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January 2011 Archives

Do you have what it takes to create an airline livery? Alaska Air wants your design

By
Will Horton
 on January 28, 2011 3:02 AM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)
PaintThePlane_Template.jpgHave you ever wanted to design an aircraft livery?

Here's your chance.

This spring Alaska Airlines will unveil a new 737-700 logojet promoting Portland, Oregon soccer team the Timbers featuring one lucky artist's design.

Visit the Timbers website for information and to download the design template to submit to them. Note the template includes the aircraft's winglets, so be sure to extend your design to them--no bare winglets, please.

Submissions close 15 February. The aircraft will be unveiled this spring during the club's 2011 debut Major League Soccer season.

Designing a jet livery may be a dream to some, but Alaska and the Timbers are also giving the winner two first-class tickets to Hawaii on Alaska Airlines, two club seats to the Timbers' inaugural home match on April 14, 2011, as well as a team-autographed Timbers jersey.

The runner-up will receive two coach tickets to anywhere Alaska flies within the United States or Canada, a team-autographed Timbers jersey, and two complimentary tickets to a 2011 match of their choice (based on availability). The third-place design will receive two coach tickets on Alaska to anywhere the airline flies within the continental United States or Canada, and a $50 gift card to the Timbers Team Store or online shop. Seven additional submissions will receive honorable mentions.

In America, opposites for rationalising new airline livery

By
Will Horton
 on January 26, 2011 9:56 AM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)
Eskimo livery Horizon.gifPeople do not like change, and when it comes to re-branding jets that feature storied liveries, emotions run high.

How airlines respond and rationalise their decision can be tricky, as two recent re-brandings illustrate.

First was the re-branding following the merger of Continental and United. The new livery was Continental's old livery albeit saying "United" in a new typeface. This livery has not been popular to many, and was not helped along when United-Continental chief executive Jeff Smisek half-jokingly opined on the livery, "Well I created it so I like it a lot."

Compare that to yesterday's letter to customers--posted on Facebook to directly reach them--from Horizon Air chief executive Glenn Johnson about the carrier featuring an Alaska Airlines-styled "Eskimo" livery:

The Horizon Air name has become synonymous with exceptional service - thanks to the cumulative efforts of caring and hardworking local employees over nearly three decades.


We weighed these and all other relevant factors for several months. In the end, we decided there would be more benefit to adopting the Alaska brand - which for more than three-quarters of a century has built so much positive equity up and down the West Coast (and, increasingly, nationwide) - while at the same time subtly incorporating the valued Horizon name. In essence, we ended up aiming for the best of both worlds.
...
By the way, those words you see next to the entry/exit doors say, "Proudly Operated by Horizon Air." Words we live by.

Johnson's themes--hardworking employees, best of both worlds--were also mentioned by Smisek. The difference is Johnson, unlike Smisek, does not try to pass the new livery off as the best symbolic representation.

Quote Smisek:
The Continental livery...the globe and colours are associated in the United States with very high quality service, excellent airline, great reliability...Because Continental is an excellent airline with great reliability and with great service. However the Continental name is not well-known off-shore. The United name is a wonderful brand, very well known off-shore.
Johnson did not mention what the Eskimo represents or indeed what the name "Alaska Airlines" implies. He does offer a token by saying Horizon aircraft in the new livery won't just be operated by Horizon but proudly operated by Horizon. As for justifying adopting the Alaska livery, all he says is that the brand, like United's, was stronger.

At the end of the day, livery changes are just that: business decisions.

Should airlines support animal testing by transporting monkeys?

By
Will Horton
 on January 26, 2011 8:29 AM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)
Air Canada 77W
Air Canada 777-300ER departing Heathrow. Photograph: AirSpace user apgphoto

Air Canada is facing calls from BUAV, a UK advocacy group campaigning to end animal experiments, not to transport monkeys destined for laboratory research.

