Rex acquires National Jet Express for $48 million from Cobham

Rex today (July 15) announced that it has signed a Sale and Purchase Agreement which will result in its subsidiary Rex Freight and Charter Pty Ltd (RFC) acquiring 100% of National Jet Express Pty Ltd (NJE), the regional services arm of Cobham Aviation Services Australia (Cobham).

NJE is a leading provider of Fly-In Fly-Out (FIFO) services in Western Australia and South Australia. In addition, it operates freight services from Sydney to Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and the Gold Coast (Coolangatta), as well as air charter services in Papua New Guinea. Revenue for NJE in the calendar year 2021 was $142m.

Completion of the sale will be subject to regulatory approvals, including FIRB approval. It is envisaged that shareholder approval will not be required.

Commenting on the purchase, Rexโ€™s Executive Chairman, Lim Kim Hai said, โ€œFIFO services are expected to experience strong growth in Australia and this acquisition positions the Rex Group to participate in this booming sector.โ€

โ€œWith this acquisition, Rex will have a FIFO arm that is simply unparalleled in Australia. NJE has a completely modern fleet comprising eight Bombardier Q400 turboprops and six Embraer E190 jets for FIFO work. Both aircraft types are fuel efficient, have enhanced operational reliability and low carbon emissions when compared with the predominantly 40-year-old Fokker 100s used by the other major FIFO operators.โ€

โ€œI believe that NJEโ€™s modern aircraft fleet and its long-term customer relationships overlayed with Rexโ€™s proven record of safety, reliability and cost efficiencies would propel NJE to be the premier FIFO operator in Australia. NJE will naturally be the partner of choice for resource companies all over Australia who have been crying out for so long for a FIFO provider that is able to address their triple priorities of minimal impact on the environment, comfort and safety of its staff and reliability of service.โ€

โ€œThe Company will invest in modern aircraft and technology to enable NJE to expand from its traditional bases of WA and SA and bring our unique brand of FIFO services also to Queensland and Northern Territory.โ€

Rex is Australiaโ€™s largest independent regional and domestic airline operating a fleet of 60 Saab 340 and six Boeing 737-800NG aircraft to 58 destinations throughout all states in Australia. In addition to the airline Rex, the Rex Group comprises wholly owned subsidiaries Pel-Air Aviation (air freight, aeromedical and charter operator) and the two pilot academies, Australian Airline Pilot Academy in Wagga Wagga and Ballarat.

Cobham routes in Australia:

Cathay Pacific to return to Dubai, releases its traffic figures for June, opens the third runway at HKG

Cathay Pacific Airways will return to Dubai on October 2, 2022 with three weekly flights.

The company also issued its traffic numbers for June:

Cathay Pacific released its traffic figures for June 2022. The airlineโ€™s traffic figures continued to reflect the positive impact of further adjustments to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Governmentโ€™s travel restrictions and quarantine requirements, notably the circuit-breaker mechanism, effective from 1 June.

Cathay Pacific carried a total of 150,077 passengers last month, an increase of 269.2% compared to June 2021, but a 95.2% decrease compared to the pre-pandemic level in June 2019. The monthโ€™s revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) increased 320.2% year-on-year, but were down 91.7% versus June 2019. Passenger load factor increased by 45.3 percentage points to 67%, while capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASKs), increased by 36.2% year-on-year, but decreased by 89.3% compared with June 2019 levels. In the first six months of 2022, the number of passengers carried increased by 113.5% against a 26.6% decrease in capacity and a 129.8% increase in RPKs, as compared to the same period for 2021.

The airline carried 104,559 tonnes of cargo last month, a decrease of 4.4% compared to June 2021, and a 36.2% decrease compared with the same period in 2019. The monthโ€™s cargo revenue tonne kilometres (RFTKs) decreased 14.6% year-on-year, and were down 39.1% compared to June 2019. The cargo load factor decreased by 12.1 percentage points to 68.4%, while capacity, measured in available cargo tonne kilometres (AFTKs), was up by 0.5% year-on-year, but was down by 44.1% versus June 2019. In the first six months of 2022, the tonnage decreased by 4.3% against a 31% drop in capacity and a 35.7% decrease in RFTKs, as compared to the same period for 2021.

Travel

Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Ronald Lam said: โ€œWe continued to see positive developments in June following further adjustments to travel restrictions in Hong Kong. As sentiment for travel continued to improve, we resumed more flights to more destinations and deployed additional passenger flight capacity โ€“ about 170% more than we did in May โ€“ to meet the demand. However, we still only operated about 11% of our pre-pandemic capacity. Load factor increased to 67% and we carried on average more than 5,000 passengers per day.

