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AIR & BUSINESS TRAVEL NEWS

A WEEKLY NEWS REVIEW PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY
PO Box 1315, Potters Bar, Herts EN6 1PU, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1707 665454
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In conjunction with The Times business travel on line
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/businesstravel

24 JULY 2006

Want to refer to an old story? Go to http://www.abtn.co.uk, click on
Search for Story (6th item in left hand column) and type in relevant
word(s). Much quicker and easier than searching through your filing
system.

BREAKING NEWS is that the new Barcelona-based Iberia low fare
offspring is to be called Clickair and could be flying as soon as
October. More details are likely to be made public this week but ABTN
has learnt that the investors are Iberia; Nefinsa ? Spanish company
that owns Air Nostrum the regional feeder to Iberia based in Valencia;
Iberostar ? the Palma-based tour operator; ACS ? a very large Spanish
construction company; and the Carulla family of Barcelona, through its
investment fund Quercus Equity. Each with 20%. The Airbus A320 has
been chosen as the mainstay aircraft, three ex-Iberia are being
readied for delivery at this time kitted out with 180 of the latest
Recaro seats, in leather. Two more aircraft will come in December and
one a month from March. In three years time the fleet size is expected
to be around 30 aircraft. Clickair will be a stand alone airline with
its own AoC and no Iberia input, although it will codeshare and take
over some IB marginal leisure routes. As things stand the carrier will
initially fly to Spanish destinations (but not Madrid), Lisbon, Paris
and Switzerland, London not being a priority. Senior management
positions are currently being negotiated. The website is not up and
running today but is expected to be launched later this week.
http://www.clickair.com

AIR FRANCE ? investigation
AIRBUS ? new aircraft
AMERICAN AIRLINES ? all new business class
BANGKOK AIRPORT ? ready at least
BLOOD ? required
BLUE WINGS ? new to us
BOEING ? Jumbo breakthrough
BRITISH AIRWAYS ? AGM
COVENT GARDEN ? new hotel
EUROPE ? new airline rules
HEATHROW EXPRESS ? sales tool
JETBLUE AIRWAYS ? gateway link
MANCHESTER AIRPORTS GROUP ? checking in
MARTIN-BAKER ? shooting upwards
RYANAIR ? routes come and go
SINGAPORE AIRLINES ? more Airbus
SKYJET INTERNATIONAL ? quality
VARIG ? onward and upward
VIVAAEROBUS ? Mexican
WIZZ AIR ? flying

ON TOUR: Prague
INCIDENTALLY: Airbus Suffers Wiring Problem

COMMENT: That Was the Week That Was ? Now It?s Over Let It Rest

?That Was the Week That Was? is remembered fondly by a certain
generation when a group of very clever journalists and actors
performed live every Saturday night on black and white BBC TV
satirically reminding viewers of the seven days that had just gone
past. Sadly Farnborough 2006, easily the best ever in organisational
terms, will be very quickly forgotten unlike TW3. Yes the Airbus A380
made its UK show debut, participants and attendees came in record
numbers, but in truth Farnborough was very flat. Maybe the build-up
did not meet expectations. Maybe there was no real news. Maybe it was
just too hot! But behind the scenes a great deal of business was done.

In media terms the highlight of the show was the Airbus press
conference on the Monday morning. The excellent new media centre could
not cope. In truth no facility would have been able to hold all the
journalists that wanted to attend. New Airbus CEO Christian Streiff
was, what could only be said, in robust form. He had been with the
multi-national company just two weeks. Speaking only in English and
with his easy going style he made a stark contrast to his predecessor
Noël Forgeard, a man in the mould of his mentor Jacques Chirac.
Perhaps Mr Streiff was a little too downbeat, speaking of what he
termed a ?critical situation? and mentioning the word ?crisis? once
too often. After all, in spite of the A380 delays and the A330
re-design Airbus is a success story. A320 series orders total 4,361
with a backlog of just over 1,500 to deliver. To his great credit Mr
Streiff also made himself available at other press briefings, a great
change from the past. He made it clear that it is early into his
fiefdom. He has given himself 100 days to review the company and
already has been seen on production lines enquiring and learning. No
long August holiday for him.

British Prime Minister Tony visited the show on the Thursday arriving
by helicopter and departing on Swiss charter company Comlux A319
Corporate Jetliner, perhaps a sign of things to come. Before touring
the exhibition he met groups of Youth Ambassadors for the aerospace
industry as part of a launch for the International Youth Day which
took place on the Friday.

