News SKYMARK – The Japanese carrier becomes the A380’s fi rst LCC customer. OIL SPIKE TO SLASH INDUSTRY PROFITS
The political crises across North Africa and the Middle East propelled oil prices to record highs of over $115 a barrel in the fi rst week of March, leading IATA to downgrade its industry outlook to $8.6 billion from the $9.1 billion it had estimated in December 2010. The organisation said this is a 46% fall in net profi ts compared to the $16 billion (revised from $15.1 billion) earned by the industry in 2010. “Political unrest in the Middle East has sent oil over $100 per barrel. That is
signifi cantly higher than the $84 per barrel that was the assumption in December,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s director general and CEO.
Airlines responded to the hike in oil prices by increasing fares and introducing fuel surcharges.
Ukraine International Airlines (UIA), for example, is upping its surcharges by about $10 per sector. Explaining the decision, UIA president, Yuri Miroshnikov, said his airline’s fuel costs have increased over 50% in the past eight months. “Every 1% increase in fuel costs wipes $1million off our bottom line. We are now at the point where airlines are heavily subsidising their passengers’ travel. Fuel costs alone account for more than one third of the airline’s costs,” he said.
QATAR HEADS TO MONTREAL
Doha-based Qatar Airways has announced its intention to serve Montréal from June 2011, its fi rst Canadian destination, but in the same week it also revealed that it would be pulling its services from Gatwick Airport, citing commercial reasons for its decision. New bilaterals have opened the door for Qatar to Montréal, which will be served three times a week with a B777-200. Montréal joins three other North American cities – Houston, New York and Washington DC – on the Qatar route network. “With the oil and gas industry being a key connection that naturally aligns us, we hope that when our thrice-weekly service is well-established and boosts the Qatari and Canadian economy we will receive additional traffi c rights for a daily operation to Montréal,” said Qatar CEO, Akbar Al Baker. However, London’s Gatwick Airport is losing its connection to Doha from May 1. Al Baker explains: “Following a thorough review and analysis over the past few months, we have concluded that we could no longer sustain the route for commercial reasons.” This will leave Emirates as the only Middle Eastern carrier at the South London airport.
Heydar Aliyev International Airport in the city of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is to get a new terminal and air traffi c control tower and its existing terminal will be refurbished. Arup have been working with Azerbaijan Airlines to develop the master plan and design concepts.
Comair, operator of British Airways in Southern Africa and low-cost carrier
kulula.com, is establishing a secondary
www.routesonline.com
regional hub at Johannesburg’s Lanseria Airport, operating to Maputo, Mozambique and Gaborone, Botswana. A leased 66-seater ATR72-212 aircraft will operate the fl ights under the BA livery.
Saudi low-cost carrier, Nasair, launched fl ights from Jeddah to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen on March 14. A combination of an A320 and an Embraer 190 aircraft will operate on the route four times a week.
9 9
QUEENSLAND – Its tourism body is launching a worldwide promotional campaign in April after being hit by devastating fl oods and Cyclone Yasi.
MANCHESTER – Gets a huge international capacity boost with Emirates three-times daily from May, Qatar double daily from June, Etihad double daily from August.
SINGAPORE – Is announced to replace Cairo as the host of this year’s IATA AGM in June.
TAKE OFF, NOT
LIBYA – Political crisis saw
airlines slashing scheduled services, instead operating emergency repatriation fl ights.
MEXICANA – Planned
comeback now looks to be delayed again while new investors are sought.
CHRISTCHURCH – Massive earthquake leaves hundreds of people dead. Airport and tourism industry working on strategy to ensure tourists continue to visit South Island and to use the gateway.
EGYPTAIR – Reducing its
fl eet by a third as tourist arrivals are forecast to dramatically decline this year.
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