Jetiquette | The Sky Steward » first class

A room to rest at the airport

airline - Google News — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 20:30:58 +0000

Picture the business traveler who has already passed through security only to discover a flight delay of several hours. At most airports, such a traveler has few options: wandering through the nearby shops and restaurants, waiting in a chair near the gate or, for a fee, waiting in an airline lounge.

This was the situation in which Rossana Magalhaes found herself recently when her flight was eight hours late leaving Atlanta.

“I walked and took naps sitting up, had about five cups of coffee,” she said.

But at two airports in the United States and about a half-dozen overseas, travelers like Magalhaes have a new option: a little room for rent right in the terminal. The room has a desk and Internet access for work and a daybed for a nap.

Magalhaes booked a room for her next trip, when she knows she will have to change planes in Atlanta again.

At the moment, just one company, Minute Suites, is providing these rooms, which it calls suites, at two airports, Hartsfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta and Philadelphia International Airport. The suites are not the equivalent of a hotel room because there is no plumbing. And for short stays, the cost is usually lower than a hotel room — $30 for the first hour and $7.50 for each 15 minutes thereafter, although there are discounts for stays longer than four hours.

Still, since the company opened the suites at the two airports last year, Dan Solomon, the chief executive of Minute Suites,

said, 18,000 people have visited, and 24 percent of them have been repeat customers.

“It really does boil down to people having privacy in an otherwise stressful environment,” Solomon said. “They shut the door, the airport disappears, and they have their privacy.”

There are some hotels at airports in the U.S. and overseas — Chicago, Dallas, Dubai, Bangkok and Copenhagen among them — and each has its own policies on room rentals for less than a day. But few airport hotels are accessible once travelers pass through security checkpoints.

So until now, the best option for travelers with long layovers was a membership in a premium-class lounge. But some users complain that the lounges have gotten more crowded as carriers, in search of more revenue, offer paid day access and give guest passes to airline credit card holders. The lounges have comfortable waiting rooms, task lighting, computers, reading material, clean restrooms and sometimes free food and cocktails.

By contrast, users of the Minute Suites must bring their own food and drink and use the restrooms in the airport terminal.

Still, Harriet Baskas, an author of airport guides and a writer about airports and air travel, says she prefers the suite to the airline lounge. “I sat there one day listening to this man clearly making the first phone call to follow up on a matchmaker site,” she said. “If you’re a business traveler, I suppose you do those sorts of things on the road as well, but there’s no privacy.”

Baskas says female travelers may find privacy particularly valuable. “I’ve seen people sleeping in the business-class lounge, but I don’t feel comfortable sleeping there. I’m not going to sit and drool across from that business guy. As a woman, if I’m going to take a nap at the airport, I better have a door I can close.”

While Minute Suites is the only company in the U.S. offering this kind of by-the-hour private accommodation in an airport terminal, several companies offer similar services at overseas airports. In 2007, the London-based Yotel opened pod-like hotel rooms at Heathrow and Gatwick and followed up at Schiphol in Amsterdam a year later. More recently, Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow added Sleepboxes, Munich Airport installed Napcabs, and Indira Gandhi International Airport introduced sleep boxes called Sam’s Snooze.

For several years, Vancouver Airport had MetroNaps, a lounge chair where travelers could sleep under a large canopy that provided privacy. An alarm ensured that they did not miss their flights. But MetroNaps, based in New York, found it too difficult to manage the site long distance. It no longer has the chairs in Vancouver Airport but is marketing the product to airline lounges.

“Airline lounges do need to be careful that they don’t miss this trend because it’s something that people are going to wake up to,” said Christopher Lindholst, co-founder of MetroNaps. “They’re the ones who should have provided this all along.”

U.S. travelers found themselves with more time at the airport when security tightened after Sept. 11, according to Ron Baltruzak, an airport consultant from Austin, Texas. Baltruzak and a partner owned Unique Retreats, a company, now defunct, that had contracts to build sleep suites at airports in San Francisco and Anchorage. Baltruzak said he had difficulty finding investors. Despite that, he maintains that the suites concept is “a no-brainer,” because it gives travelers a respite from the tumult of the modern airport.

Not every airport sees the need for this kind of amenity. Cheryl Marcell, a spokeswoman for Airport Council International, a trade association, said, “For those types of things to work, they are at the airports with a lot of connecting traffic, not an origin and destination airport.”

Indeed, Anna DiGregorio, marketing director for the Philadelphia airport concessions, said business at the suites had been “phenomenal,” in part because of its location in the terminal of US Airways, which has a hub in Philadelphia. “A passenger flying into the United States and connecting domestically, they will walk directly by Minute Suites,” as will domestic travelers, DiGregorio said.

Airports in the U.S. are subject to government regulations that make running a business in them complicated, and evolving airport security can affect future operations so that even a good idea is no guarantee of success. “Getting space is hard, getting the right space is key,” said Solomon of Minute Suites.

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UPDATE 1-IAG December traffic up 12.2 pct

airline - Google News — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 08:30:31 +0000

* Traffic, measured in RPK, up 12.2 pct yr-on-yr

* IAG premium Dec traffic up 13.6 pct

* IAG non-premium traffic up 12 pct

* Ryanair Dec traffic down 5 pct

* IAG shares down 2.8 pct

LONDON, Jan 5 (Reuters) – International Airlines Group
, formed by the merger of BA and Iberia (Madrid: IBLA.MC – news) , posted a strong
rise in traffic in December, boosted by continued growth in
first and business class passenger numbers.

Traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometres, rose 12.2
percent versus December 2010, while passenger load factor — a
measure of how well it fills its planes — was up 0.6 percentage
points at 77.6 percent, it said on Thursday.

IAG said its first and business-class travel — the most
profitable part of its passenger business – rose 13.6 percent,
while non-premium traffic was up 12 percent.

Earlier on Thursday Ireland’s Ryanair ,
Europe (Chicago Options: ^REURUSD – news) ‘s largest airline, said it carried 4.8 million passengers
in December, 5 percent less than a year ago, after it grounded
80 aircraft to avoid flying routes made unprofitable by high
fuel prices.

Industry body IATA last month said international passenger
traffic growth had slowed in recent months and that it expects
airlines to suffer from waning consumer confidence, sluggish
international trade and high fuel prices in 2012. [ID:
nL6E7NU1OV]

The company said that underlying market conditions were
unchanged but that it had seen a significant reduction in
Iberia’s short haul premium traffic compared to last year,
influenced by the strikes during the month.

IAG, which recently agreed to buy Lufthansa (Xetra: 823212 – news) ‘s British unit
bmi, last October reported a 31 percent fall in third-quarter
profit, better than expected and outperforming peers. However,
its traffic growth has slowed in recent months. [ID:nASM00017F

IAG shares, which have fallen 2.7 percent in the last month,
were 2.8 percent down at 145.25 pence by 1508 GMT, valuing the
company at around 2.7 billion pounds ($4.21 billion).

($1 = 0.6406 British pounds)

(Reporting by Rhys Jones; editing by Matt Scuffham)

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THE WAR IN IRAQ: ASU once had short-lived exchange program

airline - Google News — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 08:30:26 +0000

Photo by Courtesy photo

Contributed photo
Exchange students from Mosul University in Iraq spent a summer session at Angelo State University in 1990 before the invasion of Kuwait.

SAN ANGELO, Texas —
For a few weeks in the summer of 1990, 10 students from a university in Iraq attended Angelo State University, the start of a much anticipated international student exchange program.

That promising start was crushed by Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait on Aug. 2, 1990, launching what became the first Gulf War and briefly stranding the students in a foreign land about to go to war with their country.

“We were kind of caught when that invasion took place,” E. James Holland said about that summer 21 years ago.

The six women and four men from Mosul University in northern Iraq came to improve their English but also took a variety of other classes, he said. At that time, Holland was dean of ASU’s College of Liberal and Fine Arts and worked extensively with international exchange programs.

“They were very bright students and very interested in being here and I think they just captured the hearts of everyone here, so when they had that crisis at the end there was great concern that they be taken care of and helped to return.”

The Iraqi students were at ASU thanks to then-ASU President Lloyd Vincent, who was chairman of the executive committee of the Texas International Education Consortium, which began with a handful of Texas universities.

In 1989 Abdul Al-Khashab, president of Mosul University in Iraq, visited Angelo State while touring several consortium universities, according to an article in The Ram Page.

Johnell Vincent, widow of Lloyd Vincent, said the Mosul University president was a graduate of the University of Texas and had married a Texan.

She and Lloyd Vincent, in turn, visited the university in Mosul, a city of about 1 million people, during the holiday break of 1989-90.

“We went over there with representatives from TIEC,” Vincent said. “We were not on a political trip. It was strictly an educational trip. I loved the people I met.

“They were very, very nice. Mosul is in a very pretty part of Iraq.”

According to The Ram Page, the consortium signed an agreement in the spring of 1990 for short-term, voluntary faculty exchanges. Mosul University was particularly interested in faculty for English as a second language and for agriculture, “especially research and genetic engineering.”

Then in a Sept. 19, 1990, edition of The Ram Page, a report on ASU students spending their summer studying in Germany concluded with a mention of 10 students from Mosul University attending ASU that summer.

“Dr. Vincent was very interested in and supported international travel,” ASU Vice Provost Nancy Allen said. “For some time it was a question of who was going to go first. Fortunately, as events turned out, they went first.”

Allen, who had Iraqi students in her English class that summer, remembers Dr. Vincent had wanted her to visit Mosul University herself in the spring of 1991.

In The Ram Page, Vincent is quoted as saying that 10 students from ASU were to attend Mosul University in January, “but with the current crisis in the Persian Gulf, those plans have been canceled.”

“The program here was a success from this point of view,” Vincent said in The Ram Page. “They were 10 of the nicest young people you could meet. They were just innocent victims.

“We treated them just as we hoped they would have treated our students if ours were over there,” Vincent said. “We hoped we demonstrated what America is all about.”

Perry Gragg was then head of ASU’s English department. He said some of the concern was how the Mosul students would feel as the conflict escalated.

“It took them a week and a half or 10 days to get home,” Gragg said. “We felt sorry for them because the war started when they were here. We felt they had never heard anything ugly about Saddam Hussein and suddenly that was all they were hearing on American television.”