Over the weekend the carrier reportedly transported 45 monkeys from Beijing to Toronto and kept the creatures in crates for 15 hours before transporting them onwards to Montreal, Emirates 24/7 reports. The animals were believed to be destined for a research laboratory in Laval, Quebec.

Emirates 24/7 reports airlines including British Airways, Qantas Airways, and United Airlines have stopped transporting monkeys for research.

The issue here is the purpose of the animals, and not animal transportation in general. Emirates last month announced its SkyCargo division completed its longest flight, a 17.5 hour trip on a 777-200LR from Sydney to New York to deliver a "consignment of highly valuable horses...potentially worth more than the aircraft itself". Last year a 777-200LR also ferried some special animals--two pandas to China--and placed a giant panda decal on an aircraft for the occasion.

In comparison, Air Canada declined to comment.

USB flash drive: meet an aircraft tailfin

By
Will Horton
 on January 25, 2011 1:02 AM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)
Eastern USB tailfin.jpgIn our line of work we see a lot of USBs from airlines, manufactures, and suppliers. They vary from being unbranded to having a simple logo to having the logo engraved in a bamboo casing to being combined with a laser pointer. (That's the only reason we go to airshows: to collect the USB swag. Shh! Don't tell.)

I thought I had seen them all, but these Bader Models USB flash drives with an aircraft tailfin sent my current USBs fleeing from their port and taking cover. And no wonder: they're pretty sweet. They cover current (BA) and past airlines (Pan Am) as well as tailfins that have an engine in them (DC-10 and, my favourite, the L-1011).

At US$53 for 4GB they are not cheap, but surely some company wants to please aerospace journos at the next airshow?

DC-10 USB tailfin.jpg

KLM USB tailfin.jpg

SAA to lose 737s after forgetting to renew leases

By
Will Horton
 on January 17, 2011 12:23 PM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)
SAA 737s
Cargo variants of the 737, two examples of which SAA will lose. Pohotograph: AirSpace user Keith Gaskell

If you know of an airline with too much bureaucracy, please have them ship cartons of red tape and forms in triplicate to South African Airways.

At the end of this month the carrier will remove two leased 737-800 aircraft from its fleet--but not because it wants to.

The carrier is believed to have "forgotten" to renew the 737s' leases, according to a local media report. But don't worry: a spokesman declines to comment on the accusation, except to say the 737 loss is no "train smash".

A spokeswoman for the SAA Pilots Association said the aircraft were being returned as their leases were ending, without commenting whether the return was intentional or not.

Train smash or not, the carrier is understood to have held a meeting stretching into Wednesday evening about what to do.

The spokesman said SAA may look to increase the fleet's efficiency, but confirmed no routes or frequencies would be cut as a result of the expiring leased 737s, as well as a third 737 being transferred to SAA's low-cost subsidiary Mango. In fact, Mr No Train Smash says, the carrier would look to expand this year.

Although SAA plans to replace its 737s with A320-series jets, that will not occur until 2013. The carrier is reportedly due to receive 2 A330-200s this year, but those are pegged to be used on long-haul routes.

This is apparently not the first such instance of forgetting about capital investments. Last year, the media report says, it became public that SAA believed a contract with Airbus had already been canceled and so SAA did not cancel the contract.

But again, this isn't a train smash.

Is Virgin America next for Neo?

By
David Kaminski-Morrow
 on January 16, 2011 7:46 PM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

One curious aspect of the IndiGo agreement to take the A320neo was the timing of its disclosure, just six days before Airbus would be commanding media attention at its annual event in Toulouse.

 

But one clue might be the fact that a source  (the same one, incidentally, who correctly informed us A320neo would have its first deal on 11 January, despite shrugs all round from Airbus) has also identified a certain US carrier as being lined up to take the re-engined aircraft.

 

Not a huge surprise, if it's true. Virgin America has yet to sign on the dotted line for the 60 A320s it tentatively agreed to take at Farnborough 2010.

