Tag: major (Page 7 of 7)

Daimler to Ax at Least 10,000 Jobs in Latest Car Industry Cuts

November 30, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Daimler said on Friday it will cut at least 10,000 jobs worldwide over the next three years, following others in the industry as they cut costs to invest in electric vehicles while grappling with weakening sales.

It marks the third announcement on cost cuts this week by a major German car company as automakers seek to fund huge investments into cleaner and self-driving technologies while demand in China, their biggest market, is falling and a trade war between Washington and Beijing is curbing economic growth.

“The automotive industry is in the middle of the biggest transformation in its history,” Daimler said in a statement.

Daimler, the owner of Mercedes-Benz, revealed the 3% cut in its workforce after reaching an agreement on its plans with labor unions.

They have agreed on a variety of measures to cut costs and jobs, including expanding part-time retirement and a severance program to be offered in Germany. The company is also cutting 10% of worldwide management positions.

Staff reductions would be in the low five-digits, or at least 10,000 people, according to Wilfried Porth, a board member in charge of human resources. The company employed 304,680 staff at the end of the third quarter.

Plans laid out by Daimler in November showed the company aimed to cut staff costs by around 1.4 billion euros ($1.54 billion) by the end of 2022.

The announcement comes days after Volkswagen’s <VOWG_p.DE> luxury car unit Audi said it would cut up to 9,500 jobs or one in ten staff by 2025, freeing up billions of euros to fund its shift toward electric vehicle production.

Also this week, BMW said that its management and labor had reached an agreement on measures to reduce bonus and other pay schemes for staff to cut costs.

Car suppliers Continental and Osram have also announced staff and cost cuts.

Daimler has repeatedly cut its profit outlook over recent months, partly to cover a regulatory crackdown on diesel emissions but also because of a slowing auto market.

Group operating profit will be “significantly lower” than a year ago, the company said last month.

Other measures to reduce staffing costs include offering shorter working weeks.

Agreements in place to prevent forced redundancies in Germany until 2029 will remain in place, Daimler said.

The workforce needs a clear strategy for the future, said Michael Brecht, chairman of Daimler’s works council. “A reduction in capacity must not be carried out on the backs of the employees,” he said.

(Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)

The Daimler logo is seen before the Daimler annual shareholder meeting in Berlin

Siemens Mobility Receives First Order for Vectron Dual Mode Locomotives

November 24, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Railsystems RP GmbH orders two locomotives from Siemens Mobility
Sustainable concept: a combined diesel and electric locomotive
Delivery at the end of 2020

Railsystems RP GmbH has ordered two Vectron Dual Mode locomotives from Siemens Mobility, marking the first order for the new locomotive that can be operated either as a diesel or electric unit. Siemens Mobility first presented the concept at the InnoTrans 2018.

“With the Vectron Dual Mode, Railsystems RP GmbH is getting a locomotive that combines the best of two worlds: On electrified routes, the Vectron Dual Mode is powered by electricity to save fuel and reduce maintenance costs. On rail routes without overhead wires, the Vectron can shift to diesel operation without the operator having to change locomotives,” said Sabrina Soussan, CEO of Siemens Mobility.

The Vectron Dual Mode enables operators to increase value sustainably over their entire lifecycle. The locomotive can also operate through gaps in the electrified sections, eliminating the need to change locomotives. At the same time, conurbations and major cities, where there is often an electrified rail network, are spared emissions. The Vectron Dual Mode is specifically designed for freight service in Germany and is based on proven Vectron components. It operates on a 1,435 mm track gauge and weighs 90 tons. The locomotive is designed for the 15-kV-AC voltage system and is equipped with the PZB train control system. Regardless of whether it operates on electricity or diesel, traction power at the wheel rim is 2,000 kW. The locomotive’s diesel tank has a capacity of 2,600 liters. The Vectron Dual Mode has a top speed of 160 km/h.

Jet Grounding and Delays Overshadow Dubai Airshow

November 15, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

FILE PHOTO: Emirates Airline Boeing 777 planes at are seen Dubai International Airport in Dubai

DUBAI (Reuters) – An eight-month crisis over the grounding of Boeing’s 737 MAX jets and widespread industrial delays are setting an unpredictable backdrop to next week’s Dubai Airshow, with some airlines reviewing fleet plans even as others look for bargains.

