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• Jet2 launches a share buyback to boost profits

  Jet2 announced on Wednesday that it would be able to meet market expectations for annual operating profits and also announced a buyback of shares. This was after a strong demand from its customers for the airline's flight-only services helped Jet2 achieve a higher interim profit. Early trading saw a 5% increase in its shares. To combat short-notice bookings, and industry-wide challenges such as rising costs and operational costs, the group behind 'Nothing Beats a Jet2 Holiday' has implemented price increases on its holiday and flight offers. Jet2 also plans to expand its Gatwick Airport operations to meet the demand of more travelers and to reach out to them. The company hopes that this new base will be profitable by fiscal 2029. According to the Leeds-based company, the trend of booking holidays nearer the departure date has continued. In a press release, CEO Steve Heapy stated that customers may book later but they still want to enjoy their well-earned holiday in the sun. He also announced a share buyback of 100 million pounds ($131.4 millions). Analysts at J.P.Morgan noted that the outlook was "relatively difficult" in the near term, after a small reduction of winter capacity as well as the persistence of summer trends. Jet2's operating profit grew by 2%, to 715.2 millions pounds, for the six-month period ended September 30. In a press release, the company stated that analysts expect an operating profit of 453 million pounds for the year ending on March 31, 2026, excluding Gatwick costs.

• Flydubai CEO: Range and size was the driving factor for Airbus order

  Flydubai's CEO said that the airline had chosen Airbus A321neo aircraft at the Dubai Airshow in this week due to their size and range, but did rule out another order from Boeing. Ghaith al Gaith stated in an interview that Airbus has always had the door open since its 2008 debut. However, he described Boeing as his "home" and claimed the U.S. aircraft manufacturer would be stronger after its recent crisis. Al Gaith stated that "the door was never shut" because every time we went through an evaluation process, we laid everything out on the table. I also believe that when you place a large order, you must scale it or evaluate it based on its merits. Airbus won the a Provisional Flydubai has placed an order worth $24 billion for 150 A321neo aircraft. The airline also has the option to purchase another 100. This means Boeing is no longer the exclusive supplier of this fast-growing carrier. He refused to confirm whether flydubai will announce another order for Boeing jets during the air show from November 17-21. "We can't say with certainty what we are going to announce". "Boeing is like home to me." Boeing's leadership is very close to me, and I am also very close with them," said the CEO of the airline. He added that the "dynamics" of the planemaker had improved recently.

• Investigators claim that the cargo plane's engine was accelerating before it crashed in Hong Kong.

  Initial investigation has revealed that the Turkish cargo plane which skidded off of the runway in Hong Kong last month killing two airport employees experienced acceleration after landing in one of its four engine. A preliminary report released by Hong Kong's Air Accident Investigation Authority late on Tuesday stated that the flight from Dubai operated by ACT Airlines for Emirates was normal up until shortly after landing. Report: The Boeing 747 cargo aircraft was dispatched without the thrust reverser of engine 4, which is allowed under aviation regulations. After landing, thrust reversers can help to slow down the aircraft by redirecting the engine thrust. Investigators reported that after the plane's automatic braking system was disengaged, the captain took over control of the aircraft. Soon after, the engine 4 on the right-hand side of the aircraft accelerated from 90% to 106% in 12 seconds. After the plane had veered off the runway, thrust reversers were turned on in the three other engines. The plane struck a security vehicle and pushed it into the ocean, killing two airport workers. The incident was the deadliest in the financial hub's airport in over 25 years. The report stated that all four crew members survived, but the plane had been destroyed. The tail section was ripped apart by the impact. Steven Dominique Cheung of the Hong Kong Professional Airline Pilots Association said that it is highly unusual for an aircraft to accelerate after landing. He said that with the right-side engine running at full power, and the other engines working to slow down the plane, "there is no way you can maintain the control." Boeing sent AAIA questions about the preliminary report. Emirates and ACT Airlines didn't immediately respond to comments. A full investigation is still needed to determine the cause of this crash. AAIA stated that it was gathering additional data, including technical issues relating to the aircraft systems, engineering problems, maintenance records, and flight crew qualification. Hong Kong's Transport and Logistics Bureau announced on its Facebook page that it would release a report final within one year in accordance with international standards. (Reporting and editing by Jamie Freed; Farah master, Farah)

