Canadian authorities have detailed the modifications required for operators to return Boeing 737 Max jets to service from 20 January. While the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has previously issued airworthiness requirements for the type, Transport Canada states that it has “gone even farther” by adopting its own directive and adding “unique” measures to improve safety. The regulator is mandating the Boeing service bulletin requiring updates to correct the flawed Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System software – which contributed to the loss of two 737 Max jets and the subsequent grounding of the type – as well as adjustments to certain wiring, and the inclusion of angle-of-attack ‘disagree’ alerts. These ‘disagree’ alerts will not feature on the head-up display system until a software revision is introduced later this year, and Transport Canada is adding an operational procedure to the Max flight manual to advise crews during unreliable airspeed events. Transport Canada says its test pilots found that, after activation of the stick-shaker, the “constant noise and vibration” was a “significant impediment” to the safe operation of the jet. Its directive requires that the pilots are able to de-activate a nuisance stick-shaker, and the fitting of coloured circuit-breaker caps to assist with identifying the relevant ones. Transport Canada also plans to deviate from the FAA’s requirements by including a change to the ‘altimeter disagree’ procedure, to include a step stating that the aircraft does not meet reduced vertical separation minima criteria and providing guidance to the crew. Canadian transport minister Omar Alghabra says the airline industry can “rest assured” that the authority has “diligently addressed all safety issues” ahead of allowing the resumption of 737 Max flights. The regulator states that it approved a revised pilot programme for three of the country’s carriers on 21 December, and these operators have since been training their crews accordingly. Air Canada, WestJet and Sunwing Airlines are the only Canadian operators to have received the Max to date. Transport Canada says the carriers are implementing the necessary measures and “will be ready for the return to service of the aircraft in the coming days and weeks”.

Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines have each agreed terms with the US Treasury department for a second round of payroll support programme funds. US carriers have access to additional payroll relief from the federal government under the Covid-19 relief bill signed into law in December. The legislation allocates $15 billion to US airlines for the payment of employee wages and benefits. Terms of this second round of payroll support resemble that of last spring's $25 billion payroll support programme under the CARES Act. Airlines accepting payroll support cannot conduct involuntary furloughs or reduce pay rates, and must reinstate workers who were furloughed after the initial PSP expired at the end of September. Payroll support comes in the form of both direct grants and loans, and also comes with a provision that airlines must offer warrants to the Treasury.
Southwest will be receiving $1.7 billion in payroll support, while Delta will get $2.9 billion. Neither Southwest nor Delta furloughed employees after the initial payroll support programme expired.

UK airports are calling for further government support to cover operating costs after the suspension of the country’s safe travel corridors programme as part of efforts to counter further strains of the coronavirus. The UK government today announced all travel corridors with the UK will be suspended from 18 January, meaning all arrivals into the UK must take both a pre-departure test and self-isolate immediately for ten days on arrival. Visitors from Covid-19 low-risk countries and territories had previously been able to enter the UK without self isolating. In announcing the further restrictions, UK transport secretary Grant Shapps says: ”We are operating in a completely new environment in our fight against Covid-19, with several worrying new strains of the virus emerging across the globe.” The UK’s test to release initiative, under which the mandatory self-isolation can be cut to five days if a private negative Covid test is taken, remains in place. Karen Dee, chief executive of the Airport Operators Association, says that while the move is understandable from a public health perspective, it adds to the current near-complete shutdown of the UK’s airports "The UK and devolved governments now need to set out as a matter of extreme urgency how they will support airports through this deepening crisis,” Dee says. ”Airports are doing so while running on empty – there is only so long they can run on fumes before having to close temporarily to preserve their business for the future. Government needs to help cover airports’ operational costs by, for example, urgently providing relief from regulatory, policing, air traffic and business rates costs in the current and the coming tax year.” Airlines UK chief executive Tim Alderslade says, ”Travel corridors were a lifeline for the industry last summer and the government were right to bring them in when they did. But things change and there’s no doubting this is a serious health emergency and ministers need to act to keep borders safe and the public protected.” ”We therefore support this latest measure, on the assumption that we will work with Government – when the time is right – to remove these restrictions when it is safe to do so and start to open up our sector again, to support the UK’s economic recovery,” he adds.