sommaire - Performances Group

Semaine 51 – du 26 au 31 décembre 2011
N° 205
SOMMAIRE
AÉRIEN................................................................................................................................................ 2
 Lonrho Aviation's Fly540 Reports Strong Demand .......................................................................... 2
 Dar to construct third terminal at main airport ............................................................................... 3
 its first low cost airline .............................................................................................................................. 4
 Air traffic signals world wide slowdown except for Africa ........................................................... 5
 Airlines to profit from Africa’s growth opportunities ....................................................................... 6
 Delta to invest $2 billion in air service delivery................................................................................. 7
 Au Maroc, Renault démarre la production du premier mono-space low cost .................... 8
AÉRIEN
Lonrho Aviation's Fly540 Reports Strong Demand
Lonrho Plc is pleased to announce that following the successful opening of the third strategic hub for Fly540 in
Ghana, its regional African airline business, Fly540, is expecting record passenger numbers for the month of
December. Load factors across East Africa, Angola and Ghana based on passengers flown and forward
bookings will exceed 80% for the month.
Fly540 currently flies in Kenya, Tanzania, Southern Sudan, Uganda, Angola and Ghana and is planning on
opening routes to additional countries early in the New Year based on the increasing demand for this low cost
model.
Fly540 Kenya celebrated carrying its one millionth passenger in August this year and is reporting strong year on
year passenger growth.
In Angola, additional aircraft have already been sourced to meet better than forecast demand with two further
ATR 72's mobilising in January 2012. Fly540 Angola is running at almost full capacity with a load factor over 85%
expected for December. The arrival of these further aircraft will increase the destinations flown domestically in
Angola over the coming months and Fly540 Angola is planning to build capacity to service a domestic route
network of 15 destinations throughout Angola.
Fly540 Ghana which launched operations recently has seen an impressive immediate demand and will have
80% + load levels in December.
David Lenigas, Executive Chairman of Lonrho Plc commented:
"The demand for quality regional aviation in Africa is clear and with the three hubs of Fly540 now operational in
Kenya, Ghana and Angola, the airline is delivering on its objective of creating a first world pan African service.
Building on the strong base now implemented, the airline will continue to grow in 2012 and expand the network
with the deployment of further aircraft and new routes."
Enquiries
Lonrho Plc
+44 (0) 20 7016 5105
David Lenigas
Geoffrey White
David Armstrong
Pelham Bell Pottinger
+44 (0) 20 7861 3232
Gavin Davis
Charles Goodwin
Charlie Harrison
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
Dar to construct third terminal at main airport
Airport workers offload cargo from a plane at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam. Picture: File
Tanzania expects a boost in air traffic passengers numbers from the current 1.5 million to 8 million per year once
the country implements a plan to construct a third terminal at its main airport.
The expansion of Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) would commence once an investor for the project is
identified.
According to the legal secretary of Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA), Ramadhani Maleta, the capacity of JNIA
was too limited to cater for the current requirements.
―We have expanded and improved buildings located at JNIA Terminal II in order to meet the demands of
increasing passengers since it was constructed in 1984, when the number of passengers was not as high as it
currently is,‖ he said.
Despite the improvements, the airport was yet to meet the demand. The authority was therefore finalising the
process of finding an investor to construct a third terminal in accordance with international standards to meet
the current requirements.
The government was in the process of seeking funding for the project in which several companies have shown
interest.
―Eight companies have shown interest in investing in the project through the public-private partnership and they
have already submitted their proposals for the project. What is being awaited is the tendering procedure,‖ Mr
Maleta said.
The feasibility study had been conducted last year and the process was currently being reviewed.
According to TAA, major renovations on the infrastructure, involving runways, taxiways and parking of aircraft
(Apron) and fluorescent lighting system had been carried out.
―Due to major renovations that were carried out at the airport since 2003 to 2010, this airport currently has the
capacity to serve approximately 30 flights per hour and any flight may stop to park without problems,‖ said Mr
Maleta.
In 2003, rehabilitation works, including electrical system were done at the airport at a cost of $8.5 million. During
the Second Phase in 2006, runways and the apron were rehabilitated at a cost of $29.9 million.
The Third Phase in 2008 included renovation of the taxiways and runways at a cost of $36.7 million.
The Minister for Transport, Omari Nundu, said the recent renovations had boosted the airport’s capacity as it was
now able to handle 30 flights per hour instead of the previous eight.
―We are proud that the airport is now in good shape. The works included major renovations of the aircraft
runway and the parking area,‖ he said.
The renovations have led to significant reduction in daily queues of aircraft landing and taking off at the airport.
According to Mr Nundu, plans were also underway to construct a standard terminal building to cater for the
increasing number of passengers at the airport.
The construction of Songwe Airport and the renovation of 17 other airports around the country would also be
completed this month.
The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority director-general, Fadhili Manongi, said the number of passengers at the
airports had increased three fold between 2000 to 2010, from 1,206,821 to 3,027,512, equivalent to an increase
of 151 per cent.
its first low cost airline
One possibility also being mooted, according to the Daily Telegraph, is for the new airline, which is likely to be
called FastJet, to link up with Lonrho’s existing budget airline Fly540.. Photo/FILE
By Paul Redfern, Nation correspondent, London
Posted Thursday, December 8 2011 at 20:39
In Summary
New deal between EasyGroup and Rubicon likely to be ratified next week
Africa is set to get its first low-cost budget airline service, thanks to one of the world’s leading experts in the field,
EasyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou.
The deal is likely to be ratified next week, December 13. If the agreement between Sir Stelios EasyGroup and
Rubicon Diversified Investments (RDI) goes ahead, it will be a first for Africa, which is one of the few areas of the
world that lacks a continent-wide low-cost airline.
Stelios’ success in the field is unparalleled, with easyJet and its main rival RyanAir having dominated the
European market over the past 20 years at the expense of more established companies like British Airways, Air
France and Alitalia.
The EasyJet founder has signed a conditional agreement with RDI to develop a ―low-cost, point-to-point, no frills,
all-jet aircraft‖ business model for Africa.
This could see Sir Stelios link up with the management team behind Roland — Tiny Rowland’s former company
Lonrho — to create the new airline.
Where the airline’s hub will be remains uncertain, as do the number of aircraft bought and the destinations
originally established.
But it is highly likely they will include the major East African cities of Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Uganda, as well
as centres in South Africa and West Africa.
If the group is established next year, it could become an exciting rival to Kenya Airways, which is planning to
extend its network across Africa, and other regional airlines.
One possibility also being mooted, according to the Daily Telegraph, is for the new airline, which is likely to be
called FastJet, to link up with Lonrho’s existing budget airline Fly540.
Sir Stelios and Lonrho already have a commercial deal under which they use the Easyhotel brand in Africa.
Lonrho is reported to open a network of 50 hotels across Africa over the next five years.
Mr Robert Burnham, the chairman of Rubicon, said in a statement that the company was ―very pleased to have
secured the management team of EasyGroup to advise us on our proposed strategy of building a world class
aviation company with a focus on the significant potential in Africa.‖
The proposal is conditional on the resolutions being approved at Rubicon’s general meeting on December 13.
Earlier this year, Stelios unveiled plans to set up another airline and call it fastjet, stoking already difficult tensions
between easyJet management and Stelios, whose family is the largest EasyJet shareholder with 38 per cent.
Air traffic signals world wide slowdown except for Africa
The latest International Air Transport Association’s assessment of premium and economy travel, prepared by
IATA’s Economics unit and based on September data, shows Africa to be the only region where air traffic is
growing strongly.
Released only last week, the report warns of declining business confidence and stagnant economic conditions,
except for Africa. IATA says its Air Traffic Assessment is a reliable leading indicator of short term economic
expectations.
For Africa, the assessment notes that both Premium and Economy travel are expanding at double-figure rates.
Although Africa is still a small market, it has proven to be very resilient. Overall air traffic performance for the
continent was boosted by the good growth rates experienced in a number of economies. IATA’s report
concludes travel within Africa is growing strongly but the traditional main lane between Europe and Africa is
seeing travel decline.
Regarding the global performance of air traffic, the IATA report says the number of passengers flying on
premium seats once again rebounded despite declining business confidence and economic uncertainty. In
September, premium (business + first) passenger numbers rose to a level 6.7% higher than the same month last
year, after slowing to 2.3% in August.
―In fact, all of this growth had occurred by May. The September rebound returns the size of the international
premium travel market to the level it had reached in May. Premium travel is significantly higher than last year,
but has made no further progress since May.‖
―For the past few months, we have pointed to the lack of further growth in international trade and the sharp
declines in business confidence as reasons for expecting a decline in business travel and premium seat sales. So
far, this has not happened. However, it still looks like it is only a matter of time before the deteriorating economic
conditions pull premium travel lower‖ the report predicts.
On cattle class, IATA is more upbeat. ―The rebound in economy travel was stronger, taking this market segment
to new highs in September. Compared to a year earlier, the number of passengers travelling on economy seats
(including premium economy) was 5.8% higher. Although this growth rate is a little less than for premium travel,
the bounce in economy travel from the lower levels in August took passenger numbers well above previous
highs.‖
The report says the strongest economy travel market segments in September were within-Europe and Europe-Far
East. ―Given the worsening economic conditions in Europe and the sharp fall in consumer confidence, this
growth is unlikely to have been driven by leisure travel. More likely business travellers have been trading down
from premium to economy‖, it speculates.
Addressing the tight financial positions of many airlines, IATA says ―Stronger premium and overall passenger
numbers in September helped both airline yields and profits in the third quarter. We had not expected the
strength to continue this long. An important question is whether strong travel will continue into the fourth quarter.
Given deteriorating business confidence and economic conditions, we stick with our view that air travel markets
will slow in the months ahead.‖
The growth of international trade has proved to be a good indicator of business travel. There is an obvious link
with the manufacturing sector, but trade has also been a good proxy for the drivers of business travel in other
key sectors, such as finance and consulting. Currently, the signals from international trade are that business
travel should slow further.
Citing other indices, the air traffic report says the same signals for a sharp slowdown in premium travel are
evident in the purchasing managers’ index of business confidence, averaged across major economies.
Changes in business confidence have been a good early warning indicator of changes in premium travel
growth, leading changes by up to six months.
―The 2009 upturn in premium travel was signalled, by rising business confidence, six months earlier. This year,
business confidence has been steadily declining for more than the last six months. Premium travel has slowed,
but both trade and confidence point to very little further growth in premium travel, until economic conditions
improve.‖
Airlines to profit from Africa’s growth opportunities
By John Oyuke
Africa has been asked to review the "complex" structure of its taxes and fees imposed by service providers to
enable airlines in the continent exploit the existing growth potential.
It is believed that the duties in Africa are relatively higher in comparison to other regions and particularly when
seen in light of the level of infrastructure and services available.
For instance, it is estimated that it costs 18.5 US cents per Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPK) to travel in Africa
as compared to 15.5 US cents in Asia, 12.3 cents in Europe and 11.0 cents in North America .
RPK is a measure of passenger’s sales volume, which can be obtained by multiplying the number of revenue
passengers carried on a flight by the distance traveled by each passenger.
Industry leaders who concluded their 43rd Annual General Assembly and conference in Southern Morocco last
week heard that the "excessive" charges imposed on the airlines operating in the continent and their
passengers, with experts saying this has impeded airlines from realising their full potential.
The Airlines Association (Afraa), Secretary General of African Elijah Chingosho noted that cost of travel from
Africa is still very high compared to other regions of the world.
He said high intra-Africa and intercontinental airfares are mainly attributed to high airport taxes and fees
coupled with high fuel, insurance, aircraft financing and leasing charges experienced in the region.
"This is stifling development of air transport and compounding the many difficulties that African airlines have to
surmount to be competitive and profitable," he said.
He said that the impact of high charges should be examined in light of Africa’s huge potential for growth of air
transport, which by all indications is becoming one of the fastest growing regions in terms of air traffic.
New partnerships
Opening the three-day General Assembly on behalf of the Minister of Transport of the Kingdom of Morocco, the
Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Kingdom of Morocco, Abdennebi Manar, challenged
African airlines to open up their markets and brace themselves for competition.
He called upon industry stakeholders in Africa to work together and seek partnerships with each other to
broaden their network as well so as to mop up traffic to compete with operators from other regions.
During the meeting the Chief Executive Officer of Air Mali Mr Abderahmane BerthÈ was elected President of
Association and host of the 2012 Afraa Annual General Assembly.
