The World Bank's arbitration tribunal has ordered Argentina to pay US$320m plus interest and legal fees to Spanish travel group Marsans for expropriating its airline Aerolineas Argentinas in 2008, a local newspaper reported Saturday. The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) ruled against Argentina for "illegally expropriating the investments" of Marsans, the tribunal was quoted as saying. ICSID and a spokesperson for the office of Argentine president Mauricio Macri did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Argentina's former president Cristina Fernandez ordered the state seizure of the airline in 2008, alleging mismanagement. It has remained under state control since then. <br/>
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Delta Air Lines will introduce a new direct daily route between Atlanta and Shanghai, China in July 2018, the carrier said July 19, pending govt approvals. It will be Delta’s fourth US-Shanghai route, in addition to existing service from Detroit, Seattle and Los Angeles. With codeshare partner China Eastern Airlines, passengers will have access to over 50 destinations from Shanghai, Delta said. Conversely, Shanghai-origin China Eastern passengers will be able to access over 150 destinations in the US and Latin America from Atlanta. The airline plans to utilise a 291-seat Boeing 777-200LR on the flight, configured for 37 lie-flat seats in first class, 36 seats in comfort plus class and 218 seats in the main cabin. Delta said it will progressively rollout its Delta One and Delta Premium Select products on its 777 fleet beginning in late 2018. <br/>
The deadline for proposals for the future of troubled Alitalia has passed and the airline’s administrators are regrouping to confirm the next steps. Last month, Alitalia’s administrators said they received 32 expressions of interest. One of these came from Ryanair, which clarified it was not interested in buying Alitalia, but would be interested in feeding the carrier’s long-haul traffic. EasyJet was also among the 32. These interested parties were narrowed to a shortlist and sent a “procedure letter” June 26. The eligible bidders were allowed access to Alitalia’s data room and given until July 21 to submit non-binding proposals to the administrators. “On the basis of the proposals received, the special commissioners will define the purpose of the program of the extraordinary administration and submit it to the ministry of economic development for approval within next week," the airline said. <br/>