Dubai2006

BRINGING YOU THE NEWS FROM ROUTES NETWORKING FORUM – DAY ONE: SUNDAY 17 SEPTEMBER Gulf-US takes centre stage

THE BATTLE FOR MARKET countries. Kuwait Airways has share in the fledgling Gulf-US operated services to the USA market is heating up, with major since 1978 under a mutual gov- carriers on both sides adding ernment accord and currently capacity and revealing new flies three-times weekly between routes. Kuwait and New York JFK with Some carriers including Etihad 777-200s. and United have already United will be the first US car- firmed up plans for new non- rier to fly into the Gulf since stop services linking the Middle 2001 when TWA dropped its East and USA. Several others New York-Cairo- service. have broad plans to launch serv- Continental Airlines and Delta ices in the market but are still Air Lines, both of which now pondering their options and will serve Israel, are pondering take advantage of contacts with launching new services to the airports made at Routes before Gulf from their Newark and New selecting their city pairs. York JFK hubs. Continental and Capacity on routes between Delta will be at Routes along the Gulf states and the USA is Sheikh Rashid terminal at Dubai’s with American Airlines and US being added at a tremendous international airport is a focal point for Airways. pace, with the number of week- visitors to Routes but the airport could be is driving most of the ly frequencies roughly doubling one of many in the region to benefit from traffic growth in the Middle East- over the last two years to 30, route development between the Gulf states US market. It began flights to according to Innovata. This fig- and the USA New York JFK two years ago and ure will rise again after Abu upped the frequency to double- Dhabi-based Etihad launches a Etihad’s second North American week using Boeing 777s. The daily in November last year. The daily -New York JFK destination after Toronto. signing at the end of August of carrier plans to add a third daily service on 26 October with United Airlines also plans to an open skies accord between New York connection, via Airbus A340-500s. It will be the launch at the end of October a Kuwait and the USA should lead Hamburg in Germany from 29 first non-stop service between non-stop Kuwait-Washington to more expansion of commer- October. Emirates has even more Abu Dhabi and New York, Dulles service three times per cial services between the two ambitions for the USA and is mulling destinations on the West Coast and in the Mid-West. ✈ TALKING SHOP - EVENTS AROUND ROUTES TODAY Emirates is already the largest carrier in the Gulf-US market, Routes opens today with chairman followed by Royal Jordanian Mike Howarth, anticipating a record 0715 - 1500 The 5th Annual Routes Golf Tournament at Arabian with 10 weekly A340 flights to 25,000 one-to-one meetings between Ranches Golf Club three US destinations – Chicago, airlines and airports. 0900 - 1600 Orientation Tour of Dubai City New York and Detroit. Saudi “With high delegations from 1130 - 1300 African Networking Lunch at the Novotel Arabian is the third largest with the likes of the USA, , Russia, 1330 Registration Desk and Diary Advice & Extra Meetings Desk weekly -400 flights Malaysia, Scandinavia and Australia, Open and Hosted Networking Stands Open – Open House on a Washington-New York- Routes in Dubai is a truly global in the Networking Village -Riyadh routing. Kuwait event,” he says. The 300-plus airlines 1400 - 1500 Industry Briefing: Airport Infrastructure presentation by Airways is the fourth and last and 600-plus airports, industry Richard Tollis, Partner, Ernst & Young in Dubai Rooms C & Gulf carrier currently in the mar- organisations and manufacturers rep- D, Level 1 ket. resented are further bolstered by the 1500 - 1530 Industry Briefing: Olivier Onidi, Head of International Air Airways is another co-located ICAO Liberalisation Transport Agreements, Directorate General for Energy & Middle Eastern carrier eyeing the Conference at the Dubai Transport, European Commission in Dubai Rooms E & F, other side of the Atlantic, having International Conference and Level 1 just taken delivery of the first of Exhibition Centre, at which a high 1600 - 1700 Industry Briefing: Aircraft Manufacturer presentation by 10 A340-600s. number of officials from the world’s Airbus (pre-booking necessary) in Dubai Rooms C & D, Qatar, Etihad and Emirates civil aviation authorities will attend. Level 1 will all attend Routes and use the Today’s programme includes a 1730 - 1930 Welcome Reception hosted by Dubai Department of Civil event to forge new contacts with number of events: Aviation in the Networking Village North American airports. ■

INSIDE TRACK Life returns to Beirut airport CARRIERS ARE GRADUALLY RESUMING services to the Lebanese capital Beirut after the introduction of a ceasefire that halted hostilities between neighbouring Israel and Lebanese resistance fighters Hezbollah and the lifting of a military blockade. Home carrier Middle East Airlines (MEA) DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW DAVID has been gradually reintroducing services from Beirut and the carrier says its entire fleet has now been repatriated to Beirut from the Syrian capital Damascus, where MEA opera- tions were based during the conflict. franchise partner BMed and Qatar Airways have both restarted commer- cial flights to Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport following approval from the Lebanese authorities. has resumed its four-times Emirates will initially operate three-times French flag carrier is also taking over services weekly Abu Dhabi-Beirut service, alongside weekly from Dubai while Gulf Air’s service will previously operated by merger partner KLM. the daily service by low-cost carrier be daily. The airport was severely damaged during from . Air has resumed service at four-times fighting, with runways and taxiways sustain- German flag-carrier Lufthansa has restarted weekly flights at first, three less than before the ing bomb damage that forced airlines to with- its five-times weekly services from Frankfurt, start of the hostilities. "Demand will determine draw. The terminal buildings, however, were and Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways and Emirates whether we go back to those levels. But the largely undamaged and it is business as usual have also returned to the Lebanese capital. first flight was nearly full," says Air France. The for the airport’s shops.

✈ KLM DROPS inshort MAS and Gulf Air to codeshare MIDDLE EAST TRIO Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and Gulf Air have agreed to codeshare on flights between Kuala Lumpur and the Middle East. Under the terms of the agreement MAS will add its code to Gulf Air-operated flights KLM will cease serving in and to the Malaysian capital from Bahrain and Muscat. MAS is seeking new codeshare agreements with Damascus in Syria on 29 October and has also foreign carriers as it is scaling back international operations as part of a restructuring plan. announced that it does not intend to resume services to Beirut in Lebanon, adding that the BMed expands network route was “already loss-making” before the British Airways franchise partner BMed plans to extend its network to West Africa at the end of conflict. October with a thrice weekly service from Heathrow to Freetown in Sierra Leone and Dakar in It will instead rely on a codeshare with Air Senegal. It will be the only operating direct links from the UK to the two African countries, not France. served by BA since the early 1990s. Following their merger last year, the two carriers cut several services, leaving cities such China Postal goes international as , Jakarta and Manila with service from Chinese freight carrier China Postal Airlines has launched its first international services with flights only one carrier. They say they are now going between Beijing and the South Korean capital Seoul. Flights are being operated three times a week through the final phase of their joint restruc- with freighters and the carrier says it plans to expand its fledgling international network turing. with services to Japan. China Postal is a joint venture between China Post and China Southern Airlines.

