Aviation News

The agreement in principle is subject to finalization between the parties and ratification by the employee groupThe parties had temporarily suspended negotiations early in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemicAllegiant currently employs 415 maintenance technician and related employees Allegiant today announces that the company and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), representing Allegiant’s workforce of maintenance technician and related employees, have reached an agreement in principle on all remaining open issues for the first collective bargaining agreement between the parties.  The agreement in principle is subject to finalization between the parties and ratification by the employee group, which includes line and heavy maintenance technicians as well as stores employees and some administrative maintenance staff.  A ratification vote is expected to occur by the end of July, 2021. Allegiant currently employs 415 maintenance technician and related employees. “We are pleased to announce this agreement with the IBT and our workforce of maintenance technician and related employees, and commend the great work of all who have been involved in the process,” said Maurice J. Gallagher, Jr., Allegiant chairman and chief executive officer. “Our maintenance team’s work is critical to our operation every day, ensuring our customers have access to safe and seamless, convenient and affordable travel. I applaud this important milestone and look forward to finalizing the first contract with this critical, skilled group of team members.” The process of negotiating a first collective bargaining agreement for Allegiant maintenance technician and related employees began in January 2019. The parties had temporarily suspended negotiations early in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but talks resumed in September.  The International Brotherhood of Teamsters was most recently certified as the group’s exclusive representative on March 7, 2018.

The collaboration contributes to the climate commitments Neste made in 2020Finnair’s target is to become carbon neutral by 2045Finnair is one of the most frequently used airlines for business travel by Neste’s employees Neste and Finnair are joining forces to reduce carbon emissions related to Nesteemployees’ business travel by using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Neste hasrecently made 300 tons of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel available at Helsinki Airport in Finland for Finnair’s use. By replacing a part of the fossil jet fuel with SAF on its flights departing from Helsinki Airport, Finnair will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 900 tons of CO2 equivalent. This represents a significant share of the emissions accumulated from Neste employees’ global air travel in 2020. The collaboration contributes to the climate commitments Neste made in2020, including a commitment to reduce and compensate emissions from its employees’ business travel through the use of the company’s own sustainable aviation fuel. Finnair is a strategic partner for Neste, and also one of the most frequently used airlines for business travel by Neste’s employees. Finnair’s target is to become carbon neutral by 2045, and to halve its net CO2 emissions by the end of 2025. Piloting a new SAF-based solution for reducing emissions from business airtravel The collaboration between Neste and Finnair also serves as a showcase for otherbusinesses, since it offers a clear solution on how to reduce business airtravel emissions. Neste’s aim is to make this solution available for businesses,public institutions and other organizations with ambitious climate commitments. “We are excited about collaborating with Finnair to pilot the innovativesolution we have developed for reducing emissions from business air travel. Thissolution, built upon Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel and partnerships withairlines, will provide corporate customers and other organizations yet anothertool for tackling climate change and meeting their climate commitments,“ saysSami Jauhiainen, Vice President, Business Development from Neste’s RenewableAviation business unit. “We are extending the invitation to other companies andcollaborating airlines to partner with Neste, making business travel moresustainable and future-fit. It is now a great time to prepare for when businesstravel takes off again.”

Qantas Airline began the coronavirus journey at 20 percent of pre-COVID capacity in the first quarter of 2020.Passenger demand is coming back although it is not there yet in full.The airline will be managing the business on a cash basis, meaning there is just enough to cover the operating costs of the operation and get our pilots, cabin crew, and staff back to work. Read on – or sit back and listen – to hear about what the Chief Executive Officer of Qantas Airline, Alan Joyce, thinks about the current aviation situation. Here, Peter Harbison, Chairman Emeritus of CAPA – Centre for Aviation, talks with Alan Joyce, Qantas CEO, on COVID and aviation in an unedited interview. Peter Harbison: Good afternoon and welcome, a very warm welcome to Alan Joyce who’s the CEO of Qantas, Qantas group. Welcome Alan, back to CAPA Live. Great to have you on. Alan Joyce: Good to talk to you again Peter as normal. It’s a pity we’re not doing it in person, but I’m assuming we’ll get back to a CAPA conference in person at some stage which will be great. Peter: Well, we’re planning on that very, very shortly. Yeah. Alan Joyce: Great. Peter: And I look forward to that. Thanks, Alan. A lot of things to talk about. Let’s kick off with the purely domestic scene if we could. We’ve had a lot of stop start. It must’ve been very frustrating for you. Do you think we’re getting any closer now to getting some domestic, i.e. state, interstate protocols in place for when we do close the borders down and notice periods, that sort of thing?

FlyArystan flies from Aktau, Atyrau and Nur-Sultan to Kutaisi, GeorgiaTwice weekly services will operate with Airbus A320 aircraftKutaisi is located between Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi and the Black Sea resort of Batumi FlyArystan, Kazakhstan’s fast growing LCC, will launch international services from Aktau, Atyrau and Nur-Sultan to Kutaisi in Georgia from 2nd May 2021. Twice weekly FlyArystan services using Airbus A320 aircraft will operate from Aktau on Tuesdays and Fridays, from Atyrau on Thursdays and Sundays and from Nur Sultan on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The historic city of Kutaisi is located equidistantly between Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi and the Black Sea resort of Batumi. FlyArystan is a first Kazakh low-cost carrier based in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It was launched in May 2019 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Air Astana, the country’s leading airline.

The newly formed U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Tourism, Trade, and Export Promotion, led by Chairwoman Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Ranking Member Rick Scott (R-FL), held its first-ever hearing today, entitled “The State of Travel and Tourism During COVID.”U.S. Travel Association’s Tori Emerson Barnes, executive vice president of public affairs and policy, joined three other expert witnesses representing the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, MGM Resorts International and the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association in sharing testimony relating to the impact of the global pandemic on the travel economy.Specific policies should be implemented to improve the industry’s long-term competitiveness and ensure we come back stronger and better than ever U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Chair of the Subcommittee on Tourism, Trade, and Export Promotion, today convene a hearing titled, “The State of Travel and Tourism During COVID,” This hearing examined the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the travel and tourism industry, with a particular focus on the hotels, conventions, and the broader hospitality industry. The overall message was to reopen borders and the international travel and tourism industry in the United States. Economic concerns clearly overshadowed health challenges, when the UK was categorized as a safe country and the meeting industry was pushing for conventions to relaunch.

Israel is taking great strides in reopening to international travel this MayThe series of phases and guidelines will be outlined and released next weekIn all phases, visitors will be required to undergo a PCR test before boarding their flight to Israel, and a serological test to prove their vaccination upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport The Israel Ministry of Tourism, in tandem with the Ministry of Health, announced that on May 23, the country will begin welcoming vaccinated groups of international travelers back into the country through a phased approach after more than a year without tourism due to COVID-19 restrictions. “I am happy to share the news that Israel is taking great strides in reopening to international travel this May,” said Eyal Carlin, Tourism Commissioner for North America. “We have been working to develop a plan that allows not only for the country to reopen to visitors, but also to ensure that everyone stays safe. We have come so far, and it is for this reason we are adapting this proactive strategy of having a phased opening. 60% percent of Israel’s population has been vaccinated and with the United States and Israel using the same vaccines, we are hopeful that by summer we can open our doors wide and welcome every visitor to Israel who would like to come.” The series of phases and guidelines will be outlined and released next week. The first phase will feature a pilot program kicking off on May 23, allowing a select number of tour groups to visit Israel – the number of groups will increase based on the overall health situation and progress/success of the program. Individual travelers will be welcomed in a later phase of reopening likely in July (TBD). In all phases, visitors will be required to undergo a PCR test before boarding their flight to Israel, and a serological test to prove their vaccination upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport. In the meantime, discussions will continue to reach agreements for vaccine-certificate validation, with the goal of canceling the need for the serological test.

