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☆ Delta bets on premium travel as 'shock absorber' for economic downturn
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Rajesh Kumar Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/5] Delta Airlines passenger jets are pictured outside the newly completed 1.3 million-square foot $4 billion Delta Airlines Terminal C at LaGuardia Airport in the Queens borough of New York City, New York, U.S., June 1, 2022. REUTERS/Mike SegarCHICAGO, April 12 (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines (DAL.N) is doubling down on more profitable premium travel as it looks to shore up its defenses against an economic downturn. Chief Executive Ed Bastian told Reuters the U.S. carrier will have premium seats on every plane it flies starting this summer. Rivals United Airlines (UAL.O) and American Airlines (AAL.O) are also chasing premium revenue. CHANGING TRAVEL PATTERNSThe quest for premium revenue has its underpinnings in the post-pandemic travel patterns.

☆ Exclusive: Boeing targets 2025 for return to pre-crisis 737 MAX production rates -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Valerie Insinna | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

After increasing monthly MAX production rates to 38 in June, Boeing's current plans call for 42 MAXs a month by January 2024 and 47 by June 2024, the sources, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters. Boeing, which has not provided details of its production plans, declined to comment. The U.S. planemaker further pared back MAX rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Boeing doesn't really have plans to get beyond 52 (MAXs), nor is it likely to do so. Meanwhile, Merluzeau said 737 MAX production appears to be stabilizing as Boeing's hiring bears fruit.

REUTERS/Henry NichollsApril 8 (Reuters) - As the fortunes of Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit were crashing to Earth last month, a little-known investor called Matthew Brown appeared offering a $200 million rescue. Virgin Group, which owns 75% of Virgin Orbit, also declined to comment for this article. The group is providing financing to Virgin Orbit as the satellite launch company seeks a buyer in bankruptcy. Asked about this, Brown told Reuters he structured deals to protect investor confidentiality with a preference for "laying low below the radar." Virgin Orbit filed for bankruptcy on Tuesday.

☆ U.S. airline loyalty programs can provide buffer from possible recession
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Rajesh Kumar Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] A United Airlines Boeing 737-900ER plane takes off from Los Angeles International airport (LAX) in Los Angeles, California, U.S. March 28, 2018. REUTERS/Mike BlakeCHICAGO, April 4 (Reuters) - U.S. airlines relied on loyalty programs for revenue during the pandemic, and industry executives and experts said income from them should hold up if the economy slips into a recession. Non-flying activities now account for more than half of all miles earned in major loyalty programs, noted Evert de Boer, managing partner at consulting firm On Point Loyalty, making airlines more resilient to economic swings. People curtailed flying during the pandemic, but still spent on airline loyalty credit cards, said JetBlue (JBLU.O) vice president Chris Buckner. Airline loyalty programs are also highly profitable.

☆ Amazon, other retailers revamp 'free' shipping as costs soar
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Lisa Baertlein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

REUTERS/Alyssa PointerLOS ANGELES, March 24 (Reuters) - There is no such thing as free shipping. "The days of free delivery are numbered," Ken Morris, managing partner at Cambridge Retail Advisors, said of the fast-changing retail marketing tool. It is an open secret that most retailers raise product prices to subsidize free shipping. Postal Service hitting record levels, the industry where nearly three-quarters of e-commerce companies offer some sort of free shipping is rethinking the financial cost of habituating shoppers to free shipping. While retailers like Amazon and fashion purveyor Asos Plc (ASOS.L) have raised thresholds for fast shipping, others are dropping free shipping altogether or taking product prices up again.

☆ Virgin Orbit says space startup in talks with potential investors
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

March 23 (Reuters) - Billionaire Richard Branson's cash-strapped satellite launch company Virgin Orbit Holdings (VORB.O) said on Thursday it is in talks with "interested parties" about an investment in the company. "As we disclosed on March 16, the company has taken cash preservation measures as it explores strategic options to secure Virgin Orbit's future," Virgin Orbit said in a statement. "The company can confirm that it is in discussions with interested parties about a potential investment in the company," Virgin Orbit added. Brown, who describes himself as a "space enthusiast" who has invested in more than 13 space companies, told CNBC he would own Virgin Orbit if the deal closes. Virgin Orbit said on Wednesday it would resume operations on Thursday and prepare for its next mission by recalling some employees.

