Enough is Enough

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On July 3 and 4, 2025, a small minority of French air traffic controllers: 272 on Thursday, July 3 and 251 on
Friday, July 4, 2025 out of a total of 3,462 air traffic controllers employed by the air navigation service DSNA,
which depends on the DGAC, the French Civil Aviation Directorate, went on strike. The result was devastating:
in France alone, 933 flights were cancelled on Thursday and 1,125 on Friday, i.e. between 25% of traffic on the
Paris platforms and 50% in southern airports such as Nice, for example. The icing on the cake is that all business
aviation flights have been cancelled. If we take an average of 150 passengers per flight, the 2,058 cancellations
impacted just over 300,000 passengers, not counting delays and customers of private flights. And not to
mention the 1,500 or so European flights forced to be cancelled because it was impossible to fly over French
territory, through which a large proportion of flights from the continent transit.

So much for the quantified damage, but it does not reflect the stress of passengers forced to stay on the
ground or that of airline and airport staff who have had to endure the understandable bad mood of their
customers without being able to take any action to resolve their situation. Of course, the date was well chosen,
it was the date when families can finally meet again after a year of separation.

The most beautiful thing is the reason for this work stoppage. For the past 2 years, controllers have had to
comply with a time clock so that their employer can ensure their presence, since the staff is also sized to move
air traffic safely. Except that until now, no one checked who was the wearer of the badges inserted in the time
clocks, which allowed all accommodations between employees who clocked in on behalf of absentees who were in charge of revenge. To mitigate what is nothing more or less than a form of fraud, the DGAC, i.e. their employer, has decided to introduce facial recognition linked to the wearer of the badge inserted in the time clock. Horror among the controllers who will no longer be able to take hours or even days of absence when they have decided themselves on the number of staff necessary to route the planned traffic. The best part of the story is that the motive of the strikers is precisely to demand additional staff.

Basically, we can’t blame employees for always wanting more, after all they have very short working weeks and
even if their profession requires particularly sustained attention and unfailing professionalism, they are not
alone in the control room and there are several of them on the same workstation in the event of an expected
overload of work. They could just as easily demand large salary increases, even if they are part of the
proportion of the highest paid civil servants, with an average salary of €5,000 net per month, which
corresponds to an average gross salary of €6,250.

In this lamentable case, what is most shocking is the laxity of the authorities. The latter are perfectly aware of
the practices that take place in the control centres and they have been turning a blind eye for years. In
addition, they are unable to organize a continuity of service with only 272 strikers present in two minority
unions out of a total of 3,462 air traffic controllers, i.e. 7.85% of the workforce. I don’t know of any company manager who puts his activity on hold for 7.85% of strikers. How can we accept this lack of authority and
management? How do those in charge accept to put 300,000 people in distress so as not to be able to
reorganize their workforce?

I am told that the controllers are untouchable and that the last time civilian control was handed over to the
military was in 1973, which resulted in a mid-air collision over Nantes. Yes, but that was 52 years ago, more
than half a century ago. Since then, technology has evolved significantly. Are we sure, for example, that foreign
German, Swiss, British or other control centres would not be able to regulate traffic to compensate for the
shortcomings of French centres? For years, Europeans have been working on a European management of air
traffic control. That would be welcome. At the time, the American controllers decided on a massive work
stoppage, but they came up against the will of President Ronald Reagan who proceeded to dismiss all the
strikers, i.e. 2/3 of the workforce. Of course, this caused a monster mess in the sky for at least 3 months, but
since 1981 and the 11,000 layoffs we have not heard of an untimely work stoppage in the USA.
The Minister of Transport, Mr Philippe Tabarot, cannot be satisfied with condemning the attitude of the
strikers in the media. Should the law be changed to stop these acts? Why not, in any case enough is enough
and let the leaders of our country take their responsibilities.

ICAO: A Supranational Power?

