Corporate Travel News

Qantas Group announced (14-Dec-2017) Qantas Loyalty CEO Jayne Hrdlicka resigned from the group after seven years. Ms Hrdlicka joined Qantas in 2010 as group executive of strategy and technology before becoming Jetstar Group CEO in 2012. Ms Hrdlicka became Qantas Loyalty CEO in Nov-2017 and will remain in the role until she leaves the group in Mar-2018. An appointment to the role of Qantas Loyalty CEO is expected to be made in due course in 2018. [more - original PR]

United Airlines announced (13-Dec-2017) plans to launch three times weekly San Francisco-Papeete service on 30-Oct-2018 with Boeing 787 aircraft, subject to government approval. The carrier will operate the route until 28-Mar-2019. The new service represents United's 13th new international route in 2017. According to OAG, Air France, Air Tahiti Nui and Hawaiian Airlines also operate Papeete-US services. [more - original PR]

Statistics New Zealand (Stats NZ) released (13-Dec-2017) the following key data estimates for the year ended Mar-2017:

• Total tourism expenditure was NZD36 billion (USD25.3 billion), an increase of 1.9% year-on-year;
• International tourism expenditure decreased 0.9% to NZD14.5 billion (USD10.2 billion) and contributed 20.7% to New Zealand's total exports of goods and services;
• Domestic tourism expenditure increased 4% to NZD21.4 billion (USD15 billion);
• Tourism generated a direct contribution to GDP of NZD14.7 billion (USD10.3 billion), equivalent to 5.9% of GDP;
• The indirect value added of industries supporting tourism generated an additional NZD11.3 billion (USD7.9 billion) for tourism, or 4.6% of GDP;
• 230,793 people were directly employed in tourism (8.4% of the total number of people employed in New Zealand), an increase of 9.3%;
• Tourists generated NZD3.3 billion (USD2.3 billion) in goods and services tax revenue;
• Overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand increased 8.9%. [more - original PR]

Qantas Group reported (Dec-2017) its contribution to the Australian economy, as calculated by Deloitte Access Economics, totalled AUD11.6 billion (USD8.9 billion) in FY2017. According to the economic impact study, Qantas and Jetstar:

• Represented 0.7% of Australia's GDP;
• Supported 56,414 Australian jobs;
• Contributed AUD10.7 billion (USD8.2 billion) to the tourism industry (an increase of AUD300 million [USD228.9 million] from FY2016);
• Supported over 100,000 jobs, approximately one in every nine in the tourism industry. [more - original PR]

Somalia's Federal Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Mohamed Abdullahi Salad confirmed a meeting was held with former Somali Airlines employees, to consult on the viability of relaunching the carrier (hiiran.com, 11-Dec-2017). The employees and an associated consultative group on the matter reportedly believe there is a market opportunity to launch the airline, for both domestic and international operations.

Emirates and flydubai resumed operating in Iraqi airspace following Iraq's cessation of military hostilities against terrorist groups (Reuters, 12-Dec-2017). Emirates stated: "Safety, security and operational efficiency will always be the top considerations when planning flight paths".

European Commission's Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport issued (11-Dec-2017) the following guidance on post Brexit UK-EU connectivity: "As of the withdrawal date, the operating licences granted to airlines by the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority will no longer be valid EU operating licences... Air carriers of the United Kingdom will no longer enjoy traffic rights under any air transport agreement to which the Union is a party, be it to or from the territory of the United Kingdom, be it to or from the territory of any of the EU Member States". [more - original PR]

Donghai Airlines, via its official WeChat account, announced (12-Dec-2017) "Australia, we are coming", with plans to launch Shenzhen-Darwin service. As previously reported by CAPA, Donghai Airlines applied to CAAC in Jul-2017 to operate Darwin service.

Moody's maintained (11-Dec-2017) its stable outlooks for global airlines and aircraft leasing, as well as the global shipping and North American railroads, under its 2018 outlook for the global transportation sector. Key highlights include:

• Global airline industry's stable outlook is driven by projections for 8.5% to 10% operating margins for Moody's-rated airlines through 2019, with US carriers remaining the most profitable. Moody's projects industry revenue will grow by about 4%, offsetting higher labor and fuel costs. Moody's VP - senior credit officer Jonathan Root said: "Steady global economic growth will support rising demand for air travel over the next 12 to 18 months. Developing countries will continue to lead capacity growth, followed by Europe and the US";
• Aircraft leasing industry will see stable net interest margins of 8% to 9% over 2018, though competition from new entrants will limit the upside. Global air travel growth is currently tracking about two ppts above its long-term trend of around 4.5%, with capacity expansion remaining in line with growth in demand. [more - original PR]

City of Karratha decided (12-Dec-2017) to enter an agreement with Jetgo Australia for twice weekly Brisbane-Karratha-Singapore service. Karratha Mayor Peter Long said the new service could commence by mid 2018, subject to regulatory approvals and mandatory modifications to the Karratha Airport terminal. Jetgo MD Paul Bredereck said Brisbane-Karratha-Singapore service offers new niche opportunities for the airline and the agreement "would underpin Jetgo moving up from its current fleet of Embraer ERJ regional jets in the 37 to 50 seat market segment to the larger 88 seat Embraer E175". Mr Bredereck added the new route is a "logical step for our business and builds on five and a half years of jet operations, including domestic airline services along with domestic and international jet charter services". [more - original PR]