Thread JAL

[DusCgn]

Intanto SkyTeam, durante un meeting a Incheon in Corea del Sud, coglie l'occasione per mostrare il suo interesse per JAL e su quello che vorrà fare in futuro.

Associated Press
SkyTeam shows strong interest in wooing JAL
By KELLY OLSEN , 11.05.09, 06:27 AM EST

INCHEON, South Korea -- Executives with SkyTeam alliance said Thursday they wanted Japan Airlines to join their group and suggested that doing so could be a boon for the troubled carrier.

"We would be keenly interested to see whether JAL would be interested to join Skyteam as a potential partner," said Leo van Wijk, chairman of SkyTeam, one of three major alliances of global airlines. He spoke at a press conference after a meeting of the group's governing board.

Delta Air Lines, the world's biggest airline operator, is a member of SkyTeam. Others members include Air France-KLM and Korean Air.

Japan Airlines already belongs to the rival oneworld group, which includes American Airlines.

But it's unclear whether JAL would remain with oneworld if SkyTeam were to offer a better, more lucrative deal at time when the Japanese airline is trying to restructure and stem a record flow of red ink.

JAL, which is Japan's biggest airline and can offer partners access to the world's second-biggest economy, has reportedly been in talks on financial tie-ups with SkyTeam's Delta Air and France-KLM, as well as oneworld's American, British Airways and Qantas.

The airline, which operates more than half of Japan's domestic flights, has suffered amid declining travel and high costs. The Japanese government late last month formed a committee led by the transport minister to focus on strategies to get it back on track.

Japanese media have reported a revival will require over 500 billion yen ($5.5 billion) in public funds and bank loans as well as scrapping nearly 50 flight routes and cutting 9,000 jobs, or 20 percent of the work force.

The airline recorded its biggest-ever quarterly net loss of 99 billion yen in the three months ended June 20. It is forecasting a net loss for the current fiscal year ending March 2010.

Delta CEO Richard Anderson declined to comment on any discussions with JAL.

Dominique Patry, a vice president with Air France, said JAL's switch would clearly be a plus. He said that Air France, as well as SkyTeam member Alitalia, have long had good relations with JAL.

"It goes without saying that should Japan Airlines decide to go within SkyTeam, we would be more than happy to expand our respective partnerships. It would be highly rewarding both for Japan Airlines and for the European partners," he said.

A JAL spokesman declined comment.

Alliances allow airlines to offer more flights by cooperating with partners. Star Alliance, the biggest, includes United Air Lines, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines.

__

Associated Press Writer Shino Yuasa in Tokyo contributed to this report.

 

[billypaul]

AA contro la jv DL-JL

American Airlines attacks Delta-JAL venture

By Justin Baer in New York
Published: November 9 2009 02:00 | Last updated: November 9 2009 02:00

American Airlines' top executive has delivered his most pointed attack yet on Delta Air Lines' bid to form a joint venture with Japan Airlines, arguing that Delta would face an uphill battle in convincing US regulators to approve the partnership.
American, the world's second-largest carrier, is seeking a venture of its own with JAL, its partner in the Oneworld alliance and a vital link to Asian destinations. JAL, mired in a complex restructuring plan, is in talks with both US carriers to strengthen ties before the US and Japan agree to ease airport access to foreign carriers next year.
The winner would then seek immunity from US antitrust laws, freeing the two airlines to co-ordinate on schedules, fares and corporate sales pitches while sharing revenue on flights.
In comments obtained by the Financial Times, Gerard Arpey, American's chief, told managers that Delta's extensive presence at Narita Airport, Tokyo, would make any co-operation with JAL a difficult sell to US transport regulators.
"If JAL were to change horses, we would certainly argue that they might not be allowed to even code-share, let alone have immunity with the dominant carrier in Narita," Mr Arpey said. "We have poured energy into this situation to make sure all of the facts are on the table, that both the JAL management team and this [restructuring] task force . . . understands the landscapes."
Delta executives have maintained that their planned venture would help bring stability to a Japanese airline that has foundered in spite of its relationship with American and its fellow Oneworld allies, and dismissed the notion that a JAL partnership would cripple competition on transPacific routes. The Atlanta-based carrier has offered to pay JAL for the costs of switching allegiances.
The battle for JAL has escalated as the US and Japan have inched closer to an Open Skies accord. Negotiators from the two countries concluded meetings in Tokyo last month with expectations that they could reach an agreement next month when talks resume in Washington.
The US has made clear that an Open Skies agreement is a prerequisite, and not a promise, that Japan's two largest carriers would be granted antitrust immunity, said John Byerly, chief US aviation negotiator.
"The Department of Transportation can't prejudge the decision," he said. "What you can do is look at decisions that the DOT has made in the past, and consult experts in the field."
Nevertheless, Japan has insisted that any Open Skies agreement that is reached would not begin until US transport officials rule on any immunity applications involving national carriers, a detail that countries such as Germany and Canada pursued in past negotiations, Mr Byerly said.

