Strategy – Page 984

  • News

    Sting in the tail

    1999-04-14T00:00:00Z

    After years of economic woes, at least one of Brazil's airlines could disappear by the end of the year. For the survivors, however, long term prospects look brighter Brian Homewood/RIO DE JANEIROBrazilian airlines have survived major financial troubles over the past 15 years, but officials and analysts fear that ...

  • News

    Trainers' market

    1999-04-14T00:00:00Z

    Demand for training is fuelling growth among independent simulator centres Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC Training is a competency close to the core of most airlines, an expensive necessity that is not willingly outsourced. But increasingly the tools of pilot training - commercial flight simulators - are becoming commodities to which ...

  • News

    Airbus offers model mix to El Al

    1999-04-14T00:00:00Z

    Arie Egozi/TEL AVIV Airbus is offering El Al up to 10 A330/A340s as the Israeli national carrier finalises its long-haul fleet renewal plans. A Boeing offer of various widebody twinjets is also being studied, and the airline expects to finalise its selection within the next two months. The Airbus ...

  • News

    Air Foyle consortium takes controlling stake in CityJet

    1999-04-14T00:00:00Z

    Chris Jasper/LONDON A consortium led by UK cargo carrier Air Foyle has purchased a controlling stake in Irish independent airline CityJet for a sum in excess of Ir£5 million ($6.8 million). Sources close to the deal say that it should stabilise Dublin-based CityJet and allow it develop its ...

  • News

    Air Namibia to slash workforce

    1999-04-14T00:00:00Z

    Air Namibia plans to lay off between 100 and 150 employees - up to 30% of its workforce - by the end of this month as part of a restructuring plan that will cost up to N$10 million ($1.6 million), but which should ultimately reverse the downward trend in its ...

  • News

    Ansett Australia ponders fleet rationalisation

    1999-04-07T00:00:00Z

    Paul Phelan/CAIRNS Ansett Australia is aiming to define its fleet development plan by the end of this year. It will decide on a new widebody type to serve domestic trunk and Asian routes and on the rationalisation of the carrier's domestic narrowbody fleet. Executive chairman Rod Eddington says: ...

  • News

    SIA and Lufthansa Cargo start anew

    1999-04-07T00:00:00Z

    Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Lufthansa Cargo have launched a joint cargo express programme, broadening each other's route networks from 1 April. The airlines have signed an interline agreement, giving each other's aircraft priority handling at their respective hubs. SIA will be able to ship freight to 15 new destinations in ...

  • News

    Cathay extends deadline in pilots' pay dispute

    1999-04-07T00:00:00Z

    Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE Cathay Pacific Airways pilots have until 30 April to respond to an offer of stock options in exchange for a pay cut. The Hong Kong Air Crew Officers' Association (AOA)has welcomed the extension of the deadline, from 6 April to 30 April. Cathay initially tried to ...

  • News

    Malaysia Airlinesplans to sell aircraft in consolidation plan

    1999-04-07T00:00:00Z

    Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE Malaysia Airlines (MAS)plans to sell three Boeing 747 Combis, one 737-300F freighter and five 737-500s under its fleet consolidation programme. According to MAS vice-president of asset management Razali Harun, the company wants to base passenger operations on 737-400s, 777-200s and Pratt & Whitney PW4000-powered Boeing 747-400s, ...

  • News

    Workshop

    1999-04-07T00:00:00Z

    Pemco has won a contract from Continental for heavy maintenance checks on Boeing 727s, McDonnell Douglas DC-9s and MD-80s.It has also been picked by Las Vegas start-up National Airlines for Boeing 757-200 maintenance. ++ Finmeccanica subsidiary Aeronavali has signed an agreement with Federal Express to maintain six DC-10-10s at ...

  • News

    European regionals unite for US travel pass programme

    1999-04-07T00:00:00Z

    Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC Chris Jasper/LONDON A group of 15 second tier and regional European airlines is to press ahead with a radical plan aimed at maximising their exposure in the USA through an innovative travel pass scheme. The programme, run by Los Angeles-based Europe by Air, is modelled ...

  • News

    Little relief in taxing times

    1999-04-07T00:00:00Z

    Jack Sellsby/LONDON Tax law changes have put paid to cheap deals Until the final quarter of last year, potential aircraft purchasers could take advantage of major rivalry in the aircraft finance markets between finance houses and banks in different jurisdictions offering airlines attractive tax-based finance structures. These made financing aircraft ...

  • News

    Airlines keep options open

    1999-04-07T00:00:00Z

    Jack Sellsby/LONDON A wide choice of financial packages brings its own complications Ask an aircraft financier about the best way to pay for an airliner and there is never a simple answer - either in healthy economic times or poor. But airlines may have a surprisingly wide choice of finance ...

  • News

    Portuguese flag carrier to join SAirGroup stable

    1999-04-07T00:00:00Z

    TAP Air Portugal will become the latest European carrier to come under the partial ownership of SAir Group if plans for the Swiss company to acquire a 20% stake in the Portuguese state-owned flag-carrier are approved by the European Commission. SAir Group says it hopes to complete the purchase ...

  • News

    Emerging power

    1999-04-07T00:00:00Z

    Max Kingsley-Jones/MUSCAT Oman Air is embarked on a programme of expansion and restructuring OMAN, on the Gulf's eastern side, rests in the shadows cast by the cosmopolitan regions to its west, such as Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Dubai. The country has chosen not to follow its neighbours ...

  • News

    Rising forces

    1999-04-07T00:00:00Z

    Rapid growth in Gulf air transport has spawned new carriers and put pressure on others. Max Kingsley-Jones reports. The developing air transport market in the Gulf has been one of the 1990s' most fascinating stories as well as one of the most difficult to unravel - for observers outside the ...

  • News

    Gulf bites back

    1999-04-07T00:00:00Z

    Max Kingsley-Jones/BAHRAIN Gulf Air is fighting back from financial crisis with a clear strategy for the future Gulf Air has been through considerable pain over the past four years. Losses mounted to over $130 million and debts rose to $1.5 billion during two financially disastrous years in the ...

  • News

    The environment starts to hot up

    1999-04-01T00:00:00Z

    The environmental debate, it seems, is back with a vengeance. Europe's decision to call a halt to hushkitting has already sparked an acrimonious transatlantic row and there is every indication that this is only for starters. A discussion paper is due from the European Commission (EC) within weeks and, if ...

  • News

    PAL creditors back rehabilitation plan

    1999-04-01T00:00:00Z

    Philippine Airlines (PAL) has received its first real piece of good news since June, as some of its biggest creditors back a make-or-break rehabilitation plan. The airline, which has been in receivership since June with a debt of more than $2.2 billion, filed the new plan with Manila's government-backed Securities ...

  • News

    Israeli skies are opened up

    1999-04-01T00:00:00Z

    Israel has laid down the basis for a competitive airline industry. Not only has the Government granted international passenger rights to domestic carrier Israir, it has also licensed the Tel Aviv-based air transport company, Cargo Airlines (CAL), to compete fully with El Al on international freight routes. Against ...