Aviation Daily Roundup: January 25, 2022

Airbus Launches Airline For Outsized Cargo Market

Credit: Jane Widdowson / Airbus

Airbus is re-entering the outsized cargo market with a fleet of five BelugaSTs and setting up a cargo airline for the operation in 2023. 

Read the full article

IATA Sees Climbing Trend For Air Travel Continuing In 2022

Credit: Michael H. / Getty Images

A steady upward trend in demand for air travel toward the end of 2021 has the airline industry feeling optimistic for 2022 despite the effects of the omicron coronavirus variant, IATA said Jan. 25.

Read the full article

Embraer Secures Order From Lessor Azorra For Up To 50 E2s

Credit: Azorra/Embraer

Florida-headquartered lessor Azorra has signed a flexible purchase agreement with Embraer, covering 20 E2 regional jets—interchangeable between E190-E2s and E195-E2s—plus purchase rights on a further 30 aircraft.

Read the full article

Philippine Airlines Boosts Middle East Network

Credit: Airbus/Jean-Baptiste Accariez/Master FIlms

A new route to Israel is being launched by Philippine Airlines (PAL), more than 60 years after the carrier last operated regular flights to Tel Aviv.

Read the full article

United Airlines Rolls Back 2022 Capacity In Face Of Omicron

Credit: Joe Pries

United Airlines has revised down its flying program for 2022, now conceding its full-year capacity will be below 2019 levels because of the omicron coronavirus variant.

Read the full article

Air Leap Failure Leaves Eight Scandinavian Routes Unserved

Credit: Dave Donaldson / Alamy Stock Photo

Scandinavian regional airline Air Leap has ceased operations, leaving eight routes in Sweden, Norway and Finland unserved.

Read the full article

European Traffic Down By 1.4 Billion Compared With 2019

Credit: Horacio Villalobos/Corbis/Getty Images

Traffic across the European airport network increased by more than a third in 2021 compared with the previous 12 months but remained 59% down on 2019 levels, a report published by ACI Europe has found.

Read the full article

5G-Related Approvals Slow; Regional Airlines Remain Vulnerable

Credit: Bill Oxford / Getty Images

The rush of initial approvals clearing aircraft to operate near newly activated 5G wireless towers in the U.S. has slowed to a trickle, but many regional aircraft and a few mainline models still face significant restrictions at dozens of commercial airports.

Read the full article

Airbus, Qatar Order Cancellation ‘Worrying Development,’ IATA’s Walsh Says

Credit: Remy Gabalda/AFP/Getty Images

IATA Director General Willie Walsh voiced strong concerns about the escalated conflict between Qatar Airways and Airbus over paint and surface degradation of the airline’s fleet of Airbus A350s and the way the aircraft manufacturer has handled the issue.

Read the full article

Singapore, Indonesia To Realign FIR In Bilateral Agreement

Credit: Roslan Rahman / AFP / Getty Images

Singapore and Indonesia are nearing resolution on a long-standing issue over air traffic control rights, after the two governments agreed to realign the flight information region (FIR) over the Indonesian Riau Islands in a landmark bilateral agreement signed on Jan. 25. 

Read the full article

Iberia Forms Spanish SAF Partnership

Credit: Cespa

Iberia has formed a strategic alliance with Spanish fuel supplier Cepsa, aimed at ramping up sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production.

Read the full article

Bahrain’s Gulf Air Signs MOU With DHL

Credit: GF

In the latest manifestation of the rapidly expanding cargo market in the Middle East, Gulf Air has signed an MOU with logistics specialist DHL to explore cooperation in the commercial, technical and cargo fields. 

Read the full article

EASA Delays Early Return Of PIA To European Skies

Credit: Joe Pries

EASA has dampened hopes by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for a swift return of the airline’s Third Country Operator Authorization (TCOA) that would allow the resumption of PIA flights into European Union airspace. 

Read the full article

Major Airlines Expect Fleet Tailwinds In 2022

Credit: Daniel Slim/AFP/Getty Images

Airlines in the U.S. are expecting inflationary pressures to delay their return to profitability in 2022, driven by higher fuel, labor and airport costs. 

Read the full article