AVNews ΕΝ: ASIAN AIRLINES

Air Berlin Airbus A320-214 D-ALTL

Take off at MUC-EDDM "Franz Joseph Strauss"

Air Jamaica Airbus A340-313X 6Y-JMM

Short finals at LHR-EGLL "London Heathrow"

American Airlines Boeing B777-223ER N755AN

Short finals at LHR-EGLL "London Heathrow"

Aegean Airlines Boeing 737-3YO SX-BGK

Short finals at SKG-LGTS "Makedonia Airport"

United Airlines Boeing 777-222 N778UA

Take off at MUC-EDDM "Franz Josef Strauss"

Emirates Airbus A340-541 A6-ERG

Take off at ZRH-LSZH "Zürich-Kloten"

Reliance Industries Bombardier BD-700-1A10 GE VT-DHA

Taxiing at ZRH-LSZH "Zürich-Kloten"

Lufthansa Airbus A330-343 D-AIKJ

Take off at MUC-EDDM "Franz Josef Strauss"

Dornier Do31-E3 D-9531 (Prototype)

Deutsches Museum Flugwerft Oberschleißheim

Varig McDonnell Douglas MD-11 PP-VTJ

Touch down in MUC-EDDM "Franz Josef Strauss"

Olympic Airlines Boeing B737-484 SX-BKF

Taxiing at SKG-LGTS "Makedonia Airport"

Lufthansa Junkers Ju52/3m D-ANOY (fake reg)

Displayed at visitor's park MUC-EDDM "Franzt Josef Strauss"

Germanwings Airbus A329-112 D-AKNO

Take off at MUC-EDDM "Franz Josef Strauss"

Thunder Aviation Ltd Canadair CL-600-2B16 VP-CAP

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Bahrain plans to privatise Gulf Air

MANAMA – Bahrain plans to privatise the country’s loss-making carrier Gulf Air within about a year, after its turnaround programme bears fruit, said the chief executive of the top economic planning body in the Gulf Arab state.Bahrain also plans to privatise other public services, from hospitals to waste management, as it seeks to diversify its economy from oil and build up a viable private sector and a tax-based economy.

Gulf Air, which said in November it expected making an operating loss of about $500 million in 2009, plans to return to profits by focusing on regional routes and cutting costs. “The intention is to privatise but if you’re going to privatise something, people want something that doesn’t have a hundred-tonne anchor weighing it down,”Sheikh Mohammed bin Essa al-Khalifa, head of the Economic Development Board, told Reuters. “It will take realistically a year.” The Economic Development Board controls all government decisions on economic policies, making Sheikh Mohammed the small island kingdom’s top policy-maker in economic matters. Management of the King Hamad Hospital, currently under construction, and of petrol stations owned by state-run Bahrain Petroleum Co (Bapco) could be tendered to the private sector at the end of the year. Contracting out management of postal services and waste water treatment was currently under study, he added.

The country is also planning to phase out subsidies in the long run to relieve public finances, a sensitive issue that has sparked protests.

Ending gasoline subsidies is the biggest bone of contention, and Sheikh Mohammed said these would not be touched any time soon. “Fuel prices are not going up any time soon,” he said.

Bahrain plans to target other subsidies, including on electricity, to only the needy instead of all consumers, but that would be a gradual process taking some years, he added.

source: business.maktoob.com

ASIA, ASIAN AIRLINES, Gulf Air |

Thai International Airways route update

Per 21JAN10 GDS timetable display, THAI’s Bangkok – Athens service is to be operated by Boeing 777-300, starting 28MAR10, replacing Airbus A340-500.

Service is operating 4 weekly, increase from 3 weekly.

JAL may drop international routes

Japan Airlines may lose its entire international operation under a plan that would reduce the mighty but profitless airline, Asia’s largest, to a mere domestic carrier. All Nippon Airways would take over all of Japan Airlines’ international services under the plan that the government is considering. Government and Japan Airlines’ sources apparently leaked the details to the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism is opposed to the proposal, but the Mainichi cites some Japan Airlines executives as saying it is not a bad idea.
The rules governing state-directed rescues are forcing consideration of such a radical move. A restructuring agency, the Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corp. of Japan is working on a bailout plan for the struggling airline but can help companies only if they can be turned around within three years. The government is evidently concerned that a profit within three years would be unachievable if Japan Airlines kept its international network.

