News from FlightGlobal – Page 400
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NewsAmerican expands pre-flight testing programme
American Airlines has expanded its pre-flight coronavirus testing programme, hoping to inspire customers’ confidence to return to air travel.
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NewsRyanair’s O’Leary plots aggressive post-Covid strategy
Ryanair will exit the coronavirus crisis leaner, more competitive and ready for expansion, group chief executive Michael O’Leary has vowed. The low-cost carrier is using the crisis to “rapidly restructure our cost base”, he explained during a 2 November half-year results call. All of the major expense items – wages, ...
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NewsATSG turns Q3 profit as it steps up 767 freighter deployments
Air Transport Services Group made an operating profit of $74 million in the third quarter, up 80% year on year, as it deployed seven Boeing 767 freighters to leasing customers to capitalise on the demand for cargo aircraft amid the pandemic. The US lessor and operator generated $404 million in ...
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NewsCapacity concerns forgotten as embattled Berlin Brandenburg finally opens
One of the ironies of Berlin Brandenburg airport’s much-delayed opening is that the onset of the air transport crisis has brought an excess of capacity to a hub which, at one point, was thought to have a shortage. Combined passenger numbers for Tegel and Schoenefeld airport for the first eight ...
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NewsCO2 emissions fail to fall in line with flight cuts, Dutch researchers find
Dutch researchers believe that an increase in long-distance cargo flights, combined with steeper reductions in short-haul passenger services than for long-haul operations, are responsible for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions failing to fall in line with the overall drop in flights.
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NewsKLM pilots outline concerns after government freezes rescue loan
KLM pilots have requested talks with the Dutch finance ministry after the government suspended a rescue loan to the airline over its failure to meet the attached labour conditions. Pilot union VNV had held off from signing a commitment clause intended to ensure that labour agreements could be extended for ...
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NewsRyanair looks beyond hard winter towards 737 Max arrival
Ryanair envisions taking delivery of 30 Boeing 737 Max jets before the peak of summer 2021, but is expecting to face heavy losses over the upcoming winter season. It is not prepared to forecast full-year performance but states that it is expecting “higher losses” over the second half to 31 ...
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NewsIndonesia plans to merge Garuda Indonesia with tourism companies
The Indonesian government has outlined plans to merge nine state-owned tourism companies, including flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, in a move to maximise operational efficiencies. The country’s state-owned enterprises ministry states that the nine entities will be merged under a single holding company. Source: Airbus Indonesia has outlined plans ...
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NewsDutch government suspends rescue loan to KLM
KLM’s proposed restructuring plan has been rejected by the Dutch government, over the failure to secure crucial union commitments, and the airline will not be permitted to make further draws on the loans put forward to support the carrier. The Dutch finance ministry has informed parliament that the first draw ...
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NewsKLM urges pilots to sign crucial pact necessary to secure ‘survival’ loan
KLM has urged pilot and cabin crew representatives to join other unions in committing to labour contributions, in order to secure a €3.4 billion ($4 billion) state-backed loan. The Dutch carrier says the cockpit union VNV has not signed a commitment clause, while the FNV union – representing cabin and ...
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NewsChina Southern first among ‘Big Three’ to return to profitability since pandemic began
China Southern Airlines became the first of China’s three largest carriers to report a quarterly operating profit since the coronavirus outbreak began, breaking its loss-making streak in the first half of the year. Its compatriots Air China and China Eastern Airlines, while still in the red for the three ...
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NewsEl Al chief Usishkin to step down in January
Israeli flag-carrier El Al’s chief executive, Gonen Usishkin, is to step down from his position in January next year, three months after a board shake-up by the airline’s new controlling shareholder. Usishkin was named as the airline’s head in early 2018. He oversaw the transformation of El Al’s fleet, as ...
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NewsCargo pilots’ union blasts UPS for inadequate coronavirus protections
The head of the Independent Pilots Association, the union representing pilots at international cargo carrier UPS Airlines, says that the coronavirus could have a “significant impact” on the airline’s operations and sharply criticises the company for neglecting to keep cockpit crew safe from the highly-contagious virus.
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NewsDomestic demand bolsters Aeroflot revenue
Russian carrier Aeroflot saw quarter-on-quarter rises in passenger demand and revenue during the three months ended 30 September, underpinned by strong domestic demand. Although third-quarter revenue was down 67% on last year’s, at Rb55.2 billion ($695 million), the carrier notes that load factors and yields were at “comparable levels”. Still, ...
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NewsLosses prompt IAG review of fuel hedging
IAG is examining its policy of taking out fuel hedges following massive losses from the financial instruments.
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NewsRomanian budget carrier Blue Air to add Heathrow and Frankfurt
Romanian low-cost carrier Blue Air is to switch its London flights to Heathrow from December and launch Frankfurt services next summer as it bids to challenge network carriers in their hubs. Blue AIr has served London Luton airport since 2012, but will begin Bucharest to Heathrow flights from the start ...
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News‘Debates remain’ with government on bailout deal: KLM chief
KLM chief executive Pieter Elbers says the carrier is continuing discussions with the Dutch government over the approval of its bailout deal, amid reports that the airline’s proposals have been rejected.
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NewsIAG looks to seal restructuring agreement with BA cargo operation
IAG is turning to attention to securing personnel agreements with British Airways’ freight-handling operation, in order to round off its cost-saving and restructuring measures. Chief executive Luis Gallego, speaking during a third-quarter briefing, said that the company had achieved substantial savings at the UK flag-carrier but “still has to close ...
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NewsComair restart hopes boosted by competition commission backing
Comair’s efforts to resume operations have been bolstered after competition regulators backed a consortium’s proposed bid to acquire the South African carrier from business rescue.
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NewsAir France-KLM laments fresh lockdown as Q3 loss tops €1bn
The new lockdown imposed by the French government amid rising cases of coronavirus across the region will weigh on Air France-KLM’s performance through the fourth quarter of this year.