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Arab Spring and overbuilt property markets notwithstanding, there's seems some interesting stuff happening in the part of the world that supplies so much hydrocarbon energy to the rest of us.
Some random snapshots:
1) Are you watching, British Airways?
Etihad Airways carries 2.4 million passengers in the first three months of 2012
Etihad Airways continued its industry-leading growth in the first quarter of 2012, with a 28 per cent rise in revenue to US$ 989 million over the corresponding period in 2011 and passenger numbers soaring by 500,000 to 2.4 million...
...The record results were announced as Mr Hogan unveiled plans for a significant expansion of the airline’s global network over the next 18 months.
These included a daily service to Etihad Airways’ first South America destination and a new service to Vietnam.
Mr Hogan said the South American flights would begin mid next year with details of the first destination now being finalised. “This a logical next step for us and will mark the sixth continent we serve and our coming of age as a truly global airline,” he said.
Etihad Airways also planned to replicate the success of its European expansion by introducing additional frequencies to a range of other destinations in Asia and Australia.
Mr Hogan said: “We continue to outperform much of the global airline industry, with spectacular growth in revenue, the number of passengers flown and freight carried. Our expanded network through organic growth and partnerships has reached a critical mass that is now powering our business forward. Our seat factor hit a record high but yields, particularly in the premium cabins, remain a challenge.”
Already in the first quarter of 2012 Etihad Airways has announced the launch of non-stop daily flights to Washington, D.C., begun flights to Tripoli, Shanghai and Nairobi, and will soon start services to Basra and Lagos, as well as increase flight frequencies to Düsseldorf, Bangkok, Cairo, Kuwait, and Dammam. Extra capacity will also be added to London Heathrow and Kuala Lumpur.
The national airline of the United Arab Emirates now has a worldwide network that stretches across 84 cities in 54 countries.
Etihad Airways will take delivery of seven new aircraft in 2012 – three Airbus A320s and four Boeing B777s, with the first three-class B777-300ER deployed on the London route from July. The carrier’s fleet will have grown to 71 aircraft by year’s end...
2) Recession? What recession??
UAE national carrier Etihad Airways carried a record 31,700 tonnes of cargo in March, an increase of 20 per cent on the previous year.
Total revenues for the month were up 14 per cent on February and 19 per cent on the corresponding period the previous year. In February, Etihad Airways carried 27,900 tonnes of freight.
Etihad Airways Vice President Cargo, David Kerr said: “Etihad Airways had a record month in March in terms of cargo carried and revenue generated. We saw very strong demand from Asia throughout the month as activity picked up after a slow start to the year. European traffic was also firm, as it has been throughout the first quarter, and demand into and out of America has also rallied......Etihad Airways cargo operations accounted for up to 20 per cent of the airline’s overall revenues in 2011, when average monthly loads were 25,900 tonnes. The airline has a fleet of seven freighter aircraft.
3) Go East young man (or "How to avoid listening to yet another lecture on democracy")...
Bahrain's King Hamad on historic visit to Japan
4) Where have all the Bimmers gone? (this one's for you Mega):
5) Warren's indefensible...Arab style:
Some random snapshots:
1) Are you watching, British Airways?
Etihad Airways carries 2.4 million passengers in the first three months of 2012
Etihad Airways continued its industry-leading growth in the first quarter of 2012, with a 28 per cent rise in revenue to US$ 989 million over the corresponding period in 2011 and passenger numbers soaring by 500,000 to 2.4 million...
...The record results were announced as Mr Hogan unveiled plans for a significant expansion of the airline’s global network over the next 18 months.
These included a daily service to Etihad Airways’ first South America destination and a new service to Vietnam.
Mr Hogan said the South American flights would begin mid next year with details of the first destination now being finalised. “This a logical next step for us and will mark the sixth continent we serve and our coming of age as a truly global airline,” he said.
Etihad Airways also planned to replicate the success of its European expansion by introducing additional frequencies to a range of other destinations in Asia and Australia.
Mr Hogan said: “We continue to outperform much of the global airline industry, with spectacular growth in revenue, the number of passengers flown and freight carried. Our expanded network through organic growth and partnerships has reached a critical mass that is now powering our business forward. Our seat factor hit a record high but yields, particularly in the premium cabins, remain a challenge.”
