Iran will provide "detailed responses" to accusations by a UN expert over Tehran's accidental downing last year of a Ukrainian passenger jet, the foreign ministry said Wednesday. On January 8, 2020, Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 crashed shortly after take off from Iran's capital Tehran killing all 176 people aboard, including 55 Canadians. The Islamic republic admitted three days later that its forces mistakenly shot down the Kiev-bound Boeing 737-800 plane after firing two missiles. But Agnes Callamard, a special UN rapporteur on extra-judicial killings, on Tuesday said the Iranian explanation of what went wrong is full of contradictions and amounted to lies. Iran "has prepared detailed responses to the questions and ambiguities raised which will be handed over" before March 20, foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a statement Wednesday. The UN expert had relied on "erroneous, biased and non-pertinent information," he added. He also criticised Callamard for getting involved in a topic that "has nothing to do with her mission or competence". Callamard had told reporters the Iranian version of events was "contradicted by the facts, by the technical assessments of many experts." Iran's civil aviation authority has said that poor tuning of an anti-aircraft unit's radar was the main human error behind the tragedy.<br/>
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EasyJet saw big demand for its first bond sale since 2019, underscoring the strength of the reopening trade even for the battered tourism industry. The discount airline’s E1.2b sale of seven-year notes was four times subscribed on Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the matter. The enthusiasm for the deal drove down borrowing costs, with yields falling as much as 37.5 basis points, the person said. “Quite a blowout deal,” according to Daniel Ender, a fixed-income strategist at ABN Amro Bank NV. “Much stronger demand than any airliner so far,” he said. With UK PM Boris Johnson planning to restart international travel in mid-May, investors are bracing for a wave of pent-up demand from holiday-starved Britons. Airline stocks are surging and companies are using the opportunity to lock in low borrowing costs.<br/>
Norwegian Air and jet maker Airbus have agreed on terms to repudiate the carrier’s contract for new aircraft, lawyers representing the two firms told Ireland’s High Court on Wednesday. Norwegian last year won protection from bankruptcy in both Norway and Ireland, where most of its assets are registered, and is aiming to emerge with fewer aircraft and less debt as it plots a future beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Under a multi-year deal signed in 2012 and revised several times since, Airbus was to deliver 100 jets to Norwegian, and according to the aircraft maker’s financial filings the company still has 88 narrow-body jets on order. “We have agreed, judge, in the last short while, the terms of a consent order,” Norwegian Air lawyer Brian Kennedy told the court. Among the terms, Airbus will keep any prepayments it has received and will still be owed 600,000 pounds ($847,800) by Norwegian, he said. The deal comprised both Norwegian Air and its asset-owning subsidiary Arctic Aviation, Kennedy said, although he did not specify the number of aircraft involved. A lawyer representing Airbus confirmed to the court that the two sides had reached an agreement.<br/>
Boeing is not engaging with Norwegian Air’s restructuring proceedings in Ireland or Norway, a lawyer for Norwegian said on Wednesday, a decision that may complicate the airline’s efforts to recover from the brink of collapse. Norwegian was given protection from bankruptcy in both Norway and Ireland, where most of its assets are registered, late last year and is aiming to emerge from the process with fewer aircraft and less debt. Boeing “to date hasn’t engaged in the examinership process, or the Norwegian reconstruction ... it is not anticipated that Boeing will engage in either,” Brian Kennedy told Ireland’s High Court. Norwegian last year unilaterally terminated its remaining orders with Boeing for 97 aircraft and sought compensation for the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX jets and technical problems with 787 Dreamliners. Boeing has contested the move and also made counterclaims against Norwegian, documents filed by the airline show.<br/>
Spirit Airlines plans to begin service in Milwaukee and Louisville, Kentucky, this summer as the airline looks to a hoped-for travel rebound given positive trends in coronavirus case counts and COVID-19 vaccines. The airline will launch flights in Louisville on May 27, with daily nonstop service to and from Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, Florida; Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The new Los Angeles flight will be the only nonstop flight from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. "This is probably the best service announcement I've made in my career, and I've been around for a minute," Dan Mann, executive director for the Louisville Regional Airport Authority, said Tuesday. Spirit's Milwaukee flights begin June 24. The Florida-based airline plans to offer daily service to and from Orlando, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The Los Angeles flight will be the only nonstop flight from Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport.<br/>
