Coronavirus

A recovery is expected to start this year but the French aerospace industry is still in the middle of its endeavor to save jobs and skills, showing solidarity and exploiting state aid programs.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is planning to fly 50% of its pre-COVID-19 traffic volumes in the summer season and hopes long-haul routes will play a crucial part in its recovery.

Ryanair cut its traffic forecast for the financial year to March 2021 and said it would reduce its flight schedules from later in January.

Malaysia Airlines appears to be inching closer to gaining approval from creditors for its sweeping debt restructuring plan.

Norwegian Air Shuttle said it was operating nine aircraft after “positive” Christmas bookings, representing a small improvement in its activities from the six aircraft it had been operating in previous weeks.

The COVID-19 crisis has dented Airbus’ and Boeing’s growth trajectories and boosted China’s quest to become an aerospace powerhouse.

Management insists permanent structural change is needed whereas unions try to return to pre-crisis labor conditions as soon as possible.

BOEING is expected to close its Advanced Developmental Composites (ADC) facility in Everett by mid-2021.

Dassault Aviation has released orders and delivery numbers for 2020, where the impact of the downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic appears.

CRÉDIT AGRICOLE GROUP is contributing €100m into in Ace Aéro Partenaires aeronautical investment fund (managed by ACE CAPITAL PARTNERS) to support

ROLLS-ROYCE is considering temporary suspension of its UltraFan engine program following completion of the on-going demonstrator program in 2022.

GOL carried 16.8m pax in 2020, down 54% from 36.4m in 2019. It flew 33% more domestic RPKs (international service is still suspended) in December vs

TSA screened 1.08m individuals at US airports on Monday, January 4; it was seventh of last 10 days of >1m pax.

AAPA members flew 5.2b RPKs in November, down 95.4% vs Nov 2019; capacity fell 87.5% to 17.4b ASKs. PLF was 29.7%.

MONTENEGRO AIRLINES suspended operations due it says lack of government support; it has three E195s and a Fokker 100.

Lessor BOC Aviation has reported a fairly stable year-on-year operational performance for 2020, while AerCap appeared to report a more significant drop in its full-year activity as COVID-19 took its toll.

Ground handling giant Swissport is consolidating its activities in Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands, bringing them under the leadership of new CEO Thierry Miremont.

The Tata group’s purchase of a larger holding in joint venture AirAsia India (AAI) could help spur consolidation in the Indian airline industry as it rebounds from the COVID-19 crisis.

As ATR delivers its first ATR72 freighter to FedEx, Embraer considers an E190 conversion program.

AVIATION CAPITAL GROUP announced early redemption on Feb 3 of all $750m of the principal amount outstanding of its 6.750% Senior Notes due 2021.

AUSTRIAN AIRLINES is expected to retire three (25273/26417/27095) of its six 767-300ERs to Marana, AZ in 1Q21.

HOKKAIDO INTL AIRLINES (Air Do) is expected to retire two 767-300ERs (27476/28159) to Roswell, NM in January/March.

TUI, Germany received EC approval for €1.25b state aid package to recapitalize.

AERCAP signed lease agreements for 18 aircraft in 4Q20 (vs 29 in 4Q19) and 97 in 2020 (vs 192 in 2019); and financing transactions for $2.8b in 4Q20

Industry’s push to get revised training standards for U.S. mechanic educational programs received a boost in the recent stimulus bill, as Congress included language that calls on the FAA to issue a new rule by midyear.