CargonewsXpress - Edition 1410

If this newsletter is not properly displayed, please click here. ABOUT US SUBSCRIPTION ADVERTISING CONTACT US - Edition: 1410 Headlines Finnair to start direct Helsinki-Hanoi flights MAS swings to profit in third quarter Union wants 5.2% higher wages for 50,000 Lufthansa staff El Al profit jumps 79% on lower costs Hong Kong losing ground as major port UPS develops technology to reduce dangers of freight fires Sandy cost US Airways $35m in profit Heathrow needs one runway to become hub Qantas rebels court pilots union Iberia ground staff, crew plan strikes in December Zim swings back into the black Four China firms put on no-fly list Contents Finnair to start direct Helsinki-Hanoi flights Finnish airliner Finnair Oyj will open a direct route from Helsinki to Hanoi, Vietnam, in the summer of 2013, continuing the company's strategic focus on traffic between Asia and Europe, reported Dow Jones Newswires. MAS swings to profit in third quarter Flag carrier Malaysian Airline System (MAS) turned profitable in the three months ended September 30, helped in part by unrealised foreign exchange gains of US$30.6 million after staying in the red for the past six quarters, reported Dow Jones Newswires. Union wants 5.2% higher wages for 50,000 Lufthansa staff German labour union ver.di is demanding a wage increase of 5.2 percent for 50,000 Lufthansa staff it represents, reported Dow Jones Newswires. In addition, the union wants to eliminate lay-offs and offer guaranteed jobs for trainees. El Al profit jumps 79% on lower costs Israel's flagship carrier El Al Israel Airlines said that streamlining measures and lower fuel costs helped bump up its third quarter net profit by 79 percent, reported Dow Jones Newswires. Net profit rose to US$37.4 million from $20. Hong Kong losing ground as major port A raft of issues ranging from a lack of government support to a lack of facilities and new height restrictions in Kwai Chung are eroding Hong Kong's competitiveness as a top global port, a leading terminal executive said. UPS develops technology to reduce dangers of freight fires United Parcel Service (UPS) has developed and is testing several new technologies, including a new class of fire-retardant containers to hold packages, that promise to keep fires from raging inside the bellies of cargo jets, reported Dow Jones Newswires. Sandy cost US Airways $35m in profit US Airways said hurricane Sandy cost the airline US$35 million in profits, as the storm contributed to a decrease in bookings that stretched into November, reported Dow Jones Newswires. Heathrow needs one runway to become hub Heathrow airport is expected to tell the Davies Commission investigation into aviation expansion that it can remain as the world's premier international passenger hub by adding only a third, rather than a fourth, runway. Qantas rebels court pilots union The high-profile group of investors challenging the strategic direction of Qantas under the leadership of Alan Joyce will meet the influential pilots' union this week for a second time to outline their plans, reported, The Sydney Morning Herald. Iberia ground staff, crew plan strikes in December The ground workers and cabin crew of Spanish airline Iberia Lineas Aereas de Espana are planning to stage strikes between December 14 and December 21 to protest against an aggressive restructuring plan, ABC and Cinco Dias reported, citing union sources. Zim swings back into the black Zim recorded a net profit of US$16 million in the third quarter, an $82 million improvement compared with the same quarter last year in which the company line recorded a $66 million loss, and a $63 million improvement compared with the previous quarter Four China firms put on no-fly list China Air Transport Association (CATA) has put four domestic logistics firms on its no-fly list due to security flaws, reported Xinhua.   Produced by Cargonews Asia 10/F, Block C, Seaview Estate, 2-8 Watson Road, North Point, Hong Kong. Tel: 852-3965 7800 Fax: 852-2508 0255 Contact Editorial: cnaedit@cargonewsasia.com.hk Advertising: octang@cargonewsasia.com.hk Other enquiry: customer@cargonewsasia.com.hk You have been sent this email because you requested to receive it, either as a registered user of CargonewsAsia.com, or as a registered reader of Cargonews Asia newspaper. If you would like to unsubscribe from this newsletter click here. If you received this newsletter from a friend and you would like to subscribe to it free of charge please go to the cargonewsasia.com registration page and fill out the registration form. This news service is designed for optimal viewing with MS Outlook. Copyright @2002-2009 Marshall Cavendish Business Information (HK) Ltd. All Rights Reserved.