Australia’s airports post international traffic growth in August

An aerial shot of Tullamarine. (Melbourne Airport)

An aerial shot of Tullamarine. (Melbourne Airport)

Melbourne Airport says international passenger traffic grew 6.6 per cent in August as airlines added new flights linking Tullamarine with destinations in Asia and New Zealand.

The airport handled 777,690 international passengers in August, up from 729,795 in the prior corresponding period. There was also growth in international travellers at Brisbane, Perth and Sydney.

Over the past 12 months, Melbourne has welcomed the Scoot’s flight to Singapore (November 2015), Xiamen Airlines’ service to Xiamen (July 2015) and China Airlines’ Taipei-Melbourne-Christchurch offering.

Melbourne Airport chief executive Lyell Strambi said all three services contributed to the improvement in traffic figures during August.

“It’s important to recognise the significance of new airlines opening up Melbourne routes – both in terms of bringing international visitors to our wonderful state and city, and providing more travelling options for Victorians in return,” Strambi said in a statement.

Meanwhile, domestic traffic at Melbourne Tullamarine rose a more moderate one per cent to 2.02 million.

The airport said the 2.8 million total passengers for the month was the highest ever figure for August at Tullamarine.

Sydney Airport also posted healthy passenger growth in August, with the number of international travellers up 7.6 per cent in the month to 1.2 million, while domestic travellers were 2.9 per cent higher at 2.2 million.

There was more moderate growth at Brisbane Airport, where international passengers was up 2.9 per cent in August at 457,187, while its domestic terminals handled 1.5 million travellers, an increase of 2.3 per cent from the prior corresponding period.

And at Perth Airport, the growth in international passengers helped offset a drop in domestic travellers in August, as the slowdown in mining activity impacted demand for intra-state travel.

There was a 2.2 per cent rise in international passengers to 340,618, while domestic passengers fell 1.1 per cent to 772,175.

 

Australian Aviation

O público está aberto para receber TV de boa qualidade

Com 16 canais e programas como "É Campeão" (foto), SporTV se destacou na cobertura da Olimpíada

Com 16 canais e programas como “É Campeão” (foto), SporTV se destacou na cobertura da Olimpíada

A profecia da desgraça, uma vez mais, se deu mal, com os seus prognósticos sobre Olimpíada e Paraolimpíada no Rio. Tudo correu na mais perfeita ordem e a ressaca dos Jogos já se faz sentir, especialmente na televisão que soube se aproveitar muito bem dela.

Importante destacar que todas as emissoras envolvidas se preocuparam, além da transmissão direta dos Jogos, em oferecer um trabalho jornalístico à altura. Nada passou despercebido.

Se aqui só perdemos para Londres em quantidade de público nas diversas arenas, as audiências conquistadas também foram das mais interessantes, a ponto de o SporTV sair no lucro com seu trabalho distribuído em 16 canais.

Telespectador para o que é bom, comprova-se mais uma vez, existe e os Jogos Olímpicos deixam para a TV, como outra grande lição, exatamente isso: sempre haverá público para o produto de qualidade.

É só se preocupar em oferecer.

Flávio Ricco com colaboração de José Carlos Nery

Carolina Dieckmann só fará novo trabalho na Globo em 2017

carolina-dieckmann

Morando em Miami, Carolina Dickemann combinou com a Globo de só voltar no ano que vem

 

Carolina Dieckmann, que agora mora com a família nos Estados Unidos, foi liberada da Globo até janeiro.

E como ela tem o desejo de ficar lá mais tempo, é bem provável que na sua volta ela faça trabalhos mais curtos.

Tiago Worcman, executivo de televisão, hoje como vice-presidente sênior da Viacom na América Latina, tem a sua base de trabalho em Miami e toda a família está morando lá desde o começo do ano.

 

Flávio Ricco com colaboração de José Carlos Nery

Xuxa está à procura de alguém para cuidar da sua carreira

Xuxa está em busca de alguém para cuidar da sua carreira

Xuxa está em busca de alguém para cuidar da sua carreira

Xuxa, às vezes pessoalmente, e em outras ocasiões por meio de seus assessores diretos, tem realizado contatos para encontrar um profissional do mercado para tocar sua carreira daqui em diante.

É um assunto que ela pretende resolver o mais rápido possível.

Aliás, a sua visita ao Marcos Quintela, teve tudo a ver com isso, muito pela experiência dele no setor.

