Virgin Atlantic Airways is expected to slash another 1,000 jobs today as part of its GBP1.2b rescue deal, as the airline sector continues to reel from the coronavirus pandemic. It comes as Ryanair last night sought to raise E400m from investors to bolster its finances ahead of the traditionally loss-making winter months. The airline already axed 3,150 roles less than four months ago, as well as the closure of its Gatwick Airport base. The fresh cuts would mean that Virgin Atlantic’s pre-pandemic workforce level of around 10,000 staff has now halved. <br/>
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Ryanair is to launch a share issue aimed at raising gross proceeds of around E400m to help de-risk the group’s debt repayments and better position it to capitalise on fresh growth opportunities in the market. The low-cost carrier is to place new ordinary shares to institutional investors and certain others, in a placing that will be launched immediately through an accelerated bookbuild. In detailing its reasons for the new issue, Ryanair says the current challenging environment is likely to result in long-term impacts for the sector, which it expects will create opportunities for it to grow its network and fleet, and to take advantage of lower airport and aircraft cost opportunities. ”The placing is expected to help better position the group to move quickly to capitalise on such opportunities should they arise,” it says. ”As we look beyond the next year, we expect that there will be significant growth opportunities for Ryanair’s low-cost model as competitors shrink, fail or are acquired by government-bailed-out carriers.”<br/>
Spirit says it will be the first airline in the US to allow domestic passengers to check bags without speaking to an agent. Instead, customers will be able to interact only with a facial scanner before dropping off their luggage. The practice could mean a more convenient interaction for customers -- but it also means there will be no friendly agent who may let a slightly overweight bag through without a fee. Many airlines already allow customers to check in for flights without speaking to an agent. But security rules require airlines to verify the identity of passengers who are checking bags. Spirit (SAVE) says its new technology uses face scanning technology to compare a passenger's identity with his or her identification card, like a driver's license or passport. It then compares the information on the ID with the reservation information. Passengers then pay any baggage fees and tag their bags. The interaction with the computer takes about 70 seconds, it said. The airline said the system is currently undergoing testing at New York's LaGuardia and Chicago's O'Hare airports. While the technology is awaiting government approval, its agents will continue to verify passenger IDs.<br/>
Southwest will add Miami and Palm Springs, California, to its network for the first time later this year to capitalize on stronger demand for leisure destinations. Travel to vacation spots has held up better during the 2020 pandemic as business and international traffic remains severely depressed, prompting carriers to bulk up service to those locations. “Adding these specific airports to our route map will bring us access to additional revenue at a critical time,” CEO Gary Kelly said to employees Thursday. Southwest has the aircraft to devote to the new service because of reductions its made to its flying schedule to adjust to the collapse in travel demand, said spokesman Brad Hawkins. Southwest did not disclose any specific routes it plans for the two cities, though it will provide year-round service. Both Miami and Palm Springs are known for their relatively high costs for carriers. Miami International Airport charged $19.23 per passenger in 2019, compared to $7.43 at nearby Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport, a mainstay of Southwest’s existing service to Florida.<br/>
South Africa’s Comair will require up to 1.2b rand ($72m) of funding and will have to cut a fifth of its workforce to restart operations, administrators in charge of restructuring the private airline said. The airline, which has been under a form of bankruptcy protection since May, will be able to start operations in December if a business rescue plan presented late Wednesday is approved, they said. The plan, which had been delayed by over two months, will see a group of investors injecting up to 500m rand of equity, giving them 99% ownership of the company. Creditors will also have to provide new debt funding of up to 600m rand, along with another 100m rand debt from insurer Discovery. “This (plan) will further result in resumed employment for the company’s remaining employees, the provision of flying services to its customers and the establishment of resumed revenue with which to service its obligations,” administrators Shaun Collyer and Richard Ferguson said. The company's total workforce will be cut to 1,800 from roughly 2,200 and its fleet will be trimmed to 25 aircraft from 27, they added in their plan here published on the company's website. <br/>
A woman opened the emergency exit on a plane and climbed onto the wing to cool down just after the flight had landed. The unnamed passenger had flown from Antalya, Turkey, to Kiev, Ukraine, with Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) when the incident occurred. After complaining of being too hot, she “opened the emergency exit and went on to the wing”, the airline said. “A passenger of flight PS6212 Antalya-Kyiv illegally opened the emergency exit of the plane after it stopped near gate 11 of terminal D and went on to its wing,” said UIA. “The passenger was flying on a charter vacation with her husband and children. The chief pilot immediately summoned the aviation security, border service, police and medical centre of Boryspil Airport.” Witnesses also confirmed seeing the woman open the exit door above the wing when the flight on 31 August had touched down, before climbing out and walking up and down it. The carrier said the woman should have to pay an ”exceptionally high financial penalty“ for her behaviour.<br/>