In fact December has seen other good news. United's order for a mixed bag of A350s and 787s makes perfect sense. Splitting the order keeps the suppliers on their toes, and proves the point that scale economies of aircraft operation evaporate at some point as fleet size increases. All this is balanced, needless to say, with an announcement from that customary purveyor of dismal news, IATA. We are told (yet again) that the industry will lose US$11bn in 2009, and that things will be only slightly better in 2010, with a forecast loss of US$5.6bn. Talk about rubbing it in.... And how could we possibly enjoy Christmas without a strike? We can look forward to more than the usual chaos at UK airports as British Airways braces itself for a stoppage of 12 500 cabin crew from 22 December until 2 January.
On that note, I wish all readers a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
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