Overview
It has been another week dominated by news from Down Under. Virgin Australia tapped its shareholders for more than A$1 billion in fresh capital, while Qantas Airways is looking more and more like an investment target for the Chinese carriers sidelined in the Virgin deal. In Thailand, King Power took a 39% stake in Thai AirAsia and in Singapore, its flag carrier said it would resume nonstop flights to the U.S. from October. On the Mainland, Tianjin Airlines hinted it could be an A350 customer.
Virgin Australia raises A$1 billion in fresh equity Read More »
News
Air China reinstates San Jose launch and Tianjin Airlines hints at A350 buy
Mainland flag carrier, Air China, has again changed course about its San Jose route launch. The airline was due to commence flights between Shanghai and the Silicon Valley this month, but without explanation removed the five-weekly A330-200 schedule from the system in May. Read More »
News
Korean Air to exit Brazil and Air Seoul awaits permission to fly
South Korea’s Korean Air (KAL) will revise its Americas’ network by terminating all passenger flights to Sao Paulo from September 25 because of huge losses. KAL flies an Incheon-Los Angeles-Sao Paulo A330-200 service three times a week. Read More »
News
King Power acquires 40% stake in Thai AirAsia
Thai duty-free conglomerate, King Power, has agreed to buy 39.82% of Thai AirAsia for $225 million. The purchase allows King Power's billionaire owner, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, to tap deeper into Thailand's tourism industry, fuelled largely by growing Mainland arrivals, and to expand beyond his fast-growing duty-free, hotel and football portfolio. Read More »
News
Singapore Airlines adds nonstop San Francisco link and suspends Sao Paulo
Singapore Airlines (SIA) will launch a daily A350-900 service to San Francisco from October 23, resuming nonstop service to the U.S. after a three year hiatus. The Star Alliance carrier now flies to San Francisco twice a day via Hong Kong and Incheon, respectively. Read More »
News
Air Mauritius swings to full-year profit but predicts tough year ahead
Air Mauritius has had a good year. This week, the Indian Ocean carrier posted a €16.6 million ($18.6 million) pre-tax profit for the financial year ended March 31, reversing a €23.6 million year-ago loss. Read More »
News
Air India unfit for privatization says aviation minister
“Its [Air India’s] books are so bad, I don’t think that even if it [privatization] was offered, anybody would come for it,” Indian aviation minister, Ashok Gajapathi Raju, has told local media. Read More »
News
Manila-based Cebu Pacific Air will add two A330-300s to its fleet to increase frequency and capacity to the Middle East and for commencement of flights to Hawaii, the budget carrier’s president, Lance Gokongwei, has confirmed to Reuters. Read More »
News
MAB weighs long, thin single-aisle order; Rayani Air’s AOC revoked
Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) is looking to add more second- and third-tier destinations in China to its network as part of its restructuring into a regional carrier. Read More »
People
Boeing names new Charleston chief
Joan Robinson-Berry will replace Beverly Wyse as vice-president and general manager of Boeing South Carolina, which includes the Dreamliner campus and several other facilities, the manufacturer announced Thursday. Read More »
Short Takes
Lessors
GE Capital Aviation Services Ltd (GECAS) has delivered four new CFM56-powered B737-800s to Hainan Airlines. The aircraft were part of GECAS’ existing order book with Boeing. Read More »
