Avolon 2020 operational results

Avolon, the international aircraft leasing company, has released details of its results for the 2020 full year.

Total available liquidity of $6.9 billion at year-end and net debt to equity of 2.3x;

Raised $4.4 billion of debt during 2020 at an average cost of 3.7%;

Post financial year-end, in January 2021, issued $1.5 billion of senior unsecured notes at Avolon’s lowest ever public coupon;

Reduced capital and debt principal commitments in the 2020 to 2024 timeframe by over $9.5 billion;

Reduced near-term debt maturities by $1.4 billion through a tender offer for $723m of notes maturing in 2022 and 2023, as well as the opportunistic buyback of $651 million of Avolon senior unsecured notes maturing between 2021-2026, at a discount to par;

Ended 2020 with $4.7 billion of revolving debt capacity, with maturities from 2024 onwards and an undrawn balance of $4.2 billion;

French ministry for Armed Forces selects Airbus Survey Copter Aliaca fixed-wing drone systems to equip its ships

French Ministry for Armed Forces selects Airbus Survey Copter Aliaca fixed-wing drone systems to equip its ships 

 

Airbus Defence and Space mini UAS subsidiary SURVEY Copter signed a contract with French DGA Armament general directorate to provide the French Navy with 11 systems, (22 aircraft), of the electrically powered fixed-wing Aliaca maritime version UAS (officially called SMDM / “Systèmes de Mini Drones aériens embarqués pour la Marine” by French authorities), including training and integrated logistic support. First deliveries are expected in 2021.

 “We are honored to contribute to the missions of the French Navy which we will support with the highest standards of quality and reliability. This new contract strengthens SURVEY Copter’s position as a global key player for maritime mini UAS”, said Nicolas Askamp, Head of Survey Copter / Airbus Unmanned Aerial Systems.

Thales and Airbus selected by DGA to upgrade France's joint electronic warfare capabilities

The French defence procurement agency (DGA) has awarded Thales and Airbus a contract for the new joint tactical signals intelligence (SIGINT) system to upgrade the French forces' critical signals monitoring, direction finding and spectrum analysis capabilities.

The 10-year contract will equip the three armed forces with a common information system and set of sensors and is designated a high-impact programme (PEM), alongside CONTACT and SCORPION, under France's defence spending plan. This joint tactical SIGINT system will provide French armed forces command with an expanded tactical electronic support measures (ESM) capability.

Gulf Air takes delivery of its second Airbus A321neo aircraft.

Earlier this month, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Gulf Air welcomed its new Airbus A321neoLR which landed in the new terminal of Bahrain International Airport at approximately 0640 local time on Friday 5th February 2021. 

The aircraft is designed with the special 70th anniversary Golden Falcon livery which showcases the airline’s iconic and vintage design from the last century with a revamped look. Following its delivery from the Airbus delivery centre in Hamburg, Germany, the aircraft will operate long-haul European routes as well as a selection of GCC destinations. The aircraft is the second of the 17 A321neo aircraft order which includes 8 that are equipped with flat-bed seats. Gulf Air was the first airline in the Middle East to introduce fully flat-beds on this aircraft type.

Commenting on this milestone delivery, H.E. Mr. Zayed R. Alzayani, Chairman of Gulf Air’s Board of Directors said: “We are delighted to welcome our newest aircraft, the Airbus A321neoLR into our fleet in its special 70th anniversary Golden Falcon livery. This addition will strengthens our position in the medium to long haul markets as it represents an upgraded product to offer best in class service to our passengers. The relationship that we have with Airbus is very strong and we continue to work closely with them to further develop our fleet and products to ensure the highest levels of customer satisfaction”.

Mediacorp Canada annual employer survey names Air Canada as a top employer

Canada's largest international and domestic airline, Air Canada has been recognized as one of “Montreal’s Top Employers” for the eighth consecutive year in Mediacorp Canada Inc’s annual employer survey. The 2021 survey recognizes companies in Montreal who stood out for their resilience during the pandemic, and organizations were also selected for their exceptional human resources programs and forward-thinking workplace policies, including a comparison of others in their industry and region.

 

“We are very proud that despite the unprecedented challenges faced in recent months, the workplace culture and foundation we built at Air Canada continues to be recognized through this award. From the outset of the COVID-19 crisis, we have had to make gut-wrenching decisions, but our safety culture has continued to guide us, and the health and safety of our employees remained our top priority. We were leaders in implementing a wide variety of industry leading biosecurity measures to ensure a safe work environment, and to lead the way in testing initiatives to keep our customers and employees safe. As we emerge from this crisis, we believe our people will be a competitive advantage that will enable Air Canada to continue attracting the best talent in every part of our organization,” said Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources and Communications Officer.

