#scrap business license in dubai

[theprivatewolf]

Launching a Scrap Metal Enterprise in Dubai: A Comprehensive Guide

Dubai’s progressive stance on recycling and waste management, particularly in the scrap metal industry, presents a significant economic and environmental opportunity. The city has invested heavily in advanced Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) that play a pivotal role in recycling processes, thereby fostering job creation and entrepreneurship.

The emphasis on recycling materials like metal, plastic, and paper reduces the dependence on virgin resources and mitigates environmental impacts associated with resource extraction. Additionally, recycling is instrumental in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption compared to manufacturing new products from scratch.

As Dubai continues to grow, its dedication to recycling is crucial in minimizing its ecological footprint. Public awareness campaigns are gaining momentum, encouraging community and corporate participation in recycling initiatives.

Dubai’s Growing Scrap Metal Market

The scrap metal sector in Dubai has experienced consistent growth, with a significant yearly increase since 2019. The city’s expanding sectors such as construction and automotive industries have fueled the demand for scrap metal. Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the market has shown remarkable resilience and is poised for further expansion in the upcoming years. Dubai’s strategic position as a global trade hub makes it an attractive location for scrap metal trading.

Diverse Scrap Metal Trading in Dubai

Dubai’s scrap metal market encompasses a wide range of materials, including copper, aluminum, steel, and various plastics. The electronic scrap segment, which includes used computers and mobile phones, forms a substantial part of the trade. Companies involved in buying and selling scrap metal and electronic waste contribute significantly to the local economy and help reduce landfill waste.

Starting a Scrap Metal Business in Dubai

To begin a scrap metal business in Dubai, thorough market research is vital. Understanding the dynamics of the local industrial sector, competitor analysis, and scalability is crucial for creating a sound business plan.

Choosing a Business Name

Select a business name that complies with local regulations, is unique, and culturally appropriate.

Business Setup Jurisdiction and Activities

Choose between setting up in a mainland or a free zone area, each offering different benefits and regulatory frameworks.

Joining the Scrap Metal Association of Dubai

Membership in the Scrap Metal Association can provide valuable industry insights and networking opportunities.

Business License Application

Apply for a business license through Private Wolf, ensuring compliance with local and environmental regulations.

Applying for Residency

If relocating to Dubai, securing residency is necessary for managing your business operations effectively.

Environmental and Economic Benefits of Scrap Metal Business in Dubai

The UAE’s focus on sustainability and hosting significant environmental events like COP28 highlights its commitment to eco-friendly practices. Scrap metal businesses align with this vision by reducing the need for new ore extraction, thus conserving energy and natural resources.

Strategic Location and Market Access

Dubai’s geographical position offers seamless connectivity to global markets, making it an ideal location for scrap metal businesses. This strategic advantage facilitates easy trade and growth opportunities.

Stable and Tax-Friendly Business Environment

The diverse economy of Dubai, supported by favorable economic policies and a tax-friendly environment, creates a stable and conducive setting for businesses, including those in the scrap metal industry.

Conclusion

Venturing into the scrap metal business in Dubai offers not just financial gains but also aligns with the city’s sustainability objectives. With careful planning and adherence to local guidelines, entrepreneurs can successfully establish and grow their scrap metal businesses in this dynamic and environmentally conscious market.

M.Hussnain Private Wolf | facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Linkedin

[zobiabaig]

Rental Cooling in Dubai 0569213754

Might it be said that you are searching for a reliable and suitable answer for keep your home or office cool? Look no farther than our rental cooling organizations ! Our rental cooling plans are supposed to equip you with the best cooling experience, without the need for a truly lengthy commitment.

Rental cooling incorporates leasing cooling units and structures as opposed to getting them overall. This help is particularly valuable for transient necessities, for instance, events, building objections, or ephemeral offices. Rental associations give an extent of cooling game plans, from minimized constrained air frameworks to enormous degree focal air structures, taking exceptional consideration of various essentials.

Advantages of Rental Cooling Cost-Ampleness: One of the fundamental advantages of rental cooling is its sensibility. Purchasing high-limit cooling systems can be prohibitively exorbitant, especially for passing endeavors or events. Renting licenses associations and individuals to get to high even out cooling plans without areas of strength for the costs.

Versatility: Rental cooling offers unrivaled flexibility. Clients can pick the length of the rental time period, going from several days to some time, and can without a doubt increment or down considering their cooling needs. This adaptability is basic for dynamic circumstances like structure objections or events where cooling solicitations can sway.

Upkeep and Support: Occupant contracts ordinarily integrate upkeep and specific assistance, ensuring that the cooling systems work successfully all through the rental period. This wipes out the issue and cost of fixes and upkeep, giving inward peacefulness to the clients.

Innocuous to the environment: Various rental associations in the UAE are centered around sensibility, offering energy-successful and eco-obliging cooling game plans. By settling on rental cooling, clients can diminish their carbon impression and add to environmental safeguarding.

Creating Business area The rental cooling market in the UAE is developing rapidly. With the constant headway of structure, the movement business, and events, the necessity for brief and versatile cooling plans is more basic than some other time in ongoing memory. Associations are placing assets into state of the art cooling progresses and stretching out their fleets to fulfill the rising need.

Rental chiller in UAE is an off to earth and useful solution for managing the silly power. Its cost ampleness, versatility, and thorough assist with pursuing it an engaging decision for various regions. As the market creates, rental cooling is set to transform into a fundamental piece of the UAE’s cooling scene.

+971 56 921 3754

sales@hirequipments.com

www.hirequipments.com

Rental Cooling | Temporary Cooling | Wild Air Rental | Rental AC | Rental Packaged Units | Used Generators | Scrap Generators | Used Chillers | Scrap Chillers | Used Ship | Scrap Ship | Generator AMC | Rental Chillers | New Generators

Rental AC – Rental AC in Dubai – Rental AC in UAE – Rental Cooling –  Rental Cooling in UAE – Rental Cooling in Dubai – Rental Chiller – Rental Chiller in Dubai – Rental Chiller in UAE – Wild Air – Wild Air in Dubai – Wild Air in UAE – Temporary Cooling – Temporary Cooling in UAE – Temporary Cooling Dubai 

Hire Equipments | Rental Power | HVAC Clinic | Rental Generators | Scrap | Amc Generators  Scrap Services

[howtostartabusinessindubai]

How to Start a Scrap Metal Business in Dubai?

The UAE is amongst the top ten exporters in the world of ferrous scrap. Scrap metal stems from the domestic market through the construction, household goods, the automotive and industrial sector as well as from regional markets.

Its quite common to see items imported from Africa, South Asia and the Far East shipped to the UAE and then sent out as scrap across the globe.

