Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary threatens to sue government over ‘billionaire-owned’ Flybe rescue January 16, 2020 Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has threatened to sue the government over its bailout of “billionaire-owned” regional airline Flybe. O’Leary wrote to chancellor Sajid Javid today demanding that the government extend an air passenger duty “holiday” handed to the struggling carrier to all other airlines. If it does not do this, he said, it would be [...]
Q&A: Why would cutting air passenger duty help Flybe – and how is it damaging? January 14, 2020 In a bid to save regional airline Flybe, chancellor Sajid Javid is meeting officials from the business and transport departments today. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has already shown he is against conventional bailouts for struggling companies – as he showed when he decided against keep Thomas Cook afloat in September. But one option still on [...]
Willie Walsh to step down as chief executive of British Airways owner IAG January 9, 2020 Willie Walsh, the outspoken CEO of British Airways’ owner International Airlines Group (IAG), is to step down, in a move likely to elicit a sigh of relief among politicians, union bosses and rival airline chiefs alike. IAG said this morning that Walsh, 58, would quit as chief executive in March, and officially retire on 30 [...]
Airlines divert flights around Iran and Iraq after missile attacks and Boeing crash January 8, 2020 A host of airlines have said they will divert flight routes over the Middle East after Iran launched missile attacks on US air bases in Iraq last night. The announcements come after a Boeing jet also crashed over the Iranian capital overnight, killing 176 people. Airlines including Qantas, Etihad, Singapore and Emirates said they will [...]
Norwegian Air earnings rise as December capacity cuts take effect January 7, 2020 Norwegian Air was forced to cut its capacity for the third month in a row in December, as it scrapped loss-making routes as part of a plan to return to profit. The firm, which recently appointed a new boss, Jacob Schram, has struggled over the last year after rapid expansion. In 2014, Norwegian introduced the UK’s [...]
Boeing ‘mulls raising more debt’ as aerospace giant feels the pinch January 6, 2020 Boeing is said to be considering whether to raise more debt to boost its finances, which have come under intense strain from the grounding of its 737 Max jet. The firm has already taken a nearly $10bn (£7.6bn) hit on the 737 Max since the second of two crashes involving the jet happened in March [...]
Air Partner buys security group Redline in £10m deal December 12, 2019 Aviation services company Air Partner has bought airport security group Redline, in a £10m deal. Redline trains security and border control staff at international airports, as well as for critical national infrastructure and events at sports stadiums. The company is headquartered at the National Security Training Centre at Doncaster Sheffield Airport and employs approximately 100 [...]
Boeing 737 Max: Grounding could cost tour operator Tui €400m next year December 11, 2019 Tui has admitted the grounding of its fleet of Boeing 737 Max planes could cost up to €400m next year if it does not return to the skies by April. The world’s biggest tour operator said that if the global ban on the jet lasts beyond February next year it will not have time to [...]
‘World’s first’ fully-electric commercial flight takes off in Canada December 11, 2019 A fully-electric passenger seaplane has taken off in Vancouver, Canada, in what has been described as a “world first” in aviation. The test flight by Harbour Air and Magni X was by a six-passenger plane, fitted with an electric motor – the first all-electric commercial aircraft. Read more: Electric-powered regional flights ‘could be taking off [...]
Thomas Cook: Regulator ‘very sorry’ for refund delay as customers wait more than two months December 10, 2019 Britain’s aviation regulator has apologised to thousands of Thomas Cook customers facing delays to refunds owed to them after the travel firm collapsed. Paul Smith, director of the Civil Aviation Authority, said the organisation was “very sorry,” adding that the CAA was “working tirelessly” to put the payments through. Read more: Gatwick airport to lose [...]