FAA confirms examination of Southwest maintenance

Maintenance at Southwest Airlines is again under investigation by the US FAA.

The agency has confirmed an investigation is underway, but explains it cannot comment while the examination continues. A report in the Dallas Morning News indicates the probe is focusing on fuselage repairs carried out at a repair station in the Seattle area.

Southwest has experienced two highly publicised maintenance investigations during the last two years. The first instance in 2008 occurred after the discovery that Southwest operated 46 Boeing 737s on 59,761 flights after the carrier missed fuselage inspections required under an airworthiness directive issued in September 2004.

In 2009 unapproved parts were discovered on 82 of Southwest's 737s.

Film Director Fuels Row Over 'Fat' Plane Passengers

Film director Kevin Smith has reignited a heated debate about airlines' treatment of overweight passengers after being thrown off a flight for being too large to fit in one seat.

An angry tirade posted on his Twitter page about the way he was treated by Southwest Airlines last weekend has fuelled a wave of protests from some angry passengers while other travellers have stood by the airline's decision.

"If you look like me, you may be ejected from Southwest Air," wrote Smith, posting a photograph of himself on the plane, puffing out his cheeks.

Smith, director of the new Bruce Willis movie "Cop Out" as well as "Clerks" and "Chasing Amy," said a Southwest Airlines pilot ejected him off a flight from Oakland to Burbank, California because the pilot believed Smith didn't fit properly into just one seat and was a "safety risk."

"I'm way fat... But I'm not THERE just yet," he wrote.

Smith said he had actually booked and paid for two seats on a later flight but moved to an earlier flight as a standby passenger that only had one seat available. His posting prompted a barrage of angry responses from other disgruntled customers, adding to an ongoing debate over the treatment of overweight customers by airlines and whether they should have to pay for two seats.

Air France found itself at the centre of this heated debate last month after it was misreported that the airline was planning an extra charge for passengers unable to fit into a single seat. Air France has, since 2005, offered overweight passengers the option to buy a second seat at a 25 percent discount.

Southwest Airlines says its policy requires travellers to be able to fit safely and comfortably in one seat and be able to lower their armrests, or buy a second seat. United Airlines also has this policy and both airlines have a policy that overweight passengers can claim a refund on the second seat if the plane is not full. These policies were introduced after complaints from neighbouring passengers. But after a barrage of angry comments from Smith and other passengers, Southwest Airlines apologised to Smith by phone, on its own Twitter account and in a statement on its website. The airline said it was unusual for it to be so public in handling such matters but decided this case was different because so many people were involved. "We would like to echo our Tweets and again offer our heartfelt apologies to you," said the airline. The airline said it put Smith on a later flight and gave him a USD$100 voucher for his inconvenience.

But not all of the comments supported Smith. Other people sided with the airline. "Being heavy is not something to be proud about. I wish more companies would not tolerate the lifestyle of fatness!" read one comment on Smith's Twitter account.

Crisis management consultant David Margulies questioned whether the airline was being too polite by apologising to Smith when its policy was both fair and reasonable.

He said too many companies backed down from reasonable policies because they are scared of negative publicity, in this case especially after Smith's online anger.

"Southwest has taken a very reasonable and fair approach to dealing with the issue of overweight customers and should be applauded for their actions," Margulies said in a statement.

"This is the time that customers and employees should take to the Internet in defence of the company."

Source: Airwise

UK Airport Scanners May Violate Human Rights

The use of full-body scanners at British airports may breach human rights laws, the country's equality commission said on Tuesday, potentially undermining the latest weapon against terrorism.

The new technology has been hurriedly introduced at London's Heathrow airport and Manchester airport in northern England after a botched attempt to bomb a US-bound passenger aircraft from Amsterdam on Christmas Day.

Nigerian suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is alleged to have boarded a US aircraft on December 25 with explosives hidden undetected in his underwear. The full-body scanners, which see through clothes to produce an image of the whole body, might have detected the explosives, experts have said. Rights campaigners have said they fear an invasion of privacy and disproportionate scrutiny of Muslim travellers.The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said the scanners might be breaking discrimination and privacy laws, and it had "serious doubts that the decision to roll this (body scanning) out in all UK airports complies with the law."

The Commission said one of the chief concerns was over how people would be selected for the scans. In a letter to Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis, the EHRC expressed concern "about the apparent absence of safeguards to ensure the body scanners are operated in a lawful, fair and non-discriminatory manner".

