Spirit Airlines will suspend training for new pilots and flight attendants next month “until further notice,” according to company memos, as it plans for slower growth amid softer demand and the expected grounding of dozens of aircraft for inspections because of a manufacturing problem with some Airbus planes’ engines. The company had already slowed hiring and captain upgrades, Greg Christopher, vice president of flight operations at Spirit, said Thursday in a memo to pilots, which was seen by CNBC. “With these recent developments, however, we will also be suspending all new-hire training efforts starting in November, until further notice.” The company told flight attendants that it will halt new flight attendant training starting Nov. 7 for the foreseeable future. It is also planning to offer voluntary time off for cabin crew members, according to a separate memo from Tina Milton, vice president of inflight experience. A Spirit spokesman confirmed the changes. “This is not a decision we’ve taken lightly, but it’s necessary to ensure our crew staffing levels match our operational need given the number of aircraft we can fly,” he said in a statement. The Miramar, Florida-based discount carrier said it expects to have to ground an average of 26 Airbus A320neo aircraft for inspections of engines made by RTX unit Pratt & Whitney after that company disclosed a manufacturing defect in August. The carrier said it expects 13 grounded planes in January, rising to 41 in December of next year. The airline had a fleet of 202 Airbus planes as of Sept. 30, according to a filing. “This expectation drives a dramatic decrease in the Company’s near-term growth projections,” Spirit said in a filing. It said it expects capacity to be flat to up mid-single digits next year compared with 2023. The airline is in talks with RTX about compensation for the issue. Last month, RTX said it expected repairs to take between 250 and 300 days, with an average of 350 planes powered by the geared turbofan engines grounded worldwide between 2024 and 2026.<br/>
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At least 12 people died on Sunday after a small plane crashed near the Rio Branco airport, in the capital of the western Brazilian state of Acre, state authorities said. The plane, operated by local firm ART Taxi Aereo, crashed right after takeoff, killing everyone onboard including an infant, the Acre state government in a statement. The causes of the crash will now be investigated, it said. The plane was headed to Envira, a small town in Amazonas state.<br/>
Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd.’s budget unit HK Express expects to grow significantly in 2024, with nine new Airbus SE jets scheduled for delivery and capacity expected to rise to 170% of pre-Covid levels. The new planes will help offset the temporary grounding of some of the carrier’s 30-strong fleet due to Pratt & Whitney engine inspections, which are affecting airlines globally. HK Express Chief Executive Officer Jeanette Mao said the checks will impact the fleet in batches, but won’t hurt its expansion efforts. “Our assessment is it won’t affect our growth up to next year,” Mao told Bloomberg News when asked about the engines. The airline expects to operate 600 flights a week by the end of December, when its capacity will reach 130% of pre-pandemic levels. Mao said the low-cost unit is “open minded” about adding widebody aircraft.<br/>
Bamboo Airways is suspending service on 10 international routes under plans announced Friday amid nonstop turbulence at the Vietnamese budget carrier. The company started by suspending flights between Hanoi and London on Oct. 18. Other affected routes include connections between Hanoi and Narita Airport, near Tokyo; between Hanoi and Incheon, South Korea; and between Ho Chi Minh City and Frankfurt, Germany. Full refunds or flight changes are being offered for tickets already sold. The announcement comes as Bamboo Airways, Vietnam's third-largest airline, undergoes restructuring. Founder Trinh Van Quyet was arrested in 2022 over accusations of manipulating the stock market and concealing information. The pandemic also depressed travel demand. Bamboo Airways reported a loss of around 17t dong (roughly $700m at current rates) for 2022, nearly eight times the red ink of 2021. Many foreign pilots have left the company over nonpayment of wages, according to news reports. Former Japan Airlines executive Hideki Oshima joined Bamboo Airways as chairman of the board this June, only to step down less than three weeks later. Oshima resigned as a director in September.<br/>