PRNewswire/ — Volaris (NYSE: VLRS), the ultra-low-cost airline serving Mexico, the United States and Central America, announces that pursuant to a decree published in the Official Gazette of the Federation, the Government of the United Mexican States, acting through the General Health Council (Consejo de Salubridad General (“GHC”)) declared a health emergency due to force majeure, as a result of the disease epidemic caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), known as Coronavirus, which will be in effect until April 30, 2002 (the “Declaration of Emergency”)
The Declaration of Emergency and the health security measures announced by the GHC, such as the suspension of non-essential activities in the public, private and social sector, as well as the call to the population to comply with stay at home, will impact the demand for passenger air transportation whilst the Declaration of Emergency is in effect.
As a result, from the date hereof, Volaris will make an additional capacity reduction to that which was advised on March 24, 2020. Capacity measured by available seat miles (ASMs) for the month of April, 2020 will reduce to approximately 80% of total operation versus the schedule originally published.
Volaris will continue to provide relevant market updates should further capacity, governmental travel restrictions or other liquidity preserving measures need to be implemented.
An employee leaves the Volkswagen (VW) plant as the company will temporarily close its factories in Mexico amid growing worries over the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Puebla
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – German automaker Volkswagen said on Wednesday it would extend until April 30 a suspension of activities at two production plants in central Mexico after the government declared a health emergency because of coronavirus.
Volkswagen <VOW.DE> is among manufacturers worldwide who are responding to a fall in demand, as well as supply chain challenges following measures taken to rein in the pandemic.
In a statement the company said the halt was extended from April 12 to comply with government orders for a suspension of all non-essential activities.
Volkswagen said it would continue to pay employees during the suspension. Mexico reported 37 deaths, up from 29 a day earlier, and 1,378 infections, up from 1,215, because of the virus.
(Reporting by Sharay Angulo; Writing by Stefanie Eschenbacher; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Last flight will land on 19 March in Vienna / all further flights are temporarily suspended until 28 March
Lufthansa Group: entire short and long-haul schedule significantly reduced again
As of 17 March: ten percent of the originally planned capacity will still be available on long-haul routes and 20 per cent on short-haul routes
Lufthansa Group airlines fly thousands of cruise passengers and holidaymakers home
Arrangements for further evacuation flights
Lufthansa Cargo flight operations carries out all planned flights despite corona crisis
The Lufthansa Group carrier Austrian Airlines will temporarily suspend scheduled flight operations as of Thursday, 19 March 2020. Austrian Airlines is thus reacting to the entry restrictions imposed by many countries in response to the massive spread of the coronavirus.
For the time being, the last flight with flight number OS 066 will land in Vienna from Chicago at 8:20 a.m. on 19 March. Until then, flight operations are to be reduced in a controlled and structured manner in order to bring all passengers and crews home if possible. Initially Austrian Airlines will cancel all flights until March 28th 2020, and passengers who have booked a flight with Austrian Airlines during this period will be rebooked on other airlines if possible.
In addition, Lufthansa Group airlines will further reduce their short- and long-haul schedule. The cancellations, which will be published as early as tomorrow, March 17th, will lead to a sharp decline in long-haul service especially in the Middle East, Africa and Central and South America. Overall, the Lufthansa Group’s seating capacity on long-haul routes will be reduced by up to 90 per cent. A total of 1,300 weekly connections were originally planned for summer 2020.
Within Europe the flight schedule will also be further reduced. Starting tomorrow, around 20 percent of the originally planned seating capacity will still be offered. Originally, some 11,700 weekly short-haul flights were planned for summer 2020 with Lufthansa Group airlines.
The additional cancellations will be published over the next few days and passengers will be informed accordingly.
Despite the large-scale cancellations, Lufthansa, Eurowings and Austrian Airlines have scheduled more than 20 special flights with over 6,000 guests on short notice to fly cruise passengers and holidaymakers back home. Wide-body aircraft namely, the Boeing 747 & 777 and Airbus A350 are being used to offer as much capacity as possible on these return flights. Since thousands of German, Austrian, Swiss and Belgian citizens are still waiting to return to their home countries, Lufthansa Group airlines have made arrangements for further evacuation flightsand are in close contact with the governments of their home countries concerning this. Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, said: “Now it is no longer about economic issues, but about the responsibility that airlines bear as part of the critical infrastructure in their home countries.” Lufthansa will work with airports and air traffic controllers to develop a coordinated concept for maintaining the critical infrastructure.
