Baffett abandon airline companies

Warren Buffett, a worldly famous investor, sold stocks of four popular airline companies.

Axios: Warren Buffett abandons U.S. airlines with a $6B billion stock sale

He said to have sold Delta, United, American, and Southwest market stocks.

Indeed, many airline companies experienced deadly loss of profits in these months mainly because of the corona pandemic. Even if this situation is ended soon, we will have to reconsider the usage of public transport. As well, many nations are prepared for the next era in which independence from other nations will be essential.

On the other hand, Warren Buffett's policy of investment is longitudinal stance. I am not certain that airline companies will not recover their balance sheet soon.

Alcohol issues in pilots

Recently, there were some scandals of aircraft pilots regarding drinking in Japan.

Some months ago, similar incidents were reported in abroad. Therefore, airline companies in Japan were keen to address this issue. They conducted strict alcohol checking for flight staffs.

However, All Nippon Airways, a leading airline company in Japan, had to report a delay of departure due to a co-pilot having failed an alcohol breath test.

The Jakarta Post: Pilot drinking delays Japan plane despite new rules

The co-pilot drunk a can of beer and half a can of a spirit-based drink six hours before the flight. In general, the Japanese are not good to metabolize alcohol in the body. Many Japanese, including me, lack specific enzymes to detoxicate alcohol. Six hours were not enough for the co-pilot to cancel the influence of alcohol completely.

I suspect similar incidences frequently occurred before, though not reported. Most of them seemed not to result in a critical problem. Nonetheless, an absolute rule is necessary for this region since the safety of flight is prioritized.

On the other hand, I am afraid some pilots are suffering from alcohol dependence or other mental disorders. Pilots always take health examination in detail. But, mental disorders are hardly detected if the patient wants to conceal the fact.

Swiss airplane crash accident

A tragedy in the sky was reported just recently. An airplane owned by a small Swiss company crashed into a mountain yesterday, leading to fatality of all of passengers and crews. The victims counted twenty.

Independent: Swiss Alps plane crash: Vintage aircraft crashes into mountain, killing all 20 passengers and crew on board

This airplane was 79-year-old. I am not sure if such an old aircraft is utilized for usual flight. According to the company, there might be no troubles regarding the maintenance of the plane.

On the other hand, it is a little odd that this plane did not carry a black box. The lack of flight recorder will make it difficult to discover the cause of this accident.

Anyway, pray for the victims. I hope similar tragedies will never happen.

Cuba aircraft accident, over 100 dead

A terrible incident occurred in Cuba. An aircraft immediately after launching from Havana crashed into the ground. This accident killed more than 100 people, almost all passengers, and crews.

The Washington Post: More than 100 people dead after airliner crashes in Cuba on domestic flight

The cause of the accident is still unclear. It is unlikely someone deliberately did this tragedy, I guess.

The crashed airplane, a Boeing 737-200, was leased by state airline Cubana de Aviación from a small Mexican carrier. This carrier was 38 years old but had passed the latest safety examination.

According to the media, there are some aircraft accident cases occurred in Cuba in recent years. But it is unsure there are structural issues in this case. I pray for the victims.

Norway plans to introduce electric airplanes

Norway is going to buy electric planes next year, according to the media.

Reuters: Norway plans to buy electric planes, mimicking green car success

Norway is one of the nations which have been decarbonized the most. Approximately a half of the cars in Norway are hybrid or electricity-driven. Its attempt for sustainability is well respected.

However, utilizing electric planes is still challenging. First of all the capacity of a battery is limited. The power per weight is inferior to petrol. And the weight of fuel is a critical issue for a plane.

Second, charging electricity is not free. Regardless electric plane is environment-friendly, it is pointless to burn massive oil for making the plane fly. It is even worse because converting the heat into electricity produce considerable waste of energy.

The authorities in Norway seem to understand these issues. They will deliberately estimate the feasibility of electric airplanes. Mini planes which fly a short range is possible to be administered with electricity. Innovation in the future may enhance the usability of electric planes.