The Financial Times Limited 2009.

PS = Ma dov'è finito il thread JAL?

 

[aamilan]

vedremo come andra' a finire, sperem !

 

[Replay22it]

Se la dovesse spuntare l'asse Delta-Air France-Klm sarebbe un colpaccio strepitoso, anche per la ns AZ probabilmente.
Già mi immagino una mega joint venture tra DL-AF-KL-JL-AZ... il mondo è totalmente coperto (o quasi).... Speriamo

 

[malpensante]

Pressure grows for JAL restructuring; AA to fight DL tie-up

Tuesday November 10, 2009

Japan Airlines is expected to report a heavy loss Friday for its fiscal first half ended Sept. 30, increasing pressure on the carrier and the Japanese government to develop a restructuring plan to help assure investors and customers that the troubled company won't collapse.

"We will not create a situation in which airplanes do not fly," Transport Minister Seiji Maehara insisted to reporters, adding that short-term government financing and other rescue measures could be unveiled this week in advance of the earnings release. JAL's turnaround is expected to be overseen by the Enterprise Turnaround Initiative Corp. of Japan, a newly created quasi-government entity designed to help rescue struggling companies.

According to Japanese media reports, a key issue is the carrier's pension funding deficit, estimated to be more than ¥300 billion ($3.3 billion). Maehara has said he is pressing for legislation that would ease JAL's pension burden and creditors reportedly are willing to provide relief if the government can help solve the pension problem. Creditors last month balked at supplying around ¥300 billion in debt relief and equity swaps. Pension relief legislation could be introduced as soon as next week, according to multiple reports.

Meanwhile, JAL announced that President Haruka Nishimatsu and about 70 top executives will forego pay in December. Agence France Presse reported that the airline also is considering asking 17,000 nonexecutive employees to forego winter bonuses. Once a restructuring plan is developed, JAL likely will resume negotiations with Delta Air Lines and American Airlines about one of those carriers potentially taking a stake.

The Dallas Morning News yesterday published a transcript of comments made by AA Chairman and CEO Gerard Arpey at the airline's fall leadership conference late last month that made it clear it will fight hard to keep JAL in oneworld. SkyTeam Chairman Leo van Wijk said last week that his group is keen on recruiting JAL.

"JAL. . .is under quite a bit of financial stress right now and our friends in Atlanta are trying to capitalize on that by suggesting that JAL. . .should change alliances [to] SkyTeam," Arpey told AA executives. "We obviously think that would be a very bad idea for Japan Airlines. That certainly would be very bad for us." He added that "Delta is very dominant through [subsidiary] Northwest [Airlines] in Japan. . .If JAL were to change horses, we would certainly argue that they might not be allowed to even codeshare, let alone have immunity with the dominant carrier [at Tokyo] Narita."

In a statement released yesterday, Arpey said, "We are convinced that we can deliver the most meaningful alliance value to JAL by a wide margin. . . not to mention the financial costs JAL would incur if it changed alliances at such a critical phase in its restructuring."

by Aaron Karp
ATWOnline

 

[BAlorMXP]

Se la dovesse spuntare l'asse Delta-Air France-Klm sarebbe un colpaccio strepitoso, anche per la ns AZ probabilmente.
Già mi immagino una mega joint venture tra DL-AF-KL-JL-AZ... il mondo è totalmente coperto (o quasi).... Speriamo

Beh... Sud America, Sud Est Asiatico ed Oceania decisamente scoperte. E meno male che c'è Air France sul versante Africa e l'aiuto di Kenya Airways altrimenti anche il continente Africano sarebbe un problema.

