CAPA News Briefs

Singapore and Germany agreed (23-Oct-2020) on the establishment of a Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) scheme to enable essential travel for business or official purposes via direct flights between both countries. Eligible applicants must abide by COVID-19 safety measures mutually agreed on by both countries, with operational details of the RGL to be announced "in due course". The countries added the RGL could serve as a "model for future similar arrangements between Singapore and other European countries". [more - original PR]

Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) reported (28-Oct-2020) the following international traffic highlights for Sep-2020:

• Passengers: 1.1 million, -96.4% year-on-year;
• Passenger traffic (RPKs): -95.6%;
• Capacity (ASKs): -89.0%;
• Passenger load factor: 31.7%, -46.8pp;
• Cargo traffic (FTKs): -17.5%;
• Cargo capacity (FATKs): -29.9%;
• Cargo load factor: 70.6%, +10.6pp. [more - original PR]

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce reported (29-Oct-2020) Qantas and Jetstar are "currently operating at just under 30 per cent of our pre-COVID domestic capacity" and if state governments continue to relax border restrictions the group is "hoping that will reach about 50 per cent by Christmas". [more - original PR]

Boeing reported (28-Oct-2020) the following financial highlights for the three months ended 30-Sep-2020:

• Revenue: USD14,139 million, -29.2% year-on-year;
  • Commercial airplanes: USD3596 million, -56.4%;
• Segment operating profit (loss): (USD440 million), compared to a profit of USD1416 million in p-c-p;
  • Commercial airplanes: (USD1369 million), compared to a loss of USD40 million in p-c-p;
• Operating profit (loss): (USD401 million), compared to a profit of USD1259 million in p-c-p;
• Net profit (loss): (USD466 million), compared to a profit of USD1167 million in p-c-p;
• Total assets: USD161,261 million;
  • Cash and cash equivalents: USD10,564 million;
• Total liabilities: USD172,814 million. [more - original PR]

India's Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), via its official Twitter account, announced (29-Oct-2020) India established an air travel bubble with Tanzania and "Designated carriers of both countries are permitted to operate flights between the two countries". According to MoCA, India also has air transport bubble agreements with Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, France, Germany, Iraq, Japan, Kenya, the Maldives, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, the UAE, Ukraine, the UK and the US.

UPS reported (28-Oct-2020) average daily volumes increased 13.5% year-on-year and consolidated revenue increased 15.9% to USD21.2 billion in 3Q2020. Operating profit increased 11% to USD2.4 billion. CEO Carol Tomé said the results were fuelled by "continued strong outbound demand from Asia and growth from small and medium-sized businesses". Business segment details include:

• US Domestic: Average daily volumes increased 13.8%, with growth across all products and continued elevated residential demand;
• International: Average daily volumes grew 12.1%, with double digit export volume growth globally and continued strong outbound demand from Asia;
• Supply Chain and Freight: Revenue increased 16.5%, driven by strong freight forwarding demand from Asia. [more - original PR]

CAAC announced (27-Oct-2020) the following international services will be temporarily suspended after passengers tested positive to COVID-19: 

• China Southern Airlines: 
  • Dhaka-Guangzhou: Suspended for one week from 02-Nov-2020;
  • Manila-Guangzhou: Suspended for one week from 02-Nov-2020;
• Emirates: Dubai-Guangzhou service suspended for one week from 02-Nov-2020;
• Ethiopian Airlines: Addis Ababa-Shanghai Pudong service suspended for four weeks from 30-Nov-2020. The service was already suspended for five weeks from 26-Oct-2020. [more - original PR - Chinese]

IATA projected (27-Oct-2020) commercial airline industry full year 2020 traffic will be down 66% year-on-year, with Dec-2020 demand down 68%. Industry revenues in 2021 are expected to be down 46% compared to the 2019 figure of USD838 billion. The association's previous analysis was for 2021 revenues to be down around 29% compared to 2019, based on expectations for a demand recovery commencing in 4Q2020. Recovery has been delayed however, owing to new COVID-19 outbreaks, and government mandated travel restrictions including border closings and quarantine measures. [more - original PR]

UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), via its Jul/Aug-2020 World Tourism Barometer, reported (27-Oct-2020) that based on the latest trends, it expects an overall drop in international arrivals of close to 70% for the whole of 2020. The UNWTO's Panel of Experts foresees a rebound in international tourism in 2021, mostly in 3Q2021. However, around 20% of experts suggest the rebound could occur only in 2022. Travel restrictions are seen as the main barrier standing in the way of the recovery of international tourism, along with slow virus containment and low consumer confidence. The lack of coordinated response among countries to ensure harmonised protocols and coordinated restrictions, as well as the deteriorating economic environment were also identified by experts as important obstacles for recovery. [more - original PR]

UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), via its Jul/Aug-2020 World Tourism Barometer, reported (27-Oct-2020) international arrivals declined 70% for the first eight months of 2020. Traffic by region:

• Asia Pacific: -79%;
• Africa: -69%;
• Middle East: -69%;
• Europe: -68%;
• Americas: -65%. [more - original PR]

Flybondi stated (25-Oct-2020) ORSNA informed Argentina ANAC that the only airport that will be open of regular operations in the Buenos Aires area is Buenos Aires Ezeiza International Airport. Flybondi stated the carrier was not officially notified about anything. Flybondi expressed "its most absolute rejection" of any decision migrate operations from Buenos Aires El Palomar Airport to Ezeiza Airport. Flybondi stated that arguments made in favour of such decision are "completely objectionable and malicious… [and] even more serious is that it exposes regulatory mismanagement and a total absence of planning and coordination, creating two victims: the passenger and the worker". Argentina's Minister of Transport Mario Meoni and Argentina ANAC director Paola Tamburelli confirmed on 14-Oct-2020 that Buenos Aires El Palomar Airport would remain operational. Flybondi CEO Esteban Tossutti stated: "Flying from Ezeiza is not a commercial option for Flybondi nor for our passengers… [The] decision shows little respect to passengers who purchased tickets to fly from El Palomar and up until the last moment they do not know where their flight is going to depart". He added that there are "thousands of passengers who can only fly if it departs from an airport where public transport arrives… We are going to request a review of this decision". [more - original PR]

India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), via its official Twitter account, announced (28-Oct-2020) it extended its prohibition on scheduled international passenger services to and from India until 30-Nov-2020, rather than until 31-Oct-2020. As previously reported by CAPA, scheduled international passenger services to and from India have been prohibited since 25-Mar-2020. The DGCA stated the prohibition "shall not apply to international all cargo operations and flights specifically approved by the DGCA" and noted "international scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on a case to case basis".