2013 MARCH / Vol. 5 / No. 3 /
GA
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CEO of AviationCV.com,
Skaiste Knyzaite.
It appears that the bad dream has ended
in daylight for Boeing this month as it
retains a firm grasp on the industry's top
spot for order numbers, despite the teething
issues surrounding its 787 Dreamliner.
The aircraft manufacturer had clinched the
number one ranking from Airbus last year,
with broadly higher orders and deliveries
for January demonstrating the tenacity of
this trend. Moreover, last week's test flight
approval of the 787 suggests promising ac-
tion is underway for the aircraft's return to
commercial service, having been grounded
since the middle of January over battery
ignition concerns.
Taking this development and the post-
recession recovery in certain economies,
we ask the question: what changes are in
store for 2013 and which airlines are driv-
ing further expansion?
Last month marked a particularly
dynamic period for the two leading aircraft
manufacturers, as sales notably outper-
formed earlier forecasts. During this time,
Boeing confirmed deliveries of 39 aircraft
and orders amounting to 145. Even despite
the freeze in its 787 release, the company's
figures surpassed its European counterpart,
with Airbus taking orders for 121 jetliners
and delivering a further 35 over the same
period. Additionally, gross orders from last
year stand well ahead of the 2012 targets
for both companies, showing 1,339 for
Boeing and 833 for Airbus giving the lat-
ter a 41 percent share of the market.
Underpinning the above average growth
in aircraft order numbers is the desire by
airlines to replace their fleets with more
fuel efficient planes. As fuel price volatility
further renders such an initiative economi-
cally viable, we will likely see an upshot in
orders for the much anticipated A320NEO,
737 MAX and Airbus's wide-body offer-
ing the A350, due to enter airline service
next year. Indeed, we are witnessing it
already with the low-cost carrier, Norwe-
gian, who have sought the feasibility of-
fered by the 787 to launch their ambitious
plans serving both the US and the Far East.
The company had placed an order for
eight 787s, providing a number of new
opportunities to pilots. The first delivery
was expected to take place in April, but
this could likely be pushed back given the
current circumstances.
Driving growth and further openings for
pilots in 2013 will be a number of compet-
ing factors. Gulf based airlines including
Qatar Airways and Etihad are likely to
follow-up with their aggressive expansion
plans into North America, delving into a
market that had long remained untapped.
Low-cost carriers in Europe will also
seek further expansion on the back of esca-
lating demand from the resilient northern
economies. Vueling alone has stated ambi-
tious plans to expand its network by up to
100 destinations in 2013, with both easyJet
and Ryanair commencing additional flights
in response to the uplift in business travel.
Further abroad, the airlines of China
and Indonesia are expected to continue
with their tenacious development plans.
While last year marked the somewhat
infamous demise of India's Kingfisher
Airlines, the same financial malaise has not
affected other carriers in the country, with
Jet Airways and IndiGo reporting a wholly
optimistic outlook for 2013 the latter
currently being one of the world's fastest
growing carriers.
In the case of Southeast Asia, rising
income levels combined with further open
sky negotiations this year have initiated ex-
ponential growth plans in the low-cost car-
rier segment. For instance, budget airlines
including Lion Air, Air Asia, Cebu Air
and Tiger Airways have upwards of 700
new planes on order at the current time.
Undoubtedly this will require proficient
management of their individual recruit-
ment strategies in order not to sustain a
loss in overall competitiveness.
This is the airline industry we are talk-
ing about here, and the margin for error
over most facets of operation is typically
razor-thin. For airlines to enhance their
market standing, it may prove tremendous-
ly to their advantage to make use of the
services tendered by flight crew recruit-
ment agencies, as Norwegian has done
so with their 787 fleet orders. A number
of these agencies are aptly positioned to
provide customised recruitment solutions
ensuring both a sustainable and predictable
route of expansion. ·
A turnaround perhaps?
The changes in
store for pilots
in 2013