Français »
German "
Search
May 9

More articles from the category

May 9

Qazaq Air becomes Vietjet Qazaqstan – New airline brand created through strategic acquisition

Belinda Borg 9 May 2025 06:36

Kazakhstani airline Qazaq Air and Vietnamese airline VietJetAir will merge under a new brand called Vietjet Qazaqstan, replacing the current Qazaq Air brand. This move follows the acquisition of a 51 percent stake in the previously majority-owned Qazaq Air by a consortium called Central Asia Aviation Holdings Limited at the end of 2024. The consortium is a subsidiary of the Vietnamese conglomerate Sovico Group JSC and Kazasia Holdings Limited. Sovico is the founder of VietJetAir and remains a significant shareholder in the airline. Nurlan Zhakupov, Chairman of Kazakhstan's sovereign wealth fund Samruk Kazyna, welcomed this move: "We highly appreciate the intention of the Sovico Group and VietJetAir to participate in the management and operations of Qazaq Air under the new Vietjet Qazaqstan brand. Expanding the route network in the region will improve transport connectivity and create new economic growth points." Samruk Kazyna previously held sole ownership of Qazaq Air on behalf of the Kazakh government. The purchase price for the 51 percent stake was not disclosed by either party, although the government had previously expected revenues of approximately 3,9 billion tenge (approximately 6 million USD). A statement from VietJetAir dated May 2025, 737, stated: "As a new generation low-cost airline, Vietjet Qazaqstan is expected to be a strategic air bridge connecting Kazakhstan with Vietnam, Southeast Asia, and global aviation hubs. The airline will serve the growing travel demand in Kazakhstan while boosting cross-border tourism, trade, and logistics across Asia." Fleet of Boeing XNUMXs and support from Boeing, Vietjet Qazaqstan will be a

Continue reading "

Wizz Air launches new non-stop service between Vilnius and Catania

Stephen Steiner 9 May 2025 06:01

Low-cost airline Wizz Air has launched a new non-stop flight between Vilnius, Lithuania, and Catania, Sicily. The new route will operate twice a week, Mondays and Fridays, starting May 5, 2025. The airline announced this. The new connection is intended to expand travel options for Lithuanian passengers and provide better access to one of Italy's most popular holiday destinations. When introducing the new route, Wizz Air and Lithuanian Airports highlighted the attractiveness of Catania, with its historic architecture, lively markets, and proximity to Mount Etna. The route is expected to be particularly popular during the summer travel season. With the launch of this new non-stop service, Wizz Air is further expanding its route network from Vilnius and responding to the growing demand for direct connections to popular holiday destinations in Southern Europe. Catania, Sicily's second-largest city, is not only known for its history and culture, but is also an ideal base for exploring the island's east coast.

Continue reading "

ITA Airways' frequent flyer program Volare reaches three million members

Belinda Borg 9 May 2025 05:30

The Volare frequent flyer program of the Italian airline ITA Airways is celebrating a success: As the airline announced, the program, which was only three years old, has surpassed the three million member mark. This growth was recognized with special rewards for passengers. Volare was founded after it became clear that ITA Airways could not take over the existing "Mille Miglia" frequent flyer program of its predecessor, Alitalia. Since its launch in 2022, Volare has continuously evolved and now also offers its members the opportunity to collect points and miles with certain partner airlines. After its founding in November 2021 and the start of flight operations in October 2022, ITA Airways faced the challenge of establishing its own frequent flyer program. The European Commission had ruled that ITA Airways could not acquire Alitalia's former "Mille Miglia" program. Volare was subsequently created. ITA Airways soon entered into an agreement with Korean Air for the mutual collection and redemption of miles. Within a year, the program had already reached one million members. On the program's third anniversary on April 14, 2025, the total number of members now exceeded the three million mark, as Emiliana Limosani, CEO of Volare and Chief Commercial Officer of ITA Airways, explained: "Reaching three million frequent flyers in less than three years is a testament to the trust and enthusiasm our customers have in Volare. We celebrate this achievement with pride, but also with a sense of responsibility. (...) We are committed to continuous development in order to offer our members a loyalty program that is rewarding, transparent and tailored to their needs."

