Monthly Archives: September 2020

WestJet updates schedule with key sun markets

WestJet has released an updated schedule designed to get Canadians to and from key destinations while supporting the economic recovery of Canada through continued domestic flying. Starting October 4, 2020 WestJet will offer operations to and from 48 destinations including 39 in Canada, three in the U.S. and three in Mexico, two in Jamaica and one in the U.K.

While the schedule is significantly reduced compared to 2019, several major routes have returned including nonstop service between Calgary and Palm Springs, Phoenix, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas along with the return of nonstop service between Toronto and Kingston and Montego Bay, Jamaica and Cancun. The airline is also reintroducing non-stop Dreamliner service from Toronto to London (Gatwick).

The updated schedule is supported by the layered framework WestJet has built to ensure Canadians can continue to travel safely and responsibly, through the airline’s Safety Above All hygiene program. The airline continues to provide flexibility in booking, change and cancellation policies for guests.

To provide piece of mind for those booking international travel (excluding the U.S.) WestJet also recently announced the availability of no-charge COVID-19 travel insurance coverage for eligible guests for reservations made on or after September 18, 2020, for WestJet air-only and WestJet Vacations bookings.

Boeing and Etihad Airways concluded testing on the ecoDemonstrator program

Boeing and Etihad Airways concluded testing on the aerospace company’s 2020 ecoDemonstrator program last week with a cross-country flight using a 50/50 blend of sustainable and traditional jet fuel.

Flying from Seattle to Boeing’s manufacturing site in South Carolina, Etihad’s newest 787-10 Dreamliner used the maximum sustainable fuel blend permitted for commercial aviation. The transcontinental flight also demonstrated a new way for pilots, air traffic controllers and airline operations centers to communicate simultaneously and optimize routing.

Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator program takes promising technologies out of the lab and tests them in the air to accelerate innovation. This year’s program evaluated four projects to reduce emissions and noise and enhance the safety and health of passengers and crew. All of the 787-10 test flights used a blend of traditional jet fuel and sustainable fuel produced from inedible agricultural wastes to minimize emissions, with the final flight operating at the maximum 50/50 commercial blend.

The fuel from World Energy and supplied to Boeing by EPIC Fuels has been certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials to reduce carbon emissions by more than 75% over the fuel’s life cycle.

The partnership between Boeing and Etihad Airways represents a longstanding collaboration to make flying more sustainable. The two companies were among the founding partners that created the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium in 2010. Based at Khalifa University near Abu Dhabi, the pilot project for a unique desert ecosystem produces sustainable fuel from plants that grow in the desert, irrigated by coastal seawater. Etihad used the initial batch of fuel from the pilot project in January 2019 on a passenger flight from Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam.

In January 2020, Etihad took delivery of its signature green 787-10 using a fuel mix comprising 30% SAF produced by World Energy.

Boeing has been a leader in industry efforts to develop sustainable aviation fuel since before the first test flight on a commercial airliner in 2008. Along with others in the industry, the company worked to gain certification of sustainable fuel for commercial use in 2011 and collaborates around the world to create regional production roadmaps.

For more than a decade, World Energy and EPIC Fuels have produced and supplied SAF to Boeing for flight testing. Boeing offers airlines the option of using sustainable fuel for their airplane delivery flights. The first of these occurred in 2012 with an Etihad 777-300ER delivery flight from Everett, Washington, to Abu Dhabi.

Photo: Boeing.

Will Alitalia abandon Milan Malpensa?

Local media reports in Italy are reporting Alitalia will drop all flights to and from Milan Malpensa Airport on October 1, 2020 after 70 years. The airline has not confirmed the media reports.

In Italian from il Giornale.it.

Alitalia also serves Milan Linate Airport.

Alitalia aircraft photo gallery:

TAP announces new routes for Summer 2021

TAP Air Portugal has made this announcement:

Summer network planned based on seasonal expansion opportunities.

Departing from Lisbon, Zagreb, Fuerteventura and Ibiza are TAP’s new destinations in Europe.
TAP will fly to two new destinations in Tunisia: Djerba and Monastir.
Oujda is the new destination in Morocco.

TAP takes advantage of seasonal expansion opportunities to plan and strengthen its network, taking into account its strategy between Europe and the Americas, as well as Africa. For Summer 2021, the Portuguese airline plans to launch six new routes: Ibiza and Fuerteventura, in Spain; Oujda, in Morocco; Zagreb, in Croatia; and Djerba and Monastir, in Tunisia.

From June next year, TAP will offer two weekly flights from Lisbon to Ibiza and one from Lisbon to Fuerteventura, in Spain.

TAP new flights in Spain and Zagreb, in Croatia, are now available for sale. The other routes will be available from September 15th. Inaugural flights are scheduled between May and June 2021, with the exception of Zagreb, which is scheduled to start in March next year.

Ibiza, Fuerteventura and Zagreb are the new destinations in Europe

Lisbon-Ibiza flights depart on Saturdays and Sundays, departing from Lisbon at 11 am and arriving on the Spanish island at 1:45 pm, from where they return at 2:30 pm and arrive at Humberto Delgado airport at 3:25 pm.

