Recently in Europe Category

Thanks to Monarch, 600 British kids got to swap their school bus for an Airbus recently and jet off on the ultimate geography field trip.

As a 70s' school kid, I dreamed of a trip like this! The best we could hope for was our form teacher borrowing the school minibus and taking us for a tour of one of the local attractions - Windsor Great Park or the RAF Memorial.

 

But Monarch took "school's out" to a new level, running a nationwide appeal to make education fun. Three schools got exclusive use of a Monarch aircraft for the day. Harris Academy Beckenham flew from Gatwick to Gibraltar, Icknield Community College from Manchester to Verona and Fulbrook Middle School from Birmingham to Dubrovnik.

And despite the excitment of a school trip at 35,000ft, I bet there was still a rush to nab the back row!

If you think the British Airways Airbus A380 looks resplendent in its new livery, you probably ought to thank, at least in part, the late former prime minister Margaret Thatcher.

Thatcher openly disapproved of BA's bold decision to abandon its Union flag colours in favour of a multitude of ethnic designs intended to reflect its global reach - a controversial marketing ploy spearheaded by then-chief Bob Ayling.

When she encountered the models of a BA Boeing 747-400 and an Aerospatiale-BAC Concorde during the 1997 Conservative Party conference, Thatcher pronounced her verdict.

"Absolutely terrible," she said, in front of the cameras, and - in a moment that has passed into legend - retrieved a paper tissue from her handbag to cover the 747's fin. Concorde, carrying a stylised version of the flag, was untouched.

Virgin Atlantic and BMI mischievously responded by incorporating the flag in their own colour schemes, while operational concerns emerged as to whether the diversity of BA fins might cause identification problems.

BA backtracked on the fin designs just two years into the scheme, declaring that it would cap the number of aircraft. When the repainted fleet reached triple figures, in 2001, the airline gave up completely, scrapping the tail art to bring back a "simpler identity" that would illustrate "consistency and unity" - and, of course, be less likely to suffer a "handbagging" from her ladyship.

Virgin Atlantic boss Steve Ridgway was in London today, addressing the great and the good of the UK aviation industry at an Aviation Club lunch in London. Ridgway could be excused some nostalgia given that he has just handed the baton over to Craig Kreeger after more than a decade at the helm of the UK carrier.

He leaves at something of a turning point for Virgin Atlantic, as it prepares to begin its first domestic flights (as a result of former codeshare partner BMI's integration into rival British Airways) and the alliance-shy carrier is set to launch of a transatlantic joint venture with new minority shareholder Delta Air Lines.

But what were his biggest successes and mistakes during that time in charge he was asked from the floor?

"The thing I am most proud of is we've always tried really hard to innovate things, that has been very hard at times, but as a company we've always had more ideas than we could ever implement. The main thing has been about it all being about the people. What I tried to do to keep the company connected."

And as for regrets, well one of them was the group's short-lived African venture Virgin Nigeria.

"I am personally very disappointed about Virgin Nigeria. I think we set up a great airline there, but maybe were a bit niave. That need is still there, and ironically is happening again now. That could have been a really good opportunity."

You can read much more about Ridgway's legacy at the UK airlines and views on the current challenges in the recent Airline Business cover interview. Read the full interview and watch a video interview with Ridgway.

And we've now put all the Airline Business cover interviews from 2012 - which also includes the likes of Tony Tyler, Keith Williams, John Slosar and Ben Beldanza - complete with video interviews, photos and additional data, in one handy place. Check out the archives here

After attempts to consolidate the local airline sector last year, Italian airlines are back in the news this year. Much of the attention has been dominated by Alitalia, and the expiration earlier this month of a lock-in on the airline's Italian investors (a total of 21 different Italian interests took a stake in the airline as part of the rescue deal which relaunched it as a private carrier four years ago) and who might be a buyer if they do decide to sell. For much more on this see our recent analysis of Alitalia and the Italian market.

At the same time the pressure on Italy's second biggest carrier Meridiana Fly continues. It announced plans to cut 10 aircraft and 600 jobs at the end of last year as part of efforts to stabilise its financial position, and has just appointed Roberto Scaramella as its new chief executive. It comes as parent company Meridiana has consolidated its ownership of the carrier following its takeover of Air Italy last year. Italian aviation regulator ENAC has now put Meridiana Fly under closer scrutiny by issuing it with a temporary operating licence, renewable on a monthly basis. 

Similar conditions have been in place at another Italian airline Blue Panorama since October - which had originally been in line to merge with Alitalia last year. Another Italian carrier, Wind Jet, ceased operations last year shortly after failing to agree terms on a deal with Alitalia.

All this has prompted ENAC to launch a probe into the financial health of Italian airlines (more on this today on Flightglobal's premium news service) and you can read Flightglobal's analysis from last November for more about the challenges facing Italian airlines. 

