Airlines & Lessors

Boeing Commercial Airplanes is restructuring its marketing and business development unit following the unexpected announcement by Mike Bair—the executive who leads the current strategic, planning and marketing group—that he is to retire.

Alitalia’s board of directors has approved a €500 million ($675.9 million) emergency rescue plan that will include a €300 million capital increase to be offered in stock options by shareholders and €200 million in new lines of credit, according to a statement issued by the Rome-based airline Friday.

Lufthansa Technik Malta, a subsidiary of Lufthansa Technik, is expanding its hangar capacity for maintenance and overhaul work on Airbus widebody aircraft.

FLY Leasing has taken delivery of a new Boeing 787-8 aircraft through a sale and leaseback agreement with LATAM previously announced in July.

Ireland-based low-cost carrier Ryanair is seeking a new chief spokesman, in a move apparently designed to improve the airline’s public image.

Fresh off its strategic win over Boeing with an order from Japan Airlines for at least 31 A350s, Airbus is preparing the ground to challenge the US manufacturer in the future cargo aircraft market.

Etihad Airways has confirmed it now owns a 19.9% equity stake in Virgin Australia.

Russia’s Aeroflot has registered a new low-cost subsidiary (LCC) called Dobrolet, which will launch flights in 2014.

Lufthansa has confirmed its supervisory board did not approve three Airbus A380 options, based on the current lower growth rate of the Lufthansa Group airlines.

Boeing and South African Airways (SAA) will work together to develop and implement a sustainable aviation biofuel supply chain in Southern Africa, a first for the continent.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways and Latvia-based airBaltic have signed a codeshare agreement and will launch 4X-weekly Riga-Abu Dhabi services from Dec. 16, using an Etihad Airbus A319.

Russia’s UTair has taken delivery of its first directly purchased Boeing 737-800.

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The European Commission has allowed Aegean Airlines to acquire the loss-making Olympic Air following a six-month investigation into the competition ramifications of the proposed acquisition.

Plans by South African low-cost carrier FlySafair—which was scheduled to begin Boeing 737-400 operations between Johannesburg and Cape Town Oct. 17—have been stymied by a legal challenge from its two competitors.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways will buy five Boeing 777-200LRs from Air India to support the accelerating growth of its route network.

The two Sukhoi Superjet 100s placed into domestic Mexican service by Interjet last month have operated at a high level of efficiency and are being embraced by passengers, according to a senior Interjet official.

El Al Israel Airlines has taken delivery of its first of six Boeing 737-900ERs.

Global passenger traffic increased 4.8% year-over-year in August, up 2.8 points from July, Airports Council International (ACI) reports.

Etihad Airways has announced plans to start daily Boeing 777-200LR flights between Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) from June 1, 2014, giving LAX’s new international terminal another high-profile global connection.

Virgin Atlantic will continue to lobby for the London-Moscow route, Virgin Atlantic director-airline planning Edmond Rose told the Wings of Russia International Aviation Forum Oct. 8, adding the airline’s top management is still confident in that destination.

Russia’s Transaero Airlines has approved a leasing deal for 12 additional Boeing 737-800s with Sberbank Leasing Co.

Spring Airlines is expected to become the first Chinese low-cost carrier (LCC) to operate flights between China’s mainland and Taiwan.

Qantas subsidiary Jetstar Airways has taken delivery of the carrier's first of 14 Boeing 787s, which is also the first Dreamliner for Australia.

Japan Airlines (JAL) has placed its first ever order with Airbus, signing a purchase agreement for 31 A350 XWBs with options for a further 25 aircraft.