[left] Maurice Flanagan, Executive Vice Chairman, Emirates Airline and Group, was honoured with the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) Legends Award yesterday evening in Singapore. Mr Flanagan received his award from Peter Harbison, Executive Chairman, CAPA.
DUBAI, UAE, 1st November 2007 – Maurice Flanagan CBE, Executive Vice Chairman, Emirates Airline and Group, has been honoured with the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation’s (CAPA) Legends Award, one of the most highly-esteemed awards in the aviation industry.
Mr Flanagan received the award in Singapore yesterday at the CAPA Aviation Awards for Excellence for 2007, organised as part of CAPA’s 4th Annual Asia Pacific and Middle East Aviation Outlook Summit.
According to CAPA, the Legends Award honours individuals who have demonstrated “a lifetime of strategic leadership, innovation and influence in the aviation industry”. The recipient is chosen by an aviation advisory board, which assesses the recipient based on an individual’s achievements in the aviation industry over the course of the person’s career. Past recipients of the CAPA Legends Award include Ray Webster, former Chief Executive Officer of easyJet and Dr Cheong Choong Kong, former Deputy Chairman and CEO of Singapore Airlines.
Peter Harbison, Executive Chairman, CAPA, said, “Under the stewardship of Mr Flanagan, Emirates has gone from two aircraft serving three destinations in India and Pakistan, to a fleet of more than 100 aircraft and the only airline operating non-stop to all continents on the globe from a single hub. Emirates’ ascendant influence on global aviation will change the structure of the industry in years to come, and this is no doubt due to the solid foundation that Mr Flanagan and his team have laid since Emirates’ start-up. We warmly congratulate Mr Flanagan on his award and look forward to seeing Emirates grow from strength to strength in the coming years.”
Mr Flanagan said, “CAPA’s reputation in the aviation industry is unparalleled and it is indeed an honour to be inducted into its coveted Hall of Fame. I would like to thank Peter Harbison and his team for conferring this honour upon me, as well as all my colleagues for their unstinting support. I’m extremely proud of the Emirates team, now more than 30,000 strong and ever growing, for the dedication and professionalism that have ensured the Emirates Group is at the top in the aviation world, under the exceptional leadership of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum.”
Maurice Flanagan CBE, BA, Hon.FRAeS, FRAeS, FCIT, first entered the aviation industry in 1953, when he joined BOAC, the forerunner of British Airways, as a graduate trainee. In 1978, he joined the Emirates Group as the Director and General Manager of Dnata, Emirates’ sister company. Mr Flanagan then became Emirates’ Managing Director in 1985 when the airline began operations and was appointed Group Managing Director of the Emirates Group in 1990. He became Emirates’ Vice Chairman and Group President in July 2003 and was appointed Executive Vice Chairman for Emirates Airline and Emirates Group in 2006.
November 01, 2007
EMIRATES’ EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN COMPLETES 54 YEARS IN AVIATION
AIRPORT NEWS
Korea considers second Busan airport
Right: Dramatic growth in traffic at Gimhae International Airport could precipitate the development of a second airport for South Korea's
second city of Busan
South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun says his government is considering constructing a new international airport near Busan in the southeast of the country to cope with rapidly growing demand for air passenger and cargo transportation.
The results of a state-commissioned feasibility study on the new airport in the Busan area are due next month. “As soon as the feasibility study is finished next month, the government will swiftly reach the final conclusion on the construction of a new airport.”
The president revealed the study at a ceremony marking the completion of a new international passenger terminal at Gimhae International Airport located at the western end of Busan, Korea’s second largest city.
Gimhae’s new international terminal, completed after five years of construction on a lot covering about 50,000m², can handle 4.63 million passengers annually. Gimhae currently handles mainly domestic flights around the country and also flights to many Asian destinations. It handles over nine million passengers per year.
“By 2020, demand for air travel in the broad Busan area will nearly double from its current level. Considering the lengthy preparatory period, the government will now have to decide whether to build a new international airport in the area,” says the president.
Worldwide Flight Services breaks into China market
Beijing Capital International Airport has selected Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), one of the world’s largest ground handling specialists, to provide airport service ambassadors for the millions of passengers travelling through the airport’s Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. This contract represents the first venture for Paris-based WFS in Mainland China.
WFS, along with its local partner GRH, is recruiting and training a team of over 60 ambassadors to provide passenger assistance, including information on all services available in the terminal, guidance to all facilities and personal assistance to those with special needs.
Barry Nassberg, chief operating officer of WFS and executive vice-president, Asia, says, “This new concept ensures all travellers can quickly and easily find assistance and guidance in the terminals, no matter which airline they are flying on. GRH will recruit and provide the workforce, while WFS will manage the project, the training and the service development.”
The service is modelled on the Airport Concierge service that WFS introduced in Hong Kong six years ago. In the lead up to the Olympics, Beijing Airport is completely revamping all of its service features. Nassberg adds, “We have maintained a representative office in Beijing for the past five years and are pleased to now be in a position to bring the first of our range of services to China’s capital city. We look forward to a growing presence in the months to come.”
Air India looks for exclusive terminals
Air India’s chief executive, V. Thulasidas, says the company is in talks with airport developers at Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad to secure exclusive terminals at the country’s major metro airports. Talks are also expected soon with developers at Bangalore. Thulasidas does not rule out acquiring equity in these airports in order to get such rights, but is not prepared to reveal how much Air India is looking to invest.
Manchester opens first phase of redevelopment
Manchester Airport in northwest England has opened the first phase of its US$70 million (£35 million) redevelopment, a US$20 million (£10 million) mezzanine food and bar area in Terminal 1.
