FlightGlobal
• Graham Dunn
Latvia’s state-owned airBaltic will reduce its Airbus A220-300 fleet from 54 to 36 aircraft by year-end, retreating from a planned 100-jet expansion. The restructuring prioritizes financial stability, cost reduction and a more Riga-centered network, alongside a proposed debt-for-equity swap.
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Blackstone and a group of Canadian pension funds acquired a quarter of Air Canada’s Aeroplan loyalty program for C$2.5 billion ($1.8 billion). The transaction underscores the growing financial value of airline loyalty businesses as carriers seek capital beyond ticket sales and expand their programs’ commercial reach.
Flight-tracking platform FlightAware is suing prediction-market operator Kalshi, alleging Kalshi used FlightAware’s data and trademark without permission to settle wagers on U.S. flight cancellations. FlightAware says the markets could incentivize unsafe tactics designed to trigger cancellations and disrupt air travel.
JetBlue canceled two Boston-to-Barcelona flights after the pilots assigned to operate them were stranded on delayed domestic connections. The cancellations extend the airline’s operational difficulties onto a high-profile transatlantic route and underscore how crew-displacement problems can quickly disrupt long-haul schedules.
Air Canada’s second-quarter results will test whether the carrier can offset fuel-cost pressure, navigate weak U.S. demand and restore the full-year guidance it withdrew. The airline is also entering the winter season amid a CEO transition, adding leadership uncertainty to its operational and financial challenges.
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Latvia’s state-owned airBaltic will reduce its Airbus A220-300 fleet from 54 to 36 aircraft by year-end, retreating from a planned 100-jet expansion. The restructuring prioritizes financial stability, cost reduction and a more Riga-centered network, alongside a proposed debt-for-equity swap.
Delta has expanded its Concierge service to every SkyMiles member through the Delta app. The AI-powered assistant helps customers manage disruptions, initiate cancellations, track bags and access SkyMiles account information, extending automated travel support beyond a limited customer segment.
Ryanair is facing group litigation in London’s Commercial Court from 262 former pilots who allege the Irish low-cost carrier denied them statutory employment benefits while they worked as contractors. The case could bring renewed scrutiny to the airline’s use of contractor arrangements and associated employment obligations.
The government is considering adding more Boeing aircraft to MIAT’s fleet, according to Commercial Aviation News. The report points to a potential expansion of Mongolia’s flag carrier, though the available information does not specify the aircraft type, quantity, timing or financing structure.
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