The aviation industry has reacted with qualified criticism to additional cost burdens implied by the European Commission’s “Fit for 55” package, which proposes to add new taxes on jet fuel, mandate the blending of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and end free carbon allowances for an industry still reeling from the slowdown caused by COVID-19. Announced Continue Reading
Avianca Holdings has secured a USD1.6 billion financing package from both existing and new lenders which will enable the Panamanian group to exit its Chapter 11 restructuring. According to a motion filed with the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, the funding comprises USD1.05 billion from a group of lenders which Continue Reading
Cathay Pacific (CX, Hong Kong Int’l) has confirmed it is considering closing its London pilot base as many of its flight crew based there have not flown since April 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19. “This is simply a proposal at this stage and no decisions have been made,” the airline stressed in a Continue Reading
The Cayman Islands parliament has approved another KYD7 million Caymanian dollar (USD8.5 million) in rescue aid to Cayman Airways (KX, Grand Cayman Island) to make up for revenue shortfall due to the COVID-19 pandemic and cover its expenditures until year-end 2021. According to a government statement, the allocation forms part of KYD96.4 million (USD117.5 million) Continue Reading
Chair Airlines (GM, Zurich) began wet-leasing a B737-800 from its Polish parent Enter Air (E4, Warsaw Chopin) on July 21, 2021, under a previously announced summer-long capacity-boosting ACMI contract. SP-ESE (msn 30688) has had the Enter Air logo replaced with Chair’s but otherwise remains in the Polish carrier’s livery. Enter Air ferried it from Antalya Continue Reading
Surf Air Mobility, the parent company of membership-based virtual charter carrier Surf Air (URF, Santa Monica), has announced an order for 100 Cessna (single turboprop) C208EX Grand Caravans with a proprietary hybrid-electric propulsion system. The order also includes a further 50 options. The company said it would acquire the turboprops from Textron Aviation with conventional Continue Reading
Aer Lingus (EI, Dublin Int’l) has transferred its five remaining orders for A350-900s from Airbus to another undisclosed customer and is no longer set to add the type to its fleet going forward, the manufacturer’s order and deliveries data shows. The Irish carrier initially ordered six A350-900s in 2008, later adding three more units. However, Continue Reading
Rolls-Royce and Babcock International are reportedly planning to sell their stakes in British strategic airlift and aerial refuelling operator AirTanker (9L, Brize Norton), Sky News has reported citing unnamed sources. The two companies jointly control around half of AirTanker’s shares, with the remainder held by Airbus and Thales, none of which is contemplating disposing of Continue Reading
Wizz Air UK (W9, London Luton) has confirmed to ch-aviation it has postponed the opening of its new Cardiff base until summer 2022 as a result of “ongoing COVID-19 related travel restrictions, and ever-changing quarantine measures in place across the UK and Europe.” Spokesperson Andras Rado said: “It is with regret that we have had Continue Reading
Titan Airways (ZT, London Stansted) is poised to add its first widebody freighter, an A330-300(P2F), for CMI operations for an undisclosed customer, Cargo Facts has reported. EI-GTT (msn 713), a 15.6-year-old aircraft owned by Stratos, was ferried after conversion by Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) from Dresden to Châteauroux on July 11, 2021, still in the livery Continue Reading