Fiji and Papua New Guinea conclude new air services arrangements

Fijilive and The National have reported that on 9 September 2009 Fiji and Papua New Guinea signed a Memorandum of Understanding putting in place new air services arrangements that were negotiated last year.

I suspect that the reference in The National's article to "fleet freedom rights" may in fact be to fifth freedom rights at intermediate points.

India and Saudi Arabia amend their air services arrangements

On 17 September 2009 India announced that it had approved enhanced opportunities in its air services arrangements that had been negotiated with Saudi Arabia (HT to Mike Swiatek). The enhanced features include multiple designation, a capacity increase and new destination points (see previous post).

Lord Adonis speech on Cleaner, greener aviation

On 17 September 2009 the UK Secretary of State for Transport delivered a speech to the Aviation Club in London on aviation and the environment issues.

Classic aeropolitics from the Australian archives

In the late 1970s Australia, with its International Civil Aviation Policy (ICAP), tried to reduce the share of the Australia-Europe market being taken by sixth freedom carrier Singapore Airlines by declining to allow it to match the cheapest tariffs for air travel on the route. The response was a heated dispute between Australia and ASEAN.

The National Archives of Australia has released UPDATED a key 1978 Australian Cabinet paper from that time. It provides a classic case study in aeropolitics.

The 3 March 1979 issue of Flight International carried a report of what happened. Related documents from ASEAN, such as a record UPDATED of a special meeting of Economics Ministers held on 22 February 1979 held in response to ICAP, a press release UPDATED following that meeting which alludes to "retaliatory measures", and a joint press release UPDATED on a ministerial-level meeting held between ASEAN and Australia on 20-21 March 1979, are also now available on the web.

Today Australia still takes what some might describe as a protectionist approach to international air services having very few "open skies" agreements and declining to grant fifth freedom access for Singaporean and Canadian airlines to the Australia-Mainland USA market while V Australia establishes itself.

Hong Kong concludes an air services agreement with Laos

On 9 September 2009 Hong Kong announced that it had signed an air services agreement with the Lao People's Democratic Republic. No details are given as to the features of the agreement but the statement notes Hong Kong's "policy of progressive liberalisation in air services between Hong Kong and our aviation partners." This is Hong Kong's sixtieth air services agreement (list).

Singapore concludes new air services agreements with Peru, Colombia and Ecuador

On 26 August 2009 the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) announced that Singapore had concluded new air services agreements with Peru, Colombia and Ecuador. The new agreement with Peru is described as being "open skies" and includes seventh freedom rights for air cargo services. That with Ecuador has restrictions on the frequency of passenger but not cargo air services. The new arrangements with Colombia restrict both passenger and cargo frequency (to be increased in 2011).

Airbus Global Market Forecast 2009-2028 published

Airbus has just published its annual Global Market Forecast for the period 2009 to 2028. The online version comes in the form of a 164 page interactive .pdf document.

Of particular interest are the comments Airbus makes about what its sees as the future drivers of air transport demand. The commentary also covers the growth and spread of low-cost carriers.

As might be expected given the products Airbus is offering and in a year that has seen the A380 enter service in increasing numbers, the case for larger aircraft is also advanced. Somewhat surprisingly though the trans-Tasman leg of the Emirates A380 service to Auckland has been missed off the map of A380 routes on page 69.

Every year Boeing publish a similar set of forecasts (see previous post) so it can be interesting to compare the conclusions of the two biggest airliner manufacturers as to what the future might hold.

ASPIRE publishes its first annual report

The Asia and South Pacific Initiative to Reduce Emissions (ASPIRE) has now published its first Annual Report covering its activities in 2008/09. The year saw successful demonstration flights by Air New Zealand, Qantas and United Airlines showing what improved air traffic control could do to reduce fuel consumption and emissions (see previous post).

The historical development of the Qantas international network

A 2005 paper by Peter J. Rimmer Australia through the Prism of Qantas: Distance make a Comeback published in The Otemon Journal of Australian Studies provides a fascinating history of the development of the Qantas international network. The paper is well illustrated with air route maps.

A key point to note is that changes in technology have reduced the need to make intermediate stops. What Qantas calls its Kangaroo route between Sydney and London, although not yet non stop, does not need so many hops these days.