All Safety News – Page 1284
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A one-horse race
Though dulled by drink, the American business class passenger was able to stab a finger towards the aircraft window as it taxied into Frankfurt airport. 'Emirates. That's a good little airline,' he slurred, pointing at a parked Airbus 310. Therein lies the Dubai flag carrier's problem. Despite its well-deserved reputation ...
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Island assets offloaded
Qantas Airways and Ansett Airlines have both sold most of their remaining interests in island resorts, thereby signalling a return to core operations. 'It's a classic case of sticking to your knitting,' explains James Strong, managing director of Qantas. 'I've never been convinced that Qantas could do as good ...
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Rising confidence
Isao Kaneko became president of Japan Airlines the same day its shareholders approved a US$894 million write-off against capital reserves - the largest in Japan's corporate history. Kaneko succeeded Akira Kondo, who resigned as president to take responsibility for the unprecedented loss. It hardly seemed the occasion for the new ...
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Narita slots scramble
Where there's a will, there's a way. Despite a nine year freeze on more takeoffs and landings at Tokyo/Narita airport, Japan's Ministry of Transport (MOT) seems to have found a way to accommodate more prime time flights by US carriers. But then, faced with the obligation to make the new ...
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Love rivalry in courtroom
Continental Express will be unable to implement its new regional jet service out of Dallas/Love Field fully until 1999 at the earliest, because of a legal wrangle that has developed with the city's main airport, Dallas-Fort Worth. The court case could set an important precedent. In the latest controversy ...
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Nigeria hits rock bottom
Efforts to revitalise Nigeria's national carrier, Nigeria Airways, seem to have hit the rocks, due to its heavy debt burden, government apathy in providing financial help, and a lack of serviceable aircraft. The government is saddled with fashioning a credible political transition and creating a conducive economic environment. There ...
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Pilots rage against PAL
The acrimonious pilots dispute at Philippine Airlines (PAL) is about to spill over into the Filipino Supreme Court as the legal mudslinging between sacked pilots and the airline hots up. The Airline Pilots Association of the Philippines (ALPAP) is suing PAL, accusing it of an illegal lockout. More than ...
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Asians clean up house
In hard times, heads roll. Sometimes leaders step aside voluntarily, as in the case of Japan Airlines' president Akira Kondo and chairman Susumu Yamaji. But purges at China Airlines (CAL) and Garuda Indonesia are part of major housecleaning efforts. In a dramatic move to distance China Airlines from its ...
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Losses: What losses?
The airline industry is renowned, with few exceptions, for its poor returns. Indeed, airlines as a group actually destroyed value between 1992 and 1997, achieving a feeble 6 per cent return on invested capital - at least three percentage points below the 9 to 10 per cent cost of capital ...
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Japan's economy faces overhaul
Japan is facing a crisis of historical proportions. The dramatic fall in the value of the yen and the long-term decline in the value of the companies which make up the Nikkei stock market index are simply symptoms of far-reaching changes taking place in the way in which the country ...
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Startups look to citizen McCain
Last year it was the ticket tax; this year it's the Department of Transportation. The US majors have a new enemy in their gunsights and the atmosphere on Capitol Hill is bellicose once again. In 1997 the carriers that united in a campaign to abolish the 10 per cent ...
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Computer problems continue to delay Hong Kong freight
The disruption and delay in air freight at the newly opened Hong Kong International Airport is set to continue through to the end of August, as Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (HACTL) struggles to overcome computer problems and to bring its "Super Terminal One" back on line. According to ...
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Debonair looks for frequent flier links
Low-cost UK carrier Debonair has emerged from its meeting to discuss setting up a joint frequent flier programme for the independent airline sector, declaring that it has up to 15 European carriers on board, including Virgin Express and Air Malta. Potential deals are also in place to extend the scheme ...
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Fine Air set for Southern Air purchase
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC Fine Air Services, the parent of Miami-based Fine Air, has revealed plans to acquire rival US cargo airline Southern Air Transport (SAT). Privately owned SAT, based in Columbus, Ohio, has been on the market for several months, with 747 freighter lessor Atlas Air previously tipped ...
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Ayres set to complete Let deal
Ayres, the US cargo and agricultural aircraft manufacturer, expects to complete its acquisition of a 93% controlling stake in Czech aircraft builder Let Kunovice from Aero Holdings by the end of July. "We have signed everything and are only waiting on US Government technicalities," says company president Fred Ayres. The ...
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Korean and SIA confirm widebody deferrals
Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Korean Air (KAL) have confirmed a series of deferred deliveries, affecting 13 Airbus Industrie and Boeing widebody aircraft on order until 2000. SIA says it is deferring delivery of 11 aircraft for 1998-2000 (Flight International, 18-24 March and 22-28 July). KAL has reached an agreement with ...
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ARAC advises caution on fuel tank safety improvements
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC An aviation industry advisory group led by Boeing and Airbus Industrie says the US Federal Aviation Administration should continue to investigate cost-effective ways to enhance fuel tank safety on in-service and new airliners while ordering the changes for new aircraft designs. Six months ago, the ...
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Workshop
-Hawker Pacific Aerospace has won a $5 million five-year contract to repair and service landing gears on 16 UPS Airlines Boeing 747 freighters. It will perform the work at its facility in the UK. The company has also secured a $6 million five-year landing gear maintenance contract from SAS, LOT ...
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EC closes issue of Air France state aid despite court decision
The European Commission (EC) has effectively laid to rest the issue over its four-year-old Air France state aid package, brushing off legal questions raised by last month's decision in the European courts. Air France should now be free to press ahead with its planned share flotation. The European Court ...
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US low-cost airlines recover...
Kevin O'Toole/LONDON Further evidence has emerged of an upturn in fortunes for the beleagured US low-cost carriers, with a round of profits for the second quarter. Vanguard Airlines has posted its first-ever profits and Kiwi International Airlines is optimistic that it will return to the black this year. ...