Latam Airlines Group SA tapped global debt markets for the first time since the carrier emerged from its Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The Santiago-based airline sold $1.4b in dollar notes maturing in 2030 to yield 7.875%, according to people familiar with the matter. The deal size was increased from $1.2b, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they’re not authorized to speak about it. Latam, the largest carrier in South America, exited the Chapter 11 process in late 2022 with 35% less debt, placing a renewed focus on customer service. It recently returned to the New York Stock Exchange, with an offering of American depositary shares. The company plans to use proceeds from the bond sale to repay some debts, including its term loan B facility and notes maturing in 2027. <br/>
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Milan Bergamo airport - also known as Orio al Serio and serving the Italian city of Bergamo - endured a day of chaos on Tuesday, following an incident involving a Ryanair flight arriving from Barcelona El Prat. The plane was landing at 07.55 am local time when the four tyres of the rear undercarriage burst, leaving it stuck on the runway. The incident however did not affect the landing manoeuvre or cause any particular problems on board, airport authorities said. However, it damaged the runway, forcing urgent reparation works. A statement issued later during the day said operations at the airport were expected to resume at 06.00 pm local time. The airport's website showed all flights until midnight tonight (Tuesday 1 October) as either delayed, cancelled or diverted. Check your flight's status here. Some departing flights appeared to be delayed until 2pm local time, implying the airport was hoping to be operational by this time.<br/>
Indian low-cost carriers Air India Express and AIX Connect have completed their merger, a key milestone in the reorganisation of the Air India Group. Following a merger process that took less than one year, the combined carrier will operate under the Air India Express name with the airline code IX, says Air India. AIX Connect formerly operated as AirAsia India. The merged carrier has received an updated Air Operator Certificate from India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation. “The successful integration and merger of AIX Connect with Air India Express is commendable and serves as a benchmark for airline mergers,” says DGCA director general Vikram Dutt. “India’s rapid evolution into the world’s third largest aviation market calls for a robust regulatory regime. Accomplishing this milestone given the complexities involved, is testimony to the efforts put in by teams from both the DGCA and the operator.” The consolidation of the Air India Group will see four carriers combined to form two under the group’s five-year Vihaan.AI restructuring programme.<br/>
Philippine Airlines is cutting back flights to China, becoming the latest carrier to reduce traffic amid weak travel demand and fraying relations between Beijing and Manila. The Philippines’ national airline CEO Stanley Ng confirmed the reductions to Bloomberg News, in the latest draw down in flights between the two countries. It follows cuts by Cebu Pacific Air and Philippines AirAsia among others in recent months. China Southern Airlines Co. has also pared back its flights to the Philippines. Manila-based Philippine Airlines will reduce services to Beijing and Guangzhou in the coming months, scheduling data tracked by AeroRoutes showed. The carrier’s flights into China have failed to recover to anywhere near pre-pandemic peaks. The reduction in flights comes after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. outlawed online casinos catering to Chinese gamblers, an industry that he said stoked crimes including money laundering.<br/>
Wet-lease specialist Avia Solutions Group is intending to establish a division of its SmartLynx carrier in Thailand next year, which will emerge from its previous BBN Airlines project in the country. The new operator, Thai SmartLynx, will start services with an Airbus A320 fleet in early 2025. It has evolved from a previous aim, disclosed last year, to expand its BBN Airlines brand which Avia Solutions Group set up in Indonesia. Avia Solutions states that Thai SmartLynx, which is being set up with local partners, is “in the final stages” of securing approval for an air operator’s certificate. It adds that the carrier is being created to meet seasonal capacity demand in Thailand, given the post-pandemic rebound in tourism.<br/>
The CEO of Capital A says the Singaporean authorities have thrice denied it airline licence applications with CEO Tony Fernandes claiming it is because Singapore wants to protect its own airlines. “Three times we had applied for an airline licence, three times we were rejected," he told Malaysia's Daily Star newspaper. "We could get other ASEAN countries but Singapore has blocked us all the time because it protects its airlines." Capital A's AirAsia branded airlines have secured air operator certificates in Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Earlier this year, ch-aviation reported that Fernandes was also looking at basing an airline in Singapore and Viet Nam. Fernandes suggested he would continue to seek a Singaporean licence, saying "don’t block me."<br/>