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Daily editorial team Andrea Crisp Distribution The Daily News team can be Editorial head office Mark Pilling George Lowrie contacted at Room B, outside Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Alan Peaford Editorial Assistant the Sheikh Maktoum Hall at Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5AS, UK Jackie Thompson Andy Costerton Advertisement sales the Routes event. Telephone: Tel: +44 208 652 4996 Mike Martin Robert Hancock (+9714) 331-1408 email: Fax: +44 208 652 8914 Layout & production Shawn Buck [email protected] e-mail: airline.business@flight- Contributors Andy Forrester global.com Brendan Sobie Printed by © Airline Business 2005 David Field Photographer Atlas Printing Press LLC Visit us on the web Mike Miller Ian Billinghurst Dubai www.airlinebusiness.com Fabrice Tacoun AIRLINE BUSINESS @ ROUTES 17 September 2006 3

INSIDE TRACK

Jet plots next European push

India’s Jet Airways, which only when our 777s and A330s are also flies daily from Heathrow Jet now offers 22% of the began operating international delivered”, says Menu. The car- to Delhi. The three times week- available seats on the London- flights in May 2005, is here at rier has 10 Airbus A330s and ly Amritsar service will rise to Mumbai market and 16% on Routes and says it is in the final 10 Boeing 777-300ERs on six weekly in January as Jet the London-Delhi market. stages of deciding its next wave order. Jet will also look to oper- takes more aircraft. Overall, the India-UK market of European services. Several ate US services to San Jet will later move into serv- is growing at 20% per year, cities are being studied, includ- Francisco, most probably via ing regional UK cities like however capacity has risen ing Brussels, Frankfurt, China. Birmingham, and faster. In the past two years, the Munich, Paris and Rome, says As it plans its European , says Menu, but total seats offered in the Emmanuel Menu, general expansion, Jet is building its before that it will add another London-Mumbai market has manager UK & Ireland for Jet UK-India services. “We are real- Indian city to its London net- increased by 114%, and by Airways. locating aircraft to the UK and work during 2007, says Menu. 60% between London and The flights will transit accelerating our development,” Although competition Delhi. through these cities on their says Menu. From July, the carri- between the UK and India has Jet is also expanding its way to North American points er has been operating twice soared, with Jet entering or international network into like Chicago, New York or daily A340 services between expanding into the market Asia. Its latest service began on Toronto, with Jet seeking to London Heathrow and along with bmi, British 6 September linking Delhi with begin operations at the start of Mumbai, and in the same Airways and , it Singapore on daily 737 flights. the 2007 winter season. The month it launched a new route is comfortable having won The airline already serves timing and number of routes between Heathrow and what it claims is a “fair share” Singapore daily from Chennai to be launched “depends on Amritsar in northern India. Jet of the UK market, says Menu. and Mumbai. Saudi ready for low-cost revolution ’s National Air Services (NAS) is ing led by investment firm Abraaj Nas. EasyJet NAS is now in a position to expand into the planning to launch a low-cost carrier with the is not being asked to invest but only sell its lost-cost sector following liberalisation at UK’s easyJet a potential partner. NAS, which name. GACA, which is now considering applications already operates all-premium carrier Al- EasyJet says it is “evaluating an opportuni- from six Saudi companies seeking to launch Khayala, lodged an application with the Saudi ty to franchise its brand following a recent airlines. Sama, founded by Investment Arabian General Authority of Civil Aviation joint approach by Jeddah-based NAS and Enterprises and headed by Prince Bandar bin (GACA) last month for a domestic low-cost Dubai-based Abraaj Capital”. It says there Khalid al Faisal with support from UK-based carrier licence. would not be any overlap with its current Aviation Partners, also has applied to NAS has asked UK-based low-cost player business because the new carrier will only fly GAMA for a licence to launch a low-cost air- easyJet if it can use its brand but NAS market- within the Middle East. EasyJet just extended line by year-end. The other four applications ing manager Yasir Niazi says it is prepared to its network to Turkey but has no plans to are from travel group Al-Tayar; the Al- launch a low-cost carrier later this year with or expand further east. Niazi says the start-up Mamiaka company, proposing to operate Burj without a foreign partner. EasyJet says it will will be limited to domestic routes for the first Airlines; Petrogal, on behalf of Al-Watan likely not decide on the franchise proposal two years. Airlines; and Saudi trading company Ikhwan. from NAS until early 2007. NAS became the first privately owned avia- GACA plans to complete initial evaluations “NAS is committed to launching this low- tion company in Saudi Arabia in 1999 when it by the end of September and award new cost airline,” Niazi says. “We are able to launched a business jet fractional ownership licences by year-end. launch as soon as we get permission…but it and charter service. Its fleet has since expand- The opening up of the Saudi market is part will take three or four months to get the ed to 47 aircraft and last year it launched an of a region-wide push to expand its fledgling licences.” all business-class service connecting key cities low-cost industry, which now only includes To help fund the launch, NAS has raised in Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries Sharjah-based Air Arabia and Kuwait’s Jazeera additional capital through a new shares offer- with Airbus A319s and A320s. Airways. AIRLINE BUSINESS @ ROUTES 17 September 2006 5 EXHIBITOR NEWS

