WITH AIRLINES having lost more than US$40 billion in the five years since 'September 11', change has never been more important, International Air Transport Association director general Giovanni Bisignani said recently. Over the past five years labour productivity has increased 33%, sales and distribution costs have dropped 10% and non-fuel unit costs have been reduced by 13%, but the billions saved have been eaten by a rising fuel price. “The 2001 fuel bill was US$43 billion – 13% of operating costs. This year we expect a bill of US$115 billion – 26% of operating costs," he said.
