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Air transport flying to recovery
Global air transport traffic has recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic, with airlines operating at 94.2 percent, data from the International Air Transport Association showed. In the Asian region, AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes said the airline is fully reactivating its 204 aircraft after “seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.” Fernandes announced after renewing AirAsia’s long-term agreement with CFM International. CFM’s focus on improving fleet stability on site and 24/7 virtual monitoring of AirAsia’s LEAP-1A engine operation provides a crucial catalyst for AirAsia to reinstate its full fleet across the group. The company boasts of making enormous strides in bringing back their planes and restarting their operations, balancing a mismatch between the cost of 204 airplanes and the revenue of flying 143 planes on average this year. On Thursday, they brought back the 175 planes. The CFM’s fleet stability support is a vital catalyst for them to return to full activation. He is proud of Asia Digital Engineering, their engineering facility. He wants to thank every one of their engineers for doing the day-to-day work and focusing on the group’s aircraft reactivation work. They also look forward to fourth-quarter results, when they will see the actual performance of AirAsia with the full fleet. AirAsia Aviation Group CEO Bo Lingam said they are delighted with the latest developments with their engine supplier and service provider. This will accelerate their plan to bring capacity back. This will allow for higher utilization of planes with less downtime, more consistent flight schedules with better on-time performance, and more efficient use of spares with our engineering arm, ADE. This bodes well for their commitment to safety, reliability, and operational excellence. With CFM’s strong focus on fleet stability and services, support is a catalyst for enabling AirAsia to operate its LEAP engine fleet longer and helping the airline reduce maintenance costs and operational expenses. CMF International president and CEO Gaël Méheust said that AirAsia has been a valuable CFM customer for nearly two decades, and they are delighted to support them and their plans to reactivate their fleet fully. They take AirAsia’s trust as a great responsibility to support their fleet with high-level CFM standards. Méheust added that AirAsia looks forward to capitalizing on this achievement as the airline reinstates its 204 aircraft fleet and expands to more than 300 aircraft in the next five years as it continues to connect people across ASEAN and beyond with affordable and best-value travel options. The post Air transport flying to recovery appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Shake up targets PAL growth path
PAL Holdings Inc., or PHI, operator of the flag carrier Philippine Airlines or PAL, has appointed new key executives to its management team to further strengthen its corporate structure — a move seen to sustain the company’s growth momentum. The company informed the stock exchange on Tuesday that it appointed Eric David Anderson as the new PAL chief commercial officer or COO. “The Board approved the reinstatement of the position of chief commercial officer and confirmed the appointment of Mr. Eric David Anderson to the said position with the rank of senior vice president,” the PHI report read. Anderson previously served as PAL’s vice president for Revenue Management and Strategy. Before joining PAL, he was the director for Revenue Management and Planning at Amerijet International Airlines in the United States. He was also the finance manager for Customer Service Ops for Amazon Japan, and director for Global Cargo Strategy, Alliances, and Product for US mega-carrier Delta Air Lines. Relatedly, PHI also disclosed that the company’s Board likewise approved the reinstatement of the position of executive vice president who will report to the president and COO. Sustainability key PAL noted that the move will ensure that its operations are sustainably carried out under the company’s business plan. PAL also recently appointed Anna Isabel Villanueva-Bengzon as chief financial Officer last July. Bengzon was a former deputy CFO for Global Business Power Corporation of Meralco PowerGen until July 2023. She has also worked as CFO for MediaQuest Holdings Inc., TV5 Network Inc., and Metropac Movers Inc., as well as VP/head of Investor Relations at PLDT. The post Shake up targets PAL growth path appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PAL first-half gains bankroll fleet boost
Flag carrier Philippine Airlines or PAL reported on Friday that its net income during the first half of the year more than tripled to P13.6 billion from last year’s P4.1 billion. In a stock exchange disclosure, the company said its operating income during the period also swelled to P17.4 billion from P6.6 billion recorded a year ago. Notably, the airline’s stellar growth was driven by an 89-percent increase in the number of passengers it flew during the period, which reached 7 million as of end-June. Likewise, it logged over 50,400 operated flights, translating to a 56-percent growth from last year’s numbers. This, according to PAL, led to an 81.6-percent improvement in the average passenger load factor. Given this trend, PAL said its passenger revenues climbed to P78.2 billion from P33.1 billion last year. However, its cargo revenue dropped by 54 percent to last year due to fewer cargo charter flights to give way to more passenger flights amid a demand surge. To sustain the growth momentum, PAL said it plans to invest P176.6 billion to acquire nine Airbus A350-1000 long-range jetliners to widen its fleet. Along with it, PAL will also increase its customer care and contact center agents by rolling out a new customer relations management system before the end of the year. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to invest in new aircraft, improved cabins, and enhanced travel experience for our valued customers,” PAL president and chief operating officer Capt. Stanley K. Ng said in the report. “The latest positive financial results enable us to build a better, stronger, and more agile Philippine Airlines that creates greater value for our customers, and we are grateful for their continuing support and patronage.” Within the first half, PAL restored flights to several routes in mainland China and launched nonstop services to Perth along with flights from Clark to Caticlan and Boracay. In addition to an extensive network of 32 domestic destinations served from Manila, Cebu, Clark and Davao, PAL operated the largest network of nonstop flights between the Philippines and North America, Japan, the Middle East and Australia. The post PAL first-half gains bankroll fleet boost appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Typhoon ‘Khanun’ barrels thru Japan, Korea
