Aviation Daily Roundup: May 19, 2022

Turkish Airlines To Take A350-900s Meant For Aeroflot

Turkish Airlines has decided to purchase six A350-900s from Airbus to be delivered in 2022 and 2023. A source close to Turkish Airlines fleet management told Aviation Daily on May 18 that these six A350s were originally ordered by Aeroflot. Credit: Airbus

Singapore Airlines Prepares Fleet For 777-9 Delay, Reduces Losses

Singapore Airlines (SIA) is adjusting plans for its ageing Boeing 777-300ER fleet after deliveries of the 777-9 were pushed back until at least 2025 due to certification issues. The flag-carrier has brought 93% of its fleet back into operation in response to strong pent-up demand after Singapore opened its borders. Credit: Chen Chuanren

Pilot Groups Oppose Raising U.S. Pilot Retirement Age

Raising the mandatory U.S. pilot-retirement age above 65 would create unintended consequences that would offset any benefit that comes from increasing the number of eligible pilots, two pilot groups warn. Both the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) and Allied Pilots Association (APA) contend the idea—being floated as a way to increase the number of eligible U.S. pilots and offset current rostering issues at several carriers—will do more harm than good. Credit: American Airlines

Latin America Moves To Boost SAF Production

A team of energy companies and the government of Panama have announced plans to build the world’s largest biofuel production and distribution hub. Planned to be operational in five years, the biorefinery will eventually produce 2.6 billion gal./year of renewable fuels including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Credit: SGP BioEnergy

Sun Country May Consider A Base Outside Minneapolis In Long Term

Sun Country may establish a base outside of its Minneapolis headquarters in the future, but has no immediate plans given the opportunities that exist in its home market. Data from Aviation Week’s CAPA show that Minneapolis-St. Paul International airport represents 48% of Sun Country’s seat deployment. Credit: Joe Pries

Pentagon To Task Commercial Carriers With Airlifting Baby Formula

The U.S. military plans to use contracted commercial aircraft to airlift infant formula into the country amid an ongoing shortage, as part of “Operation Fly Formula.” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said May 19 that U.S. Transportation Command is coordinating with other government agencies to find locations overseas with infant formula that meets U.S. standards and to fly it back to multiple locations across the country. Credit: U.S. Air Force

Blade Expands Into Europe With Deal For Three Helicopter Companies

On-demand helicopter service provider Blade Air Mobility has agreed to acquire the commercial passenger transport activities of three European helicopter companies for a total of €48 million ($51 million) in cash. The agreement comes as Blade plans to launch European operations in advance of the Monaco Grand Prix on May 28, with flights between Nice, France, and Monte Carlo, Monaco. The acquisitions are expected to close this summer. Credit: Monacair

Brazil Joins EASA’s Global Ramp Inspection Program

EASA and Brazil’s ANAC have finalized an agreement that will see Brazil join Europe’s ramp inspection program. Launched by the EU as an intra-European initiative in 1996, the program was expanded to include “third country” operators—those from outside the EU—and now includes 51 countries. Credit: Airbus / Master Films - Artem Tchaikovski

Fit For 55 Risks Damaging European Connectivity, IATA Says

IATA’s regional VP for Europe Rafael Schvartzman has called for changes to the European Commission’s “Fit for 55” emissions reduction package, saying the measures as they stand could damage connectivity across the region. Under Fit for 55, the EU hopes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The stated aim is for Europe to become the world’s first climate neutral continent by 2050. Credit: Ocean Driven Media

Spirit Board Warns Shareholders To Reject JetBlue Tender Offer

The board of directors at Spirit Airlines urged shareholders to reject a recently announced tender offer from JetBlue Airways, which it framed as a “cynical attempt” to disrupt its merger plans with Frontier Airlines. The warning comes ahead of a meeting on June 10 in which Spirit’s shareholders will vote on whether to accept an equity-and-cash offer from Frontier Airlines that was recently valued at less than $20/share. Credit: Joe Raedle / Getty Images

EasyJet To Grow Beyond 2019 Traffic Levels In Second Half 2022

LCC easyJet anticipates its leisure and domestic capacity will exceed 2019 levels over the next few months as it prepares for a busy summer season. “Since Easter, we have been flying up to a quarter of a million customers and 1,600 flights every day, and in the second half leisure and domestic capacity will be above 2019 levels,” CEO Johan Lundgren said May 19. Credit: Joe Pries

IAG Orders 50 Boeing 737 MAX, Options On 100 More

International Airlines Group (IAG) has placed an order for 50 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and secured options for a further 100, providing a boost to the OEM. The order finalizes a letter of intent (LOI) signed at the 2019 edition of Paris Air Show that had been for 200 of the family. Credit: Ellen Banner / Pool / Getty Images

Daily Memo: Airline Merger Activity Gains Some Traction

The past nearly two and a half years since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic have been quiet on the airline mergers and acquisitions front. Surprisingly so at first sight, since the massive economic pressure would have given companies enough reasons to seek safe havens or use the opportunity to build larger empires. Credit: Gordon Zammit / Alamy Stock Photo

VoltAero Offers Fractional Ownership Of Hybrid-Electric Aircraft

French startup VoltAero plans to offer fractional ownership of its planned Cassio family of hybrid-electric aircraft in Europe, beginning with its five-seat Cassio 330. The company expects to begin accepting expressions of interest in ownership share positions at the EBACE show in Geneva on May 23-25. Powered by a 330-kW parallel hybrid-electric propulsion system developed by VoltAero, the Cassio 330 is due to be available in 2024. Credit: VoltAero

Norwegian Eyes 100-Aircraft Fleet Within Two Years

Newly restructured LCC Norwegian is planning to rapidly grow from 70 to 100 aircraft over the coming two years, but CEO Geir Karlsen is confident that old mistakes will not be repeated. Speaking at Routes Europe in Bergen, Karlsen said Norwegian experienced “a perfect storm” in the run up to the pandemic. Credit: Boeing

H55 To Provide Batteries For P&WC Hybrid-Electric Demonstrator

Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) has selected Swiss-based H55 to supply battery systems for the engine maker’s regional hybrid-electric flight demonstrator program. H55, which was spun-off from the Solar Impulse electric aircraft project, is already engaged in several advanced electric aircraft projects. Credit: De Havilland Canada

Turkish Airlines to take A350-900s meant for Aeroflot, Singapore Airlines prepares fleet for 777-9 delay, reduces losses and more. Take a look at the daily roundup of air transport news.

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