Spicejet is in talks with aircraft makers over planes that would help its ambitions to fly long-haul, the carrier’s chairman said Monday. “We would dearly like to take passengers to Europe and the United States,” said Ajay Singh, chairman and managing director of Spicejet. “The question is the cost. Can we put enough seats in to get some of the advantages of short-haul low cost? Is there a model out there that we can use?... We are exploring that and hope we have some answers soon. We are talking to aircraft manufacturers and let’s see if we can build something out,” he added. The rise of low-cost long-haul traveling has been led by Asian carriers such as AirAsia, as well as Norwegian Air Shuttle across the Atlantic, although it remains to be seen whether it can be profitable in the long run. Gus Kelly, the CEO of Dublin-based lessor AerCap, agreed that one of the big questions with opting for low-cost long-haul was the seating arrangement - namely, whether the airline should invest millions in adding a premium class that they might not be able to sell for a high enough price, or stick to a plane with lots of economy seats. “Someone will get this right,” Kelly said, adding the takeover interest in Norwegian Air Shuttle from IAG was maybe an indication that Norwegian was getting it right. Spicejet’s Singh said there was a clear place for low-cost long-haul.<br/>
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The low-cost carrier expanded its air cargo business to Mexico over the weekend, its cargo business's first international destination. The expansion is an an effort to fly fruits, vegetables and pharmaceuticals, and a host of other goods between the US and its third-biggest trade partner. The programme started service Sunday between Houston and Mexico City and will expand to other cities, including Cancun and Puerto Vallarta later this summer. Mexico is the biggest source of imported fruits and vegetables to the US, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Air cargo is a tiny but growing part of US airlines' overall revenue, thanks to e-commerce and picky eaters who want more fresh food. Southwest made $173m from it last year, less than 1% of its overall revenue. Large US airlines, unlike some foreign carriers, don't operate a dedicated freighter aircraft. Instead they fill up passenger planes' bellies with cargo. Freight demand in North America is growing faster than the global average, according to the IATA, a industry group that represents most of the world's airlines. Southwest operates a fleet of all Boeing 737s and other airlines have much bigger aircraft with more space below the passenger cabin. But the airline hopes the structure of its network will entice shippers to select the carrier. <br/>
The two things that stand out most about Spirit Airlines are its low fares and high number of complaints. Spirit has improved on-time performance and cut its complaint rate by more than half in the last few years, although it still ranks near the bottom among US airlines. The airline is about to get a new CEO. Ted Christie, currently the president, will take over in January. Christie sat down with The Associated Press recently at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and talked about how Spirit will handle rising fuel costs, the airline's plan for growth, and how it will improve its reputation. Story features Q and A.<br/>
Oman’s first budget airline, SalamAir, has signed an agreement to add six new A320neo aircraft to its fleet, of which five are on lease from an undisclosed lessor. SalamAir is owned by the Muscat National Development and Investment Company and other Omani private investors. The airline launched services Jan. 30, 2017 and today operates close to 120 flights per week across 14 regional and global destinations. As an all-Airbus operator, SalamAir currently operates a fleet of three A320ceo aircraft. The new fleet will support the low-cost airline’s plans to increase connectivity across the region’s under-served and popular short to medium-haul routes. SalamAir CEO Mohamed Ahmed said, “In less than 18 months since our launch we have connected over half a million passengers across the globe and we continue to gain momentum as a leading budget carrier. With the new A320neo addition to our fleet we look forward to building on this success and expand to new markets while guaranteeing a great travel experience for our passengers.”<br/>
Philippine Airlines has taken delivery of the first of its Airbus A350-900 orders, and will use the aircraft to debut nonstop flights to New York. The first A350 arrived in Manila July 15. The aircraft is subject to a sale-and-leaseback agreement with SMBC Aviation Capital. PAL is scheduled to receive four A350s this year, out of its total firm orders for six. PAL intends to operate the A350s primarily on routes to Europe and North America. The non-stop route between Manila and New York Kennedy International Airport is scheduled to begin Oct. 29, and will be 5X-weekly. <br/>
Hawaiian Airlines announced Monday that it will operate additional, daily, non-stop service between Seoul’s Incheon International Airport and Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport during peak season this winter. “Our daily flights will help us meet increased demand by Korean travellers seeking our authentic Hawaiian flight experience on their way to a warm and relaxing getaway,” said Soojin Yu, South Korea country director at Hawaiian Airlines. “We are very pleased to increase our service so we may welcome aboard even more guests during the popular Lunar New Year holiday.” Hawaiian currently operates five flights a week between Seoul and Honolulu.<br/>
State-owned airline Merpati Nusantara Airlines does not have the funds to resume operating this year, as the company has failed to restructure its US$745m in debt, an official has said. The State-Owned Enterprises Ministry's deputy for restructuring and development, Aloysius Ro, said in Jakarta on Monday that the government was trying to find investors. “In fact, [Merpati] still cannot fly. We are trying to find investors because the government won’t provide additional capital injection,” Aloysius said. He said Merpati was in a difficult spot given the value of its assets, which are far lower than the value of its debt. The airline ceased operations in 2014.<br/>