Washington / Bloomberg JetBlue Airways Corp. cut its planned growth for this year, grappling with disappointing results for a key measure of revenue just as fuel prices threaten to crimp profit. The airline said it will increase flight and seat capacity between 8 percent and 9.5 percent this year, down from previous plans of as much as 10.5 percent ...
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India defers plan to raise FDI limit in civil aviation to 74%
NEW DELHI / Tribune News Service The aviation ministry has decided to shelve a proposal to raise the foreign investment limit in Indian airlines to 74%. Foreign airlines are currently allowed to own as much as 49% in a local airline. The proposal to raise the foreign investment limit was part of the draft civil aviation policy, which is ...
Read More »Airbus to sell stake in Dassault Aviation
Paris / Bloomberg Airbus Group SE is close to selling off its remaining holding in Dassault Aviation SA as the European aircraft maker disposes of assets to focus on its core businesses, people familiar with the matter said. Airbus is working with advisers, and a sale could come as soon as this week, the people said, asking not to ...
Read More »Gulf Air cuts losses by 62%
Dubai / AFP Bahrain’s struggling carrier Gulf Air said on Thursday it reduced losses by 62 percent last year as a result of the company’s restructuring. Losses fell from 62.7 million dinars ($166.29 million) in 2014 to 24.1 million dinars ($63.92 million) last year, Gulf Air said in a statement. “I am delighted with these results. 2015 delivered the ...
Read More »Airlines exit Nigeria on slowing economy
New York / Bloomberg Iberia suspended its route to Africa’s biggest economy on May 12, followed by United, which informed employees that it would end flights from the US to Nigeria at the end of June because of a lack of demand and trouble collecting payments. British Airways and Emirates have said they are facing difficulties obtaining outstanding air ...
Read More »London Airport expansion risks getting lost
WASHINGTON / AFP A decision to ease the bottlenecks at London’s airports faces the threat of further delays in the aftermath of Britain’s vote over membership in the European Union on June 23, Heathrow Chief Executive Officer John Holland-Kaye said. “If we leave the EU, the main focus of government will be figuring out what it all means, renegotiating ...
Read More »Russia rolls out new jet to challenge Boeing, Airbus
Moscow / Bloomberg Irkut Corp., the maker of Su-30 fighter jets, is rolling out Russia’s first new full-sized airliner since the Soviet Union collapsed 25 years ago, in the country’s most direct challenge to commercial-plane industry leaders Boeing Co. and Airbus Group SE. The single-aisle MC-21, designed for 163 to 211 seats, was introduced to the public on Wednesday ...
Read More »Thai Airways seeks 10-airline pact to add routes
Bangkok / Bloomberg Thai Airways International Pcl is seeking an alliance with as many as 10 other Asian carriers in order to add destinations and counter a similar move grouping together several of its low-cost rivals. A series of bilateral accords could unite airlines from across the region to boost connectivity in India and China and smaller markets such ...
Read More »Garuda stalls multibillion-dollar deal in ‘buyers market’
WASHINGTON / AFP PT Garuda Indonesia is in no hurry to finalize a multibillion-dollar order of as many as 250 aircraft, saying the sluggish global economy will give it more leeway in negotiations with Airbus Group SE and Boeing Co. Decisions by other airlines to push back purchases amid tough operating conditions give Garuda more breathing space, President Director ...
Read More »Southwest Airlines hits 100 daily departures
Oakland / Tribune News Service Southwest Airlines has hit 100 daily departures from Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. The airline is the airport’s dominant carrier, with about half the market share, and has its own terminal. Its newest nonstop flights are to Oakland, Calif., Portland, Ore., and Cleveland. St. Louis passengers already could get to Cleveland and Portland directly on ...
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