The Transport Department said it was committed to ensuring that all security measures are used legally, proportionately and in a non-discriminatory way. It said it was "absolutely clear that those passengers who are randomly selected for screening will not be chosen because of any personal characteristics", and that it had published an interim code of practice which addressed privacy concerns.

Source: Airwise.com

South America’s Airport Overhaul

Much attention has been focused on the remarkable growth of the aviation sectors in China, India and Asia; so much so that the rise of South America has almost gone unnoticed. The 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, both of which will be hosted by the continent, have created an interesting contest between South American countries eager to show economic superiority, technological advancement and Latin flair.

The current economic growth in South America of 3.9% per year will drive air traffic to grow by about 7%, according to Boeing, a figure well above the global average growth rate of 5%. The delivery of an estimated 1,640 new aircraft worth $150bn to the region is also forecast over the next two decades.

Continent-wide investment

Airport development work to cater for this growth can be seen across the continent. In Colombia, El Nuevo Dorado International Airport in Bogota is in the process of major work. The airport is managed by Operadora Aeroportuaria Internacional (OPAIN) and Swiss airport operator Unique (Flughafen Zurich AG).

The Colombian Government awarded a contract for a viable external investment of $650m for the expansion and modernisation of El Nuevo Dorado International to OPAIN. Work on the airport began in 2007 and the construction of a new international terminal, the upgrade of an older terminal and the installation of new baggage handling technology have been completed.

"The delivery of an estimated 1,640 new aircraft worth $150bn to the region is forecast."The next phase will involve the completion of an office building and the construction of a new maintenance area with a turbine tester and sound barriers. Construction is scheduled to be complete by 2012 and will increase the airport's capacity to 16 million passengers a year.

In Peru rising investment and improved terms of trade have helped stabilise the economy. A recently-signed free-trade agreement with the US and increased trade with China, Brazil and Chile have contributed to a surge in movements of goods and air travel.

Peru is reported to have had the best economic growth rate in 2009 of any Latin American country in relation to the economic crisis.

The country's prime gateway is Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima. Early in the last decade it was in a poor state, with dilapidated infrastructure and technology. With the assistance and experience of its shareholder, German firm Fraport AG, Jorge Chavez International is now an award-winning airport and considerable upgrade work is being undertaken.

A terminal extension was inaugurated last year and provided 28 gates, 19 of which have boarding bridges. Internal remodelling of the control tower and a 12,000m² extension of the south apron were also carried out. The airport is expected to install a ILS CAT III system this year to help with fog landings. A second runway is also scheduled to be operational by 2014 in time for the world cup, as more visitors are expected from Brazil.

Fraport AG reports that Jorge Chavez International registered 4.2 million users in the first half of 2009, up 6.3% on the same period the previous year. Investment should prepare the airport for a capacity of 10 million passengers annually in the next three to four years.

Airport growth seems to be running at a slower pace in Venezuela as the country's economy has been severely affected by the economic crisis. The country has failed to diversify its oil-dependent economy and is facing a sharp slowdown from the global oil bust while experiencing Latin America's highest inflation rate of 30%. Political interference and negotiations with neighbouring governments on issues of technology transfer and service agreements have caused problems with large infrastructure projects for the country in the past.

"Airport development work to cater for air traffic growth can be seen across the continent."In 2004 Unique (Flughafen Zurich AG) and its Chilean affiliate signed a contract with Venezuela covering the expansion and operation of the international airport on Isla de Margarita for 20 years. This agreement was later declared void by a newly elected provincial governor.

After a series of interventions and court appearances, the final ruling was for a revised joint operation of the airport by all stakeholders, including the local government.

In terms of how the situation stands today, a statement from Unique (Flughafen Zurich AG) said: "We will try the case against Venezuela at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Dispute (ICSID) in Washington if no amicable settlement can be achieved in the next few months." Unique (Flughafen Zurich AG) is, however, engaged in nine other airports in four Latin American countries that are successful and run without major problems.

South American powerhouse

Brazil's economy outweighs those of all other South American countries, helped by well-developed mining, agricultural, manufacturing and service sectors. Sustained growth is expected over the next few years. One of the first sectors to reflect this change is commercial aviation.