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There are powers vested in certain international organizations that are greater than those of sovereign states. This is the case of the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) created in November 1944 by the historic Chicago Convention which laid the foundations of modern commercial aviation. Originally 52 countries were part of this organization, there are now 192, in other words almost all the states of the planet. One of its main roles is to enact the rules that ensure the safety of this fragile sector of activity. The same directives are applicable everywhere in the world and their application is entrusted to the Civil Aviation of the participating countries. These are responsible, among other things, for issuing the famous AOC Air Operator Certificate. However, in order for its authority to be respected, the ICAO has inspectors, attached to the major political units, such as the European Union for example, and these can take away from a country the right to issue the essential CTAs.

This is what has just happened in Tanzania. The inspections carried out by the EU delegates have found very significant deficiencies in the functioning of the Civil Aviation of this country. As a result, all airlines under Tanzanian authority have been placed under a European “Blacklist”. Of course, these carriers can continue to fly in their country but international flights are forbidden to them because neighboring or even distant states must respect the decisions taken in accordance with ICAO rules and moreover no insurance company will dare to cover an operator placed on the “Blacklist”. This is an interesting example of super sovereignty, certainly for a limited part of the economy of countries, but which is imposed on governments, even if the latter exercise their power in a completely legitimate way within their country.

Around the world, a number of countries have been placed in the same situation. They are generally so because the Civil Aviation Authorities concerned are too corrupt and they grant exploitation rights outside the elementary precautionary rules set by the international agency. In fact, the penalties affect carriers first. In some countries only some of them are placed on the death list, but in other countries this sanction affects all registered operators. This is the case for at least 10 African countries, a continent that unfortunately leads by a wide margin, hit by endemic corruption, at least for the affected countries. The list of countries concerned is public, it is not here that we are going to point the finger at them. Some, such as Nigeria, have made considerable efforts to return to international rules, others, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, are unable to get out of this situation, even though this country, by its size and wealth, should obviously join the concert of International Civil Aviation.

The “Blacklisting” is very similar to the embargo placed not only on the economy of the states concerned but also on their ability to pursue relations with other countries. However, one of the essential prerogatives of a government is to be able to trade with other neighbors, whether state or not. And what is the most effective instrument for this if not air transport? I am always surprised to see that the countries concerned in the world, there are about twenty or so closer to ten others impacted by one or other of their airlines, do not agree to make the necessary efforts to join the great mass of countries authorized to trade with the rest of the world. To do this, you have to accept a few basic rules: solid training for the leaders of the national Civil Aviation and an elementary rule: an Air Transport Certificate cannot be purchased from your national authority.

Finally, air transport is a good indicator of the economic practices that allow the world to exchange people and goods, because the 180 or so countries involved in world trade exercise it with identical safety rules. I am well aware that there are still serious disparities between states, whether on fiscal or social aspects, but air safety rules are not up for discussion, or else we have to accept to leave international relations.

ICAO is the regulator and guarantor of safe air transport. It is thanks to this organization that this activity has been able to grow by constantly improving its reliability. Let us imagine for a moment what would have become of air transport and even the world economy and even relations between states if the ICAO had not been created in a certain month of November 1944.

The difficult relationship between the media and air transport

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There is no doubt that air travel is one of the media’s favourite subjects. This activity has become
accessible to the general public even if a very small number of the inhabitants of the planet have
already practiced it. And then it is not natural for an earthling to be propelled into the air, at an
altitude of 10,000 meters to fly at 900 km/h in order to arrive at a destination several thousand
kilometers away in countries that sometimes speak a foreign language. In short, taking a flight is still
very anxiety-provoking and it is not the crossing of airports that will ease the apprehension of taking
the plane. At least 50% of passengers are still afraid in this mode of transport. All this probably
explains why the media are so interested in this sector of activity. Let’s add that air transport makes
very beautiful images that televisions and magazines are fond of.


And yet it cannot be said that the media treat air transport in a completely neutral way, especially
since the generalization of social networks. Not a day goes by without a blurb mentioning an incident
that occurred on board an aircraft. One flight was diverted because a passenger felt unwell, or
because an altercation, even a benign one, occurred on board. And the treatment is always dramatic.
The XY Airlines flight was forced to turn back for such an incident. Of course, this is news, but is it
normal to dramatize what is most often only a usual procedure intended to ensure the safety of
passengers?


