Kuwait's Jazeera Airways secures Russian A320neo slots

Romania's Dan Air secures ACMI placements for Summer 2022

Kuwait's Jazeera Airways confirms order for 28 A320/1neo

Jazeera Airways (J9, Kuwait) has confirmed an order for twenty-eight A320neo Family aircraft tentatively announced in November 2021.

The deal comprises twenty A320-200Ns and eight A321-200Ns with options for five unspecified aircraft.

"By taking both A320neo and A321neo versions, we will have great flexibility to extend our network to medium and longer-haul destinations from Kuwait, offering passengers more choice to travel and enjoy popular destinations as much as underserved ones," Chief Executive Rohit Ramachandran said.

Contacted for comment, Ramachandran said the delivery timeline is still in the process of being finalised and expressed hope that it may even be expedited. In the initial Memorandum of Understanding, the airline said deliveries would complete by 2026.

The ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows the Kuwaiti low-cost carrier currently operates eight A320-200s and nine A320-200Ns. The airline posted a KWD12.2 million Kuwaiti dinar (USD40.3 million) net profit in 2021.

Kuwait suspends Iraq flights following Baghdad attack

Jazeera Airways (J9, Kuwait) and Kuwait Airways (KU, Kuwait) have suspended flights to Iraq following Friday's rocket attack on Baghdad airport in which at least one aircraft was hit.

Iraqi media said six rockets struck the airport during an early morning attack damaging a runway as well as a parked Iraqi government A300B4, YI-APX (msn 239), and an UR Airlines (UD, Baghdad) B737-400, YI-AQS (msn 25765). UR Airlines has since confirmed the damage incurred was only minor and repairable. The target of the attack was said to be the US airbase Camp Victory, which is located within the confines of the airfield.

So far, Iraqi Airways (IA, Baghdad) and most airlines have continued to serve the Iraqi capital as per normal, with the exception of the Kuwaiti carriers, which have acted on instructions from the Kuwaiti Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGCA) because of “current conditions”. Neither has yet given an indication as to when flights to Najaf, their only destination in Iraq, will resume.

Editorial Comment: Adds confirmation from UR Airlines - 01.02.2022 - 08:38 UTC

Mass disruptions in Kazakhstan following insurrection

Aktau, Aktobe, and Almaty airports have suffered operational disruptions after anti-government protesters took over their premises. The Aktobe and Almaty facilities have since reopened but most flights remain suspended.

The demonstrators entered Almaty and Aktau airports on January 5, 2022, according to Orda.kz news website. The pro-government broadcaster Khabar24 reported that on January 6, Aktobe airport had also been closed. Russian pro-government news Sputnik has reported, citing sources on the ground, that the protesters did not inflict any damage on airport infrastructure or parked aircraft.

Almaty airport was reportedly recaptured by government forces on January 5, according to Deputy Mayor Yerzhan Babakumarov. It is expected to reopen to limited traffic on January 7, even as most carriers suspended flights to the city. By the evening of January 6, Aktobe airport was reopened after security forces removed protesters from the facility. There is no evidence that Aktau airport, located in the city where protests first erupted on January 2, has reopened.

Embattled President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said the demonstrators - "terrorist gangs" in his parlance -...