Qatar Airways snubbed Etihad targets, claims CEO
The second-biggest Gulf airline is “actively discussing opportunities” with other passenger carriers, Al Baker said in an interview with Bloomberg.
“I would not like to pre-empt our decision,” he was quoted as saying. “We would rather keep it to ourself for the time being, of where we want to invest. When we see that there are strong synergies between the two carriers we are open to investment.”
However, Al Baker said Qatar Airways was “offered” unprofitable Greek carrier Olympic Airlines, Air Seychelles and “even Air Serbia,” while Alitalia, which has suffered years of losses, has indicated its availability “several times over the past five years,” Al Baker told Bloomberg, adding that none of the deals came through.
Rome-based Alitalia is in the final stages of investment talks with UAE national carrier Etihad Airways, which has also taken a 50 percent stake in Air Serbia and a minority shareholding in Air Seychelles.
“We were offered umpteen airlines that today have either been acquired or are in the process,” Al Baker said. Qatar Airways “will not be rushed into taking investments in airlines in bits and pieces,” he said, adding of Etihad’s purchases that: “Each airline in our region has a different strategy.”
He added: “We want to make sure that we don’t create a burden on us,” he said. “We want airlines that we acquire to be complementary to us, we don’t want to get involved in fixing other people’s problems.”
In another apparent reference to Etihad, Al Baker said Qatar Airways had never considered taking stakes in Indian carriers such as budget operator SpiceJet. Etihad took a 24 percent stake in India’s Jet Airways last year.
Al Baker also told Bloomberg that he had abandoned plans to set up a freight hub via investment in an existing operator after exiting a 35 percent stake in Cargolux Airlines International following a strategy dispute with Europe’s No 1 cargo-only carrier.
Meanwhile he said the airline was also interested in operating the A319 Business class-only service to London City Airport in addition plans for the service to Heathrow, but was unable to do so because the aircraft “is a bit heavy” to take off from the urban location’s short runway with the required fuel load.
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/qatar-airways-snubbed-etihad-targets-claims-ceo-544196.html
The corporate war between Qatar Airways and Etihad has begun.
ReplyDeleteThe Qatari are openly displaying their Arab Arrogance. This is what Michel and Faure are trying to bring to Seychelles?
ReplyDeleteTheir money has strings attached.
Let them rot in their dessert and ugly country. We will be fine without them.
I think Mr Al Baker made a very important point namely That ETIHAD opts to making joint venture with fialing Airlines etc.....The question that automatically crops up is WHY does ETIHAD is always in search fro joint ventures with those airlines?Well,For Etihad it is not the airlines it makes joint ventures with thaat is importatn..but rather having access to those countires,with fee airport tax,and other benefits etc .for ETIHAD own strategy which is known namely BECOMING THE WORLD`S FIRST AIRLINE... As with the joint venture with Air Seyhelles which is not ready operating with a intersting profit(it is a bit special for KHalifa the owner of ETHAD)namely that even though Air Seychelles is not doing well,he would do anything to give us a positive figure ,WHY?HE wants us to love him, and hope by giving us positive benfit of AIRSEY we might love him.
ReplyDeleteOf course joint venture has also its advanetages such as cost synergy,fuel purchasing etc...but otherwise small airlines are jusr feeders to the bigger palyers.In other words,ETIHAD thinks big by buying small (elliminating all small).ETIAHD joint venture strategy is not to make those other AIRlines succeessful and at a level to compete with etihad,in fact ,the contary,--it deminish.Code sharing airlines might compete less aggressively in price or capacity in overlapping markets,to avoid underming the agreement on connecting tariff.and often in the agreememnt airlines work as a package ,thus coulkd be bad for a small carrier thzat have to abide to conditions of the bigger (or the big brother like Eithad /Air Seychelles,whereby Airseychelles just go around flgihint Etihad passengers to short domestic or regional destinations .which expalin why St Ange and Pp could not though the ogvernemnt have the bigger share could not flight to Europe for Etihad dictates the rules,procedures etc...We have noted also ,that while Airsey tells us it is profitable(foten amrginal profit which often reamins more or less the same year round),which is money collected and paid by Etihad for service(the negative effect becuase Airsey cannot take decisions itself is that AirSey not longer fly Europe)which affect greatly our tourism industry.Pp could tells us beofre we were not making such profit with AIRSEY.Well you did,DAVID SAVY robbed all the profit,and it was even higher than was is being paid by ETIAHD TO AIRSEY for regional services,Other consiqeucnes tourists arrival has decrease especially arrival from main markets ,though they still the leading market,beucase many european do not want to waste their time,mone to fly via DUBAI ,go into duty free etc...That PP recently told us aarival from DUBAI increase--well it is not arb coming more to our shores,,ofr arab dues to their mentality could never repalce EUROEPAN.the fact is,it is not more arrival from Arabs country but simply european transiting via DUBAI to seychelles.It is not more european coming but a bit more transiting via dubia,They have no alterantives).
