Strategy – Page 991

  • News

    Mergers

    1999-02-10T00:00:00Z

    -National Jet Systems (NJS), the Australian regional carrier, has purchased a large minority stake in Ireland's CityJet for a sum estimated at between Ir£4 million ($5.8 million) and Ir£6 million. The holding is understood to be in excess of 40%. CityJet will still look to expand its relationship with Air ...

  • News

    Mesa/CCAir deal moves ahead

    1999-02-10T00:00:00Z

    The Mesa Air Group expects to complete its $53 million acquisition of Charlotte, North Carolina-based CCAir in May. The two carriers, which have entered into a merger agreement, were linked through the Barlow Investment partnership, which has minority shareholdings in both. The all-stock transaction, announced last August, remains subject ...

  • News

    US majors caution despite strong performances

    1999-02-10T00:00:00Z

    Chris Jasper/LONDON Most of the USA's top 10 airlines showed strong profits in 1998, but there were enough negative indications by the end of the year among the ranks of the major carriers to cause even the best performers to sound a note of caution for 1999. Of ...

  • News

    Training turning point

    1999-02-10T00:00:00Z

    David Learmount/LONDON Uncertainties about imminent European rules governing pilot training schools have created confusion for the training industry, both in Europe and in the USA. Europe's new joint standards for pilot training and licensing are about to be implemented, yet fundamental aspects of the regulations governing them are still ...

  • News

    SAir adds loss-making AOM to its portfolio

    1999-02-10T00:00:00Z

    Julian Moxon/PARIS France's second largest airline, AOM, has become the latest independent carrier to fall to a foreign carrier's expansion plan, with the SAir Group purchasing a 49% stake from Credit Lyonnaise. As Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, a majority holding must remain in France, and ...

  • News

    KLM suffers EC Martinair blow as slump bites into profits

    1999-02-10T00:00:00Z

    Chris Jasper/LONDON European Union competition chiefs have blocked KLM's planned take-over of charter carrier Martinair Holland pending an investigation into the proposed deal. The European Commission (EC) announced the probe on the day that the Dutch flag carrier revealed that it had lost NLG29 million ($15 million) during the last ...

  • News

    Tailored training

    1999-02-10T00:00:00Z

    Paul Phelan/CAIRNS Ansett Australia, the country's principal domestic carrier, believes it has broken new ground in enhancing quality and standardisation in its flight operations. The source of those gains is in aircrew training: under Ansett's system, it more closely matches individuals' needs. The airline's training department assembles a database of ...

  • News

    Japanese start-up plans for expansion

    1999-02-03T00:00:00Z

    Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE Japanese domestic start-up Hokkaido International Airlines, operating as Air Do, plans to boost its capital base by more than 40% as it explores possibilities for expansion. It is also in talks with Japan's other recent arrival in the domestic market, Skymark Airlines, about co-operation. Air Do, ...

  • News

    CAL set to decide on merger

    1999-02-03T00:00:00Z

    Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE China Airlines (CAL) is poised to announce a decision on the proposed merger of its two subsidiary carriers, Formosa Airlines and Mandarin Airlines. The CAL board is to meet early this month to consider implementing the merger by August, instead of the planned June deadline. The ...

  • News

    Marketplace

    1999-02-03T00:00:00Z

    -US Leasing company Wexford Management has reportedly cut back its Embraer ERJ-145 orders to 10 aircraft and scrapped a letter of intent for another 20 of the smaller ERJ-135s, plus 20 options. The remaining 50-seat aircraft will be placed with its subsidiary US Airways Express Chautauqua Airlines. -Japan Airlines is ...

  • News

    Routes dispute delays Ugandan privatisation

    1999-02-03T00:00:00Z

    Michael Wakabi/KAMPALA The privatisation of Uganda's national carrier is being delayed because of problems over landing rights allocated earlier to one of the bidders, under the African Joint Air Services Agreement. Privatisation of the carrier was supposed to have been completed by last November, but the date was ...

  • News

    Workshop

    1999-02-03T00:00:00Z

    -Sabreliner's Dimension Aviation division at Phoenix Goodyear has begun heavy maintenance checks on the first of up to four FedEx McDonnell Douglas DC-10s. Maintenance and modifications will be carried out before the aircraft are converted to freighters. -Air India is reportedly opening up its recently completed R216 million ($5 million) ...

  • News

    Snecma closes in on airline maintenance contracts

    1999-02-03T00:00:00Z

    Snecma's Services division is moving to seal its first maintenance deals with three airlines in the first half of the year. The French engine builder expects to create a series of joint ventures with the carriers to expand its maintenance arm into new markets. The company intends to follow a ...

  • News

    The weasel game

    1999-02-03T00:00:00Z

    Andrzej Jeziorski/TOKYO Japan's dominant Big Three carriers face radical change in domestic and international markets, at a time when the Asia-Pacific region is still wrestling with its economic woes. Japan Airlines (JAL) is the oldest of the three, and the biggest in revenue terms - in fiscal year 1997 (from ...

  • News

    Slump leads to cuts in Air Canada fleet

    1999-02-03T00:00:00Z

    Air Canada is cutting its fleet because of the slowing economy and the expected slump in airline travel. The Montreal-based flag carrier says it plans to retire most of its older aircraft, return a number of leased aircraft and postpone delivery of several new ones. The net effect will ...

  • News

    SkyWest pursues expansion plans

    1999-02-03T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC SkyWest Airlines intends to expand its western US regional network further with its newly announced purchase of 25 Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) 200LRs, while longer-term planning is focused on finding a smaller jet or turboprop replacement for its Embraer EMB-120 Brasilias. "We've grown by 35% over ...

  • News

    Continental's Latin push gets weaker

    1999-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Continental Airlines is finding its push into Latin America hampered by the fact that American Airlines has already secured matches with many of the region's flag carriers. Pickings among the second- and third-tier airlines tend to be much smaller, Continental is discovering. Chile's Avant Airlines is the latest example. ...

  • News

    Mexico faces pressure

    1999-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Trans World Airways' return to Mexico City with daily flights from St Louis and New Orleans underscores Mexico's need to reach some fundamental aviation decisions. The presence of yet another US carrier fuels Mexico's need to resolve the future of Aeromexico and Mexicana, which are caught up in a debate ...

  • News

    Beijing breaks ice with USA

    1999-02-01T00:00:00Z

    US negotiators seem optimistic that a recent thaw in informal talks with China could lead to formal negotiations and a new bilateral this year. Washington has no expectation of "open skies," but hopes to gain more access to China with fewer restrictions for more US carriers. Last year Beijing ...

  • News

    Japanese rejig overseas strategies

    1999-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Most Asian airlines have concentrated on costs to survive the region's doldrums, but Japan's airlines, facing new low cost domestic rivals, are looking at both international costs and revenues in an effort to boost profits. Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) have both taken the bold step ...