Passenger Transportation Services







Passenger Transportation Services

India's IndiGo cuts Q3 capacity, passenger unit revenue forecast after flight cancellations

IndiGo, India's largest airline, announced on Wednesday that it had reduced its forecast for?capacity & passenger?unit revenues?for the third-quarter after the civil aviation regulator ordered the carrier to reduce 10% of its domestic winter flight schedule due to?massive cancellations. The airline has revised its forecast for the third quarter capacity growth to "high single-digit to early double-digit percent." This is down from an earlier estimate of "high teens." The third-quarter passenger unit revenue is expected to moderate by "a mid-single-digit percentage" as opposed to the previous forecast of flat or slight growth. Last week, the budget airline had to cancel...


Asia

North America

Transport Infrastructure

US FAA spends $6 billion on air traffic radar, telecom and other equipment

Bryan Bedford, the head of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, said that the agency will spend $6 billion on telecom infrastructure for air traffic control and on radar surveillance systems by 2028. Congress has approved $12.5 billion for the reform of the U.S. aging air traffic control system, and the administration is seeking another $19 billion to complete the project. The FAA air traffic control system has suffered a number of failures including major outages affecting Newark traffic. FAA Administrator Bedford also defended his agency's decision of requiring flight cuts in the midst of a government shutdown. He told a...

Transport Infrastructure

FAA establishes new office for air safety after deadly mid-air collision

Federal Aviation Administration announced on Monday that it will open a "new aviation safety" office, as part of its strategic plan. The goal is to improve hiring and training while identifying potential hazards quickly. This comes after criticisms for not addressing near-misses. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford released "Flight Plan 2026", in response to a mid-air collision that occurred between an American Airlines Regional Jet and an Army Helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport on January 28th, which killed 67 people. He said that the plan will create an FAA Safety Management System and implement a FAA-wide safety risk management process....

Passenger Transportation Services

James Dempsey is named interim Frontier Group CEO after Biffle leaves.

Frontier Group Holdings - parent company of Frontier Airlines - announced on Monday the departure of its 'longtime CEO, Barry Biffle, and named James Dempsey as interim CEO, with immediate effect. Frontier announced that Biffle will continue to serve as an advisor with the company until December 31. Dempsey was Frontier's president from October 2023. He oversaw the company's commercial operations and customer care, as well as its research, design and planning functions. He joined Frontier as CFO in 2014, prior to which he held senior management roles at Ryanair Holdings and various management roles with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Bill Franke, the...

Transportation

US FTC and 21 states file amended complaints against Uber regarding subscription practices

Uber is accused of deceptive billing practices and cancellations by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. The agency, 21 states as well as the District of Columbia have filed an amended complaint. The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, alleges that Uber charged users for subscriptions they didn't consent to, did not deliver on promised benefits like zero-dollar delivery charges and monthly savings and made it difficult for them to cancel. Following the news, shares of Uber dropped more than 3%. Uber was first sued by the FTC in April for similar allegations. The amended complaint aims...

Passenger Transportation Services

JetBlue flight avoids collision with US Air Force jet in mid-air

JetBlue avoids collision with Air Force jet that was not tracked Incident after US military build-up near Venezuela FAA warns airlines about risks in Venezuelan airspace By David Shepardson WASHINGTON, DECEMBER 15: A JetBlue passenger plane bound for New York avoided a midair collision on Friday with a U.S. A pilot reported in an air traffic recording that a?Air Force aircraft was near Venezuela. JetBlue Flight 1112 was departing Curacao in the Caribbean and flying approximately 40 miles (64km) off the coast Venezuela when an Airbus A320 reported that it had encountered the Air Force plane, which didn't have its...

Passenger Transportation Services

Spirit Airlines receives bankruptcy funding of $100 Million

Spirit Aviation announced on Monday that it had secured $100 million in bankruptcy financing as the struggling?carrier worked on a restructuring plan. Spirit Airlines' parent company filed for bankruptcy a second-time in August after struggling to cope with shrinking cash reserves and mounting losses. Spirit Airlines has been cutting jobs, trimming routes, and reducing operations as part of its broader cost-cutting strategy. The company has already withdrawn from 14 airports and refused leases for over 80 aircraft. The ultra-low cost carrier announced on Monday that all operations, including flights and ticket sales, will continue as normal. Spirit can access $50...

