Well a nice short over has come to an end, and therefore it’s time to begin to end this long burn trip.

But first, there is a (hopefully) lovely flight coming up with Asiana coming up.

I’m just dreading the final bit of the journey – from Heathrow, through London, and finally back to Birmingham. And whilst I could take a coach home… I’m sure you’ll understand that I’ll have my fill of National Express on the Birmingham run in March when I wander back to The Windy City.

Once again, I’m impressed with the Korean hospitality (if not the hotel, but that’s another subject I’ll write about another day)

For now, it’s a few minutes in the lounge, oodles of cup noodles and peanuts (and semi flat sparking wine) before the long slog back home.

More from London later!

The IAG Group has released its latest numbers, and all is going well it seems, making profits of £410 million. £190m in 2010, with revenues up 10.4 per cent.

Pre-tax profit was up from £70m in 2010, to £426m

However, with all these good numbers, there is a heck of a sting in the tail. And that’s in the form of the Air Passenger Duty collected, which comes in at a whopping £500 million, and costs for fuel increasing by up 29.7 per cent.

Like O’Leary of Ryanair, Willie Walsh also notes that:

“British aviation’s competiveness is undermined by the UK government’s determination to continually increase Air Passenger Duty with the latest rise due this April”.

For IAG, this has had an impact with it’s British Airways unit, by reducing new hires and postponing the re-introduction of a 747-400 back into the fleet. The fact it’s also saving a bundle on money by keeping these aircraft on the ground is of course besides the point.

Moving to other airlines in the group, Iberia Express is still set for a March launch (which is mired in Union battles). However the hubs and spoke network Iberia has is subject to restructured. Expect fun there.  In regards to British Midland Airways, subject to approval – the slots are being eyed for longhaul growth, as well as supporting the shorthaul network. Read into that what you will, but that says some of the slot sitting services BMI operate may not be long for this world hopefully.

Positive news for IAG – and in this climate, that’s not a bad thing.

It seems even the darling of the Middle Eastern airlines – Emirates -  is suffering with the current round of fuel prices and is to institute fuel surcharges on its flights

The airline will be introducing the surcharge for all tickets issued from 1st March 2012.

Of course, like any surcharge it’s comparatively confusing depending on you’re going and the class you’re in

• From the UAE To Countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council,  the Middle East and South Asian Subcontinent: First/Business AED390, Econony AED60
• From the UAE to Africa, Europe, the Far East and Australasia: First/Business AED500, Economy AED120
• From the UAE to the Americas: First/Business AED610, Economy  AED170

Note, surcharges are priced per segment.

Emirates bemoans:

“Emirates has already incurred substantial costs by absorbing the recent price rises, but the surcharge gives us the ability to respond faster to market conditions, rather than a lengthier process of incorporating them into fare,”

“The changes will also give us the ability to decrease prices quickly, where appropriate. We will review the level of the surcharge on an ongoing basis.”

As we all know, surcharges are never welcome. Sadly… I’d expect more of them as fuel shoots up again.

The shy and retiring CEO of Ryanair Michael O’Leary has looked at the new 737-MAX project. And his words on it could be worrying for Boeing with the amount of planes Ryanair has ordered in the past.

Talks are ongoing, but the shy CEO stated that re-engineered plane is a “dog’s dinner of a design”, and that it had been drawn “on the back of a fag packet as a response to the Airbus Neo”.

Ouch.

Furthermore, whilst there are pretty renderings of the plane O’Leary goes onto complain Boeing can’t tell you what the Max looks like or what the fuel saving is”.

Ryanair is currently negotiating with Boeing over more 737-800′s or 8-MAX’s as the fleet starts to age slowly.

However, it’s good to hear that the loony wing of Ryanair is up to usual madness with the idea of a standing-only area and deleting the rear lavatories from the plane. Even the regulators still aren’t buying into the idea of standing-area flights.