Ahead of typhoon Khanun’s Wednesday landfall in Japan’s southernmost main island of Kyushu, flights and train service to the southern region were suspended while 540,000 locals were told to evacuate. Japan Airlines on Tuesday canceled 132 flights, disrupting some 8,390 travelers, a spokesperson of the company told Agence France-Presse. ANA also scrapped flights between Kagoshima in southern Kyushu and Tokyo. Bullet train service to southern destinations were suspended, while many other local commuter and express trains were canceled, Kyushu Railway said in a statement. Kagoshima prefecture set up 314 shelters for evacuees, officials said, as carmaker Mazda’s factories in Hiroshima and Yamaguchi will suspend operations on Wednesday and Thursday. The storm forced Nagasaki, one of the main cities on Kyushu, to move indoors and scale down its annual commemoration ceremony of the 1945 atomic bombing scheduled for Wednesday. After killing at least two people, injuring more than 100 and cutting off power for several hundred thousand people in the southern Okinawa region last week, Khanun was due to roar along the western coast of Kyushu towards South Korea, according to forecasters. Khanun was moving northward from waters 300 kilometers south of Kagoshima as of 9 a.m. Tuesday and is expected to reach 30 kms west of the South Korean coastal city of Tongyeong at 9 a.m. Thursday, the Korea Meteorological Administration said, according to Yonhap. Its wind speed is expected to reach up to 126 kilometers per hour on Thursday, KMA said. Parts of Gangwon Province along the upper east coast of South Korea are forecast to receive rain as heavy as 600 milliliters, Yonhap said. The typhoon may head further north to North Korea at 9 a.m. Friday, the agency added. WITH AFP The post Typhoon ‘Khanun’ barrels thru Japan, Korea appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brazil’s Embraer to build flying taxis in Sao Paulo
Brazilian aeronautics company Embraer and its urban mobility subsidiary Eve said Thursday they would build a factory near Sao Paulo to manufacture electric flying taxis that could take off as soon as 2026. The factory for "electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft" or eVTOL, will be built in the city of Taubate in Sao Paulo state, the companies announced on the 150th anniversary of the birth of Brazilian aviation pioneer Alberto Santos Dumont. Taubate is a city of some 310,000 inhabitants about 140 kilometers (87 miles) from Sao Paulo, Brazil's economic capital. The drone-like passenger vehicles, which resemble small helicopters, will initially be used in taxi fleets, with the first flights costing about $50 to $100 per person per trip, company sources told AFP. The initial flights will have a pilot, but a later rollout of self-piloted vehicles is also on the cards. Each eVTOL can carry four to six passengers. The vehicles will be 100 percent electric, allowing for emissions-free flights. Embraer said it has already received orders for 2,850 eVTOLs worth about $1.5 billion from 28 clients in several countries, including helicopter operators, airlines and flight-sharing platforms. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Eve Air Mobility, which has not yet reported revenues, recorded a net loss of $25 million in the first quarter of 2023, due in particular to expenses related to research and development of the eVTOL. Sao Paulo, a megalopolis of 11.5 million people with monster traffic jams, has the largest helicopter fleet in the world. "We believe in the enormous potential of the global Urban Air Mobility market," Embraer president Francisco Gomes Neto said in a statement. Added Eve vice president of program management and operation, Alice Altissimo: "We are equipped to efficiently scale the production volume sustainably to meet the demands of a growing market." The post Brazil’s Embraer to build flying taxis in Sao Paulo appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
BI rescues Pinay trafficking victim
The Bureau of Immigration on Sunday reported that its operatives have intercepted a Filipina bound to Thailand — supposedly a victim of human trafficking — along with her alleged recruiter. BI officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, according to the report, intercepted the Filipina identified only as “Lynne” after she tried to board a Philippine Airlines flight to Bangkok on Friday. Authorities said that the Filipina presented herself as a tourist traveling with her friend identified only as “Che” after previously working as a factory worker in Taiwan. However, Immigration officers noted several inconsistencies with her statements and documents and later found that she had been recruited to work for a Thailand-based Chinese company. BI officers also suspected “Che” to have facilitated “Lynne’s” recruitment, providing her with fake documents to make the victim appear like a legitimate tourist and disclosing that the alleged recruiter was allegedly working as a recruitment assistant for a manpower agency in the Philippines and has multiple travels to Thailand. “We are now looking into alias Che’s records to see if she has facilitated the travel of other workers in the past,” BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said. Previously, another suspected human trafficking victim was also intercepted by authorities last Wednesday after trying to leave the Philippines for Vietnam, claiming that she was traveling to Vietnam as a tourist upon the invitation of a Vietnamese friend. But the Department of Migrant Workers revealed that the individual identified as “Issa” was actually bound for Cambodia after being illegally recruited. “We suspect they might have been recruited for a catphishing syndicate, similar to those previously intercepted and repatriated,” Tansingco said. Both cases have been referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for further investigation. Authorities were also filing charges against the recruiters. The post BI rescues Pinay trafficking victim appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Han ‘Solo’
Lucio “Han” Tan III has been a busy man this past two months after he assumed his new role as president of PNB Holdings Inc., the holding company that owns flag carrier Philippine Airlines. .....»»
