Market conditions are currently not ideal for Mexican airline Aeromexico to list in New York, the firm's CEO said on Tuesday, after plans to go public were delayed last year. Aeromexico CEO Andres Conesa told journalists the carrier would list "as soon as market conditions allow," but did not explain further. "We aren't in a rush," Conesa said, adding the initial public offering (IPO) would come "whenever shareholders decide to sell." Aeromexico, a Mexican legacy airline, had long been a presence on the nation's main stock exchange. But it delisted as part of Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, which it came out of in 2022. Some of the carrier's largest shareholders after Chapter 11 include private equity firm Apollo Management, investment firm Silver Point Capital and Delta Air Lines, with which Aeromexico has a joint venture. Last year, Aeromexico filed plans to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker "AERO." Its shareholders were set to sell American Depositary Shares (ADSs) in the IPO, but the carrier did not disclose the size or the price range of the offering. Media reported at the time that Aeromexico investors were seeking up to $500m with the IPO, but that factors such as Mexico's presidential elections last year made the timing uncertain. Aeromexico's tie-up with Delta, which includes a codeshare agreement allowing each airline to sell seats on a flight operated by the other, makes the carriers the largest in terms of U.S.-Mexico routes, Conesa said. But that agreement has been at risk since last year, when the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) said it did not plan to renew the deal after the Mexican government moved some flights in and out of Mexico City.<br/>
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South American carrier LATAM Airlines is to launch a new route between Lisbon and Fortaleza in northern Brazil this summer. LATAM will operate the route once per week from 7 April to 20 October – it will be the carrier’s first direct flight between northeast Brazil and Europe since 2009. The airline plans to operate Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on the route, which will be fitted with three cabins: economy (213 seats), premium economy (57 seats) and business class (30 seats). LATAM will compete with TAP Air Portugal on the Lisbon-Fortaleza route, with the Portuguese carrier already offering a daily service. “We are always on the lookout for opportunities to expand the supply of seats and flights in a sustainable way, to boost tourism and the economy of the northeast," said Eduardo Macedo, head of public affairs at LATAM Brazil.<br/>
Wizz Air aims to restart flights to Ukraine shortly after the announcement of any ceasefire with Russia, reinstating about 30 inbound routes within six weeks, CE Jozsef Varadi told Reuters on Tuesday. "We have a firm plan for the restart of Ukraine, because I think it can happen any moment," Varadi said. "Once a ceasefire is announced, then we would look at our restart." Varadi said the European Union Aviation Safety Agency estimates it would need six-to-eight weeks to safely reopen Ukrainian airspace and Wizz Air was getting ready for that. U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged to bring a swift end to the nearly three-year war in Ukraine and contacts between Russia and the U.S. have intensified, but Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday there was nothing more to add for now. Within six months of the conflict ending, Wizz Air would restart operating bases in Kyiv and Lviv, Varadi said, initially aiming to supply an annualised capacity of about 5m seats a year to the Ukrainian market across 60 routes. Prior to the war in 2021, the low-cost airline was No. 3 in the Ukrainian market with a 10.1% share. Rival airline Ryanair has also said it would start flying to Ukraine once the war ends. Wizz Air cut its annual net income forecast for the second time in six months in January, as it grapples with rising costs related to the grounding of some 20% of its fleet due to engine problems and economic uncertainties.<br/>
Azerbaijan's national carrier, Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC, has announced a new codeshare agreement with Israeli airline El Al. “We are excited to announce a new partnership between Azerbaijan's national carrier AZAL and Israel's El Al airline!” AZAL stated, News.Az reports, citing the air carrier. As part of this collaboration, customers of both airlines will be able to fly on EL AL and Azerbaijan Airlines-operated flights under a codeshare agreement. EL AL’s code (LY) will be added to Azerbaijan Airlines-operated flights from Tel Aviv to Baku, and in the future, to their connecting flights as well. Matmid Frequent Flyer Program members will also be able to earn points on flights to Baku.<br/>
The partnership expands Emirates’ footprint to 13 new cities in Nigeria with frictionless single-ticket travel and simplified baggage throughput. Travellers booked on flights from Dubai to Lagos can access more of Nigeria, with onward connections to Asaba, Akure, Benin City, Calabar, Enugu, Ilorin, Kaduna and Owerri. The interline agreement will also benefit corporate travellers, connecting to additional cities in one of Africa’s major economic hubs, including its capital city Abuja, Kano, Uyo, Port Harcourt and Warri, further supporting the strong bilateral trade relationship between Nigeria and the UAE. Emirates’ deputy president and CCO, Adnan Kazim, said, “Emirates is a steadfast partner of Nigeria’s tourism, trade and aviation sectors. This partnership with Air Peace is the next step on this journey, bolstering our connectivity and introducing more travel options for corporate leisure, and travellers visiting friends and family to and from Nigeria. We look forward to deepening our strategic partnership with Air Peace in the future to enhance the benefits for our mutual customers.” Air Peace, COO, Oluwatoyin Olajide, said this is a significant step towards enhancing global connectivity for Nigerian travellers. “This collaboration not only expands Air Peace’s international reach but also offers Nigerians arriving from Dubai seamless access to key domestic destinations.”<br/>
The Albanese government is preparing for the possibility it may have to acquire the embattled regional airline Rex and operate it as a state-owned carrier, as efforts to find a new buyer to rescue the airline remain fruitless. Administrators were appointed to determine Rex’s future in July, when the airline abruptly ended its Boeing 737 jet operations between metropolitan cities. While Rex’s core regional operations have continued in the months since – in part through the government guaranteeing routes connecting isolated communities would continue to function with a loan of up to $80m – the future of the airline has become increasingly unclear, with the administration period extended to provide more time for a potential buyer to emerge. The search for a new owner has come up empty-handed so far, with the airline’s future beyond the extended June 2025 administration period uncertain before the government’s announcement of continued support on Wednesday. The administrators Ernst & Young revealed the carrier had been weighed down with $500m in debt, and listed Rex’s flight academy in Wagga Wagga for sale, as well as other assets including the charter subsidiary Pel-Air and flight simulators.<br/>