Aviation Daily Roundup: Feb. 02, 2021

Credit: Boeing

Former Boeing chief executive Dennis Muilenburg, AirFinance founder Kirsten Touw and other aviation luminaries are joining to launch a new special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) to acquire and take public aerospace and defense businesses.

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Credit: Airbus

Finally, it is no longer crazy to dream of owning a flying car. The everyman and everywoman could be scooting around in their own hybrid-electric quadcopter by the 2040s, according to countless forecasts, and urban air taxis could dot the skies with commuters in most urban locales. 

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Credit: Boeing

Boeing’s updated 737-10 program timeline sees first deliveries in 2023, giving it about two years to develop changes agreed to as part of regulatory reviews of the narrowbody program. 

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Credit: Airbus

MOSCOW—Impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, significant flight restrictions and the suspension of international flights, Aeroflot Group carried 30.2 million passengers in 2020, down 50.3% year-over-year (YOY). 

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Credit: Virgin Australia

AUCKLAND—Virgin Australia has pushed back its target for resuming short-haul international flights as prospects for a two-way travel bubble with New Zealand appear to be fading.

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Credit: Pete Buttigieg / Twitter

WASHINGTON—Stakeholders from across the aviation industry reacted positively to the confirmation of Pete Buttigieg as U.S. Transportation secretary. 

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Credit: Rob Finlayson

The European Commission (EC) is reportedly studying the French state’s recapitalization plan for Air France and wants the airline to relinquish slots at Paris Orly airport to ensure it meets European competition regulations.

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Credit: AerCap

AerCap president and chief commercial officer Philip Scruggs is retiring from the lessor after 26 years of service, with Peter Anderson taking on the role of chief commercial officer.

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Credit: Denver International Airport / Twitter

WASHINGTON—Airports called on U.S. lawmakers to approve $17 billion in targeted aid as part of a new stimulus package currently being negotiated on Capitol Hill. 

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Credit: Emirates SkyCargo

Several elements of Dubai’s aviation infrastructure have combined to speed up the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines via the Gulf emirate—particularly to poorer countries.

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Credit: Rob Finlayson

The future of Namibia’s flag-carrier is uncertain after the country’s finance minister described its debts as “unsustainable.”

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Credit: Joe Pries

Several Star Alliance airlines have reduced their February capacity further after stricter travel restrictions designed to stem the spread of COVID-19 made air travel nearly impossible.

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Credit: Rob Finlayson

Sunwing Airlines has become the first carrier to receive financial support from the Canadian federal government since the COVID-19 crisis began.

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Credit: Lumiwings

Greek charter carrier Lumiwings is planning to branch out into scheduled operations, offering flights from Forli in northern Italy to destinations across the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania and Ukraine.

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Credit: Philippine Airlines

Philippine Airlines (PAL) has confirmed it will have to cut its workforce by almost a third as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

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