Airbus A350

Chinese carriers have again turned to Airbus for fleet expansion, with the Air China and Hainan Airlines airline groups announcing orders for a combined 95 narrowbody and widebody aircraft.

As the world of aviation turns its gaze to the 2026 Farnborough International Airshow, Flight Friday highlights the utilization of the largest airline groups of Western Europe.

Widebody sales have been rebounding since the pandemic.

Taiwan’s Starlux Airlines is pushing on with its ambitious growth plan after taking delivery of its third A350-1000 from Airbus.

Lufthansa is preparing to launch a large competition for more widebody aircraft, according to CEO Carsten Spohr.

Airbus and Lufthansa Group have signed a deal to support the airline group’s fleet of Airbus A220s.

Qantas’ planned Sydney-London route will add a new dynamic to what is a very lucrative and competitive one-stop market for airlines between the UK and Australia.

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury says the airframer will launch its A320 successor in 2030 as planned, welcoming news that Boeing’s competing program may be delayed.

Almost 10 years ago, Qantas began planning nonstop flights to London and New York. Soon the airline needs to prove that the flights are viable.

As airframers ponder the next-generation single-aisle aircraft, the aerospace industry considers what the proportion of composite materials its airframe and propulsion system will rely on.

Low-cost, long-haul carrier French bee is launching a new seasonal flight from Paris Orly to two destinations: Colombo, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.

Qantas plans to launch non-stop services from Sydney to London in October 2027, the services will be daily and will be using Airbus A350-1000ULRs

SAS Scandinavian Airlines is closing in on a major widebody order to be announced in the coming weeks.

Air China will transfer five A350-900s to subsidiary Shenzhen Airlines in a move that positions the smaller carrier for network expansion.

Qantas is reportedly considering ordering more widebody aircraft to extend its long-term fleet upgrade plans.

EgyptAir resumed service to Los Angeles for the first time in more than two decades, as the carrier accelerates its North American expansion with A350-900s.

The Cathay Pacific Group has added two more aircraft to its firm orders for Airbus A350Fs, which will support freighter fleet growth for Cathay Cargo.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) is leading the investigation, in which French accident investigation bureau BEA is participating.

Air China Cargo has signed a purchase agreement with Airbus for four additional Airbus A350F freighters, finalizing its April announcement for the aircraft.

Qantas confirmed a further delay to the aircraft for its Project Sunrise ultra-long-haul flights, with delivery of the initial A350-1000ULRs expected to slide.

SIA Engineering Company has opened its Base Maintenance Malaysia (BMM) facility at Subang Airport.

Airbus has warned customers about new delivery delays of A350s and A320neo family aircraft over the next several years.

Singapore Airlines has delayed the rollout of its new premium cabin product on its Airbus A350-900 fleet by around six months, citing supply chain constraints and certification issues.

Singapore Airlines will launch flights to Madrid via Barcelona from Oct. 26, 2026, marking the carrier’s return to the Spanish capital after 22 years.

Singapore Airlines will introduce Starlink connectivity across its long-haul fleet from the first quarter of 2027.