If you require privacy, flexibility and quick travel times, you could use Emirates’ latest offering. The Dubai-based airline has introduced an on-demand regional charter service, specifically for those seeking shorter trips in the GCC from Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). The flying workhorse is a Phenom 100 twin-engine aircraft capable of flying to various destinations inside and outside the Emirates network. The list includes KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and the UAE. The four-seater flight will also offer refreshments, while each passenger can carry up to 15kg of one medium-sized bag. And that’s in addition to a carry-on handbag. In Dubai, users can expect Emirates Chauffeur Drive Services, VIP clearance at customs and immigration and short pre-flight waiting periods.

A new A320 Family final assembly line (FAL), owned and operated by Airbus, has begun operations. Installed in the former A380 “Jean-Luc Lagardère” assembly building in Toulouse, France, the new FAL went live in 2022, delivering the first fuselage sections. However, it is expected to roll out its first fully assembled A321 by the end of 2023. The new facility will help Airbus ramp up the production rate of the A320 Family aircraft to 75 per month in 2026. And, of course, it will play a crucial role in meeting the demand for the A321. Presently, this aeroplane accounts for around 60 per cent of the total A320 Family backlog.

Iceland’s leading carrier, Icelandair, has become the latest Airbus customer. The Keflavik-based airline has placed a firm order for 13 A321XLR aeroplanes. In addition, the company is also mulling over to lease four Airbus A321LRs. The A321XLR (Xtra Long Range) will help Icelandair to strengthen and expand operations. The new aircraft should also deliver better economics and meet sustainability targets. The first of the A321XLRs should be with Icelandair in 2029. However, the carrier has secured the lease of new A321LR aircraft with its long-term partner SMBC Aviation Capital Limited. 

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has potentially bagged another big order for the A321neo aircraft. It has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mexican ultra-low-cost carrier Viva Aerobus to supply 90 units of the aeroplane mentioned above. The MoU brings the airline’s order book to 170 A320 family planes. Not only will the expanded fleet help the carrier strengthen its domestic reach, but it will also bolster its international growth. The A321neo, which, according to the agreement signed, has been ordered in the 240-seater configuration, is the largest member of Airbus’ A320 family. Also, it boasts new-gen engines and Sharklets, which collectively result in a 50 per cent reduction in noise and more than 20 per cent fuel savings compared to the previous-gen single-aisle aircraft. In 2013, Viva Aerobus placed an order for 32 aeroplanes from the A320 family, followed by an order for 25 A321neos in 2018. Presently, the airline operates 74 A320 family planes.