All Strategy articles – Page 1063

  • News

    Poles delay LOT sale

    1998-08-01T00:00:00Z

    The Polish government says it wants to postpone the sale of state carrier LOT Polish Airlines until next year, following delays in foreign ownership laws. LOT is now likely to look for a foreign strategic partner after the appointment of an advisory team to aid in the airline's privatisation. ...

  • News

    Japan's economy faces overhaul

    1998-08-01T00:00:00Z

    Japan is facing a crisis of historical proportions. The dramatic fall in the value of the yen and the long-term decline in the value of the companies which make up the Nikkei stock market index are simply symptoms of far-reaching changes taking place in the way in which the country ...

  • News

    A Herculean task

    1998-08-01T00:00:00Z

    Never trust Greeks bringing gifts, so the saying goes. It is to be hoped that doesn't apply to Greeks receiving gifts. Where is Hercules when he's needed? Unless he or the ancient gods intervene and provide a timely miracle, Greek flag carrier Olympic will require another sizeable gift from ...

  • News

    Losses: What losses?

    1998-08-01T00:00:00Z

    The airline industry is renowned, with few exceptions, for its poor returns. Indeed, airlines as a group actually destroyed value between 1992 and 1997, achieving a feeble 6 per cent return on invested capital - at least three percentage points below the 9 to 10 per cent cost of capital ...

  • News

    Narita slots scramble

    1998-08-01T00:00:00Z

    Where there's a will, there's a way. Despite a nine year freeze on more takeoffs and landings at Tokyo/Narita airport, Japan's Ministry of Transport (MOT) seems to have found a way to accommodate more prime time flights by US carriers. But then, faced with the obligation to make the new ...

  • News

    Rocky relations

    1998-08-01T00:00:00Z

    It's a brave new world out there for the global distribution systems. Competition - from traditional rivals to online new entrants - is swirling about them; government rules that regulate them are being rewritten; and in some cases their relationships with their two most important customers - airlines and travel ...

  • News

    EC closes issue of Air France state aid despite court decision

    1998-07-29T00:00:00Z

    The European Commission (EC) has effectively laid to rest the issue over its four-year-old Air France state aid package, brushing off legal questions raised by last month's decision in the European courts. Air France should now be free to press ahead with its planned share flotation. The European Court ...

  • News

    Star Alliance aims to build on Asia-Pacific links

    1998-07-29T00:00:00Z

    The global Star Alliance is moving to consolidate its presence in the Asia-Pacific region, with some small but critical bilateral co-operation agreements and approvals either being finalised or close to be being concluded. Founding Star partner Lufthansa has announced a code-sharing agreement with Air New Zealand (ANZ) on routes ...

  • News

    Fine Air set for Southern Air purchase

    1998-07-29T00:00:00Z

    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 ...

  • News

    MEA discusses nine-aircraft order with Airbus and Boeing

    1998-07-29T00:00:00Z

    Middle East Airlines (MEA) has confirmed it is in talks with Airbus Industrie and Boeing over an order for up to nine medium-range aircraft. The airline declines to clarify the details of the bids, but it is understood to be looking for a mix of six medium- and three large-capacity ...

  • News

    US Airways plans fleet overhaul

    1998-07-29T00:00:00Z

    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, ...

  • News

    Domestic boom keeps majors' profits rolling

    1998-07-29T00:00:00Z

    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 ...

  • News

    Debonair looks for frequent flier links

    1998-07-29T00:00:00Z

    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 ...

  • News

    Sunshine jetset resets

    1998-07-29T00:00:00Z

    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 ...

  • News

    Marketplace

    1998-07-29T00:00:00Z

    -CityFlyer Express has taken delivery of its fifth Avro RJ100, and has placed orders for two further aircraft for delivery in mid-1999. The airline, which operates British Airways franchise services from Gatwick, has also placed two options. -Atlas Air has placed a third 747-200 freighter with a consortium of South ...

  • News

    Routes

    1998-07-29T00:00:00Z

    -Sabena will introduce jet services on its Brussels to London City service on 13 September, replacing the existing Bombardier Dash 8 with an Avro RJ85 on one of five daily flights. ++ Swissair will cease flights to Philadelphia at the end of October. The airline will offer connections via New ...

  • News

    Airbus holds talks with China to develop A310 replacement

    1998-07-22T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE Airbus Industrie Asia (AIA) has tabled a series of possible substitute collaborative proposals to the defunct AE31X, including working with Aviation Industries of China (AVIC) on a new widebody aircraft to follow on from the Airbus A300/A310. The study project - dubbed the P305 - being ...

  • News

    Jet Airways prepares to lease ATR 72s

    1998-07-22T00:00:00Z

    Ian Sheppard/LONDON Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE Jet Airways is close to signing a deal with ATR to lease eight new ATR 72 turboprops for an initial period of three years. This is the first move by the privately owned Indian domestic airline to form its own feeder fleet. Raj Desai, Jet Airways' ...

  • News

    Swiss World 767 arrives in Geneva

    1998-07-22T00:00:00Z

    Swiss World Airways' recently acquired Boeing 767-200ER has been flown to its Geneva base for pre-certification system checks. The 767 has been leased from Air New Zealand/Ansett Australia for two years and will be used to launch the airline's first route between Geneva and New York Newark. Swiss World, which ...

  • News

    Comair becomes first South African carrier to float

    1998-07-22T00:00:00Z

    Hilka Birns/CAPE TOWN Comair, South Africa's largest domestic airline group and a British Airways franchise partner, becomes the first of the country's carriers to move to a flotation with a listing on the Johannesburg stock exchange planned this week. The flotation, which values the company at some R1 billion ...