✈ CEBU LANDS AT Capitol growth as United gears up CHANGI’S BUDGET TERMINAL Singapore Changi airport’s budget terminal, which was opened earlier this year, now has two carrier tenants. Following in the slipstream of Singapore’s low-cost Tiger Airways, which moved into the terminal in March, Philippines-based Cebu Pacific has opted to use the airport’s budget terminal. United Airlines is preparing for a says: “The move confirms that eastward focus as the airline trims This follows approval from new Southwest Airlines assault by Dulles is the East Coast interna- in response to transatlantic com- the Civil Aviation Authority of beefing up service at Washington’s tional hub for United, confirms petition. Its recent sale of its New Singapore (CAAS) for Cebu to Dulles International Airport, its commitment to Dulles as an York JFK-London Gatwick route fly scheduled passenger servic- which has been United’s major international gateway and as a to Delta Air Lines is a sign of this. es from Manila to Singapore. East Coast hub for 20 years –and point for strong domestic feed.” From Dulles domestically, A daily non-stop service from which will be Southwest’s newest The United flights include a United will offer new daily serv- Manila to Singapore was airport in October. new service to Kuwait under a ice to West Palm Beach, Florida, launched at the end of United plans to increase its just-signed open skies bilateral beginning in December, followed August. Dulles service by 13% in a build- with the Middle Eastern state, by Fort Myers, Florida and Cebu Pacific is credited with up that will add 22 new flights daily service to Narita, Japan, Tucson, Arizona, both in late being Asia’s first no-frills air- from Dulles, including domestic and, if it wins a Department of October. It is also adding services line and first launched a and international elements Transportation competition, a to around a dozen cities already Manila-Singapore service in aimed at its eastward global new route to China. served from Dulles. United is fill- October 2002 using Boeing expansion. Its Dulles-Beijing service bid ing a void left after the demise of 757s but later suspended the By November, United will be puts United in competition with low-cost carrier Independence Air service. providing 321 daily departures. a plan by American Airlines for in January. Air traffic at Dulles The carrier will be compet- Mark Treadaway, the air services more Dallas/Fort Worth service to has grown since that time, climb- ing on the route against planning and development vice- China, as well as rival bids from ing from 1.5 million passengers a Singapore-based low-cost car- president for the Metropolitan Northwest and Continental month in February to more than rier Jetstar Asia and full-service Washington Airports Authority, Airlines, and represents United’s 2 million in June. carriers Singapore Airlines and Philippine Airlines. Tiger Airways operates from Singapore to Clark, a second- Hoping to strike it rich ary airport near Manila. Ho Beng Huat, CAAS deputy AIRPORTS IN THE WESTERN USA ARE BIG PLACES drilling down and then out in L-shaped patterns, director-general of civil avia- - and many of them sit on buried treasure. As the can reach areas under the airport. The FAA will tion, says: “We are very happy world energy crisis pushes the price of oil and gas closely watch the placement of drilling equipment. to welcome Cebu Pacific as the higher, these airports are finding ways to exploit D/FW sits at the eastern edge of a geological for- second carrier to operate out of the energy reserves underneath their property. mation called the Barnett Shale, an underground Singapore’s budget terminal. Denver International Airport inherited oil and area that holds vast amounts of gas. As the market The terminal’s operating gas drilling when it was built in the 1990s, and now price of gas and oil have risen, energy companies model of “” efficiency is about to expand it as other airports in the West have retuned to this once-neglected area, drawn by and low-cost operations will are finding the resources a way to strike it rich. the combination of higher prices and improved serve very well Cebu Pacific’s D/FW, as the 18,000 acre Dallas/Fort Worth exploration technology and drilling techniques. business model.” International Airport is known to nearly every busi- D/FW is not alone on sitting on buried treasure; He adds: “Passenger traffic ness flyer who has ever had to change aircraft, there are about 50 active oil wells at the Will Rogers between the Philippines and thinks it is close to striking it rich. Not with new World Airport in Oklahoma City, and at Denver, a Singapore has been growing routes or concessions or parking lots, but literally. huge 34,000 acre facility. As many as 90 wells were strongly. Last year, passenger The airport, between the two North Texas metrop- pumping away when it was built in the 1990s, and traffic was 994,000, up 19% olises, has become the latest to sign a deal to allow 53 are still active. Now Petro- Resources, over 2004. For the first seven natural gas drilling. which owns 10 of those active wells, is set to months of this year, traffic It signed a deal with Oklahoma-based increase drilling on the airport. Denver, which took increased by a further 24%.” Chesapeake Energy that will gain it at least $181 in $3.8 million in royalties in 2005, stands to take The number of weekly million plus royalties in return for the right to oper- in more, but is not yet certain how much. “Oil and flights at the budget terminal ate five drilling rigs. Chesapeake will have access to gas exploration is not and an exact science so we has also increased by about about half the airport acreage. D/FW’s runways, can’t say for sure how much revenue these opera- 50%, from 124 in March to taxiways, terminal areas and other off-limits areas tions will bring to the airport,” says airport chief 188 today, says the airport. would be protected, but the energy company, by financial officer Stan Koniz. 6 AIRLINE BUSINESS @ ROUTES 17 September 2006

