Airlinologist

30 seconds with Vietnam Airlines

2011-12-17T04:55:00.000Z

Sure, the quality of service in Sheremetyevo Airport is far less than its rival Domodedovo Airport. Moreover, Domodedovo takes the lead if we are talking about domestic connectivity. Considering the hardship of transfer between Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo, staying with Domodedovo is definitely a good idea. However, Vietnam Airlines is creating a gap in the vision of SkyTeam by flying to Domodedovo while its SkyTeam’s Aeroflot operates from Sheremetyevo.

Date: 15 December 2011 commenting on http://www.anna.aero/

EgyptAir owes Petroleum Ministry LE1 billion, says minister

2011-12-16T01:11:00.000Z

Is Mr. Massoud confused between his old position in EgyptAir and his new one in the Ministry of Civil Aviation? Why is he talking on behalf of the new EgyptAir chief?
If the dues have been paid regularly since July, what would be the reason behind accumulating one billion pounds?
Having an initiative of applying some austerity measures is definitely a good idea. However, the transparency about the initiative and the ministry’s current losses is more important than the initiative itself.
Unfortunately, the minister incorrectly linked the capability of eliminating the deficit with the level of security and stability. Is he trying to tell us indirectly that the ministry’s share form the Egyptian budget has been decreased? If that would be the case, does he really plan for an austerity program or is he just trying to cope with budget cut?

Date: 15 December 2011 commenting on http://www.almasryalyoum.com/

Vladivostok Avia connects Russia’s two biggest cities with A320 service

2011-10-19T07:31:00.000+01:00

Four flights a week?
For any airline to be competitive with the other air operators on a specific city-pair, it has to operate at least twice daily (i.e. 14 flights a week).
The limited options offered by four flights a week makes Vladivostok Air unfavorable compared with the major players of Moscow-St Petersburg corridor.
However, the position of Vladivostok Air is different as its flights bound for St Petersburg originate from Vladivostok. In other words, the airline is mainly serving St Petersburg with one stop en route in Moscow. We can safely say that the airline is not competing with the other operators in Moscow-St Petersburg market. Thus, any traffic picked up from Moscow to St Petersburg will be a plus on the airline operating figures.

Date 11 August 2011 commenting on http://www.anna.aero/

Air traffic controllers who can’t be fired

2011-08-06T15:20:00.000+01:00

Are they untouchable?
The job nature and its requirements are well known in advance before the hiring process. There is no room for excuses available to those who accepted the job and its responsibility.
The job requires a high degree of concentration along with minimum or no distraction at all. The lives of thousands are at the hands of air traffic controllers.
It is irresponsible to treat air traffic controllers the same way like other federal employees. If federal employees could be fired due to their carelessness in doing their jobs, firing air traffic controllers would not be enough. They are supposed to face criminal charges as well.

Date: 01 August 2011 commenting on http://www.businessweek.com/

Man seized in Moscow for blinding jetliner pilots

2011-08-01T04:28:00.000+01:00

How naive!
Did they believe him so easily?
Did they confiscate the laser light only? They were supposed to confiscate his freedom as well.
Playing with laser light has become a serious issue all over the world, not only in Russia. Considering the fact that such simple toy could turn into a tool with a catastrophic effect, there should be some serious measures to deter those careless individuals before messing up with airplanes like that.

Date: 29 July 2011 commenting on http://www.kyivpost.com/

Flight attendants flying high and on TV too

2011-07-27T23:43:00.000+01:00

I can not agree with you more.
In-flight service is an extremely important component of the airline brand. However, the integrated concept of airline branding has a long way to go before being the norm. Unfortunately, some airline executives still look at the airline industry as a cash cow.
On the other hand, considerable number of today’s passengers has humble idea of what a good in-flight service is supposed to be. Putting extreme cases aside, those passengers - mostly from the third world countries - will be satisfied with the service they receive most of the time.

Date: 27 July 2011 commenting on http://christinenegroni.blogspot.com/

Civil aviation workers prepare for mass protests on Monday

2011-07-27T23:06:00.000+01:00

Workers versus management, who would win when it comes to head-on confrontation?
Generally, workers are right with their request regarding the ex-military air force senior officers. Moving to civilian aviation field is not supposed to be the de facto retirement path for military air personnel unless they have really higher credentials than the senior staff of the civilian aviation companies in question. In other words, the workers have to accept the decision of appointing ex-military personnel if the latter are meticulously superior in their credentials.
On the other hand, the protesting workers have to be careful not to cause interruption to the operation of their companies. Otherwise, they might find themselves on the street suffering from the plague of unemployment. After all, they have been hired to do specific tasks, and demonstration is definitely not one of them.

Date: 25 July 2011 commenting on http://www.almasryalyoum.com/

Singapore Airlines and Transaero Airlines agree to codeshare

2011-07-21T20:25:00.000+01:00

It is a more advantage to Transaero Airlines to have such a codeshare agreement with Singapore Airlines.
The codeshare sector of Domodedovo-St Petersburg is really the most attractive for Singapore Airlines while the two sectors offered by Singapore Airlines - to Singapore and Houston - are of extreme importance to Transaero Airlines.

Date: 19 July 2011 commenting on http://www.airlinesanddestinations.com/

United Airlines takes on United Airways – Can we guess the victor?

2011-07-16T12:10:00.000+01:00

Guessing the victor is not a hard task at all.
It is an obvious issue of trademark violation. The intruder has to come up with a non-violating name and withdraw from the scene.
Away from resolving the issue, what could be the reason for United Airways to use a detonatable name like that?
Is United Airways aware of branding issues and their importance in today's marketplace?
Did they think of the cost of repainting their fleet?
I would say that they thought that the name would give the airline the initial momentum needed to help it during the early stage of operation. So the question is - did they manage to use the name of the humongous rival to their advantage? Did they achieve enough profit to pay for the repainting job and the possible monetary compensation payable to United Airlines?

Date: 05 July 2011 commenting on http://www.airlinereporter.com/

Egyptian minister disgruntled at not being searched at Cairo Airport

2011-07-11T13:48:00.000+01:00

We trust you, Mr. Minister.
Take it easy on yourself Mr. Minister. We trust you. It does not make any sense for the security personnel to search you and your luggage while letting a low-rank policeman to go without searching. What I said so far does NOT mean that the security personnel at Cairo Airport are doing a great job. On the contrary, the applicable security system needs to be totally revamped.

Date: 10 June 2011 commenting on http://english.ahram.org.eg/

“Filthy” Cunard Queen Mary 2 fails inspection

2011-07-10T14:36:00.001+01:00

Cockroaches? How disgusting!
Did Cunard forget all about the meaning of luxury?
Did luxury become a synonym of filth?
What would be the meaning of previously achieving 100% rating? It simply means once upon the time. It means history. A future similar to the history would be achieved if Cunard knows that excellence cannot be achieved by chance. It is rather achieved through real commitment and a set of deliberate actions. Being committed to carelessness is definitely the way down the tubes.

Date: 27 June 2011 commenting on http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/

Civil aviation minister criticizes calls for Cairo airport strike

2011-06-09T00:21:00.000+01:00

They have the right to protest and he has the right to criticize and stop the protesters. Of course, the protest is not in the interests of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Irrespective of the current trend which is opposing the Minister of Civil Aviation, any other minster in his position would act the same way. Some keywords for resolving those disputes might be dialogue, openness, genuineness, and improvements.
The real negative aspect of those protests is that protestors do not consider the hardship facing Egypt nowadays. The truth is that the country has to stabilize first before being able to answer those and other similar demands.

Date: 06 June 2011 commenting on http://www.almasryalyoum.com/

Domodedovo: Another Russian IPO kicks the bucket

2011-06-03T22:41:00.000+01:00

All problems of Domodedovo have started after the deadly blast of the airport in January 2011. In their pursuit to check the security measures applicable at the airport, the official Russian investigators had a problem tracing the chain of command at the airport, and consequently the exact ownership of the airport.
It seems that the terrorist, who detonated the explosives, unintentionally detonated another explosive at the future of the current airport ownership and created a big question mark about the airport.
It is strongly believed that the Russian Prosecutor General's report issued end of April 2011 has a negative impact on the idea of making Domodedovo Airport available for investors through IPO.

