JetBlue told flight attendants who took leaves of absence this spring that they would be called back to work early to handle rising travel demand, according to a company memo sent Tuesday. The move comes a day after several airline CEOs, including JetBlue’s reported that bookings are on the rise, extending to the summer. The trend is a sign the industry is starting to recover after losing $35b last year. Their optimism sent airlines’ stock prices to the highest levels in more than a year. “As we enter a new phase of the pandemic with case counts going down and vaccination rates going up, our focus is now getting ready to safely ramp up our operations for a busy summer season and our Inflight Crewmembers are critical to our recovery opportunity,” said a company memo to flight attendants. The New York-based airline told flight attendants who took two-month leaves of absence scheduled for April and May that they should report back a month early and attend federally-mandated training before April 22. “We’ve seen a significant increase in people booking over the last few weeks, both March and into the spring and summer,” JetBlue’s CEO Robin Hayes said on Monday.<br/>
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Sun Country Airlines Holdings priced its IPO above range at $24 a share to raise about $218m, according to people familiar with the matter. Minneapolis-based Sun Country sold about 9.1m shares, the people said. It had earlier marketed the shares for $21 and $23, according to filings with the US SEC. Apollo Global Management acquired Sun Country in 2018 and an Apollo affiliate will continue to control the company after the IPO, according to Sun Country’s filings. The airline specializes in ferrying Midwesterners to vacation destinations such as Florida, as well as those in Latin America and the Caribbean. The company said its growth depends on a return to normal business conditions after the coronavirus pandemic, which remains a threat.<br/>
Southwest appears poised to stay an all-Boeing 737 operator after giving the Airbus A220 a close look during the Max grounding. Speaking at a conference Monday, Southwest CFO Tammy Romo said the carrier “continues to believe that there are many advantages to having a single fleet type, including a greater degree of simplicity and efficiency, translating to lower costs,” according to a report on the session. She did note that the A220 was a “viable competitor” to the Boeing 737 Max. Boeing’s future as a major commercial aircraft manufacturer hangs, at least partially, on the carrier’s pending order for a jet to replace many of the 470 737-700s in its fleet over the next decade. A defection to the A220 by the largest 737 operator in the world would be a huge blow to the planemaker at a time when it is desperate to rebuild its tattered reputation after the 20-month Max grounding. Romo did not commit to an order for the 737-7 at the conference. However, her comments fit with a recent report that Boeing and Southwest are near a “multibillion-dollar deal” for dozens of the jet.<br/>
Norse Atlantic Airways is copying more than just the long-haul playbook of insolvent discounter Norwegian Air Shuttle. It’s using the carrier’s old planes. The startup airline has agreed to lease nine Boeing 787 jets formerly used by Norwegian, Norse CEO Bjorn Tore Larsen said. The new company, which announced Monday that it plans to start flying in December, will change the paint job but otherwise leave the layout intact, he said. Using the same planes underscores the degree to which Norse’s founding executives -- all with ties to Norwegian -- plan to duplicate the low-cost, trans-Atlantic strategy that proved competitive but generated too much debt. Larsen says he believes Norwegian’s business model was sound, and the carrier was instead brought down by engine issues and the Covid-19 pandemic. Norse has begun recruiting pilots and cabin crew through OSM Aviation, Larsen’s previous venture that also supplied flight personnel to Norwegian. It is in discussions about gaining airport slots, and London’s Gatwick airport -- a former hub for Norwegian -- is high on the list. Larsen says that while the carrier is planning to begin flying this year, the launch is dependent on both the end of travel restrictions and the return of demand. <br/>
Wizz Air’s largest investor Indigo Partners sold about half its stake in the Hungary-based low cost airline to institutional investors, a statement on Tuesday said, raising gross proceeds of around GBP400m. Private equity firm Indigo Partners did own 15m shares or a 17.5% stake in Wizz Air prior to the disposal, which was first announced on Monday. The sale of 7.7m shares will leave it with a stake of about 8.5%. The sale was carried out via an accelerated bookbuild process at a price of 5,200 pence per placing share. The shares had closed at 5,505 pence on Monday. The completion of the placing is expected on March 18.<br/>
