United Airlines permanently eliminates change fees

United Airlines has made this announcement:

The only thing constant is change and at United Airlines, some of the fees associated with changes related to flying are gone for good. The carrier announced today that it is permanently getting rid of change fees on all standard Economy and Premium cabin tickets for travel within the U.S., effective immediately. And starting on January 1, 2021, any United customer can fly standby for free on a flight departing the day of their travel regardless of the type of ticket or class of service, a first among U.S. carriers, while MileagePlus Premier members can confirm a seat on a different flight on the same day with the same departure and arrival cities as their original ticket if a seat in the same ticket fare class is available.

United is also extending its waiver for new tickets issued through December 31, 2020, to permit unlimited changes with no fee. This policy applies to all ticket types issued after March 3, 2020 and is valid for domestic and international travel. With these improvements, no U.S. airline gives their customers more flexibility when booking – and changing – their travel plans than United Airlines.

The new change fee policy applies to all standard Economy and Premium cabin tickets for travel within the U.S. 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and customers will not be limited in the number of times they adjust their flights.

Additionally, United is giving customers more flexibility to change their flights on the day of their travel so they can head home if a meeting ends earlier or enjoy a few more hours on vacation. With the ability to list for same-day standby for free, customers will now have an option to take a different flight with the same origin and destination airports as their original itinerary if space is available at departure. This enhanced option will be available to all customers for travel within the U.S. and to and from international destinations beginning on January 1, 2021. Customers who want to switch flights will be able to add themselves to the standby list through United’s award-winning mobile app, on united.com or at the airport no later than 30 minutes prior to departure for domestic flights and one hour before departure on international flights.

The carrier is also improving the travel experience for its MileagePlus members including waiving all redeposit fees on award travel for flights changed or cancelled more than 30 days before departure and allowing all MileagePlus Premier members to confirm a different flight on the day of their travel. As a way to thank MileagePlus Premier members for their loyalty, beginning January 1, 2021, all Premier members will be able to confirm a seat for free on a different flight with the same departure and arrival cities as their original ticket. This expanded option will allow MileagePlus Silver members and above to confirm a new seat in the same ticket fare class if space is available. Earlier this year, United announced that it will extend status for MileagePlus Premier and Global Services members through January 2022. United also reduced thresholds for Premier qualification by 50 percent for each status level, to make reaching an even higher status tier easier.

Avianca Holdings S.A. to receive debtor-in-possession financing and Government of Colombia financing commitment

Avianca Holdings S.A. today issued a statement regarding the Company’s expected debtor-in-possession (“DIP”) financing, following the announcement by the Republic of Colombia’s Ministerio de Hacienda y Credito Público (the Finance Ministry) that the management committee of the country’s Fondo de Mitigación de Emergencias (“FOME”, the Emergency Mitigation Fund) had approved the government’s participation in Avianca’s DIP financing, through a commitment of up to US$370 million in the proposed loan structure, side by side with private market investors. Avianca commented as follows:

We are pleased that the Government of the Republic of Colombia will participate in the Company’s DIP financing and express our gratitude for the confidence and support this commitment demonstrates.

As we previously disclosed on August 13, 2020, Avianca’s DIP loan financing is expected to consist of two tranches that include approximately US$1.2 billion of new funds as part of a US$ 2.0 billion overall financing facility (including rollups of existing debt and purchase consideration) which will allow the Company to finance its operations during the pendency of its Chapter 11 reorganization. In addition to the Colombian government committing to participate in the DIP loan -by providing approximately 30% of the new funds, or 20% of the total DIP financing- we are also very pleased with the positive reception the DIP loan structure has received from third-party institutional investors that, along with existing lenders, are expected to provide a substantial majority of the DIP loan financing.

Based upon the substantial indications of interest received to date, we are confident in our ability to complete the syndication process and finalize documentation within the next week. We look forward to filing shortly thereafter a motion to approve the financing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, which motion will set forth our full DIP financing package, with approval expected during the month of September. The DIP loan, which will be secured by Avianca’s key assets (including the Company’s ownership stakes in its LifeMiles and cargo subsidiaries, as well as by its key brands and cash accounts) will contain certain conditions precedent to be satisfied prior to drawing those funds.