The new timetable for all Lufthansa Group airlines will initially be valid until 12 April 2020. Lufthansa Group passengers planning a trip in the coming weeks are advised to check the current status of the respective flight on their airline’s website before departure. If rebooking possibilities exist, the passengers concerned will be proactively informed about alternatives, as long as they have provided their contact details online. In addition, currently changed rebooking conditions apply on a goodwill basis. Customers can find more information about this at lufthansa.com.
We are currently receiving an exceptionally high number of customer calls at our Service Centers and at our stations. We are continuously working on increasing capacity to meet this demand. Nevertheless, there are currently long waiting times. Passengers can use the extensive rebooking and self-service options on the airlines’ websites as an alternative to the Service Centers.
Unlike the passenger airlines, Lufthansa Cargo has so far been able to operate all its planned flights except for cancellations to mainland China. The Lufthansa Group subsidiary will continue to do everything in its power to maintain the flight operations of its own cargo fleet and thus support the global supply chains. Especially during the current crisis, logistics and thus also airfreight are of paramount importance.
American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ: AAL) will implement a phased suspension of additional long-haul international flights from the U.S. starting on March 16. This suspension will last through May 6. This change is in response to decreased demand and changes to U.S. government travel restrictions due to coronavirus (COVID-19). The airline will:
Reduce international capacity by 75% year over year — from March 16 to May 6
Continue to operate one flight daily from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to London (LHR), one flight daily from Miami (MIA) to LHR and three flights per week from DFW to Tokyo (NRT)
Continue short-haul international flying, which includes flights to Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America and certain markets in the northern part of South America, as scheduled
In addition to the international changes, the airline anticipates its domestic capacity in April will be reduced by 20% compared to last year and May’s domestic capacity will be reduced by 30% on a year over year basis.
International Route Changes
By region, the new schedule changes include the following:
Asia, effective March 16
American will suspend all remaining flights to Asia, except for three flights per week from DFW to NRT
Australia and New Zealand, effective March 16
Suspending service from Los Angeles (LAX) to Auckland (AKL) effective March 16, which was slated to end seasonal flying on March 28
Suspending service from LAX to Sydney (SYD) effective March 16
Europe, phased suspension
American will continue to operate one flight daily from DFW to LHR and MIA to LHR
Suspending flights from New York (JFK), Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), and LAX to LHR gradually over the next seven days to reaccommodate passengers and crew
LHR, Dublin (DUB) and Manchester (MAN) flights from Charlotte (CLT), Philadelphia (PHL) and Phoenix (PHX) will be suspended faster, as these airports are not approved gateways by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Final eastbound flights from CLT, PHL and PHX will be on March 15; final westbound flights returning from LHR, DUB and MAN will depart March 16
Continued suspensions in other parts of Europe, as previously announced, including the delayed start of some seasonal routes as well as flights to and from Amsterdam (AMS), Barcelona (BCN), Frankfurt (FRA), Madrid (MAD) and Munich (MUC) Paris (CDG) and Zurich (ZRH) through early May, or later, based on guidance from the U.S. government and customer demand
South America, effective March 16
Suspending service from JFK and MIA to Rio de Janeiro (GIG) and Georgetown, Guyana (GEO)
Suspending service from DFW, JFK and MIA to São Paulo (GRU)
These capacity reductions assume no slot waivers are in place other than those previously granted. At airports where demand exceeds airfield and/or terminal capacity, access is governed by slots that grant airlines permission to take off and land at specific times. Given the decrease in demand related to COVID-19, American has requested temporary relief from this usage requirement — otherwise known as requesting a slot waiver — to better align capacity with demand without the risk of losing valuable takeoff and landing slots for the future. American will continue to review its network and make adjustments as needed if waivers are granted.
