Dart Group announced (09-Jul-2020) the following Jet2.com and Jet2holidays highlights during the year ended 31-Mar-2020:

• Jet2.com flew 14.6 million aeronautical only and package holiday single sectors, up 14% year on year. Demand for Real Package Holidays grew, as Jet2Holidays handled 3.7 million passengers on package holidays, up 19%. Its aeronautical only product handled 7.1 million single sector passengers, up 9%;
• Hotel portfolio for 2019 summer extended to more than 4000, with 40% of package holidays sold on an all inclusive basis;
• In summer 2019, Jet2.com flew 100 aircraft, up from 90 aircraft in 2018, from nine UK bases and added three new destinations to its network;
• Balance sheet and liquidity position strengthened to a year end total cash balance of GBP1.4 billion, an increase of 9% year-on-year, and an 'own cash' position of GBP520.4 million, an increase of 51%. [more - original PR]

Gol announced (09-Jul-2020) the carrier operated an average of 120 frequencies daily in Jun-2020. The carrier plans to increase to 250 frequencies daily in Jul-2020, around 25% of Jul-2019 levels. [more - original PR]

Air Botswana announced (09-Jul-2020) plans to resume scheduled domestic operations on 17-Jul-2020. The airline intends to increase frequencies in response to demand and resume regional services once travel restrictions are lifted. GM Agnes T Khunwana stated the carrier "will continually explore other possible recovery strategies that address the commercial viability and business sustainability of the national airline". [more - original PR]

RiverOak Strategic Partners (RSP) confirmed (09-Jul-2020) the UK Department for Transport granted a development consent order for Manston International Airport to be transformed into an international airfreight hub and passenger airport. Construction will commence in 2021 and the airport will handle its first cargo services in 1Q2023. RSP has committed to an investment of GBP300 million to rebuild the airport as a global freight hub. The project is expected to create more than 23,000 jobs by the airport's 20th year of operation. [more - original PR]

IATA VP Americas Peter Cerda, via his personal LinkedIn account, commented (09-Jul-2020) on the reactivation of aviation in Colombia, stating he held a meeting with Colombia's President Iván Duque Márquez and Minister of Transport Ángela María Orozco to urge the Government to provide a specific date for the restart of domestic operations while maintaining the current date of 01-Sep-2020 for international operations. Mr Cerda stated: "Overland buses can operate in the country so aviation must also be given this option. Unfortunately, the Government could not yet provide a specific date for the restart of domestic operations and continues to pursue the test phase with specific pilot flights". He added: "We will engage municipalities and mayors across the country to push for flights between key cities".

AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes stated (09-Jul-2020) "We have been presented with proposals in various forms of capital raising, be it debt or equity, and are in ongoing discussions with numerous parties, including investment banks, lenders, as well as interested investors". Mr Fernandes added the group has received "indications" from certain financial institutions to support a request for funding, amounting to over MYR1 billion (USD234.6 million). Of this debt funding, a certain portion would be eligible for the government guarantee loan under the Danajamin Prihatin guarantee scheme in Malaysia. Mr Fernandes said Philippines AirAsia and Indonesia AirAsia are also in various stages of bank loan applications. Philippines AirAsia applied for a government guaranteed loan under the Philippine Economic Stimulus Act, with an "expected positive outcome".