AW Daily

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...

Gol Eyes U.S. Expansion Under American Airlines Partnership

April 28, 2022

Gol is feeling the benefit of its expanded strategic alliance with American Airlines just weeks after the pact was finalized. Paulo Kakinoff, CEO of Gol, said on April 28 that the partnership with American is already two times larger than...

Finnair Retools in Preparation for Lengthy Russian Airspace Closure

April 27, 2022

Few European airlines bear the weight of sanctions on Russia and the closure of the country's airspace more than Finnair. In the early days of the war in Ukraine, the carrier was forced to suspend its flights to North Asia...

Air Canada Forecasts 2023 for Full Recovery, Longer Than U.S. Peers

April 26, 2022

Air Canada expects traffic and revenues to start matching 2019 levels by the first or second quarter of next year, with the full recovery now forecast for 2024, a sharp contrast from its peers in the U.S., which are increasingly...

Air China, China Southern Make Scant Mention of International Growth in 2022 Outlooks

April 25, 2022

Two of China's largest airlines, Air China and China Southern Airlines, will focus on domestic growth this year as the country maintains tight Covid-19 border restrictions. The emphasis in their newly released 2021 annual reports, which include multiple mentions China's...

Startup Airlines Avelo and Breeze Face Union Pressure Early On

April 22, 2022

Two growing, year-old U.S. airlines face organizing efforts by labor unions intent on ensuring that commercial aviation remains among the country’s most highly unionized industry. Last week the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) won an election at Houston-based Avelo Airlines,...

Alaska Airlines Sees Big Rebound in Tech Business Travel

April 21, 2022

Tech companies are making a big return to business travel, with Alaska Airlines and others reporting a significant uptick in corporate bookings in recent weeks. “There's just been this material, as in a 50-point change, in booking levels for some...

Icelandic Airline Play’s U.S. Launch Not Dimmed by Inflation, Oil Prices

April 20, 2022

Icelandic startup Play's CEO Birgir Jónsson is unconcerned about the potential fallout from the war in Ukraine or Covid on the realization of the airline's transatlantic ambitions. All three of its initial U.S. destinations — Baltimore-Washington, Boston, and New York...

Cape Air CEO Worries Industry Tactics Could Lengthen Pilot Shortage

April 19, 2022

Cape Air CEO Linda Markham is worried that airlines are doing the industry a disservice in pursuing individual approaches to boosting pilot supply as the industry works to ease the shortage in the U.S. “I almost wish there could be...

U.S. Airfares Climb Above Pre-Pandemic Levels as Travel Demand Hits Record Levels

April 18, 2022

Flying in the U.S. will be expensive this summer. Passenger numbers are rapidly approaching pre-pandemic levels but airlines, for a variety of reasons, cannot keep pace adding back flights. The average U.S. domestic published airfare on the three largest carriers...