Info & Insight from AFA chief advocate 
AFA President, Martin Craigs raises issues which underline industry trends and showcase our sponsors' good work

 AFA Half time talk ....Second half plans     Plus Sign of the Times...Aviation and fast trains ... Tragic irony

Dear Members and Associates,

I trust you are enjoying the last day of June in good health with old friends.

The AFA will, as usual, have a regional events recess during July/August, but will make an appearance at the Farnborough Air Show. An AFA dinner is planned at Shanghai Tangs, in the Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane on Monday, 19 July at 8:00 p.m.

This informal dinner is deliberately timed and located to allow members to attend the ISTAT cocktail party immediately before. Please advise if you wish to reserve a seat.

During the final four months of 2010, AFA events with the CEOs of MAS, China Airlines and Dragonair are scheduled. An AFA delegation will tour aviation facilities in Shanghai in October and attend the APEC Head of State Summit in Yokohama 10-14 November. AFA have also been invited to participate in IATA’s “Vision 2050 - Shaping Aviation’s Future”.

 Please note we have now added a comment box for “Sign of the Times”on the web site. You are encouraged to converse.

The SCMP should be applauded for the below insightful report on a disturbing corruption story inside aviation circles in China.

It is indeed a tragic irony that the government aviation official who committed suicide chose a fast train line to end his journey.

Your industry is en route to underwriting fast train development via tax cross subsidisation let’s make sure there are logical limits to aviation’s subsidisation of its landbound cousin.

No more tragic irony . . . please.

•  More aviation officials detained in widening corruption investigation SCMP 29 Jun,2010
•  World Cup worries and tax attacks . . . BEWARE, be forearmed . . . PLANNING AHEAD . . . SINGAPORE F1 Grand Prix

• BA ready to expand in North America, 21 Jun 2010l

• London City CEO calls on industry to lobby government ,ABTN 17Jun 2010

•  AAPA Asia Pacific Perspectives June 2010
• Aviation Leaders Gather in Berlin 6 Jun, 2010
• Cathay Sell Hong Kong Cargo Handler Stakes Bloomberg 25 May,2010
• A home-grown dragon to be proud of...........BACKPAGE Business gossip section of the SCMP 25th MAY 2010 
• AFA DELEGATION TO BEIJING & TIANJIN - May 11-14, 2010
• London Airport Opens - Bloomberg - 21 Apr, 2010
• Back into the clouds - The Economist - 20 Apr, 2010
• Volcanic Ash turns northern Europe into no-fly zone- Reuters 15 April,2010
• EC passenger rights regulations cast cloud over airlines-ATW Daily News,16 April, 2010
• Qantas expects to fly high on corporate rebound-The Australian 5 Apr, 2010
• Getting Personal in Europe's Budget Airline Wars-Time Magazine 21 Mar, 2010
• Start your Engines - The Economist 18 Mar,2010 
  B737/A320 ready for "spruce up" ?
• Winds of Change for Boeing, Airbus.....WSJ 15 Mar, 2010
• U.S. Air Passenger Growth Slows in Sluggish Economy Bloomberg 9 Mar, 2010
• Cathay Pacific: Air Cargo JV will expand China Footprint -Watch this CNBC video 26 Feb,2010 with Martin Craigs and John Slosar 
• Airline Woes Press Jet Makers - WSJ 20 Feb, 2010

Sign of the times ...recommends industry activists to review this abridged/highlighted clip from South China Morning Post...insightful report on a disturbing corruption story inside aviation circles in China. (Posted 30 June,2010)

More aviation officials detained in widening corruption investigation SCMP June 29, 2010

Three more senior aviation officials have been detained in a widening investigation of corruption in the country’s air transport sector following the suicide of a top official last week.

A section head from the civil aviation administration’s air-traffic management bureau and two general managers from China Southern Airlines’ scheduling department were taken away by police at the weekend, China Business News reported yesterday.

