SpiceJet wants to open up the third-biggest aviation market even more. That means targeting the billion Indians who’ve never flown before, either because they can’t afford it or because they don’t live near a functioning airport. The airline is in talks with Japan’s Setouchi Holdings to buy about 100 amphibious Kodiak planes that can land anywhere, including on water, gravel or in an open field. The deal, valued at about US$400m, would help SpiceJet capitalise on prime minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious plan to connect the vast nation by air without waiting for billions of dollars in upgrades to colonial-era infrastructure. “Airports are in short supply in India,” SpiceJet chairman Ajay Singh said. “Lots of the growth in India is happening in small markets, but those small markets have little or no connectivity." <br/>
unaligned
EasyJet has signed an agreement to take on 25 Airberlin Airbus A320 leases and some of the airline’s Berlin Tegel slots for E40m (US$42m), strengthening its position in Berlin. The deal, which was announced Oct 30, is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in Dec 2017. EasyJet said the E40m investment excludes potential start-up and transitional operating costs. In addition, EasyJet has launched a recruitment campaign to attract around 1,000 of Airberlin’s pilots and cabin crew, who will be recruited over the coming months. These crews will be employed on local German contracts under collective labour agreements negotiated with German union Verdi. An EasyJet supervisory board member recently said: “If the deal is finalised as planned, EasyJet will get a market share in Berlin of 60%.” <br/>
Virgin Australia is scrambling to accommodate thousands of passengers after the Samoan govt blocked it from operating flights between the Pacific island and New Zealand. Samoa pulled the plug on Virgin Samoa, a joint venture with Virgin Australia in May and is preparing to launch its own national carrier called Samoa Airways. Virgin Australia had planned to fly its own services from Australia and New Zealand to the Samoan capital Apia from Nov 13, but Monday said that permission for Auckland to Apia flights had not been granted. About 6000 passengers booked on the 5 weekly return Auckland - Apia services will be affected. Virgin said it would fly those passengers to Samoa via Australia or to other destinations, or give them refunds. <br/>
Switzerland-based SkyWork Airlines canceled all flights for Sunday, Oct 29 and Monday, Oct 30, because of a still-missing operating license for the winter timetable. “At the moment we have no evidence that SkyWork can ensure financing of flight operations for the winter timetable,” SkyWork Airlines said. CE Martin Inäbnit said the airline is “working on a solution and still wants to provide the proof of financing and continue the flight operations.” He said SkyWork’s Berne home base is too small to operate year-round operations and cover costs. “It is therefore essential that we generate additional passenger and turnover outside Berne. Only in this way can the Berne home base be secured. This is part of the business plan 2018-2022, which focuses on growth strategy,” he said. <br/>
Volaris posted its first quarterly profit of 2017, reporting MXN731m (US$40.2m) in Q3 net income, down 27.6% from MXN1b in Q3 2016. “Demand and traffic patterns, despite a competitive fare environment, had been sequentially improving, but in September, natural disasters in Mexico and in the region temporarily interrupted such recovery,” Volaris CE Enrique Beltranena said. In September, the airline faced hurricanes Irma and Maria, plus 2 tropical storms in the Pacific, and 2 earthquakes that affected 11 Mexican states. Volaris canceled 50 flights in 8 airports during the period, which triggered a decline in bookings, the airline said. The airline posted Q3 revenues of MXN6.6b, down 2.2% year-over-year, with non-ticket revenue increasing 18.6% to MXN1.8b, or 27% of Volaris’ total operating revenue. <br/>