DELTA/AIRFRANCE-KLM joining forces in JAL deal
Despite denial or no comments made from both sides by JAL and DELTA, reports on early Friday (11SEP09) surfaced that DELTA is in talks to purchase shares in JAL. This was first reported by Reuters quoting news report by Japan’s NHK. DELTA would be offering over 10 billion Yen financially for JAL restructuring.
However, there are new developments (see below):
Late Friday night, Japanese media reported that AIRFRANCE-KLM is also being approached for the JAL deal. (47News Japan)
There are speculations about the future between JAL and oneWorld. The report filed by 47News Japan quote, the alliance is “weak” in Asia, giving JAL less advantage. Joining DELTA (-led Skyteam) would overturn the situation (Note: although Skyteam is comparably weak as well)
Asahi Shimbun on Saturday (12SEP09) reports that JAL-DELTA tie-up deal will further achieve cost-cutting, for example, JAL could handover some flights to DELTA and vice versa on Trans-Pacific and Asia route (although there are not much Trans-Pacific routes JAL could let DELTA operate). It also reports that The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) is actually supporting the talk. Alliance-wise, it also reported that although there are voices preferring JAL to stay in oneWorld, it may be forced to switch to Skyteam if the deal goes through.
提携が実現すれば、双方の路線網を活用し、コスト削減につなげる狙いだ。例えば日本とアジアを結ぶ路線の運航は主に日航が担う一方、日米間で共通する路線については、日航が一部路線を廃止、減便してデルタに委ねるといった役割分担が可能になる。実現すれば双方のコスト削減につながりそうだ。デルタとの交渉を後押しした国交省は、日航に対し、欧州でも提携を拡大させたい意向だ。デルタとともに国際航空連合「スカイチーム」の主要メンバーであるエールフランスＫＬＭとの共同運航を拡大させ、パリやアムステルダムを中心とした同社のネットワークを活用して運航を効率化したいとみられる。
ただ、日航は現在、デルタのライバルであるアメリカン航空などと国際航空連合「ワンワールド」を形成する。日航内には、ワンワールドへの残留を希望する声があるが、デルタとの資本提携が実現すれば脱退を迫られる可能性もあり、リスクを伴う。
Yomiuri Shimbun on Saturday (12SEP09) further reports that, AIRFRANCE-KLM Group is to join forces with DELTA to purchase JAL shares. However, it noted that whether there will be objections from the bank consortium (from 4 banks) may be in question. The JAL restructuring is assisted/funded by a bank conglomerate for up to 100 Billion Yen while the Government is offers assistance and advisory. During the period of April – June 2009, JAL reported 99 Billion Yen loss.
Under the law, foreign ownership can not exceed 1/3 shares of a Japanese carrier. Currently such ownership in JAL is roughly around 5%.
経営再建中の日本航空は１１日、世界最大の航空会社、米デルタ航空と、欧州最大手のエールフランス―ＫＬＭの２社から出資を受ける交渉に入ったことを明らかにした。
Although a oneWorld member, JAL has strong ties with AIRFRANCE and Korean Air. In particular, JAL and Korean Air codeshares on all service between Korea and Japan, while JAL-AIRFRANCE partnership dated since 1960.
Transaero launching Egypt route from Ekaterinburg
Transaero is launching 2 seasonal routes to Egypt from Ekaterinburg from 25OCT09. It is to operate 2 weekly each to Hurghada and Sharm el Sheikh.
Schedule as follows:
Ekaterinburg – Hurghada
UN949 SVX1030 – 1305HRG 767 36
UN950 HRG1405 – 2220SVX 767 36
Ekaterinburg – Sharm el Shiekh
UN951 SVX1100 – 1335SSH 767 25
UN952 SSH1435 – 2250SVX 767 25
S7 Airlines launches Nonstop Chita service
Starting 16SEP09, S7 Airlines is offering 2 weekly Moscow Domodedovo – Chita NONSTOP service with Boeing 737-800. This is in addition to 2 weekly (3 until 15SEP09) 1-stop service via Novosibirsk.