State media said the section head had the power to approve mainland airlines’ routes and schedules, the focus of the anti-graft watchdog’s latest campaign against rampant corruption in the sector.

At least seven China Southern Airlines officials, including its chief engineer, were detained earlier this month and are being investigated.

The report said those detained were allegedly linked to Huang Dengke, the aviation administration’s North China head, who was put under investigation in November for allegedly selling off premium air routes and time slots.

Meanwhile, footage from a surveillance camera has revealed how Liu Yajun, the aviation administration’s chief in central and southern China, committed suicide last week.

He climbed over a wall in Guangzhou and lay on the tracks in front of a high-speed train.

Liu’s funeral was held in Guangzhou yesterday and state media reported his coffin was covered with the Communist Party flag, even though he had been linked to the corruption scandal.

Liu, who had been in the position for only 16 months, had been responsible for overseeing the aviation sector in seven provinces, including Guangdong, Guangxi , Hainan and Hunan.

Many high-profile officials from the state aviation sector have been placed under investigation since November, including Yu Renlu, the aviation administration’s deputy head, Kuang Xin, the National Development and Reform Commission’s top aviation official, and Beijing airport chairman Zhang Zhizhong.

 Footnote: AFA provides the above info/INSIGHT pieces several times a week as a courtesy to AFA members and associates... the items selected are chosen only from the most influential sources and provided on a "in case you missed this" easy to access basis. The stories are abridged to focus primarily on ASIA/PACIFIC area issues and are chosen to highlight significant trends. We are not attempting to duplicate the many breaking news or search services provided by specialist publications. AFA info/INSIGHT aims to distill the best public commentary for use in its internal industry debates and external industry advocacy. As with all AFA activities this service is not intended to promote any one product or service but rather a greater appreciation of civil aviations challenging role as the REAL World Wide Web.

World Cup worries and tax attacks . . . BEWARE, be forearmed . . . PLANNING AHEAD . . . SINGAPORE F1 Grand Prix

Dear Members and associates,
 I trust this alert finds you fighting fit and not suffering too seriously from football fever?

Travel industry leaders gathered last week in London to compare notes as the World Cup kicked off and ahead of the new UK coalition government's first budget. It is widely expected that Chancellor Osbourne's budget will radically increase (40%) taxes on all airlines serving the UK market. UK tabloids have already pointed out in front page headlines, "300 pound tax on long-haul holidays".
 

Below are commentaries by ABTN on speeches at the conference by Willie Walsh, who assures me he will speak to AFA in Hong Kong "as soon as circumstances allow" and a particularly relevant-to-AFA speech by the CEO of London City airport, Richard Gooding.

They both commented in their speeches and in Q&A on the heavy anti-aviation atmosphere in the UK and its pervasive effect on our industry worldwide. If more European governments are attracted to what is increasingly seen as a "no downside" tax grab then the impact on outbound air travel/tourism to Asia will surely be significant.

In line with these speeches and my commentary on the recent IATA AGM the need for more effective industry advocacy (with joined-up thinking and messaging) has never been clearer. Thank you for the positive feedback so far received. Your inputs will be fed into the agenda planning for IATA's "Vision 2050" conference in Singapore in Q4.

Please do use this Sign of the Times section as an advocacy resource, pass relevant stories/speeches on to industry colleagues and most importantly political decision makers and opinion formers.

It's your business's future and sad to say anti-aviation activists are shaping it, from often ill-informed ideological vantage points. Effect change or be afflicted by it. It's in your hands.

On a more positive note, industry colleagues will gather in Singapore on Tuesday for the always popular SCRAPS drinks party. An upbeat location and atmosphere for discussing the growth, not the restraint, of the airline business!?

Also please note we are supporting a SCRAPS initiative . . . the establishment of a one-for-all, all-for-one, Aviation Suite at the Singapore Formula One, Grand Prix in September. Go to Upcoming events on this website for details. Basically a DIY corporate initiative.

