Regional aircraft lessor ACIA Aero Leasing plans to expand its relationship with express delivery provider DHL Express by converting a batch of ATR turboprops into freighters.
Lessors have played a major role in boosting the conditional orderbooks of electric aircraft startups, from Avolon’s preorder for 500 Vertical Aerospace four-passenger air taxis to Rockton’s letter of intent for 40 Heart Aerospace 30-seat regional airliners.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines could potentially close up to 30 destinations if the Dutch government proceeds with its plans to limit movements out of Amsterdam Schiphol to minimize noise pollution.
SAS Scandinavian Airlines has renegotiated leases for 36 aircraft with 10 lessors in an effort to cut costs and move ahead with its SAS FORWARD restructuring plan.
Both all-Boeing operators, Solaseed and Air Do have merged to combine the airlines’ aircraft maintenance and customer information and will conduct joint marketing campaigns.
Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen on Oct. 4 signed a final rule that extends the minimum rest period for flight attendants to 10 consecutive hours between shifts, saying the change “corrects a historical inequity.”
As regional carriers struggle to maintain their networks amid myriad challenges, ULCCs are increasingly filling their schedules with smaller destinations—a trend that is expected to continue, consultancy Swelbar-Zhong said.
KLM and its LCC subsidiary Transavia have urged international harmonization to ensure that unruly passengers removed from one airline’s flights should not be able to circumvent the ban by flying on another carrier.