Vincent said Paul “Buddy” Horn was dean of men and it was his charge to get the students back home because their airline tickets were canceled immediately.

“The university didn’t have a whole lot of money to pay for their tickets home,” she said.

They were accompanied by Dr. Ameen, a Mosul University faculty member. Allen said he asked the students to return as many souvenirs as possible to raise cash.

Allen and Gragg said an embassy was able to arrange flights for the students.

“The students flew to Jordan and drove overland back to their homes because they couldn’t go directly,” she said. “We did receive word they had all gotten back home safely.”

Their full names are lost in memory but Susan Brooks, who was then the associate dean of student life, has kept a typed list of their first names — Amal, Angham, Nida, Narmin, Sa’adiya, Khalida, Luay, Ziyad, Marwan, Ismail — followed by their signatures in Arabic script.

“For all these years, I’ve had on my shelf here at the house a picture of myself and the Iraqi students and a necklace they gave me,” she said. “I got to help coordinate all the fun stuff. We took them to Austin, the state Capitol, and we took them to a local ranch. It was a great cultural experience for my husband and me at the time.”

Gragg said some of the students kept in touch with him and his wife, Marilyn, sporadically over the years.

“There are two or three people who would write, give us an update,” Gragg said. “One went on to get a Ph.D. Several of them moved from Iraq to different countries, Jordan, Libya and Tunisia.”

He said most of the students were Kurdish, an ethnic group found in parts of Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria, and most were Muslims. Allen said one of the students was Catholic and asked to attend Mass in San Angelo.

“We would have social gatherings all the time and I was more involved in that, arranging that,” Gragg said.

In addition to visiting Austin, the Iraqis went to San Antonio to visit HemisFair Park.

“One of them tried to negotiate the price of the ticket to the HemisFair,” Gragg said. “We found out one of them went to the grocery store and was very successful negotiating the price of groceries.”

Embargoes and continuing conflict with Saddam Hussein, resulting in the just-concluded nearly nine-year Iraq War, ended the educational exchange for all the years since.

Ronald Aqua, president of the Texas International Education Consortium, said the group has not yet tried to re-establish an exchange program with Iraqi universities.

“There has been a lot going on between American universities and the government of Iraq and Iraq universities after things opened up after 2003,” he said. “Our organization has not been involved directly.”

The consortium, which has grown to include 32 Texas universities, has established ties with universities in Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, Aqua said.

Brooks said she remembers the Iraqi students’ visit “as a very good experience.”

“I think if a similar type trip happened nowadays it would be a lot easier to stay in touch with them,” she said.

Iraq War timeline

Jan. 29, 2002 — President George W. Bush labels Iraq, Iran and North Korea an “axis of evil” in his State of the Union address.

July 8, 2002 — Bush promises to “use all the tools at our disposal” to bring down Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Oct. 16, 2002 — Congress passes a joint resolution authorizing the use of military action against Iraq.

March 17, 2003 — Bush gives Saddam Hussein 48 hours to give up power.

March 20, 2003 — The U.S.-led invasion of Iraq begins.

April 9, 2003 — American Marines help Iraqis pull down a statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad. U.S. military declares Saddam’s regime is no longer in control of the capital.

May 1, 2003 — On an aircraft carrier under a “Mission Accomplished” banner, Bush declares “major combat operations in Iraq have ended.”

Dec. 13, 2003 — Saddam Hussein is captured in Tikrit.

Jan. 3, 2004 — A military policeman tips Army investigators to abuse at Abu Ghraib prison. CBS News airs photos that trigger an international outcry. Over the next two years, 11 U.S. soldiers are convicted of crimes for human rights violations.

April 9, 2004 — Marine Lance Cpl. Elias Torrez III, 21, of Veribest is killed in combat in Al Anbar province.

June 28, 2004 — Iraqis celebrate as the U.S.-led occupation authority turns over formal power to an interim Iraqi government two days ahead of schedule.

Sept. 12, 2004 — Marine Pfc. Jason Poindexter, 20, of San Angelo is killed in combat in Al Anbar province.

Sept. 13, 2004 — Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Puckett, 19, of Mason is killed in combat in Al Anbar province.

Sept. 24, 2004 — Marine Sgt. Timothy Folmar, 21, of Sonora is killed in combat in Al Anbar province.

Oct. 6, 2004 — The top U.S. arms inspector in Iraq finds no evidence that Saddam Hussein’s regime produced weapons of mass destruction after 1991‚ the primary reason the Bush administration gave for going to war.

May 3, 2005 — The first democratically elected Iraqi government is sworn in.

Sept. 28, 2005 — Airman First Class Elizabeth Nicole Jacobson, 21, of Riviera Beach, Fla., and deployed out of Goodfellow Air Force Base, is killed in combat at Camp Bucca.

Oct. 31, 2005 — Army Spc. William Byler, 23, of Ballinger is killed in combat in Mamuhdiyah.

Feb. 22, 2006 — Suspected Sunni insurgents detonate two bombs inside the revered Shiite Askariya shrine in Samarra, blowing the top off its landmark golden dome. The attack becomes a flash point for sectarian slaughter that pushes the country to the brink of civil war.

Jan. 10, 2007 — President Bush announces more than 20,000 additional U.S. troops will be sent to Iraq in a mission dubbed “the surge.”

Oct. 23, 2007 — The U.N. says nearly 2.3 million people are displaced inside Iraq, and more than 2.2 million have fled to neighboring countries.

April 30, 2008 — Army Sgt. 1st Class Lawrence David Ezell, 30, of Portland, Texas, who spent part of his life in San Angelo, is killed in combat in northern Baghdad.

Nov. 15, 2008 — The U.S. and Iraq agree on a security pact that envisions a complete withdrawal of U.S. troops by the end of 2011.

Jan. 1, 2009 — The U.S. hands over control of the Green Zone, Saddam’s Republican Palace-turned-temporary U.S. Embassy, to Iraqis. The U.S. opens a new American Embassy in Baghdad.

Feb. 27, 2009 — President Barack Obama announces a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.

June 16, 2009 — Army Sgt. Joshua Soto, 25, of San Angelo is killed in combat in Muthanna Sumawah.

July 28, 2009 — Australia withdraws troops, three months after British troops end combat operations, bringing to an end the so-called coalition of the willing that invaded Iraq.

March 26, 2010 — Former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi’s secular, anti-Iranian coalition wins a narrow victory over the bloc of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Iraq’s parliamentary elections. But after months of strenuous negotiations, al-Maliki remains as prime minister when a new government is seated in December.

Aug. 19, 2010 — The last American combat troops leave. Some 50,000 American soldiers remain to advise Iraqis.

Oct. 15, 2011 — A senior Obama administration official in Washington says that all American troops will leave Iraq as scheduled at the end of the year — except for about 160 active-duty soldiers attached to the U.S. Embassy. There had been talk of some U.S. troops remaining on a training mission, but Iraq objected to U.S. insistence on legal immunity for its troops.

Oct. 21, 2011 — Obama announces that all U.S. troops will be out of Iraq by the end of the year.

Dec. 2, 2011 — Camp Victory, originally used as a country club for the Baghdad elite under Saddam, is handed over to the Iraqi government as part of American efforts to move all U.S. troops out of the country by the end of the year. “The base is no longer under U.S. control and is under the full authority of the government of Iraq,” said U.S. military spokesman Col. Barry Johnson.

Dec. 18, 2011 — The last U.S. soldiers roll out of Iraq across the border into neighboring Kuwait, marking the end of the Iraq War that raged for nearly nine years.

– The Associated Press, Standard-Times archives

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Chefs in cabin crew for first-class meals on Etihad

airline - Google News — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:29:58 +0000

New horizons … Los Angeles airport.

Etihad’s first-class feasts

Chefs are in first-class kitchens on Etihad Airways flights to Sydney, Melbourne, London and Paris, and alongside the staff is a new menu from the airline’s Mezoon Grille.

The menu includes rib-eye steak, hammour and beef tenderloin. There’s a choice of desserts (warm cheese souffle, lemongrass panna cotta, triple chocolate cake, pandan sago with passionfruit coulis) or warm Middle Eastern semolina pudding with saffron lemon syrup.

The degustation menu available to first-class passengers has been replaced with a Taste of Arabia theme that includes a mixed grill with aromatic rice, harissa and yoghurt sauce.

The airline won the Skytrax award for first-class catering last year and will introduce chefs on its Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Geneva, Narita, Seoul, Brussels, Milan, Munich, Casablanca and New York flights this year. First-class fares from Sydney to Abu Dhabi cost from $10,970 and Melbourne from $10,951.

See etihad.com.

Terminal revamp

Los Angeles, the only airport to claim a hit song, is in the midst of a $US1.5-billion ($1.48 billion) redevelopment of its Tom Bradley International Terminal, part of the largest public works project in the history of the city.

Construction started in 2008 and will include 18 new boarding gates – nine of which will be able to accommodate aircraft such as the A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner – dual passenger loading bridges, and secured corridors between TBIT and terminals 3 and 4 for connections.

Of the 32 airlines that land at the terminal, Qantas is the only carrier that flies direct from Australia.

The airport operator, Los Angeles World Airports, says it will be able to accommodate 4000 passengers an hour (at present it’s 2800).

The airport’s great hall will have 13,000 square metres of dining and shopping areas and a children’s play zone. The project is expected to be complete by December next year, which is good news for the 60 million passengers who pass through LAX each year.

Those who arrive early for a flight before March may wish to check out Terminal 1′s contemporary art exhibition, featuring mixed-media installations, photographs, paintings and drawings.

See lawa.org.

Real-time reviews

A website devoted to passenger experiences in-flight and on the ground, airlikes.com, is harnessing the ire of (mostly) disgruntled air travellers. Paris-based site founder Nicolas Pellier says airlikes.com is a place for passengers to share their experiences in real time, via a mobile phone version of the site.

“Most travellers review the in-flight service and are complaining about the indifferent service they receive from the staff,” he says.

Opinions about airport design and reviews prompted by flight cancellations and the way airlines deal with them is an important part of the website, he says. “Charles de Gaulle Airport is sadly famous for being one of the worst, with an incomprehensible layout and staff who are not helpful … Singapore’s Changi Airport seems to be one of the most liked by travellers and is even considered as an attraction of the city.”

