From June 1, 2024, Air India will begin operating a second daily service between Delhi and Phuket, Thailand. The outbound flight – AI376 – will depart Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport at 11:00 and land in Phuket at 17:15. The return leg – AI377 – will leave Phuket at 18:15 and arrive in India’s capital at 21:20 (all times mentioned are local). This flight will operate on all days except Wednesdays.

The current daily service between Delhi and Phuket runs all seven days. Flight AI378 departs Delhi and lands in Phuket at 02:05 and 08:10, respectively. The inbound flight – AI379 – leaves Phuket at 09:15 and arrives in Delhi at 12:20.

Once the new additional flight service goes live, Air India will have 34 weekly flights to Thailand from Delhi and Mumbai combined.

Also Read: Air India And All Nippon Airways Sign Codeshare Agreement

Earlier this month, airBaltic announced more pop-up flights for the summer of 2024 and launched direct flights between Riga and Ljubljana. The Latvian airline has now announced a direct service between Tampere, Finland, and Palma de Mallorca, Spain. It will operate twice weekly, Mondays and Fridays, until October 2024.

One-way Economy ticket prices start at EUR 129. Those who like to be pampered more can opt for a Business Class seat, fares for which start at EUR 359. For the record, airBaltic offers a full-service fare package for Business Class passengers. They benefit from priority check-in and boarding, an extra seat for extra privacy, a three-course gourmet meal, unlimited beverages and priority disembarking at arrival.

Presently, airBaltic operates eight direct flights from Tampere to European destinations. However, the airline plans to add 17 new routes from all its bases this year. Before 2024 comes to a close, the carrier will connect Finland with direct services to ten destinations and offer one-stop connections to over 70 locations in its network.

To bolster its China network, Korean Air has confirmed that from July 1, 2024, it will operate a new daily flight between Seoul Incheon and Macau. The outbound service – flight KE169 – will depart the South Korean capital at 21:15 and land at Macau International Airport at 23:55. The return leg – flight KE170 – will leave Macau and land in Seoul the next day at 01:10 and 06:00, respectively. The flight time will be approximately 3 hours and 40 minutes.

Macau, a popular tourist destination, is close to Hong Kong. Travellers can access the latter within an hour via a ferry or bus. Korean Air already operates four daily services between Seoul Incheon and Hong Kong. The carrier resumed three weekly flights between Seoul Incheon and Zhangjiajie and four weekly services linking Seoul Incheon and Zhengzhou from April 23 and April 24, respectively.

Also Read: Korean Air and WestJet Expand Codeshare Partnership

NOTE: Image has been sourced from Boeing Mediaroom

China’s GDAT and Airbus have finished signing a contract. The former will purchase up to 20 H175 helicopters from the latter. The agreement splits the order half and half between firm and optional orders. An Ireland-based start-up helicopter leasing and financing company, GD Helicopter Finance (GDHF), will market the H175s to potential customers in the energy, SAR (Search and Rescue), EMS (Emergency Medical Services), and parapublic market segments globally. GDHF will also market 50 Airbus H160 helicopters, which GDAT placed an order for last year.

The Airbus H175 has been in service since 2015. Belonging to the super-medium class, the helicopter offers a robust blend of long-range and heavy payload. It is a good fit for various offshore and onshore missions, including disaster relief, search and rescue and other public services.

India’s largest airline by fleet, IndiGo, has placed a firm order for 30 Airbus A350-900s. Furthermore, the paperwork states an option to purchase an additional 70 aircraft of the same type. These widebody jets will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines.

There’s no word on when the deliveries will commence. Also, it isn’t the only aircraft type in Airbus’ order books for the Indian airline. Last June, IndiGo created history by placing the biggest single order ever. It ordered 500 jets from the Airbus A320 family. Presently, the aircraft manufacturer still has to deliver nearly 1,000 units. The order book comprises a mix of A320Neo, A321Neo and A321XLR single-aisle aeroplanes.

With the new order for A350s, IndiGo will deepen its business ties with Airbus and open a new chapter with Rolls-Royce, one of the world’s most renowned aviation marques.

Latvia’s flag carrier, airBaltic, has announced the start of direct flights between its core hub, Riga and the capital of Slovenia – Ljubljana. The airline will operate two weekly flights between the two capitals. The one-side duration of the flight has been quoted as 2 hours and 15 minutes. Tickets for this route are available on the carrier’s official website.

airBaltic confirms that during the summer of 2024, it will offer 15 new routes from the Baltics and Tempere. The airline, which has an all-Airbus A220 fleet, operates over 130 routes from Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Tampere and, during specific periods, Gran Canaria.

Also Read: airBaltic Announces More Pop-Up Flights For Summer

From November 1, 2024, UAE’s national carrier, Etihad Airways, will begin flying an Airbus A380 to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Flight EY31 will leave Abu Dhabi at 02:40 and land in the French capital at 07:30. The return leg – EY32 – will depart from Paris and arrive at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport at 09:45 and 19:25, respectively. All times mentioned are local.

