Frontier retires the last American-based A318 from service

Jet Airways (9W, Mumbai Int'l) has reportedly approached global private equity funds, including Blackstone, TPG, and Indigo Partners, to raise USD350-400 million in fresh capital to help it survive a cash crunch, The Economic Times has reported.

Indigo Partners already has stakes in a number of LCCs around the world, including Wizz Air, Frontier Airlines, Volaris, and JetSMART. Jet Airways could potentially become the group's maiden investment in a full-service airline.

The new investment would most likely be completed through a new share issuance. Jet Airways' current market capitalisation stands at around USD450 million. As such, if the airline succeeds in its bid to raise up to USD400 million from the funds, it would lead to the halving of current shareholders' stakes.

Jet Airways has also reportedly approached its code-share partner Delta Air Lines over a potential investment. The Indian airline's main foreign equity partner, Etihad Airways, which owns a 24% stake, is unwilling to inject more capital after it had lost billions of dollars on its other...

Silver Airways (3M, Fort Lauderdale Int'l) has abandoned plans to establish a base in Branson, Missouri this summer following delays in the type certification of the ATR42-600 by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

As the type's US launch operator, Silver Airways had intended to use its incoming fleet of ATR42-600s to run regular flights from Branson to each of Chicago O'Hare, Houston Intc'l, and New Orleans Int'l from June 28 onwards. That date was subsequently postponed to August 30 before being abandoned out right earlier this week.

Branson Airport said in a statement that the type certification process would not be completed any time before the start of autumn.

“We were disappointed to learn of the news of the ATR certification delay,” Jeff Bourk, Branson Airport Executive Director, said in a statement. “As we work with Silver Airways during this period of adjustment, normal operations continue with Frontier Airlines (F9, Denver Int'l) and ViaAir (VC, Orlando Int'l) at the Branson Airport.”

According to the ch-aviation...

US-based low-cost carrier specialist Indigo Partners has acquired an unspecified amount of equity in Argentine start-up Alas del Sur (Córdoba Int'l), Chile's El Mercurio newspaper has reported.

Citing sources familiar with developments, the report said the purchase took place on Thursday, June 28, via Indigo's JetSMART (JA, Santiago de Chile Int'l) unit, based in Chile. Although not officially confirmed, the deal has garnered approval from the Argentine Ministry of Transport. While the extent of the purchase was not revealed, Argentine law requires at least 51% of a locally-registered carrier to be controlled by citizens or related entities.

Alas del Sur is controlled by Argentine businessman Damián Toscano and other partners and has been granted route authorities for multiple domestic and international city pairs. It has also added an MD-88, N218JP (msn 53305), to its books presumably as part of its AOC drive.

The start-up had earlier been linked to talks with various Chinese investors although their outcome is currently unknown.

For its part, Indigo Partners owns/has significant shareholdings in JetSMART...

Midwest Express Airlines (Milwaukee General Mitchell) has raised USD750,000 through the sale of debt securities, an SEC filing has revealed. The start-up. A spokeswoman for the start-up said plans were afoot to hold another sale in the near future.

According to the Milwaukee Business Journal, Midwest Express has three executive officers, including Greg Aretakis, a former vice president at both Midway Airlines (1993) (JI, Raleigh/Durham) and Frontier Airlines (F9, Denver Int'l), as its president.

The other executives are Rick Kummerow, an experienced consultant who will serve as the company's vice president and treasurer, and vice president and secretary Curt Drumm, the president of Lakeshore Express (Chicago Midway) who has been attached to the project publicly since August 2017.

The start-up has not yet set a definitive timeline for its launch but has indicated a possible 2020 start date.