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Air France May Delay Plane Deliveries

 

October 14, 2009

 

Air France-KLM is weighing whether to delay the delivery of some passenger and cargo planes from Boeing and Airbus, according to Wednesday's La Tribune newspaper.

 

The move could affect the Boeing 777 cargo and passenger planes and the Airbus A380 superjumbo, the paper said.

 

The report said the company currently had 12 planes on order, the first three of which would be received as planned, but subsequent deliveries could be delayed.

 

A spokesman for Air France declined to comment on the report.

 

Like other airlines, Air France-KLM has posted losses this year as fewer people are flying because of the economic downturn. Delaying deliveries would help the group conserve cash while it waits for air traffic to pick up again, the paper said.

 

(Reuters)

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Delta Posts Net Loss On Charges, Remains Cautious

 

October 22, 2009

 

Delta Air Lines reported a third-quarter loss, citing special charges and weak passenger revenue, and said it remained cautious about the US economy, sending its shares down nearly 5 percent.

 

The company, which posted a surprise profit before items, saw encouraging revenue and booking trends in the fourth quarter, chief executive Richard Anderson said in a statement.

 

Other airlines reporting results this week have expressed similar views, unable to clearly see whether industry demand, especially business travel, is ready to rebound.

 

Delta, which bought Northwest Airlines in October 2008 to form the world's biggest carrier, said its loss was USD$161 million, including USD$212 million in special charges.

 

President Edward Bastian said in a statement that the recession "drove a significant revenue decline" for the quarter, a trend seen at other big carriers reporting results this week.

 

Operating revenue declined 21 percent, with revenue per passenger mile down 17 percent, which is consistent with big rivals in the June-September period.

 

Delta, Bastian said, will continue to restrain capacity and aggressively control costs to "effectively manage this." The company plans to cut capacity by 3 percent in 2010.

 

Lower fuel prices helped offset a sharp increase in operating costs due to the Northwest merger, the company said.

 

Delta ended the quarter with USD$5.8 billion in unrestricted liquidity.

 

(Reuters)

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Delta to launch Seoul Incheon service in 2010

 

Delta Air Lines next year is launching a scheduled service from Detroit to Seoul Incheon.

 

On 1 June 2010, Delta will commence a five-times-weekly non-stop service using Boeing 777-200s, says Seoul Incheon International Airport.

 

Both the city of Incheon and Detroit "have been anticipating this route based on strong market demand and industrial and trade partnerships" between the cities, it says.

 

The airport says it had been pitching to Delta for some time and airport representatives made the effort to visit Delta's headquarters.

 

No airlines operate on the route, according to Innovata.

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Vietnam Airlines Corp., the country’s state-owned carrier, and Romanian carrier Tarom SA will join the SkyTeam alliance in June as the group expands its operations in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe.

 

The governing board of SkyTeam made the decision Thursday in a meeting held in Incheon, South Korea, Korean Air Lines Co., the country’s biggest airline and a SkyTeam member, said in an e-mailed statement Thursday.

 

Joining the alliance will help Vietnam Air and Tarom expand their networks, boost sales and cut operating costs through cooperation with other group members. SkyTeam comprises 11 airlines at present including Delta Air Lines Inc. and China Southern Airlines Co.

 

http://www.thanhniennews.com/travel/?catid=7&newsid=53483

 

ST door is now officially closed for MH.

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http://www.thanhniennews.com/travel/?catid=7&newsid=53483

 

ST door is now officially closed for MH.

 

Sorry Lee,but I cant find that line in the press release on your link.

 

Maybe like * allliace, who have 2 members SQ & Thai.?

 

MH is soooo slow that even if they decide to join it wont be news to anyone.MH does not know how to be a team player. :rolleyes:

Edited by Pieter C.

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It's too late for MH now. Nothing can be done. With the politicking within alliances, having 2 airlines from the same 'small' region like South East Asia is almost impossible to happen (TG and SQ in Star Alliance is a different case, because TG is one of the founder of Star Alliance and SQ joined at the early establishment of the alliance - the same time when MH snobbishly dismissed OneWorld's invitation to join the alliance. VN (and probably CI too) will protest to their death and AF will back them up till the end, should MH gets in the news about joining SkyTeam as a second member from the SEA region. Plus VN had ordered a handsome fleet of A321s and B787s just to support their forecasted growth for being a SkyTeam member - hell no they are going to share the SEA market with MH.

