India's Jet Airways has been forced to ground more than three quarters of its fleet after failing to pay lessors as it awaits bailout funds promised by state-run banks. Jet struck a deal to escape bankruptcy earlier this year in which State Bank of India (SBI) and other lenders were to pump $218m into the firm and temporarily own a majority stake in the airline. But Jet has not got any of the funds so far and has not paid its employees for March, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday. Once India's leading full-service airline, Jet was founded 25 years ago by Naresh Goyal at a time when state-run carrier Air India was the only real formidable opponent. In recent years, however, Jet has struggled to compete with low-cost carriers such as IndiGo and SpiceJet that now dominate Indian skies. Jet's operational fleet stood at 28 aeroplanes as of Wednesday, a company spokesman told Reuters, versus 119 planes last year. At least 69 aircraft have been grounded due to money owed to lessors, according to stock exchange filings by Jet, while the remainder are out of service for maintenance. Some lessors with direct knowledge of the matter said Jet had told them it would pay for one month's rental and maintenance by the end of last week, but no payment had been received. "We already have five to six months of delinquencies and we were promised just one month and even that hasn't been paid. This is very disappointing," said one of the people. Jet did not respond to specific queries on lessor and salary payments but said in a statement that the airline has informed the aviation regulator it is operating a curtailed schedule.<br/>
unaligned
The Australian arm of Richard Branson's Virgin Airlines has cancelled a staff travel agreement with Brunei's national carrier in response to the Asian nation's adoption of sharia law, including the death penalty for gay sex, the airline said Thursday. The agreement allowed Virgin staff to book discounted tickets on Royal Brunei flights for leisure travel. The company, Australia's second-biggest airline after Qantas, sent an email to employees explaining the new Sharia code, which came into effect on Wednesday, applies to Muslims, non-Muslims and foreigners "even when transiting on Brunei-registered aircraft and vessels." "Given the harsh (including death) penalties being introduced for activity that is legal and acceptable in Australia, the myID (staff travel) agreement between Virgin Australia and Royal Brunei has now been terminated effective immediately," said the email. A separate agreement that allows Royal Brunei to sell seats available on Virgin Australia flights within Australia remains in place, the spokesperson said.<br/>
Norwegian Air, a major client of Boeing, has had positive meetings with the US planemaker regarding the grounding of its MAX planes after an Ethiopian Airlines crash last month, the airline’s CE said Wednesday. “We have had some good meetings with Boeing today discussing the grounding of the MAX and how we can maneuver through this difficult situation,” CEO Bjoern Kjos said. Norwegian, which has eighteen 737 MAX 8 planes in its fleet and is scheduled to take delivery of dozens more in the coming months and years, said last month it would seek compensation from Boeing over the grounding. Kjos did not say on Wednesday whether any compensation had been discussed or agreed.<br/>
British regional airline Flybe said Wednesday it would not fly jet aircraft out of four airports in Britain as part of a previously announced move to reduce its aircraft fleet and return all of its Embraer 195 planes to its lessors. The airline will end flights of its jet aircraft from Cardiff, Doncaster, Exeter and Norwich, starting the winter of 2019, the company said, adding it will continue operating its 78-seat Bombardier Q-400 turboprop plane. Earlier in the day, Flybe separately cancelled about 5%, or 30 individual flights, blaming it on a host of issues, including pilots' leaves and Easter holidays.<br/>
Beijing Capital Airlines has beefed up training related to bounced landings following a serious incident involving one of its Airbus A320s landing at Macau last year. During the 8 August 2018 incident the aircraft lost its front nosewheel and suffered significant damage to both engines while attempting to land on Macau International airport’s runway 34, before declaring a mayday and diverting to Shenzhen Bao'an International airport. Prior to reaching Macau, the flight JD5759 from Beijing Capital International Airport was uneventful, the Civil Aviation Authority of Macau states in its final report. On final approach, the 10kt tailwind was at the airline’s maximum allowable limit. When the aircraft was at five feet RA (radio altimeter) the tailwind rose sharply to 27 kts, creating wind shear conditions. Although the airline’s operating manual calls for a callout in this situation, the two crew and single observing pilot, apparently focused on the landing, made no such callout. Story has further specific details about the incident.<br/>
Japanese investigators are proving a loss of thrust in both engines on a Jetstar Boeing 787-8 during its approach to Osaka’s Kansai airport. The aircraft had departed Cairns on 29 March and was descending through 4,900m (16,100ft) at around 18:50 when the starboard engine’s indicated readings became “unstable”, says the Japan Transport Safety Board. The JTSB states, in a preliminary bulletin, that the thrust of the left-hand engine then “temporarily decreased” and that of the right-hand engine “also decreased”. This loss of thrust occurred when the aircraft was 90km south-west of Kansai at around 3,600m. Meteorological data for Kansai airport at the time shows good visibility and no significant weather conditions. None of the occupants of the 787 was injured.<br/>
Embraer said on Wednesday it has signed a firm order for 10 E195-E2 jets with Nigerian airline Air Peace, worth $2.12b if all purchase rights are exercised, according to a securities filing. The order will be included in Embraer’s backlog for the second quarter of 2019, the company said.<br/>