On reflection, perhaps it's a little unfair to be Euro bashing at this stage of the World Cup . . . Spain and Germany, both highly fancied, lost to "minnows". Italy in a draw with the ALL WHITES New Zealand and England only managing a draw with USA* and Algeria!!

France, however takes the crash-and-burn award with a player sent home and a squad on strike, maybe there is one job with more potential for pressure and abuse than managing a national airline . . . must remember to ask Willie Walsh to kick that one around.

Your news and views as ever welcome.

P.S Reminds me to share my favourite headline of last week from a UK tabloid . . . after the England goal keeper's goal conceding his error in the World Cup match against USA . . . "ONE SPILL THE YANKS WON'T BITCH ABOUT"

Sign of the times ...recommends industry activists to review this abridged/highlighted clip from Air and Business Travel News...it highlights key points from Willie Walsh's speech when travel idustry leaders gathered in London last week.
(Posted 21 Jun,2010)

BA ready to expand in  North America -17 Jun 2010— by Stanley Slaughter

BA is ready to expand its network in North America, ceo Willie Walsh said today (June 17).

He said it was "only a matter of time" before the UK national carrier flew to two or three more North American cities.

Walsh said he was also being "pushed" by corporate customers to fly more services from London City Airport.

This would be either more capacity on the existing twice daily service to New York or new routes to cities like Boston, Chicago and Washington.

In a key note speech at the Business Travel Market in London, Walsh said the feedback on the all business class service to New York, which began late last year, had been "fantastic".

"I am surprised at how quickly it has established itself among corporate customers. But the challenge at London City is the length of the runway.

"Realistically it is only possible to fly to the east coast of the USA - Boston, Chicago, Washington. But we are being pushed to fly to more destinations.

"If the good response continues, we will definitely be adding additional services, either more capacity to New York or services to new cities."

Earlier in his speech, Walsh said BA had been ready to add more North American cities to its network but had been stopped by the onset of the recession.

He also rejected any idea that BA would withdraw from short haul operations.

He said short haul was an integral part of the business and "20 years from now we shall still have short haul, primarily focused at Heathrow, maintaining a strong presence and looking for opportunities to expand."

Walsh said the priority for BA and the airline industry was to return to profit.

"The industry has really suffered its terms of its financial position in the last few years. We need to get this industry back on an even keel, generating a level of profitability and investment."

"The industry can't go on the way it has gone on. Access to finance for new aircraft has become incredibly difficult.

"In the short term we need to get back to profit and in the medium term return to the level of profit to enable investment. We need to get a change to our costs while at the same time maintaining our levels of service. 

"This is not easy but definitely it can be achieved. But to do it, we must overcome an $80bn fall in revenue and overcome oil at $80 a barrel. But we are still in business and I am now confident and optimistic that the model works."

He told the packed auditorium that he was also confident the airline would resolve its difficulties with its cabin crew.

But he said that if further strike action took place, he was 100% confident that BA would fly more services than during the previous three five day stoppages.

Walsh said he expected to fly 100% of long haul services during any future strike.

Sign of the times ...recommends industry activists to review this abridged/highlighted clip from Air and Business Travel News...it highlights key points from Richard Gooding's, speech (CEO at London City Airport ) when travel idustry leaders gathered in London last week.
(Posted 21 Jun,2010)

London City CEO calls on industry to lobby government - 17 Jun 2010 at 10:50 — by Sara Turner

Richard Gooding, CEO at London City Airport, called on the business travel community to lobby government on its plans for the future of aviation.

Speaking at the Business Travel Market at London's Excel, Gooding said the aviation industry was under increased pressure from "scary" changes to APD and constraints on expansion.

The government plans to scrap APD in favour of a per plane tax, which many airlines, including Easyjet, will welcome.

But Gooding warned: "The scary bit is that the government has set out to increase the take from APD by 40%. That's going to be paid by you and your customers."

He said that as Britain is an island nation, it relies more on air transport than any other European country, and that if transport links did not keep pace with the continent, the UK may lose business.

