/themes/custom/particle/dist/app-drupal/assets/awn-logo.svg
Skip to main content
  • Market Sector
    • Aerospace
    • Air Transport
    • MRO
    • Defense and Space
    • Business Aviation
  • Markets
    • Aerospace
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Connected Aerospace
      • Emerging Technologies
      • Manufacturing & Supply Chain
      • Unmanned & Urban Aviation
      • Commercial Space
      • Program Management
    • Air Transport
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Interiors & Connectivity
      • Airports & Routes
      • Airlines & Lessors
      • Safety, Ops & Regulation
      • Maintenance & Training
    • MRO
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Interiors & Connectivity
      • Emerging Technologies
      • Supply Chain
      • Safety, Ops & Regulation
      • Workforce & Training
    • Defense and Space
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Sensors & Electronic Warfare
      • Missile Defense & Weapons
      • Supply Chain
      • Budget, Policy & Operations
      • Space
    • Business Aviation
      • Aircraft & Propulsion
      • Interiors & Connectivity
      • Airports, FBOs & Suppliers
      • Flight Deck
      • Safety, Ops & Regulation
      • Maintenance & Training
  • Products
    • Market Sector

      • Aerospace
      • Air Transport
      • MRO
      • Defense and Space
      • Business Aviation
    • Type View All Products
      • Intelligence Bundles
        • AWIN - Premium
        • AWIN - Aerospace and Defense
        • AWIN - Business Aviation
        • AWIN - Commercial Aviation
      • Market Briefings
        • Aerospace Daily & Defense Report
        • Aviation Daily
        • SpeedNews
        • The Weekly of Business Aviation
      • Directories
        • Air Charter Guide
        • Aviation Week Marketplace
        • Route Exchange
        • The Engine Yearbook
      • Data Services
        • AC-U-KWIK
        • Aircraft Bluebook
        • Airportdata.com
        • Airport Strategy and Marketing (ASM)
        • CAPA – Centre for Aviation
        • Fleet Discovery Civil
        • Fleet Discovery Military
        • Fleet & MRO Forecast
        • MRO Prospector
      • Publications
        • Air Transport World
        • Aviation Week & Space Technology
        • Aviation Week & Space Technology - Inside MRO
        • Business & Commercial Aviation
        • CAPA - Airline Leader
        • Routes magazine
        • ShowNews
      • Resources
        • Downloadable Reports
  • Services
    • Services
      • Advertising
      • Marketing Services
      • Fleet, Data & APIs
      • Research & Consulting
      • Network and Route Planning
      • Marketplace
  • Events
    • Events View All Events
      • MRO
        • MRO Americas
        • MRO Asia
        • MRO Baltics, Eastern Europe and Russia (BEER)
        • MRO Europe
        • MRO Latin America
        • MRO Middle East
        • MRO Transatlantic
        • Military Aviation Logistics and Maintenance Symposium (MALMS)
      • Commercial Aviation
        • Aero-Engines Americas
        • Aero-Engines Asia
        • Aero-Engines Europe
        • Commercial Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference (ASC)
        • Commercial Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference - Europe (ACE)
        • Engine Leasing, Trading & Finance
      • Aerospace and Defense
        • A&D Mergers and Acquisitions Conference (ADMA)
        • Aerospace Manufacturing Conference (AMC)
        • Aerospace Raw Materials & Manufacturers Supply Chain Conference (RMC)
        • DefenseChain Conference (DCPE)
      • Air Transport
        • CAPA Australia Pacific Aviation Summit
        • CAPA Latin America Aviation & LCCs Summit
        • CAPA Live
        • Routes Americas 2021
        • Routes Asia 2021
        • Routes Europe 2021
        • Routes Reconnected
        • TakeOff North America 2020
        • World Aviation Outlook Summit 2020
        • World Routes 2021
      • Business Aviation
        • Business Aviation Week 2020
        • Business & General Aviation Conference (BGA)
      • Awards
        • 20 Twenties
        • Aviation Week Laureates Awards
        • Program Excellence Awards and Banquet
    • Webinars
      • Upcoming Webinars
  • About
    • About Aviation Week Network
      • Our Story
      • Content and Data Team
      • Aviation Week & Space Technology 100-Year
    • Contact Us
      • Subscriber Services
      • Advertising, Marketing Services & List Rentals
      • Content Sales
      • Events
      • PR & Communications
      • Content Licensing and Reprints
      • FAQ
  • Log In
  • Register
  • My Account
    • Profile
    • Sign Out
  • AWIN Access
  • My cart
  1. Back to Aerospace & Defense 2021

