Asian stocks mixed, Tokyo hit by JAL plunge

HONG KONG: Asian stocks were mixed Wednesday with Tokyo pressured by a plunge in shares of Japan Airlines, amid fears Asia’s biggest carrier may file for bankruptcy. Tokyo ended its final trading session of the year down 0.86 percent. However the index was up 19.0 percent over 2009, having tumbled 42.1 percent in 2008. Hong Kong ended flat in thin holiday trade, while Sydney slipped 0.24 percent. Seoul pushed 0.62 percent higher despite earlier losses. Shanghai was the region’s strongest performer, powering 1.58 percent ahead. Markets in the Philippines were closed for a public holiday. TOKYO: Down 0.86 percent. The Nikkei-225 index fell 91.62 points to 10,546.44 on the last trading day of 2009. Shares in Japan Airlines plunged 23.9 percent to 67 yen on growing fears that the troubled carrier might file for bankruptcy, dealers said. The shares slid to 60 yen at one point, the lowest level since JAL merged with Japan Air System Co in 2002. HONG KONG: Flat. The Hang Seng Index edged down 2.82 points, or 0.01 percent, to close at 21,496.62. SYDNEY: Down 0.24 percent. The S&P/ASX 200 index dropped 11.8 points to 4,833.3. SHANGHAI: Up 1.58 percent. The Shanghai Composite Index, which covers both A and B shares, was up 50.84 points at 3,262.60. SEOUL: Up 0.62 percent. The KOSPI ended up 10.29 points at 1,682.7 on the last trading day of the year. The market started the day in negative terrain, pulled down by units of the liquidity-squeezed Kumho group and by banks. TAIPEI: Up 0.73 percent. The weighted index rose 58.45 points to 8,112.28. Gainers led losers by 1,735 to 1,082 with 308 stocks unchanged. SINGAPORE: Up 0.35 percent. The Straits Times Index rose 10.00 points to 2,879.76. BANGKOK: Down 1.03 percent. The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) composite index fell 7.62 points to close at 734.54 points. KUALA LUMPUR: Down 0.32 percent. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index shed 4.10 points to close at 1,271.12. JAKARTA: Up 0.61 percent. The Jakarta Composite Index gained 15.36 points to 2,534.36. WELLINGTON: Down 0.13 percent. The NZX-50 index dropped 4.22 points to 3,220.91. afp

Japan Mulls Merging JAL's Int'l Service Into ANA's: Report

TOKYO (Reuters) - Several cabinet members of the Japanese government want Japan Airlines Corp <9205.t> to withdraw completely from its international flights business and consolidate it with that of All Nippon Airways Co <9202.t>, the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper reported on Thursday. The cabinet members met on Wednesday and appeared to have floated the idea in order to improve JAL's financial condition, Mainichi reported, without citing any sources. But Transport Minister Seiji Maehara was opposed to the plan of having only one international flight service airline from Japan, the newspaper said. Mainichi said the discussions of the cabinet members were based on the assumption that JAL will be restructured under a court-led process. The idea was raised as JAL's international flights business has been a huge burden for its overall operation, with a government-backed turnaround fund requiring JAL to revitalize within three years. JAL has announced it will terminate flights on 30 routes, including 13 international, by June. On Wednesday, JAL shares tumbled as much as 32 percent to a record low on growing expectations the struggling carrier was headed for bankruptcy under a state restructuring plan. Tokyo financial markets are closed for a public holiday on Thursday. The chances of bankruptcy appeared to increase last week when Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii said the government would not back any more loans to JAL. Private banks are unlikely to extend loans without guarantees against future losses. (Reporting by Chikafumi Hodo; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman) Copyright 2009 Reuters News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Japon sale al rescate de JAL. Para evitar su bancarrota.

Las acciones de Japan Airlines cayeron el miércoles un 24% ante el incremento de las expectativas de que la compañía aérea se encontraba al límite de declarar la bancarrota. Pero el ministro de Transporte de Japón, Seiji Maehara, trató de salir al paso argumentando que el Gobierno estaba trabajando para establecer un nuevo programa marco de créditos para la aerolínea a través del banco público Development Bank of Japan.

Maehara hizo estos comentarios después de la reunión del consejo de ministros para discutir sobre la reestructuración de la compañía, informa Reuters. Una eventual quiebra de Japan Airlines, con 16.000 millones de dólares (11.160 millones de euros) de deuda total, constituiría la sexta mayor en la historia de Japón. La quiebra afectaría también American Airlines y Delta Air Lines, que están interesadas en Japan Airlines.

Japan Airlines lleva cuatro años consecutivos en pérdidas, como consecuencia de la crisis económica global y su menor eficiencia frente a su rival doméstico All Nipon Airways. Japan Airlines es la mayor aerolínea de Asia por ventas y el Gobierno de Japón presentará el nuevo plan de apoyo a la compañía a mediados de enero.

