Air Transport

Virgin Australia plans to reduce capacity by accelerating the retirement of the last of its Airbus A320s operated by LCC subsidiary Tigerair.

Lufthansa launched a major cost-cutting program to contain the financial damage incurred by the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

Moldovan startup HiSky is planning to launch operations Apr. 10, operating 180-seat Airbus A320s to six European destinations from capital city Chisinau.

Thai AirAsia (TAA) ended 2019 with a total net loss after tax of THB871 million ($29 million) despite an increase in passengers and 3% revenue growth.

A China Eastern subsidiary set up to fly Comac aircraft will serve coastal districts from the Yangzi River Delta and retain the business aviation operation on which it has been based, the parent company said.

Airlines, aviation financing and plane makers – inherently vulnerable to the economic side-effects of a potential pandemic - faced challenges as the year began, ensuring they are now at growing risk of severe coronavirus-related disruption, says Scope.

Flight restrictions touched off by COVID-19 are affecting belly capacity and could mean changes to freighter schedules and trade flows.

The EU mandate is less comprehensive than in the U.S. and will not be uniformly applied across the continent.

Lufthansa and United Airlines are seriously considering a plan to jointly acquire TAP Portugal in an effort to protect their position in the Europe-Latin America market and keep Delta Air Lines from investing in another European carrier.

The FAA has amended pilot training and mentoring requirements for commercial air carriers to protect against incidents of “unprofessional” behavior and errors that could lead to accidents.

The European Commission (EC) has approved plans by the Romanian government to provide state-owned flag-carrier TAROM with a temporary loan of approximately €36.7 million ($39.9 million) to allow it to maintain services.

An Airbus A321 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion—developed by joint-venture partners ST Engineering, Airbus and Dresden-based freighter conversion specialist Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW)—has secured EASA supplemental type certification (STC).

An FAA draft directive set for publication Feb. 26 calls for Boeing 737 MAXs to undergo inspections and modifications before further flight to ensure engine-control wiring has adequate protection from electromagnetic interference.

The growing cluster of COVID-19 coronavirus cases in Iran has sparked a series of precautionary moves in the Gulf states.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC AIRWAYS plans October 26 to begin Manchester, UK-Delhi, India (A330).

AIR SENEGAL plans June 26 to begin three-times-weekly Dakar-London Stansted (A321).

United Airlines has withdrawn its full-year financial guidance, citing uncertainty over the ramifications from the COVID-19 coronavirus on travel demand, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region where the airline had 15% of its planned full-year capacity.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) on Feb. 25 placed an order for 15 more Boeing 787s, and has made a significant change in engine supplier for the new aircraft deliveries.

SEABURY CAPITAL GROUP acquired STRUCTURED FINANCE INTERNATIONAL (SFI) to form SEABURY AIRCRAFT CAPITAL through a combination of its existing advisory

AMERICAN AIRLINES and QATAR AIRWAYS signed strategic partnership agreement and renewed codeshare agreement.

HELVETIC AIRWAYS took delivery of its second (030) of 12 E190-E2s on order; four more are due by mid-2020.

South African carrier Comair has deferred delivery of five Boeing 737 MAX 8s to 2024-25, in response to the type’s global grounding.

UNITED AIRLINES reshuffled some capacity purchase agreements with its United Express carriers that will see SKYWEST assume operation of 25 E175s

ANA HOLDINGS agreed to acquire up to 20 more GEnx-powered 787s for delivery through FY25. It plans to order 11 787-10s (to replace 777s) and one 787-9