Airbus Sees COVID-19 Hitting Long-Haul Aircraft Orders

Credit: AirbusThe COVID-19 outbreak and the disruption it is causing to international travel could hit industry-wide orders for long-haul aircraft, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury told a Mar. 4 hearing of the French senate’s economic affairs committee.

EasyJet CEO Warns Of COVID-Driven Airline Failures; Wizz Makes Further Flight Cuts

Credit: Rob FinlaysonUK LCC EasyJet CEO Johan Lundgren expects to see more airline bankruptcies as carriers continue to deal with falling demand and cashflow as a result of the continuing COVID-19 outbreak.

China Reports January Airport Traffic Drop Of 5%

Credit: Nicolas Asfouri/AFP/Getty ImagesMost of China’s largest airports suffered traffic falls of at least 5% in January as a result of early reactions to the COVID-19 outbreak, the first national airport data for 2020 showed.

Philippine Airlines Cuts 300 Staff As Losses Hit $208M

Credit: Philippine AirlinesPhilippine Airlines’ net losses reached a record PHP10.6 billion ($208 million) in 2019; the flag carrier’s issues have exacerbated in 2020 with the Taal Volcano eruptions and COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

Planning Agency Approves Third Runway For Shenzhen Baoan Airport

Credit: Shenzhen Airport GroupConstruction of a third runway for Shenzhen Baoan International Airport has received permission from China’s top planning agency, clearing the way for the facility to handle 80,000 passengers a year by 2030.

Virgin Atlantic Cuts Flights, Salaries To Counter COVID-19 Effects

Credit: Rob FinlaysonUK long-haul specialist Virgin Atlantic is seeking to defer staff salary increases and is cutting the pay of its senior executives as it braces for the increasing financial impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Ethiopian Airlines CEO: African Carriers ‘Should Cooperate More’

Credit: Rob FinlaysonAfrican airlines need support from their respective national governments and must also come together to face the problems confronting the airline industry on the continent, Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam said Mar. 4.

Updated FAA Staffing Model Set For Audit

Credit: Linda BlachlyU.S. Transportation Department (DOT) auditors will examine the FAA’s recently-updated safety inspector staffing model with an eye on evaluating whether forecasted personnel needs are accurate, and how the agency factors in designees.

Finnair Cancels More Flights Over COVID-19, Plans Temporary Layoffs

Credit: Rob FinlaysonFinnair is canceling more flights in response to the COVID-19 outbreak as it began talks with its workforce over temporary layoffs.

Satcom Supplier To License Optical Beamforming Tech

Credit: Isotropic SystemsSatellite communications (satcom) terminal supplier Isotropic Systems will license components of its optical multi-beamforming antenna technology to aerospace and defense companies to build products “capable of unleashing a new era of inflight connectivity.”

Organizers Cancel 2020 World ATM Congress

Credit: World ATM CongressOrganizers on March 4 canceled the World ATM Congress planned in Madrid next week, citing travel restrictions that have been implemented because of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

Aer Lingus Accepts Last Airbus A330-300

Credit: AirbusIrish flag carrier Aer Lingus has taken delivery of the final Airbus A330-300 to be built.