FIA 2006 was one of the biggest in recent memory with 1,480 exhibitors
from 35 countries taking part. Some 75 defence delegations from 43
countries attended, along with 40 civil aerospace delegations from 15
countries. In addition, trade show attendance figures during the week
topped the 2004 level of 133,000.

Farnborough, as ever generated a large number of useful stories, none
of them mind shattering. None that was until the Friday when Singapore
International Airlines, as seems to be the norm these days, confirmed
that it was to be the lead carrier for the A3500XWB (see below). M.
Streiff had cause to smile. Maybe the crisis (his words don?t forget)
is over. http://www.farnborough.com

___________________________________________________________________

AIR FRANCE CEO Jean-Cyril Spinetta has been interviewed by a French
magistrate following a probe into possible money laundering and
employment violations by Pretroy, a now bankrupt company which
supplied security services to the airline. A statement by AF makes it
clear that Spinetta is not under investigation and is innocent of any
wrong doings. Pretory failed in 2003 when Air France was separate from
KLM. It is alleged that the company, which helped to guard AF offices
and supplied on-board security, was guilty of tax evasion. E10m in
cash is also claimed to have gone missing. http://www.airfrance.com

AIRBUS launched the new A350 XWB at Farnborough last week, a successor
for the ill-fated A350. XWB stands for Extra Wide Body, extra comfort,
extra efficiency and going the extra mile for customers, according to
Toulouse. With only a very short timescale in terms of drawing up
specification details these were naturally skimpy but the new family
of aircraft will consist of four passenger versions and one freighter.
What we were told is that the ?plane will be around 12? wider than the
A330, will follow the Boeing 787 in having a lower cabin altitude than
is the present norm, and will have a wider window than its 20th
century forebears. In that respect the A380 looks old fashioned. The
aircraft seems to fit in somewhere between Boeing?s 787 and 777 and
has a high cruise speed of 0.85 mach, a figure that will not make much
difference in operational terms. The different variants can carry
anything from 270 to 350 passengers with an in-service date of 2012. A
30% reduction in fuel burn is promised over current aircraft and 6%
over those in development (meaning the 787). Singapore Airlines is the
first to commit. See below. http://www.airbus.com

AMERICAN AIRLINES has unveiled its Next-Generation Business Class at
the National Business Travel Association (NBTA) International
Convention & Exposition held last week in Chicago and will start
outfitting aircraft from September onwards. The only major US carrier
not to go into voluntary receivership in recent times, the OneWorld
member is in a strong position to invest in a strategy of investment
in its long haul routes, top quality cabin comfort being seen as an
essential requirement. Earmarked initially for the transatlantic
services as well as on select routes within the United States and to
Latin America the new Boeing 767-300 business class is designed to
give passengers more comfort, flexibility and privacy. It features
novel, innovative, lie-flat seats in a 2-2-2 configuration, a personal
in-flight entertainment system with audio and video on demand,
state-of-the-art lighting and ergonomically designed overhead bins.
Beginning in 2007, American will also install its new Next-Generation
Business Class on its Boeing 777 fleet. At the same time American will
install its award-winning Flagship Suite First Class seats on all of
its Boeing 777 aircraft that do not currently feature the product.
http://www.aa.com

BANGKOK AIRPORT?S saga should come to an end on Thursday 28 September
when the existing Don Muang will close and the new, futuristic
Suvarnabhumi will open. All this is confirmed by Thailand caretaker
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. He says that all systems at the new
Bangkok airport had been completed, and tests had been a success.
However some have been simulated. Next Saturday, 29 July, six domestic
airlines will undertake flight tests followed on the Monday by Thai
International. From 0300 on 28 September the current Don Muang Airport
will stop serving regular commercial services and will only handle
chartered, VIP, private and military flights.
http://www.suvarnabhumiairport.com

BLOOD is not something we normally mention in ABTN but the National
Blood Service, one of the better parts of Britain?s NHS, is wooing
regular contributors and those who have not given into making a
contribution at this time of the year. It seems that during the
holiday period stocks can run low, and at the same time demand can
increase. Gordon Ramsey, celebrity chef and blood recipient, is
helping with the campaign. Donors must be between 17 and 59 and there
are other restrictions. http://www.blood.co.uk