 

[DusCgn]

Delta offers Japan Airlines $1bn

Struggling Japan Airlines (JAL) has been offered a $1bn (£600m) financial lifeline from the Sky Team grouping of airlines, led by Delta Air Lines.

Delta said the funds were being offered to JAL if it switched from its current membership of the One World Alliance, which includes American Airlines.

The news comes as JAL is seeking a financial bail-out from the Japanese government, its fourth since 2001.

Delta is said to be keen to be able to expand its routes to Japan.

Forming a closer alliance with JAL would enable it to do this ahead of the planned liberalisation of air routes between the US and Japan.

The Sky Team's offer to JAL includes a proposal to buy $500m in JAL shares, $300m of guarantees to cover any short-term loss in sales caused by it leaving the One World alliance, $200m in asset-backed financing, and $20m to cover JAL's costs for switching alliances.

JAL has declined to comment on the offer.

Last week, JAL reported a net loss of 32.3bn yen ($357m; £214m) for the July to September period, compared with a 40.1bn yen profit a year earlier.

JAL is struggling with $15bn of debts and a big pension deficit as well as falling passenger numbers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8365628.stm

 

[Dwarf]

http://www.corriere.it/economia/09_...pl_4e6b9642-d40e-11de-a0b4-00144f02aabc.shtml


TOKYO - Delta e alleati sono pronti a mettere sul piatto 1 miliardo di dollari per far passare Japan Airlines nell'alleanza SkyTeam (di cui fanno parte anche Air France-Klm e Alitalia) e strapparla all'alleanza rivale Oneworld, composta tra gli altri da American Airlines, British Airways e Iberia. Lo schema, in particolare, prevede che Delta e alleati rilevino 500 milioni di dollari di azioni Jal o titoli convertibili, oltre a mettere a disposizione 300 milioni di dollari a copertura del calo delle vendite con il passaggio dal passaggio del vettore nipponico da Oneworld a SkyTeam. In più, ci sono 200 milioni di altri finanziamenti e 20 milioni per sostenere i costi materiali di cambio di alleanza. Delta, che è la compagnia aerea più grande del mondo, ha iniziato a corteggiare Jal nell'imminenza dell'accordo «open skies» tra Usa e Giappone per la liberalizzazione dei viaggi tra i due Paesi.

PRONTI A INTERVENIRE - American Airlines però non è rimasta con le mani in mani. Insieme al colosso Usa degli investimenti Tpg ha ribadito l'intenzione di intervenire a favore di Jal, in profonda difficoltà finanziaria e gestionale. «Siamo pronti a offrire un valore significativo per la Jal attraverso un rafforzamento del rapporto commerciale, che sarà parte di un piano globale di rilancio, se invitati, benvenuti e ritenuti idonei da Jal e governo nipponico», dice una nota di AA.

BORSA DI TOKYO - Alla Borsa di Tokyo il titolo Japan Airlines ha perso quasi il 4% dopo aver toccato nel corso della seduta minimi storici da quando fu ri-quotata nel 2002, sulla scia delle dichiarazioni del ministro dei Trasporti giapponese che ha smentito di aver mai detto che un fallimento pilotato per la comagnia aerea era impossibile. Martedì la compagnia ha annunciato perdite pari a 1,5 miliardi di dollari nella prima metà dell'anno fiscale. La Jal ha debiti per 10 miliardi di dollari.