 

Twenty of those are post-2016 options, which neatly fall into the A320neo schedule. And Virgin America's chief, David Cush, told Flightglobal's Max Kingsley-Jones at the time: "We're hopeful that Airbus will come out with an option that will significantly improve fuel efficiency - and if they do, we plan on being the first in line."

 

Airbus hasn't quite said that it'll be using its 17 January shindig to unveil another A320neo agreement. But you have to wonder whether IndiGo was sprung early in order to make room...

Broken leg delays Richard Branson's flight attendant debut

By
Will Horton
 on January 16, 2011 9:07 AM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)
Branson AirAsia uniform.JPGEarlier this month on the slopes Sir Richard Branson broke his leg after a fellow skier crashed into him. (The other skier's identity has not been released, but who wants to bet it was someone who did not get their upgrade after trying one of these excuses?)

It was especially bad timing as Branson next month was due to don a flight attendant uniform and walk the aisles of an AirAsia X A340 after losing a bet to AirAsia's Tony Fernandes.

Fortunately or unfortunately depending how you see it, Branson and Fernandes are not canceling the jamboree but re-scheduling Branson's flight attendant career debut flight to 8 April, Fernandes says in a Tweet. Branson will still be on a STN-KUL flight.

So it will be a little bit longer until you get to see--unless you keep your eyes covered--this image on the right.

(Image: AirAsia)

Best ATC-style game yet: Approach Control

By
Will Horton
 on January 16, 2011 3:51 AM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)
Approach Control screenshot.PNG
When a flight delay gets long, I give in to my guilty pleasure: playing air traffic control-like games on my iPhone. Flight Control and Airline Conqueror are good, mindless fun to distract me, but after a few minutes I always find myself wishing they were more real.

The two games, and others like them, take into account different speeds, but little more; they're like aviation meets connect the dots.

With the new game Approach Control ("APP Control"), I've now met my match. It is the best ATC-style game yet.

The iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad game displays, like real ATC, an airport's runways in green against a black background (don't download the game for snazzy graphics and muzak). The objective is to direct aircraft to their assigned runways and direct departing aircraft to their assigned departure point on the edge of the screen.

By clicking on a flight (a square--no airplane icons here) you can control heading, speed, and altitude.

Aircraft entering your screen, "airspace", are descending down to 3,000 feet. You have to direct them to the runway (with the "direct" option, see screen shot above, you can automatically direct the flight to the runway or departure point) and make sure they reach 3,000 feet by the time they start their final approach.

Departing aircraft are cleared up to 3,000 feet, but most have to be at a higher altitude by their departure point (if an aircraft is too high or low, you lose points). Check "Flightplan Altitude" for that appropriate figure. You will also need to adjust speed and heading/direction.

Amongst all of this, you have to keep aircraft apart from each other. You're permitted a minimum separation of 2.9. If you go under that, the game ends. Thankfully, you can adjust the game's difficulty.

My only complaint is you cannot zoom in. Since the game incorporates altitude, it would be nice to touch the screen and adjust an overflying aircraft without your finger press bringing up the other aircraft's settings. Also, I've lost the game a few times because two aircraft got close to each other and I could not adjust their flightpaths before they got even closer.

(I like how the game leaves you with a guilt-free conscious: you lose when you break minimum separation, not when aircraft collide like in Flight Control and Airline Conqueror.)

No, the game is not perfect: Continental flight 68 approaching LHR's 27R at 5600 feet is listed as being operated by a Boeing 737. But the aircraft type and flight number is only a detail that does not affect game play.

Approach Control has a free "lite" version that lets you select between JFK and LHR, while the full and paid version gives you more airports. The lite version is nice as it (so far) does not limit game time or display pesky ads.

PICTURES & VIDEOS: J-20 first flight - the camera doesn't lie or does it?

By
Barbara Cockburn
 on January 10, 2011 2:47 PM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)

China's Chengdu J-20 has indeed been flown for the first time in public, as confirmed by numerous online reports, photos and video of the large, delta-winged aircraft getting airborne. Chinese President Hu Jintao also has confirmed the milestone.

