Norwegian plans to take 9 Boeing 787-9s and its first 737 MAX in 2017, using some extra capacity to add its first long-haul, low-cost flights between the UK and non-US destinations. The LCC said 2017 will be its “busiest ever year,” with over 30 aircraft deliveries, including its first 737 MAX, which is scheduled to arrive during the summer. "Norwegian plans to announce a series of transatlantic routes from UK cities to the US east coast early in 2017,” the airline said. This summer, Norwegian will increase its UK-US flights by 55%, totalling 34 direct weekly flights from London Gatwick. These routes include Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, New York, Oakland-San Francisco and Orlando. <br/>
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New German airline Azur Air is preparing to start operations in April. The carrier plans to operate leisure flights on behalf of Dutch-Turkish tour operator Anex Tourism Group. Azur Air is stationing 3 leased 330-seat Boeing 767-300ERs in Düsseldorf, where a maintenance centre is also being established. In addition to Düsseldorf, the carrier also plans to launch operations from Berlin and Munich in April. Azur Air will operate leisure routes that include Mediterranean destinations in Europe and the Canary Islands in Spain. Long-haul flights are also planned at a later date. The company said it has entered the (German) commercial register and is undergoing licensing by the German Aviation Federal Office (LBA Luftfahrt Bundesamt). <br/>
IndiGo and SpiceJet have raised "security" concerns over the govt's decision to allow 100% foreign ownership by non-airline players in the Indian carriers. SpiceJet CMD Ajay Singh and IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh have recently raised this issue during their meeting with Commerce and Industry minister Nirmala Sitharaman. During the meeting, the two airlines said aviation is a "sensitive sector" and the FDI policy relaxation would have "security implications", according to sources. The sector is faced with a Catch-22 situation where a foreign investor, excluding overseas airlines, can acquire up to 100% stake in a local carrier. However, at present they cannot seek a scheduled operator's permit since it can only be given to a company where substantial ownership and effective control is in the hands of Indian nationals. <br/>
NewLeaf Travel says it is cancelling plans to offer flights between Alberta and the Phoenix-Mesa airport in Arizona this year because another airline copied the idea. Jim Young, president and CE of NewLeaf said within hours of NewLeaf announcing the Arizona route, another airline “lowered its fares and offered service to an airport it had previously ignored for over a decade.” He said NewLeaf will also be postponing its service to Florida from Hamilton, Ont. WestJet announced back in November that it would begin flights between Calgary and Edmonton and the Phoenix-Mesa airport Jan 19. “The airline business is more challenging than it seems and this airline appears to be blaming one airline for their woes in a particular market without providing the travelling public the full story,” a WestJet spokeswoman said. <br/>