Air Canada to access up to $5.879 billion in liquidity through the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility programAir Canada will be ready to safely connect Canadians within Canada and the worldAir Canada has agreed to a number of commitments related to customer refunds Air Canada announced today that it has entered into a series of debt and equity financing agreements with the Government of Canada, which will allow Air Canada to access up to $5.879 billion in liquidity through the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility (LEEFF) program. “Air Canada entered the pandemic more than a year ago with one of the global airline industry’s strongest balance sheets relative to its size. We have since raised an additional $6.8 billion in liquidity from our own resources to sustain us through the pandemic, as air traffic ground to a virtual halt in Canada and internationally,” said Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada. 

CargoCity South is one of the most heavily trafficked parts of the airportInnovative camera system reads license plates of arriving visitors and crosschecks them against stored datasetsNew technology delivers a genuine time saving compared to the old approach

Aircraft tests were done in freezing conditionAircraft made 14 flights over the coast of the White Sea, part of the Barents Sea and the Subpolar Urals areaIrkut has been successfully flying the MC-21 for more than three years Russian civil aviation authorities have conducted a test Russia’s first post-Soviet large domestic passenger aircraft, the MC-21-300. The tests were done in freezing conditions to observe how the aircraft performs when covered with ice. The aircraft successfully completed certification tests under natural icing conditions in northern Russia and can safely fly in harsh conditions, its manufacturer Irkut Corporation, part of United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), revealed earlier this week.  The aircraft made some 14 flights lasting from three to five hours over the coast of the White Sea, part of the Barents Sea and the Subpolar Urals area. The routes were specifically picked because of the high humidity and low temperatures found there, which lead to ice formation on aircraft surfaces. The certification flights were conducted in several steps. First, the crew looked for clouds that would create the required conditions. Special equipment installed on the plane, including 12 cameras, then allowed them to control how much of the aircraft’s surface was covered with ice and record how it was functioning. After the ice layer was thick enough, the airliner gained altitude to check its performance under those conditions.  Ice thickness was increased with each test flight, finally reaching eight centimeters – more than enough to say that the plane successfully passed the test. According to Russian and European standards, an aircraft shouldn’t lose its designed characteristics while covered a layer of ice 7.6 cm (3 inches) thick. After completing the certification flights, the MC-21-300 returned from Arkhangelsk to the Zhukovsky airport near Moscow. Irkut has been successfully flying the MC-21 for more than three years, but inability to acquire US-made parts for the aircraft forced the corporation to think of ways to try to develop the aircraft using more domestic components. A variant of the MC-21, known as MC-21-310 aircraft, equipped with two Russian PD-14 engines made its maiden flight at the end of last year.

More than 1.7 billion domestic trips in China are expected to be made in H1 2021In first quarter of 2021, Chinese people made 697 million domestic tripsDuring Labor Day holiday domestic tourist trips will recover to or even surpass the pre-COVID-19 level China Tourism Academy (CTA) forecasts that country’s tourism revenue will increase 102 percent year on year and reach 1.28 trillion yuan (about $195 billion US) in the first half of 2021. More than 1.7 billion domestic trips in China are expected to be made in H1 2021, up 85 percent year on year, the academy announced at an online press conference today. During the upcoming Labor Day holiday from May 1 to 5, domestic tourist trips will recover to or even surpass the pre-COVID-19 level, said Dai Bin, director of the CTA. Meanwhile, according to a survey by the academy, over 83 percent of the respondents said they are willing to travel in the second quarter of 2021, up 1.02 percentage points and 4.93 percentage points compared with Q1 of 2021 and Q2 of 2020, respectively. In first quarter of 2021, Chinese people made 697 million domestic trips and the country’s tourism revenue reached 560 billion yuan, increasing by 136 percent and 150 percent year on year, respectively, said the CTA. “China’s tourism consumption is enjoying a speedy recovery. It will see a consumption boom in the third quarter of this year, especially during the weeklong National Day holiday,” said Dai.

Alaska Airlines to open a new lounge just as guests start to return to travelThe announcement comes as Alaska Airlines continues to expand its presence in the Bay AreaWhen it opens, Alaska expects the Lounge to create 30 jobs in the Bay Area Alaska Airlines guests will have the opportunity to relax in the new Alaska Lounge at San Francisco International Airport by late summer, as the airline announces updated plans for Bay Area travelers. Under this new plan, Alaska will move into the former American Airlines Admirals Club space in Terminal 2, enabling the airline to open a new lounge just as guests start to return to travel. “We’re always looking for ways to be more responsive to our guests and offer amenities that make travel more relaxing. SFO has been the top-requested Alaska Lounge location by our guests for years,” said Sangita Woerner, Alaska Airlines‘ senior vice president of marketing and guest experience. “So many people are dreaming of travel this year, so we want to open up our newest Alaska Lounge as quickly and efficiently as possible – and renovating this space in Terminal 2 allows us to do that.” The announcement comes as Alaska Airlines continues to expand its presence in the Bay Area. Alaska now operates more than 80 daily flights out of the Bay Area (including SFO, San Jose and Oakland) and has more than 1,700 Bay Area-based employees. In June, Alaska will begin service to Anchorage and Bozeman, Montana, from SFO. Other recent service announcements include: Recently resumed service to Honolulu and Maui from SFO as of April 4Resumed service to Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta from SJC in early AprilNew service to Missoula, Mont., from SJC starting in May When completed, this new lounge will be the second-largest of the Alaska Lounges at just under 10,000 sq. ft., behind Alaska’s flagship lounge in Seattle’s North Satellite Terminal. This space is also centrally located in Terminal 2, with easy access to additional dining and shopping options for guests. The Alaska Lounge at SFO joins seven other lounge locations in the Alaska Airlines portfolio, in Seattle; Portland, Oregon; Los Angeles; New York – JFK; and Anchorage. “We’re thrilled to welcome the opening of the Alaska Lounge at SFO,” said SFO Airport Director Ivar C. Satero. “As the recovery of air travel continues, travelers can look forward to more and more amenities at SFO. The Alaska Lounge offers a great way for people to relax, recharge, and enjoy the friendly service that they’re known for.” When it opens, Alaska expects the Lounge to create 30 jobs in the Bay Area. More details and timing will be announced over the coming months.  