Antes de chegar à presidência da agência Y&R, este foi um trabalho que o Quintela já fez.

 

Flávio Ricco com colaboração de José Carlos Nery

Korean Air inicia hoje último voo Coreia do Sul – Brasil – Coreia do Sul

Está previsto para decolar às 18h00(Horário de Incheon) , 06h00(Horário de Fortaleza) , o último voo da Korean Air com destino ao Brasil , em Guarulhos, com uma escala em Los Angeles(Estados Unidos) . Esse voo que foi operado pela empresa sul-coreana de maneira ininterrupta desde 2006 foi cancelado devido à recessão que afeta o Brasil , exigência de visto de trânsito nos Estados Unidos , a alta do dólar e ao voo diário Guarulhos -Los Angeles que é realizado pela American Airlines . O voo Guarulhos-Los Angeles acontecia às terças,quintas e sábados . O avião(foto acima) , um A330-200 , vai decolar de Incheon e pousar em Los Angeles para reabastecimento dos tanques de combustível por volta de 12h10(Horário de Los Angeles) , 16h10(Horário de Fortaleza) . 4 horas depois ,vai decolar de Los Angeles a Guarulhos com pouso previsto às 08h00(horário local) . O derradeiro voo Brasil-Estados Unidos-Coreia do Sul decolará às 13h15(Horário de Brasília) e pousará em Los Angeles às 21h35, 01h35(Horário de Brasília). Após o reabastecimento dos tanques de combustível da aeronave e da realização do trâmite na imigração , o avião decola para o último trecho da viagem às 00h45 , 04h45 em Brasília e pousa em Incheon às 05h45 (horário local) , 17h45 de Brasília. A rota não tem previsão para voltar ao cardápio da empresa aérea.

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines and Alliance say charter partnership makes them more competitive against Qantas

An Alliance Fokker 50. (Rob Finlayson)

Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA) and Alliance Airlines say their proposed charter alliance will allow them to compete more effectively against the “one-stop shop” offering from Qantas.

The pair is seeking Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) approval to work together in the charter market on joint tendering for corporate fly-in/fly-out (FIFO) contracts.

The application stated VARA and Alliance had complementary businesses. While both had a base in Perth, Alliance was also present on Australia’s east coast and in central Australia.

Similarly, VARA parent company Virgin Australia had a strong regular public transport (RPT) network and its Velocity frequent flyer program offered FIFO passengers benefits such as lounge access that Alliance could benefit from and what its corporate clients, the bulk of which come from the mining sector, were seeking.

By combining their respective strengths, VARA and Alliance would better match what Qantas was currently able to offer, including through check-in on multi-leg itineraries featuring both RPT and charter flights.

“Currently, Qantas is in a superior (and in part unique) position to provide a full suite of corporate-related services which include charter services, RPT (domestic and international) services and frequent flyer and lounge benefits, to corporate customers on the east coast and central Australia,” the application said.

“Corporate customers have given both of the applicants feedback during tender processes that Qantas is the only provider of the ‘one-stop shop’ on a national basis.

“In a situation where some customers are looking to package their national air services requirements in order to get a more competitive ‘global’ price offer from Qantas, the charter alliance will enable the applicants to match that integrated product offering and compete head to head with Qantas.

“This enhanced competitive position will increase overall competition for corporate charter customers, and particularly competition against Qantas, which is a substantial public benefit for Australian corporate customers.

“Corporate customers, particularly companies with a large FIFO workforce, view these ancillary benefits as highly desirable because the provision of a comprehensive frequent flyer program is a key employee benefit that can be used to attract a higher skilled workforce in a market where there is a shortage of suitable workers.”

VARA and Alliance first announced plans to form a strategic alliance for charter services in February. They lodged their application with the ACCC at the end of August, after signing a long-term agreement earlier that month.

On face value the partnership appears to make a lot of sense. FIFO flying has declined following the end of the so-called mining boom, leaving the market – where other major players aside from the Qantas group of airlines include Cobham Aviation Services and Skippers – considerably more competitive.

The application noted the downturn in the mining sector had resulted in excess capacity and led to demands from corporate clients to do “more for less”.

“Since mid-2013, the mining industry as a whole has been in decline as shown by the annual growth in capital expenditure in the mining sector by volume over time,” the two airlines said.

“As there are very few new resources projects coming online, reductions in the size of FIFO workforces and the closure of mines, demand for FIFO air services has waned over the past few years and there is substantial excess capacity to support FIFO services.