โ€œThe additional flights that we operated helped provide greater connectivity for our transit passengers, notably from the Chinese Mainland. We also saw increased demand for flights between the UK and Australia, as well as between the US and the Philippines. As is typical for June, demand for student travel into Hong Kong was strong and our flights from the UK averaged high load factors of 93%. We also resumed flights to Auckland in June, which saw good demand not only to and from Hong Kong, but also between New Zealand and the UK as well as India. On the other hand, our flights to the Chinese Mainland remained limited by capacity restrictions relating to anti-pandemic measures there.

Cargo

โ€œFor cargo, we resumed our full freighter schedule in June with increased flights to the Americas and Europe. This was complemented by the belly capacity provided by our increased passenger flights as well as more than 600 pairs of regional cargo-only passenger flights. In total, we operated about 56% of our pre-pandemic cargo flight capacity last month.

โ€œTonnage picked up month on month in our home market, Hong Kong, underpinned by more stable cross-border feeder services. Tonnage from the Chinese Mainland also improved as pandemic restrictions eased. Cargo traffic from the Americas and Europe has also been encouraging, with increased frequencies on our long-haul services bringing more cargo to Asia. Overall, tonnage increased by more than 13% month on month, but was below the levels of June last year. This was largely due to reduced consumer demand from North American and European markets, and supply chain disruptions taking time to recover.

Outlook

โ€Looking ahead, we welcome the Hong Kong SAR Governmentโ€™s recent decision to suspend the circuit-breaker mechanism effective 7 July, which will help provide customers with far greater certainty and confidence when flying to and transiting via Hong Kong. We are also encouraged that the Government is considering possible adjustments to the number of days inbound travellers will need to spend in designated quarantine hotels after arriving in Hong Kong. We continue to actively add back flight capacity as we work to rebuild our hub and network.

โ€œOn the passenger side, we expect travel sentiment will continue to improve over the coming months. Assuming current travel and operating restrictions as at the time of this report remain unchanged, we anticipate we will be able to operate up to about a quarter of our pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity levels by the end of the year. Having said that, the pandemic situation remains highly dynamic and we will need to remain agile with regards to managing our flight capacity.

โ€œIn terms of cargo, we are anticipating that demand will pick up as we step out from the traditionally slower summer months and into the usual peak cargo season. Notwithstanding the various operational challenges that will be involved in preparing for this increased demand, we target to be operating about 65% of our pre-pandemic cargo flight capacity by the end of this year.

โ€œWe have enjoyed improved cash performance since the further adjustments in the travel restrictions and quarantine requirements came into effect on 1 May. We expect that the anticipated capacity increases will continue to have a positive impact on our monthly operating cash burn, such that we are targeting to be operating cash generative going forward.ย As the pandemic situation remains uncertain, we continue to maintain our focus on prudent cash management.โ€

The full June figures and glossary are on the following pages.

CATHAY PACIFIC

TRAFFIC

JUN

2022

% Change

vs JUN 2021

Cumulative

JUNย 2022

% Change

vs YTD
RPK (000)        
ย – Chinese Mainland 33,063 107.0% 137,503 128.2%
ย – North East Asia 11,960 136.9% 27,171 3.6%
ย – South East Asia 46,250 196.4% 102,138 11.2%
ย – South Asia, Middle Eastย  & Africa 20,676 731.4% 26,222 759.6%
ย – South West Pacific 131,388 685.9% 244,425 259.8%
ย – North America 387,083 244.6% 679,368 89.3%
ย – Europe 352,700 436.2% 592,819 230.4%
RPK Total (000) 983,120 320.2% 1,809,646 129.8%
Passengers carried 150,077 269.2% 335,462 113.5%
Cargo revenue tonne km (000) 564,955 -14.6% 2,122,833 -35.7%
Cargo carried (000kg) 104,559 -4.4% 525,877 -4.3%
Number of flights 1,638 21.2% 7,610 19.6%

 

CATHAY PACIFIC

CAPACITY

JUN

2022

% Change

vs JUN 2021

Cumulative

JUN 2022

% Change

vs YTD
ASK (000)
ย – Chinese Mainland 85,520 52.8% 490,487 94.9%
ย – North East Asia 32,878 -30.7% 103,377 -56.2%
ย – South East Asia 79,405 2.1% 206,570 -54.0%
– South Asia, Middle Eastย  & Africa 47,051 236.2% 67,585 234.3%
ย – South West Pacific 297,982 12.7% 480,535 -48.6%
ย – North America 490,540 8.8% 936,405 -45.3%
ย – Europe 433,650 160.6% 773,849 37.4%
ASK Total (000) 1,467,026 36.2% 3,058,808 -26.6%
Passenger load factor 67.0% 45.3%pt 59.2% 40.3%pt
Available cargo tonne km (000) 825,470 0.5% 2,801,215 -31.0%
Cargo load factor 68.4% -12.1%pt 75.8% -5.6%pt
ATK (000) 965,945 4.5% 3,094,076 -30.5%

