Amid a restructuring effort aimed at strengthening its operational and financial performance, Abra Group carrier Gol lost R$5.1b ($883m) during the final quarter of last year. That compares with a R$1.1b loss during the equivalent period of 2023. Sao Paulo-based Gol did not hold a conference call with investors as it works to emerge from Chapter 11 restructuring. Gol reports that the devlauation of Brazilian currency hit the carrier hard in 2024, with total costs rising 3% compared with the full year of 2023. It attributes the increase in expenses primarily to “exchange rate depreciation”, though higher airport fees and labour costs also played a role. Indeed, the carrier’s fourth-quarter loss from depreciation and amoritisation increased by nearly 30% compared with the prior-year period, to R$544m from R$435m. There are bright spots in the carrier’s year-end financial report, however. Gol says that passenger capacity increased througout the year “due mainly to the introduction of new routes” and the re-introduction of others, pointing to the restoration of flights between Sao Paulo and Porto Alegre.<br/>
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One of Boeing’s largest European customers has warned that the imposition of tariffs on imported aircraft by the administration of Donald Trump could be counter-productive for both the US economy and a capacity-starved airline industry. Speaking during the A4E Aviation Summit in Brussels on 27 March, Ryanair group CE Michael O’Leary said that “given the amount of American parts on Airbus aircraft”, the net benefit of attempting to boost US manufacturers’ fortunes via tariffs on aircraft and parts imports would be questionable. Any impact on European manufacturer Airbus’s costs and sales volumes would be felt by its US suppliers, helping to create the risk of “mutually assured destruction”, he suggests. Crucially, European businesses play key roles in Boeing’s supply chains, meaning its costs could rise as a result of any tariffs imposed by the US government on parts imported from Europe. Moreover, any retaliatory measures involving European tariffs on aircraft parts could further hit US businesses that supply Airbus, while their imposition on finished aircraft could have a significant impact on the US airfarmer’s sales – which would reverberate through its US and non-US supply chains – in a crucial market. The Ryanair chief insists it would be unwise for the US government to disrupt aerospace supply chains at a time when all airlines – US-based or otherwise – are already grappling with Airbus and Boeing being “way behind on their deliveries”. O’Leary’s comments came after he met with Boeing Commercial Airplanes CE Stephanie Pope in Dublin in the past few days. His understanding from Pope is that Boeing does not expect the US government to impose such tariffs.<br/>
Two months after restarting flights to Lebanon, following their suspension amid Israel's war with Hezbollah, Emirates is reinstating its second daily flight between Dubai and Beirut from April 1. The additional flight, using a Boeing 777-300ER, will boost weekly passenger capacity by more than 5,000 seats both ways, the Dubai airline said. Emirates flight EK957 will take off from Dubai International at 7.30am local time, arriving at Beirut's Rafic Al Hariri International Airport at 10.35am local time. The return flight, EK958, will depart from Beirut at 12.05pm and will arrive in Dubai at 4.55pm. The daily flight is in addition to EK953, also served by a Boeing 777-300ER, which leaves Dubai at 11.30am local time, arriving in Beirut at 2pm local time. The return flight, EK954, leaves Beirut at 3.30pm local time, landing in Dubai at 9.20pm local time. Emirates resumed its Dubai-Beirut flights on February 1 following a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah. The ceasefire boosted efforts to maintain peace in Lebanon, following the election of President Joseph Aoun.<br/>
Saudi Arabian budget airline flynas, which is backed by billionaire Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, is planning to float on Riyadh's bourse, the kingdom's markets regulator said on Friday. The nearly twenty-year-old company is going ahead with plans to sell a 30% stake, according to a statement by the Saudi capital markets authority, joining a raft of companies that have flocked to Gulf bourses in recent years.<br/>
Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, celebrated the inaugural flight of its new direct route from Bahrain International Airport to London Gatwick Airport with special events held at both airports. This milestone marks a significant step in Gulf Air’s network expansion strategy, reinforcing its commitment to offering passengers enhanced connectivity and greater travel options, said the national carrier in a statement. This launch adds London Gatwick as Gulf Air’s second destination in London, complementing its longstanding operations to London Heathrow Airport, which have been serving passengers for over 55 years since 1970. The addition of Gatwick strengthens Gulf Air’s presence in the United Kingdom, providing travelers with access to two major international gateways in London, said the statement. The departure event at Bahrain International Airport included a welcome reception for passengers and guests, celebrating the airline’s ongoing efforts to connect Bahrain to key global destinations. <br/>
