Cathay Pacific expands in Russia

It is advantageous for Cathay Pacific to put its code on S7 Airlines’ flights between Hong Kong and the two eastern Russian cities. S7 operates nonstop flights from Hong Kong to those two destinations.
It is also advantageous for Cathay Pacific to put its code on S7 Airlines’ flights between Moscow and St Petersburg as those flights are almost a natural extension of Cathay Pacific flights between Hong Kong and Moscow.

Dissimilarly, the codesharing on the sectors of Hong King-Bangkok and Hong Kong-Singapore represents a time wasting for passengers as they have to travel longer distance when they fly through Hong Kong.
Let us check the mileage to illustrate my viewpoint.
Flying indirectly Moscow-Hong Kong-Bangkok is 5,490 miles while flying directly Moscow-Bangkok is 4,380 miles only.
Similarly, flying indirectly Moscow-Hong Kong-Singapore is 6,030 miles while flying directly Moscow-Singapore is 5,230 miles only.

Chiang Mai is a city at the north of Thailand. In case of no direct flights available, the best way to fly to that city is through Bangkok which is the main gateway of Thailand.
Having said so, let us check the mileage in case of using Hong Kong as a connecting point instead of Bangkok.
Flying Moscow-Hong Kong-Chiang Mai is 5,440 miles while flying Moscow-Bangkok-Chiang Mai is 4,733 miles only.

In conclusion, passengers of Cathay Pacific would get more comfortable options resulted from the codesharing with S7. However, passengers of S7 would get less comfortable options resulted from the codesharing with Cathay Pacific.
Date: 28 June 2013 commenting on http://www.traveldailymedia.com/

EgyptAir re-launches in Zimbabwe

It seems that the Egyptian Ambassador to Zimbabwe needs to learn more about the geography of Africa, or about the basics of airline industry, or about both.
What did he mean exactly when he said that the air link would provide a direct link with east Africa?
Did he mean Cairo (Egypt) or Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania)?
Cairo is not in east Africa for sure. So, we can safely conclude that Dar Es Salaam is the destination located in east Africa.
It is true that EgyptAir flights stop in Dar Es Salaam before reaching Harare. However, EgyptAir did not say that it has traffic rights between Harare and Dar Es Salaam. That simply means that EgyptAir can not carry passengers between those two cities. Obviously, the re-launch of EgyptAir flights does not provide any link between Harare and east Africa.
Of course, we can run the same logical steps if he thought that Cairo is in east Africa.
Date: 14 June 2013 commenting on http://www.herald.co.zw/

Egypt’s aviation loses over $429,000 to workers strike

It is a jungle out there at Cairo Airport.
The scene of repeated threats from workers complaining about work conditions or demanding more monetary benefits became an ugly eyesore. This is in addition to the chaos of traffic around the airport terminals and the mafia of taxi drivers in cooperation with corrupted policemen.
Sure, it is nuisance for passengers to deal with that. However, the story is totally different when it comes to safety and security of airport operations. A strategic place like the airport is supposed to be governed by more stringent measures. The airport is not supposed to be a playground for those careless individuals.
I have my own doubts about the amount of losses released by the airport management. Being a part of the problem itself, the airport team would exaggerate the level of wrongdoing of the other side.
Frankly, the airport needs a real administrative, technical, moral revolution to eradicate the multilayered obsolete management mentality.
Date: 08 June 2013 commenting on http://www.ventures-africa.com/

Striking workers at Cairo airport dismissed

Dismissal of 15 workers is not a smart thing to do. What kind of naive minister is that? He is actually complicating things as dismissal without proper legal procedures would give those workers the chance to take the case to the court. They could end up returning to their jobs and be appropriately compensated for what happened to them.

I would interrogate all of them and then fire without any severance pay or financial benefits all those who are actually involved in that stupid action. Airport operation is not a toy for some careless individuals to play with everyday like that.

On the other hand, I know that the airport’s management team, which is headed by the Minister of Civil Aviation himself, may be the source of those reasons which trigger the employees’ demonstrations and strikes.
Date: 07 June 2013 commenting on http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/

New Yorkers plugging ears stall FAA replacing radar

The point is that those residents have the right for a quiet life and the airports are definitely needed by people who want to fly, including those who live under the flight path during either takeoff or landing.
Unsolvable dilemma? Definitely, no.

First, the airport has to be there no matter what irrespective of the noise-related complaints. The residents who live at the flight path are divided into two groups:
•    The residents who live at the area before the establishment of the airport can be monetarily compensated to live in quiet areas.
•    The residents who started to live at the area after building the airport have no right to complain and consequently no compensation whatsoever.

Is that fair? Well, we have to think of something out of the box as long as there are no passenger airplanes which can land vertically like helicopters.
Date: 05 June 2013 commenting on http://www.bloomberg.com/

EU seeks delay in air passenger data sharing with Russia

The bottom line is to make sure that the information will not be misused by anyone or any country.
What could be the reason for an EU-Russia data-sharing deal to take years to finalize?
The fact is that the information is already available with someone. It is a matter of formalities to make it available to someone else. What could be the reason to be suspicious about the intentions of the second entity as long as we do not guarantee the impartiality of the first entity?
Date: 05 June 2013 commenting on http://www.themoscowtimes.com/

Moms want more from airlines

Business travelers, vacationers, child passengers are just various groups of air passengers. Sure, they have somehow equal rights. However, airlines are pampering business travelers more than any other passenger group. Business travel is the bread and butter of the airline industry. Thus, it does not make that much sense for the airline to treat all those groups exactly equal.
So, moms can ask the airlines for more. However, the airlines will answer with a biased mindset toward business travelers.
Date: 02 June 2013 commenting on http://www.eturbonews.com/