Air India on sale, Singapore Airline to bid

Air India has been suffering from a large amount of debt. The Indian government is planning to sell this company to the private sector.

Singapore Airline seems to be one of the candidates. It is openminded to get this national airline company, according to a general manager.

Reuters: Singapore Airlines has open mind on making initial bid for Air India

Singapore Airline is popular for its highly qualified service. Its fiscal status may be good, though I am not sure. Since Singapore is functional as a hub of many big cities, getting Air India will be advantageous for Singapore Airline.

In recent years, airline companies are restructuring themselves one another. In Japan, Skymark was bankrupted in spite of its aggressive marketing. Not limited to LCCs, some flagship airlines are in peril. Who will be the new owner of Alitalia Airline is still under discussion.

Sequels in December 2017

Friday, December 22, 2017
Bitcoin break

The price of Bitcoin is still fluctuating. In Japan, March is the end of a fiscal year. Therefore, it is predicted many people will sell Bitcoins to prepare for paying income tax. There is a risk of falling Bitcoin on the next March.


Thursday, December 21, 2017
JAL tricked 3.8 million USD by a fraud email


This incident is categorized as Business E-mail Compromise. BECs have been spread in the US and some other nations. Other companies are also suspected to have been victimized unconsciously. E-mail is a convenient tool. But we should be aware of such risks, especially in a business transaction.


Friday, December 15, 2017
XBox One S has come

My XBox One S is well working. I enjoyed some 3D blue-ray videos. It also can play 4K High Definition movies. Unfortunately, its interface is confusing compared to that of PlayStation series.


Saturday, December 9, 2017
New Star Wars is coming

I will see this historic film tonight, expecting to spend exciting time.

JAL tricked 3.8 million USD by a fraud email

Japan Airline (JAL), a leading Japanese airway company, was tricked by unknown criminals. The amount of money JAL lost is up to 3.8 million USD.

Recently, an employee engaging in purchasing new aircrafts received an email. The sender suggested that JAL had not paid the fee for new products and the bank account to send the money had been amended. The person believed the email, to take the action of paying the fee. However, the sender was mimicking the seller.

Japan Times: Japan Airlines bilked out of ¥384 million after getting bogus emails seeking lease fees

A similar incident occurred concurrently in another division in JAL. As a result, a total of 3.8 million USD was stolen by the tricker.

This kind of fraud frequently occurs. I see several emails requesting sending money for several reasons. I ignore them at all. Usually, the employee must have done the same. I wonder why the trick was successful in this case.

It should be mentioned that there is no exception for potential victims of fraud. The bigger the company is, the more the amount of damage increased. Clever persons are likely to notice the trick. On the contrary, they are likely to be tricked by their excessive ability.

Is pilotless flight feasible?

Airbus, a famous aircraft provider, is planning to offer pilotless planes.

According to the article below, aircraft manufacturers are eager to develop an innovational AI program that can drive an airplane without any human control.

Independent: Airbus is looking towards a future of pilotless planes

This idea looks fantastic but is unrealistic at present. Several technological challenges should be overcome. Today, the stable flight on the sky has been already automated. But, taking off and landing are still complicated tasks for the computer.

In addition, if an airplane can fly by itself, it is unsure if people are fond of riding on it.

On the other hand, an excellent AI will enable single-person operation of the airplane. Currently, both chief pilot and co-pilot are necessary for an aircraft. If only one skilled pilot is needed for a flight, airline companies will be able to offer more flight plans. Furthermore, the cost for training pilots will be reduced.

Monarch Airlines bankrupt

Recently, bankrupt of budget airlines (so-called low-cost carriers) occurred in succession.

Monarch Airlines had to cease all of the services due to money short. It made more than 100 thousands of passengers worry about getting home. A total of 300 thousand cancellations occurred. After that, Ryanair was threatened to be sued by the Civil Aviation Authority for persistently misleading passengers.

