The parent of Malaysia Airlines has warned leasing companies that state fund Khazanah will stop funding the group and force it into a winding down process if restructuring talks with lessors are unsuccessful, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The warning from Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), the holding company for the carrier, raises the stakes in negotiations for a financial shake-up known as "Plan A" and sets out an alternative plan to divert funds to a sister airline unit called Firefly. "In the event Plan A fails, shareholder (Khazanah) will cease funding for MAG and will trigger winding down/liquidation process for MAG," according to the document, the contents of which were confirmed by six people familiar with the matter. Khazanah, MAG's sole shareholder, declined to comment. MAG said details concerning its restructuring plan were strictly bound by non-disclosure agreements between the parties involved. "MAG will depict its final position upon achieving resolution with the parties it is negotiating with," it said, adding the restructuring plan was a crucial step for it to come out as a "sustainable and profitable organisation in future". It also said the restructuring comes after various cash conservation and cost reduction initiatives to keep its business afloat proved to be inadequate due to the prolonged effect of the coronavirus crisis.<br/>
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Qatar Airways is to launch flights to San Francisco this December, adding the west coast city to its US network for the first time. The Gulf carrier is already flying eight of the 10 US destinations it served prior to the pandemic. San Francisco will become Qatar’s ninth destination, when the service launches on 15 December. Qatar will deploy a two-class configured Airbus A350-900 on the route four times weekly. It marks the fifth new route announced by the airline since the pandemic began. In September, flights to Accra in Ghana via Lagos joined Cebu, Brisbane and Toronto as new points in the airline’s network. Qatar Airways CE Akbar Al Baker says: ”As we navigate the crisis, we have made it a priority to not only reinstate our existing destinations and be the airline travellers can rely on, but to also grow our network and increase connectivity with new and relevant destinations for our customers to enjoy. As the gateway to Silicon Valley and the vibrant tech economy, the San Francisco Bay Area is a globally important destination, both from a business and leisure perspective.”<br/>
BA will bid farewell to its final London-based Boeing 747s on Thursday with a rare synchronised dual take off for the "Queen of the Skies", the jet which brought long-haul flights to the masses. Once the world's largest operator of the 747, BA has now retired its entire jumbo jet fleet after the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed most air travel, accelerating the move to more fuel-efficient planes. "Tomorrow will be a difficult day for everybody at British Airways as the aircraft leaves our home at Heathrow for the very last time," CE Alex Cruz said. For over 50 years, the 747 has been the world's most easily recognised jetliner with its humped fuselage, four engines and 16 main wheels. It took its maiden flight in 1969 and soon secured its place in history as the jet which allowed more affordable air travel due its size and range. BA's predecessor airline BOAC first introduced the 747 on the London-New York route in 1971, and at its peak BA had a fleet of 57 747-400s.<br/>