ARC NEWS
Sun Country delays 737-900 induction and opts to retire 737-800
May 06, 2025
Sun Country Airlines has postponed the induction of a Boeing 737-900 until later in 2025 due to a "temporary surplus" in its passenger fleet. That aircraft will be joined by a second in the second quarter of 2025, according to the Minneapolis-based carrier's chief executive Jude Bricker. "Even with this deferral, we'll experience some unit cost pressures associated with lower utilisation of our passenger fleet until we're able to catch up our staffing to our fleet which should occur around the second quarter of '26," he said during the company's first-quarter earnings call held 2 May. Sun Country has also decided to retire one of its "older" Boeing 737-800s. This, Bricker says, will help the carrier "alleviate some of the tightness we're experiencing in the NG components market". According to fleets data, Sun Country has an in-service and stored fleet of 60 aircraft, of which 59 are 737-800s and one, bearing MSN 40069, is a 737-900. The -900, which is listed as being in storage, is owned and managed by Sun Country. AerCap manages 17 -800s for Sun Country, CDB Aviation manages two, Jackson Square Aviation manages four, SMBC Aviation Capital manages two, and World Star Aviation manages one. The rest are owned and managed by the airline. The 15 oldest -800s in Sun Country's fleet are either managed by AerCap or the airline itself.


'Downward shift' in US travel demand sees WestJet suspend route
May 06, 2025
Canadian carrier WestJet has suspended scheduled services between Vancouver and Austin, citing a "downward shift in demand for US travel". Despite what it describes as a "difficult decision" in a statement, the airline says it "remains committed to serving Austin via its global hub in Calgary, Alberta, and will review opportunities to serve Austin directly from Vancouver in the future". Data shows WestJet has scheduled 28 flights and 4,740 seats between Calgary and Austin in June 2025. The flights between Vancouver and Austin had been set to launch on 11 May, operating three times per week and would have seen WestJet operate up to 93 weekly services from Vancouver to US destinations during the northern summer, according to an announcement by WestJet in November 2024. Demand for travel between the US and Canada, as well as between the US and other international destinations, has been falling amid concerns about heightened border scrutiny and the political climate under the administration of US president Donald Trump.


ANA's full-year profits slide
May 05, 2025
ANA Holdings' operating profit fell 11.2% in the 12 months to 31 March, and it predicts a further decline in its current financial year as it seeks to "return to a growth trajectory" beyond this. The Japanese airline group's full-year operating profit dropped to Y197 billion ($1.36 billion) from Y208 billion the previous year. It expects an operating income of Y185 billion in the current financial year. "We also plan net income of Y122 billion, the same amount as the target of the mid-term plan, and will make continuous efforts in order to return to a growth trajectory and further enhance profitability," says ANA. Net profit attributable to owners of the parent fell to Y153 billion in its latest financial year, from Y157 billion the previous year. Revenue rose to Y2.3 trillion from Y2.1 trillion, but this growth was outstripped by a larger rise in operating expenses, to Y2.1 trillion from Y1.8 trillion. International passenger service revenue increased 11% to Y806 billion, and the domestic figure grew 9.2% to Y704 billion. Cargo revenue also increased in both the domestic and international markets. Low-cost unit Peach Aviation slightly increased its revenue, to Y139.3 billion from Y138 billion.


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