The British Metal Recycling Association estimates that close to 400 million tons of metal are recycled each year globally.

Continue Reading Here

Contact us if you want to start a scrap metal business in Dubai

[techcrunchappcom]

New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/uae-announces-relaxing-of-islamic-laws-for-personal-freedoms-world-news/

UAE announces relaxing of Islamic laws for personal freedoms | World News

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United Arab Emirates announced on Saturday a major overhaul of the country’s Islamic personal laws, allowing unmarried couples to cohabitate, loosening alcohol restrictions and criminalizing so-called “honor killings.”

The broadening of personal freedoms reflects the changing profile of a country that has sought to bill itself as a Westernized, skyscraper-studded destination for tourists, fortune-seekers and businesses despite its Islamic legal code. The reforms aim to boost the country’s economic and social standing and “consolidate the UAE’s principles of tolerance,” state-run WAM news agency reported.

The announcement follows a historic U.S.-brokered deal to normalize relations between the UAE and Israel, which is expected to bring an influx of Israeli tourists and investment.

The changes also reflect the efforts of the Emirates’ rulers to keep pace with a rapidly changing society at home.

“I could not be happier for these new laws that are progressive and proactive,” said Emirati filmmaker Abdallah Al Kaabi, whose art has tackled taboo topics like homosexual love and gender identity.

“2020 has been a tough and transformative year for the UAE,” he added.

Changes include scrapping penalties for alcohol consumption, sales and possession for those 21 and over. The government decrees behind the changes were announced on WAM and detailed in state-linked newspaper The National.

Although liquor and beer is widely available in bars and clubs in the UAE’s luxuriant coastal cities, individuals previously needed a government-issued license to purchase, transport or have alcohol in their homes. The new rule would apparently allow Muslims who have been barred from obtaining licenses to drink alcoholic beverages freely.

Another amendment allows for “cohabitation of unmarried couples,” which has long been a crime in the UAE. Authorities, especially in the more freewheeling financial hub of Dubai, rarely enforced the law when it came to foreigners, but the threat of punishment still lingered for such behavior.

In a move to better “protect women’s rights,” the government said it also decided to get rid of laws defending “honor crimes,” a widely criticized tribal custom in which a male relative may evade prosecution for assaulting a woman seen as dishonoring a family. The punishment for a crime committed to eradicate a woman’s “shame,” for promiscuity or disobeying religious and cultural strictures, will now be the same for any other kind of assault.

In a country where expatriates outnumber citizens nearly nine to one, the amendments will permit foreigners to avoid Islamic Shariah courts on issues like marriage, divorce and inheritance.

Traditional Islamic values remain strong in the federation of seven desert sheikhdoms. The reforms said nothing of other behavior deemed insulting to local customs that has landed foreigners in jail in the past, such as acts of homosexuality, cross-dressing and public displays of affection.

The reforms come as the UAE gets ready to host the World Expo. The high-stakes event is planned to bring a flurry of commercial activity and some 25 million visitors to the country, after it was pushed back a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

[sageglobalresponse]

UAE announces relaxing of Islamic laws for personal freedoms

The United Arab Emirates has announced a major liberalization of the country’s Islamic personal laws, allowing unmarried couples to cohabitate, loosening alcohol restrictions and criminalizing so-called “honor killings.

In this April 6, 2020, file photo, a lone taxi cab drives over a highway in front of the Dubai skyline. The United Arab Emirates announced on Saturday a major overhaul of the country’s Islamic personal laws, allowing unmarried couples to cohabitate,

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- The United Arab Emirates announced on Saturday a major overhaul of the country’s Islamic personal laws, allowing unmarried couples to cohabitate, loosening alcohol restrictions and criminalizing so-called “honor killings.”

The broadening of personal freedoms reflects the changing profile of a country that has sought to bill itself as a Westernized, skyscraper-studded destination for tourists, fortune-seekers and businesses despite its Islamic legal code. The reforms aim to boost the country's economic and social standing and “consolidate the UAE's principles of tolerance," state-run WAM news agency reported.

The announcement follows a historic U.S.-brokered deal to normalize relations between the UAE and Israel, which is expected to bring an influx of Israeli tourists and investment.

The changes also reflect the efforts of the Emirates’ rulers to keep pace with a rapidly changing society at home.

“I could not be happier for these new laws that are progressive and proactive,” said Emirati filmmaker Abdallah Al Kaabi, whose art has tackled taboo topics like homosexual love and gender identity.

“2020 has been a tough and transformative year for the UAE," he added.

Changes include scrapping penalties for alcohol consumption, sales and possession for those 21 and over. The government decrees behind the changes were announced on WAM and detailed in state-linked newspaper The National.

Although liquor and beer is widely available in bars and clubs in the UAE's luxuriant coastal cities, individuals previously needed a government-issued license to purchase, transport or have alcohol in their homes. The new rule would apparently allow Muslims who have been barred from obtaining licenses to drink alcoholic beverages freely.

Another amendment allows for “cohabitation of unmarried couples,” which has long been a crime in the UAE. Authorities, especially in the more freewheeling financial hub of Dubai, rarely enforced the law when it came to foreigners, but the threat of punishment still lingered for such behavior.

In a move to better “protect women's rights,” the government said it also decided to get rid of laws defending “honor crimes,” a widely criticized tribal custom in which a male relative may evade prosecution for assaulting a woman seen as dishonoring a family. The punishment for a crime committed to eradicate a woman's “shame," for promiscuity or disobeying religious and cultural strictures, will now be the same for any other kind of assault.

In a country where expatriates outnumber citizens nearly nine to one, the amendments will permit foreigners to avoid Islamic Shariah courts on issues like marriage, divorce and inheritance.

Traditional Islamic values remain strong in the federation of seven desert sheikhdoms. The reforms said nothing of other behavior deemed insulting to local customs that has landed foreigners in jail in the past, such as acts of homosexuality, cross-dressing and public displays of affection.

The reforms come as the UAE gets ready to host the World Expo. The high-stakes event is planned to bring a flurry of commercial activity and some 25 million visitors to the country, after it was pushed back a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

[ewmoversdubai]

EW Movers in Dubai

Moving Company in Dubai

Organizing a whole schedule of moving company in Dubai, we say, you do not have to get stressed about anything regarding moving. We, the Export Packers and Movers, will make boxes for moving export packages and prepare descriptive tags. We also provide experts help in packaging and wrapping. You do not need to do anything in the whole operation.

Best Moving Company Dubai

Our export packer’s crew is highly qualified in the up to date modern export packaging technologies to make sure the honour of your export consignment. Our company objective is to make your shipment to its place safe and sound at any location internationally. Our packages material is designed and planed according to export quality standards. We can also provide the storage facility for long term or short term earlier than delivery. Have your packages any article having hazardous material? Movers and Packers team is competent and qualified in the international dangerous material rules and regulation.