EXHIBITOR NEWS Sabre now at the cutting edge

One Routes exhibitor uses the it accounted for only a handful providers in the industry. And ward, Sabre is the best posi- annual event as a milestone to of international clients, and it says, there is more in the tioned of all of the airport con- judge its growth, and here, in less than 3% of its total con- pipeline. sulting service providers, one of the fastest growing sulting revenues. Some 120 airports across the through its combination of cities in the world it is appro- The practice now comes to globe currently work with experienced consultants, and priate that Sabre’s airport con- Dubai following a series of Sabre’s airport consulting busi- direct access to industry-lead- sulting practice is finding itself acquisitions, partnerships, and ness ranging from regional air- ing analysis and technology as one of the fastest growing a greater corporate focus on the ports such as Groeningen in solutions. consulting services in the airport industry, as one of the the Netherlands, through to a “We have the distinct advan- industry. largest and fastest growing air- wide range of global carrier tage of being able to provide In 2003 at Routes , port consulting service hubs including Dallas/Fort our clients with solutions gen- Worth, and Singapore’s erated from the same systems Changi. which are being provided to Of those 120 clients, Sabre the airlines by the product-arm says that 65 were new first time of Sabre, with methodologies clients in 2005. which the airlines already In the early years, Sabre understand. offered almost exclusively mar- “For example, we have the ket information services but ability to provide our air-serv- has expanded its offerings to ice development airport clients include comprehensive com- solutions using the same fore- mercial and air-service devel- casting tools that their target opment solutions, and has airlines are using. This has led recently expanded further into to the airlines having a greater more operations and cargo comfort level with the analysis related areas. being presented by our clients. It has also begun investing in Not many competitors are able new market analysis related to offer that level of comfort” products attempting to capi- Brooke says that Sabre talise on its position as the expects to continue its growth industry’s largest MIDT over the next few years, provider. through internal and external This includes the launch of strategic initiatives, as well as Flight Support takes off at Manchester the Sabre ADI online data serv- through continuing to expand Flight Support, the UK’s newest ground handling company, ice. This comprehensive traf- its service offerings. makes its debut at the Routes event on the back of its acquisition fic, schedule and capacity data “We opened our first interna- of Manchester Handling giving it a presence at Britain’s third tool has already proven popu- tional office dedicated to air- largest airport. lar with more than 35 airports, port consulting in Australia in The -based company has also just won a new con- airport management compa- August of 2005, and that has tract to provide ground support to Scottish low cost carrier fly- nies, and government agencies resulted in over a dozen new globespan.com at Manchester and Airports. On contracted onto the service Asian clients in the past 12 November 2, Flyglobespan begins long haul flights from within its first eight months of months. We will be opening a Manchester to and Toronto with -300 air- operation. European office immediately craft. From John Lennon Liverpool Airport it launches flights to Speaking at the build–up to after Routes Dubai, and we and , using the B737-800 and B757-200. New Routes, Damian Brooke, Sabre’s expect to continue the same York follows in May 2007. Partner responsible for the and greater levels of growth to Flyglobespan becomes the latest customer at Flight Support’s International Airport and occur in Europe and the Middle growing Liverpool Airport base, where it already looks after such Government practice says “We East over the same period,” he customers as VLM, WIZZ, Balkan Holidays, , Avia Jet truly believe that going for- said. and EuroManx, plus the Royal Mail flights operated by Air Charter Services and air freight company DHL. Flight Support inshort took over the Liverpool operation from Aviance in October 2005 Innovata pens new agreement and this base now supports 39 staff. Atlanta based database and software services company Innovata, and Isle of Man Ronaldsway Airport is Flight Support’s largest base, leading ground handling company Penauille Servisair, will today announce a supporting 43 staff. Customers include EuroManx, VLM, Flybe, long-term data partnership agreement. BNWA, (nee RockHopper), plus the mail contrac- Innovata is to supply a weekly extract of its SRS Schedules data into tors. Penauille Servisair’s central database which is used to supplement opera- “Since our creation just over a year ago, we have set out to tional data to more than 140 locations. The SRS database, marketed in offer a fresh, ‘can do’ approach for all our customers. We go all association with IATA, is managed and maintained by Innovata with over out to try and exceed their expectations and believe the attention 900 airlines participating in and regularly updating the database directly. is in the detail,” says Flight Support chief executive Brett Turner. Innovata’s data will also be supplied to Sabre Airline Solutions.

AIRLINE BUSINESS @ ROUTES 17 September 2006 9 ATI In conjunction with Air Transport Intelligence, the 24-hour news and data service from the publisher of Flight International, Airline Business and Flight Daily News. Find us at: www.rati.com

EC BLOCKS UK ROUTE SUPPORT SCHEME

UK ROUTE DEVELOPMENT support for air links with non- 's - many European destinations is to be services are supported by the RDF halted by the European Commission (EC) with effect from June next year. The Scottish Executive’s Route Development Fund (RDF) was established in 2002. It offers financial assistance to encour- age the creation of otherwise unlikely direct air routes. Similar schemes have been initiated in and . EC representative for Scotland Neil Mitchison says that the UK recently sought European approval for the funding initia- deals on routes to non- tries could limit competition. brings “tremendous advan- tives, but the EC decided that European destinations covered “The situation might well be tages” to the sector, did not go with effect from June next year, by the scheme, and those agreed reviewed once we have an open on. support can only be given for before next May’s deadline, will skies agreement,” he adds. Route funding through the intra-European routes. still be allowed to run for three Independent financial servic- Scottish RDF has, to date, Around 40 services, either cur- years, which is the normal dura- es body Scottish Financial averaged $2.30 per passenger. rently operated or due to start tion of a Scottish RDF grant. Enterprise says that the RDF It is paid to airports to offset next spring, are supported by Mitchison says the EC has helped to develop the costs associated with start- the Scottish RDF. This includes encourages the development of Scotland’s air links, aiding local ing a new route and can be Emirates’ Dubai-Glasgow service intra-European air links, but business growth. It says that passed onto airline operators and Continental’s link between that the lack of open skies deals the body would be “very disap- through airport charging Edinburgh and Newark. Existing with some non-European coun- pointed” if the scheme, which structures.

FRAPORT MIGHT INVEST IN CHINA'S GUANGZHOU AIRPORT inbrief Tiger roars on German airport group Fraport is ing capital to fund the second- would be moving its Asia-Pacific Singapore low-cost carrier considering investing in New phase of the airport’s develop- hub from Subic Bay in the Tiger Airways plans to dra- Baiyun International Airport in ment plus it wants to draw on Philippines to the Guangzhou air- matically increase services Guangzhou, southern China. western management expertise. port starting 2008. to Thailand and Macau. Guangzhou airport operator New Baiyun International China’s government in recent As of October 29 Tiger Guangdong Airport Management Airport’s second-phase expan- years has handed management will be increasing its has “talked with Fraport and both sion, “due to begin in 2010”, is a control of the country’s airports Singapore-Krabi service to sides have agreed to co-operate”, 17.5 billion yuan ($2.2 billion) to local and provincial govern- eight flights per week says the state-run China Daily, cit- investment that includes new ments, with the exception of from five, Singapore- ing remarks made by Liu Zijing, cargo terminals for FedEx and a Beijing Capital International Hatyai to 12 flights per president of Guangdong Airport runway capable of handling the Airport and a few airports in week from 11 and Management. Airbus A380, according to the Tibet, and it has allowed foreign- Singapore-Macau to 10 Liu says they are speaking to report. ers to buy equity in Chinese air- flights weekly from seven, Fraport because his group is seek- FedEx announced in 2005 it ports. Tiger says in a statement. It also says on 1 December NARITA EXTENDS ALOHA JETSTAR it will be increasing the frequency of its Singapore- Tokyo Narita International Airport is extending its Qantas Airways’ low-cost carrier Jetstar has firmed Phuket service to 21 second runway so it can handle larger aircraft and to up the launch dates for its Honolulu service, which flights per week from 14 effectively boost the airport’s capacity. will be commencing during Australia’s peak travel and the Singapore- Japan’s land, infrastructure and transport minister season. Jetstar says in a statement it will be launch- Bangkok service will also Kazuo Kitagawa has just granted approval for the ing its thrice-weekly Sydney-Honolulu service on increase to 21 flights per runway extension to 2,500m (8,200ft) from 2,180m 27 December and it will commence the twice-week- week from 14. and the work is due to be completed in March 2010. ly Melbourne-Honolulu service on 29 December. 10 AIRLINE BUSINESS @ ROUTES 17 September 2006

NEWCOMERS

OAG NEW AIRLINE HALL

TRAVEL AND TRANSPORT INFORMATION provider OAG will again host the New Airline Hall at Routes in Dubai, after two previous years’ participation at the New York-based Eos began event. life in October 2005. OAG monitors start-up airline activity on a worldwide basis from conception to the first operation to ensure it holds the schedules of new airlines from launch. The New Airline Hall houses carriers from all over the world, giving them the opportunity to meet airports, airlines and industry suppliers all under one roof. The pre-arranged meetings provide an opportunity to discuss expansion plans, increasing revenues and cutting costs, as well as accessing resources and infor- mation critical to route development needs. Details of selected airlines and operations, both current and planned, are list- ed where available. The information comes from OAG and the Flight Group’s online news service, Air Transport Intelligence, as well as Airline Business. ARABJET EXPRESSJET EUROPE BASE: Dubai. BASE: Cork, Ireland.