PAL gets safety standard seal
An internationally recognized safety evaluation association has reaffirmed the compliance of flag-carrier Philippine Airlines to the highest international aviation safety standards. PAL and PAL Express have completed their respective IATA Operational Safety Audits or IOSA, which according to PAL president and chief operating officer Stanley K. Ng is hinged on the group’s “culture of safety.” “We all commit to live and promote a culture of safety above all, the cornerstone of PAL operations. As the aviation industry strives to meet the surge in travel demand, the safety of our flights and our passengers remains our top priority,” Ng said. The IOSA is the internationally recognized safety evaluation system of the International Air Transport Association or IATA that assesses the operational management and control systems of an airline. Gold standard Conducted every two years, the IOSA is accepted by top government authorities as the gold standard in airline safety assessments. The IOSA audit affirms that PAL and PAL Express are committed to adhering to safety standards in the areas of flight operations, aircraft engineering and maintenance, organization and management, operational control and flight dispatch, cabin operations, ground handling operations, cargo operations, and security management. Similarly, PAL Express marked its adherence to the global standard with its 5th successful IOSA renewal. PAL Express first entered the IOSA Registry in 2014. Its current IOSA registration is valid until March 28, 2025. PAL said it was the company’s 9th consecutive successful IOTA renewal, marking nearly two decades of consistent work in Operational Safety by the flag carrier. PAL’s first IOSA registration was in 2006. The new IOSA registration is valid until 10 April 2025. The PAL Group is mandated to complete the IOSA recertification once every two years. The post PAL gets safety standard seal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
End callous practice
Airlines’ practice of excessive overbooking, as proven in previous seat sales with huge discounts that resulted in passengers being bumped off, carries stiff penalties if the aggrieved party is persistent enough. The Mandaue City regional trial court recently provided the precedent for complaints from the army of disgruntled flyers when it ordered Cebu Pacific Air to pay P500,000 in damages to Cebu 6th District provincial board member Glenn Soco who was bumped off his scheduled flight from Manila to Cebu. Mandaue City RTC Branch 55 Presiding Judge Ferdinand Rafanan ordered Cebu Pacific to pay moral damages of P200,000, exemplary damages of P200,000, and P100,000 in attorneys and litigation expenses. The catch for Soco is that it took 12 years before he received just compensation for his ordeal, which is a stretch that entailed legal expenses that many Filipinos cannot afford. The compensation may even be short of the amount spent to keep track of the case, including the lawyer’s fees. Soco’s case, however, will greatly contribute to halting the excesses of airline firms through the indiscriminate denial of the service promised to their clients. He sued the airline for “breach of the obligation to transport him,” which he claimed had caused him inconvenience, serious anxiety, physical suffering, and sleepless nights. In Soco’s recounting, he said that on 14 April 2011, he booked a Cebu-Manila roundtrip ticket on Flight 5J 574 going to Manila on 15 April 2011, and on Flight 5J 553 on 16 April 2011, at 10:10 a.m. for his return flight to Cebu. The local executive said his ticket for the flight was confirmed. For his return flight, he arrived at NAIA Terminal 3 and got in the queue for departing passengers. He showed his ticket to one of the ground crew to get his seat number, according to the particulars of the 13-page court decision dated 20 June 2023. Soco, however, was informed by the ground crew that he could not be accommodated on the flight and when he asked for an explanation when he got to the head of the line, the Cebu Pacific personnel could not provide a definite response. Passengers behind him were “egging him to step aside” so they could continue with the queue, according to the court ruling. The scene turned chaotic and caused Soco humiliation, “and he was allegedly able to capture it on his cellphone camera,” the court said. Due to the rebooking, Soco missed his board meetings as the owner of Mandaue Integrated Manpower Services Inc., Coffee Dream Company, and Powerline Human Resources Management Inc. A Cebu Pacific Air guest service manager was quoted in the court ruling as having confirmed that Soco was not able to board. The reason given was that “the system of the defendant airline showed full capacity and he could no longer be accommodated on the flight.” “In situations like this, the standard policy of the defendant airline is to look for other passengers who are willing to volunteer their seats in lieu of other passengers with confirmed tickets who could no longer be accommodated. Otherwise, the passenger will be offered an option to either take the subsequent flight or be given a refund,” the court said. Civil Aeronautics Board Economic Regulation 7 recognizes the practice of airline companies of overbooking that does not exceed 10 percent of the aircraft’s seating capacity. While overbooking is a globally accepted practice, senators in a recent public hearing said systematic delays and cancellations are unacceptable, as well as the lack of appropriate mitigation services and crisis management personnel from the airlines who are supposed to handle complaints. What passengers get for their tribulation is more suffering from the complicated rebooking or refund procedure. The height of insensitivity of airlines is making customers talk to chatbots instead of customer service representatives to make their complaints. They can spend for robots but inconvenienced passengers are given chips and bottled water. The post End callous practice appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Singapore state investor Temasek reports portfolio value drop
