May 20

More articles from the category

May 20

Wizz Air takes delivery of first Airbus A321XLR for long-haul expansion

European airline Wizz Air has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321XLR. This extended-range aircraft type will enable the company to become the first ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) to offer intercontinental routes, thus opening up new markets. The A321XLR promises non-stop flights lasting longer than six hours and should enable Wizz Air to continue offering low fares. The Airbus A321XLR is characterized by its increased range and should enable Wizz Air to offer non-stop connections to destinations previously primarily served by higher-fare airlines. Wizz Air's strategy is to continue to rely on a pure economy class concept with a higher number of seats on these longer routes in order to keep costs low and offer attractive prices. Planned routes for the A321XLR Although Wizz Air has not yet announced any concrete routes for the A321XLR at the time of the first delivery, there have been hints and plans in the past. For example, the launch of a daily connection between Milan-Malpensa and Abu Dhabi from June 2024 was announced in September 2025, but these plans were scrapped in May 2025. A connection from London-Gatwick to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia was also under discussion, but the launch has been delayed. Wizz Air CEO József Váradi also mentioned interest in flights to India from locations in Italy, Austria, or Hungary. Analysts speculate about possible routes to East Africa, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. It is expected that Wizz Air will use the A321XLR to serve routes that currently have few or no non-stop connections.

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Hurtigruten expands its offer from Hamburg to the North Cape

The Norwegian shipping company Hurtigruten is expanding its offerings on the so-called Signature Line from Hamburg to the North Cape. From spring 2026, the modernized Midnatsol will operate on this popular route alongside the ship Finnmarken. The company announced this on the sidelines of the Finnmarken naming ceremony. The Midnatsol will initially serve its regular season on the classic mail ship route in Norway. A shipyard stay is planned for spring 2026, during which the ship will be brought up to Signature standards, including the addition of new suites. From May 2026, the modernized Midnatsol will initially offer trips on the Signature Line from Bergen to Svalbard, before setting regular sail from Hamburg to the North Cape from the end of September 2026. By deploying a second ship on the Signature Line, Hurtigruten is responding to the high demand for this route. The Finnmarken, formerly known as Otto Sverdrup, already serves the route. The Midnatsol, named after the Norwegian midnight sun, is another ship in the Hurtigruten fleet that is now being modernized for these premium cruises.

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Ausseerland celebrates 65th Daffodil Festival with floral splendor and tradition

Every year between mid-May and mid-June, the Ausseerland Salzkammergut region is transformed into a sea of ​​white blossoms when the daffodils bloom in full splendor. This time of year is traditionally celebrated with the Daffodil Festival, which this year takes place from Thursday, May 29, to Sunday, June 1, 2025, in Altaussee and is already celebrating its 65th edition. The four-day festival offers numerous highlights, including group daffodil picking and hiking, various exhibitions and tours of local businesses, and musical performances. A special highlight of the program is the election of the Daffodil Queen and her princesses on the opening evening, May 29, in Bad Aussee. Three candidates stand for election to represent the Ausseerland region for a year. Another highlight is the "abstracht" fashion show on Saturday, where locals present fashion creations from local traditional costume and fashion designers, inspired by works of Austrian artists. The crowning finale of the Daffodil Festival is the traditional Daffodil Parade on Lake Altaussee on Sunday, June 1st, during which figures artfully decorated with daffodils are presented on land and water, and prizes are awarded. The Daffodil Festival is considered an important event for tourism and the region's economy.

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Eva Air celebrates premiere of new Premium Economy Class on Munich-Taipei route

