Galactic 03’ to Fly Three Virgin Galactic “Founder” Customers
Flight Window Opens September 8, 2023
Company’s Fourth Spaceflight in Four Months
Orange County, California, August 28, 2023 – Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SPCE) today announced the ‘Galactic 03’ flight window will open on September 8, 2023, continuing a monthly cadence of spaceflights. This would be the Company’s fourth spaceflight in four months.
The three ‘Galactic 03’ crew members are the first of Virgin Galactic’s group of ‘Founder’ astronauts – the first customers whose forward-thinking vision and early ticket purchases helped make the dream of regular commercial spaceflights a reality.
The ‘Galactic 03’ crew bought their tickets as early as 2005 and, since then, have been an active part of the Company’s vibrant Future Astronaut community. This community – comprised of approximately 800 individuals representing over 60 different countries – enjoys access to distinctive experiences designed to inspire and to enrich their spaceflight experience.
The pilots for ‘Galactic 03’ are VSS Unity Commander Nicola Pecile, VSS Unity Pilot Michael Masucci, and the Astronaut Instructor is Colin Bennett.
In the past twelve weeks, Virgin Galactic has introduced eleven new astronauts to the world. Following the ‘Galactic 03’ spaceflight, the customers on board would become Virgin Galactic astronauts 014, 015 and 016.
Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Ryanair announced today that Europe’s largest airline is placing a firm order for 75 additional 737 MAX airplanes, increasing its order book to 210 jets. Ryanair again selected the 737 8-200, a higher-capacity version of the 737-8, citing the airplane’s additional seats and improved fuel efficiency and environmental performance.
“Ryanair’s board and people are confident that our customers will love these new aircraft. Passengers will enjoy the new interiors, more generous leg room, lower fuel consumption and quieter noise performance. And, most of all, our customers will love the lower fares, which these aircraft will enable Ryanair to offer starting in 2021 and for the next decade, as Ryanair leads the recovery of Europe’s aviation and tourism industries,” said Ryanair Group CEO Michael O’Leary.
O’Leary and Ryanair leaders joined the Boeing team for a signing ceremony in Washington, D.C. Both companies acknowledged COVID-19’s impacts on air traffic in the near-term, but expressed confidence in the resilience and strength of the passenger demand over the long term.
“As soon as the COVID-19 virus recedes – and it likely will in 2021 with the rollout of multiple effective vaccines – Ryanair and our partner airports across Europe will – with these environmentally efficient aircraft – rapidly restore flights and schedules, recover lost traffic and help the nations of Europe recover their tourism industries, and get young people back to work across the cities, beaches and ski resorts of the European Union,” O’Leary said.
Ryanair is the launch customer for the high-capacity 737-8 variant, having placed its first order for 100 airplanes and 100 options in late 2014, followed by firm orders of 10 airplanes in 2017 and 25 in 2018. The 737 8-200 will enable Ryanair to configure its aircraft with 197 seats, increasing revenue potential, and reduce fuel consumption by 16 percent compared to the airline’s previous airplanes.
CEO Oscar Munoz and Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock celebrate 24 more United gates as part of Denver International Airport’s $1.5 billion Concourse Expansion Program
DENVER, Feb. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — United Airlines today hosted an event in partnership with Denver International Airport (DEN) celebrating the recent decision from Denver City Council to approve the lease of an additional 24 gates by the airline at DEN, paving the way for local travelers to access more flights to more places than ever before. United Airlines CEO Oscar Munozjoined Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock to sign United’s proposal to amend its current lease, solidifying United’s plans to grow its Denver hub from 500 to as many as 700 daily flights by 2025. The additional gates are a combination of newly constructed and existing gates, and part of DEN’s $1.5 billion Concourse Expansion Program.
“United Airlines is a vital partner for Denver International Airport, and we’re proud they are continuing to invest and grow right here in Denver,” said Mayor Michael B. Hancock. “As United increases daily flights and continues to add new routes, they are creating economic opportunities that benefit our entire community.”
On Jan. 21, the Denver City Council unanimously approved an amendment for United’s lease of additional gates.
FILE PHOTO: Michael O’Leary of Ryanair at the Four Courts in Dublin
BERLIN (Reuters) – Ryanair <RYAAY> is prepared for further delays to the delivery of its Boeing <BA> 737 MAX airliners, its chief executive Michael O’Leary told German magazine Wirtschaftswoche, adding that he would only discuss compensation after the aircraft had been delivered.
The 737 MAX airliner has been grounded since March following two crashes which claimed 346 lives.
One of the world’s largest airlines, Ryanair has ordered 135 of the jets.
