Eastern Airlines (3rd) will launch twice-weekly Boeing 767 service from Philadelphia to Santo Domingo on December 15, 2020.
The carrier will also commence twice-weekly service from Boston to Santo Domingo on December 17.
Finally the carrier will start twice-weekly Miami – Santo Domingo service on December 21, 2020.
Top Copyright Photo: Eastern Airlines (3rd) Boeing 767-336 ER N705KW (msn 24342) SEA (Joe G. Walker). Image: 952212.
Eastern Airlines (3rd) aircraft slide show:
Expanding route map:
Virgin Australia Group has announced it has reached an agreement with Boeing to restructure its Boeing 737 MAX order and delivery schedule.
The restructured order book now consists of 25 Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft which are scheduled for delivery from mid-2023, providing greater efficiencies to the airline as well as a better flying experience for customers. The airline will no longer receive the Boeing 737 MAX 8.
Recognizing the recertification of the Boeing 737 MAX by the US Federal Aviation Administration and other regulators, Virgin Australia Group remains confident that global return to service plans will support its arrival in mid-2023. This, alongside design features such as the Boeing Sky Interior and higher seating capacity, make for a better product for customers and the environment.
Virgin Australia Group remains in discussions with aircraft manufacturers on a fleet strategy to support the reintroduction of wide body services when long-haul international travel demand returns.
PREVIOUS ORDER:
25 x Boeing 737 MAX 10
First aircraft scheduled to arrive in July 2021
23 x Boeing 737 MAX 8
First aircraft scheduled to arrive in February 2025
RESTRUCTURED ORDER:
25 x Boeing 737 MAX 10
First aircraft scheduled to arrive in mid-2023
Air Sial yesterday (December 9, 2020) launched scheduled domestic passenger operations in Pakistan from Karachi with three Airbus A320 aircraft.
A ribbon cutting ceremony and water cannon salute was conducted for the first departure and arrival.
The new airline is based in Sialkot, Pakistan with an operational base at Karachi.
Route Map:
TUI Group has issued this financial report for the fiscal year (October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020):
TUI is preparing intensively for a new start in 2021 after the corona crisis year 2020. The pandemic is not over, but there is light at the end of the tunnel and the prospects for tourism and for TUI are good. The demand for holiday travel is there โ consumers in all age groups say that traveling is one of the most missed activities for them in the Corona year. 2021 will be a transition year for tourism, and 2022 is expected to see a return to pre-Corona levels. In particular, the holiday sector will recover faster than the sector as a whole. TUI had made an excellent start to the financial year before the outbreak of the pandemic, but the worldwide travel warnings since March 2020 then forced the Group to largely discontinue business. Among other things, there was no Easter business, no travel at Whitsun and only very limited summer business in the Corona crisis year 2020. The Group introduced cost-cutting and financing measures at an early stage and accelerated the global realignment. In addition to securing additional liquidity, extensive cost-cutting projects were launched. The long-term goal of reducing annual costs has been raised from the previous 300 million euros to the current 400 million euros.
Fritz Joussen, CEO of the TUI Group: “The rapid measures to cut costs and secure liquidity are important for the Group. They are a stable foundation for the future. TUI was in perfect health before the crisis and we want to return to our former strength as quickly as possible. The market is intact, our business model is future-proof and customer demand is there. Holiday travel remains very relevant for people. At the same time, international tourism is strengthening the southern euro zone and North Africa in a special way. We are very well positioned to resume operations on a larger scale as soon as the lockdowns are lifted and destinations are reopened. Our business model with our own tour operators, the travel agencies, aircraft, hotels and ships under the TUI umbrella makes a resumption possible very quickly. The prospect of successful vaccinations from the beginning of the year makes us confident. All indicators point to a successful restart of the travel business as soon as the pandemic is over. We are prepared for this new start. We are consistently continuing the change we have initiated in order to be better and more efficient after the crisis”.