Australians represent 20 per cent of total visits to the site, ahead of travellers from the US (17 per cent) and Britain (11 per cent).

See airlikes.com.

On the road again

Camping and driving on Highway 1, Route 66 or the road to nowhere are all possible with Intrepid’s new self-drive journeys in the US.

The itineraries cater for road trippers ranging from singles to families. Vehicles include a four-door Dodge Charger or a seven-seater Chrysler. Trips include a 13-day journey from San Francisco to Los Angeles visiting Yosemite, Joshua Tree and Zion national parks ($930 a person); a six-day Los Angeles to San Francisco tour stopping at Santa Barbara, Malibu and Monterey ($480); and a 16-day south-west trip taking in the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley and Las Vegas ($1025).

The cost includes campsites and entry to national parks, tents, sleeping mats, camp chairs and cooking utensils, cooking stove and a cooler bin. The self-drive itineraries come with maps and a satellite navigator for an additional $US11 a day.

See intrepidtravel.com.

Food trucks conquer Manhattan

The mobile food-truck phenomenon, which uses Twitter and Facebook to alert would-be diners to truck locations, is said to have had its genesis in the US. Now, a new food-kiosk pilot program is fixed firmly in Times Square in Manhattan.

Four custom-built kiosks have opened in the square’s plazas, allowing the food-truck groups to add a permanent point-of-sale outlet. Rickshaw Dumpling Bar, Salumeria, Snackbar and Nuchas are serving customers without running foul of traffic police. Nuchas’s Argentinian-born founder, Ariel Barbouth, says the flavours offered are beyond a traditional empanada, with a menu of six rotating choices.

Empanadas cost $US3 a pop and include the traditional Argentinian variety (ground beef, onions, peppers in white dough) and portobello mushrooms or pork shoulder braised in a rosemary dough. All are good choices en route to a Broadway show. Nuchas kiosk is open 7am-2am.

See nuchas.com.

Send news items to smarttraveller@fairfax.com.au.

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5 Ways To Avoid The Middle Seat On The Airplane

airline - Google News — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:29:54 +0000

Apparently, getting the unfortunate honor of occupying the middle seat on an airplane is not just an inconvenience for some people, but a full-on traumatic experience. The company 3M wanted to know just how many people hated the middle seat, so it commissioned a survey. According to 3M, 56% of Americans would rather get stuck in traffic or go on a blind date than sit in the middle seat. One out of every two people said they would rather take an aisle seat on a later flight, and 20% actually said that they would stay overnight in the airport rather than sit between two people.

And what are some things that people dislike most about the middle-seat experience? Topping the list were nosy neighbors, overweight people on both sides, the window seat person needing to get up and use the bathroom, and not being able to stretch out.

It’s clear that some people have strong feelings about the middle seat, but is there anything that you can do to avoid a flight of traumatic discomfort?

Save Up
If you have never been the kind to stay loyal to an airline, now you might have a reason. As you build up your frequent flyer miles, certain perks come with it. Some airlines allow you to choose your seat before others, while others will offer free business class upgrades as you amass more miles. Membership has its privileges, especially when you want a comfortable seat.

Take a Gamble
Airlines still overbook their flights and that can work to your advantage. Get to the gate early so you can be first in line when they start offering the discounted first class upgrade. Sometimes you can get lucky and pay a very reasonable amount for more room up front. Would you pay an extra $25 for comfort?

Talk to the Gate Keeper
You have to know the pecking order. If available, check in online the night before and pick your seat. If that doesn’t work, talk to the attendant at the check-in counter and if that doesn’t work, talk to the person at the gate. Get there early because others will try the same thing. You will probably have the most luck at the gate. You can also tell the attendant that you want to be placed on the list for a better seat, in case somebody misses their flight.

Score the Exit Row
Exit row seats are normally assigned at the last minute, but sometimes you can pay a small fee to land a spot. It won’t help with the people on each side but you’ll have more leg room. Once again, frequent flyer miles may carry some weight with these exit row seats.

The Bottom Line
Plug in your headphones, grab a magazine, put on a fake smile and deal with it. In the end, somebody has to sit in those seats and if it’s you, just remember that it’s going to be over soon.

Also, don’t forget that loyal customers have more pull when it comes to making changes, so spend your flying money with the same airline. It might just give you some extra elbow room.

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Doric Nimrod Air Two

airline - Google News — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:29:29 +0000

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION, RELEASE, OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, OR INTO, THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE SAME WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE IN THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH AN OFFER OR SOLICITATION IS UNLAWFUL.

DORIC NIMROD AIR TWO LIMITED

Announcement of Asset Manager’s Report

5 January 2012

Doric Nimrod Air Two Limited (the “Company“), a new Guernsey-domiciled company, is pleased to present the first quarterly Fact Sheet in respect of the period from launch on 14 July 2011 to 31 December 2011.

Doric Asset Finance Limited, the Company’s Asset Manager, has provided the Company with this commentary on the Company’s airplanes and a copy of their report is appended below for the benefit of shareholders.

*****

On the invitation of the directors of the Company, the following commentary has been provided by Doric Asset Finance Limited as Asset Manager of the Company and is provided without any warranty as to its accuracy and without any liability incurred on the part of the Company, its directors and officers and service providers. The commentary is not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, investment advice. Potential investors in the Company should seek their own independent financial advice and may not rely on this communication in evaluating the merits of an investment in the Company. The commentary is provided as a source of information for shareholders of the Company but is not attributable to the Company.

QUARTERLY FACT SHEET

DORIC NIMROD AIR TWO LIMITED

LSE: DNA2

CISX: DNA2

The Company

Doric Nimrod Air Two Limited (“the Company”) is a Guernsey domiciled company which listed on the

Specialist Fund Market of the London Stock Exchange (LSE: LSE.L – news) and the Channel Islands Stock Exchange on 14th July 2011. The purpose of the Company is to purchase multiple Airbus A380-800 aircraft, which will be leased to one or more major airlines. In the fourth quarter of 2011 the Company acquired two Airbus A380 aircraft, both leased to Emirates Airlines, the national carrier owned by the Investment Corporation of Dubai, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Investment Strategy

The Company’s investment objective is to obtain income returns and a capital return for its Shareholders by acquiring, leasing and then selling aircraft. The Company will receive income from the lease and its Directors intend to target a gross distribution to shareholders of 4.5 pence per share per quarter (18p per annum).

1. The Assets

The Company has completed the purchase of two Airbus A380 aircraft, bearing manufacturer’s serial numbers (MSN) 077 and 090, both leased to Emirates Airlines (“Emirates”).

As reported in the last Quarterly Fact Sheet, the delivery of MSN 077, originally planned for September 2011, was delayed by a few weeks due to a water spillage incident in the cabin. Delivery finally took place on 14th October 2011.

The first aircraft was acquired by a subsidiary of the Company, MSN 077 Limited, for a purchase price of USD 234,000,000. The senior debt financing was provided to the subsidiary by a syndicate of lenders (led by Westpac Banking Corporation and Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft) in the amount of USD 151,047,509. Upon delivery, MSN 077 Limited also entered into an Aircraft Operating Lease with Emirates, pursuant to which the aircraft has been leased to Emirates for an initial term of 12 years, with fixed lease rentals for the duration. The debt portion of the funding will fully amortise over the initial 12 year term of the lease.

The second aircraft was acquired by another subsidiary of the Company, MSN 090 Limited, on 2nd December 2011 for a purchase price of USD 234,000,000. The purchase price was also partially financed by a syndicate of lenders (led by Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation) in the amount of USD 146,865,575.00. On 2^nd December 2011, MSN 090 Limited also entered into an Aircraft Operating Lease with Emirates for the aircraft with fixed lease rentals and for an initial term of 12 years. The long-term debt will fully amortise over the initial 12 year period, leaving the aircraft unencumbered at the conclusion of the lease.

Emirates currently deploys its A380 fleet on sixteen different routes. From its base in Dubai, the A380 flies to Europe (Chicago Options: ^REURUSD – news) (London, Manchester (Frankfurt: A0ETDJ – news) , Munich, Rome and Paris), Asia (Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Seoul), Africa (Johannesburg), North America (New York (Frankfurt: A0DKRK – news) and Toronto), and the Australian continent (Sydney and Auckland) and within the Middle East to Saudi Arabia (Jeddah). With Kuala Lumpur, an additional destination will be added to the route network starting services

from 1st January, 2012.

Aircraft Utilization

For the period from original delivery of the Airbus A380 with MSN 077 to Emirates in mid October 2011 until the end of November (Stuttgart: A0Z24E – news) 2011, a total of 90 flight cycles were registered. Total (Other OTC: TTFNF.PK – news) flight hours were 679. This is equal to an average flight duration of approximately 7.5 hours.

Maintenance status

Emirates maintains its A380 aircraft fleet based on a maintenance program according to which minor maintenance checks are performed every 1,500 flight hours and more significant maintenance checks (so called C checks) every 24 months or 12,000 flight hours, whichever comes first.

2. Market Overview

Uncertainties regarding the global economic outlook still depress the prospects for the air transport markets. This is especially visible with respect to the worldwide transport of freight by air, which fell in recent months, continuing the sharp decline that began in June 2011. The level of freight tonne kilometres flown in October 2011 was 4.7 per cent lower than the same month a year ago, from June to October 2011 it fell by 5.0 per cent. In comparison, total world trade in goods declined by approximately one per cent over the last five months.

In contrast, the trend in the air passenger market remains positive. Worldwide air travel grew in October at a rate of 3.6 per cent compared to the same month last year. Until the end of October 2011, air travel continued to expand at an annual rate of 6.0 per cent. International markets generally performed stronger at a growth rate of 7.2 per cent compared to the domestic air transport markets with an average growth rate of 4.1 per cent.

Performance between the different regions of the world continued to differ across international markets. Despite the Eurozone crisis one of the strongest regions in 2011 is Europe with a total growth rate of 9.3 per cent until end of October. North American airlines have cut capacity on US and international markets. Therefore air travel expanded by just 2.6 per cent in that region. Asia-Pacific (KSE: 002790.KS – news) airlines have seen weak international growth in 2011, although domestic markets in India and China are expanding fast bringing the total growth rate to a level of 5.3 per cent until end of October. Nevertheless, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts that economic growth in the emerging markets of Asia and the Middle East will be one of the key drivers of air traffic expansion especially in the medium and longer term.

