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Aviation History
1997
1997 - 2532.PDF
AIR TRANSPORT Smog causes air chaos in Asia DENSE SMOKE from mas sive forest fires in Borneo and Sumatra is severely disrupting air transport across much of South- East Asia, forcing the closure of some smaller airports and the can cellation or delay of many domestic and regional flights. A thick haze generated by die fires has blanketed Brunei, parts of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore since early September, badly restricting visibility. The smoke, which has been exacerbated by a drought and a lack of strong winds, has begun to spread to the Philip pines and southern Thailand. Pilots have reported that the haze typically extends to an altitude of 8,500ft (2,600m) and in some cases 11,000ft, while visibility on the ground has been reduced to as little as 2 00-3 00m. The east Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah have been among the worst- affected areas, suffering an extend ed closure of main airports at Bintulu, Kinabalu, Kuching, Miri and Sibu. Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA) have curtailed services as a result. MAS has been cancelling up to 30 flights a day from Sabah and Sarawak to die Malaysian peninsula and other regional destinations, including Hong Kong, Manila, Singapore and Taipei. RBA flights to Malaysia have also been cancelled. Elsewhere in South-East Asia, flights out of Singapore have been disrupted, particularly those of Singapore Airlines and MAS to Kuala Lumpur, and SilkAir's ser vices to Padang and Pekanbaru in Sumatra. Singapore's Civil Aviation Authority says that about 70 flights were cancelled and a fur ther ten delayed at the country's Changi International Airport between 20 and 24 September. As the smog spreads north, ser vices in soudiern Thailand and the Philippines have begun to be affect ed. Thai Airways International has been forced to divert or delay domestic flights to Renong and Surat Thani, while Philippine Airlines has cancelled services from Manila to Puerto Pincesa and General Santos in Mindanao. J Air Liberte signs allies in major consolidation JULIAN MOXON/DEAUVILLE FRANCE'S second-largest air line, Air Liberte, has signed deals with American Airlines, Regional Airlines and three smaller French regionals in what company president Marc Rochet describes as the "first steps" in a major consoli dation aimed at "strengthening our position in an extremely tough operating environment". Rochet revealed the moves on 2 5 September at the TOP-RESA travel-industry gathering at Deauville, northern France. He also said that from 26 October, when the winter season opens, the majority-owned British Airways subsidiary would drop TAT European Airlines from its name, becoming just Air Liberte. TAT was the airline Rochet originally headed, and which became British Airways' first pur chase in France. It was also the vehicle used to take over the bank rupt Air Liberte earlier in the year. "We plan a relaunch in the new year to take account of all the devel opments," says Rochet. The agreement with American Airlines initially covers joint use of passenger-handling equipment at Paris Orly South airport. This will be expanded to a full codesharing deal once French and US Govern ment approval is gained, says Rochet. He insists that the accord was negotiated independently, and "has nothing to do with the pro posed alliance between British Airways and American". Regional .Airlines, which already operates a successful hub at Clermond-Ferrand in central France, will team up with Air Liberte on a new hub at Bordeaux, enabling Air Liberte passengers arriving from the carrier's French network to connect directly with Regional's southern France and Spanish destinations. The two have also signed a codesharing deal covering certain domestic routes, and will merge their separate fare- discount schemes. Regional Airlines president Marc Dubreuil says that five options for the Embraer EMB-145 regional jet will be converted into firm orders "within a few days". He also reveals that the long-term fleet plan "will be with Embraer only". The smaller Brasilia turboprop will eventually replace the seven Saab 340s and nine Jetstream 31s, while the 11 Saab 2000s will be replaced by EMB-145s"by2001 or 2002", says Dubreuil. Further deals have been struck with Air Toulouse, Flandre Air and Air Normandie, mainly involving codesharing on routes operated by French regionals. • Air Malta had been banking on the Avroliners to be operated on its regional hub Air Malta strategy rethink leads to Avro RJ disposal AIR MALTA HAS abandoned the hub strategy pursued by i ts previous chairman, and is under taking a fleet shake-up which will see its Aero International (Re gional) Avro RJ70s transferred to Italian subsidiary AZZURRAair, replacing RJ85s. In 1994, under the leadership of the then chief executive Joe Tabone, Air Malta ordered four RJ70s as part of a new strategy to set up a regional hub at Malta's Luqa Airport. The RJs were also intended to replace some of Air Malta's Boeing 737-2 00s, and were delivered with auxiliary fuel tanks to provide increased range. The current fleet includes three 737-200s, four -300s, two Airbus A3 20s, and the four RJ70s. In 1996, this regional strategy saw Air Malta set up Bergamo, Italy-based AZZURRA, in which it holds a 49% shareholding, and for which Air Malta bought three new Avro RJ85s. The Italian airline launched operations in December 1996. A change of government in Malta during 1996 saw Tabone replaced by Louis Grech, who undertook a complete re-evalua tion of Air Malta's strategy. The hub plans have been dropped, and AZZURRAi RJ85s, along with one of the RJ70s, have been put up for sale, with Fortis Aviation being retained to remarket the aircraft. When the three RJ85s are sold, Air Malta is expected to transfer the remaining RJ70s to AZZURRA. Meanwhile, Air Malta is actively seeking additional 737-300s for its own fleet. • 12 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 1 - 7 October 1997
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