BLUE WINGS, based in Düsseldorf, essentially a charter operator and
not particularly well known outside Germany, is to dramatically
expand. Currently operating a pair of Airbus A320 it has signed a
Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus for the acquisition of 20 A320
family aircraft. The carrier, in which Swiss investment holding
Alpstream AG, based in Zurich, has a substantial shareholding, will
increase its operations by starting new routes from Germany to
destinations in Turkey and the CIS, primarily on behalf of tour
operators. Alpstream AG is an affiliate of the Russian National
Reserve Corporation. http://www.bluewings.com

BOEING has taken a significant step forward with its 747-8, Emirates
SkyCargo ordering ten for what is emerging as the first serious
development of the nearly 40- year old Jumbo since the -400 was
launched 20 years ago. The major features are a 21% increase in cargo
capacity over the successful current aircraft mainly brought about by
new (787) engines and wingtip design. Total orders for the 747-F now
stand at 28 plus options. There is a single commitment for the
passenger version, called the Intercontinental, but more are likely to
emerge once Boeing firms up on a specification, the problem being do
they go for maximum passengers or maximum range? The ?skyloft? concept
continues to intrigue, Boeing not embarrassed by the fact that the
area has been available since the first 747 flew back in 1969. ?There
was a lot of wiring and ducting up there? said a VP noting that much
of the workings of the aircraft have been re-routed. What is causing a
little concern is access, as things stand a walkway from the front
bubble is not available. Boeing is quoting an in-service date of
September 2009 for the freighter. http://www.boeing.com

BRITISH AIRWAYS, or rather chairman Martin Broughton, emphasised at
the company?s AGM last week he is hoping for a swift outcome to the
Office of Fair Trading?s investigation into alleged cartel activity by
a number of airlines. He pointed out that the airline industry, the
company and two members of its staff ? commercial director Martin
George and head of communications Iain Burns ? had been ?subjected to
intense public scrutiny and speculation, none of which can be
commented on because this is a criminal as well as a civil
investigation?. The investigation focuses on long haul passenger fuel
surcharges only, he said, with ?no suggestion of any breach of
competition law? in relation to short haul surcharges. He noted that
BA first introduced long haul fuel surcharges in May 2004 and has
raised them since in response to increasing oil prices, ?albeit that
they do not recover the full costs of those increases?. In the 12
months to end-March 2006, the surcharges accounted for about 3% of
BA?s total turnover, and in the previous year for less than 1%. Willie
Walsh took up the cudgel inherited from Rod Eddington urging the
Government to push ahead with approval for Heathrow to build a short
third runway, saying it was ?absolutely essential? to reverse the
airport?s slide versus European mainland rivals. http://www.ba.com

COVENT GARDEN in London has a new hotel. It?s not in Covent Garden
exactly, a mere five-minute walk away, but in fact is the old Trust
House Forte building just off High Holborn in Drury Lane. This, the
298th Travelodge has been opened by Sir Rocco Forte who founded the
concept back in 1985. Time marches on and old wars are forgotten Sir
Rocco now very much in command of the up-market group which takes his
name. For him to return to old memories was a notable act. The Covent
Garden Travelodge has 184 bedrooms and follows the successful concept
with bright modern rooms and a choice of smoking and non-smoking
accommodations. The hotel has a licensed bar cafe offering breakfast
menu, snacks throughout the day and evening meals.
http://www.travelodge.co.uk

EUROPE-based airlines will have to follow much stricter rules covering
the publication of fares if proposed new regulations are agreed by EU
member states. A target for implementation by December 2007 has been
suggested. The full inclusive fare will have to be shown and the
proposal also bans price discrimination on the basis of residence or
nationality, forbidding airlines from charging differing fares
simultaneously on country-specific versions of their websites. However
it does require approval from EU member states and the European
Parliament to become law. Interestingly the proposal also increases
the maximum concession period on a PSO (public service obligation)
route operated by one airline from three to four years, or five years
for "ultra peripheral regions." Following recent disputes in Italy and
France, the EC said it "wants to avoid abuse of the PSO system."
http://europa.eu

HEATHROW EXPRESS is teaming up with the innovative Canadian company
SideTrack Technologies to offer an advertising first in Europe. Where
now passengers if they look outside they see little more than their
reflections when travelling through the tunnels at Heathrow, they will
be treated to a series of illuminated images which turn into animated
film as the train passes along at speed. All of the windows light up
from the ?videowall? effect upon the tunnel sides. Working much like a
child?s flip book, the hi-tech system created by SideTrack
Technologies, uses approximately 400 static printed images stretching
around 1,500 feet. The train?s motion in synch with a proprietary
lighting system creates a 15 second, ?television-like? commercial. The
claim is that the sheer contrast between the ads and the blank walls,
combined with the lack of competing advertisements within the tunnel
produces some of the highest recall rates ? nearly 80% ? of any
advertising media in its target market. Will it happen on the London
Underground?! http://www.heathrowexpress.com