"El Gobierno intenta actuar firmemente en apoyo de Japan Airlines para garantizar la seguridad y continuidad de las operaciones", dijo el miércoles el primer ministro, Yukio Hatoyama. Los principales bancos acreedores de Japan Airlines son Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Muzuho Financial Group y el banco público Development Bank of Japan.

El Gobierno japonés ha afirmado en reiteradas ocasiones que no permitirá la desaparición de la aerolínea de bandera, que fue privatizada en el año 1987 y que opera más del 40% de los vuelos internos en el país asiático.

Japan Airlines sufre grave caida en la bolsa.

Las Acciones de Japan Airlines registraron una grave caida en sus acciones producto ala crisis interna que sufre dicha aerolinea-

Al cierre de este miércoles, última sesión bursátil del año en Tokio, el título de JAL cayó un 23,86% a 67 yenes, tras haber alcanzado durante la jornada su más bajo nivel histórico, 60 yenes. En todo el año, la acción perdió 68,40%.

Los medios de información japoneses han afirmado en los últimos días que la ex compañía estatal podría declararse en quiebra en las próximas semanas y ser objeto de un procedimiento de administración judicial.

Esa perspectiva resulta más angustiante para los acreedores y accionistas de JAL que la que se había privilegiado hasta el presente, es decir un plan de salvaguarda negociado entre las diferentes partes implicadas.

Un administrador judicial puede, en efecto, imponer moratorias, reestructuración de la deuda y otras medidas radicales destinadas a salvar a la empresa, pero que pueden reducir a cero el valor de sus acciones.

"Los temores de los inversores son cada vez mayores", explica Kazuhiro Takahashi, analista de Daiwa Securities SMBC, estimando que una puesta bajo administración judicial de JAL desembocaría en su exclusión de la Bolsa.

"Saber si la reorganización tendrá lugar ante un tribunal o fuera del sistema judicial, ese es el gran interrogante, ya que ello determinará que los derechos de los accionistas sean o no protegidos", estima, por su parte, el analista de SMBC Friend Research Center Mitsuru Miyazaki, citado por Dow Jones Newswires.

El Gobierno japonés ha afirmado reiteradas veces que no permitirá la desaparición pura y simple de JAL, firma privatizada en 1987 y que asegura más del 40% de los vuelos internos en Japón.

British Airways union to hold new strike ballot

LONDON — The union for British Airways cabin crew said Friday it would swiftly hold another strike vote after a court blocked a planned walkout over the Christmas and New Year's holiday travel period.

A quick ballot by the Unite union could pave the way for a rescheduled walkout in January, ramping up a dispute over pay cuts and reduced staffing levels that has grown increasingly acrimonious.

The strike, which was due to begin on Tuesday, had threatened to disrupt the travel plans of around one million festive season travelers.

Unite said it was not ruling out an appeal of the High Court's decision on Thursday to grant BA an emergency injunction against the 12-day strike.

However, it added that it "expected to move swiftly towards a fresh ballot, believing it to be the surest way to make ensure members' voices are heard is to reballot, so we will be concentrating on this and not a protracted legal process."

The High Court granted BA the injunction halting the walkout on the grounds that Unite's ballot was illegal because it included around 800 members who no longer worked at the airline.

The union argued that BA had won the day on a technicality only, pointing out that ballot disallowed by the High Court showed a 9-1 majority in favour of a walkout, with a turnout of around 80 percent of some 13,000 cabin crew staff.

Under British labor laws, the Unite union has to give formal notice of another ballot and then seven days notice of a strike if members vote "yes," allowing for a potential walkout in January.

BA said Friday that it was "extremely disappointed but not surprised that Unite has rushed to announce their intention to re-ballot barely 24 hours after the High Court's decision."

BA argues the disputed changes to staffing and pay — including a pay freeze in 2010, a switch to part-time work for 3,000 staff and a reduction in cabin crew sizes from 15 to 14 on long-haul flights from Heathrow airport — are necessary to ride out its dire financial situation.

The union alleges the changes to pay and conditions are in breach of contract, but last month agreed to fly with reduced staffing after failing to win its own court injunction banning their imposition until a High Court decision on the dispute Feb. 1.

"We had hoped that the union would have used this time to pause and reflect," the airline said in a statement. "The aviation industry is facing the worst financial crisis in its history."

High Court Justice Laura Cox denied Unite permission to appeal the judgement in the High Court, although the union can apply to do so in the higher Court of Appeal.

The High Court is also due to rule on a preexisting court action by the union on the cost-cutting measures imposed by BA on Feb. 1.

Iberia to take stranded Air Comet passengers

Angry airline passengers stranded at airports in Spain and Latin America are threatening to go on hunger strike after the Madrid-based company Air Comet suspended all operations and had its flying licence revoked by the Spanish authorities. The Spanish national carrier Iberia has pledged to clear 90 per cent of the backlog, transferring 7,000 affected customers on to its own aircraft. But delays have left would-be travellers fuming. One woman at Madrid’s Barajas airport said: “This isn’t right that they’re allowed to do this to us. No-one has given us any information. Nothing has been said to us. We paid for our tickets and we are waiting without any information.” Another stranded customer said: “I’m not moving from here while there is no flight and if needs be, I’ll go on hunger strike until they find me a flight.” Around half a dozen other passengers from Colombia and Ecuador are reported to have already begun a hunger strike. Spanish government officials have pledged to ensure alternative travel arrangements are made but are uncertain whether everyone will get where they are going in time for Christmas.

