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Air: Corsair goes upmarket without spending too

Friday Mar 23, 2012

 

Corsairfly becomes … Corsair International. "A change but not revolution," agrees Pascal de Izaguirre, CEO of the airline of TUI. The leaders of the giant European Tourism chose a facelift to revive the company acquired by Nouvelles Frontieres in 1990 when Jacques Maillot was at the controls. At the time it was called Corse Air International

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Everything has changed since: the German TUI shareholder meeting in France Marmara Tourinter, New Frontiers and renamed the airline Corsairfly stripped a quarter of its workforce … He has invested hundreds of millions of euros to transform the old a charter company whose regular cabs devices have been fully refurbished mid-2013 with a budget of 36 million euros.

Financially, the subsidiary of TUI could not afford a complete change of name: "Rather than spend a fortune to switch brands, it is better to devote resources to what the customer appreciates the ground or on board" , says Pascal de Izaguirre CEO of Corsair International.  

Erase the image and low-cost charter

A budget of 2.5 million euros will be spent on change of visual identity (logo creation, uniforms, aircraft painting). The first plane scratched white and blue logo of the retro graphics will be delivered in July. The other six, including two new A 330 will follow until mid-April 2013.

But another reason is given by the CEO of Corsairfly to explain the lack of boldness in the choice of name: "The Corsair brand is extremely well known. Hostesses and stewards are known to be friendly and smiling. "The old company Nouvelles Frontieres is certainly an image associated with cheap, but also a Spartan comfort payday loans direct lenders.

"Corsair will celebrate its 31 anniversary this year, little known company such longevity, defends Pascal de Izaguirre. Many have disappeared, new arrivals are. We remove the "fly" but also the name of "smiley" logo TUI, not to hide our group membership, but to erase anything that might suggest the charter or low cost. "…. ….

The team of TUI wants to play the card of elegance, high quality services, while remaining competitive on price. The number of seats "open sea" (comparable to a business class) increases from 24 to 36 in the Boeing 747 and 18 to 26 in the A 330. "We have invested heavily in-flight services, airport lounges to Orly, Pointe-à-Pitre and Fort de France, and soon the meeting …"

New destinations

The relaunch of the company scheduled two years ago falls to one of the worst periods through which the world of air: the rates are low while the cost of jet fuel has stabilized at a very high level that weakens companies.

"This does not undermine our vision and direction, says the CEO of TUI France. We are currently addressing the structural problems of the company and it is not challenged by economic factors. TUI, our shareholder, has powerful resources. He made a choice that takes the long term. "

Corsair International will also review its destinations in September, the company will cease to serve Miami. Instead it will open a line to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, a destination that has grown 15% since the beginning of the year.

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Belgium adopts new austerity measures

Sunday Mar 11, 2012

 

The efforts made by Belgium are unprecedented in history. The Socialist government led by Elio di Rupo announced this Sunday the adoption of additional measures of rigor. To 11.3 billion euros in savings adopted at the end of 2011 have now been added 1.82 billion euros of provisions negotiated into the night from Saturday to Sunday, and 650 million reserve if growth is below expectations. It took six days at Belgian coalition, which brings together six parties, the center-left to center-right, to agree on this new package, which aims to limit the budget deficit to 2, 8% of GDP in 2012. In 2011, it reached 3.8% of GDP.

"With this budget, our country is one of the best students in Europe. We considered the possibility of an economic situation even worse, "justified the Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo. The government is based on a forecast of almost zero growth for 2012 at 0.1% against 0.8% previously, as recommended by the European Commission.

No VAT increase

After the austerity measures announced in November – limiting the use of early retirement, decrease the duration of unemployment benefits, taxation of stock and stock options … – Prime Minister also wanted to convince voters of the fairness of the new train measures. "It is an effort fair and balanced. The government is making an effort in structural terms, both in expenditures and receipts. [...] But the new measures do not touch many citizens. "

Most of the additional revenue will come from an announced increased repression of the black, and a tax increase on tobacco and stock transactions. However, the minimum wage, the amount of family allowance or the retirement pensions will not be modified downward. "We do not touch to VAT, it does not touch the savings accounts. [...] Despite a very challenging environment, the purchasing power of citizens is preserved and the competitiveness of companies saved, "said the Prime Minister.

