Aviation Daily Roundup: Apr. 27, 2021
April 28, 2021
Pandemic Prompts Supplier Risk Reassessment
Credit: Airbus
ORLANDO, Florida—As suppliers prepare for a presumed rebound in demand for parts and services to support global airline fleet activity, mitigating risk of inevitable future disruptions is top of mind.

JetBlue, American Airlines Alliance Positions As Northeast U.S. Disruptor
Credit: Joe Pries
JetBlue Airways is moving full steam ahead in its strategic alliance with American Airlines and believes the tie-up will break up what it deems as monopolies in the northeast.

Daily Memo: Slot Relief Measures Highlight Industry’s Delicate State
Credit: Remko De Waal / ANP / AFP / Getty Images
More than a year into the COVID-19 crisis and with airlines still under unprecedented pressure, the question of airport slots is proving the adage that you can’t please all the people all of the time.

American Airlines 737-800 Cabin Upgrades Nearly Complete
Credit: Joe Pries
ORLANDO, Florida—American Airlines is on track to complete its long-running Boeing 737-800 cabin reconfiguration in the coming weeks, ensuring the entire fleet will be available to support the carrier’s growing summer schedule.

Report Warns Tankering Fuel Could Undermine EU’s SAF Mandate
Credit: Amazon
A common practice used by airlines to reduce fuel costs could undermine the objectives of a planned EU mandate to blend sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) with fossil jet fuel starting in 2025, an environmental organization has warned.

Etihad To Retire Entire Fleet Of 777-300ERs
Credit: Rob Finlayson
Etihad Airways plans to embark on a further simplification of its fleet with the retirement of all 19 of its Boeing 777-300ERs by the end of 2021.

Thai AirAsia Plans IPO In Debt Restructuring Plan
Credit: Airbus
Thai AirAsia’s (TAA) parent company Asia Aviation Public Company Limited is planning to list the LCC on the Thai stock exchange as part of a move to accept a loan from an undisclosed investor.

Capacity Shortfall To Hit European Airports, Ryanair Chief Predicts
Credit: Adrian Dennis / AFP / Getty Images
Major airports across Europe need to face up to a looming shortfall in capacity next winter as airlines continue to restructure their operations, Ryanair DAC CEO Eddie Wilson told delegates at Routes Reconnected.

Colombia’s Viva Air Seeks To Boost Regional Connectivity
Credit: Daniel Slim / AFP / Getty Images
Colombian ULCC Viva Air is seeking to grow its footprint on regional routes in Latin America, taking share from legacy carriers that currently dominate such sectors.

Finnair Increases Cost-Cutting Target After Q1 Loss Widens
Credit: Mikko Pylkkö / Finnair
Finnair has raised its savings target by a further €30 million ($36 million) to €170 million by 2022 as it aims to increase the scale of permanent reductions to its cost base.

ANA Cuts Loss Estimate After Cost, Tax Revision
Credit: Rob Finlayson
All Nippon Airways (ANA) has significantly reduced its loss forecast for the fiscal year that ended March 31, due partly to achieving greater cost savings than anticipated.

Heathrow Requests £2.6B Charges Hike; UK CAA Grants £300M
Credit: Heathrow Airport
LONDON—The UK CAA has rejected Heathrow Airport’s request for £2.6 billion ($3.6 billion) to cover COVID-19 pandemic-related losses, labeling the claim as “disproportionate and not in the interests of consumers.”

Aviation Needs ‘Creative Solutions’ In Recovery, Airport Execs Say
Credit: Mohamad Ali Harissi /AFP / Getty Images
Airports and airlines will need to be “very creative in finding new solutions” to cope with the post-pandemic aviation market, a panel at Routes Reconnected heard on April 26.

Smaller SWISS To Focus On Medium-Term Leisure Growth
Credit: Lufthansa Group
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will emerge from the COVID-19 crisis as a smaller airline with a greater focus on serving leisure routes in the coming years, CEO Dieter Vranckx told Routes Reconnected on April 26.
Pandemic prompts supplier risk reassessment, report warns tankering fuel could undermine EU’s SAF mandate, Etihad to retire entire fleet of 777-300ERs and more. Take a look at the daily roundup of air transport news.
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