Welcoming delegates to the meeting, the President of AFRAA and Chairman of Royal Air Maroc, Driss Benhima,
noted that air transport liberalisation is good for the continent but cautioned it can pose serious survival
challenges to local airlines ill-prepared to compete in a liberalised market. He said Morocco last year attained
its target of 10 million tourist arrivals due largely to the open skies agreement with the EU.
Delta to invest $2 billion in air service delivery
Delta Airline has said that it will invest about $2 billion in upgrading its air service delivery to Nigerian passengers
as well as improve facilities at the airports.
This is just as it disclosed that it was developing its intra-Africa network with a view to expanding same through its
partnership with Air Nigeria.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, Commercial Manager of Delta Airline for West and East Africa, Mr.
Bobby Bryan noted that the airline would roll out full flat-bed BusinessElite seat on flights between Abuja’s
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and New York-JFK, via Accra, Ghana.
He said Delta is introducing a new dedicated Delta protocol service at Murtala Muhammed International
Airport, Lagos, adding that ―the improvements are part of its ongoing plan to invest more than $2 billion in
enhanced global products, services and airport facilities through to 2013.‖
Mr. Bryan also noted that its strategic partnership with Air Nigeria has expanded the choices of passengers
travelling with it as Air Nigeria will assist Delta sell its tickets on the Abuja –Accra – Atlanta route.
.―The partnership with Air Nigeria is very positive. We are very satisfied with the partnership and we hope to grow
with it in the future especially with the sharing of flyers’ mile very soon,‖ he noted.
Bryan said that with its partnership with Air Nigeria since June 2010, its flight operations have increased from
what it used to be, adding that more partnerships with the airline is underway.
He explained that in December 2006 when the airline commenced flight operations into the continent, it had 22
flights weekly, but the flight has since grown to 44 weekly with dual destinations in Nigeria; the Murtala
Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Also speaking, the Acting Commercial Director, Air Nigeria, Mr. Olumide Odebiyi said that the airline was
privileged to have partnership with Delta Airline because of its pedigree, stressing that it is a partnership that is
growing daily.
Odebiyi added that apart from the Lagos-Accra route partnership with Delta, more partnerships were also
underway in the next few months.
Mr. Bryan explained that the upgraded seats would be available on Delta’s Abuja service effective 15
December. Customers flying in BusinessElite will enjoy 77-inch, 180-degree full-flat beds in a one-two-one
configuration, which allows each customer direct aisle access and enhanced privacy. Delta is enhancing its
onboard product on more than 150 aircraft to offer full flat-bed seating in BusinessElite on all international wide
body flights.
Asaba Airport can never be an international airport – Aligbe
Managing Director,Belujane Konzult, Mr. Chris Aligbe has declared that Asaba Airport will never develop from its
domestic capacity into an international airport, stressing that the airport was most viable for domestic
operations.
Disclosing this during an interactive session with newsmen at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Lagos, Mr. Aligbe
affirmed that Asaba Airport would be the most viable domestic airport in country if it was properly managed,
stating that by the time the government thinks of making Asaba Airport an international airport, its significant
would be eroded.
According to him, ‖Asaba airport will be one of the most viable domestic airports in the country if it is properly
managed, so as an investment as a domestic airport, it is an excellent investment, it is well thought out as a
domestic airport. But by the time you start international airport, it will erode, it will not be one and it is not going
to successfully be one,‖ he added.
Au Maroc, Renault démarre la production du premier monospace low cost
Les premiers véhicules de présérie sont déjà sur les chaînes d'assemblage. Renault s'apprête à inaugurer sa
nouvelle usine de Tanger, qui va doper la famille low cost de Dacia déjà garnie. Un investissement de 1 milliard
d'euros, qui risque de relancer le débat sur les délocalisations.
Ecrit par Denis FAINSILBER
Dans l'extrême nord du Maroc, entre Tanger et Tétouan, à près de 40 kilomètres à vol d'oiseau des côtes
espagnoles, les bulldozers se sont tus et les véhicules de présérie commencent à passer sur les chaînes
d'assemblage flambant neuves. Des monospaces compacts baptisés « Lodgy », dernier-nés de la gamme
Dacia. Ils seront bientôt exportés à plus de 90 % vers l'Europe et d'autres régions du monde, à partir du nouveau
port Tanger Med situé à 27 kilomètres de là.
