All Strategy news – Page 1088

  • News

    Appointments

    1997-07-01T11:29:00Z

    Gavin Strang has taken up the position of minister for transport in the new UK government, and Glenda Jackson has been appointed aviation minister. Both report to John Prescott, secretary of state for transport and environment. Virgin Express has promoted Mike Lotz to chief operating officer, and has ...

  • News

    Senate grills the two Bobs

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    As theatre goes, it was in a class of its own. And as the curtain went down on a US Senate hearing into the US-UK open skies talks in early June, the prospect of progress seemed as remote as ever. The general consensus was that Robert Crandall and ...

  • News

    Airlines unite over Africa

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    Rising concerns over air safety in most of Africa have spurred several major European carriers to support a South Africa Airways' initiative that could see some countries boycotted if they do nothing to improve the parlous state of their air traffic control systems. In May SAA put forward ...

  • News

    BA places a no strike bet

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    British Airways' plan to reap £1 billion a year in efficiency savings by March 2000 could suffer a severe blow if two separate ballots of cabin crew and ground staff, the latter over the airline's plan to sell its catering operations, result in support for strike action. Both ...

  • News

    Canada set for shakeup

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    The two major Canadian carriers are preparing their unprofitable regional operations for a shake-up, as Canada's low-cost startup carriers threaten to expand their influence. Even before Air Canada has completed a review of the future of its five regional carriers, it has been approached by a potential purchaser ...

  • News

    We win together

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    Profits and a healthy cash balance once seemed impossible goals for Continental Airlines. Having achieved them, chairman and chief executive officer Gordon Bethune has turned his attention to the fight for global market share. Interview by Richard Whitaker Working together worked! So says the banner headline on the front cover ...

  • News

    Friendly skies? Let's get honest

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    Blame it on the lettuce leaf liner. Just a few years ago, when airline CEOs across the US were nervously eyeing their costs per available seat mile, the challenge was to trim costs without upsetting the passenger. An easy throwaway was the limp piece of lettuce that lined the trays ...

  • News

    Financial results

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    The sale of Continental Airlines shares added US$126m to pre-tax income, which was lowered by $24m by a regional airlines strike. Air France made its first net profit since 1989, but Air France Europe lost $93m despite $50.5m in aircraft sales. Future results will be reported jointly after ...

  • News

    Euro startups go to market

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    European startups are wasting no time in positioning themselves for expansion as Virgin Express ponders following Ryanair with a stock listing, while Debonair looks set to tap the markets by August. The Irish low-cost carrier set the flotation ball rolling in May, offering 54.2 million shares on the ...

  • News

    Merpati free not to choose

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    Jakarta finally has released Merpati Nusantara Airlines from the grip of Garuda Indonesia, but the government is still calling the shots in Merpati's fleet planning. Merpati and Garuda quietly completed their divorce in April when a government decree came into force officially separating the two carriers. The government ...

  • News

    Network agility

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    Will the gap widen between the most sophisticated European players in network management and those that have not yet grasped the concept fully? By Luis Rivera, Lucio Pompeo and Alberto Martin. Five years ago, network management was still quite an abstract concept for most European airlines. Though many had heard ...

  • News

    BA hit by tit for tat ban

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    Air services between the UK and Nigeria were suspended in early June as a reciprocal ban of British and Nigerian registered aircraft assumed wider political implications. The UK Department of Transport banned Nigerian-registered aircraft from British airports in mid-May due to alleged poor safety standards. The Nigerian government ...

  • News

    Final bow for three chiefs

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    Three of the longest serving airline chiefs shocked the industry by resigning within weeks of each other in May, with at least two seemingly forced out. The departure of Ron Allen, Delta Air Lines' chairman, president and chief executive, appears to have surprised Allen himself. Neither Allen nor ...

  • News

    Shuttle is in Wolf's court

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    Few expect US Airways to give up its Shuttle, but a move by American Airlines to purchase the prestigious east coast operation, as well as possible interest from United Airlines, has introduced another twist in the carrier's continuing battle with unions. US Airways operates, but does not own ...

  • News

    A red flag to a bull?

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    New scheduled operators Spanair and Air Europa have shaken up Iberia's traditional monopoly in the Spanish domestic market. Lois Jones reports from Madrid and Palma de Mallorca on how competition has prompted the Spanish flag carrier to get its act together. Never be fooled into thinking the Spanish market staid, ...

  • News

    Thai is hardly Star choice

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    As the razzamatazz around the launch of the five-carrier Star Alliance subsides, Thai Airways International is emerging as the weak link in the chain and there is growing speculation that the carrier could be dumped for two other Asian carriers. The other members of the alliance, Air Canada, ...

  • News

    Sun blazes a trail for SAA

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    The experience gleaned during the sell-off of state-owned South African carrier Sun Air should help ease the partial privatisation of South African Airways. But there are strong doubts that the flag carrier will be in any fit shape to meet the government's stated end-of-year deadline. Captain Johan Borstlap, ...

  • News

    Two to tango

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    The Taca Group was once held up as a model for Latin American airline cooperation, but now stands accused of selling out through its planned alliance with American Airlines. But does Taca chairman Federico Bloch have any choice? Doug Cameron reports. Please don't tell officials at the US Department ...

  • News

    TAM gets set for US debut

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    The TAM group is to launch Brazil's fourth international carrier and American Airlines has wasted no time extending its relationship with the multi-airline operator. The ambitious TAM group has established Transportes Aereos Meridionais as its intercontinental carrier, which could launch services between Sao Paulo and Miami as early ...

  • News

    TWA faces up to challenge

    1997-07-01T00:00:00Z

    Faced with what he describes, modestly, as a 'major challenge', Trans World Airlines' chief executive Gerald Gitner has outlined a four-part plan to get the airline back on its feet. The St Louis-based carrier faces an uphill battle but should not be counted out yet. At the airline's ...