 

In other news, Cathay Pacific opened the third runway at its Hong Kong hub:

Cathay Pacific on July 8, 2022 operated the very first commercial flight to land at the new Third Runway of the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). The landing of flight CX3251 from Shanghai (Pudong), operated by our Boeing 747-400F freighter, at 08:27 local time on 8 July 2022 was conducted as part of the operation familiarisation on the Third Runway. This allows stakeholders from the aviation community to become familiar with the related operating procedures and collaborative arrangements.

Cathay Pacific aircraft photo gallery:

 

ABX Air has introduced a new livery on N317CM

ABX Air has introduced a new logo and livery on Boeing 767-338 ER N317CM (msn 24317).

ABX Air aircraft photo gallery:

Norwegian and Widerรธe enter into a close cooperation, Norwegian redesigns its tails

Norwegian and Widerรธe signed a letter of intent on July 12 that will see the two airlines closely cooperate in a number of areas in the future. This means, among other initiatives, the two companies will cooperate on tickets sales, enabling passengers to seamlessly travel the entire route network of both airlines under a interline agreement.

The objectives of the agreement will provide a better service to passengers and create synergies and operational efficiencies. Norway is an extremely important market for both companies. Widerรธe flies throughout the regional network in Norway while Norwegian is a major player in the main route network. A large proportion of passengers in Norway depend on both Norwegian and Widerรธe to reach their destination.

In other news, Norwegian is simplifying its famous people tail design. SE-RXD (pictured above) is the first aircraft to see the new design.

Norwegian aircraft photo gallery:

 

Lufthansa Cargo to be carbon neutral by 2050

Lufthansa Cargo has issued this report:

Scientifically based reduction targets of greenhouse gas emissions as basis for sustainability measures / Lufthansa Cargo presents Sustainability Update 2022

With the goal of achieving COโ‚‚-neutrality by 2050, Lufthansa Cargo is on track to lead the aviation and cargo industry into a more sustainable future. To this end, as part of the Lufthansa Group, it relies on a measurable corporate commitment to sustainability on the basis of science-based targets for the reduction targets of greenhouse gas emissions. At the Sustainability Conference at Frankfurt Airport today, Lufthansa Cargo also presented its Sustainability Update 2022, which provides an overview of measures and projects already implemented on the way to COโ‚‚ neutrality.

Lufthansa Cargo will derive its own emissions target from the Lufthansa Group’s validated science-based targets

The Lufthansa Group – and thus also Lufthansa Cargo – have set themselves ambitious climate protection targets: The goal is to halve net COโ‚‚ emissions by 2030 compared to 2019 and to achieve a neutral COโ‚‚ balance by 2050. In order to further specify these net targets and to expand the target system to include pure reduction targets, it has already joined the so-called “Science Based Target Initiative” (SBTi) in 2021 in order to bring its COโ‚‚ reduction path into line with the United Nations’ Paris Climate Agreement. Based on scientific calculations, COโ‚‚ emissions are continuously reduced with the help of fleet renewal and optimization, improved operational efficiency, and the use of sustainable aviation fuels. The official validation of these targets is imminent. For freighters, there will be a special sub-target.

The Science Based Targets Initiative only accepts emission reductions that are the result of fuel consumption reductions, for example through modern new aircraft, operational and airspace infrastructure measures, and the substitution of fossil fuel with Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

Dorothea von Boxberg, Chairperson of the Executive Board and CEO of Lufthansa Cargo: “Over the past 25 years, we have already been able to reduce our COโ‚‚ footprint per ton kilometer by 52%. But that is still not enough. That is why we want to set ourselves ambitious targets for the future. With the ‘Science Based Targets Initiative’ we have found a credible, scientific basis for this. We want to be transparent about what we have achieved so far and just as open with our customers, partners and the public about how we can get even better.”

For Lufthansa Cargo, the efforts to achieve complete COโ‚‚ neutrality focus primarily on five fields of action: continuous fleet modernization, more efficient use of fuels, the switch to more sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), COโ‚‚ compensation projects in other sectors, and reduction of emissions on the ground.

