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Cathay at the Crossroad

By Geoffrey Thomas

The highly successful carrier faces what CEO Tony Tyler believes is its greatest challenge.

High-performance airlines: What distinguishes air transport's consistently successful players?

By Aaron Karp

Consistently generating revenue and earning profits is perhaps more of a challenge in the airline industry than in any other global business. Air transport's high costs, cyclical nature and vulnerability to twists and turns in the general economy leave many carriers searching for answers. But there are a small number that, while not completely immune to financial pressures, have managed through the years to outperform their industry peers in good times and bad.

JAL bankruptcy: Tokyo airline's restructuring likely to have global consequences

By Aaron Karp

Last week's bankruptcy filing by Japan Airlines shook Japan's business and political communities as well as the international air transport industry, with potential implications reverberating well beyond the question of whether JAL can achieve a successful restructuring. Japan's new government, which only has been in office for four months, is banking on the belief that pushing the carrier into a court-monitored proceeding--rather than a more direct bailout--will force it to make deep structural changes that will lead to long-term prosperity.

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ATW Daily News

IATA halves forecast 2010 loss to $2.8 billion from $5.6 billion

Friday March 12, 2010

IATA slashed its projected 2010 loss for the global airline industry by half, stating in a new forecast issued yesterday that a stronger-than-expected recovery in demand, particularly in Asia and Latin America, will result in a full-year loss of $2.8 billion instead of the $5.6 billion predicted in December. [more]

Lufthansa targeting 'slight' improvement after rough 2009

Friday March 12, 2010

Lufthansa yesterday released details of a year that ended with its first net loss in six years, a €112 million ($152.5 million) deficit that marked a reversal from the €542 million profit posted in 2008, but with an operating profit that reflected "broadly poised and ideally equipped" business segments, according to Chairman and CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber. [more]

Korean regulators tag KE, Asiana for antitrust violations; KE faces ACCC cargo charge

Friday March 12, 2010

Korean Airlines and Asiana Airlines will be subject to fines of KRW10.4 billion ($9.2 million) and KRW640 million respectively for engaging in anticompetitive practices to hurt smaller Korean carriers, South Korea's Fair Trade Commission announced yesterday. [more]

Air France KLM maintains African commitment

Friday March 12, 2010

Air France KLM intends to maintain its strong position in Africa and a strategy of continuous growth despite the economic downturn and increased competition, Senior VP-Africa & Middle East Etienne Rachou told ATWOnline. [more]

Emirates committed to A380 despite growing pains

Friday March 12, 2010

Emirates President Tim Clark told ATWOnline yesterday in Berlin that the airline's A380s have been a success with passengers and on the balance sheet but that "there are still problems with the reliability of the aircraft. And when we fix snags, we find new ones. I am trying to be kind to Airbus, but they have to solve the problems." The operational reliability of EK's seven in-service A380s is 90%-95%, which he said is not good enough, although he added that the manufacturer "gives us good support." EK plans to take seven more A380s and six 777-300ERs this year.

Meanwhile, Clark said the airline will report a 20% increase in passenger numbers for the year ending March 31. "We will have a good story to tell" when the full-year results are released later in the spring, he said. During the past year EK has been able to raise fares step-by-step by as much as 35%, but yields remain under pressure although load factors across the network have climbed to 83%-84%. It has no plan to reduce the number of premium seats on offer like some other carriers, particularly Qantas and Lufthansa. "Sure we took a hit in our premium classes. But the aviation industry is making the wrong decision. The more they reduce, the better it is for us. I don't believe that F and C class will not come back," he said.

Qatar Airways to serve Argentina, Brazil

Friday March 12, 2010

Qatar Airways will launch its first flights to South America when it begins flying to Sao Paulo Guarulhos and Buenos Aires from Doha later this year. Frequency and dates for the 777 services were not announced. QR already has announced plans to start serving Copenhagen (March 30), Ankara (April 5), Tokyo Narita (April 26) and Barcelona (June 7). Its summer schedule from March 28 will feature capacity increases to 15 additional destinations, including third daily flights to both Colombo and Kathmandu.

China Eastern expands cargo holdings with Great Wall

Friday March 12, 2010

China Eastern Airlines has taken a 51% stake in Shanghai Pudong-based cargo carrier Great Wall Airlines. The stake, formerly held by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., reportedly was transferred at the behest of the state-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, which is the controlling shareholder of both CEA and CASTC. CEA said it will integrate Great Wall with its China Cargo Airlines subsidiary as well as with Shanghai Airlines Cargo. Great Wall was established in 2005 with CNY1.2 billion ($175.5 million) from CASTC subsidiary Beijing Aerospace Satellite Applications Corp., Singapore Airlines Cargo and Temasek Holdings subsidiary Dahlia Investments. It operates three 747-400Fs out of PVG.

Friday March 12, 2010

Boeing completed initial airworthiness testing on the 747-8 freighter, enabling test engineers to be onboard during future flights and allowing two additional 747-8Fs to begin test flights. "The airplane is performing as expected in the initial stages of flight test," it said. "Since the first flight in early February, the program has conducted 13 flights, achieving several key accomplishments. Pilots have taken the airplane to an altitude of 30,000 ft. (9,144 m.) and a speed of Mach 0.65. The program has completed approximately 33 hr. of flying. Initial stall tests and other dynamic maneuvers have been run" (ATWOnline, Feb. 10).

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