In the domestic Mexican market, demand continued to recoverVolaris’ recovery has been driven by its unique ultra-low-cost structureVolaris demonstrated flexibility focusing on capacity management in the face of a volatile demand environment Volaris, the ultra-low-cost airline serving Mexico, the United States and Central America, reported March 2021 preliminary traffic results. In the domestic Mexican market, demand continued to recover and we capitalized on opportunities to add capacity, ending the month with 4.6% more ASMs than in the prior year. International capacity decreased 35.4% in the month as a result of continuing US regulations on international flights and quarantine restrictions in Mexico preceding vaccination. As a result, March 2021 total capacity measured by ASMs (Available Seat Miles) was 92.8% compared to the same month of the prior year. Demand measured by RPMs (Revenue Passenger Miles) was 98% compared to the same month of the prior year. Volaris transported 1.5 million passengers in March 2021 and the booked load factor was 86.9%. Volaris‘ President and Chief Executive Officer, Enrique Beltranena, commenting on the traffic results for March 2021, said: “Volaris’ industry leading recovery has been driven by its unique ultra-low-cost structure that has positioned the Company as the leading airline in Mexico in terms of passengers carried and provides strong fundamentals for future growth. Our steady recovery process has been focused on rebuilding our core network, managing capacity by market where we expand as demand allows and to continue to exploit new opportunities as they appear. Our March 2021 figures and our capacity management are a testament to the domestic market opportunity and to Volaris’ potential to expand its international network as the United States and Central American markets recover.” During the first quarter of 2021, Volaris demonstrated flexibility focusing on capacity management in the face of a volatile demand environment. Volaris finished the quarter operating 88.3% of the ASMs flown in the first quarter of the prior year. For the second quarter of 2021, the Company expects to operate approximately 110% of the 2019 second quarter capacity. The following table summarizes Volaris traffic results for the month of March 2021. For the first quarter of 2021 we are comparing versus 2020 figures. It should be noted that the COVID-19 pandemic did not start to impact demand in Mexico until the second half of March 2020. Effective April 2021 we will start comparing versus 2019. March2021March2020VarianceYTDMarch 2021YTDMarch 2020VarianceRPMs (in millions, scheduled &charter)Domestic1,2111,1237.8%3,2563,660-11.0%International285403-29.3%9461,506-37.2%Total1,4961,527-2.0%4,2025,166-18.7%ASMs (in millions, scheduled &charter)Domestic1,3691,3094.6%4,0384,253-5.0%International353546-35.4%1,3421,843-27.2%Total1,7221,855-7.2%5,3806,095-11.7%Load Factor (in %, scheduled,RPMs/ASMs)Domestic88.5%85.8%2.7 pp80.6%86.1%(5.4) ppInternational80.8%73.9%6.9 pp70.5%81.7%(11.2) ppTotal86.9%82.3%4.6 pp78.1%84.7%(6.6) ppPassengers (in thousands,scheduled & charter)Domestic1,3371,2913.5%3,5974,229-15.0%International212276-23.3%6741,048-35.7%Total1,5491,568-1.2%4,2715,277-19.1%

Air cargo demand continues to outperform pre-COVID levelsVolumes have now returned to 2018 levels seen prior to the US-China trade warGlobal demand, measured in cargo ton-kilometers (CTKs*), was up 9% compared to February 2019 The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released February 2021 data for global air cargo markets showing that air cargo demand continued to outperform pre-COVID levels with demand up 9% over February 2019. February demand also showed strong month-on-month growth over January 2021 levels. Volumes have now returned to 2018 levels seen prior to the US-China trade war. Because comparisons between 2021 and 2020 monthly results are distorted by the extraordinary impact of COVID-19, unless otherwise noted all comparisons to follow are to February 2019 which followed a normal demand pattern. Global demand, measured in cargo ton-kilometers (CTKs*), was up 9% compared to February 2019 and +1.5% compared to January 2021. All regions except for Latin America saw an improvement in air cargo demand compared to pre-COVID levels and North America and Africa were the strongest performers. The recovery in global capacity, measured in available cargo ton-kilometers (ACTKs), stalled owing to new capacity cuts on the passenger side as governments tightened travel restrictions due to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases. Capacity shrank 14.9% compared to February 2019. The operating conditions remain supportive for air cargo: Conditions in the manufacturing sector are robust despite the recent spike in COVID-19 outbreaks. The global manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) was at 53.9 in February. Results above 50 indicate manufacturing growth versus the prior month. The new export orders component of the manufacturing PMI – a leading indicator of air cargo demand– picked up compared to January.

Total demand for air travel in February 2021was down 74.7% compared to February 201International passenger demand in February was 88.7% below February 2019Total domestic demand was down 51.0% versus pre-crisis (February 2019) levels The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that passenger traffic fell in February 2021, both compared to pre-COVID levels (February 2019) and compared to the immediate month prior (January 2020). Because comparisons between 2021 and 2020 monthly results are distorted by the extraordinary impact of COVID-19, unless otherwise noted all comparisons are to February 2019, which followed a normal demand pattern. Total demand for air travel in February 2021 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) was down 74.7% compared to February 2019. That was worse than the 72.2% decline recorded in January 2021 versus two years ago. International passenger demand in February was 88.7% below February 2019, a further drop from the 85.7% year-to-year decline recorded in January and the worst growth outcome since July 2020. Performance in all regions worsened compared to January 2021. Total domestic demand was down 51.0% versus pre-crisis (February 2019) levels. In January it was down 47.8% on the 2019 period. This largely was owing to weakness in China travel, driven by government requests that citizens stay at home during the Lunar New Year travel period. “February showed no indication of a recovery in demand for international air travel. In fact, most indicators went in the wrong direction as travel restrictions tightened in the face of continuing concerns over new coronavirus variants. An important exception was the Australian domestic market. A relaxation of restrictions on domestic flying resulted in significantly more travel. This tells us that people have not lost their desire travel. They will fly, provided they can do so without facing quarantine measures,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

20 airlines accept and honor the IATA Travel Pass for its passengers. See the list.Singapore is the first country to accept the IATA Travel Pass, more countries to follow IATA Pass is an initiative by the global aviation group to encourage the opening of borders during the COVID-19 pandemic. After 20 airlines accept the new IATA Travel Pass, now also the first country welcomes visitors having the IATA pass.  The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed Singapore’s acceptance of pre-departure COVID-19 PCR test results on the IATA Travel Pass. From 1 May 2021, passengers traveling to Singapore will be able to use IATA Travel Pass to share their pre-departure COVID-19 PCR test results upon check-in with their airline, as well as on arrival at the immigration checkpoints at Changi Airport. This is part of an ongoing collaboration between the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and IATA to facilitate seamless and efficient travel through digital certificates of COVID-19 tests. To re-open borders without quarantine and restart aviation governments need to be confident that they are effectively mitigating the risk of importing COVID-19. This means having accurate information on passengers’ COVID-19 health status. Informing passengers on what tests, vaccines and other measures they require prior to travel, details on where they can get tested and giving them the ability to share their tests and vaccination results in a verifiable, safe and privacy-protecting manner is the key to giving governments the confidence to open borders. To address this challenge IATA is working on launching the IATA Travel Pass, a digital platform for passengers. [embedded content] “Having the confidence of an aviation leader like Singapore accept IATA Travel Pass is hugely significant. Ongoing trials put us on track for IATA Travel Pass to be a critical tool for the industry’s restart by delivering verified travel health credentials to governments. And travelers can have complete confidence that their personal data is secure and under their own control. The success of our joint efforts will make IATA’s partnership with the government of Singapore a model for others to follow,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. “We have built upon our long standing and deep partnership with IATA to develop solutions to facilitate travel. This latest collaboration with IATA demonstrates our shared commitment to drive the adoption of digital health certificates and restore international air travel. As we look to safely rebuild the Changi air hub, we will continue to explore other solutions that can provide similarly secure and verifiable means of sharing health certificates for safe international travel,” said Kevin Shum, CAAS Director-General. Digital health certificates will be a key feature in air travel moving forward. Establishing trusted, secure solutions to verify the health credentials of travellers will be critical in facilitating smooth air travel and safeguarding public health. The IATA Travel Pass is a personal secure digital wallet solution that can be used by passengers to obtain and store their COVID-19 test results from accredited laboratories.   Following the successful trials by Singapore Airlines, the Singapore health and border control authorities will accept the IATA Travel Pass as a valid form of presentation of COVID-19 pre-departure test results for entry into Singapore. The information presented on the IATA Travel Pass will be in a format that satisfies Singapore’s prevailing COVID-19 pre-departure test requirements for entry into Singapore. More than 20 airlines have announced trials of the IATA Travel Pass.  Airlines trying the IATA Travel Pass Travelers to Singapore intending to use the IATA Travel Pass should check with the airline they are traveling with for eligibility to use the IATA Travel Pass. 