Virgin Atlantic Airways aborted a flight to Israel after a laser beam was shone at the plane's cockpit from the ground as it departed London Heathrow airport. The Boeing 787 wide-body jet bound for Tel Aviv turned around over Paris following the incident on Monday night, the British carrier said. Flight VS453 landed back at Heathrow at about 10.45pm, and passengers were offered overnight accommodation before continuing their journeys on Tuesday. "This was a precautionary step taken by the operating crew," a Virgin Atlantic spokeswoman said. "We swiftly notified the police and remain in close contact with them and the Civil Aviation Authority." Laser pointers emerged as a safety hazard more than a decade ago, with the devices being flashed at planes near airports around the world.<br/>
Nigerian carrier Azman Air has been ordered to suspend Boeing 737 operations in order to undergo a safety audit. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority says the measure – which takes effect from 15 March – affects all 737s across the airline’s fleet. It states that the decision follows a “series of incidents” with Azman 737s. The airline uses older variants including the 737-300 and -500. “The suspension is to enable the authority conduct an audit of the airline to determine the root causes of the incidents, and recommend corrective actions,” it adds. “[We] regret the inconvenience this action may cause to the public, particularly to Azman Air passengers. But the need to ensure the safety of air transport, and protect the public interest, cannot be compromised.”<br/>
Uganda Airlines has turned in a USh102.4b ($27.4m) post-tax loss for its most recent financial year, after falling far short of revenue projections. The Ugandan auditor general has revealed the figure in a newly-released submission to parliament on the financial performance of 13 state enterprises in the year to 30 June 2020. Seven of the 13 entities suffered performance reductions as a result of the pandemic, the auditor general says, and Uganda Airlines was the worst-performing of the five entities which generated a loss. “The company was unable to realise its planned revenue, yet the expenditure on operations was way above projected costs,” its analysis found. Uganda Airlines generated revenues of $9.98m, just over 10% of the expected $92.8m, but spent $29.2m on direct costs and another $3.6m on indirect costs.<br/>
The Ghanaian Cabinet has granted policy approval for the establishment of a new flag carrier with strategic partner participation, President Nana Akufo-Addo announced. Delivering his State of the Nation address on March 9, 2021, Akufo-Addo made a brief mention in this regard, but gave no further details, except to say that his parliament would be “duly informed on developments in this area”. Last year, the government announced an MOU with EgyptAir over the establishment of a new national airline. EgyptAir confirmed it had agreed to invest an initial US$100m in Ghana’s new national carrier and to initially supply four unspecified aircraft - presumably narrowbodies. The North African carrier had reportedly angled for a 70% stake in the start-up. Ghana has not had a flag carrier since May 2010, when Ghana International Airlines collapsed after the government’s withdrawal of funding. <br/>
A court in China has given the green light for the merger of 321 companies linked to troubled HNA Group, including its aviation assets, to speed up restructuring efforts. The Hainan High People’s Court ruled on 15 March that the merger would also ensure “fair compensation” to all its creditors, given that HNA Group effectively controlled the firms. It notes that the liabilities linked to these companies were “extremely large” and would cause “regional and systemic financial risks”, which in turn puts “great pressure on local economic and social development”. The court ruling also states: “Substantial merger and restructuring will help save time, manpower and costs, and help accurately verify the assets and liabilities of the enterprise, formulate a more feasible... reorganisation plan, and improve the efficiency and success rate of the reorganisation.” HNA Group, a conglomerate that once held wide-ranging interests in areas such as aviation, technology, and property, received formal notice in late-January that creditors had filed for its bankruptcy, on grounds that it was unable to pay off its debts. The group, built on the foundations of flagship unit Hainan Airlines, was already struggling as early as 2018.<br/>
Fiji Airways has secured a $65m liquidity support facility from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The flag carrier on 12 March inked a $40m loan from ADB and $25m from the ADB-administered Leading Asia’s Private Infrastructure Fund (LEAP). “The support facility is to help the airline cover operating costs and meet financial obligations while the travel demand remains non-existent due to the pandemic-induced border closures,” Fiji Airways said. “Covid-19 has crippled the international aviation industry,” states the ADB's Jackie Surtani. He adds: “This has severely affected Fiji and other Pacific countries which rely on air links for critical freight, health, education, communication services, and especially for tourism – which accounts for around one-third of Fiji’s gross domestic product.” Fiji Airways’ managing director and CE, Andre Viljoen says that ADB’s financial support has come “at this critical time” and adds that the airline is “focused on its ‘future fit’ measures to survive and thrive once borders [reopen]”.<br/>