Osaka airports

Osaka Japan, the second biggest city in Japan and the hub city for the Kansai region. There are two airports just like Tokyo (Haneda and Narita).

Two airports

Osaka International Airport (ICAO: RIOO, IATA: ITM) Itami airport situated just 13km north west of the city center.

Kansai International Airport (ICAO: RJBB, IATA:KIX) situated in an artificial island 34km south west of the center and runways open 24 hours.

 

 

Mainly because of the old Itami Osaka International Airport location so close to the urban area and noise problem, on the other hand Itami is more competitive for business customers from Tokyo (competition with JR Bullet train service - Shinkansen), Itami is still so popular for the most of domestic flights and new Kansai International Airport is not as successful as first thought.

For the best solution, however, the worst for the domestic Tokyo (Haneda) - Osaka (Itami), the usage of Kansai International Airport for both International and Cargo flights will be the key for the future of Osaka area. To give the new airport any chance, it is far too important to bring domestic connecting flights from Osaka Int'l airport to Kansai Int'l airport.

Jeju Air and Jin Air - Korean LOCs

Partly (25%) owned by Jeju Provincial Government - Jeju island Korea, this new LOC (Low Cost Carrier) is very interesting business model in the Far-East aviation industry. Jeju island has been developed mainly its tourism industry and today more tourists prefer to fly economic, in other words, the cheaper option attracts more tourists in general. Jeju air owns mainly small airliners such as Bombardier Dash 8 (de Havilland Canada) turboprop airliners and Boeing B737-800.

As high speed railways network is expected to be installed between major cities throughout Asia soon or later, aviation industry is in need of maintaining customers. Jeju Air is one example and another is Jin Air.

Jin Air is a subsidiary owned by Korean Air. Why the Korean national flag - Korean Air entered into the LOC is because there are three main reasons (in my opinion)

1: KTX (Korea Train Express) - TGV (France) bullet train which was expected to steal customers.

2: New airlines were expected to be LOCs such as Jeju Air (as mentioned before) and Hansung Airlines based in Chungcheong.

3: Any huge national flag aviation giants are in need of connecting passengers for their main long haul routes which generally LOCs cannot deal as it is rare for LOCs to have bigger airliners. Under the massive competition from LOCs, even bigger airlines are in need of adjusting to low fare.

This whole of the battles in the Korean market will be soon brought to other Asian nations. Japan or China should deregulate the market more flexibly, otherwise neither customers nor the airlines will not be able to get the benefit as long as the entire airlines and the authority are afraid of possible changes (even the results of the deregulation will be positive to all).

PS: ANA (All Nippon Airways) plans to install own LOC.

LOC (Low Cost Carrier)

LOC (Low Cost Carrier) or budget airline has been the key success in the free aviation market. Airlines which fly as low cost as they can manage, in order to make profits. Today even big International airlines try to have own LOC, some reasons should be addressed.

1: short haul flight, city hopper,  are not necessary to pay expensive ticket specially tourists. No need for meal nor drink as Catering service costs airlines.

2: long haul, tourist routes which are not necessary in need of business class. Because long haul flights depend on business passengers in most of cases, this is the reason, even long haul flights might also be operated by LOC.

3: ticketing and ground workers: ticketing is normally via web, as passengers can buy tickets at home, this reduces the system cost and ground staff work force.

"generally" LOCs use smaller planes and not many different types of airliners for the maintenance and pilot cost. Airbus A320, A330, Boeing B737 and also Embraer E-jets. Bombardier CRJ. More smaller airliners will be the main force for the LOCs to make more profits mainly because smaller airliner with high average passengers per flight.

Tiger Airways

Tiger Airways is probably the most suited for short-medium range LOC (Low Cost Carrier) which was created by Singapore Airlines based in Singapore Changi Airport just like the mother company.

Most of national flag airlines today face the competition specially in Western nations, however Asia is still not completely open market for aviation. Tiger Airways management is similar to European budget airlines which have been successful in Europe.

Currently all of Tiger Airways fleet which is dominated by Airbus A320-200, if they will ever expand medium range (like destinations to Japan) then will be more likely use A330, both are cheap for operating and the fly-by-wire system makes easier for pilots.

How does this Low cost carrier work, despite the mother company Singapore Airlines also flight to similar destinations? For instance, Tiger Airways fly to Melbourne, not to Sydney. This is the way not to fly the same destinations but Singapore - Melbourne was previously dominated by Qantas. So that the creation of any LOC under bigger airlines works. There are many airports in Japan, but only just a few big ones currently used, even the capacity is not that huge. Smaller regional airports will invite LOCs such as Tiger Airways.

