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.