Aviation Daily Roundup: February 9, 2022

Analysts Divided On Further Consolidation Following ULCC Merger

Credit: Frontier Airlines

News of the proposed merger between Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines has ushered in a wave of speculation about the possibility of further consolidation among U.S. carriers.

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Moroccan Startup Aims For Summer Launch

Credit: AIDA / AFP / Getty Images

African startup Dlimi Airlines is banking on being able to attract holidaymakers to a remote stretch of the Atlantic coast.

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Virgin Atlantic, Neste, ExxonMobil Sign SAF Deal

Credit: Virgin Atlantic

UK long-haul carrier Virgin Atlantic has agreed to take 2.5 million liters (660,000 gal.) of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Neste, marking the airline’s first commercial SAF commitment.

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Daily Memo: Europe’s Ambitions For SAF Blending Mandate Gaining Traction

Credit: Getty Images/aapsky

Ambitions for use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) from numerous stakeholders are increasingly in focus.

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Yemenia Restores Widebody Services After A330 Arrival

Credit: Joe Pries

Yemenia has returned to the widebody sector of the airline market with the arrival of an Airbus A330-200.

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Unmanned Cargo Startup Touts Customer Interest

Credit: Natilus

Californian startup Natilus has announced letters of intent for more than 440 large unmanned cargo aircraft from customers including a Canadian drone operator, an African cargo airline and a U.S. freight forwarder.

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Ground Handler Menzies Rejects NAS Takeover Bid

Credit: Menzies Aviation

Scotland-headquartered ground handling firm John Menzies has vehemently rejected a second unsolicited takeover approach from Kuwait’s National Aviation Services (NAS).

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Air Serbia Pushing To Regain Pre-Pandemic Capacity By 2023

Credit: Nigel Howarth / Aviation Week

Belgrade-based Air Serbia is looking forward to a further expansion into European and Middle Eastern markets as it targets reaching pre-pandemic levels again by 2023.

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Singapore Gives Green Light To Korean Air-Asiana Merger

Credit: Joe Pries

Korean Air has gained clearance from Singapore for its proposed takeover of fellow Korean airline Asiana, although the deal still requires approvals from regulatory authorities in other countries.

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Sun Country Sees Fruitful ‘Coexistence’ With Delta In Minneapolis

Credit: Joe Pries

Sun Country Airlines CEO Jude Bricker said Minneapolis (MSP) “is quickly becoming a two-airline market,” with Delta Air Lines targeting business passengers and operating mainline routes while Sun Country focuses on leisure passengers and winter sun routes.

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Volaris El Salvador Granted Final Approval For U.S. Routes

Credit: Joe Pries

Volaris El Salvador, which began commercial operations in September 2021, has been awarded a foreign air carrier permit from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), paving the way for it to enter the El Salvador-U.S. market.

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