Ryanair blames an internal “cock up”, but its cancellation of 2,000 flights exposes the struggle that low-cost carriers face as they risk growing faster than their ability to recruit experienced pilots. Junior pilots are readily available, with hundreds unemployed in Britain alone, but Europe’s budget airlines require many extra captains who can take flights without needing lengthy and expensive training, or to accumulate flying hours. Ireland’s Ryanair, which has overtaken established carriers to become Europe’s biggest airline by passenger numbers, is hiring around 600 pilots this year, as is Norwegian Air Shuttle. For British-based easyJet the figure is 450 and in all cases these are their highest ever levels of pilot recruitment. “The low cost airlines are arguably more vulnerable to a pilot shortage because of their growth, which is now compounded by their size,” said Gerald Khoo, an analyst with Liberum. “Normally, in a tight labor market I would assume slightly higher staff costs or the airline could trim its capacity growth,” he said. “Not getting the balance right results in the situation we have seen at Ryanair in the past week.”<br/>
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US authorities have granted permission to budget airline Norwegian Air Shuttle’s British subsidiary to fly to and from U.S. cities, a boost to a company trying to crack the transatlantic market by undercutting established rivals. Europe’s third-largest budget airline by passenger numbers after Ryanair and EasyJet could already fly to and from the US on its Norwegian and Irish operating licenses. The permit now granted to its British company by the US Department of Transportation allows the airline to expand its operations at London’s Gatwick airport. “With a US foreign carrier permit also now received for NUK (Norwegian UK), Norwegian will be able to establish a seamless operation and more effectively utilize its long-haul fleet,” the company said Saturday. Norwegian Air said the decision would mean it would add “thousands more jobs” to the 1,000 pilots and crew already working for the carrier from Gatwick, offer new routes and cheaper fares. It is a boost at a time when the airline is under pressure to control costs and shore up its balance sheet to weather fierce competition.<br/>
Air France Thursday unveiled a new lower-cost subsidiary called Joon that will specifically target well-traveled millenials. A new medium-haul service will begin operating from Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris later this year, with long-haul flights to follow in summer 2018. The French carrier unveiled details of its new service after resolving a lengthy dispute between the management and pilots over the establishment of the subsidiary. Joon is “especially aimed at a young working clientele, the millennials (18- to 35-year-olds), whose lifestyles revolve around digital technology,” Air France said in a statement, without elaborating on what new technology would be deployed. The name was chosen “to illustrate a positive state of mind,” it added. Joon is aimed at helping Air France compete with the increasingly intense competition from budget European carriers such as Easyjet and Gulf airlines such as Emirates.<br/>
Viewers tuning in to Sunday’s National Football League telecasts may notice some new ads from Southwest Airlines. The low-cost giant is unveiling its new fall ad campaign, with the first spots appearing on the 1 p.m. NFL games broadcast Sunday by FOX, CBS and NBC. The new “Behind Every Seat is a Story” effort attempts to tell the carrier’s story as imagined by its passengers. It also pays service to the new state-of-the-art Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets that are to begin flying for the airline in October. The “Vignette” spot that debuts Sunday shows a series of individuals going about their lives as a Southwest Airlines seat number hovers near them. Some in the ad are headed to performances or doctors appointments. Others are off to see loved ones. The company says its new series “showcases unique stories inspired by customers and their reasons for flying.”<br/>
Air Malta is to split off ground-handling operations from flying activities, as part of efforts to improve its financial position. Ground-handling staff, numbering more than 450, will form a new, state-owned company. The Maltese government and the island’s General Workers Union signed an agreement for the new arrangement earlier this week. Among staff affected will be those in ground-handling service operations, ground equipment maintenance and cargo operations. Maltese media reports in recent weeks have said the government was prepared to close down the airline and set up a replacement, freed from legacy costs and conditions, if an agreement was not reached to separate the ground operations. The Mediterranean island’s tourism minister, Konrad Mizzi, said the ground-handling move was part for a wider plan to revitalize the airline, which has been under increasing pressure from LCCs in recent years. Malta is a popular holiday destination for Europeans. Mizzi said a new business plan for the airline was under preparation that aimed to generate growth, new business and provide investment for new equipment.<br/>
Chinese carrier Lucky Air plans to add new European long-haul services to St Petersburg and Helsinki, the next stage in its development after making its intercontinental bow this summer. The HNA Group carrier launched its first intercontinental service to Moscow in June and has now detailed plans to serve Pulkovo airport in the northern Russian city from Chengdu and Kunming. Services to both will be at least twice-weekly, Lucky says, and will begin this winter season. The announcement was marked by a signing ceremony at World Routes in Barcelona today. “China remains one of the fastest-growing flight directions for Pulkovo airport,” says Evgeniy Iliyn, chief commercial officer at Pulkovo St Petersburg. “Chengdu and Kunming are in the list of strategic routes for the St Petersburg airport and will become the fourth and fifth [Chinese mainland] destinations with direct scheduled service from the northern capital of Russia.”<br/>
A UK hotel has reportedly kicked out air crew from Pakistan's national carrier because of complaints of inappropriate behaviour. Pakistan's Express Tribune says the unnamed hotel doesn't want male employees of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) because they were making female guests "insecure". Hotel management had now banned air crew until action is taken. The news comes at a tough time for the loss-making airline.<br/>