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Alaska’s RavnAir Files for Bankruptcy as U.S. Treasury Mulls Grants

April 7, 2020 /

WASHINGTON, April 6 (Reuters) – RavnAir Group, the largest regional carrier in Alaska, filed for bankruptcy Sunday and grounded all of its 72 planes as it waits on a decision from U.S. Treasury for government assistance.

The Trump administration is weighing applications from numerous airlines as it considers how to disburse $25 billion in passenger airline grants, $4 billion for cargo carriers and $3 billion for airport contractors. Congress approved the bailout funds to help air carriers cover payroll costs.

RavnAir, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Delaware, said Sunday it was suspending all operations and laying off all employees.

“We took these actions to ensure our airline has a future, and to give us time to ‘hit pause'” while it seeks Treasury grants and “other sources of financial assistance that will allow us to weather the coronavirus pandemic and emerge successfully once it has passed.”

In a letter posted Sunday, RavnAir Chief Executive Dave Pflieger said the airline was working to “resume the vital air service you depend on to get home to your families, to your businesses, to medical appointments, and to other duties that are essential to our communities and the state of Alaska.”

Delta Air Lines Inc, American Airlines Group Inc , Spirit Airlines Inc, Southwest Airlines Co , United Airlines Holdings Inc and JetBlue Airways Corp are among the airlines that confirmed they filed before a Friday deadline set by Treasury to get speedy consideration.

On Sunday, top Democrats including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Charles Schumer urged Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to move quickly and not impose unreasonable conditions on the grants. Airline unions and many Democrats object to Treasury demanding significant equity or warrants as a condition to the grants.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

Wynn Resorts Extends Benefits for All North American Employees

April 2, 2020 /
  • I always love to read stories about the generosity of great corporations. Especially during times when self-centered politicians love to bash them so that they can profit from the potential graft a pending victory can bring. -WB

PRNewswire/ — Wynn Resorts (Nasdaq: WYNN), the world’s leading resort company based in Las Vegas, Nevada, announced today that the Company will extend paying all salaried, hourly and part-time employees through May 15, for a total of 60 days of payroll continuance. The Company decided to take this action as part of its shared responsibility for the health and safety of its employees, their families and the Las Vegas and Greater Boston communities during this pandemic.

Payroll coverage will include more than 15,000 current Wynn and Encore employees.  For tipped employees, it includes the average tip compliance rate or distributed tips/tokes since the beginning of the year. 

“It is our shared responsibility to follow the direction of health and safety professionals to stay home, and limit social contact,” said Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox.  “We owe it to each other, our families and to our community.”

For more information on Wynn’s health and safety measures, please visit www.WynnInfo.com.

The Encore Boston Harbor Casino in Everett seen from Somerville. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Air New Zealand Lays Off 3,500 Employees as Virus Halts Travel

March 31, 2020 /

(Reuters) – Air New Zealand <AIR.NZ> said on Tuesday nearly a third of its employees, about 3,500, will be laid off in the coming months, as it grapples with severe global travel curbs due to the coronavirus that has forced it to cancel nearly all flights.

The national carrier, which employs 12,500 people, said the announced number of layoffs was a “conservative” assumption, and that it could rise if the domestic lockdown and border restrictions were extended.

Large scale layoffs of its global staff will start this week, the company said.

“Unfortunately, COVID-19 has seen us go from having revenue of NZ$5.8 billion to what is shaping up to be less than NZ$500 million annually based on the current booking patterns we are seeing,” Chief Executive Officer Greg Foran said in an email to staff and customers.

“This has the potential to be catastrophic for our business unless we take some decisive action.”

Air New Zealand is an example of the dire situation facing airlines across the world due to curbs on travel to control the spread of the virus.

“We have had to cut more than 95 percent of our flights here in New Zealand and around the world. The only flights remaining are in place to keep supply lines open and transport options for essential services personnel,” Foran added.

Earlier in March, the New Zealand government offered the airline a NZ$900 million ($540.99 million) lifeline to keep it in the air.

The company also noted that “every dollar we use from this loan facility comes with interest (more than double current interest rates for a household mortgage) and must be re-paid.”

