December 1st 2021

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October

India’s drawn-out process for privatisation of its flag carrier, Air India, reached a conclusion when Tata Sons was announced as the successful bidder for the government-owned airline. Read More » The India conglomerate won the contest for 100% of Air India, 100% of LCC, Air India Express, and 50% of the airport services provider, Air India SATS, with a 180 billion rupee (US$2.4 billion) bid. Tata Sons already holds equity in Vistara, a joint venture with Singapore Airlines Group, and AirAsia India, also a joint venture, but with Malaysia-headquartered AirAsia Group.

The purchase reunited Tata Sons with Air India. The company launched Tata Airlines in 1932, which would become Air India. In 1953, the carrier was nationalised by the Indian government.

Australia announced plans to reopen for international travel without quarantine for those fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Restrictions on Australian citizens and permanent residents travelling overseas without approval, in place since the start of the pandemic, also were to be lifted. News more relaxed rules would be in place in Melbourne and Sydney from the start of November prompted a flurry of airline announcements detailing a raft of new international flights to and from Australia’s two most populous cities.

Air New Zealand (Air NZ) indicated expectations of its operations during the pandemic when it announced all passengers on its international services would have to be fully vaccinated by February 1 next year as part of a “no jab, no fly” policy. “Being vaccinated against COVID-19 is the new reality of international travel,” Air NZ CEO, Greg Foran, said.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) said its restructuring plan had been approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. The court also authorised PAL’s access to US$505 million of debtor-in-possession financing to provide additional liquidity for meeting the company’s obligations.

Aviation executives gathered in person this month at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) annual general meeting, held this year in Boston. IATA announced its 2022 AGM would be in Shanghai and hosted by China Eastern Airlines. The 2022 AGM will the third held in China after Beijing in 2012 and Shanghai in 2002.

On a sad note, SIA announced two of its A380s (9V-SKH and 9V-SKG) would be parted out alongside one 777-200ER (9V-SQJ) at the Changi Exhibition Centre. A small group of aviation enthusiasts waited late into the evening on October 4 on Aviation Park Road to watch a procession of the three aircraft being towed from Changi Airport to the exhibition centre, the site of the Singapore Airshow. It was the first time SIA had scrapped its aircraft locally, with the work to be undertaken by SIA Engineering Company.