News from FlightGlobal – Page 483
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NewsAir New Zealand focuses on cargo
Air New Zealand is ramping up cargo operations to “keep Kiwi businesses connected to the world” while working with the government to maintain critical cargo flow. General manager cargo, Rick Nelson, says: “With our Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft for example, we have the ability to uplift 11 cargo pallets in ...
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NewsSingapore Airlines and SilkAir pilots put on leave without pay
Singapore Airlines has asked its pilots to take unpaid leave for up to seven days each month, starting 1 April. The airline tells Cirium this applies to pilots with the mainline carrier and regional carrier SilkAir, and the measures will be in place “until the business recovers”. It adds: “We ...
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NewsAmericas 25 March in review: US Congress debates aid bill
As the US Congress debated a government assistance bill that would help the aviation and aerospace industry weather the financial storm of the coronavirus crisis, the Pentagon warned that the current pandemic could lead to geopolitical instability.
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NewsUS Senate bill would offer $78b in aid to airlines, workers, contractors
A government aid package currently making its way through the US Congress calls for loans and payroll support for airlines and aviation industry workers of $78 billion altogether, but links the assistance to strict conditions regarding executive pay, stock buybacks, dividends and requirements to maintain employee levels through the third quarter of the year.
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NewsLondon City airport to close until end of April
London City airport is to close for all flights from this evening until the end of April.
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NewsEtihad to deploy 787 passenger aircraft on cargo network
Gulf carrier Etihad Airways is to redeploy some of its Boeing 787-10s as passenger freighters following the temporary suspension of scheduled services in the United Arab Emirates, as it seeks to meet a related spike in air cargo demand.
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NewsCargo carriers see surging freighter demand as bellyhold capacity falls
IATA has highlighted “record levels” of freighter demand amid a fall in passenger flights that has reduced global air cargo capacity by around 30%.
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NewsA320neo overbooking will help steer Airbus through crisis: Faury
Airbus believes its policy of overbooking orders will give the airframer a degree of flexibility to manage the impact of the coronavirus crisis on its production and delivery processes. Chief executive Guillaume Faury says the single-aisle backlog, over 6,200 A320-family jets, includes a “significant level” of overbooking which is “providing ...
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NewsUK air transport representatives try to calm concerns over government aid
UK airline and crew interest groups are trying to allay concerns over planned government support to the industry after confusion emerged over the nature and extent of financial measures for the sector. Pilot union BALPA insists that recent suggestions that the government is backpedalling on plans to assist the industry ...
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NewsSouth African shutdown heaps pressure on bedevilled Fastjet
African budget carrier Fastjet, already under substantial financial pressure, is having to cope with the additional burden of the coronavirus outbreak after the South African and Zimbabwean governments imposed travel restrictions. Fastjet Group, which has been working to sell its Zimbabwean arm, says the South African government is locking down ...
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NewsAir New Zealand limits service to essential travel and cargo
Air New Zealand will operate limited services to enable essential travel and maintain cargo flow, even as it cuts international schedules by 95% from 30 March to 31 May. This will “keep air freight moving through key cargo corridors to North America and Asia,” it says. The ...
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NewsThai Airways suspends overseas flights
Thai Airways International is moving to suspend international flights, as Thailand prepares to implement a state of emergency on 26 March to stem the coronavirus outbreak. The carrier says the outbreak has seen “no sign of relief” and that the situation in Europe and elsewhere is getting “even more severe”, ...
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NewsCebu Pacific feels pinch from Philippines quarantine
Cebu Pacific says the month-long “community quarantine” imposed on metropolitan Manila and the main Luzon island group recently will free up 90% of its total seat capacity, even as it maintains services from its hubs outside of Manila and the region. The 90% capacity figure is based on the suspension ...
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NewsBeijing moves to beef up air cargo capacity
Beijing will take steps to bolster domestic and international air cargo capacity amid the global coronavirus pandemic, including support for air freight companies and logistics firms. The official China Daily newspaper quotes premier Li Keqiaing as stating that the massive reduction in global air traffic has created issues for supply ...
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NewsQantas Group secures $625 million against 787-9s
The Qantas Group has secured A$1.05 billion ($625 million) in a new round of debt funding to “strengthen its position as it manages through the coronavirus outbreak”. The 10-year loan bears 2.75% interest and is securitised against seven Boeing 787-9s. The jets are part of its fleet of 11 787-9s, ...
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NewsAmericas 24 March in review: Congress negotiates aid; Manufacturers and airlines make deep cuts
Politicians from both houses of the US Congress continued negotiating a bill that would offer the air transport industry financial support in order to secure jobs and keep airlines afloat as the coronavirus crisis ravages the industry.
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NewsWestJet cuts 50% of staff
WestJet’s chief executive Ed Sims says the airline has eliminated half of its workforce as it tries to preserve itself while the coronavirus continues to ravage the air transport industry.
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NewsAvianca ceases domestic flights through mid-April
Avianca has suspended domestic flights through at least 12 April, citing the Colombian federal government’s closing of the country’s airspace, which commences 25 March.
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NewsAzul expands April capacity cuts to 90%
Brazilian low-cost carrier Azul has cut its planned capacity through 30 April by 90%.
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NewsBrazil’s Gol down to 50 daily domestic flights
Gol has dropped its domestic capacity in Brazil by 92% and its international capacity by 100% through early May in response to falling demand during the coronavirus pandemic.