UK fraud investigators are probing aircraft manufacturer Bombardier over contracts relating to Asian carrier Garuda Indonesia. The Serious Fraud Office states that it is investigating the manufacturer over “suspected bribery and corruption” in connection with orders or agreements with Garuda. It has not elaborated on the probe, pointing out that the inquiry remains “live”. Orders from Garuda Indonesia for Airbus A330s and A320s had been among agreements probed during a long-running investigation into allegations of failure to prevent bribery focused on Airbus, which resulted in a deferred prosecution arrangement at the beginning of this year. Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission stated earlier this year that former Garuda chief Emirsyah Satar was convicted of corruption and money laundering, sentenced to a term of imprisonment and fined. Satar was convicted of having received bribe payments from another individual for support in securing contracts for Bombardier, Airbus, ATR and Rolls-Royce. He had been heading the carrier at the time of its order for 18 CRJ1000s in 2012. The airline remains an operator of the type. ”No charges have been laid against Bombardier or its employees in connection with this matter,” the Canadian airframer states. “In accordance with best practices when such allegations come to our attention, we have launched an internal review conducted by external counsel and we are co-operating with the investigation opened by the UK Serious Fraud Office, which has contacted Bombardier further to the Indonesian judgements.”

Source: Cirium

British Airways is suspending flights at London Gatwick airport as a result of the fresh national lockdown in the UK which took effect today. The Oneworld carrier, which consolidated flights at London Heathrow airport during the first wave of the pandemic earlier this year, says it is reducing flights at Gatwick and will pause operations at the airport until early December. “Following the [UK] government’s announcement of a new national lockdown for England [on 30 October], we have been urgently reviewing our schedule for November,” BA says. As part of new travel restrictions, international air travel from England is restricted except for in limited cases, such as those involving work or education. “Our focus is on keeping crucial air links open – bringing home the thousands of customers currently abroad, transporting vital goods and ensuring people who are permitted to travel in and out of the UK for work, education and other reasons stipulated by the UK Government, can continue to do so,” BA adds. The introduction of fresh travel restrictions has been a further blow to the UK’s hard-hit airlines. Carrier association Airlines UK has written to UK chancellor Rishi Sunak, calling for fresh support for the industry, including the suspension of the air-passenger duty and subsidising of private Covid-19 testing. ”With the travel ban, airlines are now in effect closed businesses, and sadly in a much weaker position to face this period compared to the beginning of this crisis,” the association says. “Airlines are capital-intensive operations with a high cost base beyond their employees, and were not able to meaningfully recover over the summer season. “The next period is now even more critical, and we call once again for a comprehensive support and recovery package for aviation, to see UK airlines through the winter and ensure that there is still a UK airlines sector in place to support a UK recovery into 2021,” the group says.

Source: Cirium

Qatar Airways has begun operating its Boeing 787-9 fleet, putting four of the long-haul twinjets into service. Cirium fleets data shows that the Oneworld member's four active 787-9s (registered A7-BHA/B/C/D) were delivered in December last year, as were another three that remain in storage (A7-BHE/F/G). Doha-based Qatar Airways says the in-service 787-9s are "ferrying cargo" on "several European routes, including Copenhagen, Brussels and Oslo, as well as some Middle East and Asian routes". The Gulf carrier, which has a further 23 787-9s on order, last month took delivery of a trio of Airbus A350-1000s. These were the first long-haul jets the European airframer had handed over to Qatar Airways for eight months. Cirium fleets data shows that 18 A350-1000s are among the 191 aircraft the airline has in service, alongside 75 777s, 34 A350-900s, 30 787-8s, 24 A320ceo-family jets, four A330-200 Freighters and two 747-8Fs, plus the four 787-9s. Qatar Airways' 10 A380s are all in storage, as are another 40 of its aircraft: 21 A330s, 10 A320ceo-family aircraft, three 777s, two 737 Max 8s, one A350, and the three 787-9s.

Source: Cirium