Aviation

Bloomberg Delta Air Lines Inc will block middle seats on all its aircraft through September 30, extending the policy for three months to soothe passenger fears about contracting the coronavirus. The carrier will switch to larger planes or add flights on high-demand routes that approach seating limits, Delta said in a statement. The Atlanta-based carrier previously guaranteed empty middle seats ...

Bloomberg The UK government warned British Airways (BA) it risks losing valuable airport landing slots after deciding to let go 12,000 staff while claiming government money to protect jobs during the coronavirus pandemic. An aviation debate in parliament was dominated by concerns about the former flag-carrier’s plans to slash its workforce. Transport Minister Kelly Tolhurst, responding to questions from lawmakers, ...

Bloomberg The Spanish government has found that airlines aren’t complying with European Union rules for reimbursements over cancelled trips, according country’s Consumer Ministr Alberto Garzon. “Airlines aren’t giving travelers the chance to request reimbursements,” Garzon said in an interview with state-tv TVE. Government has made a legal request for a “court to investigate the situation,” he said, adding that he ...

Bloomberg Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc plans to eliminate 3,000 jobs in the UK this year, the first wave of cuts that could ultimately see the jet-engine maker emerge from the downturn a much smaller business. The London-based manufacturer said it expects to trim a total of 8,000 positions from the aviation division. This would make up the bulk of the 9,000 ...

Bloomberg Deutsche Lufthansa AG signalled it would make sweeping job cuts and sell off non-core units in order to repay a $10 billion coronavirus bailout from the German government. Europe’s biggest airline will slash employee expenses and look at spinning off non-core units to reduce costs and bolster cash flow as the coronavirus crisis depresses revenue, it said in a ...

Bloomberg Indonesia’s Lion Air said it is halting all flights indefinitely because of the impact coronavirus-related measures such as compulsory tests for passengers have had on travel. The carrier, whose slogan is “we make people fly,” is grounding its fleet from Friday, according to a statement. It had suspended scheduled domestic flights late last month. Lion Air has 138 aircraft, ...

Bloomberg Iceland is proceeding with plans to test all incoming airline passengers for Covid-19 from June 15 in a bid to salvage its biggest export, tourism. The government’s announcement follows consultations with the country’s chief epidemiologist and a deal with DeCODE Genetics, which will assist with the testing facilities. “The economic impact of unchanged travel restrictions would be enormous,” the ...

Bloomberg The UK is considering a plan to allow unhindered flights from countries with a low risk of spreading coronavirus as pressure mounts on ministers to scrap controversial quarantine plans. Arrivals in Britain will have to self-isolate for 14 days under rules to be introduced on June 8, which travel executives warn could devastate their industry. The restrictions are due ...

Bloomberg Thailand’s cabinet on Tuesday approved a bid by a consortium led by BTS Group Holdings Pcl for an airport development project worth 290 billion baht ($9 billion). The project will add a third passenger terminal at the U-Tapao International Airport near Pattaya, which in normal times is a tourist hot-spot, and develop other facilities like air cargo and aviation ...

Bloomberg Air Mauritius administrators are running out of time to save the airline as recurrent expenses pile up, costs of servicing leases for new aircraft accumulate and unions fail to give constructive proposals on job cuts. By the end of March 2021, cumulative losses could reach 9 billion rupees ($225 million) if costs are not cut in the short term, ...