Arabjet is a regional, all business class, premium service scheduled ExpressJet Europe is a proposed regional feeder carrier planning to devel- passenger start-up airline. op the capacity purchase agreement concept (CPA) in Europe. It hopes to begin operations at the end of 2006 or early 2007. The carrier will acquire AIR ASTURIAS its fleet through a combination of purchase and lease agreements. BASE: Oviedo, FAROEJET Air Asturias is a low-cost start-up, based in the Asturias region of BASE: Sørvágur, . northern Spain. It plans to begin operations to several European and Latin American destinations in 2006 with two leased Airbus A320s Established in December 2005, Faroejet is a privately backed start-up and one Boeing 767-300ER. airline, operating scheduled services between Copenhagen and the Faroe Islands using a leased Avro RJ100. The airline plans to add air- DALMATIAN.HR craft to its fleet and further destinations within in 2007. BASE: Split, Zagreb and one other, Croatia. FLY GIBRALTAR Dalmatian.hr aims to commence flight operations during the spring BASE: Gibraltar. of 2007 with a mixed fleet of Airbus A320 and Boeing 737-300 air- craft within domestic Croatia and to other European destinations. Gibraltar’s first low-cost and locally based airline plans to launch low- During the summer period of 2007, Dalmatian.hr will commence cost flights from Gibraltar to London Stansted, Birmingham, , low-cost long-haul flights from Croatia to cities in the USA, Canada, Manchester, and Cork from April 2007 but expects to start Asia and Australia. Customers will be able to travel direct or via Zagreb ticketing from October 2006. Backed by Gibraltar-based Property at low fares in comparison to legacy carriers. The airline intends to Development (International), the new carrier will operate two leased gradually increase its fleet throughout the first five years adding addi- aircraft in a one-class configuration carrying 148 passengers. tional aircraft and increasing its European network alongside its long- haul destination network in North American, Asia and Australia. GADAIR It is anticipated that by the end of year five operations, the BASE: Madrid Dalmatian.hr fleet will exceed 50 aircraft. Gadair European Airlines is a Spanish start-up airline planning to EOS launch operations this year with a twice-weekly service from Madrid BASE: New York. to Doula in Camaroon. Services from Madrid to Quito in Ecuador and from Quito to New York will be added later. Eos is a privately held start-up airline focused exclusively on the international business traveller. The airline began operations with its GOLDEN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES inaugural flight on 18 October 2005 from Kennedy to London’s BASE: Istanbul Stansted Airport using a specially configured business-class -200. Eos runs a loyalty programme for travellers and offers pre- Golden International Airlines is a start-up airline that plans to mium services such as car service and kerbside escort. operate full charter services on behalf of tour operators using Boeing 757s formerly operated by Turkey’s Atlasjet. 14 AIRLINE BUSINESS @ ROUTES 17 September 2006 NEWCOMERS

Germany, and Poland. It is the owner/operator of Saab aircraft HANSEFLUG and other ACMI aircraft for charter. In 2007-8 it plans to extend BASE: Hanover scheduled services to Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania, and charters between North America, Israel and Dubai and Montenegro. Hanseflug is a German start-up carrier with head offices in the city of Cargo services are set to start in 2008. Hanover. RAK AIRWAYS LAC AIR CONGO BASE: Ras al-Khaimah, UAE. BASE: Kinshasa RAK Airways is a start-up airline planning to launch in 2007 serving LAC Air Congo (ex Air Congo - ex Air Zaire) has resumed flights after destinations in the Indian sub-continent, Gulf Co-operation Council years of inactivity. The first flight in August connected Kinshasa with (GCC) states, Lebanon, Europe and Africa. The carrier has been estab- Kisangani and Bunia. The company is expecting to put additional lished through an Emiri decree as a national carrier for . aircraft into service and to cover more destinations, initially domes- tic ones, but later on some international or intercontinental destina- AVIATION tions. LAC will have a Boeing 767 available later this month. BASE: : Karachi,

Star Air Aviation (Private), is a local operator from Pakistan which PTL AIRLINES has AOC and charter licences for domestic and international opera- BASE: Poland and Czech Republic tions from Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. Star Air is engaged in commercial cargo operations on scheduled domestic (night) opera- PTL Airlines is planning to launch operations in December 2006. tions and also conducts day charter flights as and when inquiries are The carrier intends to serve both domestic and international routes received from the market. Star Air currently operates four freighter using four aircraft. PTL Airlines is currently finalising the acquisi- aircraft on wet lease. These aircraft are parked during day time at tion of its air operator’s certificate. It plans to offer a point to point / / Multan and Karachi Airport and are available regional business service in Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, to perform immediate day charter flights at short notice.

