http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/ Etihad Airways says new acquisition Alitalia can only survive through change ROME, Italy - Etihad Airways, a key investor in Alitalia, believes Italy's national airline has "fantastic potential to grow" but only if it embraces change. Speaking in Milan to the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds, James Hogan, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, and Vice Chairman of Alitalia, said that, "last year, Alitalia was on the verge of collapse." "We invested 560 million euros as part of a 1.76 billion restructure of Alitalia," said Mr Hogan. "Today, we are the largest single shareholder, with a 49 per cent stake. What did we see in Alitalia that nobody else did? A great brand, a great network, but a poor business in need of a new direction." Hogan said Etihad Airways saw great potential for both airlines to grow efficiently by working together. "Partnership offers lower risks, greater rewards and faster outcomes than 'going it alone'," he said. "That's good for Alitalia, good for Etihad Airways, good for Italy and good for consumers." Hogan added that Etihad Airways and Alitalia had complementary route networks which, combined, offered approximately 200 destinations. He said Alitalia gained significant new flight connectivity by connecting with Etihad Airways at its hub in Abu Dhabi, providing extensive access to destinations across Asia, and in Australia and Africa destinations not served by Alitalia. But he said the Etihad Alitalia partnership offered much greater benefits for customers including the alignment of inflight product and service, expansion of both carriers' frequent flier programs, and synergy benefits including joint procurement and resource sharing. Recently, Etihad Airways and six equity partners, including Alitalia, participated in an innovative capital raising, through which US $700 million was collectively sourced from global financial markets. "Alitalia's Chairman, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo has a clear vision for the success of the Alitalia business, one which we share fully. Together, we are working to re-establish the airline to its rightful place as one of the great international brands," said Hogan. "Alitalia is ascending. But it still faces challenges. It cannot afford to revert to past practices. For Alitalia to survive and thrive, there must be a relentless focus on costs and efficiency, coupled with a commitment to delivering quality, innovation and value for money. Through our partnership, we can achieve success together," he said.
http://nycity.today/ UNITED AIRLINES CEO OSCAR MUNOZ ADOPTS NEW STRATEGIES; ACCEPTS THE FAULTS United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz has started his tenure with an apology from his company for not taking enough care of its customers and employees. The CEO said that situation at the airline has started improving and he will ensure that United Airlines meets expectations of its customers. United Airlines and Continental merger has left many people fuming, especially employees. In a video message, CEO Oscar Munoz said that since he took over the control on September 8, many steps have been taken to ensure higher flyer satisfaction and better performance of employees. Frequent fliers have given a mixed response to CEO‟s message, according to a report published in Fortune magazine. In a recently writer letter to staff, Munoz said, “I recognize that the journey hasn‟t always been smooth and it won‟t be fixed in a day. This is a marathon with a running start. I‟m ready to take this team forward. It‟s time for a new day. Come with me.” There are a few positive things about the way Munoz is ready to accept the mistake United Airlines management has made in the past. And, he is ready to fix the problem. And, he has asked for some more time to streamline the things and improve the operations of the airline. With a personal message from CEO Munoz, United Airlines published advertisements in 13 publications across the country. United Airlines has also launched a website UnitedAirtime.com for customers to give their valuable feedback. The company will continue to focus on improving customer experience. Continental and United Airlines merged in 2010. United Airlines is affiliated with Star Alliance. In 2014, United Airlines suffered another setback to its Airline Quality Rating (AQR) to -1.62 from -1.43 in 2013. United Airlines also fared bad in on-time performance. For United Airlines, on-time performance declined to 76 percent in 2014 compared to 79.3 percent during 2013. Customer complaints increased to 2.71 for every 100 thousand flyers compared to 2.14 in year 2013. Mishandled baggage reports increased to 3.67 for every 1,000 passengers compared to 3.67 in 2013. Clearly, on most of the factors representing the quality of service, United Airlines performed worse in 2014 compared to 2013. On Skytrax, customers gave a rating of 3 out of 10 to United Airlines. However, with Mr. Munoz in control, we can expect improvement. Or maybe the airline has already hit the bottom and only way ahead is improvement. According to Bloomberg report, “Munoz became president and CEO after the board replaced Smisek amid a government probe and an internal investigation into the airline‟s dealings with the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.” In his earlier message to employees, Munoz said, “We‟ve heard that you want to be empowered to do good work with effective tools. We will give you the right tools to deliver the service and reliability I know we are capable of.” In few months, we might see how United Airlines will perform under Mr. Munoz. Munoz has not yet announced any changes to United Airlines team.
