Qatar Airways resumes A350 deliveries

Delta Air Lines in widebody order talks with Airbus - report

Delta Air Lines (DL, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson) is reportedly talking to Airbus about an order for "dozens" of widebodies, according to Bloomberg. The report cites an insider close to the talks who says both A330-900Ns and A350 models are under consideration to replace older, existing A330s and B767 types.

While talks remain ongoing, there is a tentative expectation that an announcement may be made at the upcoming Paris Air Show. Delta Air Lines already operates A330-900Ns and A350-900s, but also has a large stock of older A330-200, A330-300, B767-300ER, and B767-400ER types.

According to ch-aviation fleets advanced data, Delta now operates twenty-two A330-900Ns, with an average fleet age of 1.9 years. It also has a further 16 on order. The airline also has twenty-eight A350-900s in its fleet, with an average fleet age of 4.6 years. There are another six still to be delivered.

Among the older widebodies Delta is reportedly looking to replace, there are eleven A330-200s with an average fleet age of 18.1 years,...

Qatar Airways details initial B737 MAX network plans

Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Hamad International) has introduced the B737 MAX into revenue operations, with the first service on the Doha - Kuwait sector operating on May 9, before settling into twice daily roundtrips on the route. The airline is also deploying the B737-8 onto the Doha - Abu Dhabi International and Doha - Dammam sectors.

B737-8 A7-BSC (msn 43329) is the first of five aircraft of the type, along with twenty-five B737-10s, that Qatar Airways will bring into service over the next few years. It ferried into Doha from Everett via Reykjavik Keflavik on April 14, and has since undertaken a large number of proving flights. A second B737-8 going to the carrier is A7-BSE (msn 43342) and is currently stored at Reykjavik Keflavik.

Qatar Airways secured A7-BSC after sanctions prevented the aircraft from going to its original customer, S7 Airlines (S7, Novosibirsk). Qatar Airways is taking all nine MAX aircraft due to go to the Russian carrier. While this is the first...

Air Macau to lose monopoly rights at Macau International

The Macau SAR government is preparing to open up Macau International Airport to more competition with legislation that will end a longstanding arrangement that gives Air Macau (NX, Macau International) exclusive access to the airport's slots, requires other airlines to negotiate with it, and pay above market rates to fly in.

In 1995, Air Macau signed a 25-year contract with the SAR government, agreeing to provide passenger, cargo, and mail services in and out of Macau International Airport. In exchange, the airline obtained monopoly rights at the airport over the contract's lifespan, and no other scheduled carrier could base there.

In 2019, Air Macau was told that its monopoly at the airport would end when the contract expired in 2020. However, the onset of Covid-19 saw the contract extended for three years, until the end of 2023. But late last week, Macau-based media were reporting that the SAR government has already prepared legislation to open up the airport to competition, and will submit that legislation to the local Legislative Assembly in the the...

Qatar Airways launches cargo hub at Kigali with RwandAir

Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Hamad International) has inaugurated its African cargo hub at Kigali airport, operated jointly with RwandAir (WB, Kigali).

"Qatar and Rwanda have long-enjoyed bilateral trade agreements, with both Qatar Airways and Qatar Investment Authority having previously invested in Kigali International Airport and RwandAir. It was therefore a logical step that Qatar Airways Cargo supports RwandAir in its cargo ambitions. Our customers will benefit from both a reliable intra-African network through our Kigali hub, as well as enhanced service levels and cost synergies," Chief Cargo Officer Guillaume Halleux said.

Qatar Airways will operate 2x weekly services connecting Kigali with its main base at Doha Hamad International airport, using B777-200F freighters. It already operates a 3x weekly Kigali-Lagos service, as well as a weekly Istanbul Airport-Doha-Kigali route using an A310-300(F) wet-leased from ULS Airlines Cargo (GO, Istanbul Airport). It plans to add more cargo destinations from Kigali soon. Qatar Airways does not operate passenger services to Kigali, although RwandAir flies to Doha 3x...