Embraer (ERJ) delivered a total of 198 jets in 2019, of which 89 were commercial aircraft and 109 were executive jets (62 light and 47 large), which represents an increase of 9% compared to 2018, when the Company delivered a total of 181 jets. The deliveries were within the outlook ranges for 2019 of 85 to 95 for the commercial aviation market and of 90 to 110 for the business aviation market. In the fourth quarter of 2019, Embraer delivered 81 jets, being 35 commercial aircraft and 46 executive jets (20 light and 26 large). As of December 31, the firm order backlog totaled USD 16.8 billion. See details below:
Deliveries by Segment
4Q19
2019
Commercial Aviation
35
89
EMBRAER 175 (E175)
22
67
EMBRAER 190 (E190)
2
5
EMBRAER 195 (E195)
1
3
EMBRAER 190-E2 (E190-E2)
4
7
EMBRAER 195-E2 (E195-E2)
6
7
Executive Aviation
46
109
Phenom 100
4
11
Phenom 300
16
51
Light Jets
20
62
Legacy 650
3
5
Legacy 450
10
15
Legacy 500
5
11
Praetor 500
3
3
Praetor 600
5
13
Large Jets
26
47
TOTAL
81
198
In the fourth quarter of 2019, Embraer delivered the first Praetor 500 business jet to Flexjet, a global leader in private jet travel, just over one year after its announcement at the 2018 National Business Aviation Association’s Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (NBAA-BACE).
Embraer also announced the expansion of its Executive Jets Service Center at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (KFLL), expanding its service capacity through a lease agreement with Jetscape Services for a dedicated hangar. Embraer’s presence in Florida is strategic for its Executive Jets customers throughout the Southern United States, the Caribbean and Central America as well as for those whose travel frequently brings them through South Florida.
In the same period, Embraer delivered the second KC-390 Millennium to the Brazilian Air Force and the contract with the Portuguese Government for a firm order for five KC-390 airlifters was included in Embraer’s backlog in the fourth quarter of 2019.
At the Dubai Air Show, Embraer announced the name and designation of its multi-mission medium aircraft, the Embraer C-390 Millennium. The new designation reflects increased flexibility and value for operators that look for a transport/cargo aircraft to perform airlift and air mobility missions, among others. In addition, Embraer and Boeing announced that the joint venture to promote and develop new markets for the C-390 Millennium multi-mission airlift and air mobility aircraft will be called Boeing Embraer – Defense. The organization will only be operational after the companies’ joint venture receives regulatory approvals and meets closing conditions.
Also during the event in Dubai, Embraer announced two contracts for commercial aircraft: a contract with Air Peace for three additional E195-E2s, confirming purchase rights from the original contract and a firm order for three E190 jets with CIAF Leasing.
Embraer welcomed three new E2 operators. Helvetic Airways, from Switzerland, and Air Kiribati, national airline of the Republic of Kiribati, received its first E190-E2 jets, while Binter, of Spain, received its first E195-E2. Embraer also signed firm orders with SkyWest, for 20 E175 that will be operated by American Airlines, and with Congo Airways for two E175 aircraft, with purchase rights for a further two.
CALGARY, Dec. 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ – Canadian Pacific (NYSE: CP) has closed the transaction related to the acquisition of the Central Maine & Quebec Railway. The acquisition of CMQ in the U.S. remains subject to Surface Transportation Board approval.
The acquisition, first announced on November 20, 2019, will provide CP customers with seamless, safe and efficient access to ports at Searsport, Maine and to Saint John, New Brunswick, via Eastern Maine Railway Company and New Brunswick Southern Railway, thereby preserving and enhancing competition.
Alstom congratulates Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW), on the opening of the CBD and South East Light Rail project and the start of revenue service, returning Light Rail back down Sydney’s George St for the first time in more than 60 years.
Alstom, as part of the ALTRAC Light Rail consortium[1], has been responsible for the integrated light rail system that included the design, delivery and commissioning of 60 Citadis X05 Light Rail Vehicles (LRV), power supply equipment including APS – the wire-free ground-based power supply (over two kilometres), the energy recovery substations – HESOP, signalling, communications, depot equipment and 19 years of maintenance.