Dubai Movers and Packers

These rules are approved and sanctioned by UAE for packing items according to the professional standard. We have the most up to date technologies of all kinds of moving and packing in Dubai standard at hand; hence we can deal with any sort of Dubai moving services. We also excellent in making shipping papers ready and load your packs on the carrier according to your requirements.

Movers and Packers Dubai

Professional approach; Our moving professionally delivers the all-inclusive moving procedure from strategy and program to actual implementation. Our professionals and high-tech equipment are at your clearance. We also deliver moving lodgings near shipping places. If you need moving to shipping place after packing, you will absolutely be gratified with our swiftness. Everything will load, deliver to the endpoint of your choice, and deploy. We assure you a special methodology and all-inclusive services to your fulfillment.

Professional Movers and Packers in Dubai

The exact schedule – We create a relocation plan tailored client and site. We will deliver all the obligatory documentation, dismantling and disconnecting moved objects, packing, loading, handling all carried out with extreme cautiousness, safe transport and reassembly at the destination. High weight and oversized handling are not worrying situation for us. We use special handling, lifting and supporting technology. It often happens that moving companies know with a higher load board, but most persons know where to go – to the Export Packers and Movers in Dubai. Related services – Our services and experts have recommended providing 10 to 14 days in advance, exclusively if you planning on moving on weekends or holidays. We will counsel you on what to remember, what inaccuracies to evade and help you with the package. We prepare and pack all the moving stuff, including private. You need not stress about small and valued stuff. We are excellent in the transportation of antiques and art items. We had a rich and long practice. Experience / quality – We will make sure the smooth evolvement of packing and moving, and we are able to flexibly respond to possible complications. Our extremely competent staff is very experienced and reliable in their work. Their activities do not just take and pass. They must be capable to operate special equipment, disassembly and reassembly of various devices and at the same time realize that they are continually in direct connection with the client and all point to his fulfil satisfaction.

Local Movers in Abu Dhabi / Dubai

Move family houses and small business locally is not that hassling. Moving companies requires extremely good organization as well as sound performance. And we must not forget the most vital thing: a lot of experience. And we must not forget the most important thing: a lot of experience. We, the Local Movers in Abu Dhabi and Dubai will move swiftly to avoid interruptions to traffic and come so much about money. The policy of our company is to the maximum extent possible to safeguard the property removal rights. Looking a trustworthy and experienced partner, the EW Movers as Local Movers Company Dubai, for your move, which flawlessly transport your stuff, or builds new furniture? We know that your belongings for you are far more valued than just the purchase price. We organize untroubled moving of small businesses and the complete house with hundreds of employees. We can do weekends at no extra charges, so as not to disturb the working days.

Best Local Movers Company Dubai

We deliver liquidation of estates and unlawful dumps, clearing apartments, basements, attics, offices, shops, commercial premises, businesses and removal of furniture and items to the scrap yard. Searching for a Local Movers Company Dubai to get rid of spare or old furniture, the company, which evacuate your home, basement or ground? Then we are here for you. We have a license in accordance with local directives, and so with insurance companies, moving in the realm of any movement with our experts. We are specialists at reasonable charges and your belongings will be in good hands. We offer not only moving to the city and its surrounds but for the entire country as well as internationally. EW Movers as Local Movers in Abu Dhabi prepares and arranges for you to whole removal of dwellings, including dismantling and packing of furniture. Moving the apartment may be unpleasant and painful. With us, you can be certain that all your possessions get into a new apartment and above all whole. Moving flats and family houses locally includes:

• Initial visits and price calculation for free • Lending packaging material including lockable transport boxes • Professional packing for furniture, electronics and personal items • Moving assets are unpacked and the furniture is assembled • Disconnecting and re-wiring lamps and household appliances • Specialized disconnection, packaging and reintegration of IT equipment • Refitting furniture • Each shipment is insured • Weekends and holidays at no extra charge • Ecological disposal of unneeded furniture and appliances • Ecological disposal of redundant equipment at recycling center • Short and long-term storage in our own warehouse tempered

After done with the removal work, we, the Local Movers in Abu Dhabi, will make sure whether everything meets the desires of the client and whether there is any damage of transported belongings during movement and transport. In this case, the entire situation will be solved through the corporate insurance policy that our company has acquired at the local insurance company. We, the Local Movers in Abu Dhabi, offer to move with especially advanced vehicles with temperature control in the shipment area. When moving and transporting, out team use a special removal straps and compression straps that are used to grip the moving objects.

[lewisgabriel84z31]

Dubai will use Blockchain-based System that tracks Vehicle Information

Dubai will use Blockchain-based System that tracks Vehicle Information

An announcement was made by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) that they are embracing Blockchain technology for vehicles. They are planning to launch a Blockchain-based vehicle management system in 2020 that will track vehicle lifecycles. The project for Blockchain implementation was made in collaboration with the Dubai 10x initiative and was reported by the news outlet Arabian Business.

The system will provide customers with some history for their vehicle. This vital information will include the history from “the manufacturer to the scrap yard”. The Dubai 10x was launched last year at the World Government Summit by the chairman of the Dubai Executive Council and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the crowned Prince of Dubai.

  Blockchain Technology is evolving

The system will show transparently records on where each vehicle is at any moment. The initiative is planned to begin by covering all cars in Dubai before expanding to all cars in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The goal is to improve awareness and information distribution to customers for their vehicles in all parts of their life cycle.

“The platform benefits many stakeholders including car manufacturers, dealers, regulators, insurance companies, buyers, sellers and even garages, providing transparency and trust in vehicle transactions, preventing disputes and lowering the cost of services. It tracks ownership, sale and accident history to create smart and more efficient systems for supply chains.”

The initiative’s website states that it aims to “embrace disruptive innovation as a fundamental mantra of their operations and to seek ways to incorporate its methodologies in all aspects of their work.”

  Dubai wants to become the first Blockchain Government

According to the Sheikh Mattar Al Tayer, the chairman and executive director of the RTA, this vehicle management system will be the world’s first government platform that can provide a genuine record of a vehicle’s history. This vehicle lifecycle Blockchain system is compatible with Dubai’s goal to become the first Blockchain government by 2020.

The project will take IBM as strategic formulation consultant. It was reported by Arabian Business and future partners may include Dubai Police, Customs,  Department of Economic Development, the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology, Emirates ID and the Ministry of Interior.