Group transformation accelerated โ TUI becomes more digital, leaner, more efficient
The transformation and expansion of the Group’s digital platforms, which was initiated before the crisis, is being implemented consistently and has received a further boost in the pandemic. In all areas of the Group, the pandemic has further accelerated the digitalization of the business. Wherever it is in the interest of the customer, services will be digitalized even more in the future. The maxim is more and better service for the benefit of the customer. At the same time, digitalization offers considerable potential for efficiency and cost reduction. A comprehensive cost-reduction program was launched in the spring.
Cost reductions implemented in the short term limit loss for the year as a whole โ revenue at around 8 billion euros
The first five months of the 2020 financial year (October 2019 to February 2020) were very successful for TUI, with a record booking rate of +14 per cent in January. In mid-March, the Group had to completely discontinue all travel activities due to the worldwide travel warnings. The tourism group was only able to generate revenue again when it was able to fly its first holiday guests to Majorca in mid-June in a pilot project and a limited resumption of operations from July onwards. Greece was particularly strong as a holiday destination in 2020. Since the new start in the summer, TUI has safely made holidays possible for more than two million guests. Underlying EBIT on a constant currency basis totaled -3.0 billion euros1ย (previous year 893.5 million euros). Revenue amounted to 7.9 billion euros and was 58 per cent down on the previous year (18.9 billion euros). The sale of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises to the joint venture TUI Cruises, jointly operated with the Royal Caribbean Group, was initiated before the crisis. The transaction was successfully completed in the summer despite the difficult crisis environment. The proceeds additionally improved the Group’s liquidity. In addition, TUI had reached an agreement with Boeing to compensate for the consequences of the 737 MAX flight ban.
Financing and liquidity secured for ongoing pandemic
In view of the persistently volatile market environment and the continuing travel restrictions, TUI AG has agreed an additional financing package totaling 1.8 billion euros with private investors, banks and the German government. The package agreed last week includes a capital increase with subscription rights of around 500 million euros, the Group’s anchor shareholder has already confirmed his participation. It also includes a convertible silent participation of the Economic Stabilization Fund in the amount of 420 million euros. The financing package strengthens TUI’s position against the backdrop of increasing travel restrictions due to a renewed rise in the number of infections and the associated shorter-term booking behavior of some customers. The Group is securing liquidity during the ongoing pandemic.
Forecast for resumption of extensive travel activities in 2021 not reliably possibleย
Due to the continuing high incidence of infection and the resulting lockdowns in the markets and only a few available travel corridors, it is not possible at this stage to make a reliable forecast of the extent and period of travel activity in 2021. At present, trips from the most important core markets can be made in particular to the Canary Islands as a popular winter destination. Cruises around the Canary Islands without shore leave (Blue Voyages) also take place.
Total bookings across all markets for winter 2020/21 are currently 82 per cent lower than in the previous year, roughly in line with the reduced capacities. Average prices are four per cent higher. Bookings for summer 2021 are three per cent higher than for the regular summer 2019. Average prices for the summer 2021 program are currently 14 per cent higher than for 2020.
Positive outlook for the tourism sector and TUI after the pandemic
The unbroken high level of consumer interest in holidays promises a rapid recovery for the holiday sector if the Corona situation eases. Tourism will remain a growth industry in the long term. As a safe and reliable form of travel, package tours in particular will play an important role in the resumption of travel. The cruise segment is also expected to see a complete resumption of business as soon as vaccines become widely available. The restart of cruises in summer 2020 has demonstrated the great interest of customers. With strong holiday brands, differentiated products and broad-based distribution in the key European markets, TUI is well positioned to get back on track successfully after the pandemic.
All photos by the group.
1)ย Pro forma calculation according to IAS 17
2)ย As of 30 November 2020, including 3rd financing package and redemption of the senior bond in the amount of 300 million euros
Allegiant Air is reporting a softening in traffic due to rising COVID-19 cases:
Allegiant Travel Company reported preliminary passenger traffic results forย November 2020.
“Over the course of the last several weeks, we have seen a deceleration of bookings coupled with an increase in cancellations related to recent surges in COVID-19 cases and new travel restrictions,” statedย Drew Wells, vice president of revenue.
