Three budget airlines to become one

Three high-profile low-cost air carriers in South Korea will soon be just one. 

Jin Air, Air Busan and Air Seoul will merge into a single airline, news hub Travel Mole reports. 

The trio will become a single entity on March 17, 2027, creating the country’s largest budget carrier.

The airlines’ boards approved the merger agreement this month but the deal still requires shareholder approval in December and regulatory clearances before the new airline can begin operating.

The combined carrier will operate under the Jin Air name, while the Air Busan and Air Seoul brands will disappear.

The merger follows the planned integration of parent companies Korean Air and Asiana Airlines. 

Korean Air is scheduled to complete its merger with Asiana on December 17, 2026. 

The three low-cost airlines had a combined fleet of 58 aircraft at the end of 2025. That would put the new carrier ahead of T’way Air and Jeju Air by fleet size, making it South Korea’s biggest LCC.

Jin Air plans to combine the three airlines’ fleets, routes, maintenance operations and other resources to generate economies of scale. 

Airlines angered by European airport chaos

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European airlines are among those to have issued a letter to European Union Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen, warning that the rollout of the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) is causing major operational disruption and threatening the smooth functioning of summer air travel.

While the aviation sector continues to support the objectives of the biometric border control system, industry leaders say its implementation is creating severe bottlenecks at external Schengen borders, resulting in excessive waiting times, flight disruptions and growing pressure on airports, airlines and border authorities.

According to the open letter, passengers are already experiencing waits of up to five hours at border control since the full implementation of the EES in April, news portal Travel Mole reports.

The delays are affecting millions of travellers, inconveniencing families, elderly passengers and those with reduced mobility, while airlines are reporting missed connections, delayed departures and mounting operational challenges for frontline staff.

The industry argues that these problems persist despite member states making use of temporary measures allowing border authorities to postpone biometric data collection until early September. 

Although intended to ease the transition, the flexibility has failed to eliminate long queues or prevent operational disruption.

With July and August expected to bring around 40 million more passengers through European airports than the previous two months, aviation organisations warn that the situation is likely to deteriorate rapidly unless additional action is taken.

The concerns extend beyond Europe’s largest hubs. Airports serving popular leisure destinations are also struggling to process arriving passengers efficiently, with travellers reportedly queuing outside terminal buildings while airlines face departures with passengers still waiting at immigration checkpoints.

Industry leaders also caution that prolonged border delays could damage Europe’s reputation as an attractive travel destination. 

They argue that reports of lengthy immigration queues are already discouraging some international visitors, potentially affecting tourism, air connectivity and the wider European economy.

The letter also challenges recent comments from the European Commission suggesting that long waiting times are primarily the result of airline scheduling and concentrated flight arrivals. 

Aviation stakeholders reject that explanation, noting that airline schedules are planned well in advance and that passenger demand patterns have long been predictable. They argue the EES rollout should have been designed to accommodate known traffic peaks rather than disrupt airport operations.

Leading travel agent urges clients not to panic

One of Australia's leading travel agents has urged clients not to panic over the crisis sparked by Donald Trump in the Middle East.

"As parts of the world experience temporary travel disruptions, we wanted to keep you informed and reassure you that we will continue to support you," Mary Rossi Travel told clients in a newsletter.

"At this stage, there is no need to make any changes to travel plans scheduled for April 2026 onwards.

"While the situation continues to evolve, we are closely monitoring developments across the Middle East and staying up to date through airlines, government authorities, and our partners on the ground.

"We are also working directly with our airline partners to understand their policies around rescheduling and cancellations, ensuring we can provide the most accurate and timely guidance.

"In the short term, access to Europe is currently more limited as some travellers are choosing to reroute via Asia; however, availability beyond the next few weeks is expected to stabilise.

"Encouragingly, the majority of destinations worldwide continue to operate as normal, and many of our clients are currently travelling and enjoying their holidays without disruption.

"While some airlines - including Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways - are currently operating with reduced services, we remain optimistic that regular schedules will resume in the near future."

So there you go.