The biennial civil and military expo is a major showcase for wares from jumbo jets to military drones but faces growing questions over demand and the capability of overstretched suppliers, delegates arriving for the Nov. 17-21 event said.

Top of their agenda will be the worldwide grounding of the 737 MAX in the wake of two deadly crashes.

Investors who have pushed up Boeing <BA> shares believe the planemaker is turning a corner after the eight month grounding, with the company predicting commercial flights in January. But it also faces a logjam of undelivered jets that could take 1-2 years to unwind.

State-owned flydubai expects its fleet will now shrink by a third this year, highlighting the cost of the grounding for the biggest MAX customer outside the United States. “Flydubai has very big ambitions … given the scale of those ambitions, there’s little they can do but wait and watch, like everyone else,” said Teal Group analyst Richard Aboulafia.

Boeing lost one potential MAX customer earlier this year as Saudi budget airline flyadeal ditched a provisional order.

Experts say airline frustrations with plane and engine makers could also disrupt plans by the world’s largest jetmakers pushing for order endorsements. The Middle East’s largest aerospace event will give Airbus <EADSY> and Boeing a chance to sit with some of their top customers who have threatened to walk from billions in deals.

The planemakers are struggling to deliver aircraft on time, forcing airlines to delay expansion plans, while engines on some jets are consistently causing issues for carriers.

“This seems to be a systemic issue across the board,” said Novus Aviation Capital Managing Director Mounir Kuzbari.

“As a result, we see stress on the relationship between airlines and the plane and engine makers.” Dubai’s Emirates, by far the region’s biggest airline, has issued a stern warning to plane and engine makers. It will no longer take delivery of aircraft that do not meet performance expectations, raising doubts over $35 billion in pending orders.

Airbus, Boeing and engine makers will be looking to allay concerns as they finalise jet sales with Emirates, which is also looking at reducing an order for the delayed Boeing 777X.

Airbus is seen close to a final order for A330neo and A350 jets while Boeing aims to salvage a provisional order for 787s.

GULF PRESSURE

Air Arabia could, however, steal the show with a planned order of up to 120 Airbus jets, industry sources say.

Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways is in negotiations with Airbus and Boeing for around two dozen airplanes.

Past editions of Dubai’s premier trade event have featured blockbuster deals, often led by Emirates as Gulf carriers redrew the aviation map around their ‘super-connector’ hubs.

But the Gulf hub model is increasingly under pressure as the once-rapid growth of the region’s biggest airlines slows.

“The market continues to be weak for all airlines in the region; we should see a further 2-3% reduction in passenger numbers for the full year,” said Diogenis Papiomytis, Frost & Sullivan’s Global Program Director for Commercial Aviation.

Middle East military leaders touring the displays will try to gauge whether they are on the cusp of another regional splurge on weapons after an escalation in Gulf tensions.

A series of attacks over the summer has highlighted potential security gaps among some of the world’s top defence spenders who now increasingly buy from China and Russia.

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell, Tim Hepher, Ankit Ajmera, Stanley Carvalho; Editing by Mark Potter)

Boeing Delivers First 787-10 for Saudi Arabian Airlines

September 30, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

NORTH CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, Sept 30, 2019 – Boeing [NYSE:BA] delivered to Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) its first 787-10 Dreamliner, which will play a key role in the airline’s fleet and network expansion. The largest member of the Dreamliner family sets the benchmark for fuel efficiency and operating economics and will complement SAUDIA’s fleet of 787-9.

“SAUDIA operates a state-of-the-art fleet equipped with the latest technology, and in addition to the airline’s existing Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, is now adding the 787-10 variant which will further support future network growth plans,” said His Excellency Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, Director General, SAUDIA. “The airplane’s onboard cabin features, long range capability and the latest in technological advancements are among the many aspects of what makes the Boeing 787 highly popular with our guests.”

In addition to the 787-10, SAUDIA operates 13 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes, and 33 777-300ER (Extended Range) jets.

“SAUDIA has been a valued partner with Boeing for nearly 75 years and this delivery marks another major milestone in our partnership. Our team takes great pride in building and delivering quality aircraft to SAUDIA and we are honored by the continuing confidence in the 787 Dreamliner and 777 families,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing, The Boeing Company. “The addition of the 787-10 to SAUDIA’s fleet will continue the superior inflight experience that passengers have come to expect of the Dreamliner. Moreover, the unmatched fuel efficiency of the 787 will help SAUDIA open new routes and achieve significant fuel savings and emission reduction.”

