British Airways owner IAG to cut more flights over winter September 10, 2020 British Airways owner IAG will cut more flights over the coming months than it had previously planned as the recovery in international air travel from the coronavirus pandemic stalls. In an operations update, IAG said that it would now fly at 40 per cent capacity through the autumn, down from past estimates of 54 per [...]
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary slams ‘bizarre’ quarantine rules September 9, 2020 Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has slammed the government for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, describing its quarantine restrictions as “bizarre” and lacking in “common sense”. Speaking to Sky News this morning, O’Leary said that ministers were “making this stuff as they go along to cover up the fact that test and tracing is effectively [...]
Four challenges facing new BA owner IAG’s boss Luis Gallego September 8, 2020 Taking over a multinational corporation is a daunting prospect even at the best of times, but when the corporation is in a sector that is currently undergoing its worst ever crisis, the challenge takes on several extra layers of difficulty. That’s the situation facing Luis Gallego, the 51-year-old Spaniard who today takes over the reins [...]
Easyjet to reduce flying capacity amid quarantine chaos September 8, 2020 Budget carrier Easyjet today said that it would reduce flying capacity for the fourth quarter due to changes to the UK’s quarantine regime. In a statement, the airline said that the “constantly evolving” restrictions, including yesterday’s decision to add seven Greek islands to the “red list”, was “negatively affecting” customer confidence. As a result, Easyjet [...]
Aviation support package ‘cannot come soon enough’, MPs warn September 7, 2020 A group of MPs has warned that the government’s aviation recovery plan “cannot come quick enough” as the stricken industry heads into the winter season weighed down with uncertainty over its future. This morning, the government revealed that it would unveil its plan to get the UK aviation industry back onto its feet over the [...]
Virgin Atlantic to cut another 1,150 jobs after £1.2bn rescue deal September 4, 2020 Virgin Atlantic is cutting a further 1,150 jobs as part of a radical restructuring plan following its £1.2bn rescue deal. The airline, founded by Sir Richard Branson in 1984, said the cuts were a result of the “devastating” impact of the coronavirus crisis. It comes less than four months after Virgin said it was axing [...]
Former PM Tony Blair warns quarantine restrictions ‘killing’ international travel September 3, 2020 Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has warned that quarantine restrictions are “killing” international travel, arguing that the policy wouldn’t be necessary with a better testing regime. Blair, who believes we could be living with coronavirus restrictions for a further two years, said he opposed the blanket quarantine measures currently in place. The former Labour Prime [...]
Virgin Atlantic £1.2bn rescue package gets court approval September 2, 2020 Virgin Atlantic’s £1.2bn bailout deal was approved in the High Court this morning, all but sealing the struggling carrier’s survival after months of turbulence caused by coronavirus. The bailout deal was given the backing of an overwhelming majority of Virgin’s creditors last week, with a court sanction needed for the deal to go ahead. Judge [...]
Ryanair passenger numbers down 50 per cent amid quarantine chaos September 2, 2020 Budget carrier Ryanair flew 7m passengers last month, nearly half the number it carried in August last year, as demand for air travel continued to grow despite the UK’s quarantine regime. Operating 60 per cent of its normal schedule for the month, the airline said the number of passengers was 53 per cent below last [...]
Gatwick Airport to cut nearly a quarter of its workforce August 26, 2020 Gatwick Airport this afternoon announced that it could cut up to 600 jobs as part of a major restructuring caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The airport is the latest company in the struggling aviation sector to announce such cuts, which account for 24 per cent of its workforce. The sector is one of the worst [...]