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Vietnam Airlines Announces Plans to Lease 19 Boeing 737 MAX 8 Aircraft at Farnborough Airshow

At the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, Vietnam Airlines announced plans to add 19 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft to its fleet through arrangements with three of the world’s leading aircraft lessors. Deliveries are expected in 2028. The fleet expansion comprises ten aircraft from SMBC Aviation Capital, four from Avolon Aerospace Leasing Limited, and five from Phoenix Aviation Capital managed by AIP Capital.

Breaking Travel NewsBreaking Travel News22 Jul

Korean Air signs Buckingham Palace Declaration to counter illegal wildlife trafficking

Korean Air has signed the Buckingham Palace Declaration, becoming the first Korean airline to join the global initiative to counter illegal wildlife trafficking through the transportation sector. Established in March 2016, the Buckingham Palace Declaration is an international agreement aimed at preventing traffickers from exploiting global transport networks. It sets out 11 commitments, including sharing information on illegal wildlife trade, reporting suspicious activity to relevant authorities and refusing to transport cargo suspected of containing illegally traded wildlife or wildlife products.

Breaking Travel NewsBreaking Travel News22 Jul

AIR INDIA SELECTS NEW JFK TERMINAL 6 FOR FUTURE OPERATIONS

JFK Millennium Partners (JMP), the company selected by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey to build and operate John F. Kennedy International Airport’s new world-class Terminal 6 (JFK T6), and Air India, India’s leading global airline, today announced that the airline has chosen T6 for its operations beginning in 2028. The move aligns Air India with other Star Alliance member carriers in the new terminal and marks another major airline commitment to T6, which has now been selected by 16 leading international carriers at JFK. Other airlines that have announced movements to T6 include Star Alliance members Air Canada, All Nippon Airways (ANA), Austrian Airlines, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, SWISS, and TAP Air Portugal — in addition to Aer Lingus, Cathay Pacific, Condor, JetBlue, Kuwait Airways, Icelandair, and Norse Atlantic. Air India’s existing codeshare or interline partnerships with many of these carriers will offer customers seamless, same-terminal connections to onward destinations across the Americas.

Breaking Travel NewsBreaking Travel News22 Jul

UAE National Aircraft Registry Surpasses 1,000 Aircraft for the First Time

The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has announced the registration of aircraft No. (1001) in the UAE National Aircraft Registry, marking the first time the registry has surpassed 1,000 registered aircraft. The fleets of the UAE’s national carriers comprise 554 aircraft, representing more than 55% of the total aircraft registered in the UAE National Aircraft Registry. This reflects the strength of the UAE’s air transport sector and the pivotal role played by the national carriers in connecting the country with markets around the world.

Breaking Travel NewsBreaking Travel News22 Jul

The modern in-flight habits testing passengers’ patience

From filming TikToks (33%) to keeping up with your daily step count in the air (24%) new research from Booking.com reveals the modern in-flight habits frustrating passengers most - as travellers become increasingly divided over what’s acceptable behaviour at 30,000ft. The findings reveal a growing “home-from-home” mentality in the cabin, with two thirds (67%) of travellers admitting they behave no differently on a plane than they do at home, bringing once-private habits into shared travel spaces.

Breaking Travel NewsBreaking Travel News22 Jul

Air Canada and Airbus launch joint initiative to scale domestic Canadian SAF

Air Canada, the country’s largest airline and flag carrier, and Airbus, a global leader in aerospace manufacturing with the largest commercial aircraft industrial footprint in Canada, are uniting their shared commitment to aviation decarbonisation. To lead the way in advancing these goals, the two aviation pioneers are proud to announce their intent to establish a jointly funded Sustainability Co-Investment Platform. This agreement states a shared objective to invest up to approximately C$13.7 million (US$10 million), through the platform to support a commercial-scale Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) industry in Canada. Both companies are confident that, with a supportive public policy framework in place, this investment can serve as a catalyst for the broader Canadian SAF ecosystem.

Breaking Travel NewsBreaking Travel News22 Jul

Amadeus brings AI-powered pricing to SAS driving measurable revenue growth

Amadeus is supporting Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) in optimizing fare pricing through the deployment of Amadeus Air Pricing Optimization (AAPO) across the airline’s entire network. Powered by AI and real-time data, AAPO has already generated an average revenue increase of more than 3% in initial markets where SAS implemented the solution on its website and NDC-enabled channels. For passengers, this translates into a better shopping experience. Prices evolve more smoothly in response to demand, avoiding sudden jumps between booking classes that can often create uncertainty when searching for flights.

Breaking Travel NewsBreaking Travel News21 Jul

Air New Zealand to be the first international airline at new Western Sydney Airport

From 26 October, Air New Zealand will operate three return services a week to WSI, becoming the airport’s inaugural international airline and giving customers a second Sydney option alongside its existing services to Sydney Kingsford Smith. The new route will operate Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week using the airline’s A320 and A321 aircraft. Flights will depart Auckland at 6.00am, arriving at WSI at 7.45am. The return service will depart WSI at 8.55am, arriving back in Auckland at 2.10pm.

