The runway at St. John's International Airport has reopened Wednesday evening after a charter plane overran it during landing. The plane left the edge of the runway before coming to a complete stop, according to an emailed statement from the airport. Passengers and crew were able to safely get off the plane, officials said, and no injuries were reported. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) sent investigators to the incident, and they had concluded preliminary work, according to a second statement from the airport just after 9 p.m. NT. CBC News has learned the plane was carrying 20 passengers and four crew members. The airport originally stated the incident happened during takeoff, but issued a correction about 40 minutes later. The charter was operated by PAL Airlines, according to the TSB. The closure of the runway led to some delays and cancellations of both arriving and departing flights at the airport, but officials say they expect no further delays. Passengers are asked to check with their airline regarding flights.<br/>
unaligned
The CEO of WestJet (opens in a new tab)believes the reason the ultra low-cost airline model struggles to get off the ground in Canada is due to the country’s geography. Alexis von Hoensbroech visited Atlantic Canada this week and spoke with CTV’s Todd Battis about wide-ranging issues affecting WestJet and the larger airline industry on Wednesday. He noted companies like Swoop and other groups couldn’t bring the ultra low-cost model from Europe to Canada due to population and geographic differences. “The ultra low-cost model is actually pretty challenging in Canada because of its large geography and the very few large population centres,” he said. “There are only eight population centres with more than half a million people (in Canada). This is a massive difference (from Europe) and this is why ultra low-cost carriers have failed in Canada. The differences are pretty stark because Canada has twice the size of Europe with a tenth of the population.” WestJet withdrew many flights from Atlantic Canada in the wake of the pandemic as it focused on the western part of the country, but it has added more trips to the region in recent months. In April WestJet returned to the Fredericton International Airport, offering direct flights to and from Calgary. Hoensbroech said their main priorities include an emphasis on western Canada, leisure flights, and low fares.<br/>
AirAsia Cambodia – the low-cost airline group’s newest unit – has commenced operations, operating from its Phnom Penh hub to Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. The airline was handed its air operator’s certificate from Cambodian regulators on 30 April, allowing it to commence operations on 2 May. An AirAsia Cambodia Airbus A320 (XU-819) took off from Phnom Penh international airport for Siem Reap at around 07:40 local time on 2 May, operating as flight 102. According to AirAsia, the flight operated at close to 100% load factor. The carrier is a joint venture between the low-cost airline group, which owns 51%, and local firm Sivilai Asia, which controls the remaining 49%. At its launch, the airline confirmed it is looking to announce its international network - likely existing AirAsia hubs of Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, as well as Singapore - in the third quarter of the year. Airline chief Vissoth Nam had previously told FlightGlobal AirAsia Cambodia is starting with a modest domestic network at the onset to drive its brand awareness within the country, as it awaits regulatory approvals to commence international services. The carrier now operates two Airbus A320s, but hopes to grow the fleet to 16 examples. In prepared comments issued 1 May, Nam adds: “AirAsia has a long history in Cambodia and we are proud to chart a new milestone not only for the airline industry in the region but for the country today. AirAsia Cambodia is a testament to Cambodian ingenuity and dedication, tailored to serve the needs of our people which is above and beyond mere transportation.” AirAsia Group adds that the airline’s launch is “an important milestone” as it moves to consolidate operations. On 26 April, Malaysia-based Capital A confirmed the divestment of its aviation business - known as AirAsia Aviation - to medium-haul affiliate AirAsia X, forming the newly-minted AirAsia Group. <br/>
The administrators determining Bonza’s future have held round-the-clock talks, including with international aviation figures and the owner of the airline’s aircraft, as Australia’s airports maintain the budget carrier was “instrumental in improving competition and pushing down air fares”. Administrators had meetings scheduled late on Wednesday evening and into Thursday morning with “key industry participants” in Australia and overseas, their second day working to such a schedule. They also had an “open dialogue with the lessor of the company’s fleet” of Boeing 737 Max 8 planes that remain parked at airports across the country. The five repossessed planes have been grounded until at least Friday, but it is unclear if they will ever take flight again commercially in Australia. Industry sources expect them to be flown back to the US for other lease deals. The administrators also met with Bonza’s CFO, Lidia Valenzuela, “to go through the financial position of the Company with a view to updating creditors of that position in due course”. With the airline’s future in limbo, some industry insiders said that Bonza’s low-cost business model was sustainable but it had been hindered by its financing and lease arrangements. Were Bonza services to run as scheduled over the next week, the airline would have conducted 183 flights carrying as many 33,106 passengers, data compiled by the Australian Airports Association (AAA) showed, suggesting a growing customer base and business model that was helping dent Australia’s tight airline duopoly.<br/>