WestJet pilots have issued a 72-hour strike notice to the company and the government, according to the union that represents them, and they warn the airline could be shut down right before the May long weekend. The Air Line Pilots Association said in a news release late Monday that pilots plan to begin lawful job action early Friday morning, which the release said "could include grounding all aircraft and effectively shutting down operations." “Flight disruptions are never an ideal outcome, especially given the tremendous support our guests have shown us, and we want to continue being a major contributor to our company’s success by helping WestJet realize its growth strategy,” Bernard Lewall, who heads the union's WestJet contingent, said in the news release. “However, WestJet pilots will withdraw our services to secure a contract that will fix many of the airline’s labour problems and make it a career destination for pilots once again.” The WestJet Group responded with a lockout notice, saying a work stoppage could occur as early as Friday at 3 a.m. MDT. “The decision to issue a lockout notice, in response to the actions taken by the union today, was not one that was made lightly, and we sincerely regret the inconvenience and uncertainty this continues to cause for our guests,” WestJet Group CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said in a statement. The statement noted the lockout notice does not mean a work stoppage will occur, and that both parties remain at the bargaining table. But it said the company would "begin preparations to operate a reduced schedule" and warned it would be "a significant reduction from WestJet and Swoop’s current networks."<br/>
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France's Thales will provide maintenance services for Brazilian airline Gol in Brazil instead of abroad, the companies outlined on Tuesday in a deal that aims to cut turnaround time and lower costs. Under the deal, Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes, as the airline is formally known, will no longer need to ship its Thales equipment to the United States or France for maintenance, as they will now be repaired at a Thales plant near Sao Paulo. Thales supplies avionics to Gol, which has a fleet of roughly 120 Boeing aircraft, and to local rival Azul , which mainly operates Airbus and Embraer aircraft. The offshoring of manufacturing work is a sensitive political issue in France, where President Emmanuel Macron last year met business leaders to try to convince them to keep more work in Europe despite soaring energy costs. But analysts say the aerospace industry has long maintained global networks for the servicing of previously manufactured parts in an effort to reduce costs. Gol and Thales did not disclose financial details of their deal, but the carrier's director of maintenance, Fernando Miwa, said Thales' investments in Brazil would provide local operators with an opportunity to cut costs. "The market for this type of service in Brazil is still very limited," Miwa said. Thales, which had expanded its plant in Sao Bernardo do Campo in 2021 to be able to provide such services, said the deal would allow Gol to reduce turnaround time, pay in local currency and receive support in its own time zone. Turnaround time is expected to be cut to two days from 30 previously, the French company said, estimating Gol to save around 60% in logistics and taxes. The plant could also serve other Latin American airlines in the future, it added.<br/>
Turkish carrier Pegasus Airlines narrowed its net loss in Q1 to E22m on record revenues for the period. The Q1 performance – usually a loss-making period for the airline – marked an improvement on the E60m Pegasus lost in the same three months last year and the E42m loss reported in pre-pandemic 2019. Pegasus revenues of E442m jumped 64% compared with last year and by 52% against Q1 2019. Notably, ancillary revenues climbed even faster, rising 68% to E156m. The revenue growth reflects the continued strong yield environment, up by more than a quarter year on year. While capacity is 16% above pre-pandemic levels, the 6.3m passengers Pegasus flew in Q1 2023 remains below the 6.9m it carried in the same period of 2019. Pegasus Airlines says: “The booking curve build-up is picking up pace, confirming our expectation for a robust international demand in the upcoming peak summer period.” The airline is maintaining its aim to lift capacity in terms of ASKs by a fifth this year compared with 2022. The airline ended the quarter with 99 aircraft in its fleet, the majority of which are Airbus A320/A321neos. Pegasus aims to take 13 more A321neos this year, phasing out nine aircraft – a mix of current generation Airbus and Boeing narrowbodies – to have a fleet of 103 aircraft. Notably all the carrier’s remaining aircraft deliveries are for the larger A321neo, meaning its average seat count will reach 215 by 2025, compared with 191 in 2021.<br/>
The Slovenian government will decide in June whether it should create a successor to Adria Airways, with the aim that the new carrier would be operational by the end of next year to improve the country’s faltering connectivity, the local news site 24ur reported. A final decision should be made in the coming weeks, when the Ministry of Infrastructure completes its analysis of a feasibility study on the economic effects of establishing a new airline. According to 24ur’s sources, this will reveal that the Slovenian economy, especially tourism, has suffered losses of about E150m since Adria’s collapse. Departures from Ljubljana Airport, also known by its previous name Brnik, are less frequent, and connections with other European capitals have deteriorated. The participants of a recent large-scale medical congress were driven with cars and buses from other nearby airports because of their better connections, one of the sources said. Demand is buoyant, but aviation experts cited in the news report, such as a former CE (1992-2001) and president (2001-2005) of Adria, Peter Grašek, and a former CE of Fraport Slovenia, Zmago Skobir, warned that the government should not have any illusions that Slovenians will be willing to pay more to fly with a national carrier. The prerequisite is European Commission approval, which Grašek said he doubted, and according to Skobir part-ownership with a foreign airline will be necessary to make the project viable.<br/>
