Coronavirus

TGIS AVIATION MANAGEMENT, UK and BCT AVIATION MAINTENANCE, UK formed partnership to offer a combined asset management, storage maintenance and return

Chinese domestic airline activity has virtually recovered to its 2019 level as airlines have laid on more capacity than is profitable, apparently to promote a revival in tourism and business travel.

ALTA members flew 227.5b RPKs in 1H20, down 51.3% vs 1H19; capacity dropped 44.8% to 309.7b ASKs. PLF was 73.4%.

ALTA members flew 4.2b RPKs in June, down 94.3% vs June 2019; capacity dropped 92.9% to 6.4b ASKs. PLF was 65.3%.

Two fatal airliner crashes this year are a sober reminder that commercial air travel safety is not all about reducing virus transmission; the pre-pandemic industry definition of safety first remains true.

Sky Airline is pushing ahead with plans to expand its international network from Peru despite lower passenger demand as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

Initial data from NASA’s Osiris-Rex mission spacecraft indicate the probe successfully left its low orbit over the asteroid Bennu on Aug. 11 to carry out a 4 1/2-hr. second close-approach rehearsal in preparation for a brief landing to gather surface material for return to Earth.

Vietnam Airlines is in the process of securing a VND4 trillion ($171.8 million) government loan as well as another VND8 trillion in charter capital increases as the flag-carrier predicts a VND15.1 trillion loss for 2020.

Expect the GE CF34 to be an engine that will be around for a while and one that will not see many migrate to the desert.

Initial drop of about 50% could be followed by prolonged and uneven climb back to prepandemic demand levels.

Carriers believe intensified testing can help boost traveler confidence and stimulate demand.

ERNEST, Italy is expected to re-emerge in late 2020 as regional carrier operating ATR 72-600s. It shut down in January.

US CONGRESS introduced Aviation Manufacturing Jobs Protection Act of 2020 to establish temporary relief program to share up to 50% of costs of pay

BOEING delivered four aircraft (767-300F; 777F; two 787s) in July vs 19 (two 737NGs; three 767s; two 777Fs; 12 787s) in July 2019. It recorded zero

AIR ARABIA lost AED169m in 1H20 (vs AED338m net profit in 1H19) on 53% lower revenues; enplanements fell 57%.

HESTON MRO formed partnership with Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport (near Brisband), Australia to provide short-/long-term aircraft parking services

Talks over an extension to the Payroll Support Program (PSP) look set to come down to the wire in September, after negotiations toward another U.S. coronavirus aid package broke down late last week.

GE Aviation is progressing with engineering and certification testing on its Catalyst engine designed for Textron Aviation’s Cessna Denali single-engine turboprop.

Most airline industry analysts and CEOs agree that consumer confidence will not start to return until a COVID-19 vaccine is readily available.

Israeli start-up Gadfin has been selected by multinational energy company Enel Group to demonstrate electrical infrastructure inspection using a fuel-cell-powered long-range drone.

LCC Air Arabia slipped into the red in the first half (H1) of 2020, seeing a successful first quarter obliterated by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) is gradually resuming flying after a three-month shutdown, but its main hub operation at Kyiv Boryspil International has been mothballed until spring 2021.

MESA AIR GROUP posted $3.4m net profit for third quarter ended June 30 (vs $3m a year ago) on 59.4% lower revenues, which included $16m of deferred

AIR LEASE CORPORATION priced public offering of $700m senior unsecured medium-term notes. It says it intends to use net proceeds for general corporate

US TSA processed >800,000 pax on August 9 for first time since March 17.