http://www.thecairopost.com/ British Airways Launches Direct Flights to Sharm El Sheikh and “On Business” Program CAIRO, Egypt: British Airways, one of the world‟s leading international premium airlines, continues to reaffirm its commitment to the Egyptian market, most recently with the launch of direct flights from London Gatwick to the popular Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh operating on British Airways‟ fleet of Airbus A320. In addition to its latest, free business loyalty program “On Business” As a member of the On Business program, businesses of all sizes are grouped into tiers based on their spend and are able to earn points across the British Airways, Iberia and American Airlines networks based on the fare paid. On Business members benefit from exclusive rewards, discounts, as well as the ability to earn Avios, the frequent flyer currency of British Airways. In addition, On Business points can be redeemed for reward flights and upgrades or the option of choosing money off selected flights across their global network. On Business gives companies unrivalled service, great savings and access to a worldwide network of destinations – all helping corporate travel budgets stretch further, and benefit from more rewards. Combining award-winning service and loyalty programs with regular departures, effective September 14, 2015, customers will be able to choose from two flights a week to the diving holiday hotspot. Flights will increase to three times a week during the winter months offering even more options and flexible flying times. Gatwick airport is very well located with excellent public transport links into the heart of London and elsewhere. Customers can choose to fly with hand baggage only or pick a price that includes 23kg checked luggage allowance. Traveller fares include complimentary on-board food and the ability to check-in online, via mobile or at the airport, while Club Europe travellers can also enjoy an upgraded dining experience, lounge access, increased baggage allowance and priority boarding. “Sharm El Sheikh is a consistently favorite tourism destination and a key destination for British Airways,” said Mervat Alfy, Commercial Manager for British Airways in North Africa. “As we continue to explore opportunities to offer our valued customers industry-best service with convenient routes to preferred destinations, this new flight from Gatwick Airport, the UK‟s second largest airport serving 38 million passengers [1]a year is certainly a welcome addition to help promote tourism to Egypt.” Colm Lacy, Head of Commercial Gatwick, said “We‟re really pleased to add another route to our 2015 portfolio, bringing our total short haul network to 49 routes and 19 long haul. “Sharm El Sheikh is only five hours away and it‟s a popular choice with families and a favorite with divers thanks to the crystal clear waters”. The launch of the Sharm El Sheikh route closely follows British Airways‟ announcement earlier this year that flights to and from Egypt have been relocated to the more spacious, modern and practical design of London Heathrow‟s Terminal 5. Terminal 5 lounges can host up to 2,500 people with 112 stores and restaurants and much more to provide travellers with an even more superior customer experience. About British Airways British Airways has a worldwide route network that covers 170 destinations in 80 countries. One of the world‟s largest international airlines, British Airways carries approximately 36 million passengers around the world every year.This year, British Airways was voted “Airline of the Year” by frequent travelers from across the world at the Business Traveler Airline Awards.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/ Nigerian aviation workers threaten strike, give 14-day ultimatum
Trade unions in the aviation sector have given the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, a 14-day ultimatum to promote their members who were due for promotion or risk industrial action. The ultimatum was issued by the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, and Air Transport Senior Staff Services of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, on Sunday in Lagos. The unions accused the NCAA management of nonchalance to the promotion of their members which they claimed had been due since January 2015. The NUATE General-Secretary, Olayinka Abioye, told aviation correspondents that the unions were prepared to ground activities in the sector if the concerned authority failed to yield to their requests. Mr. Abioye said that it was a worrisome development that those that were due for promotion were yet to be interviewed. He recalled that NUATE had, at its congress on September30, given the management till October 14 to effect the promotion of the concerned workers. Mr. Abioye urged the management of NCAA to respect the terms and conditions of employment as contained in the condition of service entered into by all parties.
http://gulfnews.com/ October 5 has been designated the UAE Civil Aviation Day to promote UAE civil aviation sector‟s achievements Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has been given “The Aviation Man of the Year” title by the Civil Aviation Sector during the UAE Civil Aviation Day. “Awarding Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum the „Aviation Man of the Year‟ title is an honour to the UAE Civil Aviation Day because it is a recognition of a man who spared no effort to improve the UAE civil aviation sector, in light of a wise vision that strikes a balance between holding advanced positions on the international civil aviation level and maintaining a distinguished standard of aviation quality and safety,” said Engineer Sultan Bin Said Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of the General Civil Aviation Authority, in a statement from the Authority on Sunday. October 5 has been designated the “UAE Civil Aviation Day” by the Cabinet to promote national awareness of the UAE civil aviation sector‟s achievements, he said. Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman and CEO of Emirates airline and Group, said that the aviation industry in the UAE has made “qualitative leaps on all levels”. “From this standpoint, the UAE occupies second place after the United States in terms of the number of bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding to facilitate air traffic between it and the majority of countries. The air traffic across the state‟s airspace is expected to increase to 1.2 million movements by the end of 2020,” he said in the statement. International trade Shaikh Ahmad noted that the development of the air transport sector in the country has facilitated transportation and enhanced international trade “due to the immense potentials of this sector in terms of capacity and services provided for travellers, airlines and airfreights.” The UAE civil aviation sector contributes up to 12 per cent in the GDP (gross domestic product). It supports sectors including tourism, trade and industry, creating around 250,000 jobs in the different sectors, according to the statement. A number of aviation sector developmental projects are taking place in the UAE. For instance, the ongoing expansions of Abu Dhabi Airport will increase its capacity by 2017. When the Midfield terminal is completed, Abu Dhabi Airport will be able to accommodate 40 million passengers every year, as per the statement. Recent achievements Also, in September 2014, Dubai Airports announced a $32 billion (Dh117.69 billion) Dubai governmentapproved expansion of Al Maktoum International that will increase capacity to 120 million passengers a year. Meanwhile, Mohammad Abdullah Ahli, Director General of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and CEO of the Dubai Air Navigation Services, pointed out two recent achievements: The UAE being ranked first in aviation safety and security, and Dubai International Airport ranking as the world‟s largest airport in terms of the number of international passengers. Ismail Balushi, GCAA Assistant Director General of Aviation Safety Affairs, said that the UAE has had achievements in aviation safety. He added that the UAE has topped the list of countries in terms of applying aviation safety standards as per the International Aviation Safety Assessment programme run by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Hamad Al Muhairi, Assistant Director-General for Aviation Security, said that the GCAA developed and implemented relevant electronic services, such as a service that enables the reporting of incidents related to the security and safety of aviation as well as hazardous cargo. The General Civil Aviation Authority also announced the organisation of the Aviation Investment Summit on November 9, in conjunction with the Dubai Air Show.
ادارة العالقات العامة -الشركة القابضة لمصر للطيران