Date: 03 June 2011 commenting on http://www.ft.com/

EgyptAir battles to recapture market after revolution

2011-06-02T00:12:00.000+01:00

What could be the meaning of “special offers and other juicy packages”?
When it comes to pricing, EgyptAir does not pay attention to various market forces. Understandably, EgyptAir has almost a monopoly in the Nigerian market as there are no other direct air operators between Egypt and Nigeria. However, its practice in other markets (like Russian Federation) proves my viewpoint.
Anyway, let us see the interaction of Mr. Mohamed Metwally’s statement and about 1,500 seats available on board of Egypt Air flights from Nigeria to Egypt.

Date: 30 May 2011 commenting on http://allafrica.com/

Icelandic ash cloud will not affect EgyptAir flights to Europe

2011-05-27T01:27:00.000+01:00

How premature for the CEO of EgyptAir to be so sure about the possible effect of the volcanic eruption on EgyptAir’s flights to Europe. Did he forget the mammoth effect which resulted from the volcanic eruption of April 2010?

Date: 26 May 2011 commenting on http://english.ahram.org.eg/

Jazeera Airways to launch Cairo flights

2011-05-14T08:46:00.000+01:00

It is quite strange that the website of Jazeera Airways did not say anything about the expected Cairo flights, and that the website of the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority is no longer functional.
So, the airline “agreed to abandon its low-cost policy"?
If they failed to make money using the low-cost business model, will they be able to make it adopting legacy carrier business model?
Anyway, beginning of May is just around the corner. Let us wait and see.

Date: 21 April 2011 commenting on http://atwonline.com/

United drops planned move to Amadeus Altea

2011-05-14T08:03:00.001+01:00

Understandably, United will make a one-time payment to Amadeus in consideration of the change in plans. However, that expected payment can not be compared with Amadeus’ potential profits resulting from servicing a big airline like United.

Date: 13 May 2011 commenting on http://atwonline.com/

Egypt Air Juba flight under fire

2011-01-26T16:20:00.001Z

We can safely conclude that politics should be an integral component in route planning. Considering the flammable stance between northern Khartoum and southern Juba, Juba flights with en route stop in Khartoum represent an extremely sensitive issue. Can we imagine EgyptAir operating flight to Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) with en route stop in Tel Aviv? It is entirely understood that Cairo-Tel Aviv-Jeddah example is unlikely to happen but Cairo-Khartoum-Juba version is a reality for almost 6 months. While there was no direct confrontational hostility between Saudi Arabia and Israel, there was a bloody military confrontation between Khartoum government and the southern part of Sudan.

Flights to/ and from airports which have operational restrictions, like Juba Airport, should be positioned and timed to avoid any possible service disruptions. With not-so-good on-time performance of EgyptAir, it is not a good idea to operate one-stop flights to Juba. By doing so, EgyptAir is simply increasing the contributing factors of service disruption.

The attitude of EgyptAir airport employees is not new for EgyptAir. After all, they are working in EgyptAir because of their connections, rather than their qualifications. I commented on the mediocre level of EgyptAir’s customer service last July. Ironically, the comments were about Juba flight. Here is the article as well my comments (http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/news/juba-capital-almost-state-0).

Date: 11 January 2011 commenting on http://www.eturbonews.com/

What's the future for airline alliances?

2010-12-30T23:42:00.001Z

Star Alliance does not have a top candidate airline to represent Russia in the alliance. In fact, there are no Russian candidates as S7 is committed to OneWorld while Aeroflot is already with SkyTeam Alliance.

Definitely, Russian domestic connections are not that easy due to absence of interline agreements between international carriers serving the two major Russian gateways (Moscow and Saint Petersburg) on one hand and the Russian domestic carriers on the other hand. Seemingly, they are not aware of the potential benefits of those agreements.

Date: 23 December 2010 commenting on http://www.businesstraveller.com/

Egyptair, SAS code-share; a new link between Africa and Europe

2010-12-30T23:33:00.001Z

Unfortunately, the multi-destination booking feature in EgyptAir website does not work properly. Moreover, EgyptAir ticketing agents have no interest in selling any destination beyond those served by their company. So, how could EgyptAir customers benefit from the newly signed code-share agreement?

Date: 16 December 2010 commenting on http://logisticsweek.com/

No SAA investment in central African airline

2010-10-13T12:36:00.002+01:00

How smart for the South African Airways (SAA) to only support the newly conceived airline venture in central Africa without providing airplanes or investing in the anticipated airline company.

Obviously, the operational burden will be on the shoulders of both EgyptAir and Ethiopian Airlines. Will they be able to manage? Will the under-served new markets of central Africa guarantee the success of the proposed joint company?

Date: 09 October 2010 commenting on http://www.businessday.co.za/

Air Force Two knocks over small plane on Long Island

2010-08-20T05:16:00.001+01:00

Are we talking here about the mishaps involving the Vice President Joseph R. Biden or an aviation safety issue?
Definitely, Mr. Biden has nothing to do with the incident as long as he did not volunteer to help the captain.
Considering the fact that the private plane was not occupied, the reason of the accident could be either:
1) the control tower crew of the airport.
2) the cockpit crew of Air Force Two.

Date: 15 August 2010 commenting on http://www.myfoxny.com/

Juba: Capital of an almost state

2010-08-02T16:12:00.002+01:00

There is no way for any cabin crew to feel superior over passengers. This is against the basics of customer service. That is quite outrageous considering that Mr. Alaa Ashour, chairman of EgyptAir said when Air Transport World interviewed him back in March 2010:
Quote
Meanwhile, the carrier is moving forward with a comprehensive product upgrade throughout its fleet, including new catering and a reinforced "we care" service approach. At the end of January it commenced a vast training program for its 7,300-strong workforce, involving everybody from the call center to station managers to flight crew, about the importance of customer service.
Unquote

EgyptAir is about to extend some of its Cairo-Khartoum flights to Juba. Obviously, there are some valid commercial reasons for EgyptAir to establish its brand early in the to-be-announced country. Having said so, it might be imperative for EgyptAir to build a good image for itself in such a new market.
http://www.ecademy.com/user/ahmedams

Date: 30 July 2010 commenting on http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/

The need for airport innovation

2010-08-01T13:24:00.000+01:00

It is not only airports which need innovative ideas to improve their operation and profitability. Nontraditional approaches are widely needed in various domains of our daily life.
Without violating both the basics and ethics, we should be looking for something new. With ever-changing business and life dynamics, the best adoptable slogan for better future could be “continuous pursuit for excellence.”

Date: 30 July 2010 commenting on http://blogs.forbes.com/wheelsup/

Check your jacket, sir?

2010-07-30T10:49:00.001+01:00

Unfortunately, there are no police patrols on board of Air France flights.
The task of keeping order on board was originally thought to be performed by cabin crew members. What about the possibility of a passenger stealing from another passenger? Will the cabin crew act as a police force or will they ask the thief to share the loot with them?

Date: 26 July 2010 commenting on http://aviationreport.blogspot.com/

Proving it - Why every pilot must become an accountant

2010-07-26T10:09:00.002+01:00

Is it “become an accountant” or rather “have a good grasp of accounting”?
You said that pilots do not like sitting behind desks. Having a practical accounting knowledge requires a dedicated time spent behind a desk. What about becoming an accountant? Definitely, a long way to go and it might require a career change altogether.
Without ignoring the importance of having general understanding about accounting, accounting support might be readily available through professional accountants.
For those who will become accountants, please do not forget that there is a federal law banning texting while driving, and possibly similar law banning studying while flying?
Cheers!

