Page 6 - AAA JULY-AUGUST 2012 Online Magazine

NEWS

INDUSTRY NEWS AND UPDATES

Stelios is back!
EasyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-
Ioannou is moving to Africa, to set up
a new LCC, called Fastjet. “It is the
optimum time to launch because Africa
is hugely underserved from an aviation
perspective. It is the last frontier for
aviation,” said Ed Winter, the former
easyJet COO who will become Fastjet
CEO. The airline will fly between Kenya,
Tanzania, Ghana and Angola, and the
Sweet seat average fare will be US$ to US$80. It
aims to be operational by the end of
You’ve been there. The fat guy in the to like-minded travellers,” said Michael 2012, and to be the first pan-African
next seat wants to tell you about his job, Grimme, airBaltic’s SVP Sales and LCC. Fastjet will launch with three
his dog, his ex-wife and more. You just Marketing. The system allows passengers jets and plans to operate to European
want to sleep. Latvian national airline indicate their “flight mood”, hobbies, standards, Winter said.
airBaltic understands your pain and has interests, or social media activities when
launched an innovative service called they book, and to indicate “Work”, “Easy
SeatBuddy that puts Mr Flabby Blabby Chat”, “Business Talk” or the quiet of
in a different seat. “This new service, “Relax” as preferences. These are used to
[allows] our customers to be seated next automatically select the closest match.

Qantas tanks
Australian national carrier Qantas saw
over US$500 million wiped off its market Airports planned:
value following the release of its financial
statement that showed an underlying pre- need investment
tax profit down 91% from last year. Last year The Indian government plans to attract
saw US$552 million before tax – this year’s is US$10 billion in investments in the next
only US$50 to US$100 million, which is likely five years for airports from private and
to lead to an overall operating loss, although foreign sources. Keeping in mind this
CEO Alan Joyce was coy about exactly how big-ticket investment is needed over
much. The one bright point is the company’s the next five years, a draft policy on tariff
bank balance, with CFO Gareth Evans noting regulation at a large number of airports
that Qantas still had “a significant amount not under the ambit of the Airports
of cash on the balance sheet: over US$3 Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA)
billion.” This, asserted Evans, gives the is being worked out. AERA currently
airline flexibility in its capital pipeline as well regulates tariff for only 15 airports. Of
as an investment-grade credit rating from the 456 airports and airstrips in India,
agencies. It will need it, but the likelihood of only 84 are operational. Room for
an Emirates buyout looks increasingly likely. investment indeed.

6 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS JULY / AUGUST 2012 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM