Long-promised consolidation in the European airline market is happening. Norwegian announced plans to purchase Norway’s oldest airline, Widerøe, for approximately $105 million in cash, subject to adjustment at closing based on Widerøe’s profitability for the year.
Airplanes and Airports
JetBlue will not appeal NEA ruling, refocuses on Spirit merger
And just like that, poof, it was gone. JetBlue will not appeal a US District Court ruling that its Northeast Alliance (NEA) with American Airlines represents a violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport to offer US preclearance in 2025
Toronto’s downtown airport will soon offer preclearance of immigration and customs for passengers traveling to the United State. The Canadian government will invest up to $30 million in the construction of facilities to support smoother arrivals for travelers headed to the United States.
Delta denied Haneda slot flex request
Delta Air Lines may not alter its US gateways for flights to Tokyo’s Haneda airport. The US Department of Transportation rejected the carrier’s bid for flexibility in those operations.
Tecnam grounds electric aircraft plans
As the aviation world pushes aggressively towards alternate fuel solutions one major player is bowing out. Tecnam suspended work on its P-Volt project, suggesting that the technology available today for development of electric aircraft does not support the economics of further development at this time.
JetBlue secures permanent Schiphol slots
JetBlue will have access to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport to continue its flights from Boston and New York City for the winter season. And, unlike the slots it secured to launch the market this summer, the winter slots comes with “historical” rights, allowing it to keep them for future years, so long as it continues to operate.
airBaltic offers passenger SAF purchase option (that doesn’t entirely suck)
Many airlines offer passengers the opportunity to pay a bit extra on their flights to purchase Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for the trip. airBaltic’s recently launched program appears to be rather different, avoiding the greenwashing approach most others pursue.
Norse shifts South Florida operations to Miami
Norse Atlantic will shift its South Florida operations a bit further south. The carrier is abandoning Fort Lauderdale for Miami, effective 18 September 2023.
LATAM fined $1 million for COVID refund delays
South American airline LATAM faces a $1 million fine from the US Department of Transportation for failure to refund passengers in a timeline manner after cancelling flights during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
DOJ wins: JetBlue, American NEA declared illegal
JetBlue and American Airlines must unwind their Northeast Alliance (NEA), and quickly. The partnership was ruled a violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. This is, of course, bad news for the two airlines. The impact may be broader than that.