Image: Walter Pucher, Scop,io     

Singapore cracks down on undesirables

Planning to visit Singapore? Better make sure you don't have any skeletons in your closet.

Around 41,800 foreigners deemed undesirable have been turned away at Singaporean checkpoints in the first 11 months of 2025 - and would-be visitors will face even greater scrutiny from 2026.

A new "no-boarding" directive initiative will mean the unwanted will not even get to board flights to Singapore, let alone make it to the immigration desks.

From January, Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Emirates, Turkish Airlines and AirAsia will implement the NBD directive, with more airlines to follow in March.

The new move will bar travellers from boarding their flights if they are found to be ineligible for entry into Singapore, the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said.

Undesirable or prohibited immigrants, and those who do not meet Singapore’s entry requirements, will not be allowed to board flights bound for Singapore.

The ICA currently uses advance traveller information, including that provided in the arrival card, flight manifests and other sources of data, to identify high-risk travellers when they arrive at checkpoints. These travellers are flagged for more stringent checks when they clear immigration.

Now airlines that receive an NBD notice must not allow these travellers on board.

The move aims to strengthen Singapore’s border security by keeping potential threats from reaching the country in the first place.

Airline operators that fail to comply with an NBD notice will be guilty of a strict liability offence.

If a pilot of the aircraft or an employee of the airline operator enables a person subjected to an NBD to board an aircraft, he or she will be liable on conviction to a fine of up to S$10,000 or imprisonment for a term of up to six months, or both.

The Straits Times reported that the 41,800 foreigners turned away so far this year represents a jump of 26% over 2024 and 46% more than those refused entry in 2023.

Is one of the most famous airline names set for a comeback?

One of the most famous airline brands in the world could be set for a comeback more than 30 years after going out of business.

Pan American World Airways, originally founded as Pan American Airways, was once the largest international air carrier and was the unofficial flag carrier of the US for much of the 20th century.

The first airline to fly worldwide, it pioneered innovations such as jumbo jets and computerised reservation systems.

Now Pan Am Global Holdings, the entity managing the Pan Am brand, has announced it is exploring the feasibility of reintroducing Pan Am as a scheduled commercial airline.

Craig Carter, CEO of Pan Am Global Holdings, has said the initiative "aims to honour Pan Am's legacy while adopting a sustainable and forward-thinking approach to modern air travel".

The company has filed for a Part 121 scheduled operator license in the US, travel news hub Travel Mole reports.

It is working with consulting firm AVi8 Air Capital, which has formulated a start-up business plan.

The firm says it has experienced airline professionals in place to assist with the certification process and has support from lessors.

It is suggested the revived Pan Am would operate Airbus aircraft and be based in Miami.

The original Pan Am was founded 98 years ago but shut down in 1991.

Canadians say "no thanks" to flights to the US

Canadians are voting with their wallets when it comes to choosing whether or not to travel to the US.

Donald Trump's continued threats to make Canada "the 51st state" of the US are having a major effect on air travel demand.

ICE arrests at US borders are apparently also hitting hard as air travel demand between Canada and the US has plummeted by more than 70%, aviation analytics company OAG reports. See oag.com/

It could be a long-term issue, too, industry news hub Travel Mole reports.

Major capacity cuts have been made throughout the northern hemisphere summer until October 2025.

Comparing the total number of scheduled one-way seats between the two countries filed on March 3 and those filed on March 24, shows that over 320,000 seats have been removed by airlines operating between the two countries through to the end of October.

The most noticeable cuts are in July and August - the two peak summer season months - where airlines have cut capacity by some 3.5%

Advance bookings are down as much as 76%, OAG says.

Some Canada travel agencies have also noted a lack of demand, and in many cases cancellations of existing bookings, as well as for cruise vacations departing the US.

Canadian airline WestJet has added an additional 114 flights to Europe as it actively places capacity outside of the US with Dublin and Edinburgh are two airports benefiting from changes in capacity.

Airlines crack down hard on power banks

It is always nice to arrive at your destination with both your mobile phone and power bank fully charged.

But airlines are cracking down on the use of power banks in flight due to the potential fire risks associated with the lithium-based batteries used by the charging devices.

