The carrier was forced to ground an ex-Jet Airways B737-800, a day
after it was inducted into the airline’s fleet due to a maintenance issue.
Vistara and United Airlines (US) have signed a codeshare
agreement, connecting their networks.
The airline launched B73H operations from Delhi to Amritsar as UK
895 on 31May19, the first flight being performed by VT-TGB (39058).Viva Air Peru [Peru] is preparing for direct flights to the US, the
Caribbean, Argentina and Chile from 2H20, with A320neos.
Viva Air Peru plans to triple its operations in Peru in 2019 and grow
its Colombian unit by about 30%.VivaAerobus [VB/VIV] [Mexico]
04Jun19-30Jul19 Cancun CUN Camaguey CMW Tu,Sa 320Volaris [Y4/VOI] [Mexico] has obtained an AOC for its new subsidiary
in El Salvador, dubbed Volaris El Salvador. Operations will begin in
September 2019. The CEO is Mauricio Moran Alfaro.
Volaris will add Leon/Guanajuato – Fresno and Monterrey – San
Antonio services in late October 2019.Volotea [V7/VOE] [Spain] reports 2018 operating profit up 63% to
US$15.1 million and revenues up 29% to $442 million.
Volotea has inaugurated a new base in Cagliari, its thirteenth
overall, where it will base two A319s.
The airline has based a fourth A319 in Strasbourg from June 2019.Vueling [VY/VLG] [Spain] may move away from an all-Airbus fleet and
migrate to the B737 MAX, according to Willie Walsh, CEO of parent IAG
(UK). Vueling has converted order for six A320neos to six A321neos.WestJet [WS/WJA] [Canada] and Delta Air Lines (US) have announced
that their proposed US – Canada transborder joint venture has
received clearance under Canada’s competition regulations.
WestJet announced that its Onex (Canada) bid has received
approval from the Minister of Transport on the basis that the proposed
acquisition of WestJet by Onex does not raise public interest issues as
related to national transportation.
The carrier will launch a seasonal service to Punta Cana from
Calgary on 13Dec19 with a B767. It will also launch winter 2019/20
flights to Cabo San Lucas from Victoria on 05Nov19, also with a B767.
Recent changes to Westjet’s schedules include : Toronto – London
Gatwick daily with a B789 from 23Oct19; Calgary – Maui up to four
times weekly with a B789 from 31Oct19; and the Calgary – London
Gatwick B789 service will run four times weekly, instead of daily.
New services include Calgary – Dublin three times weekly (W, Sat &
Sun) on 01Jun19, dropping to twice weekly from 06Oct19 to 19Oct19
(W & Sat) – services are flown by B789.company will sell a 50% stake in the aviation services company UTG to
restructure debt.
Utair warns that it could not fully make payments on loans and
plans to pay about US$1.6 million.
Varesh Airlines [Iran] resumed direct services from Mashad to
Dushanbe on 06Jun19 with a B737-500.
Via Air [VC/SRY] [USA] has suspended services to Pittsburgh and
Alabama including Birmingham & Mobile due to pilot shortage. The
airline has also ceased scheduled services and reverted to charter
operations, as a result of which services from Austin Bergstrom to
Branson, Amarillo, Little Rock, Tulsa, Baton Rouge, and Sanford to
Baton Rouge, Mobile, Columbia SC and Montgomery are cancelled.
Vietjet Air [VJ/VJC] [Vietnam]
01Jun19-29Jun19 Cam Ranh/Nha Trang CXR Taipei TPE W,Sa 321
06Jun19-29Jun19 Da Nang DAD Taipei TPE Tu,TH,Sa 321
Vietnam Airlines [VN/HVN] [Vietnam] has been granted foreign air
carrier exemption and a foreign air carrier permit between Hanoi and
Ho Chi Minh City, via Taipei, Osaka and Nagoya, to Los Angeles, San
Francisco, New York, Washington DC, and Dallas/Fort Worth, and
beyond to Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto.
01Jun19 onwards Hanoi HAN Dong Hoi VDH Daily 321
20Jul19 onwards Da Nang DAD Busan PUS Tu,Sa 321
Virgin Atlantic [VS/VIR] [UK] has selected 14 A330-900s to replace its
A330ceos from 2021, with options to further expand its fleet of wide-
body aircraft. The firm order for eight aircraft and six additional will be
on lease from Air Lease (US).
Virgin Atlantic plans to use the purchase of Flybe Group for further
takeovers of British operators so it can feed more passengers onto its
long-haul flights.
Virgin Atlantic will resume daily London Heathrow – Mumbai
services daily from October using a B789, following Jet’s demise.
Virgin Australia [DJ/VOZ] [Australia] and Virgin Atlantic have applied
for authorisation to enable them to cooperate in relation to services
between Australia and the UK and Ireland via mutual mid-points in
Hong Kong and Los Angeles.
Vistara [UK/VTI] [India] has been granted government permission to
fly international routes.
Vistara has leased an additional six aircraft from BOC Aviation
(Singapore) – four B737-800s delivered May 2019 and two A320neo
powered by LEAP 1A engines, scheduled for delivery in 2H19.
Boeing 737-8AS HL8306 (40308, ex Ryanair) of T’Way Air at Tokyo-Narita on 22nd June 2019. [Pete Longley]