Aviation Daily Roundup: September 9

Wary of the current lack of air cargo capacity, IATA has urged the freight industry, governments and public health agencies to work together to prepare the transportation of COVID-19 vaccines around the world if and when they become available.

Ryanair Holdings Group CEO Michael O’Leary has said he is now anticipating just 50 million passengers for fiscal 2020-21, two-thirds fewer than the 149 million passengers carried by the Irish LCC in 2019-20.

A lack of “clear information” from Boeing on the return of the 737 MAX is hampering Ethiopian Airlines’ ability to make decisions on its future narrowbody fleet as it studies the Airbus A220, according to the flag-carrier’s CEO Tewolde Gebremariam.

Shareholders in International Airlines Group (IAG) gave their backing to a €2.75 billion ($3.25 billion) rights issue during the company’s annual general meeting (AGM) held Sept. 8.

Middle East launch customer Qatar Airways has installed Inmarsat’s GX Aviation broadband service on most of its Boeing 777 and Airbus A350 airliners, the parties announced Sept. 9.

Oman Air plans to resume limited scheduled services from Oct. 1, the airline said Sept. 9. The carrier has effectively been closed for several months, except for repatriation and cargo flights.

Virgin Australia confirmed plans to keep 56 of its Boeing 737s when it exits the administration process, which means it will cut almost 30 aircraft from its narrowbody fleet compared to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.

ULCC Wizz Air is continuing its pandemic-era expansion progress with the opening of yet another base.

AirAsia has restructured its engineering operations into a wholly owned subsidiary, which will provide MRO services to the group’s airlines and also third-party customers.

With just a few weeks left until the start of the 2020 fourth quarter, U.S. airline executives have come to accept that the rest of the year will likely be anything but predictable.

Airbus has completed three test flights using two of its own Airbus A350s with the autopilot engaged in its Fello’fly wake vortex-riding project.