Last year in October, Dubai hosted its first government-backed training program for Ethereum Blockchain developers in collaboration with a Blockchain company based in Brooklyn. There was an announcement from Dubai that they will release their own cryptocurrency through local governments. However since then there isn’t a lot of news about it. The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) has issued trading license to Dubai-based gold trader Regal trader. Read about it in this article.

http://ift.tt/2D4K0Eh

[rollinbrigittenv8]

British Airways Could Buy Several More Superjumbo Jets from Airbus

British Airways has 12 Airbus A380s in its fleet, including the one pictured. It may want to buy more from the manufacturer. Stuart Bailey / British Airways

Skift Take: Do you also have whiplash? Earlier this week, a senior Airbus executive said the manufacturer may have to kill the A380 program because of a lack of sales. But soon after, Airbus said it sold at least 20 to Emirates. Now comes word British Airways may want more. Perhaps the end is not near for the superjumbo.

— Brian Sumers

Airbus SE is in talks to sell new A380 superjumbo planes to British Airways this year after securing a program-saving deal from Persian Gulf operator Emirates, according to people familiar with the matter.

The U.K. carrier, which currently has 12 A380s in its fleet, had said in the past that it was looking for six to seven second-hand A380s. Now it’s considering taking a larger number of new ones, said the people, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private.

Airbus’s outgoing head of sales, John Leahy, said on Bloomberg Television Friday he was confident the European planemaker would secure one more A380 order this year. That customer is British Airways, the people said. Airbus, based in Toulouse, France, and BA parent IAG SA declined to comment.

British Airways is interested in the superjumbo because of the jet’s ability to maximize the number of passengers per flight at its London Heathrow hub, which is running close to capacity limits. The carrier’s main focus is on North Atlantic routes that are among the world’s busiest long-haul services, and it ranks as the No. 1 operator of Boeing Co.’s 747 jumbo, the second-biggest passenger plane after the A380.

BA is examining a deal for new planes after concluding that refurbishing used examples of the Airbus behemoth for its own needs would be too expensive, one of the people said. The carrier’s superjumbos are fitted out in a four-class configuration featuring 469 seats, according to its website.

Order Drought

IAG Chief Executive Officer Willie Walsh has been mulling the business case for second-hand A380s for as least two years, with planes becoming available as the oldest ones come off lease from Singapore Airlines Ltd. after a decade of service. Walsh also ran the rule over six younger aircraft deemed surplus to requirements at Malaysia Airlines Bhd.

An order for new double-deckers from IAG would help vindicate Airbus’s efforts to save the A380, which Leahy said Monday might be scrapped after failing to attract a buyer for more than two years. That was before Dubai-based Emirates announced its deal for as many as 36 planes worth $16 billion.

While Airbus says that order will keep the A380 production line going for more than a decade, it’s still looking at slashing build rates to just six annually from 12 this year. Follow-on orders from carriers such as British Airways are therefore still vital in lifting the annual tally to a level where the manufacturer can break even on each plane.

–With assistance from Ania Nussbaum

©2018 Bloomberg L.P.

This article was written by Benjamin Katz from Bloomberg and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

[touristguidebuzz]

Airbus Sold 705 Planes in 2 Weeks But Jumbos Are a Tough Proposition

A flurry of plane orders to end the year hasn't camouflaged Airbus' woes after a management shakeup and in light of its difficulties in selling wide-body jets. Bloomberg

Skift Take: Both Airbus and Boeing have experienced troubles in selling their largest wide-body planes, but Boeing has managed the issue more efficiently.

— Dennis Schaal

Airbus SE completed the year doing what it does best: selling its bread-and-butter narrow-body aircraft.

The European manufacturer late Thursday firmed up its biggest-ever order from Indigo Partners for 430 A320 aircraft — a contract that was previously announced — while also unveiling a new order for 50 re-engined versions of the same jet. All told, the flurry of activity during the past two weeks has totaled 705 single-aisle plane orders with a sticker price of $81.5 billion.

The A320’s success, coming in the final days of outgoing sales chief John Leahy’s two-decade tenure, provides some respite for Airbus following a tumultuous few weeks after the planemaker unveiled a top management shakeup. The orders for smaller jets also expose the flank that’s opened up at the other end of the manufacturer’s product line-up: wide-body and ultra large jumbos that are becoming increasingly hard to sell.

As if to hammer home that point, between orders during the night, Airbus confirmed an event scheduled for this week to mark the delivery to Qatar Airways Ltd. of its first A350-1000 would be delayed until early in 2018 as the plane undergoes final preparations. The move is the latest in a series of setbacks for the biggest A350 model after United Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. switched to the smaller -900 model, and adds a blemish to Airbus’s push to bring that jet to market.

Difficult Customer

The delay is also further evidence of Qatar Airway’s fickleness as a customer after past delays and outright refusals by the airline of deliveries of both narrow and wide-body jets, including a move earlier this year to scrap orders for four A350s. The carrier’s order backlog has come into focus amid the Saudi Arabia-led isolation of its home country that has forced it to scrap and divert routes.

At the same time, a much-needed follow-on order for Airbus of A380s from Emirates, the biggest customer for that aircraft, remains elusive, despite signals by the manufacturer just a few weeks ago that a deal could materialize before year-end. Toulouse based Airbus, which was widely expected to sign the A380 contract at the Dubai Air Show in November, needs the order to bulk up its backlog for the aircraft and keep the loss-making program alive.

Gaining clarity on the future of the A380 will be at the top of the to-do list for outgoing Chief Executive Officer Tom Enders, who revealed in December plans to step down in 2019, and his second in command Fabrice Bregier, who will be replaced in February by Guillaume Faury, CEO of the helicopters business.

Emirates Demands

Expressing disappointment that a deal with Emirates failed to materialize at the Dubai event, Bregier said in November he was confident Airbus could secure an order before the end of the year. The executive has since said that should an order come, Airbus would be willing to commit to keeping the program going for another decade. Emirates President Tim Clark has said talks derailed in part because of the airline’s concerns about the future of the model.

While U.S. rival Boeing Co. has had similar difficulties winning orders for its biggest wide-body jets, it has managed to sell the smallest version, the 787, and has committed to lifting production rates for the aircraft.

  ©2017 Bloomberg L.P.

This article was written by Benjamin Katz from Bloomberg and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

[rollinbrigittenv8]

Airbus Sold 705 Planes in 2 Weeks But Jumbos Are a Tough Proposition

A flurry of plane orders to end the year hasn't camouflaged Airbus' woes after a management shakeup and in light of its difficulties in selling wide-body jets. Bloomberg

Skift Take: Both Airbus and Boeing have experienced troubles in selling their largest wide-body planes, but Boeing has managed the issue more efficiently.

— Dennis Schaal

Airbus SE completed the year doing what it does best: selling its bread-and-butter narrow-body aircraft.

