Week in brief 09 September 2010

Big news in the people department this week, with Singapore Airlines announcing that Goh Choon Phong (pictured) will take over from current CEO Chew Choon Seng at the end of this year. Goh is currently Executive Vice President for Marketing and the Regions for the airline; but he also chairman of SilkAir. Prior to those current roles, Goh spent four years as President of Singapore Airlines Cargo.

Also in the people news is the appointment of TTF's Caroline Wilke as successor to Ken Keech at the helm of the Australian Airports Association. Caroline will join the AAA in time to be present at the Association's convention in Adelaide in late October; and she will take over from Ken in December.

Virgin Blue's J Borghetti will be working with branding guru Hans Hulsbosch to transform all aspects of the airline's brand, including livery and corporate identity. This is the creative genius that Borghetti worked so closely with on several major branding strategies at Qantas. The metamorphosis continues...

With BA's Willie Walsh announcing that he's in merger mood some pundits have once again raised the spectre of Qantas getting more intimate with the UK flag carrier. But this won't happen. a) Alan Joyce's game plan is focused on Asia where the projected market growth promises big rewards for those who can get the strategy right; and b) only a seriously struggling operator would want to take on BA's baggage. Walsh has talked of oneworld partners being the logical targets but none of them would appear to need such a deal right now. BA, which is absorbing Iberia, might be better advised to follow the Lufthansa and Air France route by looking for more European prey.

Travel Daily has relayed a report from China Business News that says almost 200 commercial pilots in the country have faked their reumés. The story says that an investigation last year showed that airlines desperate for flying crew hired aviators who had falsified their experience. Apparently, one of the main offenders was Henan Airlines which, of course, had a crash only last month that killed 42 people.