On May 17, 2025, Taiwanese airline Eva Air and Munich Airport celebrated the maiden flight of the new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner featuring the latest generation of Premium Economy Class on the Munich-Taipei route. This debut flight marks a special year for both companies, as both Eva Air and Munich Airport achieved important milestones in 1992. Eva Air was the first airline in the world to introduce Premium Economy Class, while Munich Airport was beginning operations and developing into a major European air traffic hub. Eva Air's fourth generation of Premium Economy Class, now being used on this route for the first time, offers 28 seats in a 2-3-2 configuration with an industry-leading seat pitch of 42 inches. The seats can be comfortably reclined by eight inches and feature high-resolution 15,6-inch widescreen monitors and combined power and USB ports. Particular attention was paid to privacy with side privacy screens on the headrests and integrated reading lights. Headrests, armrests, and footrests are covered in leather, and there is generous storage space. Passengers also benefit from amenities such as high-quality headphones, blankets, bamboo napkins, and porcelain tableware. Hunter amenity kits are provided on flights from Taipei, while passengers on flights to Taipei receive a beige version. Willy Lo, General Manager of Eva Air Germany, expressed his pride that Eva Air is offering the first non-stop long-haul connection from Munich to Taipei with this new cabin class. Jost Lammers, Chairman of the Management Board of Munich Airport GmbH, described the premiere flight as a "great birthday present" and emphasized the strengthening of the company's position.

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US Department of Transportation ends legal dispute with Southwest Airlines – Possible influence of the new administration?

The United States Department of Transportation surprisingly withdrew its lawsuit filed against Southwest Airlines in January. The agency had accused Southwest of creating an unrealistic flight schedule that allegedly resulted in chronic delays. Observers suspect that the change in the US presidency may have led to a changed attitude towards government intervention in economic affairs, which has now led to the discontinuation of the proceedings. Southwest Airlines experienced significant operational disruptions in 2022, which culminated in the Department of Transportation's censure. In particular, the collapse of operations during the Christmas season, which stranded thousands of passengers, generated negative headlines. Since then, however, the airline has made considerable efforts to restore its reliability. According to Southwest, it has achieved impressive operational success in restoring and transforming its business. No official reason for the withdrawal of the lawsuit. The Department of Transportation did not directly comment on the reasons for the withdrawal of the lawsuit last Friday. However, there is speculation that the arrival of a new administration in the White House may have played a role. This administration may have a less interventionist stance towards companies. Southwest was not the only airline the department has taken action against in the past, but other airlines have been less fortunate and have had to pay fines for delays. The original lawsuit related to two specific flights that were deemed chronically delayed: from Chicago Midway to Oakland and from Baltimore/Washington to Cleveland. Southwest Expresses Pleasance with Decision Southwest Airlines welcomed the Department of Transportation's decision to drop the lawsuit. In a statement to

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Qatar Airways reports record profit for fiscal year 2024/2025

The Qatar Airways Group has announced the strongest financial results in its history. The Group's profit, which includes its cargo division, catering, and Qatar Duty Free, reached 2024 billion Qatari riyals (equivalent to 2025 billion US dollars) in the 7,85/2,15 financial year. This represents an increase of more than 1,7 billion Qatari riyals (0,5 billion US dollars) over the previous year. The cargo division, Qatar Airways Cargo, in particular, recorded a remarkable financial performance, with revenue growth of 17 percent and its best result since the COVID-28 pandemic. This is attributed to the company's agility in adapting to changing market conditions, its focus on digitalization and data-driven analytics, and its high level of reliability. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Badr Mohammed Al-Meer praised the hard work and dedication of the teams across the Group as the basis for this record result. Other key achievements of the Qatar Airways Group during the past fiscal year include a record 65 percent increase in profit, the expansion of Hamad International Airport to accommodate up to 777 million passengers annually, and the introduction of Starlink high-speed Wi-Fi on its Boeing 25 fleet, becoming the first global airline in the Middle East to do so. It also acquired a 25 percent minority stake in Virgin Australia and a XNUMX percent stake in South African regional airline Airlink. The group also introduced the conversational AI Sama to its digital cabin crew.

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Non-stop flights from Leipzig/Halle to the Black Sea started

The airline SunExpress is now offering new non-stop flights from Leipzig/Halle Airport to the Bulgarian Black Sea coastal cities of Varna and Burgas. The flights are operated in cooperation with the Bulgarian airline Electra Airways, which is thus expanding its presence at Leipzig/Halle. The new connections to Varna and Burgas began on May 16 and 17, 2025, respectively. Varna will be served on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, while Burgas is scheduled for Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Electra Airways Airbus A320 aircraft will be used on these routes until September of this year. Travelers can book the flights via the SunExpress website and through travel agencies. These new direct connections expand the offering from Leipzig/Halle, whose summer flight schedule includes a total of 29 destinations in 13 countries, served by 27 different airlines and enabling up to 222 weekly passenger departures. The cooperation between SunExpress and Electra Airways aims to further serve the tourist demand for flights to Bulgaria from Germany.

