As countries continue to ramp up their COVID-19 vaccination efforts and spring – for some of us at least – appears to have sprung, the feeling of hope is tangible. For many of our readers this may mean the chance to see loved ones again, while for others it may signal a tentative return to planning trips. The aviation world, however, remains a heady mixture of positives and negatives.
Despite the lack of flying, commercial aviation continues to innovate. Indeed, stakeholders appear to have made the most of the downtime, embracing new technologies, rethinking their business models and even bulking up their portfolios.
The pandemic seems to have inspired something of a ‘pioneer’ spirit across the sector. Turn to pages 28 to 33 to hear how Hawaii’s glorious landscape has attracted a group of next-generation aviation mavericks looking for the ideal setting for their hybrid trials. On pages 44 to 48, JetBlue Airways president Joanna Geraghty speaks candidly to AIR International about the steps she and her team have been taking to ensure the airline would not only survive the pandemic, but remains steadfastly on course, not least with its much-anticipated entry into the transatlantic market.
And lest we lea…