Sheremetyevo Airport's key role in pandemic response

Sheremetyevo has been the Russian Federation's main airport serving flights from epidemiologically unfavorable countries during the COVID-19 pandemic and adopted critical services to protect passengers and employees. The airport summed up its activities for the period on the eve of Civil Aviation Day in the Russian Federation.

Despite global anti-epidemic restrictions and a significant decrease in passenger traffic during 2020, the airport quickly adapted to work in the new realities and confirmed its status as one of the most important passenger and cargo hubs in Russia and Europe.

"Although 2020 brought many challenges, particularly for the aviation industry, Sheremetyevo nimbly responded to the adversity. We successfully implemented many changes to protect passengers and employees and to ensure the health of all who passed through the airport, and are pleased to be at the forefront of the vaccination efforts domestically and abroad," stated Sheremetyevo's Chairman of the Board of Directors Alexander Ponomarenko.

Delta's digital delights.....

Delta is applying its vision to deliver a digital concierge for customers – first unveiled at CES 2020 – to anticipate and address the evolving travel needs brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Teams across the company are finalizing a digital experience that will guide customers seamlessly through booking, COVID-test scheduling and document verification – all available via Delta channels.

“We want to take the guesswork out of our customer’s hands and give them a simple, streamlined experience for navigating current travel requirements,” said Bill Lentsch, Delta’s Chief Customer Experience Officer. “Instead of checking one website to find testing locations and using another app to upload a test result, we’re building the capability to manage all of it through the familiar, customer-friendly booking paths on Delta.com and the Fly Delta app.”

Aerlytix secures partnership for roll-out of fleet monitoring solution

Aerlytix, the aviation finance technology specialist, has announced a partnership with FlightAware, the global provider of flight information and insights, that delivers an innovative automated fleet monitoring solution – Aerlytix Alert Tracker.

The Aerlytix solution was developed by the company in Dublin for the global aviation financing industry using FlightAware's AeroAPI, a query-based engine for accessing real-time, historical and predictive aviation information. By offering access to detailed flight information, the Aerlytix Alert Tracker drives sounder metrics-based decision-making.

As part of its cutting-edge technology platform, which provides industry-leading analytics, the Aerlytix Alert Tracker enables clients to gain an understanding of the performance of any aircraft where the client has an interest.

Gulf Air heads back to Colombo

Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, commenced operations in 1950, becoming one of the first commercial airlines established in the Middle East. Today, Gulf Air is a major international carrier serving 49 cities in 27 countries.

The airline operates double daily flights or more to 10 regional cities, in addition, to select destinations in the Indian Subcontinent and Europe, from its hub at Bahrain International Airport

Now, Gulf Air has confirmed the resumption of its direct operations to and from Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport will commence on 15th  February and will fly twice a week on its new Airbus A320neo aircraft.

Gulf Air has been operating direct flights between the Kingdom of Bahrain and Sri Lanka since 1981 and it is one of the airline’s main destinations in the Indian Sub-continent region. The airline currently flies to and from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Kuwait, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Medina, Muscat, Cairo, Amman, Casablanca, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Athens, Bangkok, Manila, Dhaka and several destinations in India and Pakistan.

Being one of the few airlines that never stopped flying in 2020, Gulf Air continuously works closely with the government authorities across its network to resume operations as demand for travel grows. Gulf Air boasts a flexible and agile network by immediately adapting to government guidelines and civil aviation directives and has been responsive to continuous changes and updates.

.

More top stories for you...

United to Work with Archer Aviation to Accelerate Production of Advanced, Short-Haul Electric Aircraft

The arrangement adds to United's commitment to invest in emerging technologies that combat climate change

United Airlines announced this week that it has completed an agreement to work with air mobility company Archer as part of the airline's broader effort to invest in emerging technologies that decarbonize air travel. Rather than relying on traditional combustion engines, Archer's electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are designed to use electric motors and have the potential for future use as an 'air taxi' in urban markets.

Under the terms of the agreement, United will contribute its expertise in airspace management to assist Archer with the development of battery-powered, short-haul aircraft. Once the aircraft are in operation and have met United's operating and business requirements, United, together with Mesa Airlines, would acquire a fleet of up to 200 of these electric aircraft that would be operated by a partner and are expected to give customers a quick, economical and low-carbon way to get to United's hub airports and commute in dense urban environments within the next five years.

