Qantas confirmed it has cancelled all international flights through late October in response to a statement from the Australian government indicating that it may not reopen the country’s borders until 2021. On Thursday, the airline said it will operate services to New Zealand, since the two countries are establishing an air bridge to permit cross-border travel, and gradually increase domestic flights in the coming weeks to reach 15 percent of pre-Covid-19 levels.
The Coronavirus impact on the aviation Industry
Jun 18, 2020 - 8:31 AM
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has stepped up calls for more government support and a wide-ranging set of coordinated measures between states in a bid to avoid lasting damage to the airline industry. At a press briefing on Thursday, Rafael Schvartzman, the group’s regional vice president for Europe, warned that there could still be “worse to come” for the industry.
Jun 17, 2020 - 10:23 AM
Tamarack Aerospace Group is temporarily waiving the installation fee for its Atlas active winglets on Cessna CitationJets, the Sandpoint, Idaho manufacturer announced earlier this week. The discount is a response to the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and will be available through the end of June, according to Tamarack officials.
Jun 16, 2020 - 12:26 PM
Duncan Aviation is seeing rising demand from operators to prepare their airplanes for flight readiness, which in turn is keeping its engine Rapid Response Team (RRT) network busier by the week, according to the Lincoln, Nebraska-based MRO provider. “The calls keep coming in,” said Duncan RRT assistant manager Andrew Arcuri. “We are busy talking with customers and providing services where they need us.”
Jun 16, 2020 - 11:53 AM
Signature Flight Support, the world’s largest FBO chain, has launched SignatureAssure, its Covid-19 response program. Introduced as general aviation flying levels slowly begin to rise, the program encompasses all recommended practices, including social distancing with signage and floor markings, a mandatory employee training plan, and use of personal protection equipment. Health screenings are administered at the start of every worker shift using pulse oximeters and touchless thermometers.
Jun 16, 2020 - 11:25 AM
After taking a stridently oppositional stance to governments’ imposition of quarantines for arriving passengers to help stem the spread of Covid-19, the International Air Transport Association on Tuesday expressed reservations about mandated virus testing as well due to cost, speed, scalability, and accuracy concerns. Speaking during the association’s weekly conference call to address Covid issues affecting the airline industry, IATA medical advisor Dr.
Jun 16, 2020 - 10:49 AM
Embraer has finalized the terms of contracts providing for up to $600 million in working capital and export financing, the company revealed late Monday in a notice to securities markets. The Brazilian National Bank of Economic and Social Development (BNDES) has committed to providing half of the financing, up to a value of $300 million, while the balance comes from private and public banks under the condition that the financing plan maintains a 50/50 split between BNDES and the other banks.
Jun 16, 2020 - 9:59 AM
The pool of available pilots has noticeably increased as a result of the drop-off in operations and associated furloughs, but charter and fractional industry executives expect this to be a shorter-term situation and that the job market might tighten up again sometime next year.
Jun 15, 2020 - 1:08 PM
Meteorological predictions are calling for a more active hurricane season this year, with two of the three named storms already making landfall before the traditional start of the Caribbean/Atlantic storm season on June 1. While preparations in storm-vulnerable areas are already in motion, this year organizers face the added complication of having to deal with the Covid-19 threat as well.
Jun 15, 2020 - 12:07 PM
Mitsubishi Aircraft on Monday named 35-year company veteran Yasuhiko Kawaguchi executive chief engineer, effectively replacing chief development officer Alex Bellamy as head of the SpaceJet M90 program as part of a wider reorganization largely precipitated by the Covid-19 crisis. Mitsubishi said Kawaguchi played a “critical role” in U.S.-based flight-test management.