“Burdening our airline with massive debt would significantly lessen our ability to compete with airlines emerging from COVID-19,” said Foran.

He also said that in a year’s time he expects staffing levels to be 30% smaller than it is currently.

($1 = 1.6636 New Zealand dollars)

(Reporting by Nikhil Kurian Nainan in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)

FILE PHOTO: An Air New Zealand Airbus A320 plane takes off from Kingsford Smith International Airport in Sydney

Delta to Suspend Los Angeles to Sydney Service March 18 Through mid-April

March 16, 2020 /

Following self-quarantine restrictions issued by the Australian government, Delta is temporarily suspending service from Los Angeles to Sydney beginning March 18 through April 11.

The last flight from L.A. to Sydney will depart Tuesday, March 17. The last flight from Sydney to L.A. will depart Thursday, March 19.

See here for a list of all current schedule changes.

CHANGING YOUR FLIGHT

Delta has waived change fees for customers traveling to, from or through Australia through May 31. Additional details are available on delta.com.

To help address customers with immediate travel needs, Delta is asking those who do not have travel in the next 72 hours to wait and contact the airline closer to their trip. Customers can also change or cancel a flight anytime before their travel date using My Trips on Delta.com.

To provide even more flexibility, any Delta ticket expiring in March or April is being extended to enable rebooking and travel until Dec. 31, 2020. If you’re not able to adjust your plans in time and don’t make your flight, your ticket number automatically becomes an unused eCredit within 24 hours that can be used to rebook a flight in My Trips or with Delta Reservations.

CAPPED FARES

To ensure customers can travel with financial peace of mind, Delta will cap fares to and from all destinations Delta serves throughout the U.S. and Canada through March 31. These fare caps are in place in all cabins, from Delta One to Main Cabin.

PROVIDING A SAFE AND CLEAN ENVIRONMENT  

Delta’s highest priority is to ensure the health and safety of customers and employees. The airline is regularly disinfecting check-in kiosks, ticket counters, gate areas, jet bridges, and more multiple times a day. More information on our cleaning procedures can be found here. 

La Compagnie Takes Measures Due to Coronavirus COVID-19

March 16, 2020 /
  • MEASURES TAKEN BY LA COMPAGNIE 

Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus COVID-19, our teams have been doing everything possible to guarantee the safety and health of our passengers and cabin crew.

We regularly consult all relevant international authorities to make sure that we follow – and even surpass – their instructions on health precautions related to the effort to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.

Aircraft cleaning procedures, which were already of the highest standard given our all-business class offer, have been reinforced to guarantee a safe and relaxing experience for our passengers. Our brand-new A321neo also features a state-of-the-art air circulation system that renews cabin air every 3 minutes.

COMMERCIAL POLICY

In light of President Trump’s recent restrictions on travel between Europe and the U.S., effective March 13th at midnight for a period of 30 days, we have been forced to reassess our flight schedule for the upcoming months.

We must suspend all scheduled flights from March 18th to April 12th, 2020,resuming with one daily flight between Paris and New York from April 13th once the restrictions are lifted.

The launch of the seasonal route from New York to Nice is pushed back to June 1st, 2020.

In the unlikely event that your flight has been cancelled by La Compagnie in light of the Covid-19 situation, you will be notified directly via the contact details provided in your booking and will be offered solutions to modify, postpone or cancel your flights.

Any passengers with a flight scheduled between now and May 31st, 2020 who would like to postpone their departure may do so, regardless of fare conditions and at no charge, or receive a non-refundable but transferrable voucher (valid for 12 months).

Ryanair Suspends All Italian Flights Until Wednesday April 8

March 10, 2020 /

– Government extends restrictions to all of Italy

Ryanair today (Tues 10 Mar) announced the suspension of its full flight schedule to/from and within Italy, following the decision of the Italian Government to “lock down” the entire country to contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

These additional cuts will be implemented as follows:

  1. From 24:00hrs Weds 11 Mar until 24:00hrs Wed 8 Apr, Ryanair will suspend all Italian domestic flights.
  2. From 24:00hrs Fri 13 Mar until 24:00hrs Wed 8 Apr, Ryanair will suspend all Italian international flights.

