COVID and “business rehabilitation” trim the Thai fleet

Thai Airways International Airbus A330-322 HS-TEM (msn 346) BKK (Jay Selman). Image: 404104.

Thai Airways International due to COVID-19 and the loss of routes and passengers as well as the bankruptcy reorganization (known as business rehabilitation in Thailand) has been forced to simplify and trim its fleet.

Currently the airline is only operating three basic types:

Airbus A350-900s

Boeing 777-300ERs

Boeing 787-8/9 Dreamliners

Domestic and regional flights are being operated with Thai Smile Airbus A320s.

The company addressed this process in their first half report of 2021:

On May 26, 2020, the Company submitted a petition to enter into a business rehabilitation process and proposed the rehabilitation planner (โ€œthe Plannersโ€) to the Central Bankruptcy Court. On May 27, 2020, the Central Bankruptcy Court accepted the business rehabilitation petition for further consideration. As a result, the Company is under the automatic stay provisions status under the Bankruptcy Act B.E. 2483. Such situation may affect to the Company having to maintain automatic stay status and unable to repay debt, which is considered as debt payment default conditions.

On June 15, 2021, the Central Bankruptcy Court issued an order to approve the business rehabilitation plan and the amendment petitions in accordance with the resolution of the creditorsโ€™ meeting on May 19, 2021.

As at June 30, 2021, the Company had 103 aircraft represented in the Companyโ€™s fleet, which consisted of 33 own aircraft and 70 aircraft under lease agreements presented as right-of-use assets.

Thai has 13 decommissioned aircraft which are held for sale comprising of 3 Airbus A340-500s, 6 Airbus A340-600s, 1 Airbus A300-600 and 3 Boeing 737-400 aircraft.

Thai has parked all Airbus A330s, A380s and Boeing 777-200s (non-ERs) and 777-300s (non-ERs).

Previously the airline retired the Airbus A340-500 (April 29, 2012), A340-600 (March 29, 2015) and Boeing 737-400 (September 2, 2018) and 747-400 (March 26, 2020).

If traffic returns, some aircraft may be reactivated.

Top Copyright Photo: The 15 Airbus A330-300s are currently parked with an uncertain future. Thai Airways International Airbus A330-322 HS-TEM (msn 346) BKK (Jay Selman). Image: 404104.

Thai aircraft slide show:

United Airlines and Delta Air Lines are using data to make truly controversial decisions

From ZD Net:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/united-airlines-and-delta-are-using-data-to-make-truly-controversial-decisions/

The rise and fall of Alitalia

Best Seller

From CNN:

“Ciao ciao, Alitalia.
Italy’s storied flag carrier has announced it will no longer issue tickets, triggering a countdown of just a few weeks until its familiar red and green livery vanishes from our skies for good.
The nationally owned airline is to be replaced in October by ITA, a smaller company with a different logo, but the service which once carried Italian pride, style and cuisine — not to mention the Pope — to all corners of the planet will be long gone.”
Read the full story:
Alitalia history highlights (from Alitalia):
1947
The first flight takes off
On May 5, 1947, Alitalia-Aereolinee Italiane Internazionali operated its first flight on the Turin-Rome-Catania route with a Fiat G-12.
In July of the same year, it made its first international flight from Rome to Oslo with a Savoia Marchetti SM95 aircraft with 38 passengers on board.
1950

The first Alitalia flight attendants, dressed in uniforms designed by Sorelle Fontana, made their first flights. The four-engine DC4 entered service. The airline began serving hot meals that made the Company one of the carriers most preferred by international travelers.

1957

Alitalia merged with LAI and became Alitalia โ€“ Linee Aeree Italiane with 3000 employees and a fleet of 37 aircraft.
In the international airline company rankings, Alitalia jumped from 20th to 12th place.

1960

Alitalia was the official carrier of the Rome Olympics and for the first time carried more than 1 million passengers in one year. The first jets entered service, the new Leonardo da Vinci airport in Fiumicino was opened and Alitalia transferred its operations base here.

1969-70

Alitalia modified its logo and aircraft livery: the โ€œWinged Arrowโ€ was replaced by the tri-color โ€œAโ€.
The Boeing 747 jumbo jet entered service and Alitalia became the first European airline company to fly with an “all jet” fleet.