The biggest risk facing the airline industry over the next months is the economic turmoil that might result from a failure of governments to resolve the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis. Therefore, IATA has revised down their forecast for industry profits in 2012 from USD 4.9 billion to USD 3.5 billion. In addition, IATA is concerned that the sovereign debt crisis in the Eurozone could result in a more severe banking crisis and more widespread economic weakness. In such scenario it has been estimated that industry-wide losses could reach USD 8.3 billion in 2012. Europe would be worst affected while all other regions would not be able to escape losses.

IATA: Industry Outlook December 2011; Air Transport Market Analysis October 2011

3. Lessee – Emirates Key Financials and Outlook

For the first six months of the current financial year 2011/2012 ending 30^th September 2011, Emirates generated a net profit of USD 225 million despite paying USD 1 billion more in fuel costs compared with the same period last year and despite fluctuating exchange rates. Net (Frankfurt: A0Z22E – news) profit for the same period in the last business year was USD 925 million. In addition, the company’s revenues increased by 15 per cent per annum to USD 8.3 billion over the same time period. At the same time the airline posted strong business growth both in terms of capacity on offer and traffic carried. Capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASKM), grew by 8.2 per cent, whilst passenger traffic carried measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKM) was up 5.7 per cent. Therefore, the Passenger Seat Factor declined slightly compared to the same period of the last business year but sustained at a level of 79.3 per cent.

Emirates’ cash position on 30^th September 2011 remained at about USD 3.8 billion, almost the same level as on 31^st March 2011 at the begin of the business year.

Emirates’ fleet size as at the end of the first half-year of the current business year was 161 aircraft including 17 A380 aircraft and 93 B777 aircraft. Since the beginning of its current financial year, the airline has received delivery of ten new widebody aircraft, with another 13 new aircraft scheduled to be delivered before the end of the financial year (31^st March 2012). This new capacity helped to expand the route network of the airline by four additional destinations (Geneva, Copenhagen, Baghdad and St. Petersburg) since April 2011. Furthermore, seven new route launches (Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Harare, Lusaka, Dallas, Seattle and Dublin) are planned to start in early 2012. Business figures for the whole business year 2011/2012 are expected to be announced sometime in May 2012.

Source: Emirates

4. Aircraft – A380

At the end of November 2011, the global A380 fleet consisted of 63 planes that were operated by Emirates (18 A380 aircraft), Singapore Airlines (SES: C6L.SI – news) (14), Qantas (11), Deutsche Lufthansa (Xetra: 823212 – news) (8), Air France (Paris: FR0000031122 – news) (6), Korean Airways (5) and China Southern Airlines (1).

By the end of November 2011, Airbus (Paris: NL0000235190 – news) had delivered 22 new A380 aircraft this year, of which five went to Korean Airways and four each to Lufthansa and Qantas. In addition three A380 aircraft were delivered to Singapore Airlines and Emirates each, two A380 aircraft to Air France and one to China Southern Airlines. However, the A380 order backlog was still 180 units on November 30, 2011

Up to the end of November 2011, Airbus won firm orders from South Korean Asiana Airlines as well as from the Japanese low-cost carrier Skymark Airlines Inc. each for six A380 aircraft, respectively. In addition, Qatar Airways ordered five A380 aircraft and Deutsche Lufthansa added a firm order of two additional A380 aircraft bringing its total order of that aircraft type to 17.

For further information, please contact:

For administrative and company information:

Anson Fund Managers Limited

+44 (0) 1481 722260

For shareholder information:

Nimrod Capital LLP

Richard Bolchover and Marc Gordon

+44 (0) 20 3355 6855

END OF ANNOUNCEMENT

Emp;OE – in transmission.

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Doric Nimrod Air One

airline - Google News — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 08:29:23 +0000

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION, RELEASE, OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, OR INTO, THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE SAME WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE IN THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH AN OFFER OR SOLICITATION IS UNLAWFUL.

DORIC NIMROD AIR ONE LIMITED

Announcement of Asset Manager’s Report

5 January 2012

Doric Nimrod Air One Limited (the “Company“), a new Guernsey-domiciled company, is pleased to present the fourth quarterly Fact Sheet in respect of the period from 1 October 2011 to 31 December 2011.

Doric Asset Finance Limited, the Company’s Asset Manager, has provided the Company with this commentary on the Company’s airplane and a copy of their report is appended below for the benefit of shareholders.

*****

On the invitation of the directors of the Company, the following commentary has been provided by Doric Asset Finance Limited as Asset Manager of the Company and is provided without any warranty as to its accuracy and without any liability incurred on the part of the Company, its directors and officers and service providers. The commentary is not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, investment advice. Potential investors in the Company should seek their own independent financial advice and may not rely on this communication in evaluating the merits of an investment in the Company. The commentary is provided as a source of information for shareholders of the Company but is not attributable to the Company.

QUARTERLY FACT SHEET

DORIC NIMROD AIR ONE LIMITED

LSE: DNA

CISX: DNA

The Company

Doric Nimrod Air One Limited (“DNA”) is a Guernsey domiciled company which listed on the Specialist Fund Market of the London Stock Exchange (LSE: LSE.L – news) and the Channel Islands Stock Exchange on 13^th December 2010. DNA has purchased one Airbus A380-861 aircraft, manufacturer’s serial number (MSN) 016, which it has leased to Emirates Airlines, the national carrier owned by the Investment Corporation of Dubai, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Investment Strategy

DNA’s investment objective is to obtain income returns and a capital return for its Shareholders by acquiring, leasing and then selling a single aircraft. DNA will receive income from the lease and its directors intend to target a gross distribution to shareholders of 2.25 pence per share per quarter (9p per annum).

1. The Doric Nimrod Air One Airbus A380

The Airbus A380 with manufacturer’s serial number (MSN) 016 is registered in the United Arab Emirates under the registration mark A6-EDC. For the period from original delivery of the aircraft to Emirates in November (Stuttgart: A0Z24E – news) 2008 until the end of November 2011, a total of 1,687 flight cycles were registered. Total (Other OTC: TTFNF.PK – news) flight hours were 13,734. This is equal to an average flight duration of approximately eight hours.

Emirates currently deploys its A380 fleet on sixteen different routes. From its base in Dubai, the A380 flies to Europe (Chicago Options: ^REURUSD – news) (London, Manchester (Frankfurt: A0ETDJ – news) , Munich, Rome and Paris), Asia (Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Seoul), Africa (Johannesburg), North America (New York (Frankfurt: A0DKRK – news) and Toronto), and the Australian continent (Sydney and Auckland) and within the Middle East to Saudi Arabia (Jeddah). With Kuala Lumpur, an additional destination will be added to the route network starting services from 1st January, 2012.

Maintenance status

Emirates maintains its A380 aircraft fleet based on a maintenance program according to which minor maintenance checks are performed every 1,500 flight hours and more significant maintenance checks (so called C checks) every 24 months or 12,000 flight hours, whichever comes first. A major maintenance check (C check) is expected to fall due in the third quarter of 2012.

Inspections

The next inspection of the aircraft by the asset manager is scheduled during the aforementioned C check in 2012.

2. Market Overview

Uncertainties regarding the global economic outlook still depress the prospects for the air transport markets. This is especially visible with respect to the worldwide transport of freight by air, which fell in recent months, continuing the sharp decline that began in June 2011. The level of freight tonne kilometres flown in October 2011 was 4.7 per cent lower than the same month a year ago, from June to October 2011 it fell by 5.0 per cent. In comparison, total world trade in goods declined by approximately one per cent over the last five months.

In contrast, the trend in the air passenger market remains positive. Worldwide air travel grew in October at a rate of 3.6 per cent compared to the same month last year. Until the end of October 2011, air travel continued to expand at an annual rate of 6.0 per cent. International markets generally performed stronger at a growth rate of 7.2 per cent compared to the domestic air transport markets with an average growth rate of 4.1 per cent.

Performance between the different regions of the world continued to differ across international markets. Despite the Eurozone crisis one of the strongest regions in 2011 is Europe with a total growth rate of 9.3 per cent until end of October. North American airlines have cut capacity on US and international markets. Therefore air travel expanded by just 2.6 per cent in that region. Asia-Pacific (KSE: 002790.KS – news) airlines have seen weak international growth in 2011, although domestic markets in India and China are expanding fast bringing the total growth rate to a level of 5.3 per cent until end of October. Nevertheless, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts that economic growth in the emerging markets of Asia and the Middle East will be one of the key drivers of air traffic expansion especially in the medium and longer term.

The biggest risk facing the airline industry over the next months is the economic turmoil that might result from a failure of governments to resolve the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis. Therefore, IATA has revised down their forecast for industry profits in 2012 from USD 4.9 billion to USD 3.5 billion. In addition, IATA is concerned that the sovereign debt crisis in the Eurozone could result in a more severe banking crisis and more widespread economic weakness. In such scenario it has been estimated that industry-wide losses could reach USD 8.3 billion in 2012. Europe would be worst affected while all other regions would not be able to escape losses.

IATA: Industry Outlook December 2011; Air Transport Market Analysis October 2011

3. Lessee – Emirates Key Financials and Outlook

The aircraft is leased to Emirates for an initial term of 12 years, with fixed lease rentals for the duration.

For the first six months of the current financial year 2011/2012 ending 30^th September 2011, Emirates generated a net profit of USD 225 million despite paying USD 1 billion more in fuel costs compared with the same period last year and despite fluctuating exchange rates. Net (Frankfurt: A0Z22E – news) profit for the same period in the last business year was USD 925 million. In addition, the company’s revenues increased by 15 per cent per annum to USD 8.3 billion over the same time period. At the same time the airline posted strong business growth both in terms of capacity on offer and traffic carried. Capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASKM), grew by 8.2 per cent, whilst passenger traffic carried measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKM) was up 5.7 per cent. Therefore, the Passenger Seat Factor declined slightly compared to the same period of the last business year but sustained at a level of 79.3 per cent.

Emirates’ cash position on 30^th September 2011 remained at about USD 3.8 billion, almost the same level as on 31^st March 2011 at the begin of the business year.

Emirates’ fleet size as at the end of the first half-year of the current business year was 161 aircraft including 17 A380 aircraft and 93 B777 aircraft. Since the beginning of its current financial year, the airline has received delivery of ten new widebody aircraft, with another 13 new aircraft scheduled to be delivered before the end of the financial year (31^st March 2012). This new capacity helped to expand the route network of the airline by four additional destinations (Geneva, Copenhagen, Baghdad and St. Petersburg) since April 2011. Furthermore, seven new route launches (Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Harare, Lusaka, Dallas, Seattle and Dublin) are planned to start in early 2012. Business figures for the whole business year 2011/2012 are expected to be announced sometime in May 2012.

Source: Emirates

4. Aircraft – A380

At the end of November 2011, the global A380 fleet consisted of 63 planes that were operated by Emirates (18 A380 aircraft), Singapore Airlines (SES: C6L.SI – news) (14), Qantas (11), Deutsche Lufthansa (Xetra: 823212 – news) (8), Air France (Paris: FR0000031122 – news) (6), Korean Airways (5) and China Southern Airlines (1).

By the end of November 2011, Airbus (Paris: NL0000235190 – news) had delivered 22 new A380 aircraft this year, of which five went to Korean Airways and four each to Lufthansa and Qantas. In addition three A380 aircraft were delivered to Singapore Airlines and Emirates each, two A380 aircraft to Air France and one to China Southern Airlines. However, the A380 order backlog was still 180 units on November 30, 2011

Up to the end of November 2011, Airbus won firm orders from South Korean Asiana Airlines as well as from the Japanese low-cost carrier Skymark Airlines Inc. each for six A380 aircraft, respectively. In addition, Qatar Airways ordered five A380 aircraft and Deutsche Lufthansa added a firm order of two additional A380 aircraft bringing its total order of that aircraft type to 17.

For further information, please contact:

For administrative and company information:

Anson Fund Managers Limited

+44 (0) 1481 722260

For shareholder information:

Nimrod Capital LLP

Richard Bolchover and Marc Gordon

+44 (0) 20 3355 6855

END OF ANNOUNCEMENT

Emp;OE – in transmission.

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Reuters

airline - Google News — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:29:21 +0000

LONDON (Reuters) – International Airlines Group , formed by the merger of BA and Iberia, posted a strong rise in traffic in December, boosted by continued growth in first and business class passenger numbers.

Traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometres, rose 12.2 percent versus December 2010, while passenger load factor — a measure of how well it fills its planes — was up 0.6 percentage points at 77.6 percent, it said on Thursday.

IAG said its first and business-class travel — the most profitable part of its passenger business – rose 13.6 percent, while non-premium traffic was up 12 percent.

Earlier on Thursday Ireland’s Ryanair , Europe’s largest airline, said it carried 4.8 million passengers in December, 5 percent less than a year ago, after it grounded 80 aircraft to avoid flying routes made unprofitable by high fuel prices.

Industry body IATA last month said international passenger traffic growth had slowed in recent months and that it expects airlines to suffer from waning consumer confidence, sluggish international trade and high fuel prices in 2012.

The company said that underlying market conditions were unchanged but that it had seen a significant reduction in Iberia’s short haul premium traffic compared to last year, influenced by the strikes during the month.

IAG, which recently agreed to buy Lufthansa’s British unit bmi, last October reported a 31 percent fall in third-quarter profit, better than expected and outperforming peers. However, its traffic growth has slowed in recent months.

IAG shares, which have fallen 2.7 percent in the last month, were 2.8 percent down at 145.25 pence by 3:08 p.m., valuing the company at around 2.7 billion pounds.

(Reporting by Rhys Jones; editing by Matt Scuffham)

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Holy Smokes, This First Class Cabin Looks Just Like the Enterprise

airline - Google News — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 23:29:20 +0000

Australia may not be the Final Frontier, but the first class cabin in Qantas Airways’ remodeled A380 Airbus will certainly make you feel like it. Billed as the world’s largest passenger airliner, the A380 seats anywhere between 525 to 850 people at once, and is infamous for forcing airports to refit their facilities just to service it. While the A380s have been in service for a few years, Tecca and the Daily Mail couldn’t help noticing that the new first class cabin design looks like it’s based on the Starship Enterprise of all things.

As seen on Airbus’ official A380 website, it’s not a far-fetched claim. From the LCD touch-screen panels to the cream, tan, and brown colored interior, it’s almost a total dead ringer for certain rooms in the NCC-1701-D from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Even if it wasn’t an intentional reference (and we’re sure it is), it’s still awesomely geeky.

Of course, there’s no on-board voice-activated computer interface or force field-layered viewing windows, but the other perks are quite extravagant.

Dreamt up by Australian designer Marc Newson, the cabin houses 14 individual portioned mini-suites, each with their own desks, entertainment systems, and lounge chairs that transform into single sheepskin upholstered beds. Entertainment comes by means of an touchscreen equipped LCD monitor that can display about 1,000 on-demand TV shows and movies. The common area outside the suites contains leather couches, a bar, plants, and even overhead lighting designed to mimic a star field.

Considering that earlier versions of the first class cabin designs in the A380 lineup have looked disappointingly modern, anyone who finds themselves in the Newson-designed Enterprise cabins should feel lucky, provided they see the resemblance.

If you want to get your geek friends and fellow Trekkies a treat during their next international flight, you’d better have several hundreds of dollars lying around for your vacation time. Qantas is “luxury” airline, and unless you’re a local Aussie, those ticket prices will transport tons of cash right out of your bank account. Personally, we’d spend a fraction of that money on this Star Trek: The Next Generation Complete Series box set, and order enough pizza for a week-long marathon with our buddies instead.

[Airbus via Daily Mail, Tecca]

McKinley Noble is a former GamePro staff editor, current technology nerd and eternal mixed martial arts enthusiast. He also likes Japanese sports dramas and soap operas. Follow him on Twitter or just Google his name.

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IAG December traffic up 12.2 percent

airline - Google News — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:29:18 +0000

LONDON (Reuters) – International Airlines Group (ICAG.L), formed by the merger of BA and Iberia, posted a strong rise in traffic in December, boosted by continued growth in first and business class passenger numbers.

Traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometres, rose 12.2 percent versus December 2010, while passenger load factor — a measure of how well it fills its planes — was up 0.6 percentage points at 77.6 percent, it said on Thursday.

IAG said its first and business-class travel — the most profitable part of its passenger business – rose 13.6 percent, while non-premium traffic was up 12 percent.

Earlier on Thursday Ireland’s Ryanair (RYA.I) (RYA.L), Europe’s largest airline, said it carried 4.8 million passengers in December, 5 percent less than a year ago, after it grounded 80 aircraft to avoid flying routes made unprofitable by high fuel prices.

Industry body IATA last month said international passenger traffic growth had slowed in recent months and that it expects airlines to suffer from waning consumer confidence, sluggish international trade and high fuel prices in 2012.

The company said that underlying market conditions were unchanged but that it had seen a significant reduction in Iberia’s short haul premium traffic compared to last year, influenced by the strikes during the month.

IAG, which recently agreed to buy Lufthansa’s British unit bmi, last October reported a 31 percent fall in third-quarter profit, better than expected and outperforming peers. However, its traffic growth has slowed in recent months.

IAG shares, which have fallen 2.7 percent in the last month, were 2.8 percent down at 145.25 pence by 3:08 p.m., valuing the company at around 2.7 billion pounds.

(Reporting by Rhys Jones; editing by Matt Scuffham)

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The Salahis’ Divorce From Hell

airline - Google News — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:29:12 +0000

Hardly a week goes by without some new controversy surrounding the pending divorce of the so-called White House Gate Crashers, Tareq and Michaele Salahi. Tareq has been quoted as calling his wife a “groupie slut,” a “liar,” and a socialite who lived a lifestyle way beyond their means. Since Michaele fled their Hume, Virginia, home in mid-September, countless overblown and breathless stories have run on celebrity gossip blogs and websites. TMZ has led the pack by running dozens of snarky stories—all from the husband’s point of view.

It began with Tareq’s dramatic announcement that Michaele had been kidnapped by a stalker, then the revelation that she had, in fact, gone back to a former flame, guitarist Neal Schon of the band Journey. Day after day there was a stream of anti-Michaele news. She left when their dog was near death, Tareq cried. When Rio the Doberman died a few days later, pictures of the burial appeared with the headline: “I Lost Two Bitches in One Week!” Somehow video of Michaele in bed with the dog, the couples’ pre-nup agreement, and their divorce papers all found their way to the Internet.

Cash-strapped Tareq is the likely suspect for the leaked (or sold) information, but he and his attorney have refused all Daily Beast requests for comment. For her part, Michaele Salahi has issued no public statements—until now.

During several long conversations, Michaele made it clear she does not want to fight, she isn’t bitter, and she just wants to live a peaceful life after eight tumultuous years with Tareq Salahi. When asked whether she has a message for her soon-to-be ex she said, “Tareq, I wish you the happiness I have now.”

Michaele’s divorce papers were quietly filed in Warren County, Va. on December 20, 2011. The next day, TMZ’s headline screamed: “Michaele: Tareq Was a Violent Rageaholic” who “employs psychotic scare tactics to terrorize!” Other celeb websites quickly repeated the over-the-top language, making Michaele look every bit of an over-wrought drama queen.

In reality, Michaele Salahi’s five-page court filing is fairly low-key in its claims. “During the summer of 2011 the defendant demonstrated outbursts of rage, smashing objects; on one occasion he was physically violent toward the plaintiff, putting both hands on the sides of her head, shaking her head, and yelling at her.”

On Christmas day, TMZ ran another widely repeated Salahi item that quoted Tareq’s court papers, claiming that his wife had sex with Schon in his concert hall dressing room while Tareq and a friend waited nearby. Tareq offered as “proof” a quotation found in my Daily Beast article from Sept. 19^{in which Schon described how elated he was to discover Michaele still loved him: “Schon says, ‘I have tennis shoes on and she’s, like, nine feet tall over me. And she looks down at me like she’s standing on stilts and says, ‘I love you. And that’s never gonna change.’ And when that happened I said, ‘Get over here! This has taken 15 years!’”}

Nowhere in the article was a sex act mentioned and both Schon and Michaele deny any occurred. “The backstage was full of people,” Schon told The Daily Beast recently. “Sex in a room full of people? My bandmates right there? Come on!”