• Tesla receives a permit in Arizona to operate as a transport network company

  A state regulator announced on Tuesday that Tesla had received a permit for it to operate in Arizona as a transportation company. This is a major step in expanding its robotaxi service. Tesla will be able to operate a ride-hailing business similar to Uber and charge its passengers with the TNC permit, but it won't be able drive driverless cars. Tesla received a state permit in September for testing its autonomous vehicles using a safety driver. The process was a self certification. The company also applied for the right to conduct tests without a driver. The robotaxi industry is on the rebound after years of broken promises, company closures and tight regulations. Tesla launched its robotaxi service this year in Austin, Texas. The vehicle features a safety monitor on the front passenger's seat. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, said that the company would expand its robotaxi service to include about half of the U.S. by the end this year. Tesla operates a chauffeur service in San Francisco Bay operated by humans and has a Nevada permit to test its automated vehicles on public roads. The Arizona Department of Transportation announced that Tesla met all the requirements for the Arizona TNC permit and received it on November 17. (Reporting from Akash Sriram and Abhirup in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona, Bill Berkrot and Bill Berkrot).

• Spirit Airlines unions accept pay cuts for pilots and flight attendants

  The unions that represent Spirit Airlines flight attendants and pilots announced on Tuesday they had reached an agreement for the company to reduce pay and benefits as it tries its best to cut costs in the ongoing Chapter 11 restructuring. The amended collective bargaining agreements, which are subject to member and court approval, include snapbacks timed for when the ultra-low-cost-carrier expects to be profitable again. Spirit filed for bankruptcy in August for the second consecutive year. It said that it expected to continue reporting losses until 2027. Air Line Pilots Association has said that it has accepted Spirit's plan to reduce the hourly wage by 8%, and to cut its retirement account contribution by half (from 16% to 8%). The revised collective bargaining agreement will run from 2026 to 2027. The airline agreed that it would restore pilots' salaries in stages, starting August 2028. A 4% increase will be given in August 2028 and another 4% in January 2029. By July 2029, retirement contributions will be back to 16%. Spirit declined to comment on a request. In a memo, the flight attendants' union recommended that its members vote for the agreement. The agreement would take effect at the start of 2026. The union that represents Spirit Airlines flight attendants says the contract changes will protect the base pay and health benefits. The Association of Flight Attendants and CWA have agreed to reduce the incentive overtime pay to one time from 1.5 times. They also eliminated ground holding pay. In July 2027 the overtime pay threshold will increase to 95 credit hours, up from 85. Spirit Airlines has agreed to return to the original terms of the labor agreement for flight attendants once the company achieves an adjusted pre-tax profit margin of 7.5% or more in three consecutive quarterly periods. Reporting by Doyinsola Oladipo in New York, Editing by Alistair Bell

• US airline group asks Congress to pay controllers for future shutdowns

  The head of the trade group that represents major U.S. Airlines will call for an end to aviation disruptions caused by government shutdowns, and ensure air traffic controllers are paid. Airlines for America will present a U.S. government report on behalf of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines. Senate Commerce Aviation Subcommittee said that the 43-day shutdown of the government and flight restrictions imposed by government disrupted six million passengers and 50,000 planes because of an increase in air traffic controller absenteeism. This shutdown has shown the severe safety, human and financial consequences of subjecting aviation to such stress and chaos. According to Chris Sununu's written testimony, A4A CEO Chris Sununu is going to say that it must never happen again. Nick Daniels, President of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, also supported legislation that would ensure controllers are paid even during shutdowns. Daniels testifies that "we cannot continue to ask the air traffic controllers, their families and Congress to carry the burden of policy differences in Congress." In response to aviation safety concerns, the FAA imposed unprecedented flight restrictions at 40 major U.S. Airports on November 7. These restrictions were lifted on Monday. These restrictions resulted in 7,100 cancellations of flights and affected 2.3 million passengers. The FAA reduced the requirement for domestic flight cuts from 6% down to 3% late Friday. Even after the reduction, the major U.S. carriers did not meet the required flight cut requirements at U.S. Airports. Cirium, a firm that analyzes aviation data, says carriers cancelled just 0.25 percent of flights on Sunday at these 40 airports. This is less than the normal cancellation rate. The FAA may seek an up to $75,000 fine for each flight that exceeds the limits mandated. About 3,500 controllers are not enough to meet the FAA's target staffing levels. Before the shutdown, many controllers had worked mandatory overtime. Last year, 40% of FAA sites operated six days per week at least one time per month. (Reporting and editing by David Shepardson)

