Aviation Daily Roundup: September 25

Star Alliance members Austrian Airlines and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) are resuming scheduled services to China eight months after they were suspended following the outbreak of the coronavirus.

Air New Zealand confirmed its intent to raise additional capital in 2021, while the government expects to remain the company’s largest stakeholder following the process.

Lufthansa CEO and IATA chairman Carsten Spohr believes substantial global long-haul networks could be re-established by the second quarter of 2021 if there is broad COVID-19 testing of passengers and crew.

The air cargo industry, after being thrown into the spotlight earlier this year as the world watched freighters transporting cargoes of medical supplies around the globe, has been hit much less hard than the passenger business by the COVID-19 crisis.

Executives from four LCCs believe air travel demand is being suppressed by national COVID-19 restrictions, but there is a lack of solid trend data for airline planning.

Swedish startup Heart Aerospace has unveiled the electric propulsion system for its planned 19-seat regional airliner, the ES-19.

Impresa Aerospace, a supplier to OEMs and Tier 1 military and commercial aircraft manufacturers, has entered U.S. bankruptcy protection and could be taken over by its predominant private equity owner, Twin Haven Capital Partners, according to a Sept. 24 court filing.

Hawaiian Airlines will launch pre-travel COVID-19 testing for passengers at two U.S. west coast airports beginning Oct. 15, in anticipation of the relaxation of Hawaii’s 14-day quarantine order for out-of-state arrivals.

Central and Eastern European ULCC Wizz Air now plans to operate 50% of its prior-year capacity in October and potentially all winter, after recovering 80% of its former schedule in August.

KLM will operate a significantly restricted winter schedule because of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated travel warnings.

Avianca will restart international flying from Colombia Sept. 28 and gradually increase destinations while enforcing strict protocols for passengers to guard against the spread of the novel coronavirus, the airline said Sept. 25.

EASA expects to clear the Boeing 737 MAX to return to service by year-end after securing commitments from Boeing to address specific safety issues the agency found in its review of the model, including adding a third source for measuring a key flight parameter.

With its aircraft still grounded and borders closed, Thai Airways is trying to think out of the box, introducing a host of new alternative revenue streams with wheels still firmly on the ground.

The majority shareholder in French airline Corsair has confirmed that it will sell its entire 53% stake to new investors.

Spectralux Avionics has released a standalone data link unit that supports both U.S. and European data communications requirements.

Spirit AeroSystems formally walked away from its two-year-long effort to acquire Belgian aerospace supplier Asco Industries on Sept. 25, the Wichita aerostructures leader said in a U.S. regulatory filing.

AirAsia is turning to its digital and e-commerce portfolio as an alternate revenue stream while the Malaysia-based LCC group’s network remains disrupted because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Airbus supplier Latécoère Group plans to cut about a third of its workforce in France as it reduces its manufacturing footprint in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19-induced downturn in commercial aviation.