International Air Transport Association (IATA) director general and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac, said overnight systematic COVID-19 testing of all travellers before departure was "key to restoring the freedom of mobility across borders". The airline lobby group has called for the development and deployment of rapid, accurate, affordable, easy-to-operate, scalable and systematic testing for the coronavirus on all passengers before departure as an alternative to "impractical quarantine measures".Read More »
Thai Airways International (THAI) has extended suspension of all international flights until the end of November due to the COVID-19 outbreak and immigration restrictions and governmental measures imposed by several countries. "We appreciate the continuous disruption and inconvenience this may cause to passengers and truly apologise for this," the airline said on its website. THAI wound down its scheduled international flights in late March due to the pandemic.
Air New Zealand (Air NZ) said yesterday its domestic schedule would reach 80% of pre-COVID-19 levels in October. Some routes would have more flights in the upcoming school holiday period compared with the same time in 2019, Air NZ said in a statement, with overall capacity to and from Queenstown reaching 125% of last year's levels. Air NZ general manager for networks, Scott Carr, said more New Zealanders than ever were taking the opportunity to travel around their own country.
Japan Airlines (JAL) said today it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with U.S.-based autonomous aircraft company, Matternet, to assess drone delivery healthcare opportunities and develop a drone healthcare delivery business in Japan. “Japan Airlines is eager to explore the future of its air logistics business with the implementation of drone delivery,” JAL managing executive officer of innovation, Tomohiro Nishihata, said in a statement. JAL has been conducting demonstrations on transporting relief supplies in various trials since 2019.
China Development Bank Financial Leasing Company (CDB) said yesterday its aviation leasing arm, CDB Aviation Lease Finance DAC, had signed a purchase and leaseback agreement with United Airlines for two 787-9s and 10 737-MAX 8s. The aircraft will be delivered in 2020 and 2021, CDB said in a regulatory filing to the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.
Boeing said overnight an ultraviolet wand that can disinfect a flight deck in 15 minutes is to enter production. Boeing designed, developed and then evaluated the cleansing wand on an Etihad Airways 787-10 ecoDemonstrator aircraft. It has signed a patent and technology license with U.S.-based Healthe Inc. which will build and distribute the device. "The UV wand is designed to be more effective than similar devices. It quickly disinfects surfaces on an airplane and strengthens other layers of protection for passengers and crew," said the head of Boeing's Confident Travel Initiative (CTI), Mike Delaney.
