Japan Airlines said Wednesday that President Yoshiharu Ueki, who helped lead the company's recovery from bankruptcy, will be replaced by a senior executive in April. Ueki, a former pilot who was named president in 2012, will become chairman while Yuji Akasaka, currently managing executive officer in charge of engineering and maintenance, will become the new president, the company said. Ueki is credited with being instrumental in revitalising the once-bankrupt carrier by slashing costs and clinching code-sharing deals. But his successor will face a tough road in gaining back market share from rival ANA. JAL was freed from government-imposed restrictions on route expansion only last April, more than seven years after filing for bankruptcy and receiving a taxpayer-funded bailout. ANA benefited from JAL's bankruptcy by winning slots at Haneda Airport, the airport preferred by business travelers departing from or arriving in Tokyo. It overtook JAL in 2016 to become the country’s biggest international airline and holds a higher Skytrax rating for passenger service and comfort.<br/>
oneworld
Unsecured creditors of the failed airline Air Berlin should not expect to recover any of their claims, according to an insolvency report Wednesday. The report, written by insolvency manager and administrators Lucas Floether and Frank Kebekus, said any remaining hope for creditors to recover assets evaporated after Lufthansa scrapped plans to buy Air Berlin’s Niki unit for E189m. Germany’s flagship carrier made the U-turn on its plans to buy Niki after Brussels signaled antitrust concerns. Former motor racing champion Niki Lauda eventually won the bidding for the Niki airline he founded for an undisclosed price.<br/>
Qantas has named a new head for its loyalty unit, as well as a new chief customer officer. Olivia Wirth has been tapped to head the company's loyalty business, replacing Jayne Hrdlicka who announced her departure from the Qantas Group in December 2017. A nine-year veteran of Qantas, Wirth is now the chief customer officer. Replacing her in the chief customer officer role will be Vanessa Hudson, a 23-year veteran of the company whose current role is executive manager of sales and distribution. “At the senior executive level we have a number of very high calibre individuals who have a deep understanding of our business, and Olivia and Vanessa are two standout examples of that,” says CE Alan Joyce.<br/>
Qatar Airways said on Wednesday it is in talks with the US TSA to comply with their request for their cargo to undergo enhanced screening. The TSA announced Monday it would require six Middle East airlines, including Qatar Airways, to toughen cargo security at their hub airports in the region. “Qatar Airways is aware of the new Air Cargo Advance Screening requirements and is liaising with TSA and ... regulators to ensure regulatory compliance,” an airline spokeswoman said. The carriers and airports are Qatar Airways operating out of Doha’s Hamad International Airport, Emirates operating out of Dubai International Airport, Etihad Airways out of Abu Dhabi International Airport, Saudia operating out of Jeddah’s King Abdul-Aziz International Airport and Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, EgyptAir operating out of Cairo International Airport, and Royal Jordanian operating out of Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport. All cargo originating from those airports will have to be screened and secured under Air Cargo Advance Screening protocols. The TSA said most of the requirements were already being voluntarily applied by airlines around the world.<br/>