Air Canada will withdraw from further financial support by the government of Canada due to its improved liquidity as travel recovers in that nation following the loosening of its international travel rules in September. The support package announced in April offered the Montreal-based carrier access to interest bearing loans of up to C$5.37 billion ($4.25 billion) through several separate credit facilities, the flag carrier says. The support, under the large employer emergency financing facility, also provided C$500 million in equity for a total of C$5.87 billion in liquidity. The package consisted of a C$1.5 billion secured revolving facility and three separate C$825 million unsecured revolving credit facilities. The airline says it has only accessed about C$1.2 billion of the C$1.4 billion unsecured facility solely dedicated to refunding customers' non-refundable tickets. All other remaining facilities totalling C$3.97 billion have not been used. Air Canada was entitled to terminate them at any time without penalty under the terms of its agreement. The government purchased C$500 million worth of Air Canada common shares at C$23.18 per share, representing about 6% of the current public float, which it continues to hold. The airline also issued about 14.6 million 10-year warrants to the government for the purchase of an equal number of Air Canada shares, at a price of approximately C$27.2 per share. With the termination of the operating credit facilities, half of these warrants, which have not yet vested with the government, have been cancelled immediately. Subject to the Toronto approval, Air Canada intends to call the balance of the vested warrants for cancellation as per their terms at fair market value. In the third quarter, Air Canada completed a series of financing transactions and generated about C$7.1 billion in gross proceeds. These financing transactions provided substantial liquidity to Air Canada and extended debt maturities out until near the end of the decade, the airline says. As of 30 September, Air Canada reported that its unrestricted liquidity was approximately C$14.4 billion and consisted of roughly C$9.5 billion in cash and cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments and about C$4.9 billion in available undrawn credit facilities, including the C$3.97 billion in unused government facilities being cancelled.

Qatar Airways has welcomed Boeing's 777-9 test aircraft to Doha International airport for the first time. The twin-engine jet will remain in Qatar before returning to Seattle’s Boeing Field to continue its rigorous test programme, says the airline, a global launch customer of the jet. The aircraft, which is expected to join the airline’s fleet in the near future, is claimed to deliver 20% lower fuel consumption and emissions than previous generation aircraft. Key technologies are its new carbon-fibre composite wing, new engines and natural laminar flow nacelles. Qatar Airways Group’s chief executive Akbar Al Baker states: “It was back in 2013 that Qatar Airways Group initially announced its planned investment in the Boeing’s latest generation aircraft. “After visiting the Boeing factory in Everett, Washington in September 2018, we had the opportunity to view the 777-9 up close in person, but today marks the first chance for the airline and our esteemed VIP guests to witness our significant commitment to this aircraft here in Qatar as it arrives for the first time.”

Virgin Australia Group plans to acquire seven Boeing 737NG aircraft, as it eyes the return of passenger demand amid rising vaccination rates and the reopening of borders. Speaking during a staff event today from the company's Brisbane hangar, Virgin Australia chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka said the airline has signed letters of intent to acquire the seven 737NG aircraft that would bring its fleet to 84 aircraft. In the last 12 months since its re-launch, the airline had announced plans to grow its 737 fleet from 58 to 84 aircraft. In April, the airline added 10 737-800s to its fleet, and a further nine examples in August, all of which are to be operational over the Southern Hemisphere's summer season. "This fleet growth underlines the confidence we have in the future of our business and the industry generally. Vaccination rates are rising, borders are opening, and demand is returning," says Hrdlicka. Virgin Australia will return all frontliners to work from 1 December, and also recruit for 600 roles across the business, in areas such as engineering, pit crew, cabin crew and corporate. Hrdlicka says the company is "really positive about travel restarting" and "fully intends to continue growing with demand to ensure we operate at roughly 33% of the domestic market". The group has also added a pair of Airbus A320's to Virgin Australia Regional Airlines, its Perth-based regional arm, which brings its total A320 fleet to seven, along with a number of Fokker F100 aircraft. Since September, Virgin Australia has announced 12 new domestic routes and plans to commence international operations next month, such as short-haul services to Fiji, Bali and New Zealand.