Air France to increase service to the French Caribbean

Air France has issued this statement:

Air France is increasing its service to the French Caribbean. Starting from December 21, 2020 and for the remainder of the winter season, the company will operate flights between Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe) and Fort-de-France (Martinique) and Paris-Charles de Gaulle, in addition to its frequencies on departure from Paris-Orly. In total, up to three flights will be operated daily between Paris and each of the two islands.

Pointe-à-Pitre and Fort-de-France will thus be connected to the two Air France hubs, giving customers connecting opportunities throughout the company’s short, medium and long-haul network.

Flight schedule as from December 21, 2020.

To/from Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe): 21 weekly direct flights:
- 17 weekly direct flights to Paris-Orly
- 4 weekly direct flights to Paris-Charles de Gaulle on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays

To/from Fort-de-France (Martinique): 19 weekly direct flights:
- 16 weekly direct flights to Paris-Orly
- 3 weekly direct flights to Paris-Charles de Gaulle on Mondays, Fridays and Sundays

Flights will be operated by Boeing 777 equipped with Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins.

Omni Air Boeing 767-300ER suffers a landing gear incident at Bucharest

Omni Air International Boeing 767-300, registered as N423AX, operating as flight OY703 from Kabul, Afghanistan to Bucharest, Romania on August 28 with 49 passengers and 15 crew suffered a left main gear collapse on the roll out.

The aircraft skidded down the runway and all passengers and crew members were evacuated with the emergency chutes. No injuries were reported.

Video:

Omni Air aircraft photo gallery:

Delta to add more flights across Atlantic and Pacific this winter and summer 2021

Delta Air Lines has made this announcement:

As Delta works to restart service in line with the lifting of travel restrictions, potential vaccine availability and the gradual return of demand, customers will see more trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific flights to top business and leisure destinations for the winter 2020-2021 and summer 2021 seasons. While the airline expects pre-COVID level recovery for international flying to continue to lag U.S. domestic, Delta plans to add over 50 transoceanic flights next summer, compared to the summer 2020 schedule.

Delta will focus its strengths in its core markets and with the support of its partners, offer customers a wide array of onward connections.

Delta will operate the adjusted schedule with a more efficient, upgraded fleet of Airbus A350-900s, A330-900neos and refurbished Boeing 767s, following the retirement of its Boeing 777 aircraft by the end of October 2020.

Delta’s schedule remains subject to change due to the evolving nature of COVID-19, customer demand, government travel regulations and federal health guidelines. Specific restart dates may vary for previously suspended routes due to travel restrictions and other operational requirements. Delta will make decisions about resuming additional service on other routes at a later date.

Trans-Pacific Schedule

Delta is maintaining its global presence and investment in Seattle (SEA) over the next year, which continues to be a premier gateway for travel to Asia. Continued daily service next year from Sea-Tac to Tokyo-Haneda (HND), Seoul-Incheon (ICN), Beijing (BJS), and Shanghai (PVG) will allow customers to connect further within the region through Delta’s partners, Korean Air and China Eastern.

With the opening of the new international arrivals facility at SEA, Delta will offer an entirely upgraded experience for local and connecting customers with direct or one-stop partner access to over 95% of Asia markets. Customers traveling from Seattle to any destination the airline serves in Asia will enjoy an enhanced experience on efficient, next-generation aircraft featuring the award-winning Delta One suites and the popular Delta Premium Select cabin.

At Delta’s partner hub at ICN, customers can connect on Delta’s current flights from Atlanta (ATL), Detroit (DTW) and Seattle to over 70 destinations throughout Asia via partner Korean Air. In April 2021, Delta plans to return to service between Minneapolis (MSP) and Seoul-Incheon.

Delta also remains committed to the Japan market and by summer 2021, will offer service from seven U.S. cities to Haneda, Tokyo’s closest and most convenient airport. Currently, the airline offers up to 14 weekly flights across its Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles (LAX) and Seattle gateways. Beginning in December 2020, Delta plans to add up to four-times weekly services between Haneda and Honolulu (HNL).

Between the U.S. and China, Delta is working closely with governments in both countries to increase service in response to high demand. Currently, Delta operates four weekly flights to Shanghai (PVG) from Detroit and Seattle. Subject to approval, the airline plans to increase service between these destinations. In summer 2021, Delta hopes to operate daily service between Shanghai and Detroit, Seattle and Los Angeles, plus daily service connecting Sea-Tac with Beijing’s new Daxing Airport, subject to government approval.

