The News Review:
- EU-US aviation agreement takes effect
- EDITORIAL: Keeping the aviation sector airborne
- Who is Horrie Miller?
- Airlines demand serving of liquor on domestic flights
EU-US aviation agreement takes effect
Taipei Times – Mar 31, 2008
After more than four years of often tense negotiations, hopes are high that the new “open skies” agreement will usher in a new era of transatlantic travel. “This marks the start of a new era in transatlantic aviation,” said EU Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot. “This agreement will bring more competition and cheaper flights. ”
The EU estimates that the accord could provide a major boost to transatlantic air traffic with more than 26 million extra passengers expected over the next five years.
EDITORIAL: Keeping the aviation sector airborne
Taipei Times – Mar 31, 2008
The news, coupled with Ma’s other election campaign promises to open up cross-strait transportation links, might have been expected to create a wave of euphoria in the nation’s aviation industry, which has been hard hit by the launch of the high speed rail system last year. The four domestic airlines — Mandarin Airlines, Uni Airways, TransAsia Airways and Far Eastern Air Transport — suffered huge losses last year, with Far Eastern Air on the brink of bankruptcy earlier this month. The companies have pinned their hopes on cross-strait deregulation to stay alive. The direct charter flight policy would also be good news for international carriers China Airlines and EVA Airways.
Related: Arcapita.
Who is Horrie Miller?
abc.net.au – Mar 31, 2008
Then the war broke out and he couldn’t get into the Royal Flying Corps but he heard that the Australian Flying Corps had been formed so he came back to Australia and was promptly sent back to England to go to war. Once the war was over, Miller returned to Australia and kept with his passion, adding a business edge to it. Although, “he was so interested in aviation, he paid his pilots more than he paid himself because he wanted the best,” Fletcher points out. That led to a situation where Miller had run out of money. Luckily, “he met a chap called David Robertson who said ‘I’m going to take you to see my father’ who was Sir McPherson Robertson, the chocolate manufacturer,” Fletcher explains. “He and Miller got on extremely well and Robertson advanced him enough money to buy a brand new much better aircraft and they together formed Mac Robertson Miller aviation. [That first plane] had to be called Old Gold… In 1984 he was awarded the Oswald Watt Gold Medal awarded for excellence in the promotion of Australian aviation in all its forms. By that time Horrie unfortunately was unwell and was in a wheelchair and three years later he died. ”
But his legacy lives on at places like the aviation museum and, of course, in the daily use of Horrie Miller Drive.
Airlines demand serving of liquor on domestic flights
Economic Times – Mar 31, 2008
The government is under
pressure from the airline operators as well as politicians to permit serving of
alcoholic drinks on domestic flights, a top aviation official said on
Monday. “There is no reason why booze should not be permitted on
domestic flights,” said the official. He said the civil aviation
ministry has received quite a number of representations from the airlines and
grape and wine makers in this regard. “Let us receive a proposal. If
the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) makes such a proposal, the
ministry can consider it and then take it to the union cabinet for approval,”
the official said. Earlier, four Rajya Sabha members, attending a
meeting of the parliamentary consultative committee on civil aviation, asked the
aviation ministry to push this proposal. Currently, India’s rules do
not allow serving of alcoholic drinks on domestic flights… He said the civil aviation
ministry has received quite a number of representations from the airlines and
grape and wine makers in this regard. “Let us receive a proposal. If
the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) makes such a proposal, the
ministry can consider it and then take it to the union cabinet for approval,”
the official said. Earlier, four Rajya Sabha members, attending a
meeting of the parliamentary consultative committee on civil aviation, asked the
aviation ministry to push this proposal. Currently, India’s rules do
not allow serving of alcoholic drinks on domestic flights. Alcohol is
served on Air India’s international flights. Besides, international flights
coming to India also serve liquor on board.
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