Further strike action at Ryanair can only be avoided if management at the airline engage in meaningful negotiations, rather that issuing threats to its staff, the trade union Fórsa has said. Ryanair has cancelled 20 of its 300 planned flights to and from Ireland Aug 3rd – about 7% of the total – when pilots represented by Fórsa plan to stage another 1-day stoppage. The union has insisted that its negotiating team in talks with Ryanair is made up solely of Ryanair pilots – elected by their peers in the company– and full-time Fórsa officials with no links to any airline or any other employer. Friday, Ryanair called on the union to remove the president of the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association captain Evan Cullen from involvement in the negotiations between the union, the airline and its pilots. <br/>
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Concerns are growing over the possible revocation of Jin Air's business license ahead of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's closed-door hearing that starts Monday to review the laws related to the ministry's forthcoming decision on the future of the carrier. According to airline industry officials Sunday, revoking Jin Air's license will lead to potential lawsuits against the govt because the govt itself allowed the carrier to go into business and become public. Foreign investors holding an 11.7% share in Jin Air reportedly plans to bring the case to the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, if the transport ministry revokes the company's license. The govt has lost all the previous cases that were brought to the ICSID. <br/>
A small number of fan blades with cracks like those blamed for a fatal accident on Southwest Airlines have been found at other airlines, and the engine maker is considering recommending more frequent inspections. A spokesman for General Electric, one of two companies that owns the engine manufacturer, said Friday that "a handful" of problematic fan blades have been removed during stepped-up inspections that followed the Southwest accident in April. Southwest's COO, Mike Van de Ven, said he knows of "maybe 4 or 5" reports of cracked fan blades at other carriers. Neither Van de Ven nor GE identified the airlines. The blades are being analysed as part of the NTSB's investigation of the accident in which a woman died after being pushed partly out of a broken window as her plane cruised 32,000 feet above the ground. <br/>
Thomas Cook is considering splitting off its airline and selling a stake to an outside investor to reduce debt, the Sunday Times newspaper reported. The newspaper, citing unnamed industry sources, said internal discussions were at an early stage and no change was likely imminently. However, the sale of a stake in the airline - possibly to Chinese conglomerate Fosun, an existing 12% shareholder in the group - would make it easier for both the travel business and the airline to expand, the newspaper said. A Thomas Cook spokesman told the newspaper that the company had previously said it was open to industry consolidation but that it had "no current plans" to sell its airline. Airline bookings rose 18% in the first half of its financial year, boosted by the collapse of Air Berlin and Monarch. <br/>
Spirit Airlines returned to profitability in Q2 of 2018, posting an US$11.3m net profit on top of a 21.6% rise in revenue. While Spirit’s Q2 net result is a fraction of what the carrier reported a year ago ($77.2m net profit in Q2 2017), it is nonetheless a rebound from the $45m net loss the company reported in the 2018 March quarter. “Despite materially higher fuel prices, our second-quarter results exceeded our expectations due to strong ancillary revenue production and better than expected cost performance, primarily driven by [our] operational performance,” Spirit CE and director Bob Fornaro said. According to US DoT statistics, Spirit achieved a 79.6% on-time performance, Fornaro said, the airline’s best Q2 on-time record ever. <br/>
JetBlue pilots, represented by ALPA, have ratified a 4-year contract, the airline confirmed. Of the 98% of pilots who voted, 74% were in favour of the agreement, JetBlue said. The contractual terms—which include market competitive pay rates, per diems and 401(k) provisions—will be effective Aug 1. Negotiations over the collective bargaining agreement have been under way since March 2015. In July 2017, JetBlue’s pilots filed for mediation with the National Mediation Board. ALPA president Tim Canoll said the contract “provides significant pay increases, improvements to retirement, and enhanced working conditions, and serves as an example of ALPA’s determined efforts to advance our members’ careers and the piloting profession.” <br/>
SA Express has received the go-ahead to restart services, 9 weeks after the country’s civil aviation regulator grounded the airline. The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) made the decision May 24 following an audit of the airline and its maintenance operation, which the regulator said “uncovered severe cases of non-compliance that posed serious safety risks.” The decision came a month after the airline succeeded in having its aircraft maintenance organisation approval restored. Getting back to the position where it can resume services has taken longer than the airline had initially hoped. However, it may yet be some time before SA Express can get back into the air, as the SACAA has so far restored the airworthiness certificates for only 2 of its aircraft. <br/>