“Average daily bookings were roughlyย $3 millionย during the month of October, whereas November daily bookings averaged roughlyย $2.2 million. There continues to be a divergence in terms of strength between peak travel periods and non-peak periods, with peak days showing far more resiliency, a trend expected to hold through the Christmas holiday. We continue to approach demand as we have since the onset of the pandemic by maintaining a wide selling presence and cutting capacity as dictated by demand trends.
Despite recent booking weakness, fourth quarter capacity reductions are still expected to be roughly 15 percent as compared with prior year.”ย ย
| Scheduled Service | |||
| November 2020 | November 2019 | Change | |
| Passengers | 682,976 | 1,101,346 | (38.0%) |
| Revenue passenger miles (000) | 596,377 | 962,614 | (38.0%) |
| Available seat miles (000) | 1,034,482 | 1,197,831 | (13.6%) |
| Load factor | 57.6% | 80.4% | (22.8pts) |
| Departures | 6,940 | 8,189 | (15.3%) |
| Average stage length (miles) | 861 | 857 | 0.5% |
| Total System* | |||
| November 2020 | November 2019 | Change | |
| Passengers | 692,327 | 1,129,065 | (38.7%) |
| Available seat miles (000) | 1,065,731 | 1,255,381 | (15.1%) |
| Departures | 7,201 | 8,739 | (17.6%) |
| Average stage length (miles) | 854 | 841 | 1.5% |
*Total system includes scheduled service and fixed fee contract.ย System revenue passenger miles and system load factor are not useful statistics as system available seat miles include both ASMs flown by fixed fee flying as well as non-revenue producing repositioning flights used for operational needs.ย Fixed fee flying is better measured through dollar contribution versus operational statistics.
| Preliminary Financial Results | |
| $ per gallon | |
| November 2020ย estimated average fuel cost per gallon โ system | $1.39 |
Allegiant Air aircraft photo gallery:
Allegiant Air aircraft slide show:
Air Canada said today it is the first Canadian airline to offer its customers the safety and convenience of a new boarding option utilizing facial biometrics. ย The technology is now available for customers departingย San Franciscoย International Airport (SFO) with plans to progressively roll it out for customers at other US airports where the airline operates.
Biometric boarding enables customers to present themselves at the boarding gate, have their photo taken which is then validated and confirmed to their passport document details and photo which are already captured via the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Traveler Verification Service. In a matter of seconds, CBP’s biometric facial comparison service will automatically compare the new photo of the traveller to images that the traveller has already provided to the government, such as passport and visa photos.ย Overall, the use of facial biometrics provides travelers with a secure, touchless process that streamlines air travel.
Customers who do not wish to utilize biometric boarding may simply advise the gate agent, and they will board as they always have by presenting their boarding pass and passport for manual ID check and boarding processing.
Since the beginning of the year, Air Canada has introduced numerous touchless processes throughout the customer journey, including: TouchFree Bag Check for flights departing Canadian airports, the ability to order food directly in Maple Leaf Lounges from smartphones and tablets, touchless self-entry to the Air Canada Cafรฉ for when it reopens, and provisioning of all newspapers and magazines in digital format via PressReader, among other initiatives.
Airย Canadaย plans to expand biometric boarding options to other US airports in the near future and is currently exploring options which could be viable at Canadian airports.
Air Canada aircraft photo gallery:
Air Canada aircraft slide show:
Air France KLM Martinair Cargo has launched the worldโs first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) program for the airfreight industry, enabling freight forwarders and shippers to reduce their COโ emissions. By investing in the Cargo SAF Program, customers will not only help pioneer the use of SAF in our industry, but will also scale up the SAF market, contributing to a cleaner future for air transport.
SAF โ a key instrument in reducing COโ emissions The first step towards a carbon-free future is carbon-neutral growth in our industry, which implies there should be no increase in COโ emissions despite traffic growth. Investing in SAF is a necessary step in this process and one of the primary instruments in reducing COโ emissions. For years, Air France and KLM have led the way in terms of fuel efficiency and seeking alternative fuel solutions. KLM operated the worldโs first commercial flight using SAF on 29 June 2011, with a flight from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to Paris Charles de Gaulle. Shortly thereafter, we began offering our corporate customers the option of compensating for COโ emissions from business travel by investing in SAF.
