JuliusWong

Airbus did the same with EFW Dresden for A320P2F but pulled the plug last minute.

They WILL NEVER LEARN!! They basically blame everything and everyone else...from A330 P2F conversion program, the high oil prices, yadayada...but they never blame themselves for not being business savvy enough. Why bother to write down the value of A330F when it is not 100% sure Airbus will proceed with the program. (Note that Airbus pulled the plug on A320P2F program after it discovered that A320P2F will depress the value of A320 family.) It is rather sad to see our national airline, one to be proud off, in deep red again and again. Their profitable year is short-lived, the management always get changed after they record a substantial amount of profit.......Perhaps they should publish a commemorative book in upcoming anniversary titled;" MAS: How we screwed continuously since 1972 and blame others." :diablo:

Merpati Nusantara Airlines inks MOU for 40 ARJ21s By Katie Cantle | February 29, 2012 ARJ21. Courtesy, COMAC Indonesia’s state-run Merpati Nusantara Airlines (MZ) has signed a memorandum of understanding for 40 Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) ARJ21-700s, a 100-seat regional aircraft. This is COMAC’s largest order. Each aircraft cost $30 million each, according to Indonesia’s Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises minister Dahlan Iskan. MZ president director Sarjono Djony Tjitrokusumo said delivery is scheduled to begin in 2014 with 10 aircraft per year through 2017. Sarjono said the purchase contract includes a clause to involve the Indonesian aviation industry, PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI), in the aircraft’s manufacturing process. He confirmed MZ has secured financing commitments from Chinese financers for the aircraft purchase. MZ has 35 aircraft in its fleet, comprising 11 Boeing 737s, five DHC-6s, two CASA212s, three Fokker 100s and 14 MA60s, with services mostly in eastern Indonesia. Source: http://atwonline.com/aircraft-engines-components/news/merpati-nusantara-airlines-inks-mou-40-arj21s-0228

The cow will fly if that happens....