"You could argue we like the idea of Heathrow being constrained. In the short term that may be true, but we have to take a long term view. Travel will go to the continent and eventually the big institutions will move."

The Lib-Con coalition has scrapped plans to expand Heathrow and Stansted airports, and is setting up a task force to look at how the two airports, along with Gatwick, can be more productive.

Gooding said the industry needed to be more "robust" in countering constraints on aviation.

"This industry has the capability of lobbying about these things. So far we've been poor," he said.

The London City CEO said that travel through the airport, of which 70% is on business, has seen a sustained rise.

In the first five months of the year, London City airport has seen a 4 to 5% increase in travellers, compared to the same months the previous year.

"Business travel is alive and well," said Gooding, but don't discount "the government's ability to woon it", he warned.

Sign of the times ...recommends industry activists to review this abridged/highlighted Press Release from IATA which reviews the topics and panellists at 66th IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit from 6-8 June 2010.
(Posted 10 June,2010)

Dear Members and associates

 I am in BERLIN for IATAs World Air Transport Summit (WATS) and AGM which starts effectively Sunday 6 June, with a gala dinner for 800+. I attach IATA's press release on the event which reviews the topics and panellists with links for further reading.

 There has already been a significant number of mainstream media features on the as ever interesting/precarious state of our industry.Prepare for a torrent of attention next week, I understand there are over 150 accredited media attending.Giovanni will,no doubt provide them with some colourful quotes in his State of the Industry opening address Monday morning.

 I will not try to duplicate their conventional coverage of WATS/ AGM but will as usual offer a "sidelines sketchbook"  and some recommended reading from an Asia Pacific industry viewpoint. This weeks  "Economist" has a must read "superconnectors" feature on the massive potential impact of the Middle East mega hubs.This issue will probably erupt again on stage and for sure on the sidelines in BERLIN. The Economist certainly has a view, whats yours?

 A comprehensive update on Asia Pacific flag carriers is in the attached AAPA newsletter, a timely missive for the Berlin AGM participants and political observers.Andy Herdman,AAPA-DG forcefully notes in his opening paragraph, "the worlds economic centre of gravity is moving eastwards.The views of the region are however still not given proper weight in international discussions on key policy issues,where the US and Europe still exert an overbearing influence"... HEAR... HEAR...but this requires Asia's rising stars to speak out with a common agenda and self assured voice.
 

Further recommended reading on (1.5billion pax pa - 2030)China market, includes the new edition of ORIENT AVIATION, their feature further illuminates the massive opportunities for suppliers outlined in David Dodwell's review of the AFA delegation trip to the CAAC Planning Forum in BEIJING last month.The need for more effective air transport industry lobbying is also well made.

 As I have stated many times help to effect change or prepare to be afflicted by it.

 

Happy landings to all, where ever you may be reading this.Your news and views are as usual welcome...

Aviation Leaders Gather in Berlin, 6 Jun 2010

Berlin - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Berlin will be world’s aviation capital as the city prepares to host 600 industry leaders for the 66th IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit from 6-8 June 2010.

The official program starts at 0900 CET on 7 June with the State of the Industry address by Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO. “We are meeting as the industry continues its recovery from the global financial meltdown and turbulent decade of cycles and shocks that resulted in accumulated losses of nearly $50 billion. A strong traffic growth trend prior to the setback of the Icelandic volcano is improving the industry’s bottom line prospects. It is finally time for some cautious optimism,” said Bisignani.