JETBLUE AIRWAYS, the US budget airline with a reputation for quality
service, is to link two US gateways, JFK New York and Raleigh-Durham
Airport, North Carolina (served by American Airlines from Heathrow)
with four daily non-stop flights. The carrier will operate its new
100-seat Embraer 190 aircraft, offering all-leather seats 36 channels
of live TV and more than 100 channels of XM satellite radio.
http://www.jetblue.com

MANCHESTER AIRPORTS GROUP has jumped ahead of BAA in becoming the
first UK group to provide "common user self-service? (CUSS) facilities
with 70 kiosks now installed across Manchester, Nottingham East
Midlands and Humberside airports. Ten airlines have already signed up
to use the new technology and with it the advantage of faster check-in
times and alternative means of checking-in. These include First
Choice, Excel Airways, Monarch Scheduled, MyTravel, Thomsonfly, Virgin
Atlantic, Thomas Cook and KLM. Other carriers, including British
Airways and BMI have their own express dedicated machines. The new
technology was successfully trialled in summer 2005 at Manchester and
Nottingham East Midlands airports before the decision was taken to
install them at the three airports permanently. MAG also own and
operate Bournemouth airport. http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk

MARTIN-BAKER is not a company one would expect to read about in ABTN,
after all who in commercial aviation is interested in emergency seats,
but MB does get an honourable mention today (Monday 24 July). It was
on this day exactly 60 years ago that Bernard Lynch made the first
ever high-speed escape from a jet aircraft, leaving a two-seat Meteor
at 320mph and landing safely. He was to go on to make over 30
successful controlled escapes. As they say the rest is history, to
date 7,157 pilots having their lives saved by the remarkable series of
MB seats. http://www.martin-baker.com

RYANAIR is to introduce six new routes at the start of the airline
winter season on 31 October 2006. From Prestwick the low fare airline
will offer Eindhoven five times per week and Riga four times weekly,
whilst out of Hahn ? Balaton, Biarritz, Nantes get three flights and
Valencia a daily service. Prestwick now has 23 routes and Hahn 41. For
those unfamiliar with northern Hungary, Balaton Airport is located 15
km from the city of Heviz. A bus service runs directly from the
airport to the city centre with a journey time of just 25 minutes.
Ryanair has also announced the cancellation of its twice-daily service
from Vasteras to Luton and a reduction in its Malmo to Stansted from
twice-daily to a daily service and a reduction in its Gothenburg to
Prestwick service from five weekly flights to three. Ryanair has of
course blamed airport taxes on these changes but with Vasteras 65
miles from Stockholm perhaps it is not surprising that the route is
not viable. However to its credit the airline now seems to be joining
the mainstream of airlines, the route changes happening on 28 October
2006. http://www.ryanair.com

SINGAPORE AIRLINES, generally accepted as one of the world?s leading
airlines, and never seemingly worried to be a first, has given Airbus
a much needed boost by adding to its order for ten Airbus A380, the
first to be signed up, with commitment for another nine, and an option
for six. This in spite of the well publicised delays to the aircraft.
SIA is due to get its first A380 in December. The airline has also
committed itself to the A350XWB again first in the queue. Delivery
will not be until 2012 and in the meantime it has again helped Airbus
by leasing 19 A330-200, aircraft that will help keep the A330
production line busy until the new widebody arrives. These sales
follow the decision, announced in June, to order 20 Boeing 787-9s for
delivery between 2011 and 2013, with purchase rights over another 20.
http://www.singaporeair.com

SKYJET INTERNATIONAL the business jet charter service division of
Bombardier hosted perhaps the oddest media briefing at Farnborough. In
fact it was not a press conference as such, more a gathering of old
friends at a cheese and wine party with a brass band supplying the
background music. Not any old brass band mind you. This one was the
brass section of the Royal Opera House Orchestra. The connection with
Farnborough (other than a splendid rendition of those Magnificent Men
in their Flying Machines) is that Skyjet International, which claims
to be the world?s first truly global business jet charter operation,
also offers its clients a concierge service which naturally includes
some great opera houses, Covent Garden being the obvious choice in the
UK. Vertu, the up-market phone company are also involved.
http://www.skyjetinternational.com http://www.vertu.com
http://www.royalopera.org

