Aviation News in Brief 16 April 2020

VINCI Airports reports drops in traffic in Q1: Airport manager VINCI reported a marked downturn in passenger traffic at its airports in Japan and Cambodia during the first quarter of the year. The company said traffic was down 20.9 percent in passenger numbers at VINCI Airports network facilities during the first quarter of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Airports in Japan and Cambodia were affected as early as January as a result of reduced traffic with China and South Korea and the reduction in traffic extended to other airports in March following widespread introduction of restrictive measures in many countries. After a robust performance in January 2020, with 2.1 percent growth, in line with the trend of the end of the previous year, passenger numbers fell by 5 percent in February due to reduced demand in Asia. The traffic was then heavily impacted in March (down 55.7 percent) by the introduction of travel restrictions introduced in many countries (quarantine measures, social distancing, border closures) in order to limit the spread of the pandemic. The decline was particularly sharp at the end of March, with very low passenger numbers at certain VINCI Airports network facilities. The same trend is seen at the beginning of April. Overall, the number of passengers fell by 20.9 percent in the first quarter of 2020 compared with the first quarter of 2019, with a total of 45.3 million passengers handled at the 45 airports in the VINCI Airports network. Against the backdrop of this unprecedented global health crisis, VINCI Airports has launched a plan across all its facilities to reduce operating expenditures and carefully manage investments, while complying with contractual and regulatory obligations, as well as government decisions. In Japan, there was a sharp downturn in traffic with China in January, and then of South Korean traffic in February. Across the entire first quarter, passenger numbers at the three airports in the Kansai region declined by 31 percent. Passenger numbers held up better at Osaka-Itami (down 18.2 percent) and Kobe (down 9 percent) airports due to domestic demand. In Cambodia, passenger numbers at the three VINCI Airports facilities posted a 41.5 percent decline over the first quarter. The impact on Siem Reap and Sihanoukville airports, where passenger numbers depend more heavily on Chinese demand, was stronger than on Phnom Penh. Vietjet’s flight operation plan from 16 April: Starting from 16 April Vietjet will operate regular daily passenger flights and cargo flights to supply essential commodities and necessities. According to the decision of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), from 16 April Vietjet will operate one daily return flight between Hanoi and Da Nang and one daily return flight between Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang as well as increasing the frequency of Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route to two return flights per day. Besides the regular flights, the airline will operate about 10 cargo flights daily. In addition to common goods, Vietjet’s flights also transport medical supplies and equipment for free to support the country’s pandemic prevention and control. It also offers free transportation for doctors and medical staff during this period. IATA offers free training, pairs with shipping association on sea crews: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is offering free access to online training courses for up to 5,000 aviation workers as part of its efforts to help the industry through the COVID-19 crisis. Current employees, or those who wish to become a part of the aviation or related industries, can select one from six of IATA’s most popular e-learning courses to strengthen their industry knowledge and skills: Aviation Competition Law; Destination Geography; Travel Agency Fees: A Professional Approach; Accounting and Financial Management for Travel Agencies; Geography in Travel Planning; and Distribution and Airline Retailing Courses will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis for 5,000 online training opportunities. Applications must be received before 27 April 2020. Meanwhile, IATA and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) are jointly calling on governments to take urgent measures to facilitate crew change flights for seafarers. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, seafarers are having to extend their service on-board ships after many months at sea, unable to be replaced following long tours of duty or return home. Shipping is vital to the maintenance of global supply chains, but the current situation is unsustainable for the safety and wellbeing of ships’ crews and the safe operation of maritime trade. Each month about 100,000 merchant seafarers need to be changed over from the ships on which they operate to ensure compliance with international maritime regulations protecting safety, health and welfare. “Seafarers are unsung heroes who everyday throughout this COVID-19 crisis are going above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that countries are kept supplied with the goods they need. We are working with the airlines to come forward with solutions. We now need governments to support our seafarers and facilitate safe passage for them to get home to loved ones and be replaced by crew members ready to keep supply chains open,” said ICS Secretary General, Guy Platten. ICS and IATA are calling on all governments to designate a specific and limited number of crew change airports for the safe movement and repatriation of crew. This would achieve critical mass for the resumption of crew change flights to these airports, keeping global supply chains open. Priority airports should include those close to major shipping lanes which also have direct air connections to principal seafarer countries of residence, such as China, India and the Philippines as well as destinations in western and eastern Europe. Lufthansa, Media Carrier bring service to the home: Lufthansa frequent flyers can get their eJournal now directly to their homes with the carrier and Media Carrier providing access to digital papers and magazines they are used to with Media Carrier providing special access to Lufthansa’s eJournal. Frequent flyers get an access to 781 newspapers and magazines from around the world and enjoy digital reading. “We are delighted to support this great initiative of bringing eJournals to peoples’ homes,” says Media Carrier Managing Director Philipp J. Jacke. “Lufthansa has been a close cooperation partner of ours for many years and we are happy to further underline our partnership in these difficult times with such an initiative. Emirates conducts on-site rapid COVID-19 tests for passengers: Emirates, in coordination with the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), will be introducing additional precautions in the fight against the COVID-19 virus. Passengers on a flight to Tunisia were all tested for COVID-19 before departing from Dubai. Emirates is the first airline to conduct on-site rapid COVID-19 tests for passengers. The quick blood test was conducted by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and results were available within 10 minutes. This test was done at the Group Check-in area of Dubai International Airport Terminal 