The combination of mergers and failures among Italy's airlines in recent years has seen a sharp decline in the number of local carriers, reducing their collective market share in the process and opening the door further to overseas carriers. Low-cost carriers in particular have been staking their claim in the highly fragmented Italian market. Market share based on ASK data shows Ryanair is now comfortably the second largest operator on Italian domestic routes, and along with EasyJet also have a strong presence on flights from Western Europe into Italy. Following the collapse of Wind Jet, Meridiana Fly is now the only other local airline alongside Alitalia and its Air One brand to register a significant presence in domestic or intra-European share. Read more on this market share shift here.

So which muppet managed to write an inadvertent howler in the opening line of this Germanwings story, only for some wise-guy to send it to a BBC comedy quiz?

(Listen to the clip here, if you must)

The world's premier international airport celebrated its 66th birthday this year and, amazingly, succession planning has been in motion for more than half its life. So forgive me for finding the latest "will they/won't they" Heathrow third runway speculation somewhat tiresome!

Regarding succession planning, more than four decades ago Flight International reported on "plans for a combined deep-water port and airport on reclaimed land off the Essex coast at Maplin Sands, adjacent to Foulness".

This was the proposal for the location of "London's third airport" - that much-used phrase that has applied variously to "green-field" projects, the strategic development of Stansted - and on occasion Amsterdam Schiphol!

But had that Thames Estuary airport gone ahead, Heathrow could have eventually made way for an all-new London aviation gateway offering plenty of room for expansion. (And had the original 1944 development envisioned for Heathrow been adhered to - involving the demolition of two more villages - then today's "third runway" debate would have been about a fourth runway).

But more frustratingly, 1969's Maplin plan would have probably paved the way for London's own multi-runway "aerotropolis" to rival Beijing, Paris CDG and suchlike.

So how ironic it is that London's most viable long-term airport capacity growth option is centred on a plan for an all-new development in the very same estuary just a few miles from away.

The argument that the proposed site for the new airport is too far from any catchment area may have some weight. But the simple reality is that given Heathrow's appalling transport links, the roads around West London are going to eventually grind to a halt without any significant further expansion (in fact they already have on the M25!). So journey times from the home counties may end up being similar!

Flight International's "Terminal Decision" comment penned 11 years ago after the approval of Terminal 5's construction said: "It is vital that the airport's ground infrastructure is developed in tandem with the new terminal to ensure that there is not systemwide gridlock in 2007".

As someone who uses Heathrow's roads regularly, I can attest to the fact that the local road infrastructure has hardly changed over the last decade and can often be mistaken for one of the airport's long-term car parks at peak times. So before talk of a third runway is taken seriously, there must first be action to address the ground transportation links - both road and rail.

Since his appointment last year, Air France chief executive Alexandre de Juniac's role has not seemed dissimilar to that of his compatriot Philippe Petit, a high-wire performer famous for his remarkable balancing routine.

In his efforts to reduce labour costs as part of a restructure de Juniac has walked a tightrope between appeasing shareholders and the French government which owns a 15% stake in the airline.

Yet with a new labour agreement already in place with ground staff and encouraging signs that its pilots will accept a new deal proposed by the SkyTeam carrier, de Juniac can afford to feel that his own balancing act is progressing well.

Clear evidence was given at the Air France-KLM group half-year financial results presentation in Paris that the Transform 2015 restructuring programme is reducing costs. Staff levels at the group have fallen by 2.2% within a year from 106,400 to 104,100 and another 2,000 employees will have left by the end of 2012. Most of those departures will be from the French carrier.

Most pleasing for de Juniac is that his achievements have come without major issues with Air France's employees, nor has it been necessary to make the forced redundancies many observers thought were inevitable. "You all disbelieved me, saying I was saving redundancies until after the election, that's not true, [Nicolas] Sarkozy said nothing [about staff lay-offs] ," he told journalists over lunch after the presentation in Paris.

So far de Juniac is advancing unfalteringly along his own high-wire. But he is still only halfway across. 

Lufthansa enjoyed a smooth debut of the Boeing 747-8I - and its new business class - on 1 June between Frankfurt and Washington DC and is now looking forward to receiving the remaining four aircraft it has slated for delivery this year to enable it to expand the stretched jumbo's network.

The inaugural flight (LH416) was operated by D-ABYA ("Brandenburg") - the first of 20 747-8Is that Lufthansa has on order. It departed Frankfurt on schedule with 313 passengers and 20 crew on board. The 747 took off at a weight of 377.6t (831,700lb) and a payload of 50t. On the flightdeck were three senior Lufthansa 747 captains including the airline's 747 technical pilot Capt Elmar Boje along with Capt Carsten Asmus and Capt Christian Krauss.

Also on board the celebratory flight was Boeing's 747 programme chief Elizabeth Lund and Lufthansa group chief executive Christoph Franz. During an interview with Flightglobal (below), Lund expressed her confidence in securing additional 747-8I orders during 2012.