 

Luring OW will definitely irks CX and QF, so MH is now officially won't be joining any alliance - unless a miracle happens.

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TG and SQ in Star Alliance is a different case, because TG is one of the founder of Star Alliance and SQ joined at the early establishment of the alliance

 

I always thought that SQ was also a founder of Star Alliance. But is there any truth to the fact that MH's application to join ST was vetoed by AF? I remember reading about it somewhere but I couldn't remember where.

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But is there any truth to the fact that MH's application to join ST was vetoed by AF?

 

Yes it was...had to do with sales-practices of MH in France, esp. with traffic to/from Australia, which really 'annoyed' AF...

 

Maybe, that's why AF code-shares with QF now (ex SIN), while KL stuck to MH (ex KUL)...

 

Relationship between AF and MH is not good up to now, and while VN is the airline of their 'former area of influence' says it all, for VN to join ST (even supported/introduced by AF into the ST Alliance)...

 

TAROM on the other hand still puzzles me, with OK already in the ST Alliance; it could mean, though, that 2 airlines close to eachother geographically could become members of the same (ST) Alliance, just like TG & SQ; there still could be hope for MH, though...

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Most likely frozen to death... How stupid.

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Normally ppl want to get into the US, but this guy wanted out. And to Japan of all places. :)

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Normally ppl want to get into the US, but this guy wanted out. And to Japan of all places

Don't see what is wrong with Japan, it is actually one of the best country in the world to live in. It is also one of the best country in Asia, if not the best. Japanese cities are also amongst the Top of the list for the best cities to live in. It is even better than Australia in many regards.

 

Of course, people will say they are not English friendly, but that's not really a problem for some people. :)

 

I read the Japanese news that there was a similar incident, where a Chinese man was frozen to death from a flight originated from Hong Kong upon and they found him after the arrival into Narita airport.

Edited by S V Choong

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I recall a case out of Subang in the early 1990s, on board MAS. A young teenager was found dead in the wheel bay upon landing in Johannesburg. I'm not surprised with SZB. Just two layers of wire fencing, plus a layer of barbed wire. Any wire cutter could let one enter the airfield.

 

Then there was another out of the world class KLIA on board SIA, but he survived.

 

There were 2 cases out of Penang as well, if I'm not mistaken. Both died.

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Don't see what is wrong with Japan, it is actually one of the best country in the world to live in. It is also one of the best country in Asia, if not the best. Japanese cities are also amongst the Top of the list for the best cities to live in. It is even better than Australia in many regards.

 

Of course, people will say they are not English friendly, but that's not really a problem for some people. :)

 

 

Sure, but prolly not for a black stowaway from NYC. :)

 

To be fair, I like Japan very much, and Hiroshima is my fave. My son is keen to study in Japan and I wish he could do it. Then I can tag along. :)

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Sure, but prolly not for a black stowaway from NYC. :)

 

To be fair, I like Japan very much, and Hiroshima is my fave. My son is keen to study in Japan and I wish he could do it. Then I can tag along. :)

Why not? There is a market for guys with darker complexion in Japan. Caucasians are no longer the favourite of Japanese girls. Now black people/ Indians are in... (for a few years already).

 

There is also a lot of black market workers in Japan at the moment (particularly the Chinese). The Japanese government knew they need them, so they are turning a blind eye on them.

 

By the way, Dr. Naim, what do you see about Hiroshima that I can't? I have been there, it is essentially a reconstructed city based on contemporary westernised principles and ideologies. In contrast, I prefer Kyoto, Nara, Kamakura and the likes of it. In those places, I find the tradition, true spirit and essence of Japan.

 

My brother had been transferred to station in Tokyo. We are all going to visit him coming November, hehe... My last trip to Japan was back in 1998!

Edited by S V Choong

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Latest news:

 

Air France strikes flight deal with Vietnam Airlines

AFP - Saturday, April 3

 

PARIS (AFP) - – Air France signed a code share agreement with Vietnam Airlines that will allow clients to fly directly from Paris to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, the French company said on Friday.

 

The flights, three times a week, will be operated by Vietnam Airlines in a Boeing 777-200 using Air France's "AF" flight code starting July 3, the airline said in a statement.

 

The deal will allow Air France to offer six flights to Hanoi per week and seven to Ho Chi Minh City, which includes routes stopping over in Bangkok.

