Panama and Venezuela in tit-for-tat over reciprocal rights

India's SpiceJet hopes to resume MAX flights by end-1Q21

SpiceJet (SG, Delhi Int'l) is hoping to recertify its B737-8 aircraft and resume the type's operations by the end of the first quarter of 2021, sources told CNBC-TV18 broadcaster.

The Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has yet to issue any official guidance on the recertification of the Boeing narrowbodies currently in the country. According to sources, the Indian regulator is waiting for the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to issue final clearance rather than rely on the US Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) November directive.

That said, EASA is expected to greenlight the B737 MAX in its jurisdiction shortly. The European regulator published a draft directive recertifying the type in late November, mostly following steps taken by the FAA. Once the European regulator clears the MAX, the DGCA plans to conduct its own safety checks.

To alleviate the regulator's concerns on pilot training, Boeing last year set up a B737 MAX simulator at CAE's facility near New Delhi.

SpiceJet has thirteen grounded B737-8s. It also has an additional 129...

Canada's WestJet to restart MAX ops in early 1Q21

WestJet (WS, Calgary) has joined the list of airlines announcing firm B737 MAX service resumption plans, with the type's first flights slated for January 21, 2021.

"While we don't have final confirmation on when Transport Canada will open Canadian airspace to the B737 MAX aircraft, in the interest of transparency we are sharing our intent to fly once this confirmation is received... The deliberate, detailed and independent scrutiny applied by Transport Canada's National Aircraft Certification team, which prescribed additional requirements to pilot procedures and training, provides further confidence in the aircraft and its safe return," President and Chief Executive Ed Sims said.

The airline plans to initially operate proving flights starting in mid-January 2021. As of January 21, it plans to deploy its B737-8s 3x weekly between Toronto Pearson and Calgary. WestJet said that this minimal schedule would remain in place for the first four weeks as it evaluates "further routes and additional frequencies". Passengers will still have access to multiple alternative flights as WestJet serves the Toronto-Calgary route up to 6x...

Argentina allows int’l ops to resume, Andes plots resumption

Australia's Alliance Airlines takes E190, eyes Virgin co-op

Alliance Airlines (QQ, Brisbane Int'l) took delivery of its first ERJ 190-100AR on October 28, 2020, as it gears up for the renewal of its Fokker Aircraft fleet and eyes expanded cooperation with Virgin Australia (VA, Brisbane Int'l).

N922QQ (msn 19000222), an 11.5-year-old regional jet previously operated by Copa Airlines (CM, Panamá City Tocumen Int'l), was ferried from San José Juan Santamaría via San Diego Brown Field, Honolulu, and Tarawa to Brisbane Int'l, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows. The aircraft will be re-registered as VH-UYZ in Australia.

The Embraer jet is the first of 14 which Alliance Airlines has acquired from Azorra Aviation. It has a further five options for the same type. Alliance Airlines has yet to schedule the commercial debut of the E190.

The carrier said in August that the E190s will be used to renew its all-Fokker fleet, without going into details about the scale of phase-outs. Currently, Alliance Airlines operates twenty-four Fokker 100s, five Fokker 50s,...