This daily service between Abu Dhabi and Paris means the French city will become the third metropolis to receive the mammoth double-decker, after London (UK) and New York (USA).

Flights featuring Etihad’s A380 to John F. Kennedy Airport began a few days ago. The one set to ferry passengers to and fro from Paris will have the same configuration as the one on the Abu Dhabi-New York route. That means 68 Economy seats with extra legroom, 337 Economy Smart seats, 70 Business Studios, nine First Apartments, and a three-room suite called The Residence. The aircraft will also boast a lounge and a lobby area, bifurcating the Business Studios section and the First Apartments.

To boost its capacity for the US market, Etihad Airways has added its flagship Airbus A380 to the New York route. The flight – EY1 – flew from Abu Dhabi and landed at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on April 22, 2024. The aircraft features a four-class layout: Economy, Business, First and The Residence.

The A380 boasts 68 seats with extra legroom in Economy and 337 in Economy Smart, featuring fixed-wing headrests and large pillows. On the upper floor of the double-decker, there are 70 Business-class private spaces, a service lounge, a bar, and nine First Apartments with 80-inch lie-flat beds and access to the shower room. The pièce de résistance is, of course, The Residence. It features a private living room, a bedroom, an ensuite bathroom with a shower, and a dedicated crew.

Etihad will operate the A380 on the Abu Dhabi-New York route every day, making it the second daily nonstop service between the two cities. The other is operated by a Boeing 787-9 with a three-class configuration: First, Business and Economy.

Also Read: Etihad Announces Flights To Al Qassim

For the first time, Air India and All Nippon Airways (ANA) have decided to enter a codeshare partnership. To be effective May 23, 2024, it will allow passengers aboard both airlines to travel between India and Japan on a single ticket. The tickets, however, are already on sale. The Indian carrier will add the designator code ‘AI’ on ANA flights between Tokyo Haneda and Delhi and Tokyo Narita and Mumbai. Similarly, ANA will add its ‘NH’ code on Air India flights between Tokyo Narita and Delhi.

Besides the added convenience of utilising the network of both airlines on a single ticket, passengers will also benefit from other services, such as lounge access and priority boarding. The carriers have also confirmed that they will continue to explore expansion opportunities for codeshare.

South Korea’s flag carrier, Korean Air, and Canada’s second-largest airline, WestJet, have announced an expansion of their codeshare agreement. On May 17, 2024, the latter will launch a new route between its hub in Calgary, Canada, and Seoul Incheon. Korean Air will begin selling tickets for this service, which will operate three times weekly using Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

WestJet will also benefit from this new agreement. It will get access to flights operated by Korean Air to six new destinations – Bangkok (Thailand), Da Nang (Vietnam), Hanoi (Vietnam), Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam), Hong Kong and Singapore. These connections will be available for WestJet customers via Seoul Incheon, Korean Air’s hub.

The duo first inked a codeshare agreement in 2012. Since then, the carriers have expanded partnerships, covering Korean Air’s flights from Seoul Incheon to Vancouver and Toronto, WestJet’s services within Canada and flights to/from the USA via Vancouver and Toronto. With the Calgary-Seoul connection, the codeshare partnership will increase to 36 routes.

Also Read: Korean Air Announces Charter Services To Taichung

NOTE: Image sourced from Boeing Mediaroom.

For the summer season 2024, Latvian carrier airBaltic has confirmed additional pop-up flights. For the record, pop-up flights operate during a particular period to cater to an increased demand. The new pop-up services include a domestic flight between Riga and Liepaja and a link between Tallinn, Estonia and Palma de Mallorca, Spain, towards the end of summer.

The Riga-Liepaja flight will operate twice a week between July 11 and July 22 and August 1 and August 5. One-way ticket prices are EUR 39 for Economy Classic and EUR 99 for Business Class. The service between Tallinn and Palma de Mallorca will operate once a week, on Mondays. On this route, the one-way ticket prices start at EUR 99.

Before these two pop-up services, airBaltic had announced similar operations from Riga to Ostrava, Czechia. Flights on this route will operate on May 11, 13, 17, 20 and 22. Latvia’s men’s hockey team will be in action on these dates at the IIHF 2024 Ice Hockey World Championship.

Like all other airBaltic flights, the pop-up services will also be provided on an Airbus A220-300.

Also Read: airBaltic Announces Three New Routes For Winter Season

After a four-year hiatus, the UK’s flag carrier, British Airways, has returned to the capital of the UAE. On April 21, 2024, the flight BA073 touched down at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi. This service, provided on a Boeing 787-9, will now be a year-round operation. The resumption of this route for the airline means it can cater to more passengers in the Middle East.

The outbound flight – BA073 – will leave London Heathrow at 22:25 and arrive in Abu Dhabi at 08:30 the next day. After a short stop, the return will depart Zayed International Airport at 10:10 and land in London at 15:30. All times mentioned are local and for the summer season. The arrival and departure times from Abu Dhabi will move 1 hour forward during the winter season.

