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August 6, 2020

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August 6, 2020

July: Four new orders from Airbus

Jan Gruber August 6, 2020 17:58

In July 2020, the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus was able to land a total of four new orders. At the same time, 49 aircraft from the A220 and A320 series were delivered to customers. Airbus' gross orders for 2020 totaled 31 aircraft as of July 2020, 369, with 302 aircraft being ordered net after cancellations. In July, Airbus delivered two A220-300s to Air Canada and Egypt Air, as well as 47 aircraft from the A320neo family, including a first A321neo to Middle East Airlines and Vistara via Air Lease Corporation. Airbus's order book of aircraft to be delivered as of 31 July 2020 stood at 7.539, including 524 A220s, 6.125 A320 Family aircraft (including 6.065 A320neo Family aircraft), 321 A330s (including 286 A330neo Family aircraft), 560 A350 XWBs and nine A380s.

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Lufthansa announces redundancies for operational reasons

Jan Gruber August 6, 2020 17:48

The Lufthansa Group closed the second quarter of the 2020 financial year with a net loss of 1,5 billion euros. Numerous measures to reduce costs could only compensate to a limited extent for the decline in revenue due to the consequences of the corona pandemic. Now, redundancies are no longer ruled out. The course of the negotiations with the collective bargaining partners would not be satisfactory, even against the background of international market developments, and from a German perspective, the conclusion of crisis agreements is no longer realistic. During the presentation of the financial figures spoiled by the corona crisis, CEO Carsten Spohr stated that he does not expect the 2024 level to be reached again before 2019. For this reason, a comprehensive restructuring program has been decided under the project title "ReNew". This envisages the elimination of around 22.000 full-time jobs. The group-wide fleet is also to be reduced by "at least 100 aircraft". The savings program also includes a reduction in staff, which will initially be implemented at Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Swiss. The next step will be for Lufthansa itself in Germany to follow suit. The group currently employs around 129.400 people worldwide. Liquidity was 30 billion euros as of June 2020, 2,8. Taking the rescue package into account, the figure would now be almost 12 billion euros.

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United flies Munich-Newark again

Jan Gruber August 6, 2020 17:25

The US airline United Airlines is now offering nonstop flights between Munich and New York-Newark again. These are operated with Boeing 787-9s. For the time being, flights will be operated on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. "We are delighted to be resuming our connection between Munich and New York/Newark from the beginning of August. With flights to Washington Dulles International Airport since the beginning of July, we are now once again serving our two most important hubs on the US east coast from Munich. Safety for passengers and employees is United's top priority," explains Thorsten Lettnin, Managing Director Sales for Continental Europe and India at United Airlines. was always very prominently represented. "We are very pleased to be able to reopen United's second route in Munich and to be able to gradually expand our offering to the USA again," says Andreas Puttkamer, Head of the Aviation Division at Munich Airport GmbH.

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Union: bogus self-employment at Malta MedAir

Jan Gruber August 6, 2020 17:16

The Maltese state aviation strategy is not easy to understand, because in addition to Air Malta, Malta MedAir, which is also controlled by the government, is now being put on the line. Under the leadership of the then Minister of Tourism Konrad Mizzi, the carrier was created as a "savings unit" for Air Malta and the politician also threatened the pilots at the time that Malta MedAir could serve as a replacement for Air Malta. The background to this was a dispute over wages at the largest state airline in the Mediterranean state. In the wake of the Corona crisis, Air Malta parted ways with around 70 pilots who threw their uniforms, packed in garbage bags, in front of the carrier's headquarters in Luqa. A few days ago it was announced that Malta MedAir is looking for additional flying personnel and that the fleet, which currently consists of just one Airbus A320, is to be expanded - and this at a time when almost all airlines worldwide, with a few exceptions, are downsizing. According to the daily newspaper "Times of Malta", the ALPA (Airline Pilots Association) union is now making serious allegations against Malta MedAir. In particular, the company is "fishing" from the pool of dismissed Air Malta pilots and forcing them into a kind of bogus self-employment. Employee representatives see this form of employment as a risk to the safety and health of the pilots. "Offering such precarious employment relationships in the 21st century is shameful, especially when it comes to pilots who have flown for the state-owned Air Malta for decades and were fired through no fault of their own under the pretext of Corona," said the ALPA union. The protest is directed at the Prime Minister, the Minister of Tourism, the Minister of Economic Affairs, Air

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Embraer puts E175-E2 on hold

Granite Pireci August 6, 2020 16:45

Embraer confirms what many have feared: The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer has to postpone the entry into service of the E175-E2 jets until 2023. The reason for this is the weak demand for new aircraft deliveries triggered by the corona pandemic, as simpleflying.com reports. "While our industry has weathered many major shocks and often emerged stronger, the impact of COVID-19 has been deeper, more extensive and more damaging," said Embraer CEO Arjan Meijer. The E-Jets series is crucial for the reconstruction of airlines, Meijer continued.