Consumers are looking forward to summer travelExperts are now predicting that the US will reach herd immunity by mid-June to early July — three to six weeks ahead of earlier forecastsThe overall comeback of travel will depend on how fast nations get their populations vaccinated Leisure travel in America will push the US domestic airline industry to a COVID recovery by early 2022. A year ago, industry analysts would have thought that a full domestic recovery in this timeframe for the US was almost impossible, but the combination of pent-up demand, economic stimulus, and access to vaccines is making a difference. It is still too early to talk about a full recovery for the overall industry, but the experts expect some of the airlines to start turning cashflow positive in a matter of months, particularly in the US. The rapidly increasing availability of vaccines and economic stimulus from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act are two reasons for the increase in domestic leisure travel in the US. Both factors also happened to coincide with the timing of spring break across many states, which caused a spike in demand. Consumers are also looking forward to summer travel, and the experts are now predicting that the US will reach herd immunity by mid-June to early July — three to six weeks ahead of earlier forecasts. In mid-March, US travel demand rose to more than 50 percent of 2019 levels, which is the highest it has been on a sustained basis since the start of the pandemic. The opposite is true with corporate and international travel, which is still down more than 80 percent from 2019. These segments of the market will not recover before 2023. The loss of business travel is a real challenge for some full-service airlines, because they depend on high-yielding customers to provide more than half of their profits and a third of revenues in major economies such as the US. To compensate for the loss of business and international travelers, full-service carriers are starting to sell more services a la carte, aimed at a broader customer base with different needs and less willingness to pay. The analysis of US Department of Transportation data reveals revenue per available seat mile (RASM) for full-service airlines fell 50 percent year-over-year in the second quarter of 2020, making it one of the darkest periods for US carriers. Meanwhile, the RASM for low-cost airlines fell 23 percent in the same three months. The third quarter of 2020 brought the performance of the two airline groups closer together, with full-service carriers declining 45 percent and low-cost carriers down 38 percent. The overall comeback of travel will depend on how fast nations get their populations vaccinated and standardize their health passport travel protocols and testing regulations, but the demand to travel is here.

hailed as the great come-back after a 17-year hiatus from the islands.Plane welcomed with water canon salute, musicians, dancers, and entertainment.Flight opens the way to twice-weekly flights between the two countries, and Russian travelers will now be able to fly non-stop to the island destination. The inaugural eight-hour 35 minutes flight was hailed as the ‘great come-back’ as Aeroflot is returning to the islands after 17 years. The flight was greeted on arrival by the Seychelles’ Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde, Minister of Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Anthony Derjacques and other officials from the tourism and aviation fields. A total 402 passengers disembarked to a typical Creole ambience as local musicians and dancers provided lively entertainment, after the plane had gone through the symbolic water canon salute. The landmark flight opens the way to twice-weekly flights between the two countries, and Russian travelers will now be able to fly non-stop to the island destination. The return flight will now leave Mahé tonight at 11.05 p.m. with a flying time of 8 hours 50 minutes. Following the official cutting of ribbons, Minister Radegonde expressed his delight at Aeroflot for coming back and re-establishing air links between the two countries. He saluted the airline for this great show of confidence in the destination during a time that had seen innumerable route cuts in the industry. “The resumption of direct flights from Moscow to Victoria testifies to the confidence of the Russian national carrier in our tourism industry. Seychelles is a much sought-after destination in Russia and in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The Russian market has always been a profitable one for Seychelles, featuring in the top 7 destinations every year. It is a high-yield market, with an average stay of 9 to 13 nights. But visitor arrivals have been impeded by the lack of direct flights from Moscow, “he said.  Minister Radegonde described the touching down of the aircraft as a beautiful and joyous moment for the country, adding the return of the flight will help in the recovery of the Seychelles tourism industry. Minister Radegonde noted that the Russian market was a profitable one and said the direct flight will help to accelerate and grow it further.   “With the introduction of twice-weekly flights by Aeroflot, I am hopeful that we can not only reclaim, but increase, our share of the Russian and the CIS market. It is within our ability to do so. We can do it if we all work together as a team – government and the private sector together.”  Aeroflot now joins four other airlines, which have resumed flights to Seychelles, whereas six others are expected back between April and October 2021. Aeroflot also expressed their joy to be back on the Seychelles’ route.   “We are very proud to be the very first European airline to come back to Seychelles in 2021 with a regular service between Moscow and Mahé, which is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque and authentic travel destinations across the globe,” said the airline’s Marketing Director, Anton Myagkov.  “The new Seychelles’ service truly highlights Aeroflot’s extensive route network. As a global full-service airline, we perfectly match our premium onboard product and in-flight service with the exclusive touristic product of the Seychelles islands.” Mr. Myagkov added that the current passengers’ demand for this service already exceeds all their expectations, causing a sellout of the first flight in just a few days. “This has enabled Aeroflot to increase the operating frequency to two flights per week starting from Sunday 09th April,” he said. Commenting on the new flight, the Chief Executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board, Sherin Francis, also present to welcome the Aeroflot flight, said the news of the return of Aeroflot has been met with much enthusiasm by the Seychelles trade. “We are pleased to welcome back this new service to our shores. Russia is one of our top originating markets and we expect this new route and direct link to expand our reach in the market and that region,” she said. She added that the increased seat capacity is significant and underlines the airline’s confidence in the Seychelles’ product, which is a highly sought-after destination. More news about Seychelles #rebuildingtravel

United’s CEO announced that domestic leisure travel demand has almost entirely recovered.Business demand is still down over 80%, and international borders, particularly for long-haul, are still largely closed.It’s really nice to see that domestic leisure recovery and that human desire for connection is going to come back and come back strong.