In January 2024, Air India’s newest family member, the brand-new Airbus A350-900 sporting the carrier’s new livery, entered commercial service. Due to some boring and tedious reasons, the widebody jet was deployed for domestic duties. It served passengers travelling to or fro from Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

Come May 1, 2024, the long-haulier twin-engined aircraft will finally add an international destination to its portfolio. Air India has confirmed that in about two weeks from now, the A350-900 will serve travellers on the busy Delhi-Dubai route. The outbound flight – AI995 – will depart the Indian capital at 20:45hrs and arrive in Dubai at 22:45hrs. The return leg – AI996 – will leave Dubai at 00:15hrs the next day and land in Delhi at 04:55hrs. All times mentioned are local. Presently, Air India operates 72 flights a week to Dubai from five Indian cities. Of them, 32 originate from Delhi.

The Air India A350-900 aircraft boasts a three-class seating layout comprising 28 private suites with full-flat beds, 24 seats in Premium Economy, and 264 seats in Economy. Every seat comes with its own Panasonic eX3 in-flight HD entertainment system, which has over 2,200 hours of content from across the globe.

Serbia’s flag carrier, Air Serbia, has strengthened its fleet with another ATR aircraft. The eighth ATR to wear the airline’s livery is a 9-year-old 72-600 turboprop bearing the registration number YU-ASF. The plane landed at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport after completing the necessary procedures, which have been undergoing since March 10, 2024.

Air Serbia started adding ATR aircraft to its fleet in 2022. In that year alone, the airline took delivery of four 72-600s. Another three of the same type were added in 2023. All ATRs in the carrier’s fleet presently boast 70 to 72 “Geven Prestige” and “Acro” seats. These aeroplanes are powered by two PW127M turboprop engines, delivering a maximum cruising speed of 500kmph. The travel range at full capacity is about 1,500km.

Tata Group’s Air India has announced that from June 1, 2024, it will start nonstop flights between Delhi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The carrier will operate an Airbus A320Neo on this new route, boasting a two-class configuration. The outbound flight – AI388 – will leave India’s capital at 13:15 and land in Ho Chi Minh City at 19:55. After an hour’s wait, the return flight – AI389 – will leave Vietnam at 20:55 and arrive in Delhi at 00:30 (+1). All times mentioned are local.

Air India will operate five weekly flights on the route mentioned above. These will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Ho Chi Minh City will become the airline’s fifth international destination in Southeast Asia. It already offers flights to Singapore, Bangkok (Thailand), Phuket (Thailand) and Yangon (Myanmar).

Also Read: Tata Group Airlines To Increase Presence At Bengaluru

Akasa Air, one of India’s newest airlines, is celebrating the holy festival of Eid-ul-Fitr on its flights. Café Akasa, the airline’s onboard meal service, has introduced edition two of the Eid special meal. That includes Lucknowi style Patti Samosa, Chicken Shammi Kebab with Khajoori Chutney, Zafrani Double ka Meetha and a choice of beverage. This meal option is available till the end of the month. It can be pre-booked via the carrier’s mobile application and the website.

It isn’t the first time that Akasa Air has brought a touch of festivities to the skies. Ever since it entered commercial operations in August 2022, it has introduced special meal options to celebrate popular festivals and occasions, such as Makar Sankranti, Valentine’s Day, Holi, Mother’s Day, International Yoga Day, Monsoon season, Onam, Ganesh Chaturthi, Dussehra, Diwali and Christmas, among others. Travellers also have the option to pre-book from a selection of cakes to celebrate their birthdays or anniversaries thousands of feet above sea level.

Japan’s largest airline, All Nippon Airways (ANA), has announced that beginning this summer, it will offer complimentary Wi-Fi- access to Business Class passengers on international flights. The same will be extended to those travelling in Premium Economy and Economy cabins on international routes, but only by the end of March 2025.

ANA has been offering onboard Wi-Fi service since 2014. Passengers can access the internet, e-mail and social media platforms. Over the years, the carrier extended complimentary Wi-Fi access on domestic routes and free Wi-Fi for First Class passengers on international flights.

Image Source: Boeing Mediaroom 

For the winter 2024 season, Finnair has updated its flight programme for Dallas, Texas. The carrier will add frequencies on this route to make it a year-round daily service. Travellers can find connections with American Airlines from the Dallas hub to other parts of the USA.

Then, in the summer 2025 season, Finnair will add more flights to Tokyo Narita. This will enable the carrier to offer daily service to two Tokyo touchpoints – Narita and Haneda. Also, Finnair will add a third weekly service to Nagoya.

Finnair will also operate additional flights in the Baltics in the same season. While Tallinn and Riga will get five more weekly services, Vilnius will get two. Lastly, a new destination will be added in the summer 2025 season. Finland’s flagship carrier will operate a 68-seater ATR aircraft from Helsinki to Kirkenes in Northern Norway via Ivalo thrice a week.

Tickets for all these routes can be booked via the airline’s official website.