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Italy threatens Ryanair to ban flights

Granite Pireci August 6, 2020 16:40

The Italian air traffic control authority Enac is threatening the low-cost carrier Ryanair with a flight ban on all flights to and from Italy. The reason for this is "numerous violations of the anti-Covid health regulations on board aircraft," as the authority announced on its website. In particular, the carrier is accused of having disregarded applicable social distancing rules. The "civil aviation authority has found that Ryanair systematically fails to comply with the regulations established in Italy to limit the health risk posed by coronaviruses on board aircraft (...)," the Enac report states. The airline has commented on the allegations to the news portal euronews and rejects them. It is adhering to the measures established by the Italian government. Passengers can be assured that health protection is Ryanair's top priority.

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Germany introduces mandatory PCR testing

Jan Gruber August 6, 2020 15:57

From Saturday, the Federal Republic of Germany will make it mandatory for all travelers returning from countries classified as risk areas by the Robert Koch Institute to test for the coronavirus. This will be free of charge for passengers, but refusal will result in hefty fines. Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) considers the mandatory testing to be a "reasonable intervention." As an alternative to testing "at the border," a negative result that is no older than two days can also be presented. The politician referred to countries in his own country that require a negative PCR result before leaving the country or boarding a commercial aircraft. These include the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. At most German commercial airports, appropriate testing stations have already been set up in cooperation with local laboratories. Appropriate locations for conducting PCR tests are also to be quickly created on the road and rail routes. Passengers who return to Germany from so-called "risk areas" and refuse to undergo a PCR test run the risk of being fined up to 25.000 euros. While those from "problem areas" are required to be tested, participation for all other returnees will be voluntary, but also free of charge. Germany expects the free corona tests for travelers on motorways, train stations and airports to revive the travel industry on the one hand, but also to provide more safety for the population and the passengers themselves. Every infection that is discovered makes a difference, said Spahn.

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Air France-KLM opens three lounges in Germany

Jan Gruber August 6, 2020 15:45

The French-Dutch aviation group Air France-KLM has reopened the lounges in Munich, Stuttgart and Berlin-Tegel. These were temporarily closed at the beginning of the corona pandemic in Europe. The exclusive waiting areas at the airports mentioned are available to SkyTeam passengers from business class or with sufficient frequent flyer status. The carrier did not provide any further information about the current offering in the lounges.

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AUA: Customers wait, management collects bonuses

Jan Gruber August 6, 2020 15:36

Austrian Airlines paid bonuses to management at the end of July 2020, even though countless customers are still waiting for the carrier to settle its debts in the form of legitimate repayment claims. However, the carrier is playing down the matter and presenting it as if AUA had settled debts to management. Company spokesman Peter Thier confirmed that the payments to management were made at the end of July 2020. These were delayed variable salary payments for the 2020 financial year. "These are, so to speak, 'debts' that the company still had outstanding with its executives. Practically all executives receive parts of their salary depending on the company's economic success. In 2019, Austrian Airlines generated an adjusted EBIT of +19 million euros," said Thier. Although the Lufthansa subsidiary posted a small profit last year, it was not rock-solidly successful. The reason for this is said to have been strong competition with low-cost airlines. Towards the end of 2019, a tough savings program was announced that envisages the decommissioning of the DHC Dash 8-400 aircraft and the reduction of jobs. The bonus payments to management are said to have not been particularly well received by the AUA workforce, as the carrier is tightening wages in almost all areas in view of the corona pandemic. Thier said: "Managers at Austrian are also dependent on the collective agreement, which means that any savings also affect the managers. Managers at Austrian are also on short-time work. High earners receive 80 percent depending on their income during short-time work, low earners 85 percent or 90 percent (AMS gradation)." When asked how bonus payments to management and state aid

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Salzburg: PCR tests cost 150 euros

Granite Pireci August 6, 2020 13:03

Safe travel in times of Corona: Salzburg Airport is setting up a Covid-19 test station in the airport building. You can get tested every day. However, there are no specific opening times for the time being. Because these are still based on the flight schedule. The pleasure also has its price: a PCR test costs 150 euros. "In these times, it is not only important to explore how the economic activities restricted by Covid-19 can be continued on a small scale, but also to provide support where it makes sense. This former waiting room at Salzburg Airport is ideal as a Corona test station," says airport authorized officer Christopher Losmann.

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