Among the highlights of the AGM will be the release of a new industry outlook as part of the Director General’s State of the Industry address. The discussions of top industry leaders will also focus on:

• The industry’s strategy on climate change in the aftermath of the Copenhagen talks and in preparation for COP-16 in Mexico
• Structuring the industry for profitability with consolidation and commercial freedoms
• Finding an effective and harmonized approach to security.
• Finding a better way for governments and industry to work together with a common vision

Confirmed speakers include:

CEO Forum: Nader Dahabi, Senator and former Prime Minister of Jordan; Praful Patel, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, India; Felipe Morandé Lavín, Minister of Transport and Telecommunications, Chile; David Bonderman, Founding Partner of TPG Capital; Calin Rovinescu, President and CEO of Air Canada; Peter Hartman, President and CEO of KLM; and Tengku Dato’ Azmil Zahruddin, Managing Director and CEO of Malaysia Airlines.

Climate Change Leadership: Hussein Dabbas, President and CEO of Royal Jordanian; Christoph Franz, Member of the Executive Board Lufthansa AG, CEO of Lufthansa German Airlines; Alan Joyce, CEO and Managing Director of Qantas; Guy Hachey, President and CEO of Bombardier Aerospace; David Hess, President of Pratt and Whitney; and John Plaza, President and CEO of Imperium Renewables, will discuss the road to COP-16 in Mexico and beyond.

Government and Industry Partnership: Pierre-Henri Gourgeon, CEO of Air France-KLM and CEO, Air France; Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports; Joachim Hunold, CEO of Air Berlin and Emirsyah Satar, President and CEO of Garuda Indonesia will discuss a new relationship between government and industry. They will be joined by Harold Demuren and Gen. Jose Huepe Perez, Directors General of Civil Aviation of Nigeria and Chile, respectively.

The event is being hosted by Lufthansa. Wolfgang Mayrhuber, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO Deutsche Lufthansa’s AG, is a member of the IATA Board of Governors. Germany has hosted two previous AGMs - Hamburg in 1985 and Munich in 1968. “We are pleased to be meeting in Berlin, a city that is a great symbol of change and resilience,” said Bisignani.

All sessions are open to the media but pre-registration online is required.

- IATA -

For more information, please contact:
Anthony Concil
Director Corporate Communications
+41 22 770 2967
+49 30 2602 1637 (Berlin Pressroom)
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Sign of the times ...recommends industry activists to review this abridged/highlighted clip from Bloomberg ...it is a sharp fact laden article discussing Cathay/ Swire Pacific's  sale of Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd (Posted 28 May,2010)

In case you missed this week's announcement of the strategic re-alignment of air cargo infrastructure interests in Hong Kong...read on.....

There has been some FRONT PAGE media speculation on mainland China cargo air carrier consolidation. This is not consistent with information gathered by AFA delegation members during the CAAC Planning Forum in BEIJING. Incidentally an early heads up; AFA plan to do a similar delegation tour to Shanghai in mid October, to visit leading aviation facilities and receive briefings. An extra day can be added for those wanting to see the WORLD EXPO in cool weather with calm crowds.Please register your interest early as with the BEIJING TRIP we will only have 16 spaces.

Finally CONGRATULATIONS to all at Dragonair for winning the prestigious Skytrax "best regional airline in the world award". This award voted on by over 18 million passengers from 100+ nations is a truly top level achievement....the back page SCMP piece comments light heartedly on this achievement BUT at least recognises that if you want something difficult done well, leave it to the flyboys not the politicos..Ash clouds come to mind..I could go on.

We look forward to hosting James Tong, Dragonair as a speaker at an AFA industry leader lunch after our summer recess.

Swire, Cathay Sell Hong Kong Cargo Handler Stakes Bloomberg 25 May,2010
by Wendy Leung

Swire Pacific Ltd. and affiliate Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. agreed to sell their stakes in Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd., the city’s largest air-freight handler, as the airline works on building its own facility.

Hactl’s other existing shareholders including Jardine Matheson Group and Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. will pay HK$2.56 billion ($330 million) for Swire, Cathay and Citic Pacific Ltd.’s holdings, according to a stock exchange statement today. The three sellers own a combined 40 percent of the venture.

Cathay expects to open its HK$5.5 billion cargo terminal at Hong Kong airport, the world’s second busiest for freight, in 2013 after delaying work during last year’s global recession. The carrier pledged to sell the Hactl stake when it won the right to build the new terminal in March 2008.

