Singapore, September 26, 2023 – Embraer (NYSE: ERJ) announced that it has signed a Pool Program services agreement with Scoot [Singapore Airlines Ltd (OTC: SINGF)] to support the airline’s incoming fleet of nine E190-E2. The Pool Program provides access to component exchanges and repair services for more than 300 repairable parts to support Scoot’s Embraer aircraft, allowing the airline to minimize their upfront investment in high-value repairable inventories and resources, while taking advantage of Embraer’s technical expertise along with its vast component repair service provider network. Currently, the Pool Program supports more than 60 airlines worldwide.
The E190-E2 jet is the world’s most efficient and quietest single-aisle aircraft and the first batch of E190-E2 will be delivered to Scoot in 2024. In addition to the Pool Program, Scoot’s operations will benefit from the AHEAD (Aircraft Health Analysis and Diagnosis) which comprises early detection capabilities for critical systems, reducing technical interruptions and avoiding flight cancellations; the eSight, with real-time fleet performance monitoring.
Singapore is the nerve centre for Embraer’s services and support Asia Pacific operations. In addition to personnel based in Singapore, the Company has a Regional Distribution Centre within Changi Airport’s free trade zone. Recently, Embraer and CAE announced the establishment of a state-of-the-art E2 full flight simulator and pilot training program in Singapore which will commence in 2023. The full flight simulator will be based at the Singapore-CAE Flight Training Centre located at SIA Training Centre.
Dallas, Texas, September 15, 2023 – Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) was named Best Airline for Families on MONEY magazine’s 2023 Travel Awards list. MONEY recognized Southwest Airlines for its Family Boarding process, two free checked bags,1 no change2 or cancellation3 fees, and creating a flexible travel experience at a low cost. Southwest Customers also enjoy family-friendly content for free on the Inflight Entertainment Portal.4
“Families on the go turn to Southwest for more than our low fares and flexible policies,” said Jonathan Clarkson, Vice President of Marketing at Southwest Airlines. “We know families traveling together are looking for a comfortable and smooth travel experience, and our People take great pride in delivering their legendary Hospitality every step of the way.”
MONEY’s Best Airlines List assessed 10 major U.S. based carriers utilizing various criteria from multiple data resources to evaluate customer satisfaction with an airline’s network size, rewards programs, and policies.
For more information on Southwest’s flexible policies, visit Southwest.com.
1. First and second checked bags; weight and size limits apply.
2. If a Customer needs to change an upcoming flight itinerary, they’ll only pay the cost in fare difference.
3. Failure to cancel a reservation at least 10 minutes prior to scheduled departure may result in forfeited flight credits.
4. Where available. Available only on WiFi-enabled aircraft. Limited-time offer.
Embraer announced today a 4.5% adjustment to its global workforce, which corresponds to approximately 900 employees in Brazil. The measure stems from the impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy and the cancellation of the company’s partnership with Boeing. The objective is to ensure Embraer’s sustainability and engineering capacity.
The pandemic particularly affected Embraer Commercial Aviation, which experienced a 75% reduction in aircraft deliveries during the first half of 2020 as compared to the same period last year.
The situation worsened as a result of the duplication of structures associated with the carve out of the company’s commercial aviation business in preparation for the partnership which was terminated at the initiative of Boeing, as well as the expectation that the air transport sector will not recover in the short- or medium-term.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Embraer has adopted a series of measures to preserve jobs, including collective vacations, reduced working hours, furloughs, paid leave, and three voluntary dismissal plans (VDP). The company has also reduced face-to-face work at its industrial plants with the aim of ensuring the health of employees and business continuity. Around 1,600 employees chose to participate in the VDPs in Brazil.
The company recognizes and appreciates the commitment of those professionals who are leaving the organization and counts on the commitment of all employees to overcome the current crisis and maintain the company’s competitiveness in the global market.
Qantas is making it easier for Frequent Flyers to use their points on domestic and Trans-Tasman flights, as more travellers look closer to home for their next holiday.
For the rest of 2020, Classic Flight Reward seat availability will be increased by up to 50 per cent to the most popular destinations in Australia and New Zealand including Cairns, Sunshine Coast, Sydney, Queenstown and Auckland (when flights recommence).
To help regular flyers maintain their travel benefits, Qantas Frequent Flyer will also be giving tiered members Silver and above a one-off Status Credits bonus to compensate for reduced flying activity.
The increased availability and status support are part of a raft of initiatives from the loyalty program designed to give members more value from their upcoming holidays and the broader program.
Other program improvements include:
Extra Status Credits: To help our most frequent flyers maintain their benefits throughout travel restrictions, eligible Silver, Gold, Platinum and Platinum One members will automatically receive 50 per cent of the Status Credits they need annually to keep their tier. Members most impacted, such as those whose membership year started at the peak of travel restrictions, will also be eligible for additional monthly Status Credits support. Loyalty Bonus’ for members will now also count towards reaching or retaining Platinum One until 31 December 2021.
