BA Chairman says "No more kow-towing to U.S. on security"

October 27, 2010


The chairman of British Airways has criticized airport checks as "completely redundant" and said Britain should stop "kow-towing" to US demands for increased security, the Financial Times reported today.
The newspaper quoted Martin Broughton as saying at the annual conference of the UK Airport Operators Association in London on Tuesday that no one wanted weak security.
Broughton said, however, the practice of forcing people to take off their shoes and have their laptops checked separately should be ditched.
"We all know there's quite a number of elements in the security program which are completely redundant," he said.
Broughton said there was no need to "kow-tow to the Americans every time they wanted something done" to beef up security on US-bound flights.

Who's the whistle blower?

October 26, 2010


British Airways could be fined up to EUR€80 million (USD$112 million) next month for fixing cargo prices with other carriers, a source with direct knowledge of the case said on Tuesday.
The European Commission charged BA, Air France-KLM, SAS and several other airlines in December 2007 with taking part in an air freight cartel.
The EU watchdog is expected to announce penalties for the carriers on November 9, several sources have said.
The charges followed raids on both sides of the Atlantic a year earlier that also involved the US Department of Justice.
"The Commission is considering a fine of between EUR€60 million to EUR€80 million," the source said, adding that no final decision has been taken and discussions are continuing.
A European Commission spokeswoman described the figure as speculation.
BA, which declined to comment, lost a record GBP£531 million in the year to March 2010 but expects to break even in the full year to March 2011 despite bigger-than-expected first quarter losses due to the impact of volcanic ash and strikes.
LUFTHANSA BLEW WHISTLE The Commission has not identified the targets of its probe, but BA, Lufthansa, SAS, Air France-KLM, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Air Canada and Alitalia all confirmed they had been investigated.
Lufthansa previously said it had immunity as it alerted the Commission to the cartel.
The probe initially targeted more than 20 carriers, including Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Korean Air, Cargolux, Malaysia Airlines and Alitalia, but not all are expected to be found guilty.
The Commission can fine companies up to 10 percent of their global sales for breaching EU rules, but fines rarely reach that level.
BA and Korean Air each paid USD$300 million in criminal fines in the US price probe in 2007; Air France-KLM agreed to a USD$87 million US civil antitrust claims settlement in July.
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Finnair strike ends

October 26, 2010


The Finnish Aviation Union (IAU) said late on Tuesday that it had reached agreement on a new wage deal, ending a two-day strike by air transport technical staff, which had halted aircraft maintenance.
Finnish national carrier Finnair, which cancelled 35 flights on Monday and Tuesday, said its traffic is expected to return to normal on Wednesday.
"The strike has ended, industrial actions will be ramped down and employees will return to work," IAU said in a statement, adding that the new deal is for three years.
Finnair spokeswoman Paivi Huuhtanen said some 1,500 passengers were affected by the strike, but noted the costs had not been estimated.
Scandinavian airline SAS's Blue1 also had to cancel some 14 flights due to the strike.

Finnair cancels flights

October 25, 2010


Finnish national carrier Finnair has cancelled 19 flights on Monday and 15 on Tuesday, because of a strike by air transport technical staff halting maintenance of aircraft.
Finnair spokeswoman Inka Ikonen said about 900 passengers on Monday and about 500 on Tuesday were being impacted by the strike.
"It is very difficult to estimate the costs," Ikonen added.
Around 900 Finnish Aviation Union's (IAU) members begun a strike on Monday at 5 am local time after a new wage deal was not reached on Sunday.
Both the IAU and employer's representative on Sunday evening turned down the state mediator Esa Lonka's proposal for a new deal and the parties are now waiting for the talks to reconvene.
"We have not yet received an invitation for talks from Lonka," IAU's deputy chairman Reijo Hautamaki said.
So far Scandinavian airline SAS’s Blue1 and Finncomm airlines have not cancelled any flights.
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SAS Traffic Up In September

Scandinavian airline SAS said passenger traffic rose 8.5 percent in September from a year earlier while its yield in the month was seen coming in negative, in line with the previous month.
SAS said its passenger load factor rose 3.6 percentage points year-on-year to 74.3 percent.
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More Strikes..Yikes...Here we go agian...Tel Aviv Airport Strike Grounds Flights

September 13, 2010


Reuters reports...ground staff began an indefinite strike at Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion airport on Monday, initially halting all outgoing flights, an airport spokeswoman said. Will these strikes never stop at a time when airlines and the economy in gerneral is trying to recover?
The stoppage by Israel Airports Authority workers in support of pension demands occurred during one of the busiest holiday periods of the year in Israel, she said.
Flights already en route to Ben-Gurion, Israel's main international airport, were being allowed to land but all ground services such as offloading of baggage were suspended.
"The airport is currently closed to all outgoing flights and the strike is currently open-ended," the spokeswoman said.

