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May 9

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May 9

FACC honored for production ramp-up at Comac

Belinda Borg 9 May 2025 15:01

The Austrian aerospace supplier FACC AG was honored with the "Supplier of the Year Award" at the Comac Supplier Conference in Xi'an, China. The Chinese aircraft manufacturer Comac thus recognized the successful production ramp-up in 2024. Until then, FACC manufactured all components for Comac's twin-engine passenger aircraft at its headquarters in Austria. By successfully relocating the components to a FACC partner, the company was able to further expand its goal of a global manufacturing presence. FACC has been a key development and manufacturing partner of Comac for over 20 years. The collaboration began in 2004 with the development and production of key components for the Comac ARJ21, later renamed the C909. FACC is responsible for the design, production, qualification, and certification of the cabin equipment. FACC is also significantly involved in the C919 program, Comac's medium-haul aircraft, manufacturing the passenger cabin including cockpit panels, the reception and service area, as well as spoilers and winglets. FACC AG CEO Robert Machtlinger emphasized that this award reflects the outstanding performance of the teams in Austria and China and looked forward to continuing the successful partnership in the C909 and C919 programs. The short- and medium-haul aircraft segment, to which the C919 belongs, is experiencing strong demand worldwide. Comac forecasts a demand for over 6.000 such aircraft over the next two decades, opening up significant growth prospects for FACC as a strategic manufacturing partner.

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Austro Control invites you to the recruiting day for air traffic controllers in Vienna

Belinda Borg 9 May 2025 14:37

The Austrian air traffic control authority Austro Control will open its visitor center in Vienna next Saturday, May 10, 2025, to provide interested parties with an insight into the profession of air traffic controller. From 10:00 a.m. to 16:30 p.m., air traffic controllers will provide personal information about their diverse responsibilities, the demanding selection process, comprehensive training, safety distances in airspace, the functioning of radar systems, takeoff and landing clearances, and earning potential. A special highlight of the information day will be tours of Austro Control's 360° tower simulator, which will provide fascinating insights into the practical training of future air traffic controllers. Visitors will also gain insight into a radar workstation and can take a virtual tour of the three areas of air traffic control – tower, approach control, and area control center. There will be ample time for questions and answers. Austro Control is looking for young people with a high school diploma who enjoy working in a team, have good spatial awareness, and are resilient. Admission to the approximately three-year, paid training program requires passing a multi-stage selection process, including an assessment center, and receiving a positive medical certificate. Applications are available online at www.startfrei.at. Austro Control trains up to 40 junior pilots annually.

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City Airport Train Vienna with passenger and revenue growth in 2024

Stephen Steiner 9 May 2025 14:08

The City Airport Train (CAT), the direct connection between Vienna city center and Vienna Airport, is reporting positive results for 2024. A total of 1,74 million passengers used the airport express, representing a significant increase of 12,7 percent compared to the previous year. In line with passenger growth, revenue also rose to EUR 15,94 million, an increase of 7,8 percent. The annual result (EBIT) amounted to EUR 1,79 million. The managing directors of the CAT, Michael Forstner and Christoph Korherr, expressed their satisfaction with the results and emphasized that passengers appreciate the premium service and the advantages of the CAT. They announced that they will continue to work on improving standards to make travel to and from the airport as pleasant as possible. New initiatives with sales partners and marketing collaborations contributed to the increase in revenue last year and in the future. For example, additional products such as the Flexipass and the Vienna City Card can now be purchased directly at the airport along with the CAT ticket. Looking ahead, a challenge awaits starting in fall 2026: Due to a planned closure of the main line, the CAT will have to offer bus service for 14 months. Renovation work will result in a complete closure of rail traffic between Wien Mitte and Rennweg. During this time, the CAT plans to establish a replacement bus service with higher frequencies and the usual level of comfort using buses from Blaguss and Dr. Richard. Details are to be announced.

