Juergen Witte

Would surprise me if they cancel BKK ... Just posted that in a german forum. Maybe someone there has more insight. I´ll let you know if it´s more than just a rumour !

I´d expect they will either find suitable routes or just get rid for them as soon as posssible if capacity for the remaining markets can be provided without them. The fact that D7 left the european market is no hint that the longhaul model for LCC´s is not viable. (Just look at Cebu Pacific waiting for their 330´s - and the Philippines being lifted from the Black List eventually) I can even imagine - given circumstances - that D7 might return to Europe once the A 350´s are delivered - and forget about the agreement with MH. D7´s excuse of loss making european routes is fake anyway since loads in both classes were healthy. As always the PR department needs tell the public "something". D7 is no different than any other airline on this subject. It´s obvious that D7 and MH simply made a "gentleman´s agreement" that both sides benefit from - at least at the moment - (MH in strong competition on european routes and D7 unhappy with the A340´s fuel consumption leaving less yield than planned) Makes me wonder if there was even some political pressure towards D7 pulling out of Europe

I am surprised that nobody here takes into consideration that flyScoot will have also an impact on most markets that D7 serves at the moment. - despite the fact flyScoot is starting with SYD only this year - This venture will certainly have a negative impact on the mid/longterm perspective for D7. And the "tie-up" with MH is not going to help in this situation either.

You´re right. There are more booking classes (with resp. fares) but I intentionally referred to the availlable fares since booking classes that are zeroed out are useless for customers Plus I quoted the prices only incl. taxes since for proper comparison it´s neccessary to show what the passenger has fork out of his pocket in the end...

MS has received 5th freedom rights for BKK-KUL-BKK but the pricing is not exactly "nice" for locals ... Y-class is RM 917,- (one-Way ! ) and C-class is RM 1009,- (one-way). So, if anyone wants to try MS its better to spend additional RM 92,- over the Economy fare and fly in Business Class

Exactly what i thought, too ! The sleeves tend to appear a bit too "teenie-like" IMHO.

Air China has now added Y-Class fares to the MUC-ATH vv. sector... Oneway starts at 85.50EUR Return from 171.69EUR

Here´s a new addition to the list of fifth freedom routes in Europe: Air China has just released a new PEK-MUC-ATH vv. route starting may 11th 2011 with traffic rights for the MUC-ATH-MUC sector. Flights will be operated with A330-200 twice weekly (days 3,6). So far only C-class fares have been loaded into res systems but Y-class fares are expected to be availlable soon. MUC-ATH 06.55-10.30 ATH-MUC 11.30-12.55

No big surprise since Air Arabia already tried to set up an operation at KTM with a separate AOC but "somehow" failed (I´m not sure is they ever commenced KTM-KUL flights then). This is now Air Arabia´s second try (and failure) I would have been surprised very much if they didn´t fail ...

Well, i´m happy i could contribute something "useful" to the forum ... I´m planning to be back to Asia next year (oct/nov) and as i always try to include a visit to Malaysia (btw. Malaysia has a very special place in my heart - to the great disappointment of my wife who´s from the Philippines )i am now able to add some "spice" to the experience ... So, i will easily be able to include a "new airline" into my itinerary ! I always try to experience as many new (for me) airlines and aircraft types as possible on my trips. Silkair is also still high on my list ...

@ 9M-MAR Are you sure Sri Lankan does not have traffic rights between SIN-KUL vv. ??? I can remember that they used to sell this tag-on not too long ago (at least it was bookable on their website then). I will check the actual status of that ! Maybe the traffic rights have been revoked. (for whatever reasons there were ...) Jürgen

That´s exactly what i meant ... Some airlines with smaller aircraft still think there´s healthy demand for flights with ATR-sized aircraft but at least one government is blocking ... The Batavia Air flights are basically operated with too big aircraft. So, the airlines has to reduce frequency to keep loads healthy. But if flights would be operated with turboprops significantly higher frequency would be possible - to the benefit of the local public !

Well, all comments so far are correct. But ... Here are my 2 cents: If possible routes are not viable with B737/A320 that´s no reason not to serve them if some basic demand is there. Something asthonishing for me is the fact that existing operators of smaller aircraft don´t even try to serve such routes. A hindrance may be that there´s no easy setting up of a route (in terms of traffic rights). Serving such routes with ATR 42/72 or similar aircraft would be economically doable - if all parties involved want that... Both governments (Indonesia + Malaysia) seem not to be interested in opening up new possibilities - to the benefit of their citizens. Jealousy (that one country may somehow "steal" customers/business/tourists from it´s neighbour) is probably the main reason that there´s no freedom for airlines to serve such routes without applying for traffic rights. Maybe in the future (far away ... ) the situation will change and offer better opportunities when the ASEAN association finally implements open sky policy between all member countries ! We´ll have to wait and see ...

