Britain’s Virgin Atlantic said it won a court injunction Thursday against a union representing some of its pilots going on strike over the Christmas period. Members of the Professional Pilots Union (PPU), which says it represents around a third of the airline's pilots, were due to stage a series of walkouts in a row over union recognition beginning on Saturday and continuing into the New Year. The PPU called the strikes against the airline, which is owned by Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and Delta and whose main business is flying between Britain and the US, over its exclusion from talks on changes to pilot benefits. "We're pleased that the High Court has granted an injunction. We took the decision to go to court reluctantly, but we felt it necessary to ensure that our customers will be able to travel over the festive period as planned," Virgin said. "We'd like to take this opportunity to thank the overwhelming majority of our pilots who have offered to take on extra work this Christmas to make sure our flights are protected." Virgin Atlantic did not say on what grounds the court granted the injunction.<br/>
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Bill Franke, who helped pioneer bare-bones airlines in the US and around the world, is expanding into Canada. Franke’s Indigo Partners will join a Canadian investment group that intends to revamp charter airline Enerjet into a low-cost carrier in the mold of Spirit Airlines and Ryanair. The first flights are targeted for around September. The plan adds to a push by several carriers to bring to Canada a common global business model of cheap fares but abundant fees. The country’s market, dominated by Air Canada and WestJet, has been known for high airline operating costs due to airport and security fees. “We think this is very exciting for Canadians,” said Enerjet CE Tim Morgan, who will remain head of the revamped carrier. The Calgary-based airline will be renamed. The carrier’s fleet and route network are being determined, with both domestic and US destinations planned, he said. “We will look at all airports and where the demand and the passenger traffic takes us, that’s where we will go,” said Morgan, a WestJet co-founder who left that company more than a decade ago. More than 60% of Canada’s 37m people live within 100 miles of the US, and many of them drive across the border to fly. Cheaper flights in the US draw about five million Canadian passengers each year. Enerjet began flying in late 2008, focused on transporting oilfield workers to northern Alberta.<br/>
Add Hawaiian Airlines to the growing list of airlines adding basic economy fares, cheaper tickets with several restrictions. The Honolulu-based carrier said it plans to introduce "main cabin basic" fares in H2 2019. "This will offer our guests greater choice and let them choose the main cabin product of which they value," Brent Overbeek, the airline's senior VP of revenue management and network planning, said during the airline's investor day in New York in in mid-December. The airline said travellers who buy its basic economy tickets won't get advance seat assignments, will board the plane last and will not be allowed to make changes to their flights. That is in line with most airlines' basic economy restrictions. Hawaiian said travellers will be allowed to bring a standard carry on bag. <br/>
Republic Airways has firmed up an order for 100 Embraer 175s, first unveiled at the Farnborough air show in July. Deliveries from the order, which has a list-price value of $4.69b, will begin in 2020. The deal includes purchase rights for another 100 E175s, with conversion rights to the E175-E2. "This order represents another significant advance in our long-standing partnership with Embraer, and it positions Republic to compete for the more than 300 regional aircraft we anticipate being up for bid during the next five years as existing flying agreements expire with our global codeshare partners," states Republic CE Bryan Bedford. Republic's operating subsidiary Republic Airline is the world's largest E-Jet operator with an in-service fleet of 188 E170/175s.<br/>