"We all know that 2009 will be a very challenging year for the aeronautics industry. At Airbus we are well prepared and confident," said Enders.
Airbus commercial director John Leahy said the company expected 300 to 400 orders this year, less than half the number won in 2008. Last year, Airbus overtook Boeing with 777 orders and 483 deliveries compared to its rival's 662 orders and 375 deliveries. But the market has changed dramatically as airlines slash capacity to survive the worst global downturn in years.
Singapore Airlines (SIA), one of the world's most profitable airlines, said its passenger load fell 7.5% in December 2008 to give a capacity loading of 79.9%, down 4.4% over last year. "The prevailing global financial turmoil has dampened demand across all route regions, translating to weaker uplifts," said a SIA spokesperson. SIA is one of Airbus's most important customers and the launch airline for the key A380 super-jumbo,
Second, ask, don’t demand. Be polite and say "Am I eligible for an upgrade today?" If the answer at check-in is negative, ask again at your departure gate. That’s when staff knows the flight’s passenger load and can often make last-minute seat changes.
Third, volunteer to get bumped to a later flight if yours looks oversold. Chances are you will leave only a few hours later, and it increases your chances for an upgrade, a travel voucher, or even a free flight.
Finally, when all else fails, be observant once you’ve boarded. If you see an empty seat in first class, ask your flight attendant if you can move. Don’t be shy, especially if you have a troublesome seatmate.
And remember to use charm. Grumpy passengers rarely get special favors
Matthew J. Bennett, an authority on air travel upgrades, offers a free report on many ways to work the airlines to your advantage at firstclassflyer.com. Another valuable source for frequent flyer tips is webflyer.com. Use its free e-newsletter MilesLink to get the latest airline deals and promotions.
Twenty-one commemorative plaques with photographs from the period have been installed at key points along the trail, although few vestiges of the ghetto remain today.
"The Warsaw ghetto was the largest to be set up in Poland during the Nazi occupation. It was a horrific place of isolation and death for a third of the city's population," Warsaw mayor, Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, said during the inauguration ceremony.
The plaques, and an accompanying tourist map, were developed by Warsaw city hall, Poland's culture ministry and the city's Jewish Historical Institute. The inauguration date was chosen to be as close as possible to the November 16 anniversary of the walling-off of the ghetto by the Nazis in 1940.
The service, which runs between Naples and Milan, reduces travel time from Rome to Milan to three and a half hours. The train takes 65 minutes to travel from Milan to Bologna, 2 hours 10 minutes between Milan and Florence, and 4 hours 50 minutes between Naples and Milan. New perks aboard the high-speed line include free newspapers, beverages and snacks. Americans can make reservations for the Trenitalia high-speed trains (and all other services) through www.italiarail.com.
Rail leaders say the new service could draw as much as 60 percent of the 3.7 million passengers who fly each year on Europe’s second-busiest air route. That’s what is happening between Madrid and Barcelona, where high-speed trains are rapidly reducing the 950-plus weekly flights on Europe’s busiest route.