The last time we heard from PEOPLExpress on their plans to fly again was one year ago. A year later, I am definitely calling it. People’s Express has permanently putted out. Despite a cheery New Year’s message on Facebook (see below), nothing of substance has resulted in the airline flying again. For those of you who have forgotten… The original PeopleExpress went out of business in 1987, despite taking advantage of US air deregulation to become the fifth largest airline in the USA by offering ultra low fares which the staff collected on the plane.…
Airline News (Friday)
Category Archives for Airline News (Friday).
2015 CAPA Aviation Awards in Helsinki
Airline Finnair received their brand new Airbus A350 in time to show it off at this year’s CAPA 2015 World Aviation Summit in Helsinki, Finland. Presentations and discussions at the event organised by CAPA (Centre for Aviation) addressed Open skies, Subsidies, Ownership, Alliances, Distribution and Productivity. In the midst of the event were announcements for CAPA’s 2015 Aviation awards: Ethiopian – Airline of the Year for their leadership in the African market. IndiGo – CAPA Low Cost Airline of the Year Qantas -the CAPA Airline Turnaround of the Year Qantas CEO Alan Joyce named CAPA Airline Chief Executive of…
Rainbow for September 11
Rainbow emerging from World Trade in lower Manhattan taken on 10th September 2015 by Queens resident Ben Sturner. Fourteen years later, I think of the day that changed so much of our world when almost 3000 people from over 60 countries were directly killed as a result of the hijacking of those four aircraft. I want to take a positive from the rainbow. I pray we can find a way to bring peace this year. My thoughts to you on this day.
Skymark’s Rescuer is ANA
All Nippon Airlines (ANA) has beaten Delta Air Lines in a race to turn around the fortunes of Japan’s third largest air carrier Skymark Airlines. Skymark have been in bankruptcy since January, 2015. Skymark launched in 1996 after airline deregulation in Japan. The carrier grew rapidly but in recent years has been impacted by significant growth in the number of low cost carriers in Japan and by the falling Japanese currency. Since 2010, Skymark had planned to become an A380 operator. Their aim was to charge fares between Japan and Europe/USA that were less than half of those of…
Kenya Airways Falters
I love Africa. The smells, the vibrancy and the people have captured my heart since I lived there as a child. African aviation, therefore definitely absorbs my interest and attention from the days I used to fly Nigeria Airways (now defunct). Back then East African Airways flew to Uganda and Kenya from many of the airports I travelled through and I wondered at this airline’s livery and slogan: “Fly among friends“. Sadly they collapsed in 1977 with debts of $US120million to be replaced by three airlines; one of which is Kenya Airways. These days that loss would…
MH370- Reunion gives news but not answers
The news that part of an aeroplane has washed up on the shore of the Island of Réunion last Wednesday gives little comfort to families and friends of those who were on Malaysia Airlines 370 that disappeared on March 8, 2014. Confirmation by Malaysia on Friday, that the part is a flaperon and is indeed from a Boeing 777 tells us that it is likely that the plane did indeed end up in the sea. It does not tell us how, where or why. (See wsj: What is a flaperon?) Additional information emerged that a suitcase was…
Vale Malaysia Airlines- Why it must be
In 1947, a Malayan Airways six seater Airspeed Consul took off from Sinagpore to Kuala Lumpur beginning what became the five star Malaysia Airlines we know today with their 98 strong fleet including 380s flying to 60 destinations. Malaysia Airlines has for years, epitomised to me the romance of flying. Friendly attentive crews who worked hard to take passengers to exotic places like Sabah, Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi. Their clean comfortable interesting planes and great service have made my travels a delight. All of this will come to an end by September 1 under a restructuring…
Alitalia Five Star?
Alitalia is one of my least favourite airlines! Out of the 90 airlines,I have flown, the Italian carrier sits in the bottom five of those still flying! In the early 1970s when I first flew them, they represented the chic side of Italy.The uniforms were stylish, cabin crew glamorous with the best of Italian food, bread and wine aboard. They even served Italian bon bons (candy) just before descent and landing which always endears an airline to me! By the 1990s, the brand had become well and truly tarnished. The Bonbons had long gone, along with consistent…
If Zappos ran an Airline
The CEO of Nevada based online retailer Zappos has reiterated that he has flirted with the idea of running an airline following customer requests. For those who do not know, Zappos started as a shoe retailer and grew annual sales from one million to one billion dollars in eight years. Zappos is known for their obsession with customer service and their desire to blur the line between work and play: We seek to WOW our customers, our co-workers, our vendors, our partners, and in the long run, our investors. The company recruits new staff based on how…
Thai air problems knock Nok Scoot
In Thailand Nok means bird. “Premium low cost” domestic carrier Nokair after ten years of operation commands a healthy 27% chunk of the country’s domestic market and a healthy profit margin. Nok has not expanded internationally with the exception of a couple of routes. This was due to change this year. Nok has joined with Singapore Airline’s low cost arm Scoot, to form low cost international carrier called imaginatively NokScoot with the slogan: Fly Awesome. Literally the name means: Bird leaves suddenly and quickly! This new venture is 49% is owned by Scoot and 51% owned by Nok. The carrier aims to link China, Japan…
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