LONDON - Britain's Heathrow Airport slashed the outlook for next year's passenger numbers as the pandemic continues to crush demand for flying, and said it was no longer the busiest airport in Europe, ceding its long-held crown to Paris.»
DUBAI - State-owned Saudi Arabian Airlines is facing a claim in London's High Court filed last month by a Dubai-based financial services firm over an alleged breach of lease agreements of 50 Airbus aircraft, court documents showed. The case affects 30 Airbus A320neo and 20 A330-300 aircraft.»
WASHINGTON - Transmission risks of Covid-19 during airline flights are very low and below other routine activities during the pandemic such as grocery shopping or going out to dinner, when using face coverings and taking other steps, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health said Tuesday.»
DUBAI - Dubai airport, the world's busiest for international travel before the coronavirus crisis, could see passenger traffic fall by as much 70% this year. A wave of new infections ahead of the typically busy Christmas and year-end travel season has brought further uncertainty to an industry already decimated by the pandemic.»
LONDON - Aero-engine maker Rolls-Royce will ask shareholders on Tuesday for 2 billion pounds ($2.6 billion) in a make-or-break attempt to survive the Covid-19 pandemic, which has stopped planes flying and hammered its finances. Investors are expected to back the recent rights issue.»
PARIS - Aeroports de Paris, operator of the French capital's main airports, cut its full-year passenger traffic outlook on Friday as a second wave of Covid-19 infections gathers pace. The airport group will be increasing testing capacities at its airports but will not provide any guidance on future passenger target.»
TOKYO - Japan's government is in no mood for a huge bailout plan for ailing airline ANA, sources say, preferring a piecemeal approach to direct capital injections - a stark contrast to the bold moves other countries have made to protect flagship carriers. Still, all options remain on the table for ANA.»
SYDNEY - Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways decision to force pilots permanently onto lower-paid contracts or risk losing their jobs is "draconian" and "short-sighted", the head of the union representing them said on Friday. The carrier on Wednesday announced plans to cut 5,900 jobs to help it weather the pandemic.»
LONDON - A British Airways jumbo jet has found a new role as a film set, saving it from the scrap heap where dozens of other retired jumbos have ended up. BA said that "Whisky Victor" will fly to Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, southern England, later on Thursday, where the airport will preserve it as a commercial TV and film set.»
SYDNEY - Qantas said that Australian state border closures due to the coronavirus pandemic had cost it A$100 million ($71 million) in earnings in the first quarter and would have a negative impact in the second quarter as well. The airline is running less than 30% of its normal domestic capacity.»
LONDON - British Airways-owner IAG reported a 1.3 billion euro (1.2 billion pounds) loss in the third quarter as coronavirus restrictions continue to depress travel, forcing it to further downgrade its capacity outlook for the rest of the year - the airline group will hold short at 30 percent of normal capacity.»
LISBON - British airline Easyjet confirmend plans to open a new base in Faro, the main city in Portugal's popular Algarve tourist region, which has been hammered by the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic. The airline hopes 2021 will be its "first year of recovery" from a steep 2020 loss.»
LONDON - Rapid outbound Covid-19 testing for passengers has been launched at London's Heathrow Airport, designed to return results in an hour, in an effort to re-open restricted routes and boost traffic for beleaguered airlines. Inbound testing is pending government approval.»Discussions on current events and developments in the aviation industry
