Spirit Airlines expects it will raise passenger fares after years of lower ticket prices as the US budget carrier works to improve margins at a time of rising oil prices, CE Bob Fornaro said Monday. The ultra-low-cost-carrier’s average fare is lower today than in 2016 because of fierce competition, a drop that’s “eating into margins,” Fornaro said. Fornaro, who is leaving Florida-based Spirit at the end of the year, did not say how much fares could rise but suggested any increase would be modest. “Fare increase for us could come in the ancillary bucket or even the average price,” he said. “We don’t need big increases. But small numbers can make big differences for us.” North American carriers are still growing their networks but adding less capacity this year than expected, as higher oil prices pressure margins. Earlier in the day, Fornaro said Spirit is talking to manufacturers about a future fleet order. Spirit, which operates an all-Airbus fleet, expects to have 175 planes by 2021 but will need new aircraft for fleet growth and to replace aging jets, said Spirit CFO Ted Christie, who will succeed Fornaro as CEO.<br/>
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Private equity firm TPG Capital is considering investing in India's Jet Airways Ltd but is not close to finalising a deal, two sources with knowledge of the matter said, a plan that could raise money for the beleaguered airline. The investment could be more than $100m but discussions are at an early stage and the size of the stake and the investment are not clear yet, the sources said. Jet Airways has said it is confident of cutting costs and keeping its planes flying. TPG is looking to buy a stake in Jet Airways' frequent-flyer loyalty programme and has appointed Morgan Stanley to advise on the potential deal, the Mint newspaper reported Monday, citing sources. The deal with TPG could value the loyalty programme, Jet Privilege Private Ltd, at $400m, adding that Jet continues to engage with Blackstone Group for a similar deal.<br/>
Norwegian Air International, is attributing to non-recurring costs a full-year operating loss of more than $456m. At the end of 2017 the company held the commercial results for 12 Boeing 787-8s leased from Norwegian for transatlantic routes, and operated 70 Boeing 737s – comprising 64 737-800s and six 737 Max 8s. Norwegian Air International’s operating loss almost doubled from the previous figure of $234 million, according to its latest financial statement for the year ending 31 December 2017. It lists a pre-tax loss of almost $446m and a net loss of $390m. Revenues for the airline increased by one-third, to just over $2b – including ticket and ancillary income of $1.95b – while expenditure rose by 41% to $2.48b, including a 61% hike in fuel costs to $535m. “The majority of the loss was as a result of start-up costs relating to new bases which the company does not expect to incur in the future,” says Norwegian Air International. “It is envisaged that the company will become profitable in future years.” It stresses that its parent, Norwegian Air Shuttle, has undertaken to provide financial support enabling Norwegian Air International to pay its debts for at least a year.<br/>
Southwest plans to increase its early boarding fee on some flights. EarlyBird Check-In, which gives travellers a better boarding position in Southwest’s unique open seating system, will go from a flat $15 per person each way to $15, $20 or $25 depending on the length of the flight and the popularity of EarlyBird Check-In on the route. The switch to variable pricing, unveiled to employees Friday and due to be formally announced Monday, begins Aug. 29. Southwest, which famously doesn't assign seats, introduced Early-Bird Check-In in 2009, charging $10 each way. It went up to $12.50 and then to $15 in 2016. "We’re making this change so we can continue offering a product our customers love," Southwest said. "Of course, an increase in the price of a product is rarely welcome news, but as EarlyBird increases in popularity, we want to protect the value it offers our customers." This will be the second fee increase for Southwest this year. Earlier this year, the airline raised its “upgraded boarding" fee. That is a last-minute option, available at the airport, to jump to the front of the boarding line. <br/>
South African regional carrier SA Express is set to begin a staged return to services from Aug. 23, three months after the country’s regulator barred it from flying. The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) suspended both the company’s air operator’s certificate (AOC) and aircraft maintenance organization (AMO) authorisation May 24 after an audit uncovered what the regulator described as “severe cases of non-compliance that pose serious safety risks.” The AMO suspension meant the airline had to apply to have all its aircraft certificates of airworthiness individually revalidated. The state-owned airline has been working since May to restore necessary authorizations to resume scheduled services. In the interim, other South African carriers have sought to fill the void by stepping up their own services on SA Express routes.<br/>
Frontier Airlines says it has suspended a pilot accused of threatening on Facebook to harm a 12-year-old transgender girl for using the girls bathroom at her Oklahoma school. Frontier spokesman Jonathan Freed said Monday that the pilot was suspended Aug. 13 pending an investigation into the alleged threats against the student in Achille, a community outside Oklahoma City. He says the Denver-based airline doesn't condone discrimination but he declined to release further details, including the pilot's name. Achille schools closed for two days last week after adults made threatening comments on Facebook about the student's use of a girls bathroom. Officials say no arrests have been made, but the child's mother sought a protective order after a man confronted the mother in person.<br/>