The new 12km network has been delivered under a turnkey PPP model that will provide the commuters of Sydney with frequent, reliable, high capacity services running from Circular Quay in the city’s CBD to Central Station, then south east to Randwick. Each LRV has a capacity of 450 passengers – the equivalent of nine standard buses and will move up to 13,500 commuters per hour (6,750 in each direction) during peak times once fully operational. Normal tram services will operate seven days a week between 5am and 1am.
As part of the contract, the consortium has also taken over the operations and maintenance of the existing Inner West Light rail (IWLR) that connects Sydney’s inner west with the Pyrmont peninsula, Darling Harbour and the southern CBD. Alstom is also responsible for the maintenance of the existing system which includes 12 CAF Light Rail Vehicles.
“Alstom is extremely proud to be a part of this iconic project” said Mark Coxon, Managing Director for Alstom in Australia & New Zealand, “This new Light Rail system will transform Sydney and provide a step change in the city’s public transport capability and reliability while protecting the aesthetic appeal of the CBD and improving sustainability of the overall transport network”
[1] Made up of Alstom, Transdev, Acciona and Capella
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, December 10th, 2019 – Embraer and Congo Airways have signed a firm order for two E175 aircraft, with purchase rights for a further two. The deal has a total value of USD 194.4 million at current list prices with all purchase rights exercised, and will be added to Embraer’s 2019 fourth quarter backlog.
Desire Bantu, CEO of Congo Airways said, “These new jets will replace our current turboprop offering and allow us to serve routes both within the Democratic Republic of Congo, and regionally to West, Central, and Southern Africa, from our hub in Kinshasa. We will now have the flexibility and the right sized aircraft to serve our market, which is growing so rapidly an additional order may be required, for which the E2 is a particularly compelling option.”
Raul Villaron, Vice President Sales, Africa and Middle East, Embraer Commercial Aviation, said, “It’s great to welcome another airline to the Embraer family of operators, especially in Africa where the demand for regional travel is growing strongly. We look forward to supporting Congo Airways as they continue to upgrade their offering to their customers.”
The aircraft will be configured in a dual class layout seating 76 passengers in total, with 12 in business class. Deliveries will begin in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Embraer is the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial aircraft up to 150 seats with more than 100 customers across the world. For the E-Jets program alone, Embraer has logged more than 1,800 orders and 1,500 aircraft have been delivered. Today, E-Jets are flying in the fleets of 80 customers in 50 countries. The versatile 70 to 150-seat family is flying with low-cost airlines as well as with regional and mainline network carriers.
LONDON and SOUTHLAKE, Texas, Dec. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Wizz Air (PNK: WZZAF) Europe’s greenest airline and leading low cost carrier in Central Eastern Europe, has selected Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), the leading technology provider to the global travel industry, as a strategic partner to enhance its network planning and scheduling technology. With this new agreement, Wizz Air joins a portfolio of more than 80 airlines that have implemented Sabre’s leading technology to optimize complex schedule and slot management processes.
Sabre has a strong reputation in driving results through its intelligent planning and scheduling solutions. Empowering collaborative and intelligent decision-making, Sabre AirVision Schedule Manager helps airlines build and deliver robust, accurate and operationally feasible schedules across their networks. This proven solution has helped airlines achieve up to 9% incremental operating profit and up to 12% increase in productivity.
Wizz Air has implemented Sabre AirVision Slot Manager and Schedule Manager, equipping it with the right mechanisms to reduce the risks of losing valuable historic slot rights, while enabling increased productivity and a fast response to rescheduling.
“Adopting the right planning and scheduling technology has a significant impact on revenue optimization and cost reduction, as well as running a robust and efficient operation,” said George Michalopoulos, chief commercial officer at Wizz Air. “Sabre’s end-to-end planning and scheduling suite provides Wizz Air with the intelligence and flexibility needed to deploy optimized schedules.”
Sabre’s agreement with Wizz Air reflects its ongoing investment in creating technology solutions that are perfectly adapted to the requirements of different airline business models. With a customer community that includes a portfolio of airlines in the network, low-cost and ultra-low-cost categories, Sabre is consistently driving innovation through its partnerships.