To Australia, Delta plans to maintain a minimum of thrice-weekly service between Los Angeles and Sydney (SYD) before resuming daily service in 2021. The flight will be operated on Airbus 350-900 aircraft beginning in November, which offers more luxury and comfort with the Delta One suite, Delta Premium Select cabin, large in-flight entertainment screens and more personal stowage.

U.S. Hub	Route	IATA Winter Schedule (Oct. 25-March 27)	IATA Summer Schedule (March 28-Oct. 30)
ATL	ATL-HND	4x weekly	1 daily
ATL	ATL-ICN	+5x weekly	1 daily

DTW	DTW-HND	3x weekly	1 daily
	DTW-NGO		3x weekly
	DTW-ICN	Daily	1 daily
	DTW-PVG*	+2x weekly	1 daily

LAX	LAX-HND	3x weekly	1 daily
	LAX-PVG*		1 daily
	LAX-SYD	+3x weekly	1 daily

MSP	MSP-HND		5x weekly
MSP	MSP-ICN		5x weekly

SEA	SEA-HND	4x weekly	1 daily
	SEA-ICN	+4x weekly	1 daily
	SEA-PVG*	+2x weekly	1 daily
	SEA-BJS*		1 daily

Additional Service	PDX-HND		5x weekly
	HNL-HND	4x weekly**	1 daily
	ICN-MNL	4x weekly	1 daily

*Subject to government approval

**Starting in December 2020

Trans-Atlantic Schedule

As travel restrictions lift and Delta begins to restore its global network, the airline plans to increase flying in the trans-Atlantic market from winter 2020-2021 to summer 2021.

Between September and October, Delta will resume service to several major business and leisure markets, including a buildup at its hub in New York-JFK.

In September, Delta will resume:

Atlanta – Lagos*(LOS)
Boston – London-Heathrow (LHR)
New York-JFK – Accra* (ACC)
New York-JFK – Barcelona (BCN)
New York-JFK – Madrid (MAD)
New York-JFK – Rome (FCO)

In October, Delta will add:

New York-JFK – Brussels (BRU)
New York-JFK – Dublin (DUB
New York-JFK – Frankfurt (FRA)
New York-JFK – Zurich (ZRH)
Seattle – Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG)

Service between Boston and Paris will return in November.

Following this resumption of service in the fall, Delta expects to maintain a similar schedule across the Atlantic through winter 2021.

Moving into next summer, Delta will expand its hub-to-hub flying between the U.S. and Europe, offering nonstop daily service to Amsterdam (AMS), Paris and London-Heathrow from Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, New York-JFK and Minneapolis. From Seattle and Salt Lake City, customers will have nonstop daily access to Amsterdam and Paris. Delta’s LAX hub will offer nonstop service to Paris. This expansion also marks a restart of trans-Atlantic service for L.A., Minneapolis and Salt Lake City.

Additionally, Delta will add back service to Paris from our focus cities Cincinnati (CVG) and Raleigh-Durham (RDU), as well as service to Amsterdam from Portland (PDX).

From AMS, CDG or LHR, customers will then have access to over 160 destinations throughout the region via partners Virgin Atlantic and Air France-KLM.

Delta remains committed to ensuring customers benefit from easy access across the pond through its key hubs in ATL, BOS and JFK. By next summer, customers traveling through JFK will have direct access to six more seasonal destinations popular with leisure travelers. Delta will also resume popular vacation spots from Atlanta, such as Barcelona, Dublin, Rome and Madrid. Service from Boston to Paris, London-Heathrow and Dublin will increase to daily.

U.S. Hub	Route	IATA Winter Schedule (Oct. 25-March 27)	IATA Summer Schedule (March 28-Oct. 30)
ATL	ATL-AMS	2 daily	3 daily
	ATL-CDG	1 daily	2 daily
	ATL-FRA	4x weekly	1 daily
	ATL-JNB*	3x weekly**	5x weekly
	ATL-LHR	1 daily	2 daily
	ATL-LOS*	Up to 1 daily	4x weekly
	ATL-MUC	3x weekly	1 daily
	ATL-BCN		1 daily
	ATL-DUB		1 daily
	ATL-FCO		1 daily
	ATL-MAD		1 daily
	ATL-STR		5x weekly

BOS	BOS-AMS	1 daily	1 daily
	BOS-CDG	4x weekly	1 daily
	BOS-LHR	5x weekly	1 daily
	BOS-DUB		1 daily

