Air Transat flight attendants rejected a tentative agreement with the Canadian leisure carrier, their union said on Tuesday, raising fresh demands for higher pay and the threat of a strike at the end of the bustling holiday travel season. The union representing 18,500 flight attendants in Canada said one of the main reasons for the deal's failure was that the raises failed to keep up with higher living costs. Unions in aerospace and other sectors are making gains on wages amid a tight labor market and rising inflation that has eaten into pocketbooks. Flight attendants in Canada and the US are particularly trying to end the practice of not compensating them for time spent during boarding and waiting at the airport before and between flights. Transat and the union representing its 2,100 cabin crew return to bargaining this week after 98% of voting members rejected the deal reached in December, said a news release from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). "Given members' particularly high dissatisfaction it is still possible that the union gives strike notice," the CUPE release said, confirming an earlier Reuters report which cited an internal notice to cabin crew. Transat flight attendants in late November voted to authorize a mandate allowing them to strike with 72 hours' notice. The earliest possible strike could only take place on Friday, although notice has not yet been given. "We are disappointed by this outcome, as we were confident that the tentative agreement would be accepted by the majority of our flight attendants," said Julie Lamontagne, a spokesperson for Transat in a release. "We are returning to the bargaining table, and our objective remains to find common ground as soon as possible."<br/>
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Silver Airways made its inaugural flight to Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands on Monday, December 18th, 2023. The airline will operate twice-weekly flights non-stop from Fort Lauderdale to Providenciales. Arlington Musgrove, Minister of Immigration and Border Services, said at a press conference on Monday, December 18th, 2023 at the Howard Hamilton Airport, that the new airlift will make the Turks and Caicos Islands even more accessible. “The Turks and Caicos Islands have been a destination of unparalleled beauty with white sand beaches, crystal clear turquoise water and a vibrant culture that captivates all of us. Now with the arrival of Silver Airways, the islands are set to become even more accessible, allowing us to share our slice of paradise. With an increase in activity, we could attract more tourists and hence economic growth and create new employment opportunities for our people. As we embark on this new partnership with Silver Airways, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the airlines’ leadership, and the TCIAA who worked tirelessly to make this partnership a reality,” he said.<br/>
flynas has announced solid growth for 2023 over the previous year, recording a 28% growth in passenger numbers which soared to 11.1m. The leading low-cost carrier also took delivery of 19 new aircraft during 2023, upscaling its fleet size to 64 aircraft, up 35% over 2022. This enabled it to move forward with implementing its strategic plan for growth and expansion under the slogan "We Connect the World to the Kingdom," said flynas in a statement. Consequently, flynas launched 57 new destinations and routes to 10 countries during the year, inaugurating its fourth operations base at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, and increased seat capacity by 22% for domestic and international flights. On the solid performance, CEO and Managing Director Bander Almohanna said: "We are proud of flynas' performance and results in 2023, which reflect the strength of our business model, the distinguished effort made by our team, and the effectiveness of our strategic plan for growth and expansion. Our continued investments to increase the fleet size and destinations network have contributed to enhancing our leading regional and global position and to advance in the Skytrax classification, the most prestigious reference in the aviation industry, to be among the top 4 LCC in the world and the best in the Middle East." <br/>
Indian budget carrier Akasa Air is set to close an order for around 150 Boeing 737 MAX narrowbody planes, two sources said, its latest bid to tap the travel boom in the world's fastest-growing aviation market. Contract negotiations are ongoing and a deal is expected to be announced at Wings India, the country's largest civil aviation event scheduled for Jan. 18-21, said the two sources familiar with the ongoing talks. An Akasa spokesperson said the airline does not comment on speculation, while Boeing did not respond to Reuters' queries. The sources declined to be named as the plane order details are confidential. Reuters is first to report details of the deal, which comes on top of Akasa's existing order book for 76 Boeing 737 MAX planes. Akasa is India's newest airline and has garnered market share of 4% since it started flying in 2022, against IndiGo's (INGL.NS) 60% and Tata Group airlines' combined 26%. Its CCO Praveen Iyer told Indian newspaper Business Line in December that Akasa planned to announce a three-digit aircraft order in early 2024, without sharing any details. The first source said its new order for around 150 planes is likely to include some future purchasing options. The airline currently flies only domestically, with a fleet of around two dozen planes. It was hit last year by the abrupt departure of about a tenth of its pilots and had warned it was flying less as a result, costing it market share. It has since said the issue is behind it. Both sources said Akasa's new plane order is aimed at fuelling its domestic and international expansion, with the narrowbody Boeing planes being ordered equipped to fly to nearby foreign destinations like Southeast Asia and the Middle East from India. Indian carriers are trying to keep pace with soaring demand for air travel which has surged post-COVID, sending industry records tumbling amid diminishing production slots even as plane manufacturers are struggling to meet output goals.<br/>
Sichuan Airlines is set to receive a capital infusion of close to CNY4.7b ($659m) from key shareholder China Southern Airlines, in a deal which also includes the transfer of a sole Airbus A330-300. In a filling dated 29 December, Guangzhou-based China Southern says the capital injection will happen in three tranches: the first, of CNY2.3b in cash, by mid-January; followed by the transfer of the A330 and CNY919m in cash before 30 June; with the remaining capital to be injected by end-March 2025. China Southern is a key shareholder of Chengdu-based Sichuan Airlines, owning 39% of the latter carrier. Sichuan is also set to receive fresh capital from its other shareholders, which include China Eastern, and education group Chengdu Gingko. China Southern says the capital infusion will help “supplement working capital and reduce financial security risks”, and expand Sichuan’s “scope of corporate development”. It adds that the capital infusion is “pivotal” for its presence in the Chengdu market, as well as the construction of “strategic key markets”. China Southern says funds for the capital infusion will not have an impact on its cash flow, and that Sichuan will remain an associate carrier following its completion. Sichuan was loss-making in the year to 31 December 2022, reporting a net loss after tax of nearly CNY10b. The figure is more than double its net loss in the 2021 financial year. According to Cirium fleets data, Sichuan is an all-Airbus operator, with 183 in-service aircraft. These comprise A320 family narrowbodies, A330s and A350s. The airline also has orders for 34 aircraft, including 20 Comac C919s.<br/>