Better value on accommodation: The number of points required for Points Plus Pay Qantas Hotels bookings will decrease by 20 per cent effective immediately. For a limited time only members will also receive 5,000 points back when they book a minimum of 3 nights and on selected Qantas Luxury offers earn up to 125 bonus Status Credits when they book before Monday 31 August 2020.
Greater flexibility: To enable members to plan their holidays with more confidence, bookings made using points on Qantas Group flights will have any change or cancellation fees waived until 31 October 2020.
More Points Planes: Qantas Frequent Flyer will launch more Points Planes – exclusive flights for frequent flyer redemptions – to meet the pent-up travel demand of members and boost Australian tourism. Timings and destinations of the flights will be released over the coming months.
Improved digital experience: Qantas Frequent Flyers will soon have a new way to plan their holidays with points. ‘Dream Planner’, launching on 28 July 2020, uses real time data and notifications to keep members informed on reward seat availability and special offers to their preferred destinations.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said the changes were good news for members and for tourism.
“Australia is home to world-class destinations and Qantas is making it easier for frequent flyers to visit them,” Mr Joyce said.
“We’re adding more Points Planes and more reward seats to our most popular domestic destinations, because that’s where people will be holidaying for the rest of the year.
“We’re also helping our most loyal flyers maintain their travel benefits by giving them extra Status Credits in recognition of their long-term loyalty.”
Qantas Loyalty CEO, Olivia Wirth said Qantas Frequent Flyer is one of the most attractive loyalty programs in the world because it’s always evolving and innovating to meet the needs of its 13 million members.
“We’ve been listening to our Frequent Flyers closely over the last few months about how they feel about travel, where they want to go and how they want to use their points,” Ms Wirth said.
“What emerged was that despite what’s going on around the world, the notion of the dream trip is well and truly alive, they’re just looking a little closer to home.
“Qantas Frequent Flyers are some of the country’s biggest advocates for travel and this has been reflected in the number of bookings we’re seeing as travel restrictions ease.
“That’s why we’re continuing to invest in making our members’ travel dreams a reality with more choice, better value and greater flexibility.”
Fast facts:
Intention to travel for Frequent Flyers remains high at 90 per cent.
Majority of Qantas Points in the program are earned on the ground, this hasn’t changed.
Qantas Frequent Flyers typically save points over a long period of time for a big dream trip – travel still remains the number one preference to redeem points.
Qantas’ latest nationwide sale shows that Sydney-Brisbane, Melbourne-Sydney, Perth-Broome, Sydney-Cairns, Brisbane-Cairns as the most popular routes.
CHICAGO, July 1 (Reuters) – Southwest Airlines expects it will have to remove the grounded Boeing Co 737 MAX jets from its flying schedule beyond the current Oct. 1 re-entry date following the discovery of a fresh safety issue, Chief Executive Gary Kelly told employees on Monday.
Last week, Boeing said that it would take until at least September to solve 737 MAX software issues – later than airlines had been expecting – after U.S. aviation regulators uncovered a new problem during simulator sessions.
“I’m sure this will cause us to have to take the MAX out of the schedule beyond Oct. 1,” Kelly said in an internal update, adding that the company would also see “what other modifications we might need to make our plans for this year because it’s obviously extending well beyond what I had hoped.”
Kelly did not elaborate on the possible modifications. So far, the Texas-based airline has tried to substitute its MAX routes with spare aircraft but has still been forced to cancel about 115 daily flights.
American Airlines Group and United Airlines Holdings , the other two U.S. carriers that operate the 737 MAX, have removed the jetliner from their flying schedules until early September.
The three airlines are expected to provide more details on the financial toll of a prolonged MAX grounding during second quarter results later in July.
Boeing’s fast-selling narrowbody was grounded worldwide in March following two deadly crashes within five months.
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien)
CHICAGO (Reuters) – United Airlines said on Wednesday it has decided to remove the Boeing 737 MAX from its flying schedule until Sept. 3, leading to about 1,900 total flight cancellations in August.
The Federal Aviation Administration earlier said it has identified a new potential risk that Boeing Co must address on its 737 MAX before the jet can return to service.
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Chris Reese)
Southwest Airlines continues to await guidance from Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on the impending 737 MAX software enhancements and training requirements. We are encouraged by the reported progress and proposed path forward for returning the aircraft to service, and we remain confident that, once certified by the FAA, the enhancements will support the safe operation of the MAX.
In April, we revised our flight schedule by removing the MAX through Aug. 5 to offer reliability to our operation and stability for our Customers during the busy summer travel months. With the timing of the MAX’s return-to-service still uncertain, we are again revising our plans to remove the MAX from our schedule through Sept. 2.
By proactively removing the MAX from scheduled service, we can reduce last-minute flight cancellations and unexpected disruptions to our Customers’ travel plans. We will proactively contact all Customers whose itineraries will be impacted by the revision to offer them maximum flexibility and re-accommodate them well in advance of their travel date. The revision will proactively remove roughly 100 daily flights from our schedule out of our total peak-day schedule of more than 4,000 daily flights.