An agreement has been signed between Air India and Bangalore International Airport Ltd. (BIAL). The intent is to uplift Bengaluru into a sought-after aviation hub for southern India. Air India and other Tata Group airlines – AIX and Vistara – will collaborate with BIAL to increase international connectivity and operational efficiency while improving the passenger experience over the next five years.

How will this be achieved? Besides adding more international links from Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, a dedicated domestic lounge for premium and frequent flyers of Tata Group airlines is in the pipeline. Also, Air India has inked an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the Govt. of Karnataka to establish aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities at the Bengaluru Airport. This will generate over 1,200 new jobs for highly skilled individuals in the state.

Maldives-based Boend Airlines has launched commercial passenger flights between its hub in Malé and Dubai. The service will operate from the capital of Maldives to Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport. From today until July, four weekly flights will operate on this route. Then, two additional flights will be added to take the weekly services count to six.

In February 2024, Beond Airlines took delivery of its second Airbus A321, which is currently undergoing refurbishment. In the same month, the leisure airline announced it would be the first to offer Apple Vision Pro onboard. The carrier aims to provide services from Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific to Maldives. The service between Malé and Milan, Italy, will commence later this year.

UAE’s national carrier, Etihad Airways, has announced the addition of destination number four in Saudi Arabia – Al Qassim. From June 24, 2024, the airline will fly four weekly flights from Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport (AUH) to Al Qassim’s Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz International Airport (ELQ). This will be a nonstop service on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, using an Airbus A320.

Flight EY 0627 will depart AUH at 08:00 and arrive in ELQ at 09:10. The return flight – EY 0628 – will leave ELQ and land in AUH at 10:15 and 13:20, respectively (all times are local).

Etihad will also increase flight frequencies to five destinations across the Middle East and South Asia. From June 15, 2024, three additional weekly flights to Thiruvananthapuram (India), Amman (Jordan), Cairo (Egypt), Karachi (Pakistan), and Colombo (Sri Lanka) will run. Last month, the carrier also announced the addition of two new destinations: Antalya (Turkey) and Jaipur (India).

This summer season will see a 33 per cent increase in weekly flights over the last. The total number of flights will grow from 642 to 855, while the number of destinations served will jump from 65 to 76.

Flying out of Vancouver and landing in Singapore is the latest international service that Air Canada has introduced. Operated on a Boeing 787-9, the new route is the sole nonstop service between the two countries and the carrier’s longest flight when measured by distance. The flight covers a distance of 12,818km (7,965 miles) with a flying time of up to 16 hours and five minutes.

Air Canada will offer this service all year round, four times weekly – Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays (outbound) and Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays (inbound). The departure time from Vancouver is 00:05, and the arrival time is 07:10 + 1 day in Singapore. The return leg begins at 09:10 and ends at 08:55. The aircraft has a three-cabin layout, including Air Canada Signature Class, Premium Economy and Economy. Besides having 100s of hours of onboard movies and TV Shows, passengers can also purchase Wi-Fi services.

Starting May 2 and until June 29, 2024, Korean Air will operate seasonal charter services between Seoul Incheon and Taichung, Taiwan. The flights will run thrice a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The outbound flight – KE189 – will leave South Korea’s capital at 3:30 pm and land in Taichung at 5:15 pm. The return leg – KE190 – will depart at 6:50 pm and arrive in Seoul at 10:40 pm (all times are local).

Korean Air will operate a Boeing 737-8 on the abovementioned route. The aircraft will have a 146-seat layout, with 8 seats in Prestige Class and the remaining 138 in Economy. Once this new service is live, South Korea’s flag carrier will have 24 roundtrip weekly services between Seoul Incheon and Taiwan, including 14 on the Seoul Incheon-Taipei route and 7 on the Busan-Taipei route.

Also Read: Korean Air To Buy 33 Airbus A350s

After signing a contract with Airbus Germany earlier this year, Mahindra Aerostructures Pvt Ltd (MASPL) has inked another. The new one is a multi-year deal with Airbus Atlantic. The paperwork specifies that the Indian company, which has its production plant in Bengaluru, will manufacture and deliver components and small assemblies for the entire Airbus commercial aircraft family, including the A320 family. The contract, worth approximately USD 100 million, requires MASPL to supply nearly 2,300 varieties of metallic components to Airbus Atlantic in France.

MASPL and the Airbus Group have been doing business with each other since 2015. The former was also recognised as the “Best Performer” in the 2023 Airbus Supplier Quality Improvement Program awards.

Aviterra, a Dubai-based firm, has signed a purchase deal with PAL-V for more than 100 Liberty flying cars. The acquired vehicles will be deployed across the Middle East and Africa. Also, Aviterra has announced an investment in PAL-V alongside inking a partnership for the Middle East and Africa.

Liberty can take the road like a conventional car or, by utilising Aviterra’s services, can take off like an aircraft from a very short runway. The flying car in question has a seating capacity of two and has space for 80 litres of stuff. In drive mode, it can hit 100kmph from a standstill in less than 9 seconds and clock 160kmph at full stretch. The range is 1,315km.