TAP will have a weekly flight, on Saturdays, to Fuerteventura, departing at 11 am from Lisbon and arriving at 1:20 pm. In the opposite direction, flights depart at 2:05 pm and arrive in the Portuguese capital at 4:10 pm.

Between Lisbon and Zagreb, three weekly flights will be operated, on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Departures from the Portuguese capital will be at 8:00 am with scheduled arrival at the capital of Croatia at 12:05 pm.

Destinations with white sand beaches in North Africa

Tunisia will become part of TAP’s summer network next year. Djerba and Monastir are the two destinations, in Tunisia, where TAP will fly on Sundays and Fridays, respectively, departures from Lisbon at 09h25 and 10h00 and arrivals at 12h30 and 12h55 pm.

TAP will offer two weekly flights to Oujda, in Morocco, on Saturdays and Sundays, departing from Humberto Delgado Airport at 10 am and arriving on the African continent at 12:05 pm.

Cancun, Cape Town, Agadir and Santiago de Compostela with inaugural flight scheduled for 2021

It will be in 2021 that the first flights departing from Lisbon to Cancun, Cape Town, Agadir and Santiago de Compostela will take off, four destinations announced this year, which saw the start postponed due to the current situation.

The list of routes and flights will be adjusted whenever circumstances require, in view of the dynamics of restrictions and demand.

TAP Air Portugal aircraft photo gallery:

Avianca Holdings S.A. issues statement on Government of Colombia financing commitment and Colombian Court injunction

Avianca Holdings S.A. has issued a statement regarding the commitment from the Government of Colombia to participate in the Company’s expected debtor-in-possession (“DIP”) financing, following the injunction issued by the Administrative Court of Cundinamarca. Avianca commented as follows:

Avianca reiterates its gratitude to the Republic of Colombia for its continuing support and commitment to participate in the Company’s debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing. Avianca’s DIP financing, which is supported not only by the government of Colombia but also by the Company’s existing lenders and by more than 90 additional third-party institutional investors, is critical to sustain Avianca’s operations, maintain connectivity throughout Colombia, and help support the country’s economic recovery.

Avianca looks forward to presenting information to the Colombian courts in the coming days, alongside information being presented by the government of Colombia, that will demonstrate that participation by the Republic of Colombia in the Company’s debtor-in-possession financing is a beneficial transaction for the country. The transaction has been structured in a way that provides substantial collateral support as well as attractive economic returns to the Republic that are equal to those of other senior secured private institutional investors, and ahead of certain other key stakeholders and third-party lenders in a US$ 700 million subordinated loan.

We expect to file our DIP motion with the US Bankruptcy Court in the coming week and are confident that the Colombian courts will authorize the Colombian government to move forward with funding in a timely manner.

Seaborne adds a mask to SAAB 340B N336SA

Seaborne Airlines has joined the mask-wearing effort on flights by painting one of their SAAB 340B aircraft (N336SA) with a mask on the nose.

Seaborne Airlines serves San Juan Airport, St. Thomas Airport, and Seaplane base, St. Croix Airport, and Seaplane base, Anguilla, Antigua, Tortola, Dominica, St. Maarten, Nevis, St. Kitts. Also flying to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic for a limited time.

Silver Airways is a U.S. Airline operating over 100 daily scheduled flights between gateways in Florida and the Bahamas. The company is owned by Versa Capital Management, LLC, a Philadelphia-based private equity investment firm. Silver Airways is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale (Florida) with a maintenance facility based at Orlando International Airport in Florida.

Hector Rivera reporting from Puerto Rico.

Gulf Air resumes direct flights to India

Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, has announced that it will resume its direct flights to and from the Republic of India staring with Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) on September 14, 2020 along with Cochin and Calicut this week with plans to announce a further expansion into more destination within India soon. The flights are operating based on a special agreement between the governments of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Republic of India.

Gulf Air has been operating direct flights between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Republic of India since 1960 and its network of Indian cities has always been key within the Gulf Air’s global network. The airline currently flies to and from London, Paris, Frankfurt, Manila, Athens, Cairo, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Kuwait, Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

Gulf Air aircraft photo gallery:

WestJet to offer guests no-charge COVID-19 travel insurance for air and vacation reservations

WestJet has made this announcement:

WestJet has announced no-charge COVID-19 travel insurance coverage for eligible guests booking travel to Mexico, the Caribbean and European destinations including the United Kingdom.

For reservations made on or after September 18, 2020, any WestJet air-only reservation including WestJet Vacations bookings for travel to and from Mexico, the Caribbean (excluding the U.S.), Europe (including U.K.) and inbound to Canada will provide eligible guests no-charge COVID-19 travel insurance through new partner TuGo^®. Coverage will be automatically applied at no additional charge to eligible guests at the time of purchase for travel until August 31, 2021 for up to 21 days. One-way travel reservations will also be eligible for coverage for up to seven days.