Air Berlin Reaches Agreement with Cockpit Staff

Management at Air Berlin and LTU announced they have reached a successful framework agreement with VC, the pilots’ union, with regard to the working conditions for cockpit personnel. The collective bargaining process that has been ongoing since the beginning of the year has therefore been brought to an amicable conclusion.
British Airways union expected to meet for discussions Monday 6 September.
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Not another BA strike ballot

September 1, 2010


Will it never stop?????

The union representing British Airways' cabin crew is considering balloting members over a fresh wave of strike action if no progress on a peace deal is made soon.
A spokeswoman for the Unite union said a new strike ballot was "always an option" and that there would be a mass meeting of its members on Monday, September 6.
Keep updated at Europebyair and find the cheapest fares to and beyond Europe.
The union representing British Airways' cabin crew is considering balloting members over a fresh wave of strike action if no progress on a peace deal is made soon.
A spokeswoman for the Unite union said a new strike ballot was "always an option" and that there would be a mass meeting of its members on Monday, September 6.
Keep updated at Europebyair and find the cheapest fares to and beyond Europe.

Ryanair call Union Members "selfish and under worked."

TTG live . com reports Ryanair has branded Unite members as “selfish and under worked” following their announcement to strike in the wake of a continued dispute with airport operator BAA.

The airline said a late August strike could disrupt travel for up to 50,000 of its passengers, with an estimated 300 flights per day being cancelled at three airports across the UK.
Ryanair also urged all customers affected by the strike to seek compensation directly from Unite’s General Secretary, Derek Simpson, after labelling the union’s tactics as blackmail targeted at ordinary passengers.
Ryanair’s Daniel de Carvalho said: “There is no justification for any strikes by these selfish and underworked Unite members at a time when traffic at BAA’s airports is falling and they are even less busy than they were last year.
“Unite members should be getting a pay freeze to reflect their reduced productivity at the BAA airports this year.”
British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and BMI all said they were monitoring the situation and hoped the BAA and Unite could reach an agreement that would prevent further disruption.
Ryanair said it would contact passengers whose flights were affected by the action and those not contacted should report to airports as normal.

To keep updated on happenings to Europe and beyond check with Europebyair.

Strike updates

AIR BERLIN pilots (Vereinigung Cockpit) voted to strike by end of August if they cannot reach new deal with the airline.

AIR TRANSAT pilots (ALPA) overwhelmingly voted to strike if they cannot reach new deal with the airline.

EVERGREEN INTL AIRLINES pilots (ALPA) rejected tentative collective bargaining agreement with the airline.
Stay tuned

BAA averts strike

Ground staff offered 2 pct rise plus one-off payment



LONDON, Aug 17 (Reuters) - British airport operator BAA offered ground staff a 2 percent pay rise plus a one-off payment of at least 500 pounds ($781), averting strikes which had threatened to close major UK airports, the Unite union said.
Unite said on Tuesday it would recommend its members at BAA -- which include security staff, firemen and engineers -- accept the pay settlement reached on Monday following nine hours of talks. [ID:nLDE67F1RQ]
The deal is an increase on BAA's previous offer of a 1 percent rise plus an extra 0.5 percent conditional on changes to sickness agreements.
"The negotiations were tough but Unite has delivered a fair offer for BAA staff," Unite national officers Brian Boyd and Brendan Gold said in a statement.
The threatened walkout by ground staff would likely have shut BAA's six British airports, which include Heathrow and Stansted in London, disrupting the plans of thousands of travellers at the height of the holiday season.
BAA apologised to passengers for uncertainty caused by the dispute, which followed strikes by airline cabin crew and disruption from the spread of ash from an erupting volcano in Iceland this year.
"We believe this is a fair offer for staff in what remains a difficult economic environment for the aviation industry," a spokeswoman for BAA said.
"All parties brought a constructive approach to negotiations and we are sorry for the uncertainty ahead of yesterday's discussions."
Unite said that under the deal staff would get a 2 percent pay rise effective from the start of 2010, and arrangements to sick pay would remain unchanged.
BAA, owned by Spanish group Ferrovial (FER1.MC), had angered union members by withdrawing a 450 pound payment conditional on BAA's hitting earnings targets -- which it missed by 3 percent.
But the union said BAA had now agreed to lump-sum payments of between 500 and 900 pounds, linked to the earnings performance of each airport, to be paid in two installments.
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British airport operator BAA and the Unite union agree to talks