I awaiting for the new airline namely Seychelles Airline in May so that i can travel more regualarly as a used to to Europe etc......I St Ange And pp would surely ee the differetn in aarvial then.
Jeanne D'Arc
I'm wondering if Michel and Faure read the small print, It is a very big hole they are digging for the people of Seychelles.
ReplyDeleteIf Etihad really cares about Air Seychelles they would stop coming to Mahe and let Air Seychelles operate that specific route. That is not a partnership. It is like asking your girlfriend or your wife to get into bed with your best friend, but you will be there to make sure nothing happens. No sense at all. Although I guess some of you may like this idea. lol
ReplyDeleteI have seen and currently experiencing the astronomical costs of travelling from UK to Seychelles. I used to travel directly to Seychelles in a record 10 hours at an average cost of GBP600 off peak and GBP 800 during peak season. Unfortunately, I can no longer get to SZ for less than GBP750 off peak and averaging GBP1000 at peak season. These prices are in spite of current stable fuel prices. I fear Etihad & Emirates are artificial manipulating these high prices. On the other hand, cost to destinations further afield are some 30% cheaper when hibbing through Abu Dhabi or Dubai. e.g. Cape Town, Durban, Lusak, Harare ! These South African destinations costs cheaper to get to because of competition from other carriers. I wonder when will Afif start his new direct services to give these Arabs a good game !
ReplyDeleteIt is a simple concept of a FREE market that competitions bring down prices. Unfortunately some politicians in Seychelles went to the school of marxism economics in Cuba.
ReplyDeleteVoodoo economics!!!!
ReplyDeleteEtihad does not care about AIR Seychelles nor the importance our National IArline has in regards to our tourism industry.Khalfia has an obession of making his airlineNumber one in the world at all cost including the strategy fo reducing other Iarlines that compete with him to secondary ,or feeder airlines ,just operating to serve Etihad main objectives.Nor does PP,take the importance of A NAtional Airline seriously.Corrupted by Khalfia ,Pp thugs rpefer sacrfficing our Airline thus our toirism Industry just to please Khalfia's wishes in return for bribes.PP,put self-aggrandisement and bribery beofre National interests which show the lack of patriotism in those donkeys.
ReplyDeleteMorevero,Air Seychelles profit,given to us by PP last year,cannot be checked,scrutinize ,it is figure Pp threw to us.Of course,both Pp and Khalfia would try to give us positive figures,for the contary would justified our oppostion and make Khalfia more dislike by Seychellois.So create an artificial profit,which is a few little million capable ot paying from his won pocket by Khalfia without problem.Such amount is not even a pocket money from his dog.
AirSeychelles, though,having problems like amny other airlines in the world,has been more profitabel when totally owed by governemnt and was foperating direct flight from EUROPE to Seychelles than now.The problems of Air Seychelles bankrupcy is due to the fialure of Pp governemnt to control DAVID SAVY who has robbed the Airline's coffer and made himself mutl-millionaires just like SEPEC under ADAMS.,leaving Air SEYCHELLES without capital and profit to ex'pend etc.....
Jeanne D?Arc
(Reuters) - Ailing German airline Air Berlin (AB1.DE), almost 30 percent owned by Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, will be delisted and Etihad will raise its stake to 49.9 percent, a German weekly reported, possibly as a prelude to combining it with Alitalia.
ReplyDeleteAir Seychelles next?
In this deal,of course ETIHAD is the benefitor,for while it keeps the ailing German airline afloat,Etihad can use the Airline as part thus which give Etihad access to EUropean market and all the benefit a EUREOPAN airline like German airline ususally benefit from since it is register,operate within Europe.Over ailing Airlines operating within Europe have also been targeted such as DARWIN airIline etc...For all those little ailing airlines ,a deal with Etihad is a means of survival,for Etihad is having access into the EUROPEAN market without the mean to pay the big sum for landing fee,parking etc... that usually a foreign Airline would have to pay for.It is similar to the deal made byAIRSEY with ETIHAD__Etihad is favoured ,benefit from all kinds of reduction in fees,whith other airlines Like beofre Ethopian Airline etc.. have to pay the whole fees etc....thus the former is advantaged and the latter crucificed by high taxes ...Which unfair competions.
ReplyDeleteJeanne D'Arc