1991-92

It was now possible to fly nonstop for more than 12,000 km with MD11, a new three-engine jet. Giorgio Armani designed new uniforms and he also collaborated in the design of the interiors of the new aircraft.
The MilleMiglia Program was launched.

2001-02

Alitalia Linee Aeree Italiane became part of the SkyTeam Alliance, joining Air France, Delta Air Lines, Korean Air, Aeromexico and CSA Czech Airlines. The modern and efficient twin-engine B777 replaced the glorious B 747s on the long-haul routes.

2009

On 13 January, Alitalia โ€“ Compagnia Aerea Italiana operated its first flight. The company took over the goods, infrastructures and personnel from Alitalia โ€“ Linee Aeree Italiane and absorbed Air One, creating a single airline, leader in Italy.

Alitalia logo history:
Video:

Top Copyright Photo: Alitalia (1st) (Linee Aeree Italiane) Boeing 747-243B I-DEMU (msn 19732) JFK (Bruce Drum). Image: 102781.

Alitalia aircraft slide show:

 

ITA applies to the U.S. DOT for traffic rights to the United States

ITA – Italia Trasporto Aereo via its US legal firm KMA Zuckert LLC of Washington has applied to US DOT for getting approval to fly to the United States.

ITA wants to fly to from Milan (Malpensa) to New York (JFK) and from Rome (Fiumicino) to Boston, Miami and New York (JFK).

In 2022, the new flag carrier plans to fly from Rome to Los Angeles and Washington (Dulles).
In 2023, it wants to add service from Rome to Chicago (O’Hare) and San Francisco.
The last Alitalia revenue service is planned for October 13, 2021 from New York (JFK) as flight AZ609.
Marco Finelli reporting from Italy.
About the new airline:

ITA – Italia Trasporto Aereo is a companyย totallyย owned by theย Italianย Ministry of Economy and Finance for the exercise of business in the air transport sector.ย Theย airlineย has been active since November 2020.

ITA aims at creating an efficient and innovative air carrier that will become a reference point in providing Italy with quality connectivity with both international destinations, thus boosting tourism and foreign trade, and within the Country, also taking advantage of the train-air integrated mobility. ITA will place the best customer service at the centre of its strategy (through a strong digitization of processes that ensure a best-in-class experience and personalized services), combined with sustainability, in its environmental (new green and technologically advanced aircraft, use of sustainable fuels), social (equality and inclusion for a gender-neutral company) and governance (integration of sustainability into internal strategies and processes) aspects.

ITA will equip itself with a modern and environmental-friendly fleet that will include leading-edge technologiesย which will optimize efficiency and quality of service and significantly reduce the environmental impact.ย At the beginning of operations, ITA will operate a fleet of 52 aircraft,ย includingย 7 wide-bodies and 45 narrow-bodiesย aircraft. In 2022 the fleet will rise to 78 aircraft (+26 vs 2021), including 13 wide-bodies (+6 vs 2021) and 65 narrow-bodies (+20 vs 2021). From 2022, new-generation aircraft will gradually join the fleet replacing old technology aircraft. At the end of 2025 the fleet will rise to 105 aircraft (23 wide-bodies and 82 narrow-bodies), with 81 new-generation aircraft (77% of the entire fleet).

ITA will focus its business on the Rome Fiumicino hub and Milan Linate airport where it will position itself as the reference airline for business and leisure traffic.ย At the beginning of operations, the airline will fly to 45 destinations with 61 routes, growing to 74 destinations and 89 routes by 2025, at the conclusion of the rebalancing process of flights towards the long-haul sector, which is aimed at bridging the connectivity gap of the Country.

Sustainability and digitization are twoย keyย elements ofย theย industrial strategyย of ITA.

A series of actions,ย in terms of reducing the environmental impact, promoting creation of an inclusive culture and integrating sustainability into internal strategies and processes will be implemented in order to pursueย ambitious ESG objectives that will allow ITA to be the greenest airline in Europe and a gender-less and merit-based air carrier.

ITA will strongly focus on digitization,ย in factย substantial investments are planned in digital systems and platformsย in order to guarantee a quality travel experience to the customer, as a distinctive element of the offer, and developย a data driven companyย withย flexible and lean organization whose foundations are based on the data analysis and understanding, as well as on the value of its human capital.

