Aviation Intelligence Reporter October 2023
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- Schiphol’s Slot Declaration: And So It Begins
- Qantas: Operation a Complete Success. Sadly, the Patient Died
- Another Summer of Discontent
- Airspace Integration Week: More Questions than Answers
- The Tale of the Great God SAF Chapter III
- Single European Sky: Once More Unto the Breach Dear Friends
Schiphol’s Slot Declaration: And So It Begins
The standard aviation three-prong strategy – deny; reject; complain – got a serious workover once the inevitable declaration of (reduced) capacity was filed by Schiphol airport early in September. You may recall that the airlines and the Dutch government have been locked in conflict over the issue of control of capacity at Schiphol for some time. The first attempt, an announcement by the government, was disputed in the Dutch courts, with a victory to the airlines, on technical grounds. The Dutch government appealed and won. The airline appeal of that decision remains pending.
Qantas: Operation a Complete Success. Sadly, the Patient Died
Qantas’ increasingly controversial CEO, Allan Joyce, has been replaced two months ahead of his scheduled retirement date. Wits are noting it is the only early departure Qantas has managed during his tenure as CEO. It is fair to say that he left under something of a cloud. He also left a very wealthy man, after years of share buy-backs and ruthless management. He was hated by many who disagreed with his aggression towards his unionised workforce and an unceasing focus on short-term profits. Inevitably, eventually, that led to terrible service, a poor network and as the pandemic retreated, incredibly expensive airfares. The investment banks, on the other hand, loved him. To them, Joyce is the person that saved the airline. His supporters would note that his only duty is towards his shareholders. Dividends he most certainly delivered. And bonuses for very senior staff. In other circumstances, that might be the end of the story. But, as we all know, aviation is special. Aviation is so special normal commercial rules do not apply, particularly if you have a virtual monopoly on a large domestic market.
Another Summer of Discontent
We nearly got away with it this year; the network was stretched and strained, people worked very hard, but there were no huge scenes of displaced passengers, upset holidaymakers and so on. Oh, wait, yes there was, but mostly, that was due to the extremes of temperature and the resulting fires. We cannot possibly be held accountable for that. As we noted last month; Europe’s holidaymakers very bravely ran towards the flames, desperate to save their holiday. Rewards in heaven, etc…
Airspace Integration Week: More Questions than Answers
For a branch of aviation that depends on cool heads and calm logic, the history of conferences/expositions/congresses in the ATM world is particularly spicey. Staging conferences in the ATM sector is clearly good business. First there was ATC Global, originally in Maastricht and then Amsterdam. That was run by commercial organisations, Jane’s and later UBM. It was very profitable for UBM. Not so much for CANSO, which provided much of the content and most of the purchasers (and vendors). CANSO decided to plough its own furrow and move to Madrid. World ATM Congress was born.
The Tale of the Great God SAF
Chapter III
Supreme Leader Asher looked at Eliza’s quizzical face. He had never been questioned before. He ran through the range of stares he could bring. The full burn? Not a good look, he conceded, although the attendant Atagers would not have agreed, if disagreeing was something they were capable of. No, he realised, he was all alone in working out what to do.
Single European Sky: Once More Unto the Breach Dear Friends
You have to admire the indefatigability of the airlines. With the clock ticking on this Commission, they have once more clubbed together to put out a position paper on the Single European Sky. Last Call, it is called. Who knows, maybe humour will deliver when nothing else has managed to. Mind you, it is good if you find yourself thinking along those lines to recall the observation of Peter Cook, a British comic of immense talent on ‘the wonderful Berlin cabarets which did so much to stop the rise of Hitler and prevent the outbreak of the Second World War’. Still, last call, or the baggage will be off-loaded. If only. It is the baggage that is most of the problem.