Video:
SAF is still not widely available. That is why we have set up this program for shippers and forwarders, to stimulate and enlarge the market for SAF. Your investment will help to further develop SAF and the market for SAF, but also to put SAF higher on the agenda of all stakeholders. This new program will enable us to team up with shippers and forwarders who share our commitment to sustainability, making SAF more widely available at a more reasonable price, competing with standard jet fuel.
Customers determine level of engagement
The Cargo SAF Program enables shippers and forwarders to power a percentage of their flights with SAF. Customers determine their own level of engagement and we ensure that their entire investment is used for sourcing SAF. When investing in SAF, our customers receive a third-party audited report, justifying the purchased volume of SAF in relation to traffic and indicating the reduction in COโ emissions achieved. By participating in the Cargo SAF Program, our customers not only reduce the carbon footprint, but confirm their commitment to leading the industry towards a more sustainable future. Only with the support of all industry stakeholders can we successfully develop a more viable market for SAF.
Above Copyright Photo: KLM Cargo (Royal Dutch Airlines) – Martinair Boeing 747-406 ERF PH-CKB (msn 33695) AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 951924.
KLM aircraft slide show:
Norwegian on December 8, 2020 filed for a reconstruction under Norwegian law. This process will coexist with the Irish Examinership process.
Following Norwegian being made subject to the examinership process in Ireland on December 7, 2020 the company now wants to enter into a supplementary Norwegian reconstruction process. This was announced in a notice to the Stock Exchange.
โA supplementary reconstruction process under Norwegian law will be to the benefit of all parties and will increase the likelihood of a successful result. Our aim is to secure jobs in the company and to contribute to securing critical infrastructure and value creation in Norway,โ said Norwegian CEO, Jacob Schram.
โWe will now concentrate on working towards our goal of reducing company debt, reducing the size of our aircraft fleet, and ensuring that we are a company that investors will find attractive. We will be ready to meet the competition for customers after the COVID-19 pandemic,โ said Schram.
Norwegian filed for the Irish Examinership on November 18, 2020. The processes will not have an impact on the current business. The Company will continue to operate its route network. Both its bonds and shares will continue to trade as normal on the Oslo Stock Exchange. As earlier stated, Norwegian Reward will continue as normal honoring and earning CashPoints for its members.
Norwegian Air Shuttle aircraft photo gallery:
Norwegian Air Shuttle aircraft slide show:
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has committed to purchasing carbon offsets, to completely neutralize the CO2 emissions of its flagship โGreenlinerโ Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner aircraft for a full year of operations in 2021.
The initiative is the start of the airlineโs journey to reduce CO2 emissions to 50 percent of 2019 levels by 2035, and to achieve full net zero emissions by 2050 โ a first for any airline in the Gulf and one of the first to set a target of this scale in the industry. Separately the airline will implement an additional voluntary offset program for passengers via its website (etihad.com) in 2021.
Etihadโs Greenliner carbon offset program has been sourced in partnership with Respira, an international carbon offset finance house specializing in tailored offset schemes across multiple sectors. Etihadโs plan is centered on a Tanzanian forestry project and will initially purchase 80,000 tonnes of CO2 offsets.
The Makame Savannah REDD project – developed by Carbon Tanzania – employs a unique community-based model to curb deforestation and promote better management of local natural resources across over 100,000 hectares in the southern extension of the Tarangire-Manyara ecosystem.
The offset scheme is verified and certified by VERRA, an independent carbon offset quality assurance body, under its Verified Carbon Standard. This ensures carbon offsets are quantifiable, additional, and fully sustainable. In addition, the Tanzanian project conforms to Climate, Community and Biodiversity standards, which protect endangered species and local communities. The schemeโs first offset vintages were certified in early November 2020.
The launch of the Greenliner carbon offset program complements Etihadโs ongoing work to develop and test Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs), with the goal of making them commercially viable for widespread adoption by the industry.
To support Etihad and Abu Dhabiโs long-term sustainability objectives, Respira will establish operations in the Capital of the UAE at the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the Emirateโs international financial centre, to bring its offset expertise to the Middle East.
Etihad Airways aircraft photo gallery:
Etihad Airways aircraft slide show:
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