“We were meant to have 58 planes by the summer,” O’Leary said in the interview, extracts from which were published on Friday. “That went down to 30, then 20, then 10 and the latest is maybe only five. It’s possible we’ll only get the first jets in October 2020.”
In contrast to other airlines, including Turkish, Southwest Airlines <LUV> and Germany’s TUI <TUIFY>, which have already agreed compensation with Boeing, O’Leary added that he would only discuss compensation after the planes were delivered.
(Reporting by Thomas Escritt; editing by Thomas Seythal)
FILE PHOTO: Chief Operating Officer Bellew of Ryanair attends a news conference in Frankfurt
DUBLIN (Reuters) – Ryanair <RYAAY> heads to court on Tuesday to try to prevent operations chief Peter Bellew from joining arch-rival easyJet <ESYJY> until 2021.
Europe’s biggest budget airline said in July that the former Malaysia Airlines boss would step down at the end of the year.
But after easyJet announced Bellew’s appointment as its new chief operations officer a week later, Ryanair launched legal proceedings in Ireland’s High Court.
Ryanair argues that all its senior executives commit to non-compete clauses barring them from joining a competitor for 12 months after leaving the Irish airline.
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary told reporters in September that the only issue was whether Bellew, who is currently working out his notice, can join easyJet on Jan. 1, 2020, or Jan. 1, 2021, a full 18 months after easyJet announced his appointment.
An easyJet spokeswoman declined to comment on the case. Bellew has not commented on the case since Ryanair initiated proceedings.
O’Leary has said the timing of Bellew’s switch is sensitive because of the problems Ryanair is currently having with Boeing’s <BA> grounded 737 MAX jet, which have slowed down its growth plans.
Ryanair is one of Boeing’s biggest customers for the MAX 737, with 210 on order, and the airline said last month it expected a further delay to deliveries that could leave it without the new jets next summer.
Bellew left his role as CEO of Malaysia Airlines two years ago to return to Ryanair where he was director of flight operations before leaving for Kuala Lumpur in 2014.
Tasked with tackling a pilot revolt that resulted in Ryanair’s first ever strikes, Bellew has helped patch up relations with staff and agree deals on pay and conditions with trade unions that have quelled the unrest.
An Irish national, Bellew described his return to Ryanair in 2017 as “a form of national service” to help what he described as Ireland’s greatest company. Some observers had seen Bellew as a possible future Ryanair chief executive.
(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Mark Potter)
Nov 4 (Reuters) – IAG, the parent of British Airways and Spain’s Iberia, announced a 1 billion euro ($1.12 billion) takeover of Spain’s Air Europa to boost its presence on routes to Latin America and the Caribbean.
The deal follows a setback in Latin America for IAG after Chile’s Supreme Court ruled against a plan that would have allowed it to bolster cooperation with partners in the oneworld airlines alliance.
BA parent IAG ups bet on Latin America with Air Europa takeover Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O’Leary attends a Reuters Newsmaker event in London
Chile’s LATAM Airlines in September then announced it planned to leave the alliance, opting instead for a tie-up with SkyTeam member Delta Air Lines.
IAG shares initially rose more than 2% following the Air Europa takeover announcement but some analysts said IAG may have to shed routes in order to win regulatory approval.
IAG shares were up 1.2% at 1315 GMT.
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said his company will ask the UK’s market watchdog to force IAG to make divestments as part of its Air Europa takeover, a deal he said would be bad for competition.
“Potential remedies, perhaps in the form of slot release or behavioural restrictions, may be required and these could impact the potential synergies,” an analyst at Liberum wrote in a note.
IAG also owns carriers Iberia Express, Level, Ireland’s Aer Lingus and Vueling.
“We are not convinced that having just another brand platform is the optimal move, and could see it potentially combining with Level, Vueling or potentially Iberia Express after some time,” analysts at Bernstein said.
FILE PHOTO: An Air Europa-branded Boeing 737 MAX aircraft is seen grounded at a storage area in an aerial photo at Boeing Field in Seattle
Air Europa serves 69 destinations, including long-haul routes to the Americas and the Caribbean. It had a fleet of 66 aircraft at the end of 2018.
Air Europa’s Spanish parent company Globalia earlier this year received authorisation from the Brazilian government to explore the possibility of flying domestic routes within Latin America’s largest economy.
It is unclear if that authorisation will remain with Globalia or be transferred to IAG.
Air Europa will initially keep its brand and as it gets integrated into the existing hub at Madrid it will be a standalone operation run by Iberia boss Luis Gallego, IAG said.
It will also withdraw Air Europa from the SkyTeam alliance once the deal is completed. Air Europa has a joint venture with Air France-KLM.
“This is of strategic importance for the Madrid hub, which in recent years has lagged behind other European hubs,” said Gallego, adding that Madrid had the potential to serve as a gateway between Asia and Latin America.