Earlier in the week the industry was speculating as to whether or not the maiden flight of the stealthy Chengdu J-20 prototype actually took place.

Flightglobal has videos and pictures of what could be China's new fifth generation fighter aircraft's first flight.

Here's an image that Stephen Trimble, Flightglobal's Americas Managing Editor suspected demonstrates the J-20 had it's first flight. But is it real?

Photos leaked onto Chinese web sites since late September show an aircraft with an F-22-like frontal design, plus moving canards and tail fins.

J-20-F22.gifLast week, colleague Greg Waldron was suspicious of the authenticity of the pictures that emerged on Chinese website. In his blog post on Asian Skies, he writes about how unlikely it would be for China to become more open about military affairs. 

"Openness," he wrote "is not about showing what kit you have, but telling people what your plans are, offering reassurance about your intentions, and generally being a considerate neighbour. China's tough talk on the South China Sea last year, continued support of North Korea, and clashes with Japan over disputed islands all leave little room for comfort."
 

j-20-gen-arr-large.gif

What are your thoughts on the pictures and video and China's agenda?

Here's Flightglobal's Deputy Asia Editor Greg Waldron with his views on the J-20's first appearance.


More Flightglobal and wider web content about the J-20:

 

'Sir Richard Branson promised me': Virgin Atlantic reveals unusual upgrade requests

By
Will Horton
 on January 10, 2011 3:18 AM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)
stefan-the-pilot-in-upper-class-while-en-route-to.jpg.500x400.jpgUndoubtedly the top wish of any traveler is an upgrade, but let's face it: unless you shell out cash or miles, your chances are slim.

But that doesn't stop some people from trying.

In a press release to spruik its Upper Class and how to pay to receive an upgrade, Virgin Atlantic has listed the most common and unusual requests, obtained through a survey, passengers have tried to pass on staff for a complimentary upgrade.

"Sir Richard Branson is my friend" and "Sir Richard Branson promised me an upgrade" were the two most common pleas, leaving our cheeky public affairs spokesperson to conclude that "Sir Richard Branson has a lot of 'friends' around the world."

(On 8 June 2009 Branson was the guest editor for a day at Flightglobal. We hope during that time we became legitimate friends and not "friends".)

The next three top justifications were:

3. We are on honeymoon

4. It's my birthday

5. I am very tall and really need some more space

Some of the more quirky and unusual upgrade requests passengers made were:

1.    Manchester United lost today, I am really upset and need the space to get over it

2.    My wife is pregnant; I need an upgrade as it is a really stressful time for me (Virgin says this plea started an argument between the husband and wife)

3.    My newborn baby has claustrophobia, she is in counselling and we really need an upgrade so she has more space

4.    I am Sir Richard Branson's dentist

5.    I have lost all of my money in Vegas but really need an upgrade

6.    We are getting married today (the couple turned up in full wedding attire)

7.    (At Tokyo check-in) I am a very tall Englishman and need some extra leg room

8.    It's a Sunday, no one flies on a Sunday so please can I have an upgrade? 

Today's lesson? If you're looking for an upgrade, put your creativity to work, get extra cash, and pay for the upgrade. Or become one of Branson's actual friends.


Photo: Flightglobal mascot Stefan the Pilot scored a seat in Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class. He reports he had a lot of leg room.

Q&A with Jay Carter, president of Carter Aviation Technologies

By
Will Horton
 on January 9, 2011 12:43 PM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)
Jay Carter Working Week.jpg

Jay Carter began building model aircraft at a young age, entered the wind turbine business and broke into the rotorcraft industry with Bell Helicopter before going solo as president of Carter Aviation Technologies.

What is your aviation history?

My first company was in the wind turbine business. I began it in 1976 and sold it in 1992. My first aviation job was working for Bell Helicopter. I was a research and development design engineer, helping with the design of the rotor for the XV-15 tiltrotor. I worked there for over two years, getting a feel for R&D engineering. That was the only job I had in aviation before I went out on my own. Read more...


