17 January, 2023
Emirates doubles services to Brisbane
Passenger numbers up at London Stansted during December....
London Stansted ended 2022 with a continued strong passenger performance as the airport welcomed more than 1.85 million passengers in December.
16 January, 2023
Croatia Airlines to get six new Airbus A220 aircraft on lease
Today Air Lease Corporation announced long-term lease placements for six new Airbus A220 aircraft with Croatia Airlines, including four A220-300s and two A220-100s. The aircraft are scheduled to deliver to Croatia Airlines beginning in 2024 through 2025 from ALC’s order book with Airbus.
Air lease Corp says Air India is set to order around 500 aircraft....
The aviation sector is set to thrive in 2023 with global traffic to reach pre-pandemic levels by June
The aviation sector is set to thrive in 2023 with global traffic to reach pre-pandemic levels by June, according to a paper published today by international aircraft leasing company Avolon.
After a 70% recovery in passenger traffic last year led by recovery in Europe and North America, Asia will drive growth in 2023, helped by the recent reopening in China. For every two seats of airline capacity added in the world today one is in Asia.
The traffic recovery brought the sector back to the brink of profitability in 2022, after combined sector losses of $180bn in 2020 and 2021. A profit of c.$4.7bn is forecast for 2023 as recovery continues.
Avolon’s 2023 Outlook: Climb to Cruise paper, available here reviews trends in the sector for airlines, manufacturers, and lessors. Key findings include:
- Airlines: Airlines’ financial recovery is ahead of their capacity recovery: while air traffic is still 25% below 2019 levels, revenues are just 13% lower as airlines flex their pricing power and raise fares. Demand for travel is no longer the constraint to recovery, but airlines’ capacity to put planes in the air.
- Manufacturers: Delivery delays have become endemic and an aircraft shortage is emerging given the lost production of 2,400 planes that had been planned but were not built due to the pandemic. As traffic flows rebound, the absence of new aircraft is increasing supply tension, supporting long-term residual values.
- Lessors: Airlines have shrunk their owned fleets by 3% since 2019, whereas lessors have grown theirs by 17% and now manage 53% of the global passenger fleet by value. Aviation markets are adjusting to higher interest rates, and lease rates are increasing, creating opportunities for well capitalized investment grade lessors.
- Sustainability: Aviation needs to make greater progress addressing concerns about its long-term environmental impact. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production tripled in 2022 but still represents only 1% of the amount hoped to be produced in 2030. Lifting SAF production to 10% of jet fuels will require $250 billion in investment and collaboration between all industry stakeholders.
Andy Cronin, CEO of Avolon commented:
“Aviation has demonstrated its resilience and is ready to thrive having come through a pandemic-driven two-thirds drop in traffic. Airlines, manufacturers, and lessors share an ecosystem that creates opportunities for all but requires collaboration to overcome key challenges including a higher interest rate environment, limited aircraft availability and the need to make further progress on decarbonisation goals.”
“The rebound in 2022 is set to continue in 2023, with China’s reopening helping to drive global traffic levels to pre-pandemic levels by June. Airlines are enjoying higher fares and load factors, and manufacturers are under pressure to ramp up production quicker. Whilst geopolitical and macroeconomic risks remain, this is a positive environment for lessors as supply constraints drive higher lease rates and increase the value of order books.”
Luxair launches only direct London to Antwerp service
Luxair launches only direct London to Antwerp service
Four times a week service commenced at 6.40am on Monday
Luxair using a 78-seat De Havilland Dash DHC-8-Q400 on the route
The service will increase to five weekly from April
Connecting London to more underserved European cities, a key plank of the airport’s 2023 aviation strategy
Yeti Airlines crash, no survivors found.
15 January, 2023
At least 40 killed in Nepal plane crash
#YetiAirlines ATR 72 (9N-ANC) has crashed in #Nepal. There were 68 passengers and 4 cabin crew on board.#katmandu #ATR72 pic.twitter.com/vn7vSb0N2Y
— FlightMode (@FlightModeblog) January 15, 2023
14 January, 2023
Textron Aviation delivers 3,000th Cessna Caravan family aircraft....
Textron Aviation has delivered a Cessna Grand Caravan EX to Brazilian aviation company Azul Conecta, a subsidiary of Azul Airlines based at the airport of Jundiai in São Paulo. This aircraft represents the 3,000th Cessna Caravan family turboprop delivered worldwide, reinforcing the Caravan as the most popular utility turboprop in the world. Azul Conecta transports travellers from smaller cities and remote locations throughout Brazil.
Four new routes to India from London Gatwick announced.
Emirates A380 service returning to Glasgow, Birmingham and Nice.
The airline continues to rebuild its global network and ramp up operations to meet robust travel demand.
Emirates has also announced it will resume its second daily service to London Stansted in May 2023, boosting its London operations to 11 daily flights.
By the end of this summer, Emirates will have recovered close to 90% of its pre-pandemic A380 network.
Using autonomous technology to further enhance safety and efficiency in Airbus aircraft
Using autonomous technology to further enhance safety and efficiency in Airbus aircraft
Airbus UpNext Dragonfly demonstrator
So how does it work?
"In the same way that dragonflies can recognise landmarks that help them to define boundaries, our demonstrator is equipped with cutting-edge sensing technology and software, capable of managing in-flight and landing operations. The DragonFly demonstrator has been made possible through cooperation within the Airbus engineering community and with our trusted external partners, and we look forward to the insights that this final stage of testing will deliver."Isabelle Lacaze, Head of DragonFly demonstrator, Airbus UpNext
Safe, automated landing at any airport in the world
New maintenance facility in Berlin for easyJet
easyJet, Europe’s leading airline, has opened a new purpose built 4 bay hangar facility at Berlin-Brandenburg airportThe airline's European, Austrian-registered, fleet comprised of 135 aircraft will all be maintained at the first continental maintenance facilityThe hangar opening represents a 20 million Euro investment in the Berlin-Brandenburg region and is a clear commitment to the airline's ongoing presence in Berlin/Brandenburg