Kingfisher’s nosedive poses dilemma for Indian government February 26, 2012 A Kingfisher Airlines aircraft taxis on the tarmac at Mumbai’s domestic airport February 21, 2012. As Kingfisher Airlines careens toward collapse, the Indian government finds itself between a rock and a hard place. – Reuters pic NEW DELHI, Feb 26 – As Kingfisher Airlines careens toward collapse, the Indian government finds itself between a rock and a hard place. The government, already weakened by a string of corruption scandals over the past year, will face further political heat if it tries to rescue a money-losing private carrier – especially one owned by a flamboyant liquor baron. If it lets Vijay Mallya’s airline fail, however, the government will hurt state-run banks, which own about a fifth of Kingfisher’s shares and three-quarters of its US$1.3 billion (RM) debt. Kingfisher is struggling with fewer flights and pilots, staff demoralised by unpaid salaries, and outstanding dues to aircraft lessors, oil companies, airports and tax authorities. It needs at least US$400 million quickly to keep flying, figures Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), a consultancy . Mallya’s plans to raise funds through a share sale have been stalled and he has been lobbying the government to get state-run banks to lend more. But a senior executive at State Bank of India (SBI) , the lead lender to Kingfisher Airlines, said at the weekend it would not consider any fresh loans for the carrier until it raised new equity itself. “Everything depends on equity infusion – how much comes in, whether that will meet the requirements,” the bank’s Deputy Managing Director, R. Venkatachalam, said in an interview on Saturday in his Mumbai office. “First it has to come.” The fast clip at which the government has moved to change regulations in the past two months – airlines can now directly import fuel, lowering their costs, and private carriers can fly overseas more – has lifted expectations that Mallya may eventually win the help he needs from the government. “India: Kingfisher’s national carrier,” one Tweeter quipped last week. A government bailout for a private carrier would not go down well with the public in India, where airlines are still not the common man’s preferred mode of travel. Conscious of that, the government insists it is not looking to bail Kingfisher out. Mallya avoids the bailout word too and, instead, says he is only asking for more working capital, which Aviation Minister Ajit Singh says is up to the banks to decide on. However, late last year Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke of finding ways to help Kingfisher, which has led many to believe that in the end the government will come to its rescue. “Is the government being duplicitous about its stand on the increasingly distressed Kingfisher Airlines?” the daily Business Standard wrote in an editorial, advocating no more funds from state banks for a carrier that wasn’t ‘too big to fail’. A RISK FOR THE GOVERNMENT Saving a private airline would be risky for Singh’s government, which has faced pressure from allies, political opponents and civil activists for more than a year over graft. “After all the charges of crony capitalism ... if the government rolls out the red carpet for Kingfisher, it will once again come under attack,” said Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, a political analyst. Mallya, whose liquor business clout helped win him a seat in the upper house of parliament two years ago, could use his political ties to save the carrier he started in 2005. Allowing foreign carriers to buy a stake in Indian carriers is probably the key policy step Kingfisher desperately wants the government to take. Unlike in 2007, when ailing airlines were bought over by Kingfisher and Jet Airways, there are no domestic carriers circling to buy up rivals today. “In the short term, it is in urgent need of money. If they get about US$200 million now, that will last them about three to six months; and after that we will definitely have FDI (approval for foreign direct investment),” said Sharan Lillaney, an aviation analyst at Angel Broking. However, foreign carriers have shown little interest so far in investing in the Indian airline sector, which has grown by 17 per cent in 2011 but intense competition has driven five out of six local carriers to massive losses. Indian carriers are on course to post cumulative losses of up to US$3 billlion for financial 2011/12, CAPA estimates. “I don’t think FDI is the answer to all the problems. Indian carriers need to resolve the fundamental issues of excess capacity, high cost structures and unviable pricing strategies,” said Kapil Arora, a partner with Ernst & Young. DREAMS TURN SOUR After India embraced economic reforms two decades ago, a slew of private carriers rose in the Indian skies and then ran into the ground. Modiluft, East West, NEPC Airlines and several others shut down operations within a few years of their launch for reasons ranging from inability to manage cost to funding concerns. Mallya, who had so far run a very successful liquor empire – turning it into the world’s second-largest by volume through acquisitions – probably chose to ignore past lessons. He took pride in getting a five-star rating for his airline, making it the first Indian carrier to provide passengers with a personal video screen, offered a superior level of service and even hand-picked air hostesses himself. For Mallya, who owns several yachts as well as cricket and Formula One teams, an airline was an extension of his persona. “For sure, there was ego and vanity at play because even when he started the airline it was not a secret worldwide that the airline business doesn’t bring in easy money,” said Santosh Desai, a brand strategist and columnist. In a rush to expand, Mallya acquired Air Deccan in 2007 for US$220 million, a deal that saved the tottering low-cost carrier but over-leveraged Kingfisher. Soon after, a global downturn hit Indian carriers hard, choking access to the equity market. Most airlines survived the crisis, but a debt mountain built up at Kingfisher and the top carrier, Jet Airways. Equity markets recovered, but Kingfisher failed to raise fresh funds. This, along with operational losses partly due to high fuel costs – Kingfisher has never reported a profit – were crippling. Questions have also been raised about its business model. “India is a very price-sensitive market. In transportation, it is a volumes game; many of the frills do not matter in a short two-hour flight,” said Amber Dubey, director of aviation at global consultancy firm KPMG. “What passengers really want is on-time performance (OTP), clean and safe aircraft, efficient service and low fares.” Kingfisher now flies only 175 daily flights from a peak of 400 six months ago, with only 28 of its fleet of 64 operational. Lessors have started cancelling leases for planes, and the aircraft Kingfisher owns are mostly pledged with lenders. An uncertain future and delayed salaries have driven away about 300 pilots and a few hundred other staff to rivals. The carrier is also losing prime slots at key airports, which, along with a staff crunch, may prevent a quick return to normal operations even if it does survive this debt tsunami. About nine-tenths of Mallya’s 58.61 per cent stake in Kingfisher is pledged. Even the brand ‘Kingfisher’ has been used as collateral, according to media reports. The company is now seeking to restructure its US$1.3 billion debt, which may force lenders to take a writedown, extend fresh loans and make Mallya plough in fresh equity. This has been in the works for six months, however, and it is unlikely an agreement can be reached in a hurry. In a deal done early last year, lenders converted debt into a stake of just over 23 per cent in the carrier at about 65 rupees a share. But the stock has lost about 60 per cent since the beginning of 2011, closing down 4.35 per cent at 24.20 rupees on Friday. THE FALLOUT Kingfisher’s end, if it happens, would be the biggest failure in Indian aviation history and would impact the sector in the short term. “If you see such a substantial number of seats being removed from the market suddenly, it will have a very adverse impact on the fares,” said E.K. Bharat Bhushan, chief of India’s aviation regulator. A collapse could also lead to thousands of job cuts and the withdrawal of flights on some loss-making routes that Kingfisher flies exclusively or shares with state-run Air India. Kingfisher’s market share in domestic skies, which has halved to about one-tenth in recent months, will get divided among rivals, with the low-cost carriers benefitting most. Ever since Air India and Kingfisher flew into turbulence, budget carriers’ market shares have increased dramatically. If Mallya can keep moving levers in Delhi, as he has in the past, Kingfisher could remain more than a brand of beer. If he falters and the government withdraws the life support, Kingfisher could run into the ground quickly. The failure would also dent Mallya’s image, crafted through the years with massive display of wealth, wine and women. “Mallya represented the extreme of an exuberance that India has seen lately,” said Santosh Desai. “But business cycles can be cruel and those traditional values of caution and prudence take precedence over unfettered ambition.” – Reuters Source: http://www.themalays...ian-government/

