SHARING INTELLIGENT NEWS
Travelport GDS signs Distribution Agreement with Nok Air
Asia Travel on 07/09/2008 at 9:10am (UTC) | | | Travelport GDS has signed an exclusive content distribution agreement with Thai airline, Nok Air. Under the agreement, Nok Air will provide Galileo-connected travel agents with access to Nok Air’s fares and inventory via Galileo Flight Integrator, a distribution solution catering especially to low cost carriers in Asia.
Established in July 2004, Nok Air is based in Bangkok, Thailand. It currently operates domestic flights within Thailand and includes destinations such as Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Phuket, Krabi and Trang.
With this agreement, Nok Air content will be distributed via Galileo Flight Integrator to connected travel agents across Asia, enabling them to offer their customers greater flexibility and choice to popular Thai destinations.
Nok Air joins over 75 other Low Cost Carriers around the world that are using Galileo as a distribution channel.
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'Airlines can still turn profitable'
Economic Times on 07/07/2008 at 5:40am (UTC) | | | The Indian aviation sector, which is reeling under high fuel costs, can break-even and even become profitable if it focuses on process improvements, improves efficiencies, optimises cost and switches to a leaner business model, says KPMG India. In its report, ‘Indian Aviation: Flying Through Turbulence’ KPMG says ATF accounts for 30% of airline operating costs and it is possible for airlines in India to turn profitable in three years.
The optimism of the report stems from the fact that air traffic is increasing in the country, becoming a primary travel medium not just on metro routes but also in tier 2 and 3 towns.
India’s aviation sector is at a tipping point as increased dependence has been placed on connectivity by air, which is expected to lead to a high growth trend in the coming years. KPMG estimates that by 2012, there would be around 314 million air passengers annually from the current level of 116 million. Till 2004, the Indian aviation sector will handle around 48 million passengers.
The year 2007 marked a turning point in India’s aviation sector, the industry witnessed 34% growth for the third quarter of 2007. India’s passenger traffic is growing at a CAGR of 25.4%, which today is amongst the highest in the world.
In contrast, world air traffic is reportedly growing at a steady 5% according to projections released by Boeing. With six low cost carriers catering to a population of 1.1 billion, the Indian airline sector is expected to outpace the global average by the year 2025. | | | |
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Airlines cut flights, change course of business
Economic Times on 07/07/2008 at 5:39am (UTC) | | | There is more bad news from the aviation industry. Hit by high fuel prices, major airlines have reduced flights on the domestic circuit as demand is ebbing and flights are going half empty.
It is learnt that state-owned carrier Air India has cancelled around 30 flights whereas Jet Airways grounded more than 20 flights due to poor bookings. Delhi-based budget carrier SpiceJet has cancelled around 10 flights and Simplify Deccan has done away with 50 flights.
Jet Airways has combined some flights, due to poor loads, on routes like Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Kolkata. Simplify Deccan is said to have carried out a similar exercise on short haul routes. When contacted, a Jet spokesperson said that few flights have grounded but this was a temporary measure.
Kingfisher is said to have postponed plans for international operations and the target now is September 2008 instead of August 2008. Tom Wright, general manager (India, Middle East, Africa & Pakistan) at Cathay Pacific, told ET that crude prices are expected to reach $200 per barrel by the end of the calendar year. For the last few months, Indian carriers' attempts to find funds for their loss-making ventures (that can be as high as Rs 9 crore daily for giants like Air India-IA or Jet-JetLite) could get more desperate now as crude inches towards the $150 mark.
Low cost airline GoAir has also reduced number of flights to various sectors. Over a period of time, the company has reduced its operations to 800 flights a month in the ongoing lean season from about 1,000 flights earlier. "We have reduced in the actual scenario and environment our flights to about 800 a month during the upcoming low season," a company statement said.
GoAir is also planning to restructure its fleet into a younger one by replacing older aircraft. Currently, the airline is focusing on substituting its old aircraft with new ones. Two new A320 would join its fleet in August and September of this year and six more in 2009.
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Finnair adjusts Flight Schedules between Asia and Europe
Asia Travel on 07/07/2008 at 5:35am (UTC) | | | Finnair has confirmed that it will add connections between Asia and Europe in its winter 2008-2009 season by adjusting the schedules of its Asia flights. By increasing the number of onward connections Finnair aims to increase passenger sales and load factors to meet the growing pressure caused by rising fuel prices.
Finnair’s Delhi and Mumbai departure from Helsinki will be moved closer to the arrival time of the main European wave in Helsinki. This way the number of connecting cities in Europe for Delhi doubles and transfer times for passengers to Mumbai will be significantly shorter from many European cities.
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Safest seats on airplane are in aisle: Study
Press Trust Of India on 06/27/2008 at 5:55am (UTC) | | | Your choice of seat on an airplane really can be a matter of life or death, a study has suggested.
Giving an answer to the question that most nervous flyers ask themselves -- where is the safest place to sit -- an exhaustive study of 105 plane accidents and personal accounts from almost 2,000 survivors has suggested that the safest seats are in aisle.
The study, commissioned by UK's Civil Aviation Authority and carried out by Greenwich University, found that the seats with the best survival rate were in the emergency exit row and the row in front or behind it.
For the best chance of getting out alive from a burning aircraft, people should choose an aisle seat near the front within five rows of an emergency exit, it said.
The most dangerous seats are those six or more rows from an exit. "Here, the chances of perishing far outweigh those of surviving," The Times daily quoted the study as saying today.
The report in the British daily said passengers sitting towards the front of the aircraft had a 65 per cent chance of escaping a fire, while the survival rate for those at the rear was 53 per cent. The survival rate in aisle seats was 64 per cent, compared with 58 per cent for other passengers.
The report said Virgin Atlantic charges 50 or 75 pounds one way for a seat in an exit row. The study may even lead to airlines considering putting families and elderly people near the exits. However, regulations require passengers in those seats to be fit enough to help to open the door.
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Air Korea becomes Jin Air
Asia Travel on 06/19/2008 at 7:56am (UTC) | | | Jin Air, which was tentatively known as Air Korea, has unveiled its corporate name, branding, corporate image, and employee uniform.
The name Jin Air holds several meanings. It comes from a Chinese character, pronounced ‘jin’ in Korean, which means ‘true’ or ‘genuine’. It can also be interpreted as ‘jeans’ which will be a part of Jin Air’s staff uniforms, which represent Jin Air’s ambition of providing practical, easy-to-reach yet value-added travel experience to the public.
“Jin Air’s goal is to provide safe and convenient services to our valuable customers,” said Jae Kun Kim, CEO of Jin Air. “We will exhibit a new airline operation model, positioning Jin Air as a premium short-haul carrier.”
Jin Air is expected to start operations on domestic routes within Korea in mid-July.
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