LIFE AFTER SQ006 - Orient Aviation

in the region have done, while Hong Kong wantscabotage rights in the U.S. American carriers regardthis argument as specious as Hong Kong, with nohinterland of its own, cannot offer comparablerights.For Inchon, nowread IncheonIncheon International Airport, as the newairport on South Korea’s west coast has decidedto be called, will open on March 29, the airport ‘sauthorities announced barely two months aheadof the long-awaited opening date. The great day,a Thursday, was chosen because it falls in the firstweek of summer operations and Thursday usuallyhas the lowest weekday traffic.Also the weather near the airport on that dayhas been mostly mild for the past 20 years. What theworld has long known as Inchon has been revisedto Incheon to comply with a new system of Englishlanguage spelling of Korean words introduced bythe government last year.Authorities hope that confusion over theairport’s name will be the least of the problemsexperienced by the airport they are calling “TheWinged City”. High construction costs and the lackof a rail link to downtown Seoul 50 kilometresaway (at least until 2005) are among issues that maydampen the high hopes held out for one of the biggestinfrastructure projects in Korea’s history.Wrong part onAnsett jetThere were red faces again at Ansett Australiawhen it emerged one of its Boeing 767-300s flewbetween Australia and Hong Kong with a wingleading edge slat designed for 767-200s. After theerror was discovered in Melbourne the aircrafthad the right part fitted overnight and returned toservice the following day. Earlier Ansett had twoof its 767s grounded when cracks were found inthe horizontal stabilisers. In addition the carrier’sschedules were disrupted just before Christmas afterthe airline realised that mandatory inspections hadnot been carried out for up to 18 months.Chinese travellersAccuse JAL of biasMore than 90 Chinese aboard a Japan Airlines(JAL) Beijing-Tokyo flight which was diverted toOsaka due to a snowstorm in Tokyo have threatenedto sue JAL for being forced to spend 16 hoursat Osaka airport while passengers of other nationalitieswere accommodated at a hotel.JAL’s Beijing office said the company had beenbarred by Japanese authorities from allowing Chinesenationals, who were bound for destinationsoutside Japan, to leave the airport. Official Chinesemedia said the passengers were demandingUS$86,000 each in damages, saying the airline hadoffered only ‘small sandwiches” and nothing todrink, leaving them in a hall with no seats.CRJ-200s for YunnanYunnan Airlines has bought six 50-seat BombardierCRJ200 regional jets in a deal valued at anestimated US$138 million. The profitable Kunming,China-based carrier will take delivery of the aircraftbetween October this year and December 2002.Afghan airline groundedAfghanistan’s national airline, Ariana Airlines,has been forced to halt domestic operations afterbeing subject to United Nations sanctions. Airlinedeputy head, Qari Rehmatullah, said the governmentcould not afford to buy fuel. In November1999 the United Nations banned all internationaltravel by Ariana and in January fresh sanctions madeIN BRIEFAir New Zealand is to replace its ageing Metroliners and Bandeiranteswith 16 new Raytheon Beech 1900D aircraft to serve its smaller provincialports. The 19-seater aircraft will be introduced over an 18-month periodstarting in May.Rising demand has led Cathay Pacific Airways to add nine flights aweek to its Hong Kong – Indonesia schedule from February 26, from 19weekly flights. Last year the carrier’s revenue rose 30% increase betweenthe two countries.CARGOUnited Parcel Service (UPS) reporting record revenue and earningsfor 2000, said package delivery daily volume for Asia-Pacific rose nearly5% in the fourth quarter, with China registering more than 40% volumegrowth. UPS expects to begin flying directly to China in April after beingchosen by the U.S. Department of Transportation as the fourth Americanair carrier granted direct operating rights to China.China Eastern Airlines said it plans a fourth weekly cargo service betweenShanghai and New York at the end of 2001 or early next year.APPOINTMENTSJed Hart, manager corporate safety for BHP, has been appointedchairman of the Aviation Safety Foundation Australia (ASFA). He succeedsDon Kendell, founder of regional carrier Kendell Airlines. Dr RobLee, formerly director of Australia’s Bureau of Air Safety Investigation(BASI) before it was integrated into the Australian Transportation SafetyBureau, and Carol Durkin, past president of the Australian Women’s PilotsAssociation, also joined the board.oneworld – Maunu von Lueders has been appointed vice-presidentsales of the oneworld global alliance. He was previously vice-presidentalliances and international relations with Finnair.Dragonair – Hong Kong-based Dragonair has appointed Gerard terBruggen as manager cargo sales and services in Europe.March 01 | Orient Aviation | 13