Airlines & Lessors

UN aviation body ICAO, aircraft lessor Avolon and consultancy firm IBA have released their 2022 trend analyses, with IBA predicting another 20 airline failures in 2022 and ICAO lowering its 2050 growth forecast.

The Chinese air transport sector has injected some 600,000 extra flights into the market to support the heightened demand.

With the latest COVID-19 variant causing widespread flight cancellations, slot rules once again are in the spotlight.

Several leading lessors, including market leader AerCap, have voiced confidence in their business prospects for 2022 despite the ongoing impact of COVID-19.

The U.S. Transportation Department has given Scandinavian startup Norse Atlantic Airways the green light to launch scheduled commercial operations between Europe and the U.S.

New Armenian flag-carrier Fly Arna will begin its operational life with two Airbus A320s and look to Central Asia, Russia and the Middle East for its initial routes, the company’s backers said Jan. 14.

Asia-Pacific airlines are lagging those from other regions in terms of international traffic recovery, and the spread of the omicron coronavirus variant appears to be further stalling their progress.

The Czech Republic’s largest airline, Smartwings, carried more than 2.7 million customers in 2021, a considerable increase on 2020’s doldrums, but still significantly less than its pre-pandemic traffic flows.

LATAM Airlines Group plans to operate at 72% of its 2019 passenger flight capacity in January but warns it could revise those estimates as omicron coronavirus variant threats loom.

Dublin-based Emerald Airlines has confirmed plans to open a base at George Best Belfast City (BHD) in Northern Ireland and launch routes to six destinations in England and Scotland.

Delta Air Lines believes the recovery in air travel demand should regain momentum in the coming weeks, and projects turning a profit for the remainder of 2022 after what is expected to be a net loss for the 2022 first quarter (Q1).

Italian regional airline EGO Airways has had its AOC and Air Transport License suspended by the country’s aviation regulator, ENAC.

Pieter Elbers, the CEO of KLM, will not serve a third term at the helm of the Dutch airline, meaning he will leave his post by May 2023, the Air France-KLM group said Jan. 13.

UK-based Hans Airways has taken one of the final steps in its preparations for launching operations with the acquisition of its first aircraft.

Two Canadian airlines that have been attempting to become airborne for years, Jetlines and Lynx, appear to be finally making their debut in 2022.

TUI Chief Flight Operations Officer Oliver Lackmann told Aviation Daily that “a new normal of travel has emerged.”

The flag-carrier has raised around S$21 billion ($16 billion) since the pandemic started in early 2020.

Asia-Pacific international recovery significantly lags other regions.

Multiple startups try their luck in a down market.

New carrier secures attractive lease rates, finds good access to qualified staff, digitalization experience.

The codeshare agreement follows Aer Lingus’ entry to the oneworld transatlantic joint venture in late 2020.

Proposed Indian LCC Akasa Air intends to start commercial operations in late May or early June, according to CEO Vinay Dube.

The chief executive of Mesa Airlines believes there is an issue facing commercial aviation more dire than COVID, and he’s worried that it is only getting worse.

United Airlines is reporting about 4% of its employees have tested positive for COVID-19, illustrating the operational struggles U.S. airlines are battling as the omicron coronavirus variant washes over the country.

South African Airways’ (SAA) interim board has pledged to take whatever action is necessary to rid the airline of corrupt staff from what it described as its “shameful past” and to work toward recovering misappropriated funds.