All Ops & safety articles – Page 1335
-
News
Airlines unite over Africa
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
Network agility
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 places a no strike bet
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
BA hit by tit for tat ban
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
Sun blazes a trail for SAA
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
Senate grills the two Bobs
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
Empire builders in fight to the finish
Make no mistake, it's a battle - a fight to the finish. A battle for territory, for customers, for markets, for revenue streams. A strategic war in which treaties are made with friendly powers, only to be abrogated when those powers turn out to be not quite as friendly as ...
-
News
A red flag to a bull?
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
Canada set for shakeup
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
Foreign cash saves Taesa
Taesa, Mexico's third airline, has dodged bankruptcy, received an injection of new capital from abroad, and is near a restructuring accord with its creditors that should, once completed, attract more offshore investors. Judging from recent reactions, though, some local creditors and Mexico's competition commission will remain nervous until ...
-
News
Thai is hardly Star choice
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
Merpati free not to choose
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
Shuttle is in Wolf's court
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
Domestic dancing
The surge in new entrants to the Colombian market is over but major challenges remain. David Knibb reviews the progress of the five main players. Nowadays Colombians seem naturally optimistic. The heady days of growth are still a fresh enough memory for few to be willing to predict their airlines ...
-
News
TAM gets set for US debut
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
New Labour sets trend in Europe
The conservative free-market revolution, which reached its high point during the Reagan-Thatcher era and lingered on into the mid-1990s, shows increasing signs of being politically vanquished as the industrial world moves towards the millennium. Although many of the substrates of the Reagan-Thatcher revolution live on in the shape of the ...
-
News
Taiwan loses Express role
As Airbus starts firming up the so-called Asian Express joint venture with China, Taiwanese firms are having to face up to the fact that politics have conspired to exclude them from any participation. The European consortium saw its foothold in China considerably strengthened after a state visit by ...
-
News
Leap of faith
Having been forced to abandon its multi-company structure, the Mesa Air Group is now concentrating on new developments, like its operation at Fort Worth.Karen Walker talks to chairman Larry Risley. Larry Risley, chairman and chief executive officer at Mesa Air Group, has become an expert hurdles jumper over the last ...
-
News
Financial results
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
What's left for France?
Is it a case of plus ça change or will the new French socialist government compromise Air France's planned privatisation and the integration of the Airbus consortium? The French airline industry is waiting with bated breath to see whether France's new socialist prime minister, Lionel Jospin, is a ...