If Singapore Airlines is looking in some way to its proposed alliance with Virgin Australia to help overcome the misfortunes of Tiger Airlines, then the public records of the ACCC suggest it may be disappointed, writes Ben Sandilands.
Singapore Airlines
Ansett 10 years on — myths of the collapse continue
Ten years to the day that Ansett collapsed, some of the myths about one of Australia’s highest-profile corporate collapses persist.
Will Singapore Airlines cut its losses by teaming with Virgin?
The disastrous commercial consequences of the July grounding for Singapore Airlines’ 32.9% stake in Tiger Australia has added strength to the speculation of a tie-up with Virgin Australia.
Tiger facing a slow death … or a mercy killing
Tiger Airways has now been cornered, not just by CASA but its major investor Singapore Airlines.
August 24 will be a bloody day for Qantas
It is rare for Qantas to reveal the performance of its passenger-carrying brands in isolation from each other. The current financial situation is so bad it threatens the very existence of Qantas as a group, says its CEO.
Qantas to suffer as Virgin gets it on with Singapore Airlines
The contrast between a floundering Qantas management and Virgin Australia at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) conference in Singapore is painful to watch.
Singapore Airlines move to put frighteners on Qantas
Qantas and Jetstar as well as every major airline from Japan to the Middle East will be reviewing their strategies and outlook today following Singapore Airline’s decision to launch a medium-to-long-range, wide-bodied, low-fare carrier.
Singapore Airlines joins no-frills battle
Singapore Airlines has set the scene for consolidation among Asia-Pacific carriers by announcing it will launch a wide body longer range low fare second brand airline.
The new Virgin Australia, one brand, all markets, long, short and inbetween
Whatever the fine details, which neither Richard Branson nor John Borghetti would reveal, Singapore Airlines, and Virgin’s global management, have agreed that the name Virgin Australia is to apply to all the former Virgin Blue group brands by the end of December, reports Ben Sandilands.
Qantas turmoil as strike looms … but not until next month
Qantas is under pressure in the media from a rather novel union campaign, in which compliance with due process is being turned into a virtue in long-running disputes with the airline group because no one is going on strike until some time after Anzac Day and Easter.
Qantas pilots dispute getting more bitter by the moment
The rhetoric in the Qantas pilots dispute today is more bitter than anything heard in airline circles since the infamous pilot strike of 1989.
Overt and covert Singapore Airlines bashing over A380 RR engines
For industry watchers the publication of the latest newsletter from the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association may qualify as a collector’s edition. It overtly says the same things that voices within Qantas have covertly been saying about Singapore Airlines, reports Ben Sandilands.
Rolls-Royce under fire over A380 engines
Airbus is seeking compensation from Rolls-Royce for the additional costs it is incurring because of the serious issues that have emerged with the Trent 900 engine used by Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa on their A380 fleets, reports Ben Sandilands.
Qantas puts Singapore Airlines on the back foot
Qantas has caught out arch rival Singapore Airlines by indicating it is prepared to go for weeks without using A380 jets until it is convinced they are safe to fly, reports Ben Sandilands.
Medium-term survival of Virgin Blue at risk
It’s backs to the wall time for Virgin Blue, with the ACCC today making a draft rejection of its proposed trans-Tasman route-sharing deal with Air New Zealand.
The Singapore girl helps Virgin sing the Delta blues
Virgin Blue has two weeks in which to save its “vital” trans-Pacific joint venture with Delta Airlines from US disapproval, and said this morning “it’s not over yet”.
Qantas result: lot of bad jam sandwiched between good bread
Qantas insists on departing from the normal ways of reporting financial results, and it’s fair to say the full-year results they announced this morning are the equivalent of an airline shafted by the light.
Tiger v Jetstar: the Thai invasion creating Australian turbulence
A new deal sprung this morning between Singapore Airlines-controlled Tiger Airways and Thai International adds to the competitive pressures which are causing the rush by Qantas to use its Jetstar subsidiary to offshore jobs and jets to avoid Australian costs.
Singapore goes Spanish: just don’t mention the 154 dead people
Singapore Airlines has announced code share arrangements with Star Alliance Spanish carrier Spanair. Yet no mention of safety standards following the 2008 Spanair crash that killed 154 people due to crew mistakes? asks Ben Sandilands.
The ash clears to reveal sky high prices
In the wake of the volcano travel freeze, airlines are charging rip-off economy-class fares to London. But could the backlash ultimately lead to a discounting frenzy?
The ash cloud costs soar for passengers and airlines
Emirates has put a cost of $10 million a day on the volcanic ash crisis, Singapore Airlines says it is too busy looking after passengers to start counting, and Qantas agrees, reports Ben Sandilands.
Singapore Airlines tries to get a grip
Singapore Airlines is claiming to be acting for everyone, not just itself, by encouraging travellers to buy cheap fares to European cities.
Airlines nosedive overseas while Oz planes defy gravity
Australian airlines continue to defy gravity, despite the sharp dives into quarterly losses posted overnight by Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa.
Singapore Airlines’ gift to cattle class
The bean counters love a seat squeeze on planes. The latest version of this sort of bastardry is the changing of nine across seating in economy in Boeing 777s to ten across. But Singapore Airlines has drawn a line.
A swine of a month for Singapore Airlines
Add the swine flu pandemic, which kills travel but leaves most people unharmed, to the global financial crisis, which cripples discretionary and corporate spending, and you get a very, very bad month for Singapore Airlines, writes Ben Sandilands.