AIRLINE BUSINESS @ ROUTES 17 September 2006 15 LOW COST CONFERENCE

Brendan Sobie reports from the World Low Cost Airline Congress, London on the eve of Routes, Dubai Sharjah carrier predicts great growth ahead

THE FLEDGLING MIDDLE EASTERN Middle Eastern countries including (see story page 5) and Ali expects new low-cost market is poised for a period Jordan and Saudi Arabia. All the coun- low-cost competitors will also emerge of major growth, led by Air Arabia and tries in the region also prohibit fifth- in Egypt, Air Arabia’s largest destina- several potential-start-ups. freedom flights, restricting Air Arabia tion. Sharjah-based Air Arabia, which to routes from its Sharjah hub. Ali says Saudi Arabia initially is only became the first low-cost carrier in the “If we have Arab open skies, we’ll opening its domestic market to new Middle East when it launched services grow four to five times from what we Saudi operators but eventually restric- in 2003, expects rapid growth over the are today,” Ali says. tions will also be lifted on internation- next few years as governments in the To support growth from its largest al routes. The Saudi Arabian domestic “If we have region begin opening their skies to new carrier, Sharjah airport will be expand- market has the biggest potential in the carriers. ed and renovated. Ali says Air Arabia Middle East because it accounts for Arab open “We’ve seen huge shifts in the atti- plans to stay in Sharjah rather than 70% of the region’s population and is skies, we’ll tudes of authorities,” says chief execu- move to nearby Dubai because “it is currently underserved, according to grow four to tive Adel Ali. “I think it will be another close enough and it is not as congest- the chief executive of Saudi proposed five times year or two before everything opens ed”. low-cost carrier Sama, Andrew Cowen. from what up.” Last year Air Arabia was joined by “Saudi Arabia badly needs some low- we are Air Arabia now serves 27 destina- Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways, which is cost competitors,” Cowen says. “The tions with 140 weekly flights using now the only other low-cost operator opportunity in Saudi Arabia is tremen- today” seven Airbus A320s. But it is fully util- in the region. But several new low-cost dous. From my standpoint, it’s the Adel Ali ising all the route authorities it has carriers are preparing to launch servic- biggest airline opportunity in the Chief Executive secured and is unable to serve several es in Saudi Arabia by early next year world.” Air Arabia Kulula aims for expansion

South Africa’s Kulula aims to expand its network to sec- ondary cities using turboprops that would be operated by a new regional subsidiary or partner. Kulula chief executive Gidon Novick says it considering acquiring SA Express or hiring another South African regional carrier to operate 50 to 70-seat turboprops on its behalf. Kulula seeks turboprops to launch services to domestic destinations that do not have enough traffic to support narrowbody aircraft but present opportunities because of limited competition and high fares. “In terms of our route network it’s a challenge. We’re at the tip of Africa so we can’t fly south, east or west,” Novick says. “We’ve tried smaller routes but they are just too small for our Boeings. We are looking at different types of air- craft, especially turboprops.” Nok opens door on international routes Africa’s first and only low-cost carrier currently operates a 16-aircraft fleet consisting of Boeing 737-200s, 737-400s Thai low-cost carrier Nok Air is es to its first international destina- and MD-80s. Novick says Kulula’s first priority is to replace expanding its fleet from five to eight tion, Bangalore in India, in January. its remaining 737-200s and MD-80s with more 737-400s aircraft in October as it looks to fur- Services to Chennai and Hyderabad, or similar-sized Airbus or Boeing aircraft. He says it will ther bolster its domestic market share also in India, will follow later in 2007. then focus on acquiring smaller and larger aircraft, with ahead of the launch of international Nok launched in 2004 and already ATR 42/72 and Bombardier Dash 8s under consideration services. enjoys about 20% of the Thai domes- for the former requirement and Boeing 757s or 737-900Xs Nok chief executive Patee Sarasin tic market. Patee expects Nok’s mar- under consideration for the latter requirement. says two additional Boeing 737-400s ket share will grow further next year Kulula, which is owned by British Airways South African will be used to launch services from as its part-owner, Thai Airways partner , is not interested in operating turboprops Bangkok to Krabi and Sarat Thani, International, withdraws from all on its own. SA Express already operates a fleet of 13 turbo- giving it 11 domestic destinations. It domestic routes except Bangkok- props and regional jets for on sev- will also take delivery next month of Chang Mai and Bangkok-Phuket. But eral of the routes Kulula is eyeing but Novick says its high a second ATR 72, to be used mainly as he also expects growth from cost base would have to be restructured if it was acquired a spare aircraft. Thailand’s other two low-cost carriers, by Kulula. If Kulula does not succeed in buying SA Express “After seven [737] aircraft Thailand One-Two-Go and Thai AirAsia, which from the South African government its planned fleet of will be saturated from our point of have similar shares of the Thai turboprops will be operated by one of a few South African view. Then we’ll be moving interna- domestic market. “My objective is not carriers that already operate 19 to 50-seat turboprops. tionally,” Patee says. to compete with others but to com- He says Nok plans to launch servic- pete with ourselves,” he says. 16 AIRLINE BUSINESS @ ROUTES 17 September 2006

