Roundtable Discussion; The Future of Mineral Sands. Watch the video here.
Meanwhile, as Lundgren dithers:"Wizz Air Adds new flights between Britain and Spain""EasyJet, the continent’s second-biggest budget carrier after leader Ryanair, has a strong position flying British holidaymakers to Spain. It said on Thursday it would cut its aircraft numbers and axe 30% of its staff and Wizz air have just taken advantage of this."https://www.euroweeklynews.com/2020/05/31/wizz-air-adds-new-flights-between-britain-and-spain-giving-a-boost-to-the-costa-del-sol-and-benidorms-holiday-industry/
"Challenge to fly straight and true"
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/challenge-to-fly-straight-and-true-7nxfkx30t
NED Moya Greene bought about £50 k worth.
It's almost a month since the last update.
They are going to issue them every 4-6 weeks.
Perhaps next week.
It ought to be good!
"Geneva, 29 May 2020: Wizz Air Holdings Plc ("Wizz Air"), the largest low-cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe, today announces that from 1 July it will open four new bases deploying 11 aircraft and launching over 50 new routes to:
· Milan Malpensa, Italy: Five new based aircraft, 20 new routes
· Larnaca, Cyprus: Two new based aircraft, 11 new routes
· Lviv, Ukraine: One new based aircraft, five new routes
· Tirana, Albania: Three new based aircraft, 15 new routes
József Váradi, Wizz Air's Chief Executive Officer said:
"I am delighted to announce that Wizz Air is expanding its network in Albania, Cyprus, Italy and Ukraine. We see the potential to re-stimulate demand for low-cost travel and contribute to the vital recovery of tourism in these markets. With our new health and safety protocol designed to ensure that our customers and crew can fly safely, we are able to offer more affordable travel opportunities on our extensive network. Wizz Air's ultra-low cost business model and our strong balance sheet provide a significant competitive advantage in the current environment, while also making us a long-term structural winner in the aviation sector."
https://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/WIZZ/14558583.html
"PARIS/LONDON — European low-cost airlines are pressuring airports to slash charges in return for resuming flights, as the COVID-19 shutdown intensifies their race with traditional carriers to lower costs and win post-pandemic business.
In letters shared with Reuters, Wizz Air, Ryanair and easyJet have demanded long-lasting fee discounts or waivers from airports, signalling that the lowest offers will win more returning traffic."
https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/05/28/world/europe/28reuters-health-coronavirus-airlines-airports-focus.html
"In addition to on-demand charter, Air Partner said it is seeing increased interest in its jet card and corporate shuttle programs.
Air Partner said the surge in year-over-year requests comes from both business and leisure travelers.
McCown added, “When booking a flight with Air Partner, travelers work closely with a dedicated account manager who coordinates all aspects of the flight logistics. Available 24/7, Air Partner’s expert team is kept fully briefed on all COVID-19 developments, including the latest in local laws, health regulations, travel restrictions and airport openings.”
Air Partner also taps into its Redline Assured Security to offer travel advice using both human and AI-driven intelligence to assess and mitigate risk for clients flying amid Covid-19. "
https://privatejetcardcomparisons.com/2020/05/27/may-private-jet-flight-requests-at-air-partner-jump-210-year-over-year/
"Jet card and on-demand private jet broker Air Partner says inquiries are for travel through August
A day after Sentient Jet reported quote requests had increased 241% from March lows, private jet charter broker Air Partner says it too is seeing a tidal wave of interest.
The publicly traded seller of jet cards and on-demand charter said in a press release issued this morning that year-over-year inquiries were up 210%.
“We expect that as the travel industry rebounds, private aviation will be extremely busy, including an influx of those who have never flown privately before due to the enhanced safeguarding measures in place. As that time comes, travelers can rest assured that they’re in safe and experienced hands with Air Partner,” said David McCown, Air Partner’s U.S. president."
https://privatejetcardcomparisons.com/2020/05/27/may-private-jet-flight-requests-at-air-partner-jump-210-year-over-year/
"machiato", sorry!
"MILAN (Reuters) - EasyJet (EZJ.L) will not fly to Italy if Rome prolongs social distancing rules on planes beyond June 15, the budget airline’s chief executive said in a newspaper interview.
