Spirit Airlines on Tuesday rejected Frontier Group’s acquisition offer, worth about $2.16b, saying the bid from its fellow ultra-low-cost carrier was less beneficial to shareholders than its ongoing reorganization plan. Frontier’s offer was a reiteration of its proposal from earlier this month in which it proposed Spirit’s shareholders would get $400m in debt and a 19% stake in Frontier. However, it dropped a requirement that Spirit complete a $350m equity rights offering and use the proceeds to retire its debtor-in-possession facility. It also requires the bankruptcy court-approved $35m termination fee be waived. However, Spirit, which filed for bankruptcy protection last year and expects to complete its restructuring in the first quarter, said the revised proposal did not address certain material risks and issues it had previously identified. Instead, the Florida-based airline offered a counterproposal in which Spirit shareholders would get $600m in debt and $1.185b in equity – which Frontier rejected. The two companies had been in merger talks since at least 2022, even before Spirit filed for bankruptcy due to prolonged periods of financial losses and a substantial debt load. However, JetBlue Airways jumped into the fray and prevailed. But that deal was scrapped after a U.S. judge blocked it on anti-competition concerns. Frontier revived its takeover efforts earlier this year, but Spirit had said the first offer was inferior to the one the two companies had discussed last year and sought an assurance that the deal would close and Frontier would not walk away.<br/>
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A plane carrying 27 passengers, including crew, slid off the taxiway before coming to a stop at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) late Wednesday morning, according to a news release from the airport. The United Regional Jet operated by GoJet Airlines, which departed from Washington Dulles International Airport, went into a section of grass just before 11 a.m. after landing at the airport on Runway 11-29, according to the release. No injuries were reported, and passengers were placed on airport buses and immediately transported to the airport terminal, the release said. While there are no official reports as of Wednesday evening, “weather conditions, specifically icy taxiways, were the probable cause,” GoJet Airlines spokesperson Elizabeth Dray said in a statement to CNN on Wednesday.<br/>
Canadian leisure carrier Air Transat and Spain’s Air Europa have launched an interline partnership intended to expand their respective reaches into the other’s domestic markets. The carriers disclosed the deal on 12 February. It offers single-ticket check-in and baggage checked to final destinations for passengers with multi-city itineraries. Transat, which focuses on flowing domestic passengers through its hubs in Eastern Canada and across the Atlantic Ocean, stands to build its presence in the Spanish vacation market. “Spain is an essential destination for North American travellers, and this collaboration with Air Europa strengthens our ties with the country while enhancing the overall travel experience,” says Sebastian Ponce, Transat’s chief revenue officer. Montreal-based Transat identifies Bilbao, Ibiza, La Coruna, Las Palmas, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife and Vigo as destinations that will be available for interline flights through Air Europa’s hub in Madrid. Separately, Transat plans to complete the roll-out of its joint venture with fellow Canadian carrier Porter Airlines this year. The partners have been coordinating since June on Canadian and European routes, and intend to do the same for operations in Latin America. <br/>
Preliminary reports from Brazil are indicating that a Gol Boeing 737 Max 8 has aborted take-off from Rio de Janeiro after hitting a vehicle on the runway. The incident occurred at around 22:00 on 11 February as the aircraft was departing for Forteleza. Brazilian media are quoting airport operator RIOgaleao as stating that the incident involved a maintenance vehicle. The airport operator says none of those involved was injured and all passengers disembarked the jet. It adds that the scene is being preserved for Brazilian investigation authority CENIPA to probe the circumstances. Brazilian publication O Globo says the event involved flight G31674. Video footage circulating on social media, purportedly captured by a passenger during the take-off run, suggests a thump was heard during acceleration and the aircraft began veering to the right of the runway. Footage provisionally identifies the aircraft involved as PS-GPP. The extent of any damage to the twinjet, or the vehicle, is unclear.<br/>
