Frankfurt-Hahn state aid suit kicked back to General Court

Nagorno-Karabakh flare-up disrupts airline operations

The resumption of the full-scale military conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh has disrupted commercial airline operations over and to/from Azerbaijan, although airspace restrictions were lifted after a few hours, once a ceasefire was reached.

The Azeri authorities initially issued two NOTAMs closing four waypoints on the border with Armenia, effectively forcing all international flights heading west and north to fly via Georgia. The NOTAMs, issued early on September 20, were cancelled as of 1524L (1124Z) on the same day. Nonetheless, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows that international airlines have continued to alter their routings to detour via Georgia.

Lufthansa (LH, Frankfurt International) announced the suspension of its services to Baku and cancelled a flight during the night of September 19-20, 2023. The initial uncertainty related to the possibility of overflying Azerbaijan forced KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL, Amsterdam Schiphol) to return its flight to Tokyo Narita back to Amsterdam Schiphol and cancel three other services to the Far East. Services resumed on September 20, although the airline continues to bypass Azerbaijan entirely. The head...

Lufthansa to keep A380s through late 2020s-early 2030s

Lufthansa (LH, Frankfurt International) plans to continue operating A380-800s through the late 2020s or early 2030s to backfill capacity missing due to delayed B777-9 and A350 aircraft deliveries.

"It depends on demand and when Airbus and Boeing are able to deliver other airplanes," Lufthansa Group Chief Executive Carsten Spohr told Flightglobal.

The German carrier retired all fourteen A380s at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and initially was committed to the type's permanent exit. However, as demand rebounded after the relaxation of travel restrictions, the airline decided to reactivate six aircraft. It recently committed to reintroducing another two. The other six units were sold to Airbus during the pandemic.

So far, Lufthansa has reactivated three A380s, using them on services from Munich to Boston and New York JFK. One more aircraft is under maintenance at Manila Ninoy Aquino International airport, while the others remain in storage.

Spohr confirmed that all eight aircraft will undergo cabin refurbishment and will have Lufthansa's much-awaited...

ITA, Lufthansa tackle “pre-notification” acquisition phase

European Parliament mandates new 2050 SAF targets

The European Parliament last week passed a law that will require aircraft flying in and out of European Union (EU) airports in 2050 to use at least 70% sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). The parliament passed the law on September 13 as part of its Fit for 55 package.

Under the new law, known as the RefuelEU aviation rules, from 2025, EU airports and fuel suppliers must ensure that 2% of the fuel supplied is SAF. This ratio will increase every five years - 6% in 2030, 20% in 2035, 34% in 2040, 42% in 2045 and 70% in 2050. Additionally, a specific proportion of the fuel mix (1.2% in 2030, 2% in 2032, 5% in 2035, progressively reaching 35% in 2050) must comprise synthetic fuels like e-kerosene.

Five hundred and eighteen parliamentarians voted in favour of the new law, 97 voted against, and eight abstained. Parliamentary rapporteur José Ramón Bauzá Díaz called the new law a "tremendous step" towards the decarbonisation of aviation. "It is now time for EU governments to implement the new rules and support the...