Phone off, tray table up: the reasons behind the rules of air travel Julietta Jameson February 23, 2012 Airline safety becomes entertainment Safety presentations are getting transformed into preflight entertainment on airlines around the world. They can seem draconian, petty and even pointless: the numerous safety rules that apply to airline passengers. Contrary to general opinion, however, the various procedures and laws that govern behaviour onboard are applied with good reason, says Australian aviation expert, Trevor Bock. Bock (through his company Bock Consulting) is a training and safety auditor who regularly works with international airlines and IATA (International Air Transport Association) to ensure compliance and verify safety ratings as well as set safety policy. The many rules air passengers follow might seem petty or pointless, but there are good reasons for them. Photo: Getty Images In other words, he's one of the guys who recommended you turn off your phone inflight. That makes him ideally placed to answer the questions every harried air traveller would love to ask and to explain once and for all why your tray table needs to be up during landing. If I can turn my phone on after landing, why do I need to have my phone off when crossing the tarmac? "The main reason we identified when looking at Qantas's phone policy was safety. It's a rainy day, you've got your umbrella up, you've got your carry-on, you're talking on the mobile phone, you hit the bottom step before you realise it's there – and you're flat on your face. Also, airports are very busy places and tarmacs are even busier, and dangerous. People do get injured. If you're walking across talking on your phone, the chance of you wandering too near equipment or being hit by something or someone increases. It's about paying attention. There's also the issue of fuel and the possibility of mobile phones igniting it. Research hasn't proved this will happen. But the point is nobody wants to take the risk and say it's fine and then have someone blow themselves up. We live in a world run by lawyers and insurance companies, so everyone errs on the side of safety to avoid litigation." Why can't I have my phone on during flight? "Some airlines do allow it now. They have a mobile cell in the aircraft and charge you an arm and a leg for the call. There was a lot of discussion about whether or not phones would interfere with the navigation equipment. No one has been able to prove that they do and nobody has been able to prove that they don't. Again at the moment, they are erring on the side of safety. But there have been a number of instances where the autopilot has had a glitch, just lost the plot and the aircraft has done a dirty dive or a big pitch-up and there's a whole lot of speculation about what's causing that. Airbus and Boeing have both now experienced it and they don't have an answer. It could be a mobile phone being used. It could be the long-range wave frequency of US submarine communications. There's one of these transmitters in northwestern Australia and that is where a couple of these incidents have occurred. Having said all this, a lot of people still don't turn off their phone. The airlines say put it into flight mode and switch it off. I suspect most don't turn it off." Why can't I use my iPod or other non-transmitting electrical device all the way to the gate? They do have a microprocessor in them and they do emit some radio energy. However, the real thing is they are distractions. If the flight crew is suddenly asking you to get out and you've got headphones in, you won't hear the emergency immediately and you won't realise something's going on, possibly until everyone's climbing over you. Every second counts, not only for you, but for those around you. If you're not paying attention you may block someone else's way. Is that also why the movie goes off during landing, even when it's only got five minutes to go? "Yes. The statistics say if there's a crash, and you're out in the first 90 seconds you'll survive. You don't have a lot of time. Being attentive is crucial. That's a safety requirement of all new aircraft. They have to be able to prove they can get everyone, including children and old people, off within 90 seconds. Even off the A380 (which can carry up to 538 passengers, depending on which airline you travel with)." Why is the position of my tray table, seat back and window shade such a big deal during takeoff and landing? "That's for emergency evacuation. It's important that the person sitting by the window can get out. It's also important that the cabin crew can see outside. If there's a fire, they need to make sure no one gets out that side, for instance. Tray tables and reclined seats can add extra hindrance to evacuation." Why can't I stand up and get my bags during taxi? "I see people doing this all the time – especially in Sydney. But consider the fact that the aircraft is doing 80 knots (after landing) on a high speed taxi way. If the pilot has to brake, you and your bags are going to end up all over everybody else. There will be injuries. Some of the aircraft are pretty big. It's deceptive. They don't seem to be going very fast. But you've got 300 tonnes travelling at 60 kilometres an hour. If a vehicle pulls out or there's a piece of equipment in the way, the pilot will touch the brakes and the brakes are very powerful. The aircraft will stop almost immediately. Everything else, including you if you're not strapped in, will keep going." Why the seatbelt even if I'm asleep? "It comes back to insurance. A couple of years ago Qantas hit some unexpected turbulence, people were injured and the airline was sued for millions. After that Qantas changed the wording on their announcement from "recommend you keep your seatbelt fastened" to making it a requirement. A number have changed their wording like that. It does protect you though. No doubt. If the aircraft hits medium to heavy turbulence and you are not wearing a seatbelt, you will hit the ceiling and come down on the seat back and break your hip or leg on the way down. The injuries are normally broken bones. It's not uncommon for flight crew to be injured. Over any three-month period, somewhere in the world, a crew member will be injured. That's why when you hear the captain say "Flight crew be seated immediately," they make for the nearest empty seat and strap in. They don't wait to get to the jump seat." What is up with plastic cutlery in and out of Australia and not other countries? "It changes. At one point Hong Kong didn't allow it either. It's usually a response to them having found something or hearing some kind of intelligence. If security measures increase, it's never without reason." Why do flight crew still not find my terrorism jokes funny? Haven't we moved on? "The threat of terrorism is still very real. You just have to watch the news. There are people out there who want to do harm to other people. It's just the world we live in. Planes are still seen as easier to blow up than buildings."

Thanks michgyver for the pix!! It is a closely-guarded secret; public has no idea how will it looks like until now....

Lets see how they will play out as VN and QF are in different alliances.....

This is really exciting...for once all of us hope that MH will do something right. From what I understand none of the Asia-based MRO company can handle A380 yet. If this is true, the painting will all be done in Hamburg itself, like any other A380s. There is a discussion going on at A.Net where should Qantas infamous VH-OQA will be repainted.

There are actually two of them, if I am not mistaken. Another one is near where flee took the picture.I could be wrong, saw it when I flew down to SIN last Friday night for Air Show......

Scoot to 5 cities by year's end Updated 08:39 AM Feb 21, 2012 SINGAPORE - Scoot, the budget wing of Singapore Airlines, plans to fly to at least five cities by the end of the year as the group adds low-cost long-haul services to compete with Jetstar and AirAsia X. Scoot intends to announce destinations in China and Japan, chief executive officer Campbell Wilson, 40, said in a Feb 17 Bloomberg interview in Singapore. The carrier, which is due to start flights in June or July, has already said it will fly to Sydney and the Gold Coast in Australia. Singapore Airlines is forming Scoot after low-cost carriers won 26 per cent of travellers at its Changi Airport home, contributing to waning load factors and declining earnings. The carrier's passenger numbers rose 1.3 per cent last year, trailing an 11-per-cent surge for Changi. SIA, the world's second-largest carrier by market value, filled 77 per cent of seats last month, a 1.1-percentage-point decline from a year earlier and the 18th straight drop. "Singapore Airlines set us up to provide incremental traffic to the group," said Mr Wilson. Scoot will fly services as long as nine hours and offer fares as much as 40 per cent cheaper than full-service carriers, according to New Zealand-born Mr Wilson, who has worked at SIA for more than 15 years. The unit will complement the company's full-service business by either tapping new customers on existing routes or by adding new destinations that are predominately leisure markets, although Mr Wilson said Scoot does not plan to fly to Europe soon. "It's not a particularly attractive market at the moment." Scoot will start operations with four Boeing 777-200s, purchased from its parent. The fleet will increase to 14 777s by the middle of the decade. "The budget travel market is quite resilient," Mr Wilson said. "People still want to travel but they want to take a cheaper option and Scoot will provide them that." Scoot has said it has startup capital of S$283 million. It will spend as much as S$60 million in the run-up to the start of its flights, Mr Wilson said. Scoot plans to have about 50 pilots and 250 cabin crew by the end of next year, and expects to fill 75 to 80 per cent of seats. BLOOMBERG Source: http://www.todayonli...es-by-years-end

Flew out of Singapore on the last day of trade fair unfortunately....

