Blog Archives

First Domestic Widebodies in Oz: TAA's Airbus Indigestion

30/10/2015

Contrary to expectations the nationalised Trans-Australia Airlines was always the pacesetter, compared to Ansett, in the government managed duopoly of Australian domestic routes. Ansett itself tended to be more content with the status quo. This was again the case with widebodies, though in this case being on the bleeding edge caused TAA some major problems.

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Qantas' Aboriginal Ties: Wunala Dreaming

29/10/2015

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The relationship between the principally white settlers of Australia and the native Aboriginal population has been one of exploitation, theft and effective extermination. However despite the lack of redress and continuing marginalisation of Aboriginal populations aspects of Aboriginal culture have become popular in the mainstream. Qantas, an important standard bearer for Australia's image abroad, has done much to this end by showcasing Aboriginal artwork on four of its fleet beginning with the most famous - Wunala Dreaming.

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Pan Am Goes Airbus Pt2: Globes to Widgets

27/10/2015

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By January 1991 Pan Am was in dire straits and desperately searching around for assets to sell and potential buyers to come forward. A deal with United for it to buy the airline's London Heathrow operations for $400 million was mired in political trouble. Even with the money Pan Am had proven capable of burning through huge amounts of cash. Finally the end was in sight.

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Pan Am Goes Airbus Pt1: Shrink to Fit

24/10/2015

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Pan Am had had a resurgence towards the end of the 1970s however the purchase of National Airlines and the effects of deregulation sent the airline into a nosedive it was never able to recover from. Still amongst the gloom some positive changes were made and one of them was an attempt to re-equip the fleet with more suitable products in the form of Airbuses. The airline planned to standardise its fleet around 747s, A310s and A320s however the latter would never get to wear the famous globe on its tail.

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9 Air: Toughing It Out Low Cost Style

21/10/2015

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After many years of disinterest low-cost carriers are in vogue in China in a big way. They fit in with the Communist party's austerity drive and attempts to open up new developing markets, especially in the West of the country. Still the Chinese are very much feeling their way and there is still a lot of protectionism and learning to be done as the new private low-cost airline 9Air is finding out.

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Cathay Flagships: 747-300 vs 777-300ER

20/10/2015

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Cathay Pacific entered the 1980s as a respected and major air carrier in the Far-east, however in terms of fleet size it was still small fry. Since then the airline's growth and success can be largely attributed to two types both Boeing widebodies - the 747 and the 777. Though the A330/340 family has also been a major product for the airline the carrier's most prestigious services have been flown by either of the Boeing types and the 29 A340s can be largely seen as supporting units, or in the case of the series 600s a stopgap prior to the adoption of the ultimate 777-300ER variant.

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ASA: Southeastern Prop-Jets to Continental RJs

17/10/2015

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Third level commuter airlines had been operating since the 1960s but it was deregulation that gave them their real chance, followed by the partnerships they formed with the US majors looking for regional feed into their new hub operations. Atlantic Southeast grew to be one of the biggest initially serving Delta's mammoth Atlanta hub but soon breaking out of the southeast into the rest of the US.

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BKS Pt2: Northeast Towards BA

16/10/2015

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Initially following BEA's purchase of 30% of BKS operations continued much as before though no doubt without the annoyance of BEA complaining about new services going BKS' way. This wasn't to last however and gradually despite growing successfully BKS was subsumed to BEA's needs. Eventually it became one of the four major components that would constitute the new unified British national carrier.

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BKS Pt1: Pioneering UK Independent

13/10/2015

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BKS was begun by James Barnaby, Thomas Keegan and Cyril Stevens, initially as Aerocharter but soon it took up the initials of its founders as BKS Aerocharter Ltd. Unlike a host of British independents BKS was able to navigate the treacherous waters of the time. It became one of the most successful and pioneering British airlines of the initial postwar era, operating both charters and an impressive scheduled network from its northeastern bases at Leeds and Newcastle.

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Enter the Dragonair Pt2: Partnering for Growth

10/10/2015

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With the abolishing of the one route/one airline policy in 2001 both Cathay and Dragonair applied to serve routes the other operated reintroducing an element of competition between the two. The future of Dragonair however wasn't to be in antagonism with its old rival and shareholder but in greater partnership. With continuing infiltration of the Hong Kong market by low-cost airlines and premium upstarts Dragonair is more focused than ever on providing its best service.

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Enter the Dragonair Pt1: Finding a Niche

8/10/2015

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Dragonair has had a topsy turvy existence. Originally a direct competitor to its Hong Kong neighbour Cathay Pacific, after pitched battles it was taken over by them only for it to exhibit renewed independence after Cathay reduced its investment. Despite this seeming turmoil the airline grew throughout the 1990s with brand new Airbus equipment and found itself an untapped niche in which to excel.

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Project 767: The Spirit of Delta

5/10/2015

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Delta is and airline still in touch with its heritage and the heritage of the component airlines that it has swallowed up on the way to being one of the few survivors of deregulation. This connection with its past is highlighted by the impressive Delta Flight Museum, an independent not for profit corporation, but nonetheless strongly allied to the airline. Delta was well known as a family airline and the Delta Flight Museum has the most obvious expression of that togetherness that the airline had with its employees - 'The Spirit of Delta'.

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First Domestic Widebodies in Oz: TAA's Airbus Indigestion

Qantas' Aboriginal Ties: Wunala Dreaming

Pan Am Goes Airbus Pt2: Globes to Widgets

Pan Am Goes Airbus Pt1: Shrink to Fit

9 Air: Toughing It Out Low Cost Style

Cathay Flagships: 747-300 vs 777-300ER

ASA: Southeastern Prop-Jets to Continental RJs

BKS Pt2: Northeast Towards BA

BKS Pt1: Pioneering UK Independent

Enter the Dragonair Pt2: Partnering for Growth

Enter the Dragonair Pt1: Finding a Niche

Project 767: The Spirit of Delta

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