Ryanair said on Wednesday it expected to expand its leading position in the Italian market in the coming years despite regulatory disputes over the past few months. The Irish budget carrier would be interested in slots that could become available at Rome's Fiumicino airport as the result of a planned combination between Lufthansa and ITA Airways, CE Michael O'Leary said. Speaking at a news conference in Rome, O'Leary said Ryanair's clash this week with Italy's antitrust regulator (AGCM) stemmed from a dispute it had with companies including Spanish online travel agency eDreams. The AGCM has ordered Ryanair to stop limiting or blocking the sale of its flight tickets by travel agencies. "We think the case has no merit whatsoever," O'Leary said, having arrived carrying a placard reading: "Stop OTA (Online Travel Agency) Pirates, Protect Passengers." A Ryanair representative will meet the AGCM in Rome on Thursday. Ryanair said it would appeal any definitive AGCM ruling against it to an Italian regional court where it is confident of winning its case. The company also plans to lodge a counter-complaint with the AGCM about eDreams' Prime membership service, which O'Leary said charged passengers an annual 55 euros ($58.5) for discounts that did not exist.<br/>
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Ryanair Holdings Plc said Boeing Co. has taken steps to accelerate delivery of some 737 Max jets this summer, potentially alleviating the bottleneck created from a slower pace of output. The Irish budget airline might receive an additional two or three planes before the end of June, CEO Michael O’Leary said on Wednesday at a press conference in Rome. While that still leaves the airline far short of its original plan, the development shows Boeing is making efforts to accommodate one of its most important customers. Stephanie Pope, who replaced Stan Deal last month as head of Boeing’s commercial aircraft business, is “committed” to speeding up late deliveries, O’Leary said. Boeing was forced to slow production following the near-catastrophic accident in early January involving a 737 Max 9 jet operated by Alaska Airlines. Ryanair expects only 40 out of 57 Max planes to be delivered this summer, forcing the airline to cut its annual passenger forecast and flight frequencies across its network. Ryanair expects to take most of the deliveries from July through to October, in time for the 2025 peak summer season.<br/>
Aer Lingus says it is “unlikely” to receive the first of several new aircraft due to the airline after talks on a pilot pay dispute ended in deadlock. Members of the Irish Airline Pilot’s Association (Ialpa) are seeking pay increases of more than 20% to bring earnings in line with inflation and salaries paid by other carriers. Aer Lingus said on Wednesday that talks aimed at resolving the row by the end of this month “concluded without agreement”. The carrier acknowledged that it was “unlikely” that it would receive the first of six new Airbus jets that it was due to receive from parent International Airlines Group (IAG), as a consequence. “Aer Lingus now looks forward to the pay dispute being heard by the Labour Court on April 22nd,” said a statement. The airline opened direct talks with the union ahead of the scheduled Labour Court hearing as it hoped to get a resolution before April 28th, when IAG had to make a final decision on which of its carriers would get the new Airbus. That aircraft is due to begin flying in September. Ialpa confirmed to members on Wednesday that it and Aer Lingus had agreed to end talks and go to the Labour Court. The union noted that Aer Lingus had told representatives that it was not in a position to increase basic pay above the 8.5% offered by an internal company tribunal, which pilots rejected in January.<br/>
Russian carrier Smartavia has named Sergei Lazarev as its new CE, the fourth individual to hold the post in the space of about two years. Smartavia says Lazarev has been with the airline since March 2021. He was previously serving as first deputy general director for production at the carrier, which emerged five years ago after rebranding from the previous name Nordavia. It was initially under the leadership of Sergei Savostin before he was succeeded by Anatoly Semenyuk in April 2022, as Russian carriers faced pressure from sanctions related to the Ukrainian conflict. Semenyuk had previously headed Nordavia for two years, prior to the rebrand. But the CE role changed again later the same year when Sergei Chernyshev was put in charge in October 2022. Smartavia says Lazarev’s appointment will “strengthen” its operational side, adding that this is “extremely important” for enabling the airline to operate more efficiently in the “current realities” of the air transport market.<br/>
Six months after the Israeli-Gaza conflict began, leisure carrier Israir Group has restored its fleet to pre-war levels. The airline says it will have nine single-aisle aircraft available, 192 days since the outbreak of the conflict in October 2023. With this level of capacity, it adds, it will be able to implement its original commercial plan to fly over 100,000 passengers in April, which includes the Passover holiday period which falls at the end of the month. Israir says it had operated only four aircraft during March, because two of its aircraft were undergoing maintenance ahead of the summer season. These include an Airbus A320 which has just returned from a check lasting three months. Israir adds that it has access to three leased aircraft for seasonal operation, one of which was introduced at the beginning of the month and the other two in the last few days. “Operation of the leased aircraft was made possible…after approvals and concessions were received, in view of the security situation, from the aircraft insurers abroad,” it states.<br/>
Some Group of Seven nations are considering fresh sanctions on Iran Air in response to Tehran’s April 13 attack on Israel, a move that would further curb the Iranian carrier’s flights to Europe, people familiar with the matter said. The sanctions would be part of a broader array of punishments meant to further isolate Iran after the attack, which saw the regime launch some 300 drones and missiles in the first direct attack on Israel. Israeli, US and UK air defenses and fighter jets knocked down almost all the incoming weapons. A final decision on the measures to impose on Iran has yet to be finalized, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. The measure has also been raised as an option should Iran provide missiles to Russia, one of the people said. In the EU, sanctions require the backing of all member states. On Tuesday, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the US would impose new sanctions on Iran targeting the country’s missile and drone program following its weekend attack. Sullivan said the US, in coordination with its allies, would also target entities supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran’s Defense Ministry. Any impact of those actions is likely to be limited given that Iran Air, the IRGC and Iran’s drone manufacturers are already heavily sanctioned. The IRGC has been labeled a terrorist organization by the US since 2019, a designation meant to sever the group and anyone associated with it from the global economy.<br/>
Korean fashion brand Matin Kim unveiled the new cabin crew uniform for domestic airline Aero K, Monday. This collaboration commemorates the low-cost carrier's (LCC) first launch at the country's main transport hub, Incheon International Airport, slated for late May. The flight attendant uniform, a limited-edition Maxi Hoody Jumper designed by Matin Kim, combines bold styling with practical elements for cabin service. The hoodie coat has a loose silhouette with adjustable waist strings for easy movement around the cabin and is water-resistant. Complementing the outfit is a Clutch Belt Bag made from cowhide leather, specifically designed for cabin crew needs. The crew at Aero K started wearing the new uniform on Monday and a limited quantity of the collaborative products will be available at the Matin Kim store at Hyundai Department Store’s branch in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, which is the LCC's hub. "Matin Kim's unique charms met with Aero K's boundary-pushing efforts to create new synergy," the fashion company said in a statement. "We will continue to expand our reach to more customers and establish Matin Kim's unique position by showcasing diverse collaborations across different fields."<br/>