Pilar Wolfsteller
Pilar Wolfsteller, Americas Air Transport Editor, is based in Las Vegas and brings a pilot’s perspective to her beat. She covers airlines across the hemisphere and her interests also include future-oriented sustainable aviation technology and urban air mobility projects. Pilar began her journalism career at the global news agencies Bloomberg and Reuters, and has reported from more than 50 countries.
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InterviewHow Western Air’s Sherrexcia Rolle helps the family business fly
For Sherrexcia Rolle, the path to the airline C-suite began as a child on Andros Island, helping out at the airport where her parents established the Bahamas’ now thriving Western Air.
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Spirit, JetBlue trade more barbs in takeover saga
JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines have traded more barbs as the Spirit board continues to fend off a JetBlue hostile takeover attempt, and move forward with its proposed merger with Frontier Airlines.
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Northern Pacific Airways to wet-lease aircraft when it launches
Start-up US carrier Northern Pacific Airways, which intends to begin flights later this year, has applied with US authorities to fly between the USA and two Asian countries, initially using jets wet-leased from another carrier.
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Airline unions favour Spirit-Frontier tie-up
Unions representing US airline workers are voicing support for a Frontier Airlines-Spirit Airlines tie-up, while expressing opposition to JetBlue Airways’ competing hostile offer for the ultra-low-cost carrier.
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JetBlue accuses Spirit of bad faith in negotiations
JetBlue Airways has come out swinging against Spirit Airlines just days after launching its hostile takeover plan in an attempt to beat out Frontier Airlines in the increasingly bitter tug-of-war for the Florida-based ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC).
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Spirit will review JetBlue’s new offer, advises shareholders to sit tight
Spirit Airlines says it will review a new hostile takeover offer from JetBlue Airways but advised shareholders to take no action at this time.
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Gol CEO Kakinoff to step down, Ferrer to take helm
Longtime Gol chief executive Paolo Kakinoff will step down from his post in July, with current chief operating officer Celso Ferrer to succeed him as CEO.
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United to ‘gradually’ return PW4000-powered 777s to service from 26 May
At the end of this month, United Airlines plans to begin “gradually” reintroducing to service its 52 Pratt & Whitney PW4000-powered Boeing 777s that have been grounded since February 2021 following an in-flight engine failure.
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FAA eVTOL certification changes could affect pilot training requirements
Developers of next-generation electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are taking the news that the Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing the certification requirements for the aircraft in their stride.
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Copa touts business model in the face of Abra challenge
Copa Airlines is confident it can overcome challenges the new tie-up between Avianca and Gol will present in Latin America, though the deal does create uncertainty about Copa’s planned joint venture with Avianca and United Airlines, Copa’s chief executive says.
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Copa posts $20m profit in first quarter, warns of high jet fuel prices
Copa Holdings, the parent of Panama’s Copa Airlines, says the first quarter of 2022 was profitable, but higher jet fuel prices will weigh on earnings during the next few months.
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Spirit shareholders will vote on Frontier proposal on 10 June
Spirit Airlines’ shareholders will vote on the acquisition proposal from Frontier Airlines early next month, the company has said in a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
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LATAM sees ‘substantial improvement’ in quarterly results
LATAM Airlines Group reports “substantial improvement” in earnings during the first quarter of 2022, though market conditions remained challenging for the Chilean flag carrier.
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Hawaiian invests in Regent seagliders
Hawaiian Airlines has made a strategic investment in all-electric seaglider developer Regent, viewing the company’s in-development craft as having potential to operate inter-island routes.
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Avianca and Gol join to form holding company
Latin American carriers Avianca and Gol have agreed to join operations under a UK-based holding company while maintaining individual brands, a move intended to create long-term stability in the post-coronavirus environment.
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NTSB blames FAA for fatal air tour helicopter crash
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has blamed the Federal Aviation Administration for failing to implement safety recommendations that could have prevented a fatal helicopter crash in Hawaii in 2019.
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Republic Airways seeks exemption from 1,500h pilot rule to alleviate shortage
US regional carrier Republic Airways has filed for an exemption to pilot aeronautical experience requirements set by the Federal Aviation Administration, in an effort to alleviate the pilot shortage.
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Mesa fiscal second quarter ‘very disappointing’
Mesa Airlines, which flies regional jets for United Airlines, American Airlines as well as Boeing 737 freighters for DHL, continues to suffer under pilot attrition, leading it to post a loss for the second quarter of fiscal 2022.
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Archer co-founder Adcock resigns from board weeks after leaving CEO post
Archer Aviation co-founder Brett Adcock has resigned from the company’s board of directors effective immediately, less than three weeks after he stepped down from the co-chief executive post.
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Corporate travel, cargo drives Azul’s earnings higher
Brazil’s Azul reported sharply higher revenue during the first quarter of 2022 as corporate travel increases and the company’s logistics business thrives.
