Brazilian airlines Azul and Gol have secured access to around $200m each in financing to fund engine maintenance plans, as carriers try to maintain capacity to meet strong demand for air travel. Planemakers and airlines around the world are facing major engine supply hurdles, limiting aircraft deliveries and capacity growth while pressuring maintenance teams and increasing costs. Azul said late on Tuesday it had received approval to access a $200m government-backed credit facility to finance engine maintenance for its Embraer and Airbus fleet, with services provided by GE Celma. Rival Gol earlier said it been given a green light to access a government credit insurance policy for lines of up to $209m to fund engine maintenance by GE. Shares of both companies rose around 1% on Wednesday, among the top gainers on Brazil's Bovespa stock index, which was little changed overall. "We believe that this new credit facility will enable us to optimize our liquidity position and streamline our fleet engine maintenance process," Azul CFO Alex Malfitani said. Gol, which flies Boeing 737 aircraft, said maintenance efforts would be focused on its CFM56-7B engines. Both Azul and Gol complained about engine supply issues earlier this month. Azul CEO John Rodgerson called it a "major issue for every manufacturer," while Gol head Celso Ferrer said the firm's maintenance backlog had been under pressure amid delayed Boeing deliveries. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's administration this month cut a deal with airlines under which Azul and Gol agreed to cap the prices of millions of domestic tickets in exchange for government measures including a federal guarantee for credit operations.<br/>
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Mexicana was one of the world's oldest airlines before its collapse in 2010. Now, nearly 14 years later, a government-run carrier is up and flying with the same name — but it's not off to a smooth start. The first Mexicana flight took off on Tuesday, flying from Felipe Ángeles International Airport in Mexico City to Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport in the popular beach town of Tulum, the Associated Press reported. Like the airline, both airports recently opened and are run by the defense department. According to AP, the military does not have any experience managing a commercial operation. The airline already has a poor on-time arrival rate. During its first flight, Mexicana had to divert the Boeing 737-800 to a small city due to poor weather conditions. According to data from the aircraft-tracking website FlightAware, the plane sat in Merida for about 90 minutes before taking back off, arriving in Tulum about five and half hours after leaving Mexico City. Despite the early blunder, Mexicana has plans to expand to 14 initial destinations from its base in Mexico City, according to a route map published on its website. The government also said the airline expects to add another five planes to its already five-strong fleet of Boeing and Embraer aircraft. <br/>
Announcing its record operational results for 2023, UAE’s national carrier, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, said it has doubled both the number of operated flights and passengers carried. With a completion rate of 99.6%, the low-fare airline operated over 15,000 flights and transported 3m passengers, including more than 1.5m point-to-point passengers to Abu Dhabi. A joint venture between ADQ and Wizz Air Holdings PLC, it has expanded its network to 40 destinations in 27 countries, focusing on enriching travel experiences and contributing to the UAE’s tourism sector. The airline said it is set to continue its growth and sustainability efforts in 2024. The airline supports the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism’s target to reach 24m visitors for 2023, and promote the emirate as a year-round tourism destination, a statement said. Wizz Air is currently flies to a total of 40 destinations in 27 different countries from Abu Dhabi, with recent expansions into Central Asia, North Africa, the Middle East and Europe allowing for convenient, self-connecting travel across the wider Wizz Air network via the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. In 2023, the airline added four new A321 aircraft, taking the total fleet to 12 aircraft, and increased its seat capacity by 135% to 3.7m seats on sale. The airline has grown in headcount by 100% in 2023, supporting local jobs, invested in the latest technologically advanced aircraft and worked collaboratively with partners, regulators, and stakeholders to lead the charge towards more sustainable air travel.<br/>
Nepal’s Himalaya Airlines announced it will begin weekly flights between Kathmandu and Tibet’s regional capital of Lhasa this week, the first non-Chinese airline to receive permission to fly into Tibet. The move is aimed at bolstering tourism, an airline spokesperson told Radio Free Asia. “No other airline has received this permission,” she said. The inaugural flight by the Kathmandu-based airline – a joint venture between Nepal and China – to Lhasa is set to take off from Kathmandu on Thursday and is scheduled to operate once a week. China has expanded its economic and political influence in the Himalayan country sandwiched between it and India. A recent report said that China’s sway within Nepal has led to stricter regulations on the estimated 20,000 Tibetans residing in the country, many without legal status. Nepal “has become a highly unsafe and insecure place for Tibetan refugees to exercise basic human rights, including freedom of religion, culture and expression,” according to the report from Seoul-based Asian Dignity Initiative and Dharamsala, India-based advocacy group Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy.<br/>