This week’s top air transport stories include a Qantas order for Airbus A350s and Boeing 787s, and the resignation of Finnair CEO Topi Manner.

In airline news, Qantas ordered 12 Airbus A350s to be delivered from FY28 and 12 Boeing 787s (four -9s and eight -10s) to replace its A330 fleet for delivery from FY27 to replace its A330s.
 

Finnair CEO Topi Manner has resigned to take up a new role leading Finnish telecoms provider Elisa Corporation, although a transition period means Manner could remain with Finnair for another six months.

A contract newly ratified by American Airlines pilots joins Delta Air Lines and United Airlines in including a competitive snap-up clause for pay rates. Pilot compensation rates are set to rise by more than 46% over the life of American’s new four-year contract, the Allied Pilots Association (APA) says, with the average pilot seeing an immediate raise of more than 21%.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) is preparing to introduce Boeing 787-10s on domestic trunk routes from February, such as those between Tokyo Haneda Airport and Fukuoka and Sapporo. The carrier already operates three 787-10s from a previous order on international routes. The carrier ordered 11 domestic-configured -10s as part of a larger order announced in February 2020. The 11 are expected to be delivered by fiscal 2026, which begins April 1, 2026.

Ethiopian Airlines signed an MOU to build a new hangar in Addis Ababa for aircraft parts manufacturing, building on an earlier skills-transfer joint venture with Boeing. The new hangar will be located near Killinto Industrial Park and will be used to manufacture aerospace parts, including aircraft thermo-acoustic insulation blankets, electrical wire harnesses and other parts.

Delta Air Lines filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit that alleges the Atlanta-based carrier misled consumers in marketing itself as “the world’s first carbon-neutral airline.” The suit, filed in a California federal court in late May, comes from a plaintiff described as having purchased Delta flights at a market premium believing she had “engaged in more ecologically conscious air travel and participated in a global transition away from carbon emissions.” The suit argues Delta “grossly misrepresent[ed] the total environmental impact of its business operations” through its marketing in violation of state laws, “thereby attaining underserved market share and extracting higher prices.” In response, Delta says the plaintiff’s claims are preempted by the Airline Deregulation Act (ADA).

In regulatory news, FAA has mandated Pratt & Whitney PW1100G checks to detect cracks in a potentially flawed batch of turbine disks as a result of a December 2022 engine shutdown on a PW1100G-powered Airbus A320neo.

Boom Supersonic received an FAA experimental certificate of airworthiness for its XB-1 technology demonstrator, clearing the way for flight testing to get underway at Mojave Air and Space Port, California. The FAA’s permit to fly the 71-ft.-long delta-winged aircraft comes as Boom begins high-speed taxi tests, with a run up to 60 kt. achieved on Aug. 23.

Icelandic Transport Authority (ICETRA) ruled that Maltese wet-lease provider Hi Fly Malta was liable for passenger rights compensation under the EU261 regulation in April when Hi Fly—which was performing Airbus A139 flights for Icelandic virtual airline Akureyri-based Niceair—canceled flights. The customer was seeking a refund for replacement flights, as well as compensation for the canceled sectors, raising questions about whether EU261 liability rests with the airline operating the flight, or the company that sells the tickets, creating a contract with the passenger.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has certified the Embraer E195-E2 regional airliner, on the heels of certification by Malaysia and Australia. China had already certified the smaller E190-E2 at the Zhuhai Airshow in 2022.

In manufacturer news, a new Boeing 737 production issue will delay some 737 MAX-family deliveries as Boeing works to correct affected airframes and ensure no more nonconforming parts are installed. The latest problem is oversized fastener holes in rear pressure bulkheads. Affected parts are on 737-8s, 737-8-200s and 737-7s. Not every airframe has the problem, but Boeing is still working to determine the issue’s scope.

In lessor news, Los Angeles-based Air Lease Corporation (ALC) announced long-term lease contracts for four new Boeing 737-8s and one 737-800 to Royal Air Maroc, a $300 million deal. The new aircraft are scheduled to be delivered to the Moroccan it canceled flag-carrier, based in Casablanca, in 2024.

In sustainability news, Eurocontrol, the organization in charge of air traffic management in Europe, has released an analysis of the various possibilities airframers might want to consider when designing a green widebody aircraft. The short answer is those solutions will remain out of reach in the coming decades. Research and technology efforts toward a sustainable commercial aircraft have focused on narrowbodies, able to fly short- to medium-haul routes. Meanwhile, widebodies able to fly long-haul appear to be deprived from such investment.