VARIG has finally been sold. In what must be considered an astute move
the bankrupt airline has been divided into two, the operating airline
itself, purchased by a consortium that already owns Vari Log, the
airline?s cargo division, and what must be termed ?old Varig? who will
take over the huge debts of Latin America's oldest carrier. Inevitably
there will be a massive clearout of staff, the new airline only
starting with 13 ?planes, but it does hold some attractive route
licences and slots. Whether London is retained initially as a
destination remains to be seen. Varig remains a member of the Star
Alliance. http://www.varig.co.uk

VIVAAEROBUS is a new Mexican budget airline due to start flying in
October. It is part-owned by the Ryan family (49%), founders of
Europe's biggest low fare carrier, together with IAMSA (51%) the
biggest passenger bus transportation operator in Mexico. Initially the
airline will operate Boeing 737-300 with plans to have five ?planes
flying by the end of the year and double its fleet to ten in 2007.
VivaAeroBus says it will undercut traditional Mexican carriers by up
to 50%. The Mexican airline industry has doubled in size in 20 years,
from 15m passengers in 1985 to around 30m today. It will announce its
first routes within the next eight weeks, the speculation initially
perhaps five major Spanish speaking cities in the US.
http://www.vivaaerobus.com

WIZZ AIR of Hungary has signed a firm contract with Airbus for 20
additional A320s. This follows an order for 12 A320s a year ago from
the rapidly expanding central and eastern Europe budget airline. With
its main UK base at Luton it serves 11 airports in Bulgaria, Croatia,
Poland, Hungary, Romania and Slovenia. Limited services are operated
from Doncaster, Liverpool and Prestwick, as well as Cork in Ireland.
In all 40 destinations on 70 routes are being served this summer. Wizz
Air has carried 4m passengers since its start of operations in 2004.
http://www.wizzair.com

One piece of news that largely went unnoticed at Farnborough was the
announcement by Maurício Botelho, at London?s Inner Temple of all
places, that he is stepping down from the day-to-day running of
Embraer next spring. Maurício, an industrialist, came to Embraer ten
years ago when the company, always innovative, was not the world
aviation powerhouse it its today. Always smiling, with a prodigious
memory for names and faces, he was also in his own way the chief
salesman for the manufacturer, now seen as a leader in regional
airline activity. We wish him well.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST TO READERS:

The third annual German version of the Business Travel Show takes
place in Duesseldorf 5/6/7 September with a record number of
exhibitors.
http://www.businesstravelshow.com

___________________________________________________________________

ON TOUR: Prague

ABTN last visited Prague in the autumn of 2002 just after devastating
floods had caused havoc to one of Europe?s great historical cities.
There was no Metro, the buses were somewhat overcrowded and life was
beginning to get back to normal. Now four years later one of our
staffers, Jackie Kramer, has returned. Here is her story.

In the two years since Prague joined the European community, the
compact capital of the Czech Republic has become one of Europe's most
visited city. With cheap flights from most of the UK's airports
getting there is no problem, Ruzyne International Airport about 10
miles from the city and with good public transport and mini shuttles
direct to your hotel.

The torrential floods of 2002 have not left a damaging effect to the
Czech capital. In fact they have added to the tourists? interest and
are incorporated into the commentary on buses and walking tours. A
once relatively cheap city has now had to increase its charges and is
beginning to fall in line with other popular European destinations.

Prague is steeped in history. From the central square in Stare Mastro
you can see the impressive Prague Castle in the distance which
deserves a half to full day's visit if you want to cover the entire 18
acres. Prague's most popular tourist attractions are the Gothic St
Vitius Cathedral (dated 1344), the Old Royal Palace (dated 1135) and
its jousting and coronation hall, still used for the swearing in of
new presidents; and the vast Royal Gardens. With a three day open tram
and train ticket, hop on one of the many trams that take you over the
Valtava River from Stare Mastro to the Castle. Alternatively a
beautiful walk along the 15th century Charles Bridge winding your way
along the cobbled streets to the Castle gives you the opportunity to
take in some of Prague's art shops in the Mala Strana district. On the
Mala Strana side of the river is Petrin Hill, which was once draped
with vineyards, to which you can still see the quarry that provided
stone for most of Prague's Romanesque and Gothic buildings.