Basically, customers are now the first providers of news and even images, which are very practical for
filling programs or publications when the activity is not urgent. And innocuous incidents are thus
going around the world, pushed by social networks without all the information having been
prioritized.


Of course, airlines are not free of defects and these must be brought to the attention of consumers,
but sometimes they deserve a technical explanation which is not always provided because it is not
very accessible to the general public. Take the example of plane delays. A certain number of them
are due to technical constraints attributable to the company, others come from a malfunction that
prevents the aircraft from taking off and this is very fortunate, and still others come from air traffic
control, which is divided into several areas, each of which can be a cause of delay. I am thinking in
particular of the repeated strikes affecting European and particularly French air traffic control, which
are a source of delays that are ultimately blamed on the carriers by passengers who are legitimately
irritated by these setbacks.


Next to that, the enormous work done by this sector of activity to achieve excellence is often
overlooked. All it takes is for individuals in need of media coverage to sabotage an aircraft by
painting it green for it to make the front page of the media while the huge investments made for the
decarbonization of air transport are ignored. However, it should be recognized that those in charge
of air transport do not always take the necessary steps to publicize their efforts and that the various
components of the sector spend more time complaining about each other rather than valuing this
difficult activity together.


Basically, the relationship between the media and air transport is “I love you, I don’t love you either”.
There is both a fascination for this activity, which is widely reported in the newspapers, and a
reluctance on the part of operators to disseminate information that is often very explanatory and
which would make air transport even more accepted by the population. Let’s just take the example
of noise. The media regularly relay the complaints of airport residents about the movements of
aircraft forced to fly over them, without it being mentioned that these same residents take full
advantage of the economic activity generated by the airport platforms, which explains why they have
settled nearby, and why we never see any mention that the noise of the aircraft decreases from year
to year under the effect of the very expensive searches paid for by the various operators. An aircraft
of the latest generation of medium-haul aircraft, the most common category, makes 5 times less
noise than an aircraft of the same capacity from the 1990s.


It is not a question here of passing judgment on the merits of the treatment of aerial information,
but just of emphasizing certain misunderstandings between the air sector and the media universe. A
little effort on either side would not hurt.

Aren’t Air Transport Customers Asking for Too Much?

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There was a time, admittedly a little long ago, when air travel was expensive, not very comfortable and frequented by wealthy aficionados. This has changed a lot. It has now become a commodity, accessible to the vast majority of populations at least in developed countries. It is now more comfortable no matter what people say because the devices have reached a remarkable level of quality and safety and in addition it is now much less expensive than in the past. Everything could go in the best of all possible worlds, except that the behavior of some passengers makes this type of transport sometimes very stressful.

Of course, airlines are primarily responsible for the development of customer strata with a policy that tries to rake in all wallets. Admittedly, carriers are showing a little too much imagination with the introduction of variable tariffs driven by increasingly efficient “yield management”. Admittedly, “code-share” agreements, which lead one carrier to put its mark on another’s flights, lead to regrettable confusion. But this does not prevent us from questioning the behaviour of some passengers whose attitude pollutes the journey of others.

We are now witnessing a lack of civility that forces operators to resort to increasingly restrictive regulations. Take hand luggage, for example. Since some airlines charge for the storage of baggage in the hold, many customers abuse the carry-on or hand luggage. This is how we regularly see passengers entering the plane with a carry-on suitcase, but with a large backpack plus so-called hand luggage. It is clear that the racks of the devices are not equipped to receive more than one calibrated suitcase per person. So, knowing the difficulty of fitting their many pieces of equipment into the space above their seats, many passengers load the racks as they find a seat, often at the front of the plane, which leads to remarks from the crews that are more or less well received by the offending customers and a struggle to fit all the loads into the restricted space dedicated to them. This is why companies now charge for cabin baggage with the sole purpose of clearing up space so that reasonable passengers can place their belongings above their seats. Customers complain about these measures, which are certainly unpleasant, but complainers are usually the first to blame.

