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.
Delta Air Lines
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.
Delta shifts pilots for new normal
There’s more to Delta’s fleet plan than just this week’s 777 retirement news. The company is shifting crew bases as it adjusts its network and fleet deployments. And while no other types are immediately slated for retirement, the writing is certainly on the wall.
DOT further relaxes airline CARES Act obligations
The US Department of Transportation (DOT) will offer airlines increased flexibility under their CARES Act obligations. But rather than choosing individual airports that will be exempt the DOT is now going to let the airlines select which stations will see service suspended.
Fighting for the middle: A pandemic seating shift
Forget the fight over who gets the arm rests; middle seats on planes are now generating real fights over if they should be occupied at all. And airlines are fueling the flames with misleading marketing messaging.
The Weekly Wrap: FlightPlan, personal screening and more!
What topics made the cut for The Weekly Wrap this week? Maryann Simson and I recap the incredible Flight Plan event organized earlier in the week by Inmarsat and APEX, health testing at the airport and more!
American, Delta confirm accelerated fleet retirements
Looking to fly on an American Airlines 767 or E190? It is too late. Both aircraft types, already slated for retirement, had that process accelerated as a result of the COVID-19 induced demand drop. They will not return to passenger service from their current groundings. And those aren’t the only cuts.
Delta Flight Products, TechOps develop isolation pod for COVID-19 military transport
Aircraft interior renovations may be on hold for most passenger airlines but the Delta Flight Products (DFP) team is keeping busy with several innovative projects. The organization is leading efforts to build military transport facilities that can accommodate sick soldiers. The work also includes employees from the Delta TechOps team.
DOT grants exemptions to Delta, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines under CARES Act obligations
Flights to Hawaii will remain limited for the foreseeable future. The DOT will allow reductions between the mainland and the islands as it pays out billions to help keep airlines flying.