Already in the first quarter of 2012 Etihad Airways has announced the launch of non-stop daily flights to Washington, D.C., begun flights to Tripoli, Shanghai and Nairobi, and will soon start services to Basra and Lagos, as well as increase flight frequencies to Düsseldorf, Bangkok, Cairo, Kuwait, and Dammam. Extra capacity will also be added to London Heathrow and Kuala Lumpur.
The national airline of the United Arab Emirates now has a worldwide network that stretches across 84 cities in 54 countries.
Etihad Airways will take delivery of seven new aircraft in 2012 – three Airbus A320s and four Boeing B777s, with the first three-class B777-300ER deployed on the London route from July. The carrier’s fleet will have grown to 71 aircraft by year’s end...
2) Recession? What recession??
UAE national carrier Etihad Airways carried a record 31,700 tonnes of cargo in March, an increase of 20 per cent on the previous year.
Total revenues for the month were up 14 per cent on February and 19 per cent on the corresponding period the previous year. In February, Etihad Airways carried 27,900 tonnes of freight.
Etihad Airways Vice President Cargo, David Kerr said: “Etihad Airways had a record month in March in terms of cargo carried and revenue generated. We saw very strong demand from Asia throughout the month as activity picked up after a slow start to the year. European traffic was also firm, as it has been throughout the first quarter, and demand into and out of America has also rallied......Etihad Airways cargo operations accounted for up to 20 per cent of the airline’s overall revenues in 2011, when average monthly loads were 25,900 tonnes. The airline has a fleet of seven freighter aircraft.
3) Go East young man (or "How to avoid listening to yet another lecture on democracy")...
Bahrain's King Hamad on historic visit to Japan
Manama: King Hamad Bin Eisa Al khalifa is set to become the first Bahraini ruler to make an official visit to Japan this week.The visit from April 11 to13 is at the invitation of Japan's Emperor Akihito, according to Bahrain's royal court... ..."The King will explore ways of promoting bilateral relations with Japan's Emperor, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and a number of Japanese officials," the court said in a statement. "The visit will also have a positive impact on strengthening bilateral ties and cooperation in the industrial, economic, trade, educational and communication areas."
Dubai: BMW Group Middle East has reported its best first quarter ever with a sales increase of six per cent to 4,936 BMW and Mini vehicles in the first three months of 2012, compared to the same period in 2011."The 4,936 BMW and Mini vehicles were sold to customers across 14 Middle East markets, marking yet another record in the group's history in terms of regional sales, and clearly demonstrating Middle East customers' desire for top-of-the-range, premium vehicles," the company said in a statement.The UAE remained the largest market, accounting for 51 per cent of BMW Group Middle East's sales in the first quarter. Abu Dhabi was the highest volume selling market, with 1,563 cars sold followed by Dubai with 952 cars sold. Other markets that showed good sales increases included Saudi Arabia by eight per cent, Kuwait by 22 per cent, Qatar by 30 per cent and Lebanon by 41 per cent...
Montreal: Qatar Airways Ltd plans to place a large business-jet order with Bombardier Inc amid an expansion that may double the size of its charter fleet.Qatar Executive, the carrier's business-jet unit, already flies six Bombardier business jets, including three Challenger 605s. Qatar CEO Akbar Al Baker declined to specify the size of the planned order in a speech yesterday in Montreal."We want to be a major executive-jet provider company," Al Baker told reporters afterwards...
...Business-jet sales increased 79 per cent last year at Bombardier, which is also developing the CSeries narrow-body jet to compete with the smallest commercial planes from Boeing and Airbus......Qatar Airways plans to acquire larger business aircraft "the size of the Airbus A320", too, Al Baker said. The carrier would be interested in Bombardier's Global 7000 and Global 8000 models, which have a list price of about $65 million (Dh238.8 million), he said...
...Business-jet sales increased 79 per cent last year at Bombardier, which is also developing the CSeries narrow-body jet to compete with the smallest commercial planes from Boeing and Airbus......Qatar Airways plans to acquire larger business aircraft "the size of the Airbus A320", too, Al Baker said. The carrier would be interested in Bombardier's Global 7000 and Global 8000 models, which have a list price of about $65 million (Dh238.8 million), he said...
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