AF-KLM Benefited From KLM State Aid - EU Court Opinion
The EU Court of Justice issued an opinion confirming that KLM’s receipt of state aid from the Dutch government was lawful and beneficial to the Air France‑KLM group. The court upheld a €2 billion aid package that was designed to shore up the airline’s liquidity after the pandemic. Analysts say the ruling validates the group’s recovery strategy and clears regulatory uncertainty. The decision also highlights the delicate balance between state support and competition rules in Europe’s aviation sector.
Korean Air Confirms 103-Unit Boeing Aircraft Order
Korean Air has approved a long‑term purchase of 103 Boeing aircraft, extending deliveries to 2039. The order includes 20 B777‑9s, 25 B787‑10s, 50 B737‑10s and eight B777‑8F freighters, marking the carrier’s first commitment to the new freighter model. A separate...
Indonesia Orders 12 PC-24s for Air Force Training, Transport
Indonesia’s air force has placed an order for twelve brand‑new Pilatus PC‑24 jets, intended for pilot training, air transport, and liaison duties. The contract, signed through PT E‑System Solutions Indonesia, also bundles ground‑support equipment, spare parts, training and technical assistance. The...
Argentina's Feeling Air Adds First PC-12 PRO
Argentina’s regional carrier Feeling Air has taken delivery of its first Pilatus PC‑12 PRO, a 2025‑built turboprop registered in the United States as N339PR. The eight‑seat aircraft flew from Pilatus’ Denver completion facility on March 15, making multiple stops across the...
Air Alderney Eyes up to Ten Islanders
Air Alderney has applied for a ground‑handling licence that would let it base up to ten BN‑2 Islander aircraft on the Channel Island of Alderney. The plan earmarks one aircraft for year‑round medevac missions while the remaining nine would serve...
Canada’s Alkan Air Adds Three King Air 350s Medevacs
Alkan Air is leasing three King Air 350 turboprops from Yukon First Nations Air Leasing Limited Partnership, with the partnership granting YFNAL LP a 75% stake in each aircraft. The three planes were added to Alkan’s certificate in October 2025, expanding a fleet...
Benin's Amazone Airlines Debuts Domestic Operations
Benin’s Amazone Airlines has launched its first domestic scheduled service, marking the debut of a home‑grown carrier in the West African market. The airline began operations between Cotonou and Parakou using ATR 72‑600 turboprops, offering multiple daily flights. The launch...
El Al Calls for Reopening of Eilat After New Tel Aviv Limits
El Al Israel Airlines has publicly urged the Israeli government to lift the recent flight‑capacity limits imposed on Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport and to reopen Eilat’s Ramon Airport for commercial service. The carrier argues that the restrictions are choking passenger flow...
Venezuela, Dominican Republic Resume Air Connectivity
Venezuela and the Dominican Republic have announced the restoration of scheduled air services, ending a months‑long suspension that disrupted tourism and business travel. The resumption involves multiple carriers, including Laser Airlines, which will operate MD‑82 aircraft on the Caracas‑Santo Domingo...
Mumbai Int'l Petitions Court over $92mn Jet Airways Debt
Mumbai International has filed a petition in court demanding repayment of approximately $92 million owed by the insolvent Jet Airways. The claim comes as the airline’s liquidator continues to manage asset sales, including pending auctions of Boeing 777‑300ERs and the transfer...
Ghana Eyes New Presidential Jet by Mid-4Q26
Ghana announced it will acquire a new presidential jet by November 2026, adding a dedicated aircraft to the state fleet. The move follows criticism over President John Dramani Mahama’s recent use of his brother’s private Global 6500 for a diplomatic trip...
Nigeria's Binani Air Certifies for Scheduled Operations
Nigeria's Binani Air obtained an air operator’s certificate for scheduled domestic flights from the NCAA on 17 March. The certification marks the first fully woman‑owned airline in Nigeria, led by Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani. Binani Air already holds an...
Ryanair Opens Biggest In-House MRO at Madrid Barajas, Spain
Ryanair has inaugurated its biggest in‑house maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centre at Madrid‑Barajas Airport, marking the airline’s largest dedicated facility to date. The new hub consolidates maintenance for its Boeing 737‑800 fleet, allowing Ryanair to perform more work internally...
Somalia Denies Baidoa Flight Halt, Calls Claims Propaganda
Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority says commercial flights between Mogadishu and Baidoa continue without restrictions, rejecting media claims of a suspension. The denial comes after reports that the South West State’s capital cut ties with the federal government amid a constitutional...
