Archive for November, 2007
Friday, November 09 2007– The International Air Transport Association has called for greater transparency in the Latin American airline industry to form a sounder basis for key policy decisions.
“We must be open and honest about the economic and social benefits that we bring; and about the policy issues that we face. Facts and figures demonstrate policy failures of the past—including failed airport privatisations,” said Giovanni Bisignani, CEO and Director General of IATA.
IATA partnered with the Latin American Civil Aviation Commission (CLAC) to release a series of new economic studies during the annual general meeting of the Latin American Air Transport Association (ALTA) focused on five countries: Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Panama.
In Latin America, airlines support 2.7 million jobs and US$157 billion in related business. “By explaining ourselves better we can help governments avoid policy myopia so that together we can build an even stronger base for future growth,” said Bisignani.
Bisignani urged attendees to work hard in four important areas:
• Safety: “Latin America’s accident rate is higher than the global average with one accident for every 550,000 flights. This is a serious problem and it must change,” said Bisignani. The IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) is at the forefront of IATA’s comprehensive efforts to improve safety. Chile was the first government to incorporate IOSA into its national safety oversight programme. In September, Costa Rica confirmed its use of IOSA and Mexico announced that it would do the same at the ALTA conference. “These moves by governments will help improve safety in the region. And I encourage all other Latin American governments to quickly follow-up,” said Bisignani. Currently 177 carriers are on the IOSA registry, which is transparent for all to see at www.iata.org/registry.
• Infrastructure: Airlines pay at least US$2.5 billion to airport and air traffic management (ATM) infrastructure providers in Latin America. “In too many places running an airport or ATM monopoly is a license to print money. The biggest problem is the airport concession-fee structure instituted at the time of airport privatisations. It guarantees profits with no incentive to invest in efficiency or better facilities. Governments across Latin America must understand that infrastructure monopolies are not cash cows. To get the greatest economic benefit from aviation we need transparent policies that result in efficient infrastructure,” said Bisignani.
• Liberalisation: “Bilateral agreements cannot keep pace with market developments and they prevent the consolidation needed to build strong global competitors. Latin America is just 7% of global traffic divided into 39 markets. Maintaining the status quo is a one-way ticket to remain regional players in a global industry. Governments must move forward with progressive liberalisation so that policy catches-up with business reality,” said BIsignani.
• Environment: “In 2006 IATA’s fuel programme saved 6 million tonnes of CO2 by shortening 350 air routes. Latin America has benefited from 7 RNAV (area navigation) routes, which will save 24,000 tonnes of CO2 and US$6.9 million in fuel costs. A re-design of flight procedures at Mexico City will save nearly 300,000 tonnes of CO2 and US$53 million annually. This is good news for business and good news for the environment,” said Bisignani. “By being transparent about our achievements and the technical solutions that could improve our performance, Latin America has an opportunity to shape its approach to the environment around practical measures that improve performance,” said Bisignani.
| CWC2007 a mixed bag for regional tourism | |||||||||||||
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CARIBBEAN 360) Last week, figures disclosed by the Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados Dr Marion Williams revealed that Barbados’ less than optimum tourism performance over the first half of this year was salvaged by the influx of arrivals for the International Cricket Council’s Cricket World Cup 2007 in April. Now, a survey of the tourism statistics captured by the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) up to September this year, shows that the traditional high season has been pretty low for the English-speaking Caribbean with the presence of the international sporting tournament in the region from March to April presenting a mixed bag for some territories in comparison to what was witnessed over the first half of 2006. Barbados showed a steady decline in tourism figures from the start of the year with preliminary figures showing arrivals dropping 3.8% in January, by 5.1% in February and by 11.1% in March, but resurging to grow by 19.6% to 63,954 visitors in April when it played host to five “Super 8″ matches and the final of the Cricket World Cup between Australia and Sri Lanka. This momentum was maintained and the figures showed the island saw a 10.8% growth in arrivals for May, dropping slightly in June to an 8.8% increase over last year’s results. In contrast, fellow Super 8 match hosts Antigua and Barbuda seem not to have reaped the same benefits. On a decline since the beginning of the year – tourism arrivals were down 1.4% in January and 6% in February – Antigua and Barbuda’s arrival figures rebounded to grow by 11.5% in March to 22,806 visitors when it played host to three Super 8 matches. However, despite hosting three more matches of that stage in early April, the twin-island state’s figures dropped by 10.6% that month, and slid a further 0.6% in May. June saw a slight rally with tourism arrivals climbing a mere 0.2% over recorded arrivals for 2006. Grenada outperformed its regional neighbours in terms of increased arrivals since the beginning of this year. It also hosted six Super 8 matches in April and seems to have benefited tremendously from its involvement. The former hurricane ravaged nation saw its tourism arrivals grow by 5.3% in January and 3.8% in February this year in contrast to last year. A decline of 8% in March was completely eclipsed in April by a 30.6% increase to 14,386 visitor arrivals. This double digit growth was maintained with arrivals increasing by 21.3% in May and slowing to a 10.3% increase in June. Figures for St Kitts, which hosted five group stage matches, were not recorded in the CTO statistics, but St Lucia, which also hosted five matches for that stage in March, seems to have benefited little from its involvement in the international sporting tournament. St Lucia’s tourism arrivals declined steadily this year as that island reported a 13.2% decline in January, a 14% decline in February. March – the period when it played host to six group stage matches – fared only slightly better with a 4.5% decline over last year’s arrival figures. Despite also playing host to the semi-final match between South Africa and Australia at the end of April, St Lucia saw arrivals drop by another 4.5% that month. May witnessed a 10.5% decline and it was not until June that St Lucia was able to record positive growth with arrivals increasing by 0.3% that month to 21,823 visitors. Despite being a major host of tournament activity, Jamaica seems to have reaped little benefit from hosting the official opening, six of the group stage matches, and one of the semi-finals. Jamaica saw a 0.7% decline in its tourism arrivals in January, a 4% decline in February. There was a slight improvement in March when it hosted the group stage matches as arrivals were only 1.7% down over last year’s figures. However, April saw its tourism arrivals slip by 7.8% to 150,561 arrivals even as Jamaica played host to the semi-final between Sri Lanka and New Zealand. The status of Jamaica’s tourism arrivals for the months following were not available. The impact on remaining tournament hosts Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago from the matches hosted in their territories also could not be gauged as figures were not available past February of this year. |
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| Thursday, 01/11/2007 |
| Air France and Delta Air Lines signed a joint venture agreement to share revenues and costs on their trans-Atlantic routes. The deal will encompass combined revenues of approximately $1.5 billion annually during the first phase of the operation and more than $8 billion annually for the second phase.
