Aviation Daily Roundup: August 27

Air New Zealand reported its first annual loss in 18 years, attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the carrier expects another loss for fiscal 2021, which began July 1.

Aero-engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce is looking to sell off assets as the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the travel industry bites deep into the company’s finances.

Allegiant Air will add seven new seasonal routes this winter, in an attempt to capitalize on modest demand to outdoor leisure destinations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Virgin Atlantic is to serve Pakistan for the first time as it seeks to boost passenger numbers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

EASA plans to start Boeing 737 MAX test flights on Sept. 7 in Vancouver, Canada in what is a key milestone for the aircraft to be recertified in Europe.

A new cargo airline to be based in Xian, China has completed preparations for operations and has applied for an air operator certificate (AOC), the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said.

COVID-19-related travel restrictions between European countries, including Germany and the UK, are tightening up, as the novel coronavirus spread accelerates in the region and threatens a fragile recovery in air travel demand.

An Etihad Airways Boeing 787-10 has begun a series of test flights as part of the OEM’s ecoDemonstrator program aimed at reducing CO2 emissions and noise.

Tight cost controls at some airlines amid the pandemic-related demand downturn are keeping spare parts sales artificially low, a trend that must shift even if carriers do not ramp up their schedules quickly, a top executive at Heico contends.

Smartwings Group, which includes LCC Smartwings and flag-carrier Czech Airlines (CSA), filed a request to a Prague court to declare an extraordinary moratorium under the so-called Lex COVID legislation on Aug. 26.

The COVID-19 pandemic may have changed just about every aspect of travel already—but aircraft cabin designers believe there may be more long-term shifts to come.