Do we need other examples? Complaints made by passengers who are dissatisfied with the service on board, or who are reluctant to pay for the services sold when they have worked hard to find the most economical fares, which do not include ancillary services.

It is always interesting to see the behaviour in the check-in or boarding queues. Regularly free riders try to force their way through, leading to unpleasant remarks from other passengers. And what about claims when planes are late? Of course, this is very stressful for customers who are a little worried about taking a plane or missing a connection in one of the gigantic “hubs” of the big operators. But let’s admit that if some companies don’t really have the religion of leaving on time, many customers use delays to obtain compensation that is certainly perfectly regulatory but which could often be avoided. This is how the European administration changed the compensation rules to the benefit, this time of airlines. Going too far inevitably leads to a return of the pendulum.

Basically, air transport is a victim of its own success and of the policy it has brought for at least a quarter of a century. By dint of announcing ever lower prices in order to come out on top in the price comparison sites, airlines have devalued a product that is so complex to use. Finally, if this product is worth so little, why would customers refrain from complaining as soon as a little annoyance is imposed on them. Respect is lost since the price is announced so low, and as soon as the rate actually paid no longer corresponds to the displays, the frustration of customers is all the more intense.

It cannot be said enough how regularly flying planes at an altitude of 10,000 meters, at 900 km/hour over distances of several thousand kilometers and in complete safety is an exercise that requires flawless expertise, colossal investments and perfect coordination between those involved on the ground and in flight. This deserves respect, first and foremost from customers.

At the Service of Small and Medium-Sized Carriers

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From the beginning, air transport was designed to be used in the same way in all countries of the
world with the same constraints but also the same possibilities for all. As early as the Chicago
Conference in December 1944, which created the foundations on which air transport was built, and
then with the creation of IATA in April 1945 in Havana, it was clear that this mode of transport should
be accessible to all peoples. This is how, unlike many in the fields of transport: trains, roads but also
hotels, the operating airlines can cooperate with each other at leisure using the same tools and the
same procedures. This is a considerable advantage that is ultimately relatively unexploited.

Of the 1200 or so scheduled airlines, only a few hundred of them use the facilities that they could
greatly benefit from. This of course covers all operational aspects, for example a spare part labelled
AOG (Aircraft On the Ground) in plain English a breakdown for a grounded aircraft, will have absolute
priority on all cargo holds. That is one of the aspects, but the facilities are also exercised in the
distribution of air transport. However, these are very often little known to the small or medium-sized
companies that make up the vast majority of the players, even if they represent only a little more
than 25% of the 1,000 billion in turnover that will most likely be reached this year.

In fact, the large carriers, which have a large infrastructure and specialized services in all areas, are
the only ones to use all the facilities at their disposal, and even then most do not pay any attention to
small markets. But small companies also have the same facilities and they do not use them because
the managers do not have the teams with in-depth knowledge of their usefulness and access. It is
striking to see the energy spent on creating ancillary products such as payment for checked or cabin
baggage, privileged access to certain check-in counters, the use of video games on board, not to
mention the payment of meals or drinks and so on. All this has a cost and even if the revenues end
up becoming significant, the related expenses are not negligible.

Many managers entrust the distribution of their product to the Internet channel alone. I remember
meeting a Swede in the admittedly distant past, the founder of his airline and whose headquarters
were based in Gothenburg. Its product consisted of operating twice a day flights to London, Paris,
Milan and Nice with MD 83s, comfortable 180-seat jets. I asked him how he planned to distribute his
product? “Only through the Internet through my website,” he replied. “Very well,” I pointed out, “but
then you will have to spend considerable amounts of money to inform your potential customers. You
will operate 8 daily frequencies from Gothenburg which has around 500,000 inhabitants, but you will
have to reach the 12 million or so in the London metropolis, the 11 million Parisians who live in Paris
and its surroundings, the 4 million in the Nice area and the 6 million Milanese while in each of these
cities you only operate 2 daily frequencies. It’s going to cost you a fortune. Why don’t you use the
tour of travel agents, whom you will have to pay, but only when they have sold seats?”. This man
took me for a dangerous nerd… But he filed for bankruptcy after 6 months.