Passenger Transportation Services

Spain fines Airbnb $75 Million for unlicensed listings

The Consumer Rights Ministry announced on Monday that Spain fined Airbnb 64 million Euros ($75 million) for advertising unlicensed rental homes. Spain's leftist Government, along with city councils and some regional authorities, have been crackingdown on tourism rentals using sites such as Airbnb.com and Booking.com. Many in?Spain accuse these sites of creating excessive tourism and driving housing costs up by limiting the supply. Airbnb did not respond immediately to a request for comment after it'removed 65,000 listings in July that were deemed by the Ministry as violating its rules. The fine is a judicial penalty that can be appealed. The...

Transport Infrastructure

New York Times Business News - December 15,

These are the most popular stories from the business pages of the New York Times. These stories have not been verified and?doesn't vouch for accuracy. A JetBlue pilot reported that he narrowly missed colliding with an?U.S. A military aircraft was flying over the Caribbean after a?Air Force refueling plane passed in front of the commercial plane, without broadcasting its location. According to Syrian and American officials, the Syrian gunman who killed two U.S. Army soldiers and an American civilian interpreter belonged to Syria's security force and was scheduled for dismissal due his extremist views. California Governor Gavin Newsom is planning...

Passenger Transportation Services

United Airlines returns flight due to engine failure

The Federal Aviation Administration reported that a United Airlines flight bound for Tokyo had to'return' to Dulles International Airport, in northern Virginia, on Saturday afternoon due an engine failure. United's spokesperson stated that the flight landed soon after takeoff because of the loss of power in one engine. The spokesperson reported that there were no injuries among the 275 passengers on board and the 15 crew. Social media X posted photos and videos of smoke?billowing near the runway. Dulles is the nearest international airport to Washington, D.C., located approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) away. The FAA announced that it would...

Transport Infrastructure

California files suit against Trump administration for terminating transportation grants

California says decision is arbitrary and threatens economy, safety Trump addresses concerns over non-English speaking truck drivers California drivers are less likely to be involved in fatal accidents than the national average By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Dec 12) - California filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Friday night for the withholding of more than $33 millions in federal funding. The U.S. Transportation Department had said that California failed to comply with the rules requiring English language proficiency for truckers. In U.S. District Court, northern California, the state filed a lawsuit against Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the Transportation...

Passenger Transportation Services

Brazilian airline Azul receives bankruptcy court approval for debt restructuring

A U.S. bankruptcy court judge approved Azul’s debt restructuring on Friday, allowing it to reduce more than $2 billion of debt and raise capital via a new equity right offering and investment from American Airlines and?United?Airlines. At a hearing in White Plains (New York), U.S. Bankruptcy judge Sean Lane approved Azul’s?bankruptcy plans. Azul filed Chapter '11 bankruptcy in New York, in May. Its goal was to reduce its debts and to make its business more resistant to market challenges such as fluctuations in fuel prices and currency exchange rate. The bankruptcy plan of the company converts much of its existing...

Passenger Transportation Services

Southwest Airlines will open Austin crew base by 2026 and create 2,000 jobs

Southwest Airlines announced on Friday that it will open a "crew base" at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in March 2026. This move is part of the carrier's efforts to expand into central Texas, which is experiencing rapid growth. The airline said that the majority of the new Austin base's staff would be made up of captains, flight attendants and first officers, supported by administrative and leadership teams. Southwest plans to also add a training facility that will be used for a regular basis by flight attendants as part of its broader business transformation. The carrier expects to open the Austin base...

Europe

Passenger Transportation Services

BAE Systems reduces stake in Kazakh airline Air Astana

BAE Systems, a British company, announced on Tuesday that it would 'cut its stake in Kazakh airline Air Astana almost by half. The aircraft manufacturer, which holds 16.95% of Air Astana's shares, is selling global deposit receipts that represent?about 8 percent of the outstanding common shares. BAE's main business is to manufacture fighter jets and submarines. In?2001, it invested less than 10?million to fund Air Astana at a time that they were bidding to sell radar systems to Kazakhstan. After its dual IPO in London, and Kazakhstan last year, the?company has reduced its stake from?49% to?39%. According to LSEG, following...

