Golden Nugget and Bally's awarded permit to conduct sports betting in Virginia

Bally's Corp. announced Tuesday that it has been issued a temporary sports wagering permit to conduct online sports betting in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The temporary permit provides Bally's with significant opportunities to showcase its best-in-class sports betting platform.

Golden Nugget Online Gaming, Inc. (GNOG) also won one of the few coveted online sports gaming licenses to be awarded in Virginia and has been granted a temporary permit to commence online sports wagering in the State of Virginia. The company now has market access to 10 states, legislation and regulatory approvals permitting.

"We will be working hand in hand with the regulators over the next couple of months to complete all of the required and standard platform testing so that we will be in a position to start taking bets this summer,” said Thomas Winter, president of GNOG.

UPDATE - Penn Sports Interactive, LLC was also awarded a temporary permit for their Barstool Sportsbook app.

Star Air making a comeback with new destinations

COVID-19 has taken a toll on all the segments of industries around the globe. But India-based aviation service Star Air is making a comeback adding new destinations.

Post COVID lockdown, Star Air launched its scheduled flight services to three new destinations that include Surat, Nashik, Jodhpur and resumed its services to Tirupati as well.

Star Air is now gearing up its operations to expand its business horizon further, in cities like Nagpur and Jamnagar by April. Currently, it offers scheduled flight services to 13 Indian destinations that include Ahmedabad, Ajmer (Kishangarh), Bengaluru, Belagavi, Delhi (Hindon), Hubballi, Indore, Jodhpur, Kalaburagi, Mumbai, Nashik, Surat, and Tirupati. The company also provides charter services, backed by its fleet of Embraer ERJ145 aircrafts and Airbus helicopters.

Star Air was formed in January 2019.

Spirit Airlines starts Pensacola service in June

Spirit Airlines announced Thursday plans to bring brand new Airbus planes and industry-leading low fares to Pensacola International Airport starting June 10. Spirit will offer the only nonstop flights to Columbus, Indianapolis and Louisville, along with nonstop service to Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Kansas City and St. Louis.

Pensacola is the eighth new city added to Spirit's network in the past year and the airline's first destination in Northwest Florida.

Spirit Airlines comes to The Gateway to the West in a big way

The Spirit of St. Louis will fly higher than ever once Spirit Airlines arrives in the Gateway to the West. Spirit Airlines announced Thursday plans to add St.Louis Lambert International Airport to its route map with nonstop daily service to five cities. On May 27, the airline plans to start flying to Orlando, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Pensacola and Fort Lauderdale. Fort Lauderdale is also Spirit's largest gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America.

St. Louis is the seventh new city added to Spirit's network in the past year. The airline continues to seize growth opportunities as demand for air travel increases, having announced new service to Louisville, Milwaukee and Pensacola in the past two weeks. Last month, the carrier announced an accelerated delivery schedule for new Airbus aircraft joining Spirit's Fit Fleet, which is among the youngest in the industry.

Private investment firm adds 24 Boeing 737-8 jets to portfolio

Boeing and private investment firm 777 Partners announced Friday an agreement to add 24 737-8s to the firm’s diverse aviation portfolio, with purchase rights for an additional 60 airplanes. The Miami-based company will place the single-aisle airplanes with its growing portfolio of low-cost carrier investments around the world.

In addition to aircraft leasing, 777 Partners strategically invests in a host of aviation businesses, from operating carriers to technology-driven solutions. The firm’s travel sector strategy is largely focused on innovative solutions for interlining, passenger connectivity, and creating new commerce channels for its airline investments and customers.

The 737-8 can fly 3,550 nautical miles, about 600 miles farther than its predecessor. This additional capability allows airlines to offer new and more direct routes for passengers. The 737-8 reduces fuel use and CO₂ emissions by 16% compared to the airplanes it replaces, and that superior fuel efficiency means lower operating costs and a smaller environmental footprint.

FAA grants Santa Claus special operating authority for Christmas Eve flight

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced Wednesday it has granted Santa Claus and his reindeer special operating authority to perform air-cargo-delivery services directly to rooftops throughout the United States on Christmas Eve.

In addition, for the first time ever, the FAA issued Santa a special commercial space license to visit the International Space Station using his StarSleigh-1 space capsule powered by the Rudolph Rocket. The mission license includes both launch and reentry operations and will occur from a U.S.-based spaceport.

Being a world humanitarian, Santa knows this Christmas is different from other years and he wholeheartedly agrees with the FAA decision to give priority to flights carrying COVID-19 vaccines and other cargo critical to the nation’s response to the ongoing public health emergency.

In addition, Santa has informed the FAA he will fly healthy during his journey by wearing a face mask on his flight to set a good example for everyone who is traveling by air this holiday season.

To ensure Santa and all other pilots have a safe trip, the FAA is asking the public for assistance and avoid creating a serious safety risk with drones and lasers. Sending up a drone to take a picture or video of an aircraft or sleigh is distracting to the pilots and will scare the reindeer, while holiday laser-light displays aimed into the sky can temporarily blind pilots.

Follow Santa’s progress as he travels across the U.S. by visiting the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) website, where NORAD tracks Santa’s Christmas Eve voyage.

airBaltic takes delivery of two Airbus A220-300 aircraft

Chorus Aviation Inc. announced Wednesday the delivery of two new Airbus A220-300 aircraft to airBaltic of Latvia. The aircraft (MSNs 55094 and 55095) are the final two of five units placed on long-term lease with the airline through a committed sale and leaseback transaction announced on November 20, 2019.

In December 2013, airBaltic became the first operator of the A220-300 aircraft and in May, the carrier re-launched as an all Airbus A220 airline. airBaltic is offering flights to more than 65 destinations from all three Baltic countries.

"We applaud airBaltic's successful resumption and expansion of services across Europe," stated Joe Randell, president and chief executive officer, Chorus.