With the delivery to SAUDIA, the 787-10 continues to expand its global presence. More than 30 of this Dreamliner model have been delivered to seven operators since the airplane entered commercial service last year. As a stretch of the 787-9, the 787-10 adds about 40 more seats in a 2-class configuration and cargo capacity, offering 25 percent better fuel per seat and fewer emissions than the airplanes it replaces. With a range 6,345 nautical miles (11,750 kms), the 787-10 can fly more than 95 percent of the world’s twin-aisle routes.

Since entering service in 2011, the 787 family has enabled the opening of more than 235 new point-to-point routes and saved more than 40 billion pounds of fuel. Designed with the passenger in mind, the 787 family delivers an unparalleled experience with the largest windows of any commercial jet, large overhead bins with room for everyone’s bag, comfortable cabin air that is cleaner and more humid, and includes soothing LED lighting.

To optimize the performance of its 787 fleet, SAUDIA uses Boeing Global Services digital solutions powered by Boeing AnalytX such as Airplane Health Management (AHM), Maintenance Performance Toolbox and Crew Rostering and Pairing to optimize performance, manage global crew schedules and maintain their fleet. Boeing AnalytX is a suite of software and consulting services that transform raw data into efficiency, resource and cost savings in every phase of flight.

Boeing [NYSE:BA] delivered to Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) its first 787-10 Dreamliner, which will play a key role in the airline’s fleet and network expansion.

Italian Government Asks Delta To Do The Right Thing

September 28, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

The Italian government is begging U.S. major Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE: DAL) to up the proposed acquisition of a 10% stake in Alitalia for $100 million to at least 15%, according to a report in Italian media.

Loss-making Alitalia has been seeking new investors for more than two years after going into administration in May 2017 after workers rejected a plan to cut jobs and salaries. Successive Italian governments have had to balance the carrier’s massive losses with the need to placate a heavily unionized workforce.

Click the link for the full story! https://finance.yahoo.com/news/italian-government-asks-delta-thing-205301072.html

Ryanair Launches Irish Summer 2020 Schedule

September 25, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

4 New Dublin Routes To Marseille, Palanga, Podgorica & Verona

Ryanair, Ireland’s No.1 airline, today (25 Sept) launched its Irish Summer 2020 schedule, with 160 routes in total, including 4 new Dublin routes Marseille, Palanga, Podgorica and Verona, and 3 new summer services from Cork to Katowice and from Dublin to Billund and Toulouse, which will deliver 17.2m customers p.a. and support 12,900* jobs at Dublin, Shannon, Cork, Knock and Kerry airports.

Ryanair’s Irish Summer 2020 schedule will deliver:

At Dublin:

4 new routes: Marseille (5 per week), Palanga (3), Podgorica (2) & Verona (3)
2 new summer services: Billund (2), Toulouse (daily)
More flights on 4 other routes: Bristol (3 daily), Bydgoszcz (3), Riga (daily) & Vilnius (4)
105 routes in total
14.3m customers p.a.
10,725* “on-site” jobs p.a.

Shannon:

15 routes in total
775,000 customers p.a.
580* “on-site” jobs p.a.

Cork:

1 new summer service to Katowice (2)
More flights on 2 other routes: Malaga (6) & Palma (4)
23 routes in total
1.2m customers p.a.
900* “on-site” jobs p.a.

Knock:

11 routes in total
600,000 customers p.a
450* “on-site” jobs p.a.

Kerry:

6 routes in total
310,000 customers p.a.
210* “on-site” jobs p.a.

Irish consumers and visitors can now book their holidays on 160 routes as far out as October 2020, flying on the lowest fares and with the greenest/cleanest major airline in Europe, with the lowest CO₂ emissions.

To celebrate, Ryanair has launched a seat sale with fares on its Irish routes available from just €14.99, for travel until the end of November 2019, which must be booked by midnight Friday (27 Sept), only on the Ryanair.com website.