More than 200 jobs will be created by the Jet2's arrival in Liverpool, the travel firm has said. The firm will operate 54 weekly flights from Liverpool John Lennon Airport to 20 destinations with flights due to take-off from March 2024. The company said the move was driven by "enormous demand" on Merseyside. Airport CE John Irving said Jet2's plans meant flight deck, cabin crew, engineering, and ground operations jobs would be created. He said it was the first time travellers would be able to book package holidays with the firm and fly direct from Liverpool, with about 565,000 seats available from next year. He said it was the first time travellers would be able to book package holidays with the firm and fly direct from Liverpool, with about 565,000 seats available from next year. He said the announcement brought "more options and gives more choice at different price points". "It's also great to have seven new routes available that we know will be popular with holidaymakers and for our local independent travel agents to be able to sell," he added. Jet2's CE Steve Heapy said the move had come from "significant customer demand" and the firm was "absolutely delighted" to make Liverpool "our 11th UK airport base". A fleet of four aircraft will fly customers to destinations in mainland Spain, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Portugal, Madeira and Cyprus.<br/>
Oman Air said Tuesday that one of its Boeing 737s had been grounded in Iran after sustaining damage “caused by debris on the runway” at Shiraz International Airport. The Muscat-based flag carrier for the sultanate did not elaborate on what debris the plane struck on landing Monday in Shiraz. Iranian officials did not immediately acknowledge the incident involving the aircraft. “Our engineering team is undertaking the necessary measures to safely bring the aircraft back to Muscat,” the airline said in an online statement. It described the route as operating as a chartered flight and that those stuck had been provided accommodation in Shiraz, some 680 km southeast of Tehran. However, other airlines have faced challenges in bringing back damaged aircraft. US sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program have barred spare aviation parts from being on hand in the Islamic Republic. That complicates repairs on aircraft from both Boeing Co. and Airbus, which have American-made parts. In December 2018, a brand-new Boeing 737 Max flown by Norwegian Air Shuttle landed in Shiraz after a fault in one of its engines while flying from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The aircraft remained stuck on the ground there for several months before finally leaving. The airport in Shiraz, like many others in the Mideast, is used by both commercial and military flights. Iran and Oman have maintained close relations through the decades, even amid Tehran’s tensions with its Gulf Arab neighbors and the US Oman frequently has served as an interlocutor for the West with Iran.<br/>
The Russian Ministry of Transport has denied plans for direct flights by Russian carriers between Russia and South Africa, according to the state-owned news agency TASS. "There are currently no plans to operate direct flights between Russia and Malaysia, Russia and South Africa, as well as Russia and Ethiopia by Russian carriers. Between Russia and Ethiopia, flights on the Addis Ababa - Moscow route are operated by Ethiopian Airlines three times a week," the ministry said. Ethiopian Airlines also serves Johannesburg and Cape Town from Addis Ababa. Earlier, the head of the Federal Air Transport Agency, Alexander Neradko, reported that Russia could open flights with Myanmar, Mongolia, South Korea, South Africa, Algeria, Saudi Arabia and a number of other countries this year. In January, ch-aviation reported that South Africa was talking to Russia's Nordwind Airlines about direct flights between Moscow Sheremetyevo and Johannesburg O.R. Tambo, even though the carrier is subject to US and European sanctions invoked due to Russia's war on Ukraine, meaning it cannot legally fly to South Africa under international aviation safety regulations. South Africa's relationship with Russia is under the international spotlight following US allegations that the African National Congress (ANC) government has provided weapons to Russia for its war on Ukraine.<br/>
Georgian Airways will resume direct flights to Russia from Saturday, the country's civil aviation authority said, drawing criticism from Ukraine and the European Union. The move comes after Moscow lifted a flight ban last week in a significant warming of ties with Georgia, with which it has had no formal diplomatic relations since Russia defeated its southern neighbour in a short war in 2008. "The world is isolating Russia to force it to stop the war, but Georgia is welcoming Russian airlines and sending its own to Moscow. All while 20% of Georgian territory remains occupied by Russia with impunity," Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said on Twitter. "The Kremlin will surely be delighted with such a result." Georgia has in recent months tried to balance rapprochement with its giant neighbour and its aspirations to join the EU. The country was rocked by protests in March after lawmakers moved to adopt a Russian-style bill requiring non-government organisations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as "agents of foreign influence".<br/>