In flying mode, which takes about five minutes to get ready, Liberty needs a 180m take-off roll. Its 200hp powerplant can help reach up to 180kmph and a maximum altitude of 11,000 ft. The maximum range is between 400-500km, with a maximum flying time of 4.3 hours.

PAL-V is establishing regional offices globally to propel its flying car business. These will also be hubs for sales, maintenance, flight training and assembly locations.

Both Airbus and Boeing have bagged orders for new aircraft from Japan Airlines (JAL). As part of its fleet renewal plan, Japan’s flag carrier will purchase 21 A350-900s and 11 A321neos from Airbus and 10 787-9 Dreamliners from Boeing. Simple math reveals the order for 42 new aircraft.

Of the 21 A350-900s, JAL plans to put 20 on international routes from FY2027 and 1 on domestic from FY2025. The latter will take the place of the aircraft that the airline lost in January 2024. The 787-9s from Boeing, however, will all serve the airline’s overseas network from FY2027. The single-aisle A321neos, ordered for the first time by the Japanese carrier, will strengthen the domestic network from FY2028. JAL also awaits the delivery of 21 Boeing 737-8s, which should join the fleet from FY2026.

In December last year, JAL took delivery of its first Airbus A350-1000.

NOTE: Photograph taken from the official Airbus Media Centre.

In a bid to retire the ageing aircraft and replace them with new and more efficient ones, Korean Air has confirmed that it will sign a contract with Airbus to purchase 33 A350 family jets. The split is 27 A330-1000s and 6 A350-900s. The whole deal is valued at USD 13.7 billion.

The new aircraft will also help as Korean Air completes the merger with Asiana Airlines. The A350-1000, the largest in the family, can seat between 350 and 410 passengers in a typical three-class configuration and cover up to 16,000km nonstop at full capacity. On the other hand, the A350-900 is about 7 metres shorter but still has space for 300-350 passengers in a three-class layout and can fly up to 15,370km nonstop.

The airline’s fleet modernisation stint will also include the introduction of 50 Airbus A321neos, 10 Boeing 787-9s, 20 Boeing 787-10s and 30 Boeing 737-8s. Earlier this week, Korea’s flag carrier also shared details about a busy summer season ahead.

Latvia’s airBaltic, which has an all-Airbus A220 fleet, has announced the addition of three new routes for the winter season 2024-2025. Starting October 28, three weekly flights will run between Riga and Madeira, Portugal. The ticket prices start at EUR 199. Then, from the following day, the Vilnius-Oslo Torp (Norway) service will go live, serving passengers on the route twice a week. Prices start at EUR 45. Lastly, the Tallinn-Kittilä (Finland) flights will begin on December 21. airBaltic will operate up to two weekly flights on this route, with ticket prices starting at EUR 89.

Besides those new routes, the carrier will increase the frequency of services from Riga to Stockholm, Prague, Tampere, and others. Also, more flights will be operated from its base in Tallinn to Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Gran Canaria. From Vilnius, the airline will offer more flights to Amsterdam, Paris and Berlin, among others. Its other seasonal routes for the winter season, such as Riga–Ljubljana, Riga–Baku (November), Tallinn–Malta (November), Vilnius–Lisbon and Vilnius–Hamburg, will also be active.

Also Read: airBaltic Adds Two New Flights From Vilnius For Summer 2024

One of the largest automobile groups in the world, Stellantis, recently completed a series of open market purchases of nearly 8.3 million shares of Archer Aviation. This further strengthening of shareholding indicates Stellantis’ confidence in the USA-based startup firm, which aims to introduce its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft – Midnight – into the market in 2025.

The aircraft in question is pure-electric and has space for four passengers plus a pilot. It is designed for short-distance trips of around 20-50 miles back-to-back, with a charging time of about 10 minutes between flights.

Archer and Stellantis have been strategic partners since 2020, with the latter becoming an official investor in the former the following year. In January last year, Stellantis confirmed its goal to mass-produce the Midnight aircraft as Archer’s exclusive contract manufacturer. This move boosted the California-headquartered company’s path to commercialisation. In fact, the first phase of Archer’s manufacturing plant in Georgia is on track and should be completed by the end of the year. Once live, the 350,000 sq. ft. facility on a 100-acre site will be capable of producing up to 650 aircraft in a year.

Also Read: InterGlobe And Archer Sign An Intriguing Agreement

The aviation industry has set 2050 as the target to achieve net zero CO2 emissions. A key enabler will be the extensive use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). A promising development in that regard has surfaced from IAE International Aero Engines AG (IAE), a consortium comprising Pratt & Whitney (an RTX company), Pratt & Whitney Aero Engines International GmbH, Japanese Aero Engines Corporation, and MTU Aero Engines AG.

IAE has successfully tested the V2500 engine on 100 per cent SAF. More specifically, the engine test was conducted on 100 per cent Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosine (HEFA-SPK) fuel supplied by Neste. This fuel is produced by hydrotreating renewable raw materials, like waste oils or fats, into an aviation turbine fuel. It is a prominent sustainable alternative to conventional jet fuels. The test was carried out at MTU Maintenance Hannover, Germany.