“Wizz Air has a solid and ambitious plan for profitable expansion, and therefore needed a strong technology partner,” said Alessandro Ciancimino, vice president sales Europe, Travel Solutions, Sabre. “Sabre’s suite of technology helps airlines to get schedules to market faster, rapidly respond to market conditions in real time, and more efficiently manage a growing network of routes – which will help it position itself competitively, and differentiate itself among increased competition.”
About Sabre Corporation Sabre Corporation is the leading technology provider to the global travel industry. Sabre’s software, data, mobile and distribution solutions are used by hundreds of airlines and thousands of hotel properties to manage critical operations, including passenger and guest reservations, revenue management, flight, network and crew management. Sabre also operates a leading global travel marketplace, which processes more than US$120 billion of global travel spend annually by connecting travel buyers and suppliers. Headquartered in Southlake, Texas, USA, Sabre serves customers in more than 160 countries around the world.
About Wizz Air Wizz Air, the largest low-cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe, offers more than 700 routes from 25 bases, connecting 152 destinations across 44 countries. A team of more than 5,000 aviation professionals delivers superior service and very low fares making Wizz Air the preferred choice of 38 million passengers in the past 12 months. WIZZ operates an all-Airbus fleet of 120 aircraft. Its A320s are equipped with 180 seats, its A321s with 230 seats and its A321neo aircraft with 239 seats. According to the latest data of the Swiss airline intelligence provider CH-Aviation, Wizz Air has one of the youngest airline fleets in the world.
Melbourne, Florida, November 25, 2019 – Embraer Services & Support announces the expansion of its Executive Jets Service Center at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (KFLL). As of November 1, Embraer has expanded its service capacity through a lease agreement with Jetscape Services for a dedicated hangar.
“We are thrilled with the added capacity to better serve our customers, whether they are based in the region or just traveling through Florida,” said Frank Stevens, Vice President, Global MRO Centers, Embraer Services & Support. “Our expansion in South Florida allows us to further elevate the customer experience for aircraft owners and fleet operators alike, in addition to creating 40 new high-tech jobs for the community.”
Embraer’s presence in Florida is strategic to its Executive Jets customers throughout the Southern United States, the Caribbean and Central America as well as to those whose travel frequently brings them through South Florida.
“We are proud to offer Embraer the infrastructure for their customer support expansion in Florida,” said Troy Menken, Jetscape President. “Since 2002 we have served customers from around the world with aircraft of all sizes, and we are confident that our ground support expertise will ensure that Embraer customers will enjoy a premium experience.”
Embraer’s owned service center in South Florida is also the base for the Embraer Airworthiness Management program, where customers can meet with the team to learn how the program can be customized to deliver peace of mind and drive aircraft value retention. The program provides customers with a dedicated Certified Airworthiness Manager to plan, coordinate, and monitor all maintenance and airworthiness requirements throughout the aircraft’s lifecycle.
The Embraer Airworthiness Management program ensures the full regulatory compliance of aircraft maintenance and records through MyEmbraer.com, in addition to providing negotiation and dispute resolution services with suppliers to maximize cost savings for the customer. Smoother operations are a key benefit of the program’s advanced planning service, especially for customers with a tight operational schedule.
About Jetscape
Jetscape is a full-service, boutique fixed based operator (FBO) at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (KFLL). We provide a private terminal for general aviation traffic, aircraft fueling services, and aircraft storage facilities. Founded in 2002, Jetscape has over 17 years of demonstrated success in providing customer service, aircraft ground support, and property management.
Jetscape operates on more than 21+ acres at FLL with more than 100,000+ square feet of combined hangar space. We serve a broad spectrum of aircraft ranging from small single-engine piston aircraft to the world’s largest cargo carriers and we are the exclusive U.S. Military and Federal Government contractor at FLL.
Our mission is to create an unforgettable customer experience that is second to none. We aim to provide a bespoke, state-of-the-art gateway for business and tourism, to be an employer of choice, and a model of efficiency. We are excited to be your provider of aviation services, to support your business needs, and to share in your vision for customer and employee experience. We look forward to your arrival.
