AirlinesOne factor that could spur the number of airline bankruptcies As the global outbreak of COVID-19 expanded its horizons, the plethora of problems for airline executives also expanded. Carriers aimed to reduce their cash burn in every way possible, including the retirement of older or inefficient aircraft, grounding the majority of their fleets, furloughing employees – the list goes on and on. But there is one factor that airlines have no control over, which could potentially spur the number of announced bankruptcies if travel around the globe becomes limited once again due to the current pandemic.
LinkPakistan International Airlines fires 28 pilots with fake license Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) laid off 60 pilots, of which 28 were sacked for holding fake licenses. The decision follows the recent investigation of the local regulator that found 40% of Pakistani pilots to hold dubious degrees.
LinkSouthwest deems armrests as low-touch areas Southwest Airlines is retiring its extra aircraft cleaning procedures previously enacted due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The between-flight cleaning for Southwest Airlines aircraft will now focus on high-touch areas like bathrooms and tray tables, says an internal memo obtained by USA Today. Armrests and seat belts, however, will no longer be considered as areas of viral hazard under the new policy.
LinkVirgin Australia ends long-haul; shifts to all-Boeing 737 fleet Virgin Australia’s reorganization plan under voluntary administration includes mass layoffs, fleet recomposition and discontinuation of its subsidiary Tigerair Australia.
On August 5, 2020, Virgin Australia revealed its plans for recovery from the Coronacrisis. The company underwent voluntary administration, as its revenues were depleted and it carried a lot of debt prior to the crisis.
LinkTigerair Australia suspends operations for foreseeable future Tigerair Australia, low-cost subsidiary of Virgin Australia, has declared the discontinuation of its brand while the parent company will retain its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) to renew operations when the market recovers.
The move came on August 5, 2020, as Virgin Australia announced its shift in focus on domestic and short-haul destinations. The closure of Tigerair was a part of a larger scheme to cut operational costs.
LinkCroatia Airlines Lost $27.5 Million Between January And June Croatia Airlines, the flag carrier of Croatia, registered a loss of over 173 million Kunas (27.5 million USD) in the first half of 2020. However, this is not even twice as large a loss as was registered last year. In 2019, the loss was just under 90 million Kunas (14 million USD).
LinkAlaska Airlines Removes All Exceptions To Mask Policy Alaska Airlines today updated its policy on mandatory mask-wearing. The changes mean that passengers will be denied permission to travel on the airline if they can’t or won’t, wear a mask. The new blanket policy has no exceptions.
LinkJetBlue Won't Unblock Middle Seats Until Mid-October In the competition for US customers’ trusting airlines with their health, JetBlue is taking the lead in the social-distancing race. The New York-based low-cost carrier announced today that it would be blocking the middle seat on its flights until at least October 15th.
LinkRyanair Is Driving Europe's Aviation Recovery Following months of skeleton services, it seems as though Ryanair’s return to the skies has paid off. The airline saw a 72% load factor on services for July. With around 40% of its schedule back in operation, Ryanair is driving Europe’s aviation recovery.
LinkAir France Once Flew London To Los Angeles Flights – Here's Why It Failed Air France used to fly between London and Los Angeles. Not via a connection in Paris, but nonstop using a Boeing 777. The airline operated this flight in conjunction with a partnership with Delta Air Lines. However, the service did not last long, and, after only a few months, Air France axed the route.
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