White Papers & Speeches
- Airborne Picocell Networks
January 31, 2008
We speak with David Gross, chief analyst at Freesky Research, and discuss the report he just published click here to view.
David mentions the future of in-flight communications for airlines, the various revenue models and the ease with which WiFi can be installed in the various fleets. 2008 is going to be a very interesting year for in-flight communications in the US.
- Aloha enters Chapter - again
March 28, 2008
Ted Reed, airlines reporter for TheStreet.com, and George Hamlin, MD at ACA Associates, discuss the news that an long established and much loved airline in Hawaii has entered bankruptcy - again.
Is the Hawaii market inherently too small for three carriers? Does Aloha even fly the right plane for its intra-island business? High fuel prices are blamed along with the entry of Mesa's operation by Aloha. In the end Hawaii does not benefit from this disruption and the industry does not have a solution to make things any better.
- Another 787 Delay?
January 15, 2008
Another delay in the 787 program. This is not good news for Boeing. Over the weekend customers were notified - so the news started to leak. The news has already impacted Boeing's stock price.
Without any good news, Boeing's share price is likely to fall again.
- Aviation Deregulation: A Work in Progress
- Beyond Isolated Innovation: The Power of Collaboration
February 29, 2008
Join us for this informative 12 minute podcast where SITA and Air Transport World discuss the opportunities and challenges new technologies bring, and how airlines can work together to innovate and pioneer developments that benefit the community as a whole. Addison Schonland sits down with Greg Ouillon, Head of Development & Innovation for Communication Services for SITA. - British Airways' new airline
January 16, 2008
In a fairly long podcast (21 minutes) we have a conversation with Doug McVitie from Arran Aerospace in Paris and Timothy O'Neil-Dunne from T2Impact in Seattle discussing British Airways' new airline.
The consensus is that this experiment does not look like it will amount to much. Indeed, we cannot figure out what exactly BA is trying to to achieve. Given that BA is a very well established brand and is as mature an airline as exists, what on earth are they doing?
From every angle we look at it, this is an odd decision. A decision we think that will be reversed before long.
- Cessna announces the Columbus
February 6, 2008
We had a bit of a scoop today--minutes after Cessna sent off its sales team to start the emails, faxes and phone calls we got the word from Cessnas VP Marketing Tom Aniello about the just announced Cessna Columbus. A large cabin jet that takes over from the Citation X--4,000 mile range and to have the greenest engines in its class. To say that Mr. Aniello sounded pumped is putting it mildly!
- Changing Airline Culture
Addressing the Behavioral Side of Change, by Joseph E. Shackford - Delta's Merger Talk's
January 11, 2008
The AirInsight team speaks with Scott McCartney, journalist for the Wall Street Journal and whose column-The Middle Seat -has become famous. We discuss the news of Delta's interest in starting negotiations with both Northwest and United about mergers.
Scott McCartney thinks that United is a good choice and does not see Northwest as the "natural" first choice. We also review briefly the green movement in the US.
- Delta's Operation Clockwork: Transforming the Fundamentals of an Airline
A decade-long commoditization trend has firmly established the operating cost structure as the real battlefield for competitive advantage. In the end, everyone will be striving for the same objective, that is, to create the lowest cost business model that will achieve the highest efficiency while growing revenues. Optimizing network design is no longer sufficient; survival in todays airline industry literally depends on excellence in network design and consistent rigor in day-to-day execution. - Divided we stand, United we fall!
May 6, 2008
The IAG team does a quick review of the possible merger between United and US Airways and it looks nasty. As the table clearly illustrates United is the industry's weakest link. As stated in the podcast, the bear only has to catch the weakest - but there is more than one carnivore doing the chasing, so nobody is really safe.
Download the chart here.
That said, United and US Airways can clearly be bled to death by Southwest. The weakest are up against the strongest and the situation is dire. Merging the two weakest adds not one bit to a more secure future. Indeed, US Airways should reject United's overtures forthwith as the bear will catch United first. US Airways may be able to escape if the industry's fortunes turn within the year. For United, all things remaining the same, the year looks like being lunch.
