April 23, 2025

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April 23, 2025

Malaysia Airlines presents new lie-flat seats for short- and medium-haul fleet

Malaysia Airlines has become the first airline in its short- and medium-haul fleet to introduce new lie-flat business class seats for the Boeing 737 Max 10. This move is intended to enhance the regional travel experience and provide a consistently high-quality premium experience on connecting flights, for example from Trivandrum via Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne. The airline plans to operate a total of 2030 Boeing 55 Max 737 and 8 Max 737 aircraft by 10. This is a key component of its ongoing fleet modernization and its goal of becoming one of the top 10 airlines globally and among the top 5 in Asia. The introduction of lie-flat seats in the business class of the Boeing 737 Max 10 represents a significant improvement in travel comfort on short- and medium-haul routes. Previously, the airline operated conventional business class seats on these routes. The new seats allow passengers to rest on long-haul flights, providing a more consistent premium experience, especially for travelers using connecting flights. Malaysia Airlines CEO Izham Ismail emphasized that this innovation, combined with the resumption of Brisbane flights and expanded regional connectivity, underscores the airline's strategic focus on growth and excellent Malaysian hospitality. The fleet modernization with the Boeing 737 Max family is an important building block in Malaysia Airlines' future strategy. The new, more fuel-efficient aircraft are intended not only to increase passenger comfort but also to reduce operating costs. Malaysia Airlines already operates a significant number of Boeing 737 aircraft and plans to further modernize and expand this fleet in the coming years. Deliveries of the Boeing 737 Max 10 are expected to begin in 2029.

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Flixtrain plans massive fleet expansion with Talgo trains

The Munich-based mobility group Flix, known for Flixbus and Flixtrain, is planning a significant expansion of its rail subsidiary. The company is negotiating with the Spanish railway technology manufacturer Talgo about the purchase of up to 63 new train sets with a total value of around one billion euros. These state-of-the-art Talgo 230 trains, which are largely identical to Deutsche Bahn's ICE L, are intended to expand Flixtrain's route network and significantly increase travel comfort for passengers. The planned Talgo trains for Flixtrain, which will be visually distinct from DB's ICE L, are based on the proven Talgo 230 platform. This model is already being delivered to Deutsche Bahn and the Danish state railway DSB. With this investment, Flixtrain is aiming for an even stronger position in the German railway market, where the company is already Deutsche Bahn's most significant competitor. Talgo CEO Gonzalo Urquijo confirmed the talks with the Flix Group during an analyst conference. Delivery of the trains is scheduled for two tranches. The trains for Flixtrain will consist of a locomotive, a variable number of intermediate cars, and a control car, similar to the propulsion concept of the Railjet. A special feature of the Talgo trains is the low-floor design across the entire train set, which allows step-free access at platform level and thus significantly improves accessibility. The trains will be manufactured in Rivabellosa, Spain. While Talgo currently produces numerous trains of this type for DB and DSB, there have been delivery delays in the past. Vectron dual-mode locomotives from Siemens Mobility are expected to be considered as traction for the new Flixtrain trains.

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Swissport records significant increase in revenue and record passenger and cargo handling

Swissport International AG, the global airport logistics provider, reported strong growth in 2024. The company announced revenue of approximately €3,7 billion, an increase of eleven percent compared to the previous year. This result was driven by significant growth across all business areas. In addition to the significant increase in revenue, Swissport also achieved new record levels in handling figures. The number of passengers handled worldwide rose by 6,5 percent to 247 million. This is the highest number of passengers handled by Swissport since 2019, i.e., before the coronavirus pandemic. The company also recorded growth in cargo handling of 6,4 percent to over five million tons, which also represents a new record. These positive figures underscore the recovery and growth of the global aviation industry in 2024. Swissport benefited from increased travel activity and continued high cargo volumes. The company operates a comprehensive network of 117 air cargo centers worldwide and operates at numerous airports on all six continents. In addition to passenger and cargo handling, Swissport also operates the Aspire Executive Lounges, which also set a new record in 2024 with over 5,9 million guests.

