Australia’s regional connectivity will suffer if bankrupt carrier Bonza cannot restructure and return to service, the country’s competition watchdog says.
Two major airlines, Air Sénégal and Air Côte d’Ivoire, have sealed a strategic commercial and operational partnership with the intention of pooling their networks, offering passengers enhanced connections while optimising both airlines’ operating costs.
Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines JV SunExpress plans to add two UK destinations every year, after rapidly growing its UK capacity to 1.3 million seats since 2022.
MESA AIR GROUP had $57.9m net loss on $119m revenues for first quarter ended December 31 vs $9.1m loss on $147m a year ago; it has successfully completed majority of its surplus CRJ asset sales, finalizing $390m in sales.
AQUILA AIR CAPITAL secured another $100m in new financing, upsizing its current term loan facility to $200m; portfolio includes >100 CF6-80C2, CF6-80E, GE90-115B, CFM56-7B, CFM56-5B, PW4000, PW2000 and RB211-525E4 engines.
ASL AIRLINES AUSTRALIA added its first 737-800BCF (34797) to fleet; aircraft is part of ASL's 737-800BCF program that includes slots for 40 conversions for delivery to its airlines in Ireland, France, Belgium, Thailand, India and Australia.
RYANAIR earned €1.9b for year ended March 31 (vs €1.3b a year ago) on 25% higher revenues. It ended year with 146 737-8200s and hopes to increase fleet to 158 by end of July, which would be 23 short of its contracted Boeing deliveries.
RYANAIR says it expects European airline consolidation to continue, with takeovers of ITA and AIR EUROPA progressing and sale of TAP approaching. This, in addition to A320 fleet groundings and large backlog of OEM aircraft deliveries, is likely to constrain capacity growth in Europe for some years, underpinning its growth plan (to 300m pax) over 10 years.
AVATION agreed to sell two ATR 72-600 delivery slots (1Q24/1Q25) to an unidentified airline due to attractive economics. It expects deal to result in net cash proceeds of >$10m, earmarked for PDPs for its remaining 10 ATR 72-600s on order.
Due to reduced demand, Mesa and DHL agreed to wind down cargo operations as of February; pilots from Mesa's cargo operation are transitioning to its E175 fleet.