Date: 23 July 2010 commenting on http://blogs.forbes.com/wheelsup/

Is the person in the back of your private aircraft trained to save your life?

2010-07-14T07:26:00.000+01:00

The answer to your titled-question is most probably “I do not know.”
Those issues are probably taken for granted. Corporate passengers simply assume that the flight and the flight personnel are both operationally meeting all safety standards. Corporate passengers are not aviation experts, and thus, they are not in a position to be perplexed by aviation technical and operational issues.
It is true that safe operation of general aviation assumes that only well-trained personnel should be in charge of the flight. So, the message should be clearly addressed to that particular person within the corporate management team who oversees the corporate flights.
After all, the idea of corporate flights is to provide more convenient mode of transportation, and understandably, without compromising the safety requirements.

Date: 13 July 2010 commenting on http://blogs.forbes.com/wheelsup/

Air Iran hit by new EU aviation blacklist

2010-07-08T22:08:00.001+01:00

Putting politics aside, there is no joking when it comes to aviation safety.
Basically, those countries and airline companies, which have been affected by the European Union’s recent ban, have two options to cope with the decision. The first option is to fully comply with the applicable safety standards.
The second option applies only if they can not comply with the required safety measures.

Since the European Union's ban affects the usage of the airspace, what about reaching various European airports without using the airspace? The European ban affects flying only. The non-complying airlines can still taxi in Europe, of course without flying. They could construct long runways and taxiways connecting their airports with the European airports.

Using airplanes as large buses is definitely a non-economic means of transportation, but it might be a good way to grow feathers the right way.

Date: 07 July 2010 commenting on http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/

WTO brands Airbus subsidy illegal

2010-07-04T23:02:00.001+01:00

Playing with the rules is the most important safeguard needed to maintain fair competition. The recent decision of the World Trade Organization is a milestone in the competition between the two sides of the Atlantic.
What could be the reason for such a critical case to be deliberated for six years?
Is the current market share of Airbus a direct result of the allegedly disputed funding?
What would be the exact impact of that funding on the efficiency of Airbus family of aircraft?
Is it safe to assume that Airbus has been able to achieve the current status irrespective of the funding dispute?

Date: 02 July 2010 commenting on http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/

Obama urges tourists to continue visiting “outstanding” Gulf Coast despite oil spill

2010-06-18T01:51:00.000+01:00

It is known that President Barack Obama has the required key for launching USA's strategic weapons. Does he have a similar key to bring tourists back to the Gulf of Mexico?
If the region was really an “outstanding” tourist destination, there should have been some rigorous measures to protect it from such devastation of the carelessness.

Date: 15 June 2010 commenting on http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/

Maran set to buy 40% in SpiceJet

2010-06-18T01:46:00.001+01:00

If SpiceJet’s fragmented ownership has prevented the airline from expanding its fleet as there was always a sense of uncertainty in the ownership, what about the non-fragmented and non-experienced ownership of the novice suitor, Mr. Kalanithi Maran?
Well, are we supposed to assume that the no-objection certificate previously obtained from the Ministry of Civil Aviation to run a non-scheduled air passenger service an acceptable credential?
If the current speculations will become the reality of tomorrow, it is highly recommended for Mr. Maran to appoint a technocratic team to run the airline on his behalf. Otherwise, there will be a giant question mark wrapping the future operation of SpiceJet.

Date: 15 June 2010 commenting on http://www.livemint.com/

AI to spruce up services, cut costs

2010-06-16T23:00:00.000+01:00

Cutting costs and increasing focus on customer services might not be enough for straighten up the current messy situation of Air India. It is no secret that the corruption is so strong to miscarry the plans of Air India’s newly appointed chief operating officer.
Professor Taneja is absolutely correct about underlining the importance of running Air India independently away from the Indian government.
The National Aviation Company of India Limited (NACIL) is the child of the Indian Government. That familial link simply means that the Indian government is still controlling Air India through the independent directors of NACIL.

Date: 14 June 2010 commenting on http://www.livemint.com/

Five weirdest travel stories

2010-06-15T00:21:00.000+01:00

Plastic utensils are supposed to be disposed without thinking of reusing them. Proper cleaning may render them harmful for human use.

Seemingly, God has created Rolando Negrin with such strong hands to compensate with his relatively weak private part.

Who said that the swimming pools are 100% hygienically clean? If necessary, just swim at your risk!

Ginger McGuire has the right to sue them for such major negligence.
More importantly, did the relevant authorities re-search the aircraft after being unattended for more than 3 hours?

Date: 01 June 2010 commenting on http://www.bnet.com/

Terror on the plane & Joy upon arrival

2010-05-30T18:21:00.001+01:00

What a long way!
What could be the reason for things to happen in the following sequence?
1) The Lieutenant General Ahmed Shafiq to issue orders that Prince Imesy travel free in a special separate compartment on Egypt Air flight.
2) The above orders to be transmitted to the director of JFK International Airport
3) The airport director to inform Mr. Zahi Hawass about Shafiq's orders.

The article did not tell us about the reason for involving the JFK airport director in purely Egyptian affairs.
Most remarkably, where is the role of Egypt Air management in handling an internationally highlighted event like that?
Are we in a position to assume that Egypt Air is busy teaching its pilots not to hit light-poles again at Cairo Airport?

Date: 10 April 2010 commenting on http://www.aawsat.com

EgyptAir plane strikes lightpoles at Cairo airport

2010-05-30T15:44:00.002+01:00

Question marks:
Is Captain Hefni serious about his initial assessment?
The facts of (Two light-poles) and (minor damage to the left wing of the aircraft) do not make sense together.
The claim that the passengers of the doomed Egypt Air flight were mostly Egyptians is highly disputed as the number of Egyptians traveling from Cairo to Hurghada can not reach 190 passengers in any one flight.

Date: 08 April 2010 commenting on http://www.arabiansupplychain.com/

Airline crisis with Saudi Arabia deepens

2010-05-30T00:43:00.001+01:00

Protectionism is the keyword here.
“Open sky” policy minimizes governments’ intervention in international aviation.
The Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority is likely acting in favor of Egypt Air. Of course, it is an advantage for Egypt Air to operate away from the competition of low cost carriers (LCCs).
Bassel El-Sissy of the Egyptian Chamber of Travel Agencies is correct about his opinion that the Saudi-Egyptian crisis would affect Egyptians currently performing the Umrah.

Date: 08 April 2010 commenting on http://www.almasryalyoum.com/

Egypt Air suspends flights to Medina

2010-04-14T13:56:00.001+01:00

Something for nothing – What do you think?

2010-04-10T09:09:00.000+01:00

I am not enthusiastic about distributing free samples which might be given to wrong prospects.
I would rather prefer to combine the free sample (service or product) with a solid commitment from the potential prospects. One month free with a paid 3-month subscription, for example, could be more realistic option. For airline industry, I would recommend applying a discounted (or free) travel companion ticket.
That way, the marketing efforts would positively affect both publicity and sales.

Date: 06 April 2010 commenting on http://www.aviationbusinessconsultants.com/

Catch customers. Don't just fish for them

2010-03-24T19:53:00.000Z

The keyword is interaction which is supposed to be maintained with prospects/ customers. Of course, that can not be done without making the necessary research about the prospects/ customers, and fully cooperating with them.
Sellers should not be selfish by just considering their interests and forgetting all about their customers.
After all, two winners are better than one winner and one loser.

Date: 24 March 2010 commenting on http://www.forbes.com/

Beyond Cairo

2010-02-24T17:39:00.001Z

Is it unbearable to fly dry without liquid food?
With Egypt Air, the only possible way to go around that is to place a request for a special meal. Similar to any other international airline, Egypt Air caters for most of passenger special meals including Hindu meals and kosher meals. The code for the required meal is BBML which stands for baby meal.
Well, Egypt Air is known for its good formulas.
Bon appétit! Enjoy your meal!

