Australia and Taiwan have joined the growing number of governments offering financial aid to airlines, while authorities in Europe rushed to agree steps to rescue carriers which have had to park planes and cut jobs as the coronavirus pandemic puts the brake on travel.

An Italian airline has apologised for a video that featured an actor in blackface portraying former US President Barack Obama.

By Christopher Jasper and Chiara Albanese

Pope Francis came and he went. In terms of the past sins visited on the Irish population by the Catholic Church, not a lot of difference was made.

Embraer — the world’s third largest aircraft manufacturer — is not concerned for its future following Airbus’s takeover of its nearest rival Bombardier, according to its Clare-born chief executive John Slattery.

Travel group Thomas Cook reported lower profit margins in its British business due to tough competition in Spain, sending its shares down more than 10% and leaving it reliant on a recovery in Egypt and Turkey to ease the pressure.

Easyjet's annual profits have dropped 17% after the budget airline was hit by the falling value of the pound.

Ryanair rival budget airline Wizz Air, which has withstood the pressures in the aviation sector better than many of its rivals, said it would offer new routes from London’s Luton airport to Cyprus, Slovakia, Estonia, Ukraine and Albania.

Michael O’Leary has insisted his employees have the best job security in Europe, as well as a “sophisticated” collective bargaining process.

Low fares regional airline Flybe has warned that first-half profits will be lower than expected, sending shares tumbling as higher maintenance costs compounded a tough airline market.

Low fares regional airline Flybe has warned that first-half profits will be lower than expected, sending shares tumbling as higher maintenance costs compounded a tough airline market.

IAG — the owner of Aer Lingus, British Airways, and Iberia — is interested in the London Gatwick slots of failed airline Monarch after it collapsed last week, IAG chief executive Willie Walsh said, adding that the reduction of capacity was good for the industry.

Alitalia employees who went on to work for Ryanair would have to work hard and strikes would not be tolerated, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said.

Ryanair will bid to operate 90 planes under the Alitalia brand and use existing staff as part of the Italian airline’s restructuring, chief executive Michael O’Leary said yesterday.

Ryanair remains interested in acquiring certain assets of broke carrier Air Berlin — including landing slots at major German airports — but has vowed to continue growing strongly in Germany whether or not it is successful.

Ryanair has confirmed it has made an indicative takeover offer for struggling Italian airline Alitalia, saying the potential long-haul passenger feed opportunities make the deal “interesting”.

Ryanair would seek a majority stake in Alitalia if it decides to invest in the loss-making Italian airline, chief executive Michael O’Leary said during a visit to Rome yesterday.

Despite the outrage British Airways faced when its yet to be explained computer meltdown ruined the plans of thousands of travellers stranded at airports for a UK bank holiday, the shares of its IAG owner have barely flickered.

Ryanair will soon offer connections to destinations including New York and Havana, as the budget carrier widens its network of longhaul partners with a deal with Spain’s Air Europa.

Budget airline easyJet looks set to deepen half-year losses next week, as it grapples with Brexit-hit pound, costs linked to launching a new European base and drops in bookings to some cities following terrorist attacks.

Etihad accelerated its strategic reset by naming an interim chief executive to take the reins from James Hogan, the architect of the carrier’s costly bets on ailing Alitalia and Air Berlin.

Aer Lingus saw a near 27% increase in passenger numbers last month, starting the second quarter of the year strongly after parent group IAG reported solid earnings for the first three months.

Alitalia started bankruptcy proceedings for the second time in a decade, throwing the survival of Italy’s flag carrier into doubt after it failed to fend off budget rivals.

Ryanair has resurrected the idea of operating its own long-haul flights at some point, despite having seemingly killed off the notion two years ago.

Ryanair is finalising deals with two long-haul carriers to create a “seamless” transfer experience, the budget airline has announced.

Irish aviation is at the centre of powerful changes and it is having consequences for investments and the direction of companies in the sector.

Alitalia has appointed Cramer Ball, head of Indian ally Jet Airways, as CEO.

Ferrari’s potential exit from Italy is causing some hand-wringing in its home country.

At least half of all Air France flights have been cancelled as pilots begin a week-long strike amid anger over jobs and operations being moved to a low-cost carrier.

Air France and Germany’s two largest airlines have cancelled more flights to Tel Aviv because of continuing safety concerns amid the fighting between Israel and Hamas.

A Hamas rocket exploded near Israel’s main airport, prompting a ban on flights from the US and many from Europe and Canada.

Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways yesterday said its strategy of buying stakes in European airlines was bringing fresh competition to the region, despite close scrutiny by regulators over whether its investments comply with European ownership rules.

It has been reported that a passenger on board a transatlantic jet that diverted to Shannon this evening has died.

Ryanair has not offered to take part in Italian airline Alitalia’s poorly received €300m capital increase, the chief executive said yesterday.

A Canadian airline is to start low-fare transatlantic crossings to Dublin with prices for return flights starting at just over €300.

An Irish aviation services company has secured a major contract to paint an award-winning airline’s fleet of aircraft.

Eurozone jobless numbers this week may lay bare a fault line scarring the region’s recovery, as evidence of Germany’s employment muscle contrasts with the political quagmire destroying work in Italy.

Mammoth crowds are expected to greet Pope Francis when he celebrates Mass on Rio’s Copacabana beach today.

Michael O’Leary, who built Ryanair into Europe’s biggest discount airline over two decades, pledged to stay another five years and render its dominance complete as competitors exit short-haul flying.

Ryanair has announced a 10% jump in profit for the first half of the year to €596m.

Hundreds of airline passengers in Italy have been stranded due to the failure of Alitalia’s deal to purchase Sicily-based low-cost carrier Wind Jet.

Ryanair Holdings has lost a court challenge that may have forced Alitalia’s owners to repay a €300m loan from the Italian government.

Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Cuba in the footsteps of his more famous predecessor, gently pressing the island’s long-time communist leaders to push through “legitimate” reforms their people desire.

Pope Benedict XVI used a cane today – apparently for the first time in public - at an airport ceremony to see him off on a pilgrimage to Mexico and Cuba.

DID you happen to see Michael O’Leary on the Late Late show last week?

Hundreds of people packed into Cairo’s main airport today hoping for a flight out of Egypt but Western carriers were cancelling, delaying or suspending services after days of violent unrest.