Boeing issued this short statement:
“Boeing has identified two distinct manufacturing issues in the join of certain 787 aftbody fuselage sections, which, in combination, result in a condition that does not meet our design standards,”
Eight of the 787 Dreamliners will be grounded for inspection and repair of how parts of the fuselage were joined together.
From Reuters:
“Wizz Air will sharply reduce weekly flights to and from Hungary from Sept. 7, the airline said, after the government announced it would ban the entry of foreigners to try to rein in the coronavirus outbreak.
Hungary announced on Friday that it would close its borders to foreigners from Sept. 1 to curb a rise in infections and Hungarians returning from abroad will have to go into quarantine.
Wizz Air said in a statement that it would operate 32 flights per week between Sept. 7 and 30, down from around 126 flights in the Sept. 1-6 period.”
From Reuters:
“Emirates airline has received 7.3 billion dirhams ($2 billion) from the government of Dubai as it faces a cash crunch caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a bond prospectus seen by Reuters shows.
Aviation has been one of the worst-hit industries during the pandemic and Emirates has cut thousands of jobs as it tries to manage the crisis, sources have said.
The government provided 7.3 billion dirhams to the airline it owns after Dubaiโs crown prince in March promised equity to Emirates to see it through the crisis, the prospectus shows.
No such injection has been publicly announced by the government or the airline.
The details were disclosed in a prospectus for a potential bond issuance by the Dubai government.”
ALPA made this announcement:
Spirit Airlines pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Intl. (ALPA), recently reached an agreement with management to save hundreds of the airlineโs pilots from furlough. Nearly half of the more than 2,500 Spirit pilots have agreed to temporarily work fewer hours each month to prevent 800 pilots from being furloughed beginning October 1.
โAt a time where airlines struggle to keep pace with the ever-changing demand for air travel and airline crews struggle to keep themselves and their families healthy, Spirit Airlines pilots and management worked together to reach an agreement that mitigates the remaining furloughs planned for October 2020. Effective immediately, the 600 planned furloughs have been canceled,โ said Capt. Scott Vallach, chairman of ALPAโs Spirit Airlines Master Executive Council.
More than 11,000 airline pilots in the United States have already received notices of potential furlough. Currently, dozens of other ALPA pilot groups are exploring various furlough mitigation plans to preserve as many jobs as possible until the industry recovers.
โIโm extremely proud of the willingness of our pilots to help each other and ensure that no Spirit pilot goes without a paycheck. I also want to thank Spirit management for partnering with us to sit down and find a path that helps our airline survive while keeping all of our pilots employed,โ Vallach added.
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 โ and changing โ 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. 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 Pรบblico (the Finance Ministry) that the management committee of the country’s Fondo de Mitigaciรณn 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.ย 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.ย 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.ย 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 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-ร -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-ร -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.
Flights will be operated by Boeing 777 equipped with Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins.
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 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.
Deltaโs 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.ย 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 Deltaโs 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 Deltaโs partner hub at ICN, customers can connect on Deltaโs 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, Tokyoโs 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 Beijingโs 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-ICN | +5x weekly | 1 daily | |
| ย | |||
| DTW | DTW-HND | 3x weekly | 1 daily |
| DTW-NGO | 3x weekly | ||
| DTW-ICN | Daily | 1 daily | |
| DTW-PVG* | +2x weekly | 1 daily | |
| ย | |||
| LAX | LAX-HND | 3x weekly | 1 daily |
| LAX-PVG* | 1 daily | ||
| LAX-SYD | +3x weekly | 1 daily | |
| ย | |||
| MSP | MSP-HND | 5x weekly | |
| MSP-ICN | 5x weekly | ||
| ย | |||
| 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:
In October, Delta will add:
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. Deltaโs 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 | ||
| ย | |||
| BOS | BOS-AMS | 1 daily | 1 daily |
| BOS-CDG | 4x weekly | 1 daily | |
| BOS-LHR | 5x weekly | 1 daily | |
| BOS-DUB | ย | 1 daily | |
| ย | |||
| DTW | DTW-AMS | 1 daily | 3 daily |
| DTW-CDG | 1 daily | 1 daily | |
| DTW-FRA | ย | 1 daily | |
| DTW-LHR | ย | 1 daily | |
| ย | |||
| 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 | ย | Up to 2 daily | |
| JFK-EDI | ย | 1 daily | |
| JFK-KEF | ย | 5x weekly | |
| JFK-LIS | ย | 1 daily | |
| JFK-LOS* | ย | 3x weekly | |
| JFK-NCE | ย | 1 daily | |
| JFK-VCE | ย | 1 daily | |
| ย | |||
| LAX | LAX-CDG | ย | 1 daily |
| ย | |||
| MSP | MSP-AMS | ย | 2 daily |
| MSP-CDG | ย | 1 daily | |
| MSP-LHR | ย | 1 daily | |
| ย | |||
| SEA | SEA-AMS | 1 daily | 1 daily |
| SEA-CDG | 4x weekly | 1 daily | |
| ย | |||
| SLC | SLC-AMS | 1 daily | |
| SLC-CDG | 1 daily | ||
| ย | |||
| Focus Cities | RDU-CDG | 5x weekly | |
| PDX-AMS | ย | 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):
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:
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.ย 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
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