 

[kenyaprince]

SkyTeam offre a Jal un miliardo per lasciare oneworld

Mercoledì, 18 Novembre 2009


Secondo notizie di stampa, l'alleanza SkyTeam (di cui fanno parte anche Alitalia ed Air France-Klm) avrebbe offerto a Japan Airlines, in gravi difficoltà finanziarie, un aiuto economico pari ad un miliardo di dollari a condizione che il vettore giapponese abbandoni l'alleanza oneworld per unirsi a SkyTeam. In prima linea nell'operazione ci sarebbe Delta Air Lines, ansiosa di espandere il proprio network in Giappone. L'offerta dovrebbe includere una proposta di acquisto di azioni Jal per 500 milioni di dollari ed una copertura a breve termine per le mancate vendite dovute al cambio di alleanza. Jal non ha voluto commentare l'offerta ma il suo presidente Haruka Nishimatsu ha dichiarato che il vettore giapponese spera di allearsi con una compagnia aerea straniera entro la fine dell'anno. Anche American Airlines, membro di oneworld, è interessata a Jal.

 

[rick@BCN]

Anche su flightglobal.com:

http://www.flightglobal.com/article...irms-skyteam-proposal-for-japan-airlines.html

 

[belumosi]

Sarebbe stato carino se l' anno scorso Star Alliance avesse offerto 1 MLD ad AZ per strapparla a Skyteam....

 

[Replay22it]

Sarebbe stato carino se l' anno scorso Star Alliance avesse offerto 1 MLD ad AZ per strapparla a Skyteam....

Giuro che lo ho pensato pure io,
ma nel caso di AZ sky team offriva soldi ad AZ per farla andare via....:sconfortato:

 

[winter71]

Ieri pomeriggio sono andato a mxp a prendere un cliente JP che arrivava con il JL da NRT.
Mi ha detto che gli hanno fatto l'upgrade in business perchè in economy era pieno.
Mi ha anche dettoche JL ha tagliato tante rotte sull'Europa ma fortunatamente non quella su MXP.
E' una testimonianza diretta.
Ciao
d.

 

[micky87]

MXP-NRT di JAL è una rotta che non può assolutamente mancare e i numeri lo dimostrano

 

[JL418]

.

 

[rufus]

Ieri pomeriggio sono andato a mxp a prendere un cliente JP che arrivava con il JL da NRT.
Mi ha detto che gli hanno fatto l'upgrade in business perchè in economy era pieno.
Mi ha anche dettoche JL ha tagliato tante rotte sull'Europa ma fortunatamente non quella su MXP.
E' una testimonianza diretta.
Ciao
d.

L'upgrade in business se l'ecopnomy e' piena, e' una prassi molto frequente in molti vettori..

 

[vce145]

Beh... Sud America, Sud Est Asiatico ed Oceania decisamente scoperte. E meno male che c'è Air France sul versante Africa e l'aiuto di Kenya Airways altrimenti anche il continente Africano sarebbe un problema.

Vorrei far presente che DL e' leder sul NordAmerica-Africa e quindi direi che qulla zona e' coperta.
Se andiamo inoltre a vedere che le direttrici principali sono EST OVEST (e vv.) e meno NORD SUD, direi che assolutamnente una ipotetica (al momento molto ipotetica) allenza AF/DL/JL sarebbe super. Non dobbiamo guardare con gli occhi italiani ma con quelli giapponesi (Pacifico stracoperto e verso Ovest JL+AF), americani (Pacifico alla grande - volo DL su SYD) (Transatlantico: leader grazie alla JV con AF sia verso Europa che verso africa) ed europei...con AF posso andare praticamente ovunque e grazie ai partners esistenti posso muovermi ovunque. Sono comunque d'accordo nel ritenere il mercato sud americano e quello del sud est asia (Gol e Malesia????) i prossimi target di AF/DL.

 

[marxvive]

Una piccola domanda agli esperti :

che differenza c'è tra Haneda e Narita ??
Perchè le europee volano solo su Narita ????

 

[malpensante]

Haneda è stato negli ultimi decenni aeroporto solo nazionale, ma con la nuova pista verrà riaperto parzialmente ai voli internazionali, che ora sono pochissimi.

 

[vce145]

Haneda e' (circa circa circa) come il La Guardia di NYC.
Aperto al solo traffico domestico (forse anche a Corea e a voli verso detsinazioni leisure come Guam e Hnl??). Essendo posizionato in città e' molto comodo e quindi gli slots sono "merce rara" e altamente remunerativi.
Se fai caso abbiamo per esmpio lo stesso a RIO con GIG e SDU, a SAO con GRU e CGH.