If your leg muscles cannot take the 318m climb, then there is the
funicular railway. There are various tourist traps at the peak of the
hill, including the Stefanik Observatory, a glass maze and the
enhanced view at the top of the Petrin Tower, a 62m (203ft) copy of
the Eiffel Tower, built in 1891 for the Prague Exposition (with 299
steps). When there are visitors en masse on the peak, it becomes too
crowded and after you pay the small fee to enter these establishments
you do feel as if you have entered a tourist trap. Far better is the
breezy walk along the peak towards the Strahov Monastery (dated 1140;
completed in the 18th century), which features a baroque church, where
Mozart is said to have tickled the ivories, and the Strahov Library,
with its collection of tomes and frescos. It is no longer a
functioning monastery as the communist government closed the doors and
imprisoned some of the monks.

In the city centre first time visitors must weave in and out of the
medieval cobbled streets. With your head held high you glare up to the
gold crested buildings which gleam in stature.

Prague is a walking city. The main centre is pedestrian, entwined with
curved streets. Clustered with medieval building overlooking the
streets below. Prague is catching up with the European café culture.
Most street corners have some type of eateries and the main squares
are surrounded with waiters charging double the price of some of the
less conspicuous establishments. If you want the view of the 15th
century Astronomical Clock & Old Town Hall Tower you pay the price to
watch the hourly procession of the Twelve Apostles on the clock. A
small trap door opens and Christ marches out ahead of his disciples,
while the skeleton of death tolls the bell to a defiant statue of a
Turk.

The highlight of any stay is the view of Prague whilst crossing the
Charles Bridge. This 17th century bridge has been rebuilt and statues
have been added to make an impressive total of 75. Although slightly
"kitch", the market sellers and musicians are always there, making
your visit full of activity and interaction.

To the North of Stare Mesto lies the old Jewish ghetto (Josefov). This
area once housed Europe's largest Jewish community. Now a mere 1,500
Jews occupy and run the six synagogues. The Jewish Museum offers an
all-inclusive ticket, allowing you to visit the ceremonial hall,
Jewish Museum and Town Hall, the Klausenm, Maisels, Pinkus, Old-New
and Spanish Synagogues as well as the Jewish Cemetery. The history of
the Jews in this area dates back to the 10th century and the community
has depicted various areas of Jewish life themed in each building
which is very much worth a half to full day's attention.

The area also boasts the biggest concert hall in Prague, decorated
with works by leading Czech artists from the early 20th century ? most
notably Alfons Mucha. Alternatively Prague is famous for its puppet
and black light theatre. If you wish to be more outgoing, the clubbing
and pubbing scene has doubled since stag and hen nights have
discovered this once quiet and reserved city, waiting to burst into
mainstream Europe.

As the centre is compact and user friendly, it is not necessary to
stay in the more expensive upmarket properties. A 15 minute walk to
the north, on the doorstep of Andel station, is Hotel Akcent, an
immaculate but basic hotel which offers single, double and family
rooms, with a hearty breakfast in the morning, is very suitable to
those travelling on a budget. Staff were extremely helpful and the
hotel was in a superb position, with access to public transport and a
short walk to the Charles Bridge.

Prague is fast catching up with other European capitals. It is a
destination steeped in history and architecture and certainly worth a
long weekend or short break visit before it is bombarded with
tourists. http://www.czechtourism.com

INCIDENTALLY: Airbus Suffers Wiring Problem

As if it did not have enough electrical problems with the A380 Airbus
came in for some more embarrassment at Farnborough when an important
press conference had to be moved due to power problems in their
chalet. In truth it was down to the show organisers and the extremely
hot weather. Rumour also had it that the new A350 was to be called the
A350ewc (extra wide cabin and not extra you know what) which may have
drawn headlines from less inhibited journals than ABTN. XWB is fine by
us.

Just in case anyone thinks that that we are not disposed to Airbus the
next day the same thing happened to Boeing, this time in the press
centre. 747 VP Randy Tinseth struggled and for once the speaker was in
the dark as much as the audience. No windows in the conference room.

However the prize for the mistake of the week goes to ATR who
contracted a car to collect Juhani Pakari, Managing Director of
Finncomm Airlines at Heathrow. Sadly the driver had been poorly
briefed. He went off to Farnborough in Kent! As the late Queen
Victoria is reported to have said. ?We are not amused?.

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Jim Mason wrote:

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