Covid crisis deepened for airlines in January March 2, 2021 International air traffic fell 86 per cent in January compared to pre-crisis levels
Sadiq Khan urges Rishi Sunak to extend vehicle payment deferrals for taxi drivers March 2, 2021 Sadiq Khan has written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak ahead of tomorrow’s Budget to urge him to extend payment deferral for motor finance agreements so that private hire and taxi drivers can keep their vehicles. Many drivers lease or purchase their cars using financing options. When the pandemic struck, a six month deferral for payments was [...]
Volvo joins race to quit petrol and diesel cars March 2, 2021 Volvo has this morning announced that it will switch to an all-electric range by the end of the decade. The Swedish automaker joins a host of other car makers in announcing a sweeping transition away from petrol and diesel vehicles in recent months. It said that 50 per cent of its global sales should be [...]
Ryanair flies just 500,000 people in February as travel restrictions continue March 2, 2021 Irish carrier Ryanair flew just 500,000 people in February as widespread coronavirus restrictions all but ended air travel. In the same month last year the airline carried 10.5m passengers, but over the last 12 months the pandemic has totally reshaped the aviation industry. Since last March, when the pandemic hit Europe, the airline has flown [...]
FCA ends probe into car dealership Lookers March 2, 2021 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has this morning closed its investigation into car dealer Lookers for the possible miss-selling of products. The regulator said that it would not impose penalties on the FTSE 250 firm, but said it had made its concerns clear about the “historic culture, systems and controls”. As a result, Lookers said [...]
Takeover target Signature Aviation swings to $24m loss March 2, 2021 Takeover target Signature Aviation today hailed its “resilient performance” in 2020 as the private jet firm swung to a $24m (£17.3m) loss before tax. After the worst year in history for aviation, the company said that its flight activity was down just 17 per cent in February, compared to 77 per cent last April. It [...]
Ministers ‘absolutely committed’ to securing future of Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port plant March 1, 2021 Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has said that the government is “absolutely committed” to securing the future of car manufacturing at the Ellesmere Port plant in Cheshire. Over the last week, ministers have been in talks with the plant’s owners Stellantis over whether the company will develop its new Astra model at the plant. Stellantis – [...]
Unemployment claims in London airport communities rise at double the national rate March 1, 2021 The number of people claiming unemployment benefits rose at double the national rate in communities around London’s biggest airports in 2020. The coronavirus pandemic has decimated the travel industry, leading to airlines and airports slashing thousands of jobs to stay afloat. In Hayes and Harlington, Heathrow’s local constituency, the number of people claiming benefits rose [...]
Shares in new Norwegian carrier Flyr soar in debut trade March 1, 2021 Shares in new Norwegian airline Flyr rose nearly 30 per cent today in a promising market debut for the recently-launched firm. The newcomer, which plans to complete its maiden flight by mid-2021, is launching into a market that has been seriously disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. It will focus on domestic flights in its home [...]
European Commission to propose vaccine passport legislation this month March 1, 2021 The European Commission will propose legislation for an EU-wide digital vaccine passport in March, President Ursula von der Leyen said this morning. Speaking to lawmakers this morning, she said: “As for the question of what the digital green passport could look like: we will submit a legislative proposal in March”. Her words come after it [...]