Morocco's Office National des Aeroports (ONDA), via its official Twitter account, confirmed (20-Oct-2021) the suspension of flights to and from Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. The measure is effective immediately and until further notice.
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Few mid-sized US cities have more than one commercial airport competing for business outside the bigger main conurbations (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles etc.).
In some cases the addition of a new one, even as merely a reliever, supporting perhaps only low cost carriers or even freight, might be justified. That has been the debate (a long one already) at Seattle, where six potential sites, five general aviation facilities and one airport already partly developed, are again under consideration.
The partly developed one, which is also managed by a firm specialising in airport PPPs, looks to be the favourite, but political, economic and crucially environmental considerations will also come into play, and there is always a slight possibility that one or more airlines will resist the strategy altogether. As happened at Atlanta, where the developer at the Paine Field site near Seattle was also the intended developer in Georgia.
easyJet operates SAF fuelled proof of concept service from London Gatwick Airport
Alaska Airlines launches investment arm to accelerate net zero progress
Manchester Airports Group and CarbonClick launch carbon offsetting initiative
Aeroporti di Roma commences sustainable aviation fuel supply at Rome Fiumicino Airport
Rolls-Royce completes test of Trent 1000 engine using 100% SAF
EUROCONTROL's Oct-2021 traffic forecasts are slightly more optimistic than the Jun-2021 version. It now expects Europe to return to 2019 flight numbers in late 2023, whereas this was previously forecast for 2024.
Meanwhile, as Europe approaches its second winter season since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, its capacity recovery remains in the doldrums.
Total seat numbers in Europe have now been stuck in a range of 33% to 35% below 2019 levels for 12 successive weeks. In the week of 18-Oct-2021, Europe's capacity is down by 33.3% versus the equivalent week of 2019, keeping it in fourth place in the regional capacity recovery ranking.
Below Europe are Asia Pacific, where seat capacity is down by 37.3%, and the Middle East, down by 37.2%. Africa, down by 28.6%; Latin America, down by 21.6%; and North America, down by 17.9%, are ahead of Europe in the capacity recovery.
A year ago in 2020 Europe was at the bottom of the regional ranking, with capacity 63.4% below 2019 levels. Europe's capacity recovery may have stalled for now, but it is in a better position than it was in when it was approaching last winter.
While the Indian LCC IndiGo is pausing its growth in the short term due to the COVID-19 crisis, the airline intends to pick up where it left off when demand recovers. Indigo has ambitious plans to expand in international markets in particular, backed by a massive order book that is unscathed by the current industry crisis.
IndiGo was already the largest player in India’s hotly contested domestic market before the pandemic, and since then it has only increased its share. The airline accounted for 57% of domestic traffic in August, according to data from India’s Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The LCC was in better financial health than most of its peers when COVID-19 arrived, and this should put it in better position to exploit opportunities when it decides to resume growth. IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta discussed the airline’s outlook during the latest CAPA Live event on 13-Oct-2021.
There is increasingly a sense that the ‘worst is behind us’ for the airline industry – and certainly there is cause for some optimism in the US as the winter holiday season approaches, and across the Atlantic, as vaccinated travel opens up.
But in the enthusiasm of a rush for freedom, we need to be cautious and recognise that, as an industry, there are serious challenges ahead. There will be no going back to the industry as we knew it.
CAPA Live on 13-Oct-2021 highlighted IATA's recently released forecasts for 2022’s international aviation markets. They are little short of shocking.
Clearly, forecasting is difficult at this time, but as the most reputable and generally impartial forecasts, the scenario that the IATA predictions paint is startling.
In 2022, the third year into the pandemic, the average that emerges predicts at best an anaemic international travel market recovery next year, relative to the pre-pandemic days.
CAPA Live NovemberMore
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CAPA Australia Pacific Aviation & Corporate Travel Summit & CAPA Live December (Sydney & Virtual)More
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Sydney: CAPA Australia Pacific Aviation & Corporate Travel Summit & CAPA Live December (Sydney & Virtual)
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Recorded at CAPA Live October from Puerto Rico
CEO Interview with Kenya Airways, Group Managing Director & CEO, Allan Kilavuka
Kenya Airways is the national airline of Kenya. The carrier is based at Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and operates an extensive network of regional services within Kenya and Africa as well as flights to Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Kenya Airways became a member of SkyTeam in 2007.