Last November, the rating is downgraded sovereign debt by the Belgian credit rating agency Standard & Poor's had precipitated the adoption of an austerity plan of great magnitude. The rating agency, which matched its rating a negative outlook, particularly doubted the ability of Belgium to break the political deadlock and to present a credible budget.

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The bids are raining down on the deserted village

Tuesday Mar 6, 2012

 

On February 20, during the auction of the hamlet of Courbefy, located 40 km southwest of Limoges, no buyer had appeared, despite a retail price of only 300,000 euros. With the effect of media coverage, between 150 and 200 buyers from around the world are scrambling to try to acquire this highly original property, offered for sale price of a two-room Paris.

Without buyers, the entire village, 19 rustic buildings in various states, the boxes for horses, pool, tennis court, culminating in nearly 557 meters high with a beautiful view of the mountains of Chalus in the Périgord Limousin regional park, should return to Credit Agricole, creditor's last owner who could not repay the loan. Its proposed resort, launched in 2003, has never worked and went bankrupt, causing the abandonment of the site in 2008.

The news of the sale of Courbefy was first taken up by the media in France, before being scattered by the whole world, fascinated by the idea that a whole village could be sold for a price as ridiculous . "Admittedly, this is an offer very original, very unique, because the entire village is sold at once," says Mr. Paul Le Figaro Gérardin, counsel for the Credit Agricole. "It's because someone has bought one by one all the houses after the abandonment of the hamlet."

After being abandoned by its last inhabitants in the 1970s due to rural exodus, the small village of Courbefy might find occupants with a last minute deal last Thursday filed with the court registry by Limoges an American company, AHAE Press, registered in the State of New York. This entity belongs to the Korean-born American photographer Ahae, artist specializing in landscape photography and wildlife, whose exhibition "Through my window" must be presented at the Louvre in Paris from June 26 to July 23.

With its 10% deposit of the purchase price, the sale process is restarted, and new auction will take place at court of Limoges on May 21. "I'm sure will be many bidders," suggests Paul Gérardin me. "We have already responded to 150 to 200 inquiries from around the world. Initial requests are first come from the Paris region, London, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden and other European countries before coming the United Arab Emirates, China, U.S. and Russian. "

One potential buyers, a Dutchman, wants to use the hamlet for a reality TV show in which participants would call premises in shape.

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Fukushima: Tokyo was almost evacuated

Wednesday Feb 29, 2012

 

The government of Naoto Kan had indeed lost control of the situation in Fukushima, in full crisis following the tsunami of March 11, 2011. According to the independent commission of inquiry Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation (RJIF), a copy of a 400-page report was leaked to the press on Tuesday in a few days before its publication, Japanese authorities have considered a time a "worst case scenario "that would have led to an outright removal of Tokyo. Or 35 million people including the town, which lies 220 kilometers southwest of the damaged power plant. This report is based mainly on the testimony of Yukio Edano, spokesman for the government of the day, who says he worked on the assumption of a "chain reaction diabolical" if the nuclear reactor site would have exploded one after the other. "If this had happened, it was quite logical to conclude that we also lost Tokyo," he told investigators, according to The New York Times.

In lack of information on the extent of the disaster Fukushime, but anxious to avoid a general panic, the government has attempted to distill reassuring messages to the population. "We really just brushed against the worst case scenario, but the public did not know at this point," says Yoichi Funabashi, former editor of Asahi Shimbun and founder of the inquiry. This secret project evacuation of the Japanese capital, which Reuters obtained a copy, was presented to Prime Minister Naoto Kan – who resigned last August – by Shunsuke Kondo, Chairman of the Japan Atomic Energy Commission, two weeks after the tsunami. He did not finally been unsheathed. "It was a crucial time during which I was not even sure that Japan could still function as a state," Naoto Kan admitted in an interview with the Japanese agency Kyodo News, last September.