 

Under the agreement, Air France will operate later this year non-stop flights between Ho Chi Minh City and Paris, also three times a week.

 

Vietnam Airlines, which will join the SkyTeam alliance that includes Air France this year, has a fleet of 70 planes and carries nine million passengers per year.

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China Eastern Agrees To Join SkyTeam

 

April 15, 2010

 

Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines has reached an initial agreement to join the SkyTeam global airline alliance, a senior executive with the carrier said on Thursday.

 

SkyTeam includes Air France-KLM and Delta Air Lines, as well as China Southern Airlines, China's largest carrier by fleet size.

 

The China Eastern executive declined to be identified before an official announcement.

 

China Eastern, the last of China's major carriers to join a global grouping, said it would make an announcement on Friday about an airline alliance but did not specify which alliance.

 

An official with the airline said in February it was in talks with the Star Alliance, oneWorld and SkyTeam about a possible affiliation but had not selected a preferred partner.

 

(Reuters)

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Friday, April 16, 2010

UPDATE: SkyTeam In Talks With Candidates For Expansion

 

 

 

By Bart Koster and Eelco Hiltermann

Dow Jones Newswires

 

 

 

AMSTERDAM -(Dow Jones)- SkyTeam is in discussions with several airlines in Asia and South America about them joining the airline alliance, its chairman Leo van Wijk said Friday.

 

"We are talking to several airlines. Malaysia Airlines is one of them but we are also in talks with candidate members in India and South America", Van Wijk told Dow Jones Newswires, without elaborating.

 

Van Wijk, former chief executive officer and president of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, is in Shanghai to attend the agreement signing with China Eastern Airlines Co. Ltd (CEA: 48.9301, -1.2499, -2.49%) to join SkyTeam Mid 2011.

 

"With the joining of China Eastern, SkyTeam will be the absolute market leader in China", Van Wijk said, referring to the link with China Southern Co. Ltd (1055.HK), an existing member of SkyTeam. With both Chinese airlines, SkyTeam will have the three major airports in China--Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou--as dedicated SkyTeam hubs.

 

"China Eastern joining helps us to hasten the transformation of Shanghai and Beijing to SkyTeam co-locations, as we already have, for instance, in terminal 4 on London Heathrow", Van Wijk said. A SkyTeam co-location is a SkyTeam branded lounge with dedicated handling and service for passengers from SkyTeam airlines.

 

SkyTeam is now the leading airline alliance in the three most important airline markets, Van Wijk said. "With Air France-KLM (AFLYY: undefined, undefined, undefined%), we have the leading airline in Europe. With Delta, including the former Northwest Airlines, we are number one in the U.S., and with China Southern and China Eastern, SkyTeam has the leading position in China. China is the third and fastest growing aviation market worldwide", he said.

 

China Eastern will add 1250 daily flight and 25 new destinations to the SkyTeam network.

 

The SkyTeam chairman said that China Southern and China Eastern aren't domestic competitors. "Geographically China is about the size of Europe. In Europe, SkyTeam has five member airlines, so to have two airlines in China is not too much", he said. "As their names suggest, China Southern has South China as home market as China Eastern has East China."

 

In June 2010 Vietnam Airlines and Tarom from Romania will join SkyTeam as new member airlines. Besides full members, SkyTeam has two associate members: Kenya Airways Ltd. (KAL.NR) and Air Europa from Spain. These airlines offer the same products and services to their passengers as full members but have less governance control. Van Wijk said that SkyTeam will decide "soon" on how to proceed with associate membership.

 

He said that no decision has been made yet about Shanghai Airlines joining SkyTeam. The airline was taken over by China Eastern in mid-2009 but is still is a member of the competing Star Alliance.

 

Copyright © 2009 Dow Jones Newswires

 

So, I guess the chance is still wide open for MH.

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So we still have a chance? (Despite VN is a confirmed member and GA is seen as more favorable than MH). More importantly, does MH wants this? I am not convinced that MH tried hard enough, probably because they don't really bother.

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So we still have a chance? (Despite VN is a confirmed member and GA is seen as more favorable than MH).

 

VN has not a good coverage of Australia/New-Zealand...

It's been very quiet lately again about GA...the EU ban of Indonesian airlines doesn't help either.

 

IMHO, MH does have the best coverage of both Australia and New-Zealand and would really add some important destinations to the Skyteam 'team'...

 

Now, if only AF will skip their codeshare agreement with QF !!! :pardon:

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