Schedule as follows:
S7117 DME2005 – 0825+1HTA 738 36
S7118 HTA0955 – 1055DME 738 47
S7119 DME1740 – 0030+1OVB0130+1 – 0725+1HTA 319 15
S7120 HTA0845 – 0845OVB0945 – 1100DME 319 26
S7 / Royal Jordanian to begin codesharing
S7 Airlines from 15SEP09 begins codesharing on Royal Jordanian’s Amman – Moscow Domodedovo route.
Codeshare route as follows:
| Route | S7 Codeshare | RJ operating |
| Moscow Domodedovo – Amman | S74178 | RJ178 |
| Amman – Moscow Domodedovo | S74177 | RJ177 |
Transasia launches Taichung – Hualien
Transasia Airways starting 15SEP09 operates 3 weekly Taichung – Hualien domestic Taiwan service. Service operates with ATR72.
Schedule as follows:
GE051 RMQ1400 – 1500HUN AT7 257
GE052 HUN1220 – 1320RMQ AT7 257
Kingfisher A330 Domestic Run
As per GDS timetable display on 11SEP09, Kingfisher Airlines is to operate Airbus A330 aircraft on the Bangalore – Mumbai ONE-WAY route on 14SEP09 and 15SEP09.
This would be the first time Kingfisher operating wide-body aircraft on domestic route.
Schedule as follows:
IT6001 BLR1600 – 1730BOM 330 12
Cimber Air ends Norrköping – Munich
Cimber Air starting 24OCT09 is cancelling Norrköping – Munich service.
It appears that it will not be resuming this route in Spring 2010
airBaltic seasonal suspension to Linköping
airBaltic starting 01OCT09 is suspending service to Linköping.
It currently operates Riga – Linköping – Bergen and Riga – Linköping – Stavanger. As per 11SEP09 GDS timetable display, these service are to be resumed from 29MAR10.
Air Canada winter suspensions on 2 Routes
Air Canada is temporary suspending Calgary – Chicago and Halifax – New York La Guardia service for the Winter 2009/10 season.
Service suspends from 31OCT09 to 30APR10.
AIRFRANCE 2009/10 Winter long-haul update
As per GDS timetable display on 11SEP09, AIRFRANCE made further capacity adjustments for its 2009/10 Winter long-haul service.
Routes and changes are the following (not including others has been posted in the past weeks):
Paris CDG – Caracas 747-400 replace A330 from 07DEC09 to 17JAN10
Paris CDG – Dakar Daily 777-300ER continues
Paris CDG – Djibouti A340 replace A330 from 11DEC09
Paris CDG – Los Angeles
Service operates 15 weekly
AF062/065 772 Daily (77W 21JAN10/28JAN10/04FEB10)
AF072/069 772 Day x25 (03DEC09 – 14JAN10 77W on Day 4)
AF074/073 772 Day 45 77W Day 6 (77W 11DEC09 – 15JAN10 Day 5)
Paris CDG – Montreal Service reduced from planned 3 Daily to 2 Daily. AF348/349 cancelled until 07FEB10
AF344/345 25OCT09 – 07FEB10 744 08FEB10 – 343
AF346/347 25OCT09 – 07FEB10 772 08FEB10 – 77W
AF348/349 08FEB10 - 772
Paris CDG – New York JFK
AF006/007 Airbus A380 service from 23NOV09, Day x3 (Day 3 77W)
AF010/011 25OCT09 – 05NOV09 744 06NOV09 – 17JAN10 343 18JAN10 – 772
Paris CDG – Osaka
772 Day 257 77W Day x257
Day 3 777-200ER replace -300ER service by January 2010
Paris CDG – San Francisco
19JAN10 – 05FEB10 A330-200 replacing A340-300 on Day 235
Paris CDG – Santiago de Chile
25OCT09 – 07DEC09 772 Daily
08DEC09 – 17JAN10 772 Day x267 77W Day 267
18JAN10 – 772 Daily
Paris CDG – Sao Paulo Reduced from 14 to 12 weekly. AF456/459 reduced.