Photo: Carter Aviation Technologies

How to write an aviation scare article

By
Will Horton
 on January 8, 2011 6:09 AM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)
Have you, dear reader, ever wanted to write about aviation?

Have you wanted to write over-the-top and sentationalist articles but don't like writing and/or are lazy?

Have I got the solution for you: http://www.radans.net/jens/planestory.html

(Please note we discourage this type of reporting. Anyone found writing such articles will be punished with having to pay to use the loo for the rest of his/her flying life.)

New mockumentary 'Come Fly with Me' about low-cost airlines

By
Will Horton
 on January 5, 2011 5:50 PM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)
Aviation these days begs for jokes, be it TSA security or Ryanair wanting to charge to use the loo.

The comic relief has been funny, but I've yet to see anyone go the length Little Britain and the BBC has with its new mockumentary (fake film in documentary-style) TV series, Come Fly with Me.

The show is akin to a fictitious version of real documentary series Airport about London Heathrow. Come Fly with Me follows fictional low-cost airline FlyLo from its pilots to owner to check-in agents. Like Airport, it also focuses on airport employees from immigration officers to paparazzi.

The BBC is kind enough to let us non-Brits watch the entire first episode (below), but you only need to see the first 45 seconds to get a flavour of what's to come--both in the TV show and in the real skies, although I suspect some of you have already experienced the latter.

There's a Michael O'Leary type who whinges about why people need to use the loo in-flight, a passenger who asks what the vegetarian option is and receives the flight attendant's response of "chicken", and general crew shenanigans. I won't spoil it anymore. See it for yourself.

Spanair surprises passengers with gifts on luggage belt

By
Will Horton
 on January 5, 2011 4:30 PM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)
Passengers may dread the wait for their checked luggage, but that was not the case for passengers coming off Spanair flight JK5208 from Barcelona to Las Palmas last Christmas Eve.

190 passengers arrived shortly before midnight, effectively spending their entire Christmas Ever traveling when normally in Spain Christmas Ever is celebrated with dinners, parties, and presents.

"We had to do something to make it a special night for them," Spanair says.

So the carrier wrapped every passenger a present--selecting different presents for men and women, adults and children--placed the passenger's name on the box, and then unloaded the presents on the luggage belt as the passengers gathered to wait for the bags.

Watch the reaction of the passengers in the video, below, the airline made of the event.

Charlotte museum set to display US Airways' Hudson River A320

By
Will Horton
 on January 5, 2011 3:36 PM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)
US Airways A320

Okay aviation geeks, put Charlotte on your attractions list.

The North Carolina city's Carolinas Aviation Museum is almost set to display the US Airways A320 that crashed into the Hudson River two years ago this month.

Museum officials "have all but finalized an agreement that would put the Airbus A320 on permanent display as a tourist attraction," the Charlotte Observer reports.

Charlotte Mayor Pro Term Patrick Cannon has a unique vision for the aircraft's display: place it in a pool of water.

"Potentially," he tells the Observer, "(you'd) have the opportunity one day to actually walk out on the wings of this plane and look down as if you're actually on the Hudson River itself."

Since the 15 January 2009 landing, the aircraft has been stored in a New Jersey warehouse where museum president Shawn Dorch says the aircraft's interior "is like a time capsule."

"The Coke cans are in the food carts," he says. "Except for the passenger belongings, virtually everything else is still in the airplane just like it was."

Dorch tells the Obserber the museum beat out other institutions, including the Smithsonian, to acquire the aircraft. He declines to tell the Observer how much the museum will pay the insurance company that now owns the A320.

According to Dorch, his museum was selected because it wanted to display the entire aircraft, and also has a local connection: "This is a Charlotte story. The airplane was destined for Charlotte. There are so many survivors in Charlotte."

Museum officials say the aircraft could boost the museum's visitors by the thousands. The museum's collection includes a Piedmont Airlines DC-3 and assorted fighter aircraft.

