Chinese carriers posted CNY7.7 billion net loss in first 11 months of 2008

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Vueling/Clickair merger expected to pass EC test

"The European Commission is expected to announce today the outcome of its first-stage review of the proposed merger of Clickair and Vueling Airlines.Shareholders of the two Barcelona-based LCCs agreed on the terms of a merger in July and an initial submission was filed to Spanish competition authority CNC, which in August referred the file to the EU's DG-Competition (ATWOnline, July 8, 2008). The EC has asked the carriers for remedies, mainly slot surrenders at BCN on certain routes (to Seville, for example), in order to address competition issues and possible market dominance, a source close to the discussions told ATWOnline.Insiders expect the EC to approve the merger based on the latest exchange of remedies, which took place Monday, although they noted that the opening of a more in-depth second-stage investigation is possible. The blocking of the merger is regarded as unlikely." La suite.

Air France nearing successful Alitalia bid

Source:
 http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=15187

BRESIL : De fructueux échanges avec le Brésil dans l'aéronautique militaire

"Au cours du mois de décembre 2008, environ 11 milliards de contrats ont été signés entre la France et le Brésil portant sur des contrats d'armement. La France a vendu les produits et services de certaines grandes entreprises nationales (Eurocopter, DCNS) tout en s'engageant dans une démarche de partenariat et de transfert de technologie avec les entreprises brésiliennes.
Concernant les avions de combat, Dassault espère également tirer profit de ces bonnes relations en 2009."
Source : www.lemoci.com, « COMMERCE INTERNATIONAL Signature de plusieurs contrats d'armement entre la France et le Brésil », le 23/12/2008

BAE to enter joint venture with Indian vehicle maker

Source : FT

"BAE Systems, Europe's largest defence contractor, is to expand its presence in the rapidly growing Indian market by setting up a joint venture focused on armoured vehicles. The company said yesterday that it had received approval from India's foreign investment regulator to set up a partnership with vehicle maker Mahindra & Mahindra. The decision is an important step in the British company's plans to build its defence business in India. Its ambitions are to position itself to participate in the modernisation of India's armed forces, among the world's largest, by entering partnerships with local companies. Ian King, chief executive of BAE Systems, described the decision as "the first step" in the group's "plans to [develop] long-term businesses in India in multiple sectors across the breadth and depth of the company's global capabilities in land, sea, air and security". Next.

BE Aerospace falls after analyst cuts estimate

Source: Forbes.com

"Aircraft-interior maker BE Aerospace Inc. shares fell Tuesday after an analyst trimmed his earnings estimate, citing a sharp drop in air-travel demand. Peter Arment of Broadpoint.AmTech also forecast a "significant de-stocking of airline spare part inventories" in the next four to six months. Assuming the global economy does not worsen, the potential trough in demand for products made by the Wellington, Fla., company could come in the middle of next year, he said in a client note." Next.

India buys $2.1bn Boeing surveillance aircraft

Source : FT

"The Indian government has agreed to buy eight long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft from Boeing, its largest acquisition of military hardware from the US, its cold war adversary.

New Delhi's $2.1bn (€1.5bn, £1.4bn) purchase of the P-8I Poseidon aircraft highlights India's rapidly deepening defence ties with the US, a process facilitated by a civil nuclear deal last year that buried the biggest bone of contention between the two countries.

The urgent need for India to enhance its maritime security was exposed during the November terror assault on Mumbai, which was mounted by attackers who commandeered a small fishing boat and landed on the waterfront in the heart of India's financial capital.

Boeing is vying with five other companies - including Lockheed Martin of the US, France's Dassault, a European consortium led by EADS, and Russia's Mikoyan Design Bureau - to supply 126 fighter jets in a $10bn deal that would modernise India's decrepit Soviet-era strike force.

The Boeing P-8Is, which will replace 25-year-old patrol aircraft, have the capacity to detect submarines moving deep into India's territorial waters and also possess advanced missile systems that could be used to destroy them. The first aircraft are to be delivered in four years and Indian defence analysts said the country might acquire up to 20." La suite.