Tepco wants to "abandon the central"

Far from overwhelming the only Japanese government, the pin also RJIF Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the operator of the plant in Fukushima, whose lack of transparency during the crisis has already been highlighted in numerous reports. Its leaders have also refused to cooperate with investigators RJIF. According to their study, TEPCO sought, the worst of the crisis, to evacuate the atomic site where employees were trying to control the disaster. This is Naoto Kan himself that would have forced the utility to continue its work maintaining on-site employees. For experts, without the insistence of Prime Minister, the accident would still Fukushima degenerate, causing even more catastrophic consequences. Thus concludes Yoichi Funabashi, "Naoto Kan has had its flaws and moments of absence, but his decision to go into force at Tepco and insist that the company does not abandon the plant has saved Japan." .. ……

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After the wings, the nose of the A380 fails

Friday Feb 17, 2012

 

Hard times for the 380. After the case of microcracks detected in the wing of the superjumbo, Airbus will he deplore a new problem, this time in the "nose" of the device? The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is interested in any case the rivets of radom, that is to say the cover that protects the radar of the aircraft.

The authority may decide to issue in the coming weeks an airworthiness directive (AD) requiring the change of six rivets aluminum rivets titanium stronger. The 19 airlines that operate the world's fleet of 69 A380, eight months have to do this for an average of 3:30. Clearly, they would have time to schedule it as part of their regular maintenance schedule.

After the decision to order the Efsa a general inspection of the planes of A 380 in service and production, totaling one hundred aircraft, the image of the A380 takes another blow. However, this type of airworthiness directive is very common in aviation. All aircraft receive throughout their careers.

Two types of directives

"The FAA, U.S. aviation safety authority, has issued more than 830 airworthiness directives for Boeing B 747 in forty years," says one at Airbus headquarters in Toulouse. "For an airplane, receiving such a directive is as ordinary as to think about changing the wiper blades on your car or an oil change," says one.

The Aesa issues two types of directives: the current, AD, and urgent, called "emergency AD." In the case of microcracks, the two directives were common. The agency goes up a notch when it considers that the subject can affect flight safety. In this case, companies have little time to react, sometimes not even 24 hours.

In the case of rivets, flight safety is affected in any part, Airbus insists. The manufacturer points out that these are not structural elements. Six rivets 40 to 50 by radom "are not likely to blow up" the unit cover.

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A380

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The government defends its "employment tax"

Friday Feb 10, 2012

 

The government fiercely defends his proposed "employment tax"-a reduction in labor costs funded by an increase in VAT and the CSG on capital income. Supporting figures, experts Bercy want to show the economic virtues of the device, introduced Wednesday in the Cabinet, on behalf of "competitiveness" of France. Competitiveness that the report of the Court of Auditors, presented Wednesday, deemed necessary to strengthen.

As announced by the Head of State, effective October 1, work will never be the main source of funding for family policy. Reform is to reduce employer costs by 13.2 billion full-year (3.6 billion by 2012). The family contributions paid by employers will be removed for salaries between 1.6 and 2.1 SMIC (2290 euros net), then eased on a sliding scale up to 2.4 SMIC (2620 euros net). This rate was calculated Bercy, a gain of 40 euros per month for a minimum wage, 120 euros to 159 euros and 1.6 SMIC 2.1 for minimum wage. In all, according to the ministry, 14 million employees are affected by the measure.

