AW Daily

Ryanair CEO Blames Brexit for UK Staffing Disruptions

May 16, 2022

Ryanair Group CEO Michael O'Leary thinks the UK brought its travel staffing issues on itself with an "inflexible" labor market since the country left the EU in 2020. While the discounter itself does not face staffing issues, O'Leary said during...

Senator Graham May Propose Raising U.S. Pilot Retirement Age

May 13, 2022

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is said to be preparing to introduce legislation that would raise the retirement age for commercial airline pilots in the U.S. by at least two years, to 67. Two people familiar with the proposed legislation confirmed...

Copa Airlines Confident in Business Model Following Avianca-Gol Deal

May 12, 2022

Copa Airlines CEO Pedro Heilbron does not think the carrier needs to do anything differently following the announcement that Avianca and Gol plan to consolidate under a single holding company. "I won’t talk about whether we have to react or...

Southern Airways May Have the Answer to the U.S. Pilot Shortage

May 11, 2022

Regional airline Southern Airways Express is bucking prevailing industry trends by expanding even as its peers struggle with pilot shortages and other issues. The Florida-based airline is on the cusp of bidding for the "vast majority" of government contracts to...

Mesa Airlines Suspends Outlook as Pilot Attrition Weighs Heavy

May 10, 2022

A year ago, regional carrier Mesa Air Group was flush with profits, even as many of the mainline carriers staggered from the evaporation of demand during the pandemic. But while the major airlines are now optimistic about the the rest...

Azul Looks Beyond Pandemic Expecting Its Best Year Ever

May 9, 2022

The pandemic is over for Azul. The Brazilian airline is one of the first in the world to herald the arrival of the new normal for travel, and one that looks very bright. "We are seeing a new, and greater...

Omicron Clouds Sun Country’s First-Quarter Profits

May 6, 2022

Sun Country Airlines isn't interested in stimulating demand amid unprecedented demand for air travel. Instead, it is canceling flights and routes that do not book well, CEO Jude Bricker said May 5 on the airline's first-quarter earnings call. But with...

Lufthansa Warns of Summer Disruptions as Industry Faces Staffing Shortages

May 5, 2022

Lufthansa is buoyant about the summer ahead, with bookings for June and July already well ahead of pre-pandemic levels. But the optimism is tempered by a harsh reality: Staffing shortfalls across the airline industry that could result in less-than stellar...

Spirit Airlines, JetBlue Fight Back Against United’s Newark Airport Congestion Claims

May 4, 2022

Spirit Airlines has a beef with United Airlines at Newark Liberty International Airport. The discounter has long sought 16 peak-hour runway timings that have gone unused since Southwest Airlines left the airport in 2019, and it's not taking the major...

AirBaltic Leases Ukrainian Aircraft Due to Shortage of Airbus A220 Spare Parts

May 3, 2022

In one of the most tangible demonstrations of the how geopolitics, economics, and the pandemic have affected airlines, AirBaltic will operate a Boeing 737-900 owned and crewed by Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) this summer. The arrangement, called a "wet-lease," will...

Qantas Plans World’s Longest Flights With Project Sunrise Airbus A350 Order

May 2, 2022

Qantas Airways has committed to the Airbus A350 for its long-delayed "Project Sunrise" ultra-long-haul Sydney-New York and Sydney-London flights. In one camp, there are the travelers who do not mind almost 20 hours in an aircraft if it means shaving...

Avianca Embraces Budget Airline Model in Deal for Viva Air

April 29, 2022

Colombia-based Avianca embraced a low-cost model as part of its U.S. Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, and now has plans to acquire budget competitor Viva Air. Financial terms of the deal that was announced on April 29 were not released, but...