As host country for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, airport modernisation is underway throughout the country. Brazil's airport operator INFRAERO is spending $2.5bn on upgrades and the construction of new airports. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) says air transport supports 2.6% of Brazil's economy, creating thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in business.

Brazil has adopted a new civil aviation national policy and IATA is pushing for the country to use the new policy to build a more competitive industry by overcoming major fiscal and infrastructure handicaps.

IATA's director general and CEO Giovanni Bisignani mentioned two critical areas:

•Airport concessions: Brazil is contemplating future airport concessions to help speed infrastructure improvements. "Private investment with the right conditions can help improve infrastructure but concessionaires must be governed by robust economic regulation," Bisignani says.

•Congestion: the issue of congestion at Brazil's busiest airport, Sao Paulo's Guarulhos International, is causing concern and is an issue IATA is trying to address. "We offer support for early implementation of IATA's Worldwide Scheduling Guidelines that help airports around the world manage congestion. Congestion pricing is not the solution," Bisignani says.

INFRAERO has launched an upgrade of its airport network infrastructure by leveraging 3Com's H3C enterprise network solution. With an increased demand for bandwidth from passengers and employees, INFRAERO estimates that by using H3C it will achieve a 100-fold increase in the performance of the airport's data, voice and video applications used for flight information systems, air traffic control, surveillance and IP telephony systems. 3Com has a similar upgrade development at Beijing International in China.

Foreign investment favourites

Argentina's 32 commercial airports are recording steady growth, according to airport company Aeropuertos Argentina 2000. Since 2002 traffic has reportedly risen almost 40% as the economy has seen a period of relatively stable growth. Domestic traffic is still down, however, with growth primarily coming from international services at Buenos Aires Ezeiza Airport.

"Argentina's market recovery has been directly linked to the rise in international traffic from Ezeiza."Domestic flights are currently operated at nearby Jorge Newbery Airport. Following a $400m investment in Ezeiza the southern wing of the airport will accommodate domestic operations for the first time. It will also rely on flexible design features, allowing it to be used for international flights if required. Work is expected to finish this year. Argentina's market recovery has been directly linked to the rise in international traffic from Ezeiza.

Copper-rich Chile is a long-time favourite of foreign investors and recently announced a $2bn investment plan. Unique (Flughafen Zurich AG) is involved in three airport projects in Chile, El Tepual, La Florida and El Loa as part of the first wave of privatisation in the country.

Internal mining activities have prompted a rapid development of domestic airports. It is also widely believed that the main airport, Santiago Arturo Merino Benitez, lacks the facilities of airports in other South American countries. But Chile, too, considers tourism a major economic driver that will boost airport growth. It is focusing on sustainable and special-interest tourism, mainly targeting long-haul travellers.

South America receives about 70 million international arrivals annually and tourism in the region accounts for $60bn in revenue. Throughout most of the continent tourism is on the shortlist of industries to form the basis of further economic development. The 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, coupled with increasing tourism and trade, will be the main driving force in airport growth in this region for the next few years.

Source: Airport Technology

DOT Proposes Approval of oneworld Antitrust Immunity Application

The U.S. Department of Transportation today proposed to grant antitrust immunity to American Airlines and four international partners to form a global alliance. Under the proposal, the airlines must agree to conditions to protect consumers and preserve competition.

If the decision is made final, American and its “oneworld” alliance partners British Airways, Iberia Airlines, Finnair and Royal Jordanian Airlines would be able to more closely coordinate international operations in transatlantic markets.

In today’s show-cause order, the Department tentatively found that granting antitrust immunity to the oneworld alliance would provide travelers and shippers with a variety of benefits, including lower fares on more routes, increased services, better schedules and reduced travel and connection times. The Department also said the proposed alliance would enhance competition around the world by creating competition with the existing Star Alliance and the SkyTeam alliance, which already have been granted immunity.

However, the Department also noted that the alliance could harm competition on select routes between between the United States and London’s Heathrow Airport, oneworld’s primary hub, where the availability of landing and takeoff slots is limited. As a condition of approval, the Department is proposing in its show-cause order that the applicants make four pairs of slots available to competitors for new U.S.-Heathrow service. The Department also would require changes to the agreement to ensure capacity growth, and require the carriers to submit traffic data and implement the proposed alliance within 18 months of a final decision.

Interested parties are invited to show cause why the proposed decision should not be made final. Objections are due in 45 days, and answers to objections 15 days afterward. Following the comment period, the Department will review all filings and then issue a final decision.