Singapore state investor Temasek said Tuesday its net portfolio value fell 5.2 percent in the last financial year due to volatility in global markets, and that it would be adopting a more cautious strategy. The company, whose global footprint extends well beyond the city-state, said its net holdings in the year ending in March were at Sg$382 billion ($287 billion), down from a record high Sg$403 billion in the previous year. Its one-year total shareholder return came in at negative 5.07 percent, weighed by higher interest rates resulting from tighter monetary policies to fight inflation. Its three-year total shareholder return, however, stood at 8.0 percent, while its 10-year return was at 6.0 percent and 20-year return at 9.0 percent. "We maintain a cautious investment stance and expect to invest at a moderated pace this financial year, given the challenging macroeconomic environment," said Temasek chief investment officer Rohit Sipahimalani. Temasek is ranked among the world's top 10 investors, with stakes in companies like Singapore Airlines and the city-state's biggest lender DBS Group. The company is mainly anchored in Asia, which accounts for 63 percent of its holdings, mostly in Singapore and China. Its portfolio ranges from transportation to financial services, telecommunications, real estate and life sciences. On Tuesday, Temasek also defended not taking tougher action against the team responsible for a failed investment in collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Temasek said in May it had slashed compensation for the team and senior management responsible for investing in FTX, which together with its sister trading house Alameda Research went bankrupt in November. FTX's implosion dissolved a virtual trading business that at one point had been valued at $32 billion, resulting in Temasek writing down its $275 million investment and launching an internal review. While the review found no misconduct, the investment team and senior management "took collective accountability and had their compensation reduced", Temasek said at that time. Temasek chief executive Dilhan Pillay said Tuesday the action taken by the firm was enough. "If we were to start to punish people beyond what we've done, who would want to be an investor?" he said. "When you do invest, you take risks. You take calculated, calibrated risks, and as long as you've done the work required to make the investment, the committee approves it and it goes forward," he added. "FTX was, I would say, an aberration." The post Singapore state investor Temasek reports portfolio value drop appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Binay lauds CebuPac’s ditching expiration of travel funds, extended vouchers validity
While recognizing Cebu Pacific’s decision to remove expiration in its customers’ travel funds and extended the validity of travel vouchers, Senator Nancy Binay hopes that the airline company would also resolve the issues on its hotlines and customer service operations. "We thank Cebu Pacific for heeding the call of airline passengers. One of the discussed topics during the Senate hearing was travel funds and travel vouchers. This is just the first step,” Binay said Saturday. The senator acknowledged the airline’s clear compensation guidelines on flight disruptions. "I believe this is a step in the right direction to earn back the trust of the public and solve the problems experienced by our passengers," she said. The latest airline policy allows passengers who have experienced disruptions in flight operations to avail of two-way travel vouchers for flights canceled within 72 hours, and one-way travel vouchers for flights delayed for four to six hours. "The safety and convenience of passengers should always be our top priority. Good thing that the airline addressed the matter regarding the flight disruptions. I hope na they can also resolve their hotlines and customer service,” Binay said. The airline’s new policy on travel funds and travel vouchers stemmed after Binay led the joint investigation of the Senate Committee on Tourism and the Senate Committee on public services on passenger complaints against airlines last month. The hearing was prompted by a resolution filed by Binay on complaints against Cebu Pacific about overbooking, offloading, and glitches in booking flights. During the hearing, the airlines admitted lapses in their operations and vowed to work with all stakeholders to improve their services. The post Binay lauds CebuPac’s ditching expiration of travel funds, extended vouchers validity appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Retirement 101