Nepal's Danfé Airlines Obtains NOC Amid Launch Efforts
Danfé Airlines secured a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Nepal's civil aviation authority, clearing a key regulatory hurdle toward launch. The carrier plans to operate ATR turboprop aircraft on domestic routes, building on an AOC application filed in May 2025....
Kenya Airways Boosts Cargo Ops via B747 Capacity Partnership
Kenya Airways has added a Boeing 747‑400 freighter through a capacity agreement with Terra Avia, raising its cargo lift from roughly 70 tonnes to about 180 tonnes. The airline plans to push capacity beyond 250 tonnes as part of a broader push to position...
Argentina’s Flytec Receives First DHC-8-Q400
Argentina's regional carrier Flytec has taken delivery of its first De Havilland Canada DHC‑8‑Q400, a 78‑seat turboprop designed for short‑haul routes. The addition marks a significant fleet modernization step, replacing older aircraft with a more fuel‑efficient platform. Flytec plans to...
Taiwan's Far Eastern Air Transport MD-83 to Be Auctioned
Taiwan's government agency announced that Far Eastern Air Transport's McDonnell Douglas MD‑83 will be auctioned, marking the third attempt to sell the aircraft after the carrier’s bankruptcy and legal entanglements. The narrow‑body jet, grounded since 2025, is being offered to...
Shareholders of Canada’s Air Transat Stick to Strategic Plan
Air Transat’s shareholders have voted to maintain the airline’s current strategic plan, backing management’s restructuring agenda. The plan emphasizes fleet modernization with the first A321XLR slated for delivery in late 2027 and a focused reduction of underperforming U.S. routes. It...
US's George J. Priester Aviation Acquires Maxair, Elite Jets
George J. Priester Aviation announced the acquisition of U.S. Part 135 operators Maxair and Elite Jets, adding 17 aircraft to its fleet. The deal follows prior purchases of Omni Air Transport and Sunrise Jets, continuing Priester’s strategy to consolidate family‑owned charter...
Karun Airlines F50s, Pars Air Aircraft Destroyed in Iran
Iranian carrier Karun Airlines reported the destruction of its Fokker 50 turboprops, while Pars Air also lost aircraft in the same incident. The loss removes key short‑haul capacity from both operators, further shrinking an already limited fleet. Details on the...
Germany's LUMINAIR Inducts First Falcon 7X
LUMINAIR announced the induction of its first Dassault Falcon 7X, a 2009‑built trijet registered D‑ALIN, which entered service on 8 March with a Hamburg‑Paris‑Larnaca routing. Configured for up to 14 passengers, the aircraft joins a fleet that already includes four Falcon 900LX, two...
Kuwait's Jazeera Airways Resumes Umrah Charters
Jazeera Airways has restarted Umrah charter flights to Saudi Arabia, routing them directly from Jeddah and Madinah to Russia after Kuwait’s airspace closed on Feb. 28 due to the Iran‑related war. The carrier is using three A320‑family aircraft that were...
Swan Aviation Adds Türkiye's First G700
Swan Aviation announced it has taken delivery of the first Gulfstream G700 to operate in Turkey. The G700 is Gulfstream’s flagship ultra‑long‑range business jet, capable of flying up to 7,500 nautical miles with up to 19 passengers. The acquisition marks...
Qatar Airways, Gulf Air Begin Limited Rescue Ops From Abroad
Qatar Airways and Gulf Air have launched very limited rescue flights from Oman and Saudi Arabia after the February 28 closure of Qatari and Bahraini airspace. Gulf Air reactivated three A321‑200s to fly from Dammam and Riyadh to Cairo, Larnaca,...
US's Fly Live Charter Begins Executive Jet Operations
Fly Live Charter has launched executive jet operations by adding a 1980-built Cessna Citation II (N173AA) to its Part 135‑certified fleet. The seven‑seat jet is based at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and joins two Piper PA‑31s, expanding the carrier’s offering of longer‑range,...
El Al Resumes Limited Ops as Tel Aviv Reopens
El Al Israel Airlines will restart inbound services on 4 March 2026, operating a single flight per hour as Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport reopens. The limited schedule focuses on repatriating Israelis stranded in 22 European, Asian and U.S. locations, while outbound sales are...