The V2500, first introduced in the late 1980s, currently powers the Airbus A320ceo family jets and the Embraer C-390 Millenium aircraft. It’s a popular powerplant, with nearly 3,000 V2500-equipped jets in service today. It has already been approved to operate on a fuel blend comprising up to 50 per cent SAF.

For the summer of 2024, Korean Air has announced an expansion of international flights starting March 31. These include the resumption of services to four cities across China, Europe, and Southeast Asia and an increase in weekly frequencies on major routes.

Resumption of services

On April 2, South Korea’s flag carrier will resume thrice-weekly flights between Seoul Incheon and Zurich, Switzerland. Then, from April 23, the airline will restart three weekly services between Seoul Incheon and Zhangjiajie, China. From the following day, another Chinese destination will be readded from Korean Air’s hub in Seoul Incheon. The airline will operate four weekly flights to Zhengzhou starting on April 24. Then, beginning on April 25, daily services on the Busan-Bangkok route will resume.

Increase in weekly frequencies

Korean Air has announced an increase in weekly flights between Seoul and Budapest from three to four. Up from three, the airline will also operate four daily services on the Incheon-Bangkok route. Similarly, the carrier has announced that it will fly three daily flights (up from two) between Incheon and Manila.

In January 2024, Korea’s flagship airline introduced two additional services on the Incheon-Bali route, taking the weekly frequencies count up to eleven. Lastly, the carrier has confirmed that it will increase flights from Incheon to Dallas, Texas, USA, from four weekly to daily.

NOTE: Photograph sourced from Boeing’s official Media Center.

UK-based Menzies Aviation, an Agility company, is all set to play a vital role at Lima’s Jorge Chavez International Airport. After a bidding process, the firm bagged an 8-year contract to provide passenger and ramp services at Peru’s international and domestic airports. This means Menzies Aviation will be one of the three ground handling companies at the said airport.

To provide a full suite of ground services, the company will launch a recruitment drive to cater to the demand. Hired employees will be thoroughly trained before they enter day-to-day operations. Menzies Aviation’s strong focus on sustainable solutions also drew the attention. In fact, the company was recently awarded the Green Airport Recognition Award during the Airport Council’s International-Latin America-Caribbean (ACI-LAC) Annual Assembly. One of the highlights in its list of achievements is that it sourced electricity from only renewable sources in 2022.

The airport is the country’s main entry point for getaways in South America. For travellers, it opens access to over 62 destinations via more than 25 passenger airlines. The Lima airport is also the hub for LATAM Peru. It saw over 170,500 aircraft land and take off, with the passenger headcount above 21 million last year.

Poland’s flag carrier, LOT Polish Airlines, has launched a new route to Uzbekistan. Three weekly flights will fly from the Polish capital, Warsaw, to the capital city of the Asian country. The outbound flights are scheduled for Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, whereas the return legs will depart from Tashkent on Thursdays, Saturdays and Mondays. The airline confirms that in April and May of this year, an additional rotational service will be introduced on this route. That will fly out and into Warsaw on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, respectively.

LOT Polish Airlines will use a Boeing 737 MAX 8 on this newly introduced link between the two capitals. The first flight left the Polish tarmac at 22:55 on March 13, 2024, and landed in Tashkent a few minutes after 09:00 (both times mentioned are local) on March 14, 2024. The new service is part of the carrier’s 2024-2028 development strategy. Apart from this route, the airline has already introduced connections to Athens (Greece) and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). It aims to add 20 new connections to strengthen its international network.

Aercap has announced that it has delivered a new Airbus A330Neo to French carrier Corsair. It is the first of the four same widebody jets that the aircraft lessor will provide to the said airline before 2024 ends.

The newly delivered aircraft begins the second and final phase of Corsair’s fleet renewal plan. The first aeroplane will enter service on March 19, 2024, and will ferry travellers to destinations in the French West Indies. Similarly, the second aircraft, slated to start flying next month, will operate between France and the Ivory Coast. By the end of the year, all of Corsair’s routes will be served using an Airbus A330Neo.

NOTE: The photograph has been sourced from the official Airbus Media Centre.

To further strengthen its list of international destinations, Vietnam Airlines has announced direct flights to Munich from October 2024. The inaugural services will link the third-largest German city with two Vietnamese cities – Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh. The carrier will start two weekly flights between Vietnam’s capital and Munich. Those will depart Hanoi on Fridays and Sundays and commence their return journey on Saturdays and Mondays. Passengers will be aboard a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

On the other hand, the airline will begin with one weekly flight between Ho Chi Minh and Munich. The outbound flight will start on Mondays, while the return leg will begin on Tuesdays. A few weeks later, in December 2024, Vietnam Airlines will introduce another service between Ho Chi Minh and Munich on Wednesdays and Thursdays, respectively.

Vietnam Airlines confirms that the tickets will be available through its website and mobile application. Travellers will also be able to book via ticket offices and official sales agents.