• Spain's eDreams lowers its earnings guidance due to a slowdown in prime subscriber growth

  The Spanish travel booking company eDreams Odigeo cut its earnings forecasts for 2026-2027 on Tuesday due to a slower growth of its prime member base. The Barcelona-based firm revised its guidance and now expects earnings before interest taxes, depreciation, and amortization to reach 155 millions euros ($179million) for the fiscal period ending March 31, 2026 and 115 million euro in 2027. This was down from an earlier estimate of 180 million euros in 2026. The company attributed its lower outlook to the reduced revenue from its prime segment after adopting a monthly and quarterly payment option instead of an annual model. Despite a slowdown in the growth of its Prime membership, eDreams has reported an 18% increase in subscribers year-on-year, reaching 7,7 million users. This is a slowdown from the 20% growth in the prior quarter. Investor confidence was affected by the slowdown of its main revenue driver last quarter Shares of the company fell by 16%. The net profit grew to 17.9 millions euros ($20.7million) from 2.5 million euro a year ago. While subscriptions in other industries such as music and television are quite common, eDreams was the first to introduce a membership-based model that allows customers to book discounted airline tickets and hotels through their website. The subscription model, which was launched in 2017, has been a major driver of profitability for the group and an important factor in its recovery after the ravages the pandemic caused to the tourism industry. The company plans to invest in new markets to increase its Prime membership growth. (1 dollar = 0.8639 euro) (Reporting and editing by Matt Scuffham in Gdansk)

• Amtrak, the US passenger rail company, sets a record for ridership and cuts losses

  Amtrak, the U.S. passenger rail company, said Tuesday that it had set records for revenue and ridership in a single year. It also cut its losses by 15 percent to $598 millions and is aiming for profitability by 2028. Amtrak is a major effort in rehabilitating the infrastructure of the Northeast corridor between Boston, Massachusetts and Washington. It is expanding service throughout the United States by purchasing new Acela trains with higher speeds and replacing regional trains from next year. Amtrak reported that in the twelve months ending September 30, it had 34,5 million trips made by customers, an increase of 5.1%. Operating revenue was 9.1% higher, at $3.9 billion. In March, the White House forced Amtrak's CEO Stephen Gardner to resign after President Donald Trump requested changes. CAPACITY - MORE CAPACITY Amtrak hasn't named a new chief executive officer, but Amtrak president Roger Harris runs the operations. Harris stated in an interview that "the critical thing for us right now is to get capacity." He added that the new Acela train will be 27% larger and new regional trains will be coming next year. "I think better product and more capacity." Harris stated that more people are considering Amtrak because of the congestion on highways, and problems with air travel, such as volume or technical issues. In October, the White House halted reimbursements to the $17.2 billion Hudson River Tunnel project. The project received over $11 billion of federal grants. It is considered crucial for improving service between New York City and New Jersey. Amtrak received about $2.4 billion per year in government funding over the past few years. This is on top of the $22 billion that was approved for major projects in 2021, spread out over five years. Harris stated that Amtrak was prepared to "sustain the projects" during the recent government shutdown. He did not anticipate any delays. Harris did not know if Amtrak was going to name a new chief executive officer. Harris stated that Amtrak has been letting him run the company since the last eight-month period. Sean Duffy, the U.S. Transportation secretary, praised railroad growth. USDOT announced in September that it had taken back control of Washington Union Station, which is one of the nation's largest rail hubs. Duffy stated that "Faster trains and more affordable service are opening a new era in American rail." (Reporting and Editing by Bill Berkrot.)