Date: 24 February 2010 commenting on http://jenniferconlin.typepad.com/

JetBlue finishes converting to Sabre Reservation System

2010-02-19T14:02:00.000Z

After 5 negative responses to your description of the assumingly happy marriage of JetBlue and Sabre, I think that it is appropriate to say that the divorce was not necessarily a wise decision for the family JetBlue.

Was just JetBlue changing its imperfect spouse with another identical spouse? It is totally understood that JetBlue can not be without a spouse as celibacy is not an option in today’s airline industry. However, it was definitely a better idea to leave an undependable spouse for a somehow perfect one.

The reality is that we can not say that Navitaire and Sabre are imperfect reservation systems. We can cautiously say that Navitaire failed to deliver full satisfaction to JetBlue. By putting the hassle of the cutover aside, we can safely say that Sabre has not got the chance, as of yet, to prove its dependability.

For the record, I have been working with Sabre for about 18 years. So far, I have no problem with the system and its functionality.

Date: 19 February 2010 commenting on http://www.bnet.com/

Up in the air

2010-02-18T21:43:00.000Z

It was totally unexpected for the airlines to treat their high-yield passengers like that. Passengers of both first class and business class are simply considered the bread and butter for any airline company.
A valid question should be asked about the reason for choosing British Airways and ignoring its rival Virgin Atlantic.
I am wondering about the reason for a business leader like the article writer to prefer handling the case in such a relaxed tone. I would say that he is eligible to use more decibels in delivering a sharp message to BA management and its field representatives.

Date: 18 February 2010 commenting on http://www.forbes.com/

Aeroflot's A330 cabin a big step up

2010-01-10T14:20:00.002Z

Being a Muscovite myself, I can not favor one of my airport-sons over the other two. They are equally doing well considering their respective ages and qualifications.
The point is that they are competing with each other to attract more air traffic. Considering the zero-sum game, the ultimate effect on Mother Russia will be almost the same unless there will be a significant increase in transit traffic.

Date: 10 January 2010 commenting on http://www.flightglobal.com/

Catching terrorists: Why profiling is not the answer

2010-01-07T21:41:00.002Z

Ethnic profiling is not a viable solution for combating terrorism.
Singling out passengers on the basis of race or religion would trigger the issue of discrimination. Alternatively, an environment of equality would increase the collaborative action of everyone.
What we really need is strict alertness of official security agencies. Of course, the official role of security has to be complemented by a vigilant sense of responsibility maintained by all of us.
Israel has long managed a highly successful security system for the Israeli air industry. What about copying the Israeli model instead of inventing a system which might be proven infeasible down the road?

Date: 06 January 2010 commenting on http://www.guardian.co.uk/

Next up: The boob bomber

2010-01-06T17:36:00.003Z

The tug of war between terrorists and security agencies will be always there. What could be really sad is acknowledging the fact that terrorists could have the lead in that highly dangerous game. So far, security agencies are only reacting by taking precautionary measures to thwart terrorist acts similar to those which happened in the past.
Detroit’s last terrorist attempt proved that the system failed even to be proactive when it carelessly ignored valuable pieces of intelligence. No wonder that President Obama bluntly admitted that the system screwed up.
Terror is a deadly activity between the terrorists who seemingly know how to deal with scanning machines, and security agencies which are not subject to the humiliating effect of the scanning machines. The only victims are the innocent air travelers.

Date: 06 January 2010 commenting on http://www.forbes.com/

Passenger creates big debate at American Airlines

2009-12-10T18:40:00.003Z

If you take along bulky or damageable baggage, you may have to pay an additional fee. What would be the parallel situation for passengers? The given facts are that the passenger is bulky and his part of body protruding into the aisle is highly damageable by in-flight service carts.
So, it is quite fair for that passenger to pay extra fee. He has to be charged for two seats as airlines are not selling partial seats so far.

Date: 07 December 2009 commenting on http://www.flightglobal.com/

Aeroflot and Alitalia to get closer

2009-12-10T18:25:00.005Z

Gone those old days when Aeroflot was flying to many countries in Africa. The Aeroflot’s African network of destinations was mainly supported by the government of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in an attempt to spread the communist ideology.
Now, Aeroflot is code-sharing with Alitalia to go back to Africa for supposedly real commercial reasons.

Date: 05 December 2009 commenting on http://boardingarea.com/

Decide who to hire before they even walk in the door

2009-11-25T03:19:00.002Z

With all due respect, the idea of the article does not make lot of sense to me.
I do understand that entrepreneurs are different. However, I did not hear about a company looking for hiring entrepreneurs. On the hand, we can say that real entrepreneurs do not seek employment. The right candidates will be those who have the required academic education and the necessary work skills. Using the concept of the article, I would say that the only possible candidates for employment are "curb huggers." I think that judging the candidates through their way of crossing the street might be ideal if we are hiring wire-walkers since the preference will be given to “matadors.”

Date: 24 November 2009 commenting on http://blogs.bnet.com/

Terminal 3 of Sheremetyevo

2009-11-25T03:13:00.001Z

Well, the bottom line is whether these architectural achievements will reshuffle the rank of Sheremetyevo compared to the other Russian airports in Moscow. In other words, will Sheremetyevo take the lead over Domodedovo?

Date: 24 November 2009 commenting on http://www.cre.ru/

Has anyone flown Aeroflot lately?

2009-11-23T21:55:00.001Z

Friendly cabin crew:
Aeroflot flights overfly our house here in Russia. The cabin crew members look extremely friendly.
Lucky those passengers who will be benefiting from these good fares. What a bargain to fly at that price surrounded by beautiful Russian air hostesses and have a chance to see Sphinx & Pyramids!

Date: 18 November 2009 commenting on http://www.jaunted.com/

Bumped? Blame the government

2009-11-23T21:43:00.003Z

The perishable nature of an airline seat prevents the lost revenue from seats that fly empty from being recovered. The substantial amount of revenue that can potentially be lost through spoilage makes overbooking an essential part of revenue management. In fact, passenger no-shows were the first practical problem that scheduled airlines sought to address as they began to adopt revenue management techniques. All tickets were initially fully refundable and airlines needed to overbook in order to remain financially viable. Overbooking is still extremely important to an airline’s financial performance. According to Robert L. Phillips in his book “Pricing and revenue optimization,” American Airlines estimated that in 1990, they saved $225 million through overbooking.

Date: 18 November 2009 commenting on http://www.forbes.com/

The little airport that could

2009-11-14T15:49:00.001Z

This is a detailed coverage of the airport activities. Yes, the deregulation of 1970s may be one of the most important factors which lead to the current status of the airport.

There is one little comment about the exact name of the airport. According to International Air Transport Association (IATA), MHT is originally the code for Manchester Airport, NH, USA. That was the situation until April 2006 when the airport management decided to add “Boston Regional” to the airport name to advertise its proximity to Boston, Massachusetts which is about 50 miles (80 km) to the south.

I am fully aware that the airport is in New England which is a geographic term refers to an area comprising of 6 states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

The nomenclature in airline literatures describes the location in the following sequence: airport code, city name, country name. In case of USA, the sequence is further expanded to allow the inclusion of the state name.

Yes, there are some airports which serve twin cities such as MSP for Minneapolis/ Saint Paul, and DFW for Dallas/ Fort Worth. As we can see, the two twin cities are at the same state. Obviously, this is not the case for Manchester (New Hampshire) and Boston (Massachusetts). Are they twin cities? Well, they might be distant cousins.

Date: 13 November 2009 commenting on http://www.londonderrynh.net/

Estonian Air explains its bonus program

2009-11-02T17:32:00.001Z

Airline deregulation created the need for marketing innovations. The most noteworthy innovation is the Frequent Flyer Programs which reward repeat customers with free tickets and other benefits. Many small air carriers have tie-ins with the programs of larger air carriers.
Generally speaking, marketing is a relatively new market practice in Eastern Europe. The former countries of the Eastern Bloc have been steadily moving toward the market economy since the collapse of the Soviet Union early 1990s. Participation of Estonian Air in EuroBonus program is just one example of the ongoing trend.