RoyalJet, an Abu Dhabi-based private jet operator, has completed 20 years of operations. Over the years, the carrier has made its mark in various respects. For instance, RoyalJet became the world’s first private jet operator to bag the IOSA certification in 2008. Also, it was recognised as the “World’s Leading Private Jet Charter” by the World Travel Awards (WTA) for eight consecutive years between 2007 and 2014. After a gap, RoyalJet reclaimed the same title by WTA for four years in a row – 2018-2021.

The airline’s on-ground operations weren’t overlooked. For three consecutive years – 2022-2024 – RoyalJet was awarded the “FBO of the Year” by Aviation Achievement Awards. The FBO (Fixed Base Operations) is at the Zayed International Airport. The standout aspect is the VIP lounge, which has won awards for its luxurious and comforting experience.

With more than 500 employees, RoyalJet has a fleet of 11 Boeing Business Jets. Most pack features such as high-speed Wi-Fi, full-service galleys and lie-flat seating. However, there are also specialised aircraft equipped to serve Medevac operations.

For a while now, we’ve known that Airbus, like many other startups globally, is working on a couple of eVTOLs (electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) aircraft. One of them, the CityAirbus, has made its first public debut. It is still in prototype form and is slated to take its maiden flight later this year.

The Airbus CityAirbus NextGen (curious name!) has been developed for various purposes in major cities worldwide. The eVTOL has a wing span of approximately 12 metres with a four-seat passenger compartment. Airbus aims for a range of 80km with a cruising speed target of 120kmph. Of course, the necessary infrastructure to support eVTOL operations in populous cities will play a crucial role.

The unveiling of the CityAirbus prototype came alongside the opening of the new CityAirbus test centre in Donauwörth. The facility will serve as a dedicated space for testing various systems for eVTOLs and is part of Airbus’ investment in Advanced Air Mobility. 

Latvia’s flag carrier, airBaltic, has announced the addition of two new routes from its base in Vilnius. In the summer season of this year, the airline will operate flights from the Lithuanian capital to Lisbon, Portugal, and Hamburg, Germany. Both new services are part of a risk-sharing partnership between airBaltic and Lithuanian Airports.

Using an Airbus A220-300, the airline will operate two weekly flights between the abovementioned new routes. The Vilnius-Hamburg service will start on May 2, 2024, with ticket prices starting at EUR 59. Regarding the Vilnius-Lisbon route, it will go live on May 4, 2024, with ticket prices starting at EUR 129.

airBaltic also aims to add two more services for the summer season this year: Vilnius to Krakow, Poland, and Palanga, Lithuania, to Amsterdam, Netherlands. In 2024, the airline plans to connect Lithuania with 18 destinations and will continue to station two aircraft in Vilnius.

Africa’s largest carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, has ordered up to 20 widebody Boeing aircraft. The purchase agreement states a firm order for eight 777-9s and options for up to twelve additional jets. With this order, Ethiopia’s flag carrier became the first buyer of the Boeing 777X in Africa.

The Boeing 777X is based on the 777 series blended with technologies from the 787 Dreamliner family. The 777-9 features new carbon fibre composite wings. Also, it is powered by engines that help deliver 10 per cent better fuel efficiency and operating costs than the closest rival. According to Boeing, the 777-9 can fly up to 13,510km (7,295 nautical miles) nonstop.

Over half of Ethiopian Airlines’ current fleet comprises Boeing aircraft, including 29 787 Dreamliners, 20 777s, three 767s, 27 next-gen 737s and 15 737 Max jets.

Also Read: American Places Firm Order For 260 Jets

Greece’s Aegean and Germany’s Eurowings have unveiled a new bilateral codeshare partnership to boost business for both. Under the agreement, select Aegean flights will also be bookable under Eurowings flight numbers. On the other hand, some Eurowings flights will also be available under Aegean flight numbers.

To begin with, Greece’s flag carrier will assign code A3 to direct services operated by Eurowings linking Heraklion (Crete) and Thessaloniki with Eurowings bases in Germany, Austria and Czechia. The German low-cost airline will also follow the same mantra, assigning a particular code to its Aegean flights that connect Athens and Thessaloniki with its bases in Germany and Czechia. The duo aims to gradually increase codesharing further in the future.

Pratt & Whitney and Icelandair have been doing business with each other for over eight decades. Extending that relationship further is a new deal. The airline has chosen Pratt & Whitney’s GTF engines to power up to 35 new Airbus A320neo family aircraft. The count comprises a mix of leased and bought A321XLRs and A321LRs. Icelandair has also opted for an EngineWise agreement for the long-term maintenance, repair and overhaul of the new engines. With this deal, Iceland’s flag carrier becomes a new GTF customer for the RTX-owned company.

Icelandair selected the GTF engines because they will reduce carbon emissions and fuel consumption by up to 30 per cent with the Airbus aircraft compared to the Boeing 757s they will replace. The first A321LRs should join the airline’s fleet next year, while the A32XLRs will start arriving in 2029. Icelandair currently operates DHC Dash 8 aircraft with Pratt & Whitney Canada PW100 and PW150 powerplants.