The European manufacturer late Thursday firmed up its biggest-ever order from Indigo Partners for 430 A320 aircraft — a contract that was previously announced — while also unveiling a new order for 50 re-engined versions of the same jet. All told, the flurry of activity during the past two weeks has totaled 705 single-aisle plane orders with a sticker price of $81.5 billion.

The A320’s success, coming in the final days of outgoing sales chief John Leahy’s two-decade tenure, provides some respite for Airbus following a tumultuous few weeks after the planemaker unveiled a top management shakeup. The orders for smaller jets also expose the flank that’s opened up at the other end of the manufacturer’s product line-up: wide-body and ultra large jumbos that are becoming increasingly hard to sell.

As if to hammer home that point, between orders during the night, Airbus confirmed an event scheduled for this week to mark the delivery to Qatar Airways Ltd. of its first A350-1000 would be delayed until early in 2018 as the plane undergoes final preparations. The move is the latest in a series of setbacks for the biggest A350 model after United Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. switched to the smaller -900 model, and adds a blemish to Airbus’s push to bring that jet to market.

Difficult Customer

The delay is also further evidence of Qatar Airway’s fickleness as a customer after past delays and outright refusals by the airline of deliveries of both narrow and wide-body jets, including a move earlier this year to scrap orders for four A350s. The carrier’s order backlog has come into focus amid the Saudi Arabia-led isolation of its home country that has forced it to scrap and divert routes.

At the same time, a much-needed follow-on order for Airbus of A380s from Emirates, the biggest customer for that aircraft, remains elusive, despite signals by the manufacturer just a few weeks ago that a deal could materialize before year-end. Toulouse based Airbus, which was widely expected to sign the A380 contract at the Dubai Air Show in November, needs the order to bulk up its backlog for the aircraft and keep the loss-making program alive.

Gaining clarity on the future of the A380 will be at the top of the to-do list for outgoing Chief Executive Officer Tom Enders, who revealed in December plans to step down in 2019, and his second in command Fabrice Bregier, who will be replaced in February by Guillaume Faury, CEO of the helicopters business.

Emirates Demands

Expressing disappointment that a deal with Emirates failed to materialize at the Dubai event, Bregier said in November he was confident Airbus could secure an order before the end of the year. The executive has since said that should an order come, Airbus would be willing to commit to keeping the program going for another decade. Emirates President Tim Clark has said talks derailed in part because of the airline’s concerns about the future of the model.

While U.S. rival Boeing Co. has had similar difficulties winning orders for its biggest wide-body jets, it has managed to sell the smallest version, the 787, and has committed to lifting production rates for the aircraft.

©2017 Bloomberg L.P.

This article was written by Benjamin Katz from Bloomberg and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

[touristguidebuzz]

Blockaded Qatar Will See Its Flag Carrier Lose Money This Year

The Saudi Arabia-led blockade is hurting business at Qatar's flag carrier, its CEO said this week. Pictured is a Qatar Airways Cargo aircraft. Bloombeg

Skift Take: Saudi Arabia has done what the major three U.S. airlines could not do — slow Qatar Airways' growth. A Saudi-led blockade has hurt Qatar's revenue, and that may not change soon.

— Brian Sumers

Qatar Airways is headed for an annual loss after a Saudi-led blockade of its home nation forced the scrapping of some routes and the diversion of others.

The second-biggest Persian Gulf carrier expects to post a loss this year, though it’s too early to say how big the deficit will be, Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said in an interview Tuesday. Net income at the Doha-based group rose 22 percent to 1.97 billion riyals ($525 million) in the year through March.

“It is painful because there are many routes that slide as much as 2 1/2 longer, and there are routes that are narrow-body routes where we had to convert to wide-body in order carry enough fuel to go the longer distance,” the CEO said in Singapore. All told, Qatar Air has lost almost 11 percent of its network and 20 percent of revenue, he added.

Al Baker’s comments are his frankest yet following the imposition of trade and transport barriers by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates in June. The blockade has led to the scrapping of several short-haul flights, while many intercontinental services have been diverted because of airspace closures, making flying times less competitive and increasing fuel burn.

Qatar Air is working on substituting the 20 or so lost flights for roughly the same number of viable new routes, and should then return to profitability, the CEO said.

Al Baker has previously insisted that the measures against Qatar have had a minimal impact on his company. He continued to strike a defiant tone over the embargo, saying that the Gulf state will “stand up” to the pressure and “not sacrifice our sovereignty and our dignity,” while calling on President Donald Trump to intervene on behalf of one of the U.S.’s “main allies in the region.”

Cathay Plans

Isolated in the Middle East and snubbed by American Airlines Group after bidding for a stake in the U.S. giant earlier this year, Qatar Airways on Monday revealed a surprise investment in Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., extending a policy of taking minority holdings in blue-chip global carriers and giving it a first foothold in East Asia.

Qatar Air won’t seek a seat on that Cathay board, in line with its approach after investing in British Airways owner IAG SA and Latam Airlines Group SA, the biggest South American carrier, but aims to pursue opportunities for joint purchasing in areas such as ground handling, maintenance, components and fuel, Al Baker said on Bloomberg TV. The companies are also likely to code-share on flights beyond their Dubai and Hong Kong hubs.

Prior to the blockade Qatar Airways had been expanding at break-neck speed as it and Gulf rivals Emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways PJSC established huge transfer hubs at a natural crossroads for global travel.

The carrier’s sales surged 10 percent to 38.9 billion riyals in fiscal 2017 as it added 10 destinations and carried 32 million passengers, up from 26.6 million a year earlier. Following the airspace restrictions Qatari flights have restricted to north- and east-bound routes via Iran and Kuwait. That’s been hugely disruptive for services to Africa and has lengthened trips to parts of Europe and across the Atlantic.

Al Baker said he’s “very satisfied” with his company’s U.S. exposure and isn’t looking for any major expansion there beyond adding up to four additional destinations. American Airlines rejected the proposed investment from Qatar Air after previously criticizing the rapid growth of Gulf carriers amid claims that they’ve had $50 billion in illegal state aid.

–With assistance from Francine Lacqua Tom Keene and Karolina Miziolek

©2017 Bloomberg L.P.

This article was written by Christopher Jasper and Kyunghee Park from Bloomberg and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

[rollinbrigittenv8]

Blockaded Qatar Will See Its Flag Carrier Lose Money This Year

The Saudi Arabia-led blockade is hurting business at Qatar's flag carrier, its CEO said this week. Pictured is a Qatar Airways Cargo aircraft. Bloombeg

Skift Take: Saudi Arabia has done what the major three U.S. airlines could not do — slow Qatar Airways' growth. A Saudi-led blockade has hurt Qatar's revenue, and that may not change soon.

— Brian Sumers

Qatar Airways is headed for an annual loss after a Saudi-led blockade of its home nation forced the scrapping of some routes and the diversion of others.