International Business Times: From Monarch to Ryanair and Air Berlin: Are budget airlines flying into trouble?

Air Berlin also filed for insolvency in this August due to the withdrawn investment of Etihad Airways. In Japan, Skymark Airlines met bankrupt in 2015.

Budget airlines set the fare for boarding at the rate as low as possible. They are struggling to reduce the cost. It leads to the lack of flexibility in accidental situations. Previously, I wrote an example.

My past entry: A particular reason for delay in LCC

As well, they have no surplus cash because most of them are start-up companies. Thus, a small additional expenditure will be enough for them to be bankrupted.

However, airline transportation is now an essential infrastructure. Companies are responsible for the stable offering of transportation. In the case of Monarch, I hardly understand the fact none could prevent such as mass stasis of passengers. The governments and alliances of airline companies have to ensure the sustainability of airline transportation for preventing the chaos, I believe.

Uncomfortable airports

On this month, travelers are suffering from uncomfortable wait at the airport.

Following Paris and Brussels terror attack, the EU amended the rule of border control for a stricter check of passengers' identity. According to the new rule, travelers outside the Schengen zone should be examined at both the entry and exit.

The Guardian: Air travellers in Europe delayed by security checks and strikes

Border control refers to the authority about the criminal history of each passenger. It takes at least a couple of minutes. Thus, several hours is added to the total waiting time. Workers at border control are insufficient at many airports.

Furthermore, there are several factors to hurt your feeling at the airport many of which occurred recently, according to the article below.

The Guardian: Destination misery: seven ways they turned airports into hell


Some of the factors suggested by the author, I do not care. I do not drink free water frequently. And I seldom bring large suitcases. The issue of VAT and the paradox of duty-free shop are certain. But you can choose Amazon.com instead of the shop at the airport.

In my opinion, whether you can pass the gate smoothly depends on the circumstance in each airport. Last year, I went to the UK for an academic visit. In that day, I was detained at the border in Heathrow Airport. The reason was never revealed, but I guess someone misidentified my travel history. The year before, a worker said I could not enter Greece with my passport. Obviously, it was not true. I had to explain my status to her, taking a quarter hour.

I believe strict border control is no longer effective for domestic security. Terrorists are born anywhere if there is a certain condition, unfortunately. Enrichment of the whole society is the only and ultimate solution.

System trouble in British Airways

On May 27th, British Airways (BA), a leading aircraft company in the UK encountered a serious system trouble. It made all of the flights from Heathrow and Gatwick airport crippled. Thousands of passengers were trapped, to be forced to stay a night at the airport.

The trouble continued for some days. Now BA has declared a full recovery from the trouble, but there are still several flight plans badly influenced.

The cause of this trouble is not an external challenge, according to BA. If a person or organization with malicious intention had done this act, it would have been a critical problem not only the airline company but also the nation.

BA will compensate up to tens of millions GBP for damaged customers. Its stock price fell by four percent on the day of the incident.

The Guardian: British Airways owner loses £170m in value after IT meltdown

It is fortunate that nobody was injured in the accident. I can hardly imagine the magnitude of the damage if it were an atomic power plant to have been crippled. I expect BA to prevent the recurrence of this kind of problems.

Alitalia's insolvency

Alitalia, a flagship airline company in Italy, is going to be bankrupted.

In Recent years, Alitalia was suffering from a shortage of money. Also, its reputation has fallen because of a mass theft scandal. The other day, Air France planned to buy the company. But its acquisition was canceled mainly due to the resistance of the employees.

My past entry: Accidental airplanes

My past entry: Baggage theft cases in Alitalia

And now, recapitalization is still almost impossible because it requires a significant cut of salary. It seems unavoidable that Alitalia will proceed to an insolvency state.

International Business Times: Alitalia goes bust: Italy's flagship airline triggers insolvency process as liquidation looms

At a glance, the failure of Alitalia is attributable to the employees' attitude, as they repeatedly rejected bailout programs suggested so far. Also in Japan, employees of Japan Airline strongly opposed to salary cut when it was in peril of bankrupt.