- Feeling lucky? Flying in the USA.
February 4, 2008
Rob Mark writes a neat blog at jetwhine.com and has strong views on FAA and its relationship with Air Traffic Controllers. Listening to him you start to have a deep down sense of unease - what if the system is really at max capacity? What is the controllers are unable to do more than they do now?
We know there are increasing "near misses" - that's a fact. So why is this happening? After all this is the USA, with its amazing safe aviation system - right? Listening to Rob you might feel a little squirm also. The kind that leaves you wondering about the miracles that people perform daily keeping literally thousands of air travelers safe. How much can the system handle before something goes wrong? Still feeling safe, or is it lucky?
- Fleet implications of a Delta/Northwest merger
February 13, 2008
Scott Hamilton and Addison Schonland discuss this possible merger with an "unknown" analyst who needs to stay unnamed for professional reasons. The combining of the fleets at these two airlines is going to be a tough job.
Among the widebodies we see the A330 doing well, but the 787, 777 is an open question. The 744's likely become freighters - and does this give the A380 an edge over a the 747-8?
Among narrowbodies - what happens to the A320 and 737s? They are both large sub-fleets - which one replaces the MD80s? Does Bombardier rejoice as this airline could offer a huge launch order for the CSeries? For that matter is Embraer out of the picture?
This fleet planner nightmare will also be keeping up the sales teams at the OEMs for weeks once a merger is announced. If a merger gets announced.
- Guns on the flight deck
April 11, 2008
We have a discussion with a captain at a major US airline. He is what they call an FFDO (Federal Flight Deck Officer, or a pilot carrying a gun). As he points out this was not something he liked at first. But after checking out the TSA program he decided to join it.
What is interesting is that this pilot realizes that his gun is by far the last resort. There are numerous things that will happen before a threat can get to the flight deck door, much less enter it.
- Hawaiian Buy Airbus
December 3, 2007
Mark Dunkerley, President & CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, discusses his airline's recent fleet renewal process - selecting Airbus over Boeing.
He also explains the engine selection process; new routes for the fleet and the consideration of new narrow body planes over the next two years.
- How to Reach New Heights of Success
Kaye Shackford - a 30 year aviation veteran and author of the book Charting A Wiser Course: How Aviation Can Address the Human Side of Change - led one of the education sessions at the recent Women in Aviation International Conference. She advised the audience members to achieve multi-dimensional career success by giving themselves permission to do what they love to do and by aligning their own objectives and behaviors with their organization's strategic objectives. And then she showed them how to do so. Air Transport World thinks this message rings true for both men and women in aviation. - MRO: Doing More With Less
Aligning Your People's Behaviors with Your Organization's Objectives, by Kaye M. Shackford - Oil, Labor & Consolidation
January 7, 2008
Speaking with our "unknown" analyst we have a podcast that addresses three horsemen of the airline apocalypse. Don't worry about the fourth horse....its identity will be come soon enough!
This podcast is timely - there are rumors of Delta and Northwest talking again (more seriously) and Southwest sneaking a peek at AirTran.
- Pilot fatigue - Part 1
March 20, 2008
This is the first of a two part podcast on pilots and fatigue. The timing on this podcast is auspicious - this being Sleep Awareness Week. Fatigue is subtle and pilots don't like admitting to it. Tired people make mistakes - and being a tired pilot is not a good thing. As one pilot said, its the little things that happen (or don't happen) when you're tired.
Fatigue creeps up on pilots and this is an issue that needs more attention. A lot more. Indeed, take a look at these two links to see how one pilot views the matter.
- Pilot fatigue - Part 2
March 20, 2008
This is part 2 of the series on pilot fatigue. In part 1 we got the view from pilots about the lifestyle - being tired is a part of the job. In part 2 we speak with a sleep expert who explains what a pilot (and anyone else) can do to fix the problem of fatigue.