Date: 02 November 2009 commenting on http://www.estonianfreepress.com/

Avianova Airbus A320 (EI-EEI)

2009-10-28T21:20:00.002Z

The name written on the engine is in English language as it is Avianova's website. Names of all websites should be written out in English. However, the name shown on the fuselage is half-Cyrillic (авиа) and half-Latin (nova). Definitely, this is not a typo. The name was intentionally written that way as an integral part of the trademark.
As of today, the traffic figures of Avianova have not been released. However, the aggressive style of utilizing Avianova’s fleet could tell us something about the expected operation results.

Date: 28 October 2009
Published at http://www.flickr.com/

An open letter to Sky Express and Avianova

2009-10-18T16:41:00.003+01:00

Competition is the healthiest feature of the free-market economy. Monopoly may be as ugly as Dracula. So, let us welcome Avianova as a new addition to the Russian airline industry.

Whether Mr. Andrew Payne accidentally or deliberately ignored Sky Express, and irrespective of his subjective or objective opinions, he is free with his own beliefs to the maximum limit permissible by the applicable anti-slander laws.

Business rivals might tend to speak derogatorily about their competitors. They might apply a tactic of belittling or ignoring the existing competition. I would say that respecting the existing competition may create better results on the long run. Let us wait and see. What we know is that Sky Express carried 1,041,308 passengers in 2008 and ranked 13 among other Russian air carriers which is something yet to be achieved by most Russian airlines including Avianova.

With the advent of electronic ticketing, passengers do not receive tangible tickets at the time of purchase. The ticket purchase will be shown on their credit/debit cards as one total amount without details.
I checked today the lowest price of one way air fare from Moscow to Sochi for travel on 28 February 2010. The following have been found:
• Sky Express: 399.00 + 1100.00 taxes = 1499.00 rubles
• Avianova: 750.00 + 204.26 taxes = 954.26 rubles
• Aeroflot: 1500.00 + 924.00 taxes = 2424.00 rubles

The point here is not about air fares. It is about taxes instead. Putting Aeroflot aside as it flies from Sheremetyevo, the attention is drawn to 1100.00 rubles and 204.26 rubles of Sky Express and Avianova respectively as they both fly from Vnukovo Airport. What could be the reason for such huge discrepancy in the amount of taxes?
It is understood that airlines are free to set up their prices. The question if they are equally free to apply the applicable taxes.
So, being the first Russian Low Cost Carrier is not the concern for the customers. I am quite sure that they care more about the first transparent Russian air carrier?
Email: management@ultraconsultants.net

Date: 18 October 2009
Published at http://www.aviaport.ru/

EasyJet to go live on Sabre next year

2009-10-17T14:12:00.001+01:00

EasyJet modifies distribution channels:
The internet has enabled major airlines to reduce their distribution costs. In addition to the savings from selling directly to their customers online, they have restructured their compensation schemes with both travel agencies and GDSs. That situation will contribute to evolve as airlines pressure travel agencies and GDSs to further reduce costs. So, for EasyJet not to offer corporate deals and discounts is a logical decision. It will join Sabre to increase distribution channels only without changing its other marketing variables.
As a result of the evolved market conditions, many GDS operators are reinventing themselves in order to stay relevant as distribution providers. In addition to expanding and diversifying their products and services, their focus is on reducing internal costs and finding ways for the costs to be borne by users, not the airlines.
Email: management@ultraconsultants.net

Date: 17 October 2009
Published at http://www.abtn.co.uk/

Avianova Airbus A320 (EI-EEL)

2009-10-02T17:55:00.001+01:00

As of 23 September 2009, the two Airbus A320 operated by Avianova are still owned by International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of American International Group (AIG).
Moreover, the Airbus A320-232 (registration EI-EEL) is still in the Irish registry and owned by ILFC.
It is true that US Airways was operating the same aircraft under the US registration. However, the aircraft (registration N605AW) was owned by the American branch of ILFC.

Date: 01 October 2009
Published at http://www.flickr.com/

Wizz Air об одесском аэропорте: Полоса настолько плохая, что мы меняли колеса каждый день

2009-10-02T15:54:00.001+01:00

Before canceling the flights to/ from Odessa, Wizz Air thought of releasing the arriving passengers and their luggage by one cooperative parachute.
Wow, what a brilliant idea for avoiding the questionable condition of the runway! However, they had to discard it as no similar solution for departing passengers. Unfortunately, parachutes function downward only.
Oh boy! It seems that low cost carriers do not like bumpy runways.

Date: 04 September 2009
Published at http://korrespondent.net/

Украинским авиакомпаниям могут запретить полеты в ЕС

2009-10-02T15:45:00.001+01:00

The European Union went on with its plan and adopted the regulation despite the pressure exerted by both International Air Transport Association (IATA) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
With about 4,000 airline operators from all parts of the word which are included in the legislative act, there is a little chance to find exceptions. If the big players are already included in the list, what would be the case for Ukrainian air operators? Simple logic, isn’t it?
Putting aside the interests of individual countries and air operators, and downplaying the possibility that the European Commission is somehow frantic about the environment, we have to look at the environmental issues from a global perspective. After all, Mother Nature needs and requires some serious measures to be taken to guarantee its survival.

Date: 31 August 2009
Published at http://korrespondent.net/

Minimum Equipment List (MEL)

2009-09-14T15:02:00.001+01:00

The MEL practice is to facilitate the operation of aircraft. That facility is not supposed to be abused by aircraft operators, especially those who are involved in commercial carriage of passengers.
As (Fix the jet Gerry) put it, the aircraft has to be grounded if anyone of the crew votes against applying the MEL advantage.
Since the traveling public will not be involved in those technical issues, the aircraft flying under MEL condition should not have passengers on board.
Email: management@ultraconsultants.net

Date: 11 September 2009
Published at http://www.delray-aviation.org/

High flying tweets

2009-09-04T02:54:00.003+01:00

The list contains some distinguished names (in no particular order) in the airline/ aviation blogging despite the fact that the list might be mistakenly interpreted as public relations advertorial.
It has been said that websites are promoted by blogs, and blogs are promoted through micro-blogging (Twitter). However, the article shows that blogging could be used to promote the Twitter’s micro-blogging channel.
Well, social media is a continuous interaction back and forth using all available channels.

Date: 02 September 2009
Published at http://simpliflying.com/

Delta’s partnership with Virgin Blue causes pain for United in Australia

2009-08-25T10:20:00.001+01:00

It is a knockout for United Airlines to lose the code-sharing agreement with Virgin Blue which they began together in 2002 and expanded it on April 2004.
Without enough economy-class passengers, the operation of United Airlines’ Boeing 747 between Australia and the west coast of USA would be mainly for emitting more carbon dioxide. Considering the attitude of United Airlines toward Dave Carroll, the Airline would be hostile to both its passengers as well as the environment.

Published at http://www.bnet.com/

Airline brands to look out for and those that can rest in peace beyond 2009

2009-08-25T09:55:00.002+01:00

For now, I can confirm two airlines which are about to rest in peace:
The first is Air India due its current bloated pattern of operation. I have commented on an article discussing the situation of Air India (http://bit.ly/Tg5Dy). The second is United Airlines. The credit goes to its lousy operational policy and to the demonstration managed by Dave Carroll (http://bit.ly/MndAp & http://bit.ly/22NURU).
Email: management@ultraconsultants.net

Date: 19 August 2009
Published at http://simpliflying.com/

What are the basic requirements for airline revenue management course?

