The restructuring at Portuguese airline TAP, designed to bring it back to profit in the next few years, is on track despite soaring fuel costs and the dollar's appreciation against the euro, its chief executive said on Tuesday. "We are implementing the (restructuring) plan, which will create a new and rejuvenated TAP," Christine Ourmieres-Widener told a parliamentary committee. The airline, 72.5% controlled by the Portuguese state, was saved by a E3.2b rescue plan approved by Brussels. It has reduced its fleet, cut more than 2,900 jobs and lowered wages. After posting a record loss of E1.6b in 2021 due in part to the closure of its aircraft maintenance business in Brazil and a weaker euro, TAP aims to achieve positive operating results in 2023 and a net profit in 2025. One of the key challenges is that this year's estimated fuel costs are now E300m higher than previously forecast and their impact is yet to be felt in what remains of the year, the CEO said. Ourmieres-Widener said TAP was operating at 90% of its pre-pandemic levels, but warned the economic outlook was getting weaker and there was a risk that current strong demand could slow down again. After two years of pandemic-curtailed travel, airlines globally have made a come back in recent months, riding a wave of pent-up demand that has encouraged them to boost capacity. But the industry's recovery faces risks from a surge in global jet fuel prices, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.<br/>
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The Swedish government will not inject new capital into SAS, its industry minister said on Tuesday, dealing a blow to the loss-making airline’s restructuring efforts and sending its shares down 14% to record lows. SAS said last week a restructuring plan announced in February depended on it raising 9.5b Swedish crowns ($968m) in cash and converting 20b crowns of debt to equity, warning of liquidity problems if it fell short. But no shareholders, including main owners Sweden and Denmark with 21.8% stakes each, have yet committed to the carrier’s plan. “We want to be clear that we will not inject new capital into SAS in the future,” Swedish industry minister Karl-Petter Thorwaldsson told a news conference. Thorwaldsson said he would, however, propose to parliament that SAS be allowed to convert debt it owes to the government into equity capital. In the long term the government still wants to exit SAS completely, he added. Denmark’s finance minister, Nikolai Wammen, said he had noted the Swedish decision but Danish lawmakers were still assessing the airline’s plans and how the state could “contribute”.<br/>
SAS has expanded its North American network with two new services to Canada from Denmark and Sweden. SAS will offer from Toronto (YYZ) three flights per week to Copenhagen and four flights per week to Stockholm. On June 2, flight SK 949 took off from the Danish capital bound for YYZ. The next day, flight SK 947 departed from Arlanda International Airport. Between the two routes, SAS will offer 2,198 seats per week between Scandinavia and Canada. “We are pleased to be able to offer direct routes between Canada and Scandinavia and fly to Toronto with our newest aircraft model,” said SAS president and CEO Anko van der Werff. “By using the A321LR, we can offer connections to more parts of the world, and the aircraft is well suited to the Scandinavian market and the developed travel patterns to and from the region.” The flights will be operated on Airbus A321LR aircraft with 157 seats in three classes (22 Business Class/12 Premium Economy/123 Economy).<br/>
Air New Zealand has ditched the old dishes for sustainable service wear in their new-look catering offering. Lucky customers on a flight to Rarotonga last weekend were treated to a taster of Air New Zealand's new meals. Travellers in Business Premiere were served up the a preview menu on low-weight sustainable chinaware, while other cabin classes were given a preview of the revamped, bagasse service wear. The new "sustainable service ware" will be used in all cabin classes, including Business Premiere and Economy. When the new sugarcane pulp containers are finally is deployed October, it will be replacing up to 28m single-use plastic dishes and pieces of cutlery a year and reduce weight by up to a fifth. More interesting than the containers was their contents. Sustainability was one of several criteria for Air New Zealand's new menu, revamped for a return to international travel. "We all know how important food is when travelling and what a difference it makes for our customers," said the airline's GM of Customer Leeanne Langrige. In an effort to woo Premium customers onto their planes, food choice was identified as a secret ingredient in their battle with other airlines. Story has more.<br/>