IAG said it expected the Air Europa deal, which will be funded through external debt, to close in the second half of next year and for it to add to its earnings in the first full year after the closure.
($1 = 0.8951 euros) (Reporting by Yadarisa Shabong in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Andres Gonzalez in Madrid and Marcelo Rochabrun in Sao Paulo, editing by Patrick Graham and Jason Neely)
An Air Europa Boeing 737 airplane takes off at the airport in Palma de Mallorca
Las Vegas, Nevada, October 21, 2019 – Embraer announced today a purchase agreement with Flexjet, a global leader in private jet travel. The deal comprises a fleet of Embraer business jets, which includes the recently certified Praetor jets and the Phenom 300. The announcement was made during a press conference at the 2019 National Business Aviation Association’s Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), which is being held through October 24, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Valued at up to USD 1.4 billion, at current list prices, this deal was included in the 2019 second quarter backlog, with deliveries starting in the fourth quarter of 2019. With this purchase agreement, Flexjet becomes Embraer’s Praetor Fleet Launch Customer.
“We are very grateful for Flexjet’s renewed commitment to Embraer through this new agreement, which reflects the growth and the strength of our partnership over the past 16 years and symbolizes our ongoing support for their journey ahead,” said Michael Amalfitano, President & CEO, Embraer Executive Jets. “Flexjet Owners will appreciate and enjoy a truly elevated customer experience in industry-leading aircraft, including the recently certified Praetor jets, which are different by design and disruptive by choice.”
The partnership between Embraer and Flexjet dates back to 2003, when Flight Options, which merged with Flexjet in 2015, became the first fractional ownership program to introduce the Legacy Executive jet into its fleet. Offering customers a large cabin experience at super-midsize economics allowed Flight Options to serve more customers even better than before, while also supporting the company’s growth via Embraer’s high utilization, reliable aircraft design.
“We are proud to introduce the Praetor jets to the fractional marketplace and make technologically advanced midsize and super-midsize aircraft available to Flexjet Owners,” said Michael Silvestro, Flexjet CEO. “This order also represents the longstanding trust we have in Embraer and in their enhanced commitment to support the growth of our programs and of our partnership with industry-leading business jets.”
Flight Options introduced the Phenom 300 into its fractional program in 2010, receiving Embraer’s 100th milestone Phenom 300 in 2012, the first year in which the aircraft became the best-selling light jet. For the seventh consecutive year, the Phenom 300 has been the most delivered light business jet, according to GAMA (General Aviation Manufacturers Association). Also according to GAMA data, the Phenom 300 was the only business jet to reach the mark of 500 deliveries in the last decade.
Flexjet became the first fractional provider to offer the Legacy 500, in September 2015. In fact, Flexjet took delivery of Embraer’s 1,000th executive jet, a Legacy 500, in April 2016. The Legacy 450 joined the Legacy 500 in Flexjet’s Red Label fleet in August of that year, and both models became the first fly-by-wire Flexjet aircraft, offering performance and capabilities of larger aircraft with midsize economics.
Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (27 Sept) celebrated the opening of its new Toulouse base (its 3rd in France) and the launch of its new summer 2020 schedule, with 2 based aircraft and 23 routes (13 new), connecting Toulouse to Athens, Brest, Budapest, Dublin, Lille, Luxembourg, Marseille, Oujda, Palermo, Palma, Porto, Tangier and Valencia, which will deliver 1.4m customers p.a. at Toulouse.
Ryanair’s new Toulouse base will deliver:
2 based aircraft
23 routes in total
13 new routes to/from Athens (2), Brest (3), Budapest (2), Dublin (daily), Lille (daily), Luxembourg
More frequencies on 2 other routes to/from Fez (3) & Seville (4)
4 million customers p.a. (+33%)
1,000* “on-site” jobs p.a.
Toulouse consumers and visitors can now book their holidays for summer 2020 enjoying the lowest fares and Ryanair’s industry leading on-time performance and customer care improvements.
To celebrate the launch of its new base, Ryanair has launched a seat sale with fares on its new Toulouse routes available from just €9.99, for travel until November, which must be booked by midnight Sunday (29 Sept) on the Ryanair.com website.
In Toulouse, Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said:
“We are pleased to open our third French base in Toulouse, with 2 based aircraft and 23 routes, delivering 1.4m customers p.a., supporting over 1,000* airport jobs.
We are also pleased to announce our biggest ever Toulouse S2020 schedule, with 23 routes, including 13 new routes to and from exciting cities such as Athens, Dublin, and Tangier. To celebrate we are releasing seats for sale on these new routes from €9.99 for travel until November, available for booking until midnight on Sunday (29 Sept) Since these amazing low fares will be snapped up quickly, customers should log onto www.ryanair.com to avoid missing out.”