INTERVIEW The concept of wealth built on energy resources is a familiar story in the Middle East but one carrier, here at Routes, believes access to the energy world will help take it to the next level too. Milton’s Paradise REGAINED ROBERT MILTON, THE will operate three days a week, starting 31 chairman and chief executive October and will go daily next April. of Air Canada parent, ACE Edmonton is closer to some of the energy Holdings, says the airline’s operations than the province’s other main route strategy relies on keeping point, Calgary, which is an Air Canada mini- its hub airports well fed and nourished. hub. And so Edmonton has enjoyed more On the surface, that would be a challenge growth than it might otherwise have, with since the airline has three major hubs across the nine new services this year, including the nation, two of them, Toronto and Montréal, London service, plus nonstops to Las Vegas; Factfile: Robert Milton straddling Canada’s major population and busi- Los Angeles; Montreal; and several warm Robert Milton, 47, grew up in the USA, UK, ness centres and one of them oriented east- weather spots including Las Vegas; Cancun; Singapore, Belgium and Hong Kong as his ward: Vancouver. But Milton and the airline are Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and three father, an international banker, moved benefiting from the larger world economic western Canada destinations (Yellowknife, around the world. forces: the Asia-Pacific trade boom and perhaps Victoria, and Kelowna). He remembers when he first “got ironically from the world's global energy crisis. And the airline is poised to exploit a market hooked”– on a flight from the Canada sits close on the Pacific Rim and as opening that presented itself about a month area to St Louis in an executive jet. “They let importantly sits on some of the globe's most after Milton spoke with Airline Business in the me up in the flightdeck, and that did it,” he sought-after natural resources: energy. It is the Montréal headquarters of Air Canada’s parent, says. energy boom that is making the western ACE Aviation Holdings: the demise of CanJet. Milton graduated in 1983 from Atlanta’s provinces into boomlets. Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, CanJet halted all Georgia Tech with a degree in industrial Pick up any Canadian newspaper or tune scheduled flights on its 10 Boeing 737s in early management and a gift from his father to into any Canadian broadcaster and the news is September, and Air Canada and its Jazz region- buy a new car. He used the money instead to about the billions of dollars in investment al affiliate will add daily flights on four routes start an air courier dubbed Midnight pouring in to exploration and production in this month, with some extra capacity possible Express, which he sold to Piedmont Aviation. the plains of the west. in November as the demand situation clarifies. In 1993 he become a full-time Air Canada Oil drilling, oil-sands extraction and natural Another boon to Air Canada is the advent of employee, rising through the ranks until in gas development mean business travellers and, increased open skies with the US. Although full 2000 he led the purchase of rival Canadian as importantly, workers to staff the projects. implementation of a deal set for 1 September Airlines International, while fending off a Because many oil and gas workers have been has been delayed, Air Canada and indeed its hostile takeover attempt. recruited from the nation’s Maritime east, in low-fare rival WestJet are beefing up US service, In 2003 he put Air Canada in reorganisa- particular Newfoundland, where unemploy- in particular flights to warm weather spots tion under CCAA, the Canadian version of ment has been chronic, a new travel pattern such as Las Vegas, Palm Springs, and Fort Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. A year has emerged as workers fly monthly or even Lauderdale. later he brought Air Canada out in the form weekly between their homes on the rocky Milton, like top management at most other of ACE Aviation Holdings. He sold stakes in Atlantic coast and their work in the oil-rich airlines, loathes restraints on where to fly, lim- Aeroplan and Jazz and in August announced west. This has given the airline an opportunity its on who it can invest in it and a dependence plans to sell a stake in Air Canada itself. The to exploit a product that Milton is really on what Milton calls “natural and abusive sale of its services unit is also on the cards. pleased with: its multi-pass products. The pass- monopolies such as airports.” It was his interest Milton is married with two children. es are ideal, Milton says, explaining: “The air- in fighting these barriers that led him to accept line gets cash in advance and also gets a pretty a somewhat surprising invitation from IATA good idea of how much traffic it is going to be director general Giovanni Bisignani to chair the getting on specific routes, while the customer association’s board of governors for 2005-6. gets a healthy discount and some real service That term expired in May, but Milton will not advantages”. end his often sharply worded advocacy for the The energy boom has also given Air Canada issues he believes the industry needs to address. enough traffic to justify a route that would He says: “We have to work together to get have been economically unviable just a few traction on these issues. We may not be able to years ago: direct service between Edmonton, in reverse some of the mistakes that we now have the northern part of Alberta, and London to deal with but maybe we can keep something Heathrow. The non-stop Boeing 767 flights stupid from getting started.”

18 AIRLINE BUSINESS @ ROUTES 17 September 2006

STAT ATTACK Data-download TOP ROUTES BY SEATS OFFERED Europe

RANK AIRPORT 1 AIRPORT 2 SEATS LEAD CARRIERS NAME CODE NAME CODE PER WEEK CARRIER 1 CARRIER 2 1 Barcelona BCN Madrid MAD 148,627 2 London Heathrow LHR New York JFK JFK 83,846 British Airways American Airlines 3 Rome Fiumicino FCO Milan Linate LIN 82,420 Alitalia Air One 4 Paris Orly ORY Toulouse TLS 62,012 Air France EasyJet 5 Paris Orly ORY NCE 57,084 Air France EasyJet 6 London Heathrow LHR Paris CDG CDG 54,766 Air France British Airways 7 Oslo Gardermoen OSL Bergen BGO 54,471 SAS Braathens Norwegian 8 London Heathrow LHR AMS 53,620 KLM British Airways 9 Oslo Gardermoen OSL Trondheim TRD 51,367 SAS Braathens Norwegian 10 London Heathrow LHR Dublin DUB 50,958 Aer Lingus bmi

North America

RANK AIRPORT 1 AIRPORT 2 SEATS LEAD CARRIERS NAME CODE NAME CODE PER WEEK CARRIER 1 CARRIER 2 1 Honolulu HNL Kahului OGG 71,937 Hawaiian AirlinesAloha 2 Chicago O'Hare ORD New York LaGuardia LGA 67,518 American Airlines United Airlines 3 Los Angeles LAX Las Vegas LAS 63,953 Southwest Airlines America West 4 Las Vegas LAS Phoenix PHX 62,658 Southwest Airlines America West 5 Toronto Pearson YYZ Montreal Trudeau YUL 60,905 Air Canada WestJet 6 Atlanta ATL New York LaGuardia LGA 60,190 Delta Air Lines AirTran Airways 7 Los Angeles LAX San Francisco SFO 59,918 United Airlines American Airlines 8 Atlanta ATL Orlando Int'l MCO 59,357 Delta Air Lines AirTran Airways 9 Lihue Municipal LIH Honolulu HNL 59,205 Hawaiian Airlines Aloha 10 Atlanta ATL Dallas Fort Worth DFW 58,254 Delta Air Lines American Airlines

Asia-Pacific

RANK AIRPORT 1 AIRPORT 2 SEATS LEAD CARRIERS NAME CODE NAME CODE PER WEEK CARRIER 1 CARRIER 2 1 Tokyo Haneda HND Sapporo Chitose CTS 229,676 All Nippon Airways Japan Airlines 2 Tokyo Haneda HND Fukuoka FUK 194,656 Japan Airlines All Nippon Airways 3 Hong Kong HKG Tapei CKS TPE 181,304 China Airlines 4 Tokyo Haneda HND Osaka Itami ITM 153,356 All Nippon Airways Japan Airlines 5 Seoul Gimpo GMP Jeju CJU 132,719 Korean Air Asiana 6 Beijing PEK Shanghai Hongqiao SHA 107,916 Air China China Eastern 7 Hong Kong HKG Shanghai Pudong PVG 97,572 Dragonair China Eastern 8 Bangkok BKK Chiang Mai CNX 93,123 Thai Airways Nok Air 9 Tokyo Haneda HND Okinawa Naha OKA 87,724 Japan Airlines All Nippon Airways 10 Mumbai BOM Delhi DEL 85,220 Jet Airways Indian Airlines

