Aviation

Bloomberg The Delta variant of Covid-19 is scything through aviation just as key markets were getting back on their feet. In the US, Southwest Airlines Co is blaming the Delta strain for a rash of cancelled bookings and a slowdown in demand that may push it and several others to quarterly losses. After leading the industry’s recovery for much of ...

Bloomberg US aviation regulators are opening a new review of Boeing Co after a survey of company engineers found a sizable percentage said they couldn’t raise safety concerns without interference. A survey conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from May through July found that 35% of Boeing employees raised issues of conflicts of interest and a lack of independence, ...

Bloomberg Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit agreed to go public through a reverse merger with NextGen Acquisition Corp II that will value the satellite-launch company at $3.2 billion. Investors including Boeing Co and AE Industrial Partners committed $100 million to Virgin Orbit through a private investment in public equity, according to a statement. The merger is expected to provide the new ...

Bloomberg Avelo Airlines is expanding to the East Coast with service connecting four Florida cities with New Haven, Connecticut, in a bid to entice customers tired of trekking to airports in New York and Boston. Flights to Orlando begin on November 3, followed within days by service to Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Fort Myers, Avelo said. The startup plans to ...

Bloomberg Airlines are owed almost $1 billion across 20 countries as governments seek to hang on to hard currency, depriving the industry of vital cash at a time when travel has been devastated by the coronavirus crisis. Figures published by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) show that Venezuela is withholding a further $4 billion that’s been outstanding for years ...

Bloomberg US transportation and health agencies are extending the mask mandate for air passengers and other travellers until mid-January as the Delta variant of Covid-19 continues to surge. The sometimes controversial requirement for people to cover their faces on public forms of transportation had been set to expire on September 13. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said in an emailed ...

Bloomberg Spring Airlines Co and Japan Airlines Co are anticipating a post-pandemic tourism boom between China and Japan for their joint-owned budget carrier, even though Japan still lags behind major economies in reopening its borders. Spring Airlines Japan Co had operated seven routes from Narita to Shanghai, Tianjin, Nanjing, Wuhan and other cities, but five of them were suspended due ...

Bloomberg Richard Branson sold about $300 million in Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc stock, tapping his biggest listed asset again to prop up his business empire during the pandemic. The billionaire offloaded almost 10.5 million shares — about 4% of the space-travel company — through a company he controls, leaving him with an 18% stake, according to a regulatory filing. The ...

Bloomberg Sydney Airport said it’s prepared to hold discussions with suitors over a takeover offer of more than $16.8 billion as the company’s largest shareholder agitated for negotiations to start. The airport said it’s “open to engaging” with the bidders, led by IFM Investors, if they make an offer that reflects “long-term value.” At the same time, Sydney Airport rejected ...

Bloomberg The UK government lowered the cost of Covid tests provided by the National Health Service for international travel following criticism from the competition watchdog and the tourism industry. The cost of tests will be reduced to 68 pounds ($94.30) from 88 pounds for one test and to 136 pounds from 170 pounds for two, the UK’s Department for Health ...