Willie Walsh has officially taken on the role of Director General of the organizationWalsh joins IATA after a 40-year career in the airline industryWalsh is deeply familiar with IATA, having served on the IATA Board of Governors for almost 13 years The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Willie Walsh has officially taken on the role of Director General of the organization. He succeeds Alexandre de Juniac.  “I am passionate about our industry and about the critical work that IATA does on behalf of its members, never more so than during the COVID-19 crisis. IATA has been at the forefront of efforts to restart global connectivity, including developing the IATA Travel Pass. Less visible but of equal importance, airlines continue to rely on IATA’s financial settlement systems, Timatic and other vital services to support their day-to-day operations. I am grateful to Alexandre for leaving behind a strong organization and a motivated team. Together, the IATA team is absolutely focused on restoring the freedom of movement that airlines provide to billions of people around the world. That means your freedom to visit friends and family, to meet critical business partners, to secure and retain vital contracts, and to explore our wonderful planet,” said Walsh. “In normal times over four billion travelers depend on aviation each year and the distribution of vaccines has put the value of efficient air cargo in the spotlight. Airlines are committed to delivering safe, efficient, and sustainable services. My goal is to ensure that IATA is a forceful voice supporting the success of global air transport. We will work with supporters and critics alike to deliver on our commitments to an environmentally sustainable airline industry. It’s my job to make sure that governments, which rely on the economic and social benefits our industry generates, also understand the policies we need to deliver those benefits,” said Walsh. Walsh was confirmed as IATA’s 8th Director General by the 76th IATA Annual General Meeting on 24 November 2020. He joins IATA after a 40-year career in the airline industry. Walsh retired from the International Airlines Group (IAG) in September 2020 after serving as its CEO since its inception in 2011. Prior to that he was CEO of British Airways (2005-2011) and CEO of Aer Lingus (2001-2005). He began his career in aviation at Aer Lingus in 1979 as a cadet pilot. Walsh is deeply familiar with IATA, having served on the IATA Board of Governors for almost 13 years between 2005 to 2018, including serving as Chair (2016-2017). He will work from the Association’s Executive Office in Geneva, Switzerland.

help alliance strengthens commitment in home marketsAspects of climate and environmental protection gain focus alongside the main thematic areas of education and work & incomeAid organization of the Lufthansa Group makes important contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations Despite the massive impact of the Corona pandemic, help alliance is able to support new projects this year. The Lufthansa Group‘s aid organization reacted quickly to the changed situation, among other things developed new digital fundraising formats and thus secured a stable financial situation. This now makes it possible to support seven new projects, five of them in Europe and two in Africa. As it has always been the case, the projects were selected from suggestions by Lufthansa Group employees and will henceforth be supervised by them as voluntary project coordinators together with the respective partner organizations. With its work, help alliance makes an important contribution to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) “Quality Education” (SDG 4) and “Decent Work and Economic Growth” (SDG 8). In terms of environmental education, the project work is now increasingly focusing on aspects of climate and environmental protection (SDG 13). “For us as an aid organization, it was anything but easy to be able to support almost no new projects because of Corona in 2020. We are even more pleased that we can now expand our support, especially with a focus on Europe. Many thanks to all those who have supported us with a donation even in these difficult times or will support us in the future.”, says Andrea Pernkopf, managing director of help alliance. The new projects of help alliance at a glance Berlin: Digital Future for Everyone The project supports socially disadvantaged people with an affinity for digital professions in their integration into the German labor market. This is done, among other things, by strengthening soft skills and preparing for possible job interviews. Hamburg: Inclusion rocks for Everyone In this project, young people with Down syndrome are supported in their social and emotional development in the long term by means of a continuous music program oriented to their age and developmental needs.

Like many other airlines, COVID caused a total shutdown in March last year.Initially, the focus for SriLankan Airlines was to get expatriates home who were standard all over the world when the borders were closed.In addition to humanitarian and repatriation operations initially, the airline started focusing on cargo. Adrian Schofield, Senior Air Transport Editor for Aviation Week, had the privilege to be speak with Vipula Gunatilleka, SriLankan Airlines CEO, on COVID recovery and the challenges the airline is facing during the pandemic. During the CAPA – Centre for Aviation interview, they touched on the airline’s plans going forward as well as some broader industry questions.

Aviation sector navigates the global pandemic as vaccine deployment continues to accelerateCommercial banks shored up the aviation industry’s need for liquidity early in the pandemicBoeing expects that capital will continue to be routed into the sector by established players Boeing projects global and diversified funding will continue to flow into the aircraft financing sector as the aviation sector navigates the global pandemic and vaccine deployment continues to accelerate. “Financiers and investors understand the industry’s resilience and the long-term fundamentals that make aircraft a valuable asset class,” said Tim Myers, president of Boeing Capital Corporation. “Despite the unprecedented impacts of COVID-19 on the global aerospace industry, there generally continues to be liquidity in the market for our customers, and we expect it to further improve as travel begins to rebound.” The 2021 Current Aircraft Finance Market Outlook (CAFMO), the first published since 2019, reflects Boeing’s near-term view of market dynamics and assesses financing sources for new commercial airplane deliveries. Due to the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, the 2021 CAFMO excludes its customary one- and five-year industry financing projections. “Industry fundamentals continue to show varying degrees of strength in different markets depending on the regional trends of the global pandemic,” Myers said. “We expect that capital will continue to be routed into the sector by established players and as new entrants seek opportunities during the industry’s recovery.” The 2021 CAFMO reports the aircraft financing environment ended 2020 with enough liquidity to finance deliveries, but with stresses particularly in the bank debt and tax equity markets. 

WestJet remains focused on a long-term solution that will serve the best interests of CanadiansWestJet continues to advocate for the replacement of mandatory hotel quarantines with a testing regimeGuests with affected itineraries will be proactively notified of the cancellations WestJet today announced it will extend its temporary suspension of international sun flights to destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean until June 4, 2021. “We are extending our suspension with the clear expectation that as more Canadians are vaccinated, government policy will transition,” said Ed Sims, WestJet President and CEO. “We continue to advocate for the replacement of mandatory hotel quarantines with a testing regime that is equitable and consistent with global standards at all points of entry into our country. Alongside an accelerated and successful vaccine rollout, this policy transition will support the safe restart of travel and help stimulate the Canadian economy, where one in ten jobs are tourism related.” Guests with affected itineraries will be proactively notified of the cancellations. Since November 1, 2020, WestJet has been providing refunds for all travelers, regardless of fare class booked where WestJet initiated the cancellation. “We remain focused on a long-term solution that will serve the best interests of Canadians,” continued Sims. “A safe travel-restart framework is the most effective way to support those interests and restore jobs.” 

Currently, eight Russian airlines operate regular flights to TurkeyAir service suspended to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 infectionFlight to Tanzania and Turkey will resume when COVID-19 situation stabilizes Russian officials announced that all regular and chartered passenger flights to Turkey will be restricted for a period from April 15 to June 1 to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 infection. Currently, eight Russian airlines operate regular flights to Turkey: Aeroflot, Pobeda, Rossiya, S7, Nordwind, UTair, Azur Air and Ural Airlines.

