British Airways’ CityFlyer division is looking at ending its Edinburgh-based operations and cutting 72 pilots as part of cutbacks being introduced in response to the coronavirus crisis.

CityFlyer primarily operates out of London City and Edinburgh, using a fleet of Embraer 190s and 170s.

The airline has formally notified cockpit union BALPA that 72 potential pilot redundancies out of 248 are being proposed during CityFlyer’s re-organisation.

Most of these would take place at the Edinburgh base.

“In addition [CityFlyer] warned that its whole future remained uncertain as British Airways, its parent company, was still reviewing its own future,” says the union.

BALPA adds that it will “fight for every job” in CityFlyer at London City and Edinburgh. General secretary Brian Strutton described the proposed cuts as “yet more shocking and devastating news”.

British Airways parent IAG’s chief executive, Willie Walsh, told a UK parliamentary transport committee on 11 May that London City had been facing particular difficulties during the crisis. The downtown airport shut to all commercial operations on 25 March and remains closed. “I think [the shutdown] clearly points to the specific customer segment that supports London City,” Walsh told the committee. “And I think that airport is one that will be challenged greatly as we go through this, and as we come out of this.” He would not be drawn at the time on the future of BA’s London City operation, stating only that this would form part of a consultation with elected workers’ representatives. Walsh told the committee that he felt BA still had prospects at London Gatwick, despite reducing flight activity at the airport. The airline had previously indicated that it would place Boeing 737 Max jets at Gatwick following an initial agreement to acquire 200 of the type – but the order has yet to be firmed and, given the crisis, its future is unclear. “I do see a future for BA at Gatwick,” said Walsh. “I like Gatwick. It think Gatwick is a better airport than Heathrow in many ways. “I think it’s better run. I think the management team are more commercial. I think the customer base is one that we’d want to serve. The challenge we face at the moment is that we’ve had to do what is right, in the environment that exists. “But I’d like to think that BA will be operating at Gatwick in the future.”

Source: Cirium

Avianca says initial motions in the proceedings for reorganisation under its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing have been approved by the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, allowing it to pay employees and creditors and maintain some operations. The Bogota-based airline voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this week following the “unpredictable impact” of the coronavirus crisis on its operations. “We are very pleased with the prompt approval by the court of our “first day” motions related to employees, customers, travel agency partners and suppliers, among others,” Avianca chief executive Anko van der Werff said on 12 May. “This was an important and positive step forward in our reorganisation and supports Avianca continuing to operate through this process.” Van der Werff adds that the process is a “responsible way” to protect and preserve the 100-year-old company as it navigates the coronavirus’ impact on the airline, tourism and air transport industry. Prior to the crisis, the Colombian carrier was implementing an ambitious new strategic restructuring plan called “Avianca 2021”, following the bankruptcy of Avianca Brazil and after a several management changes last year. The court approved several motions that allow Avianca to pay wages, compensation and benefits, maintain customer service programmes and honor obligations to travel agencies, vendors and suppliers. On 10 May, Avianca voluntarily filed for bankruptcy in order to restructure its balance sheet and obligations and to manage aircraft orders, leases and other responsibilities. In court documents, Avianca said 14 jets on lease from AerCap, GECAS, GOAL, Orix Aviation were “excess aircraft” and no longer required under the airline’s business plan. The airline says its next court date will be 11 June 2020.

Source: Cirium

Auckland airport is bringing forward runway pavement replacement work while operations are at a minimum during the Covid-19 outbreak. “We’ve experienced a significant reduction in flights and passenger numbers, with aircraft movements currently 90-95% lower than a normal busy day," Andre Lovatt, general manager of airport development and delivery, said in a statement on 11 May. "This project has been planned for some time," he adds, "but it was clear that we had an opportunity to bring construction forward to the earliest available time while runway movements are at an all-time low." The operator says construction begins in two weeks and will last eight to 10 weeks. Using a displaced threshold method, the existing runway will be shortened by 1.1 km but aircraft continue to operate while work is carried out safely. Under normal circumstances, there could be a need for airlines to reduce aircraft weight but the operator says it does not anticipate this with fewer fully laden aircraft flying. This project, valued at NZ$26 million ($15.8 million), is "a critical component of Auckland Airport’s much reduced infrastructure development programme over the next couple of years, one which prioritises selected capital projects that are focused on essential safety and asset maintenance". The operator says these were designed to accommodate passenger numbers that were projected to double by 2044. Lovatt said: “It’s extremely disappointing to put on hold much of the [NZ$1.2 billion] worth of construction projects already underway around the precinct prior to the Covid-19 outbreak. "But with no certainty around when the aviation market will recover it just isn’t realistic to keep progressing these projects at this point in time.”

Source: Cirium