Archer's mission is to advance the benefits of sustainable air mobility. Archer is creating the world's first electric airline that moves people throughout the world's cities in a quick, safe, sustainable, and cost-effective manner. As the world's only vertically integrated airline company, Archer's business includes the design, manufacture, and operation of a fully electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft that can carry passengers for up to 60 miles at speeds of up to 150 miles per hour while producing minimal noise. Archer's team is based in Palo Alto, CA. 

Working with Archer is another example of United's commitment to identifying and investing in innovative technology that can reduce carbon emissions while also improving the customer experience and earning a strong financial return. The airline was an early stage investor in Fulcrum BioEnergy and recently partnered with 1PointFive, a joint venture between Oxy Low Carbon Ventures and Rusheen Capital, to jumpstart the establishment of direct air capture and sequestration technology.

Virgin Galactic Appoints Seth Zaslow as Vice President of Investor Relations

Virgin Galactic Holdings has announced the appointment of Seth Zaslow as Virgin Galactic’s Vice President of Investor Relations.  Seth will be responsible for leading the Company’s investor relations function. He will serve as the primary liaison between Virgin Galactic and the investment community overseeing all aspects of investor relations policies and initiatives.

Seth has over 25 years’ experience in various investor relations and finance roles. Prior to his appointment, Seth led the investor relations program for AMC Networks. During his tenure at AMC, Seth oversaw the creation of the investor relations function in connection with AMC’s successful spin-off from Cablevision Systems Corporation in 2011. Prior to AMC, Seth held various senior financial and operational roles at Cablevision, Time Warner Inc. (predecessor to WarnerMedia) and Time Warner Cable (since acquired by Charter Communications).

34 New non-stop routes for budget carrier Allegiant

The U.S. budget carrier Allegiant has kicked off another round of new services with 34 new nonstop routes, including nine special limited routes for the Sturgis Rally 2021

"As summer approaches, we expect a lot of pent-up demand for travel, especially for places where people can hike, fish, camp or visit the beach," said Drew Wells, Allegiant's senior vice president of revenue. "With this expansion, we've added even more service to destinations known for their outdoor appeal. Now, with Allegiant's low-cost, nonstop service, travelers will have easy, affordable access to the cities they want to visit."

Additionally, Allegiant will offer nine special limited routes to Rapid City, S.D. via Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) with one-way fares as low as $99.* The routes will provide an affordable option to those who plan to attend the annual City of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August.

Scandinavian Airlines Systems' sourcing process set to take off with Medius

                                     Scandinavian Airlines System, SAS, Scandinavia's leading airline, has selected Medius Sourcing and Contract Management solutions to drive efficiency and cost savings in key business processes. 

Sourcing activities, such as RFP processes and evaluation of new suppliers, have been managed semi-manually within SAS with different solutions supporting parts of the process including a contract management repository. The challenges related to Covid urged SAS to find a solution that could streamline and automate processes to improve efficiency of their business operations. 

IATA Offers Free Training to Former Cabin Crew Transitioning into Job Market

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is offering an online training course to help laid-off airline cabin crew members re-enter the job market. This course will be offered free of charge for those who register between 9 and 23 February.

A survey of 800 cabin crew who have lost their jobs in the crisis found that 78% wanted help to identify skills that can enable them to transfer into other roles. 

The three-hour Cabin Crew – Leveraging Professional Skills course was developed with input from former crew members to meet this need by enabling crew to enhance, promote and recognize professional skills that can be leveraged in other jobs. Additionally, crew will learn practical tips for preparing for the job application process and will have an opportunity to learn from the experience of colleagues that have already transitioned to other roles outside the industry.

British Airways agrees new partnership on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)

British Airways is investing in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) technology provider and SAF producer LanzaJet as the company builds its first commercial scale plant in Georgia, USA

British Airways will purchase SAF from LanzaJet’s US plant to power a number of the airline’s flights from late 2022

The announcement is in addition to British Airways’ existing partnership with Velocys to build a sustainable aviation fuel plant in the UK, which could produce SAF from 2025

Investing to enable the commercial development of SAF forms part of the airline’s medium-term initiatives to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050

 

The airline is delivering a range of short, medium and long-term initiatives to decarbonise and achieve net zero by 2050

British Airways is to power future flights with sustainable aviation fuel produced from sustainably-sourced ethanol, as part of a new partnership with sustainable jet fuel company LanzaJet.

The partnership, which reflects the importance the airline is placing on sustainability and its continued investment in sustainable aviation fuel, will see British Airways invest in LanzaJet’s first commercial-scale Freedom Pines Fuels facility in Georgia, USA and acquire cleaner burning sustainable aviation fuel from the plant. It expects the fuel to be available to power a number of its flights by the end of 2022. In addition, the partnership will involve LanzaJet implementing early-stage planning and design for a potential commercial facility for British Airways in the UK.