That´s exactly the point ! Of course there would have been other options nearer to Paris/Beauvais - e.g.CDG - but Ryanair just choosed the cheapest solution. At this late daytime some options are not availlable due to night curfew at some airports. But CDG does not fall under such limitations. It´s just that CDG has very high handling and landing fees that Ryanair is not willing to pay ... Next to this it´s the crew´s obligation to inform passengers why their flight is diverted and how passengers get to their planned destination ! Well, i´m pretty sure the crew will not get away with leaving the passengers behind in the aircraft ! Because airport police would have taken over control if the crew requested to do so. Leaving the the passengers in the aircraft with the cockpit door open is not a trivial safety/security issue if the aircraft is under power. No matter whether lights have been switched off - someone clever (or in the knowing) might find out how to set the aircraft back under power - and it´s your guess what possibly can happen if thing get out of control ...

Any news regarding Paris ? No further details in the rumour mill ?

Wonder why they did not choose to resemble the multi colour seating from their new aircraft in the new uniforms ... That would get MH closer to a circus like appearance having clownlike coloured seats and flight attendants ... I really don´t see any need for changes regarding MH´s uniforms ! Actually they are unique (in particular the female ones) and - even from a western point of view - quite attractive. The actual uniforms really distinguish MH from other airlines! It´s a waste of money to make changes now. MH certainly has much more urgent "construction places" at the moment

It depends on the customers who order the advertising space. AK cannot force a customer to order space on all of AK´s aircraft. So, customers just order a certain number of overhead bin ads to keep expenses bearable. I can imagine AK is working hard to find more advertising customers for the overhead bins but the "folks with the money in the bank" are hard to convince that this is a good investment... So, i think that´s the main reason why only a limited number of bins is carrying an advertisement to date !

But still ... Here´s a "new" one: LAN flies now MAD-CDG-MAD thrice weekly (3,5,7) with A340 from 89,-EUR rt incl. Tax

Something that confuses me right now is that AUH is still in the pull-down menu ... Who knows whether they decided to resume AUH or not ... For a system bug it´s there too long already ! So, it makes one wonder if it´s related to the ORY flights

Me, too ! Ryanair has done it before and still does occasionally (depends on customers demand, of course ...) But it´s not like all of their aircraft are full of advertising !!!

You´re right ! Something one has to keep in mind is the fact that the U.K. is not Schengen member !!! So, flying to ORY will open up new possibilities. The visa subject is a significant point for non-EU citizens living within the Schengen area. Best example: I´m German - my wife is Filipino - and we live in Germany. She needs a visa for the UK which is a really painful and time consuming act !!!!!! This prevents us from flying D7 via STN to KUL (and then 5J to MNL) From Paris it would be much easier - and access to ORY is also easy either flying AF e.g ex SXB (Strasbourg) or even going by high speed train. So, there are quite a lot of intra-Schengen low cost flights into ORY (Easyjet in particular) and highspeed trains to Paris that will feed indirectly to D7. In my opinion the switching of some flights from STN to ORY instead of acquiring additional capacity is a very smart move ! I´m already "desperately" waiting for D7 coming to France although CGN or even FRA would be even better for us ... (maybe D7 will consider FRA in 1-2 yrs when the new runway at FRA is operational and opens up significantly more slots)

It makes me wonder how they will enter the Paris market ... (not so much when - certainly not at the beginning of winter schedule - rather somwhere at the late first Quarter of 2011 at earliest ... ) Right now both A340´s are just enough to run the STN-route. It seems only A330´s might be availlable at short notice. (unless D7 can source 1-2 more A 340´s somewhere ... (but then they´d still need to be configurated to D7 requirements) Maybe that would give AUH a second chance as an intermediate stop ??? (but personally I doubt D7 will "risk" a 1-stop route) Let´s wait and see !

Does anyone know, if the four MD-11F of Transmile are still stored ? Also, any info on their future ??? Maybe they will reactivate them ???

No doubt as there were only minor injuries (scratches etc.) Pilots just did a good job. It´s likely Air Service Berlin will look out for a replacement aircraft and continue business ! See: http://www.airserviceberlin.de/index.php5?page=&lang=2 Fortunately their business model does not rely solely on the DC-3 ops !

Well, it seems Berjaya´s ATR´s get more places to fly if runways at the small islands are extended. Just at Tioman I wonder if and how they would extend the runway ... I don´t see many possibilities. This airport is particularly difficult because - bigger - aircraft can only land from the ocean and depart towards the ocean as on the other side of the airport are high hills in close proximity. So, I´m waiting to see what´s happening when Berjaya phase out the Dash-7 fleet !