“In addition to the downturn resulting in decreased demand for FIFO services, resource companies are also exerting pressure on FIFO operators to deliver enhanced value through reduced prices.

“Even after diversifying operations and restructuring fleet, there is excess capacity in the FIFO sector as a result of the downturn and therefore operators are competing vigorously for corporate customers, with some operators approaching customers that are close to being out of contract ahead of them commencing their tender procurement processes.”

The application noted VARA operated a fleet of 14 Fokker 100s and two Airbus A320s based at Perth Airport, while Alliance operated five Fokker 50s, eight Fokker 70s and 15 Fokker 100s from operating bases at Brisbane, Townsville, Cairns, Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Auckland.

Based on their respective fleets, Virgin could not offer a charter solution involving aircraft fewer than 100 seats, while Alliance was similarly restricted for charter clients requiring an aircraft with more than 100 seats.

“The charter alliance is a commercial response to the limitations of each of VARA and Alliance Airlines’ current charter and FIFO service capacity,” the application said.

“Through the charter alliance, the applicants will be able to offer customers a more compelling, competitively priced product than each applicant could provide separately.”

The application said the charter alliance would exclude government customers, charter brokers and ad-hoc charter customers.

Australian Aviation

ACCC grants five-year extension of Virgin Australia-Singapore Airlines alliance

Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia.

Australia’s competition regulator approved an extension of Virgin Australia’s alliance with Singapore Airlines (SIA) for a further five years.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said on Friday the alliance, which was first approved in 2011, “has resulted, and is likely to continue to result, in material public benefits”.

While Virgin and SIA had asked for a 10-year extension, the ACCC said its decision to approve the tie-up for only the next five years reflected the changing nature of the aviation sector.

“In light of the ongoing evolution of services between Australia and the United Kingdom and Europe and between Australia and Asia, including Virgin Australia’s proposed expansion of services into Asia, and the dynamic nature of the aviation industry, the ACCC considers it appropriate to review the authorisation earlier than the requested 10 years,” the ACCC’s final determination said.

“For this reason, the ACCC has decided to grant authorisation for five years.”

While Virgin does not operate to Singapore with its own aircraft, the airline has proposedmounting flights to Beijing and Hong Kong from June 1 2017 in partnership with Hainan-based HNA Group.

The Australian carrier also flies nonstop to Bali from Sydney and Brisbane, while SIA offers one-stop services to Bali from the Australian destinations to which it flies.

The ACCC said SIA’s flights to various Asian points from Australia via Singapore, “do not provide a significant competitive constraint”.

“The ACCC considers that, for services between Australia and each of Denpasar-Hong Kong-Beijing, passengers are unlikely to consider Singapore Airlines’ indirect services via Singapore to be a close substitute for Virgin Australia’s non- stop services,” the ACCC said.

“Singapore Airlines indirect services involve significantly greater travel time, reduced convenience, and in the case of Denpasar, significant back tracking.”

Further, there were a number of other airlines offering one-stop itineraries to between Australia and Asia.

“The ACCC considers that these rival airlines are likely to constrain the ability of the applicants to raise price [or] reduce services on their overlap routes,” the ACCC said.

“On this basis, the ACCC considers that the Alliance is unlikely to result in any significant anti-competitive detriment in relation to services between Australia and Asia.”

Final approval followed the ACCC’s draft determination issued in August.

In their May application, the two carriers said they would develop systems to better recognise their high value guests travelling on each other’s networks and flagged the use of data analytics to offer an improved customer proposition and services to customers, helping increase passenger numbers and earned revenue.

Virgin said in a statement the alliance had resulted in new services, such as SIA’s recently launched Singapore-Canberra-Wellington route, as well as flights to Cairns and Darwin operated by the Singapore carrier’s regional wing Silkair.

The pair currently had a joint network of 75 codeshare destinations in Asia, Europe and South Africa connecting onto 49 destinations in Australasia.

Virgin chief executive John Borghetti welcomed the ACCC approval.

“Together with our alliance partner Singapore Airlines, we look forward to continuing to provide Australian travellers with choice and competition on routes from Australia to Asia and Europe,” Borghetti said in a statement.

“We welcome the ACCC’s assessment that the alliance has and will continue to result in material public benefits through enhanced product and services and the promotion of competition in air travel.”

 

Australian Aviation