Ultimately, the joint venture is expected to increase revenues, competition and customer travel choices on key routes across the Atlantic. The first phase will begin April 2008 and will include all nonstop flights operated by Air France and Delta between Air France’s Paris-CDG, Orly and Lyon hubs, and Delta’s Atlanta, New York (JFK) Cincinnati and Salt Lake City hubs. It will also include flights operated by both carriers between London-Heathrow and the U.S. A combined 19 daily flights and more than 4,500 seats per day ?a 45 percent increase- are expected to be part of the first phase of implementation. By 2010, the agreement will be extended to all transatlantic flights operated by Air France and Delta between Europe and the Mediterranean on one side and North America on the other side, as well as all flights between Los Angeles and Tahiti. The joint venture has an initial term through March 31, 2016 and will renew for subsequent periods of three years with effect from this date. |
Monday, 05/11/2007
LIAT Ltd. and Caribbean Star Airlines Ltd on Tuesday finalized and executed the agreement for LIAT to purchase the assets of Caribbean Star Airlines.
The asset purchase agreement facilitates the transfer of Caribbean Star’s assets, excluding aircraft, to LIAT effective immediately.
The final five aircraft currently leased by Caribbean Star will be transferred to LIAT in a separate transaction. Transfer is scheduled to coincide with the cessation of Star’s operation.
In coordination with the transfer of the aircraft, Caribbean Star will cease flying on November 15, 2007. At that time, Caribbean Star will shut down its operation and LIAT will go forward, operating the combined fleet of Dash-8 aircraft.
“Customers should experience no interruption of their travel itineraries as a result of the transfer of aircraft and closure of Caribbean Star,” assured Skip Barnette, President and CEO of Caribbean Star Airlines. “The flight schedule will continue as published, and LIAT will operate the flights formerly flown by Caribbean Star equipment and crews.”
“We express our sincere thanks to the Caribbean Star staff ? past and present ? for their contributions and dedication throughout our airline’s seven-year history,” Barnette continued.
LIAT’s Chief Executive Officer, Mark Darby, also added his appreciation for the support and interest shown by the Caribbean Star team throughout the negotiations and conveyed his best wishes to the staff as they embark on this new phase in their careers.
The completion of the asset purchase agreement marks the end of discussions that began last October between LIAT and Caribbean Star.
Monday, 05/11/2007
The flight departs Fort Lauderdale at 11 a.m., with a 3:05 p.m. arrival in Aruba. On the return leg, the flight leaves at 3:55 p.m., arriving back in Florida at 6 p.m.
“Florida is an extremely important market for Aruba and we welcome this first-ever nonstop service from Fort Lauderdale,” said Edison Briesen, Aruba’s minister of tourism and transportation.
(FROM THE DAILY HERALD)-After a week of not flying between Curaçao and St. Maarten, Dutch Antilles Express (DAE) resumed its daily flight Sunday evening. Monday’s flight arrived and departed on time as well, according to Roy Mingo of DAE agent, Arrindell Aviation Services.
Passengers who were affected by the flight cancellations are entitled to fly for NAf. 350 on their next trip. To redeem this special offer, which is valid for travelling up to December 14, passengers have to present their boarding pass stub at any ticketing office, according to Amigoe newspaper.
DAE had to cancel its flights to St. Maarten last week, after one of its two Fokker 100 aircraft encountered some difficulties and had to be flown to Mexico for repairs. Complicating matters, the airline’s ATR plane which was due back from maintenance in Texas was delayed. Both of these aircraft are back in the air.
The airline’s second Fokker 100 is still undergoing engine adjustments in the United States.
November 1, 2007
Singapore Airlines, the first operator of the new Airbus A380, has dashed the hopes of sexual thrill-seekers planning to engage in amorous activity aboard the world’s biggest jumbo jet.
The carrier said it would ask passengers on the A380 to refrain from sex while ensconced in one of its 12 first-class suites, which boast the world’s first airborne double beds.
“All we ask of customers, wherever they are on our aircraft, is to observe standards that don’t cause offense to other customers and crew,” the company said in a statement.
“Nothing different applies for our Singapore Airlines Suites customers.”
While private, the double cabins are neither sound proofed nor completely sealed.
Singapore Airlines, the world’s second-largest airline by market value, started commercial flights of the double-decker A380 last week with a Singapore-Sydney service.
“So they’ll sell you a double bed, and give you privacy and endless champagne and then say you can’t do what comes naturally?” Tony Elwood, who traveled with wife Julie in a suite aboard the inaugural flight, told the Times of London.
“They seem to have done everything they can to make it romantic, short of bringing round oysters,” Julie said. “I’d say they shouldn’t really complain, should they?”
(Reuters)