2009-08-23T05:33:00.003+01:00

The revenue management course will give you a chance to discover the techniques that airlines are applying to derive revenue from seat selling and maximize profitability.
This course will help you understand how legacy airlines and low-cost carriers apply the basic principles of airline revenue management to meet the current challenges that face the industry today.
I will be running a revenue management course through wiziq.com very soon.
Email: management@ultraconsultants.net

Date: 22 August 2009
Published at http://www.elearningbuzz.com/

FlightCaster

2009-08-22T02:32:00.002+01:00

Knowing about weather condition in advance form the Weather Channel might affect our decision to plan for a picnic during the weekend. However, knowing of possible rain during the week will not stop us from going to our offices. It is only a matter of being ready with a raincoat or an umbrella.
On the other hand, what would be the situation if the FlightCaster is expecting a delay of 3 hours?
Are we supposed to adjust our arrival time to the airport to avoid the expected delay?
What about the case if the probability is ONLY a probability while the reality is that the flight is actually on time?
Are the airlines responsible for the information provided by the FlightCaster?
Are they supposed to deliberately delay the flight to accommodate the late arriving passengers who faithfully depended on the delay forecast?
The whole scenario is just an attempt to assess a reasonable level of dependability to the tool.
My argument does not change the fact that I bookmarked the site for further assessments once additional details become available.
Email: management@ultraconsultants.net

Date: 21 August 2009
Published at http://www.techcrunch.com/

Untangling the Social Web

2009-08-14T13:27:00.002+01:00

The basic equation stating that eye for eye and tooth for tooth is the fairest formula. Hence, for United Airlines to form a musical band to deliver an artistic apology to Dave Carroll makes a lot of sense. That option might be the most authentic apology with the hope to satisfy Dave’s expectations.

I commented earlier about the same incident (http://bit.ly/zURmT). Simply put, United Airlines was supposed to avoid the case to be so deteriorated like that. There should be some ongoing orchestrated efforts across the board to avoid similar situations to be mishandled by ignorant or careless airline service agents.

If the airlines are no longer capable of providing good competitive service, they have to seriously consider another line of business. For United Airlines, I would recommend the field of shoe-polishing. Who knows? They might find their way up and reach the sky again by the 25th century.
Viva all UA’s competitors!

Published at http://sparksheet.com/

Personal branding interview: Chris Anderson

2009-08-12T14:05:00.002+01:00

Quite insightful article. That was my first time to see the newly coined word (freemium).

The word (complimentary) was used twice throughout the article. It was used by mistake instead of the word (complementary). However, the sentence (They all seem to complement each other.) of the last paragraph includes the correct form of the word.

Date: 09 August 2009
Published at http://bx.businessweek.com/

Touch and Go

2009-08-07T12:44:00.002+01:00

Quite interesting piece of writing!
The technology is ever-changing and ever-evolving to the point that it might represent a challenge for many to be up-to-date with or even to interact with.

I would say that the most important paragraph of the whole article is: All technologies are good for some things and bad for others. I imagine a future where gestural interfaces, touch screens, and mechanical/ physical interfaces all exist side by side, used when and where appropriate based on the context of usage.
Email: management@ultraconsultants.net

Published at http://sparksheet.com/

Airline Express ticket for Aeroexpress passengers

2009-08-06T17:58:00.002+01:00

Definitely, interline agreements facilitate the travel of passengers. However, most Russian airlines do not consider that fact. They are normally acting like the Brothers Karamazov of the Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky: brothers yes but no cooperation.
Arriving international passengers have no way to book their onward domestic connections with many Russian domestic carriers in advance due to limited or no ticketing/ booking agreements with the delivering air carriers.
Having said so, it is no wonder finding out that Sky Express (http://www.skyexpress.ru/) made the through ticking available on the Russian version ONLY of its website. It seems that Sky Express cares only about its Russian-speaking customers. If that was the case, why do they maintain an English version of their website?

Published at http://www.airrailnews.com/

CAUTION: Give your children sugar on a flight at your own risk

2009-07-26T03:09:00.003+01:00

Definitely, the cabin crew is supposed to take whatsoever measures to maintain the safety of the flight.
Similar to the possibility of alcohol abuse by adult passengers, the sugar abuse is the parallel case for children.
Adults can get alcohol drinks as long as they are sober or otherwise they could endanger other passengers. By analogy, minors can take sugar-contained foodstuff as long as there is a guarantee that they can behave themselves especially if they are not accompanied by an adult.

Date: 23 July 2009
Published at http://www.theflyingpinto.com/

Ryanair’s step too far?

2009-07-12T15:19:00.007+01:00

With enough demand to make Ryanair sure of serving 67 million passengers in 2009 instead of 59 million passengers served in 2008, it is not strange anymore to expect Ryanair inventing more silly ideas:
• Asking the passengers to fly in their underclothes or otherwise, they have to pay for the weight of their outer-garments.
• Asking the passengers to fly standing. There will be ancillary charge for those passengers who are interested to fly sitting on bamboo stools, and even higher charge for upholstered seats. Oh goodness, it is horrible to think of the extra charges which are supposed to be paid by passengers who require stretchers due their medical conditions.

I proposed some more silly ideas to Ryanair in my article (http://bit.ly/plub7D) posted on 28 February 2009.
We will see if the passengers are willing to go for one more jump over the equation of supply and demand.

Published at http://www.forbes.com/

United Breaks Guitars

2009-07-11T15:59:00.002+01:00

It is a big mistake for the customer service representatives, who handled the case of the damaged guitar, to think that they have the final word for the cases which might affect the image of United Airlines. They were supposed to refer the case to the Public Relations Department before it is too late.

Unfortunately, airlines nowadays tend to hire untrained persons to handle the phone calls, enquires, and complaints of the passengers. Ms. Irlweg exacerbated the situation by ignoring the possibility of harming the image of United Airlines. Unknowingly, she did not think of Dave’s options. By keeping himself calm (but active) for about nine months, he deserves the current free-of-charge publicity.

The story imposes a new practice whereby the Public Relations Department should have the upper hand for all complicated issues handled by customer service representatives.

Published at http://www.planebuzz.com/

The Missing Black Box

2009-07-08T10:22:00.002+01:00

It seems that the idea of aircraft’s black boxes is not serving its original purpose. The argument is especially valid in case of crash into deep waters. The black box is a storage medium for recording essential data about the operation of the aircraft. The recoded data is extremely important for analyzing the reasons which are behind the malfunction or the crash of the aircraft.

Obviously, it is not a good idea to keep that crucial information in such easily mis-located medium. It seems that the concept of the block box needs to be revised to offset its current vulnerability. What about a tangible backup system on the ground? Personal computers are often backed up into external storage devices. By analogy, the information from the aircraft could be transmitted through a satellite-based communications system to a reliable data recording system.

Having a back-up of the black box data might have saved a lot of energy and resources wasted in locating the flight recorders of AF 447’s crashed in the Atlantic Ocean early June 2009.

Published at http://www.forbes.com/

Orrin Hatch is taking you to Turkmenistan, and you will darn well like it

2009-07-08T09:11:00.002+01:00

It is a good analogy relating BCS alliance to SkyTeam alliance.

A key element of the SkyTeam global network is the hub-and-spoke system, which provides unparalleled connectivity and an easy way for customers to travel using members of the same alliance from their departure city to any location in the world.

The SkyTeam, with its 11 member airlines and 3 associate airlines, is dedicated to make travels smoother, simplified, and informed. SkyTeam offers a worldwide system of 16,787 daily flights covering 905 destinations in 169 countries.

Published at http://rivals.yahoo.com/

Captain Piccard unveils Solar Impulse HB-SIA solar-powered plane

2009-07-04T21:30:00.002+01:00

Adventuring is not only for fun.
Wright Brothers (Orville and Wilbur) made a breakthrough by their invention of the three-axis control to the airplanes in 1903.
About 110 years later, Captain Piccard will add another breakthrough by using the solar power to fuel his air trip around the world.
I wish I have more than two thumbs to bring them up for that savior of the Mother Earth.
Kudos to Captain Bertrand Piccard!