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Capital A plans capital reduction for financial restructuring

Malaysian holding company Capital A Berhad, parent company of the well-known low-cost airline AirAsia, has announced plans to undertake a capital reduction of up to 6 billion ringgit (approximately 1,36 billion US dollars). This move is intended to offset accumulated losses and strengthen the company's balance sheet. Shareholders are scheduled to vote on the proposal at an extraordinary general meeting on May 7, 2025. Following shareholder approval, Capital A will submit the capital reduction application to the Malaysian Supreme Court, aiming to complete the process by June. Capital A was placed under Practice Note 2022 (PN17) status by the Malaysian Stock Exchange in January 17, which applies to companies deemed financially distressed. This status was imposed due to significant losses during the COVID-19 pandemic and a decline in equity below 50% of subscribed capital. In 2024, Capital A reported a loss of 475,1 million ringgit, primarily due to foreign exchange losses of 1,4 billion ringgit in the aviation business. Financial Stabilization Plan: Capital A's proposed financial stabilization plan includes the capital reduction and the sale of its aviation business to its long-haul subsidiary, AirAsia X Berhad. This measure has already been approved by shareholders. By divesting the aviation segment, Capital A intends to focus on non-aviation-related businesses, including digital services and logistics. The capital reduction is intended to help offset accumulated losses and strengthen equity, enabling the company to exit PN17 status. Future Direction and Business Areas: Following the restructuring, Capital A plans to focus on six core businesses: Asia Digital Engineering (ADE), Teleport (Logistics),

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Easyjet boss Jarvis criticizes European air traffic control and sees a difficult year

The head of the low-cost airline easyJet, Kenton Jarvis, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the performance of the European air traffic system, particularly air traffic control. In an interview with the news magazine "Der Spiegel," Jarvis described the year so far as "very disappointing" and attributed the large number of minutes of delays primarily to the inefficiency of air traffic control in Europe. Jarvis expects the situation to be tense again around the Easter holidays, which could have a negative impact on easyJet customers. To at least partially compensate for the delays caused by air traffic control, easyJet is planning internal optimizations, for example in handling times. The airline is also keeping replacement aircraft on standby in its fleet and building buffers into its flight schedule. Jarvis emphasized, however, that these investments show that easyJet is adapting to a difficult operational environment. Despite "crazy price increases," Germany remains an important market for easyJet. Regarding locations in Germany, Jarvis reiterated his commitment to Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) as the largest German base, but is not currently planning any significant expansion of activities there. The base, once taken over by Air Berlin, was reduced from over 30 stationed aircraft to eleven, as the company was simply "far too big" in Berlin. However, Jarvis hinted in the interview at a possible increase in services at Düsseldorf Airport, where EasyJet will be present again this summer with an initial three destinations. However, the future development of Air Berlin's former second-largest location is still open, and Jarvis ruled out a new base for the near future. Jarvis is relaxed about the risk of a global economic crisis resulting from customs conflicts for his company, as

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Travel slump to the USA forces Canadian airlines to correct course

A significant decline in travel from Canada to the United States is prompting Canadian airlines to adjust their summer flight schedules. Airlines such as WestJet, Air Canada, and Porter Airlines are responding to declining demand for US vacation destinations by shifting capacity to domestic and European routes. Political tensions and an unfavorable exchange rate between the Canadian and US dollars are cited as reasons for this development. Both WestJet and Air Canada have reduced their flight frequencies to the US and are increasingly using smaller aircraft on these routes. At the same time, Canada's two largest airlines are expanding their offerings to Europe and southern vacation destinations. Porter Airlines has also shifted capacity from US routes to domestic Canadian routes. Data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows a nearly 20 percent year-on-year decline in summer bookings between Canada and major US cities, while domestic bookings for July increased by 11 percent. Experts expect this trend could lead to increased price competition at home. Airlines are taking advantage of the opportunity to expand their European business. Air Canada has launched new connections to Edinburgh, Paris, Rome, and Athens, while WestJet is offering new routes from Halifax to Barcelona and Amsterdam. Lufthansa subsidiary Discover Airlines is also responding to changing demand and is focusing on increased travel between Europe and Canada with a new connection between Munich and Calgary. However, airlines' options for shifting capacity from the USA to transatlantic routes are limited. North American routes typically use narrow-body aircraft, whose range is limited for non-stop flights from west of

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Tui Dreamliner gets stuck in the grass after aborted takeoff

On April 18, 2025, an incident occurred at Melbourne Orlando International Airport in the US state of Florida involving a Boeing 787-9 operated by the British airline Tui Airways. The flight, originally scheduled to Birmingham in the UK, had to be aborted shortly before takeoff after a technical alarm was triggered in the cockpit. While attempting to steer the aircraft off the runway via a taxiway, the right main landing gear became trapped in the soft grass next to the taxiway. The wide-body aircraft became stuck there and was not able to continue its journey until two days later. The approximately 350 passengers were evacuated uninjured and accommodated in hotels. The aircraft, with the registration G-TuiN, was scheduled as flight BY601 from Melbourne to Birmingham. According to the official account, takeoff was aborted due to a cockpit warning. During taxiing, the aircraft left the runway via taxiway C, and the right landing gear sank into the ground next to the paved surface. Local authorities, including Mayor Paul Alfrey, confirmed the incident. Ground crews responded immediately after the aircraft came to a standstill. Passengers were quickly removed from the aircraft via mobile stairs and transported by bus to the terminal and later to accommodations. Melbourne-Orlando Airport provided additional personnel for the rescue, including mechanics and vehicles to tow the stuck jet. The airline cooperated with technicians from STS Aviation to inspect the aircraft for airworthiness. No injuries – Airport praises emergency services. According to airport director Greg Donovan, there were no injuries. Airport staff, emergency services, and management worked into the night to control the situation.