Sixty years is the age, under the law, that is considered a retiring age. Aside from discounts on basic necessities and prime commodities, senior citizens, who are still part of the working sector, may avail themselves of retirement benefits under the law. Retirement benefits, as explained by the Supreme Court, are “intended to help the employee enjoy the remaining years of his life, lessening the burden of worrying about his financial support, and are a form of reward for his loyalty and service to the employer.” (Pantranco North Express Inc. v. NLRC, 328 Phil. 470 [1996]) Article 302 (287) of the Labor Code mandates that in the absence of a retirement plan or agreement providing for retirement benefits of employees in an establishment, an employee upon reaching the age of 60 years or more, but not beyond 65 years, which is hereby declared the compulsory retirement age, who has served at least five years in the said establishment, may retire and shall be entitled to retirement pay equivalent to at least one-half month salary for every year of service, a fraction of at least six months is considered as one whole year. Thus, retirement is optional at the age of 60 and compulsory at 65. The retirement pay law applies to all employees in the private sector, regardless of their position, designation, or status and irrespective of the method by which their wages are paid. They include part-time employees, employees of service and other job contractors, and domestic helpers or persons in the personal service of another. The law, however, does not cover (1) employees of retail, service, and agricultural establishments or operations employing not more than 10 employees or workers; and (2) employees of the national government and its political subdivisions, including government-owned and/or controlled corporations, if they are covered by the Civil Service Law and its regulations. (Postigo v. Philippine Tuberculosis Society, G.R. 155146, 24 January 2006) Further, the law applies only to a situation where (1) there is no Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) or other applicable employment contract providing for retirement benefits for an employee, or (2) there is a CBA or other applicable employment contract providing for retirement benefits for an employee, but it is below the requirement set by law. (Grace Christian High School v. Lavandera, G.R. No. 177845, 20 August 2014). Clearly, the determining factor in choosing which retirement scheme to apply is still superiority in terms of benefits provided. (Elegir v. Philippine Airlines Inc., G.R. 181995, 16 July 2012). In other words, the retirement pay under the Labor Code is simply the minimum benefit to which a retiree is legally entitled and will not apply if there are higher benefits provided under the CBA, employment contract, or existing company policies or practices. The phrase “one-half (1/2) month salary” means 22.5 days: 15 days plus 2.5 days representing one-twelfth (1/12) of the 13th month pay, and the remaining five days for service incentive leave. (Elegir v. Philippine Airlines Inc.). It is not uncommon that companies offer early retirement benefits to their employees. While such offer may be acceptable to some employees, it may not be financially feasible for others who still need to earn for themselves and their families. Thus, jurisprudence requires that for early retirement programs to be valid, acceptance by the employees of an early retirement age option must be explicit, voluntary, free, and uncompelled. (Robina Farms Cebu v. Villa, G.R. 175869, 18 April 2016). *** For more of Dean Nilo Divina’s legal tidbits, please visit www.divinalaw.com. For comments and questions, please send an email to cabdo@divinalaw.com. The post Retirement 101 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PAL s parent moves to boost capital stock
Philippine Airlines' parent company is making moves to increase its authorized stock, in a bid to expand its valuation years after filing for bankruptcy in the middle of the pandemic......»»
MIAA: Lightning red alerts expected
The Manila International Airport Authority is requesting the cooperation and understanding of the flying public as more lightning alerts are anticipated as a result of unfavorable weather conditions and lightning strikes during the rainy season. It also highlighted the need to respond to lightning alarms at all Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals, with safety as its top priority. The MIAA Airport Ground Operations and Safety Division issues a Lightning Red Alert when considered required in compliance with safety procedures and all flight and ground operations at NAIA are temporarily suspended in response to this alert until it is dropped to a Lightning Yellow Alert, which denotes the safe restart of flight and ground operations. As the airport and its stakeholders handle the elevated levels of departure and arrival activities, the effects of the Red Lightning Alerts may be felt even after they have been lifted. In order to achieve a speedy recovery and return to normalcy of operations, the MIAA works closely with the airlines, ground handlers, air traffic services, and other stakeholders. MIAA said that flight arrivals and departures on 27 June experienced severe delays as a result of the Red Lightning Alert being hoisted for more than two hours. Lightning Red Alerts are quickly sent to all airport stakeholders through radio, and passengers are informed by announcements in the terminal and on board the aircraft. Additionally, the official Ninoy Aquino International Airport Facebook page promptly posts lightning advisories. The AGOSD also coordinates with Earth Networks, a pioneering company in total lightning detection, in implementing a lightning early warning system. As a result, the real-time data provided by Earth Networks plays a crucial role in assisting MIAA in effectively curbing the severity of lightning strikes on airport operations. The MIAA guarantees the public that the safety of airport ground staff, passengers and flight crew is their first priority and seeks to uphold the best standards in flight safety. The post MIAA: Lightning red alerts expected appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
AirAsia strives ‘doing more with less’