Airbus A340

Airbus A340 is a 4-engines long range airliner based on Airbus A330, the main difference is the numbers of engines A330 (2 engines) and A340 (4 engines) and the body is longer and the bigger wings with the passenger capacity of around 260 seats (A340-200), 300 seats (A340-300) and over 320 - 380 seats (A340-500 and -600) - all based on 3 classes.

This airliner's biggest asset is the range from 7,500nm (close to 14,000km) to 9,000nm (over 16,000km). However, there are two major set backs regarding to A340 series. First, it is slow (cruising speed at 0.82-83 mach - other airliners around A340 can fly 0.85 mach). Another negative aspect is the kill off, fuel consumption is too bad.

A340 series are close to Boeing B777, both introduced in 1993, sales result is quite obvious that Boeing has sold more B777 than Airbus has sold A340. (however Airbus A330 series have been more success). A340-600 is currently the longest commercial airliner, until Boeing B747-800 will be launched.

Boeing B787 will be soon sold, Airbus A350 will be finally introduced and that will end the A340 short life.

For FSX

CLS (Commercial Level Simulations) sells A340-500, A340-600 payware add-ons CLS home page.

Free add-ons A340-200, -300 provided by POSKY

A340-600

Airbus A320 Fly by Wire

Narrow body short - medium range and the 2nd most sold airplanes all the time, the main competitor of Boeing 737, Airbus A320 series are modern high tech airliner and commonly used for European airliners. Just like Boeing B737-800, A320 (or longer body A321) now considered as the 1st generation of modern airliners, as Bombardier C Series are ready to challenge in the same category (100-200 seats with the range of around 3,000nmi or 5,500km A318, A319, A320 and A321).

Unlike B737 series, Airbus introduced Fly-by-wire, a total automatic airplane controlling system. Unfortunately not all pilots could have understood the system properly in case of accidents (or just human mistakes should be blamed, not the system itself).

Just like Boeing Yellow Project, Airbus will be soon in need of developing new generation of airliner similar sides to A320 family with more energy efficient engine, design and better comfort.

For FSX: FSX default A321 autopilot guide

Lufthansa SAS merge? It seems like Yes

Lufthansa of Germany has started new merge discussion with Scandinavian Airlines mainly because SAS has been performing badly. If that will happen (very likely more than just code share agreement), Lufthansa will have very strong connections to Scandinavian nations (SAS based in Copenhagen Denmark, Oslo Norway and Stockholm Sweden.

Now it is very difficult for middle sides airlines to maintain profitability. What "national flags" can do is to build the strongest possible network. Between hub airports to smaller airports with regional jets (around 100 seats) more frequently and between the hub airport to other region/continent profitable destinations or tourism/business demand routes. Unfortunately, from smaller airports passengers can always fly to much bigger hub airports such as Frankfurt, Amsterdam, London or Paris and then fly to NYC than transit doing the transit in Copenhagen.

European airlines will be 3 giants: Air France/KLM, British Airways and Lufthansa/SAS. Code share flights between airlines no longer work fine and the industry itself should try to reduce the cost to win strong competitions from budget airlines.

Emirates the most ambitious airliner

Emirates based in Dubai International Airport, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a completely new but expanding massively in the International aviation industry. Today, Dubai seeks for both tourism and business center in the middle east.

One of the massive operation should be the purchases of nearly 60 A380 each of airplane costs USD 300 million. There should be too many regional destinations to maintain the huge capacity of superjumbo.

Emirates operate flights from Dubai to Kansai International airport (Osaka) and Chubu Int'l airport (Nagoya) but not to Tokyo. Any airliners such as Emirates "might" be interested in low budget domestic connecting flights from those 2 less congested airports in Japan.

Emirates Airline

Airbus A380

Airbus A380-800 is today's biggest passenger aircraft which can curry passengers around 550 and max 850 (more likely between 550-600). 300million USD double decker airplane challenges B747 - already quite old even -400 series. Despite expensive unit cost, Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Qantas (as well as European airliners) have ordered this superjumbo.

Flight range is over 800nm (15.000km), so this A380 should be used in most of major airlines with stable network between hub airports mainly - like Singapore airlines, Emirates or Qantas which have several domestic or strong regional network, between Europe and Middle-east or Asia, A380 needs as many connecting passengers from rural airports to the hub airport.