DTW	DTW-AMS	1 daily	3 daily
	DTW-CDG	1 daily	1 daily
	DTW-FRA		1 daily
	DTW-LHR		1 daily

JFK	JFK-ACC*	Up to 1 daily	5x weekly
	JFK-AMS	1 daily	2 daily
	JFK-BCN	5x weekly	1 daily
	JFK-BRU	5x weekly	1 daily
	JFK-CDG	1 daily	2 daily
	JFK-DSS	3x weekly	3x weekly
	JFK-DUB	5x weekly	1 daily
	JFK-FCO	5x weekly	Up to 2 daily
	JFK-FRA	5x weekly	1 daily
	JFK-LHR	1 daily	2 daily
	JFK-MAD	5x weekly	1 daily
	JFK-MXP	5x weekly	1 daily
	JFK-TLV	Up to 2 daily	2 daily
	JFK-ZRH	5x weekly	1 daily
	JFK-ATH		Up to 2 daily
	JFK-EDI		1 daily
	JFK-KEF		5x weekly
	JFK-LIS		1 daily
	JFK-LOS*		3x weekly
	JFK-NCE		1 daily
	JFK-VCE		1 daily

LAX	LAX-CDG		1 daily

MSP	MSP-AMS		2 daily
	MSP-CDG		1 daily
	MSP-LHR		1 daily

SEA	SEA-AMS	1 daily	1 daily
SEA	SEA-CDG	4x weekly	1 daily

SLC	SLC-AMS		1 daily
SLC	SLC-CDG		1 daily

Focus Cities	RDU-CDG		5x weekly
	PDX-AMS		4x weekly
	CVG-CDG		4x weekly

*Subject to government approval

**Starting Dec. 13

IATA refers to the International Air Transport Association.

Delta aircraft photo gallery (Airbus):

WestJet reinforces commitment to safety with zero-tolerance mask policy

The WestJet Group has announced multiple safety updates including the potential for denied travel and a one-year WestJet Group travel ban for those who fail to comply with the airlines’ mask regulation. The WestJet Group also announced the mandatory input of all guests’ contact information at online and kiosk check-in to help the Public Health Agency of Canada and the provincial public health agencies across Canada with contact tracing in the case of infected individuals on board. The WestJet Group includes WestJet, WestJet Encore, WestJet Link and Swoop.

Zero Tolerance Mask Policy
Effective, September 1, 2020, the WestJet Group will implement a zero-tolerance policy in support of the requirement for all guests, over the age of two, to wear masks and face coverings. Non-compliant guests will face penalties including denied boarding, return of the aircraft to the gate to offload the passenger and the suspension of travel on any WestJet Group aircraft for up to one year.

“Canadian travellers and all of our WestJet Group employees are counting on us to keep them safe and it is our utmost priority to do so,” said Ed Sims, The WestJet Group President and CEO. “Masks are mandated by our regulator and the vast majority of our guests are happy to keep themselves and each other safe by complying. This enhanced policy provides clarity on how we will enforce the regulation for those who don’t. Travellers must understand if they choose to not wear a mask, they are choosing not to fly our airlines.”

Non-compliance on board the aircraft will be managed through a three-step process:

Passengers will first be asked to put the mask on in a discussion with cabin crew.
Passengers will be given a warning that masks are required, and compliance is necessary.
Passengers will receive notice that non-compliance will result in follow up notification that they will be placed on a no-fly list for 12-months.

Since April 20, 2020, it has been mandatory for travellers to wear protective face coverings throughout their travel journey, including at the airport and while in flight and at the airport. As outlined by Transport Canada, travellers requiring an exemption to the regulation for health reasons must produce a certified medical note or will be subject to the measures as outlined. Complete guidelines on non-medical masks are available here.

Prior to flying, it is important travellers understand the current regulations and modifications to services in response to COVID-19. Travellers that wish to eat or drink while on board remain able to do so if they replace their mask once finished.

Contact Tracing Enhancements
Effective, September 1, 2020, the input of contact information for those travelling on WestJet, WestJet Encore, WestJet Link and Swoop will become mandatory at the 24-hour check-in process online and at kiosks. Mandatory information at WestJet check-in kiosks will be phased into the policy change by the end of September.

Once implemented, guests will no longer be able to bypass the information screen and will be required to input up-to-date information prior to the issuance of a boarding pass. It is the responsibility of the traveller to provide accurate information.