After initially cruising at Mach 0.85 - and overtaking an Air Canada 777-300ER that had departed Frankfurt just ahead of the 747 - the crew then slowed slightly to M0.843 to ensure the flight didn't arrive early for the celebrations in Washington. Midway through the flight, while cruising at 36,000ft, Capt Boje reported a combined fuel flow of 9.6t/h (at  M0.843) from the four General Electric GEnx engines, with a ground speed of 479kt (886km/h) and a 20kt  headwind.

The 747-8 touched down at Washington Dulles at a weight of around 296t, meaning it had burnt around 80t of fuel during the 7h 58min flight. Capt Boje says that for initial flights the airline is taking a very conservative approach to reserve fuel quantities for the new variant.

The 362-seat 747-8I provides Lufthansa with a significant increase in premium seat capacity over the 747-400s that it is slated to replace. The major difference is the size of the business class cabin, which rises from (typically) 66 seats in the -400 to 92. The cabin is now split between the main deck (60 seats) and upper deck (32 seats) and debuts Lufthansa's new lie-flat business class seat product (below).

In contrast, Lufthansa's 30-strong 747-400 fleet is configured with an all-first-class upper deck (eight seats) and the business cabin in the nose and forward maindeck. The 747-8's first-class cabin retains the same capacity but is now located to the nose and features some product improvements (below).

As the airline introduces an additional four 747-8s this year it will expand the network from Frankfurt to include Chicago, Los Angeles, New Delhi and Bengaluru. The first five aircraft do not have on-board internet capability, but this will be addressed from the sixth aircraft onwards (due in 2013) which will be equipped with a KU-band antenna.

However the airline will have to wait for its 11th aircraft - scheduled in 2014 - before it receives a 747-8 with performance capabilities closer to Boeing's original brochure promises. This second batch of 747s will incorporate a block change of improvements including an engine upgrade, weight-savings and upgraded flight management computer capability.

European safety authorities are testing an upgraded passenger seat specifically designed to provide postural support to physically disabled children on board aircraft.

Known as the TravelChair 2012, the seat has been developed by the children's disability charity MERU and was unveiled at the UK Civil Aviation Authority's offices at London Gatwick in May.

Virgin Atlantic has already ordered the new seat which replaces a version originally designed a decade ago. Both Virgin and holiday carrier Monarch had used this previous design, but MERU says it was "cumbersome".

The chair, built by UK aviation interiors specialist Balform, is aimed at accommodating children aged three to 11. It is manufactured from durable materials and features adjustable head- and foot-rests as well as a harness to provide the necessary degree of support. It weighs 6kg (13lb) and folds down to a portable size.

European Aviation Safety Agency regulators are conducting tests on the TravelChair 2012 and MERU expects approval in September this year. Carriers purchase the seat and offer it as a free service upon request when passengers book flights.

"It's quick to install, has familiar supportive features and fits into the overhead locker when not in use," adds the charity, which is assisting in talks with several other carriers to take the seat.

Simply driving onto the Farnborough airfield show ground is enough to start my feelings of anticipation grow as I drive to a pre-Farnborough Air Show 2012 press briefing.

I love Farnborough, always have since my first visit as a kid in 1974 (the Blackbird was there - now that was cool). Some of my friends in the media hate Farnborough (or Paris, take your pick), but I've always loved the intensity of these industry fanfares.

For those of us who have visited Farnborough countless times over the years it is a familiar place. There are the classic chalet rows, which have been virtually unchanged for decades. The four main halls scale the steps that lead up from static aircraft parking area.

The organisers of Farnborough, with chief executive Shaun Ormrod to the fore, are doing their best to keep the show relevant and customer friendly. There are lots of special features, like the Aviation Security Zone (sponsored by Flightglobal partner FLIR Systems), an Innovations Zone, a Futures Day and a Space Zone.

Ormrod tells the press corps that "2012 is looking like it's going to be a really great show". Here's why:

* 98% of the chalet space is sold (only 2 units left)

* 100% of the halls are sold and there is a waiting list

* The aircraft static park is full and there is a waiting list.

For now the flying display is OK but not overwhelming (the Red Arrows will be there of course).

Russia's Yakovlev Yak-130 trainer is coming, which is nice but not exactly earth-shattering news. No word on whether Boeing's 787 or 747-8 will be either flying, flying past or on static. Boeing promises news on its presence shortly.

The coolest new arrival is ground-based - for the time being. After much persuasion from the Farnborough team, Virgin Galactic has agreed to bring its SpaceShipTwo mock-up to the show.

This will be the first time Virgin Galactic has shown SS2 in Europe. Now that is cool.

The press briefing is over and the countdown clock to Farnborough 2012 is ticking.

Flightglobal will be there covering the show via our fantastic show landing page, our mobile app, interactive Flight Daily News, the Flight Daily News paper and much more!

Don't forget our Live Streaming of the air display - which will be found via Flightglobal.com.

Bring on the show!