In Dublin, Ryanair’s Kenny Jacobs said:

“Ryanair is delighted to bring the lowest emissions and fares to Ireland with our Summer schedule 2020, with 4 new Dublin routes to Marseille, Palanga, Podgorica and Verona, and 160 routes in total, which will deliver 17.2 million customers p.a. and support over 12,900* jobs at Dublin, Shannon, Cork, Knock and Kerry airports.

Irish customers and visitors can now book low fare seats on 160 routes as far out as October 2020. To celebrate, we are releasing seats for sale from just €14.99 for for travel until the end of November 2019, which are available for booking until midnight Friday (27 Sept). Since these amazing low prices will be snapped up quickly, customers should log onto www.ryanair.com and avoid missing out.”

Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said:

“Against the current economic backdrop, we welcome the fact that Ryanair capacity for 2020 will be up by +1%. Most of the routes which are important for Irish tourism will be retained and we look forward to co-operating with Ryanair to maximise the promotion of its new flights from Marseilles and Verona to Dublin Airport. As an island, the importance of convenient, direct, non-stop flights cannot be overstated – they are absolutely critical to achieving growth in inbound tourism.”

Once Bankrupt Wow Air Returns From The Dead This October

September 9, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

The last we heard of the Icelandic budget airline Wow Air was in March 2019 when it ceased operations without warning, stranding up to 4,000 passengers at the time. According to Yahoo, the airline is now on schedule to come back in October of this year, thanks to a major investment by USAerospace Associates.

Michele Ballarin, chief executive of USAerospace Associates, said in a press conference last week that Wow Air will relaunch with just two planes in operation, with the potential to increase that number to more than 10 aircraft by summer 2020. The relaunched Wow Air operations will be based at Dulles International Airport, located outside of Washington, DC, though it will have facilities in Reykjavik and nearby Keflavik International Airport.

Click the link for the full story! https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/9/20857460/wow-air-comeback-october-iceland-us-airport-dulles-bankruptcy

AirAsia Inks Major Deals with Airbus

August 30, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

AirAsia X orders 12 more A330neo and 30 A321XLR aircraft

AirAsia X, the long-haul unit of the AirAsia Group, has finalised a firm order with Airbus for an additional 12 A330-900 and 30 A321XLR aircraft. The contract was signed by Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, Chairman, AirAsia X Berhad and Guillaume Faury, Chief Executive Officer, Airbus in Kuala Lumpur today, in the presence of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Chief Executive Officer, AirAsia Group, who was present at the signing, said: “This order reaffirms our selection of the A330neo as the most efficient choice for our future wide-body fleet. In addition, the A321XLR offers the longest flying range of any single-aisle aircraft and will enable us to introduce services to new destinations. Together, these aircraft are perfect partners for long-haul low-cost operations and will allow us to build further on our market leading position in this fast-growing sector.”

Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, Chairman of AirAsia X Berhad, said: “Today’s announcement is testament to our confidence and commitment to longer haul air travel. This is the future of our long-haul operations. The A330neo’s revolutionary new features and modifications will move our long-haul service sectors up to a higher level and allow AirAsia X to look at expanding beyond the eight-hour flight radius, such as to Europe, for example.”

Guillaume Faury, Chief Executive Officer, Airbus commented: “AirAsia X has been the pioneer of the long-haul low-cost model in the Asia-Pacific region. This new order for the A330neo and A321XLR is a true endorsement of the Airbus solution to meet mid-market demand with a combination of single-aisle and wide-body products. This powerful solution will provide AirAsia X with the lowest possible operating costs to expand its network and enable even more people to fly further than ever before.”

The new contract increases the number of A330neo aircraft ordered by AirAsia X to 78, reaffirming the carrier’s status as the largest airline customer for the type. Meanwhile, the A321XLR order sees the wider AirAsia Group strengthen its position as the world’s largest airline customer for the A320 Family, having now ordered a total of 622 aircraft.

AirAsia X currently operates a fleet of 36 A330-300s on services to points within the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East. In addition, in August, the first A330neo joined the fleet of AirAsia’s Bangkok-based long haul affiliate, AirAsia X Thailand. The aircraft is the first of two leased A330neos joining the airline’s Thai affiliate by the end of the year.

The A321XLR is the next evolutionary step from the A321LR which responds to market needs for even more range and payload, creating more value for the airlines. From 2023, it will deliver an unprecedented Xtra Long Range of up to 4,700 nm – 15% more than the A321LR and with 30% lower fuel burn per seat compared with previous generation competitor aircraft.