GoJet plans to expand pilot hiring in 2021 to support the growth of its fleetAviate program will allow GoJet pilots a direct path towards flying for UnitedThe program provides a great opportunity for pilots and first officers to move forward in their career paths GoJet Airlines today announced it is joining Aviate, United Airlines‘ innovative pilot development program. Aviate provides those who aspire to a career as a United captain with the most direct route to achieving that goal.  GoJet is proud to be a part of this innovative and transformative program for so many aspiring and current aviation professionals. GoJet plans to expand pilot hiring in 2021 to support the growth of its fleet and the carrier is thrilled to have this avenue for current and prospective pilots to advance in their careers.  The Aviate program will allow GoJet pilots a direct path towards flying for United after successfully applying to the program, maintaining high performance standards, meeting the airline’s requirements and flying 2000 hours and 24 months with GoJet, a United Express carrier. Aviate also provides support and coaching for pilots to develop into leaders who exemplify the professionalism, level of excellence and commitment to providing safe, caring, dependable and efficient service that United expects from its pilots.

Bangladesh is the latest country to suspend international passenger air service due to COVID-19 pandemic. The weeklong suspension of all international passenger flights to and from Bangladesh will commence on April 14 According to a circular issued this evening, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) said the suspension will come to an effect from 12:01am (Bangladesh Standard Time) on April 14 and will continue until 12:59pm BST on April 20. Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh has suspended operation of around 500 international flights, scheduled to operate to and from Dhaka in a week from April 14. Medevac, humanitarian, relief, cargo, technical landing for refueling only and the flights cleared under special consideration will remain out of the purview of this suspension, CAAB said. Authorities will be able to carry a maximum of 260 passengers on a wide body aircraft while 140 passengers are allowed on a narrow body aircraft in the aforesaid flights. Irrespective of the COVID-19 vaccination and unless otherwise relaxed by the competent authority, all passengers coming or leaving Bangladesh by the flight mentioned aforesaid shall mandatorily possess PCR based COVID-19 negative certificate. The PCR test shall be done within 72 hours of the flight departure time. Passengers coming by the flights cleared under special consideration shall strictly have to complete a 14-day institutional quarantine at government nominated facilities or at hotels on passengers’ own expenses.

Korean Air Lines Co. is will be flying in the black in the first quarter of this year. This surprising, data was released Sunday, as the company expanded its logistics business after the new coronavirus pandemic virtually suspended passenger travel.This airline in South Korea is expected to post an operating profit of 76.6 billion won ($68.3 million) for the January-March period. Sales, meanwhile, were estimated to have decreased 26 percent over the period to 1.7 trillion won. Korean Airlines had a loss of 82.3 billion won posted a year earlier, according to a poll released by Yonhap Infomax, the financial arm of Yonhap News Agency. The strong performance of Korean Air’s logistics business contributes to this success. “The amount of cargo handled by Korean Air reached a record high amount last month,” NH Investment & Securities Co. said in its report. “The disturbed travel at the Suez Canal led to more demand for air shipping services.” Star Alliance Member Asiana Airlines Inc., which awaits a merger with its bigger rival Korean Air, is expected to post a profit in the first quarter, compared with the previous year’s loss of 70.3 billion won. 

Setting up a traffic light system of green, amber, and red will be used to identify the travel and health risk of countries.With vaccines continuing to roll out, COVID testing will remain an essential part of protecting public health as restrictions begin to ease.The permission to travel form will be removed, meaning passengers will no longer need to prove they have a valid reason to leave the country. The Global Travel Taskforce is an advisory body of the government of the United Kingdom. Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps announced the formation of the group on October 7, 2020 as a cross-government response to an identified need to enable the safe and sustainable recovery of international travel and to introduce a COVID-19 testing system for travelers visiting the UK. In February 2021, the Prime Minister asked the Secretary of State for Transport to convene a successor to the Global Travel Taskforce, building on the recommendations set out in November 2020 to develop a framework for a safe and sustainable return to international travel when the time is right. Traffic Light System A traffic light system, which will categorize countries based on risk alongside the restrictions required for travel, will be set up to protect the public and the vaccine rollout from international COVID-19 variants. Key factors in the assessment will include: the percentage of their population that have been vaccinatedthe rate of infectionthe prevalence of variants of concernthe country’s access to reliable scientific data and genomic sequencing The traffic light system will work this way: Green: arrivals will need to take a pre-departure test as well as a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on or before day 2 of their arrival back into the UK – but will not need to quarantine on return (unless they receive a positive result) or take any additional tests, halving the cost of tests on their return from holiday. Amber: arrivals will need to quarantine for a period of 10 days and take a pre-departure test, and a PCR test on day 2 and day 8 with the option for Test to Release on day 5 to end self-isolation early. Red: arrivals will be subject to restrictions currently in place for red list countries which include a 10-day stay in a managed quarantine hotel, pre-departure testing and PCR testing on day 2 and 8.

Laser communication technologies are the next revolution in satellite communications The project covers the design, construction and testing of the technology demonstratorThe UltraAir terminal will be capable of laser connections between an aircraft and a satellite in geostationary orbit 36,000 km above the Earth Airbus and the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) have launched a program to develop a laser communication terminal demonstrator for aircraft, known as UltraAir. The project, which is co-financed by Airbus, TNO and the Netherlands Space Office (NSO), is part of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) ScyLight (Secure and Laser communication technology) program. It covers the design, construction and testing of the technology demonstrator. Laser communication technologies are the next revolution in satellite communications (satcom), bringing unprecedented transmission rates, data security and resilience to meet commercial needs in the next decade. The UltraAir terminal will be capable of laser connections between an aircraft and a satellite in geostationary orbit 36,000 km above the Earth, with unparalleled technology including a highly stable and precise optical mechatronic system. The technology demonstrator will pave the way for a future UltraAir product with which data transmission rates could reach several gigabits-per-second while providing anti-jamming and low probability of interception. In this way UltraAir will not only enable military aircraft and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) to connect within a combat cloud, but also in the longer term allow airline passengers to establish high-speed data connections thanks to the Airbus’ SpaceDataHighway constellation. From their position in geostationary orbit, the SpaceDataHighway (EDRS) satellites relay data collected by observation satellites to Earth in near-real-time, a process that would normally take several hours. Airbus is leading the project and brings its unique expertise in laser satellite communications, developed with the SpaceDataHighway program. It will coordinate the development of the terminal and testing on the ground and in the air. As key partner of the project, TNO provides its experience in high-precision opto-mechatronics, supported by the Dutch high-tech and space industry. Airbus Defence and Space in the Netherlands will be responsible for the industrial production of the terminals. Airbus’ subsidiary Tesat brings its technical expertise in laser communication systems and will be involved in all testing activities. The first tests will take place at the end of 2021 in laboratory conditions at Tesat. In a second phase, ground tests will start early 2022 in Tenerife (Spain), where connectivity will be established between an UltraAir demonstrator and the laser terminal embarked on the Alphasat satellite using the ESA Optical Ground Station. For the final verification, the UltraAir demonstrator will be integrated on an aircraft for flight testing by mid-2022. As satellite services demand is growing, the traditional satcom radio-frequency bands are experiencing bottlenecks. Laser links also have the benefit of avoiding interference and detection, as in comparison to the already-crowded radio frequencies, laser communication is extremely difficult to intercept due to a much narrower beam. Thus, laser terminals can be lighter, consume less power and offer even better security than radio. This new program is a key milestone in the roadmap of Airbus’ overall strategy to drive laser communications further, which will bring forward the benefits of this technology as a key differentiator for providing Multi-Domain collaboration for Government and defense customers.

