CAPA News Briefs

Aer Lingus stated (12-Jun-2021) "Late on the evening of 11th June", Stobart Air informed Aer Lingus that the company was terminating its franchise agreement with Aer Lingus with immediate effect. Stobart Air referred to the continuing impact of the coronavirus pandemic, resulting "in almost no flying since Mar-2020". [more - original PR]

Santiago International Airport, via its official YouTube channel, announced (11-Jun-2021) the completion of its USD1 billion T2 international terminal construction project. The 200,000sqm building includes (chocale.cl, 12-Jun-2021):

• More than 60 check in stations, primarily self service;
• 6500sqm duty free shop;
• LATAM Airlines VIP lounge.

Operations are scheduled to commence in 2H2021.

US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced (12-Jun-2021) two million passengers were screened at airport security checkpoints across the US on 11-Jun-2021. It marks the first time over two million passengers were screened since Mar-2020 and represents a 74% increase in travel volume compared to the same day in 2019. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the TSA screened two to 2.5 million travellers per day on average. The lowest screening volume was recorded on 13-Apr-2020, with 87,534 individuals were screened. [more - original PR]

China Airlines, via its official website, stated (10-Jun-2021) its VIP lounge at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport reopened on 11-Jun-2021. However, due to the epidemic regulations of the government and the airport authorities, the VIP lounges will not provide catering services.

Aer Lingus announced (12-Jun-2021) of the 12 services immediately impacted by Stobart Air's decision to cease trading, Aer Lingus will operate five routes and for at least the next week BA CityFlyer will operate two. Alternative operations for the outstanding routes are still being determined. All impacted customers are being contacted directly and offered details of an alternative service where feasible. All impacted customers also have the option of a full refund.

Aer Lingus plans to operate the following services:

• Dublin-Edinburgh;
• Dublin-Manchester;
• Belfast City-Manchester;
• Belfast City-Birmingham;
• Belfast City-Edinburgh;

BA CityFlyer plans to operate the following services:

• Belfast City-Exeter;
• Belfast City-Leeds Bradford. [more - original PR]

South Africa's Ministry of Public Enterprises announced (11-Jun-2021) the Takatso Consortium was selected as the preferred strategic equity partner for South African Airways (SAA). Takatso will be assigned a 51% stake in SAA and the South African Government will retain 49%. The government will also hold a 'golden share' of 33% of the entity's voting rights and "certain areas of national interest". Details include:

• Takatso Consortium comprises African infrastructure and airport investor Harith General Partners and airline management firm Global Airways. The consortium is led by Tshepo Mahloele and Gidon Novick, who commented: "There are great skills and talent available as well as abundance of available aircraft, which makes the quest of creating a world-class airline a lot easier";
• Takatso will provide the required capital and there will be no further financial burden on the South African Government. Historical liabilities will be the responsibility of the government;
• Takatso and the Ministry of Public Enterprises will carry out a joint assessment of the future of SAA's subsidiaries;
• The parties aim "To relaunch a viable, scalable, agile and sustainable national South African airline that is no longer dependent on the South African fiscus";
• The parties will "explore the revival and re-establishment of partnerships with African and International airlines and networks";
• Phase one of SAA's relaunch will include key domestic and select regional routes. The airline will build its network and frequency as demand returns and rebuild a "focused" long haul international network as the COVID-19 pandemic recedes;
• The parties have a longer term, strategic objective to create a listed vehicle and initial public offering for the airline, in which all South Africans will have the opportunity to participate. The proposed listing "will address future funding requirements".

Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan commented: "The objective of bringing in an equity partner to SAA is to augment it with the required technical, financial and operational expertise to ensure a sustainable, agile and viable South African airline. SAA will contribute to the venture, the brand, the flag, landing slots, route licences, lounges and a successful loyalty programme". [more - original PR]

Stobart Air stated (12-Jun-2021) the board is in the process of appointing a liquidator to the business, and the airline ceased operations with immediate effect. All Aer Lingus Regional services, operated by Stobart Air under its franchise agreement with Aer Lingus, have been cancelled. [more - original PR]

Air Macau announced (11-Jun-2021) its schedules for 01-Jul-2021 to 31-Aug-2021 will be as follows:

• Beijing: Three times daily;
• Tianjin: Four times weekly;
• Taiyuan: Three times weekly;
• Zhengzhou: Three times weekly;
• Shanghai Pudong: Three times daily;
• Nanjing: Daily;
• Changzhou: Daily;
• Qingdao: Four times weekly;
• Nantong: Four times weekly;
• Hangzhou: Daily;
• Ningbo: Daily;
• Wenzhou: Four times weekly;
• Yiwu: Three times weekly;
• Xiamen: Daily;
• Nanning: Three times weekly;
• Chengdu: Twice daily;
• Chongqing: Four times weekly. [more - original PR]

Copa Holdings reported (12-Jun-2021) the following traffic highlights for May-2021:

• Passenger traffic (RPMs): -58% compared to 2019;
• Capacity (ASMs): -53.4%;
• Passenger load factor: 77.6%, -8.5pp. [more - original PR]

Airlines for Europe (A4E) reported (10-Jun-2021) the cost of carbon allowances under the EU's emissions trading system (ETS) has more than doubled compared with pre-pandemic levels and increased 140% since May-2020. Air travel is the only transport sector included in the ETS scheme, with airlines purchasing carbon credits to help offset their emissions since 2012. A4E managing director Thomas Reynaert said the COVID-19 crisis is a "clear opportunity for both industry and politicians to join forces and build our sector back greener and smarter", but proposals for meaningful reforms "continue to be thwarted by national interests". [more - original PR]

Burgas Airport, via its official Facebook account, announced (10-Jun-2021) Wizz Air opened a seasonal base at the airport on 10-Jun-2021. As previously reported by CAPA, the LCC plans to base one A320 aircraft at the airport from 10-Jun-2021 to 12-Sep-2021 and will launch seven new services from Burgas to Dortmund, Eindhoven, Kyiv, Liverpool, Poznan, Tel Aviv and Turku in Jun-2021.

Airlines for Europe (A4E) reported (10-Jun-2021) its members reiterated demands that policymakers "put sovereignty interests aside" to adopt a more ambitious reform of the Single European Sky (SES) regulation. A4E managing director Thomas Reynaert said it makes "no sense environmentally or economically" to invest in new aircraft or sustainable aviation fuel and "at the same time, continue to delay the long-overdue introduction of more fuel-efficient airspace". A4E stated EU member states agreed earlier in Jun-2021 to roll back proposed reforms in favour of measures which would benefit their monopoly-owned ANSPs instead. [more - original PR]