Airlines & Lessors

Long-haul low-cost startup flypop is hoping to begin passenger operations in summer 2022, after receiving its second Airbus A330, with another two scheduled to follow over the coming months.

The additions will bring the total number of 737 MAX family aircraft in the Icelandair fleet to 14 for the summer season.

Air Canada and WestJet, along with Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), are urging the Canadian government to drop a requirement for vaccinated international travelers to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on arrival.

A group of banks and financial institutions is being convened to create and oversee sustainable airline funding solutions.

The Republic of the Congo (aka Congo Brazzaville) has announced plans to revive defunct flag carrier Equatorial Congo Airlines (ECAir), which ceased operations in 2016, and a South African court has postponed the liquidation of SA Express to July.

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.