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SAS was “surprised” that Danish authorities reported it to the police for failing to reimburse customers prevented from travelling because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it said on Tuesday. The Danish Transport, Construction and Housing Authority reported SAS to the police for not complying with its order to provide refunds for unused airline tickets, the agency said earlier on Tuesday, adding to similar reports against several other carriers last month. “SAS of course respects the Danish authorities’ decision, even though we are surprised,” a spokeswoman said in an email, noting that the airline had repaid 99.8% of all customers entitled to refunds. “We regret that we did not reach the goal in full and thus have not been able to meet the deadline from the authority.” The airline has refunded more than 5b Swedish crowns ($601m) to more than 2.2m customers, it said. In December SAS was fined 1m Norwegian crowns ($117,341) by Norway’s Civil Aviation Authority for not refunding tickets quickly enough. “We understand that many customers have felt great frustration and we regret that they had to wait so long,” the SAS spokeswoman said. “SAS, like other airlines, has ended up in a situation that no one could have foreseen.”<br/>

Air Canada is to return the Boeing 737 Max to service at the beginning of February, after the Canadian civil aviation regulator detailed the requirements for clearing the aircraft for flight. Transport Canada has disclosed an airworthiness directive covering the technical modifications and specific crew procedural changes that 737 Max operators need to undertake. Air Canada says that, following the clearance, it will be restoring 737 Max services from 1 February, adding that it has conducted its own independent assessments of the jet and its new operational requirements. The airline will first deploy the aircraft on flights from Toronto to Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton and Winnipeg. But the carrier acknowledges that, given the publicity drawn by the aircraft’s two-year grounding, passengers might not yet feel comfortable flying on the Max, and is offering the option to change bookings. VP of flight operations Capt Murray Strom says the carrier is “very confident” that the actions from Transport Canada and other regulators “ensures the utmost safety” of the fleet “from nose to tail and from wing to wing”. Air Canada has “gone beyond” the basic modification detailed by the FAA, says Strom, with features that “exceed required regulatory standards”. “These measures are backed by our industry-leading flight operations, the extensive, comprehensive training programmes our pilots and maintenance engineers regularly undergo, and our industry-renowned flight data analysis,” he adds. But Air Canada is nevertheless pointing out to passengers that they can check the aircraft type assigned to their flight through the booking-management links on the airline’s website.<br/>

Singapore Airlines has set up pre-departure coronavirus tests for passengers through its booking platforms as part of efforts to revive travel demand destroyed by the pandemic. People flying from Singapore as well as those traveling to the city-state from Jakarta and Medan in Indonesia can take tests at clinics and get results within 36 hours. If negative, they can be used for travel, according to a statement from Collinson Group, which is working with Singapore Airlines on the program. The trial service began Tuesday and is due to run until mid-March. Collinson said it has performed more than 90,000 Covid-19 tests for travelers in partnership with airlines and several UK airports, including London Heathrow. “Our partnership with Singapore Airlines helps to enable the safe reopening of key routes for travelers and is another step forward in our aim to achieve the long-term, safe return of global travel,” Collinson Asia Pacific President Todd Handcock said. “To restore confidence in travel, the implementation of safe and robust testing protocols remains key.”<br/>

Singapore's national carrier is hoping to become the world's first airline to get all of its crew members vaccinated against Covid-19. Singapore Airlines (SIA) confirmed that all of their crew members -- including pilots, gate agents, flight attendants and anyone whose job requires contact with the public -- have been offered free coronavirus vaccines by the Singaporean government. The country has purchased the Pfizer vaccine, which requires two shots. "We are grateful to the Singapore government for making the aviation sector a priority in the country's vaccination exercise," the airline's CEO, Goh Choon Phong, said in a statement that was emailed out to the whole company on January 18. "This reflects the sector's importance, and the crucial role we play in both Singapore's economic recovery and the fight against the pandemic." According to the airline, 5,200 SIA employees have already signed up to get their shots. Inoculations will begin in a few days. Once vaccinated, crew members will be subject to less scrutiny and fewer coronavirus-related security measures. For example, flight crew who are currently tested on the seventh day after their return to Singapore will be exempt from this test going forward. <br/>

Singapore Airlines has received the highest rating in a global audit of airlines' health and safety standards amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the national carrier announced on Tuesday. The "diamond" rating is awarded to airlines that reach "hospital-grade level health safety", according to a press release by audit organisers, the non-profit Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) and aviation marketing firm SimpliFlying. "Singapore Airlines' commitment to customer well-being shines via a contactless journey management bolstered by best-in-class onboard hygiene," said APEX CEO Dr Joe Leader. The airline has invested in passengers' wellness by implementing the latest advances in testing and health passport technology, he added. SimpliFlying CEO Shashank Nigam said SIA has "raised the bar" for health and safety standards with initiatives such as near-touch check-in kiosks, mobile notifications for baggage delays and digitisation of in-flight menus and magazines. "Taking hospital-grade measures in ensuring health safety will help bolster trust among travellers," he said. The "APEX Health Safety powered by SimpliFlying" audit involves a 58-point checklist covering 10 categories of health and safety. These include testing, tracing, on-the-ground procedures, in-flight measures and partnerships that further the integrity of airline product safety. Thirty-three airlines are currently moving through the review process, organisers said on Jan 12. SIA is among the first 12 airlines to be certified. Also receiving the diamond rating are Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Turkish Airlines, Air Canada, Saudia, Alaska Airlines, United Airlines and Britain's Virgin Atlantic.<br/>