During the Singapore Airshow last month, Pratt & Whitney landed GTF engine deals with Cebu Pacific, JetSmart and Vietjet.

UAE’s national carrier, Etihad Airways, has announced an expansion of its service schedule for the summer season. The list includes the addition of two new destinations and an increase in weekly flights to five.

New routes, first. From June 15, 2024, Etihad will operate three seasonal weekly flights (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) between Abu Dhabi, UAE, and Antalya, Turkey. The outbound service – EY 0539 – will depart from Abu Dhabi at 09:20 and arrive in Antalya at 13:00. The return flight – EY 0540 – will leave the Turkish tarmac at 14:30 and touch down in UAE’s capital at 19:45.

The other new route goes live on June 16, 2024. That’s a direct service between Abu Dhabi and Jaipur, India. Etihad will operate four weekly flights (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays) to the capital city of Rajasthan state. Flight EY 0366 will depart from Abu Dhabi at 03:05 and land in Jaipur at 08:05. After nearly three hours, the return flight will leave Jaipur at 11:00 and arrive in Abu Dhabi at 13:00. All times mentioned for the new routes are local. An Airbus A320 will be operated for both services.

Etihad will operate three additional weekly flights to five destinations – Thiruvananthapuram, Amman, Cairo, Karachi and Colombo – from June 15, 2024. In the same order, their weekly flight count will increase to 10, 14, 24, 17 and 20. Earlier this year, the airline had announced a similar bump in weekly services to seven destinations across the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent.

Dubai-based carrier Emirates has announced that from May 1, 2024, it will restart daily flights to Cambodia’s capital – Phnom Penh. The service, with a stopover in Singapore, will use a Boeing 777-300ER in a three-class configuration. With space for 360 passengers, the aeroplane will boast 8 First Class private suites, 42 lie-flat seats in Business Class and 310 seats in Economy. And courtesy of this new service, Emirates SkyCargo will offer a freight capacity of over 300 tonnes per week.

The outbound flight – EK348 – will depart Dubai at 02:30 and land in Singapore at 14:05. After a halt of 1.5 hours, the aircraft will leave Singapore at 15:35 and arrive in Phnom Penh at 16:35. The return flight – EK349 – will leave the Cambodian tarmac at 20:50 and touch down in Singapore at 23:50. Then, at 01:40, the last leg starts and ends in Dubai at 04:55. All times mentioned above are as per the location.

Also Read: Emirates Flights To Bogota Start This June

Ontario-based Niagara Helicopters ordered six Airbus H130 choppers at the Heli-Expo 2024. The deal confirms a complete fleet renewal for the tourism company. It serves more than 100,000 customers from across the globe every year, providing a 9-minute, 27km sightseeing trip over the world-famous Niagara Falls.

The aircraft in question can seat up to seven passengers and a pilot while boasting an unobstructed cabin, large wrap-around windscreen and wide windows for good visibility. Besides sightseeing services, the single-engined helicopter is also used for charter operations and emergency medical services.

Niagara Helicopters’ COO, Denis Pilon, says:

After nearly 10 years of working with Airbus Helicopters, we are confident that the H130 continues to be the ideal aircraft for our operation. We are pleased to be working with the Airbus team again. We look forward to many more years of cooperation and collaboration.

Besides this deal, Airbus signed contracts with Bristow, HealthNet Aeromedical Services, THC and DRF Luftrettung during the Heli-Expo 2024.

At the Heli-Expo 2024, Airbus and Bristow Group signed a framework agreement for 15 H135 helicopters. The paperwork details that five of the total are part of the firm order, and the remaining ten are options. In October this year, the first chopper is expected to be delivered.

Bristow already has a fleet of 10 H135s and has operated the said type of chopper since 2006. The firm provides aviation services to various offshore energy companies and government entities. The company’s COO for Offshore Energy Services says:

The H135 has proven itself to be a very capable helicopter, both for missions offshore and overland.

Bristow recently inked a deal with Italian aviation firm Leonardo for up to 20 helicopters. On the other hand, Airbus has bagged contracts from THC, DRF Luftrettung and HealthNet Aeromedical Services at the Heli-Expo 2024.

Besides bagging an order from Bristow Group, Leonardo has also struck multiple agreements with Saudi Arabia’s The Helicopter Company (THC). At the Heli-Expo 2024, THC signed a contract for 20 Leonardo AW139 helicopters. Also, the duo inked a multiyear framework agreement for more than 130 choppers of various types.

Here are the specifics. The 20 AW139s, to be delivered between 2025 and 2026, will help strengthen THC’s emergency medical services and search and rescue operations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). By the time the delivery is complete, KSA’s Public Investment Fund-backed THC will have almost 50 AW139s in its fleet.

The Framework Agreement, on the other hand, comprises units of Leonardo’s AW109s, AW169s and AW189s. All will be used for various services. Details about the first batch will be specified before H1 2024 ends. As for the deliveries, they should be completed anywhere between five to seven years. Besides inking these deals with Leonardo, THC signed an agreement with Airbus during the Heli-Expo 2024.