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Norse Atlantic reduces route network but focuses on new long-haul connection from Athens

Amely Mizzi 9 May 2025 13:40

Low-cost airline Norse Atlantic Airways continues to face challenges and has once again reduced its route network. While increasingly focusing on charter flights and aircraft leasing, the airline is nevertheless planning a new long-haul connection between Athens and Los Angeles for the summer. Norse's full schedule for May to September includes twelve US routes connecting six European airports (Athens, Berlin, London Gatwick, Oslo, Paris CDG, and Rome Fiumicino) with four destinations in the US (Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK, and Orlando). In total, Norse plans 1.124 departures from Europe to the US between June and September, with up to eleven daily flights. Compared to the previous year, the number of flights fell by four percent, reflecting the airline's difficulties, particularly in the weaker September (-9 percent). Norse is increasing its focus on the peak summer months, which should contribute to higher load factors and yields. Compared to summer 2024, the airline has discontinued services from Gatwick to Las Vegas and Miami, and from Oslo to Los Angeles and Miami. The Gatwick-Miami route will be permanently discontinued in October. These reductions indicate a strategic reorientation of the route network, possibly to focus on more profitable routes. On June 3, Norse Atlantic will commence the longest scheduled route in its history: the connection from Athens to Los Angeles. The four-times-weekly flights will have a maximum block time of 13 hours and 30 minutes and will operate between June and September. Data shows that 118.000 passengers traveled on this route last year.

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More passengers, fewer flight movements at Berlin Brandenburg Airport in April 2025

Jan Gruber 9 May 2025 13:33

In April 2025, 2,22 million travelers used Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER). According to preliminary figures from the traffic report, this is around 70.000 more passengers than in April of the previous year. The last day of the Easter holidays, Sunday, April 27, was particularly busy, with 84.649 passengers. During the two-week Easter holidays, BER counted around 1,2 million passengers. Interestingly, the number of aircraft movements decreased slightly compared to the same month last year. In April 2025, 16.291 aircraft took off and landed at BER, compared to 2024 in April 16.689. This indicates higher aircraft capacity utilization. Air freight, on the other hand, developed positively, increasing by 3,9 percent in April compared to the previous year. A total of more than 3.900 tons of cargo were handled at BER last month. The increased passenger numbers, especially during the Easter holidays, underscore the importance of BER as a mobility hub for the capital region. Despite a slight decline in flight movements, growth in passenger traffic and air cargo demonstrates a positive development for the airport. The full traffic report with final figures is expected later this month.

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Wizz Air launches Memmingen-Yerevan flights

Jan Gruber 9 May 2025 13:01

Memmingen Airport is further expanding its range of destinations in Eastern Europe. From the end of October 2025, the Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air will fly to the Armenian capital Yerevan twice a week. The airport announced this. The new non-stop connection, operated by an Airbus A321neo, will operate every Tuesday and Saturday, with a flight time of approximately four hours and 15 minutes. Yerevan, with around one million inhabitants the political and economic center of Armenia, is considered one of the oldest cities in the world. Airport Sales Manager Marcel Schütz expressed his delight at the new connection and emphasized Memmingen's role as an important low-cost airport for Eastern Europe. The current summer flight schedule already offers 26 destinations in Eastern Europe from Memmingen. The new route to Yerevan is aimed not only at commuters, family visitors, and business people, but is also intended to appeal to tourists. Although Armenia is still considered an insider tip, Yerevan offers a variety of sights and museums. Tour operators have been offering skiing and trekking trips to the South Caucasus country for years. The new direct connection makes the destination more accessible for travelers from southern Germany.

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Delta Air Lines avoids US import duties on Airbus A350 with unusual flight path

Stephen Steiner 9 May 2025 12:44

The American airline Delta Air Lines has found a way to circumvent the import tariffs imposed by the United States on new Airbus aircraft. After Delta CEO Ed Bastian categorically ruled out paying these tariffs in April and even offered to postpone delivery dates if necessary, the airline has now maneuvered a new A350-900 into its fleet duty-free with an unusual stopover. Ed Bastian made it clear in April that Delta was under no circumstances prepared to bear the additional costs of import tariffs on Airbus aircraft. He warned that a cost increase of 20 percent per aircraft would significantly impact profitability. Delta has therefore made it clear that it will not pay any tariffs on aircraft deliveries and will wait and see how things develop. At that time, Airbus still had numerous orders from Delta pending delivery, including 69 A220-300s, 82 A321neos, six A330-900s, eight A350-900s, and 20 A350-1000s. Shortly after Bastian's comments, US President Donald Trump suspended additional tariffs for dozens of countries for 90 days, but a general import levy of ten percent remained in effect. Customs loophole exploited Delta has now exploited a customs loophole to avoid the duties when taking delivery of a new A350-900. The aircraft, with the registration N528DN, the 37th A350-900 for Delta, flew first to Tokyo-Narita after being handed over by Airbus in Toulouse on May 3rd, and only from there on to the United States. The highlight: Since Delta declared the first leg of the flight to Japan as a commercial flight, the A350 was already considered a used aircraft upon arrival in the USA and