“We continue to work collaboratively with our health partners to adapt our procedures,” added Sims. “A coordinated approach is essential, and we are advocating for contact tracing enhancements along with the introduction of testing.”

Since March, the WestJet Group has been the only Canadian airline to provide full transparency in advising the public of flights affected by COVID-19. Between March 23 and August 25, WestJet has flown more than 725,000 guests on 19,370 flights. Of those, the airline has been notified of just over 230 flights where infected individuals have flown, this accounts for less than one per cent of flights. Swoop has operated 1,070 flights with 103,000 travellers and has been notified of eight flights where infected individuals have flown, accounting for less than one per cent of flights. There have been no reported cases of transmission on board any WestJet Group aircraft.

WestJet (including WestJet Encore and WestJet Link) and Swoop remain the only operators in Canada taking the extra steps to post affected flights to external channels in effort to inform the public at large and to aid the media in assisting public health officials in disseminating information as quickly and as broadly as possible.

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.

Additional Quotes on masks:
“CUPE is very pleased to see the further steps WestJet is taking to keep our members safe and empowered. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the airline in reassuring all guests that air travel is truly safe.”

– Chris Rauenbusch, President CUPE Local 4070

Virgin Atlantic set to launch new services to Pakistan from London and Manchester

Virgin Atlantic Airways has made this announcement:

Virgin Atlantic has announced it will be launching flights  to  Pakistan in December 2020.

Operating three new routes from London Heathrow to Lahore, London Heathrow to Islamabad, as well as from Manchester to Islamabad; these new services will go on sale in September 2020 subject to applicable regulatory approvals, and will boast Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class, Premium and Economy Light, Classic and Delight offering.

Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic commented:

“With travel restrictions remaining in place for many destinations around the world, we’re continually evaluating our network, looking at customer demand and where there are opportunities to launch new services.”

“Pakistan is an extremely exciting opportunity for us – it boasts one of the largest foreign-born populations in both the UK and the US and, as people start to travel to visit loved ones, we’re anticipating the demand  to visit friends and relatives will increase post COVID-19. Both Lahore and Islamabad are popular year-round destinations and we look forward to welcoming travellers onboard as demand for leisure and business travel gradually increases to the region”.

“We also see a significant opportunity to increase competition in the US – Pakistan market. Using the strength of our trans-Atlantic services we’re able to offer customers the shortest journey to and from destinations in the US such as New York, Los Angeles and Washington by connecting through London Heathrow”.

Virgin Atlantic restarted passenger flying on  July 20, 2020 after a  three month  hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is currently operating flights to New York JFK, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Barbados and Miami with further routes being added throughout September and October.

Emirates to resume flights to Bangkok and Lusaka

Emirates has announced the resumption of passenger services to Bangkok with daily flights starting from September 1, 2020.

The resumption of flights to Bangkok will expand Emirates’ current network to 78 cities in September, offering travellers in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific convenient connections via Dubai to the popular Thai destination.

Flights between Dubai and Bangkok will be operated with an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER aircraft offering seats in First, Business and Economy class. Starting from 1 September, flight EK384 will depart Dubai daily at 01:50 and arrive in Bangkok at 11:30, while the return flight, EK385, will depart Bangkok at 03:25, and arrive in Dubai at 06:35, from 2 September.

Emirates also announced the resumption of passenger services to Lusaka with two weekly flights to/from Dubai effective September 4, 2020, which will boost the airline’s global network to 79 cities.

The restart of services to Lusaka will offer Emirates customers in Zambia the opportunity to travel to Dubai, as well as an array of onward connections to Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and the Americas through the airline’s Dubai hub. The addition of Lusaka also broadens Emirates’ reach into Africa with nine destinations served.

Flights to Lusaka will be operated with a Boeing 777-300ER. Starting from 4 September, Emirates will serve Lusaka on Fridays and Sundays. Emirates’ flight EK 713 will depart from Dubai at 0820hrs, arriving in Lusaka at 1330hrs. The return flight, EK 714 departs Lusaka at 1530hrs, arriving in Dubai at 0025hrs the next day. Customers can book flights on emirates.com or via travel agents.

SAS will continue to increase the number of flights and open routes to more destinations in Europe, USA and Asia

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS has made this announcement:

Throughout autumn, SAS will continue to increase the number of flights and open routes to more destinations in Europe, USA and Asia to meet the demand for travel and transport to, from and within Scandinavia.

