News from FlightGlobal – Page 2573

  • News

    Tokyo mixes its approach

    1996-02-01T00:00:00Z

    No one is more baffled by the Ministry of Transport's plans for a third Tokyo airport than local government and civic leaders. Not that they oppose another airport, but they are wondering whether the MOT has levelled with them, or if it is incapable of following a coherent airport strategy. ...

  • News

    Slug out over French slot

    1996-02-01T00:00:00Z

    France's scheduled operators are heading for consolidation in a fight for slots as they prepare for the opening of the French market to foreign airlines in 1997. Air Liberté has taken over Euralair's scheduled operations on Paris/Orly-Toulouse and Paris-Madrid, receiving three B737-200s, 100 employees and 5,000 slots at ...

  • News

    No state aid means yes

    1996-02-01T00:00:00Z

    For once the European Commission is to be congratulated on its political juggling over the Spanish request to recapitalise struggling Iberia, although the carrier's continued control of two Latin American carriers has raised a few eyebrows. Avoiding the minefield of the 'one time, last time' tenet of state ...

  • News

    The day the taxes died

    1996-02-01T00:00:00Z

    US government taxes on air tickets died - probably only temporarily - on 31 December but their demise, however short-lived, could be good news for US airlines. At presstime the 10 per cent excise tax on domestic tickets and $6 departure tax on international tickets still had not ...

  • News

    Five crowd over Tasman

    1996-02-01T00:00:00Z

    The skies between Australia and New Zealand are becoming crowded as two new startups vie for discount traffic on secondary routes across the Tasman Sea. At the same time Ansett Australia has launched its first flights to New Zealand, joining national flags Qantas and Air New Zealand on the primary ...

  • News

    Pakistan to boost SIA?

    1996-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Singapore Airlines could boost its bottom line by an estimated US$500 million in its current financial year through a major sale of aircraft. Discussions are underway with Pakistan International Airlines over eight Boeing 747-300s, which SIA wants to retire from its fleet of 69 aircraft. It is the ...

  • News

    NEPC chases Modi stake

    1996-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Indian independent NEPC Airways is moving aggressively to consolidate its position as a major domestic player with a hostile takeover bid for rival Modiluft. NEPC's chairman Ravi Prakash Khemka's goal is to become the largest independent in the Indian domestic sector. 'We want to be number one in ...

  • News

    Euro partner leaves club

    1996-02-01T00:00:00Z

    A conflict of interests over US partners has spelt the end for Canadian Airlines International's long-standing relationship with Lufthansa. American Airlines, which has a 33 per cent stake in the Canadian carrier, moved to strengthen further the ties with its northern partner when it applied for antitrust immunity ...

  • News

    China double in five years

    1996-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Beijing may have put the brakes on its airline's phenomenal expansion rates over the past year but the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) is preparing to cope with another 'Great Leap Forward'. The latest Five Year Plan, covering 1996-2000, caters for an annual civil aviation industry growth ...

  • News

    Southwest sizes up east

    1996-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Southwest Airlines entered the Florida market in late January, beginning a regional operation many expect will someday rival the size and strength of its activity within California - a market Southwest continues to dominate, despite encroachment by Shuttle by United. As in other new markets, Southwest began service ...

  • News

    Indian lease plans stall

    1996-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Bilateral limitations with Israel and Russia have partially scuppered Air-India's plans to boost capacity by bringing in wet-leased aircraft. The Indian flag carrier had brought in wet-leased aircraft as a stopgap measure to overcome capacity limitations, which have contributed to the steady decline in its market share to ...

  • News

    Job cuts could hit companies hard

    1996-02-01T00:00:00Z

    America West Airlines laid off 500 machinists in December following a 736-person cutback last March. As part of its dramatic cost-cutting campaign began, Delta Air Lines let go of more than 3,000 workers. In 1995 alone, Continental Airlines dropped 5,000 jobs from its roster. What is happening? Long attributed ...

  • News

    Uncertainty wins the casting vote

    1996-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Some airlines are viewing the spate of elections this year with trepidation.Even in parts of the world where airlines are privately owned and have the commercial freedoms associated with deregulation, they remain uniquely susceptible to the political environment in which they must operate. Small wonder that the prospect of a ...

  • News

    Delta: what value pilots?

    1996-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Delta Air Lines is struggling to reach a deal with its pilots over the launch of a low-cost B737 operation to go head to head with ValuJet, as the no-frills Atlanta-based carrier turns up the heat by launching into USAir's heartland. Delta management, which is seeking $340 million ...

  • News

    Unions face Wolf's bite

    1996-02-01T00:00:00Z

    USAir's surprise appointment of former UAL chief Stephen Wolf to its helm could further exacerbate an already fragile situation with its unions. The new USAir chairman and chief executive, renowned for his hard-line stance towards unions, now faces labour groups deeply mistrustful of management. One labour leader at ...

  • News

    SAS link hits UK minnow

    1996-02-01T00:00:00Z

    The clearance for Lufthansa's alliance with SAS in mid-January gives the German carrier a near-global coverage of partners but for one UK minnow it spells a period of uncertainty. As expected the European Commission cleared the alliance eight months after the initial accord, but imposed what Lufthansa chairman ...

  • News

    Thai/US stalemate ends with new bilateral accord

    1996-01-31T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE A SIX-YEAR stand-off between Thailand and the USA has ended with agreement on a new bilateral air-services treaty which lifts capacity restrictions and increases fifth-freedom flights. The new agreement, which has still to be ratified by the Thai Government, will allow US carriers ...

  • News

    British Airways will switch 757s to Gatwick services

    1996-01-31T00:00:00Z

    BRITISH AIRWAYS has earmarked Baku, Moscow and Tel Aviv as the first destinations from London Gatwick to be served with 173-seat Boeing 757s. The aircraft are scheduled to replace the smaller, 106-seat 737-200s and 130-seat -400s from October. Expanding traffic on several routes from Gatwick is accelerating the ...

  • News

    Airbus and Boeing fight for key Asiana contract

    1996-01-31T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE ASIANA AIRLINES of South Korea is near to selecting a new 150- to 180-seat passenger jet-airliner, as the first step in a wider fleet-modernisation programme. The airline has narrowed its choice to the Airbus Industrie A321 and rival Boeing 737-800. The two manufacturers ...

  • News

    Augsburg finds early success at City

    1996-01-31T00:00:00Z

    THE EARLY success of its new service from London City Airport to Cologne/Bonn and Augsburg (Flight International, 15-21 November, 1995, P8), has prompted Augsburg Airways (formerly Interot Airways) to increase frequencies. From 31 March, Cologne/Bonn will be served three times a day, with two flights carrying on to Augsburg. The ...