It is quite natural that employees prioritize the amount of  their salary per work. On the other hand, if Alitalia becomes unavailable, it is predictable that the number of tourists visiting Italy will seriously drop. It may be critical for Italy itself, considering that tourism is one of the main source of gaining foreign money.

After all, this is an issue of public goods. Privatization of a flagship airline is a double-bladed saber.

Is jet lag an acute mountain sickness?

Previously, I wrote about my flight experience. I like to ride on an airplane. But in recent years, I have been suffering from jet lag.

Most people feel discomfort immediately after leaving the plane in spite of being relieved from the annoying cabin. Indeed, there are several factors to damage your body in an aircraft: the narrow seat, difficulty to move, high density of passengers in the cabin, dehydration,  lowered oxygen concentration, and of course, jet lag. In the latest study, however, another factor was featured for investigation. It is altitude itself of the flying airplane.

In an ordinary aircraft, cabin pressure is maintained at approximately 565mmHg, equivalent to an altitude of 8000 feet when it is flying at the highest level. In this environment, you can get acute mountain sickness. Your discomfort after landing is mainly attributed to this mechanism, rather than the jet lag, according to the researchers.

In this study, the participants were encouraged to enter a hypobaric chamber instead of boarding an airplane. The pressure was gradually reduced to 565mmHg. The participants were examined after an eight-hour trial. The results suggested that this experimental environment duplicated the symptoms of those after a long flight.

The New England Journal of Medicine: Effect of Aircraft-Cabin Altitude on Passenger Discomfort

Therefore, if the low-pressure issue is properly treated, your flight will become happier. The researchers concluded that maintaining a cabin altitude of 6000 ft or lower will minimize the adverse influence on the body of passengers. Following the finding, the media suggest that Boeing 787 Dreamliner will be a solution because they are designed to keep the pressure in the cabin stable.

Could 'widebody' passenger planes end jet lag? Researchers say low pressure cabins on Boeing's 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350 could stop symptoms

In my experience, this new vehicle is very nice. I had been suffering from a sore throat every time after boarding, but it has disappeared since Boeing 787 became available. Nonetheless, jet lag has not completely gone. A high-tech plane is not a panacea.

Brazilian football team encountered aircraft crash

On 28th Nov, an airplane accident occurred, which blew Brazilians so hard.

The British Aerospace 146, chartered by Chapecoense, a famous Brazilian football team, had an electrical failure, resulting in a crash into a mountain in Columbia. There was a total of 77 passengers in the plane. And only six survived the accident.

Telegraph: Colombia plane crash: 71 dead and six survivors on flight carrying Chapecoense football team

Some team members, journalists, and guests were included in the victims.  Although some were alive, the death of great athletes is a shocking tragedy.  Chapecoense itself will be forced to be restructured for forming the team again.

Traffic accidents are serious problems without exception. But when such a specific vehicle meets a crash, the influence will be expanded. For example, if a bus carrying physicians who are gathered for an academic conference is burned out, local hospital network will be collapsed.

The rate of an aircraft accident is so low that we need not be afraid of encountering the trouble. Nonetheless, we should prepare for the possibility that one accident will destroy the function of an association.

Supersonic jet planned again

“Faster and more distant” is one of the themes in the 20th century. Several innovations occurred in transportation such as vehicles, subways, and aircraft.

But “Concorde,” the first supersonic jet was terminated after struggling for a few of decades. It enabled us to go from London to New York for only a few hours. But its cost and low effectiveness inhibited it from becoming popular.

Recently, Airbus is considering to introduce supersonic jets again. The US Air Force seems to realize them for military use. The expected aircraft can carry 20 passengers with speed of Mach 5.

My past entry: Airbus’ supersonic aircraft and Concorde fallacy

Airbus’ plane is no more feasible for civil usage because of its low capacity. The passengers will be limited to celebrities. On the other hand, Virgin Galactic is willing to develop another type of jets which can fly across the Pacific Ocean for three hours.