☆ NASA delays Boeing Starliner's debut crewed voyage
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Joey Roulette | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Starliner's debut crewed mission, which will carry commander Butch Wilmore and pilot Suni Williams, to the International Space Station will be a crucial moment for Boeing's space unit. The delay comes as Boeing and NASA performed extra testing on several areas of the spacecraft. "Boeing has conducted more than a dozen Starliner battery thermal runaway tests, stressing the battery cells beyond their intended limit. Federal procurement data shows NASA has agreed to pay Boeing at least $24.8 million for the upgrade of that system. NASA and Boeing's aim to have the valves redesigned for future missions initiated a dispute with Boeing's propulsion system supplier.

☆ One-third of Americans would consider EV purchase -Reuters/Ipsos poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, March 21 (Reuters) - Just over one-third of Americans would consider buying an electric vehicle for their next model, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found. The seven-day poll completed on Monday found 34% of all respondents would consider an EV, while 31% said no. Among Democrats 50% said they would consider an EV, while 26% of Republicans and 27% of independents said they would consider. There are now more than 80 EV models for sale in the United States. President Joe Biden wants 50% of all new vehicles sold in 2030 to be EV or plug-in hybrid models.

Online searches by Americans for flights to Europe trips are surging despite soaring air fares, a worsening economic outlook and risks of gridlock at some of the airports in Europe. The travel boom is promising record profit margins at some U.S. carriers, which are ramping up transatlantic capacity to cash in on Americans' thirst for travel to Europe. Travel website Kayak said searches for travel to Europe this summer are up 77% from last year. There is still untapped travel demand for Europe even after a busy summer last year, said Hayley Berg, lead economist at Hopper. Average fare for a round-trip flight to Europe, meanwhile, has risen 31% from last year, Hopper data shows.

Most carmakers said their battery packs are repairable, though few seem willing to share access to battery data. Lauterwasser said access to EV battery data is part of that fight. EV battery problems also expose a hole in the green "circular economy" touted by carmakers. Hill estimated at least 95% of the cells in the hundreds of EV battery packs - and thousands of hybrid battery packs - Synetiq has stored at Doncaster are undamaged and should be reused. 'PAIN POINTS'The British government is funding research into EV insurance "pain points" led by Thatcham, Synetiq and insurer LV=.

☆ Exclusive: Tesla taps Asian partners to address 4680 battery concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Details about Tesla's Cybertruck battery strategy, including use of 4680 cells and consideration of other options, have not been reported. The Tesla-designed 4680 cell - so named for its external dimensions (46mm diameter, 80mm length) - is crucial to future production plans. Last year, LG said it planned to open a new 4680 production line at its Ochang plant in Korea in the second half of 2023. Tesla also has been installing first-generation 4680 cells with "wet" cathodes in so-called structural packs in Texas-built Model Ys. Tesla plans to use a cathode with more than 90% nickel in the next generation of 4680 cells, two sources said.

But production is running at least a third below plan, keeping the Ariya from shipping to new customers, according to three of the people and production planning notes reviewed by Reuters. Implementation has proved "an extremely, extremely high challenge" and the advanced paint line has become a persistent headache, one of the people said. In a statement to Reuters, Nissan said Ariya production had faced challenges including supply of semiconductors, disruptions in components shipments and the factory's paint line. EVs accounted for just 4.5% of Nissan's global sales of 3.2 million vehicles in 2022. Output over the next two months is expected to fall short of that, according to production planning notes from last month reviewed by Reuters.

JetBlue will face "an uphill battle" as it fights the government," said Diana Moss, president of the American Antitrust Institute. "If I'm JetBlue, that's where I focus right now, developing that divestiture offer and lining up a buyer to 'litigate the fix,'" said Dryden. Whatever arguments JetBlue uses, a court fight could last six to eight months and cost tens of millions of dollars in attorney fees, legal experts said. Bill Baer, head of the Justice Department's antitrust division under former President Barack Obama, said the government's complaint "shows that there is meaningful competition between Spirit and JetBlue." "JetBlue brags about the 'JetBlue effect,' where they enter a market and fares tend to go down," he said.