20 AIRLINE BUSINESS @ ROUTES 17 September 2006

afterhours THINGS TO DO IN DUBAI IN YOUR DOWNTIME A shopping paradise

SHOPPING IS UNDOUBTEDLY mall located in Jumeirah, and The gold souks are also strictly one of Dubai’s greatest draws Wafi City Mall, which is widely regulated, so there is little and it’s not without reason that regarded as Dubai’s most elegant chance of customers being the city is often regarded as the shopping complex… and of ripped off in terms of quality, ‘shopping capital of the East’. course the new Mall of the although prices do vary and bar- The unrivalled collection of Emirates where you can enjoy a gaining is essential. goods and low import duties bit of downhill skiing on real If you fancy another variety of make Dubai a shoppers’ paradise snow when the shopping gets a fishing make sure you get a Depending on what you’re bit too much. whiff of the fish souk, where after, there are two kinds of The best-value items in malls each morning fishermen unload shopping experience to choose tend to be electrical goods and vast amounts of fresh fish. from: Browse in one of the designer labels. One thing for sure is that many malls across the city, or There are plenty of local mar- wherever you go, it’s hard to wander around the souks (mar- kets, and though much has leave Dubai empty handed. ketplaces) with their sights and changed since their heyday, sounds reminiscent of another souks still have plenty worth time. haggling over, from spices and Although the seasonal Dubai silks to electronics and gold. Shopping Festival and Dubai Shops selling the same or similar Summer Surprises are the two goods cluster together, so the biggest attractions, special pro- spice souk, for example is a feast motions tend to run through for all the senses and quite a the year. tourist attraction, while Meena Deira City Mall, with 1.2 mil- Bazaar is the place all the taxi lion square feet of unadulterated drivers will take you to if you ask retail space, is one of the city’s for the textile souk. most popular malls, housing The buzzing gold souk on more then 280 stores. Among Sikkat al-Khali Street offers some other popular malls are Mercato, great deals on gold, with prices a unique renaissance-themed among the lowest in the world.

ALL YOU NEED: here are some useful telephone numbers to help smooth over your visit to Routes in Dubai.

■ TOURISM: Check local newspapers for 24- Al Amal Hospital Welcare Hospital Department of Tourism and hour pharmacies. ✆ 344 4010 ✆ 282 7788 Commerce Marketing (DTCM) Al Baraha Hospital Welcome Bureau ■ LOST OR STOLEN ITEMS: ✆ 271 0000 ■ TAXIS: ✆ 228 5000 You must report any lost or Al Maktoum Hospital Dubai Transport Corporation E-mail: stolen items to Dubai Police. ✆ 222 1211 ✆ 264 1111 [email protected] The Police operator can be con- Al Wasl Hospital Cars Taxi Website: tacted on 269 2222 or fax: 221 ✆ 324 1111 ✆ 800 4825 www.dubaitourism.co.ae 5158 American Hospital Dubai Taxi ✆ 336 7777 ✆ 208 0808 ■ EMERGENCY: ■ POST OFFICES: Belhoul European Hospital Golden Taxi ✆ Police: 999 Post Offices are open Saturday ✆ 345 4000 ✆ 336 5444 USEFUL INFO Fire: 997 to Thursday 8am – 8pm. Dubai Hospital Gulf Radio Taxi Ambulance: 998/999 However stamps are generally ✆ 271 4444 ✆ 223 6666 Coastguards: 345 0520 available from most supermar- International Private Hospital kets and grocery shops. ✆ 221 2484 ■ FLIGHT ENQUIRES: ■ PHARMACIES: Iranian Hospital Dubai International Airport Most pharmacies are open from ■ HOSPITALS: The following ✆ 344 0250 ✆ 224 5777 9am to 9pm and many can be hospitals can treat all manner Rashid Hospital To call these numbers from overseas place found at leading supermarkets. of emergencies: ✆ 337 4000 +9714 in front of the number

22 AIRLINE BUSINESS @ ROUTES 17 September 2006

Dubai2006

BRINGING YOU THE NEWS FROM ROUTES DUBAI NETWORKING FORUM – DAY ONE: SUNDAY 17 SEPTEMBER Sabre now at the cutting edge

One Routes exhibitor uses the tion services but has expanded its with solutions generated from the annual event as a milestone to offerings to include comprehensive same systems which are being pro- judge its growth, and here, in one commercial and air-service develop- vided to the airlines by the product- of the fastest growing cities in the ment solutions, and has recently arm of Sabre, with methodologies world it is appropriate that Sabre’s expanded further into more opera- which the airlines already under- airport consulting practice is find- tions and cargo related areas. stand. “We have the ing itself as one of the fastest grow- It has also begun investing in “For example, we have the ability distinct ing consulting services in the indus- new market analysis related prod- to provide our air-service develop- advantage of try. ucts attempting to capitalise on its ment airport clients solutions using being able to In 2003 at Routes Edinburgh, it position as the industry’s largest the same forecasting tools that their provide our accounted for only a handful of MIDT provider. target airlines are using. This has clients with international clients, and less than This includes the launch of the led to the airlines having a greater solutions 3% of its total consulting revenues. Sabre ADI online data service. This comfort level with the analysis The practice now comes to Dubai comprehensive traffic, schedule and being presented by our clients. Not generated from following a series of acquisitions, capacity data tool has already many competitors are able to offer the same partnerships, and a greater corpo- proven popular with more than 35 that level of comfort” systems which rate focus on the airport industry, as airports, airport management com- Brooke says that Sabre expects to are being one of the largest and fastest grow- panies, and government agencies continue its growth over the next provided to the ing airport consulting service contracted onto the service within few years, through internal and airlines by the providers in the industry. And it its first eight months of operation. external strategic initiatives, as well product-arm of says, there is more in the pipeline. Speaking at the build–up to as through continuing to expand its Some 120 airports across the Routes, Damian Brooke, Sabre’s service offerings. Sabre, with globe currently work with Sabre’s Partner responsible for the “We opened our first internation- methodologies airport consulting business ranging International Airport and al office dedicated to airport con- which the from regional airports such as Government practice says “We truly sulting in Australia in August of airlines already Groeningen in the Netherlands, believe that going forward, Sabre is 2005, and that has resulted in over understand.Alas through to a wide range of global the best positioned of all of the air- a dozen new Asian clients in the tair Robertson carrier hubs including Dallas/Fort port consulting service providers, past 12 months. We will be open- Worth, and Singapore’s Changi. through its combination of experi- ing a European office immediately KIA.” Of those 120 clients, Sabre says enced consultants, and direct access after Routes Dubai, and we expect Damian Brooke, that 65 were new first time clients to industry-leading analysis and to continue the same and greater Sabre’s Partner in 2005. technology solutions. levels of growth to occur in Europe responsible for In the early years, Sabre offered “We have the distinct advantage and the Middle East over the same the International almost exclusively market informa- of being able to provide our clients period,” he said. Airport

“We opened our first international office dedicated to airport consulting in Australia in August of 2005, and that has resulted in over a dozen new Asian clients in the past 12 months. We will be opening a European office immediately after Routes Dubai, and we expect to continue the same and greater levels of growth to occur in Europe and the Middle East over the same period.”