News from FlightGlobal – Page 2556
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China's high flyers
Timing. That is the key word for any interested party wondering when the big three Chinese carriers, China Southern, China Eastern and Air China, will eventually list and sell shares on the New York stock exchange.While the indications are that China Eastern at least will be ready later this year, ...
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The big float
There are doubts over whether the jewel of the Chinese state-owned airlines, Air China, will be allowed to follow flotations at China Southern and China Eastern in two years' time. David Knibb reports. Whether Air China will sell and list shares overseas after China Southern and China Eastern depends ...
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A firmer future
As the industry recovers, aircraft values are hardening and surpluses falling but some types are faring better than others. Clive Medland of SH&E explains why. Predicting the outlook for the commercial aviation industry is somewhat analogous to forecasting the weather. We can accurately predict that there will be winters and ...
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On the attack
Mid-sized airlines face crucial decisions as they focus on which strategies and management tactics to adopt. Sara Guild reports from an Airline Business conference on the future of medium-sized carriers. The greatest profit potential for medium sized carriers lies in a direct attack on the strategic weaknesses of ...
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Airline news
Shuttle by United is adding Portland-San Francisco and Portland-Los Angeles from the beginning of April. Under the new US-Canada bilateral Northwest Airlines will begin services from Minneapolis to Calgary and Regina on 1 May and Saskatoon on 15 May following US government approval. From Detroit the carrier will ...
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Top earners must deliver
As an avid reader of your intelligent, well reported magazine I was surprised with part of the February editorial, Crisis over - but don't let up. There is no doubt that the airline industry must change, and that companies must be more innovative and responsive in future. My main concern ...
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China order thaw on way
Pressure is mounting for Beijing to relax its freeze on new aircraft orders. It looks as if the Civil Aviation Administration of China will permit two, and perhaps all three big carriers, to place firm orders. Senior Air China officials recently visited Toulouse and Seattle in anticipation that ...
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Follow the leader or fix?
Did US airlines agree to cap travel agent commissions and then stage their announcements to make it look as if they were simply following the leader as usual? That is the key question in an antitrust class action filed by US travel giant Travel Network against the major ...
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Beijing sets out HK stall
Beijing has shown half its hand with an eleventh hour disclosure of its terms for renewing the Hong Kong-Taiwan air agreement that expires this month, but it has been less forthright about whether it will approve Hong Kong-Taiwan flights by foreign airlines under other bilaterals, or what criteria it will ...
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Vietnam on for sell-off
The wide-ranging ambitions of Vietnam Airlines are set to receive a boost in the near future with an expected government decision to clear the way for partial privatisation, including a measure of foreign investment. At presstime, airline officials were awaiting details of a planning package which is expected ...
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New accord seals open skies deal
The well known disunity of the US airlines, and their equally known derision of the Department of Transportation in Washington, were set aside recently as they voiced approval of DOT's successful renegotiation of the US-Canada bilateral. One by one, airline CEOs were quoted in press releases praising transportation secretary Federico ...
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A definitive lesson in competence
The US has split the European Union and pushed the European Commission further than ever in its attempts to obtain the right to negotiate air service agreements for its member states. But Mead Jennings and Mark Odell report that bloc negotiations are a long way off. Call it what you ...
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Milan is new hub for Lauda
Lauda Air will become the first carrier to establish a hub outside its home base using seventh freedom rights available under the European third package, backed by its alliance with Lufthansa. At press time, the Austrian independent was set to start a stand alone scheduled operation out of ...
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Give Commission a clear mandate
Divisions in Europe on US bilaterals and state aid threaten the internal market Less than two months after moving to Brussels to take up his position as the new European transport commissioner, Neil Kinnock finds himself surrounded by controversy. In his early dealings he has adopted a spirited approach, ...
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Conditions: in your dreams
As the European Commission starts investigating Iberia's plan for a second state aid package from the Spanish government, it emerges that Aer Lingus was allowed to receive the second tranche of its £175 million ($270 million) aid package despite the breach of a key condition. Iberia is seeking ...
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AMR cuts go to the core
Restructuring of the executive ranks at AMR Corp is widely considered cosmetic for the short term, with an eye towards labour negotiations. However, the restructuring is also focusing on preparing for longer term goals such as forming partnerships and joint ventures, especially in information technology. Robert Crandall turned ...
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Pulling back from USAir
USAir's mired labour negotiations and six year streak of losses have finally convinced fabled investor Warren Buffett that the airline has been a bad investment. However, the decision by his investers Berkshire Hathaway Inc to write off $268.5 million of the carrier's stock - 75 per cent of its holding ...
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US is stuck over a barrel
Despite its bilateral successes elsewhere, when the US sits down to renegotiate its air services agreement with the UK, it will be the first example of the US Department of Transportation stepping away from its vow two years ago not to negotiate incremental deals. By mid-March, no firm ...
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Sabena aided in opt-out?
The momentum built up around Swissair's plans to take a 49 per cent stake in Sabena after the Belgian government granted an exemption on part of its flag carrier's social cost obligations, could yet falter as the opt-out comes under the scrutiny of the European Commission. Sabena stands ...
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Smart move to save time
Lufthansa's introduction of smartcard technology is not aimed at following the US majors in their attempts to cut distribution costs, says the carrier. The first carrier in Europe to put the new technology to use, Lufthansa says the main goal is to reduce the time passengers take to check-in and ...