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A budget airline that began offering long-haul flights from UK airports including Stansted to the US earlier this year has collapsed. Primera Air said it was ceasing all operations at midnight Monday after 14 years of operations. Flights to Washington and New York due to leave Stansted Monday night were grounded and passengers have been told not to go to the airport Tuesday. The Danish-registered airline is not part of the CAA's ATOL Protection scheme, which covers only passengers booked on package holidays. The regulator has advised passengers who have travelled on a Primera flight they will need to make their own arrangements to return to the UK, and to contact their travel insurer or travel agent. The Icelandic-owned airline said it had failed to secure long-term financing, meaning it had "no choice" but to file for bankruptcy. <br/>

Ryanair has warned investors its full-year profits will be lower than expected, partly due to the recent wave of industrial action. The airline said its profits would be 12% lower than the E1.25-1.35b previously forecast, and it now expects profits of between E1.1-1.2b. Ryanair said this was due to higher oil prices, higher costs associated with EU flight compensation rules, and weaker fares due to the recent strikes. It warned it may lower forecasts again. Shares in the airline opened down 8%. Ryanair said fares for Q3 of the year were lower as forward bookings, particularly for the October school mid-terms and Christmas, were being affected by fear of further strikes. The carrier said it had not hedged its fuel bill against prices rises, and this meant it would be paying 10% more for its fuel thanks to the recent rise in the global price. <br/>

The body of a passenger on a flight that crashed short of the runway on the tiny Pacific island nation of Micronesia last week has been discovered by divers, operator Air Niugini said Monday in contrast to its initial report that all had survived. The airline said Friday all 47 passengers and crew on board had safely evacuated the Boeing737 jet after it landed in a lagoon during heavy rain and reduced visibility. Air Niugini said Saturday that it could not account for one male passenger, but Sunday it said other passengers had confirmed he had safely evacuated the plane and was seen in a local dinghy that transported passengers and crew to the shore. Monday evening, Air Niugini CE Tahawar Durrani said the body of the unaccounted male passenger was discovered by divers during the day. <br/>

Air-safety regulators have ordered more-intensive checks on engines that power thousands of older Boeing 737 planes after an exploding turbine on a Southwest Airlines flight caused the death of a passenger earlier this year. EASA starting Oct 5 will require CFM56 engines to undergo inspections every 1,600 flight cycles, down from 3,000. The US FAA Monday issued a matching order that takes effect Oct 16. The ruling comes after a woman was killed on a Southwest Airlines flight in April after being partly sucked through a window that had been smashed by a metal fan blade ejected from an engine mid-flight. Southwest earlier cut the inspection interval for its older engines to the 1,600 cycle interval. The directives apply to an earlier generation of Boeing 737 jets that are equipped with the CFM56 engine. <br/>

The new CE of Canadian company Jetlines is working to develop a tech-driven airline that takes inspiration from some of the world's leading technology companies Javier Suarez, who became CE in September, is also re-evaluating Jetlines' network plans amid a goal to get airborne next spring, he said. Jetlines, which has yet to operate any flights, has previously set and pushed back timelines for beginning service as an ultra-low-cost carrier. The company also continues seeking more money from investors, Suarez notes. Jetlines will invest significantly in technology to personalise products and services, such as marketing child care to parents after they arrive at their destination, he says. The company aims to use data scientists and machine learning technology to identify optimal prices for add-on services, says Suarez. <br/>

Eurowings Europe and trade union Vida have agreed on a contract for cockpit and cabin crews, retroactive to March 1. The agreement includes a comprehensive package of additional benefits and up to 20% increases in base salary for flight attendants. In addition, bonuses of up to 25% of the base salary are possible depending on the financial success of the company. Further, adjustments of 2% of base salary for 2020 and 2021 already have been negotiated. For experienced cockpit and cabin hires, the prior work histories of captains, first officers and flight attendants with other airlines will be accepted. “With these new compensation and working conditions for pilots and flight attendants, we are among the most attractive employers in Vienna,” Eurowings Group MD and human resources manager Frank Bauer said. <br/>

Norwegian will start operations on 96 domestic routes in Argentina over the next 3months, the carrier announced Oct 1. The airline’s initial services will be from Buenos Aires Aeroparque Jorge Newbery to Córdoba and Mendoza (Oct 16); Iguazú and Neuquén (Nov 19); and to Bariloche and Salta (Dec 3). Passengers traveling on the Norwegian’s long-haul route from London Gatwick to Buenos Aires Ezeiza International will have to connect to the city’s domestic airport via taxi or bus. As there is a change of airport, tickets must be purchased separately from the London to Buenos Aires flight. All Norwegian’s new domestic Argentinian routes will be operated by Boeing 737-800s. <br/>

Alaska Airlines will operate more than half of the 24 planned commercial flights from Paine Field in Everett, Washington, when service commences early next year. Southwest Airlines plans to operate 5 daily flights, and United Airlines 6 daily flights. Snohomish County, which operates the airport, conducted the supplemental assessment for the FAA to evaluate whether the planned service patterns would have a different impact than what was assessed in 2012. The county finds no additional impact from the planned flights and asks the FAA to approve the beginning of service in early 2019. Commercial air service to Paine Field, which is also the home to Boeing's final assembly lines for the 747, 767, 777 and 787 aircraft, has been discussed and studied since 2008. <br/>