AirlinesTransavia France averts strike, Ryanair faces labor actions Two European low-cost carriers face mixed fortunes when it comes to labor relations in 2019.
Air France-KLM LCC subsidiary Transavia France and Irish LCC Ryanair both weathered industrial unrest in 2018. While Transavia France appears to have put these worries behind it, Ryanair enters the new year with the threat of continued disruptions as two unions representing the Irish LCC’s Spanish staff plan three days of walkouts in January.
LinkRussia’s Severstal takes first SSJ100 Russian regional Severstal Aircompany received its first Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) on Dec. 26, 2018. The aircraft, which seats eight passengers in business and 85 in economy class, will operate its first flight in January, the airline said.
Cherepovets-based Severstal is leasing the SSJ100 from State Transport Leasing Co. (STLC), which plans to deliver three more of the type in 2019.
LinkQatar Airways acquires 5% holding in China Southern Qatar Airways has bought a 5% stake in China Southern Airlines in a move that further broadens the portfolio of minority investments in airlines abroad.
“Qatar Airways regards our shareholding in China Southern Airlines as an important part of our strategic investment in the largest airline in one of the world’s fastest growing aviation markets,” the group’s chairman Akbar Al Baker said in a statement. “China Southern Airlines is one of the most prestigious airlines in the Chinese domestic market and an important market player in the world, with massive potential for cooperation in the future.
LinkJetBlue to decide on the A321LR in 2019 JetBlue Airways chief executive Robin Hayes says the airline will make a decision on the Airbus A321LR in 2019, almost three years after it took up the option of converting some deliveries to the long-range variant.
Hayes says in a New Year's message to JetBlue employees: "In 2019 we will announce our decision on the long range version of the A321. This aircraft could open up new and exciting markets for us."
LinkAirline safety falls in 2018 on back of passenger jet crashes Airline safety dipped in 2018 on the back of 14 fatal accidents – six of which involved large passenger jets – in which 543 people were killed, analysis of FlightGlobal data shows.
That compares with 2017, in which there were 12 fatal accidents causing 56 deaths, and the best-ever year – 2015 – which saw only nine fatal accidents resulting in 176 casualties.
LinkPICTURE: A330neo emerges in Air Senegal colours Air Senegal’s first Airbus A330-900 has emerged from painting, ahead of delivery to the airline in the next few weeks.
The aircraft is one of a pair ordered by the African carrier in mid-December 2017.
LinkJet Airways defaults on bank payments Jet Airways defaulted on payments to a consortium of Indian banks on 31 December 2018.
In a disclosure on the Indian Stock Exchange, the cash-strapped airline says this was "due to temporary cashflow mismatch". However, it is not clear how much is outstanding.
LinkAirAsia eyes Vietnam launch, turnaround India and Japan units AirAsia Group chief executive Tony Fernandes says the group has no plans to establish new subsidiaries over the next three years, apart from a unit in Vietnam.
In a series of tweets, Fernandes says the low-cost carrier will focus its efforts on launching AirAsia Vietnam, as well as making Indonesia AirAsia and AirAsia Philippines "very profitable".
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