Impact of coronavirus on aviation industry.

[ian16th]

While Italy is in quarantine, the Italian Air Force flies a single jet, representing the virus, to meet 9 other jets that stream the colors of the Italian flag while Pavarotti sings Nessun Dorma with the lyrics "we shall overcome".

[Woody]

Norwegian could be next to go

https://www.flightglobal.com/strategy/n ... 70.article

[TheGreenGoblin]

The National Treasury may have inadvertently revealed that the embattled national carrier South African Airways (SAA) and its sister airline SA Express will be closed down.

In Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s speaking notes released before his teleconference with journalists yesterday, the national treasury said the government will close SAA and SA Express as part of its economic policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Supported by an economic recovery plan (structural reforms) and a set of reforms within the fiscal system e.g. passing the RABS (road accident benefit scheme), consolidation of public entities and closure of SAA and SAX [SA Express],” the speaking notes read.

However, in final remarks posted on the National Treasury’s website, Mboweni’s remarks did not make an explicit reference to the closure of the airlines – which are both under business rescue.

“… and consolidation of public entities and reviewing our portfolio of state-owned enterprises,” reads the final version.

SAA has not made a profit in nearly 10 years and has gone through numerous unsuccessful turnaround strategies over years with the airline relying on government bailouts to stay in the skies.

A leaked letter from Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan addressed to SAA’s business rescue practitioners further added credence to speculation that the demise of SAA was nigh.

https://sundayworld.co.za/business/saa- ... o-mboweni/

[Capetonian]

SAA is genaai. Sad but inevitable.

SAA in sight of its final resting place
The government has told SAA business rescue practitioners that it is unable to provide the airline with further funding
14 April 2020 - 20:35 Carol Paton and Warren Thompson

The government has told the SAA business rescue practitioners (BRP) that it is unable to provide the airline with further funding, portending its imminent death or at best an orderly winding down.

It also refused its request to raise funding for the airline in foreign capital markets. SAA is unable to raise further funding in domestic markets and owes significant debt to a consortium of local banks. SA Express, also state-owned, is in liquidation.

The practitioners, Les Matuson and Siviwe Dongwana, advised creditors of the development on Tuesday, saying that they were “assessing the impact of this development on the business rescue process and will communicate any developments in due course.”

Based on the business rescue options selected by the department of public enterprises, the BRPs had advised the government that a minimum of a further R7.7bn would be required to fund SAA into the next phase.

Matuson and Dongwana had expected that this funding would be made available in the February budget. Instead a provision was made to repay R9.2bn of historical debt. A further R2bn borrowed from banks and R3.5bn from the Development Bank of Southern Africa which had already been extended to fund the rescue process.

On December 20, Matuson warned that if SAA could not be rescued through restructuring then “a structured wind down” is the next option. He noted that “the vast majority of business rescue proceedings in SA have followed the second outcome”.

The government has poured billions into SAA over the past decade in the hope of saving the airline. In a statement completely at odds with the letter to creditors, the department of public enterprises said on Tuesday evening that SAA, like all airlines, had been affected by the Covid-19 epidemic but that the government remained committed to saving the company.

“The department continues to engage the Business Rescue Practitioners and other stakeholders, including unions, to explore options going forward with the necessary urgency. “We are of the firm conviction that SA needs a viable and sustainable set of airlines. Working with the Business Rescue Practitioners, we must urgently determine the operating and business model for a rescued airline, with a sustainable financial model,” said the statement.

[barkingmad]

I wonder who’ll be left to start burning kerosene again when the Covid dust begins to settle?
How soon will the travelling public be comfortable with sitting for hours in close proximity to the snottering coughing sneezing creatures who inevitably inhabit an aircraft cabin?
Whilst Squeezyjet’s claimed ‘middle seat empty’ policy might tempt a few back in the early days it can’t possibly represent a viable business model for very long.
But hopefully with all the fleets lying up for weeks there’ll be few if any ADDs contaminating the tech logs, certainly none being attributed to lack of ‘downtime’...

Coronavirus: Who is still flying? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52319575

And somewhere I saw that Jet2 are making plans to resume operations but at present I’m unable to find the report...