Hey guys, the event itself was very organised, but the public acrobatic display and aicraft displayed were much to be desired for. Unless you are fighter jet enthusiast. Managed to get on board SQ B747-400!

Wow!! Absolutely gorgeous!! thanks KC Sim! xD

Dear All, Qatar Airways has officially revealed on the GDS system that it shall be increasing services to Kuala Lumpur from the on set of the IATA S12 season i.e. 25MAR 2012. Currently, QR operates 13 weekly flights to KUL using a 2 class configured A333 seating 305 pax. However from 26MAR 2012 onwards, frequencies will be increased to 17 times per week with all flights operated with an A 332 (2 class 259 seater). Triple daily flights will be operated on MON/THU/SAT only and is valid for the entire duration of the IATA S12 period.

I like your last statement: Malaysian road!~~~ "Like"

I think, presumably, their A380s went for check; in wake of production issue with wing cracks. EASA issued a bulletin few weeks back, asking all A380 operators to conduct checks.

As much as we want MH to do so, I don't think MH has the privilege to do so, unless they want riot happening and all politicians will start meddling again.....(as if they never meddle before).....Very unfortunate.....

Thanks KC Sim for the preview! I am jetting down on 17th Feb.....coudl hardly wait to see all the aircraft on display!!!

Yes, agree with you. However, AirAsia can swapped their current 100s A320s around if they feel the need. Jetstar Japan A320s are in production sequencing now. No more for AirAsia Group. Perhaps TF will be calling up John Leahy to push some A320s into production. AirAsia Philippines should be flying pretty fast.......end of Feb? early March?

AirAsia Philippines finally obtained their AOC today! From their FB: After a long wait, AirAsia Philippines finally receives their Air Operator Certificate (AOC), approved by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP)! With this, AirAsia Philippines is now licensed to fly domestically and internationally to all destinations! In a handover ceremony held at the CAAP office in Manila, AirAsia Philippines CEO Maan Hontiveros thanked CAAP officials led by Director General Ramon S. Gutierrez. Pinoys will now be able to fly with AirAsia Philippines aboard our brand new Airbus A320s all over the country and overseas! Watch out guys! Guess where AirAsia Philippines will be flying to? :-) Follow AirAsia Philippines on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/airasiaphilippines for more updates and news!

Ooo…Scoot to OOL- Non-stop! 7 February 2012, Singapore – Queensland's tourism capital, the Gold Coast, and its iconic beaches provided the backdrop for Scoot's announcement of its second Australian destination. Tourism Queensland, Gold Coast Tourism, Gold Coast Airport and Scoot today jointly announced a partnership agreement that will see Scoot as the first airline to fly direct between Singapore and the Gold Coast, and back of course. From mid-2012, Scoot will operate five non-stop flights a week, making the "famous for fun" Gold Coast experience literally a "scoot" away! "This has been a fantastic partnership between Scoot, Tourism Queensland and the Gold Coast tourism industry and we can't wait to welcome our first visitors," Tourism Queensland CEO Anthony Hayes said. "The Gold Coast has always been famous for fun, so it is the perfect holiday destination for Scoot's customers." Fore more info: http://flyscoot.com/news/scoot_to_ool_non-stop.html

Yes, you are correct. Tiger Airways bought 33% of Mandala Airlines last year. It is scheduled to re-start operation soon later this February, pending approval from local government. Mandala’s new operation will be based on Tiger’s low cost business plan and will use Airbus A320 aircraft to offer low-fare travel to international and domestic destinations within a five-hour flying radius. If I am not mistaken, they are transferring another A320 to Mandala to fulfill the local government regulation in having minimum of five aircrafts: two owned, three leased. I would think it would be 9V-TRD delivered not too long ago. A trivia: 9V-TRA and 9V-TRB are A319s. Now with SEAir, Tiger Airways JV in the Philippines.

Agree....they may as well don't fly it here at all since its meant for closed show.......

It's out guys. downloadable at http://www.malaysiaairlines.com/content/dam/mas/master/en/pdf/enrich/WOR_Feb_Apr_2012.pdf Enrich website hasn't been updated yet. 30% discount on redemption and Double Enrich Miles are back. The redemption rate for domestic has been adjusted..... Enjoy...happy flying!