Why this anecdote? Simply to emphasize the many facilities available to companies, starting with the
GDSs which are linked to all travel agencies, the IATA BSP (Billing and Settlement Plan) which allows
the issuance of tickets and the repatriation of funds and the “interline” agreements with one of the
two companies specializing in global distribution: Germany’s Hahn Air and France’s APG. However,
all these tools can be used at variable costs with the exception of a few costs for entry into the BSPs,
i.e. the expenses are only payable once the revenues have been received. Why then are they not
used? Most of the time due to a lack of knowledge and it’s a shame. This does not in any way prevent
us from using the tremendous possibilities offered by the Internet.

Everything is designed so that every airline, no matter how small, can access all the world’s markets.
The AFRAA (African Airlines Association) has understood this well because it is in the process of
launching information on the subject to its African constituents. Its example could be usefully copied
by other associations of small and medium-sized airlines for which IATA is too big an organization.

Where is Air Travel Headed?

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It is always interesting to read airline advertisements and press releases. In the end, we learn a lot
about the state of mind of the sector and we can guess the major trends to come. I note an essential
one: it seems that instead of a rapprochement between the “low cost” models and traditional
carriers, there is a shift towards more pronounced diversification.


During the first 50 years of modern air transport, which can be dated back to the end of the Second
World War, only one model existed: expensive transport with an exceptional quality of service to
compensate for the lack of comfort of the aircraft in service at the time. Fares were regulated by IATA
and the competition, which was very weak between operators, was mainly based on the quality of
service, with the emphasis being placed on new aircraft, of which the arrival of the Boeing 747 was
the archetype. And it worked pretty well. This system has led to the creation of a new mode of
transport that is increasingly reliable and expands to cover the entire planet.


The arrival of “low cost” in the early 1980s went a little unnoticed. The model was incomprehensible
to the managers of traditional companies, they simply despised it. Until the moment when it was
acclaimed by new layers of customers seduced by the considerable price differences on identical
destinations because the arrival of these new carriers coincided with the opening of the airspace to
new rules regarding traffic rights. So, faced with a phenomenon that they did not understand and
that they were unable to apply to aging companies, their managers tried to find a solution by
creating “low cost” subsidiaries with mixed success, because a significant part of the differences in
cost prices came from a better use of equipment and staff, which was particularly difficult to get
highly unionized employees to accept.


So gradually, traditional airlines have been forced to lower their costs in order to be able to align
their rates with new entrants. They have done so by densifying planes and cutting back on service,
which has brought traditional products to the same level as that of “low cost”, at least for short and
medium-haul flights, which still constitutes the bulk of the clientele. Add to this increasingly powerful
rail competition, which was an additional argument for lowering both prices and the quality of
service, including at airports.


We could have left it at that, but COVID arrived and everything was reset. When air transport
emerged from the abyss into which it had fallen, pricing policies were rethought and, to their great
surprise, traditional operators found that the massive price increases they had had to put in place to
get their accounts back on track were finally rather well accepted by customers, at least by a large
fringe of consumers. This is how we witnessed a change that was certainly not very brutal, but
nevertheless very effective in the communication of the historical companies, at least those that had
resisted. The focus is no longer on prices, since they have risen significantly and are clearly
differentiated from “low cost”, but on the quality of the product. The cabins were redesigned,
comfort was improved, and the reception in airports reappeared, especially for business customers
who had constantly improving lounges.


For their part, the “low cost” cannot improve their product because it would lead them to increase
their selling prices, which is contrary to their commercial policy, so they are looking for ways to
further reduce the published price offer by creating new sources of revenue. We started with the
payment of checked baggage, then in the cabin and now some people are wondering how it is still
possible to densify the aircraft a little more. We can even see the project initiated before Covid by
Micheal O’Leary, the dynamic President of Ryanair, which consists of making customers travel almost
upright. Thus, with the same cabin volume, we can put a little more passengers and therefore
maintain an ever lower price display.