Middle Eastern carrier Oman Air is establishing an all-economy operation with a dedicated fleet of Boeing 737 Max jets. The airline has branded the operation Oman Air Connect. It will operate a fleet of five 737 Max 8s, the first of which arrived during early February. Oman Air says the jets will be deployed on routes to destinations mainly in the Indian subcontinent, Middle East and Africa. The routes will complement the main Oman Air network, it adds. Oman Air Connect is intended to offer “more affordable travel options” while maintaining “comfort and service”, says the carrier. “The way people travel has evolved,” says Oman Air chief Con Korfiatis, stating that passengers have a wider choice and greater accessibility. “At the same time, passengers still want to enjoy a comfortable journey. With this all-economy fleet, we are adapting to these changing needs – providing our guests with more flexibility and choice without compromising on quality.”<br/>
Malaysia’s Sarawak state acquired a sister company of national carrier Malaysia Airlines, its latest move to boost ownership of strategic assets as it pushes for greater autonomy. Sarawak signed a sales and purchase agreement with Malaysia Airlines’ parent Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) on Feb 12 to acquire MASwings, a carrier that largely serves states on Borneo island. The acquisition price was not disclosed. MAG is wholly owned by the country’s sovereign fund Khazanah Nasional. The deal would make Sarawak the first Malaysian state to own an airline. Sarawak will rename the carrier Air Borneo and turn it into a full-service airline, said Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Tun Openg at the signing ceremony in the state’s capital Kuching. The airline will start by focusing on its current main offering – rural air services in the Borneo states of Sarawak and Sabah – before progressing to cater to destinations within a four-hour radius, he said. “We also look forward to exploring opportunities and working with original equipment manufacturers – be it Boeing, Airbus, Comac (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China), Embraer or ATR,” said Tan Sri Abang Johari. Sarawak will also build a new Kuching International Airport to complement its aviation sector ambitions, he said. <br/>
Hong Kong’s Greater Bay Airlines has blamed new employees, poor decision-making and external factors for the recent cancellation of more than 100 flights, saying in a report ordered by the government that the staff responsible have been fired. In its report to the Civil Aviation Department released on Wednesday, the airline acknowledged concerns had been raised over its decision last month to cancel 128 flights throughout February and March, affecting 5,500 passengers travelling to and from Thailand, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan. “[The airline] implemented a revised corporate structure in non-operational areas in late 2024, which included investing in employing extra new commercial and planning management personnel,” the report said, adding the staff had prior experience at other carriers. But the report said the team failed to heed the airline’s “required protocol for cancellation decision-making, took excessive time to make decisions, communicated the decision poorly and did not consider the [company’s] customer service response capability”. The report said the team had since been “removed from the company”, and that “stringent, weekly management reviews” would be conducted from now on. The airline also said high-level authorisation would be required for any future cancellations.<br/>
Sydney Airport will gain a third non-stop connection to Hong Kong, with Hong Kong Airlines set to compete with Cathay Pacific and Qantas on the route. The daily service, to launch on 20 June, will give Sydney Airport six Hong Kong flights per day in total between three carriers, and a 20% boost in seat capacity over current levels. It will likely use Hong Kong Airlines’ A330-300 aircraft. Hong Kong is the third busiest international route from Sydney Airport, after Auckland and Singapore, with more than 850,000 passengers last year. “The arrival of Hong Kong Airlines will enhance opportunities for trade, tourism, and cultural exchange between Sydney and Hong Kong, delivering significant economic benefits to New South Wales, and Australia,” said Scott Charlton, CEO of Sydney Airport. <br/>
AirAsia X said it carried 1.1m passengers in the fourth quarter of 2024 (4Q24), 20% more than in the same quarter in the previous year, in line with the budget carrier's 20% increase in seat capacity to over 1.3m. According to the airline, all but one of the 18 A330s in its fleet were operational as at end-December 2024. In its operating statistics report for the quarter, AirAsia X said its passenger load factor remained unchanged at 82% while available seat per kilometre (ASK) capacity increased 21% y-o-y at 5,794m. Revenue seat per kilometre (RPK) rose 23% to 4,711m. "In terms of network for 4Q24, AirAsia X launched flights to Chongqing in China and Nairobi in Kenya, marking its maiden venture into the African region. Frequency was further enhanced in select markets for the peak travel season, with additional flights introduced for routes in Australia, Japan and South Korea," it said. For the entire year, the carrier's PLF rose three percentage points to 83% from the previous year.<br/>