- Airlines Question A380 Orders Again[Jun. 21, 2006]
Emirates, the biggest customer for the A380, is still commited despite the plane's delays. But a Malaysia Airlines union wants its orders cancelled.
- TravelCLICK Announces Hotel Capabilities[Jun. 19, 2006]
MINNEAPOLIS, MN (June 19, 2006, HITEC Conference) -- TravelCLICK, Inc., the leading provider of hotel business process management (BPM) solutions, today announced that it is implementing new paid search technology that continuously optimizes key word selection in Internet marketing campaigns for the hotel industry. With real-time management of key words that drive demand to a hotel web site, hotels can receive more, higher qualified traffic and generate greater revenue per campaign. The new solution is part of TravelCLICK's comprehensive initiative to generate greater, measurable hotel return on investment, with a strong level of control over spending, through its integrated portfolio of Internet marketing services.
- Travelocity Business Expands Operations[Jun. 19, 2006]
Travelocity Business has recently launched its first wholly-owned service centre in Europe and shared its plans to pursue business local to the UK this summer. (6/19/2006)
- Pago Report: European E-commerce Booming[Jun. 19, 2006]
For the fifth consecutive year Pago has analysed real-life purchase transactions in European online shops. The Pago Report 2006 is entitled "Trends in Consumer Purchasing and Payment Behaviour in selected E-commerce Industries 2006 and shows that E-commerce in Europe is booming again.
- Re-regulation Won't Save the Pension[Jun. 19, 2006]
Re-regulating the US airline industry in order to avoid future pension defaults by airlines would reverse the benefits to consumers of deregulation "and would not save airline pensions," according to a new study by the US Government Accountability Office, the research and investigation arm of Congress.The study was undertaken at the request of the House of Representatives. After filing for Chapter 11 protection, United Airlines and US Airways defaulted on their defined benefit pension plans, "costing the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. nearly $10 billion and pension beneficiaries $5 billion," GAO noted. Delta Air Lines also is expected to default on its pension obligations. In total, active and frozen airline plans were underfunded by almost $15 billion at the end of 2005, the agency said.
- Airbus Reassures Airlines on A380[Jun. 19, 2006]
Airbus and parent EADS responded to increasing criticism over A380 program delays announced last week, with the focus intensifying on EADS Co-CEO Noel Forgeard's sale of ?2.5 million ($3.2 million) in stock options three months prior to EADS' stock sinking 26% on June 14 on news of the next-generation aircraft program's setback.Forgeard, who served as Airbus CEO until last year, told Europe 1 radio that he first learned of potential new problems with the A380 program in April and claimed the stock sale was "an unfortunate coincidence."
- US Airlines Can Find Capital for Deal[Jun. 15, 2006]
A Bush administration plan to ease restrictions on foreign investment in US airlines could help a struggling industry, but analysts and consultants say there is plenty of money at home for the right deal, recently reported Reuters. (6/15/2006)
- UK Sees Growth for India & China Routes[Jun. 14, 2006]
BAA's seven UK airports handled a total of 12.8 million passengers in May 2006, an increase of 3.6% on the same month last year, with particular growth in routes to India and China.
- GDSs Accommodate the Airlines' Desires[Jun. 13, 2006]
News from Travel Technology Update: The recent flap over Air Canada's withdrawal of its Tango fares from the GDSs is unlikely to dampen airlines' enthusiasm for the kind of "product differentiation" that Tango represents.And far from being opposed to the concept, some of the GDS companies are making strides in their attempts to accommodate the airlines' desires.
- Varig Faces Liquidation for Only One Bid[Jun. 09, 2006]
Varig received just one bid at yesterday's bankruptcy auction, a BRL1.01 billion ($446.4 million) offer during the second round from a consortium of employees, well below the minimum bid for just the domestic routes, which was $700 million (ATWOnline, May 22).The bankruptcy court judge said he would take a day to decide whether to approve the sale anyway. A $75 million deposit would be required, the Associated Press reported. The judge also may liquidate the carrier. There will not be another auction.