KLM is seeing healthy demand over the next few months, the key summer period for European carriers, its CE said, and a recent fleet renewal programme will help it combat higher oil prices. "Looking at where we are in terms of loads and traffic, we see healthy demand in Europe and on long haul," Pieter Elbers said Sunday. He declined to comment on yields for summer bookings. An updated industry profit forecast to be issued Monday by IATA will be lower as the cost of oil, infrastructure and labour rises, the association said earlier this week. Elbers said a fleet renewal programme will help the carrier with new Boeing 787 Dreamliners coming in, 747 jumbo jets being phased out and its ageing fleet of Fokkers being replaced by new Embraer jets. The airline has no plans to change its jet fuel hedging policy. <br/>
sky
AccorHotels said Sunday it was looking again at possibly buying a stake in Air France KLM, in which the French govt has a 14.3% holding. AccorHotels said over the past years it had held discussions with Air France-KLM with a view to develop joint projects, including an acquisition of a minority stake. "AccorHotels confirms having resumed its reflections on the matter, being at very early stage of assessing the feasibility and potential terms and conditions which will be discussed with Air France KLM in due time," AccorHotels said. "There is no certainty that these initiatives will lead to any agreement nor any form of implementation". Newspaper Les Echos reported Sunday that the govt was considering selling its Air France stake and had received interest from the management of AccorHotels. <br/>
Delta Air Lines is investigating the death of an 8-year-old pet dog during a layover at Detroit Metropolitan, en route from Phoenix to Newark. The Pomeranian was found dead Wednesday morning in its carrier in a cargo facility at the airport. "When he landed here in Michigan, he was alive at 6:30 am, and then at 8:20, he wasn't moving and it just doesn't make any sense to me," owner said. "We lost a family member…and somebody has to be responsible for it. He was in their care and they didn't take care of him." The airline is "conducting a thorough review of the situation to find out more about why this may have occurred to ensure it doesn't happen again," Delta said. The owners are being represented by attorney Evan Oshan, who also represented the owners of a French bulldog puppy that died earlier this year on a United Airlines flight. <br/>