ARC NEWS
Thai paid down $217 million in debt to end-July
October 01, 2024
Thai Airways International has repaid about Bt7 billion ($217 million) of outstanding principal and interest to its creditors as of 31 July, in line with its business rehabilitation plan. The carrier described the progress as "a great indication for proving its ability to repay debt as determined in the plan" in a 26 September filing to the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Up to 31 July, Thai has sold 12 unused aircraft for about $40 million. It has received full payment of $621,000 for one aircraft, which has been delivered to the buyer, and received a 20% deposit amounting to $122,600 for one aircraft while it is waiting to receive deposits for the remaining 10 aircraft. It also sold two unused engines for $930,000 and received a deposit of $186,000 for the transaction.


US DOT fines Air Canada for flights in prohibited Iraqi airspace
September 30, 2024
The US Department of Transportation has fined Air Canada $250,000 for operating flights carrying United Airlines' code in the Baghdad flight information region, contravening a Federal Aviation Administration flight prohibition for US operators. According to a 26 September regulatory filing, an investigation by the DOT's Office of Aviation Consumer Protection revealed that between October 2022 and January 2023, Air Canada operated "numerous flights" carrying the UA code between the United Arab Emirates and Canada that transited the FIR. "Several flights took place after OACP issued an investigation letter to Air Canada regarding this issue," the filing adds. In a response from Air Canada included in the filing, the carrier states that "it has always been aware of, and has always complied with, DOT's policy on flights over conflict zones". It says it took "immediate action" after receiving DOT notice that its codeshare flights "might have traversed" the prohibited airspace. It issued a crew alert and revised route briefing notes reminding its flight crews of the restrictions. Air Canada further states that the flights that entered the prohibited airspace were "unplanned, inadvertent, limited in number, and of brief duration" and occurred when it deployed 777-300ERs on the route, as "aircraft loads and variations from forecast weather conditions sometimes resulted in the aircraft being heavier than planned when it reached [the restricted airspace]". Air traffic control, it adds, may also have not given permission to climb to the height to avoid the restricted airspace until after the flight was already inside it. United's code was removed from Air Canda's Dubai-Toronto services on 13 January 2023. Air Canada must pay $125,000 within 60 days of 27 September and an additional $125,000 if, within one year, it violates the order's cease and desist or payment provisions. The DOT says the fine "establishes a strong deterrent against future similar unlawful practices by Air Canada and other carriers". In June, the DOT fined Emirates $1.5 million for similar airspace violations on flights that carried JetBlue Airways' code.


Qantas ups South Africa capacity and enters Airlink codeshare
September 30, 2024
Qantas will commence a new codeshare partnership with South African carrier Airlink from late October as it increases capacity to Johannesburg. The codeshare agreement will see Qantas add nine destinations in South Africa to its network: Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, East London, George, Hoedspruit, Nelspruit, Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and Skukuza. Qantas adds that pending regulatory approval, the codeshare will expand to other destinations in southern Africa served by Airlink over the coming months. The codeshare was announced on 30 September, the same day that the airline operated its first Airbus A380 flight on the Sydney-Johannesburg route. Schedules data shows that it will operate five to six times per week, replacing Boeing 787-9s. "This extra capacity, combined with our new codeshare with Airlink, will significantly expand the options for Qantas customers heading to Africa, strengthening the connections between family and friends, business and trade as well as supporting the tourism industry on both sides of the Indian Ocean," says Qantas International chief executive Cam Wallace. The airline adds that pending border approvals, it intends to launch nonstop Perth-Johannesburg flights from mid-2025. South African Airways is the only other operator between Australia and South Africa, flying thrice-weekly Perth-Johannesburg services using A340-300s.


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