SkyTeam has confirmed that new Italian carrier ITA Airways will replace defunct national operator Alitalia in the global alliance. ITA, which launched flights on 15 October after Alitalia ceased operations, had already indicated its intent to join SkyTeam. Alitalia was one of the earliest airline recruits to SkyTeam, joining the alliance in the summer of 2001, before calling time on operations earlier this year month. Alitalia had been in administration for more than four years amid continued financial challenges. SkyTeam has now confirmed ITA will replace Alitalia in the alliance. SkyTeam chairman, Korean Air CE Walter Cho, says: “For more than 20 years, the Italian market has been a cornerstone of SkyTeam’s European network and no other airline alliance connects Italy better to the world. We warmly welcome ITA Airways’ decision to join our alliance and ensure continuity of service for the millions of customers who choose SkyTeam as their preferred alliance to Italy.”<br/>
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Losses at Air France-KLM narrowed sharply in Q3 thanks to strong summer travel demand in countries that have opened their borders as pandemic restrictions ease. The airline on Friday reported a net loss of E192m for the three months to the end of September, a significant improvement on the E1.5b lost in each of the two previous quarters but still well below the E366m profit it made in Q3 2019. Analysts had expected a E318m net loss this time round. “We are showing that we are getting back on track,” said Steven Zaat, chief financial officer, adding that a rise in revenue was much higher than the company had hoped. “Capacity improves day by day [and] we are prepared to ramp up further but bookings are coming in much better than we expected,” he said. The Franco-Dutch company was hit hard by the collapse in air travel caused by the Covid-19 crisis and has struggled with a balance sheet holding billions in loans backed by the French and Dutch governments to help it through the period. Zaat said there was still a “big jump to make” to get back to pre-pandemic levels of profitability. The company’s operating profit came in at E132m, above consensus expectations of a E195m loss but still well below the E900m made in 2019. The airline reported capacity usage at 66% of pre-pandemic levels in Q3. The outlook for Q4 and into 2022 was also brighter than anticipated. The company said it expected passenger capacity to reach 70 to 75% of pre-pandemic levels in Q4 of the year and to achieve positive full-year earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation.<br/>
A federal grand jury in Seattle has indicted a man accused of punching a flight attendant in the face twice and trying to open the cockpit door during a flight from Hawaii to Washington state. Ryan Cajimat, 21, of Kapolei, Hawaii, is charged with interference with flight crew members and attendants, as well as assault within a special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States, the Department of Justice announced Friday. He is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 18. Investigators say Cajimat was on a Delta Airlines flight from Honolulu to Seattle on Christmas Eve 2020 when he became disruptive and started struggling with flight attendants. He was restrained for the rest of the flight and was removed from the plane in Seattle. The FAA fined Cajimat $52,500, and Delta Airlines banned him from traveling with the company. Federal prosecutors say interference is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assault on an aircraft is punishable by up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.<br/>
Aeroflot turned a group profit under Russian accounting standards for the first time since the pandemic in Q3, driven by a strong domestic traffic performance during the period. Financials published today by the Russian airline group show revenues for the three months ending 30 September 2021 more than trebled over the same quarter last year year to Rb126b ($1.8b). It means revenues stood at around three-quarters of pre-crisis levels. This helped Aeroflot post a group gross profit, for the first time in last eight quarters, of Rb8.5b. It posted a net profit of Rb2.9b for the quarter. Aeroflot deputy CE Andrey Chikhanchin says: ”Following consistent improvements in financial performance over several quarters, the company delivered net profit of Rb2.9b in Q3. Our improved financial results were driven largely by demand, which meant a higher volume of domestic traffic – something the company was betting on in the high season.” The group notes passengers on domestic flights during Q3 outstripped pre-crisis levels by more than a quarter. That is largely driven by continued strong growth at budget unit Pobeda. Passenger numbers in September for Pobeda were more than 60% higher than the same month in 2019.<br/>