There should be some negatives about A380 that if any case of lower demand for the airlines occur just like bad economy, even A380 can carry many passengers per fuel consumption, using A380 will make airlines hard to get passengers and cannot cancel connecting Air-network than, for instance, B787. Longer runway and special terminal gates should also be installed. B747-8F will make A380 less chance of successful in the freighter market, but B747-800 commercial airliner will be hard to beat A380. We also have to wait and see how much the price of B747-800 will be like.

FSX A380 downloads (payware)

AFS-design Airbus A380 -v2

Wilco Publising Airbus A380v2

A380-800 construction

Frequent Flyer Program (FFP)

The cost of traveling by air has been reduced dramatically mainly due to authorities around the world have been removing regulations, encouraging airliners to win the competition. Low budget airliners have been gaining the market share specially tourism destinations. Big airliners now form mainly 3 code share syndicates, trying to encourage passengers to use the same group of airliners or airlines network worldwide.

Frequent Flyer Program (FFP) provides what low budget airlines cannot afford, high quality customer service, giving mileage points not only by flying but as well as using certain hotel chains or rent-a-car services. Even the points can be gathered on the ground or by purchasing with credit card.

SkyTeam, Aeroflot, AeroMexico, Air France KLM, Alitalia, China Southern, Continental Airlines, Czech Airlines, Delta, Korean Air, North West Airlines

Star Alliance, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana airlines, Austrian, bmi, Egypt Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, SAS Scandinavian Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airlines, Spanair, Swiss International airlines, TAP Portugal, Thai Airways, Turkish airlines,  United airlines, US Airways

oneworld, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair,  Iberia, JAL Japan Airlines, LAN, MALEV Hungarian Airlines,  Qantas, Royal Jordarian

Three biggest syndicates of the world (not all major airlines) participate 3 biggest frequent flyer programs. Code share flight is mainly due to less competition and maintain the profitability. Improved customer service such as late reservation or luggage allowance according to the member status.

Flying with major airlines with frequent flyer program gives passengers the perfect motivation to fly more.

Boeing B737

Boeing 737 is without any doubt one of the most important commercial airliners in the entire aviation history (along with B747). For short - medium range or lower passenger destinations (still very popular for city hoppers - business and tourism passengers). Since the first B737 -100 (DC9 time), mainly due to the increase of market demand, the latest 737-900ER which carries more than 200 passengers, but still B737-800 (around 180 passenger capacity and the range around 3000nm) is the most popular choice from the world airlines after 4 decades!!

Similar airplanes: MD90, A320

Smaller but still capable of replacement: Embraer E-Jets , Bombardier CSeries

Currently planned new generation model: Boeing Y1

FSX B737-800 Amsterdam - Paris

Kunpeng Airlines - challenge for Chinese budget airlines

Kunpeng Airlines is based in Xian (China) owned by Shenzhen Airlines and Mesa Air Group (charter airlines). What really interesting about this low budget domestic airlines.

100 ARJ21 airplanes ordered by Kunpeng Airlines alone, this tells exactly how the airlines will start massive domestic airlines in China. Embraer E-Jets also sold in Chinese market. There have been more demands for smaller airplanes mainly due to less air travelers, however, as the railways network is still not complete, airlines should have great success due to the increase of business demand. Jet fuel price in China is under control, this leaves Mitsubishi Regional Jet less successful as the price for the plane is far too expensive for more comfort and fuel efficiency which cannot be better than cheaper airplanes for the same seat capacity.

More frequent air travelers will make business easier and economical without less need for using private business planes and more domestic needs of local airlines will leave more people can easily travel overseas. The competition for Chinese domestic airlines and aviation business.

Alitalia arrivederci!!

The world 19th biggest airline with series of both financial and structure problems the company has provided, despite almost 10 years since the beginning of privatization the company has never managed to get it on track. Finally, Alitalia declared bankrupt. "false privatization" as 49% shares held by the Italian government, 49% by workers and the rest 2% held by KLM-Air France, seriously not as privatized as other airlines.

I remember, it was year 2000, when Alitalia was in talk with a possible merger with KLM (Royal Dutch airlines). Alitalia ground staff worker's union and politics refused the plan to go ahead. In recent years, Alitalia could not borrow enough money to buy new airplanes to replace old ones (from my knowledge, Alitalia has too many old type MD-82 and only new ones are A321).

