American Airlines’ CE thinks the post-coronavirus rebound may have begun, noting that customers are returning in great numbers to air travel. Speaking Monday, the Fort Worth-based airline’s CEO Doug Parker struck a positive tone, saying the widespread roll-out of coronavirus vaccines, coupled with pent-up demand, will drive a strong recovery in the coming months. “The last three weeks have been the best since the beginning of the pandemic,” he says. “It feels like the beginning of a very large uptick”. “There is huge pent up demand for domestic leisure travel, and that is coming back quickly,” he adds. The airline has seen a massive increase in demand for domestic leisure travel, including from passengers visiting family and friends. That sector usually accounts for 45% of American’s business but is now accounting for much more, he says.<br/>
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JetBlue Airways remains able to implement a business partnership with American Airlines despite JetBlue’s pilots recently voting down new contract terms. That is according to JetBlue CE Robin Hayes, who describes JetBlue’s collaboration with American as “full-steam ahead”. In February, JetBlue’s pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), voted down an employment deal that included provisions applicable to JetBlue’s new partnership with American, ALPA said at the time. Those provisions would have eased restrictions on “the types of code-share and joint-venture arrangements JetBlue may undertake”, said the union. The vote came after the US Department of Transportation, despite opposition from competing airlines, on 10 January green lighted the proposed American-JetBlue partnership. The airlines have said their collaboration will involve revenue-sharing and code-sharing on routes from Boston and New York. But, speaking during a JPMorgan investor conference, Hayes says the contract struck down by pilots primarily related to “work relief” and “furlough protection”.<br/>
Aircraft lessor SkyWorks Leasing is offering 17 LATAM Airlines Group aircraft for auction. The aircraft are currently in storage in Victorville, California, and are being sold on an “as-is, where-is” basis via public auction to be held on 14 April, the lessor says on 15 March. The aircraft to be sold include two Airbus A350-900s, four Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and 11 A321-200s. The A321s are committed to long-term leases expected to begin in Q2 2021, but the other six aircraft are off-lease, SkyWorks says. Last week, the Santiago-based carrier reported a $4.55b loss for 2020, with revenue coming in at $4.33b, a decline of 58.4% from 2019. It carried 66% fewer passengers and 13% less cargo during the year. LATAM ended 2020 with 296 aircraft in its fleet and said at the time that it was “evaluating the adequate fleet needs for the following years” as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, which are ongoing.<br/>
Qantas is set to increase its monthly repatriations flights from eight to 20 per month. The expansion, set to roll out over “the coming months”, coincides with the Howard Springs quarantine facility also planning to double its capacity, from 850 to 2,000 per fortnight. Qantas made the announcement in a memo to staff, which also revealed it has now operated more than 200 international flights to countries such as India, UK, France and South Africa. The flag carrier has been using its 787 Dreamliners for the missions, which have a capacity to carry around 170 passengers each, and often land at the NT facility.<br/>