Effective April 1, Singapore Airlines and Scoot customers will not be allowed to charge portable power banks via onboard USB ports, or to use power banks to charge their personal devices, throughout the duration of the flight.

Thai Airways and AirAsia have also joined the list of airlines which now ban the battery packs being used, or charged, during a flight.

The restrictions follow moves by airlines in South Korea and Taiwan, which have tightened rules on power banks due to the potential fire risks.

The SIA Group complies with the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations regarding the carriage of power banks, which are classified as lithium batteries.

This means power banks must be carried in cabin baggage on all SIA flights and are not permitted in checked baggage.

Customers may bring power banks with a capacity of up to 100Wh without special approval, while those between 100Wh and 160Wh require airline approval.

"We seek customers’ understanding that safety will always be our top priority," SIA said in a statement..

So make sure your phones are fully charged when you disembark. 

Which can be hard if you are using your phone to watch content, and even worse if your seat does not have a USB charging slot. Which still happens. 

Image: Solar power bank. scopi.io 

Airline employee allegedly targets celebrities

Look out if you are a celebrity.

Staff of the airline you are flying with might just be leaking your flight info.

Perhaps to paparazzi, maybe to stalkers. Who knows?

An incident involving South Korean boy band BTS (I thought that was the Bangkok Transport System, but there you go) recently hit the headlines.

Police are investigating an airline employee who is suspected of leaking flight details of celebrities, including those of the K-Pop stars.

South Korean police detained a woman in her 30s who is accused of selling the data.

The flight information leaked covers travel in 2023 and 2024 and allegedly covers hundreds of flights.

The woman has not been named, but works for an Asian airline.

She is suspected of using the airline’s systems to access passenger flight details including seat numbers, news portal Travel Mole reported.

South Korea police said they could expand the investigation to other people linked to the scheme.

“I initially obtained the boarding information at the request of an acquaintance, and later sold it for money,” the woman reportedly told police.

Image: Jan Niepel, Scopio 

Lufthansa Group swallows up Italian flagship airline

Lufthansa Group has taken a key move to controlling Italian flagship carrier ITA Airways. 

 
An approved transaction of a capital increase of 325 million euros by Deutsche Lufthansa AG to ITA Airways was finalised this week. 

ITA Airways is now part of the Lufthansa Group and is the fifth airline in the growing network. 

We look forward to continuing the impressive success story of ITA Airways together,” said Carsten Spohr, Chief Executive Officer Deutsche Lufthansa AG. 

"ITA Airways and Lufthansa Group customers will be able to benefit from the first joint programs and offers from this summer flight schedule."

The deal was approve by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF). 

As a result, the Lufthansa Group has a 41% stake with the remaining 59% initially continuing to be held by MEF.

"The ITA Airways team has written an impressive success story in recent years and, with great energy, passion and expertise, has built an airline that is already the pride of an entire nation," Spohr added. 

"We look forward to continuing this success story of ITA Airways together. With our investment, we will now strengthen the Italian and European aviation market and the position of the Lufthansa Group as number one in Europe."

ITA Airways frequent flyers will now be able to collect their points or miles either in ITA Airways' existing Volare program or in Miles & More, the Lufthansa Group's loyalty program. 

Joerg Eberhart has been appointed as new CEO of ITA Airways, taking over previously performed on an interim basis by Antonino Turicchi and Andrea Benassi.

The Lufthansa Group will provide further information at a press conference in Rome on February 3, it said in a statement. 

The group comprises Lufthansa Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and now ITA, which was founded in 2021 following the demise of Alitalia.

Airlines can't stay on schedule; but blame air traffic controllers

Remember how airlines promised improved on-time performances post-Covid.

It isn't happening. But the airlines are blaming air traffic controllers.

On-time air travel performance in Europe last year was one of the worst for many years, the Travel Mole portal reports.

There was a notable increase in delays and costs impacting airlines with millions of passengers disrupted.

The recently-released Performance Review Report (PRR) from Eurocontrol, shows over 25% of flights did not arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled time.

