Porter Airlines is tapping opportunities from the COVID-19 pandemic with a firm order for 30 Embraer E195-E2 jets that will double the Canadian carrier's fleet and allow it to add new routes in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean, CE Michael Deluce said on Monday. Earlier, Brazilian planemaker Embraer said Porter was the mystery buyer behind an order of up to 80 E195-E2 jets, a deal previously announced in May. Porter placed an order to buy a record 30 jets and options for 50 more, for a total value of $5.82b based on list prices, Embraer said. The order, Toronto-based Porter's largest ever, is part of a reshaping of Canada's post-pandemic air travel sector. Tiny ultra low cost carrier Flair Airlines is introducing cross-border service, raising pricing pressure as market leader Air Canada restores routes. "It certainly will be highly competitive," Deluce said.<br/>
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Pilots at Canada’s low-cost vacation specialist Air Transat have accepted a new contract, clearing a path for them to return to work when the airline resumes service, now scheduled for 30 July. The carrier’s pilots’ union, Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), says on 12 July that 87% of voting Transat members accepted the agreement. “Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, global travel restrictions and an extended negotiation between the government and our employer to secure much-needed assistance, this latest development is a positive sign for our members, and all Canadians, that a return to normalcy is closer than it has been since the beginning of the pandemic,” ALPA says. It does not provide details about the agreement. “The first recalls of pilots have already begun in order to start their training — as the resumption of flights continues to increase with each step forward with regards to the easing of travel restrictions,” the union adds.<br/>
Ryanair is planning to hire 2,000 pilots over the next three years in one of the aviation industry’s biggest recruitment drives since the start of the pandemic. The hiring spree will add to the current roster of 5,000 pilots at Europe’s largest airline. It is also aiming to increase annual passenger numbers by more than a third within three years over pre-pandemic levels. “We are delighted to start planning for a return to growth over the coming years as we recover from the Covid-19 crisis and grow to 200m guests by financial year 2024,” said Darrell Hughes, people director at Ryanair. In May last year, the company had warned that it would need to cut 3,000 jobs but said it escaped without making any of its pilots redundant during the pandemic. Some cabin crew have lost their jobs. However, its pilots did agree to take a 20% cut to their pay, which will be restored to its original levels over four years. Ryanair said it needed more pilots to operate its new Boeing 737 Max jets — the first delivery of its order of more than 210 arrived last month. The new aircraft should help the company to reduce fuel use, carbon emissions and costs. Ryanair will start training pilots this year, aiming to have them ready to fly by next summer.<br/>
Passenger flights from India to Dubai will remain suspended until July 21, Emirates airline announced on Monday. The company said entry to passengers flying from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka would also be on hold until this date. Travellers who have transited through these countries in the past 14 days would not be allowed to travel from any other destination to the UAE, Emirates said. UAE citizens, golden visa holders and members of diplomatic missions who comply with updated Covid-19 regulations are exempt from the ruling.<br/>
AirAsia Group plans to raise up to 1b ringgit ($238.72m) through a rights issue, it said on Monday. The airline has been looking to raise funds to weather the global travel slump triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The rights issue will be used to fund AirAsia's working capital and other operational costs, and to grow its digital businesses, the company said. "The exercise will provide a platform to seek a fresh funding injection from shareholders to maintain liquidity during the downtime in flying and fuel growth of the key non-airline digital businesses," AirAsia CE Tony Fernandes said.<br/>