We can see the two trends taking shape: traditional airlines are improving their product and service,
particularly for the front classes of aircraft, by assuming a clear difference in fares compared to the
“low cost” who are looking for more customers while maintaining an aggressive pricing policy.
Basically, it’s not so bad and everyone will find their fundamentals. As in restaurants or hotels,
customers will be divided according to their choices and means.

Jeju Air’s Full Content is Now Available on the APG Platform

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APG, the world’s largest and most successful airline representation network with over 100 offices worldwide, is proud to announce a new partnership with Jeju Air, enabling travel agencies to access Jeju Air’s full NDC content via the APG Platform, with no distribution surcharge.

“We are delighted to welcome again Jeju Air to the APG Platform. This collaboration was in standby for a few months to upgrade Jeju Air API. With Jeju Air, we are providing now a better experience for our +2,500 partner travel agencies worldwide, accessing to Jeju Air’s competitive fares and ancillary products,” said Héloïse Parrain, Director of the APG Platform. “Using the APG Platform allows travel agents to bypass GDS surcharges and benefit from enhanced servicing capabilities.”

“We are very pleased to provide our product again to our travel partners through APG Platform. As Jejuair is a leading LCC in Korea we operates 73 routes from Korea to China, Japan, and Asia. By partnering with APG Platform, we are expanding our global accessibility and ensures that travel advisors and corporate clients can easily do business with our commitment of seamless travel experiences and offering most competitive fares and ancillaries. ” stated Ms Hyesun Jung, Manager of Commercial Div. Distribution team.

Thanks to this agreement, the APG Platform provides an end-to-end shopping and booking solution for Jeju Air, including after-sales management (cancellations, refunds, and voids), ancillary services (baggage, meals, etc.), and post-issuance itinerary changes. Additional features, such as seat selection, will soon be available to ensure a fully optimized booking experience.

With 37 carriers available and growing, the APG Platform is a robust, XML-based ticketing solution that complies with all IATA standards and supports both IATA and NON-IATA agencies. Travel agents can find the best available fares in full transparency, combine air tickets with non-air products (hotels, car rentals, Wi-Fi access, etc.), and generate new revenue streams.

ABOUT APG
With over 30 years’ experience in airline distribution and over 100 offices globally, APG is the world’s largest and most successful airline representation network, partnering with over 200 valued airline clients. APG offers a holistic approach to airline distribution, offering not only airline representation but also interline e-ticketing solutions, fare filing and settlement support services, all aimed at maximising an airline’s revenue potential. APG is always at the forefront of distribution development and our latest APG NDC Platform will assist airlines unlock the benefits of NDC distribution.

Our new APG Cargo services are also gaining worldwide interest from airlines including our APG Cargo Interline solution (Cargo IET), cargo GSSA services and total cargo management solutions.

The APG Network is indeed, “The World’s Leading Network for Airline Services.”

Please visit our website www.apg-ga.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook @APGNetwork

ABOUT JEJU AIR
Jejuair is first and leading LCC in Korea, established on January 25, 2005. Their 41 aircrafts are Boeing 737-800 and 737-8 with a passenger capacity ranging from 100-200 people.
Jeju Air provide free checked baggage allowance up to 15kg for international flights and have Business-class providing special service including large inch seat and in-flight meals.

Media Contact: f.despreaux@apg-ga.com

APG selected by Juneyao Airlines as General Sales Agent in the United States

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APG, the world’s leading airline representation network, is pleased to announce its appointment as the General Sales Agent (GSA) for Chinese carrier Juneyao Airlines based in Shanghai. This strategic alliance highlights APG’s dedication to broadening its global presence and delivering exceptional services to airlines worldwide.

As part of this partnership, APG will manage comprehensive sales and marketing efforts, aimed at enhancing sales and market presence for Juneyao Airlines.