Pilots at India's Go First face delays getting paid due to the airline's bankruptcy process and want the government to allow them to take up new jobs without serving long notice periods, a group representing the pilots said in a letter seen by Reuters. In the letter dated May 15, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) asks the aviation ministry to intervene, saying Go First is not issuing the necessary documents to pilots wanting to resign. Go First and the ministry did not immediately respond to questions. Go First was granted bankruptcy protection last week, but many pilots have been looking for new jobs in light of the crisis and in early May flocked to a hotel for walk-in interviews organised by rival Air India. But an Indian government rule from 2017 mandates pilots to serve a one-year notice period, and co-pilots six months, saying it is in the public interest to avoid sudden departures that can result in last minute flight cancellation and travel disruption. The FIP said notice periods globally were typically one month, and India should allow pilots at financially distressed airlines to resign immediately. The block on Go First pilots risks sending "a negative signal that spreads an atmosphere of anxiety and stress amongst pilots," the FIP said in its letter. The tussle with pilots is the latest headache for Go First, which is also facing a court battle with airline leasing companies over the bankruptcy proceedings, which prevent lessors from taking back their planes from the airline. Go First blames a lack of engine supplies from Pratt & Whitney for its financial troubles, an allegation the U.S. firm says is without merit. Go First won an arbitration order in its favour in March to require Pratt to supply spare engines, and is seeking to enforce it in a Delaware court.<br/>
The head of an Asian airline could be a hit with a large fine after he allowed a YouTuber into his plane’s cockpit following the first flight of a new route. Chang Kuo-wei, who founded Taiwan-based Starlux Airlines and is also a pilot, flew the firm’s inaugural flight from Taipei to Los Angeles, US, at the end of April 2023. Members of the press and influencers were also on board, with Australian Sam Chui, who has over 3m subscribers to his “aviation and experience” YouTube channel, travelling in first class, reports Taiwan News. Chui wrote on Facebook: “Not every day the chairman of an airline flies his passengers personally.” The internet personality also shared a video of his trip on Twitter, even going as far as describing his meal on the plane as “the best steak I’ve ever had”. But it’s the picture of Chui in the cockpit alongside Kuo-wei that has attracted the attention of aviation authorities. According to Article 194 of Taiwan’s Aircraft Flight Operation Regulations: “No person may be admitted into the flight crew compartment of an aircraft except for the authorised personnel and flight dispatchers of the operator.” The case is being investigated by the country’s Civil Aeronautics Administration, with the organisation’s director-general, Lin Kuo-shian, reportedly summoning Starlux’s director of flight operations for an explanation.<br/>
Japanese operator Skymark Airlines rebounded to a full-year profit amid “remarkable recovery” in travel demand as Japan eased much of its pandemic curbs. For the year to 31 March, the Tokyo-headquartered carrier posted an operating profit of Y3.45b ($25.4m), significantly reversing the Y16.5b loss posted in the previous financial year.<br/>Revenue for the full-year grew 80% year on year to nearly Y85b, on the back of a rebound in passenger traffic. The airline carried over 7m passengers during the year, up almost 69% year on year. Skymark notes that while the first half of the fiscal year saw weakened demand as much of Japan remained shut off to international travel. However, by October, and as Japan eased travel curbs, Skymark says travel demand picked up quickly: passenger numbers in the January-March quarter this year were nearly on par with pre-pandemic levels. Operating expenses for the year rose about 28% to Y76b, with air transportation costs increasing the most as the airline ramped up flying. The airline swung to a net profit for the year, at Y5.7b, compared to the Y6.7b net loss in the previous fiscal year. In its outlook, Skymark says it expects passenger demand to return to pre-Covid levels in the current fiscal year, which ends on 31 March 2024. “On the other hand, the company continues to face a number of challenges to deal with, including global inflation, a weak yen, and soaring crude oil prices due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” it notes. To this end, Skymark is re-looking its network, and “will consider new air routes in a diversified way”. These include starting flights to regional areas in Japan to “meet the demand for business and tourism”. “The company will [also] actively engage in charter flights and other operations depending on the situation,” adds Skymark.<br/>
PAL Holdings, the parent of Philippine Airlines, reported a marked improvement in its Q1 profit, as air travel demand continued to recover. For the three months to 31 March, the company disclosed an operating profit of around Ps7.4b ($135m), a three-fold jump year on year. The company saw a 66% improvement in quarterly revenue, to around Ps43b, as passenger numbers more than doubled with the reopening of borders and easing of pandemic curbs. PAL Holdings saw its expenses increase 48% to Ps35b, led by a rise in fuel costs with more flights being operated. “The positive financial performance reflects the continuing strength of the recovery of air travel. During [Q1], PAL re-introduced routes to several cities in mainland China and launched nonstop flights to Perth, while maintaining regular services to North America, the Middle East, Australia and various destinations around Asia and the Philippines,” the company states. PAL Holdings posted a net profit of Ps4.7b, a significant improvement against the Ps1b profit in the year-ago period. Airline chief Stanley Ng adds: “The stronger recovery brings transition challenges that impact our operations, and we commit to make productive use of our improving revenues to invest in fleet upgrades, product improvements, operational support and above all safety.”<br/>