Putting the latest Wikileaks #AvCablegate cables in context

By
Will Horton
 on January 4, 2011 4:11 PM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)
The latest batch of cables we've written about so far:
Diplomatic help swayed Gulf Air to purchase 787s instead of A350s
Saudi king wanted Air Force One-style upgrade in exchange for Boeing winning fleet renewal contract
Boeing's unlikely most-favourite nation: Turkmenistan?
See our #AvCablegate feature page here.

That governments directly lobby foreign governments to purchase aircraft from their country is not a secret, let alone one we needed Wikileaks to tell us about.

But the latest aviation-related cables released (which we're following with the #AvCablegate hashtag) should not be disregarded.

They provide insight into the extent of the lobbying, which one US ambassador candidly described as "beyond every-day advocacy".

The cables also indicate this extended lobbying was not a one-off occurrence or that Boeing wants to keep this status quo, but rather Boeing wants to increase the lobbying. An ambassador quotes a letter from Boeing saying, "The working together activity between you, your team, and Boeing is a model that we should really aspire to replicate in other countries."

One cable concerning a Gulf Air purchase of 787s shows that Gulf Air was almost ready to sign a deal, but Boeing brushed them off thinking it was a ploy. It was only with State Department advice Boeing took Gulf Air seriously, flew to Bahrain, and inked a deal. You could half-jokingly say the State Department does everything but manufacture the jets.

While Boeing has received the headlines from these cables (they are from the US, after all), there's no doubt Airbus engages in similar efforts. After hearing Gulf Air was swaying from purchasing A350s to 787s, French president Nicolas Sarkozy offered to add Bahrain to his regional tour if Gulf Air purchased Airbus jets.

Gulf Air went with the 787s in January 2008 and Sarkozy did not visit Bahrain, at which point the cable ends. But that May Gulf Air purchased A330s. With Boeing under-selling the 787, actions that continue to have financial implications for the company, and having to pay Gulf Air delivery delay payments, it's plausible that Airbus wound up with the better deal by selling Gulf Air tried-and-tested A330s rather than the A350.

Finally, the cables give insight into the purchasing, negotiating, and state play that occurs in an aircraft purchase, a high-end deal kept from the public's eyes until the order is announced.

If you're interested in aviation--and being here, I suspect you are--the cables are well worth a read once you put them in context of mainly being informative and not strictly news.

#AvCablegate: Boeing's unlikely most-favourite nation: Turkmenistan?

By
Will Horton
 on January 4, 2011 1:30 PM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)
Turkmenistan
Photograph: AirSpace user FlyPHANUK

"Boeing has provided many services to Turkmenistan's aviation industry since independence in 1992 -- many more than anywhere else in the world," a 2008 cable from US diplomat Sylvia Reed Curran, and released by Wikileaks, says.

If Curran's statement is correct, there is also some irony and waning. An undisclosed "top Boeing Corporation sales executive...said that he would not fly on Turkmenistan Airlines because some planes are flying past the usual inspection due date, calling into question the structural integrity of the aircraft," Curran writes.

This love-but-now-avoid relationship was posing other quandaries, and worrying Boeing about its foothold in Turkmenistan.

Boeing established itself in Turkmenistan soon after the former Soviet republic's independence by initiating a relationship with with former president Niyazov, Curran wrties.

The US manufacturer worked closely, Curran writes, with Gore Design, which provides executive interior design for most of Central Asia's presidential airplanes (one of which is seen above). Gore repaired the in-flight entertainment system inadvertently left on in the heat in one of the president's aircraft.

In exchange for Boeing's services to Turkmenistan's aviation industry, the nation "exempted Boeing from taxes and gave the company other privileges," Curran writes. Turkmenistan Airlines also acquired a small but notable Boeing fleet.

But new president Berdimuhamedov was not as business-minded as his predecessor, Curran writes. As a result, 18 entities, as opposed to 5 or 6, had to authorise contracts in three languages. There also appeared to be issues with customs delaying the acceptance of spare aircraft parts.

