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United Airlines announced it will cut 50 daily departures from Newark, New Jersey, this summer beginning July 1, a 12% reduction of the carrier’s schedule there. The airline said Thursday that passengers whose flights are affected will be contacted about alternative options. United's Executive Vice President of Operations Jon Roitman said in a statement that the move is meant to keep things operating smoother after a series of bad days so far this summer. "After the last few weeks of irregular operations in Newark, caused by many factors including airport construction, we reached out to the FAA and received a waiver allowing us to temporarily adjust our schedule there for the remainder of the summer," Roitman said. "We do not anticipate any schedule changes at our other six domestic hubs this summer." According to United, all the flights being cut are domestic, and all the markets the airline serves from Newark will continue to be connected, though some with lower frequencies.<br/>

Portugal’s state-owned airline TAP SA said a new investor would put it on a more solid footing as it pushes ahead with a restructuring program amid higher fuel costs and increasing geopolitical uncertainty. “It’s a very difficult market,” CEO Christine Ourmieres-Widener said. “Fuel costs are increasing. We could have wars, we could have pandemics, so being part of a larger group of course gives more foundation to any airline. But it should be the right partner.” While the final decision will rest with TAP’s government owner, which recently funded a E2.55b bailout and is on the lookout for a new stakeholder, any backer must be committed to “the long term growth, and DNA, and sustainability of the company,” she said at its headquarters in Lisbon. TAP has gone through a torrid few years even by the standards of an aviation sector rocked by the coronavirus crisis. While most other European flag carriers belong to three groups based in the region, the Portuguese firm was sold to the Atlantic Gateway consortium led by airline entrepreneur David Neeleman. After the deal soured the government regained control, lifting its stake in holding company TAP SGPS during the pandemic and becoming sole owner in December. The ownership change was accompanied by the bailout, approved by the European Union only after Portugal agreed to slash TAP’s costs through job losses and swinging cuts to the fleet.<br/>

South Africa’s government and national airline are being sued by a little-known investment firm, which wants the sale of a majority stake in the carrier scrapped and re-run due to a lack of transparency. This year’s acquisition of 51% of South African Airways by the Takatso Consortium—made up of a local jet-leasing company and a private-equity firm—for just $3 was “unlawful and constitutionally invalid,” according to documents filed at the High Court in Cape Town by Toto Investment Holdings Pty Ltd. The transaction was “shrouded in secrecy” and “not fair, equitable, competitive or cost effective,” according to the filing by Toto founder Bongani Gigaba, who says his firm was unfairly excluded from the deal. “Toto was a direct victim of the unlawful and secretive process.” The filing is the first legal action against the sale, which has drawn criticism from the National Treasury, opposition parties and media in part due to the lack of proceeds for the taxpayer. Yet the airline had been a drain on government finances for a decade, receiving numerous state bailouts before entering bankruptcy proceedings in 2019. After a substantial reorganization that saw staff numbers cut by almost 80%, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan initiated a sale process that eventually led to the agreement with Takatso, made up of Global Airways, which owns domestic airline Lift, and private-equity firm Harith General Partners. SAA then resumed flying to nine domestic and international destinations with a fleet of six Airbus jets.<br/>

Air New Zealand is gearing up for its big return to the international market with the relaunch of 14 international routes within 16 days. The airline will be operating at 60% of its international capacity with the return of routes like Honolulu, Houston and Tahiti after more than 800 days of not operating. Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran said the carrier will be bringing back its Boeing 777-300 aircraft. “To bring one Boeing 777-300 out of storage in Auckland takes around six to eight weeks to get it ready for the skies,” said Foran. The 777-300ER is the largest of the airline's long-haul jets, seating 342 people. It was the first to introduce the revolutionary SkyCouch, which joined three economy seats together to form a bed. It also flew the flagship Auckland to London route for many years, before it was suspended. In 2020, the airline sent its whole fleet of 777-200ERs as well as four 777-300ERs to storage facilities in United States deserts. The older and slightly smaller B777-200ERs were written down by $338m in 2020, and last year the airline said they would never fly for the airline again. The larger 777-300ER aircraft will be phased out by 2027, and be replaced by the more fuel-efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliners. It’s been reported the airline has been offering cash incentives of up to $1400 to entice people to work for it, and Foran said there has been a huge recruitment drive “We’ve hired or rehired more than 2000 Air New Zealanders across the business including 150 pilots, more than 500 cabin crew, and 270 airport employees, with another 1100 vacancies to be filled.” He added that the airline is seeing a big increase in interest in flying across the Tasman.<br/>