AF456/459 5 weekly 332 (Day x24)
AF454/455 772 Day x35 77W Day 35
Paris CDG – Tokyo Service reduction from 20 weekly to 14 weekly. AF278/279 sees reduction/cancellation:
25OCT09 – 10JAN10 3 weekly 332 (Day 357 from CDG)
11JAN10 – Cancelled
Paris CDG – Toronto
25OCT09 – 17JAN10 343 Daily
18JAN10 – 11FEB10 332 Daily
12FEB10 – 332 Day x57 343 Day 57
AIRFRANCE PReMIUM VOYAGeUR destination update 2
As per GDS timetable display on 11SEP09, AIRFRANCE’s has revealed more destinations where PReMIUM VOYAGeUR serivce (Premium Economy) will be introduced. Most flights operates with 777-300ER, except New York is 777-200ER.
Previously, the airline announced New York JFK, Tokyo and Osaka. The former 2 previously were to be offered 1 Daily only, but now increased to 2. The latter will be postponed till Feb 10 from Dec 09.
Routes, and flights are the following:
Paris CDG – New York JFK (Boeing 777-200ER) AF022/023 eff 25OCT09, AF008/009 eff 08DEC09
Paris CDG – Tokyo AF278/277 eff 16NOV09, AF276/275 eff 07DEC09
Paris CDG – Beirut eff 28DEC09
Paris CDG – Singapore eff 28DEC09
Paris CDG – Beijing AF126/125, eff 18JAN10 from CDG
Paris CDG – Hong Kong AF188/185, eff 18JAN10
Paris CDG – Osaka eff 08FEB10, originally planned 07DEC09, Day 146
Configuration:
New York JFK P4J49W24Y170
Beirut P8J34W28Y100
Beijing P8J64W28Y180
Hong Kong / Osaka / Singapore P8J67W28Y200
Tokyo P8J64W28Y194 (AF278/277) P8J60W28Y179 (AF276/275)
Air China Frankfurt Oct – Dec 09 Reductions
As per GDS timetable display on 11SEP09, Air China is temporary reducing Beijing – Frankfurt route from 14 to 12 weekly from 25OCT09 to 04JAN10.
CA965/966 on Day 24 is cancelled
Air China shelved extra Moscow service
As per GDS timetable display on 11SEP09, Air China’s extra 3 weekly service (CA995/996) on the Beijing – Moscow Sheremetyevo service has been cancelled. However, Daily 777 service remains
Air China Sep 09 reduction to Ekaterinburg
As per GDS timetable display on 11SEP09, Air China has temporary reduced its new Beijing – Ekaterinburg service from 2 to 1 weekly, just 2 weeks after it launched the route.
Service operates on Day 4 only until 01OCT09. 2nd weekly flight resumes on Day 1 from 02OCT09.
Cathay Pacific brief 777-300 run to Jeddah
As per GDS timetable display on 11SEP09, Cathay Pacific is to operate Boeing 777-300 aircraft instead of Airbus A330 on the Hong Kong – Dubai – Jeddah route, on 30NOV09 and 01DEC09 (HKG departure)
Southwest adds 3 new routes from Denver from Jan 10
Southwest Airlines from 10JAN10 launches 3 new routes out of Denver.
The routes are 2 Daily to Boston, 1 Daily each to Spokane and Reno/Lake Tahoe
Turkish replace Sabiha Gokcen – Rotterdam with Amsterdam
Turkish Airlines’ planned Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen – Rotterdam service, due to start from 25OCT09, has been replaced with Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen – Amsterdam service.
Schedule as follows:
TK1035 SAW1045 – 1330AMS 320 D
TK1036 AMS1430 – 1900SAW 320 D
KLM 747 Full Pax to Tokyo in Winter 09/10
As per GDS timetable display on 11SEP09, KLM is to operate Boeing 747-400 FULL PAX along side with COMBI on the Amsterdam – Tokyo service this winter.
Operation pattern (AMS departure):
74M Day x15 744 Day 15
From 30NOV09 till 23DEC09, 744 operates as Day 135
TACA to start Porto Alegre from Dec 09
As per GDS timetable display on 11SEP09, TACA is launching 3 weekly Lima – Porto Alegre service with Airbus A319, starting 02DEC09.
Schedule as follows:
TA088 LIM2145 – 0535+1POA 319 135
TA089 POA0755 – 0945LIM 319 246
Air India 777 model changes on Delhi – London
As per GDS timetable display on 11SEP09, Air India is adjusting operating aircraft on the Delhi – London Heathrow service in the 2009/10 Winter season.
777-200LR is to operate alongside with -300ER.
77L Day 457 77W Day x457