SAS opens 180 direct routes from Scandinavia to Europe this spring

SAS opens 180 direct routes from Scandinavia to Europe in its spring and summer traffic programs, assuming travel restrictions have eased. In addition to reopening several routes, new destinations such as Stockholm-Barcelona, Oslo-Pharo and Copenhagen-Larnaca are also launched.

Demand for air travel is increasing a little further down the line, especially to warmer destinations. SAS will therefore introduce more departures to several destinations around the Mediterranean. Even with the current tight travel restrictions due to Covid-19, there is hope that these will ease as vaccination rates increase and spread of infection in society goes down.

SAS will increase capacity on all domestic routes accordingly, as well as within the Nordic and to major cities in Northern Europe, to meet an increase in demand for leisure as well as business travel.

Carbon-free heating at Rovaniemi Airport

Carbon-free heating at Rovaniemi Airport

Airport operator Finavia and Napapiirin Energia ja Vesi (Neve) have entered into an agreement on the heating of Rovaniemi Airport with carbon-neutral district heating.

“We have worked systematically to reduce the climate impact of our airports for over ten years now. We reached an important milestone two years ago when all our airports became carbon neutral. Our objective is to achieve zero net emissions in 2030, and we continue on our journey towards emissions-free airports. The cooperation with Neve is an important step along this journey,” says Henri Hansson, SVP, Airport Infrastructure, Sustainability, Safety, Security & Compliance at Finavia.

The climate impact of airports originates from the heating of buildings and the energy consumption of vehicles.

American Airlines Becomes the Only US Carrier with Nonstop Service from Miami to Tel Aviv and Paramaribo, Suriname

American Airlines is strengthening its commitment to its Miami hub with the announcement of two new international routes to Tel Aviv (TLV) and Paramaribo, Suriname (PBM), beginning this summer. The airline is also introducing two new domestic routes from the MIA hub to Little Rock, Arkansas (LIT) and Portland, Maine (PWM), operating from June 5 through Aug. 16. All flights will be available for purchase Feb. 15.

American introduces new destination to route map with nonstop service from Miami (MIA) to Paramaribo, Suriname and adds new flight from MIA to Tel Aviv (TLV) beginning in June.

MIA will launch new summer service to Little Rock, Arkansas (LIT), and Portland, Maine (PWM).

Airline increases capacity to Latin America and the Caribbean with additional frequencies from MIA to the Caribbean starting in April; and new service from Charlotte (CLT), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Los Angeles (LAX) starting June.

Moscow Cargo Shares Experience in Shipping COVID-19 Vaccines at International Aviation Conference

The SVO JSC cargo operator Moscow Cargo LLC shared insights into the special challenges of handling and delivering the COVID-19 vaccines at an online seminar sponsored by the Intergovernmental Council for Aviation and Airspace Use (IAC and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The online seminar, Preparation and Implementation of a Plan for the Coronavirus Vaccines Air Distribution, was held on February 1-2 at the headquarters of the IAC and was part of the ongoing ICAO-IAC project titled Improving Flight Safety and Maintaining Airworthiness in the State-Parties to the Agreement.

The seminar brought together participants logistics and supply-chain experts from several countries, including specialists from cargo and passenger airlines and top managers of cargo terminals and airports, as well as representatives of IATA, ICAO and government civil aviation regulators.

Fifth RAF Poseidon arrives at Lossiemouth

The Royal Air Force’s fifth Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft has been safely delivered to RAF Lossiemouth.

The aircraft, named Fulmar, flew directly from Boeing Field near Seattle. It’s the first time that an RAF Poseidon has been delivered to Scotland straight from the factory and the crossing took just over eight hours.

Its arrival represents another milestone in the development of Lossiemouth’s Maritime Patrol capability and it comes at a time of unprecedented submarine activity, close to UK waters. Poseidon MPA can react quickly to track potential threats over large areas of sea or ocean and defend our own submarine fleet.

Remotely piloted aircraft to operate from RAF Waddington this summer

This summer personnel at RAF Waddington will receive a glimpse of the future when a SkyGuardian aircraft, a pre-production example of the new Protector Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), will operate from the Lincolnshire station.

The UK has ordered the first three Protector RG Mk 1 systems (three aircraft, three ground control stations and supporting equipment) as the first phase of the acquisition, with the additional 13 aircraft, four ground control stations and support equipment expected this year.

