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Star Alliance regrets to inform that it will no longer offer a lounge at Sao Paulo Guarulhos Airport effective April 1, 2021, as a consequence of the GRU Airport authority’s decision to pursue its own lounge operations. We are encouraged by discussions taking place between member airlines and the GRU Airport towards a seamless transition of lounge services to avoid any impact on the premium customers of the Alliance. Star Alliance remains committed to its premium strategy, and to Brazil, and continues to offer a Star Alliance lounge at Rio de Janeiro Galeão International Airport.<br/>

Air China has disclosed plans to acquire 18 Airbus A320neos from GECAS subsidiaray AFS Investments. The deal, announced by the Star Alliance carrier in a stock market statement Thursday, covers five A320neos and 13 A321neos. Airbus will deliver the aircraft to AFS in batches before 2022, which will then in turn be delivered to Air China. Air China says it will use a mix of its own funds, commercial bank loans, or other financial methods for the transaction. The airline points to the rapid improvement in the Chinese domestic market as a reason for acquiring the aircraft. ”This transaction is conducive to the replenishment of the group’s capacity, making the group’s operating costs more competitive in the market,” the airline says.<br/>

ANA Holdings expects its cargo unit to receive a boost this year from the global chip shortage as planes loaded with semiconductors help speed deliveries to automakers and consumer-electronics manufacturers. “Supply chains are scrambling for automotive chips, that’s where air cargo can play a role,” Toshiaki Toyama, the chief executive officer of ANA Cargo, said Wednesday. Congestion at sea ports, along with severe winter weather, is also forcing companies to rely more on air freight, propping up carriers’ deteriorating profits, he said. “Marine transportation has been very tight since last fall due to the coronavirus, so air cargo is overflowing,” Toyama said. Cargo has emerged as one bright spot for airlines, weathering their worst-ever period as the coronavirus pandemic halts passenger travel. With many people around the world stuck at home for the best part of 2020, there was a boom in online shopping and e-commerce surged, pushing air-freight rates higher. At the start of the year, carriers were also busy flying masks and personal protective equipment to countries.z<br/>

Asia-Pacific airlines are hoping that digital travel pass technology will eventually see governments ease up on the restrictions that have crushed regional travel. In a Wednesday statement, IATA announced that the first flight with passengers using its new IATA Travel Pass app had arrived in London after a flight from Singapore. “The successful implementation of IATA Travel Pass in this trial with Singapore Airlines passengers demonstrates that technology can securely, conveniently and efficiently help travellers and governments to manage travel health credentials,” said IATA DG Alexandre de Juniac. “The significance of this to restarting international aviation cannot be overstated.” SIA’s trial will run during the second half of March. The carrier says passengers can book a pre-flight Covid-19 test at one of seven local clinics, where they can register with the app. The app allows them to view their test results and confirms their status to fly. The system is backed by IATA’s Timatic registry, which offers and exhaustive list of global testing and entry requirements.<br/>

Qantas is launching two Norfolk Island routes after Air NZ’s services to the small South Pacific island were hampered by Australian border restrictions. From Friday Qantas will operate six flights per week to the island, three from Sydney and three from Brisbane, for three months, and perhaps longer. Despite Norfolk Island being part of Australian territory its connection to Australia’s mainland has been serviced by Air New Zealand which had been operating return services from the island to Sydney and Brisbane. That was until Australian state and federal governments imposed border restrictions on New Zealanders due to a recent community outbreak of Covid-19 in Auckland. The new rules meant crew operating domestic flights in Australia from across the Tasman were required to complete 14 days' managed quarantine, or be Australia-based. As a result Air New Zealand’s Norfolk services were cancelled and handed over to codeshare partner Qantas, including a dozen flights this week alone. Customers were automatically rebooked onto Qantas. Story has more.<br/>

Korean Air tentatively believes that its acquisition of rival Asiana Airlines will close by the end of June, following the submission of its post-merger integration plan. The airline confirms that the post-merger integration plan was submitted to Korea Development Bank, Asiana’s biggest creditor, on 17 March. To finance the Asiana acquisition, Korean secured W3.3b ($2.9b) through the issue of new shares, which it says indicates a “positive market response” to the planned acquisition. “We assume the deal will be finalised by the end of June this year, but the exact timing will be confirmed after completion of regulators’ approval on the acquisition from relevant countries,” says the carrier. The airline submitted applications to all overseas regulators in January. Turkey has already approved the merger, and the airline does not foresee other regulators raising any issues.<br/>