Lithuania’s GetJet Airlines secures Latvian AOC

Qatar Airways, Airbus kiss and make up

Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Hamad International) and Airbus have settled a long-running and acrimonious legal dispute involving the A350, with both parties issuing statements in recent hours saying the legal claims are discontinued and the agreement will allow the two sides to "move forward and work together as partners."

"Qatar Airways and Airbus are pleased to have reached an amicable and mutually agreeable settlement in relation to their legal dispute over A350 surface degradation and the grounding of A350 aircraft," said the February 1 statement from Airbus. "A repair project is now underway and both parties look forward to getting these aircraft safely back in the air."

The settlement follows news of talks resuming between the airline and the aircraft manufacturer. Those talks, which followed a recent conversation between French President Emmanuel Macron and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani on the matter, were said to be civil and constructive. There was also a meeting in Doha last week between the two parties and their respective regulators, the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) and...

Another ₹2.1bn in gov't funding for India's Go First

Go First (G8, Mumbai International) anticipates receiving an additional INR2.1 billion rupees (USD25.7 million dollars) from the Indian government this month via the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) according to CEO Kaushik Khona.

In an interview with the Press Trust of India agency, Khona said the funds would be used to shore up the airline's financial position and expand operations. In December, ch-aviation reported that Go First would also receive INR5.1 billion (USD62.4 million) from its owners, the Wadia Group, over calendar 2023. As part of that promised funding flow, Wadia promptly injected INR2.1 billion rupees (USD25.7 million) into the airline, an amount to be matched by the Indian government.

The airline, which posted an INR18.1 billion (USD221.4 million) loss in the 12 months to March 31, 2022, has received considerable financial support in recent years, including over INR6 billion (USD73.4 million) from the ECLGS. Go First had been heavily impacted by Covid-19 and Pratt & Whitney engine supply issues but Khona said the airline's position was now more "stable" and...

Surinam Airways secures another A340-300

Surinam Airways (PY, Paramaribo International) has signed an eight-month dry-lease with Dubai-based lessor V2 Aviation for an A340-300 to be deployed on its only intercontinental route - between Paramaribo International and Amsterdam Schiphol, the airline said in a statement.

The aircraft – registration details of which were not disclosed - is currently still in Jordan, where it was being prepared for delivery, the date of which was also not announced. The initial lease was for eight months with an option to renew. “All players are continuing to work on the smooth handling of the phase-in process, and it is the intention to welcome the aircraft in Suriname within a short period of time,” the statement read.

Neither Surinam Airways nor V2 Aviation (Dubai) was immediately available for comment. Acting Chief Executive Officer Steven Gonesh late last year told ch-aviation the A340-300 would be an intermediate solution to be followed by a transition to an A330-200.

ch-aviation research found four A340-300s on the books of V2 Aviation (Dubai) and...

Sweden’s Braathens International Airways obtains AOC