Airlines & Lessors

British Airways (BA) announced Jan. 29 that it will suspend all direct flights to China, effective immediately, after the Foreign Office urged all Britons to cancel any nonessential trips to China as the novel coronavirus outbreak expands.

United Airlines announced on Jan. 28 it will temporarily suspend some flights between China and Hong Kong and several of its large U.S. hub cities, citing a “significant decline in demand for travel to China” as a result of the spread of a deadly coronavirus in the country.

UK regional carrier Eastern Airways plans to launch a network of new services from the under-used Teesside International Airport in northeast England.

Brazil’s Azul plans to operate a fleet of 75 Embraer E-Jets E2s by 2024, part of an accelerated transition that will see its total fleet grow to over 200 aircraft by the middle of the decade.

Air Astana president and CEO Peter Foster, while reporting on the Kazakhstan-based airline’s 2019 performance, is acknowledging the growing Wuhan coronavirus outbreak may have imminent adverse effects.

Thai Airways is preparing to submit revised fleet plans—including aircraft acquisitions—to its board and the government for approval.

Acquisition of Eastar Jet would help Jeju Air dominate South Korean LCC market and spur overdue consolidation in this sector.

Fast-growing LCC Wizz Air had selected Pratt & Whitney’s GTF engine to power 166 Airbus A320neo family aircraft the Hungarian LCC has on order, Pratt said Jan. 27.

Southwest Airline’s launch of operations to Hawaii in 2019 has reaped big gains for the flying public, as higher travel demand has led to falling fares, Southwest president Tom Nealon said on the company’s recent 2019 fourth quarter (Q4) earnings call.

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is considering setting up a new operation dedicated to mid-sized jets, with a final recommendation expected during 2020.

African LCC fastjet has informed the stock market that it should be able to continue operating until the end of March, one month longer than previously stated, as critical restructuring talks continue.

The Indian government has officially launched a sale process for Air India, with a call for expressions of interest (EOI) from potential bidders that establishes a time line and conditions.

JetBlue Airways shows no signs of backing down from its build up in Boston even as Delta Air Lines, and now American Airlines, continue to increase pressure in one of JetBlue’s most important markets.

We provide answers to some of the key questions about the UK’s looming exit from the EU.

LOT Polish Airlines parent Polish Aviation Group (PGL) agreed to buy German leisure airline Condor Jan. 24 in a deal that creates one of the larger European airline groups and targets substantial growth in the coming years.

Air New Zealand is trialing the use of an artificial intelligence (AI) system to analyze its gate operations and find ways to improve efficiency and reduce aircraft turn-times.

Air France is extending its business-class service to its domestic network from Feb. 4, offering services such as priority boarding and luggage delivery, access to lounges and more space on board.

JetBlue Airways has signed an agreement to lease four used Airbus A321s to mitigate the impact of expected A321neo production delays.

Most in industry and government see high-level, multinational efforts as a pipe dream, leaving airlines to fend for themselves.

Iran’s acknowledgment that it shot down PS752 removes that doubt and painfully validates our 5.5 years of work on airspace risk awareness, but it also makes clear that this work was not enough to prevent a repeat tragedy. It is now evident that governments must play a more active role in preventing airlines from flying in conflict zones.

Boeing did not have the best year, and how many aircraft can and will be built will likely be open questions for years.

American Airlines’ fleet of 20 Embraer E190s will be completely retired by mid-summer, regardless of the timing of Boeing 737 MAX recertification, American president Robert Isom said Jan. 23.

As the one-year mark of the Boeing 737 MAX grounding nears, airlines and lessors have to decide whether they want to make use of an upcoming opportunity to cancel orders for the aircraft.

To many flying travelers, the sight of a service cart coming down the aisle is the highlight of the journey, especially if the food and beverage are

Boeing’s new recommendation that 737 MAX pilots undergo simulator training before they return to flying the airliner justifies recent moves by major