Finnair adapts its current fleet to a reshaped world

Surinam Airways resumes in-house widebody operations

EC voices concerns about Korean Air - Asiana merger

Less than three months before a decision date deadline, the European Commission continues to hold concerns that the merger between Korean Air (KE, Seoul Incheon) and Asiana Airlines (OZ, Seoul Incheon) may have a significant competitive impact.

In a statement, the European Commission said that it has sent Korean Air a statement of their objections to the proposed merger. This follows the opening of an in-depth investigation in February. The European Commission is the EU's executive arm. Specifically, the commission has concerns on two fronts, including that the provision of passenger transport services may be reduced on four routes between South Korea and France, Germany, Italy, and Spain and that the provision of cargo transport services may be reduced between all of Europe and South Korea.

"Korean Air and Asiana compete head-to-head in carrying passengers and cargo between the EEA (European Economic Area) and South Korea. Together, they would be by far the largest carriers of passengers and cargo on these routes and the merger may remove an important alternative for customers," reads the...

Qantas to wet-lease two A330s from 3Q23

Qantas (QF, Sydney Kingsford Smith) will lease two A330-300s from Finnair (AY, Helsinki Vantaa) for six years to operate on the Sydney - Singapore Changi, and Sydney - Bangkok Suvarnabhumi sectors. The flights will be an extension of existing Finnair services between Helsinki and the two Southeast Asian cities. Finnair will wet-lease the aircraft to Qantas for the first two-and-a-half years of the lease, and switch to a dry-lease for the remaining time.

The Finnair aircraft will begin flying into Sydney in late October 2023, freeing up Qantas planes and crew to fly elsewhere. ch-aviation research reveals that the first Finnair A330 will begin operating six weekly roundtrips between Sydney and Singapore for Qantas from October 30. The Australian airline presently operates a mixture of A330-300, A330-200, and A380-800 types on that city pair. Daily Finnair-operated A330 roundtrip flights will start operating for Qantas between Bangkok and Sydney from March 31, 2024. Qantas presently flies a daily A330-330 roundtrip service on this city pair. While the Finnair service will...

Latvia's SmartLynx Airlines adds first A321-200(P2F)

SmartLynx Airlines (6Y, Riga) has taken delivery of its first A321-200(P2F), becoming the second SmartLynx AOC to employ the type.

YL-LDP (msn 1241), a 23-year-old jet owned by Aero Capital Solutions and formerly run in passenger configuration by Finnair (AY, Helsinki Vantaa), was redelivered from Guangzhou via Kolkata and Burgas to Kaunas on March 30-April 1, 2023. It then underwent maintenance at Kaunas and Riga airport, before being re-inducted into the carrier's fleet in mid-May 2023. It was ferried from Riga to Leipzig/Halle on May 19, 2023, but has yet to begin commercial operations, ADS-B data shows.

"As we reintroduce the A321-200 freighter to the world, we are confident that it is poised to lead the future of cargo operations. To start, its exceptional fuel efficiency makes it the most sustainable choice in the cargo market today. Direct operational costs for A321F are up to 30% lower compared to the classic B757-200 and B737 freighters, making it the most cost-effective option for our clients....