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Icelandair records significant passenger growth in April 2025

Stephen Steiner 9 May 2025 12:39

The Icelandic airline Icelandair recorded strong passenger growth in April 2025. The airline carried a total of 381.000 passengers, an increase of 24 percent compared to April of the previous year. Since the beginning of the year, Icelandair has transported over 1,2 million passengers. In April, 29 percent of passengers traveled to Iceland, 19 percent flew from Iceland to other countries, 47 percent used the airline for connecting flights, and 5 percent flew within Iceland. Icelandair's capacity, measured in available seat kilometers, increased by 2024 percent compared to April 25. Passenger traffic, expressed as revenue passenger kilometers, also increased by 25 percent. Aircraft load factor was 81 percent, and the punctuality rate reached 91 percent, an increase of 3,0 percentage points compared to the already high level in April 2024. Icelandair also achieved growth in its charter business, with sold block hours increasing by a remarkable 82 percent. Cargo volume grew by 12 percent. Icelandair President and CEO Bogi Nils Bogason expressed his satisfaction with the results, emphasizing that the growth was based on a 25 percent capacity expansion made possible by the earlier start of the second transfer wave in Keflavik. This strategy aims to grow even outside of peak season and make better use of infrastructure. The Easter holidays also contributed to strong demand on the international route network. Bogason particularly highlighted the 37 percent increase in passengers departing from Iceland, which strengthens the airline's position as the preferred choice for Icelandic travelers.

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Air Baltic records success with Business Class upgrade by bid

Amely Mizzi 9 May 2025 12:04

Latvian airline airBaltic is reporting positive results following the launch of its service, which allows passengers to bid for a Business Class upgrade. Launched in December 2024 in collaboration with Plusgrade, an ancillary revenue solutions provider, the service has proven extremely popular. Since its launch, over 7.500 passengers have successfully bid for an upgrade, leading to a significant increase in revenue for the airline. Natālija Kuzmina, Head of Customer Experience and Insights at airBaltic, expressed her satisfaction with the development. She emphasized that the new upgrade service has led to a steady increase in Business Class passengers since its launch last year. The service offers customers greater flexibility in shaping their travel experience and enables more passengers to take advantage of premium options. At the same time, it contributes positively to the airline's business development. The partnership with Plusgrade is viewed positively and will be expanded to include additional products in the future. The process for bidding for a Business Class upgrade is straightforward. Seven days before departure, passengers whose route is eligible for an upgrade will receive an invitation email. They can then submit a bid. Passengers will be notified whether their bid has been accepted no later than twelve hours before departure. Starting bids start at €60 on selected routes, with higher starting prices for longer or high-demand routes. The highest demand for the upgrade service was seen on flights from Riga to Vienna, Paris, and Tallinn, with starting bids of €85, €95, and €65, respectively.

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Indian missile attacks on Pakistan force airlines to suspend flights and divert flights

Belinda Borg 9 May 2025 11:40

Following a series of missile attacks by Indian forces on suspected militant infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir on the night of May 6-7, 2025, several major airlines suspended or diverted flights into Pakistani airspace. India stated that the missile attacks were in response to a recent terrorist attack linked to Pakistani militant groups that killed 2025 civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir in April 26. Following the attacks, Pakistan closed its airspace to all domestic and international flights for 48 hours, causing numerous delays and diversions in the region. At the time of writing on May 7, 2025, air traffic data service Flightradar24 reported 430 flight cancellations in India and 147 in Pakistan. This measure highlights the immediate impact of the military actions on civil air traffic in the region. In response to the escalation of the situation, airlines such as Etihad, Emirates, and Qatar Airways immediately suspended or delayed their flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha to airports in India and Pakistan. Emirates canceled flights from Dubai to Sialkot, Lahore, Islamabad, and Peshawar on May 7, 2025. However, flights to and from Karachi are expected to continue as scheduled. Etihad also suspended flights to Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, noting that some other flights may be diverted to avoid the affected airspace, potentially resulting in longer flight times. Qatar Airways announced on its X short message service "temporary operational adjustments" to its flights to and from

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