AirlinesChina Airlines announces A350 XWB European servicesTaipei-based China Airlines, which will take delivery of its first Airbus A350 XWB in July, will launch nonstop flights from Taipei to European destinations from December 2016. The destinations include Amsterdam (4X-weekly), Rome Fiumicino (2X-weekly) and Vienna (3X-weekly). It will also increase Taipei-Frankfurt service to 7X-weekly from June 2016.
LinkChina Eastern to introduce a strategic investor China Eastern Airlines plans to introduce a strategic investor by reducing its state-owned stakes to allow for more capital injection. “It [regulations] used to stipulate state-owned stakes should account for no less than 50% in China’s big three carriers [Air China, China Eastern and China Southern]. But I think this figure can be reduced to about 40% so that we can attract more social capital injection [from a strategic investor],” China Eastern CEO Ma Xulun noted.
LinkIberia Preparing New Job CutsIberia is preparing new job cuts to reduce costs after completing the current round of redundancies, its chairman Luis Gallego said. Iberia had already reached a deal with unions in 2014 to cut up to 1,427 jobs until the end of 2017. Gallego said there was room for 462 more job losses in the current voluntary redundancy programme, which he hoped to complete this year.
LinkNordic Aviation Capital to acquire JetscapeDanish lessor Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC) is to acquire US-based Embraer leasing specialist Jetscape Aviation Group for an undisclosed sum. “Completion will be in first half of April and it [Jetscape] will be fully absorbed into the NAC structure,” NAC chairman Martin Moller said.
LinkVIM Avia leases first Boeing 777Russia’s VIM Avia will lease its first Boeing 777 from MC Aviation Partners, a Mitsubishi Corp. leasing subsidiary. Delivery is planned for the end of April, the carrier said in a statement. The aircraft, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent engines, will seat 400 passengers in a two-class layout. It is likely to fly to remote eastern regions.
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WestJet Encore launches transborder flights with Boston serviceWestJet Encore has started 3X-daily Toronto Pearson-Boston Bombardier Q400 flights, marking the regional carrier’s entrance into the Canada-US transborder market. Encore, the all-Q400 affiliate of Calgary-based WestJet, launched operations in June 2013, initially focusing on a handful of routes in western Canada.
LinkVolaris to start subsidiary in Costa RicaMexican low-cost carrier Volaris plans to launch a subsidiary airline in Costa Rica to allow it to expand its route network into South America. “We are trying to obtain an AOC [air operator’s certificate] in Costa Rica,” Volaris chief executive Enrique Beltranena tells Flightglobal. “That process is moving well ahead.”
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