Reuters
• Abhijith Ganapavaram, Aditya Kalra
Air India is seeking approximately $1.5 billion in fresh equity from owners Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, according to people familiar with the matter cited by Reuters. The funding request follows the airline’s record annual loss and underscores the financial challenges facing its ongoing turnaround.
Aircraft Demand: Airline Distress & Consolidation
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Google and an AI-training startup reportedly bid for data from Spirit Airlines’ bankruptcy auction, underscoring the growing value of distressed companies’ operational and commercial records. The development highlights how bankruptcies are creating unusual data sources for training models intended to support real-world business decisions.
High activity
Air India is seeking approximately $1.5 billion in fresh equity from owners Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines, according to people familiar with the matter cited by Reuters. The funding request follows the airline’s record annual loss and underscores the financial challenges facing its ongoing turnaround.
Korean Air is expanding its maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities and pursuing third-party work as it nears completion of its Asiana Airlines integration. Separately, Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul are merging to create South Korea’s largest low-cost carrier, consolidating the country’s airline sector.
A U.S. bankruptcy court postponed a hearing on Google’s proposed $10 million acquisition of internal business data from bankrupt Spirit Airlines after objections from the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. The hearing is now scheduled for Sept. 9, 2026, extending uncertainty around the disposition of the airline’s data assets.
Former bidders for Asiana Airlines are disputing the breakdown of an attempted takeover, underscoring continued uncertainty around the carrier’s ownership and restructuring prospects. The available reporting does not provide further detail on the parties’ claims or the consequences for Asiana’s operations.
Norse Atlantic says it has received strong interest in a possible takeover following a disappointing second quarter. The Scandinavian carrier expects a decision within a month on how to reallocate Boeing 787s returned by IndiGo after the termination of their leases.
High activity
Norse Atlantic is seeking ACMI placements, sale or merger opportunities for up to five Boeing 787-9s returning from IndiGo after the partnership ended. The Norwegian carrier reported $132 million in second-quarter revenue but negative $8.4 million EBITDAR, citing fuel costs and lower fleet utilization.
High activity
A bankruptcy court has delayed approval of Google’s proposed $10 million purchase of Spirit Airlines’ deidentified corporate data, including emails, chats and internal documents, for AI training. Former flight attendants and their union argue the sale could expose employee records, while Google says identifying information will be removed; passenger and loyalty-program data are excluded.
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