Published at http://www.engadget.com/

A dark and windy night

2009-07-04T21:18:00.002+01:00

The article is simply saying that all fingers should be pointing away from Airbus. This is true considering the statistical track record of its airplanes. Airbus, especially after the recent two crashes, should be so grateful for such objective, non-feverish article.
Despite the great concern about the safety of the international civil aviation, there are still some airports, airplanes, and operators acting against the trend. Some more concrete regulations/ actions should be in place to ensure the safety of the innocent airline passengers.

It is true that some Russian airlines have some operational problems. However, I think that talking about Aeroflot was totally out of context in the article for the following reasons:
• The aircraft is non-Russian made.
• The aircraft is operated by Yemenia.
• Departure and arrival airports of the flight are non-Russian.
• No Russian citizens were reported among the crash victims so far.
• The updated list of banned airlines by EU does not include Aeroflot (http://bit.ly/xs3ps).
• Aeroflot has a daily flight to JFK which simply means that it is not banned by US aviation authority.
• The same source quoted in the article (Aviation safety net) is also saying that USA has the highest rate of civil casualties (http://bit.ly/QJFA2).
• Aeroflot has achieved TRUEngine status for its CFM56-5B engines which are powering its Airbus family aircraft (http://bit.ly/13smLI).

Date: 02 July 2009
Published at http://blogs.reuters.com/ & http://trueslant.com/

Aeroflot Terminal to Open in Winter

2009-07-04T21:08:00.002+01:00

The Russian Federation is eagerly waiting for the opening of Sheremetievo Terminal 3 for the sake of facelifting the international image of the airport.
According to Russia’s Transport Clearing House, Sheremetievo Airport handled 15,066,354 passengers during 2008. Considering the fact that the new terminal will be able to handle 12 million passengers a year, are we expecting congested operation during the early years of airport life?
Email: management@ultraconsultants.net

Date: 01 July 2009
Published at http://www.iflybusiness.com/

Exclusive photos: Inside the Boeing 787 Dreamliner cabin

2009-07-01T11:28:00.002+01:00

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner unveiled during the world premiere in Everett, Washington on July 8, 2007 is truly a dream. The question is about its materialize-ability considering the repeated delays. Was the delay announced on the 23rd of June the last one?
The mother Boeing is seemingly facing hard time delivering the baby B787.
Will it be a natural delivery or do we need a cesarean section?
The pregnancy term has been extended already many times. Is the fetus still alive?
Email: management@ultraconsultants.net

Published at http://simpliflying.com/

Malev Orders Sukhoi Superjets

2009-06-27T03:40:00.001+01:00

Assuming that Malev showed interest in Sukhoi’s Superjet 100 because of being under pressure from Aeroflot, what about the Spanish airline Gadair which signed a letter of intent for two firm orders and two options and potentially worth around $60 million?
Please check http://www.ainonline.com/news/single-news-page/article/avialeasing-firms-order-for-24-superjets/

Additionally, Alenia Aeronautica’s website (http://bit.ly/FqkpP) states that the Italian-Russian joint venture is in charge of aircraft customization delivery, marketing in the western countries, and worldwide technical support.

Are we still saying that the Superjet 100 will be flying the skies of Eastern Europe mostly?

Date: 26 June 2009
Published at: http://www.bnet.com/

Kevin Costner is doing Turkish Airlines ads

2009-06-27T02:19:00.001+01:00

Is this a travel industry blog or a backstage gossip?
Kevin Costner is a star whether appearing in a movie or a commercial. Participating in a successful advertisement like that does not mean that the professional career of Costner is going down. Kudos for Turkish Airlines for a choice well made and a job well done!

Turkish Airlines is achieving a good performance during the first five months of 2009. I checked their monthly traffic data. The figures reflect a positive growth. Is it a coincidence that the Costner commercial is about 4 months old?

Date: 26 June 2009
Published at: http://travelinglight.professionaltravelguide.com/

Rescuing Air India from crisis requires hard decisions and political support

2009-06-25T16:28:00.001+01:00

Writing the above article requires a great deal of boldness. Criticizing Indian affairs by an Indian citizen simply implies credibility.

The shocking facts revealed throughout the article are quite resembling the situation of Aeroflot. Its board of directors said last week (viz. the tweet of Airlinologist on 21 JUN) that the airline is 30% overstaffed which is the result of reasons similar to those which made Air India 50% overstaffed.

It is so sad to see the maharaja airlines falling like that due to the effect of corruption-infested India. Away from the sadness-triggering memories, let us face it. Government-supported airline is not the fashion any more. Comparing the ailing Air India with the privately-owned Kingfisher Airlines would clearly reveal some reasons of both failure of the former and success of the latter.

There is one more comment regarding the statement about the communist countries. It is true that that North Korea and Mongolia are still under communism. However, the situation is different for both China and Russia. China is somehow adopting a communist system under a capitalist flag. On the other hand, Russian Federation has been rigorously moving to the market economy since the collapse of the Soviet Union early 1990s.

Published at: http://www.bangaloreaviation.com/

You cannot delegate entrepreneurship - if you are going to make mistakes make them yourself. – Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou

2009-06-25T02:29:00.001+01:00

Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou is definitely a successful entrepreneur.
His statement (once you’ve proven the business model leave it alone and get a manager in, and hire a proven manger) is somehow in contradiction with what was published by Forbes.com on 06 April 2009 under (EasyJet Shakes Up Boardroom). http://tinyurl.com/cyqnbx

The article is talking about the pressure of Sir Haji-Ioannou to change the board of directors. So, either he did NOT hire proven managers or he did NOT leave it alone.

That situation drove me, (Airlinologist), to tweet the following on 08 April: How can I find Stelios Haji-loannou to tell him about the best one to run EasyJet?

My comment does not change the fact that the article is a source of motivation for many people.

Date: 24 June 2009
Published at: http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/

Social Media at Paris Air Show by the numbers

2009-06-24T04:07:00.001+01:00

This is another proof of the increasing role of social media in the business world. A sophisticated sphere like aviation to be well represented/ reported through a concise message of 140 characters only. What an eloquent contrast!
Despite the relatively high level of Twitter coverage, some big names like Boeing and Airbus are still shying away from using the social media channel.
management@ultraconsultants.net

Published at: http://ludozone.net/

Losing The Backlog?

2009-06-24T04:00:00.001+01:00

Their statements are inversely pari passu with the current economic condition. The statements are meant just to serve public relations only. Seemingly, the crash of AF447 earlier this month forced Airbus’s CEO to adopt a bold stance toward mass media.

Date: 23 June 2009
Published at: http://www.fleetbuzzeditorial.com/

South Korea Offers to Pay Tourists Who Contract Swine Flu

2009-06-24T03:38:00.001+01:00

This is a revolutionary idea in promoting the tourism industry.
Of course, tourists will not go to South Korea to make 3,000 US$. However, the message is clearly saying that the Korean authorities are serious about keeping the country clean form the virus, and that they will not forget their responsibility toward any tourist who might catch the virus in their country.
Finally, if someone is fated to catch the virus, it is better to catch it in South Korea. At least, virus with money is definitely better than virus without money!

Date: 13 June 2009
Published at: http://travelinglight.professionaltravelguide.com/

United Removes Website Hold Feature

2009-06-09T20:42:00.001+01:00

This is somehow strange to be decided by an airline company to show its customer-friendliness. Instead of exerting some more efforts to keep their existing customers, they are doing something which might push the customers away.

Both canceling the non-ticketed booking within 24 hours, and canceling the ticketed booking within 24 hours without penalty have the SAME effect on the seat inventory but the former option is definitely more customer-friendly.

The feature of auto-cancellation due to expired time-limit has been there since almost the dawn of the automated reservation systems. That feature could be simply used without dissatisfying the customers and without negatively affecting the seat inventory of United Airlines.

Published at: http://www.bnet.com/

The £300m flying palace

2009-06-09T18:57:00.001+01:00

This is really a flying beauty.
It is the taste of luxury at its best.
I am wondering whether this aircraft uses regular fuel or champagne.

