Some of Florida’s busiest airports said they would shut down on Wednesday, and others issued travel advisories about possible cancellations, as Tropical Storm Nicole approached from the east at near hurricane strength. Orlando International Airport said that it would cease commercial operations at 4 p.m. Wednesday. “We’ll continue to monitor the storm’s path and we’ll post updates as they become available,” the airport said on Twitter. Farther south, Palm Beach International Airport said it would cease commercial airline operations Wednesday morning. As of 11 a.m., all flights in and out of the airport were canceled. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Miami International Airport and Tampa International Airport remained open at midday but were warning travelers of possible cancellations and delays. Aviation officials advised travelers to or from Florida to check with their airlines about the status of their flights before heading to the airport.<br/>
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Spirit Airlines plans to raise several hundred million dollars in new debt backed by its loyalty programs, in the latest confirmation that loyalty assets are some of the most lucrative on airlines’ balance sheets. The $500m private deal is backed by the assets and intellectual property of the Miramar, Florida-based carrier’s Free Spirit and Spirit Saver$ Club programs, Spirit said in a securities filing Wednesday. The three-year debt would carry an interest rate of 8 percent with proceeds used to repay $155m in outstanding debt, and to boost liquidity ahead of an uncertain 2023 outlook. The deal follows $850m in loyalty-backed debt that Spirit borrowed in September 2020. Spirit’s latest transaction confirms the high value of loyalty programs to airlines. In fact, the value of the assets and intellectual property of budget airline’s Free Spirit and Spirit Saver$ Club programs, at $4.2b, is more than Spirit’s market capitalization of roughly $2.3b on Wednesday. The value of loyalty programs is about more than just driving repeat business from customers, it’s also big bucks given the low-cost revenues carriers’ reap from co-branded credit card deals. Delta, for example, generated $4.1b in cash sales from such agreements during the first nine months of 2022, or 11% of its total revenues. And that’s why during the past few years, airlines ranging from Aeromexico to Air Canada have spent millions of dollars to take full control of their loyalty programs. Prior to the pandemic, US carriers did not leverage their loyalty programs to raise capital. That changed when, in crisis mode, they were desperate to bulwark their balance sheets with cash to weather the travel slowdown. <br/>
The potential of using aircraft described as being part-plane-part-airship on Scottish lifeline routes is to be explored in a new project. Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) is looking at how its Airlander 10 could carry passengers and freight around the Highlands and Islands. HAV has previously carried out test flights in England using a prototype. It was the world's longest aircraft at 302ft (92m) long and completed six successful test flights. The prototype was retired in November 2017 after it broke free from its mooring mast, triggering a safety system which deflated the aircraft. Bedford-based HAV is currently designing an all-electric variant of the Airlander. The company said it would be a zero-carbon emissions aircraft and was scheduled to be operational by the end of the decade. The three-month study is being supported by a consortium of organisations, including Highlands and Islands Airport (Hial), Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Orkney Island Council and Glasgow-based airline Loganair. HAV said the project would seek to understand how Airlander 10 could support "sustainable mobility" in the Highlands and Islands, and boost connectivity for communities across the region. The aircraft, which combines airship and fixed wing aircraft technology, could carry 100 passengers or 10 tonnes of freight.<br/>
More than 180 companies, 100 delegations and around 100 aircraft will take part in the Bahrain International Airshow’s sixth edition, which took off today. Bahrain International Airshow (BIAS) in its sixth edition celebrates a decade of distinction, with an exciting programme of new features, industry-leading content, and a first-class networking experience with key regional decision-makers. Held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and under the supervision of Shaikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Personal Representative of His Majesty the King and Chairman of BIAS’ Supreme Organising Committee, the major aviation event runs till November 11 at the Sakhir Airbase. Organised by Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications and the Royal Bahraini Airforce in association with Farnborough International, BIAS has been designed to reflect aerospace and defence industry demands and will harness global expertise to provide crucial thought leadership. The airshow is a true platform that showcases the Kingdom’s ideal position as a gateway to the Gulf region and beyond, says Bahrain’s Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, HE Mohamed bin Thamer AlKaabi. “This is a milestone year for BIAS, celebrating a decade of distinction since launching the airshow in 2010, and the show’s continued success is evidenced by the large number of international companies that return for each show,” says AlKaabi.<br/>
Chinese planemaker Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) and Boeing signed an agreement to expand co-operation on their joint research centre, state media Shanghai Securities News said on Wednesday. The pact, signed at the Zhuhai airshow, aims to further support sustanable development of aviation, it added.<br/>