Aviation Daily Roundup: March. 8, 2023

The summer of 2022 was another busy one for D-AIRA, an aging Airbus A321. Many of the coronavirus travel restrictions had been lifted in the spring, and people wanted to fly. So Lufthansa sent the  A321 back into service after two years on the ground. But then in November, the aircraft was back on the ground—possibly permanently. According to Aviation Week Network’s Commercial Fleet Discovery database, the aircraft tallied 46,353 cycles and 61,616 flight hours in just under 30 years.

An Airbus-led consortium has launched tests under a European-funded program to foster the deployment of an already-mature solution to improve the efficiency of aircraft air and ground operations and reduce emissions. 

A central challenge to developing hydrogen-fueled aircraft is the space required to store the fuel. 

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said the company is prepared to match the industry-leading pilot pay rates set by Delta Air Lines, in a deal he calls “a game changer for our pilots.”

Australian advanced air mobility (AAM) infrastructure company Skyportz has partnered with property developer Pelligra to identify suitable locations for a future network of vertiports in Australia.

The UK risks losing irreplaceable infrastructure assets because of a lack of clear national strategy on regional transportation networks, according to panelists taking part in a discussion held during the British Business and General Aviation Association’s (BBGA) conference. 

Southwest Airlines plans to buy over 400,000 carbon credits from lessor SMBC Aviation Capital, making the Dallas-based carrier the launch customer for the program.

Lufthansa subsidiary Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is considering adding new destinations to its network in 2024 at the earliest, though the carrier’s first priority is to build up capacity. 

Chief executives of leading aircraft leasing companies voiced optimism about the future of their industry at the ISTAT Americas conference March 8 despite rising interest rates and major uncertainty in terms of geopolitics and aircraft supply.

JetBlue Airways will commence service to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) from June 29, its first destination in mainland Europe.