ANA Holdings is expected to report a record ordinary loss for the nine months ended Dec. 31 due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, informed sources said Tuesday. The Japanese airline is believed to have swung to a consolidated ordinary loss of over Y300b in the April-December period from a profit of Y122.5b a year before. The ANA parent is scheduled to post its April-December results on Jan. 29. The number of passengers on ANA’s international flights in the October-December quarter fell over 90% from a year earlier due to pandemic-related travel restrictions. For domestic flights, the number of passengers recovered in November to some 50% of the year-before level thanks to the Japanese government’s Go To Travel tourism promotion initiative. But the figure fell to some 40% toward the end of the year due to the suspension of the program following a resurgence of the virus. Its financial estimates released in October called for an ordinary loss of Y500b and a net loss of Y510b for the full year ending in March.<br/>

Negotiations between THAI and one of its lessors Amedeo Air Four Plus (AA4) over the future of four Airbus A350-900s are reaching a “critical phase” as the airline is due to finalise its restructuring plan next month. AA4’s chairman Robin Hallam said in a 15 January filing to the London Stock Exchange that he had hoped the plan could have been submitted in January, but that the complexities of the process in Thailand’s Central Bankruptcy Court caused an extension to be granted. The Thai flag carrier is due to submit its plan by 2 February, having pushed forward the deadline from the first week of January. Its acting president Chansin Treenuchagron said on 5 January that the company is working “diligently” to submit it by that timeframe. In its disclosure, AA4 adds that its asset manager Amedeo has entered discussions with Thai about possibly operating its aircraft on a power-by-the-hour basis, as well as the long-term future of the widebodies with Thai. “While the aircraft are in temporary storage, it would be preferable to see these aircraft fly and earn some income for the company,” it says. “Discussions have also commenced around the potential to keep the company’s aircraft as part of the carrier’s long-term strategic plans. The negotiations remain in progress and further detail will likely be revealed after the carrier submits its restructuring plan to the court.”<br/>

Air NZ is “looking into” a Covid-19 digital health passport being trialled by Singapore Airlines and Emirates to make international travel safer and easier during the pandemic. In late 2020 airline lobby group IATA, launched its “Travel Pass” app, allowing travellers to securely store and present information related to Covid-19 tests, as well as their vaccination status. In December Air NZ's alliance partner Singapore Airlines started trialling the app and, if successful, will extend it across its network. On Wednesday Emirates said it had also partnered with Iata to trial the technology, allowing passengers to create a “digital passport” to ensure their pre-departure Covid-19 test and vaccination meets the requirements of their destination. Passengers will also be able use the app to share test and vaccination certificates with authorities and airlines. When Air New Zealand was asked about its plans to adopt Iata’s Travel Pass a spokeswoman said: “At this stage we don’t have a lot to say however, we are looking into it and will likely have something in a few weeks.” On Wednesday the New Zealand Government said pre-departure testing requirements will extend to travellers from most countries from Tuesday as new strains of coronavirus have caused infection rates to spike overseas. Emirates said prior to a full roll out of the Travel Pass it would implement validation of Covid-19 tests before departure. Emirates COO Adel Al Redha said it had worked with IATA to simplify and digitally transmit information required by countries into its systems. IATA senior VP for airport, passenger, cargo and security Nick Careen said having Emirates as a partner would bring valuable input and feedback to improve the Travel Pass programme.<br/>

Cook Islands PM Mark Brown says the first flights from the Cook Islands to New Zealand under the new one-way travel bubble will be packed with students, their family members, and people in need of long-delayed health checks. Brown said that while the quarantine-free agreement has been “a long time” coming, “we’re very pleased that it is now commencing this week. “There will be a lot of very grateful people that will be coming through to Auckland very soon,” he said. Brown said the first flights from Rarotonga to Auckland on Thursday, January 21 and Saturday, January 23 will be “fairly full”. “We’ve got a year’s worth of people wanting to do medical check-ups – see their specialists. It coincides with the start of the school year, so we’ve got family members, we've got students heading to New Zealand for university or secondary school, and … others that will be coming over.” Cook Islanders will be able to travel to New Zealand without having to quarantine upon arrival from Thursday, but New Zealanders will have to wait for a two-way agreement. An Air New Zealand spokesperson said the airline had been encouraged by an increase in bookings after the one-way agreement was announced, particularly for January and February. “The first couple of flights inbound are showing strength,” she said. “This is as expected as we bring the first wave of Cook Islanders that meet the bubble requirements into New Zealand quarantine-free. We see this as a really positive step towards a full two-way bubble with the Cook Islands.” <br/>