August 13, 2010


British airport operator BAA and the Unite union are to hold talks on Monday aimed at averting planned strikes by ground staff, conciliation service Acas said.
Unite said on Thursday its members at BAA, owned by Spanish group Ferrovial, had voted three-to-one in favor of industrial action in a dispute over pay.
The threatened walk-out by essential staff including security guards, firemen and engineers would probably close BAA's six British airports, which include London's Heathrow and Stansted, disrupting the travel plans of thousands of people.
"Talks between BAA and Unite will take place under the auspices of Acas at midday on Monday 16 August," Acas chief conciliator Peter Harwood said, adding that the talks would take place at an undisclosed location.
Unite's officials are also due to meet on August 16 to decide the dates of any walk-outs. The union has to give seven days' notice of planned industrial action.

Spanish air strike on hold

I have not posted additional information on the status of strikes effecting Europe. The past few days I have been monitoring the situation. But, now Spain’s air traffic controllers have called off a strike planned for later this month, saying they don’t want to further dent the country’s troubled tourism industry.

According to MailOnline, around 300,000 British tourists could have had their holidays ruined following the breakdown of negotiations over pay and working conditions on Friday.
But after an outcry from Spain’s tourist industry and a damning response from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the UNSCA union has vowed to postpone the action.
Spain’s tourism industry was hit particularly hard by the recession and, although many Britons will holiday there this summer, its overall visitor numbers have dropped dramatically the third year in a row.
UNSCA spokesman Cesar Cabo said: ‘The union understands the concerns of the tourism sector and passengers.’
Uncertainty over the possibility of strikes had already hurt last-minute bookings, which are lower than predicted. But tourism and airline officials feared visitor numbers could fall even further after talks with Spain’s airport authority AENA broke down last week.
Many tourists had already looked at cancelling or postponing their trips.
‘We would have liked the decision to be definitive and not just for the month of August,’ said Juan Ignacio Lema, chairman of AENA, in a statement.
If you are holding reservations for a European destination it is always wise to check with the airline. When you are thinking of making reservations to Europe and Beyond look for the best deals at EuropebyAir.com

BA Ready for Strike Action

05 AUG 2010:

Talks between British Airways and the cabin crew union Unite, shows no sign of reaching an accord anytime soon. Instead, Unite is threatening to have cabin crew members vote again for further strikes starting in September. Meanwhile BA continues to train volunteer cabin crew and insists it will still be able to operate all its long-haul flights from Heathrow, regardless of the outcome of a strike vote.

The carrier issued a brief statement saying there had been a short a short meeting at ACAS on Tuesday and there were plans to meet again next week, but it provided no date for any future meeting.

BA chief executive Willie Walsh said, "I want to reach a resolution, but we are preparing for further industrial action."

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Spain's Air Traffic Controllers Vote to Strike

August 4, 2010


Spain's air traffic controllers have voted to strike in mid-August to protest against pay cuts and changes to their job conditions, their union USCA said.
An exact date for the start or duration of the industrial action, likely to cause chaos in the nation's airports at the height of the busy tourist season, is still to be decided.
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Are Good Times Back Or Just a Great Summer