The UK issued a travel advisory and will not accept foreign nationals from or via Kenya starting April 9.To meet an increased demand for travel before the advisory takes place, Kenya Airways has added repatriation flights.Customers may also change bookings for later travel or request a refund with no penalties. Come this Thursday Kenya Airways last London flight will take place after adding 2 repatriation flights to meet increased demand for travel to the UK before the travel advisory issued last week takes effect this Friday. “Due to the increased demand for travel to the UK before the advisory takes effect on April 9, we have added 2 new flights on April 4 and 8,” read a statement from the airline’s headquarters in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. From April 9, the UK will not accept foreign nationals traveling from or via Kenya to its airports, including transit passengers who might only pass through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi. “Customers impacted by this directive may change their bookings for later travel or request a refund with all penalties waived,” said the airline’s management. Kenya Airways serves the East African region and partly the Central African states and the islands on the Eastern Rim of the Indian Ocean.

Boeing’s revenue almost cut in half since 2018Boeing is falling behind rival aerospace giant Airbus in orders and deliveriesBoeing cut costs in 2020 in response to COVID-19 pandemic Boeing is one of the biggest companies in the world, but the airline giant has had a very tumultuous last couple of years. Even before 2020’s Coronavirus pandemic, the company was already experiencing sharp declines in various metrics due to a major global controversy around one of its aircraft. According to the latest industry analysts’ data, Boeing’s revenue of $58.16 billion in 2020 was a 42.5% decrease compared to 2018’s record-high revenue of over $101 billion – a CAGR of -24.16%. Back in 2018, Boeing was flying high after crossing the $100 billion mark in revenue for the first time in company history. However late in 2018 and early in 2019 one of Boeing’s new aircraft models, the 737 MAX 8, experienced two crashes in the span of 5 months. Both crashes put the blame on Boeing’s new MCAS flight control system and resulted in the grounding of the entire global fleet of the 737 MAX and orders for the new model were either suspended or cancelled. As a result Boeing’s revenue dropped by 24% YoY in 2019. To further compound the crisis that Boeing was already facing, the world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 resulting in a huge downturn for the entire travel and tourism industry. This caused Boeing’s revenue to drop a further 24% YoY in 2020. From 2018-2020 Boeing’s revenue experienced a CAGR of -24.16% The entire airline industry was significantly impacted by the pandemic of 2020. Many countries closed their borders to protect their citizens from the onslaught of the pandemic putting a halt to global mobility. As a result, both aircraft providers suffered significant drops in revenue in 2020 with airbus experiencing a 37% YoY drop. However, Boeing’s problems began prior to 2020 and 2019’s safety issues are still causing Boeing to lag behind Airbus in orders and deliveries. In 2020, Airbus registered 383 gross orders compared to Boeing’s 184. After calculating for contractual adjustments and cancellations Boeing’s Net Orders falls considerably to -1194 for 2020, compared to Airbus’ 268. In 2020 Airbus also delivered almost 400 more aircraft than Boeing, amounting to 566 and 157 respectively. As a form of damage control, Boeing initiated a few cost-cutting initiatives in 2020. Boeing cut R&D expenditure by 23% YoY in 2020 its lowest allocation since 2005. Boeing is the larger employer of the two aircraft manufacturers with a workforce of 141,000 in 2020, after downsizing by 20,000 from 2019.

Converting an aircraft into a climate research plane poses major challengesIn three stages, the “Erfurt” will now become a flying research laboratoryThe “Erfurt” is expected to take off from Munich at the end of 2021 for its first flight in the service of climate research Predicting the weather even more accurately, analyzing climate changes even more precisely, researching even better how the world is developing. This is the goal of a globally unique cooperation between Lufthansa and several research institutes. Converting an aircraft into a climate research plane poses major challenges. Lufthansa has chosen the most modern and economical long-haul jet in its fleet – an Airbus A350-900 named “Erfurt” (registration D-AIXJ). In three stages, the “Erfurt” will now become a flying research laboratory. In Lufthansa Technik’s hangar in Malta, the first and most extensive conversion work was carried out. Preparations were made for a complex air intake system below the belly. This was followed by a series of test insertions, at the end of which came the certification of a climate research laboratory weighing around 1.6 tons, the so-called CARIBIC measurement laboratory. The acronym CARIBIC stands for “Civil Aircraft for the Regular Investigation of the atmosphere Based on an Instrument Container”. The project is part of a comprehensive European research consortium. The “Erfurt” is expected to take off from Munich at the end of 2021 for its first flight in the service of climate research, measuring around 100 different trace gases, aerosol and cloud parameters in the tropopause region (at an altitude of nine to twelve kilometers). Lufthansa is thus making a valuable contribution to climate research, which can use these unique data to assess the performance of current atmospheric and climate models and thus their predictive power for the Earth’s future climate. The special feature: Climate-relevant parameters can be recorded at this altitude with much greater accuracy and temporal resolution on board the aircraft than with satellite-based or ground-based systems. “The conversion of our A350-900 ‘D-AIXJ’ into a climate research aircraft is something very special for us. We were immediately enthusiastic about the plan to continue CARIBIC on our most fuel-efficient aircraft type. In this way, we can continue to support climate and atmospheric research in its important task on long-haul routes. We are helping to ensure that particularly important climate-relevant parameters are collected just on that altitude where the atmospheric greenhouse effects is largely generated”, says Annette Mann, Head of Corporate Responsibility at the Lufthansa Group. “I am pleased that we can implement this ambitious project together with our partners in record time and thus contribute to improving today’s climate models.”

The special flight will showcase all the measures the airline has put in placeQR6421 passengers will be serviced by fully vaccinated staff at check-inPassengers on board will be able to livestream the historic experience Qatar Airways continues to lead the recovery of international travel, operating the world’s first fully COVID-19 vaccinated flight today. QR6421 will depart Hamad International Airport at 11:00 AM carrying only vaccinated crew and passengers onboard, with passengers also to be served by fully vaccinated staff at check-in. The special flight, which will return to Doha at 14:00, will showcase all the measures the airline has put in place to ensure the highest standards of safety and hygiene on board, including its latest innovation, the world’s first ‘Zero-Touch’ in-flight entertainment technology. The special service will be operated by the airline’s most technologically advanced and sustainable aircraft, the Airbus A350-1000, with the flight also fully carbon offset in line with the carrier’s environmental responsibilities. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker said: “Today’s special flight demonstrates the next stage in the recovery of international travel is not far away. We are proud to continue leading the industry by operating the first flight with a fully vaccinated crew and passengers and providing a beacon of hope for the future of international aviation. With aviation being a critical economic driver both globally and here in the State of Qatar, we are thankful for the support we have received from our government and local health authorities to vaccinate our staff, with over 1,000 vaccinations being administered per day.” Passengers on board will be able to livestream the historic experience thanks to Qatar Airways’ industry leading Super WiFi onboard that combines the latest technology from Inmarsat, SITA for Aircraft and Thales. To show its gratitude to those who have played key roles throughout the pandemic, Qatar Airways gave away 100,000 complimentary return tickets to healthcare workers and 21,000 to teachers around the world in 2020.