The second-biggest Persian Gulf carrier expects to post a loss this year, though it’s too early to say how big the deficit will be, Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said in an interview Tuesday. Net income at the Doha-based group rose 22 percent to 1.97 billion riyals ($525 million) in the year through March.

“It is painful because there are many routes that slide as much as 2 1/2 longer, and there are routes that are narrow-body routes where we had to convert to wide-body in order carry enough fuel to go the longer distance,” the CEO said in Singapore. All told, Qatar Air has lost almost 11 percent of its network and 20 percent of revenue, he added.

Al Baker’s comments are his frankest yet following the imposition of trade and transport barriers by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates in June. The blockade has led to the scrapping of several short-haul flights, while many intercontinental services have been diverted because of airspace closures, making flying times less competitive and increasing fuel burn.

Qatar Air is working on substituting the 20 or so lost flights for roughly the same number of viable new routes, and should then return to profitability, the CEO said.

Al Baker has previously insisted that the measures against Qatar have had a minimal impact on his company. He continued to strike a defiant tone over the embargo, saying that the Gulf state will “stand up” to the pressure and “not sacrifice our sovereignty and our dignity,” while calling on President Donald Trump to intervene on behalf of one of the U.S.’s “main allies in the region.”

Cathay Plans

Isolated in the Middle East and snubbed by American Airlines Group after bidding for a stake in the U.S. giant earlier this year, Qatar Airways on Monday revealed a surprise investment in Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., extending a policy of taking minority holdings in blue-chip global carriers and giving it a first foothold in East Asia.

Qatar Air won’t seek a seat on that Cathay board, in line with its approach after investing in British Airways owner IAG SA and Latam Airlines Group SA, the biggest South American carrier, but aims to pursue opportunities for joint purchasing in areas such as ground handling, maintenance, components and fuel, Al Baker said on Bloomberg TV. The companies are also likely to code-share on flights beyond their Dubai and Hong Kong hubs.

Prior to the blockade Qatar Airways had been expanding at break-neck speed as it and Gulf rivals Emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways PJSC established huge transfer hubs at a natural crossroads for global travel.

The carrier’s sales surged 10 percent to 38.9 billion riyals in fiscal 2017 as it added 10 destinations and carried 32 million passengers, up from 26.6 million a year earlier. Following the airspace restrictions Qatari flights have restricted to north- and east-bound routes via Iran and Kuwait. That’s been hugely disruptive for services to Africa and has lengthened trips to parts of Europe and across the Atlantic.

Al Baker said he’s “very satisfied” with his company’s U.S. exposure and isn’t looking for any major expansion there beyond adding up to four additional destinations. American Airlines rejected the proposed investment from Qatar Air after previously criticizing the rapid growth of Gulf carriers amid claims that they’ve had $50 billion in illegal state aid.

–With assistance from Francine Lacqua Tom Keene and Karolina Miziolek

©2017 Bloomberg L.P.

This article was written by Christopher Jasper and Kyunghee Park from Bloomberg and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

[touristguidebuzz]

Qatar Airways May Be Considering Investing in JetBlue After Passing on American

Qatar Airways may consider investing in another U.S. airline in the near future. SeongJoon Cho / Bloomberg

Skift Take: JetBlue and other carriers in North America could be on Qatar Airways' target list for investment after being spurned by American Airlines. It remains to be seen, though, whether JetBlue would welcome the outspoken Akbar Al Baker.

— Deanna Ting

Qatar Airways hasn’t given up on investing in the U.S. after scrapping plans to buy a stake in American Airlines Group Inc. amid opposition from the Fort Worth, Texas-based company.

“We have other opportunities, both in America and North America, which we will consider,” Akbar Al Baker, the Persian Gulf carrier’s chief executive officer, said Wednesday in Doha, the Qatari capital. “I have some things in mind. The U.S. is an important market for us.”

Qatar Airways ended its interest in American on Aug. 2 after the U.S. company’s chief, Doug Parker, said he wasn’t keen on having the Gulf carrier as a shareholder. While the airlines are partners in the Oneworld alliance, the approach came as a surprise since American had publicly opposed the growth of Mideast airlines in the U.S., claiming they’ve benefited from $50 billion in illegal aid.

While Qatar initially suggested that it walked away because of the “latest public disclosure” by American, appearing to allude to a July 28 financial statement, Al Baker said his chief concern was the pushback from Parker. The fact that Qatar Airways would have been limited to buying a 4.75 percent holding in the open market without the backing of the U.S. giant was also a deal breaker.

“We would have wanted to take up to 10 percent, for which we would need board approval, and we realized we are not going to get it,” he said. “When we are not welcomed by the CEO of the company, who is of course also a shareholder, why should we then invest?”

Al Baker said his interest in building a stake was motivated by “confidence in the U.S. aviation industry,” rather than being aimed at “influencing” American in the debate over Gulf funding. American has joined with Delta Air Lines Inc. and United Continental Holdings Inc. to demand that the federal government limit market access for Middle Eastern airlines.

‘Polar Opposite’

With Delta and United opposing Gulf growth and leading the Skyteam and Star alliances that rival Oneworld, Qatar’s room for maneuver may be limited to smaller operators.

JetBlue Airways Corp. is the most likely candidate for Al Baker, partly because it has supported Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airways PJSC in their fight against the biggest U.S. carriers, said Mark Drusch, a vice president and aviation consultant at ICF in Dallas.

The New York-based discounter has “taken the polar opposite position on the Gulf carriers that Delta, United and American have taken,” he said. JetBlue benefits from U.S. growth of the Gulf airlines through agreements that allow them to share passengers.

Other possible targets for a Qatar Airways investment include Alaska Air Group Inc., Mexican carrier Interjet and Canada’s WestJet Airlines Ltd. Interjet needs additional cash, and WestJet would like more capital to grow, Drusch said.

“I would put my money on JetBlue before Alaska,” Drusch said. “JetBlue has had outside investment before. They had an investment by Lufthansa years ago.”

India Plans

A renewed investment push might also be less than welcome politically, given President Donald Trump’s drive to protect U.S. jobs and efforts to limit travelers from predominantly Muslim countries. Foreign stakes in U.S. carriers are capped at 25 percent.

Qatar Airways will push on with plans to secure further partners and anchor stakes, Al Baker said, and is on course to establish a new airline in India, the fastest-growing major aviation market, where it has been working toward the required legal filing. “You will hear soon,” he added.

Al Baker has already led the purchase of a 20 percent stake in British Airways owner IAG SA, a close ally of American, and 10 percent of Latam Airlines Group SA, the biggest South American carrier, and is planning to buy 49 percent of Italian operator Meridiana SpA. The partnerships and deals have helped broaden Qatar Airways’ footprint as it competes with Dubai-based Emirates, the biggest long-haul airline, in the lucrative inter-continental travel market.