Julianna Hill, CEO of APG USA commented, “We are honored to represent Juneyao Airlines as their General Sales Agent in the United States. This partnership reflects our continued commitment to fostering strong relationships with top-tier international carriers and delivering innovative, results-driven sales solutions. We look forward to contributing to Juneyao Airlines’ growth and success in the U.S. market.“

A spokesperson from Juneyao Airlines’ Revenue Management team added: “We are delighted to welcome APG as our GSSA in the United States, a strategic move to amplify our transatlantic growth. APG’s robust network and data-driven sales strategies align perfectly with our ambition to elevate passenger connectivity and yield performance. Together, we will innovate distribution channels, refine revenue” management practices, and tailor services to unlock new opportunities in the North American market. This partnership marks a significant milestone in Juneyao Airlines’ global expansion journey.”

ABOUT APG
With over 30 years’ experience in airline distribution and over 100 offices globally, APG is the world’s largest and most successful airline representation network, partnering with over 200 valued airline clients. APG offers a holistic approach to airline distribution, offering not only airline representation but also interline e-ticketing solutions, fare filing and settlement support services, all aimed at maximising an airline’s revenue potential. APG is always at the forefront of distribution development and our latest APG NDC Platform will assist airlines unlock the benefits of NDC distribution.

Our new APG Cargo services are also gaining worldwide interest from airlines including our APG Cargo Interline solution (Cargo IET), cargo GSSA services and total cargo management solutions.

The APG Network is indeed, “The World’s Leading Network for Airline Services.”

Please visit our website www.apg-ga.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook @APGNetwork

ABOUT JUNEYAO AIRLINES
Juneyao Airlines is a Chinese carrier airline based in Shanghai.
The airline operates both domestic and international services from two Shanghai airports ( Hongqiao and Pudong). 
Juneyao Airlines was founded in 2005 as a subsidiary of Shanghai JuneYao (Group) Co., Ltd, and started operations in September 2006. The airline entered the automotive segment in 2023 by creating the JuneYao Automobile branch. To begin the vehicle development and production, JuneYao Airlines acquired the financially troubled Yudo startup.

Media Contact: f.despreaux@apg-ga.com

Unpacking the Premises of the Aviation Industry

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Sometimes air travel is difficult to understand. Some thunderous practices or announcements
generate misunderstandings, at least as far as I am concerned. Here are a few examples.


The price of the planes
Recently, following his visit to the Middle East, he and Donald Trump’s team may have announced a
massive order for Boeing aircraft from Qatar: 160 long-haul aircraft divided between B787
Dreamliner’s and the latest B777X for a total of 200 billion dollars. I accept that the price of planes
has risen enormously recently, but I don’t see how we can reach such amounts. Let’s take the largest
aircraft, the B777X with 400 to 430 seats depending on the version, the price displayed, before
discounts, is 440 million dollars. This is a far cry from the $1.250 billion average cost of the devices
displayed by the White House press releases. In fact, we would be closer to a total of $120 billion if
we count the letters of intent for half of the number of aircraft announced. Why these
announcements that are not based on any economic reality?


This is all the more curious since Boeing is still unable to predict the date of the first deliveries of the
B777X for the good reason that the aircraft is not yet certified. I am always amazed at the effects of
announcements during which astronomical sums are lined up at leisure, no doubt to make more of
an impact than those of the competitors. In the end, no one really knows the true selling price of the
devices, even approximately. For this to happen, the accounts of manufacturers and buyers, whether
airlines or leasing companies, would have to be a little more detailed. But apparently, no one is
interested in this.


Yield management
This is a very good idea, at least on paper. It is a question of maximizing the revenue of each flight. To
do this, it is advisable not to leave any space empty because it costs as much as those occupied
without bringing in anything. Except that the equipment of the aircraft is not very flexible and it is
impossible to adapt the seats according to their potential revenue, which is unknown. And advances
in computer science have brought their capacity for complexification. In short, the rates evolve
according to the “Yield Managers” who, behind their screens, are responsible for ensuring that the
flight for which they are responsible brings in as much revenue as possible. This is quite normal,
except that customers no longer understand anything and that they have simply noticed that either
they manage to benefit from such cheap rates that they do not cover the costs, or they have the
enormous frustration of having had to pay much more for their journey than their neighbours, all for
exactly the same service. Basically, to fill the last empty seat, airlines have had to accept load factors
often above 90% of the capacity of the aircraft, which causes real discomfort both for passengers and
for crew members who have to deal with the annoyances of their customers.