TAP offers its passengers a COVID-19 testing service at Lisbon airportThe results of the tests are sent directly to the passenger by e-mail within 30 minutesNew service is available in the UCS building, which is located at the Rua B building 8 next to ​​Lisbon Airport TAP Air Portugal, in partnership with UCS, the Group’s Health Care Unit, now offers all TAP passengers a COVID-19 testing service at Lisbon airport. The results of the tests are sent directly to the passenger by e-mail within 30 minutes in the case of the Rapid Antigen Tests; and between 6 to 8 hours in the case of PCR Tests. For now, this new service is available in the UCS building, which is located at the Rua B building 8 next to ​​Lisbon Airport. From April 19, the UCS services will also be available at the departures area of ​​the airport. The testing service can be scheduled directly on the UCS website. Additionally, through May 31, TAP’s Book with Confidence program allows customers to change their bookings at no cost. TAP Air Portugal is the flag carrier airline of Portugal, headquartered at Lisbon Airport which also serves as its hub. TAP – Transportes Aéreos Portugueses – has been a member of the Star Alliance since 2005 and operates on average 2,500 flights a week to 90 destinations in 34 countries worldwide.

Proposed acquisition of Transat by Air Canada canceledAir Canada and Transat had originally agreed in June 2019 on the acquisitionTerms were amended in 2019 and revised in 2020 due to severe economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic Air Canada and Transat A.T. Inc. announced today that they have mutually agreed to terminate the Arrangement Agreement for the proposed acquisition of Transat by Air Canada. Air Canada and Transat had originally agreed in June 2019 on the acquisition, the terms of which were subsequently amended in August 2019 and then revised in October 2020 as a result of the severe economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As previously disclosed, the acquisition was conditional on the approval of various regulatory authorities, including the European Commission (“EC”). In order to meet that key condition, Air Canada offered and enhanced a significant package of remedies, which went beyond the commercially reasonable efforts required of Air Canada under the Arrangement Agreement and what has been traditionally accepted by the EC in previous airline merger cases. Following recent discussions with the EC, it has become evident, however, that the EC will not approve the acquisition based on the currently offered remedy package. After careful consideration, Air Canada has concluded that providing additional, onerous remedies, which may still not secure an EC approval, would significantly compromise Air Canada’s ability to compete internationally, negatively impacting customers, other stakeholders and future prospects as it recovers and rebuilds from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Especially in this challenging environment, it is essential that Air Canada focus on creating the optimal conditions for its full recovery by preserving and leveraging all of its key strengths and assets including its strong employee culture. Both Air Canada and Transat have agreed to terminate the Arrangement Agreement with Air Canada paying Transat a termination fee of $12.5 million, and with Transat no longer under any obligation to pay Air Canada any fee should Transat be involved in another acquisition or similar transaction in the future.

Despite numerous travel restrictions in early 2021, UIA has done a commendable workFrom January, 1 to March, 31, 2021, about 30 000passenger requests were considered and processedThe airline seeks to resume normal operations as soon as conditions permit Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) continues to gradually restore its flight network despite the factors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, which affect the operation of the airline and the entire aviation industry as a whole. Despite numerous travel restrictions for both Ukrainian citizens and passengers of foreign countries in early 2021, UIA has done a commendable work and is ready to share its work results for the 1st quarter of 2021 (compared to the pre-crisis 1st quarter of 2020): The number of performed scheduled flights: 1 424, which is 82% less than during the same period in 2020;Number of charter flights: 1 116, compared to 419 flights in 2020;The total number of passengers carried: 322 732, which is 67% less than during the same period in 2020, in particular: passengers on regular flights: 121 047 (900 516 in 2020);passengers on charter flights: 201 685 (75 520 in 2020); Percentage of transit passengers is 34% (including all scheduled flights), compared to 46% in 2020;The volume of cargo and mail transportation (both on regular and charter flights) is 743 000 kg, which is 76% less than during the same period in 2020. From January, 1 to March, 31, 2021, about 30 000 passenger requests were considered and processed and 6 711 576 US dollars were refunded to passengers. In total, during 12 months of its activity during the pandemic from April 2020 to March 2021, UIA refunded more than $33 million to passengers. UIA is now closely monitoring the epidemiological situation, governmental guidelines and regulations to all countries where the airline operates. The airline seeks to resume normal operations as soon as conditions permit.

North Korea has closed all ports of entry by land, sea or air in January 2020North Korea is showing “increasing signs” of easing its border restrictions with ChinaEarlier, Air Koryo released its flight schedule to the Russian port city of Vladivostok North Korea’s Air Koryo appears to be set to resume operating two flights between Pyongyang and Beijing this week, the airline’s website showed today. It is still not entirely clear whether and when exactly the service will resume after more than a year of suspension amid COVID-19 pandemic cross-border restrictions. The flight schedule posted on North Korean national flag carrier’s website, the airline’s JS251 flight will depart from Pyongyang at 4:00 p.m. and arrive in Beijing at 5:50 p.m. on Thursday. Another flight is scheduled to depart from Beijing for Pyongyang on Friday. As of 4:30 p.m., however, no flight took off from Pyongyang, according to a real-time flight tracker. Some speculated that the airline could have tested its website in preparation to resume flights to China. Earlier today, a unification ministry official told reporters that the North Korea is showing “increasing signs” of easing its border restrictions with China. North Korea has closed all ports of entry by land, sea or air in January 2020 in an efforts to block the coronavirus from spreading into the country. Earlier, Air Koryo released its flight schedule to the Russian port city of Vladivostok, but did not operate the flights there either. North Korea has not reported any case of COVID-19 virus infection, but it has called for nationwide efforts to prevent the virus from breaking out on its soil through intensified border controls and tightened quarantine processes.

Shareholders can submit questions to the Executive Board until May 2ndThree Supervisory Board members are up for electionThe Annual General Meeting will be broadcast live Today, Deutsche Lufthansa AG invited its shareholders to the 68th Annual General Meeting on May 4th, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. The meeting will once again be held virtually, recognizing the need to apply current infection control regulations to protect the health of shareholders. The Annual General Meeting will be broadcast live on lufthansagroup.com. Shareholders, who have registered for online services in advance can also take part in the voting online. Shareholders have the opportunity to submit questions on the agenda to Executive Board by midnight on May 2nd. For the first time, shareholder statements may also be submitted as a video or an audio message. Angela Titzrath and Dr. Michael Kerkloh, the two members of the Supervisory Board nominated by the Economic Stabilization Fund of the Federal Republic of Germany and previously appointed by the court, will be up for election on May 4th. Stephan Sturm will resign from the Supervisory Board with effect from the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting.  As his successor, the Supervisory Board recommends to the Annual General Meeting the election of Britta Seeger. Another item on the agenda is the creation of a new Authorized Capital C in accordance with §7b WStBG of up to 5.5 billion euros with a term of five years. The authorization enables Deutsche Lufthansa AG to flexibly use financing opportunities to raise equity on the capital market. The amount of Authorized Capital C is a technicality, derived from the amount of Silent Participations I and II of the Economic Stabilization Fund, as a potential capital increase under Authorized Capital C would be directly linked to the repayment of stabilization measures. In the event of a capital increase, the shareholders would be granted subscription rights. The Company has not taken any decision on a capital increase in utilization of Authorized Capital C.