En-route Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) delays in 2023 were the second highest over the past 20 years and exceeded the figure for 2019, even though that year had a higher level of air traffic.

Total ATFM delays in 2023 reached 18.1 million minutes, which is the equivalent of 301,000 hours.

The report suggests inadequate levels of recruitment of air traffic controllers will add to the pressure on Europe’s airspace.

Airlines for Europe (A4E) is calling for a rethink of how Europe’s airspace is managed in order to meet the targets for performance.

Ourania Georgoutsakou, MD of A4E said: “Airspace is a critical infrastructure for Europe and the latest performance review shows that it is creaking at the seams.

"Over one in four flights delayed is simply unacceptable for airlines and their passengers.”

Image: Alvin Niwan, Scop.io 

Asian airlines place major aircraft order

Two leading Asian air carriers have confirmed big aircraft orders over the past week, signalling growing confidence in the sector.

Japan Airlines has signed deals with both Airbus and Boeing to refresh its long-haul fleet,

Travel Mole reports.

JAL is ordering 21 Airbus A350-900 jets and 10 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.

It also ordered 11 Airbus A321neos - a very uncomfortable plane for anything other than short-haul flights. It is a new aircraft model for the airline.

The airline will deploy most of the new A350s on international routes.

Deliveries for the A350s and the Dreamliners are expected to begin in 2027, while JAL will start receiving the Airbus A321neos in 2028.

National flag carrier Korean Air, meanwhile, has ordered 33 Airbus A350s, comprising 27 of the largest version of the aircraft - the A350-1000 and six A350-900s.

These will refresh its long-haul fleet as it gradually retires older jets including Boeing 777s.

 

Flights between Israel and South Africa to suddenly end

Just ask the people of Gaza how accomplished Israel is at taking revenge.

And it now appears the national airline of Israel, El Al, is equally good at that art. 

El Al Israel Airlines has said it will scrap its South Africa route and end flights to Johannesburg within a few weeks.

Just coincidentally, the decision followed South Africa's International Court of Justice action against Israel over genocide against Palestinians.

The airline has said it will end all of its Johannesburg flights from the end of March 2024.

The long-standing service has been operated for close to 50 years, being an important link between South Africa and Israel.

The airline is the sole carrier operating flights between Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport and Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport.

This service is the only direct scheduled service between the two countries, meaning that it is an important connection for South African communities living in Israel, as well as South Africa’s Jewish communities who travel to Israel from Johannesburg.

There is a large Jewish population, particularly in Johannesburg's northern suburbs.

El Al Airlines said it will be scrapping its direct flights to South Africa due to "a significant fall in demand by Israeli travellers".

The axing of Johannesburg flights will allow El Al to expand the frequencies of its flights to other destinations, the airline said.

Here we go again. Europe readies for strikes

Thousands of peak summer flights across Europe could be grounded with air traffic controllers threatening strike action, Travel Mole reports.

Staff employed by Eurocontrol have said they will strike over both pay and work conditions, including low staffing levels.

The Eurocontrol organisation manages air traffic within European airspace.

Air traffic strike action could be announced as early as Monday, The Times reported.

“In a full-blown strike, 20 to 30% of flights would be at least delayed,” a source quoted by the newspaper said.

That could see as many as 12,000 flights a day impacted.

About 33,000 flights a day are scheduled in Europe during the summer peak period.

Management at Eurocontrol reportedly said air traffic strike action by members of one of its trade unions, Union Syndicale Bruxelles, is "inevitable".
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Raul Medina, the director general of Eurocontrol, has said: “Recent industrial action caused many delays across the network.

“We can manage situations like that, but if it happens in the middle of summer, it will be much more challenging.”

Image: Jan Niepel, Scop.io

More dickheads are flying than ever before

There was a big increase in unruly airline passenger incidents involving physical abuse last year.

While still relatively rare, the rate jumped by 61% in 2022, the International Air Transport Association says.

IATA released new analysis showing there was one non-violent unruly incident reported every 568 flights in 2022, up from one per 835 flights in 2021.

The most common causes were non-compliance, verbal abuse and intoxication.

Physical abuse incidents occurred once every 17,200 flights.

