Inter-Europe air traffic remains weak
Worldwide improvement is concentrated in Asia, Latin America
Brands, not flags, must guide the industry to profitability, says Iata head
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The airline industry is expected to have an overall loss of $9.4 billion for 2009, according to Iata, the Geneva-based air transport industry organization, which released new figures Thursday 11 March. The loss is lower than Iata’s December projected figure of $11b. “More significantly, we now forecast smaller losses in 2010 of $2.8b, compared to our previous forecast of $5.6b.”
The improvement is due to year-end growth in traffic that carried on into January, but it was much led by Asia and Latin America, with the US and Europe far more sluggish.
Growth in passenger demand, world airlines 2006-2009 (Iata)
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”We can be optimistic but with due caution,” Giovanni Bisignani, CEO and director-general says. “Important risks remain. Oil is a wild-card, over-capacity is still a danger, and costs must be kept under control – throughout the value chain and with labour.”
Asian and Latin American carriers posted international passenger demand gains of 6.5 percent and 11.0 percent respectively in January. North America and Europe lagged, with international passenger demand gains of 2.1 and 3.1 percent.
China now looks set to overtake Japan in 2010 as the world’s second largest exporter, with February figures well above even the optimistic forecasts: 45.7 percent over February 2009. Figures from a year earlier reflect the dip due to the economic crisis, but February figures were double the increase in January exports, up 21 percent. The Financial Times notes that Chinese authorities nevertheless intend to wait to lift stimulus measures because of an uncertain global economy.
Imports are also growing steadily, providing more evidence that the Chinese economy is rebounding.
Links to other sites: Financial Times, Xinhua
How many Swiss abroad know why this flag is not a true Swiss flag?
Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) -The number of dual nationals in Switzerland is contributing strongly to the continuing rise in the number of the Swiss abroad, according to the federal government, which 16 February issued the latest figures. Seventy-two percent of all Swiss abroad are dual nationals.
At the end of 2009 Switzerland had 684,974 citizens living outside the country, an increase of 100,000 since the year 2000. The greatest increases were in France and Germany. Some 60 percent of Swiss abroad live in the European Community.
The largest community of Swiss abroad is found in France (179,106), followed by Germany (76,565), Italy (48,638), Great Britain (28,861), Spain (23,802) and Austria (14,194). Outside Europe, the largest number of Swiss nationals live in the USA (74,966), Canada (38,866), Australia (22,757), Argentina (15,624), Brazil (14,653), Israel (14,251) and South Africa (9,035).
Biel/Bienne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Swatch reported in an upbeat mood Wednesday morning 20 January that 2009 turned out to be its third-best year on record and that unexpectedly strong sales in December made it the company’s best-ever December. Orders on the books for 2010 plus expected growth in middle class consumer spending in developing markets lead the company to predict continuing sales growth this year.
Gross sales for 2009 were CHF5.42 million, down only 6.3 percent at constant exchange rates. Sales in the second half of the year exceeded, although just barely, 2008 sales for the same period, making up for a weak first half of the year.
Zurich, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Economiesuisse has revised upwards its forecast for the Swiss economy for 2010. In June 2009 the umbrella organization for Swiss business had predicted a 2.9 percent drop in Swiss GDP (gross domestic product) for 2009 with a further drop of 0.8 percent in 2010. The group published revised figures Monday 23 November, saying it expects to see growth of 0.7 percent next year, and export growth of 3.8 percent after a year that has proved very difficult for some exporters.
Background: Economiesuisse lowers growth forecast, unemployment to climb, GenevaLunch, 15 June 2009
Africa now has one billion people, according to a report jointly released by Population Reference Bureau, a Washington-based non-profit organization, and USAid, the US government aid agency. The population growth is occurring mainly in sub-Saharan Africa where women tend to have more children than elsewhere in the world: 5.3 on average versus 2.6 worldwide. But Africa overall is currently the continent with the world’s fastest growth rate and fastest projected rate to 2050. Among the many details the report provides on the population, its notes that while Africa has one-seventh of the world’s population, it has one-quarter of the world’s refugees. AllAfrica, “2009 World Population Data Sheet” report and world population clock, data
The Chinese economy grew by 7.9 percent in the first half of 2009, showing a recovery after slipping to 6.1 percent for the first quarter. The government says it now expects to be on target and finish the year with growth of around 8 percent. The country’s GDP (gross domestic product) reached US$2.06 trillion. Financial Times, Reuters, Xinhua
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Baboo, which serves 16 destinations from Geneva has put 60 percent of its staff on partial unemployment, reports Le Temps, despite continuing strong growth. Growth in fact is the source of the problem, the newspaper quotes company director Jacques Bankir as saying. Baboo’s sales increased 87 percent in 2008 to CHR56 million. The number of passengers rose 75 percent.
Neuchatel, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - The Swiss population grew by 1.4% in 2008, to 7.7 million people, according to provisional figures released by the federal statistical office. The 1,800 weddings on 08.08.08 played a role in the higher number of marriages, part of the population change figures released.