Published at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

Kazan: A taste of Tatarstan

2009-06-09T12:11:00.001+01:00

Quite interesting article about Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation.
For traveling to Kazan, Kaliningrad might not be the best gateway as Lufthansa operates four flights weekly from Frankfurt with one stop en route in Samara.

Date: 06 June 2009
Published at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

Value Addition Versus Value Creation

2009-05-25T12:09:00.001+01:00

The feature of value-added has to be there at the start of the planning stage, which simply means that the value has to be created with the product itself. However, value-adding could be implemented at any subsequent stage if the existing value is not enough or if there is no value at all.

Published at: http://toostep.com

Airline branding book review: Flying high in a competitive industry - secrets of the world’s leading airline (SIA)

2009-05-09T19:36:00.001+01:00

There is one more link between Singapore Girl and the integration of differentiation strategy with cost-leader strategy.
By reflecting natural femininity, grace, and warmth, the girl is acting in a lady-like style. Ladies highly care about their social (public) profiles compared with their private lives.

Seemingly, Singapore Airlines adopted the same style by investing in all “visible” aspects of operation and tightening the belt “behind the scenes.”
Email: management@ultraconsultants.net

Published at: http://simpliflying.com

Randy Petersen of Flyertalk on social media and frequent flyers - Part 2 of 2

2009-05-08T15:44:00.001+01:00

What is remarkable in the speech of Randy Petersen is the link between current users of social media and the future generation of business executives who will be using the airline services.

Regarding Randy and his achievements, the professional popularity can not be accurately measured by the number of Twitter followers alone.
Email: management@ultraconsultants.net

Published at: http://simpliflying.com

Randy Petersen of Flyertalk on airline branding - Part 1 of 2

2009-05-07T23:18:00.001+01:00

Airline brand loyalists choose to fly a specific airline due to a deep emotional connection and for accumulating air mileage as well.

It is true that your most valuable customer is like your best friend. He’s there for you even in the tough times. However, we have to be careful with the analogy considering the fact that there is no business exchange between friends.

To a great extent, frequent fliers are loyal customers. I would be flying my preferred airline as long as its fares, schedule, and service are meeting my expectation. Otherwise, no one can blame me for putting my loyalty aside and finding another service provider who cares about my needs. For me, loyalty loses its meaning when it is one-sided.
Email: management@ultraconsultants.net

Published at: http://simpliflying.com

CEO reveals what makes SpiceJet a leading airline in India in a frank interview

2009-04-07T22:04:00.001+01:00

It is a quite achievement for an airline to start operation in mid 2005 and receive the Skytrax’s award of best Low Cost Carrier for India in 2007.

Published at: http://simpliflying.com

Hilarious MadTV video about airline fees - the ancillary revenues push can sometimes go wrong

2009-04-06T21:10:00.001+01:00

What was an out-of-line idea in 2007 is the face-slapping reality of 2008 and 2009.
Email: management@ultraconsultants.net

Published at: http://simpliflying.com

Ancillary revenue: A boon or a bane for the airline brand?

2009-03-18T21:34:00.001Z

The ancillary revenue is both boon and bane depending on the type of carrier applying it.

So, it is bane for legacy carriers which are already charging high rates for their services. Those air carriers are presumably providing the basic air service plus a reasonable amount of amenities depending on their service philosophies and their market competition. They are not supposed to collect additional charges (ancillary revenues) or otherwise they will negatively affect their brands. For Singapore Airlines to collect additional charge for the emergency-exit row seat is an example of a practice which is on conflict with the brand.

On the other hand, the ancillary revenue is a boon for low-cost carriers. They are presenting themselves as providers of the basic flying services. For increasing their operating revenues, they have to consider ancillary revenues. Of course, collecting the ancillary revenues does not jeopardize their brands as long as they are staying away from asking the passengers to pay for using the toilet.

Putting the nomenclature aside, the reality is that both legacy carriers and low-cost carriers are out there to make money. They are adopting various pricing policies in such a way to make them profitable. Legacy carriers are depending on traditional bundled air fares while budget carriers are depending on a group of unbundled fare components.
Email: management@ultraconsultants.net

Published at: http://simpliflying.com

Reality check: Why social media can be the solution for airlines’ grey skies

2009-03-17T21:04:00.001Z

The effective functionality of Web 2.0 is yet to be thoroughly verified.
What is for sure so far is that Web 2.0 is no longer just for teenagers.

Published at: http://simpliflying.com

King of ancillary revenues, RyanAir offers €1,000 for best idea on making money!

2009-03-16T23:15:00.001Z

Asking for more fresh ideas is unquestionably a good PR idea for RyanAir. Giving away 1,000 euros is almost nothing compared with the high publicity RyanAir will receive from propagating the news about its contest.

Legacy carriers can apply the same idea with little modification. They can simply organize similar contests but not for asking for fresh ideas to generate more ancillary revenues (like the case of RyanAir), but rather asking for fresh ideas to improve the overall passenger services. Thus, the passengers will be double-motivated to seriously participate in any of those contests. Apparently, they have a chance to win the contest and enjoy the to-be enhanced service of the legacy carrier.

Alas for those who can not participate in the contest of RyanAir due to their place of residence! The good news for me is that I will have less competition. However, to show my philanthropic traits, I am ready to have a joint venture with anyone of those ineligible contestants who has a knock-out idea for RyanAir.
Email: management@ultraconsultants.net

Published at: http://simpliflying.com

How an intelligent seating system can bring ancillary revenues, and is great for the airline brand

2009-03-15T08:37:00.003Z

Definitely, I am not interested to be seated beside a mother traveling with her infant irrespective of the purpose of my trip (business or leisure).

Matching the passengers together is a good idea. Beyond the obvious criteria of grouping similar passengers together, is there a chance to seat single females beside non-married family-oriented males? The result might be happy passengers for both their flying experience as well as their success for building a family. Who knows? The marriage might also create another congenital loyal generation.

Generally, there is a potential for a system like Satisfly. Incorporating Satisfly could be one step more for those airlines which are keen about improving the flying experience of their passengers onboard. Thus, considering Satisfly is a long term investment and makes a lot of sense to be considered now as a way of keeping the existing customers. Of course, those airlines will not be using the system to generate ancillary revenue.

The issue may be different for low-cost carriers. Their passengers are paying for necessary services only: luggage, food, drinks, and eventually for using the toilet. They do not care that much about their flying neighbors who are sitting around them. Consequently, I can say that Satisfly has limited potential in LCC model especially during the current economic conditions.

Date: 15 March 2009
Published at: http://simpliflying.com
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AirAsia X: a brand with a huge potential, but remember, “you’re only buying the flying”

It is too early to predict the success or the failure of the low-cost long-haul model. The historical experience, represented by Oasis Hong Kong Airlines and Canadian Zoom Airlines, is not encouraging at all. Even, the 20% stake of AirAsiaX, which held by Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, adds more reservations to the whole idea. Moreover, it is widely known that LCC model does not work for flights over about 13 hours. However, the current economic situation might act to the advantage of AirAsiaX. Something else to be considered is the fact that Malaysian Airlines operates 2 daily Boeing 747 flights between Kuala Lumpur and London. That simply means that MH is making more than 700 daily seats available. It will NOT be a problem for AirAsiaX to acquire some of the existing MH customers who might be enticed by the price advantage of AirAsiaX.
I heard Tony Fernandes, the CEO of AirAsia talking about an important fact which might make things easy for AirAsiaX. He said that their cost is 0.03 US$ per ASK.
The support of feeder traffic provided by AirAsia as well as the existing traffic conditions between Kuala Lumpur and London are unique to AirAsiaX. Thus, the hoped-for success of AirAsiaX is not automatically applicable to any similar long-haul model.
Email: management@ultraconsultants.net

Date: 12 March 2009
Published at: http://simpliflying.com

2008-09-02T22:50:00.002+01:00