Michaele explained what she thinks caused her to marriage to crumble. The death of Tareq’s beloved father, Dirgham, in October 2010 weighed heavily on Tareq, she said. There was a bitter, years-long financial dispute with his mother over who controlled the family winery. And, with each mounting economic pressure, including a court-ordered bankruptcy auction at the winery scheduled for late September, he “just became impossibly controlling.”

The last straw for Michaele happened right before the forced auction. “Tareq was freaked out about the 9/11 anniversary and he didn’t want me to go out … he worried about kidnapping. I told him I was just going to get my hair done and run a few errands and I’d be back in three hours.” Five hours later, when she returned to their isolated country house, the outside security lights were off, the front door was bolted shut, no lights were on inside, and Tareq didn’t answer the phone. Michaele also couldn’t get the automatic garage door to open. She said, “It was so spooky! I drove back down the hill to the gas station to figure out what to do.”

On her second try, the garage door suddenly opened and she says she entered the three-story home groping for light switches.

“I finally found Tareq downstairs sitting in darkness in the theater room, holding the dog back from greeting me,” Michaele said. “He yelled at me that he just wanted to scare me and teach me a lesson so I knew how scared he had been because I was late.” Tareq’s increasingly erratic behavior, including taking her car keys and wallet so she couldn’t leave the house after that, caused her to flee two days later. On Sept. 13, Michaele got a lift to the airport and boarded a plane to join Schon on his concert tour.

In the spring and summer of 2010, when the “Gate Crashers” scandal was in full bloom, I traveled to Virginia to spend private research time with the couple for a book I was writing. I spent days with the Salahis inside their home, touring the winery, attending dinners and social events with them in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and New York. In short, I had an insider’s view of their dynamic and their relationships with outsiders.

They were always outwardly fun-loving and smiling, but there seemed to be no peace in that house. There was always some self-destructive, percolating drama beneath the surface of their lives and, in this reporter’s opinion, Tareq was the instigator. From the never-ending string of lawsuits filed against them to simmering fights with TV producers on the set of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of D.C. program—Michaele was a castmember and Tareq was always by her side—the controversy was constantly fueled by Tareq’s obstinate behavior.

Forty-two year-old Tareq displayed an almost childlike need to be the smart guy in the room, the one in control. While he had a sense of how to make money, he also exhibited a disturbing pattern of finding specious excuses for why he didn’t need to pay his bills. “The caterer ran out of food,” he told me about a polo event he’d sponsored, as if that were enough of a reason not to pay for any of the food served that day. As I got to know Tareq better, after publication of my book, Cirque du Salahi, I came to believe he was used to getting his way–or else!

When Michaele needed to go to Los Angeles for the Television Critics Association press tour gathering as part of the cast commitment for Real Housewives, Tareq was told it was a girls-only trip. He demanded a first class ticket to go with his wife anyway, telling me that because of Michaele’s multiple sclerosis he had to travel with her to help her navigate the airports. Michaele confided that she had recently fallen down inside the airport in Las Vegas and was fearful of traveling alone with a cast of women who clearly didn’t like her and didn’t yet know about her M.S.

Tareq found a benefactor to pony up an airline ticket so he could go, and, with TV critics gathered in the bar of a fancy Beverly Hills restaurant, he tossed a glass of red wine on cast member Lynda Erkiletian’s couture dress. Tareq had told a mutual acquaintance ahead of time that he planned to “get back” at Erkiletian for being mean to Michaele on Real Housewives. The conference ended with Tareq Salahi in the headlines and several cast members announcing they would not do another season if the Salahis were involved.

As producers for the now canceled Real Housewives of D.C. planned a classy wrap party for the end of the first season, Tareq sat at their cherry- wood dining room table in Virginia with his laptop and cell phone in hand and schemed to put together something. “Bigger, better, more fun!” he said to me. “This is what I do! Just watch me!”

He and a party-planner pal came up with the idea of renting the Daughters of the American Revolution Hall near the White House. They would get a liquor distributor or other corporate sponsor to foot some of the cost with the rest covered by sales of “premium tickets” for those who wanted to “celebrate with the Salahis in a private reception room.” The flyer for the event included the copyrighted Real Housewives name and the NBC/Bravo logo. It didn’t take long before the NBC legal department was on the phone telling Tareq why they wouldn’t permit it.

The stymied Tareq fumed for the rest of the day, announcing that “their star, Michaele” would not attend the official wrap party. And she didn’t. The Salahis celebrated at a disco-pumping gay club in D.C. instead.

Michaele, of course, was complicit in her husband’s actions. She constantly made excuses for him and went along with his over-the-top schemes. She confided to me that Tareq’s controlling ways made her future with him impossible. And it became clear to me that Michaele had been going along to get along in the relationship, even during the couple’s painful bankruptcy and near eviction from their home.

“I never knew anything about our finances,” she said. “Tareq always told me not to worry about it.”

(The tabloid stories that her adultery with Neal Schon now makes her ineligible for any of the Salahi money seem laughable.)

Michaele and Schon now live in Schon’s five-bedroom hillside home on 10 acres of land in Northern California. Schon said, “I love this woman with all my heart. I just want to get on with our lives! Michaele and I waited too long to get back together.”

As Michaele continues to struggle to fully split from Tareq (who is reported to have spent the holidays filming a new TV dating show in Cabo San Lucas), Schon grapples with Ava Fabian, his last girlfriend.

Fabian had told friends that she and Schon were married in Paris last year, yet her recently filed palimony suit mentions no marriage. She is seeking money for her services and lost wages (she was the August 1986 Playboy Playmate of the Month and an occasional actress) along with half of all money Schon earned during their two years together, including from his last concert tour. (Fabian did not respond to requests for comment.)

Seems neither of the jilted lovers plans to make it easy for the new couple.

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Emirates expands south American networks

airline - Google News — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 08:29:04 +0000

(MENAFN – Arab News) Emirates, one of the world’s fastest growing airlines, has extended its South American network by linking Dubai with Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, further broadening the airline’s reach across the Americas.
Emirates’ inaugural Flight 247 made its first landing at Galeão-Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport in Rio de Janeiro, where it was initiated by a traditional water cannon salute.

The flight, operated by Argentine Capt. Marcos Medina, then departed for its first onwards connection to Buenos Aires, where government and airport officials led by Enrique Meyer, the Argentinean Minister of Tourism, welcomed the Emirates VIP delegation headed by Thierry Antinori, Executive Vice President – Passenger Sales Worldwide.

Other members of the VIP delegation aboard the flight included the Argentinean Ambassador to the UAE, Ruben E. Caro; UAE Ambassador Mohammed Eissa Al Zaabi; Abdulla Ali Al Saboosi, Director, Department of American and Pacific Affairs, UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Adnan Kazim, Divisional Senior Vice President, Planning and Research and Nigel Page, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, the Americas.

This new linked service to two of the most economically vibrant cities in South America will not only boost trade ties with the UAE, but will also introduce travelers to Emirates’ route network spanning points across the globe,” said Thierry Antinori.

“Emirates will offer customers in Brazil and Argentina the most efficient and comfortable route to the Middle and Far East, including the airline’s four destinations in China and two gateways in Japan, which are key trading partners for both countries,” added Antinori.

The Dubai-Rio de Janeiro-Buenos Aires flight is operated by a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft offering eight First Class Private Suites, 42 lie-flat beds in Business Class and 304 seats in Economy Class.

EK 247 leaves Dubai daily at 0710 and arrives at Rios Antônio Carlos Jobim International Airport at 1537. It departs Rio at 1723, arriving at Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini International Airport (Ezeiza) at 1930. From Buenos Aires, EK 248 departs at 2130, arriving in Rio at 0123hrs the following day. The aircraft will depart Rio at 0310, arriving in Dubai at 2250.

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Chicago

airline - Google News — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:28:58 +0000

By Nelia G. Neri

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

CHICAGO has a special place in my heart. It was my destination on my very first trip to the USA when I was an impressionable 22-year old. I was there to train as a dietician in one of the biggest hospitals in the city. It was an unforgettable eight months in the land of milk and honey. Since that time I had gone back only once, with husband and four sons in tow, but that was almost two decades ago.

Fast forward to November 2011 when Cathay Pacific Airways, through its Cebu manager Maggie Wong, organized a familiarization trip to Chicago, the airline’s newest destination in the USA. With Maggie and passenger sales exec Connie Cimafranca in the lead, we (three of us lifestyle writers and the top travel agents of CX) took a flight to Hong Kong, stayed overnight at the Headland Hotel near the airport, and then were on our way to the windy city. But wait!…What made the trip so special was that we were on Cathay Pacific’s new Business Class and it was really something to rave about.

Plan your Sinulog week ahead and find out what’s in store for Sinulog 2012.

For starters, there are only four seats to a row, in contrast to the usual six seats in the standard Business Class section. This means there is only one seat in each of the two window sections, while there are two seats together in the middle portion for couples or whoever wants to have a seating companion.

I loved my window seat because I felt complete privacy. Aside from the seat which turned into a fully flat bed (longer and wider than the standard airline bed), what impressed me most was the side cabinet with a mirror inside its door. (Yes, there is a tiny cabinet storing the headset which you can also use for things you want within arm’s reach). But really, what could be more convenient than having a vanity mirror all to yourself?…no need to line up at the toilet to freshen up.

Other innovations in Cathay’s new Business class are the retractable armrest for easy access to the aisle; the conveniently located shoe locker; the little counter/work table; the side storage for bags, laptops, water bottle and all else you want to put inside; and a footrest which becomes part of the bed. Of course all these are in addition to the givens, like personal TV, multi-port connector, meal table, personal reading light, etc. With Cathay’s kind of Business class, the 15-hour flight didn’t seem tedious at all. (On the way back, after two weeks in the US, not only were we in Business Class, we also got a chance to sit at the First Class section shortly before landing in HK, courtesy of lead stewardess Mae Abellana Neilson who thoughtfully transferred us because the time for our connecting flight to Cebu was tight so we had to disembark ahead. That’s service at its best in any language!)

It was high noon when we arrived in Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. There to welcome us was Unilink Travel and Tours’ Eugene Cheng, the USA connection of Cebu travel agents.

