Paris airshow underscores bleak times for industry
When the Paris airshow starts next week, you won’t hear any groundbreaking announcements by any of the major players.
The world’s airlines are expected to post 2009 losses of USD$9 billion, according to the latest forecast from the International Air Transport Association, which called the current crisis “the most difficult situation the industry has faced”.
“Given the limited visibility, we are not expecting there to be any bold statements about a recovery (in airlines) at this stage,” Macquarie Research analyst Rob Stallard said in a note.
$500 million yacht to match the half-billion dollar plane
Not to be outdone by the $500 million Airbus A380 custom-built for Saudi prince al-Waleed bin Talal, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has “ordered a new yacht that, when completed next year, will be the largest, and most expensive, private ship ever built.”
The new ship is named the Eclipse and comes equipped with two helipads, an onboard luxury spa, swimming pool, and a mini submarine designed to work as an escape pod should the need arise. The 557-foot boat even has its own missle defense system and bullet proof windows, while the master cabin is surrounded in armor plating.
Qatar Airways announces codeshare agreement with US Airways
Following approval from the US Department of Transportation, Qatar Airways has begun a codeshare agreement with US Airways.
As part of the agreement, Qatar Airways applies its QR flight code for the first phase of the codeshare on flights operated by US Airways between London Gatwick, Manchester, Milan, Madrid, Athens, Stockholm and both Philadelphia and Charlotte.
In addition, for the first phase of the codeshare, US Airways’ US flight code is applied on services operated by Qatar Airways from London Gatwick, Manchester, Milan, Madrid, Stockholm and Athens to Doha.
