Divers

✈️ Alaska Airlines halted flights due to a computer glitch affecting its entire fleet between Thursday and Friday. The disruption lasted several hours before operations resumed. On Friday, midday in Spain, the situation began normalizing, yet many planes and crews remained out of place. The incident also impacted Horizon Air. Alaska Airlines, serving 140 airports across 12 countries, faced this challenge amid ongoing U.S. government shutdown affecting air traffic control operations.

🛩 In Castellón, Spain, nearly new airplanes under ten years old are being dismantled for parts. With over 600 planes grounded due to engine part shortages from Pratt & Whitney defects, the market value for these parts has surged, reaching $20 million per engine. While Castellón lacks travelers, it thrives in aircraft dismantling, appealing to aircraft lessors who find dismantling more profitable than leasing. Two engines can rent for $250,000 each monthly, exceeding aircraft rental rates.

✈ Decenas de miles de turistas rusos viajaron a España, desafiando el bloqueo de la UE tras la guerra de Ucrania. Se concedieron 111,187 visados turísticos en el último año, posicionando a España como el tercer destino europeo para turistas rusos, detrás de Italia y Francia. Antes del conflicto, en 2019, Rusia aportó 1.3 millones de visitantes a España, con un gasto promedio superior a 1,500 euros. La UE podría endurecer la concesión de visados rusos próximamente.

✈ Viet Jet, a Vietnamese airline, decided to end its use of Comac's C919 aircraft this week, returning them to Chengdu Airlines. The two C909 planes, a predecessor to the C919, operated between Con Dao and Noi Bai, Hanoi, under a wet lease. The issue cited was cost, not quality. This setback affects Comac's goal of having non-Chinese airlines operate their aircraft, as Viet Jet was one of the few to do so.

🛩 Wizz Air CEO József Váradi rebuts Ryanair's frequent criticism, highlighting Wizz Air's superior aircraft and safety record. Váradi claims Ryanair uses airport fees as an excuse for reduced capacity in Spanish regional airports, attributing it to market weakness. Wizz Air plans to shift operations like from Vienna to Bratislava, a 45-minute move. Spain emerges as a key market for Wizz Air, with plans to double its passenger count to 20 million within five years.

✈️ Katie Allan, a TikTok user, became viral after creatively transforming a tattoo of her ex's name, Ryan. Instead of removing it, she added "Air" to make it "Ryanair," accompanied by a small airplane. Her video, posted three days ago, has already garnered nearly two million views and hundreds of comments, showcasing her inventive solution.

🛫 EasyJet once mocked Ryanair for using secondary airports. Now, Ryanair plans to operate from Friedrichshafen, Germany, near Lake Constance, south of Memmingen. Starting next summer, it will fly to Palma (3 times/week) and Alicante (2 times/week). The aircraft will be based in Spain. Despite low costs, state fees remain high, limiting operations. Ryanair previously used Friedrichshafen but left due to costs, cutting 24 routes across 9 medium airports in Germany, reducing 800,000 seats.

✈️ Iberia, October 2024, Tokyo: Iberia is considering expanding its Tokyo operations due to high demand. Since launching on October 27, 2024, the Airbus A350 route (14 hours outbound, 16 return) averages a 94.14% load factor. The aircraft seats 348 passengers and typically carries 352, with a doubled crew including four pilots and ten cabin members, three Japanese. Initiated to boost IAG’s Asian presence, it follows the successful Madrid-Doha route started in December 2023.

🛩 Wizz Air, grappling with financial challenges, seeks to delay delivery of 100 Airbus jets, initially set for 2030, opting for deliveries next decade. This decision aims to manage a lower annual growth rate of 10% instead of 14%. The airline's value dropped 21% this year. Hindrances include management errors, fuel price issues, and Pratt & Whitney engine problems. Operations in Abu Dhabi faltered, and its Vienna base is closing. An agreement with Airbus is imminent.

✈ American Airlines receives their first Airbus A321XLR, registered N303NY, this week in Dallas/Fort Worth from Hamburg. The aircraft is part of a 50-unit order and was initially delivered in July but remained in the Czech Republic for cabin work. Configured with 20 business, 12 premium economy, and the rest in economy, it will begin operations in early 2026, covering U.S. transcontinental and later European routes. The A321XLR can fly 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 km).