Ryanair has disclosed agreements on "post-Covid pay restoration" with unions representing pilots in France and Spain.
The deals with France's SNPL and Spain's SEPLA will go some way toward allaying fears of disruption in two of Ryanair's key markets, as many European airlines face strike action this summer. Unions representing some Ryanair cabin crew in Spain have said they will strike across 12 days this summer, Euronews has reported, although previous action by these organisations appear to have had minimal impact. Meanwhile, pilots in France and Belgium have announced strike dates for 23 and 24 July, according to Reuters. "While the recovery from the impact of the pandemic is still ongoing and our industry faces significant challenges, this long-term agreement delivers stability, accelerated pay restoration, future pay increases and other benefit improvements for pilots," states Ryanair’s people director Darrell Hughes. "While all of our pilots across our European network are covered by 2020 Emergency Agreements, we continue to work with our pilots and their unions on new deals, similar to those concluded with SEPLA and SNPL, and have now successfully renegotiated accelerated pay restoration and improved long-term agreements with over 85% of our pilots." Ryanair plans to reach 115% of its pre-Covid capacity this year and is therefore seeking to seal renegotiated agreements as a firm foundation for growth. The new accelerated deals also provide for pay enhancements and other benefits beyond full restoration of pay.

Boeing has recruited Virgin Atlantic, Corendon Dutch Airlines and Albawings as new customers for its Jeppesen FliteDeck Advisor digital solution. The airlines will use the software to optimise operational efficiency and reduce fuel consumption across their fleets of Boeing aircraft, the US airframer says. FliteDeck Advisor enables flightcrew to make small, real-time adjustments to their course, altitude and speed to optimise fuel use and thereby reduce emissions, adds Boeing. Virgin Atlantic selected the software after conducting a three-month trial on 787s. Boeing says the UK airline found that the solution delivered cruise fuel savings of 1.7%, reducing per-flight CO2 emissions by 1,900kg. Corendon and Albawings have signed for additional digital solutions beyond FliteDeck Advisor. The Dutch carrier will use the airframer's Fuel Dashboard application, offering a fleet view of operational fuel consumption, while Albanian low-cost carrier Albawings is to expand its use of Boeing Maintenance Performance Toolbox. "We know that our customers are committed to achieving sustainability targets for their aircraft, and our suite of digital solutions are ready to deliver fuel reductions and track emissions," states Boeing Global Services' vice-president of digital aviation solutions Duane Wehking. "Together, our partnership will make a difference in meeting our industry’s shared commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050."

New Italian flag carrier ITA Airways is developing plans to resurrect the brand of its defunct predecessor Alitalia in some form, as it ramps up following its October 2021 launch. Speaking at the Farnborough air show on 19 July, chief executive Fabio Maria Lazzerini said ITA had "a couple of ideas" on how to use the Alitalia brand, which ITA purchased in order to seamlessly take over the former airline's operations "We have a couple of really nice and creative ideas," he says, raising the prospect that the Alitalia livery will reappear at some point or in some way. Although he would not be drawn on how this would look, and with the caveat that it would depend on the acquiescence of its forthcoming new owner, he observes that Alitalia "is a brand which has value". ITA was launched by the Italian government in October 2021 as a replacement for Alitalia, which had required multiple state bailouts in recent years to keep its aircraft operating. The new airline is currently in the process of being privatised. Two pairs of joint bidders – shipping company MSC with Lufthansa Group, and US fund Certares in co-operation with Delta Air Lines – are seeking to take over the company. Lazzerini refused to be drawn on how the sale was progressing or who the likely owner would be, commenting that the process was in the hands of the government. "Both parties have been evaluating our business plan and building on it. The process will reinforce what we propose," he says. He did indicate, however, that the company was its future embedded with the SkyTeam alliance. ITA signed an initial one-year agreement with SkyTeam on joining in October, an unusual move as alliances normally insist on long-term agreements. "We need a stable alliance," says Lazzerini, adding that membership of SkyTeam featured prominently in its business plan. "ITA cannot stand alone." ITA is positioning itself as the main provider of connectivity for business and premium leisure to Italy, leveraging the country's position as a tourism centre, particularly through its hub at Rome Fiumicino but also at Milan Linate. Membership of SkyTeam is therefore a route to boosting outside Italy, where ITA is less well-known, and integrating passengers into its systems and facilities. However, further membership of the alliance will be decided upon by the carrier's future owners. So far, ITA appears to have experienced a relatively smooth start to operations, despite the problems that have plagued the rest of the industry as it emerges from the pandemic. Declaring itself prepared for the restart, ITA says 99.9% of its flights have taken place and that on-time performance is in the mid-90s percentage range. This has helped to reinforce financial performance. ITA recorded its first profit in June and is generally cash-generative. Last month, for example, ITA created three times the cash that it projected in its initial forecasts, despite the price increases affecting its largest cost item, fuel. Lazzerini also updated the market on the progression of ITA's fleet, 75% of which will be latest-generation aircraft by 2025. The carrier's eight A330ceos will be removed by that point, replaced by A330neos and A350s – six of which will have arrived by the end of this month. Meanwhile, the first Airbus A220 will arrive in October. ITA foresees having 25 by 2025/26. These will replace its A319s.