Thai Airways International's chairman has stepped down amid continuing pressure over the loss-making airline's financial performance. Ekniti Nitithanprapas resigned from his position on 1 November, the flag-carrier states. Thai has named vice-chairman Chaiyapruk Didyasarin to take up the duties in the interim. Didyasarin had only been appointed to the vice-chairmanship in mid-October. The carrier has not specified a reason for Nitithanprapas's sudden departure. But the airline had been forced to assure last month that the airline was not facing the possibility of closure, while stating that its president had been pointing out to personnel that competition in the industry was proving strong.

The president had spoken to staff to "motivate them to take immediate action" to cut costs and lift profits. Thai's half-year financial statement shows that carrier turned in a consolidated pre-tax loss of Bt6.1 billion ($205 million) for the first six months, four times the previous interim loss. The airline's revenues declined sharply and could not offset expenditure, despite a lower fuel bill and reduced impairment losses on aircraft. Its balance sheet also shows that its current liabilities of Bt87.1 billion exceed its current assets of Bt50.6 billion. Thai's overall assets of Bt262 billion are nevertheless greater than its overall liabilities of Bt245 billion.

Source: FlightGlobal

Italian civil aviation regulators have limited the authorisation of Iranian carrier Mahan Air, cutting off its route permits just a month and a half into its winter schedule. National regulator ENAC states that the airline will only be allowed to operate until 15 December. The winter season is supposed to run to 28 March 2020. ENAC has not given a reason for its decision, stating only that Mahan Air flights are authorised "only for a limited period". The regulator says this will give the carrier time to rebook affected passengers. Mahan Air operates to Milan Malpensa and Rome Fiumicino from Tehran's Imam Khomeini airport. It had previously been serving Milan but only commenced the Rome service in early July, the airline says. Schedules data indicates the airline uses Airbus A340-600s on the twice-weekly flights. Mahan Air had also been serving Germany before the civil aviation authority withdrew the carrier's operating licence. It continues to fly to Barcelona in Spain. The carrier has been under pressure from the US government which has repeatedly accused it of weapons transport and shipping illicit cargo to support Iranian government activities. Mahan Air has previously insisted it is a company that adheres to international principles. The carrier was formerly blacklisted by the European Commission in 2007, over safety concerns, but freed from the prohibition the following year.
It operates a mixed fleet primarily comprising Airbus A340-300s and -600s, A300-600s and A310-300s, as well as Boeing 747s.

Source: FlightGlobal

South African Airways has disclosed that it will lease another pair of Airbus A350-900s, after taking delivery of the first of two initial leased aircraft. The flag-carrier disclosed in mid-year that it was intending to lease two A350-900s and, on 31 October, the first of them arrived at its base in Johannesburg. SAA says these first two aircraft are nine months old and previously operated for another carrier. While it does not identify this source carrier, Cirium fleets data indicates that the jets are being taken from China's Hainan Airlines, and that the initial airframe is MSN226. The third and fourth, says SAA, will be subleased from Air Mauritius and delivered directly from the assembly line in Toulouse. SAA plans to put the initial A350 into service on its transatlantic route to New York JFK, replacing the Airbus A340-600. The twinjet is configured with 339 seats in two classes, with 30 lie-flat seats in the business cabin. The airline states that the first six economy-class seat rows include larger legroom. SAA acting chief executive Zuks Ramasia says the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered aircraft will "contribute to the airline's operational efficiencies" and put the embattled airline "back on track". She has revealed that four of the type will be delivered over the next six weeks, and all of them will be deployed on operations by mid-December. "It is an important step-change as we continue to make progress to transform our business and return the airline to financial sustainability, in the shortest time possible,” adds Ramasia. SAA will operate the aircraft for three years.


Source: FlightGlobal