Airline Business articles from April 2004

Airline Business archives from April 2004

Flood of DVT claims looks likely.(Deep vein thrombosis)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... US legal experts say a recent Supreme Court case on airline passenger liability could lead to a flood of successful deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or "economy class syndrome" cases, but are sceptical that the lawsuits would succeed. The...

Aeropostal alliance takes shape.(Aeropostal Alas de Venezuela)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Venezuela's Aeropostal is following the time-honoured model for building a Latin alliance demonstrated by LanChile and Grupo TACA. Nelson Ramiz, owner and president of Aeropostal, is taking stakes in the airlines of nearby countries to form a...

Discounters continue to invest.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The US low-fares sector continues to invest and grow, with leisure carrier Spirit Airlines now poised to expand with the aid of $125 million from a venture capital fund. Florida-based low-fare carrier Spirit will use the funding for an...

In brief.(Delta Air Lines Inc.,Northwest Airlines Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Delta losses deepen Delta has warned of worsening prospects, with management seeing a first-quarter loss reaching as much as $400 million, up from earlier forecasts of $300-350 million, largely on rising fuel costs and its inability to win...

In brief.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... United delays bankruptcy exit United Airlines has delayed its emergence from bankruptcy reorganisation until the middle of the year. When it filed in December 2002, United estimated it needed 18 months to restructure, but a key barrier...

Survive, compete and prosper.
April 1, 2004... As talk of recovery grows, Chris Tarry of CTAIRAassesses how far the industry has actually got in the work to make a fundamental downward shift in the cost base With the first hints of recovery now spurring many in the industry towards...

Air Deccan aims at India's mainline.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Indian low-fare carrier Air Deccan is acting on its aim to become a competitor on domestic trunk routes by finalising a major fleet expansion plan that will include the addition of Airbus A320s. Air Deccan, which currently operates ATR-42...

In brief.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... China Eastern expands China Eastern Airlines is to expand its long-haul passenger route network. In addition to previously announced Shanghai-London services to be operated thrice-weekly from 1 April, China Eastern is to reinstate services...

In brief.(new routes and purchases for AsiaPac airlines)
April 1, 2004... London non-stops for Air India Air India is launching the first non-stop services between Ahmedabad in western India and London. Flights are being operated twice-weekly with Boeing 747-400s. Travellers from Ahmedabad to London's Heathrow...

Australasia drives for second airports.
April 1, 2004... No Australian or New Zealand city currently has more than one commercial airport, but that is about to change. In Auckland, New Zealand's main gateway, there is a move to seek conversion of Whenuapai air force base on the city's north side into...

Taiwan calls for more consolidation.(mergers and acquisitions of airlines)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Taiwan's government is again calling for mergers among the country's loss-making domestic airlines, five years after an initial wave of consolidation. The Civil Aeronautics Administration in February oversaw a meeting with representatives...

First steps.(The transatlantic open skies talks.)
April 1, 2004... The transatlantic open skies talks are starting to get serious, with Europe turning down the USA's opening offer of a mini-deal. What that has revealed in the process is the gulf that still remains between Europe's grand vision and what may be...

SN-Virgin Express agree merger.
April 1, 2004... Virgin Express and SN Brussels have agreed to join forces under a single holding company in a deal that gives Virgin boss Richard Branson an exit route from Virgin Express and paves the way for a possible sale of the combined entity. ...

Alitalia seeks labour deal.
April 1, 2004... The Italian government is considering a redundancy scheme that may help Alitalia win a much-needed union agreement for its cost-cutting plan. The government is discussing whether its Cassa Integrazione scheme, designed to help employees...

Brussels warns of 'last chance' for Olympic Airlines.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Greek flag carrier Olympic Airlines faces enforced bankruptcy unless the Greek government stops bailing it out, warns the European Commission (EC). The EC has decided to launch a formal state aid investigation into the arrangements whereby...

SAS splits into three companies.
April 1, 2004... Although it will, for the time being at least, remain as a single brand, the SAS Group is splitting itself into three different companies in each of its home Scandinavian countries. The move to establish independent companies in Denmark,...

Liberalisation and labour.
April 1, 2004... As Europe and the USAwork towards an open aviation area across the North Atlantic, labour politics looms as a major hurdle. So would liberalisation really have to be at the expense of labour? A new study from the UKCivil Aviation Authority, a...

Brazilians seal Avianca take-over.(Sinergy group to buy 75% of Avianca subject to Colombian aviation ownership laws)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Colombia's Avianca, Latin America's oldest airline, appears to have found the capital it needs to emerge from court-supervised reorganisation. Brazil's Sinergy group has agreed to buy 75% of Avianca for $64 million and to assume Avianca's...

In brief.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Insurance to rise again The airline industry posted the lowest level of accident losses in history during 2003, resulting in an average reduction of 18% in insurance rates, according to a recent report from leading brokerage Aon. But it...

Sound.(The retirement of Concorde has re-ignited the quest for a quiet supersonic business jet to fill a niche at the high end of the luxury market)
April 1, 2004... barrier The retirement of Concorde has re-ignited the quest for a quiet supersonic business jet to fill a niche at the high end of the luxury market The last-ever flight of Concorde on 27 Nov-ember last year brought to an end an...

Niche.(In the short independent history of the country it serves, Croatia Airlines has made solid progress)
April 1, 2004... player Being small in a tough global environment has proved to be an advantage for the Croatian flag carrier In the short independent history of the country it serves, Croatia Airlines has made solid progress. From a standing start,...

Waiting for.
April 1, 2004... take-off Rows of parked aircraft in the desert are the traditional symbol of downturn in the airline industry and this cycle has seen more than ever before. But as markets recover, not all may make it back into the air Signs of a...

Room.(Asian airline sector)
April 1, 2004... for all? The low-cost vogue is capturing imaginations in the Asia-Pacific. But as hopeful new start-ups pour on to the market, questions remain over whether there will be room for all When Singapore-based low-fare start-up carrier...

Community.(economic aspects of airlines and airports in US)
April 1, 2004... spirit The issue of community support for new air service took centre stage as the USindustry got back down to some serious route development at this year's Network event in Sarasota As yet, the USmarket may only be in the foothills of...

Thailand sees first failure.(regional carriers find it difficult to compete in overcrowded domestic market)
April 1, 2004... Small regional carrier Air Andaman has become the first casualty among those battling it out for a share of Thailand's domestic market, but new entrants continue to launch. Privately owned Air Andaman, which launched domestic services...

JetStar's strategy emerges.(Qantas' discount airline)
April 1, 2004... As JetStar's launch nears, the reasons for Qantas launching the discount unit are becoming clearer. However, JetStar's arrival has not put off others from planning low-fare offerings. Some 80% of JetStar's capacity will be on leisure routes...

Air China buys Shandong.
April 1, 2004... A second phase of consolidation is taking place in China, with flag carrier Air China buying a sizeable minority stake in domestic operator Shandong Airlines. The deal was confirmed early in March. Shandong says Air China paid more than...

USAirways breathes again.
April 1, 2004... Manoeuvring to widen the narrow window it has to return to profitability, US Airways won some breathing room with the restructuring of its $980 million federally guaranteed loan. The breathing space has some strings however. The guarantor,...

Aerolineas moves to acquire Pluna.
April 1, 2004... Aerolineas Argentinas is finally making progress with its regional units and recapitalisation, and plans to expand into Chile and Uruguay. After months of delay it is trying to set up affiliated airlines in Chile and Uruguay. Plans for...

Dose quits at Swiss.
April 1, 2004... Andre Dose has resigned as chief executive at Swiss, citing a judicial hearing into a fatal air crash back in 2001 at Crossair, but he faced other pressures too. Dose briefly headed Crossair before the regional metamorphosed into Swiss...

Independence Air nears launch day.
April 1, 2004... Atlantic Coast Airlines (ACA) says it is on course to morph itself from a regional United Express feeder into the first US low-fares regional airline, while United Airlines says it is prepared to lose the carrier as a feeder. United has...

Star nets South African.
April 1, 2004... The Star Alliance will extend its coverage in Africa with the forthcoming addition of South African Airways (SAA), and is still working on recruiting partners in China, Russia and India. SAA has opted to join the Star Alliance after a...

Czech signs up Malev for SkyTeam.
April 1, 2004... A meeting between the leaders of CSA Czech and Malev Hungarian Airlines on issues of closer co-operation has paved the way for the latter to become an associate member of the SkyTeam alliance. As a full member of the alliance, the Czech...

Europe rules out US open skies offer.
April 1, 2004... Progress towards an open skies agreement between Europe and the USA remains slow, and Brussels has declined Washington's offer of an "early harvest" mini-deal. Washington's proposals for an early deal included a commitment to press for a...

Asia confident and Europe tentative.
April 1, 2004... After a turbulent 2003, carriers in Asia and Europe are seeing some signs of better times, but yields remain a key concern. European and Asian carriers had a tough 2003, with the first half more or less wiped out by a combination of the...

Power.
April 1, 2004... game Boeing's engine decision on the 7E7 holds major implications for the engine sector Industry pundits are likely to look back at April 2004 as the pivotal period over which the balance of power in the multi-billion dollar...

Special report.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Aircraft & engines This year, Airline Business brings together aircraft and engines into a single Special Report, allowing broad coverage of the technology and economics that will shape future fleet decisions. Centre stage is the 7E7,...

Man of the.(Fernandes,Tony-AirAsia chief executive)
April 1, 2004... moment AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes is fashioning one of the fastest growing and recognisable low-fare brands in South-East Asia Tony Fernandes is clearly having fun. Driving his Ford Escape sport utility vehicle airside at...

Dream.(Boeing Co.)(Company Profile)
April 1, 2004... date Boeing has a huge amount riding on its vision of getting a new mid-sized widebody spanning the 200-300 seater market off the ground This should be the year that Boeing's dream of inventing a new mid-sized airliner comes true. That...

Executive appointments.(appointments at several major airlines)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Virgin USA Reid to launch Virgin USA Delta Air Lines has lost its president and chief operating officer, Fred Reid, who joined Richard Branson's planned low-fare start-up, Virgin USA in April. Reid had been widely expected to be...

BAcost drive ; bears fruit.
April 1, 2004... British Airways has revealed new targets to bring down sales and distribution costs as part of its broader drive to keep savings moving. In an upbeat briefing on progress to date, chief financial officer John Rishton reported in early March...