The loss of foreign services would greatly diminish the stakes in the ongoing tussle over Japan Airlines’ alliance membership. The giant carrier is a prized partner in Oneworld, whose leading member American Airlines has been trying to ward off attempts by Delta to lure Japan Airlines to Skyteam. But if All Nippon gets the international operations, the big winners will be that carrier’s partners in the Star Alliance. While restructuring Japan Airlines is a pressing issue, keeping it afloat by warding off a cash crunch is the immediate problem. To do that, the Development Bank of Japan has agreed to increase its unsecured lending to the company, reports Jiji news agency. The state bank had previously agreed to extend ¥100 billion without security to the airline, which has taken up ¥55 billion. The increase followed a meeting between the bank and two ministers, including Transport Minister Seiji Maehara. The restructuring agency has raised the possibility of bankruptcy and court-directed reorganization of Japan Airlines with creditors. That move has increased pressure on the company’s 8,800 retirees to accept a 30% cut in benefits. It also raises the risk that shareholdings in the business would be wiped out. The stock fell to a record low this week.
source: aviationweek.com

ASIA, ASIAN AIRLINES, JAL |

Air India pilots arrested after mid-air brawl

DUBAI – Two Air India pilots involved in a brawl with cabin crew have been bailed after their arrest and questioning by police, Indian newspapers reported on Tuesday.
Passengers on flight from Sharjah to Delhi on Oct. 3 looked on as crew members threw punches and hurled abuse at each other after a female attendant accused the pilots of sexually harassing her.

Police have registered a case against the pilots for “outraging the modesty of a woman”.
“The two pilots joined the investigations on Tuesday. We interrogated them and arrested them. But the charges against them were bailable and they were let off after they obtained bail from the investigating officer,” Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat was quoted as saying by the Times of India.
source: aviationnews.eu

Air India, ASIA, ASIAN AIRLINES |

Emirates rules out 747-8I, but 'very keen' on 777 developments

Emirates Airline has ruled out ordering the Boeing 747-8I passenger variant as it focuses on building its fleet of Airbus A380s. However, it is "very keen" to hear Boeing's plans to develop the 777.

"With the A380 as it is today, and as popular as it is today, why would you go back to the 747?" says Emirates Airline president Tim Clark.

The Dubai carrier had been pushing Boeing to develop a version of the 747-8I with the range capability to operate year-round services between its base and Los Angeles with an economic payload of around 370 passengers.

In parallel with Airbus's A380 weight reduction effort, Emirates has been working on its own savings says Clark. "On our own we've already taken out about 2.2t of operator items." This was partly due to a reduction in the potable water carried for the two on-board showers.

Through Airbus's effort, Clark believes that "by 2012 [deliveries] the manufacturer's empty weight of the A380 will be a minimum of 2t lighter on top of our 2.2t". However, he thinks the A380 will "always be challenged" to serve Los Angeles from Dubai.

The airline operates a 266-seat 777-200LR on the Dubai-Los Angeles service, and while Clark rules out the larger -300ER being capable of serving the route with an economic payload, he is awaiting news about the Boeing's plans to develop or replace the 777.

"Boeing knows we're very keen," says Clark, who expects to hold a meeting with the airframer "soon" to discuss ideas that could lead to a 777-300ER-sized aircraft capable of operating the Los Angeles route. "Even if they give us 8-10% [performance gains] by modifying the current 777, then we've got a chance getting that to Los Angeles," he says.

source: flightglobal.com

ASIA, ASIAN AIRLINES, Emirates |

Turkish plans massive rebrand

Turkish Airlines (THY) intends to undergo a complete rebranding effort and has contracted UK design group Priestmangoode to handle the wok.

The contract calls for an interior re-design across the entire Turkish fleet as well as the airline's ground services, lounges and check-in counters, says a spokeswoman for Priestmangoode.

"Retrofitting the new design concept across the entire fleet will happen simultaneously with the start of ground service projects, defining key brand messages through signature colours and creating a clear link between the cabin interiors and the entire passenger experience through the airport terminal," says the spokeswoman.

Priestmangoode will also consult on the airline's livery.

The contract comes as Turkish is engaged in a fleet renewal programme. According to Flightglobal's ACAS database, Turkish holds orders for seven Airbus A300-300s and 12 Boeing777-300ERs.

source: flightglobal.com

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