 

Source: Air Transport News

Boeing 747-8F First Flight

The Boeing 747-8 Freighter successfully took to the sky for the first time on Monday 8 February 2010.

With 747 Chief Pilot Mark Feuerstein and Capt. Tom Imrich in the flight deck, the newest member of the 747 family took off at 12:39 p.m. local time from Paine Field in Everett and landed at Paine Field at 4:18 p.m.

"It was a real privilege to be at the controls of this great airplane on its first flight, representing the thousands of folks who made today possible," said Feuerstein. "The airplane performed as expected and handled just like a 747-400."

This flight was the first of more than 1,600 flight hours in the test program for the newest member of the Boeing freighter family. The airplane followed a route over Western Washington, where it underwent tests for basic handling qualities and engine performance. The airplane reached a cruising altitude of 17,000 feet (5,181 m) and a speed of up to 230 knots, or about 264 miles (426 km) per hour.

Powered by four General Electric GEnx-2B engines, the 747-8 Freighter will transition its testing program to Moses Lake, Wash., and Palmdale, Calif., where the other two test airplanes will join it in the coming month.

The 747-8 Freighter is the new, high-capacity 747 that will give cargo operators the lowest operating costs and best economics of any freighter. The airplane is 250 feet, 2 inches (76.3 m) long, which is 18 feet, 4 inches (5.6 m) longer than the 747-400 Freighter. The stretch provides customers with 16 percent more revenue cargo volume compared with its predecessor. That translates to an additional four main-deck pallets and three lower-hold pallets.

Boeing launched the airplane on Nov. 14, 2005, with firm orders for 18 747-8 Freighters: 10 from Cargolux of Luxembourg and eight from Nippon Cargo Airlines of Japan. All told, Boeing has secured 108 orders for the 747-8, of which 76 are orders for the new freighter. Cargolux, Nippon Cargo Airlines, AirBridgeCargo Airlines, Atlas Air, Cathay Pacific, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, Emirates SkyCargo, Guggenheim and Korean Air all have ordered the 747-8 Freighter.

 

Source: Air Transport News

American Airlines and Japan Airlines Apply to the U.S. Department of Transportation for Antitrust Immunity

American Airlines and Japan Airlines (JAL) today filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for antitrust immunity to forge a closer relationship and implement a Joint Business Agreement (JBA) governing the operation of their flights between North America and Asia. The airlines also will notify the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in Japan of the transaction.

"An immunized JBA will benefit the public, offer new competition in the fast-growing Asian aviation marketplace and strengthen the relationship between American and Japan Airlines, which will support JAL's successful restructuring," said Gerard Arpey, American's Chairman and CEO. "It will improve customer choice by giving the oneworld(R) Alliance, of which American and JAL are key members, strong hub operations at Tokyo, thus allowing more vibrant competition with other global alliances in northeast Asia and beyond."

"With immunity to enter a JBA, Japan Airlines and American Airlines will be able to cooperate more tightly in raising the quality of our services and thus encourage healthy competition in this promising region for the industry," said JAL Group Chief Operating Officer and President Masaru Onishi. "Furthermore, not only will both carriers be able to improve operational efficiency but most importantly, our valued customers will receive greater benefits and convenience which we hope will place us in a position to always be the airlines of their choice."

Antitrust immunity between American and JAL is made possible by the Open Skies accord reached by the United States and Japan in December 2009. When that agreement becomes effective, it will eliminate the restraints on competition.

More Consumer Benefits, Choices and Travel Options

Under an immunized JBA, American and JAL will cooperate commercially on flights while continuing to operate as separate legal entities. They will coordinate fares, services and schedules in order to attract new customers and boost revenues. By more closely integrating their networks, the airlines will be able to improve efficiency, find opportunities to lower costs and have greater ability to invest in products, services and fleets.

By working together to provide links for connecting passengers, the airlines can expand customer choice by offering new routes and supporting existing routes that would not be economically viable for the airlines individually. American and JAL expect more opportunities to expand their codeshare arrangements on flights within and beyond Japan and the U.S. and to create new competition in the trans-Pacific marketplace. Consumers also will continue to receive reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, and eligible customers will continue to have access to the airport lounges of both airlines.

Employees and other stakeholders are expected to benefit from the airlines' improved competitive position and financial stability.

