Fusiones y Adquisiciones

✈️ Cebu Pacific, a low-cost airline from the Philippines, signed a deal for 70 Airbus A321 aircraft, with an option to purchase another 70. The contract was sealed in Manila by Cebu CEO Mike Szucs and Airbus's regional sales director Benoit de Saint Exupery. Cebu currently operates a fleet that includes 37 Airbus A320s, 19 A321s (13 of which are the neo version and the rest A321-200), and 9 A330-900s, in addition to 14 ATR 72s for shorter routes. The airline has previously operated the B757 but no longer has any Boeing aircraft. Airbus has been expanding its presence in the Far East, a region once dominated by Boeing.

🚀 Renfe acquires significant stake in Longitude, owner of Italian rail operator Arenaways, to manage regional lines in Italy from 2025, competing with Trenitalia. Begins in Piedmont region, with two lines: Cuneo-Saluzzo-Savigliano (28 daily services starting January 2025; 5,840 yearly trains; 160,819 km annually) and Ceva-Ormea (10 daily trains; 2,320 yearly; 81,200 km per train). Expands Renfe's presence beyond France and Czech Republic. Arenaways certified to operate in Italy until 2029, facilitating Renfe's compliance with regulations.

📍 Iberia, during Q2 2024, became Europe's most profitable airline with an operating margin of 15.3%, outperforming the air sector average of 8%. It surpassed major European carriers like Turkish Airlines and KLM, and also low-cost airlines such as Ryanair, Easyjet, and Vueling. Key to its success was the 20% increase in seat availability to South America, totaling 5.4 million seats for 2024. Cost controls included fleet modernization with new A350s replacing A340s. Iberia, an IAG company, recorded revenues of €3.49 billion and an operating profit of €362 million in the first half of 2024. ????

🛩 Boeing's labor dispute worsens as Brian Bryant, union president, reports the company removed healthcare coverage for 33,000 striking employees. In the U.S., without public healthcare, this benefit—crucial for families—is usually company-paid. The union deems Boeing's decision a serious mistake, suggesting it will cost the company more in the long term. It's unclear whether HR or the new CEO Kelly Ortberg is making these decisions. Previously, Boeing's 30% multi-year wage increase offer was rejected by the staff.

🏨 Hotelbeds' IPO, initially scheduled for the first half of 2024, is postponed to early 2025 by Cinven, EQT, and Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) due to Middle East tensions affecting market stability. Major sector players like IAG, Air France, Amadeus, Accor, and Meliá saw stock declines of 3%-7% recently. Elections in the United States set for November 5 and subsequent investor behavior around Thanksgiving (November 28) further influenced the delay.

🛫 Bérgamo Airport blocked this morning after a Ryanair Boeing 737 from Barcelona suffered tire blowouts during landing. Resulting in flight diversions to alternative airports for safety, affecting many flights. No injuries reported.

✈ Lufthansa, following Virgin, British Airways, and Air France, scales back China flights, ceasing operations between Frankfurt and Beijing. Routes from Munich to Beijing continue, as do flights to Shanghai due to higher demand. The decision, aligning with competitors, takes effect in late October with the winter schedule. The move is temporary, driven by the need to avoid Russian airspace, which significantly raises costs. Chinese airlines, including Air China, maintain connections to European cities like Frankfurt.

✈ Wizz Air, an American-owned low-cost airline based in Hungary, planned to expand in Saudi Arabia but reversed its decision due to unforeseen outcomes. Jozsef Varadi, head of the company, announced there will be no Saudi license nor the forecasted 50-aircraft fleet. Instead, the first A321XLR aircraft will be based in Gatwick, London, flying to Jeddah from March next year. Challenges include the Ukraine war impact, Israeli conflict, Pratt & Whitney engine issues, and unsecured fuel prices. Wizz Air operates four brands: Wizz Air, Wizz Air Malta, Wizz Air UK, and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi.

🚀 Antonov announced a temporary halt to the restoration of the world's largest plane, the An-225 "Mriya", destroyed in February 2022 by Russian forces at Gostomel Airport near Kiev. Conservation tasks for the remaining parts have been completed, with a special fund raising around $3 million for these efforts. The fund benefited from selling the plane's rights for Microsoft Flight Simulator. Reconstruction will resume post-conflict, with final costs pending, potentially offset by confiscated Russian plane parts in Canada and Germany.

📍 Luis Gallego, CEO of IAG, has stated that the acquisition of TAP Air Portugal is not a priority and the group's main goal is to maintain financial strength. IAG will carefully evaluate privatization conditions set by the Portuguese government before deciding, expected before the end of September. Despite showing strong financial results and distributing dividends for the first time in five years, IAG faces competition from Air France-KLM and Lufthansa, who are also interested in TAP. In 2023, IAG's revenue rose from €13.6 billion to €14.7 billion.