Though California-based, he came all the way to Chicago to give personal service to us.

The Drake Hotel was the first of the four Hilton hotels that hosted our stay in Chicago, through the arrangements made by Hong Kong-based Filipino, Anthony Legaspi who is the director of sales of Hilton Worldwide. The luxury hotel bespeaks of old world elegance, and was indeed the perfect place for us to rest and recharge after our long trip. (I will have a separate write-up on the Hilton properties in Chicago).

The next day’s city tour was something I looked forward to because I wanted to see once again familiar landmarks – the places I had visited when I was a homesick and lovesick first-timer in Chicago. (Lovesick because I left behind a bf who kept writing me to come home pronto…and yes, I married him soon after I came home.)

Driving around the Loop (Chicago’s commercial, shopping and theater district, and the seat of city and county governments) was a sentimental journey for me. I was excited to be on State St., my favorite shopping haunt back then but alas, the legendary Marshall Field and Co. which had been THE STORE for more than a century, is no more.

The beautiful historic building still stands, but it is now Macy’s. Another favorite shopping store, Montgomery Ward, is gone too. The new shopping haven is the stretch along Michigan Avenue called the Magnificent Mile.

More landmarks came into view as we toured the city – the 1921 Wrigley Building which I remember as a stunning vision especially at night when it is fully lighted; the Water Tower and Pumping Station, two limestone sand-castle-like structures which survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871; the John Hancock Center and Willis Tower (formerly Sears), two of the tallest buildings in the world; the Field Museum; the Shedd Aquarium; the Buckingham Fountain; the Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs; the Picasso statue; Grant Park; Millennium Park; several Chicago neighborhoods which showcased the acclaimed architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright (considered one of the greatest American architects), as well as the street where Pres. Barrack Obama’s house stands; and the Navy Pier where we had our lunch at the Bubba Gump Restaurant.

We made special stops at the Lincoln Park Conservatory which features a Palm House, a Fern Room, an Orchid House and a Conifer Garden (conifers are trees with needle-like leaves that bear cones), and at the Adler Planetarium grounds where we got a beautiful view of the Chicago skyline.

One of the highlights of our Chicago visit was the foray into a shopping outlet.

Retail therapy is always stimulating, and an added thrill on that cold, cold day was the drizzle of snow we got to experience.

Chicago “eats” to try are a steak dinner (we had ours at the famed Morton’s Steak House, courtesy of Cathay Pacific and Hilton Worldwide), and a pizza binge (Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria is the place to go).

To get more facts and features on Chicago, on what’s new and what’s up in the windiy city, plus travel and tour arrangements, go to the website ChooseChicago.com.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on January 05, 2012.

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First Baghdad flight for European airline in 20 years

airline - Google News — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:28:56 +0000

PARIS: An Airbus operated by France’s Aigle Azur is over the weekend to make the first scheduled flight by a European airline to Baghdad in 20 years amid hopes of boosting historically close Franco-Iraqi business links.

The Airbus A319 is to take off from Paris-Charles de Gaulle Saturday at 11:30 pm with Foreign Trade Minister Anne-Marie Idrac and 40 French businessmen aboard, landing at Baghdad International five hours later.

Commercial flights between the two capitals, previously operated by national carrier Air France, were suspended after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990.

“This is an historic event because this is the first scheduled direct service by a European airline between a Western capital and Baghdad for 20 years,” said French Ambassador to Iraq Boris Boillon.

Aigle Azur, owned by the Franco-Algerian Idjerouidene family, will from early 2011 offer two flights a week from Charles de Gaulle, Europe’s second-busiest air hub after London Heathrow.

Return tickets will cost 1,265 euros ($1,750) in economy class and 2,416 euros in business class.

The airline is getting the jump on other European carriers considering flying the route which is potentially lucrative thanks to increasing Western business with the war-ravaged nation.

“We decided to postpone the opening of the Munich-Baghdad route, initially set for September 30. Demand was too weak. But we are still determined to open a route to Baghdad,” said a spokesman for Germany’s Lufthansa, which already has flights to Irbil in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Aigle Azur is negotiating a code-sharing deal that would allow Air France-KLM also to offer flights to the Iraqi capital.

France had close trade links with the regime of Iraq’s executed leader Saddam Hussein and was vehemently opposed to the March 2003 US-led invasion.

In the 1970s, France was one of Iraq’s main suppliers of civilian and military equipment, second only to the Soviet Union, with later President Jacques Chirac calling Saddam a personal friend.

Today, French business accounts for only 1 percent of foreign investment in Iraq.

France doubled its exports to Iraq in 2009 to 413 million euros but that figure remains very low given the estimated $600-billion cost of the country’s reconstruction.

“It’s unthinkable for French businesses not to take part in the reconstruction of Iraq,” said Idrac, who is to sign trade agreements notably on agriculture and investment protection while in Baghdad.

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Business : Abu Dhabi airport celebrates 30 years of success

airline - Google News — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:27:38 +0000

ABU DHABI – Abu Dhabi International Airport on Tuesday marked its 30th anniversary, celebrating three successful decades of providing travellers and customers with world-class services and state-of-the-art facilities.

The capital’s international gateway has seen more than 126 million passengers pass through the airport since its opening at its current location in 1982.

Having historically been based in Al Bateen since 1969, Abu Dhabi International Airport started operation at its current location 38km outside the city in 1982. Terminal 1 covered 5,200 square metres and catered for 3 million passengers per year, which was later increased to 5 million passengers per year when Terminal 1A was opened. A growing number of airlines have since established their operations at Abu Dhabi International Airport, notably the UAE’s national carrier, Etihad Airways.

On the occasion of the 30^th anniversary, Khalifa Al Mazrouei, Chairman of ADAC, said: “Abu Dhabi Airports Company is proud to be celebrating this special occasion and highlighting Abu Dhabi International Airport’s achievements over the past 30 years. The emirate of Abu Dhabi has experienced remarkable development in this short period of time, with Abu Dhabi International Airport being a vital part of the capital’s growth. Already established as a major international hub for travellers around the globe, Abu Dhabi International Airport is committed to further developing into a leading airport in the region, and a key contributor to the Abu Dhabi 2030 vision of economic diversification.”

The past 30 years have been particularly successful for Abu Dhabi International Airport in terms of airline and infrastructure developments. Etihad Airways launched in 2003 and was named the national carrier for the UAE. Terminal 2 opened in 2005 with a passenger capacity of 2 million passengers per year. Four years later in 2009, Terminal 3 was delivered, providing Etihad Airways with a dedicated terminal and a handling capacity of an additional 5 million passengers per year. In the same year, the 4,100 metres North Runway was completed doubling the airport’s runway capacity, while being the first airport in the UAE with CATIIIB capability.

In 2011, Abu Dhabi International Airport saw the completion of the iconic Air Traffic Control Complex, developed to enhance the capacity and efficiency of air traffic services at the Capital airport and cater to the anticipated growth in air traffic in the years to come. During the same year, ADAC completed an enhancement and refurbishment project at Terminal 1 to align its facility and offerings to that of Terminal 3 and other world class airports.

Today the airport caters to 53 international airlines connecting Abu Dhabi with more than 85 destinations in over 49 countries globally. Passenger numbers have also continued to increase over the past 30 years positioning Abu Dhabi International Airport as one of the fastest growing hubs in the world. Under Abu Dhabi Airport’s Company management, the airport has more than doubled passenger numbers during the past six years from 5.3 million in 2006 to above 12 million in 2011. In July 2010, the airport surpassed the one million passenger mark for the first time in a specific month.

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Compassion demands action even at 36,000 feet

airline - Google News — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:27:34 +0000

Recently there was a mid-air collision.

On a flight from Salt Lake City to Boston, a passenger in first class brazenly pulled out his laptop and allegedly started watching images of young children in sexual circumstances with adults.

A fellow passenger reported it to the flight crew. The crew then did what was not done at Penn State: reported the alleged offense to the authorities.

Upon landing at Logan Airport, the man was questioned, arrested, cuffed and hauled off to jail. He was later identified to be a college professor.

In a sickening coincident across the Atlantic, it was reported that Ryan Air, the low-cost Irish airline, is now thinking about becoming a low-life airline and offering pornography to paying customers. One would have thought with their own national scandal of abuse of children by priests and the years of painful cover up that the Irish would want to shun vicarious exploitation even at 36,000 feet.

From these tragic stories it is obvious that the sexual exploitation of children is alive and sick. Further proof is the shameful fall from grace of Penn State’s venerable football coach Joe Paterno for not intervening adequately. Meanwhile, another allegation surrounding the Syracuse men’s basketball program has become known.

When will it ever end?

Shamefully, misusing children existed long before airplanes and laptops linked to the Internet. However, now the capacity to participate is only a click away.

As with any process of the brain that has been aroused and fortified by repeated use, it is immeasurably easier to not start than it is to stop. The forces of addiction are so powerful that once turned on they are very difficult to extinguish.

The intoxicating allure of porno is demonstrated in the ruin that comes to the devotee, yet they still persist. In the criminal cases their lives are destroyed. Respect, standing in the community, friends and families, reputations, means of living are thrown away.

The shame of being targeted as an aficionado of child porn, however, does not go away. If one flees to escape the punishment of being a sex offender, they will be hunted down and exposed.

Their home addresses will be mapped so parents with children will not live by them. They become a pariah, an outcast. The good that one has done will be lost in the acts of narcissism and self-gratification.

In spite of the risk there seems to be an increasing prevalence, and a growing call of it being a private, victimless crime. That is total bunk. There are always victims. There are the children, but there is the partaker, who has become a victim of his or her own lust. It is for the viewer who has reached a point of “past feeling” that we also mourn.

Our prime directive is to protect our children, who are dependent upon us for security and survival. We stand in full support of the innocent, but it should give us no pleasure to see other souls grievously wounded by their own misdeeds. We want justice, but we ought to pray for the capacity to forgive.

Even in our anger we gain nothing from revenge. Instead, we must prescribe the healing balm for all. Stepping forward to stop the perpetrator starts the recovery. Intervention is a gift for both.

When abuse is overlooked such as when predatory priests were silently shifted from parish to parish, or when coaches get away with secrecy, their facilitators missed a responsibility to both parties.