The A330neo is a true new generation aircraft building on the A330’s success and leveraging on A350 XWB technology. It incorporates the highly efficient new generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, and a new higher span 3D optimised wing with new Sharklets. Together these advances bring a significant reduction in fuel consumption of 25% compared with older generation competitor aircraft of a similar size. The A330 is one of the most popular wide-body families ever, having received over 1,700 orders from more than 120 customers.

Trump Meets With Airline CEO’s Over Qatar Subsidies

July 20, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump met on Thursday with the chief executives of major American airlines to discuss their accusations that subsidies by Qatar and United Arab Emirates are costing jobs in the United States.

The meeting between Trump and the CEOs of American Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue Airways Corp, FedEx Corp, and Atlas Air included Vice President Mike Pence, the White House said.

The meeting also included the CEO of state-owned Qatar Airways, Akbar al-Baker, who was also at the White House last week to tout its decision in June to buy five new Boeing 777 freighters.

The White House did not immediately provide details of the meeting.

Since 2015 the largest U.S. carriers – Delta Air Lines, American and United Airlines – have argued their Gulf rivals are being unfairly subsidized by their governments, distorting competition and costing U.S. jobs – something the Gulf carriers deny.

The Partnership for Open & Fair Skies, a group representing Delta, American, United and aviation unions, said it had a “productive meeting” with Trump.

“The president shares our concerns and instructed us to keep working with the U.S. Department of Transportation, which we plan to do,” Scott Reed, the group’s managing partner, said in a statement.

The CEOs of JetBlue, FedEx and Atlas Air have warned that restricting the rights of Qatar Airways could lead to retaliation against U.S. carriers and added, in an April letter, it could lead to “a rapid unravelling of hard-fought aviation rights around the world when other governments take similar action to shield their state-owned airlines from competition.”

Last week, the CEOs of Delta, United and American wrote a joint USA Today op-ed urging the White House to act “decisively to hold Qatar and the UAE accountable.” They suggested that failing to respond would “signal to other countries that they too are free to exploit American workers.”

In April, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration was scrutinizing Qatar Airways’ acquisition of a 49% stake in Air Italy, which has been flying to U.S. destinations since 2018 in a move seen by U.S. lawmakers as flouting a deal not to add new flights to the domestic market.

Both Republicans and Democrats in Congress have said they were concerned that the deal with the Italian carrier contravened an understanding Qatar Airways reached with the United States in early 2018.

Qatar Airways acquired the 49% of Italian airline Meridiana in 2017, rebranded it Air Italy and transformed it into a carrier with five announced nonstop U.S. destinations from Milan.

The Qatari government said in 2018 it was unaware of any plans to launch flights from Qatar to U.S. destinations via stops in Europe known as “Fifth Freedom” flights.

(Reporting by Steve Holland and David Shepardson; Additional reporting by Jeff Mason; editing by Marguerita Choy, Tom Brown and Richard Chang)

Oman Air Plans Airbus Talks Unless Boeing Provides 737 Max Support Plan

June 14, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

DUBAI (Reuters) – Oman Air CEO Abdulaziz Al Raisi plans to hold talks with Airbus if Boeing does not provide a support and recovery plan for its grounded 737 MAX planes before June 17, a statement by the Omani company said on Friday.

“The grounding of the 737 MAXs has had a major financial impact on Oman Air,” the statement cited Raisi as saying.

“The airline’s expansion plans for 2019 had been significantly curtailed” and Oman Air “also suffered revenue losses and market share declines,” he added.

The Oman Air CEO said Boeing ”promised a recovery and support plan for Oman Air that would be submitted to the airline before the upcoming Paris Airshow starting on 17th June 2019.”

“If I don’t hear back from Boeing before I arrive at Le Bourget Airport, then I will have to go ahead with my planned business lunch with Airbus at the airshow,” the Oman Air statement cited Raisi as saying.

(Reporting by Alex Cornwell; writing by Maher Chmaytelli. Editing by Jane Merriman)

4 New Dublin Routes To Marseille, Palanga, Podgorica & Verona

In Dublin, Ryanair’s Kenny Jacobs said:

Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said:

AirAsia X orders 12 more A330neo and 30 A321XLR aircraft

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