• Pickets by Allegiant Pilots at US Airports demand pay increase and better schedules

  Allegiant Air Pilots Picketed in 22 U.S. Airports on Tuesday. They demanded higher pay and improved scheduling, as labor contract negotiations with the carrier had stalled following several years of negotiation. Teamsters, the union that represents Allegiant's pilots, says they are amongst the most underpaid and overworked in the industry. They want compensation to match industry standards and better scheduling, as pilots become frustrated and leave for more lucrative competitors. We're losing highly experienced and skilled pilots. "We're losing them because they're not being fairly compensated," said a pilot, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Why would stay here now?" Allegiant's pilots currently work under a contract ratified in 2016, which became amendable in 2020. Gregory Unterseher of the Teamsters Airline Division told us that first officers earn $50,000 per year at Allegiant in their first years, while regional pilots start at $100,000. ASSERT ALLEGIANTS' PAYMENT OFFER Allegiant, based in Las Vegas, said that it had offered an immediate average 50% increase in hourly wage. This will grow to 70% by the end of a 5-year contract. The carrier also said that it had offered an immediate 50% increase to its direct contribution for pilots' retirement and improved long-term disabilities benefits. The pilot stated that while the pay rates offered may seem good, the carrier has not agreed to the scheduling. Allegiant is able to move off days as they please, and reserve pilots in larger bases are required almost every day. Teamsters Local 218 reported that the carrier wants to declare 20% of its pilots surplus, and then force the remaining 20% to fly the maximum schedule. Allegiant denies this claim. We'll strike in an instant if we can. Unterseher stated that the airline would be shut down without hesitation. Allegiant's pilots approved a strike in November 2024 by a 97% vote. In April, the union requested that National Mediation Board remove them from mediation. Allegiant stated that the union had not met the legal requirements to call a strike. The company faces staffing problems as contract negotiations drag out. Pilots who are frustrated may seek better-paying positions with competitors, at a time that the carrier is trying to expand its market share in the wake of Spirit Airlines' second bankruptcy. Allegiant announced on Tuesday that it will be adding 30 new nonstop flights and four new markets. Allegiant is offering a retention bonus to retain pilots. The company says that since June 2023, the retention bonus has increased pay by 82% for first-year officers, and 35% for all other pilots. This will be paid in cash after a new contract has been ratified. A spokesperson stated that the retention bonus for senior captains has exceeded $200,000, and is still growing. The pilot stated, "You have to give people fair contracts if you're going to keep them." "The retention bonus really isn't a factor for me." (Reporting and editing by Nick Zieminski, Frances Kerry and Doyinsola Oladipo)

• Pickets by Allegiant Pilots at US Airports demand better pay and schedules

  Allegiant Air Pilots Picketed in 22 U.S. Airports on Tuesday. They demanded higher pay and improved scheduling, as labor contract negotiations with the carrier had stalled following several years of negotiation. Teamsters, who represent nearly 1,400 Allegiant Pilots, claim that they are amongst the most underpaid and overworked in the industry. They want compensation to industry standards and better scheduling, as pilots become frustrated and leave Allegiant for a higher-paying competitor. We're losing our highly experienced and skilled pilots. "We're losing them because they're not being fairly compensated," said a pilot under condition of anonymity. Why would you still be here? Allegiant's pilots currently work under a contract ratified in 2016, which became amendable by 2021. Allegiant's first officers earn around $50,000 per year, while regional pilots start at $100,000. Allegiant, based in Las Vegas, said that it had offered an immediate average 50% increase in hourly wage. This will grow to 70% by the end of a 5-year contract. The carrier also said that it had offered an immediate 50% increase to its direct contribution for pilots' retirement and improved long-term disabilities benefits. The pilot stated that while the pay rates offered may seem good, the carrier has not agreed to the scheduling. Allegiant is able to move off days as they please, and reserve pilots in larger bases are required almost every day. Teamsters Local 218 reported that the carrier wants to declare 20% of its pilots surplus, and then force the remaining pilots to fly the maximum schedule. Allegiant denies this claim. We'll strike in an instant if we can. Gregory Unterseher is the director of Teamsters Airline Division. Allegiant's pilots approved a strike in November 2024 by a 97% vote. In April, the union requested that National Mediation Board remove them from mediation. Allegiant stated that the union had not met the legal requirements to call a strike. While contract negotiations drag on, the company faces staffing problems as pilots who are frustrated seek better paying jobs at competitors. This is happening at a moment when Spirit Airline wants to expand its market share in the wake of the second bankruptcy. (Reporting from Doyinsola Oladipo in New York, editing by Nick Zieminski).