3. Adel Al Redha, Emirates Chief Operating Officer said: “The testing process has gone smoothly and we would like to take this opportunity to thank the Dubai Health Authority for their initiatives and innovative solutions. This would have not been possible without the support of Dubai Airport and other government authorities. We are working on plans to scale up testing capabilities in the future and extend it to other flights, this will enable us to conduct on-site tests and provide immediate confirmation for Emirates passengers travelling to countries that require COVID-19 test certificates. The health and safety of staff and passengers at the airport remain of paramount importance.” The airline’s check-in and boarding formalities have also been adapted with social distancing in mind. Protective barriers have been installed at each check-in desk to provide additional safety measures to our passengers and employees during any interaction. Gloves, masks and hand sanitisers have been made mandatory for all employees at the airport. Passengers are also required to wear their own masks when at the airport and on-board the aircraft, and follow social distancing guidelines. Satcom Direct (SD) launches webinar series: Satcom Direct (SD), the business aviation solutions provider, is launching a new webinar series to ensure customers remain continually informed and updated about SD products, services and partner relationships.  Grouped by product category, the inaugural webinars will explain the latest SD updates and product enhancements by delivering content created in direct response to customer queries and information requests. The agendas incorporate themes that are relevant and essential for effective management of flight operations and aim to improve customer understanding of the extensive SD Xperience portfolio. Each webinar will also detail how to maximise new and existing products in dynamic, unpredictable operating environments to effectively manage evolving situations. HK Express extends suspension of flights to 18 June: HK Express announced the extension of its flight suspensions to 18 June 2020, in response to the latest development of the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions imposed by governments around Asia-Pacific. The airline now plans to resume flight operations on 19 June 2020, subject to the development of the situation. In the meantime, ticket sales remain available for flights from 19 June 2020 and beyond. HK Express will continue to provide flexibility to customers whose travel plans have been affected. In addition to the options of changing their travel date, travel route or receiving a full refund, affected customers can also opt for a full refund in the form of credit vouchers for future purchases on HK Express. Brisbane Airport develops online marketplace for airport retailers: Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) has found opportunity in adversity, working with impacted retailers at Brisbane Airport to create BNE Marketplace (www.bne.com.au/marketplace). Launching to the public on 16 April, BNE Marketplace is an online airport retail store giving consumers access to sought after products, some at heavily discounted prices. With airport stores solely reliant on passenger foot traffic, which has fallen 96 percent since 29 March due to travel restrictions, the BAC team was motivated to find unique ways to support its retail business partners holding millions of dollars of stock. Martin Ryan, executive general manager consumer, said, “If necessity is the mother of invention, COVID-19 is its father. The BAC team has gone from concept to full eCommerce site in just 16 days. At launch the site will feature nearly 200 highly sought-after tech items as well as watches and beauty products, with other products being added each week. Importantly, this project has kept 25 people in jobs during this challenging time, while supporting the local logistics and freight companies and boosting partner employment through the need for people to ‘pick and pack’ items,” Ryan said. BNE Marketplace will initially operate as an order online and delivery model with local success story Shippit providing logistics support to Australian residences only. FlightSafety focusses PPR and online courses: FlightSafety International said it is changing the way it’s doing some of its business by  using manufacturing resources to produce medical safety products and introduced a new online learning approach to support pilot currency requirements and maintenance training. “Our teammates at FlightSafety Simulation in Broken Arrow are proud to contribute to the safety of medical professionals through their design and production of 3-D printed medical grade respirators (masks),” said Scott Goodwin, vice president, Simulation. The respirators are protective devices designed for a close facial fit to help filter airborne particles. In partnership with a non-profit agency, FlightSafety manufacturing staff are producing the three main rigid components of the masks which the partner organization then fits with a seal, filter and straps and delivers to health professionals working in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area, to help keep them safe while treating COVID-19 patients. FlightSafety began delivering instructor-led online courses for pilots in early April and will soon offer more than 20 aircraft type-specific courses. The company is also providing maintenance courses through its LiveLearning system and has scheduled over 100 events. Boeing deliveries down in Q1: Boeing announced first quarter deliveries in commercial shipments were down 66.4 percent from the previous year. Boeing reported commercial deliveries of only 50 airplanes in Q1 2020, significantly declining year over year, primarily due to poor 737 jet deliveries and comparatively lower deliveries of the 787 Dreamliner. Delivery of the single-aisle 737 jets fell to five in the quarter from 89 a year ago. Shipments of the 777 Dreamliner totalled six compared with 10 in the previous year’s first quarter. Shipments of the 787 Dreamliner totalled 29 compared with 36 in the year-ago period. The company delivered 10 767 jets during the quarter compared with two 747 jets and 12 767 jets sold in the year-ago quarter. Demand for Boeing’s 737 jets has been relatively lower over the past few quarters, following the consecutive crashes of its two 737 Max 8 jets in early 2019, which led to the subsequent grounding of the product line in March. Things further worsened for this jet model as the company, in December 2019, finally announced the temporary suspension of production, commencing January 2020. Boeing encountered a significant drop in aircraft deliveries as airline companies all over the world struggled from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. As air traffic slowed sharply due to the virus outbreak, new aircraft, which were supposed to get delivered, are now lying idle in Boeing’s manufacturing plants. Notably, such factors have led to the drab delivery figures for Boeing’s flagship commercial fleet in the first quarter. Against the 89 aircraft deliveries made by Boeing, Airbus delivered a total of 122 commercial aircraft in the first quarter of 2020, which comprised 104 single-aisle jets, four A330 jets and 14 A350 jets. Download the latest issue of Asian Aviation here.