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China Eastern expands European business with new routes

China Eastern Airlines is strengthening its presence on the European continent in response to growing demand for long-haul flights from China to Europe. Starting in summer 2025, the airline will add three new routes to its flight schedule. Starting June 20, a daily connection between Shanghai and Milan will be established, followed by a three-times-weekly route between Shanghai and Copenhagen from July 17. Starting June 16, Geneva will be served four times a week from Shanghai. The airline is also increasing the frequency of its flights from Shanghai to Venice. A key competitive advantage for Chinese airlines such as China Eastern is the continued ability to use Russian airspace. This enables shorter and therefore more efficient flight routes to Europe compared to many Western airlines, which are facing restrictions due to the Ukraine conflict. This circumstance contributes to Chinese airlines offering faster and more fuel-efficient connections. On the Shanghai-Milan route, China Eastern will compete with Air China, while the connection to Copenhagen is new, making China Eastern the sole provider on this route. This expansion comes at a time when other airlines, such as SAS, have discontinued routes such as Copenhagen-Shanghai due to market conditions. China Eastern's expansion is part of a broader trend in which Chinese airlines have significantly increased their share of seat capacity between mainland China and Europe (excluding Russia) – from 66 percent in 2019 to 82,5 percent today. Other Chinese airlines, such as Sichuan Airlines, Hainan Airlines, and Air China, are also launching new routes to Europe.

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EU slows down Russian flight plans to the USA

Russia's proposal to resume direct flights to the United States as part of ceasefire negotiations is facing significant opposition within the European Union. As the news portal Politico reports, Moscow raised the idea during peace talks in Saudi Arabia. However, EU officials remain firmly committed to the airspace sanctions imposed since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, raising serious security concerns about the Russian aviation sector. The EU and US sanctions include a grounding of Russian airlines and restrictions on access to spare parts and maintenance services. This has grounded a large portion of the Russian airline Aeroflot's fleet. Attempts to circumvent these restrictions have heightened concerns about the use of potentially counterfeit or substandard spare parts, calling into question the airworthiness of Russian aircraft. Even if these security concerns could be addressed, the EU warns of another problem: Many aircraft in the Russian fleet have been illegally detained by Western lessors and could be confiscated if they land in Europe. Despite calls from some business associations for a lifting of aviation sanctions on humanitarian grounds, resistance in Europe remains strong. The EU points to the significant legal and logistical hurdles that stand in the way of a resumption of flight operations. The EU's stance underscores its continued rejection of Russian aggression in Ukraine and its commitment to the sanctions measures in place.

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Bangladesh reacts to Indian transshipment ban: Chittagong and Sylhet planned to open for cargo

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has officially announced that it will allow international air cargo flights from Chittagong and Sylhet airports. This decision comes as a direct response to the ban imposed by India at the beginning of April on the onward transport of Bangladeshi exports through Indian territory. By opening additional airports to international cargo traffic, Bangladesh aims to alleviate the existing capacity bottlenecks at the capital Dhaka Airport and reduce its dependence on the Indian logistics network. Background: India's withdrawal from the agreement Since 2020, amid the first wave of the global pandemic, Indian authorities had granted Bangladeshi exporters temporary transit options via Indian airports such as Kolkata or Delhi. Many companies made extensive use of this option because it was logistically more advantageous: shorter transport routes, lower fuel costs, and lower handling fees. The textile sector, which is economically central to Bangladesh, particularly benefited from this regulation. The sudden end of this arrangement, which was implemented without prior notice by Indian authorities in April 2025, now poses major challenges for the country's exporters. According to estimates by local industry associations, up to 20 percent of all textile and clothing exports were previously handled via Indian routes. The sudden loss of these transit routes threatens to bring important sources of income to a standstill. Congestion in Dhaka becomes a national challenge. Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh's main gateway to the world, has been severely congested for years. With a designed capacity of around 300 tons of cargo daily, according to official figures, it currently handles an average of more than 800 tons – even more than 1.200 tons during peak season. This overload leads to delays, customs clearance bottlenecks, and increased storage costs for companies.

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