• Police raid Portugal's TAP Airlines in a corruption probe

  The prosecutor general’s office reported that Portuguese police conducted a search of the headquarters of TAP, Portugal's flag carrier, and other companies in the country on Tuesday. This was part of a continuing investigation into suspected fraud in a complicated aircraft leasing deal from 2015. The searches are a result of an investigation conducted in 2023 into TAP's lease deal for 53 Airbus planes, which was struck shortly after the company had been privatised. It then came under control of a joint-venture between American-Brazilian aviation businessman David Neeleman, and Portuguese Barraqueiro Group owned by Humberto Porsa. Both Neeleman & Pedrosa deny any wrongdoing. TAP is now fully owned by the state and has entered a new process of privatisation. In a press release, the Infrastructure Ministry stated that legal proceedings are to be considered "normal". The Infrastructure Ministry said in a statement that the legal proceedings should be viewed "as normal". The prosecutor's said that it suspects the leasing contract to be part of a scheme illegal in which Airbus assisted in financing the acquisition of TAP by Airbus in 2015, leading to losses for the airline. In a press release, it stated that "the facts in question likely constitute crimes of harmful administration in the private sector and passive corruption, as well as aggravated tax fraud and Social Security fraud." Airbus' spokesperson said that the company "doesn't comment on any situations involving their client companies". Airbus's historic business dealings were the subject of multiple investigations. This led to a $4 billion settlement for corruption with French, British, and U.S. Authorities in 2020 and a $14 million French settlement 2022. Airbus has made sweeping changes, including a new compliance system. TAP's spokesperson stated that the airline does not comment on court proceedings, and cooperates fully with all authorities. Prosecutors said that 25 locations were being searched, including law firms, auditing firms, and companies. Barraqueiro Group confirmed that it had also been searched but was confident of its innocence in relation to the privatisation of TAP. It stated that it was cooperating with the investigation and did not have any cause for concern. (Reporting and additional reporting by Inti landauro, editing by Andrei Khalip; Conor Humphries, Jan Harvey and Andrei Khalip)

• Police raid Portugal's TAP Airlines in a corruption probe

  The prosecutor general’s office reported that Portuguese police conducted a search of the headquarters of TAP, Portugal's flag carrier, and other companies in the country on Tuesday. This was part of a continuing investigation into suspected fraud in a complicated aircraft leasing deal from 2015. The searches are a result of an investigation conducted in 2023 into TAP's lease deal for 53 Airbus planes, which was struck shortly after the company had been privatised. It then came under control of a joint-venture between American-Brazilian aviation businessman David Neeleman, and Portuguese Barraqueiro Group owned by Humberto Porsa. Both Neeleman & Pedrosa deny any wrongdoing. TAP is now fully owned by the state and has entered a new process of privatisation. The prosecutor's said that it suspects the leasing contract to be part of a scheme illegal in which Airbus assisted in financing the acquisition of TAP by Airbus in 2015, leading to losses for the airline. In a press release, it stated that "the facts in question likely constitute crimes of harmful administration in the private sector and passive corruption, as well as aggravated tax fraud and Social Security fraud." Airbus' spokesperson said that the company "doesn't comment on any situations involving their client companies." Airbus's historic business dealings were the subject of multiple investigations. This led to a $4 billion settlement for corruption with French, British, and U.S. Authorities in 2020 and a $14 million French settlement in 2030. Airbus has made sweeping changes, including a new compliance system. TAP's spokesperson stated that the airline "doesn't comment on legal proceedings, and fully cooperates" with all authorities. Prosecutors said that 25 locations were being searched, including law firms, auditing firms and companies. Barraqueiro Group confirmed that it had also been searched but was confident of its innocence in relation to the privatisation of TAP. It stated that it was "cooperating" and did not have any reason to be concerned about the ongoing investigations. (Reporting and additional reporting by Inti landauro, editing by Andrei Khalip & Conor Humphrey; Reporting by Sergio Goncalves)