“The increasing trend of unruly passenger incidents is worrying," said Conrad Clifford, IATA’s Deputy Director General.

 "Passengers and crew are entitled to a safe and hassle-free experience. 

“There is no excuse for not following the instructions of the crew.”

Non-compliance incidents initially fell after mask mandates were removed on most flights, Travel Mole reported.

The frequency began to rise again throughout 2022, however, and ended the year 37% up on 2021.

The most common examples of non-compliance were smoking or vaping in the cabin or toilets, failure to fasten seatbelts and passengers drinking their own alcohol on board.

IATA called on governments to ensure there is the necessary legal mechanism to prosecute unruly passengers.

“The vast majority of intoxication incidents occur from alcohol consumed prior to the flight,” it said.

“The support of airport bars and restaurants to ensure responsible consumption is particularly important.

“We all have a responsibility to behave with respect for other passengers and the crew.”

Image: Erica Vigilante, Scop.io 

Travel is back baby, as airlines start turning a profit

The travel industry continues its post-Covid bounce back with airlines starting to report positive figures.

IAG, the parent company of British Airways, reported this week that it saw a quarterly January to March profit for the first time since 2019.

BA made €9m (£7.9m) in operating airline profit, citing higher yields with lower fuel costs for the turnaround, Travel Mole reported.

It lost £660m during the same period in 2022.

Routes from Europe to both North and South America have recovered to pre-pandemic levels, IAG said, but it reported business travel is still sluggish.

“IAG has delivered a strong first quarter financial performance, as group airlines recovered capacity to close to pre-pandemic levels,” said CEO Luis Gallego.

“All our airlines performed above expectations.

“We are seeing healthy forward bookings with leisure demand strong.”

IAG says it will still be slightly short of a full pre-pandemic recovery by the end of 2023 but expects to be at 97% of 2019 levels by then.

The IAG company also operates airlines including Iberia, Aer Lingus and Vueling.

That gold must be somewhere: massive heist at Toronto airport

Toronto's Lester Pearson Airport was a complete shambles when I was unfortunate enough to use it last year.

So it comes as no surprise to hear that millions of dollars worth of gold and other-high value goods went missing at the airport - and no one has a clue how it happened.

Canadian police are investigating the theft of at least $20 million in gold from a container that was being shipped through the airport, Travel Mole reports.

The entire container apparently disappeared without anyone noticing.

“Our investigators have got their eyes opened to all avenues - we’re looking at all angles on how this item was stolen,” said Peel Regional Police Inspector Stephen Duivesteyn.

“What I can say is that the container had a high-value shipment. It did contain gold but was not exclusive to gold and contained other items of monetary value.”

Local media reported that more than 1,600kg of gold was in the container.

Police said there was no impact to normal airport and passenger operations.

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority said the thieves accessed the cargo holding area via an adjacent company which has its entrance outside secure areas of the airport.

No arrests have been made yet. 

Chinese tourists ready to take flight

After several years of restrictions, an increasing number of Chinese are expected to embark on outbound journeys with Thailand, New Zealand and the Maldives among their most popular destinations.

The Middle East and Europe are also set grow in popularity for Chinese tourists, the China Daily newspaper reported.

After three years of Covid-19 disruptions, China downgraded its pandemic response measures and re-started quarantine-free cross-border travel in January.

Chinese tourists have shown an increasing willingness to explore unconventional destinations, the newspaper said.

The Middle East is expected to emerge as a key tourism destination as more Chinese have shown a growing interest in traveling to the region.

On March 10, China, Saudi Arabia and Iran issued a joint statement in Beijing, stating that Saudi Arabia and Iran had agreed to resume diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies and missions within two months.

Currently, there are direct flights available that connect Chinese mainland cities with Tehran in Iran, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

China has resumed outbound group tours to 60 countries, and most of them have cancelled the requirement to provide negative Covid tests.

The first list of 20 countries was unveiled in early February, followed by the second list of 40 destinations in March. Travel agencies and online tourism service providers can offer group tours to these destinations, the tourism ministry said.

