Rumors of the death of inflight magazines are, perhaps, greatly exaggerated. That’s just one of the topics we dive in to on this episode of the Weekly Wrap, covering the top PaxEx news you need to know.
Airplanes and Airports
China blinks, US to back down on flight ban
Looks like flights between the US and China won’t be stopping mid-month after all. Chinese regulators backed down after the US took a hard line in the negotiations.
US retaliates against China, blocking all flights
Nonstop service between the US and China will terminate later this month, ending 24 years of direct links between the countries. The move comes as the two governments escalate rhetoric on many fronts, covering trade, human rights and more.
The CRJ is dead; long live the CRJ, err MRJ, err SpaceJet. Or something like that.
Today was supposed to be a celebration for Mitsubishi Heavy Industry (MHI), the dawning of a new era for its SpaceJet regional jet program. Instead the company is drastically cutting operations and development efforts as the market contracts. But it still must move forward in some ways.
Frontier, Mobile bicker over flights to Orlando
At first glance the fight between Mobile, Alabama and Frontier Airlines makes little sense. Why should a city fight so hard for a single flight and route running empty a couple days per week?
American Airlines seeks buyouts of thousands of workers
Thousands of American Airlines employees face a difficult decision in the coming weeks. Federal payroll support funding is running out and some 17,000 employees must now decide if they’re willing to take a buy-out package from the company or risk being laid off.
JetBlue plans return of international markets in June
JetBlue’s international route network virtually disappeared as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rapidly shifting entry requirements and limited demand forced dozens of markets to close. Headed into June, however, the company sees some signs of optimism and opportunity as it anticipates reopening 13 destinations.
LATAM seeks US bankruptcy protection, plans to continue operations
South America’s LATAM Airlines Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in the US courts on Tuesday morning, seeking to restructure debt while continuing regular operations. Or, at least, operations as close to regular as possible given the current global aviation environment.
Health passports in our future: The Weekly Wrap
Will travelers need health passports to cross borders soon? And will they be tied to biometric scans? There are serious concerns about just how viable those checks could be for a quick return to air travel. Check out our conversation about that and more on this episode of The Weekly Wrap.
Volotea plans for growth into a COVID-affected Summer
At least one airline is bucking the current market trends. European LCC Volotea is showing its flexibility, altering its route network in hopes of carrying more passengers this year than evern before.