Ryanair has called for strict limits on the amount of alcohol passengers can be served at UK airports, following a spike in the number of people arrested for drunken behaviour at airports or on flights. A BBC report said 387 people had been arrested in the year to Feb 2017, up from 255 in the previous 12 months. Ryanair said that most of a 600% leap in disruptive passenger incidents recorded by UK regulator the CAA in the UK between 2012 and 2016 involved alcohol to some extent and the airline urged airports to take more responsibility for serving alcohol. “It’s completely unfair that airports can profit from the unlimited sale of alcohol to passengers and leave the airlines to deal with the safety consequences,” Ryanair CMO Kenny Jacobs said. <br/>
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Azul Brazilian Airlines views more efficient aircraft joining its fleet—specifically the Airbus A320neo and Embraer E195-E2—and new revenue streams from ancillary fees as keys to what it is characterising to investors as a “ton of upside” going forward. Buoyed by an IPO that raised US$570m in April, Azul executives said a more stable Brazilian economy helped it narrow its Q2 2017 net loss by 71.7% year-over-year to BRL33.9m ($10.3m) and swing to a BRL21.3m net profit for the first half of the year compared to a BRL187.1m net loss in the first 6 months of 2016. “What you’re seeing is stability” in the Brazilian economy, Azul CE John Rodgerson said Monday. “We’re not here to claim the recovery is in play yet, but we’re very optimistic for the second half of the year.” <br/>
Hainan Airlines has signed a cooperation agreement with Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport and the Transport Commission of Shenzhen Municipality in an effort to enhance its position in the Shenzhen market. Hainan expects to move forward with a plan to open Shenzhen-Brisbane service this year. The carrier will continue its expansion pace by opening one intercontinental route and 2 intra-Asia routes from Shenzhen annually by 2020. The company also plans to increase its overnight aircraft at Shenzhen Airport to 30—including 15 widebodies—by 2020. The Transport Commission of Shenzhen Municipality, which represents the Shenzhen govt, said it will provide support to Hainan Airlines in the areas of international traffic rights, slots, subsidies and necessary real estate backup. <br/>
A Russian court has declared Aeroflot Airline subsidiary Donavia insolvent following a bankruptcy filing in January when Aeroflot filed on behalf of its 2 subsidiaries—Orenburg-based Orenair and Rostov-on-Don-based Donavia. Orenair was declared bankrupt in Feb 2017. In Nov 2011, Aeroflot received shares of 5 Russian regional carriers—including Orenair, Donavia and Saint Petersburg-based Rossiya Airlines—from Russian state corporation Rostec. In Oct 2015, Aeroflot announced it would combine the assets of 3 subsidiaries under the brand Rossiya Airlines. In May 2016, Donavia’s air operator’s certificate was canceled after the assets were combined. In Aug 2016, Aeroflot recovered a RUB884m (US$13m) overdue loan it had granted to Donavia last year. <br/>
Scottish regional airline Loganair is in discussions with British Airways on an expanded codeshare agreement. The operator is about to come to the end of a lengthy franchise agreement with Flybe. It has flown in Flybe’s colours for a decade, but talks on renewing the agreement broke down in 2016 when the two sides were unable to agree on terms. Flybe has since gone on to sign a franchise agreement with another UK regional, Eastern Airways, and fierce competition is expected between the groups. From Sept 1, Loganair will again operate under its traditional colours of a black lower fuselage and red engine cowlings, with a tartan tailfin. Prior to its connection with Flybe, Loganair was a BA franchise operation for 14 years from 1994-2008. <br/>
The former chairman of EVA Air is planning to launch a new airline in Taiwan, operating both short- and long-haul routes. The full-service carrier, StarLux, is expected to commence commercial operations by the end of 2019. It will target traffic between Southeast Asia and North America, allowing travellers to transit in Taipei. Neih Kuo-wei, who is said to be a “close associate” of StarLux founder Chang Kuo-wei, said that an application to establish the new company would be submitted to Taiwan’s CAA by the end of the year, and that contracts to purchase or lease new aircraft will be finalised next year. Chang is the former chairman of EVA Air. StarLux says it intends to build a fleet of 24 aircraft within the first 6 years, employing 3,500 people. In the second 6-year period, it expects to add a further 26 aircraft. <br/>
If planes could fly on good wishes, fond memories and chocolate chip cookies, Midwest Express would be up and running by the end of the week. The reality, airline industry experts say, is much murkier, not to mention much more expensive: Bringing back the beloved airline, as two Wisconsin businessmen are proposing, will be extremely difficult. “Nothing is impossible, but it would certainly be an uphill climb," said one aviation consultant. Business partners Curt Drumm and Greg Aretakis are seeking to restore the Midwest Express brand as an operating airline, Drumm said this past week. The effort to bring back Midwest has an advantage in that the brand doesn't have to be created from scratch, said one ad consultant. "From beginning to end, that brand had a very loyal following". <br/>
The Air Line Pilot Association International Monday announced that 1,600 unionised Spirit Airlines pilots will be asked to vote on a measure that would initiate a legal strike. The union and the airline have been clashing over wage negotiations for more than 2 years. "We are looking for an industry-standard contract that brings our compensation in line with our fellow pilots — that remains our main goal," said the chairman of Spirit ALPA. "However, we are willing to take any lawful steps necessary, including a legal strike, to achieve the contract every Spirit pilot has earned." The union, which represents pilots from Spirit and more than 30 other airlines in the US and Canada, says voting opens Aug 21 and closes Sept 8. ALPA argues that compensation for its Spirit pilots lags behind other airline pilots on similar routes and aircraft by as much as 40%. <br/>