flydubai finalizes order for 75+25 B737 MAX 8s, 11 B737-800NGs

Int'l carriers suspend Armenia ops as Azeri conflict flares

The escalation of a long-running conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region has seen Ukraine International Airlines (PS, Kyiv Boryspil) and various other carriers cancelling flights to Yerevan.

Both Armenia and Azerbaijan imposed martial law as the countries accused each other for the renewed clashes from September 27, 2020. Heavy artillery fire from both sides resulted in nearly 100 casualties, including civilians, reported BBC and Euronews. Armenia released a picture of an Armenian Su-25 jet it claimed was shot down by a Turkish F-16 on September 29. Turkey, which is backing Azerbaijan, denied the claim. Following calls for a ceasefire from France, Russia and the US, Armenia on October 2 said it was prepared to engage with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to re-establish a ceasefire.

The disputed region is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, but ethnic Armenians have controlled the territory since a 1988-1994 war between the two former Soviet republics. The latest fighting was the heaviest seen in the long-running conflict since 2016, reports...

Traffic demand low despite Jordan's reopening

Travel demand at Jordan’s Amman Queen Alia Airport has remained low since it reopened to international commercial traffic earlier this month, says the Airport International Group (AIG).

AIG, a consortium of local and international partners that manages the airport on behalf of the Kingdom, said in a statement that passenger numbers were 95.29% lower during the first two weeks of resuming regular flights on September 8, 2020, compared with the same period in 2019. Aircraft movements decreased by 92.51% during the same period of comparison, AIG said. During the same period in 2019, a total of 365,451 passengers had travelled through QAIA, while the airport had registered 3,243 aircraft movements.

Nevertheless, QAIA welcomed a total of 17,199 passengers on 123 international commercial passenger aircraft movements (ACM) arriving from 22 destinations, while 120 international commercial flights had departed to 23 destinations.

AIG said 22 airlines had recommenced flights at QAIA, including Royal Jordanian, Jordan Aviation, Emirates, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Fly Jordan, flydubai, Etihad Airways,...

Sri Lankan gov't waives fees for Hambantota, Ratmalana

Sri Lanka's Minister of Tourism, Prasanna Ranatunga, decreed on September 8, 2020, that all landing and parking charges at Hambantota and Colombo Ratmalana airports have been waived for one year in a bid to attract foreign airlines.

The Ministry of Finance is separately working on enacting the waiver of airport tax at Hambantota airport, having already received the go-ahead from the prime minister. The government has also resolved to subsidise fuel for foreign airlines serving the airport. Tamil-language daily Virakesari reported that negotiations with state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation are ongoing.

Ranatunga said that the government hoped to secure sustained international traffic to Hambantota within the next six months. The Director of Operations at Airport and Aviation Services Ltd (AASL), Shehan Sumanasekara, told the Business Times that the focus would be on cargo services, although passenger flights were also targeted. AASL has reportedly held "serious-level discussions with IndiGo Airlines, Air India, flydubai, and MAI - Myanmar Airways International", as well as with Emirates.

Sumanasekra added that AASL would look at options...

Uganda Airlines confirms A330neo due in 4Q20