Bangkok Airways is aiming for a post-pandemic high of 4.7m passengers this year, based on optimism about Thai tourism driven by interest in HBO's The White Lotus TV series. Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth, president of Bangkok Airways, said the airline already recorded a 14% increase in advance bookings from March until September this year. Season 3 of The White Lotus series was filmed in Thailand, including Samui, helping to boost overall tourism sentiment. Bookings for Samui have surged since the end of last year, even before the series was available via streaming. A luxury hotel chain operating on Samui already contacted the airline to co-promote travel on the island following the success of the latest series. Puttipong said according to the International Air Transport Association, the aviation industry has continued to grow and Asia-Pacific has the highest travel demand. This year, the airline expects to operate 48,077 flights with an average load factor of 82%. The company expects to fly 4.7m passengers, the highest since the pandemic. In 2019, it served more than 5.8m passengers. The average airfare for Bangkok Airways is 4,200 baht. The airline operates flights to 11 domestic destinations and eight cities overseas. He said the airline plans to resume the Samui-Kuala Lumpur route to attract European tourists.<br/>
China's state-owned plane maker COMAC has delivered its first C909 regional jet to Lao Airlines, the company said in a statement on Sunday. The aircraft was delivered on a lease and will be put into service after a series of preparations in Laos, COMAC said.<br/>
The head of Air India Express said on Friday that the increased capacity Indian carriers expect to add in coming years will outpace demand, which may potentially bring down ticket prices, as the airline industry comes under criticism for rising fares. India's domestic air travel sector is among the fastest growing in the world. But IndiGo and Air India Group, which includes the namesake full-service airline and budget unit Air India Express, control about 90% of the market. Criticism around rising fares has been growing. Earlier this year, India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), was forced to step in and ask airlines to cut fares after prices soared during the Hindu Maha Kumbh festival. "The capacity that we expect coming into the market, not just over the next year, but over the next several years, in all probability, will stay ahead of the demand," Managing Director Aloke Singh told reporters, when asked about airfare concerns. His comments come days after an Indian parliament committee recommended giving the DGCA the power to regulate airfares, currently based on demand and supply considerations. Indian airlines are expected to add 96 aircraft to their fleet this calendar year, according to data from consultancy Cirium Ascend, slightly less than in the previous two years. Express will add about 15 aircraft to its fleet in the next fiscal year, which begins on April 1, with some procured from Air India, Singh said. It is also working on a "long-term" fleet plan, he said, without elaborating.<br/>
Virgin Australia executives will begin meeting with prospective investors on Tuesday ahead of a potential relisting of the Bain Capital-owned airline, according to a person familiar with the matter. Australia's second-largest airline which competes with larger Qantas in the domestic aviation market, collapsed in 2020 following tough COVID-19 restrictions that damaged the global airline industry. Virgin executives plan to meet prospective investors on Tuesday to pitch the company's surge in profitability, the person added.The person could not be named as they were not authorised to comment to the media. Virgin referred a Reuters request for comment to Bain, which declined to comment. Bain bought out Virgin for about A$3.5b ($2.20b) after the airline called in external administrators, an Australian equivalent of bankruptcy protection, in the early months of the pandemic when abrupt flight cancellations hurt its ability to service debts. As the end of most pandemic restrictions prompted a surge of demand for travel in 2022, Bain began exploring a possible Initial Public Offer, but the private equity firm paused preparations for a listing in 2023 due to volatile equity markets, a person familiar with the matter said at the time. On Tuesday, Virgin CE Dave Emerson, who started in the job this month, will begin a non-deal roadshow to discuss the company's prospects with fund managers, the person with knowledge of the situation told Reuters.<br/>