[Woody]

I think that there’s a good possibility that the whole house of cards is starting to collapse

https://www.ifn.news/posts/norwegian-ai ... rk-sweden/

Virgin Australia gone into administration as well.

[Boac]

Norwegian

[Woody]

Not sure that IAG is that worried about the bearded one these days, the sandpit being a much bigger threat and I can’t see them needing the slots at LHR and LGW soon

Not particularly relevant at the moment, but don’t the Flybe slots at LHR that were part of the BMI takeover/ merger revert back to BA( IAG) after the collapse ?

[Ibbie]

Woody. You are correct in that the Flybe slots revert to IAG/BA.

barkingmad

And somewhere I saw that Jet2 are making plans to resume operations but at present I’m unable to find the report...

If you look on the menu for this thread you will find my comment on it.

Apparently Air fFrance are looking to restart some flights sometime next month. There is a video doing the rounds that on their flights still in the air at the moment, social distancing is not observed. That will be O'leary's next "extra"....charge for social distancing.

[4mastacker]

I was looking at FR24 today and Turkish Airlines seemed to have lots of flights flitting hither and thither. Why do they appear to be so busy when other airlines are struggling?

[ribrash]

Airbus Beluga still flying into Broughton today to pick up wings.

[Rwy in Sight]

I was looking at FR24 today and Turkish Airlines seemed to have lots of flights flitting hither and thither. Why do they appear to be so busy when other airlines are struggling?

They run repatriation flights for Turkish citizens abroad

[Woody]

The DM readership is not going to be happy if they find out about the repatriation flights that BA are running from the Sub-Continent

[probes]

new seat desing to boost hygiene:

Are these the future of plane seats post-coronavirus? New designs reveal hygiene screens and backward seating

[ian16th]

new seat desing to boost hygiene:

Are these the future of plane seats post-coronavirus? New designs reveal hygiene screens and backward seating

Splinters of Perspex flying around the passenger cabin in event of a crash?
Simply getting in the way when a fast exit is required?

[barkingmad]

How is the earthmoving for LHR’s 3rd runway progressing? Oops, I forgot, something drastic is happening and will be happening with aviation in the future.

Is it too late for these poor folks to breath a sigh of relief after having had their previous few years blighted by this vanity project?

https://metro.co.uk/2016/10/27/inside-t ... y-6217830/

Good to know that in these hard times we can still afford to blow north of £106,000,000,000, and increasing, on a rail project which will enable people with lotsa money to escape from Birmingham to London with 20 minutes shaved off the journey.

Remember the Paddington-LHR link designed to reduce road traffic from London to the airport but which ended up being premium priced so’s only the business and wealthy leisure travellers ended up using it?

[ian16th]

Remember the Paddington-LHR link designed to reduce road traffic from London to the airport but which ended up being premium priced so’s only the business and wealthy leisure travellers ended up using it?

It appears to be a myth among politicians that airline passengers can be infinitely 'milked'.

Here in SA we have a vanity project of a commuter line from Pretoria to Johannesburg, with a spur to JHB International/Jan Smuts/OR Tambo Airport.
I've never used it, but it is reasonably priced, unless you travel to or from the airport. The final leg to the Airports is downright daft.

Dunno if you can make sense of this:

[barkingmad]

" The final leg to the Airports is downright daft."
Same for Brussels Zaventem airport, the excuse being it's an environmental tax to alleviate the consciences of those flying in or out of that place, or some such rubbish. But it is a good money-spinner for Phlegmrail all the same.

[Capetonian]

I have been told that the airports charge a hefty amount for access. This is arguably wrong, as they should be encouraging the use of public transport where it exists.

[ian16th]

" The final leg to the Airports is downright daft."
Same for Brussels Zaventem airport, the excuse being it's an environmental tax to alleviate the consciences of those flying in or out of that place, or some such rubbish. But it is a good money-spinner for Phlegmrail all the same.

The routine there was get to the Airport Holiday Inn and then use their free shuttle bus.
No one ever checked if you had been a hotel resident