It appears good times are finally back for the nation's airlines. For you the traveler, it could mean fare bargins may be harder to find .Although today many of the carriers were offering reduced August rates to a number of destinations
This summer's travel season got off to a great start, fares were up, and fees from baggage and other items formerly free brought in large amounts of incremental revenue...
The six biggest U.S. airlines earned about $1.3 billion in the second quarter, and more profits are expected for the rest of the year. .
Here's a look at what travelers can expect in the months ahead:
FEES
A recent study shows that worldwide, carriers took in $13.5 billion from fees in 2009, a 43 percent jump in just one year.
"Fees are going to be around for awhile. Spirit Airlines' announced a fee of $45 for some carry-on bags beginning on some flights starting Aug. 1.
Summer fares are up an average of 18 percent, However, travel demand will taper off as fall approaches —
LOAD FACTORS
Leisure travel demand has been strong and although we are seeing some over the board sales for August. Seats are full like never before. Including regional flights, Delta filled 88 percent of its seats in June, Continental sold 87 percent, and American 86 percent — that's about 2 percentage points higher than last summer
Although the summer has been strong, advance bookings for the month of August are running behind last year's numbers..So, are we  out of the recession or just having a good summer?
EuropebyAir has some of the best bargins to and within Europe...Check out Flight Pass for hop scotching around Europe and beyond.

Flybe Expands Maintaining Profitability

British airline Flybe has ordered 35 aircraft worth USD$1.3 billion from Brazilian planemaker Embraer, as it drives expansion in continental Europe.

The order, which comprises 35 firm initial orders of the Embraer E series aircraft for USD$1.3 billion with options for 65 more and purchase rights for a further 40, has a potential total value of USD$5 billion.
Flybe chief executive Jim French said he was confident of growth, despite challenges earlier year from the ash cloud and nervous consumer sentiment.
"We have grown by about 20 percent compound, we see anything up to 10 percent going forward," he said.
He said the group was confident of its business model which focuses on domestic flights from smaller regional airports, after maintaining a profit through the recession. Flybe currently operates a fleet of 72 planes.
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Airbus Says Recession Over

Airbus pronounced the recession over from its point of view on Thursday, as it wrapped up the Farnborough Airshow with a total of USD$13 billion in firm orders.

The European planemaker confirmed it would exceed its order target for 2010 and said it was considering a fresh increase in production to meet an upswing in demand.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the recession is definitely over," sales chief John Leahy told a news conference after a string of deals mainly with leasing companies betting on an upturn.
"Liquidity is back in the market, traffic is back in the market and GDP growth is back," Leahy said. "It looks as though we have turned the corner and that is why we are seeing strong growth."
He said airline figures showed that premium traffic was rebounding after a slump during the financial crisis.
It went down when investment bankers and lawyers got fired, but they got hired back and planes are flying full again."
Chief executive Tom Enders said Airbus would sell "north of 400" planes in 2010 compared with a previous target up to 300.
He and Leahy said Airbus was considering further increases in its single-aisle production rate and may also increase wide-body production.
Several companies at the air show reported positive signs from the market but said economic signals also looked mixed.
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Passenger Travel in Europe Increases

Two years after the financial crisis that affected countries across the globe, it seems that there are some improvements in business particularly air travel.

According to the AEA, or the Association of European Airlines, data shows that for the month of June this year, the passenger traffic in Europe has returned to its normal rate before the strike of the recession. This means that the number of air travellers in Europe has reached figures similar to that before the financial crisis.
More and more passengers are booking themselves on longer flights this year, thereby increasing passenger kilometres to eight per cent compared to data from June 2009. When making your plans to Europe and beyond ck with EuropebyAir for our insider fares.

Boeing 787 Makes First Overseas Landing at Farnborough

July 18, 2010

Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner touched down in Britain on Sunday on its first trip outside the United States, thrilling hordes of eager plane spotters who came out to see the breakthrough carbon-composite plane.
A media circus ensued as Boeing executives, including chief executive Jim McNerney, emerged smiling from the plane, though McNerney did not actually fly to the UK on the plane, instead getting on board after landing.
Social media was active with blow-by-blow coverage of the arrival, pointing to the intense interest in the plane not only within the business but also in the flight-enthusiast community.
The 787 is expected to take the spotlight at this week's Farnborough Airshow. Last-minute technical issues had raised fears in recent weeks that the plane might not make its long-anticipated trip to the show, but the plane arrived doing a flyover with a "tilt and wave" before landing.