Alaska Airlines is offering to operate military charter flights to help transport families and individuals from Afghanistan once they enter the US. Seattle-based Alaska Airlines said it will provide transportation within the US and stand ready to provide additional support to the Department of Defense, according to a Friday news release. “As we see the heartbreaking images from Kabul and mourn the tragic loss of service members and civilians working to bring Americans home, we are humbled to play a small part in aiding those who have served our country,” the statement reads. The announcement comes shortly after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the emergency use of 18 U.S. commercial aircraft from six airlines – American Airlines, Atlas Air, Delta, Omni Air, Hawaiian Airlines and United – to transport Afghan evacuees after they're flown out of the capital city of Kabul.<br/>
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New Italian national airline Italia Trasporto Aereo is formally seeking authorisation to open transatlantic services to several US cities. The carrier, owned by the Italian ministry of economy and finance, is set to succeed the struggling Alitalia which has spent several years in administration. ITA says its initial services will include operations from Rome and Milan to New York, as well as from Rome to Boston and Miami. Next year the airline intends to expand this network from Rome to feature Washington DC and Los Angeles. Another pair of US gateways, Chicago and San Francisco, will follow in 2023. The carrier is applying to the US Department of Transportation for authorisation under the US-European ‘open skies’ agreement. ITA is planning to start flight operations on 15 October after acquiring assets – including a number of aircraft – from Alitalia.<br/>
Air Baltic has turned in an H1 net loss of E61.5m ($72.3m) but is encouraged by the upturn in bookings over the summer season. The airline’s revenues were down by 40% – to E50m – against the interim last year, as the six-month passenger figure sank. But the carrier’s chief, Martin Gauss, says that Air Baltic has been able to transport a larger number of passengers over the summer months than last year. Passenger numbers were up 90% in June and 38% in July, although these figures are measured against the crisis-affected baseline. Gauss also points out that the interim loss has been reduced by two-thirds compared with the E185m net deficit for H1 2020.<br/>
Go Airlines India has got the green light from the nation’s market regulator to raise 36b rupees ($485m) through an initial public offering, according to a person familiar with the matter. GoAir’s share sale was put on hold in June by the Securities and Exchange Board of India. The airline now expects to file a preliminary prospectus in about three weeks, the person said, asking not to be identified because the information isn’t public. Local media reported the approval from Sebi earlier Friday. A share sale would come at an opportune time for debt-laden GoAir, which is losing money and plans to rely on proceeds from the IPO to repay debt and dues to creditors. The carrier, in the process of rebranding itself as GoFirst, has obligations that totaled around 81.6b rupees as of mid-April, according to its draft preliminary prospectus. Mumbai-based GoAir has long marketed itself as a budget airline, but its expenses are higher than competitors, an analysis by Bangalore-based wealth manager Capitalmind in May showed.<br/>
Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo has tapped former WestJet chief executive Gregg Saretsky as a special advisor. The role will see him work closely with IndiGo chief executive Rono Dutta, as well as the broader IndiGo leadership team, says the carrier in a stock exchange filing. “Gregg brings extensive experience in commercial aviation including, most recently, as CEO of WestJet, Canada’s most successful low cost carrier,” says IndiGo. “Gregg’s understanding of the low cost carrier model will serve us well as we work together to drive the change that will propel IndiGo to the next level and recover from the damaging effects of the pandemic.” Saretsky was CE of WestJet from February 2010 to March 2018. Saretsky is also an independent board member of Sabre, and has done consulting work. Earlier in his career Saretsky spent ten years with Alaska Airlines, serving in several positions.<br/>
Spring Airlines has moved ahead with plans to raise CNY3.5b ($540m) from a private placement of shares, and China’s securities regulator has accepted its application for the issuance. The airline says in a Shanghai Stock Exchange filing dated 26 August: “The China Securities Regulatory Commission reviewed the application materials [submitted by Spring Airlines] for the non-public issuance of shares… and determined that [these] are complete and conform to statutory requirements and decided to accept the application.” It states there is no certainty the commission will give its approval and the company will provide timely updates on the process. Spring Airlines’ board greenlighted the fundraising at a 4 June meeting and the approval is valid for 12 months. Of the gross proceeds, CNY2.44b will go towards the acquisition of nine Airbus A320-family jets, which requires CNY6.69b funding in total.<br/>
Virgin Australia is moving to make coronavirus vaccines mandatory for all staff from November 15.<br/>The airline will begin a consultation process between employees and unions, arguing the vaccine is "necessary" to keep workers, customers and "the wider Australian community safe". It follows a decision by Qantas to make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for staff, also by November 15. Virgin says a final policy will be announced in September following consultation and feedback with employees and unions. Under the proposal, frontline team members will be required to be vaccinated by November and all office-based team members by March 31, 2022. "Virgin Australia understands some team members have concerns and questions and has established an education campaign to assure and inform as many employees as possible ahead of 15 November 2021," the airline said Monday. "The company believes that requiring vaccination is the best way to protect the health and safety of our workforce, and in turn the wider Australian community and everyone's way of life."<br/>