New Zealand and Australia. The airline will increase frequencies with 26 new services weekly from Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. Qantas is introducing 11 new flights on the trans-Tasman routes, using ...
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Blue Sky prepares for launch as PAL 737-300s are secured
Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON British Airways has secured a fleet of eight Boeing 737-300s to launch its low-fare subsidiary at London Stansted Airport. The airline, known as Operation Blue Sky, has also applied for its operating licence. The airline, which is believed to be aiming for a launch in April, has filed ...
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Iberia delays order plans following Air Europa deal
Iberia Has alleviated its fleet-capacity shortfall in the near term by signing a franchise agreement with its Spanish rival Air Europa, while at the same time delaying its planned acquisition of new aircraft. Iberia has been wet-leasing two Boeing 757s from Air Europa for the past six months, along ...