• Swiss International Air Lines aircraft are parked on the tarmac at the airport in Zurich, Switzerland. EPA
    Swiss International Air Lines aircraft are parked on the tarmac at the airport in Zurich, Switzerland. EPA
  • Brussels Airlines planes stand on the tarmac at Brussels Airport, after the suspension of more than 2/3 of the flights of Brussels Airlines, in Zaventem. AFP
    Brussels Airlines planes stand on the tarmac at Brussels Airport, after the suspension of more than 2/3 of the flights of Brussels Airlines, in Zaventem. AFP
  • Commercial aircrafts remain at the tarmac of closed Jorge Newbery airport in Buenos Aires, Argentina. AFP
    Commercial aircrafts remain at the tarmac of closed Jorge Newbery airport in Buenos Aires, Argentina. AFP
  • Scoot and Singapore Airlines planes sit on the tarmac, as airlines reduce flights following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at Singapore's Changi Airport. Reuters
    Scoot and Singapore Airlines planes sit on the tarmac, as airlines reduce flights following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at Singapore's Changi Airport. Reuters
  • A Singapore Airlines flight goes past some Jetstar planes parked at the tarmac of Changi Airport in Singapore. Getty Images
    A Singapore Airlines flight goes past some Jetstar planes parked at the tarmac of Changi Airport in Singapore. Getty Images
  • Emirates' aircrafts are pictured grounded at Dubai international Airport in Dubai after Emirates suspended all passenger operations. AFP
    Emirates' aircrafts are pictured grounded at Dubai international Airport in Dubai after Emirates suspended all passenger operations. AFP
  • Cathay Pacific aircraft are seen parked on the tarmac at the airport, following the outbreak of the new coronavirus, in Hong Kong. Reuters
    Cathay Pacific aircraft are seen parked on the tarmac at the airport, following the outbreak of the new coronavirus, in Hong Kong. Reuters
  • Korean Air's passenger planes are parked on the tarmac at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea. Reuters
    Korean Air's passenger planes are parked on the tarmac at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea. Reuters
  • AirAsia aircraft are parked on the tarmac at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 in Sepang, Malaysia. EPA
    AirAsia aircraft are parked on the tarmac at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 in Sepang, Malaysia. EPA
  • Planes of the German carrier Lufthansa are parked on a closed runway at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany. Reuters
    Planes of the German carrier Lufthansa are parked on a closed runway at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany. Reuters
  • Aircrafts of China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines and Hong Kong Airlines are seen on the tarmac at the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, China. Reuters
    Aircrafts of China Eastern Airlines, Shanghai Airlines and Hong Kong Airlines are seen on the tarmac at the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, China. Reuters

US airlines optimistic for a turning point in recovery


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US airlines say they have hit a turning point: After a lousy first quarter, they expect to be profitable as Americans return to travel in the biggest numbers since the start of the pandemic.

American Airlines is the latest carrier to give a rosy outlook for the rest of 2022. The airline said on Thursday that although it lost $1.64 billion in the first quarter, sales hit a record in March, and the company expects to earn a profit in the second quarter.

“Demand is as strong as we have ever seen it,” American Airlines’ chief executive, Robert Isom, told analysts.

Shares of American and other airlines rose in morning trading.

American’s upbeat view echoed similar comments from Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, which both predicted in recent days that they will earn full-year profits despite big losses in the first quarter.

Air travel was subdued in January and February by the Omicron variant that caused an increase in Covid-19 cases among both travellers and airline employees. But travellers came back in March, and airline executives believe that Americans are eager to travel this summer and won’t be discouraged by another, smaller rise in coronavirus cases and higher airfares.

The recovery is being powered by leisure travellers, but the airlines say they are seeing more business travellers.

American said overall business travel is at 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, dragged down by corporate travel, which is only 50 per cent of 2019 levels. Isom said, however, that corporate bookings are the highest they have been since the start of the pandemic, “and we expect that to continue as more companies reopen their offices".

Along with higher revenue, however, airlines face higher costs for fuel and labour. American’s fuel bill more than doubled from a year earlier, and payroll costs rose more than 15 per cent.

Airlines are also facing a limited supply of pilots, which could limit their ability to operate as many flights as they would like.

“The pilot shortage for the industry is real, and most airlines are simply not going to be able to realise their capacity plans because there simply aren’t enough pilots, at least not for the next five-plus years,” United chief executive Scott Kirby told analysts on Thursday.

American said it has hired 1,100 pilots since the start of last year. Many of those came from smaller, regional airlines, leaving those carriers with shortages. As a result, American will trim its American Eagle schedule in the second quarter.

Off-duty Delta Air Lines pilots protest against scheduling practices and long hours outside Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington. Reuters
Off-duty Delta Air Lines pilots protest against scheduling practices and long hours outside Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington. Reuters

American’s passenger-carrying capacity will also be lower than planned because deliveries of new Boeing 787 jets have been delayed by production problems at Boeing factories.

Alaska Air Group, the parent of Alaska Airlines, said on Thursday that it lost $143 million in the first quarter, compared with a $131 million loss a year earlier. Revenue more than doubled to $1.68 billion but was down 10 per cent from the same quarter in 2019.

The Seattle-based airline forecast that second-quarter revenue will be 5 to 8 per cent higher than in the same quarter of 2019.

United Airlines Holdings reported a $1.38bn loss for the first quarter but said it expects to return to profitability in the April-to-June quarter. Revenue of $7.67bn was up from a year ago but down 21 per cent from early 2019, as the airline continues to run fewer flights than before the pandemic.

Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net

Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.

Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.

A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.

Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.

Arctic Monkeys

Tranquillity Base Hotel Casino (Domino) 

 

The specs

Engine: 5.2-litre V10

Power: 640hp at 8,000rpm

Torque: 565Nm at 6,500rpm

Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto

Price: From Dh1 million

On sale: Q3 or Q4 2022 

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How%20to%20avoid%20getting%20scammed
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENever%20click%20on%20links%20provided%20via%20app%20or%20SMS%2C%20even%20if%20they%20seem%20to%20come%20from%20authorised%20senders%20at%20first%20glance%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAlways%20double-check%20the%20authenticity%20of%20websites%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EEnable%20Two-Factor%20Authentication%20(2FA)%20for%20all%20your%20working%20and%20personal%20services%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EOnly%20use%20official%20links%20published%20by%20the%20respective%20entity%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDouble-check%20the%20web%20addresses%20to%20reduce%20exposure%20to%20fake%20sites%20created%20with%20domain%20names%20containing%20spelling%20errors%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
  • Riders must be 14-years-old or over
  • Wear a protective helmet
  • Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
  • Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
  • Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
  • Do not drive outside designated lanes

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

A%20QUIET%20PLACE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Lupita%20Nyong'o%2C%20Joseph%20Quinn%2C%20Djimon%20Hounsou%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMichael%20Sarnoski%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199

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Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

EA Sports FC 25
French business

France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.

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Company profile

Name: GiftBag.ae

Based: Dubai

Founded: 2011

Number of employees: 4

Sector: E-commerce

Funding: Self-funded to date

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The bio

Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home

Updated: April 21, 2022, 6:13 PM