After a Turkish broker introduced Airbus executives to Turkmenistan Airlines and brokered a deal for two Bombarider Challenger jets, Boeing became "at a loss" as to why it was losing grip of its cosy relationship and asked the State Department to intervene.

It is not specified what, if any help, the State Department was able to offer. A Boeing executive came to Turkmenistan and after waiting several days was granted a meeting with Turkmenistan Airlines' deputy chairman, whereas on previous visits it was the chairman who met with Boeing officials.

#AvCablegate: Saudi king wanted Air Force One-style upgrade in exchange for Boeing winning fleet renewal contract

By
Will Horton
 on January 4, 2011 1:08 PM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)
Saudia 747
Photograph: AirSpace user 8Q-BLOG

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia would have Saudi Arabian Airlines purchase Boeing jets if his personal transport aircraft was outfitted with the communications and technology featured on Air Force One, a 2006 cable from US Ambassador James Oberwetter, and released by Wikileaks, says.

In 2006 then-US President George Bush wrote a letter to Abdullah "advocating" for Boeing and General Electric's $12b bid to upgrade the fleet of Saudi Arabian Airlines and Saudi Royal Flight, the arm that transports members of the Saudi royal family, Oberwetter writes.

Israel Hernandez, a senior Commerce Department Official, hand-delivered Bush's letter to Abdullah, who after reading it announced he "does not want anything to do with Airbus planes," Oberwetter writes.

Abdullah naturally favoured Boeing's bid, which included a proposal for 43 aircraft comprising 747-8s, 777s, and 787s for Saudi Arabian Airlines and 13 Boeing Business Jets, 747s, 777s, and 787s for Saudi Royal Flight.

But there was a catch. Abdullah wanted a new private jet and skipped an Airbus offer for two unspecified jets for a 747 from Saudi's fleet "with minimal hours on the engines," Oberwetter writes.

On this new 747 Abdullah was concerned about his personal safety and "wanted to have all the technology that his friend President Bush has on Air Force One," Oberwetter writes. Abdullah even "instructed" a US official to relay the message to Bush.

Abdullah said after he received his AF1-style upgraded 747 he would have the Saudi Government re-evaluate Boeing's bid. "God Willing," Oberwetter quotes Abdullah telling US officials, he would make a decision that will "please you very much".

The US did authorise an undisclosed "upgrade" to Abdullah's aircraft, the State Department confirmed to the New York Times.

After the facts of the cable, Saudi Arabian Airlines purchased eight 787s, and last November signed for 12 777-300ER jets, but no 747-8 order has matriculated--yet. In 2008 the carrier also purchased eight A330s.

#AvCablegate: US State Department swayed Gulf Air order from Airbus A350 to Boeing 787

By
Will Horton
 on January 3, 2011 4:43 PM | | Comments () | TrackBacks (0)
GulfAir787.jpgImage: Boeing

"Beyond every-day advocacy" and communication from the US State Department's Bahrain embassy helped the manufacturer in January 2008 sway Gulf Air from purchasing Airbus A350s and instead order 16 787s with options for another 8, says a cable from US Ambassador Adam Ereli and released by Wikileaks, first reported in the New York Times. (We're following aviation-related cables with the #AvCablegate hashtag.)

Gulf Air had planned to purchase Airbus jets as the Airbus package was $400m cheaper, but US diplomats "persisted in lobbying Gulf Air management, board members, government officials and representatives of parliament" about the 787's cost advantage and reliability.

The Bahrain government was swayed in part by the opportunity to announce the order during a visit by then-President George Bush, the first sitting president to visit the country. Boeing also offered a last-minute 5% discount, further exemplifying how Boeing under-sold the 787, actions that are now causing the company to juggle the 787's delivery line to ensure under-priced 787s are not bunched together.