Dès janvier si tout se passe bien, le « go industriel » sera donné et ces véhicules seront fabriqués à la cadence
nominale de 30 unités par heure, par 2.000 ouvriers marocains fraîchement formés, momentanément épaulés
par 230 « commuters », des salariés d'autres sites de Renault, notamment en Roumanie et en France. Quatre
mois plus tard, le Lodgy sera rejoint sur les chaînes par un utilitaire Dacia dérivé du même véhicule. Une
concurrence frontale à l'horizon pour les produits Renault assemblés en France, vendus plus cher, Grand Scénic
et Kangoo.
Ici, Renault n'a pas hésité à investir environ 1 milliard d'euros (dont 400 millions pour la première ligne) en vertu
d'un accord ratifié avec le roi Mohammed VI par Carlos Ghosn à l'été 2007, avec une feuille de route explicite :
construire « l'usine la plus compétitive du groupe, en termes de coût rendu au client ».
L'idée est simple : il s'agit de construire des véhicules à des conditions encore plus économiques qu'en Turquie
ou en Roumanie. A une ou deux journées des côtes européennes par bateau. Pour cela, le royaume chérifien a
déroulé le tapis rouge, prévoyant de nombreuses exemptions fiscales et mettant à disposition un vaste terrain
de 314 hectares, plus un centre de formation. Autre argument de poids : les salaires des nouveaux ouvriers
Renault ne dépassent pas 240 euros par mois.
Un challenge inédit pour le groupe : « On démarre des produits nouveaux dans un site nouveau », explique aux
« Echos » Michel Faivre-Duboz, le directeur général de Renault au Maroc. C'est en effet la première fois, depuis
1998 avec l'usine de Curitiba au Brésil, que le constructeur bâtit un site à partir de rien, pour installer son système
de production. Ses autres usines étrangères acquises entre-temps, en Corée du Sud, à Moscou ou à Pitesti en
Roumanie, étaient utilisées avant lui par d'autres constructeurs.
Sur le site de Melloussa,au sud-est de Tanger, le chantier ne fut pas de tout repos. L'impact de la crise
économique de 2009 a contraint le groupe à retarder les travaux d'une bonne année et Nissan, qui devait
construire un petit utilitaire à côté du Lodgy, a déclaré forfait.
Les oueds canalisés
En outre, les pluies diluviennes, durant les hivers 2008 et 2009, ont sensiblement gêné le chantier. En cause, la
pélite, cette argile noire friable qui se transforme en poudre sous les effets du ruissellement. Cinq mois de retard
au total, qu'il a fallu rattraper courant 2010, avec l'aide d'équipes de Vinci, vingt-quatre heures sur vingt-quatre.
Les oueds, au beau milieu du site, ont été canalisés dans des égouts ad hoc et le terrain raviné passé au
bitume.
A terme, Tanger sera l'une des plus importantes usines du groupe. Car non content de la phase 1, qui
représente déjà 220.000 mètres carrés de bâtiments (emboutissage, peinture, carrosserie, montage...), Renault
a déjà dessiné la phase 2, dont les travaux débuteront dès avril prochain : 120.000 mètres carrés couverts
supplémentaires, pour une mise en service prévue mi-2013.
Côté cadences, tout dépendra évidemment de la demande. La première ligne devrait tourner sur un rythme
d'environ 70.000 véhicules l'an prochain, mais pourrait grimper par la suite à 170.000 unités. Et avec l'appoint de
la deuxième ligne, la production totale pourrait atteindre quelque 250.000 véhicules par an en deux équipes,
voire un maximum théorique de 340.000 en ajoutant une équipe de nuit.
Pour quels modèles ? Là aussi, Renault a vu grand : la première ligne assemblera le Lodgy et son dérivé
fourgonnette, et la deuxième chaîne un modèle encore secret, plus un éventuel surplus des deux premiers.
« Tout n'est pas gelé, nous aurons des outillages flexibles pour pouvoir passer plusieurs types de plates-formes »,
explique Michel Faivre-Duboz. Quant à Nissan, il y a encore une place pour lui si besoin.
DENIS FAINSILBER