“We can independently grow but we feel that it is always in the interest of any business to make alliances and to make investments,” he said, adding that should Qatar Airways ever sell shares and American want to take a stake, “we would support it.”

–With assistance from Michael Sasso

©2017 Bloomberg L.P. This article was written by Deena Kamel Yousef and Glen Carey from Bloomberg and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

[touristguidebuzz]

Etihad Swings to $1.9 Billion Loss As Investment Strategy Crumbles and Revenue Falls

Etihad Airways hopes to announce a new permanent CEO within the next few weeks. It can’t happen fast enough, as the company needs a strategic review in light of its troubled investments in Alitalia and Air Berlin. Bloomberg

Skift Take: The Gulf carrier desperately needs a permanent CEO. Etihad has grappled with writedowns in aircraft assets, fuel-hedging losses, and a flailing investment in Alitalia and Air Berlin.

— Sean O'Neill

Etihad Airways posted a $1.87 billion annual loss, revealing the full extent of the pressures facing Persian Gulf carriers as they grapple with the impact of terrorism on global traffic flows and a low oil price that’s crimped local travel.

The 2016 loss came after Abu Dhabi-based Etihad booked a $1.06 billion charge from writing down the value of aircraft and a further $808 million hit from the reduced value of stakes in so called equity partners including struggling Air Berlin Plc and Italy’s Alitalia SpA, which filed for bankruptcy in May.

The earnings reversal, revealed Thursday, comes after Dubai-based Emirates, the biggest Gulf carrier and the world’s largest long-haul airline, in May reported its first annual profit decline for five years. Mideast airlines are facing the first serious challenge to years of breakneck expansion that have seen them exploit their position at a natural crossroads to win a major share of the lucrative inter-continental travel market.

“This year is just as challenging for the global aviation industry and the ever-evolving competitive environment is likely to impact overall performance in 2017,” Ray Gammell, interim chief executive officer of Etihad Aviation Group, said in a statement. The company didn’t publish full group numbers, and the hit from partners includes only the impact of commercial ties rather than losses there.

Etihad is continuing to implement group-wide changes as part of a strategic review, Gammell said, as well as assessing its minority holdings following an exit from Switzerland’s Darwin Airline last week.

The group is also continuing its search for a permanent CEO following the departure of Australian James Hogan, who hatched the investment strategy to catch up with rivals Emirates and Qatar Airways.

Yields, a measure of fares, fell 8 percent in the year, Etihad said. Prices dropped across all cabins, with business class worst hit as some premium travelers downgraded to economy with crude still in the doldrums.

U.S. Curbs

Pressure on Gulf carriers has mounted further this year after President Donald Trump’s administration sought to restrict travel to America by people from a number of Muslim-majority nations and later imposed restrictions on using electronic devices in the cabins of U.S.-bound planes departing Mideast hub.

While the curbs watered down after being blocked in court and the laptops ban removed, Etihad, the third-biggest Gulf carrier, said last month it will scrap flights to San Francisco in October citing lower-than-anticipated fares. Emirates had earlier moved to eliminate 25 weekly flights to the U.S.

Delta Air Lines Inc., American Airlines Group Inc. and United Continental Holdings Inc. have accused their Gulf rivals of competing unfairly by taking subsidies from their state-owners, allowing them to serve some routes unprofitably — a claim the Mideast operators reject. The U.S. carriers have also lobbied Trump to limit access to the U.S.

Emirates said in its earnings release that the last year had been punctuated by a run of “destabilizing events” including terror attacks in Europe and the Mediterranean, Britain’s vote to leave the European Union and an immigration crisis linked to conflicts in the Middle East, as well U.S. travel policies.

Qatar Blockade

While Qatar Airways, the Gulf No. 2, reported a 22 percent gain in earnings for the year through March, the Doha-based carrier has been left battling a slump in travel after four Arab countries imposed a blockade on its government-owner last month.

The airline has scrapped 125 daily flights with others taking long and costly detours to avoid closed airspace.

Etihad is continuing to implement group-wide changes as part of a strategic review, Gammell said, as well as assessing its minority holdings following an exit from Switzerland’s Darwin Airline last week.

The group is also continuing its search for a permanent CEO following the exit of Australian James Hogan, who hatched the investment strategy to catch up with Emirates and Qatar Air.

Yields, a measure of fares, fell 8 percent in the year, Etihad said. Prices dropped across all cabins, with business class worst hit as some premium travelers downgraded to coach with crude still in the doldrums. Fuel hedging also hurt its performance but should have less of an impact this year, it said.

Overhead costs were cut by 4 percent through job cuts and other measures, and the airline has introduced new fees to boost ancillary revenues from perks such a neighbor-free seating for economy-class passengers.

This article was written by Deena Kamel Yousef from Bloomberg and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

[rollinbrigittenv8]

Airbus Sales Boss on Boeing’s Gains: ‘Every Dog Gets His Day’

Airbus sales chief John Leahy will be retiring soon. The company didn't do particularly well at the Paris Air Show in 2017 but Leahy and Airbus have had quite a run. Bloomberg

Skift Take: Boeing did well at the Paris Air Show. Airbus will still very much be around for the next one.

— Dennis Schaal

Airbus SE sales chief John Leahy conceded defeat to Boeing Co. at his last European air show, marking a rare show of humility from the American who confirmed his plans to retire after racking up $1.7 trillion of jet orders over two decades.

The time-frame for Leahy’s exit isn’t yet clear, and the executive will work on a smooth transition to deputy Kiran Rao, he said at Airbus’s closing press conference at the Paris Air Show. Airbus had no new civil models coming to market at the expo, unlike Boeing, which racked up more than 300 sales and commitments for the Max 10 stretch of its 737 single-aisle workhorse.

“The fact is, this is a slower year for orders than previous years,” Leahy said at the briefing Thursday. “Are we conceding that Boeing sold a few more airplanes than we did? Yes. Every dog gets his day.”

Airbus secured $39.7 billion of new jetliner business at the show, Leahy said, comprising firm orders for 144 aircraft worth $18.5 billion at list prices and looser commitments for 182 planes valued at $21.2 billion. In terms of firm deals — those that can be included in the manufacturers’ backlogs — it came out roughly neck-and-neck with Boeing, he added.

Toulouse, France-based Airbus will “work out a good time” to make the sales transition, Leahy, 66, told journalists. Rao, executive vice president of strategy and marketing at the commercial-plane unit, has already been bloodied at the sharp end of the sales process, having led talks with AirAsia Bhd. CEO Tony Fernandes that secured an order for 14 A320ceo aircraft valued at $1.4 billion and led a late order spurt for his company.

