When Fall From Top Is Also A Move Up

     Is this some kind of joke?
     Emirates SkyCargo surrendered “Best Cargo Airline” to Etihad Cargo at the annual UK bow-tie awards gala. Etihad Cargo dumped it’s top cargo executive mid-year and remained sans leadership for several months during a top to bottom management transition.
     But true to form and class, Emirates Group posted record profits for full-year 2006 anyway.
     It makes you wonder about the veracity of awards.
     EK is laughing all the way to the bank with $941.8 million in profits last year, growing air trade to places like Latin America and full airplanes wherever they fly.
     EK’s star is bound to rise even higher in the year ahead.
     Emirates plans to order more aircraft during 2007, with a goal of operating a fleet of 161 planes by 2010.
     The aircraft in mind could be another few dozen A380s or perhaps a combination platter of aircraft, including the born again A350s.
     At SkyCargo there’s no indication from Sedgley (above left) and Menen (above right) that showing up for work decreases your chances for another top cargo airline ranking run in 2007.
     Stay tuned.  
    Off On The Road To Acquisitions . . . Jean-Cyril Spinetta, Chairman and CEO of the Air France KLM Group at China Aviation Development Forum in Beijing yesterday May 10.
    "The air transport sector has a vital role to play in the world economy.
    “If the global economy is to continue to develop, it needs to rely on efficient and profitable air transport.
    "Development of air transport is contingent on consolidation.
    “Alliances already play an important role in this process, by grouping airlines around a strong commercial project. “However, I am convinced that equity-based mergers are the only solution to restructuring our sector, as they will give airlines the critical size they need to adapt to a fast-changing economic context."

All Cargo India

    Air India Cargo's first freighter, an Airbus A310 arrived in Mumbai recently.
    The aircraft was initially acquired by Air India in 1990 for passenger operations.
    Air India, will be starting dedicated cargo operations from June this year.
    It will be converting six Airbus A-310 aircraft into freighters at an estimated cost of around $7 million each with plans to dedicate the remaining fleet of A 310 aircraft to cargo freighters in the next three years.
    The European Aeronautic Defense & Space Company (EADS) converted the 16 year-old passenger aircraft VT-EQS, one of the youngest in the A-310 fleet.
    Speaking about the transition, S. Venkat Executive Director, Public Relations, Air India said:
    “The region has been experiencing an upsurge in the import-export market. “Owing to this increase in demand, Air India has decided to deploy the freighter in the Gulf sector.
    “This step is taken to bolster the AI Cargo operations and cater to the growing import-export demand.
    “Our long term plan includes conversion of more aircraft into freighters.”
For the record Air India operated dedicated all-cargo operations to the U.S. till 1996, that were discontinued for operational reasons.
    No word at this point if all cargo flights to USA will return.
Tirthankar Ghosh

     Emirates increased its A380 order (FlyingTypers May 4), signing a contract with Airbus for an additional four aircraft bringing the carrier’s order book for the big plane to 47.
     "We have repeatedly said we are committed to the A380 and, having now fully settled all past issues, this latest agreement should leave no one in any doubt about our faith in Airbus, the company and the quality of the aircraft we are committing to," Chairman Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum said.
     In true EK class style, “past issues" that might mean compensation for delay in deliveries in the original A380 program was not linked with a number at this announcement.
     Some people just know how to fly.