Kenya Airways and South African Airways (SAA) signed (28-Sep-2021) a memorandum of cooperation with a long term view to create a pan-African airline group. The proposed group is intended to "enhance mutual growth potential by taking advantage of strengths of the two airlines' busy hubs". The airlines aim to cooperate in areas including networks, fleets, capacity deployment, economic opportunities, technical areas and MRO to achieve economies of scale. The carriers will also collaborate on joint pandemic recovery strategies and cost containment.
Kenya Airways Group MD and CEO Allan Kilavuka stated: "The future of aviation and its long term sustenance is hinged on partnership and collaboration". He said the partnership "will enhance customer benefits by availing a larger combined passenger and cargo network, fostering the exchange of expertise, innovation, best practices, and adopting home grown organic solutions to technical and operational challenges".
Hear directly from Mr Kilavuka on this and a range of other important topics in this exclusive interview.
Speakers:
- CAPA - Centre for Aviation, EMEA Content Editor, Richard Maslen
- Kenya Airways, Group Managing Director & CEO, Allan Kilavuka
CAPA Live is the most sought-after monthly global aviation event. Taking place on the second Wednesday of each month, thousands of industry colleagues from across the globe tune in for their monthly dose of aviation and travel news, analysis, and in-depth interviews with industry leaders. Register here to be part of our growing community.
Delta Air Lines announced (19-Oct-2021) plans to operate over 20 daily flights to 18 destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean, restoring capacity to approximately 85% of pre-pandemic levels. The carrier will resume service to Sao Paulo and San Jose Los Cabos from 19-Dec-2021 and increase Saint Thomas and Sint Maarten frequency to daily from 20-Dec-2021. [more - original PR]
Delta Air Lines announced (19-Oct-2021) plans to resume three times weekly New York JFK-Lagos service from 07-Dec-2021. According to OAG, no other carriers currently operate the route. [more - original PR]
Korean Air confirmed (20-Oct-2021) plans to resume three times weekly Seoul Incheon-Honolulu service on 03-Nov-2021, following a temporary suspension since 03-Apr-2021. [more - original PR]
French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) reported (20-Oct-2021) the following traffic highlights for Sep-2021:
- Passengers: -48.2% compared to Sep-2019;
- Domestic: -28.2%;
- International: -52.5%;
- From Metropolitan France: -52%;
- EU27: -43.1%;
- America: -67.3%;
- Asia Pacific: -77.6%;
- Europe excluding EU27: -61.4%;
- Africa: -45.2%;
- From French overseas territories: -47.6%. [more - original PR]
- From Metropolitan France: -52%;
Virgin Atlantic launched (20-Oct-2021) its new autumn onboard menu. Customers in Upper Class will see the return of Virgin Atlantic's famous cocktails and barista-style coffees, Supper service and the Extra Bite menu, as well as new menu options. Hot chocolate service has returned across all cabins. Virgin Atlantic will also be trialling the service of Nice Drinks in its Premium and Economy cabins. Nice Drinks is a Virgin start-up funded business that offers wine in a can. The cans are 100% recyclable, plastic free and a more sustainable, lighter weight option than wine bottles. [more - original PR]
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Find Out MoreMalaysia CAPA Aviation Country Report Oct-2021
CAPA’s Aviation Reports quickly summarise items such as fleet graphs, traffic and financial results and more in a shareable PDF format.
Thailand CAPA Aviation Country Report Oct-2021
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Aviation returns to the 1930s
Issue 53
- There has been much talk about the post-COVID-19 industry reverting to the profile of the 1970s, but in two very important ways the real timeframe to compare is the 1930s.
Global Outlook 2020: A look into the coming decade, expect massive change
Issue 52
- If the first two decades of the century were transformational for the aviation industry, the 2020s will be revolutionary.