SAS’ domestic flights in Sweden, Norway and Denmark will cover almost the entire domestic network when SAS resumes its flights from Stavanger to Trondheim and from Stockholm to Ronneby and Sundsvall. With its expanded flight programme, within and between the three countries, SAS will increase the availability of essential travel and transport, thereby ensuring critical infrastructure.

To meet the demand also for business travel to Europe, SAS is increasing the number of flights and adding 18 routes to key European markets and capitals, such as from Copenhagen to Paris, from Stockholm to Frankfurt and from Oslo to Brussels.

At the end of September, SAS plans* to start up its intercontinental flights to Asia and fly from Copenhagen to Shanghai once a week.

This means that SAS will be able to offer flights again in the autumn across the whole network on all three continents on which SAS operates.

SAS is also increasing the number of flights to New York from Copenhagen up to daily departures. We will also resume flights from Copenhagen to Washington, with two flights a week from mid-September and maintain an unchanged number of flights to Chicago and San Francisco.

As there is still uncertainty regarding restrictions and there are changes in travel advice, SAS offers travelers the option to change a planned journey/ticket for a SAS Travel Voucher, up to 16 days prior to departure, for all international travel, until January 15.

*Subject to government approval.

Norwegian strongly affected by COVID-19 – 71 percent passenger decline, 8,000 furloughed or laid off employees and 140 grounded aircraft

Norwegian Air Shuttle reported its results for the first half year of 2020. The figures are as expected heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic with a net loss of NOK 5.3 billion. During the first half of 2020, 5.31 million customers travelled with the company; a decrease of 71 percent compared to the same period last year. Norwegian successfully converted debt, gained access to state guaranteed loans of NOK 3 billion and conducted a public offering, in addition to implementing a series of cost-reduction measures. Still, Norwegian is facing challenging times ahead.

Before COVID-19, Norwegian had guided the market of a profitable 2020 and the best summer ever. Strict government travel advice and the following drop in customer demand forced Norwegian to ground 140 aircraft and furlough or lay off approximately 8,000 employees. In the second quarter, Norwegian only operated 7-8 aircraft on domestic routes in Norway. Following a successful restructuring process, the company gained access to the Norwegian government’s loan guarantee of NOK 3 billion and an additional NOK 0.3 billion from commercial banks.

“When we entered 2020, we were expecting a positive result and the best summer ever, thanks to successful cost-saving initiatives and a more efficient operation. Then we were hit by COVID-19 and customer demand literally stopped from one day to the next, as government-imposed travel restrictions and travel advice were introduced world-wide. For the past months we have been working tirelessly to make sure that we can emerge from this crisis as a stronger company, well-positioned for future competition. Some of these measures have been painful, but totally necessary if we are to make it through at all. Creditors, bondholders and shareholders have shown us support and trust to find a way forward for the company and our customers are expressing their strong support, for which I am grateful. And not least, I am extremely proud of all our Red Nose Warriors who are keeping up a positive spirit,” said CEO Jacob Schram.

During the first six months of 2020, 5.3 million customers travelled with Norwegian, compared to 18.1 million during the same period previous year. Production (ASK) was down by 69 percent and passenger traffic (RPK) decreased by 72 percent. The load factor was 78.2 percent, a decrease of 6.5 percentage points compared to the first half of 2019. Both load factor and production are adjusted according to the government mandatory blocking of middle seats on domestic routes in Norway in the second quarter of 2020.

Punctuality was at 87.2 percent, an improvement of 7.3 percentage points compared to the first half of 2019.

Poor visibility creates uncertainty ahead

On July 1, Norwegian reopened 76 routes, put an additional 15 aircraft into service and brought more than 600 employees back to work. The market is still highly uncertain, mainly due to changing travel advice from governments across Europe. As the government changes its travel advice, demand is immediately impacted. Going forward the company will continue to adjust its route portfolio in line with demand and government travel advice.

“The COVID-19 crisis has impacted aviation and the travel industry particularly hard, and most companies need government support to survive. We see that many of our main competitors receive considerable liquidity support from their governments as aviation represents the backbone of infrastructure. We are thankful for the loan guarantee made available to us by the Norwegian government which we worked hard to obtain. However, given the current market conditions it is not enough to get through this prolonged crisis,” Schram said.