Work on the flight data and cockpit voice recorders of a crashed Pakistani airliner will begin in France on June 2, investigators said on Saturday. “The mission on site (of the crash) is about to be completed,” said BEA, the French air safety investigation authority for civil aviation. It added that Pakistani investigators would fly to France along with the French team. Pakistan International Airlines flight PK8303, an Airbus A320, went down in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi last week, killing 97 of the 99 people on board. Under international aviation rules, BEA investigators joined the Pakistan-led inquiry because the 15-year-old jet was designed in France.<br/>
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Emirates said it would begin laying off staff as the toll of coronavirus on the aviation industry deepens. The government-owned airline said Sunday that a review of business operations had made it clear that redundancies were necessary. “We unfortunately have to say goodbye to a few of the wonderful people that worked with us,” a statement said. “Where we are forced to take tough decisions, we will treat people with fairness and respect.” Staff on probation received letters on Sunday informing them that their contracts would be terminated in June. Emirates, which employs about 60,000 people, did not identify the total number of redundancies. The group’s ground-handling unit, Dnata, has begun laying off staff. The airline has resumed a limited schedule of passenger flights after suspending most operations in late March. Emirates’ fortunes are vital for Dubai, the commercial and tourism hub of the oil-rich Gulf region, whose outward-facing economy is struggling under the weight of domestic lockdowns and the global slump in travel.<br/>
Ryanair has announced plans to slash fares in half to lure passengers from rivals. Boss Michael O'Leary said he was prepared to operate at a loss over the next year to recover bookings lost during the pandemic. The CE has declared a price war by launching a "pile them high, sell them cheap" sale including flight routes left empty by other airlines. The aggressive recovery plan is a bold attempt to attract nervous customers after 99% of flights were grounded in March. Around 1,000 Ryanair flights per day will resume on 1 July, some 40% of its usual capacity. The price "dump" is aimed at families hoping for a European getaway this summer. O'Leary said he aims to negotiate with airports and aerospace giant Boeing to secure big savings on landing fees and orders for new planes. <br/>
Aer Lingus will board passengers in small groups as it steps up existing Covid-19 safeguards for passengers and crew ahead of re-starting flying. Passengers and crew must already wear face masks on the few flights that Aer Lingus has continued to operate, a protection that the airline intends continuing. The carrier said Friday that it will board and disembark passengers in small groups, according to seat numbers. At boarding gates it will ask travellers to scan their own boarding passes and show their ID to Aer Lingus staff, “making this process contactless”. The airline will use hospital-grade disinfectant on all hard surfaces when it is cleaning craft. Passengers will be reminded to wash their hands regularly, maintain social distancing and limit contact with surfaces as they move through airports. The measures are in line with recommendations published last week by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.<br/>
Budget airline Cebu Pacific on Saturday said it would resume some domestic flights by June 2, but international flights would remain suspended from June 1 to 30. “We will continue to work with the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), as well as other national and local government authorities, on the rules and requirements to resume commercial passenger flights between areas under General Community Quarantine (GCQ),” Cebu Pacific said. “In Manila, all flights will depart and arrive from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. All International flights remain suspended from June 1 to 30, 2020,” it added. The airline management reiterated that leisure travel was still prohibited by the government.<br/>