“The new cargo terminal represents a significant investment in Hong Kong,” Swire Pacific and Cathay Pacific Chairman Christopher Pratt said an in e-mailed statement today. It’s “a clear commitment to continuing to develop the city as one of the world’s most important international air-freight hubs.”

Swire will sell its entire 20 percent stake in Hactl for HK$1.3 billion, according to the filing. It will make a profit of about HK$826 million. Cathay and Citic will both sell stakes of about 10 percent for around HK$640 million. Cathay expects a HK$329 million profit, while Citic will likely have a profit of HK$413 million.

The purchasers also include Wharf (Holdings) Ltd. and China National Aviation Corp. (Group) Ltd., which is an affiliate of Air China Ltd. Hutchison will buy stakes through its container- terminal arm and via an investment unit.

The buyers will increase their Hactl stakes “on a pro rata basis,” the venture said in an e-mailed statement. Jardine Pacific Ltd. is the largest Hactl shareholder with a 25 percent stake, according to the venture’s website. Wharf and Hutchison both own 12.5 percent and China National Aviation holds 10 percent.

Swire fell 2.8 percent to HK$84.00 in Hong Kong trading. Cathay dropped 3.5 percent to HK$14.50. Hutchison lost 3.7 percent to HK$47.30. The benchmark Hang Seng Index tumbled 3.5 percent.

Cathay, 42 percent owned by Swire, wants its own facility to cut handling costs as increasing competition from Singapore Airlines Ltd., FedEx Corp. and other air-cargo carriers crimps margins. The airline has also agreed to buy a stake in Air China’s cargo unit and ordered new Boeing Co. freighters to boost is freight operations.

The carrier expects “strong” results in the first half and through the rest of the year because of improving cargo and premium-passenger sales, it said on May 10. Air China owns 30 percent of Cathay.

Cargo volume at Hong Kong airport jumped 38 percent from a year earlier in April as the economic rebound revives trade. Worldwide international air-cargo traffic grew 28 percent in March, according to the International Air Transport Association.

 Footnote: AFA provides the above info/INSIGHT pieces several times a week as a courtesy to AFA members and associates... the items selected are chosen only from the most influential sources and provided on a "in case you missed this" easy to access basis. The stories are abridged to focus primarily on ASIA/PACIFIC area issues and are chosen to highlight significant trends. We are not attempting to duplicate the many breaking news or search services provided by specialist publications. AFA info/INSIGHT aims to distill the best public commentary for use in its internal industry debates and external industry advocacy. As with all AFA activities this service is not intended to promote any one product or service but rather a greater appreciation of civil aviations challenging role as the REAL World Wide Web.

Sign of the times ...recommends industry activists to review this abridged/highlighted clip from the back page of the South China Morning Post (Posted 28 May,2010)

A home-grown dragon to be proud of...........BACKPAGE Business gossip section of the SCMP 25th MAY 2010 

At least one home-grown "dragon" has finally made us all proud.

Of course, we are not talking about the pathetic Brand HK dragon logo, a total waste of taxpayer's money. We are saluting the fabulously resilient and resourceful Hong Kong Dragon Airlines.

Dragonair started off as a one-aircraft airline 25 years ago and was affectionately described as "one of a kind" in the industry in the early days. It has just been voted the world's best regional airline in the annual World Airline Survey organised by Skytrax, a London-based research organisation which runs the annual review and the World Airline Awards. This is the first year this award category has been included in the survey.

Some 18 million travellers from more than 100 nations voted in the survey, carried out between July of last year and this April. Winners are selected based on more than 35 different criteria that include the planes, the service, even the airport facilities.

Dragonair, affiliated with the Cathay Pacific Group, operates a fleet of 28 passenger aircraft serving 29 regional destinations. It has been voted the best airline in China for six consecutive years as well as being the best regional airline in Southeast Asia in the past.