It would perhaps be simpler to display clear and simple rules by accepting to lose a few points in the
occupancy rate, but keeping an equivalent revenue After all, air transport developed well before the
famous “yield management” was led to such excesses that one can find up to 100 different fares on
the same long-haul flight in the same class of service. A little common sense wouldn’t hurt.


Passenger protection in the event of bankruptcy.
Air Belgium recently filed for bankruptcy, leaving customers who had bought their tickets in advance
in the lurch, pushed to do so by fare rules. They are creditors of 8 million euros and will never see their money.

How is it that air transport officials do not oblige airlines to create a guarantee fund to
compensate for their possible failures? Carriers who are the first to demand this provision from their
distributors should have the decency to do the same on their side vis-à-vis their consumers. By
always wanting to postpone this necessary provision, they expose themselves to the fact that
European and American legislators will take measures infinitely more restrictive than they could
agree. Never asking others what you don’t want to do yourself is very understandable.

APG selected by Uganda Airlines as General Sales Agent in the United Kingdom

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APG, the world’s leading airline representation network, is pleased to announce its appointment as the General Sales Agent (GSA) for Uganda Airlines in the United Kingdom, ahead of the airline’s upcoming launch of direct flights between Entebbe and London Gatwick.

Uganda Airlines will commence this long-anticipated route on May 18, 2025, with four weekly non-stop flights, further expanding its international footprint and offering a direct link between Uganda and the UK for the first time in over two decades.

Under this new agreement, APG will be responsible for providing full sales and marketing services as well as reservation support in the UK market. APG will also support Uganda Airlines with travel trade engagement and promotional initiatives designed to drive awareness and sales of the new route.

The new service will be operated using Uganda Airlines’ state-of-the-art Airbus A330-800neo, offering a three-class configuration: Business, Premium Economy, and Economy – catering to both leisure and corporate travellers.

Richard Burgess, President of APG Network, commented: “We are delighted to be representing Uganda Airlines in the UK at such a pivotal moment in their international expansion. The launch of direct Entebbe–London Gatwick flights is a significant development for travel and trade relations between the two countries, and APG looks forward to ensuring the success of this new route in the UK market.“

This partnership further reinforces APG’s ongoing mission to support airline growth worldwide through expert local representation and a full suite of services tailored to airline partners.

ABOUT APG
With over 30 years’ experience in airline distribution and over 100 offices globally, APG is the world’s largest and most successful airline representation network, partnering with over 200 valued airline clients. APG offers a holistic approach to airline distribution, offering not only airline representation but also interline e-ticketing solutions, fare filing and settlement support services, all aimed at maximising an airline’s revenue potential. APG is always at the forefront of distribution development and our latest APG NDC Platform will assist airlines unlock the benefits of NDC distribution.

Our new APG Cargo services are also gaining worldwide interest from airlines including our APG Cargo Interline solution (Cargo IET), cargo GSSA services and total cargo management solutions.

The APG Network is indeed, “The World’s Leading Network for Airline Services.”

Please visit our website www.apg-ga.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook @APGNetwork

ABOUT Uganda Airlines
Uganda Airlines is the national carrier of the Republic of Uganda and operates international scheduled air transportation services in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and soon Europe. The airline started commercial operations in August 2019. Uganda Airlines is a proud winner of the prestigious “Ch-Aviation Youngest Aircraft Fleet Award in the World” for 5 years in a row, recognising the carrier’s leadership in maintaining a young, modern and efficient fleet that is environmentally cautious about decarbonising its operations. The airline’s current network includes scheduled flights to 16 destinations in Africa

Media Contact: f.despreaux@apg-ga.com