International competition

This will benefit "to the sectors most exposed to international competition (80% of manufacturing jobs and 97% of jobs in agriculture are concerned)," argues the report of the Cabinet. The Department of Finance estimates that the reform will result in the creation of 100,000 jobs in 3 years. The Executive held Wednesday to register false face of opposition, who had spoken of a "gift to the banks." "This is nonsense! Wages in finance are higher than our target, "argued a ministerial adviser. Which also indicated that the device would benefit "proportionately" more for SMEs than for large groups, since they will reap 47% of its fruit, although they represent 40% of payroll in France.

To offset the cost, the government intends to increase from 19.6% to 21.2% the standard rate of VAT, also on 1 October. This measure will yield € 10.6 billion per year in stride. Given the controversy, the government ensures that it will not make up prices. First, he argues, because 60% of household consumption are exempt from VAT or enjoy a reduced rate will remain unchanged. Of the remaining 40%, three quarters of the products are manufactured in France, their prices will not rise … as long as companies pass on the reduced charges. Only imported products subject to the VAT increase, that is to say 10% of household purchases, could therefore lead to higher prices, ensures Bercy, while betting that "strong competition" will limit the inflation .

To complete the financing of the reform, the general social contribution (CSG) on capital income will be increased by two points, from 8.2% to 10.2%.

Still not convinced, the PS again spoke Wednesday of an economic mistake "that will weaken consumption and will therefore result in growth and employment". Francois Hollande warned that he would cancel the measure if they win.

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Merkel and Cameron are acting their differences on the euro

Saturday Nov 19, 2011

The meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel with British Prime Minister Cameron, far from marking a reconciliation, a deed the differences between the two countries on the edges of Europe. Despite the cordial declarations of the two heads of government, differences on the issue of saving the euro continues. "Germany's interests, Britain has its own," acknowledged David Cameron at the end of the meeting.

The issues are still there and no solution in sight, the Chancellor conceded. Britain still refuses the idea of ​​a tax on financial transactions, supported by Paris and Berlin, because it severely handicap the City of London. On the issue of greater involvement of the European Central Bank to resolve the crisis of the euro, which promotes London, the German chancellor has proved inflexible.


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Sunday Oct 30, 2011

In the first five days of strike by cabin crew of Air France, the situation was calm at Orly on Saturday morning. All flights were planned at this time despite the movement of flight attendants. "It is too early to detect potential problems at Orly knowing that the first flights take off at 7 o'clock," one source, however relativized airport shortly after 08h.

About the airport Roissy-Charles de Gaulle, the forecast was in line with those announced by Air France. The company plans to provide 80% of its flights but does not rule out last-minute cancellations. It struck ten long-haul flights planned Saturday morning, including flights to New York, Montreal, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Abu Dhabi, Douala.But the passengers had been warned on Friday.

Without an agreement this week with management on working conditions for cabin crew, six of seven unions called the stewards and stewardesses 15,000 to go on strike for the weekend of All Saints, usually very busy guaranteed payday loan. Traffic is expected until Wednesday, November 2 included. Air France admits that "considerable uncertainty remains about the level of participation of the cabin crew." These are not actually required to prevent the direction of their intentions.

In 2007, a similar strike – triggered by the same six unions to the same period of All Saints – had caused major disruptions. Air France was forced several times to review downward its traffic forecast: 90% of flights expected to be provided the day before, this had increased to 60% during the weekend.


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Wall Street expected a slight decrease

Wednesday Oct 12, 2011

The major index futures on Wall Street, announce an opening slightly lower on the NYSE. After four sessions of strong gains in a row investors should reap a share of their earnings per caution. Attention should be reinforced by several major deadline ahead.

Vote at high risk in Slovakia

Investors in the U.S. and Europe will continue to follow step by step développementsde the debt crisis in the eurozone. The latter is suspended by a vote very uncertain of the Slovak Parliament on Tuesday that could block the strengthening of the Financial Assistance Fund of the monetary union, the main instrument to hope to stop the contagion of the debt crisis, banks in particular.Investors also await the release later in the day of the minutes of the Fed and the announcement of Alcoa, the first tenor of the coast to announce its figures for the third quarter. The euro area, which has so far failed to stem the debt crisis, has the "political will" to overcome, reiterated on Tuesday German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a visit to Vietnam. Jean Claude Trichet, the outgoing president of the ECB, for his part said that "clear decisions" were necessary in view of the seriousness of the situation. He said the crisis has reached a "systemic dimension."