Passenger Transportation Services

Wall Street Journal, December 16,

These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. These?stories have not been verified and we cannot vouch for their accuracy. Ford Motor announced Monday that it expects to incur charges of about $19.5 billion, mostly related to its electric vehicle business. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, sued 'the BBC for defamation on Monday. His lawsuit claims that the BBC defamed Trump and violated Florida law which prohibits deceptive or unfair trade practices. He wants $5?billion for each count of the lawsuit. PayPal has filed to create a bank that offers business loans and savings account. Frontier Group...

Passenger Transportation Services

JetBlue flight avoids collision with US Air Force jet in mid-air

A JetBlue passenger plane bound for New York avoided a mid-air crash on Friday with a U.S. Air Force Tanker near Venezuela by taking evasive actions, according to a recording of an air traffic control system. JetBlue Flight 1112 was departing from Curacao in the Caribbean and flying approximately 40 miles (64km) off the coast Venezuela when an Airbus A320 reported spotting the Air Force jet. The Air Force plane did not have its Transponder turned on. JetBlue's pilot stated that the Air Force pilot flew within a few mile of the plane at the same height. They passed directly...

Western Europe

Benelux

Passenger Transportation Services

Airbus delivered 30 jets during the first half of December, according to sources

Airbus delivered 30 aircraft during the first half of December. This is a lower-than-average rate of delivery for a month, as airlines await details on a fix to a recent problem with fuselages, according to industry sources and analysts. Airbus delivered 657 jets from January to November, so more than 100?jets are still needed to meet the revised?target for 2025 of 790 - a new target. "If they have to deliver another 104 planes to reach the restated guidance around?790 at this point in the month, that seems to be a very steep task," said analyst Rob Morris, noting Cirium...

Passenger Transportation Services

Airline warns green fuel goals are at risk as the supply is short

The 'International -Air Transport Association' said that the global airline industry will likely?miss their targets for using green jet fuel in the next few years. They blamed fuel producers and regulators. Sustainable aviation fuel, made from used or waste cooking oil and waste cooking oil, is a fuel that can reduce emissions significantly when compared to traditional jet fuel. It is still two to five time more expensive than conventional jet fuel. IATA anticipates that 2.4 million metric tonnes of SAF will be available by 2026. This represents just 0.8% the total fuel consumption. The wider aviation sector committed to...

Passenger Transportation Services

CMA CGM to pay bond with Air France-KLM stake

CMA CGM, the shipping group, is looking to raise approximately?325 millions euros ($378.3million) through a three-year bond that it can re-pay with its shares in Air France-KLM. CMA CGM can also repay the bond with cash or a combination of cash and Air France KLM shares. CMA CGM now holds 8.8% of Air France KLM's capital. It became a shareholder when it formed an air freight partnership in 2022. The cargo partnership was scrapped by the companies in early 2024, and CMA CGM’s share of that partnership expired in February. Ramon Fernandez, CMA CGM Chief Financial Officer, said that the...

Passenger Transportation Services

Airbus confirms November deliveries dip after industrial glitch

Airbus said that it delivered 72 planes to bring the total number of planes this year up to 657. Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury cited the figure as a sign of a poor November following an industrial glitch. The world's biggest planemaker will have to deliver a record-breaking 133 planes to reach a revised 790 goal for 2025. The November tally is down from 78 the month before and 84 last November, according to a report released this week. The company's lower delivery data comes after a difficult week, in which it announced that there was a quality problem with some...

Passenger Transportation Services

Tigerair adds 15 A321s to its fleet in $1.3billion deal

Tigerair, Taiwan's low-cost carrier, announced on Wednesday that it had approved the purchase and lease of eleven new A321neo planes from Airbus for T$40billion ($1.28billion) in order to expand its network. Tigerair, which is majority owned by Taiwan Airlines, also has an option to purchase four additional A321neos, according to a statement posted on the airline's website. It added that the 11 A321neo aircraft being leased are expected to arrive by 2031. The four aircraft purchased after 2031 will be deployed in full by 2035. Tigerair flies to Japan, one of the most popular destinations for Taiwanese tourists and businessmen....