Breaking Travel NewsBreaking Travel News21 Jul

Spend smarter to unlock more summer value with Emirates Skywards

Emirates Skywards, the award-winning loyalty programme of Emirates and flydubai, is helping members unlock more value from every Skywards Mile this summer with enhanced redemption offers across Skywards Everyday, Skywards Miles Mall, Emirates Official Store, Dubai Duty Free and marhaba Airport Meet & Greet services. Available until 30 September 2026, the limited-time promotion makes everyday spending, shopping and travel experiences even more rewarding.

Breaking Travel NewsBreaking Travel News21 Jul

American unveils next-generation premium experience at DFW

American Airlines is expanding and enhancing its premium customer experience at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), unveiling plans for a dedicated Flagship® check-in experience and two new lounge spaces, all designed to make travel more effortless, comfortable and tailored to each customer. The investments further strengthen DFW as American’s largest hub and reflect a focus on delivering a world-class premium journey. Customers traveling through DFW can look forward to Flagship® check-in in Terminal D, American’s largest Admirals Club® lounge in the redesigned Terminal C and an on-the-go Provisions by Admirals Club℠ option in the future Terminal F.

Breaking Travel NewsBreaking Travel News21 Jul

Atlas Strengthens North American Leisure Coverage with Air Transat NDC Launch

Atlas, the modern flight API powering intelligent flight retailing and infrastructure, announced a new direct partnership with Air Transat (TS), Canada’s leading leisure airline, further expanding Atlas’s North America coverage and strengthening its transatlantic travel offering. Travel Sellers connected to Atlas can now access Air Transat’s extensive leisure network through the same API used to connect to more than 140 carriers globally, eliminating the need for separate integrations and enabling faster time to market.

Breaking Travel NewsBreaking Travel News21 Jul

Lorenza Maggio appointed CEO of Brussels Airlines

The Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG has appointed Lorenza Maggio as the new CEO of Brussels Airlines. The decision is still subject to approval by the Board of Directors of SN Airholding. Alongside leading the Belgian airline, Lorenza Maggio will assume the role of “Executive Board Representative to the European Commission.” Her predecessor, Dorothea von Boxberg, is leaving the company at her own request with effect from 31 August 2026. The date for Lorenza Maggio’s transition from Rome to Brussels will be determined shortly.

Breaking Travel NewsBreaking Travel News20 Jul

Emirates redefines Economy Class journeys with world’s first U-Dream headrest

Emirates is revealing another world first in the sky, transforming journeys for Economy Class passengers with the introduction of the U-Dream Headrest - a game-changing new seat addition that enables Economy Class customers to experience a whole new level of support and comfort inflight. Backed by a significant investment, installation is already underway across Emirates’ fleet, reinforcing the airline’s commitment to helping Economy Class customers fly better. The U-Dream is a multi-way adjustable headrest designed to provide full neck and head support during sleep or relaxation, which will be incorporated onto Emirates Economy Class seats across all Emirates A350’s and most of its Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s. As the first airline in the world to introduce it, the U-Dream headrest is already garnering outstanding praise from Emirates customers.

Breaking Travel NewsBreaking Travel News20 Jul

Riyadh Air Accelerates Global Expansion at Farnborough Airshow

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new full-service global airline, has today announced it will exercise purchase rights for an additional six Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. The landmark agreement, announced at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, drives the airline’s strategic expansion that brings Riyadh Air’s total Airbus A350-1000 confirmed fleet to 31 aircraft, significantly boosting its ultra-long-haul capacity. Riyadh Air also has 60 Airbus A321 aircraft on order, totaling 91 aircraft ordered with 19 options/purchase rights for the A350 aircraft still available to exercise, allowing greater future flexibility.

Breaking Travel NewsBreaking Travel News20 Jul

Riyadh Air Commits to Purchase 28 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, Adds 787-10 to Future Fleet

Riyadh Air, the new national carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that the airline is exercising options for 28 more 787 Dreamliner jets as part of its growth plan. The agreement to exercise most of the options from Riyadh Air’s 2023 order also includes the conversion of 20 airplanes to the larger 787-10 variant. The announcement includes a previously unidentified purchase of 11 of the ultra-efficient widebody jets. Once the remaining 17 airplanes are finalized, Riyadh Air’s firm order count will grow to 67 787 Dreamliners.

Breaking Travel NewsBreaking Travel News20 Jul

Anguilla Bolsters Winter Connectivity with Expanded North American Airlift

The island of Anguilla is set to welcome a surge of visitors this coming winter season, bolstered by a significant expansion of air service from key gateways in the United States and Canada. Under the AnguillAir brand, BermudAir has announced a robust new schedule that promises to enhance accessibility to the destination’s renowned 33 beaches, upscale culinary landscape, and signature “barefoot luxury” experience. This strategic increase in flight frequency reflects a growing demand for premium Caribbean travel and marks a new chapter in the island’s international tourism reach.

Breaking Travel NewsBreaking Travel News20 Jul

Regulator publishes report marking important progress towards hydrogen aviation in the UK

The UK Civil Aviation Authority has today published findings from its Hydrogen Challenge, alongside a new Hydrogen roadmap marking a step forward in understanding how hydrogen technologies could be safely introduced into UK aviation. The Hydrogen Challenge brought together the regulator, industry and academia to explore the potential of hydrogen powered aircraft, airport operations and supporting infrastructure, its efficiencies and risks of hydrogen and identify possible gaps in existing regulations.

Breaking Travel NewsBreaking Travel News20 Jul