A trade union representing Ryanair’s Irish-based pilots is seeking a High Court order preventing the airline from progressing its legal action against them. Fórsa, the parent union of the Irish Airline Pilots’ Association, wants a stay on Ryanair’s action until mediation talks over a dispute on pay and conditions are concluded. Ryanair initiated proceedings last August against the union and several named pilots, including Ialpa president Evan Cullen, over a planned 48-hour strike over pay and conditions that had been scheduled to take place Aug 22nd and 23rd. The industrial action did not proceed after Ryanair secured an injunction preventing it. That injunction, which was fully contested by Fórsa, remains in place pending the full hearing of the dispute. <br/>
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Ryanair will begin operations from Armenia, which will become the LCC’s 40th country. The carrier will launch flights to destinations in Italy and Germany in 2020. Services from the Armenian capital, Yerevan, to Milan Bergamo and Rome Ciampino will start in January 2020, while the summer 2020 season will see services launched from Yerevan to Berlin Schönefeld and from the Armenian city of Gyumri to Memmingen, southern Germany. All services will be operated 2X-weekly and the airline estimates it will carry 130,000 customers annually on the routes. Ryanair described Armenia as one of Europe’s fastest-growing tourism destinations, adding that it hopes to increase routes and traffic to the small nation. <br/>
Hainan Airlines is to sell a 48% stake in Tianjin Airlines to the holding firm HNA Aviation. The transaction is being conducted at CNY1.70 per share. Hainan Airlines says the overall value of the transaction is just over CNY6.68b (US$944m). It held 95.8% of Tianjin Airlines prior to the agreement, with a Tianjin free trade zone investment firm taking the balance. As a result of the transaction HNA Aviation, with 48%, will just overtake Hainan Airlines as the largest shareholder. Hainan Airlines will retain 47.8% while the investment firm will continue to hold its 4.2%. The divestment is being carried out as part of a broader govt strategy to "fully utilise" the services of Tianjin Airlines during the development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei as an international air transport hub, says Hainan Airlines. <br/>
Norwegian is selling 5 Boeing 737-800s to a Hong Kong-based recycling and asset-management entity, and will transfer the jets from the end of this year. Norwegian is disposing of the aircraft through its Arctic Aviation Assets subsidiary and expects to increase liquidity by US$50m as a result, following repayment of debt. "The sale is in line with the company’s continued strategy of capitalising on the scale built up over the last few years and the changed focus from growth to profitability," states the carrier. Norwegian operates all the aircraft involved. They will be delivered to the new owner from late in Q4 of this year and during Q1 of 2020. Aircraft Recycling International is held by China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings. <br/>
Tanzania's govt is ordering a single De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400, marking the first firm deal for the manufacturer since investors acquired the former Q400 turboprop programme from Bombardier. The govt's flight agency will lease the aircraft, configured with 78 seats, to flag carrier Air Tanzania. Air Tanzania already has 3 of the type plus another which was already on order. De Havilland Canada says the new agreement – which will take the overall fleet to 5 – is the company's "first firm order" since Longview Aviation Capital took over the production line and established the newly-branded manufacturer earlier this year. Air Tanzania chief Ladislaud Matindi said: "We are very satisfied with the Dash 8-400's low operating costs and reliable operations in our high-utilisation environment." <br/>
TUI Airways believes the tour operator model is still relevant, despite the failure of UK rival Thomas Cook, but this relevance rests on digitalisation, diversification and adapting to customer needs. Dawn Wilson became TUI Airways MD in Jan 2019. In addition, Wilson is also director of airline operations for all 5 TUI Group airlines in Europe. She said that next summer TUI will add 2m leisure destination seats to and from the UK to fill the void created by Thomas Cook’s collapse. This represents “significant” capacity growth for TUI’s UK airline. “We have to take the opportunity to grow our own business. That’s going to be very much in the [UK] regions, replicating some of those areas Thomas Cook was flying out of and some of those routes they were flying on,” Wilson said. <br/>