"For a Hong Kong-grown airline to be named among the world's best is a matter of great pride not only for us but for the entire Hong Kong community," said Dragonair chief executive officer James Tong.

Absolutely, James. We will put you in charge of promoting Hong Kong as Asia's world city in the next government campaign

Sign of the times ...recommends industry activists to review this abridged/highlighted clip from Bloomberg ...it is a sharp fact laden article discussing financial and operational impact of the volcanic ash cloud  from Iceland ,on airlines.
(Posted 22 Apr,2010)

ASH ATTACK AFTERMATH ....aviation returns to new found respect?
I am sure you are awash with news of the "Great Grounding" but here is a short sharp fact laden update from Bloomberg on the financial and operational impact on airlines. One quick way of appreciating the scale of  regrouping that airlines now need to perform is to turn to yesterday's announcement from Cathay, that it  will not accept any new bookings for Europe bound flights until 10th May.

A second attached article from the ECONOMIST will tell you more than you may ever need to know about the history and threat level of Icelandic volcanos. I would also commend CAPA's recent lessons learnt piece, about the past seven days of shock and awe around the Atlantic.

MY POINT,CONSISTENTLY RAISED IN A MULTITUDE OF RECENT OPINION LEADING MEDIA PIECES. IS THAT  HAS AVIATION FOUND FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC, SOME OF THE RESPECT AND APPRECIATION IT WAS ONCE SO FAMILIAR WITH? IF SO, WHAT TO DO WITH THIS PRECIOUS ASSET.... YOUR THOUGHTS?

I should also remind,the more fatalistic of you all, that the ash attack started on 15/4,which was also the 98th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Maybe mother nature has a birthday after all...and wants to us, who really calls the shots.

FINALLY A REMINDER THAT, THE VOLCANO ERUPTIONS PERMITTING, THE AFA BEIJING DLEGATION TOUR 11-14 MAY IS STILL HAPPENING...WE HAVE 8 BOOKINGS AND A FEW SEATS ARE STILL AVAILABLE AT THE CAAC/CAMIC CONFERENCE.....PLEASE ADVISE ASAP IF YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE.

London Airports Open, Sparking ‘Mad Rush’ From Fliers-Bloomberg.com 21 Apr 2010
by By Steve Rothwell, Nichola Saminather and Patrick Donahue

 Thousands of travelers stranded by the Icelandic ash cloud began returning to Europe as London’s Heathrow airport became the last major terminal to open after the end of a six-day flight ban that cost airlines $1.7 billion.

British Airways Plc and Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd., the top long-haul carriers at Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, aim to operate all inter-continental services today after the U.K. joined other nations in permitting flights through the ash.

“We came in a mad rush,” said Diana Tucker, 60, as she queued for a British Airways service from Sydney to London in a bid to get home to the Channel Islands after yesterday’s flight was scrapped. “We don’t know if we’ll get on. We’re very tired.”

Sign of the times ...recommends industry activists to review this abridged/highlighted clip from The Economist online.....it revels the history and threat to airtravel from Icelandic volcanos.( Posted 22 Apr,2010)

Back into the clouds
The threat to air travel from Icelandic volcanos is still troubling- The Economist Apr 20,2010

EUROPEAN airports have reopened for business. Eurocontrol, which co-ordinates national air-traffic controllers, expects around 75% of flights to operate in Europe on Wednesday April 21st. It will take far longer to sort out a backlog of cancelled flights; to move planes and crew in the wrong places to where they should be; and to return supply chains to normal.

Iceland has a lot of volcanoes, and it’s a rare decade where one of them doesn’t erupt. So why has the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull caused such chaos, and what does that mean for the future? The answer to the first question is that the Eyjafjallajokull eruption is peculiarly well attuned to messing with air travel; most eruptions of a similar size would do a lot less long-distance harm. The answer to the second is that less well attuned but considerably larger eruptions are all but certain in decades to come.