oneworld

American Airlines told employees on Friday that it would require all US-based employees and some international crew members to be vaccinated. In a letter to employees signed by the company’s CE and presidents, American said the move was necessary because of its status as a government contractor. Last month, President Biden announced that employees of government contractors would be required to be vaccinated, with only limited exceptions. The airline’s letter gave no timetable, but the White House has said the deadline for employees of current contractors to be vaccinated is Dec. 8. “While we are still working through the details of the federal requirements, it is clear that team members who choose to remain unvaccinated will not be able to work at American Airlines,” the letter said. Employees who have medical or religious reasons to decline the vaccine could apply for an accommodation, the letter said. Separately, Alaska Airlines and JetBlue said on Friday that they, too, would mandate the vaccine for employees, also citing the requirement for federal contractors. In a statement, Alaska Airlines said it would extend to Dec. 1 a $200 incentive for employees who upload proof of full vaccination.<br/>

Banco Santander Brasil can move forward with a lawsuit alleging the COVID-19 pandemic devalued a 10-year branded card agreement with American Airlines worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the carrier, a New York federal judge ruled. US District Judge Rachel Kovner in Brooklyn said on Thursday that the bank can pursue its claim that the airline's temporary cessation of flights to Brazil during the pandemic excused it from paying the airline millions of dollars a year to acquire award miles for cardholders. The deal, which hit the four-year mark in April, allows Banco Santander to issue American Airlines branded payment cards to customers in Brazil but requires it to buy an undisclosed number of award miles every year. American had urged Kovner to dismiss the case, saying that the contract has a provision allowing the bank to terminate the agreement if the airline's market share decreased by more than 50%. A months-long suspension of flights to Brazil in the beginning of the pandemic did not meet the criteria, it said.<br/>

Grupo Aeromexico, the parent company of Mexico’s legacy carrier, has filed a restructuring plan with a US court as it works through bankruptcy proceedings. The Mexico City-based carrier said on 2 October that the filing of the plan, to the bankruptcy court for the Southern District of New York, is “a key milestone on the company’s path to emergence from its Chapter 11 process”. Aeromexico and its Latin American peers Avianca and LATAM Airlines declared bankruptcy last year after the rapid spread of the coronavirus heavily affected global air travel demand. Airlines shrunk networks, retired and stored aircraft, and laid off staff in an effort to preserve cash. Now, with the rebound from the global health crisis in full swing, the three airlines are hoping to wrap up their reorganizations in the coming months. “Aeromexico will continue pursuing, in an orderly manner, its voluntary financial restructuring through Chapter 11, while continuing to operate and offer services to its customers and contracting from its suppliers the goods and services required for operations,” the company says. “The company will continue to strengthen its financial position and liquidity, protect and preserve its operations and assets, and implement necessary adjustments to mitigate the effects of Covid-19,” it adds.<br/>

British Airways is set to reverse its decision to scrap short-haul flights from Gatwick airport, the Telegraph reported Sunday. Executives of trade union Balpa will take a new pay deal to pilots after re-opening talks last week in the hope that they will support rapid changes at Gatwick airport, the Telegraph report added. British Airways announced its plans to scrap short-haul operations in London on Sept. 23, citing pilots’ rejection of its plan to set up a low-cost unit. “While we have been actively pursuing alternative uses for our slots, last week Balpa asked us to resume discussions. These talks were constructive, addressed key concerns and have secured the efficiencies required,” a spokesperson for British Airways said.<br/>

Hong Kong and China Gas will begin producing sustainable aviation fuel in small batches by the end of this year in a step towards meeting growing demand from airlines keen to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Production will be done at its plant in Zhangjiagang city, Jiangsu province, and will initially yield 50,000 tonnes annually, according to a company spokeswoman. The alternative fuel will be developed from hydro-treated vegetable oil. “We are in the implementation stage and working on commercial arrangements with [prospective customers], so it may not be appropriate to disclose details at the moment,” she said. Cathay Pacific last week pledged to use SAFs for 10% of its total fuel consumption by 2030. Cathay has so far secured 1.1m tonnes of biofuel, equivalent to 2% of its annual fuel needs starting from 2024. The fuel will be extracted from household waste in the United States that would otherwise go to landfills.<br/>

Qantas has officially announced it will bring forward its planned restart date for international flights to 14 November, following the federal government’s announcement that Australia’s international borders will open next month. Qantas said on Friday that this date may be altered in the future, once the government confirms an exact date for the reopening of international borders. “Flights will be brought forward if [this date] is earlier than 14 November or moved to later in the month, if necessary,” Qantas said. As it stands, the Flying Kangaroo confirmed it will operate three weekly return flights between Sydney and London, as well as three weekly return flights between Sydney and Los Angeles, both on its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners from 14 November. The airline said those are the two routes that have been the most searched on its website in recent weeks. The airline will add more flights to meet increased demand, if needed.<br/>

Qantas is in talks with several planemakers over plans to renew its main narrowbody and regional airliner fleets and is expected to formalise the negotiations with a tender announcement within days, industry sources said. The Australian carrier is studying the Airbus (AIR.PA) A220 and Brazilian Embraer's E2 to replace a regional fleet of 20 Boeing 717s and 18 Fokker 100s, they added. Boeing's 737 MAX 7, the smallest member of its best-selling single-aisle family, is also seen as a contender. In the busiest part of the market, Airbus and Boeing are competing head to head as Qantas also seeks to replace Boeing 737-800s, the oldest of which are nearly 20 years old. The combined moves could lead to staggered purchases of as many as 100 jets including options, the sources said.<br/>