Airline bosses beg Boris for way out of travel restrictions February 18, 2021 The chief executives of the UK’s largest airlines have come together to call on Boris Johnson to include plans for the restart of international travel in next week’s roadmap for the easing of lockdown. Putting aside their normal rivalry, the bosses of BA, Easyjet, Virgin Atlantic, Ryanair and Tui have today written to the PM [...]
Supreme Court set for long-awaited Uber employment rights judgement February 17, 2021 On Friday the Supreme Court will hand down its judgement as to whether Uber has been successful in its appeal against a ruling recognising its drivers as workers, not independent contractors. The long-running dispute, which has been bouncing through the courts since back in 2016, could have sizeable implications for the future of the gig [...]
Ford begins drive to electrify all European cars by 2030 February 17, 2021 Auto giant Ford has today announced that its European car lineup will be fully electrified by 2030. With a number of European countries set to ban diesel and petrol cars at the end of the decade, the US firm is the latest carmaker to commit to an all-electric future. By 2026, the firm said that [...]
Ryanair to appeal court decision to allow state aid for Air France and SAS February 17, 2021 Ryanair this morning said that it would appeal after an EU court dismissed its challenge over state aid given to rivals Air France and SAS. Luxembourg’s General Court, the EU’s second highest legal body, backed the European Commission’s decision to grant discriminatory aid to the virus-hit carriers. In its judgement, which was laid out earlier [...]
Maersk fast-tracks carbon-neutral shipping plans to 2023 February 17, 2021 Shipping group Maersk is speeding up plans to decarbonise seaborne shipping by putting the world’s first carbon-neutral powered ship into operation. A.P. Moller-Maersk aims to achieve the move by 2023, seven years ahead of its original plan. The shipping industry carries around 80 per cent of worldwide trade and accounts for three per cent of [...]
Signature Aviation sells engine repairs business for $230m February 17, 2021 Flight services company Signature Aviation has sold its engine repairs business for $230m, the firm announced on Wednesday. US-based maintenance and repairs provider StandardAero will purchase the division. Signature Aviation had been looking to offload ERO since it was first put up for sale in 2018. The deal comes at a time when the airline [...]
Budget airlines primed for land grab as flag carriers face change of flight path February 17, 2021 After nearly a year of intense disruption, one could be forgiven for expecting even Ryanair’s perennially bullish boss Michael O’Leary to be a little downcast about the state of his industry. But despite the near daily cries of anguish issuing from the airlines sector, the Irishman’s eyes are fixed firmly on the future. Speaking after [...]
Coventry launches bid for battery ‘gigafactory’ at airport February 16, 2021 Coventry City Council has joined forces with the local airport to develop plans for a battery gigafactory which could create up to 4,000 new jobs. The joint venture partners will submit a planning application for the project, which they said could bring in £2bn in investment, later this year. West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said [...]
Travel businesses urge customers to book summer holidays despite guidance February 15, 2021 A coalition of the UK’s largest travel companies has come together to give consumers the confidence to book summer holidays despite oscillating advice from ministers. The group, which commands combined revenues of over £11bn, has offered any customer who books with them a guaranteed refund or change of holiday date if the trip has to [...]
Jaguar Land Rover commits to UK as luxury brand launches 2030 electrification push February 15, 2021 Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) today announced that its full range of vehicles would be electrified by 2030 as the luxury car brand seeks to shift away from fossil fuels. It also committed to keeping its UK factories open for the duration of the electrification process. The Tata-owned firm said that all vehicles in its Jaguar [...]