All affected passengers have received email notices today informing them of these flight cancellations. Passengers looking for repatriation can obtain a free move to an earlier Ryanair flight operating up until midnight Fri 13  Mar. Affected passengers will be able to choose between a full refund or a travel credit that can be redeemed on Ryanair flights in the next 12 months.

Ryanair continues to comply fully with WHO and national Government guidance and travel bans. The situation is changing on a daily basis, and all passengers on flights affected by travel bans or cancellations, are receiving emails and are being offered flight transfers, full refunds or travel credits.

Ryanair apologises sincerely to all customers for these schedule disruptions, which are caused by national Government restrictions and the latest decision of the Italian Government to lock down the entire country to combat the Covid-19 virus.

Ford Bets More Businesses Want Carbon-Free Delivery Vans

March 4, 2020 /

DETROIT (Reuters) – Ford Motor Co is putting more chips on a bet that it can profit from selling electric vans to delivery businesses that need to reduce carbon emissions.

Ford will roll out an all-electric version of its Transit van for North America in model year 2022, mirroring the timetable for launching a similar model for the European market, the company said on Tuesday in conjunction with the NTEA Work Truck Show in Indianapolis.

“Our electric bet as a company is different than our competitors,” Ford Chief Operating Officer Jim Farley said in an interview. “The most critical bet we will be making over the next several years will be our commercial vehicles.”

Two of three electric vehicles Ford has announced as part of an $11.5 billion investment in electrification through 2022 are aimed at commercial customers – the Transit and an electric version of the company’s best-selling model, the F-150 pickup.

Ford’s Mustang Mach-E electric SUV represents a low-volume challenge to electric luxury vehicle market leader Tesla Inc.

The electric Transit and F-150 will play in market segments Ford dominates in the United States and Europe.

“Half of the vehicles doing work in the U.S. are Ford Motor Co vehicles,” Farley said. Ford is also the No. 1 commercial vehicle brand in Europe, and has led the commercial van market in Britain, which is Europe’s largest, for 55 years.

Regulators in Europe and in some U.S. cities are stepping up pressure on businesses to replace diesel or gasoline-fueled delivery vans with electric models to reduce pollution in city centers.

In the United States, Amazon.com Inc, has ordered 100,000 electric delivery vans from start-up Rivian, the first of which will be delivered in 2021 and built in Normal, Illinois. Ford has a separate partnership with Rivian.

The electric Transit will not be related to the Rivian van, said Ted Cannis, Ford’s director of electrification.

The new Transit will be an early test of the company’s efforts to deploy new connectivity technology and services to go with it, Farley said.

Ford said the electric Transit will be built in America and cost more than the gasoline-powered version, which starts at $34,500. Research firm Auto Forecast Solutions said it will be built in Kansas City, Missouri, along with the gasoline version.

Supplier sources who asked not to be identified said Ford will launch production in late 2021, with plans to build around 2,000 that year and increase to 14,000 annually by 2023.

(Reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit; Additional reporting by Paul Lienert; Editing by Richard Chang)

ANA HOLDINGS Commits to Adding up to 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliner Jets

February 25, 2020 /
  • Japan’s five-star carrier plans to acquire 11 787-10 airplanes, four 787-9s jet and five options
  • Deal marks ANA’s sixth Dreamliner purchase; order book to eclipse 100 airplanes once options are exercised
  • ANA plans to use the largest, most efficient Dreamliner to replace certain domestic 777 models

Boeing [NYSE:BA] and ANA HOLDINGS INC. announced the Japanese airline group today decided to acquire up to 20 more 787 Dreamliner airplanes. The agreement with Boeing includes 11 787-10s, one 787-9 and options for five 787-9s valued at more than $5 billion at list prices. The airline also plans to acquire three new 787-9 airplanes from Atlantis Aviation Corporation.

Once the agreements are finalized, it will be ANA’s sixth order for the ultra-efficient and passenger-pleasing Dreamliner and bring their overall 787 order book to more than 100 airplanes.

“Boeing’s 787s have served ANA with distinction, and we are proud to expand our fleet by adding more of these technologically-advanced aircraft,” said Yutaka Ito, Executive Vice President of ANA and ANA HD. “These planes represent a significant step forward for ANA as we work to make our entire fleet even more eco-friendly and further reduce noise output.”

With this order, the airline will add 11 of the largest and most fuel-efficient Dreamliner models, the 787-10 to its world-class fleet. Powered by a suite of new technologies and a revolutionary design, the 787-10 set a new benchmark for fuel efficiency and operating economics when it entered service in 2018. The airplane allows operators to achieve 25 percent better fuel efficiency per seat compared to older airplanes in its class.

ANA sees the 787-10 as the perfect airplane to replace previous domestic 777 models that are slated for retirement.

“Introducing the 787-10 on our domestic routes will help ANA Group maintain its leadership role and improve our ability to operate as a responsible corporate citizen,” Yutaka Ito said.

ANA became the global launch customer of the 787 Dreamliner when it placed its initial order in 2004. Since then, like half of all Dreamliner operators, the Japanese carrier has placed follow-on orders. However, ANA is in a class by itself as the world’s biggest 787 operator with 71 airplanes in its fleet and 12 more to be delivered prior to the latest agreement. The new deal will bring the 11 additional 787-10 airplanes, one 787-9 and options for five more 787-9 jets.

ANA is also in the launch customer group for Boeing’s new 777X.

“ANA has grown into one of the leading airline groups in Asia by continually raising the bar for customer satisfaction and investing in the most technologically-advanced and capable fleet. We are truly honored that ANA HD is coming back to order more 787 planes with plans to boost their Dreamliner fleet to more than 100 jets,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing, The Boeing Company. “We are confident that the unique capabilities of the 787-10 will continue to safely serve its passengers with best-in-class comfort and reliability.”

The 787 Dreamliner is playing an important role in reducing carbon emissions around the world. Since the first 787 entered commercial service in 2011, the Dreamliner family has saved more than 48 billion pounds of fuel. In addition, the 787 fleet’s noise footprint is 60 percent smaller than those of the airplanes it replaces.

ANA HD’s new 787 jets will be powered by GE’s GEnx-1B engines. The new engines will contribute to the 25 percent improved fuel efficiency per seat of the 787-10.

Amtrak Offers Additional Service in Mystic, CT and Westerly, RI with New, Modified Schedules

February 12, 2020 /
  • Provides more efficient service to improve the travel experience and benefit customers throughout New England and the greater Northeast

NEW YORK – Amtrak continues to prioritize upgrading the customer experience as travelers along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) will now benefit from increased weekday service on Northeast Regional trains at popular stations in Mystic, CT and Westerly, RI to receive more access to the region’s major markets. The new schedule, which largely alternates trains at these stations to provide more meaningful service, will go into effect beginning Monday, March 16. 

“By providing additional service for Mystic and Westerly, travelers and residents will reap the benefits of a more efficient travel experience,” said Amtrak President and CEO Richard Anderson. “The benefits will also expand beyond these two stations as it allows Amtrak to better serve populations and cities along the NEC by offering additional access to and from urban areas in Boston, New York, and Virginia.”

In addition to the customer benefits and improvements to quality of travel via the expanded service, Amtrak also remains committed to continuous improvement and innovation throughout the entirety of its rail network, on its trains and at its stations. Amtrak recently announced the expansion of its popular assigned seating offering in Business Class for Northeast Regional trains, which provides a more seamless onboarding process and the option for customers to select their preferred seat.Northeast Regional trains, as part ofAmtrak’s NEC fleet, are also the country’s only all-electric intercity trains, providing a more environmentally friendly way to travel as part of Amtrak’s goal to reduce its carbon footprint.

Weekday Southbound trains will now stop at Westerly and Mystic at the following times (new service highlighted in blue):

Weekday Northbound trains will now stop at Westerly and Mystic at the following times:

There are no changes to weekend trains at this time; Schedules are subject to change. Tickets are now on sale on Amtrak.com, the Amtrak app, via our ticket agents or by calling 1-800-USA RAIL.

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