Philippe Crébassa, Chairman of the Board of Toulouse-Blagnac Airport, said:
“After arriving in 2016, Ryanair strengthens its local presence with the opening of an operational base at our airport. Ryanair’s presence will generate local jobs and offer 13 additional destinations to France and Europe this autumn to our passengers. Our region is thereby even more connected internationally and will welcome new customers in the coming weeks from Luxembourg, Budapest or Tangiers.”
Sees first Max deliveries in October (Adds quotes; details on Max 737 delays)
DUBLIN, May 20 (Reuters) – Ryanair reported its weakest annual profit in four years on Monday and said earnings could fall further as European airlines wage what Chief Executive Michael O’Leary described as “attritional fare wars.”
After initially falling 6%, the shares made up some ground after O’Leary, who helped to develop the no-frills airline model in Europe, argued that lower fares and profitability for a couple of years were a price worth paying to boost market share and hasten consolidation.
O’Leary said the lower fares and profit were cyclical and that four or five European airlines were likely to emerge as the winners in the sector.
“Our strategy would be to keep adding capacity as quickly as we can in all the markets where we can,” said O’Leary, who has been in charge of Ryanair since 1994.
“Will it be painful for a year or two, yes it will. But will it shake out more of the competition, yes it will.”
Ryanair, Europe’s largest low-cost operator, had already signalled a sharp fall in profitability due largely to overcapacity in two warnings last year.
Its 29% fall in after-tax profits to 1.02 billion euros ($1.14 billion) for its financial year to March 31 was in line with investor forecasts.
But its profit forecast for the current financial year to end-March 2020 of between 750 million and 950 million euros, was “considerably worse than expected,” Goodbody analyst Mark Simpson said in a note.
A company poll of analysts published ahead of the release had forecast a figure of 977 million euros.
O’Leary said the forecast was effectively for profits to remain flat as the 2020 figure includes recently acquired and loss-making Laudamotion unit for the first time and would be a “very good outcome.” The equivalent figure in 2019 would have been 880 million.
737 MAX GROUNDING
Several rival airlines have warned of a worse trading environment – partly due to overcapacity and partly because European travellers are holding off booking their summer holidays for fear of how the Brexit process will pan out.
Alistair Wittet, portfolio manager at Comgest, which has a 0.74% stake in Ryanair according to Refinitiv Eikon, said some investors appeared to have been convinced by O’Leary’s line of argument.
“The long-term opportunity is fantastic for a company like Ryanair because that capacity will come out” even if Ryanair has to go through a lot more pain than expected in the meantime, Wittet said.
Ryanair has also been affected by delays in the delivery of the Boeing 737 MAX after its worldwide grounding in March following a fatal Ethiopian Airlines crash.
The airline, which has ordered 135 737 MAX 200s and has options on 75 more, was expecting to receive its first five planes between April and June but said it now expects them to be flying by November. O’Leary said he was “reasonably confident” it would have around 50 MAX aircraft flying next summer.
The grounding has forced Ryanair to cut around 1 million seats in the year to March 2020. But it still expects to fly 153 million passengers in the period, up from 139 million last year.
The airline plans to have a conversation with Boeing about “modest compensation”, Chief Financial Officer Neil Sorohan said.
Ryanair’s shares were trading down 3 percent at 10.46 euros at 1250 GMT, down over 40% from a peak of 19.39 euros in August 2017, before the airline was hit by a wave of industrial unrest, fare weakness and the grounding of the MAX.
In what O’Leary described as a vote of confidence from the board, Ryanair will begin a 700 million euro share buyback in the coming days. ($1 = 0.8966 euros)
(Additional reporting by Helen Reid; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Louise Heavens)
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Ryanair is in early discussions with Airbus about a potential future order for some 100 A321 aircraft for its recently acquired subsidiary Laudamotion, but for now the company is focusing on leased older aircraft, Chief Executive Michael O’Leary said on Wednesday.
The
Irish budget carrier is also interested in the latest Boeing
narrow-body model – the 737 MAX 10 – for its all-Boeing main fleet “at
the right price” but those conditions do not exist currently, O’Leary
told Reuters in an interview.
Any
future order of Airbus A321s for Austrian unit Laudamotion would most
likely “not include fewer than 100 aircraft” including 50 firm orders
and 50 options, O’Leary said on the sidelines of an airlines conference
in Brussels.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher; editing by Jason Neely)
FILE PHOTO: A Ryanair Boeing 737-800 plane taxis at Lisbon’s airport, Portugal September 27, 2018. REUTERS/Rafael Marchante
