All Ops & safety articles – Page 1251
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News
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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And now for something . . . completely different
The term 'survivor' may be sorely overused in the airline industry, but it remains the most appropriate description for AirTran Airlines, the product of a merger with the ill-fated ValuJet whose once-bright future ended abruptly in 1996 with a controversial crash in a Florida swamp. Not that there is ...
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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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CLK charges unchanged
Despite the current focus on resolving the initial hiccups, the long-term success of Hong Kong's new Chek Lap Kok (CLK) airport lies in keeping charges down. Since its inauguration on 6 June, technical and logistical problems have caused long delays for passengers and freight forwarders. But while these ...
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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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Wall St frets over Boeing
With Boeing back on track to deliver 550 aircraft this year as planned, chairman Phil Condit is using the word 'turnaround', but some feel such confidence is premature. Boeing delivered 148 aircraft in the second quarter, prompting Condit to declare the production recovery programme a success. 'It's on the ...
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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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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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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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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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Sunshine jetset resets
Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON While the sun is shining on Europe's holiday makers this summer, the tour operators have been hard at work on an industry-wide consolidation. The events of the last year or two have begun to reshape the major travel markets of Germany and the UK. The transformation has ...
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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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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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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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Domestic boom keeps majors' profits rolling
The major US carriers turned in another healthy set of profits for the second quarter, but as the mid-year results rolled in, Wall Street was already getting jittery over the likely timing of a downturn. The headline results were again based on the strength of the domestic economy, where ...
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BAe training will move to Spain
British Aerospace is to move its entire UK pilot training operation to south-west Spain. The relocation is expected to be announced by the company around the end of this month. The Prestwick International Airport-based British Aerospace Flight Training (UK) operation is to be relocated to Jerez. Industry sources are ...
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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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US Airways plans fleet overhaul
US Airways is planning to update and expand its Shuttle fleet with Boeing 737-300s, but it claims that this will require its pilots to agree to a modified employment contract The division, which operates a fleet of 12 Boeing 727-200s on services between Boston, New York and Washington DC, ...
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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. ...
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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 ...