Sir Richard Branson called his new supersonic airplane “Baby Boom.” If realized, it can bring 40 passengers. An experimental flight will be planned in 2023 or later. And the price is currently set at 2,500 GBP.

Independent: New supersonic jet faster than Concorde unveiled

The founder of Boom emphasizes that this attempt is affordable. Indeed, Concorde could carry 100 people with Mach 2. The spec of Concorde looks superior to this Baby Boom. However, whether the new transportation will be successful and sustainable is a different problem from the catalog spec.

I am interested in this new supersonic jet. At the same time, I like to spend time on an airplane. It is exclusively vacant, and I feel relaxed. Therefore, I can be patient to long time flight. I dare not to use the supersonic jet unless the cost is lowered by a half.

US border asks your social account

The US is going to check the information of immigrating passengers on the social media.

The Guardian: US border control could start asking for your social media accounts

The US border control will introduce an additional question about the applicants' social media account. It will be optional for a while, but will be expected to ensure the validity of border control.

Actually, some terrorists make use of social media to recruit their allies. Other crimes including illegal deals are also done on the internet. It is essential for the US and other countries to examine the activity on the internet of suspects for preventing their illegal acts.

This attempt looks quite experimental, because applicants can tell a lie, or refuse about disclosure of their social accounts.

On the other hand, it is possible to identify each applicant's social account in real time. I believe some information agencies have started the constant censoring of doubtful activists.

Anyway, this legislation is annoying for most normal travelers. Recently, American Airlines attempted to let persons with a high score of Klout, an indication of the influence on the social network, use a VIP lounge. Such a usage is cooler as a way of utilization of social media, I think.

MashableAsia: How Klout Can Score You the VIP Airport Treatment

Look back to 2015 (2)

In the mid of this year, I was very exhausted.

May 15, 2015
Cooperative computer gaming makes you prosocial

Recent years, attempts of utilizing computer games for the treatment of mental disorders became popular in some countries. I have heard about the game for depression and AD/HD. It is unsure this challenge will result in success. I hope the development of new treatment strategies.


May 17, 2015
Flight meals

Recently, I ate a flight meal produced by the Ore-no brand that is famous in Japan. It was very delicious.


May 20, 2015
Mental Disordered Offenders have become being well recognized in Japan

This is one of my research themes. I would like to write an academic article on this issue.


May 21, 2015
UK toward deflation

The situation in the UK remains unstable. The Bank of England seems to watch the situation calmly for a while. I am not sure the decision of BoE is successful.

HeraldScotland: UK crawls out of deflationary territory but BoE seen in no hurry on interest rates


June 9, 2015
The second chance

I am now struggling with another problem with me. It is fortunate that I can deal with my own flaw.


July 26, 2015
Can Bitcoin be an alternative in euro crisis?

The price of Bitcoin rose rapidly later in this year. But the currency is still unstable.


July 24, 2015
Nikkei buys Financial Times

Some readers of Nikkei are afraid that it will dominate Financial Times improperly. I am not worrying about it. Rather, I am concerned if Nikkei has enough money to maintain Financial Times for a long time.


August 1, 2015
Debris likely to be of the missing Malaysia aircraft was found

The debris found on Reunion island was identified as a part of the missing Flight 370. However, the search for the whole body is still ongoing. The true reason for falling is also in the mist.

Daily News: Search for Malaysia Airline Flight 370 to continue till June 2016


August 5, 2015
Solanezumab, challenge to Alzheimer's disease

I have no idea of the process of the clinical trial of Solanezumab. Eli Lilly is confirmative of its prospection.

The Street: Eli Lilly (LLY) Stock Price Target Raised at Leerink


August 28, 2015
The mystery of British-style curry

I found that a journalist had written about British-style curry in a journal. He identified the origin of British-style, to conclude that it declined soon after the invention. Thus, Japanese curry is the successor of old British-style curry.