"Your continued effort to touch the right leaders and remain a strong advocate for Boeing in this process made an enormous difference in the final outcome," a letter after the order from Boeing to the American ambassador in Bahrain reportedly says. "The working together activity between you, your team, and Boeing is a model that we should really aspire to replicate in other countries."

Boeing first requested US Government assistance in May 2006 when then-CEO James Hogan announced plans to replace the carrier's fleet. Hogan's plan called for Gulf Air to purchase 22 737s and 25 787s, but Hogan departed under managerial differences. His successor, Andre Dose, also left, leaving Bjorn Naff as the chief executive (who after the facts also left, leaving former Royal Jordanian Airlines chief Samer Majali in charge).

Fast forward to October 2007 and Gulf Air has signed a memorandum of understanding with Boeing to purchase the 787s. But then it reversed itself, concerned it would not be able "to justify a decision for Boeing to the parliament in the face of a steeply discounted airbus [sic]quotation," the cable says. The Airbus offer was reportedly $400 million less.

On 12 December Gulf Air notified Boeing it had selected Airbus's offer and would need its 787 deposits refunded.

The US embassy in Bahrain, however, told Boeing the decisions was not final as Bahrain's government--now the sole owner of Gulf Air--would need to approve the purchase and had not yet done so.

It was then "Boeing renewed its request for advocacy," the cable says, explaining:
The Ambassador and Econoff persisted in lobbying Gulf Air management, board members, government officials and representatives of parliament. The Ambassador made the case repeatedly that Airbus, lower up-front costs would be eclipsed by Boeing's lower operating costs and product reliability. He made much of the fact that the Airbus A-350 alternative was still on the drawing board.
The exact method of lobbying was not mentioned, but in other cables released by Wikileaks, Boeing turned down offers to pay agents "commissions" (bribes) for access to officials.

Gulf Air Board Chairman Mahmoud Kooheji told the US ambassador the Bahrain Crown Prince and King had rejected Gulf Air's proposal to purchase jets from Airbus and instead directed Kooheji to make a deal with Boeing in time for President Bush's visit to Bahrain on 12-13 January 2008.

"We have selected the 787 to be the core of our fleet for the next generation to meet both our passengers' and our stakeholders' expectations," Kooheji said in a statement when the order was announced.

But before the agreement Boeing had "to make some concession(s)" in order for the Gulf Air board to re-visit its decision, the ambassador writes. He told Boeing their sales team would need to return to Bahrain to quickly finalise the deal.

Boeing, however, was skeptical this was only a last-minute ploy, and said other obligations precluded them from returning to Bahrain before 14 January.

When the US ambassador said that would be too late, Boeing executives did return to Bahrain. After the ambassador said the Crown Price and King had personally told him they were sincere in inking an agreement, "Boeing responded by shaving an additional five percent off its proposed sale price," the cable says.

France made a last-minute manoeuvre when French President Nicolas Sarkozy called the Bahrain King to say he would add Bahrain to his regional tour on the condition Gulf Air would purchase 21 Airbus aircraft.

On 13 January 2008 Gulf Air and Boeing signed the order for 16 787s, valued at $6 billion at list prices. France dropped Sarkozy's visit after hearing the Boeing purchase would proceed.

At the time of the order, Boeing said in a statement, "Throughout 2007, Gulf Air and Boeing conducted an extensive airplane acquisition analysis that explored the unmatched strengths of the 787."

The cable ends with the Gulf Air chairman saying the carrier's narrow-body replenishment order was leaning towards Airbus but still open. That May Gulf Air selected the A320, but also A330s--suggesting, perhaps, France had further play.

"As Boeing's recent win illustrates, Airbus is in no position take Gulf Air's business for granted. Post will certainly continue to hail the advantages of a Boeing solution," the ambassador writes.

On the subject of legality of the US government helping, the New York Times writes that: "State Department and Boeing officials, in interviews last month, acknowledged the important role the United States government plays in helping them sell commercial airplanes, despite a trade agreement signed by the United States and European leaders three decades ago intended to remove international politics from the process."
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