American Airlines jet goes off runway in Jamaica

An American Airlines jet ran off the end of the runway Tuesday night as it was landing in Kingston, Jamaica, shortly before 10:30 p.m. Jamaica time, the airline said. Initial reports indicated no significant injuries.

The airplane, a Boeing 737-800, had come from Miami. The Jamaica Observer reported that the airplane had broken in two as it left the runway in a heavy rainstorm.

An airline spokesman had no further details as of midnight.

The Jamaica Observer reported that authorities said there were 40 injured people:

"The injured passengers have been taken to the Kingston Public Hospital," Information Minister Daryl Vaz told the Observer. "There are no reports of fatalities."

The Observer quoted a passenger in Row 8 as saying the airplane broke apart just in front of her. The first-class section occupies Rows 3 through 6, with the coach section beginning at Row 7. American's Boeing 737-800s do not have a Row 1 or 2.

The Miami Herald quoted the brother-in-law of one passenger as saying the airplane broke into three pieces. A source told the Dallas Morning News that the airplane's right engine came off, its left landing gear collapse and that the airplane was in pretty bad shape.

However, the Associated Press late Tuesday quoted a police officer as saying "the plane was damaged but did not break apart."

Flight 331 originated at Washington National, departing there just before 4 p.m. EST. It arrived in Miami at 6:25 p.m., then left for Kingston shortly before 9 p.m.

American's Boeing 737-800s contain 148 seats, although new ones being delivered this year can carry up to 160 passengers. American said the flight carried 148 passengers and six crew members, for a total of 154 aboard.

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Air Comet caotica situacion.

Desde noviembre dejo Cámara de compensación de la IATA por pagos impagos. El 21 de Diciembre suspendio todas sus operaciones.

El cese de operaciones supone el despido de 650 empleados y 7000 pasajeros con billete comprado sin volar. Las deudas ascienden a 17,2 millones de euros sin contar el pago de sueldos a los empleados. El Ministerio de Fomento se ha comprometido a recolocar a todos los viajeros en otras aeronaves. Air Comet dificulta del rescate del Grupo Marsans El cierre Afecta a mas de 3.000 personas en muchos aeropuertos donde Operaba.

Estelle es una de las 100.000 personas que compró su pasaje para volar con Air Comet. Pero tuvo la mala suerte de pagarlo este mismo lunes, cuando la compañía ya había comunicado su quiebra.

«Mi pareja compró los billetes media hora después de que la empresa hubiera anunciado su cierre. Él no lo sabía y yo tampoco. Nos enteramos al día siguiente», explica esta editora de 30 años que ve ahora cómo su viaje al otro lado del Atlántico está en el aire.

Estelle tenía pensado viajar hasta Perú el próximo febrero y pasar allí tres meses. Comparó precios en su agencia de viajes y comprobó que con Air Comet ahorraba unos 500 € en los pasajes de ella y de su pareja frente a lo que ofrecían otras compañías.

«Al principio nos advirtieron de que la empresa sufría altibajos, por lo que decidimos aplazar la compra, pero la semana pasada nos indicaron que Air Comet ya estaba saliendo del bache, porque ofrecía comisiones a los vendedores, y reservamos el billete», apunta.

Ahora, Estelle se pregunta cómo una compañía «que ya estaba quebrada» seguía recibiendo dinero. Algo que reflejó en la queja que presentó ayer en la oficina habilitada en el Campo de las Naciones de Madrid para atender las quejas de los damnificados por el cierre de la compañía, donde afirma que Fomento ha montado «una pantomima».

«Nos han sacado de Barajas para que no montemos follón»Muchos papeles a rellenar y pocas respuestas. Es lo que se encontró Nico, la pareja de Estelle, cuando acudió a la oficina de quejas, en la que sólo 20 funcionarios atendían las quejas de miles de personas. Después de esperar una hora, un trabajador le ofreció un papel en el que expuso sus quejas. Y ya está. Ni le dijeron cómo se pondrían en contacto con él ni qué era lo que tenía que hacer después. Nada salvo esperar.

Ahora, Nico y Estelle aguardan a que les devuelvan el dinero que pagaron, porque creen que la reubicación en otras compañías es imposible en su caso. Pero se sienten «afortunados, porque en Barajas se han quedado tiradas familias enteras con niños, y tienen muchos más problemas que nosotros».

De momento, la pareja no se ha planteado reclamar nada más que la vuelta de lo que pagaron. «Estamos en crisis y si una empresa cae, pues cae. Tampoco nos vamos a comportar como animales», afirma Estella. Pero también advierte que «si no nos dan respuesta, haremos algo».