Look back to 2015 (1)

In this year, there were many things to have remembered, both officially and personally.

January 8, 2015
Charlie Hebdo shooting case

After the incidence, Charlie Hebdo restarted the publishing. I am not sure its taste has been altered, but it seems to keep the stance mocking Islam and other ideologies, according to the media.

In my opinion, excessively aggressive expression ignites the fury of someone. We should be aware of the adverse influence of agitating public emotion. There is no doubt that the terror or violence is never justified even if after being inflicted a provoked, nonetheless.


January 14, 2015
Afternoon Tea in London

After returning the home, I have never enjoyed afternoon tea. There are many things to do other than tasting the tea. But I feel I need to have a precious time again at the cafe.


January 26, 2015
Anti-austerity won the election in Greece

After several conflicts, the economic status of Greece seems to be on the way to recovery. The jobless rate was decreased in youth. EU is going to decide to carry out the next bailout program. On the other hand, some reporters say the pessimistic prospect.


Friday, January 30, 2015
Skymark bankrupt

Finally, ANA Holdings won against Delta Airline in the competition to decide the way of restoring Skymark. It has been the main partner of Skymark, sending two directors into Skymark. Skymark's original idea that it should be the third party in the airline industry in Japan was collapsed. Nonetheless, it is fortunate for Skymark to survive this peril.


February 16, 2015
One-third of Londoners is teetotaller

I got drunk at Greece recently, leading to missing some fun. Since this incident, I have been a teetotaller. Alcohol is harmful rather than enjoyable for me.


March 27, 2015
German Airbus crashed in France

Germany seems to introduce random testing of pilots to examine whether they take alcohol or drugs. German pilots' union is opposing this policy.

Thanhnien: Germany plans spot drug tests on pilots after Germanwings crash

In my opinion, a regular medical check is necessary for some professionals, such as pilots, not to lead to a serious accident. It is problematic that it is impossible to detect seriously ill pilots and keep them away from the work. Letting them take a rest and proper treatment is essential for both themselves and the company. Some forcible ways are often inevitable, because some mental disorders get rid of our sound decision making. Of course, it should be strictly avoided that they are banned from the job for the diseases.


March 11, 2015
Too thin new Mac Book with Retina Display

I hesitated to buy Mac Book, and decided to choose the next Mac Book Air. I miss the release of the next Mac with a retina display.


March 10, 2015
US ambassador injured in South Korea

This incident did not result in the deterioration of the relationship between the US and Korea, fortunately. However, several factors interfered the complicated relationship between the US, Korea, and Japan. Very recently, Japan and Korea reached a historic agreement on the treatment regarding comfort women problem. I hope the mutual relationship will be more improved.


April 29, 2015
Brain Teaser in Apple

For unknown reasons, this entry became the most popular article in my blog. Many thanks to the readers.


April 24, 2015
Atomic power plant to restart in Japan

Recently, another power plant was permitted to restart by the court, which decline the counterclaim. Some plants will be prepared to generate the power in Japan.

Technically, atomic power plants are never completely safe during idling, although it costs many resources. So, it is not rational that most plants are hibernated. In my opinion, every power plants should be properly utilized, to wait for the development of plants using renewable energy. It will take several decades, I guess.

Sequels in November 2015

November 27, 2015
Russian military jet was destroyed by Turkey

Turkey returned body of the pilot on Russian jet to Russia on Sunday. The reaction of Russia is unclear.

Reuters: Turkey recovers body of pilot from downed Russian jet


November 14, 2015
Carnage at the Bataclan etc. in Paris

In France, hatred against ISIS is rising more than ever before. Paris is still under state of emergency.


Friday, November 6, 2015
Russian airplane crashed in Egypt

Egypt is calling for international collaboration to deal with the terrorism. However, the relationship between Russia, Egypt, and Turkey is worsening.


Thursday, November 5, 2015
Bitcoin rising

The price of Bitcoin maintains high level. But the last year its price was even higher. I am not sure if this tendency will remain.