Aviation

  Bloomberg Eswatini, Africa’s last absolute monarchy, is set to launch a flag-carrier airline almost a quarter of a century after the previous one ceased operations in the country formerly known as Swaziland. Eswatini Air will fly from national capital Mbabane to cities such as Johannesburg and Cape Town in neighboring South Africa starting later this year, Qiniso Dhlamini, chief ...

  Bloomberg Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd will alter monthly allowances and other perks for pilots as it tries to stem a wave of resignations among crew frustrated by the impact of Hong Kong’s Covid-19 policies on their lives. The changes depend on pilot ranking and come on top of base salaries and hourly flying rates. From next year, the most ...

  Bloomberg Virgin Australia opened three small invitation-only airport lounges in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, renewing its push under new owner Bain Capital into a business-travel market dominated by Qantas Airways Ltd. The lounges are accessed through unmarked doors and have a boardroom for guests and freebies such as meals and refreshments. Together, they seat fewer than 250 people, the ...

  Bloomberg United Airlines Holdings Inc jumped after forecasting a profit this year, overcoming a first-quarter loss as consumers increasingly ditch their pandemic-era habits and resume air travel. The carrier’s operating margin in the second quarter will be about 10%, according to a statement. Fuelled by booming leisure sales heading into the summer and “rapidly returning” business travel, the performance ...

  Bloomberg Violent and unruly airline passengers will continue to face steep fines and potential criminal charges even as rules mandating face coverings fade away. The US Federal Aviation Administration said its zero-tolerance policy against unruly passengers will be made permanent as it attempts to deter bad behaviour. The move came two days after most major US airlines eliminated policies ...

  Bloomberg Delta Air Lines Inc circled back to the public-relations runway after calling Covid-19 an “ordinary seasonal virus” as the airline announced the end of the mask mandate on flights. The airline used the phrase in a statement saying it was relieved when a court lifted the federal mask mandate on air travel, drawing criticism from Twitter users for ...

Bloomberg Auckland Airport has experienced a bounce in international visitor numbers, and is optimistic of further increases as New Zealand eases border restrictions, Chief Executive Officer Carrie Hurihanganui said. Foreign arrivals at the nation’s busiest airport plummeted when the border was shut in March 2020, but have started to recover following the removal of self-isolation requirements for residents returning home ...

  Bloomberg Most major US airlines are no longer requiring travellers or employees to wear face coverings on domestic and some international flights. The decisions came hours after a US judge overturned a federal mandate for passengers to cover their faces. The US Transportation Security Administration said after the court ruling that it would stop requiring passengers on planes, trains ...

  Bloomberg Hong Kong’s reopening to the rest of the world is being slowed by the government’s bans on airlines for carrying infected passengers, with 11 routes in total suspended, the most since a peak in January. Hong Kong suspends routes for seven days if three or more passengers on a flight are found to be infected with Covid-19 upon ...

  Bloomberg Miami International Airport saw the biggest increase in passenger seat capacity from pre-pandemic levels amid a surge in domestic tourism in the Sunshine State. Airport capacity in Miami rose 23% in April from the same month in 2019, according to a report from OAG Aviation Worldwide Ltd that examined the world’s largest hubs. Orlando saw capacity rise 2.4% ...