Coronavirus

Star Alliance and Amadeus have launched a partnership aimed at making touchless travel more accessible—at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has brought touchless technologies and initiatives aimed at boosting traveler confidence into the spotlight.

Virgin Atlantic has pulled the planned launch of two routes between the UK and India that had been scheduled to start during the coming weeks.

Flybondi has resumed domestic flights in Argentina after backtracking on a decision not to transfer Buenos Aries operations to Ministro Pistarini International (EZE) while El Palomar (EPA remains closed.

The prospects for a quarantine-free travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand increased significantly after the New Zealand government said it is targeting a reopening early in 2021.

Demand trends during the pandemic and recovery should favor LCCs over larger legacy airlines.

U.S. back in human spaceflight business.

Virgin Atlantic has launched a new health-testing regime for passengers departing London Heathrow Airport as part of a study to validate the benefits of pre-departure testing for COVID-19.

ROLLS-ROYCE reports its year-over-year large civil engine flying hours are down 42% in 2020.

ROLLS-ROYCE has completed its £5b recapitalisation package that includes £2b of new equity, £2b in new bonds, and a £1b bank facility that remains

FINNAIR was granted export credit support of >€100m from Germany, France and UK for acquiring Airbus aircraft.

Irish carrier Aer Lingus is seeking permission to enter the UK-U.S. transatlantic market from next summer, with an initial three routes planned from a new base at Manchester Airport (MAN).

A rebound in its charter business and a new cargo operation with Amazon are helping ULCC Sun Country Airlines weather the COVID-19 crisis better than its larger legacy peers.

Ask the Editors: Aviation will see less demand due to COVID-19, so the introduction of long-haul narrowbodies is unlikely to gain steam.

Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) is preparing to restore its entire route network for summer 2021, when it aims to reach 64% of 2019 passenger volumes, the carrier said Dec. 10.

U.S credit rating agency Fitch Ratings anticipates further airline failures in 2021, although the COVID-19 vaccine could see pent-up leisure traffic rebound during the second half.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has approved the launch of four new international passenger routes, including services to destinations in Europe, Africa and North America.

In November, Lufthansa Group announced that Brussels Airlines CEO Dieter Vranckx would move to Zurich to become CEO of its Swiss International Air Lines subsidiary on Jan. 1, 2021.

Singapore will relax quarantine restrictions for passengers arriving from Taiwan on Dec. 18 after deciding that the risk of importing cases from the country is low.

PwC reports there were 121 aerospace and defense M&A deals valued at $10b in 3Q20 vs 107 worth $12b in 3Q19; it says recent resurgence of pandemic and

Domestic passenger traffic in Colombia is growing at a pace rivalling Mexico and Brazil—two markets recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic at a much faster clip than other regions of the world—according to the head of Viva Air Group.

ALLEGIANT AIR says its average daily bookings fell to roughly $2.2m in November from roughly $3m in October.

AVIANOR, Montreal was selected by AELF FlightService to convert passenger cabins of four A330-200s to carry cargo.

Service is being “whittled down to an unsustainable level” in Canada’s Atlantic provinces following the latest route cuts to be announced by Air Canada.

Recovering from its worst-ever crisis while also focusing on reducing the environmental impact will be a 2021 air-transport challenge.

The Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation Association has canceled its February 2021 MEBAA show and is rescheduling it to December 2022 because of ongoing challenges with border restrictions and lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.