Maybe there are little mercies in the world to stop Ryanair’s pursuit of taking whatever pleasure there remains in flying out of it (not to mention the safety implications there could be).

What could really scare Boeing is the work Ryanair is doing with Comac and it’s C919 project (the in developing a 200 seat variant of the C919. With a massive order like that, it could propel the Comac project into the stratosphere

Of course, this could be just O’Leary trying to scare Boeing into lowering its prices. Which is entirely likely.

Never one to miss a round of attacking people, he then turned his venom on UK Government, and it’s lack of clear policy on aviation. And the joy of Air Passenger Duty which has caused traffic numbers to drop by 20% since it’s major restructuring in 2007.

Speaking further on aviation policy, O’Leary rubbishes the idea of Boris Island (the Thames Esturary airport stating a lack of infrastructure and timeframes (30 years plus), and would rather add runways at the existing London Hubs

Well he’s nothing if outspoken. And… rather annoying.

And no prizes for guessing which lounge I’m in at Hong Kong Airport…

I’ll report from the Thai lounge in a bit… after another class of Piper.

Maybe two.

It’s time to turn back to the soap opera that is Kingfisher Airlines, with Vijay Mallya telling employees on Monday that he hopes to conclude negotiations by next week with groups who could provide much-needed new funding the airline according to the Times of India

Vijay also calls the attacks on the media “unscrupulous” and “sensationalist.”

Sorry Vijay, when I see a plan on the ground with engines stripped and a mass cancellation schedule, I’d call it a worrying sign.

Vijay  concedes that workers are seriously overdue their wages, and calls the inability to pay his staff  “a source of great personal sorrow”.

Again, not being able to pay your workers isn’t a good thing.

The airline is hoping to unfreeze it’s bank accounts, but is ultimately hoping that a change to rules in airline investment in India (allowing foreign airlines to purchase up to 49% of an airline) to be the bright savior. But this means that the airline has a solid business plan.

And I’m sorry – I’m not seeing that right now with Kingfisher.

Korean Air has decided to deploy an A380 to Frankfurt in a move that has surprised some (as London was on the cards).

It seems the money in Frankfurt and trade links are more important than a city name… and people who will pay and fill those business class seats  – so business sense rather than pride. (although Korean Air has expanded its route to London recently – even adding a route to London Gatwick).

The service will operate as below:

KE905 DEPART ICN 12:50  ARRIVE FRA 17:45
KE906 DEPART FRA 19:45 ARRIVE ICN 13:05.

Route change commences: 25th March 2012
Booked Equipment: Airbus A380-800

Whilst Korean Air hasn’t formally announced the route, the data is on the GDS, and you can start booking those seats.. now.

It’s Sunday, and I’m now in the Fragrant Harbor, so it must be time for Airplane Art.

Of course visiting Japan means “Ooh, an ANA plane. Ooh JAL. Ooh… another ANA plane.

But they do love their special edition liveries out here… and to celebrate, I did catch a Pokemon jet (well two of them), as I caught But it seems I have not caught them all sadly.

So here’s the first Pokemon jet I caught (alas, I think I’d need a bigger pocket monster ball…), an ANA Boeing 777-300 landing at Tokyo Haneada Airport

Good afternoon from Hong Kong Airport!

ANA deliverered again – that’s the good news. The bad news that at 12:40, it was Asia rush hour. Net result…. 30 minutes to clear immirgation….

Anyway, guesses where I’m headed next?

Good morning from the ANA lounge at Haneda Airport.

I’m readying for yet another flight on this trip, and have had a whale of a time. But the time is coming to an end, and it’s off from the Land of the Rising Sun to The Fragrant Harbor.

And the Udon noodles they have at the ANA Lounge are excellent!

It’s been an interesting trip so far… although my credit card issuers may define the term “Interesting” when I get home on the amount spent….

See you on the flipside!

It’s Saturday again, so it’s time to stow your table, seat into the upright position as Garuda Indonesia show off their safety features in this video:

More safety of course next week!