By organizing its first Sustainability Day with the theme “Doing More with Less,” AirAsia began a new phase in its efforts to promote industry engagement and foster better collaboration. Led by Capital A chief sustainability officer Yap Mun Ching, the event featured in-depth exchanges on topics addressing AirAsia’s pathways to decarbonization, as well as challenges and opportunities in the implementation of these strategies. The line-up of speakers comprised of AirAsia technical heads and subject matter experts who tackled topics including how AirAsia is factoring ESG considerations into the deployment of its fleet assets, prospects for switching to greener biofuels, and opportunities for ESG financing and managing talents to meet its future growth needs. Delivering the opening and closing messages of the day, respectively, were AirAsia Aviation Group Ltd. chairperson Tan Sri Jamaludin Ibrahim and AAAGL Sustainability adviser professor Tan Sri Dr. Jemilah Mahmood. Capital A chief sustainability officer Yap said that this day marks the first time they are bringing all their key stakeholders from government officials, regulators, financial institutions, and aviation analysts, business partners, and the media to advance their understanding of the intricacies of aviation sustainability. As they rebuild their business post-pandemic, they are broadening and deepening their sustainability agenda by incorporating robust ESG practices into their strategic priorities so that they recover stronger and better. She added that since the aviation industry is difficult to regulate, obtaining net zero emissions by 2050 will require coordinated efforts from all industry players, not just airlines. Since the world is likely to hit an environmental tipping point quicker than anticipated and since the media practically serves as a reminder of this, it is imperative that everyone takes prompt action to recognize and make available the solutions that airlines need to minimize their carbon emissions. Yap mentioned that under AirAsia’s net zero plan, all airlines have four options for reducing carbon emissions: modernizing their fleet, accelerating the adoption of green operating practices, switching to biofuels and offsetting any remaining emissions. The A321neo, widely regarded as the most fuel-efficient aircraft on the market right now, is being added to AirAsia’s fleet, and the airline is also expanding and deepening its industry-leading fuel-efficiency program. According to Yap, whether the airline is using fossil fuels or biofuels, what should precede this question is whether they are using more than is necessary. AirAsia’s fuel efficiency program is one of the best, if not the best, in the world. Even as the airline explores new solutions, it cannot lose sight of its strength, which has enabled it to achieve among the lowest costs and emissions per seat in the industry. During the panel discussion, AirAsia’s fleet and flight operations leads discussed how the airline is implementing ESG factors into the deployment and use of its expanding fleet. There are presently 362 new A321neo aircraft on order for AirAsia, and they will be delivered between 2024 and 2035. Jonathan Sanjay, senior manager of Flight Operations Projects, Development, and Efficiency for AirAsia, claims to have worked for the company since 2015 and has already saved the company over US$130 million in fuel costs and CO2 emissions. In order to change its fuel mix before 2025, AirAsia is also looking into solutions for incorporating sustainable aviation fuel. Facilitating biofuels use The day’s session continued with remarks on the role of various stakeholders in facilitating the adoption of aviation biofuels by Christoph Behrendt-Rieken, the lead SAF expert of the EU-SEA CCCA CORSIA Project run by the EU Aviation Safety Agency, and options in ESG financing by aviation legal expert Teo Hui Ling, a partner at Reed Smith LLP. The day’s event culminated with a special tour of AirAsia’s engineering complex, RedChain, where participants were introduced to initiatives being undertaken by Asia Digital Engineering to revolutionize aviation. This was followed by a session on how AirAsia has used diversity, equality and inclusion to create its competitive edge over the past 22 years. In conjunction with the event, AirAsia also promoted its Guide to Aviation Sustainability, a handbook of aviation sustainability terms to make more accessible common concepts associated with the subject. The handbook also highlights outcomes from AirAsia’s own implementation of some of the measures listed. Publication of the booklet was supported by the airline’s business partners, namely Avolon, Honeywell, and Mirus. Aircraft Seating, PETRONAS, Shell Aviation, and SITA. More information on AirAsia’s Sustainability achievements, goals, and targets is available in the Capital A Sustainability Report 2022. The post AirAsia strives ‘doing more with less’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
AirAsia tagged best low-cost airline
AirAsia has been voted the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline at the Skytrax World Airline Awards 2023 or Skytrax for an unprecedented 14th consecutive time. The final award results covered 325 airlines ranked according to quality and excellence, with AirAsia taking first place in its category. From September 2022 to May 2023, when AirAsia progressively expanded its network to over 130 locations, more than 100 different nationalities of visitors participated in the online poll, with 20.23 million entries. AirAsia said that the recognition comes as a resounding testament to the airline’s recovery and robust growth in its routes and passengers carried, along with an unwavering commitment to innovation and providing exceptional service despite the challenges brought about by the global pandemic. As a result, AirAsia once again remains the top low-cost airline for travelers seeking the best value and choice. Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes said that in accepting the honor on Tuesday at a ceremony held at the Paris Air Show 2023 in France: “We are incredibly proud and grateful for this meaningful award given to us by the Skytrax coordinators, voters, and the incredible supporters of AirAsia. Receiving an award of excellence for 14 years running is a remarkable achievement, one that fills our hearts with joy and humility. This is an extraordinary feat for any company in any industry, even one as competitive as aviation,” Fernandes added. Respondents’ favorite Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted said that AirAsia is a survey passenger favorite and has delivered a remarkable degree of consistency year-on-year since the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline category was introduced to the awards program in 2010. The recognition from customers should be a great source of pride for the airline management and staff in what has been a difficult period as travel returns after the Covid pandemic. The post AirAsia tagged best low-cost airline appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Wonderful Taiwan
We have been blessed to be tapped for a familiarization trip to Taipei, Taiwan, together with Cebu’s top travel specialists. The agenda was to check out the city’s hotel accommodations of all kinds, various attractions for travelers of all types and to savor authentic Taiwanese cuisine. Our adventure began when we boarded the newest player in the carrier scene — Starlux Airlines. [caption id="attachment_145559" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Nelson and Baby Dy of Grand Hope Travel, Nelia and Julius Neri of Sunstar, Sheila and Carlos Colmenares of Leisure Travel, Gwen and Jaime Po of Pan Pacific Travel.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_145558" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Janelle Tan of Royal Prince International Travel.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_145555" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Aida Uy with grandson Michael Willroy Uy.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_145557" align="aligncenter" width="520"] Christine Chua, sales specialist of Starlux Airlines and Clarice Nevado of Wander Lanes Travel.[/caption] Luckily for us Cebuanos, Starlux now offers direct flights from Cebu to Taipei, which means shorter travel time that makes the whole holiday timetable much more enticing. A Taiwanese international company founded in May 2018, we admittedly had no personal experience with Starlux Airlines. However, upon boarding, we were instantly welcomed with warm hospitality and the feeling stayed all throughout the journey. Oh yes, the flight left right on schedule — not a minute later! Among the highlights of our visit was the 509m-tall bamboo shaped Taipei 101 skyscraper which leads to an observatory. [caption id="attachment_145556" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Alan Carvajal of Travelways International with son Diego Javier.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_145560" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Sherilyn Balunan of Uni Orient Travel[/caption] [caption id="attachment_145561" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Tara Sy of A & M Travel[/caption] [caption id="attachment_145562" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Zenaida Chua of Worldwide Travel and Tours[/caption] The capital is also known for its cuisine — from revered restaurants to its lively street food centers. The must-try dish is xiao long bao — Taiwan’s gift to the world — a steamed bun traditionally filled with pork and seafood. We even dared to go to the open market to try the fabled stinky tofu. As the name implies, it has a pungent odor. We even spent a few hours at Yangmigshan National Park, where we marveled at the beautiful landscapes, to include ridges, valleys, lakes and rocks that make up most of the area’s geology. Lest I forget, the Taiwan Tourism Board, through its Taiwan Lucky Land Campaign, is giving away over 500,000 vouchers over the course of three years to tourists visiting Taiwan. Each coupon amounts to NTD 5,000 or approximately P9,000 pesos. It is not an empty campaign promise. I was lucky enough to be one of the winners, so I can attest to its authenticity! The post Wonderful Taiwan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Altitude problem
Like jeepney drivers, airlines squeeze passengers into available seat space regardless of their size. Some discomforted passengers are not taking the one-size-fits-all seats sitting down. Airlines addressed the size issue by charging oversized passengers for two seats. Travel blogger and body-positive advocate Jae’lynn Chaney, 26, disagreed and called for a free second and third airplane seat for biggies if needed, News.com.au reported. Jae’lynn is also demanding that airlines refund larger passengers for extra seats they needed to purchase when booking to accommodate their size, according to News.com.au. Skinny passengers also complain of large seatmates who partly occupy their seats. A Continental Airline passenger from Ohio was assigned to a middle seat next to a 500-pounder and asked flight attendants for relief because her seatmate’s weight was on her and she could not bring down her armrest, Express reported. The flight attendants could not transfer either of them to a vacant seat so the “sandwiched” passenger endured an aching neck and shoulder throughout her very expensive flight. Meanwhile, Hainan Airlines’ issue is different. Its new weight requirement became a viral topic on social media as the company threatened to ground those who fail to comply. For those with a height of 5.1 feet, their weight should not exceed 48 kilograms, according to the company. “This is intended to advocate healthy living habits and maintain a good professional image and healthy physique,” Hainan Airlines told CNN. Incidentally, the weight rule does not apply to passengers but to flight attendants. The post Altitude problem appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Oreo-maker faces Scandinavia boycott over Russia