Operating in the UK will assist in the development of the revolutionary Detect and Avoid technology which will permit Protector to fly in all UK airspace safely. It will also allow the RAF to refine the requirements needed to fully integrate Protector operations into Waddington where the RPAS will operate alongside the based fixed wing aircraft.

W Hotels Opens the Doors to W Melbourne

It’s time to press play. W Hotels Worldwide, part of Marriott International, opened the doors to Melbourne’s first luxury lifestyle hotel – W Melbourne – at 408 Flinders Lane. In the heart of an eclectic dining and edgy fashion district, W Melbourne brings the community’s iconic laneway culture and emerging music scene to life. Inspired by the contrasts of the city, the hotel slowly reveals itself to visitors as guests peel back layers to unearth the unique personality of each space.

“Melbourne is the perfect locale for the playfully luxe spirit of the W brand and we could not be more excited to unveil this highly anticipated hotel to the world,” said Jennie Toh, Vice President of Brand Marketing and Brand Management, Asia Pacific, Marriott International. ”From its unique, locally inspired design to its eclectic lineup of restaurants and bars, W Melbourne is destined to redefine the luxury hotel scene here and become a must-go destination for travelers and local scene-stealers alike.”

KLM, Shell and Dutch ministry for Infrastructure and Water Management celebrate the first passenger flight performed with sustainable synthetic kerosene

For the first time worldwide, a passenger flight partly flown on sustainably produced synthetic kerosene, was carried out in The Netherlands. This was announced today during the international conference on Synthetic Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) in The Hague. Shell, producer of the sustainable kerosene and KLM, operating the flight, presented this showcase during the meeting initiated by Cora van Nieuwenhuizen, Dutch Minister for Infrastructure and Water Management. European politicians, policymakers, representatives from the business community, the (aviation) industry and NGOs participated at the conference.

The Netherlands is one of the leading countries in Europe that aim to boost the development and application of sustainable aviation fuels to make aviation more sustainable. The Netherlands wants to stimulate the development and application of sustainable aviation fuels (biofuels and synthetic kerosene) so European airlines will be able to fly entirely on sustainable fuel by 2050. The Dutch government supports various initiatives to stimulate production and use and thereby make it commercially viable. The construction of the first European factory for sustainable biokerosene in Delfzijl, The Netherlands, for which SkyNRG is collaborating with KLM, Schiphol Airport and SHV Energy, is one example.

500 liters delivered, refueled and used

JAL Successfully Operates a Commercial Flight Using Sustainable Aviation Fuel Produced in Japan

Japan Airlines (JAL), a recognized Eco-First company by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan, reiterated its commitment to further preserve the environment by operating a commercial flight from Tokyo Haneda to Fukuoka airport using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The product was a blend of traditional jet kerosene and SAF produced in Japan.

In October 2018, JAL launched a project to convert cotton clothing into SAF, produced within the country of Japan. During the project, 50 local companies helped collect approximately 250,000 pieces of clothing and with the technical support from Green Earth Institute Co., Ltd. and using a bioprocess technology developed by the Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE), a domestically produced SAF was successfully created in March 2020.

Details

Date: February 4, 2021

Flight Number: JL319

Route: Tokyo Haneda to Fukuoka (Departure 13:00)

Aircraft Type: Boeing 787-8 (JA849J)

Lufthansa Crew returns to Munich from record breaking long flight to the Falkland Islands

The crew of the Lufthansa record-breaking flight received a very warm “welcome back” upon their return in Germany. After landing at Munich Airport, the Airbus A350-900 was greeted by the fire department with a water salute. The Lufthansa crew was welcomed by Stefan Kreuzpaintner, Lufthansa Chief Commercial Officer & Hub Manager Munich, along with the CEO of the airport, Jost Lammers.

Last Sunday, 31 January, the 16-member crew led by Flight Captain Rolf Uzat departed on the longest nonstop flight in the history of Lufthansa. The flight time from Hamburg to the Mount Pleasant military base on the Falkland Islands took exactly 15:26 hours for the 13,700-kilometer route.

The return flight was another record-breaker: The Airbus A350-900 “Braun-schweig” completed the 13,400-kilometer route in 14:03 hours. In the history of Munich Airport, this was the first aircraft to ever land after operating such a long distance without having a stopover. On board today’s special flight were 40 passengers from the crew of the research vessel “Polarstern”, who flew back home on behalf of the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) in Bremerhaven (Germany).

Because the hygiene requirements for this flight were extremely strict, this round-trip will go down in the history of Lufthansa: The passengers and crew were required to quarantine for two weeks before this flight in a hotel in Bremerhaven. The entire duty trip took a total of 20 days for the crew; no other crew had recently completed more duty days coherently.

Recommended for you...