☆ GE's investors seek solutions to renewable energy, supply chain challenges
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Rajesh Kumar Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

But renewable energy remains a problem. Analysts have raised questions about whether GE may be forced to alter a plan to spin off GE Vernova into a separate company next year, including a possible delay or changing which assets are included. "I want to kind of understand is there any chance at all that Vernova will not include GE wind," William Blair analyst Nicholas Heymann said. But overall, GE is expected to reiterate its 2023 adjusted earnings outlook of $1.60 to $2.00 per share on Thursday. The aerospace business, which supplies engines to Airbus (AIR.PA) and Boeing (BA.N), is grappling with shortages of labor, parts and raw materials.

☆ Analysis: US lawsuit to block JetBlue-Spirit merger casts chill over future airline deals
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Rajesh Kumar Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

CHICAGO, March 7 (Reuters) - A U.S. federal lawsuit to block JetBlue Airways Corp's (JBLU.O) purchase of Spirit Airlines (SAVE.N) has raised hurdles for future airline deals, making it harder for companies to pursue growth and manage costs. Mergers and acquisitions are a time-honored way for companies to both boost revenue and profit through cost cutting. But the DOJ lawsuit could send a chill through airline boardrooms, said Addison Schonland, partner at consulting firm AirInsight. American Airlines (AAL.O), United Airlines (UAL.O), Delta Air Lines (DAL.N) and Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) control 80% of the domestic market. The lawsuit against the JetBlue-Spirit deal was widely expected because of the Biden administration's crackdown on large deals between publicly listed companies, analysts said.

REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File PhotoMarch 6 (Reuters) - American carmakers will lean on technology to keep the horsepower wars going among their electric muscle cars, a tectonic shift from the big, rumbling motors of the past. GM and Dodge have both issued timelines to stop selling gas-powered muscle cars and replace them with electric variants that will wear the same badges. Dodge's Charger and Challenger muscle cars will not be made next year, while Chevrolet has laid out plans for an electric Corvette. Brands such as Polestar and Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) have announced optional power upgrades to their sedans that improve acceleration and total horsepower via paid OTA (over-the-air) software updates. Dodge has said it will transition its muscle cars to an electric platform, and is working to differentiate those models.

For now, by building in Ohio, Foxconn can offer customers access to U.S. federal incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act, Daiwa Capital Markets analyst Kylie Huang said. That's a selling point as traditional automakers juggle building gasoline-powered vehicles with plans to build their own EV capacity. "If they don't get one this year, next year will be more difficult," Huang said of Foxconn's search for an EV contract with a traditional automaker. "Sooner or later, maybe the top, traditional (automakers) say, 'Hey, I want to become a product marketing company. Foxconn wants to build around 300,000 EVs at the plant, Ian Upton, director of production control at Foxconn Ohio, told Reuters.

The city of Phoenix's aviation department, which runs the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, has launched a childcare program for airport workers and plans to build a childcare facility on airport property. Since its launch, 37 airport workers have joined the program, which covers daycare costs partially. At Kelowna International Airport in British Columbia, Canada, construction is underway for a daycare primarily for children of employees who work on airport property. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is similarly weighing offering childcare on-site or nearby in a bid to offer attractive benefits to workers, said airport spokesperson Mindy Kershner. And then there are others - like Jared Barker, a 33-year-old baggage handler at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport who quit and left the industry altogether last year after mass departures during the pandemic led to a heavier workload.

☆ U.S. retailers' ocean shipping price woes ending as new delays threaten
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Lisa Baertlein | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

LONG BEACH, Calif., Feb 27 (Reuters) - Collapsing ocean shipping rates are not all good news for U.S. retailers, who paid as much as $20,000 to move a container of goods during the worst pandemic disruptions, as they now are bracing for delays due to plummeting demand. dolls to the short-term spot market from the long-term contract market. Volatile spot rates were the first to plummet when pandemic-weary consumers shifted spending from goods to travel and entertainment. Previously loyal customers are aggressively comparison- shopping, spreading their business around and gambling on the spot market, experts said. This time around, importer and exporter shipping managers, whose costs exploded when they were unexpectedly forced into the sky-high spot market, have the upper hand.

