I’m an Aviation Consultant. I work for a company which advises on Business Planning and Investment for airports/airlines, facilities planning for airports, policy interpretation for any stakeholders in aviation, and also advising Governments and their agencies on aviation policy. Our firm is also an aviation economics specialist, though this is less my area than other parts of our work.

I have followed a fairly traditional line to get here, GCSEs, then A-Levels then a degree, it would not be possible to do it with anything less. I did a degree in Air Transport Management at Loughborough University. In terms of the content this degree (BSc) is roughly the same as the Masters courses at City and Cranfield, because the two masters courses are aimed at those who have done other degrees and now want to specialise. The Loughborough course is a specialised course at under graduate level. When I sought advise about continuing to do a masters I was told I wouldn’t really learn anything additional from this. People on my course have gone on to do many things, including pilots (Britannia sponsored for Ab-Intio in one case), airline and airport operations and loads of other things.

Air Italy is a new charter airline. It is based at MXP, and plans to use its 757 to serve Egypt, Turkey, Cyprus, Tenerife, Greece, Mombasa, Zanzibar and Nairobi. Potential winter destinations may include Mombasa, Muscat, the Maldives and Dubai.

The airlines management are clearly stating that they are a charter airline, but may one day move into schedued activities. A second 757 is to arrive by the end of this month, although their business plan calls for 767s.

So the Air Europe link…

Well the airline is headed by former Air Europe founder Giuseppe Gentile! Most staff are ex Air Europe as well.

So the Air France link….

LOL, you’ve GOT to be kidding……erm..nothing at all!! (A replacement started by AF for Alitalia…LOL!!!)

I think many airlines in the past were able to request codes from IATA, but the actual decision was out of their hands. I guess this is getting far more difficult now as the number of airliens keeps growing.

I also have a vague recollection of an airline purchasing the right to use as code from another airline because it suited them better. But don’t take my word on that as I may be COMPLETELY wrong.

The reason for Boeing rebranding MD aircraft is fairly simple. At the time that Boeing took over MD they took on the responsibilites associated with the MD fleet already flying. That is to say that if there were to be an Airworthiness Directive issued regarding a certain type (as an example situation) the aircraft are the responsibility solely of Boeing. As such the authorities recognise the MD-80/90s and all other MD aircraft as Boeings. So therefore since Boeing has to assume responsibility for the aircraft then it is likely that they would want to assume some recognition for the fleet they have under their ‘care’.

Also, if we must be really honest, it was MD that designed the aircraft, but Boeing were the final company to produce both the MD-90 and MD-80 ranges, production didn’t stop until after Boeing had taken over MD.

A bit late with this one Distiller….see thread from last week.