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Airlines to fly fewer, more crowded flights to offset high fuel costs
Michael Martinez, San Jose Mercury News
Get used to sitting elbow to elbow. It’s not just for the holidays anymore.
In 2008, fliers can expect to see fewer flights and fewer seats as airlines cut costs and reduce growth to counteract rising fuel prices. In essence, peak flying season is becoming a year-round affair.
“Anyone who’s been on a flight in the last year has noticed that an empty middle seat is a luxury now,” said Genevieve Shaw Brown, senior editor at Travelocity.com. “Planes were very full over Thanksgiving, and we’re probably going to see that again this month.”
Experts say it’s likely to stay that way next year as some airlines reduce their fleets and cut back on seat capacity for domestic flights.
(20 December 2007)
Fuel, flight costs thin the horde of holiday travelers
Rachel Gordon, San Francisco Chronicle
The holiday travel season kicked off smoothly Wednesday and is expected to crest this weekend, although high gas prices are making more people think twice about leaving home between now and the end of the year.
An estimated 65 million Americans – including 8.9 million Californians – are expected to take a trip in the next two weeks, according to AAA, which tracks travel trends.
“Unprecedented gas prices and an upsurge in travel expenses are definitely having an impact on holiday travel,” said Cynthia Harris, spokeswoman for AAA Northern California, which tracks travel trends.
(20 December 2007)
Rising freight rates: trouble for oil firms, cheer for ship owners
P. Manoj, livemint (India)
The freight bill of India’s oil companies such as state-owned Indian Oil Corp. Ltd, Reliance Petroleum Ltd and Essar Oil Ltd has increased significantly because of a sudden rise in rates for shipping crude oil on very large crude carriers, or VLCCs, a result of a shortage of such vessels.
The hike in ocean freight rates spells trouble for oil refiners who are reeling under soaring crude prices. But it will benefit local VLCC owners such as state-run Shipping Corp. of India Ltd and Essar Shipping and Logistics Ltd. Typically, a VLCC can transport 2 million barrels or about 280,000 tonnes of crude oil in a single journey.
The increase in rates comes after a continuous downtrend in the freight tanker market since the middle of this year.
(20 December 2007)
The Maritime Pollution Problem (Video)
Energy Policy TV
Drew Kodjak, Executive Director, The International Council on Clean Transportation,
is interviewed about pollution and greenhouse gases emitted from the world’s oceangoing ships, particularly cargo vessels. He discusses what industry and others are doing to address the problem.
(December 2007)