Deal Maker

Rao, 53, “spent all night negotiating with Tony until he got it done,” Leahy said. The Indian-born executive — who joked that his boss plans to take up yoga in retirement — has a tough act to follow, with Leahy having racked up more than 15,500 orders since becoming commercial chief more than two decades ago, catapulting Airbus from an 18 percent share of the jetliner market to a 50-50 balance with Boeing.

Airbus isn’t overly concerned about the U.S. company’s plans to develop a new middle-of-market model to replace its defunct 757 and soon-to-go 767, Leahy said, reiterating his assessment that the European company has an 80 percent share of the market that the new plane will address.

“We don’t see it as a major threat,” said the executive, predicting the plane, dubbed the 797 by some, will cost $12 billion to develop. “If you’re sitting in Toulouse you don’t see the need to develop something in that market.”

‘Flying Kites’

Rao said that Boeing is “flying all these kites” to suggest it will have a game-changing aircraft for 2025 in part to disrupt A321neo sales, when in reality it won’t be able to make the aircraft as cheaply as suggested because 70 percent of its cost lies with suppliers and outside of the airframer’s direct control.

He compared the Boeing plane to the Sonic Cruiser, a model that the U.S. company sought to develop in the late 1990s but later scrapped when it became clear that airlines wanted lower operating costs rather than more speed. Boeing subsequently came up with the best-selling 787 Dreamliner.

Leahy said that Dubai-based Emirates, the world’s biggest long-haul airline, is “very interested” in an enhanced version of Airbus’s superjumbo, dubbed the A380plus. The New Yorker added that he held 90 minutes of talks with the carrier’s president, Tim Clark, during the show and found him very receptive to the improvements, which include 4.7-meter (15-foot) winglets designed reduce drag and pare fuel consumption by as much as 4 percent.

Emirates is in early talks about the purchase of 20 A380s to add to the 140 it ordered previously, people familiar with the discussions said earlier month. With the next main air show to be held in Dubai in November, that raises the prospect of Leahy going out with a flourish in the form of a near $9 billion order, though landing a deal will also be tough after Clark said he’s concerned about Airbus’s commitment to sticking with the slow-selling A380 program.

Leahy wouldn’t specify if he’ll still be in charge then, saying only “This is definitely my last big air show. I’m going to leave before the end of the year.”

©2017 Bloomberg L.P.

This article was written by Christopher Jasper and Phil Serafino from Bloomberg and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

[touristguidebuzz]

Airbus Sales Boss on Boeing’s Gains: ‘Every Dog Gets His Day’

Airbus sales chief John Leahy will be retiring soon. The company didn't do particularly well at the Paris Air Show in 2017 but Leahy and Airbus have had quite a run. Bloomberg

Skift Take: Boeing did well at the Paris Air Show. Airbus will still very much be around for the next one.

— Dennis Schaal

Airbus SE sales chief John Leahy conceded defeat to Boeing Co. at his last European air show, marking a rare show of humility from the American who confirmed his plans to retire after racking up $1.7 trillion of jet orders over two decades.

The time-frame for Leahy’s exit isn’t yet clear, and the executive will work on a smooth transition to deputy Kiran Rao, he said at Airbus’s closing press conference at the Paris Air Show. Airbus had no new civil models coming to market at the expo, unlike Boeing, which racked up more than 300 sales and commitments for the Max 10 stretch of its 737 single-aisle workhorse.

“The fact is, this is a slower year for orders than previous years,” Leahy said at the briefing Thursday. “Are we conceding that Boeing sold a few more airplanes than we did? Yes. Every dog gets his day.”

Airbus secured $39.7 billion of new jetliner business at the show, Leahy said, comprising firm orders for 144 aircraft worth $18.5 billion at list prices and looser commitments for 182 planes valued at $21.2 billion. In terms of firm deals — those that can be included in the manufacturers’ backlogs — it came out roughly neck-and-neck with Boeing, he added.

Toulouse, France-based Airbus will “work out a good time” to make the sales transition, Leahy, 66, told journalists. Rao, executive vice president of strategy and marketing at the commercial-plane unit, has already been bloodied at the sharp end of the sales process, having led talks with AirAsia Bhd. CEO Tony Fernandes that secured an order for 14 A320ceo aircraft valued at $1.4 billion and led a late order spurt for his company.

Deal Maker

Rao, 53, “spent all night negotiating with Tony until he got it done,” Leahy said. The Indian-born executive — who joked that his boss plans to take up yoga in retirement — has a tough act to follow, with Leahy having racked up more than 15,500 orders since becoming commercial chief more than two decades ago, catapulting Airbus from an 18 percent share of the jetliner market to a 50-50 balance with Boeing.

Airbus isn’t overly concerned about the U.S. company’s plans to develop a new middle-of-market model to replace its defunct 757 and soon-to-go 767, Leahy said, reiterating his assessment that the European company has an 80 percent share of the market that the new plane will address.

“We don’t see it as a major threat,” said the executive, predicting the plane, dubbed the 797 by some, will cost $12 billion to develop. “If you’re sitting in Toulouse you don’t see the need to develop something in that market.”

‘Flying Kites’

Rao said that Boeing is “flying all these kites” to suggest it will have a game-changing aircraft for 2025 in part to disrupt A321neo sales, when in reality it won’t be able to make the aircraft as cheaply as suggested because 70 percent of its cost lies with suppliers and outside of the airframer’s direct control.

He compared the Boeing plane to the Sonic Cruiser, a model that the U.S. company sought to develop in the late 1990s but later scrapped when it became clear that airlines wanted lower operating costs rather than more speed. Boeing subsequently came up with the best-selling 787 Dreamliner.

Leahy said that Dubai-based Emirates, the world’s biggest long-haul airline, is “very interested” in an enhanced version of Airbus’s superjumbo, dubbed the A380plus. The New Yorker added that he held 90 minutes of talks with the carrier’s president, Tim Clark, during the show and found him very receptive to the improvements, which include 4.7-meter (15-foot) winglets designed reduce drag and pare fuel consumption by as much as 4 percent.

Emirates is in early talks about the purchase of 20 A380s to add to the 140 it ordered previously, people familiar with the discussions said earlier month. With the next main air show to be held in Dubai in November, that raises the prospect of Leahy going out with a flourish in the form of a near $9 billion order, though landing a deal will also be tough after Clark said he’s concerned about Airbus’s commitment to sticking with the slow-selling A380 program.

Leahy wouldn’t specify if he’ll still be in charge then, saying only “This is definitely my last big air show. I’m going to leave before the end of the year.”

  ©2017 Bloomberg L.P.

This article was written by Christopher Jasper and Phil Serafino from Bloomberg and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.