Share

COVID-19 And Long-Haul LCCs’ Survival

AirAsia X

Credit: Airbus

The long-haul affiliate of the AirAsia Group that operates Airbus A330s, suspended all of its operations in March and has no firm timeline for resuming services.

It aims to reestablish itself as a smaller but more financially viable carrier, with a reduced network, fleet and workforce and plans to resume flying with just two aircraft in the first quarter of 2021, before adding more routes and aircraft by the end of that year.

Norwegian Air Shuttle

Credit: Joepriesaviation.net

Europe’s biggest long-haul LCC, Norwegian, is hoping to restructure after obtaining creditor protection, a step that came after the Norwegian government declined to allocate it more financial aid, leaving its future uncertain, the airline says.

Jetstar

Credit: Rob Finlayson

Qantas subsidiary Jetstar is also operating 787s on long-haul routes and A320s on short-haul flights. Jetstar has parked its 11 787s and is operating most of its narrowbodies, because Australian domestic demand is returning, but the international markets where Jetstar operated widebodies remain closed.

All Nippon Airways (ANA)

Credit: Rob Finlayson

In Japan, major airlines are setting up widebody LCCs, which they see as well-suited to their predictions for the post-COVID market.

ANA said Oct. 27 that it plans to launch a new low-cost widebody unit in the fiscal year beginning April 1, 2022, operating medium-haul flights using 787s configured with 300 seats in two classes—a higher density than ANA’s current full-service 787-8s and -9s.

Japan Airlines (JAL)

Credit: Rob Finlayson

JAL launched its own international widebody LCC this year, Zipair Tokyo, starting with just two 787-8s, but the carrier is aiming for “steady growth as demand recovers.”

Scoot

Credit: Nigel Howarth / Aviation Week

Scoot is operating some international routes using its Boeing 787s, with nine in service out of a total of 20, while all of its A320s are either parked or in storage, according to Aviation Week’s Fleet Discovery database. The SIA group believes Scoot will offer a competitive advantage in the post-pandemic environment by giving it more flexibility when routes resume.

JetBlue Airways

Credit: JetBlue / Twitter

JetBlue Airways plans to introduce flights among New York John F. Kennedy International and Boston Logan and London Heathrow airports on Airbus A321neoLR jets beginning in late 2021. The New York-based carrier had been planning to add continental European destinations beginning in 2023.
Previous
Next

From Norwegian Air Shuttle to AirAsia X, the financial woes of the world’s long-haul, low-cost carriers highlight the devastating impact the pandemic has had on their business models. Take a look at what some of these LCCs are doing in the fight for post-COVID-19 survival.

This is an abbreviated version of an article by Helen Massy-Beresford, Adrian Schofield and Ben Goldstein that appeared in Aerospace & Defense 2021. Subscribers can read the full story here. 

Follow us on

Markets

  • Aerospace
  • Air Transport
  • MRO
  • Defense and Space
  • Business Aviation

Products

  • AWIN Intelligence Bundles
  • Market Briefings
  • Publications
  • Data Services
  • Directories
  • Resources

Contact Us

  • Subscriber Services
  • Advertising, Marketing Services & List Rentals
  • Content Sales
  • Events
  • PR & Communications
  • Content Licensing and Reprints
  • FAQ

Other Resources

  • Aviation Week Marketplace
  • Knowledge Center
  • Newsletters
  • ShowNews
Copyright © 2021. All rights reserved. Informa Markets, a trading division of Informa PLC.
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use