The disinfection of aircraft has added at least 20min to turnaround times for Air Baltic's Airbus A220-300 fleet, according to the carrier's chief executive. Speaking during an FIA Connect session on 20 July, Martin Gauss explained that Air Baltic is "technically" flying 11 aircraft today, "but we use 16 for it". "One of the reasons is that we have a minimum turnaround time now of 60 minutes because of the disinfection," he says. The Latvian airline – which operates a hybrid model featuring ultra-low-cost economy seating and a small business-class area at the front of the cabin – confirms that its pre-coronavirus average turnaround time was 40min. As a result, "utilisation is nowhere [near] where it should be", says Gauss. "That is one of the prices you have to pay for that kind of an operation." Announcing new onboard health measures in mid-May as it moved to restart operations, Air Baltic said that "the aircraft cabin disinfection will be done with increased regularity", while passengers would be "provided with a complimentary basic care kit consisting of a protective face mask and disinfection wipes". Crew members are required to wear a protective face mask and gloves. During the same FIA Connect session, Gauss said that Air Baltic is bringing one of its Airbus A220s back into service every week as it ramps up operations. He also expressed optimism that his airline and the wider industry would recover, but said a cautious approach was required as services are reintroduced.

Source: Cirium

South African carrier Comair’s rescue practitioners have disclosed that a potential deal with an interested consortium has fallen through, but are pushing back publication of a business plan to provide time to consider other approaches.
Publication of the business plan had been due on 28 July after an expression of interest was received from a consortium on 21 June. But the interest has not translated into a binding offer because, the practitioners state, it ran into approval problems with a funding committee. “[The offer] therefore could not be taken forward,” they add. “[We] understand, to date, that this has not changed.” But the practitioners point out that two other consortia have each signed non-binding offers, both of which contain “several material conditions” which must be satisfied before being made binding. “At this time, the ability for [Comair] and the practitioners to fulfil the conditions in these offers, and the willingness of the company’s financiers to participate with the [consortia], remain unknown,” they add. Understanding whether the parties will be able to meet the necessary conditions – and whether either offer would be able to resolve the airline’s financial distress – will take time to evaluate. The practitioners are also negotiating urgent short-term bridge funding in order to support the progress of the offers, as well as meet the company’s expenses. Creditors are being asked to approve a delay to publication of the business plan until 28 August, by which point the airline will have spent almost four months in the rescue process.

Source: Cirium

Airlines have expressed disappointment in the UK government's sudden decision to remove Spain from its travel corridor list less than three weeks after lifting quarantine restrictions on arrivals from the country. The UK Department for Transport unexpectedly announced on 25 July that from midnight travellers arriving from Spain would once again have to self-isolate for two weeks. The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office simultaneously advised against "all but essential travel" to mainland Spain. The government says its decision to remove Spain from a list of more than 50 countries exempt from quarantine restrictions was based on "a significant change over the last week in both the level and pace of change in confirmed [Covid-19] cases". Share prices of airlines that operate between the UK and Spain dropped after the news broke. Operators including TUI Group and EasyJet saw more than 10% wiped off the value of their shares when markets opened on 27 July. A number of airlines have expressed dismay at the sudden rule change, after having only recently resumed flights between the UK and Spain. British Airways says its flights to and from Spain will continue to operate but it is "disappointed" that quarantine has been reintroduced for arrivals from the country. "This is sadly yet another blow for British holidaymakers and cannot fail to have an impact on an already troubled aviation industry," adds BA. EasyJet also says it is "disappointed" but will continue to operate its full schedule "in the coming days". The UK-based low-cost carrier questions the decision to "impose a quarantine requirement for those travelling from the whole of Spain, since the increased occurrence of coronavirus is regional rather than nationwide". The recent spike in Covid-19 cases in Spain has largely been recorded in the region surrounding Barcelona. "Customers who no longer wish to travel can transfer their flights without a change fee or receive a voucher for the value of the booking," says EasyJet. It adds that "should any flights be cancelled for later in August, customers will be notified and informed of their options". These options will include transferring to another flight without charge, receiving a voucher, or applying for a refund. Ryanair likewise says its flights between the UK and Spain "are operating normally". Leisure operator TUI UK, meanwhile, has taken a different approach. "Due to the travel advice change against all but essential travel to mainland Spain, TUI UK has taken the decision to cancel all holidays to mainland Spain up to and including 9 August 2020," says the company. However, TUI will continue to operate flights to Spain's Balearic and Canary islands. The islands do not fall under the FCO advice against non-essential travel but travellers must still self-isolate when they return to the UK. "Customers due to travel to all areas of Spain between 27 July and 9 August will be able to cancel or amend holidays and will be able to receive a full refund or the option to rebook their holiday with a booking incentive," says TUI. Customers who are already in Spain "will return on their intended flight home". TUI is urging the UK government to "work closely with the travel industry", arguing that "this level of uncertainty and confusion is damaging for business and disappointing for those looking forward to a well-deserved break". Trade body Airlines UK is calling on the government to consider "regional travel corridors" that focus on specific areas where there have been upticks in coronavirus cases, rather than placing restrictions on entire countries. "We also need the introduction of testing at UK airports so that those [who are] Covid negative can continue to travel without the need to self-isolate upon arrival," says Airlines UK, adding that it will "continue to work with government to protect public health whilst keeping air travel open".

Source: Cirium