GOLDMAN AND GORDON HAVE SEEN BETTER DAYS April 21, 2010 GORDON Brown’s savage attack on Goldman Sachs for being “morally bankrupt” must have come as a surprise to those who can recall a time when the Prime Minister’s attitude to the bank was rather different. BGC’s veteran market commentator David Buik yesterday reminisced about a fundraising gala dinner he attended years ago in aid of [...]
BA and Iberia up on deal hopes February 1, 2010 Shares in British Airways rose yesterday on hopes its planned merger with Spanish carrier Iberia will go ahead, despite the European Union (EU) deepening its investigation into the plan. BA, Iberia and American Airlines offered to modify their plans to share more of their lucrative trans-Atlantic routes in an effort to settle a competition dispute [...]
CITY VIEWS: SHOULD BRITISH AIRWAYS CHARGE FOR IN-FLIGHT MEALS? July 29, 2009 ABI COOPER LAING O’ROURKE“Yes, I think it will affect the number of people who fly with them. I suppose it does depend on the journey length, however, as budget airlines already charge for in-flight meals. Perhaps passengers used to short-haul flights with these airlines won’t mind.” ZAIN HIRANI STANDARD BANK“I think it’s a small thing [...]
Acquisitions are back on the agenda this year March 14, 2010 M&A teams in investment banks all over London must be salivating at the prospect of a wave of new deals. Acquisitions are back on the agenda. In many ways it makes sense. Last year many companies re-trenched, rebuilt their balance sheets and hoped for the best. They have been hoarding cash but now wonder if [...]
Banks and commodities make gains as Wall Street is closed for public holiday February 15, 2010 BRITAIN’S leading shares rose 0.5 per cent yesterday, led by firmer banks and commodity issues after falls in the previous session, while British Airways climbed on increased hopes for a global alliance. At the close, the FTSE 100 was 25.02 points higher at 5,167.47, well below the session peak of 5,194.29. Blue chips drifted off [...]
WEE WILLIE BRUSHES UP ON BA’S PR STRATEGY April 19, 2010 THAT pesky cloud of Icelandic volcanic ash may have caused havoc among passengers and crippling losses to airlines, but at least there has been a silver lining for one man. “Wee” Willie Walsh, the chief executive of British Airways, has suffered something of a PR nightmare over the past year amid strikes and crisis-hit revenues, [...]
Bankruptcy looms for Japan Airlines January 12, 2010 FEARS that Japan Airlines is heading for bankruptcy continued to grow yesterday, with shares tumbling by 45 per cent to a new all-time low despite an increased offer of investment from its Oneworld alliance partners. The airlines, led by American Airlines and including British Airways, have upped their offer of investment in the struggling carrier [...]
BA shares surge on AA ruling February 15, 2010 SHARES in British Airways yesterday surged after the lucrative tie-up between the struggling carrier and potential partner American Airlines moved a step closer. The US Department of Transportation (DoT) proposed granting the Oneworld alliance immunity from anti-trust competition laws. It says the move would enhance competition within the airline industry where the SkyTeam alliance and [...]
BA and Unite disagree over strike figures March 22, 2010 BRITISH AIRWAYS and cabin crew union Unite continued to stand their ground yesterday, even as a three day strike drew to an end. BA said it was still open to talks with Unite but that there were no immediate plans to go back into negotiations over plans to cut the pay and staff numbers of cabin [...]
BA cabin crew start vote on strike action January 25, 2010 BRITISH Airways staff began voting yesterday on possible strike action after the flag carrier’s bosses and unions failed to strike a deal on a planned shake-up of working conditions. The Unite trade union opened a strike ballot for the airline’s cabin crew after talks with the airline failed to secure a deal on changes to [...]