“We know Canadians are seeking reassurance and our guests can now have confidence knowing they are protected against unforeseen medical costs related to the pandemic when choosing to book with WestJet,” said Arved von zur Muehlen, WestJet Chief Commercial Officer. “Safety measures have been implemented across our entire travel journey and providing our guests peace of mind during their travels is worth the investment we are making to ensure the safest travel experience for our guests.”

TuGo^® Travel Insurance COVID-19 coverage for WestJet guests includes*:

Emergency medical and hospital costs for outbound travellers if diagnosed with COVID-19 while outside of Canada(excluding U.S) for up to a maximum limit of $100,000 CAD per insured person.
Emergency medical and hospital costs for inbound travellers visiting Canada diagnosed with COVID-19 while in Canada up to the maximum limit of $100,000 CAD per insured person.
Quarantine accommodation costs when the traveller tests positive for COVID-19 on the trip up to $150 CAD per insured person, per day to a maximum of 14 days for inbound and outbound reservations.
Ambulance transportation and air evacuation costs related to COVID-19, up to the maximum limit of $100,000 CAD per insured person for inbound and outbound guests.
COVID-19 repatriation costs in case of death of up to $5,000 CAD per insured person for inbound and outbound guests.
One-way economy airfare for the return of one travelling companion and dependent children when air evacuated back home for treatment.

“TuGo is excited to partner with WestJet to offer Canadians an opportunity to travel again,” said Patrick Robinson, TuGo’s CEO. “With our shared focus on the health, wellness and safety of travellers, it’s a natural fit for our two Canadian-owned and operated companies to come together to equip and support Canadians in this ‘next normal’.”

WestJet has built a framework to ensure Canadians can continue to travel safely and responsibly. From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline invested quickly in hygiene and safety measures to mitigate the risk throughout the entire travel journey, investing millions of dollars’ worth of equipment, cleaning and additional measures to protect those who had to fly. The airline continues to invest, test and trial multiple additional safety measures to ensure safety above all.

*Exclusions apply. Not available to residents of Saskatchewan or for travel including cruises.

Singapore Airlines to cut around 4,300 positions

Singapore Airlines has made this announcement:

The Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group has announced the difficult decision to cut around 4,300 positions across its airlines. After taking into account a recruitment freeze, natural attrition, and the take up of voluntary departure schemes, the potential number of staff impacted will be reduced to about 2,400 in Singapore and in overseas stations.

This decision was taken in light of the long road to recovery for the global airline industry due to the debilitating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the urgent need for the Group’s airlines to adapt to an uncertain future.

As previously indicated, the Group expects to operate under 50% of its capacity at the end of financial year 2020/21 versus pre-COVID levels. Industry groups have also forecast that passenger traffic will not return to previous levels until around 2024.

Relative to most major airlines in the world, the SIA Group is in an even more vulnerable position as it does not have a domestic market that will be the first to see a recovery. In order to remain viable in this uncertain landscape, the Group’s airlines will operate a smaller fleet for a reduced network compared to their pre-Covid operations in the coming years.

To prepare for this future, the Group needs to cut around 4,300 positions across Singapore Airlines, SilkAir and Scoot. This has been mitigated by a recruitment freeze that was implemented in March 2020, open vacancies that were not filled, an early retirement scheme for ground staff and pilots, and a voluntary release scheme for cabin crew. Collectively, these measures have allowed the Group to eliminate some 1,900 positions.
As a result, the potential job cuts across the Group may be reduced to around 2,400 in Singapore and across SIA’s overseas stations. Discussions have begun with our Singapore-based unions. The Group will work closely with them to finalise the arrangements as soon as possible for those affected, and try to minimise the stress and anxiety on our people.

Singapore Airlines Chief Executive Officer Goh Choon Phong said: “When the battle against COVID-19 began early this year, none of us could have predicted its devastating impact on the global aviation industry. From the outset, our priorities were to ensure our survival and save as many jobs as possible. Given that the road to recovery will be long and fraught with uncertainty, we have to unfortunately implement involuntary staff reduction measures.

“Having to let go of our valuable and dedicated people is the hardest and most agonising decision that I have had to make in my 30 years with SIA. This is not a reflection of the strengths and capabilities of those who will be affected, but the result of an unprecedented global crisis that has engulfed the airline industry.

“The next few weeks will be some of the toughest in the history of the SIA Group as some of our friends and colleagues leave the company. We will conduct this process in a fair and respectful manner, and do our best to ensure that they receive all the necessary support during this very trying time.”

Singapore Airlines aircraft photo gallery:

Tigerair Australia says goodbye

Tigerair Australia, now owned by Bain Capital, issued this statement:

“There is no denying these are tough times for everyone in the travel and tourism industry.

Today, (September 11) we announced the difficult decision to discontinue the Tigerair Australia brand after nearly 13 years of operation, due to the devastating impacts COVID-19 is having on our industry.

To all of our wonderful people, past and present, thank you. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to our airline, for always rising to the occasion, and for never letting adversity stand in your way.

To our customers and partners, thank you for your loyalty and support. It’s been an honour flying you around this great country of ours.”

Tigerair commenced operations on November 23, 2017 with a flight from Melbourne to the Gold Coast.

Tigerair Australia aircraft photo gallery: