Star Alliance carrier Ethiopian Airlines is to reinforce its operations to the UK, with a new service to London Gatwick which will commence in winter this year. Ethiopian Airlines says it will serve the route from Addis Ababa three-times weekly from 21 November. The carrier will use Airbus A350-900s on the sector. Ethiopian already serves London Heathrow daily, also with A350s, and it states that the Gatwick flights will “complement” this connection. The airline previously flew to Gatwick in 2006 with Boeing 757s. Group chief Mesfin Tasew says the carrier has “high regards” for its Heathrow service. “Over the years, we have established commendable partnerships with over 100 UK-based companies in the aviation sector,” he adds. “Our expansion in the UK, among others, will enable us to nurture this co-operation and partnership to a higher level.” Ethiopian also operates to Manchester with a five-times weekly A350 service.<br/>
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South Korean carriers Asiana Airlines and Jin Air continued to enjoy an international recovery in the second quarter, with Jin citing strong Japanese and Southeast Asian passenger markets. Asiana Airlines saw its operating profit decline 48.5% year on year, to W109b ($111m), in the three months to 30 June, although revenues rose 11.3% to W15.7t. The Star Alliance carrier, however, swung to modest net profit of W3.5b, compared with a net loss of W1.17b in Q2 2022, largely due to foreign exchange gains as well as reduced non-operating losses. International ASKs and RPKs both more than doubled year on year, while international load factors rose 3.6 percentage points to 83%. As for domestic traffic, ASKs fell 3% year on year and RPKs fell 6%. Domestic load factors slipped 2 percentage points to 87%. Nonetheless, domestic passenger revenue rose 7% on improved yields. The carrier says that passenger traffic has improved on routes to the Americas, Europe and Japan, although cargo sales have decreased owing to increased competition following the coronavirus pandemic. During Q2, Asiana’s total cargo revenue fell 54% to W376b. Cargo sales fell to the Americas by 58%, to Europe 45%, and to Southeast Asia 55%. International cargo capacity, measured in ATKs, rose 4% year on year, while RTKs dropped 14%. Cargo load factors fell 16 percentage points to 77%, and cargo yields dropped a precipitous 46%. As of 30 June, the carrier had 78 in-service aircraft. Korean Air is in the process of obtaining international regulatory approval for a merger with Asiana. Separately, low-cost operator Jin Air swung to a Q2 operating profit of W17.8b, compared with an operating loss of W15b a year earlier Revenue for the three months to end-June was W259b, more than double the figure a year earlier. <br/>
A freelance interior designer worked with an assistant manager of properties (development) at Singapore Airlines to obtain a bribe of more than $207,000 from a manager of a renovation firm. The prosecution said on Monday that Rex Zhang Jiahao, 38, and Lionel Low Jun Jie, 36, who is no longer working for SIA, committed the offence after they met each other through reservist duties. The pair received the monies from Joseph Ang Kok Leng, 52, who was then with LIN ID group, on six occasions from June to October 2019, added Deputy Public Prosecutor R. Arvindren. Zhang pleaded guilty on Monday to a graft charge, while the cases involving Ang and Low are pending. At the time of the offence, Low managed ad-hoc renovation projects for SIA, and his duties included conducting quotation or tender exercises. After receiving quotations or tenders from applicants, he would shortlist contractors for interviews and make recommendations for one to be awarded the project in question. The interviews and decision-making were done by Low and his supervisor. Some time from late 2018 to early 2019, SIA conducted a tender for the construction of a two-story pre-fabricated building consisting of 24 classrooms at its training centre. In 2018, Low asked Zhang to recommend building contractors for the project. The prosecutor said that Low suggested to Zhang to tell the contractor that he had a contact in SIA. The contact could help the contractor in obtaining the tender in exchange for a commission. According to court documents, Zhang agreed to the plan and the two men also agreed to split the commission equally between them.<br/>