Berlin and Paris reassure markets

The willingness of the Franco-German recapitalize the banks and out of the spiral of debt crisis, like in Europe, supported investor sentiment for several days.Monday, U.S. President Barack Obama gave his full support "to the strategy of Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel." The latter, meeting in Berlin on Sunday pledged to respond "lasting and comprehensive peace" to the crisis in the euro area for the G20 summit in Cannes, 3 and 4 November. About the difficulties of the European banking sector, the two leaders said they were "determined to do whatever it takes to ensure the recapitalization of our banks." Again, the "details" will be specified later, they promised, while the EU summit scheduled for October 17 and 18 was postponed to October 23 to allow more time for officers to prepare a response "global" . Investors will pay particular attention to responses to the Greek question, the epicenter of the crisis.The leading European finance ministers, Jean-Claude Juncker, said yesterday that a discount of over 60% for creditors of Greece was possible.

First dance of Quarterly Results

In the U.S., the season of quarterly results of large companies to begin on Tuesday after the close of Wall Street. As usual, the aluminum giant Alcoa will kick-off for these publications. Follow in particular, PepsiCo Wednesday, Thursday, JPMorgan Chase and internet group Google and finally, Friday, Mattel. Analysts bet on an average increase of 13% earnings per share for the third quarter.

On the macroeconomic front U.S. investors await including the minutes of the last Fed meeting on Tuesday in 20 hours.

On the foreign exchange market, the euro is trying to go against the greenback.By late morning, the euro bought 1.3602 dollars against 1.3645 dollars late Monday. Oil is, him stable. The barrel of "light sweet crude" for November delivery gained 18 cents to 85.59 dollars. A barrel of Brent North Sea crude for November delivery gave a small 14 cents to 108.81 dollars.

Great success for the iPhone 4S

The side of values, Goldman Sachs should probably record a loss in the third quarter, which would be only the second quarterly loss in history of the giant Wall Street analysts expect Citigroup.

Apple announced its iPhone 4S has received one million pre-orders in the space of a day.By comparison, 600,000 pre-orders were recorded for the iPhone 4 in the first 24 hours.

Research in Motion announced Tuesday that its BlackBerry email and instant messaging were restored in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, nearly 20 hours after the crash reported in India and the region.

American Airlines announced a reduction in flights in coming months compared to the previous year, citing among other adverse economic conditions. American Airlines said its capacity during "the late fall and winter" would be reduced by 3% over the previous year.

The title of the group that Alcoa is required to publish its quarterly results after the market will be particularly surrounded.


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The Summit of the euro is delayed

Monday Oct 10, 2011

Euro countries, including France and Germany, rejected the Euro Summit in Brussels originally scheduled for October 18 to October 23. This is to give a little more time to the development of the answer "global" announced this weekend in Berlin by Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel. "This new date will allow us to finalize a comprehensive strategy for the debt crisis in the euro area," said Herman Van Rompuy, the President of the European Union.

'Global response'

In Berlin, Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel had foreshadowed the shift by promising "sustainable solutions, comprehensive and fast before the end of the month."They also kept to define the contours, which allows to believe that the agreement is to be locked at seventeen if not two, on the key points: the recapitalization of banks and the role of the European stabilization financial, finding economically viable treatment for Greece and modification of European treaties in order to strengthen collective discipline pay day loan lenders.

Europeans to revise their copy, just three months after concocted, July 21, a plan intended to resolve the crisis in Greece and curb its spread to Italy or Spain. It has not yet been adopted by all Seventeen. The vote of Slovakia, with a coalition divided on the subject may become paralyzing veto and the euro area.

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