Biden Administration Looks At Blocking JetBlue-Spirit Merger
KEY POINTS:
- The Justice Department is likely to sue to block a pending $3.8 billion merger between JetBlue and Spirit airlines, five people with knowledge of the matter told POLITICO.
- It’s the latest anti-monopoly move by the Biden administration, which has also shown increasing interest in policing air travel.
- The department could file suit as soon as March, some of the people said, though they cautioned that the investigation is ongoing and no final decision has been made. People in the DOJ’s antitrust division have competing opinions about whether to bring a case, according to some of the people interviewed.
- If the department goes ahead, a suit would come at a time of immense upheaval for the airline industry, including the December debacle in which Southwest Airlines canceled more than 16,000 flights during the Christmas holidays. That episode helped stoke anger from consumers and regulators, amid complaints that decades of mergers have left passengers at the mercy of a monolithic airline industry.
Politico
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United 777 Dives to Within 800 Feet of Pacific Ocean
KEY POINTS:
- A United Airlines Boeing 777-200, registered as N212UA, lost more than 1,000 feet of altitude after taking off from Kahului Airport (OGG), Kahului, Hawaii, the United States (US).
- The incident occurred on December 18, 2022, when the aircraft was departing OGG towards its scheduled destination, San Francisco International Airport (SFO). After the United Airlines Boeing 777 left the Hawaiian airport, the aircraft descended steeply, moving from 2,200 feet (670.5 meters) of altitude to 775 ft (236.2 m) in no more than a minute. Its peak vertical speed was -8,192 feet per minute (FPM), according to flightradar24.com data.
- Following the steep descent, the aircraft continued to climb and eventually landed at SFO just over four hours later. No injuries were reported.
- A Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330 experienced severe turbulence on the same day. 36 people were hurt during the incident, including 11 with serious injuries.
Aerotime Hub
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Spirit & Lynn University Team Up to Launch the Airline's First University-Based Pilot Training Program
KEY POINTS:
- Spirit Airlines (NYSE: SAVE) and Lynn University today announced the launch of the Spirit Wings Pilot Pathway program at Lynn's Burton D. Morgan College of Aeronautics in Boca Raton, Florida. The collaboration is a first of its kind for Spirit, allowing students to attend a traditional university while gaining valuable experience toward a future career flying the carrier's signature yellow planes.
- Spirit Wings Pilot Pathway aims to expand the airline's pipeline of professional pilots by offering mentorship, program guidance and a clearly defined path to become a Spirit First Officer.
- Lynn students can apply for the program after completing their sophomore year and obtaining a recommendation from a faculty member in the College of Aeronautics. If successful in Spirit's interview process, they will receive a conditional offer of employment, a Spirit Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) and will be mentored as they work toward completing their degree program and the flight hours required for an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate.
- "This opportunity with Spirit Airlines opens another door for Lynn's highly trained students to advance and achieve success in their future aviation careers," said Mike Petroski, interim dean for Lynn's Burton D. Morgan College of Aeronautics. "The program allows Spirit access to our pool of talented aeronautic students, who in turn will receive mentorship, quality training, and the opportunity to progress to a rewarding career at a commercial airline."
Yahoo Finance
Virgin Atlantic CEO: Tech Layoffs Will Impact Airline Industry
KEY POINTS:
- Virgin Atlantic's chief executive, Shai Weiss, told FOX Business that the multitude of layoffs in the sector – both within the U.S. and the U.K. – "has an impact" on the travel industry.
- "The changes in the tech world, which we are, of course, exposed to… these are big travelers across the Atlantic and beyond," Weiss said.
- For instance, the chief executive noted how the nearly 40-year-old carrier – owned by billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Delta Air Lines – flies to San Francisco, Seattle and Austin, Texas, which "are high conurbation areas for technology companies."
- "When they make decisions to reduce their workforce it will impact the travel industry more broadly," Weiss, who took over in 2019, continued.
- Still, the chief executive's expectation that corporate travelers will return in full scope by year's end hasn't wavered.
Fox Business
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2023 HIRING EVENTS
NGPA | FEB 9-10 | PSP
Women In Aviation | FEB 23-25 | LGB MEET-N-GREET REGISTRATION
Delta Pilot Career Expo | MAR 6 | ATL
American Airlines | MAR 21-22 | Houston (registration link TBD)
Delta Special Military Only Event | MAR 24 | JAX
TPNx | APRIL 21-22 | MCO
PAPA | MAY 18-19 | LAS
OBAP | AUG 9-11 | MSY