There are many reasons for this sad result, but I doubt only budget airlines should be blamed. The day for mismanagement finally has to pay the prize.

Airliners.net

Airliners.net is the most well-known commercial airplane photos and news site mainly too many photos.  I am not plane spotter (more tech, commercial airplane savvy) but the site is really full of airline maniacs and the news posted there is very quick.

Aviation fuel surcharge does not have the limit

ANA announced today about new fuel surcharge from October (to December), long haul flights will be once again charged due to higher fuel price. What really annoys every travelers should be the difference between the ticket price and the surcharge which will be possibly more surcharge than the air fare.

Flights from Tokyo to Europe or to US, new fuel surcharge will be "held" (as they claim the charge should go more) somewhere below 40.000 Yen / single (but for the high fuel price, ANA claims 44.000 Yen / single should be the right charge). The cheapest RETURN fare is sold for 53.000 (excl tax), this means that the fuel surcharge will be much expensive than actual ticket price, totally ridiculous.

Aviation industry brings not only businessmen but also too many tourists. This whole silly price war on international crude oil markets has caused not only poor people in need of riots, but it is so obvious that aviation logistics will be massively damaged. Less demand of tourism will cause many people jobless, it is only the matter of time.

AirAsia X

Malaysia Kuala Lumpur based budget airlines, which is a part of Malaysia Airlines, plans to fly to Japan. Haneda (Tokyo), Narita (Tokyo Int'l), Sapporo, Ibaraki, Shizuoka, Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka or Saga possible destinations. Already flying to Gold Coast (AUS) and in 2009 to London (Stansted) by using A340-300 or A330-300.

There have been several plans for cheaper airlines in Asia. Flying to Japan, especially to cities with lower demand but huge capacity such as Osaka or Nagoya (unlike Narita or Haneda always too busy). It is very interesting to see how cheap airlines will manage their business.

Anyway here is the link

http://www.airasia.com/

Smaller regional airplanes should replace bigger Boeing 737

High fuel price is damaging everything, but when it comes to airlines, high fuel price is a massive blow. Many regional routes or between smaller airports have been considered the first to be gone. If more fuel efficient and smaller airplanes will be used, such as CRJ 700 or 900 series or later MRJ, even the installation of new planes will cost the airliners but smaller and fuel efficient airplanes will be the key for all airliners.

MRJ - Mitsubishi Regional Jet

MRJ - Mitsubishi Regional Jet is a latest project for a Japanese heavily industry giant Mitsubish corp, currently involved with the Boeing 787 wing. MRJ will be the first commercial passenger airplane since NAMC YS-11 model. MRJ 70, 90 and 100 (seats) with the range of around 3,000nm with the sales target set at 300 MRJs with the advice of Boeing (although Mitsubish is believed to be in talks with Boeing over Yellowstone project Y- 1 (new version of B737 class - narrow body and short range 100-200 seats).

Bombardier CRJ and Embraer E-Jets are two market leading regional jet makers. Just like CRJ and E-Jets, MRJ offers between 70-100 seats. The difference will be the energy efficiency (according to Mitsubishi 30% better fuel efficiency than the "current" model - sounds like CRJ but not sure which current model), although the price of MRJ will not be as cheap as the current model.

The price for the airplanes, politics and running cost friendly. The cockpit will be similar to B777 - 787 high tech for the regional jet and Toyota is already involving this project. The first commercial flight will be planned for 2013 by ANA (only one airliner has already pre-ordered 15 MRJs and 10 as options). The demand for the regional jet market will be expected to increase, so there will be much chance for new markers.

MRJ rivals Embraer E jets, Bombardier CSeries, CRJ

MRJ official site

MRJ

Pratt & Whitney new economical jet engines

Pratt & Whitney (United Technologies group company), which also provides jet engines to both military and commercial aircrafts, is under development of new regional aircraft MRJ (Mitsubishi Regional Jet) and Bombardier CSeries. Pratt & Whitney is already providing engines for CRJ (Canadian Regional Jet) and basically still not as well known as Rolls Royce or GE for the passenger aircraft business.

Next 20 years, around 5000 regional jets are expected to be on demand (according to Mitsubishi) currently dominated by just a few smaller aircraft makers (Airbus and Boeing seem not entering into the market yet).

Smaller and cost efficient as well as economical passenger aircrafts are needed and Pratt & Whitney seems leading the market - regional jet engine supplier (of course bigger commercial airplanes as well).