Our compassion for the child is supreme, but our concern for all demands that we speak out even if it means a mid-air collision.

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Boyd: Atlanta likely to see fewer fliers

airline - Google News — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 02:26:34 +0000

The Southwest acquisition of AirTran signals major changes in airline service at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Most of them are not what people are expecting.

Southwest is one of America’s most ethical companies. Its success is because they really do like their customers, and it shows on every flight. From that perspective, Southwest is a great successor to AirTran.

However, Atlanta consumers are in for some surprises when Southwest launches service next month. First, there will be fewer flights.

Over 60 percent of all passengers on AirTran’s Atlanta flights are connecting to or from other cities. But Southwest has announced that it will “unwind” that connecting operation, which means fewer passengers through Atlanta, and hence, fewer flights than AirTran is operating.

In fact, Southwest has indicated that it will operate 13 percent fewer flights at Atlanta than AirTran. Since connecting passengers represent the equivalent to fill about 100 of the current 180 AirTran flights, these reductions are likely just the first.

Fact: More than 25 of the cities to which AirTran now flies have less than 40 percent of the passengers made up of folks going to or from Atlanta. The other 60 percent are connections. Without these, Southwest will not be able to support those routes.

And there won’t be much of a “Southwest effect” — where a sudden reduction in fares will stimulate more traffic. AirTran has already achieved that in 24 of the top 25 routes from Atlanta.

Remember, Southwest’s operating costs are higher than AirTran’s. It’s the added connecting passengers that support the high-flight frequencies. That means that if Southwest is only after Atlanta passengers, they absolutely will need to reduce flights from where AirTran is today. (To read a report on Southwest’s merger effects on Atlanta, go to www.aviationplanning.com.)

As for Delta, they’re not worried. In fact, they’re probably smiling broadly.

The merger gives them a higher-cost competitor than AirTran, and one with a much more limited product. There’s no advance seat selection on Southwest, and regardless of the hype, a lot of travelers prefer it. But, for a family of four, not knowing until they get on the plane whether they’ll be sitting together is an issue — one that they didn’t always have with AirTran. Unlike AirTran, there are no business-class seats for passengers to upgrade to, either. And the Southwest strategy to not chase connecting passengers in Atlanta opens a huge new base of passengers for Delta.

Then we have the issue of operational systems.

Unlike AirTran, Southwest has work rules that restrict how it can handle flights at airports. AirTran can use outside vendors and part-time employees. This means a number of the routes that AirTran could fly — not only at Atlanta, but elsewhere — Southwest cannot. Example: Bloomington, Ill., was a successful market for AirTran. Southwest decided it couldn’t make money there. Result: over 48 percent of Bloomington’s traffic is at risk. That’s a downside of this merger. Some communities are seeing air service reduced — as Atlanta will.

There’s no argument: Southwest is a fine company. But it’s a very different airline than AirTran, and that means it will have a different operation at Atlanta, too. A smaller one. Our forecasts indicate passenger traffic through the airport will decline by about 6 percent as a result of this merger.

It’s nothing personal. It’s strictly business.

Michael Boyd is president of Boyd Group International, an aviation research and consulting firm in Evergreen, Colo.

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Carbon tax may push up airfare to EU nations

airline - Google News — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 23:26:33 +0000

From January 1, carbon emissions by aircraft flying into 27 European Union (EU) countries, including the United Kingdom, will be measured as the airline industry will come under the EU emission trading scheme, making carriers that exceed their carbon limit liable to pay a carbon tax.

There will be no immediate impact on airfares as the tax will come into effect only after an airline has crossed its carbon emission limit as laid down by the EU. But if an alternative is not worked out by countries opposed to the EU scheme, the one-way cost of an air ticket from India could go up by about Rs 350-750, depending on the length of the trip, say sources.

Under the scheme, emissions will be measured for the entire length of the trip, irrespective of whether the flight begins or ends at an EU airport. So, for a Mumbai-London flight, the carbon emissions will be measured from the time the aircraft starts moving in Mumbai airport. Consequently, the quantum of carbon tax levy, say on a Dubai-London flight will be lesser than that on a Mumbai-London one.

As on Tuesday, none of the airlines in India that fly to Europe had received communication from EU on the carbon emission limit. Once an airline crosses limit, it will need to buy carbon credits through the emission trade scheme.

Meanwhile, the Indian government has continued its fight against the said scheme. A meeting was held by ministry of civil aviation (MOCA) officials with representatives from two countries on Tuesday, as MOCA continues to garner support globally against the EU scheme. In September, India along with 26 countries, including the US, China, Canada and Brazil had signed a joint-International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) declaration opposing the EU scheme.

“Currently, talks are on with countries opposed to the EU scheme to work out an alternative emissions plan to address the issue of carbon emissions,” said an official from the civil aviation ministry. The issue will be taken up again in a meeting with other countries in January and in February, concrete steps will be taken in co-ordination with other countries to work out an alternative against the EU scheme, the official added.

The average carbon emissions per passenger, flying economy class, on a Mumbai-London flight is about 600 kg. Irrespective of the EU-emissions trading scheme, if an economy-class passenger flying this route wants to offset the emissions on account of his/her air trip, the cost of emission reduction credits will be about Rs 383 (the number was arrived at by using an airline carbon emission calculator).

For every business class passenger, an aircraft burns about 1,200 kg of carbon dioxide and for a first class passenger it is 1,800 kg. That is, an aircraft, burns 1,800 kg of carbon-dioxide to fly a first class passenger from Mumbai to London, a distance of about 7,200 km. To offset the damage, a business class and first class passenger will need to buy credits worth Rs 795 and Rs 1,180 respectively.

For Reprint Rights: timescontent.com

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Qatar Airways Ends 2011 with Top Accolades at Business Traveler USA Awards

airline - Google News — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:26:31 +0000

LOS ANGELES , Jan. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Qatar Airways has received top accolades at the prestigious Business Traveler magazine awards ceremony in Los Angeles .

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110513/PH01836)

Readers voted the Five-Star airline Best Airline for International Travel for the third consecutive year at Business Traveler Magazine’s 23rd annual Best in Business Awards.

Qatar Airways was also awarded Best Business Class airline to the Middle East.

The awards recognized 35 different travel service providers in 54 categories.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said the airline’s winning streak can be attributed to its high standards of quality and customer service.

“Everything we do and provide, from personalized treatment and customer service, to in-flight duty free and onboard cuisine, is Five-Star and based on superior attention to detail and customer satisfaction,” said Al Baker .

“I am very proud that our Business Class product has again been recognized, as well as our long-haul international services by US-based travelers, and our willingness to target diverse and underserved markets where others dare not venture into.

“During 2011, Qatar Airways was honored with several other awards from around the world, including the ultimate last June when we were named Airline of the Year 2011 by the prestigious Skytrax organization at their annual awards.

“These accolades demonstrate the years of hard work that have gone into making us what we are today – the best in the skies.”

The awards follow two other accolades from Business Traveller sister publications around the world; Best Business Class Airline by Business Traveller Middle East and Best Airline in the Middle East and Africa by Business Traveller Asia Pacific.

Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of 103 aircraft to 110 diverse business and leisure destinations across Europe , Middle East , Africa , Asia Pacific , North America and South America . The airline plans to serve 120 destinations worldwide with a fleet of 120 aircraft by 2013.

Notes to Editors:

Qatar Airways has orders worth over US$ 50 billion for more than 250 aircraft, including Boeing 787s, 777s, Airbus A350s, A380s and A320 Family of aircraft. The rapid expansion of Qatar Airways prompted the State of Qatar to embark on one of its biggest projects – the construction of a brand new international airport in Doha , which is scheduled to open at the end of 2012.

Skytrax is the only global independent passenger survey monitoring airline standards and is considered the ultimate benchmark for excellence in the airline industry. In addition to winning Skytrax’s prestigious Airline of the Year 2011 award during the summer, Qatar Airways was named Best Airline in the Middle East for the sixth year in a row, and its Premium Terminal at Doha International Airport was named Best First Class Airline Lounge. For more information, visit www.qatarairways.com

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airline - Google News — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 08:26:08 +0000

Qantas A380_outside

Qantas Airbus A380 (Photo: Qantas)

From the outside, Qantas’ Airbus A360 looks very much like any other superjumbo jet, but the first class cabin has more than just extra leg room, sleeping quarters and pleather seats. It has what some may consider a Trekkie’s earthly dream.

The Daily Mail reports that the interior of the jet, designed by Marc Newson, looks like living quarters on Star Trek’s U.S.S. Enterprise complete LCD touchscreens, real leather seats, sheepskin-covered beds and houseplants:

“At first glance, this may look like the interior of the USS Enterprise, but it’s actually the first class cabin on a Qantas A380, complete with personal suites and centre socializing area,” writes TechEBlog this week.

The central area is provided for flyers to stretch their legs and sit down for a drink.

Each berth even has a dresser for storing clothes — naturally, pyjamas are provided.

There are just 14 berths in the whole cabin.

Flyers are provided with noise-cancelling headphones, and the touchscreen-controlled LCD panels in every berth give access to more than 1,000 different programmes.

Qantas A380 Social area

Qantas Airbus A380 social area. (Photo via Daily Mail)

TechEBlog has more on the plane:

For those who don’t already know, the Airbus A380 is basically “a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS. It is the world’s largest passenger airliner.”

Qantas A380 quarters

There are 14 private quarters on the Qantas Airbus A380. (Photo via Daily Mail)

Here’s a personal look at the inside the plan and all the amenities it offers:

Newsom was awarded the Good Design Award by The Chicago Athenaeum for his first class creation. Those in economy class also ride in comfortable style with the cabin also being awarded top honors with the 2009 Australian International Design Award of the Year.

According to the Qantas website, the planes are being introduced progressively with the latest flight schedule being Sydney to Hong Kong beginning Jan. 15. The Qantas planes currently operate between Los Angles and Sydney and Los Angles and Melbourne, among other international destinations.

Qantas A380 Amenities

(Photo via Daily Mail)

The Airbus A380 was introduced to the commercial market in 2007. As of November 2011, there were 243 orders for the plane, 67 of which that have been completed. Earlier this month, the United Arab Emirates became the newest international airline to announce its operation of the A380, which will begin in 2012.

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