Delta Air Lines became the second major U.S. carrier to permanently eliminate change fees for certain international tickets, joining American Airlines in an effort to stimulate travel demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The European Commission (EC) has set out a goal framework aimed at helping the transport sector recover from the COVID-19 crisis and become more sustainable.
Ultra Air plans to begin operations in summer 2021 with a fleet of either Boeing 737 MAX 8s or Airbus A320s, according to founder and CEO William Shaw.
Philippine LCC Cebu Pacific is adding capacity in December in a joint effort with the Philippines tourism department to promote domestic travel, as well as adding more international flights to support the transport of overseas Filipino workers (OFW).
Fifteen aviation industry groups have asked the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to suspend an auction of radio frequency spectrum near the band used for radar altimeters.
U.S. start-up Ampaire is flying its hybrid-electric testbed on a regional airline route in Hawaii to demonstrate the propulsion technology’s potential to reduce fuel burn and CO2 emissions by 40-50%.
Virgin Australia has cut its Boeing 737 MAX orders by about half but remains focused on narrowbody operations, signaling that a return to widebody flying is still on the agenda but remains a long-term prospect.
Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) has called for tenders for laying a fourth runway, part of a larger upgrade program for the facility made possible by the opening of another airport in the city last year.
United Airlines passengers will soon have access to virtual, on-demand customer service at the Chicago-based carrier’s hubs, giving people a contact-free option to get real-time information and support.
American Airlines announced plans to offer pre-flight COVID-19 tests to domestic travelers, in a bid to help customers avoid mandatory quarantines in more than a dozen states and territories.
United Airlines accepted delivery of its 15th 737-9 aircraft Dec. 8—the first 737 MAX-family aircraft delivered since the model was approved to return to service following a 20-month grounding.
Mexico’s ULCCs continue to benefit from the retrenchment of their competitors, taking advantage of U.S. transborder opportunities from the country’s largest airport in Mexico City.
Etihad Airways has taken what it describes as the first step on its journey to reduce CO2 emissions to 50% of 2019 levels by 2035 by committing to purchasing carbon offsets to neutralize the emissions of its flagship “Greenliner” Boeing 787-10 throughout 2021.
Chinese and UK companies plan to come together in a joint venture (JV) to create advanced aerostructures for the growing Chinese commercial aviation industry.
Seattle is being added to Qatar Airways’ network during the first quarter of 2021, becoming the 11th destination in the U.S. to be served by the Gulf carrier.
Norwegian Air Shuttle said it filed for a reconstruction process under Norwegian law, a day after an Irish court ruled it could begin a 100-day restructuring process under the country’s equivalent of bankruptcy protection.
Viva Air Colombia plans to operate about 80% of pre-COVID capacity during December following strong demand since the country’s travel restrictions were relaxed in September.
Forward bookings globally for the peak Christmas travel season are 80% below where they would normally be, according to figures released by IATA, which show the trend for late bookings and how far off the industry is from true recovery.