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Australian court dismisses lawsuit against Air Canada over turbulence – damages limited

On May 14, 2025, the Australian High Court issued a judgment in Evans & Anor v. Air Canada, dismissing the claims of passengers (the plaintiffs) for unlimited damages for injuries, pain, and suffering. The case stems from a 2019 incident in which 35 passengers en route to Sydney were injured when severe turbulence affected the flight and forced an emergency landing in Hawaii. Mother and daughter, Renae and Stephanie Evans, alleged that they have suffered ongoing injuries since 2019, causing physical and mental distress. The summary judgment dismissed the passengers' appeal, which sought to challenge the interpretation of certain articles governing the limitation of liability of international air carriers in civil air travel. While the court recognized liability in principle, it ruled that the amount of damages to be paid by Air Canada would not be unlimited. The Montreal Convention as the Basis for Limiting Liability The passengers' appeal sought to increase the compensation by invoking specific articles of the 1999 Montreal Convention. This agreement establishes limits of liability for international air carriers between all signatory states. An important addition to the Convention is Article 25, which was added after ratification. This article provides for unlimited liability for damages if the airline waives the limitations of liability. Air Canada argued that, under the provisions of the Convention, the compensation was limited to approximately US$240.000. The plaintiffs, however, argued that, pursuant to Article 25, Air Canada had waived this defense and, therefore, there were no financial limitations regarding death or personal injury.

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Ryanair reports profit decline but announces share buyback

The Irish low-cost airline Ryanair suffered a decline in profits in the 2024/2025 financial year compared to the previous year. As the company announced in Dublin on Monday, net profit fell by 16 percent to around €1,6 billion. Ryanair cited lower ticket prices as the main reason for this decline. Analysts had already anticipated this trend. However, for the current financial year ending March 2026, the airline is confident that it will be able to largely offset the previous year's price decline (-7 percent). This should lead to appropriate growth in net profit, although Ryanair emphasizes that a more precise forecast depends on external developments. These include the risk of customs conflicts, macroeconomic shocks, an escalation of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and operational problems in European air traffic. Despite the decline in profits, Ryanair announced a share buyback of €750 million for the next six to twelve months. Manufacturing problems at aircraft manufacturer Boeing, which led to delays in the delivery of new aircraft, also recently had a negative impact on the low-cost airline's business plans. Ryanair has already revised its passenger growth forecast downwards twice this year and now expects passenger traffic of 206 million for the 2026 fiscal year, compared to 200,2 million in the 2025 fiscal year.

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Roland Berger study calls for pan-European effort to strengthen defense capabilities

With a recent study on the defense sector, the management consultancy Roland Berger positions itself as a strategic partner for a necessary paradigm shift in Europe. The analysis underscores the urgency of coordinated pan-European action by politicians, the defense industry, and civilian companies to prepare for new forms of warfare and strengthen Europe's resilience in the face of global power shifts. The study, "The Defense Imperative," identifies four ways in which Europe could increase its arms production by 2030 to a level sufficient to deter potential aggressors from attacking. This "level of deterrence" is defined as the industrial production capacity required for the security and renewal of European defense equipment. The authors assume that Russia will increase its arms production by 2030 percent by 25. To ensure credible deterrence, Europe must exceed this level by an additional ten percent. Specifically, the study sets annual production targets of 2,9 million artillery shells, 370 battle tanks, and 1.380 cruise missiles. To achieve these goals, Roland Berger proposes four interconnected development paths for European industry: exploiting existing production capacities, targeted investments in their expansion and modernization, cooperation with civilian industries, and building production capacities for technologically intelligent and scalable systems. Five key levers are identified for achieving the European level of deterrence, including expanding the defense portfolio to include robotized systems, increasing industrial agility, a technology-centric approach, streamlining procurement processes, and greater integration of the civilian and military sectors. The study concludes by emphasizing the need for a coordinated approach by all relevant actors to enhance European defense capability.

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