The major Detroit pickup truck brands are sitting on growing inventories of unsold vehicles, according to Cox Automotive data provided to Reuters. Inventory levels are over 100 days’ supply for rival Stellantis NV's (STLAM.MI) Ram half-ton and heavy-duty pickups. Stellantis said in a statement it had no downtime planned at any of its North American plants, but constantly reviewed its inventory levels and would make production adjustments as needed. February sales growth was led by a 54% increase in sales to fleet customers, Power and LMC said. Especially for trucks," said Ohio dealer Rhett Ricart, whose Ricart Automotive Group sells Ford and GM trucks at different stores.

"The amount of energy BEVs need is so enormous that I see a strain on our grid that ultimately it can't fulfill." Daimler Truck will invest up to 15 billion euros ($16 billion) on fuel cells over the next decade, Daum said. Symbio, which supplies fuel cells for Stellantis vans, expects global fuel cell vehicle sales to reach 2 million units annually by 2030 and wants a 10% share. Both General Motors (GM) (GM.N) and Toyota (7203.T) are testing fuel cells for larger vehicles including semi-trucks and trains to build scale and lower costs. While Volkswagen is not currently investing in fuel cells, it has hundreds of patents around the technology.

After the retirement of Boeing Capital Corp (BCC) President Tim Myers this spring, Boeing said it would "realign" the financing arm within the commercial airplane unit while maintaining "strong coordination" with Boeing's treasury arm. Boeing Capital, a subsidiary of Boeing, provides asset-based financing and leasing to airlines. The closing of Boeing Capital continues a trend for Boeing to consolidate its operational structure and ends a significant chapter in the fast-expanding air finance industry. A Boeing spokesperson said the shift will provide airlines "with more consistent support" for arranging aircraft financing. Rob Martin, finance chief for the commercial airline business, and Boeing Treasurer David Whitehouse will be responsible for the transition, West said in the memo.

☆ Instant View: New Biden EV charger rules stress Made In America, force Tesla changes
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The White House seeks to give consumers unfettered access to a growing coast-to-coast network of EV charging stations, including Tesla Inc's (TSLA.O) SuperChargers. KEVIN DEMPSEY, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL INSTITUTE"The domestic steel industry is prepared to play a strong role in the expansion of our national EV charging infrastructure. "It was a surprise to us that they would require assembly immediately given that domestic manufacturing for high-power charging infrastructure is starting basically from scratch. BRENDAN JONES, PRESIDENT AT CHARGING STATION OPERATOR BLINK CHARGING"These rules are absolutely in line with Blink's expectations. EV MAKER FISKER"Fisker supports a strategy that allows all charging providers to expand the charging network across the US as fast as possible.

☆ Factbox: Potential winners and losers from the new U.S. EV charging standards
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

EV CHARGING COMPANIES: Many, including Volkswagen's (VOWG_p.DE) Electrify America, ChargePoint(CHPT.N) and EVGo (EVGO.O), will accelerate the rollout of chargers due to the federal funding. U.S. EV AUTO SECTOR: The rollout of more charging stations will encourage EV adoption in the United States. INTERSTATE HIGHWAY REST STOPS: They could see an influx of investment as companies establish charging stations along heavily traveled routes. TESLA: Under the new charging standards, the White House said EV market leader Tesla (TSLA.O) has agreed to open part of its U.S. charging network to EVs made by rivals. EV CHARGING COMPANIES: While the charging companies get financial support in their expansion efforts, only a handful of the dozen who commented to the Biden administration ahead of Wednesday's announcement said that they could meet the "Buy American" standards under the proposed timelines.

☆ Ford to recognize UAW 'card check' for new Michigan battery plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Feb 13 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N) has agreed to recognize the United Auto Workers (UAW) at a new planned Michigan battery plant if a majority of workers sign cards, the automaker and union said. Under the "card check" process, a majority of plant hourly workers could simply sign cards supporting the union, and once certified an election would not be necessary. In December, workers at a General Motors-LG Energy Solution (GM.N), (373220.KS) Ultium Cells battery cell factory in northeast Ohio overwhelmingly voted to join the UAW. Ultium had rejected the UAW's bid to use card check at the plant. Reporting by David Shepardson and Ben Klayman; Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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