Ryanair to ground 80 aircraft this winter
No-frills carrier Ryanair took 40 aircraft out of service last winter, and plans to remove a further 40 in the coming winter (ABTN-UK).
Ash cloud disruptions despite new measures
The latest ash cloud incident is proving difficult to predict, according to experts and authorities in the UK and abroad (ABTN-UK).
May 24, 2011
Flights cancelled as ash cloud heads towards UK
Flights in Scotland have been cancelled by two airlines as volcanic ash continues to head towards the UK. (BBC-UK)
May 23, 2011
European airlines are seeking ways to further cut their costs to offset soaring fuel prices and the impact of international crises that are squeezing margins this year.
(Reuters) – Political unrest in North Africa, an earthquake and subsequent nuclear crisis in Japan and European debt problems are adding to a toxic mixture of high oil prices and fierce competition among airlines fighting to make a profit.
May 21, 2011
GWU concerned restructuring report not enough to save Air Malta
General Workers Union Secretary General Tony Zarb speaks to Chiara Bonello of their fear that the Air Malta restructuring report will not be enough to save the airline, that its concerns were not heard, an ‘insensitive’ government and unity between the unions. Air Malta is a ‘delicate’ and ‘difficult’ situation, and the General Workers Union is not convinced that even what was presented in the Steering Committee will be enough to save the national airline, according to GWU Secretary General Tony Zarb. Mr Zarb, who said the GWU is worried about the national airline’s future, added that although the union has had a direct role in the Steering Committee it does not feel many of its concerns were heard.
May 17, 2011
Up in the Air: How Airlines Can Improve Performance by Engaging their Employees
When an industry’s workforce and its customers report rising frustration with the way they are treated, something is wrong. Many of the world’s airlines have cut services and their workforces. How can airlines or other enterprises provide a fair return to investors, quality services to their customers, and good jobs for their employees? How can enterprises better balance the objectives of customers, investors, employees, and the wider society?
May 16, 2011
Qantas reinstates flights after engineers call off strike
Qantas Airways has reinstated dozens of flights it had planned to cancel on 13 May, after its engineers decided to hold off on industrial action.
May 14, 2011
European budget airlines: not to be underestimated
Budget airlines have looked down on their network carrier competitors for years. We actually make money most of the time, they crow (it does not take much to feel superior in a sector that routinely fails to cover its cost of capital). This year, though, higher oil prices should in theory erode their competitive advantage, since fuel accounts for a higher proportion of their costs. They also lack price-insensitive business travellers who can help pay for more expensive fuel. (Financial Times)