Passenger Transportation Services

Airbus inspects A320s after a fuselage defect affects deliveries

Airbus engineers found more defects in the A320 fuselage panel set as they prepared to inspect hundreds jets. The chief executive of Airbus said that this flaw is affecting deliveries. The presentation made to airlines by revealed that 628 planes, including 168 in service already, need inspections due to recently discovered quality issues on metal panels at some planes' fronts. According to the presentation, this figure includes 245 assembly lines. Industry sources estimate that about 100 of these are scheduled for delivery in 2018. Another 215 are at an earlier stage called Major Component Assembly. The presentation also showed that...

Passenger Transportation Services

India investigates Air India for multiple flights without safety certificates

India's aviation regulator announced on Tuesday that it is investigating Air India for operating an Airbus A320 aircraft without a valid certificate of airworthiness, which ensures compliance with safety regulations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said that it also had grounded the aircraft, and de-rostered 'concerned staff. The DGCA didn't specify the type and manufacturer of the aircraft, but a source with direct knowledge said it was a single-aisle Airbus jet. The regulator had previously warned the airline about various issues, including fatigue management and crew training. Air India's spokesperson issued a statement saying that the incident in which...

Passenger Transportation Services

Netherlands increases tax on private jets

The Dutch parliament approved on Thursday a plan for a tax increase on private jet travel starting in 2030. The rules will be applicable to aircraft that have 19 seats or less. Passengers on flights up to 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles), will be charged 420 euros (486 dollars). The fee for those travelling between 2,000 km and 5,500km is 1,015 euro, while journeys over that distance are charged 2,100 euros. Private jets will be taxed based on distance in 2027, when all aviation taxes will move to a weight-based system. Between 2027 and 2030 the taxation of private jets will...

Passenger Transportation Services

BA owner IAG confirms its interest in buying stakes in Portugal's TAP

British Airways' owner IAG submitted a formal statement of interest to buy a minority stake (up to 5%) in Portugal's flag airline TAP. However, it said that some issues needed to be resolved before the company would consider investing. IAG has become the third airline in Europe to express interest in privatising TAP. It joins Air France-KLM, and Germany's Lufthansa. A spokesperson for IAG confirmed on Friday that the airline had submitted a declaration of interest to the state-owned holding Parpublica "in accordance with the process of the government for the partial privatisation of TAP". The spokesperson said that "However,...

Passenger Transportation Services

Boeing wants to improve relations with customers over the 777X delays

Boeing will not use this week's Dubai Airshow to announce new orders, but rather to outline the certification path for its long-delayed mini-jumbo 777x programme. Boeing announced last month a new delay, and took a $4.9billion charge for its biggest twin-engined aircraft, pushing delivery to 2027, which is seven years later than initially planned. Stephanie Pope, CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said that she would not be placing orders in the next 2 to 3 days. Pope said, "It is about being transparent and engaging with our customers. We will highlight the progress...and any concerns or issues they may have."...

Passenger Transportation Services

Boeing aims to stabilize the industry before increasing production

Boeing's top executive in jet manufacturing said that the company aims to stabilize aircraft production levels at present before moving on to new industrial milestones, while implementing safety and quality improvements. Boeing Commercial Airplanes' CEO Stephanie Pope said it was still too early to predict when Boeing will increase 737 jet production to 47 per month. The regulators had recently cleared Boeing to achieve 42 per month following the lifting of temporary output limits. Pope told a press conference ahead of the Dubai Airshow that "getting it right at (the correct) pace is more important than speeding up." PRODUCTION MILESTONES...

Passenger Transportation Services

Shares of UK retailer B&M hit record low after weak start to the festive quarter

B&M, a British discount retailer, reported a weak start for the crucial Christmas quarter on Thursday, sending its share price to a new record low. However, its CEO is hopeful that a strong position with festive gifts and decorations can improve their performance. Helen Cowing, an experienced finance executive, was appointed interim finance director a month following the disclosure of an accounting mistake that resulted in a profit warning as well as the departure of their previous finance chief. Five months after taking on the position, CEO Tjeerd Gegen has already laid out a turnaround plan that focuses on reducing...