Page 7 - AAA SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2013 Online Magazine

NEWS

Garuda red-faced over
London service
Garuda Indonesia has postponed its
already-announced London service, Laos upgrades to NTT ATM system
initially slated for November, by at The Lao People’s Democratic Republic performance, landforms, obstacles and
least six months. Apparently Garuda has opted for a CNS/ATM upgrade to the weather conditions. It then calculates
had overlooked checking out the NTT Data PANADES system as part of the optimum flight path according to
pavement classification number (PCN) a foreign aid deal with Japan. This will the characteristics of any given aircraft
of Soekarno-Hatta’s runways – which allow for the transition to next-generation category and builds in flight procedures
don’t have required specs for operating aviation safety systems, says the Lao from initial approach, missed approach
a full capacity 777-300ER. “To operate Department of Civil Aviation at Hattay segment, conventional and RNAV
at full capacity the 777-300ER requires International Airport. It is upgrading with procedures, and ‘what-if’ scenarios.
a PCN of 132 tonnes,” said Emirsyah the aim of increasing the safety of air This reduces the time needed to design
Satar, Garuda Indonesia President traffic control and expanding the number flight procedures and enhances safety
and CEO. “Soekarno-Hatta’s runway of flight routes. The system allows for by ensuring the quality and reliability of
has a PCN of only 120 tonnes,” he the design of aircraft flight procedures output. The system will go live in February
admitted – which meant Garuda would based on international standards, taking 2015, complementing similar installations
be unable to fly direct to London. As into consideration factors like aircraft in Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.
the Sydney Morning Herald noted in a
report, the capital’s ageing airport has
exhibited “another example of creaking All change at into the hot seat at a time when Cathay
infrastructure hitting business in Cathay is facing plenty of competition from full
Southeast Asia’s largest economy”. Hong Kong-based fare carriers in China, as well as LCCs
But the change of plans also begs the Cathay Pacific is across the region. Chu has already
question that nobody at Garuda actually to replace current pointed to opportunities for Cathay in
checked the PCN before announcing CEO John Slosar routes to second-tier Chinese cities,
the schedule. After years of “fatigue”, with the current such as Kunming, Xi’an and Chengdu
the 28-year-old runway at the airport Chief Commercial Officer Ivan Chu; which offer lower fuel usage costs and
must be upgraded, said Satar said in a Slosar is to be bumped up to chairman more airspace and landing slots – as
statement – but omitted to mention who of Cathay Pacific. All this shuffling will well as charging less than big-city big-
made the original decision to schedule be completed by March 2014, and will name airports. The airline is reported to
the inoperable flights. Curious. see Chu bring his operational expertise be looking at its own LCC option too.

PROFILE
AFI KLM gets new boss
Anne Brachet, formerly SVP Engineering and Airframe at Air France Industries (AFI), is to replace Franck
Terner as President of AFI – Terner will move to the role of President, Air France KLM Engineering and
Maintenance. Brachet has a long and successful history at AFI, and as a member of AFI Engine Overhaul
Division, helped oversee major industrial development projects such as the integration of new generation
products (GE90 and GP7200) and the construction of new maintenance facilities at several sites. She also
ran Le Bourget Maintenance Centre, where she was involved with total life support of the French Air
Force’s fleet of AWACS surveillance aircraft.

WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2013 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS 7