“It would be impossible for companies to operate with only a third of the seats sold,” Lundgren was quoted as saying by Corriere della Sera on Thursday.
Lundgren said that if Italy were to extend the measure then easyJet would not fly there, adding “it would be harmful to the recovery: the country risks falling behind.”
The easyJet CEO also questioned the 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) Rome will invest in relaunching struggling Italian airline Alitalia, saying any support should be offered to all and at market conditions and should not favour one.
“I don’t question the nationalisation. But the support needs to be available to all, otherwise one creates distortion. Aid allocated in Europe risks going to inefficient carriers.”
Rome is preparing to re-take control of Alitalia after 11 years of private management and three failed restructuring attempts, with its problems exacerbated by the coronavirus crisis that has devastated the airline industry.
“Italy is one of the main markets for easyJet: we have employees here, we carry almost the same number of passengers as Alitalia, we make our contribution to the country. I find it unacceptable that one helps only one airline.
Lundgren also asked for more transparency in the mechanisms for accessing subsidies and for other measures to help the sector, including a reduction in airport taxes.
EasyJet said on Thursday it planned to cut up to 30% of its staff, or 4,500 jobs, and shrink its fleet, to fit the market that will emerge from the coronavirus crisis.
Reporting by Agnieszka Flak; Editing by Alexander Smith"
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-easyjet-italy/easyjet-will-not-fly-to-italy-with-distancing-on-planes-report-idUSKBN2340W3
"A new survey, commissioned by Timetastic.co.uk, of 2002 full-time workers in the UK has shown that the majority have no interest in travelling overseas for the foreseeable future, and instead are eyeing up domestic holidays.
The survey said:
73% of Brits will choose to holiday within the UK, even after Covid-19 travel restrictions have been lifted
Only 19% of people said they would be travelling abroad for their first holiday after travel restrictions are eased
53% were unlikely to visit Italy
43% of people said they’d avoid Spain
58% said they were unlikely to choose to travel to the USA
54% of respondents believe they’ll be able to resume international travel before the end of 2020"
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/05/28/travel-restrictions-air-bridges-could-place-end-june/
There may well be "airbridges" in place but the fear factor may take some time to be overcome.
Lundgren seems to be a "glass half empty" kind of bloke, going by the tone of his comments.
No wonder Stelios wanted to get rid of him and the crew in charge at Easyjet.
Most planes are still grounded but the Ryanair boss said he was “reasonably confident” the airlien could get 50% to 60% of its seats filled by July after a “big surge” in bookings from the UK and Ireland to Portugal, Spain and Italy. O’Leary expects to fly 75m to 80m passengers this year, against pre-pandemic targets of 150m.
Business waiting here for Easyjet.
Sorry, wrong board!
"Most planes are still grounded but the Ryanair boss said he was “reasonably confident” the airlien could get 50% to 60% of its seats filled by July after a “big surge” in bookings from the UK and Ireland to Portugal, Spain and Italy. O’Leary expects to fly 75m to 80m passengers this year, against pre-pandemic targets of 150m."
Business here for Easyjet to take as well.
Astonishing, isn't it? 18m arrivals over the last three months, reportedly only 300 people hospitalised or quarantined, this at a time when many other countries these people were coming from were suffering raging outbreaks but when there were relatively few cases in UK . Then introduce quarantine for people arriving now when most of those other countries are far "cleaner" in terms of present infection and contagion than UK now is. Completely nuts, they are making it up as they go along. MP's will be bombarding Johnson, Han**** and this useless government to try to make them see some sense.
Would Xaar be a worthwhile acquisition for Stratasys? I mean Xaar in total, bought by Stratasys. Not simply Xaar 3D. A bid or negotiated sale at a bit above the present low market cap. Stratasys would get themselves the £25m or so cash on Xaar's balance sheet, they would save themselves the $33m option price to buy the rest of 3D, they would save themselves the 2% royalties over 15 years on future 3D business up to $10m. They really would end up paying not much at all, in cash terms. At a time when the poor old pound has been battered down to about $1.23. Now the value of the rest of Xaar to Stratasys or the value of relationships in China or whether there is compatibility within their different businesses or the synergy there might be or might not be, all that I have no idea of. If all this is nonsense, please do excuse me.