A consortium, which won the bid to acquire Jet Airways, expects to restart operations of the defunct airline in four to six months once after receiving the approval for its revival plan from the National Company Law Tribunal, India’s top bankruptcy court. The consortium, comprising Murari Lal Jalan, a low-profile UAE businessman, and Kalrock Capital, London-based investment fund, submitted an Rs10b plan to re-launch the debt-ridden airline in November 2020. Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Aviation Group holds 24% of Jet Airways which reportedly owes more than $3b to lenders, lessors, staff and other suppliers. In October 2020, the committee of creditors approved the resolution plan. After receiving the NCLT approval, the resolution professional of Jet Airways would need to apply to the civil aviation ministry and the corporate affairs ministry for their approvals, respectively. On the required funding to restart the airline, Jalan said it was not a not a concern during the first stage or for maybe a year or two. “Everything is planned properly and we are going with the plan.” On the possibility of the consortium onboarding a strategic investor for further funding, he said, "I don't think I am ready for that. But nothing can be ruled out." In the beginning, the consortium plans to start operations with 25 aircraft. Of this, 18-20 would be narrow body aircraft and 5-7 would be wide body aircraft.<br/>
RwandAir to be first African airline to trial IATA Travel Pass RwandAir will become the first African airline to trial IATA Travel Pass to enable safe and seamless international travel. The airline said it will begin a three-week trial in April for customers travelling between Kigali and Nairobi in Kenya. IATA Travel Pass is a digital platform to help passengers easily and securely verify that they comply with Covid 19 test or vaccine travel requirements, in turn giving governments the confidence to reopen borders. Developed by the IATA, the trade association for the world's airlines, the platform is designed to be incorporated into airlines' own apps, so travellers by air easily understand what they need before they fly. Yvonne Manzi Makolo, CEO of RwandAir, said: “RwandAir is proud to be the first African airline to trial IATA Travel Pass, which could reinforce all the health and safety measures and protocols which we have put in place to restore customer confidence to fly once more. We are incredibly proud to be part of IATA’s Industry Advisory Panel, to ensure we guide the technology development in a way that covers the unique requirements of our passenger profile."<br/>
AirAsia Japan’s closure has cost the Malaysia-based AirAsia Group nearly $80m over three quarters. AirAsia Group owns 48.9% of the joint venture carrier, which ceased operations in October and filed for bankruptcy in the following month. AAJ commenced bankruptcy proceedings by a court order issued on 24 February, AirAsia Group said in a same-day Bursa Malaysia disclosure. As a result of the proceedings, the low-cost airline group recognised a loss of over $74m in the second half of 2020, “due to financial assistance [to AAJ] in the form of intercompany transactions and loans being written off as these amounts were deemed to be irrecoverable”. AirAsia Group also incurred nearly $5.2m in expenses related to aircraft de-registration, in Q4 2020 and the current quarter, to move three aircraft from Japan to Malaysia. The group states: “Further announcement(s) will be made in due course on the particulars of claim and financial impact to [AirAsia Group], if any, under the bankruptcy proceedings.”<br/>
Thai AirAsia expects to resume all domestic flights by April, even as its parent company’s full-year losses widen amid the impact from the coronavirus pandemic. The carrier’s parent Asia Aviation reported an operating loss of Bt7.55b ($251m) for the year ended 31 December. That compares with the Bt122m full-year loss it reported in 2019. Revenue for the year plunged about 61% year on year to Bt16.2b, as the coronavirus pandemic torpedoed travel demand, particularly in its international network. Thai AirAsia has halted all international flights since 22 March 2020, as borders remained shut to curb the spread of the pandemic. Full-year expenses fell 43% to Bt23.8b, as a result of reduced flying activity, as well as staff and operational cost reduction. Asia Aviation reported a net loss of Bt8.7b, widening 2019’s net loss of Bt872m. Thai AirAsia carried 9.5m passengers for the full year, about 57% lower year on year. As a result of shut borders, the Bangkok-based unit of the AirAsia Group saw a 84% decrease in international traffic.<br/>
One of the largest beds in the sky is set to debut in just a few months time when JetBlue starts flying its A321neos from Boston and New York to London. JetBlue's new Mint Studio offering consists of two mini-rooms at the front of its newest planes, each with a comfortable seat that turns into its own fully flat bed behind a privacy door with an adjoining sofa that, with the seat, converts to one of the largest beds in the air. Behind those come 22 Mint Suites, minus the adjoining sofa. It's a game changer for business class travel. And if JetBlue stays true to form, the pricing for these new offerings will make it within reach of more travelers than ever. But it's not just the seat itself that's revolutionary. It's the design details behind it, with wireless charging, multiple power points, space created to let you continue to work or use your tablet while eating, a Tuft & Needle mattress, and all kinds of hidden touches. How does this all come together? Buying a new airplane isn't like popping along to a car showroom and deciding on this year's stylish yet fuel-efficient new coupe. It takes, quite literally, years and years. Through conversations dating back half a decade and more with executives and designers at JetBlue, aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the seatmaker Thompson, the design partner Acumen and industry players worldwide, the story of these new seats can now be told. Story has details.<br/>