Fleet modernization. Lufthansa Cargo is investing heavily in continuous fleet modernization. As a result, COโ‚‚ emissions have already been reduced by 52% over the past 25 years. Since October 2021, Lufthansa Cargo has completely converted its fleet to Boeing 777F freighters – currently the most modern and efficient freighter with the best environmental balance. By 2030, Lufthansa Cargo will also receive up to 10 additional Boeing freighters, including seven 777-8F freighters, Boeing’s next-generation freighter. The Boeing 777-8F freighters will again significantly reduce COโ‚‚ emissions.

Fuel efficiency. To ensure that conventional aviation fuel is used as efficiently as possible, thereby reducing the total amount required, Lufthansa Cargo is relying on various measures. For example, Lufthansa Cargo will successively equip all freighters with Sharkskin technology from 2022. The innovative AeroSHARK coating, which is modeled on a sharkskin, reduces the aircraft’s frictional resistance in the air by more than 1% and thus reduces fuel consumption. In the Lufthansa Cargo fleet, this can save around 3,700 tons of kerosene or almost 13,000 tons of COโ‚‚ emissions annually. In addition, lightweight containers have been used exclusively in flight operations since 2020. This will result in a weight reduction of 14 kg per container and fuel savings of 2,160 tons per year. Weight reduction is also being pursued for other loading aids. Fuel is also saved thanks to optimized flight procedures.

Sustainable Aviation Fuels. Lufthansa Cargo is one of the pioneers in the use of SAF in the airfreight industry. More than 1% of Lufthansa Cargo’s fuel requirements in 2021 have already been covered by Sustainable Aviation Fuels. The airfreight company also currently offers the only regular full-charter cargo connection worldwide that is 100% covered by SAF. This saves around 174 tons of conventional kerosene each week. Since October 2021, Lufthansa Cargo has also been one of the first customers of the world’s first power-to-liquid fuel plant in Emsland, Lower Saxony. Together with one of its customers, Lufthansa Cargo has committed to purchasing at least 20 tons (=25,000 liters) of the synthetic, COโ‚‚-neutral crude oil annually over the next five years in order to further advance the innovative power-to-liquid technology as well as the use and further development of sustainable aviation fuels.

Lufthansa Cargo presented the measures it has taken and the successes it has achieved so far at its Sustainability Conference at Frankfurt Airport on Thursday, July 14. Keynote speakers included Dorothea von Boxberg (CEO of Lufthansa Cargo), Dr. Sabine Mauderer (Member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Bundesbank), Marc Buckley (Environmentalist, Ecological Economist, UN Advocate and Advisor) and Matthias Kopp (Director Sustainable Finance, WWF Germany). Together with numerous customers, current issues around the topic of sustainability were also discussed. Lufthansa Cargo will regularly supplement its update on sustainability and report on the interim goals achieved. As soon as the concrete science-based targets for the Lufthansa Group have been validated, the designated targets for cargo aircraft contained in them will also be made available to the public.

Lufthansa Cargo aircraft photo gallery:

Condor flies to Iceland for the first time

Condor has made this announcement:

Welcome to the land of fire and ice: Germany’s most popular leisure airline is bringing travellers to Iceland for the first time. From May 2023, Condor will be offering one overnight flight per week from Frankfurt to Akureyri in the north and to Egilsstaรฐir in the east of Iceland. This will be the first time the island state is on Condor’s flight schedule and with that, the airline will add two attractive destinations in the north to its portfolio.

So far, Akureyri and Egilsstaรฐir are accessible via domestic flights and by car and bus. The two towns are located on the ring road that runs once around the island, making them popular starting points for round trips. Akureyri is the fourth largest city in Iceland and is located on the shore of a fjord that extends far into the country.

Popular destinations are the waterfalls Aldeyjarfoss and Goรฐafoss, Lake Mรฝvatn with its numerous lava formations and the village of Hรบsavรญk for whale watching. Egilsstaรฐir, as the largest town in the area, opens the east of Iceland. From there the spectacular Stuรฐlagil canyon and Hafrahvammagljรบfur canyon in the Eastern Highlands can be explored, as well as one of Icelandโ€™s tallest waterfalls, Hengifoss. The magnificent Eastfjords, that stretch all the way south to the picturesque Eystrahorn offer a scenic coastline with numerous small villages and narrow fjords, perfect for exploring authentic Icelandic everyday life. The region has beautiful nature and wildlife, Hallormsstaรฐaskรณgur is the countryโ€™s largest forest, and the area is home to wild reindeer and puffins that come to nest by the coast every summer.

Condor aircraft photo gallery:

Emirates statement on operations at London Heathrow

Emirates values our partnerships with airport stakeholders across our network with whom we engage continuously, and collaboratively, to secure our flight operations and ensure minimal customer disruption, particularly over the peak travel months.