We offer our apologies to our Customers impacted by this change, and we thank them for their continued patience.
American Airlines remains confident that impending software updates
to the Boeing 737 MAX, along with the new training elements Boeing is
developing in coordination with our union partners, will lead to
recertification of the aircraft soon. We have been in continuous contact
with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and
other regulatory authorities, and we are pleased with the progress to
date.
In April, American extended cancellations for the MAX through Aug.
19. We are now extending those cancellations through Sept. 3. By
extending the cancellations, our customers and team members can more
reliably plan their upcoming travel on American. In total, approximately
115 flights per day will be canceled through Sept. 3.
Our Reservations and Sales teams will continue to work closely with customers who are impacted by these cancellations.
Frequently asked questions
Question: My flight was previously scheduled on a MAX. Will it be canceled? Answer:
Not all flights that were previously scheduled on a MAX will be
canceled, as we plan to substitute other aircraft types. In total,
approximately 115 flights will be canceled per day.
Question: My flight wasn’t scheduled to be on a MAX. Why has it been canceled? Answer:
A flight that was not scheduled as a MAX flight might be canceled to
enable our team to cover a MAX route with a different aircraft. Our goal
is to minimize the impact to the smallest number of customers.
Question: How will customers know if they are impacted? Answer:
American’s Reservations team will contact affected customers directly
by email or telephone. Customers who booked through a travel agent will
be contacted by their agency directly.
Question: My flight was canceled and I don’t want to rebook. Can I get a refund? Answer: Yes. If a flight is canceled and a customer chooses to not be rebooked, they may request a full refund by visiting aa.com/refunds.
As customers traveled around the globe to be with family and friends during Memorial Day, Delta worked around the clock to deliver a strong operational performance. The airline flew more than 2.1 million customers between Friday and Monday during Memorial Day weekend without a single mainline cancellation1—Friday had the highest number of enplaned customers at 666,714.
Delta’s three-day cancel-free streak came despite a number of scattered thunderstorms that challenged flights, and complements Delta mainline’s long-standing 31-day no-cancel streak. The airline also secured a 99.93 percent2 completion factor ranking, or the measure of flights operated versus scheduled, while notching an on-time arrival score of 77.7 percent2 from Friday to Monday.
This latest operational accomplishment comes ahead the airline’s busiest summer travel season, as Delta people around the world work to safely operate more than half a million scheduled mainline and Delta Connection flights in just three months, from June 1 to August 31.
(1) Based on Delta’s internal statistical reporting of all Delta-operated mainline flights scheduled between Jan. 1, 2019 and May 27, 2019.
(2) Based on Delta internal flight operations reporting for May 24 to May 27, 2019, based on flights scheduled and operated across Delta’s mainline and Delta Connection system.
(Reuters)
– Southwest Airlines Co cut its forecast for first-quarter revenue per
seat mile on Wednesday, citing weak passenger demand and a $60 million
hit to first-quarter sales from the longest partial U.S. government
shutdown.
The
more than month-long hiatus in U.S. government decision-making
prevented the country’s fourth-largest airline from launching its new
route to Hawaii and led to widespread delays at airports.
Southwest
had said previously that it expected a $10 million to $15 million
impact on revenue in the first three weeks of January.
On
Wednesday, it quadrupled that for the full quarter and cut its growth
estimate for unit revenue to a range of 3 percent to 4 percent from an
earlier range of 4 percent to 5 percent.
Shares
of the company, which has also been cancelling flights in recent days
due to a conflict with maintenance staff and weather issues, fell nearly
5 percent in early trading, with a Goldman Sachs “sell” recommendation
for investors adding to the pain.
Though
the company has now received permissions for test flights to Hawaii,
Goldman Sachs analyst Catherine O’Brien argued the shutdown would result
in a shortened selling window for the airline, forcing it to discount
fares heavily.
“Most
of the company’s schedule is published eight months in advance and we
would have expected a three to six month selling window for its Hawaii
flights,” O’Brien wrote in a note, downgrading the stock to “sell” from
“neutral”.
“We
now expect initial flights to have a one to one and a half month
selling window, putting more pressure on management to fill planes in a
shorter time frame,” she added, cutting price target on the stock to $54
from $66.
Southwest shares were last down 4.1 percent at $55.30.
The
company said on Tuesday it would be investigating a doubling of the
number of planes grounded with mechanical problems in recent days as it
continues talks with its mechanics union on a new contract that have
been ongoing since 2012.
Flight
cancellations by Southwest accounted for roughly 24 percent of the
nearly 800 total flights canceled across the United States on Tuesday,
according to flight-tracking service FlightAware.com.
About
half of the cancellations were related to unscheduled maintenance
issues but the airline said it had yet to calculate the impact of the
groundings on its results.
(Reporting by Ankit Ajmera and Rama Venkat in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D’Silva)
