Qantas is seeking more information from the Australian Competition Consumer Commission (ACCC) after it announced it would oppose the Oneworld carrier's planned takeover of charter operator Alliance Aviation Services. Alliance predominantly serves the fly-in, fly-out charter market in Queensland and Western Australia, and following an investigation that began in May 2022, the ACCC found that the takeover would reduce competition in that market. “We consider Alliance to be an important competitor to Qantas, and the removal of Alliance is likely to substantially lessen competition, threatening increased prices and reduced service quality for customers,” ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb says. “Qantas and Alliance currently strongly compete with each other in markets where there are few effective alternatives. The proposed acquisition would combine two of the largest suppliers of charter services in Western Australia and Queensland.” As well as charter services, Alliance wet-leases 18 Embraer 190s to Qantas that are flown on regional routes. In response to the ACCC announcement, Qantas states that it is seeking more information on the decision and a meeting with the commission to understand the decision, "which is at odds with the increasingly competitive nature of the segment and views expressed by a competitor that the acquisition would not lessen competition". In September 2022, Qantas competitor Rex Airlines surprisingly backed the proposed takeover of Alliance, provided it continued to make spares and simulator time available to other operators. Rex acquired charter specialist National Jet Express in the same month after receiving ACCC approval, which Qantas cited as one of the changing dynamics in the resource charter industry since it launched its takeover bid for Alliance in May 2022. Qantas already holds a 19.9% stake in Alliance that was acquired in February 2019. That transaction was subject to a three-year investigation by the ACCC, but ultimately, the regulator did not oppose the transaction as it was not deemed to lessen competition. " As the ACCC has previously acknowledged, customers in the resources segment are sophisticated and well-resourced with procurement expertise and strong bargaining power in their negotiations with airlines and other operators," Qantas states. "The proposed acquisition of Alliance would enable Qantas to service this important sector better, particularly through the efficiencies unlocked through a combined fleet of similar aircraft." The ACCC has not made a final determination, thereby leaving the door open for Qantas to argue the competitive benefits of the takeover. Failing that, it could launch a challenge to the National Competition Tribunal.

EasyJet forecasts that it will exceed full-year market expectations for profit as strong bookings momentum shows no signs of slowing down ahead of the summer. In a first-half trading update ahead of its full release on 18 May, the carrier comments that it now expects a loss before tax for the six months until end-March of between £405 million and £425 million ($504-529 million), based on revenues of around £2.69 billion and costs of £3.1 billion. This compares to a £545 million loss in the same period last year and consensus of a £419 million loss, according to investment firm Goodbody. Its performance through the second half, which includes the peak summer flying season, will then be bolstered by strong sales for leisure travel that has characterised the post-pandemic period, and that should beat what the market had been pencilling in. “Demand for EasyJet’s flights and holidays has continued to grow in the half, resulting in more than a £120 million pound improvement in our performance as well as a billion pound revenue improvement year on year. This is further enhanced by our transformed network of popular destinations and improved revenue capability,” comments chief executive Johan Lundgren. “We see continued strong booking momentum into summer as customers prioritise spending on travel and choose airlines like EasyJet offering the best value and destination mix, as well as EasyJet holidays which is continuing its steep growth trajectory as the fastest growing holidays company in the UK. All of this means EasyJet expects to outperform FY23 market expectations,” he adds. Capacity growth through the first half was up by 35% on last year, while load factor increased by ten percentage points to 88%. Although this still means that capacity and passenger numbers were slightly below market expectations, with Goodbody noting that they are 20% down on 2019’s levels, “management have clearly looked to maximise yields and returns over this period,” the investment firm observes. It adds that “very strong pricing trends” saw revenue per passenger up by nearly a third year-on-year in the second quarter, a trend that is expected to continue into the second half – despite the fourth quarter only currently being 30% sold. EasyJet says capacity over Easter broadly returned to pre-pandemic levels of flying, with a sustained resumption of 2019-levels of capacity expected in the fourth quarter. The release “reinforces our belief that EasyJet will post a full year pre-tax profit number of over £300 million, with the market likely to again re-appraise the strength of the summer season to the upside both for easyJet and for the sector,” adds Goodbody.

Irish lessor Avolon has delivered 15 Airbus A320neos to Indian carrier Vistara. "We are delighted to have completed this delivery of 15 fuel efficient new technology aircraft to Vistara. The rapidly growing Indian aviation market is benefitting from Vistara's continued success and we welcome the opportunity to have supported this expansion of their A320neo fleet," Avolon's president and chief commercial officer Paul Geaney says. In November 2022, Singapore Airlines and India's Tata Sons agreed to merge their joint venture airline Vistara with Air India, owned by Tata Group. They aim to complete the Vistara-Air India merger by March 2024, subject to regulatory approvals.