Scandinavian organizations are boycotting US group Mondelez, maker of snacks like Oreo and Toblerone, due to the group's continued presence in Russia, as Norway's government held a meeting Wednesday with several actors. Airlines SAS and Norwegian, hotel chains, the Norwegian football federation and the Swedish military are among those rejecting products made by the company formerly known as Kraft Foods and its subsidiaries Freia in Norway and Marabou in Sweden. In late May, Mondelez was added to a list of "international sponsors of war" drawn up by Ukrainian authorities, accused of being susceptible of financing Moscow's war in Ukraine by maintaining activities in Russia and paying taxes there. The Swedish military therefore this week asked its suppliers to replace Mondelez products with other brands. "We are doing this to be in line with our other actions towards Ukraine," spokeswoman Guna Graufelds told AFP. Several actors, including retail chains -- none of which have joined the boycott at this stage -- requested guidelines from Norwegian authorities during a meeting on Wednesday. "Our message is clear that it is up to companies themselves to make these choices and for consumers to decide", and not up to authorities, said Halvard Ingebrigtsen, a state secretary in Norway's Trade and Industry Ministry. Mondelez insisted it has only "limited operations" in Russia and that none of its subsidiary Freia's products are made in the country. "Our parent company, Mondelez International, respects all political decisions and sanctions," Freia said. Other groups on the Ukrainian list of "sponsors of war" include Auchan, Procter & Gamble, Metro, Yves Rocher and Bonduelle. nzg-phy/po/rl © Agence France-Presse The post Oreo-maker faces Scandinavia boycott over Russia appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
At its 787 Dreamliner factory, Boeing prepares for takeoff
As airlines seek to fulfill customers' growing post-pandemic appetites for long-haul travel, Boeing is aiming to speed up production of its 787 Dreamliners after a period plagued by repeated delivery interruptions due to manufacturing defects. At a hangar in the US East Coast state of South Carolina, the plane begins to take shape on its first assembly line -- here, the wings, cockpit, cabin and tail are still in separate pieces. It will take about a month for the entire aircraft to come together, with the final touches added later, in the parking lot. The US aerospace giant has already managed to up its manufacturing rate from fewer than two 787s per month in 2021 to four, and is hoping to get up to five by the end of the year. On the second assembly line in the hangar, located in the city of North Charleston, three completed airplanes are inspected. They had to be returned for adjustments, after the discovery of several production flaws beginning in 2020. There are still several dozen other planes under inspection, but Boeing plans to move that review process to its factory in Everett, in Washington state, by the end of the year. That will allow them to devote the second assembly line in South Carolina solely to plane construction, meaning they can ramp up to 10 787s per month by 2025 or 2026. That would bring the factory close to Boeing's pre-pandemic production rate of 14 jets per month, which was achieved by splitting 787 construction between South Carolina and Washington state, before it was all consolidated to the East Coast in 2021. Boeing says it's not worried about potential cancelations from airline clients unhappy with the delays. "Our problem right now is more to just getting these planes in the hands of the customers," Lane Ballard, the 787 program's general manager said during a press visit to Boeing's South Carolina locations Tuesday and Wednesday, ahead of the Paris Air Show later this month. Despite the rebound in sales of its flagship medium-haul 737 MAX last year -- giving the company its best delivery numbers since 2018 -- Boeing is pinning its financial hopes on the 787, after four consecutive years in the red. Recent months have finally seen an uptick in orders for large planes, the market for which was already suffering before the drop in long-haul air traffic during Covid lockdowns. Boeing has historically dominated the high-margin long-haul manufacturing scene with its 787 and 777 configurations, competing with Airbus's A350 and A330. Now, with Boeing no longer producing its 747 jumbo jet, the lag on its 777 passenger model and the five-year delay in certification for its 777X, set for 2025, the company is counting on the 787. It took a gamble on the 787 line -- which launched in 2004 and began flying in 2011 -- by increasing its use of carbon fiber composites for the fuselage and wings. As a result, the plane is lighter and requires less fuel. Many of the aircraft's major parts are shipped in from Italy, Japan and Kansas in one of Boeing's so-called Dreamlifters -- modified 747s specially designed for carrying cumbersome equipment. And back in South Carolina, the back of the aircraft is built in an adjacent hangar next door. Betting on the 787 seems to have paid off so far: Boeing has received 250 orders for the plane just in the last six months. "By the end of this year, it's almost guaranteed the 787 will be the most popular passenger wide-body in history," with even more total purchases than the 777 or Airbus A330, Boeing vice president of commercial marketing Darren Hulst predicted. The post At its 787 Dreamliner factory, Boeing prepares for takeoff appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»