The new dining experience, which is available for use by all passengers and visitors to the airport, includes a self-service food court, including Lancashire Hotpot, Bar MCR, and the Giraffe Restaurant for a sit-down meal. The new design provides customers in the Giraffe Restaurant with a panoramic view of the runway.
Commercial director of retail, Andrew Harrison, says, “It’s a very important part of our redevelopment and the future of the airport. These are great restaurants and bars with amazing views over the airfield, and we are very pleased to be opening to passengers.”
The full redevelopment project is due for completion in 2009.
Edinburgh bans obstructive cabbies
Dozens of taxi drivers have been banned from Edinburgh Airport for blocking an exit road for buses and coaches. A total of 62 taxis have been handed a three-month ban after breaking strict rules on waiting for fares.
The rank, which opened in January last year, is one of the city’s busiest, but has only 22 spaces, resulting in a number of cabbies queuing on the road in front of the terminal building, causing congestion and blocking the path of buses and emergency vehicles. Airport officials say they have no choice but to ban the drivers.
To enforce the ban, airport officials are using an electronic system that can recognise each taxi’s number plate and only permits registered vehicles to drive in front of the terminal.
An Edinburgh Airport spokeswoman says that most taxi drivers follow the operating protocols, but the airport intends to reduce the number of black cab operators to a single company who will control operation of the rank. Only taxis from that company will be permitted to pick up passengers from the public rank.
Airline bans A380 mile-high club
BBC News
Singapore Airlines has taken the unusual step of publicly asking passengers on its new Airbus A380 plane not to engage in any sexual activities. 
The potential problem has arisen because the first class area of its giant superjumbo contains 12 private suites complete with double beds.
Singapore, which is the first airline to start flying the A380, said the suites were not sound-proofed.
It said it did not want anyone to offend other travellers or crew.
Singapore added that while the suites were private, they were also not completely sealed.
'Observing standards'
"All we ask of customers, wherever they are on our aircraft, is to observe standards that don't cause offence to other customers and crew," the airline said in a statement.
"Nothing different applies for our Singapore Airlines Suites customers."
Singapore Airlines took delivery of its first A380 earlier this month, with the first services between Singapore and Sydney starting on 25 October.
It is now set to take delivery of a further five A380s in 2008, out of its order of 19.AirAsia To Exercise 25 A320 Options
Reuters-Malaysian budget airline AirAsia plans to exercise 25 out of its 50 options to buy Airbus A320s in anticipation that more regional routes will be opened to competition in 2009, its chief executive said on Thursday.
AirAsia also intends to raise its number of options for the single-aisle A320 back to 50 by acquiring another 25 options, its CEO Tony Fernandes said.
Speaking on the sidelines of an aviation conference in Singapore, Fernandes said he was confident the 10 member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will meet its deadline to reach an open skies agreement by December 2008.
"ASEAN has seen the benefits of liberalization," Fernandes told reporters. "National airlines have realized they can't hold onto protection forever," he added.
Citing Malaysia as an example, he said national carrier Malaysia Airlines had become profitable despite competition from AirAsia. "When MAS was a protected airline, they lost lots of money," he said.
Transport ministers and officials from ASEAN are meeting in Singapore this week to discuss several issues including an open skies agreement.
The agreement envisages liberalizing air travel between ASEAN capitals by the end of 2008, and opening the entire region to competition by 2015.
Singapore and Malaysia will also discuss a Malaysian proposal to allow AirAsia and Singapore's Tiger Airways, partly owned by Singapore Airlines, to each operate two flights between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore from as early as December 2007.
AirAsia, Asia's largest budget carrier, introduced its low-fare, no-frills concept in December 2001, and has since embarked on an aggressive expansion.
It currently operates over 60 aircraft, and said in January it had agreed to buy 50 A320 planes worth over USD$3 billion.
Air China To Sell Up To 400 Million Shares
Reuters-Air China plans to sell up to 400 million additional shares on domestic markets to help bankroll the carrier's purchase of 30 Boeing and 24 Airbus aircraft.
The airline said on Wednesday it had decided to sell the yuan-denominated A shares, which are not available to most foreign investors, amounting to 5.1 percent of its existing A-share capital, to be listed in Shanghai.
The firm, which is also listed in Hong Kong, did not say how much it hoped to raise. But it added in a statement that about CNY1.5 billion yuan (USD$201 million) of the share sale proceeds would go towards replenishing working capital.
Air China has previously disclosed details of the Airbus and Boeing plane purchases, which include 787s, 737s, and A320s.
The share offering awaits government and shareholder approval.
Singapore Air Brings Lovers Down To Earth
Singapore Airlines, the first operator of the new Airbus A380, has dashed the hopes of sexual thrill-seekers planning to engage in amorous activity aboard the world's biggest jumbo jet.
The carrier said it would ask passengers on the A380 to refrain from sex while ensconced in one of its 12 first-class suites, which boast the world's first airborne double beds.
"All we ask of customers, wherever they are on our aircraft, is to observe standards that don't cause offense to other customers and crew," the company said in a statement.
"Nothing different applies for our Singapore Airlines Suites customers."
While private, the double cabins are neither sound proofed nor completely sealed.
Singapore Airlines, the world's second-largest airline by market value, started commercial flights of the double-decker A380 last week with a Singapore-Sydney service.
"So they'll sell you a double bed, and give you privacy and endless champagne and then say you can't do what comes naturally?" Tony Elwood, who traveled with wife Julie in a suite aboard the inaugural flight, told the Times of London.
"They seem to have done everything they can to make it romantic, short of bringing round oysters," Julie said. "I'd say they shouldn't really complain, should they?"