"Many overseas destinations in the second list boast huge potential to attract Chinese travellers," said Li Peng, director of long-haul outbound tourism at Tuniu Corp, a Nanjing-based online travel agency.

"In the past month, we have received a large number of inquires about travel to Iran and other countries in the Middle East. Demand for group tours to Vietnam, Nepal and Latin American countries is also on the rise.

"With further recovery of the market and outbound tourists' emerging demand, travel agencies have more preparations to make in order to develop more travel products and resources, and raise the quality of their services,"

The tourism segment is on track to a faster recovery given the trend of further opening-up, experts told the China Daily.

Tongcheng Travel, a Suzhou-based online travel agency, said demand for overseas trips had been rising.

Tongcheng Travel also found that Chinese tourists have shown a big interest in going on group tours to the Middle East.

Airlines are beefing up flight schedules to meet demand.

"We have attached significance to the China market and are confident in its growth potential," said Chan Cheong Eu, Qatar Airways' senior manager for North Asia.

"This year marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Qatar, and we will further contribute to the trade, cultural and personnel communications between the two countries."

Beijing is the fifth Chinese city to be served by Qatar Airways after the pandemic. The other four are Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Hangzhou.

"With China's reopening and the restart of the aviation and tourism industries, we are very glad to see the long overdue move of our scheduled services to Beijing Daxing, which will further strengthen our commitment to the country's aviation market development and Chinese travellers," said Arik De, chief revenue officer of Etihad Airways.

Image: Rubie Ann Agcol, Scop.io

Virgin Australia re-boots flights to Samoa

Virgin Australia has resumed flights to Samoa with up to two flights a week between Sydney-Apia and Brisbane-Apia.

Virgin has also launched a 72-hour Samoa sale, with return airfares available from $549 (economy lite).

Both routes will be serviced by Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Virgin Australia Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer Alistair Hartley said the return was welcome news for travellers across the Pacific.

“There is a strong Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) market in Samoa," he said. 

“It’s an exciting step in the rebuilding of our short-haul international network and comes ahead of our return to Vanuatu later this month.

“Samoa is well-known for its rich culture and friendly locals and has been a popular destination in the Virgin Australia network since 2005.”

Samoa Tourism Authority CEO Pativaine Petaia-Tevita said: “The return of Virgin Australia flights from Australia to Samoa is wonderful news for the nation, boosting collective efforts to rebuild and recover Samoa’s visitor economy.

“With a diverse flight schedule it means more and more travellers will be able to make their way to us to experience Fa`a-Samoa, our beautiful culture and way of life.”

For more information or to book, visit virginaustralia.com.

Which country now has two airlines - both as national flag carriers

Saudi Arabia has unveiled a new national airline.

To Middle Eastern powerhouses Emirates, Etihad, Saudia, Qatar Airways and Oman Air add newcomer Riyadh Air.

The new airline will be led by CEO Tony Douglas, an ex-Etihad executive, and is wholly owned by sovereign wealth fund PIF.

The Saudi airline is aiming to operate to more than 1000 destinations by 2030, Travel Mole reports.

It is predicted that Riyadh Air will generate up to $US20 billion for Saudi Arabia’s non-oil GDP growth through tourism and trade, state news agency SPA said.

The airline will be based at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the new carrier, which will operate alongside head of state-owned Saudia while serving different destinations.

Saudi Arabia is now home to two national airlines, both serving as the kingdom's flag carriers.

Another airline bites the dust in testing times

Another established airline has gone out of business in the difficult economic period following the pandemic.

Mexican airline Aeromar announced this week it is going out of business with immediate effect, saying it has been unable to work through its financial difficulties.

The airline was founded in 1987 and operated 21 domestic routes and also flew to McAllen and Laredo in Texas, as well as Cuba. 

Aeromar operated mostly short flights to beach resorts out of Mexico City with a fleet of ATR planes. It has a workforce of about 700.

The airline had faced financial problems even before Covid.

“Measures taken were not sufficient to stabilise the company’s situation,” it said in a statement.

Other recent airline closures include British-based FlyBe, and Norwegian-based Flyr.