Continue reading "

American Airlines and Qantas expand services between North America and Australia

Jan Gruber 9 May 2025 05:09

American Airlines will launch a new service from Los Angeles (LAX) to Brisbane (BNE) starting December 5, 2025. The airline will also resume service from Dallas (DFW) to Brisbane in October, using its modernized Boeing 787-9 aircraft. At the same time, Qantas will increase its service from Dallas to Melbourne (MEL) to daily flights starting December 3 and will fly daily from Dallas to Sydney (SYD) with Airbus A380 aircraft starting in January. These measures by the two airlines will create what they claim is the most comprehensive network between North America and Australia. This is intended to accommodate increased travel during peak holiday seasons and provide broader access to the South Pacific. The close cooperation between American Airlines and Qantas aims to offer passengers more travel options and better connectivity between the continents. The new and expanded flight connections underscore the growing demand for travel between the United States and Australia. The aircraft types used, such as the Boeing 787-9 from American Airlines with its modernized cabins and the wide-body Airbus A380 aircraft from Qantas, are intended to increase travel comfort for passengers.

Continue reading "

Airbus CEO Faury calls for retaliatory tariffs on Boeing as trade dispute escalates

Stephen Steiner 9 May 2025 04:37

The head of the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus, Guillaume Faury, has strongly advocated the introduction of retaliatory tariffs on aircraft from its US competitor Boeing. This would happen if the 10 percent tariffs imposed by the United States on European aircraft were to be maintained or even increased. Faury expressed his stance in an interview with the AFP news agency. Faury emphasized his hope that the tariffs would be completely lifted ("set to zero") following such a showdown. He warned that a trade war would be "lost" for the entire aviation industry. This statement underscores the Airbus boss's concern about an escalation that would affect not only manufacturers, but also airlines and ultimately passengers. The Airbus boss recalled a trade dispute between the European Union and the USA before the World Trade Organization (WTO) five years ago. At that time, Europe, in response to US tariffs, had imposed higher import duties on American products. After this exchange of blows, the tariffs were finally lifted. Faury called on the EU to follow this precedent if the US government does not withdraw its tariffs on European aircraft. Retaliatory tariffs as a means of pressure in negotiations If the ongoing negotiations between the EU and the US do not result in an agreement, Faury said, "I can imagine that – and this is our wish – there will be the introduction of reciprocal tariffs on aircraft in order to force a higher level of negotiation." He emphasized that a trade war is "good news for no one." At the same time, the Airbus CEO expressed confidence that Boeing would benefit from

Continue reading "

Air taxi manufacturer Volocopter now aims for approval in 2026

Stephen Steiner 9 May 2025 04:01

Plans for commencing passenger operations at Baden-based air taxi pioneer Volocopter have been postponed. Following its takeover by the Chinese company Wanfeng, the targeted type certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is now not expected until 2026. A company spokesperson confirmed this upon request, citing the insolvency proceedings and the associated restructuring measures as the reason for the delay. The company, based in Bruchsal near Karlsruhe, had originally hoped to transport passengers with its electric-powered vertical take-off and landing aircraft during the Olympic Games in Paris last year. However, these plans could not be realized due to the lack of certification. After Volocopter filed for insolvency proceedings at the end of last year due to financial difficulties, the company was taken over by Wanfeng in March. At the time, it was stated that certification would be achieved before the end of this year. Following the acquisition and renaming, the company now operates as Volocopter Technologies GmbH and is a sister company of the Austrian Wanfeng subsidiary Diamond Aircraft Industries. The Volocopter brand will remain, and Bruchsal will remain the company headquarters. As part of the acquisition, 160 employees of the former Volocopter GmbH were retained to secure important expertise and operational capacity. The current focus is on restructuring and stabilizing the company.

Continue reading "