unaligned

Spirit Airlines has delayed a vote on its planned tie-up with Frontier Airlines for a fourth time as concerns mount about a lack of shareholder support. Spirit said Wednesday it now plans to hold the vote, most recently scheduled for Friday, on July 27 so it can continue deal talks with Frontier and with JetBlue Airways, whose competing bid for Spirit has thrown the original deal into question. Over the weekend, Frontier Airlines’ CEO, Barry Biffle, wrote to his Spirit counterpart to ask for a delay of the vote to July 27. “We still remain very far from obtaining approval from Spirit stockholders,” Biffle said in the letter. He said the cash-and-stock offer was Frontier’s “best and final” bid. JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes cheered the latest vote delay Wednesday and said the New York-based carrier has made “significant progress” in its deal talks with Spirit. “JetBlue is now standing ready to enter into a binding merger agreement with Spirit as soon as practicable,” Hayes said. Spirit didn’t immediately comment on Hayes’ statement Wednesday. The airline would have to pay Frontier a more than $94 million breakup fee if it backs out of its merger agreement because it finds the other offer superior.<br/>

Air France-KLM’s French low-cost carrier, Transavia, cancelled 15% of flights amid a dispute with cabin crew, exacerbating the chaos engulfing European air travel. The airline is operating 85% of its flight program Wednesday, according to a spokesman. The SNPNC union, which had called for strike action over wages, said dozens of the company’s flights from Paris-Orly airport were pulled on the first day of a conflict that could drag on through Sunday. The labor group refused to sign a deal agreed to with other parties last month -- including the biggest CGT union -- because the accord included bonuses but no increases in base pay. The disruption is the latest to hit a sector that’s plunged into crisis over a combination of surging demand for travel, staff shortages and labor disputes. The strikes are also a setback for Air France-KLM Chief Executive Officer Ben Smith, who has touted the labor peace that followed his taking of the helm as crucial for the turnaround of the carrier. <br/>

Virgin Atlantic expects to begin operations with its first Airbus A330neo in October this year on its London Heathrow-Boston route, the carrier announced on 12 July as it unveiled its cabin for the type. The airline placed an order for up to 20 of the Rolls-Royce Trent 7000-powered twinjets at Paris air show in June 2019, but now suggests it will receive “up to 16” of the type. It expects to take delivery of three A330-900s this year, beginning in September, with the remaining examples following between 2023 and 2026. “The A330neo plays a significant role in our multi-billion dollar fleet transformation,” says Virgin Atlantic COO Corneel Koster. The aircraft will feature an upper-class seat new to Virgin Atlantic and a new executive suite concept at the front of that cabin. The upper-class seats are from Thompson Aero Seating’s Vantage XL range, while the “Retreat Suite” consists of two suites that enable four people to sit together in “their own private social space”, Virgin Atlantic says. Overall, the A330-900s will feature 30 upper-class seats, plus the two “Retreat Suites”, 46 premium-economy seats, 28 “Economy Delight” seats, and 156 economy-class seats.<br/>

Cebu Pacific and flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) are adding more flights to key domestic destinations, as demand for air travel continues to rise amid looser travel restrictions. Cebu Pacific, operated by Cebu Air. Inc., on Wednesday said it will increase the number of flights from Cebu to Iloilo and Tacloban. “We have seen consistent demand for these routes, and we hope to keep expanding our footprint as more people confidently fly again,” Cebu Pacific Chief Commercial Officer Xander Lao said. As the Gokongwei-led carrier expands capacity at its hubs outside Metro Manila, there will be two more weekly flights for Cebu–Iloilo and Cebu–Tacloban routes, starting Aug. 5. Weekly flight frequency for Cebu-Iloilo route will increase to nine times from seven times weekly. Meanwhile, the Cebu–Tacloban route will increase to 16 times from 14 times weekly. The budget carrier said it fully restored its pre-pandemic domestic capacity in April. “The airline surpassed its December 2019 level for domestic capacity, as it (registered) 109% restoration in (the first week of) July 2022,” Lao said.<br/>