The JBA will be "metal neutral," meaning American and JAL will benefit from a customer's ticket purchase regardless of which one carries the passenger, as the airlines will share revenue on all JBA flights. The revenue growth resulting from the JBA will provide both airlines with substantial support towards improving profitability.

Enhanced Trans-Pacific Competition

The closer cooperation between oneworld Alliance members American and JAL will improve network competition with the other alliances. Through the JBA, the two airlines will offer a fully-integrated network between trans-Pacific gateway airports, ensuring all customers a third robust global airline alliance from which to choose, and more options for time-sensitive business travelers.

Source: Air Transport News

Definition:  Exemption from prosecution under antitrust laws. In the transportation industry, firms with antitrust immunity are permitted under certain conditions to set schedules and sometimes prices for the public benefit.

Body Scanners Introduced at UK's Manchester Airport

Passengers flying through Manchester Airport in the North West of England may be body scanned as part of the airport's routine security procedures.

Manchester has been trialling a Rapiscan Secure 1000 scanner in its Terminal 2 since October. It is one of two airports that have been directed by the UK Government to introduce the technology.

Additional scanners are planned in the airport's Terminals 1 and 3 by the end of the month.

The introduction of the scanners follows the incident on an airliner bound for Detroit on Christmas Day.

Since that time the UK Government has been working closely with airport authorities to introduce additional security measures including introducing body scanners at airports.

Under the new rules, any passenger refusing to be body scanned will not be allowed to travel.

Source: Airwise

Boeing Sees Commercial Plane Demand Improving

Boeing is seeing improved demand for commercial planes and fewer deferral requests as the airline industry claws its way out of an economic downturn, the company's chief executive said on Thursday.

Speaking at an aerospace and defence conference, Jim McNerney said the economy is showing signs of improvement that will lead to orders.

"We have a rebound in our plans over the next couple of years," McNerney said.

Goodrich and General Dynamics were other US aerospace companies that cited improving commercial aircraft market conditions at the conference.

Boeing and rival Airbus were dogged in 2009 by fewer orders for planes as carriers around the world grappled with falling travel demand in the sagging economy.

Boeing said in January that orders fell 61 percent to 263 commercial planes in 2009, as air travel and freight transport slumped.

McNerney said the company feels "very good" about current production rates for its popular 737 planes and even left open the possibility for a production rate increase.

Some experts have questioned whether the current rate of 31 per month is too high given the economic troubles faced by airlines around the world.

"You could say there's room for an upward move," McNerney said, quickly adding he is not necessarily predicting that. "If people order more planes, we will increase the rate."

McNerney repeated that Boeing also is considering putting a new engine in the 737, which would be faster and cheaper than building a new aircraft.

He said flight testing of its new carbon-composite 787 Dreamliner has revealed no significant problems and that Boeing still aims to deliver the plane to its first customer in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Some market experts have said the delivery schedule for the 787, which made its first test flight in December after two years of delays, is too ambitious.

Scott Kuechle, chief financial officer of Goodrich, which provides parts for planes, said order patterns for landing gear and interiors were stabilising. He said his company expected more robust growth in aftermarket services in 2011.

General Dynamics said its aerospace segment, which includes the Gulfstream business jet maker, was poised for low to mid-single-digit sales growth in 2010, followed by "double-digit growth" in 2011 as delivery of new jets begins.

Amid tough conditions in 2009, Gulfstream cut production and temporarily laid off part of its workforce.

"Barring any further deterioration in the global economy, I believe that 2010 is the start of an attractive growth trajectory in our aerospace business," General Dynamics chief executive Jay Johnson said on Wednesday.

Source: Airwise News

OAG Reports Positive Growth in Airline Capacity for February 2010

Global airline capacity for February 2010 shows positive growth compared to February 2009, reports OAG (www.oagaviation.com), the world’s leading aviation data business with its monthly report on trends in the supply of airline flights and seats. This marks the sixth consecutive month in which overall airline capacity has shown growth, with 272.7 million available seats this month, an increase of 5% over February 2009. Global frequencies are also showing growth, with an increase of 4%, with a total of 2.2 million flights scheduled for February 2010. Global frequency and capacity in the low-cost sector are up by 11% compared to a year ago, with 40,704 more flights and 6.1 million more seats.

