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Aviation History
2001
2001 - 0593.PDF
ANZ/Ansett to get closer to SIA ANDRZEJ JEZIORSKI/SINGAPORE AIR NEW ZEALAND (ANZ) and its Australian subsidiary Ansett are to "re-launch" later this year in a move which will see the ANZ group develop closer ties with part-owner Singapore Airlines. The group is also plan ning to modernise its fleet and revamp its route network as part of the plan, while SIAmay increase its ownership of the group and take a direct stake in Ansett. ANZ chief executive Gary Toomey says in a television inter view that he wants the airline to get closer to SIA, its Star Alliance part ner and 25% shareholder. "It's a great opportunity for us to leverage off their product, their technology and the commercial relationship," he says. Toomey adds that ANZ is look ing at adopting SIA strategies and technologies to increase efficiency, and is studying ways of allowing SIA to increase its holding, cur rently at its upper limit. SIA has talked of increasing its stake to 40%. "There may be opportunities through some hybrids and other forms of financing, which may not be as effective as straight equity, but which might get us by for some time," he says. Toomey says he wants to "change the culture" of the ANZ group "to make sure that people now see our organisation as a suc cessful one", and that this will see it cater more to high-yield pas sengers. Ansett's new long-haul routes will reflect this, with the likely launch of services to Los Angeles and Tokyo. Australian and New Zealand press reports meanwhile cite ana lysts as claiming that SLA is also looking at taking a direct stake in Ansett, with the Singapore carrier saying only that this is "specula tion". Ansett is 100%-owned by ANZ. The New Zealand airline - hitherto an all-Boeing operator - confirms that it is considering Airbus and Boeing options for its new fleet, but will not comment on specific types. It or Ansett may take on leased Airbus A3 40s, possibly ex-Singapore Airlines (SIA) air craft, understood to be the subject oftalks between all three carriers.Q Cathay to buy chunk of in-flight web specialist CATHAY Pacific has bought 10% of in-flight e-mail and internet services companyTenzing Communications after injecting $10 million into the Seattle-based company for which it is as yet the only customer. The investment came via Cathay's wholly owned Taikoo Aviation Technologies. The move is unusual for an air line, but is in line with Cathay's plans to invest HK$2 billion ($256 million) in internet-based projects over the next three years. The Hong Kong-based carrier is the launch customer for Tenzing's ser vices, which will be offered on all of its 62 widebodies, allowing passen gers to send and receive e-mail in flight and browse web pages stored on a server on the aircraft. Access to in-flight e-mail and "internet-type" services is regard ed as the latest must-have by many in the in-flight entertainment industry, with a rash of companies emerging to offer such services. Air Canada, Singapore Airlines and Scandinavian Airlines have signed to test Tenzing services, but only Cathay has placed a firm order. Cathay director information management and e-business, Ian Riddell, says the investment "recognises that in-flight connec tivity for air travellers will become an essential part of the service over the coming decade". The tranche represents Tenzing's second round of funding; shareholders include venture capital groups Deutsche Bank, Riverside Management Group, TH Lee and ITOCHU, a Japanese group with a number of aerospace interests. • Zeevi pulls plug on grounded Balkan Bulgarian it had been misled before its deci sion to buy 75% of the airline. Zeevi acquired the stake in 1999 after agreeing to take on $30 million of Balkan's debts and pro vide $100 million funding within five years, but sources suggest the government tried to modify these terms to include the transfer of $120 million of debt, while raising taxes and fees paid by Balkan. Zeevi and the government recently held talks which broke down, ieading to the filing of the suit at the international arbitration court in Paris. Balkan operates three Boeing 737-300s and two - 500s, plus a single TupolevTu-154, two ATR42s, twoAntonovAn-24s and four An-12 cargo aircraft. • Balkan's fleet - which includes Tu-154s - has been grounded by owner Zeevi BALKAN Bulgarian Airlines although Zeevi says efforts are ceasedVoperations last week being made to allow it to do so. after majority owner Zeevi group Balkan was grounded on 14 of Israel stopped funding the carri- February, two days after Zeevi filed er. It is not clear whether Balkan a $230 million suit against the will be able to resume operations,, Bulgarian Government, claiming e-business.com ++ American Airlines Cargo has purchased an undisclosed stake in internet-based wholesale air freight marketplace Global Freight Exchange (GF-X), boost ing its capital to over $85 million. GF-X, which includes British Airways World Cargo, Cargolux Airlines, Emirates SkyCargo, Luft hansa, Swisscargo and numerous freight forwarders, went live last October. ++ Aerospace internet marketplace PartsBase suffered a $13.5 million loss last year, after a $5.9 million loss in its first year, on sales of $4.1 million ($362,000 in 1999). To reduce costs, the exchange has cut its workforce from 217 to 140, large ly removing sales staff. Sub scriptions, averaging $1,620 a year, total 4,756, with 632 added in the last quarter. Fewer cus tomers than expected renewed. Continental Airlines is the latest subscriber. ++ Aeroxchange has launched with an initial four prod ucts: strategic sourcing, inventory management, maintenance man agement and rotable reliability information. Virgin Atlantic and Mexicana have joined the ex change, making 15 airline mem bers. ++ After a test period, Avolo has launched a catalogue on its parts and services internet mar ketplace. It facilitates requests for quotes and transactions. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 20 - 26 February 2001 25
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