All Strategy articles – Page 1115
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US carriers enjoy profits hike
Overall profits from the major US airline groups continued to forge ahead in the first quarter of 1997, shrugging aside the hike in fuel costs and re-imposition of the 10% federal ticket tax in early March. The leading airlines made a combined profit of over $750 million, more ...
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Cathay's mixed fleet cuts costs of crews
Cathay Pacific Airways claims that mixed-fleet flying on its Airbus Industrie A330s and A340s has yielded crew-cost savings of up to 25%. The Hong Kong-based airline is a world leader in two-engine/four-engine mixed-fleet flying. Capt John Bent, Cathay's flying training manager (policy), says that, following the initial costs ...
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France's revolution
The announcement on 18 February by French regional airline Brit Air that it was to place the launch order for the 70-seat Series 700 version of the highly successful 50-seat Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) served only to confirm the revolution taking place in France's regional-airline industry. In ...
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Sharing the loads
The utilisation by major carriers of regional airlines with low cost bases to operate low-volume, short-haul feeder services is a concept that has been established in North America since the 1980s, but has only recently caught on in Europe. British Airways was the first European carrier to conclude a franchise ...
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MAS targets Pelangi takeover
Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is planning to take complete control of struggling third-tier operator Pelangi Air, absorbing its route network and aircraft. Under a proposal now before Pelangi's shareholders for approval, MAS would take a stake of to 70% in the local carrier. MAS' controlling parent company, Malaysian Helicopter ...
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Euro access tempts Turks
THY Turkish Airlines is set to split its $4 billion fleet renewal between Boeing and Airbus equipment in a political move designed to aid Turkey's entry to the European Union. The airline announced plans to replace its short and medium-haul fleet in January and competition between the manufacturers ...
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Latin cargo tempts Asia
Access to unlimited beyond rights is one of the main goals for the US in its global drive for open skies and now Asian carriers are discovering there may yet be benefits in return, in the booming Latin American cargo market at least. China Airlines will become the ...
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BA hires and fires equally
British Airways has agreed concessions with one main union but the others may not comply so easily as the carrier launches a recruitment drive to hire 1,300 pilots and 2,000 cabin crew. Ground staff of the transport workers' union, TGWU, voted in favour of a three-year proposal at ...
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Crossair tries back door
Swiss regional carrier Crossair has taken a 35 per cent stake in a proposed French startup carrier, in an attempt to improve its access to the European Union market. Initially, Euro Continental Airways would operate two Crossair Saab 2000s from major French cities to the French sector of ...
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India equity ban is shaky
The only consolation the world's air transport industry can take from New Delhi's decision to bar foreign carriers from investing in India's airlines is that the country finally has a firm policy in place. The problem is that the imminent collapse of the government could soon open up the whole ...
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Battle of wills
Washington has changed tactics on Japan. When President Clinton wrote to Prime Minister Hashimoto last September to urge that Japan and the US replace their contentious bilateral with a new open skies agreement, that represented a change of thinking in Washington. For eight years the administrations had insisted on Tokyo's ...
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MAS bids to stop malaise
Amid criticism of high debt levels and excessive ambition, Malaysia Airlines has announced the biggest capital restructuring in its history, aimed at raising US$2.2 billion for new aircraft purchases and investment at Kuala Lumpur's new airport. MAS chairman Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli, says a one-for-one bonus share issue, ...
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Can Sabena bite the bullet?
When the going gets tough, the tough get going, or so the saying goes. If the maxim runs true then Sabena will need to toughen up its act. The Belgian flag carrier may be regaining ground. Thanks to the quality Swissair management at its helm, it has identified ...
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Having fun in Brussels
As Sabena throws itself into revamping its shaky operations it had better remember to watch its back. Both Virgin Express and City Bird are attacking the flag carrier's Brussels base with gusto. The two airlines claim to be revolutionising the services on offer in Europe with a cheap, ...
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Korea opens with a catch
South Korea, long considered a non-starter in US efforts to forge open skies in Asia, is hinting that it may yet join the party, but Seoul's insistence on preconditions is likely to sit awkwardly in Washington. A Korean transport ministry official says his country is willing to sign ...
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Suitors fly close to Sun
Privatisation has become a bit of a buzz word among Africa's airlines recently and, while some plans should be treated with healthy scepticism, the search for foreign and local investors for South African domestic operator Sun-Air should prove less difficult. The first stage of the full privatisation of ...
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Delta deal fires debate
Delta Air Lines' decision to sign up with Boeing for 20 years prompted analysts to coo their approvals. But one former Capitol Hill veteran worries that this deal will only stoke the antitrust debate over the proposed Boeing- McDonnell Douglas merger. Mike Korens, managing director at consultants GKMG ...
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Digest
Delta Air Lines has extended its SkyMiles FFP to Air France and Korean Air, while British Airways and American Airlines have extended their FFP links. British Airways introduced two daily flights from Manchester to Warsaw and two weekly flights from London/Gatwick to Krakow. In return LOT Polish Airlines ...
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When the wolf's at your door
Edward Faberman, executive director of the newly formed Air Carrier Association of America, makes an unusual Red Riding Hood, but he is certain he is looking into the eyes of cleverly disguised wolves. Faberman uses chilling language to describe the actions of the US major carriers against their ...
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French force unions down
The French may still be demanding liberté but there's less égalité and fraternité as unions resist management attempts to force the lower working conditions of Air France and Air Liberté on to their members at Air France Europe and TAT respectively. Pilots and ground staff from Air France ...