The only regional decline to report for February 2010 is for traffic within North America where frequency and capacity have reduced by 1% (11,210) and 2% (1,512,278) respectively. However, frequency and capacity to and from the region have shown a positive growth of 3% and 2%. Overall, flights to and from Europe show positive growth compared to February 2009, with 6% more flights and 4% more seats. Figures for Asia show an increase both to and from the region and also within. For services to and from the region, there is an increase of 5% in flights and 4% in capacity, while intra-regionally, frequency and capacity is up by 11% and 10% respectively. Latin America, Central/South America, Africa and the Middle East also show increases in frequency and capacity.

“It is fascinating how much the movement in flight frequency and seat capacity seems to reflect the regional economic situation. Asia’s economy (except Japan) is gradually and carefully recovering and so are parts of Europe/the Middle East/Africa region, while North America and Japan appear to have difficulty and are struggling to come out of this recession,” said Mario M. Hardy, Vice President Asia Pacific, OAG Aviation.

Analysis of major routes reveals increases in many parts of the world, while decreases continue in the transatlantic market between North America and Western Europe. That route has 5% fewer seats (237,269) and 5% less flights (964) for the month. Carriers between Western Europe and Asia show a frequency decline of 2% and 4% reduction in capacity. Routes between Western Europe and Africa show a healthy 20% increase in frequency and 19% increase in capacity. Service between North America and Central/South America are up compared to a year ago, while routes between Western Europe and the Middle East have also grown compared to February 2009.

“This month, a number of new routes are being launched; the Asia Pacific region shows 174 new routes with a large number of them from Chinese carriers. In Europe, the Middle East and Africa, there are 210 new routes dominated by low-cost carriers, said OAG’s Hardy. “North America adds 108 routes with the majority being domestic flights and in Latin America, 17 routes were added mostly in the Caribbean. The increase in direct service is a global trend that has been driven by the increase in low-cost carrier services flying point-to-point, which benefits the consumers,” continued Hardy.

A hubs analysis shows impressive growth in South America Sao Paulo (GRU) and Bogota (BOG) with frequency increases of 24% and 17% respectively. The Middle East continues to perform well with Abu Dhabi (AUH) revealing a 24% growth in frequency for February 2010. Analysis of airports in North America shows that frequency at Atlanta Hartsfield remains unchanged at 70,651 compared to February 2009, while the major hub shows marginal growth of 1% in capacity, with 8,048,791 seats. European airports Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and London Heathrow (LHR) both show declines in operations and capacity.

Source: ATN

Ryanair challenges Easyjet to "Chariots of Fire" Race

Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, today (11th Feb) challenged easyJet boss Stelios to a “Chariots of Fire” race around Trafalgar Square to settle a dispute which has blown up over the last week with easyJet and Stelios’ expensive lawyers (Herbert Smith and Rachel Atkins) threatening Ryanair with legal action over Ryanair’s recent adverts (see attached) which confirm that:

1. easyJet is in fact a “high fares” airline, since their average fares (€66) are more than double those of Ryanair (€32) and,

2. easyJet is hiding its poor on-time statistics (which have not been published on its website for the last 40 weeks in a row) because (Ryanair believes) easyJet’s punctuality is so awful compared to that of Ryanair.

Michael O’Leary has promised to stop calling easyJet a “high fares” airline or an “always late” airline if Stelios wins the race, but if Stelios loses, then easyJet will admit that it is just another high fares airline (by comparison with Ryanair) and will agree to resume publishing its weekly punctuality statistics so that the travelling public can see just how poor easyJet’s punctuality is.

Laying down this challenge today, Ryanair’s Michael (Usain Bolt) O’Leary said:

“I am currently in rigorous training and believe that my daily regime of 40 cigarettes, 24 beers and extended sessions on the couch watching TV, leaves me in perfect shape to beat Stelios in a 21st Century version of the “Chariots of Fire” race around Trafalgar Square.

“We believe this race will be a much better use of Stelios’ time rather than paying expensive lawyers to issue vacuous threats, when both Stelios and easyJet know they can’t compete with Ryanair’s prices and they can’t match our punctuality either.

“If Stelios is too “tired” to run, then I will offer him the alternative of a wheelbarrow race around Trafalgar Square, with the winner taking all. Win or lose, at least Stelios and easyJet will save a fortune on expensive lawyers fees. No expensive lawyers can alter the facts, compared to Ryanair, easyJet is a high fares airline, and an always late airline.

 

Source: Air Transport News