Thanks to its network, ITA provides full coverage of Italy and offers direct connecting flights to major European capitals, Mediterranean destinations and the fastest growing intercontinental markets for traditional tourism and business.

 

ITALY

Brindisi, Bologna, Bari, Catania, Rome Fiumicino, Florence*, Genoa, Milan Linate, Naples, Palermo, Pescara, Reggio Calabria, Lamezia Terme, Trieste, Turin, Venice and Verona

 

EUROPE, NORTH AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

Algeri, Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Belgrade**, Brussels, Cairo, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Geneva, London Heathrow, Luxembourg*, Madrid, Malaga*, Malta, Marseille*, Munich, Nice, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly, Sofia**, Stuttgart*, Tirana, Tel Aviv, Tunis, Valencia*, Zurich

 

REST OF THE WORLD

Boston, Buenos Aires*, Sao Paulo*, Tokyo Haneda, Washington*, New York, Los Angeles*, Miami

 

*Destinations available from March 2022.
**Destinations available from August 2022.

All flights are cancelled at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport – remains closed

All flights are cancelled at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport for Sunday, August 29 due to Hurricane Ida.

 

Update: Monday, August 30, 2021.

MSY remains closed. The latest communication from the airport:

Update: Ida is now downgraded to a Tropical Storm but heavy rains are to the east and north of New Orleans heading towards the Northeast. Air traffic will be impacted in this area. There is no electricity in the city of New Orleans.

 

 

 

Photo: Boeing 737-10 MAX 10 SSWL N27751 (msn 66122) BFI (Nick Dean). Image: 954834.

MAX 10

Copyright Photo: Boeing 737-10 MAX 10 SSWL N27751 (msn 66122) BFI (Nick Dean). Image: 954834.

Transport Canada suspending all direct commercial and private passenger flights from Morocco until September 29, 2021

Canada has some of the strictest travel and border measures in the world, and is prioritizing the health and safety of Canadians by continuing to take a risk-based and measured approach to re-opening its borders.

Like every other element ofย Canada’sย COVID-19 response, border measures are based on available data, scientific evidence and monitoring of the epidemiological situation both inย Canada and internationally. An increase in COVID-19 positive test results has been observed in travelers arriving inย Canadaย fromย Moroccoย over the past month.

Based on the latest public health advice from the Public Health Agency of Canada,ย Transport Canada is issuing a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) restricting all direct commercial and private passenger flights toย Canadaย fromย Moroccoย fromย August 29, 2021, atย 00:01 EDTย untilย September 29, 2021, atย 00:00 EDT. All direct commercial and private passenger flights toย Canadaย fromย Moroccoย are subject to the NOTAM. Cargo-only operations, medical transfers or military flights are not included.

To ensure aviation safety and to reduce operational interruptions, flights fromย Moroccoย that are already in transit at the time of the publication of the NOTAM will be allowed to proceed toย Canada. As an interim measure, until the NOTAM comes into effect, all travellers arriving on those flights will be required to take a test on arrival toย Canada.

Transportย Canadaย is also amending theย Interim Order Respecting Certain Requirements for Civil Aviation Due to COVID-19,ย related to third-country pre-departure COVID-19 molecular tests to include travelers to Canadaย fromย Moroccoย via an indirect route. This means that passengers who departย Moroccoย toย Canada, via an indirect route, will be required to obtain a valid COVID-19 pre-departure test from a third country โ€“ other thanย Moroccoย โ€“ before continuing their journey toย Canada. The third-country testing requirement will also come into effect onย August 29, 2021, atย 00:01 EDT.

Canadaย continues to closely monitor theย situation, and will be working closely with the Government ofย Moroccoย and aviation operators to ensure appropriate procedures are put in place to enable a safe resumption of direct flights as soon as conditions permit.

Restricting flights from countries of concern is part ofย Canada’sย general approach to the responsible and effective management ofย Canada’sย border re-opening plan.

Canadians are advised to avoid non-essential travel outside ofย Canadaย โ€“ international travel increases the risk of exposure to, and the spread of, COVID-19 and its variants. Border measures also remain subject to change as the epidemiological situation evolves.