Oddly it seems the FAA does not have rules about pilots and fatigue - a call to the FAA about this was not responded to. If this is not the case, and FAA has rules, we'd like to hear about it.
- Privatizing Midway--implications?
February 19, 2008
David Bentley is author of Global Airports Privatization Report and also editor of Airports Investor Monthly. David reviews the Midway situation and discusses various other US airports and their potential for privatization. The US has not been a particularly good place for these deals--they are more common overseas. But given the Midway deal on offer, it may open up the US to more such deals. Airports, according to Bentley, offer returns between 20% to 30%, so it's an attractive investment.
- SITA 2008 Baggage Report
In this fourth annual edition of the report, SITA explores the latest trends in baggage processing and management across the global air transport industry, and reviews the latest available figures for lost and mishandled baggage.
- So, you want to start an airline?
January 7, 2008
Listen to Jack, a US-based entrepreneur, who wants to start an airline. He explains what it has taken over the past three years to understand the business - get people first, not money. Nobody will invest in an airline without a team to execute.
Jack also explains how hard it is - but clearly how exciting it is too. He points out that you need big friends - people like Boeing's Startup group to keep you focused and on track.
Yes, if you have a vision you can do this too.
- Supply Chain Visibility Solutions Pave the Way for Continual Performance Improvement
- The Juxtaposition of M&A vs. Bankruptcy for the US airlines
March 25, 2008
George Hamlin is the managing director of ACA Associates, A New York-based aviation and aerospace consulting firm. George has been in the business for over 30 years. There is nothing about the current industry malaise he is not familiar with. He points out that the industry cannot seem to decide what it can sell for a reasonable rate of return. Furthermore the industry cannot benefit unless stricter laws of nature are applied the weak need to leave the industry. Its been that way before and its time the laws of nature allow the system to self correct.
- The rise and rise of US air fares
April 8, 2008
Rick Seaney is CEO of Farecompare.com and probably now one of the leading thinkers on US air fares. Everybody wants to hear what he has to say about air fares.
Americans have been spoiled for years with low fares. But times have changed radically in the past year. With an airline sector in crisis and no sign of any calming of the stormy skies, what should travelers do? Rick says book early. But, we think, beware who you book on - the airline may not be around later this year.
- The State of Airbus and Boeing's Programs
February 2007
ATW's veteran correspondent from Australia discusses the state of Airbus and Boeing's programs.
- Update on the Airbus A350XWB
March 1, 2008
Alan Pardoe, Head of Product Marketing for the Airbus A330/A340/A350 programs, provides an update on the XWB. He explains where the company is in terms of definition, the speed of the design process and the care they are taking with the plane. (The lessons from the A380 and 787 have been learned)
With some 3,000 people worldwide working on the program, its getting a lot of attention. Alan mentions that the 787-3 is likely to not be immune to previous niche programs like the VC10 or folding wing 777. Indeed he feels that modifying Japan's airports would be the better solution to enable larger planes to be used.
Alan also updates us on the A330's bright future and the A340.
- US airlines - do you reconfigure or reregulate?
March 26, 2008
Professor Victor Cook is a senior faculty member at Tulane University - he is the Freeman Professor of Doctoral Studies and Research. Recently Professor Cook wrote a piece on SeekingAlpha.com that is an eye opener. If you ever thought about investing in the airline industry, read his post first. Then think again.
This is a fascinating podcast and we look forward to more chats with the Professor.
- Wither BMI
May 2, 2008
Erkan Pinar, head of AirlineStrategy.com in Munich and Timothy O'Neil-Dunne, Managing Partner at T2Impact LLC discuss the future of UK-based airline, BMI.
The story in interesting because it pits all sorts of big names against each other; Lufthansa has a big stake, SAS is trying to sell their stake and Sir Michael Bishop - who has 50% plus 1 share - may be trying to sell out.
The question is who does he sell to? How can he extract the most value for his stake when so much of the airline is already owned by Lufthansa? Does Lufthansa buy out SAS - if they do, how does this impact the value of the remaining stake?
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