Germany's FSH Aviation Inducts Citation Sovereign+
FSH Aviation has added a 2018 Citation Sovereign+ (tail D‑CFSH) to its Leipzig/Halle fleet, officially inducting the jet on 2 March. The aircraft is now listed on the carrier’s AOC and is available for charter, with its first commercial flight to...
Air Congo Expands Regional Network Amid ATR72 Delays
Air Congo announced an aggressive intra‑African network expansion, adding routes to Johannesburg, Entebbe, Douala, Cotonou and Dar es Salaam between March and April 2026. The airline’s two new ATR‑72‑600s, leased from Ethiopian Airlines, are now expected in mid‑April due to testing and...
Somalia's Puntland Revokes Daallo Airlines Flight Permit
Puntland's autonomous government revoked Daallo Airlines' flight permit for all regional airports on March 1, 2026, citing safety concerns and civil aviation violations. The decision follows incidents where Daallo flights were denied clearance, leaving Puntland lawmakers and passengers stranded in...
China to Order up to 120 Airbus Jets
The Chinese government is preparing an incremental order of up to 120 Airbus jets, a move announced by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during his February 25 state visit to Beijing. The exact aircraft variants, delivery timetable, and contract value have not...
Arik Funds Paid UmzaXpress Insurance, Lagos Court Hears
Nigeria’s EFCC testified that Arik Air funds were used to pay insurance premiums for rival carrier UmzaXpress, indicating improper financial flows. The testimony was delivered during the Lagos Special Offences Court trial of former Arik executives, AMCON officials, Union Bank...
SA Express Wind-Up Nears End, Brand Value $10k
South African Express, the state‑owned carrier, is set to complete its liquidation by April 2026, six years after entering provisional liquidation. The liquidators have recovered movable assets, tax refunds and interest, leaving a free residue of roughly ZAR 3.7 million for distribution....
LAM Mozambique Faces Five Criminal Probes
Mozambique’s flag carrier LAM is facing five separate criminal investigations into alleged mis‑management, corruption and embezzlement. Probes cover irregular aircraft sales, a questionable lease of a B737‑300F freighter, a suspect MoU with South African consultancy Fly Modern Ark, and inflated...
Uganda Airlines Hunts Short-Term ACMI While A330s Are AOG
Uganda Airlines announced that its two Airbus A330‑800 long‑haul jets are out of service due to unscheduled maintenance, prompting the carrier to hunt for a short‑term wet‑lease to keep intercontinental routes operational. The grounding affects flights to London Gatwick, Mumbai,...
Arif Habib Consortium to Acquire Full Control of PIA
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is set to come under the full ownership of the Arif Habib consortium, which will acquire the remaining government‑held shares. The deal follows months of negotiations and aims to consolidate the airline’s fragmented ownership structure. With...
Libya's Berniq Airways Inks $238mn Capital Increase
PNG's Air Niugini Cancels Its B787-8 Order
Air Niugini has cancelled its order for two Boeing 787‑8 jets, leaving a gap as its aging B767‑300ERs are set to leave service in 2026. The 787s were intended to replace those wide‑bodies and support new routes to Asia, Australia...
US’s Spirit Airlines Seeks Approval to Sell 20 Aircraft
Spirit Aviation Holdings, the parent of Spirit Airlines, has asked the Chapter 11 court to approve the sale of 20 Airbus aircraft—13 A320‑200s and 7 A321‑200s—to raise at least $533 million. The auction is scheduled for April 20, 2026, with CSDS Asset Management...
Brazil’s GOL to Return Two Brand-New B737-8s
Brazilian carrier GOL announced the acquisition of two brand‑new Boeing 737‑8 aircraft, the latest variant of the 737 MAX family. The jets are slated for delivery in the third quarter of 2024 and will replace aging 737‑700s currently in service....
Chad's Royal Airways Eyes Subsidiary in Cameroon
Royal Airways, Chad's emerging carrier, announced plans to launch a subsidiary in Cameroon, marking its first foray beyond national borders. The move targets the Central African market, leveraging the airline's existing ATR42‑300 fleet for regional routes. International operations are projected...
Nigeria's Fly Elite Adds First Bombardier Aircraft
Fly Elite, a Lagos‑based aircraft management specialist, has added its first Bombardier Challenger 604 to its fleet, marking the company’s entry into the larger business‑jet segment. The 2004‑built jet, configured for up to ten passengers, completed its inaugural flight on 10 February,...
