Royal Brunei Airlines To Increase Its Fleet From 10 To 18

Bandar Seri Begawan - Royal Brunei Airlines, once known for its premium products such as the internationally renowned gold plated faucet in First Class, pales in comparison with premium products of other airlines today.

RBA's Chief Executive Officer Mr Peter Foster brought this up when Radio Television Brunei (RTB) interviewed him in its Business Focus programme recently.

As RTB reported previously, the global aviation industry is in turmoil as a result of a series of setbacks, the September 11 attack on the United States and terror attack on Bali and the war in Iraq.

Now the industry has another problem to add on to the list, the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars).

RTB's Business Focus asked Mr Foster, how the national carrier is handling the situation in this delicate period.

Royal Brunei Airlines is relatively small by world standards. It operates a fleet of ten aircraft as opposed to Singapore Airlines, which has no less than 90, he said.

This will change as the board of the national carrier recently revealed a workable and realistic ten-year strategy, which will increase the fleet to 18.

But first and foremost, how was the airline affected by the triple threats of war, terrorism and the outbreak of Sars?

RBA has cut up to 15 percent of its capacity in this difficult and trying period, a mere drop in the ocean when other airlines such as Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific have cut up to half its number of flights, the RBA chief said.

Yet, there is a reason to be optimistic. Bookings for the month of July, August and September have witnessed an increase.

But as Mr. Foster added, unless Travel Advisory for Sars infected countries is withdrawn, it looks like a trend that could possibly continue.

So what measures, financially speaking, have been taken to steer the airline out from a disastrous financial year?

This is a problem that the board has addressed in their strategy plan, but what are some of the other problems that plague the airline?

The bottom line remains that a swift upgrading and retrofit must take place to ensure the airline's viability in the already tough and gruesome world of today's aviation, he added. -- Courtesy of Radio Television Brunei

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