Photo: Lufthansa Cargo Boeing 777F D-ALFG (msn 66090) (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) FRA (Jay Selman). Image: 404100.

"Sustainable Aviation Fuel"

Copyright Photo: Lufthansa Cargo Boeing 777F D-ALFG (msn 66090) (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) FRA (Jay Selman). Image: 404100.

airBaltic decreases its net loss threefold in the first half of 2021

airBaltic Airbus A220-300 (Bombardier CS300 - BD-500-1A11) YL-CSJ (msn 55038) (Estonia) MUC (Gunter Mayer). Image: 954826.

airbaltic has made this announcement:

As a result of the Coronavirus crisis, revenue and the number of passengers carried byย theย Latvian airlineย airBalticย has significantly decreased, and according toย airBaltic’sย unaudited consolidated financial results for the first six months of 2021, the group suffered loss of EUR 61.5 million.

Martin Gauss, Chief Executive Officer ofย airBaltic: โ€œEven though our revenue in the first six months of 2021 has further decreased, this summer has seen more promise, as we managed to carry a larger number of passengers than in summer months of 2020 and reduce our net loss three times compared to the six months of 2020.โ€

โ€œWith the significant cost reduction carried out in 2020 and focusing only on theย Airbus A220-300, we are now in a much better position for the future return to normal.ย airBalticโ€™sย core vision for the future remains the same โ€“ to be the number one carrier in the Baltics, providing the best connectivity to and from the region,โ€ Martin Gauss added.

During the first six months of 2021, the revenue of the group reached EUR 50.0 million or 40% less than during the same period last year. The number of passengers carried, and flights performed by the airline decreased by 59% and 51% respectively.

H1 2021 H1 2020 Change %
Revenue EUR 50.0 million EUR 82.5 million (40%)
Net loss EUR (61.5) million EUR (184.8) million n/a
Passengers 0.3 million 0.8 million (59%)
Flights 6 110 12 501 (51%)

Top Copyright Photo: airBaltic Airbus A220-300 (Bombardier CS300 – BD-500-1A11) YL-CSJ (msn 55038) (Estonia) MUC (Gunter Mayer). Image: 954826.

airBaltic aircraft slide show:

Wizz Air expands in Skopje and Ohrid

Wizz Air (Hungary) Airbus A321-231 WL HA-LXA (msn 6848) CFU (Stefan Sjogren). Image: 954825.

Wizz Air has announced four new routes from North Macedonia to Italy, Germany and Denmark – Skopje to Bologna and Turinโ€“ Italy, Skopje to Billund – Denmark, and Ohrid to Friedrichshafen, Germany. The first flights to all destinations will depart in December 2021.

The new routes will add up to the existing services already operated from both Skopje and Ohrid airports and will restate the airlineโ€™s commitment to offering Macedonian passengers flights to diverse destinations. The new services to Bologna, Turin, Friedrichshafen and Billund will start being operated thanks to the allocation of the 5aircraft to the Wizz Air base in Skopje.

ย ย ย ย THE NEWEST WIZZ AIR ROUTES FROM NORTH MACEDONIA

ROUTE DAYS STARTING FROM FARES FROM
Skopje โ€“ Bologna Wednesday, Sunday 19 December 2021 19.99 EUR / 1229 MKD
Skopje – Turin Tuesday, Saturday 18 December 2021 19.99 EUR / 1229 MKD
Skopje โ€“ Billund Thursday, Sunday 19 December 2021 19.99 EUR / 1229 MKD
Ohrid โ€“ Friedrichshafen Tuesday, Saturday 18 December 2021 19.99 EUR / 1229 MKD

* One-way price, including administration fee. One carry-on bag (max: 40x30x20cm) is included. Trolley bag and each piece of checked-in baggage is subject to additional fees. The price applies only to bookings made on wizzair.com and the WIZZ mobile app. Number of seats at indicated prices are limited.

The carrier is also adding new routes from Plovdiv.

Top Copyright Photo: Wizz Air (Hungary) Airbus A321-231 WL HA-LXA (msn 6848) CFU (Stefan Sjogren). Image: 954825.

Wizz Air aircraft slide show: