Airline Business articles from March 2008

Airline Business archives from March 2008

AirTran slows expansion.(Briefing)
March 17, 2008... US low-fare carrier AirTran Airways has further cut its growth rate for 2008 and has unveiled plans to also slow down its expansion for 2009 and 2010. "We have to live with the cost of fuel," says AirTran chief executive Robert Fornaro. ...

Airline rivalry heats up in Central America.(Briefing)
March 17, 2008... TACA and Copa Airlines are strengthening their duopoly as they vie with each other for dominance in Central America. Both airlines are boosting capacity this year - 20% at Copa and slightly less than 20% at TACA - but each is pursuing a...

Delta confident of 2008 profit.(Briefing)
March 17, 2008... Byline: David Field Seattle Atlanta-based carrier plans to continue its ambitious international expansion following delivery of its first 777-200LR Delta Air Lines executives are confident the carrier's ambitious international growth...

Briefing.
March 17, 2008... kerry ezard london Mexico's Interjet tries to buy Aviacsa Low-cost carrier Interjet has signalled a thirst for kick-starting the airline consolidation process in Mexico with a failed attempt to acquire Aviacsa. Toluca-based...

Midway ready to go private.(Briefing)
March 17, 2008... Byline: David Field Washington City of Chicago proposes 50-year lease of Midway airport just as ATA pulls out for good Chicago's second airport - close-in, low-fares hub Midway - is on the block to become the first major US airport...

Southwest under scrutiny.(Briefing)
March 17, 2008... Byline: David Field Washington US FAA fines Southwest $10.2 million for missing fleet inspections Southwest Airlines grounded nearly 7% of its Boeing 737 fleet in mid-March after the FAA proposed a record $10.2 million fine for missed...

Majors come up with the goods.(Analysis)
March 17, 2008... Byline: Report by Mark Pilling**Analysis by*Antonio Panariello of Flight insight Network carriers broadly posted good results in the latter part of 2007 both in Europe and the Asia-Pacific With the exception of AirAsia representing...

Analysis.
March 17, 2008... Time to make some adjustments Airlines are facing up to the impending slowdown, writes Chris Tarry. Analysis from Antonio Panariello of Flight Insight In the last issue of Airline Business I wrote of the mixed messages that were...

Briefing.
March 17, 2008... China Eastern rejects CNAC offer The saga over the future ownership of China Eastern Airlines is continuing, with the carrier rejecting a proposed partnership with the parent of Air China and saying it still wants Singapore Airlines to take...

Briefing.
March 17, 2008... Outlook brightens at last for Japan Airlines Long-troubled Japan Airlines (JAL) has issued a more positive outlook for its future, upgrading profitability forecasts and raising more than $1 billion to get its financial house in order. ...

Briefing.
March 17, 2008... Nicholas Ionides Singapore Train spoils Taiwan market Taiwanese carriers are banking on new flights to China to offset domestic market woes Taiwan's domestic airline market is declining rapidly amid competition from high-speed...

Toll seeks to reduce Virgin stake.(Briefing)
March 17, 2008... Byline: David Knibb Seattle Virgin Blue's majority owner is evaluating options for boosting the carrier's value before selling some of its 62% stake Virgin Blue's directors face the difficult task of finding ways to maximise the...

Executive appointments.(Forum)
March 17, 2008... Kingfisher Airlines has appointed Siva Ramachandran to the role of vice-president global sales, based in the Indian carrier's Mumbai hub. Ramachandran, who has a 32 years of industry experience, started with Singapore Airlines and later worked...

View from the top.(Comment)
March 17, 2008... "The correct gearto tackle mountainsis absolutely essential" The industry has clearly passed its peak. Now the question is how precipitous will the decline be and will the downturn finally spur consolidation in North America? And who will...

Briefing.
March 17, 2008... kerry ezard london UK airport rules blasted Airlines are up in arms over "failed" UK airport regulations and BAA's "monopoly tactics" In a rare display of unity, four of the largest carriers operating from the UK have joined...

Briefing.
March 17, 2008... kerry ezard london Low-costs step up French invasion Budget carriers are expanding their operations in France in spite of high entry barriers and tough competition EasyJet's decision to open two more French bases at Paris Charles...

road to recovery.(Features)(Company overview)
March 17, 2008... Byline: ReportNicholas Ionides In Kuala LumpurPhotographyJacky Ho "Today is not a timefor declaring victory. This has only just begun. Now we have to assault a new mountain and we have to reinvent ourselves" Idris Jala joined Malaysia...

Atlantic storm.(Features)
March 17, 2008... Byline: ReportBrendan Sobie In LondonAnalysis byAntonio Panariello of Flight Insight "There's got to be some point that the market gets softer" Nat Pieper Vice-president alliances, Northwest Buoyed by EU-US Open Skies, the...

biofuel not the answer.(Forum)
March 17, 2008... "Tackling aviation emissions cannot be done through the use of biofuels" Doug Parr Chief scientist, Greenpeace Addressing the impact of aviation on climate change through the use of biofuels is not the solution because of the...

talk of the town.(Forum)
March 17, 2008... Mark Pilling San Diego Mergers, tough economic conditions and Europe-US Open Skies were the top themes at this year's Network USA route planning event held in San Diego from 2-4 March Will they or won't they? That was the dominant...

Briefing.
March 17, 2008... kerry ezard london Airlines facing new cartel probe Air France-KLM, Alitalia and Lufthansa are under investigation for potential price-fixing on Japan routes Airlines have once again found themselves at the centre of a cartel...

Briefing.
March 17, 2008... Australians welcome US Open Skies Virgin Blue is applauding the new Open Skies bilateral between Australia and the USA, and Qantas has moved quickly to maximise its rights under it. Praising the new accord, Australia's transport minister...

Bishop's next move.(Insight)(British Airways PLC)(Deutsche Lufthansa AG)(Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd.)
March 17, 2008... Byline: Victoria Moores London UK carrier bmi is sitting on a much sought-after pile of slots at London Heathrow and its future ownership - which could change as a set of buy and sell options near their expiry date - is drawing interest...

Boom time in Bahrain.(Briefing)
March 17, 2008... Byline: David Kaminski-Morrow London Gulf Air is looking to rebuild its long-haul network as start-up Bahrain Air quickly expands Middle Eastern start-up airline Bahrain Air insists it is not aiming to sap Gulf Air's traffic despite...

Pressure cooker.(Special Report)
March 17, 2008... Byline: ReportMary KirbyIn PhiladelphiaStephen TrimbleIn Washington DC Airlines are turning up the heat on engine makers to develop new, more efficient powerplants to drive the development of the next generation of narrowbody aircraft ...

Slim pickings.(Special Report)
March 17, 2008... Byline: Reportkerry ezard In london The widebody market is as tight as it has ever been, stretched by record orders and delays to the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 programmes, leaving carriers fighting over a scarce resource When it comes...

LITTLE GEMS?(Special Report)
March 17, 2008... Byline: ReportDavid Field In WashingtonAnalysis byAntoine Fafard Of Flight InsightAnalysis by North America was the birthplace of the 50-seat regional jet, but now as fuel costs make it an expensive little aircraft to operate, some...