It is therefore highly regrettable that LHR last evening gave us 36 hours to comply with capacity cuts, of a figure that appears to be plucked from thin air. Their communications not only dictated the specific flights on which we should throw out paying passengers, but also threatened legal action for non-compliance.

This is entirely unreasonable and unacceptable, and we reject these demands.

At London Heathrow airport (LHR), our ground handling and catering โ€“ run by dnata, part of the Emirates Group – are fully ready and capable of handling our flights. So the crux of the issue lies with the central services and systems which are the responsibility of the airport operator.

Emirates is a key and steadfast operator at LHR, having reinstated 6 daily A380 flights since October 2021. From our past 10 months of regularly high seat loads, our operational requirements cannot be a surprise to the airport.

Now, with blatant disregard for consumers, they wish to force Emirates to deny seats to tens of thousands of travellers who have paid for, and booked months ahead, their long-awaited package holidays or trips to see their loved ones. And this, during the super peak period with the upcoming UK holidays, and at a time when many people are desperate to travel after 2 years of pandemic restrictions.

Emirates believes in doing the right thing by our customers. However, re-booking the sheer numbers of potentially impacted passengers is impossible with all flights running full for the next weeks, including at other London airports and on other airlines. Adding to the complexity, 70% of our customers from LHR are headed beyond Dubai to see loved ones in far flung destinations, and it will be impossible to find them new onward connections at short notice.

Moving some of our passenger operations to other UK airports at such short notice is also not realistic. Ensuring ground readiness to handle and turnaround a widebody long-haul aircraft with 500 passengers onboard is not as simple as finding a parking spot at a mall.

The bottomline is, the LHR management team are cavalier about travellers and their airline customers. All the signals of a strong travel rebound were there, and for months, Emirates has been publicly vocal about the matter.ย  We planned ahead to get to a state of readiness to serve customers and travel demand, including rehiring and training 1,000 A380 pilots in the past year.

LHR chose not to act, not to plan, not to invest. Now faced with an โ€œairmageddonโ€ situation due to their incompetence and non-action, they are pushing the entire burden โ€“ of costs and the scramble to sort the mess – to airlines and travellers.

The shareholders of London Heathrow should scrutinise the decisions of the LHR management team.

Given the tremendous value that the aviation community generates for the UK economy and communities, we welcome the action taken by the UK Department for Transport and Civil Aviation Authority to seek information from LHR on their response plans, systems resilience, and to explain the seemingly arbitrary cap of 100,000 daily passengers. Considering LHR handled 80.9 million passengers annually in 2019, or a daily average of 219,000, the cap represents greater than a 50% cut at a time when LHR claims to have 70% of ground handling resources in place.

Until further notice, Emirates plans to operate as scheduled to and from LHR.

Emirates aircraft photo gallery:

airBaltic reduces business class fares, introduces “Business Light”

airBaltic has introduced a new ticket type โ€“ Business Light. It offers passengers a full on board business class experience as well as select flexibility options for a more affordable price.

Martin Gauss, Chief Executive Officer of airBaltic: โ€œAs an innovative airline we always strive to revise our products to meet the changing needs of our customers. The newly introduced ticket type provides the passenger all of the services traditionally associated with business class, and will increase our competitiveness in the European aviation market. We expect that it will be popular also among leisure travellers.โ€

ย On board, our cabin crew offer Business Light passengers a dedicated, personal service and serve a seasonal three-course meal as well as offer a wide selection of beverages. Business Light passengers can check in for the flight at a separate registration counter, use fast track airport security line and spend time in business lounge.

airBaltic allows Business Light passengers to carry extra baggage โ€“ both in the cabin as well as checked in bags. In contrast to Business class tickets, if a Business Light passenger has a change of plans, these options are available under different terms.

airBaltic aircraft photo gallery:

Jet2 now has 60 Airbus A321neo aircraft on order

Jet2 has confirmed it now has 60 Airbus A321neo aircraft on order, up from 57.

This would indicate the company has turned three options into firm order.

Jet2 aircraft photo gallery:

Jetlines completes its demonstration flights for Transport Canada

Canada Jetlines Operations Ltd.,ย the new all-Canadian leisure airline, has announced the successful completion of all demonstration flights for Transport Canada in the process to obtain its Air Operator Certificate (AOC).

On July 5, 2022, Canada Jetlines operated a flight from the Region of Waterloo International airport to Greater Moncton Romรฉo Leblanc International airport and back, to the satisfaction of Transport Canada inspectors.