MALAYSIAN Airline System (MAS) could sell its cargo business as it looks to recuperate major losses.
The airline’s cargo, ground services operations, engineering and pilot training could all be spun off to raise proceeds of as much as RM337 million (US$108 million), chief executive officer Ahmad Jauhari Yayha, said.
The carrier said will cut unviable routes and form a new regional unit in a bid to return to profit in 2013.
Routes being dropped include Johannesburg, Cape Town (both South Africa) and Buenos Aires (Brazil).
MAS, which will likely make a loss of RM165 million ringgit (US$53 million) next year, has begun discussions to cooperate with AirAsia to cut costs after the two airlines’ biggest investors undertook a share swap in August.
Ring & Ride waiting zones at Melbourne Airport Melbourne Airport has introduced a new free waiting zone where drivers can wait safely before collecting arriving passengers from the terminal forecourt area. Melbourne Airport CEO Chris Woodruff said the 'Ring & Ride' waiting zone offers free parking for up to 20 minutes and between 20 and 40 minutes for just two dollars. Mr Woodruff said the new 'Ring & Ride' waiting zone has been introduced in response to customer feedback and the growing concern about drivers parking illegally on the Tullamarine Freeway or other roadways while they waited to pick up arriving passengers. "This also led to congestion in our terminal forecourt as drivers did repeated laps while they waited to pick up their passengers. "Now, drivers can use the 'Ring & Ride' waiting zone until their passenger calls to say they are ready to be picked up from the front of the terminal," Mr Woodruff said. Melbourne Airport is also providing 10 additional public pick-up bays as part of the redevelopment of the terminal forecourt area. Mr Woodruff continued, "The 'Ring & Ride' waiting zone works in conjunction with our forecourt project, the APAC Drive on-ramp and other ongoing projects are all designed to reduce congestion in and around the airport precinct and provide a better experience for our passengers and visitors to the airport. The 'Ring & Ride' waiting zone is free for the first 20 minutes, $2 for 40 minutes, and $4 for up to one hour. Normal Long Term Car Park rates apply after one hour. The Ring & Ride waiting zone is located in a designated area within the Long Term Car Park with entry through the two Long Term Car Park gates located on Terminal Drive and Centre Road. Once inside the car park, follow the signs or line markings to the 'Ring & Ride' zone. When passengers are ready to be picked up, drivers exit through the Long Term Car Park on to Melrose Drive to come up to the terminal forecourt. An automatic pay station is located close to the 'Ring & Ride' zone. Cargolux Airlines suspending Australian services
We have received notification from Cargolux Airlines that their last schedule operating flight will be CV7716/24 Dec 2011 into and out of Australia. Cargolux Airlines (CV) indicated to us that they had to suspend the scheduled service flight in this tough and competitive business environment and will not be returning at this stage into Australia for 2012. The schedule flights had generated heavy loss which is not affordable, however CV do maintain offline and charter services and they welcome enquiries. The Sydney Branch Sales /Operations office of Paxair Aviation Services Pty Ltd GSA for Cargolux Airlines International S.A will be closing office on the 26th December 2011 Sydney Francisco – Paxair Aviation Services will still be able to assist with any Cargolux Inquiries after the flight on the 24th Dec 2011
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Up to 300 containers lost from Rena
Up to 300 containers may have been lost overnight from wrecked container ship Rena after it broke in two off New Zealand's Tauranga coast.
The Rena is now in two pieces, 20 to 30 metres apart on Astrolabe Reef, after it was battered by seven metre swells.
Between 200-300 containers are estimated to have been lost overnight on Saturday, which are creating hazards for ships in the area, authorities say.
Port of Tauranga chief executive Mark Cairns says ships awaiting entry to the port should drift north of Mayor Island, because anchorages are likely to be affected by floating containers and debris.
Containers have been spotted 8-10 nautical miles north of the port.
Ships arriving and departing the port needed to exercise extreme caution and maintain a vigilant lookout, Mr Cairns said.
The port is monitoring channels with sonar and other methods.
The Bay of Plenty Regional Council has established a cautionary area around the ship, including Waihi Beach, Mayor Island and Maketu.
All vessels need to navigate with extreme caution, because the debris is unpredictable and could travel a long way, the council says.
The council has not extended the three nautical mile exclusion zone around Rena, but this will be reviewed as more is known about Rena's condition.
Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) salvage unit manager David Billington said the two sections of Rena remained on the reef, but the ship was badly damaged.
There had not been a significant leak of oil from Rena but trained oil-spill response and wildlife experts were preparing for the likelihood of more oil coming ashore, MNZ national on-scene commander Alex van Wijngaarden said.
Debris from containers is also expected to wash up.
The bad weather is expected to ease over the next three to four days.
Melbourne wharfies scrap 24-hour stoppage
Industrial action that would have shut down half of the Port of Melbourne for 48 hours from Sunday night has been called off, the wharfies' union says.
About 500 DP World stevedores were to stop work in Melbourne for 24 hours from 10pm (AEDT) on Sunday following an eight-month dispute between the company and the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) over pay and conditions.
The company was set to retaliate with a 24-hour lock-out of its staff to begin immediately after the stoppage.
The action would have shut down half of the container terminal facilities in the Port of Melbourne for 48 hours.
After a 48-hour stoppage by the union last week in Adelaide, DP World retaliated with a 24-hour lock-out, disrupting operations for 72 hours.
The stoppage by Melbourne workers was called off on Saturday after they accepted an in-principle agreement for a new enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA).
The agreement was reached following a seven-hour meeting between the union and the company in Sydney on Friday night, MUA assistant national secretary Warren Smith said in a statement.
"The in-principle agreement will still need to be put to members but in the meantime it will be business as usual at the Port of Melbourne," he said.
The union was asking for a pay rise of 15 per cent over three years, improved conditions and an increase in superannuation.
A DP World Australia spokesman said the in-principle agreements were reached following constructive talks with the union, opening the way for a settlement of the EBA.
"DP World welcomes the MUA's in-principle agreement regarding productivity improvements," he said. He said further meetings were planned for the week.
Chinese airlines to reject EU ETS charges
Chinese airlines will not pay European Union carbon emissions charges that came into force on January 1, a national aviation industry group says.
The EU launched the Emissions Trading System (ETS) in 2005 in a bid to reduce carbon emissions of power stations and industrial plants, and extended the scheme to airlines from Sunday.
The move means airlines have to buy emissions permits to fly in Europe under a cap-and-trade scheme that has angered the US and Chinese governments and airlines worldwide.
"China, of course, will not cooperate with the European Union on the ETS," said Chai Haibo, deputy secretary-general of the China Air Transport Association (CATA).
"The CATA, on behalf of Chinese airlines, is strongly against the EU's improper practice of unilaterally forcing international airlines into its ETS," Chai said.
He said the Chinese government was considering "counter-measures" against the European Union, but gave no details.
State media has previously warned the EU scheme "infringes on national sovereignty, violates international aviation treaties and will lead to a trade war" in the sector.
It came into force on January 1 after the European Union's highest court rejected a challenge brought by US carriers last month.
