China Airlines has scaled back an earlier order for Airbus aircraft. This concerns an order from June last year for eight A321neos and five A350-900s.

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British Airways will launch a second route between Great Britain and Australia this coming winter. This is part of a major expansion of the intercontinental network. Due to the unrest in the Middle East, the airline is seeing an increase in demand for direct flights to Asia, Australia, Africa, and the Caribbean.

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Airbus has secured its largest customer to date for the A350F in Atlas Air. The American airline has ordered twenty units of the new type. The company also took an option on another twenty units, potentially increasing the order to forty aircraft. As a result, Boeing is seeing a major order slip through its fingers.

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Aeroflot is going to scale back Business Class capacity on a portion of its narrowbody aircraft. With this adjustment, the Russian airline aims to make more Economy seats available to make air travel more affordable.

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The struggling American budget carrier "Spirit" hopes to face a healthier future with a significantly downsized fleet. At one time, more than 200 canary-yellow Airbus aircraft flew for the airline; soon, there will be fewer than 80.

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After Boeing delivered 46 aircraft in January, the American aircraft manufacturer handed over even more aircraft in February: 51. With this, the manufacturer delivered more machines than competitor Airbus for the second month in a row.

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Delta Air Lines is going to equip the rear of the fuselage of its Boeing 737-800s and -900ERs with so-called finlets. This aerodynamic modification is intended to further improve the fuel efficiency of the fleet
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Over 237 kilos of drugs have been intercepted at Monrovia airport in Liberia. The shipment, valued at 17 million euros, was to be transported to Europe on a Brussels Airlines flight. According to African media, the Dutch drug dealer ‘Bolle Jos’ Leijdekkers is involved in the case
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Qatar Airways has put four of its eight Airbus A380s back into service. The aircraft had been grounded since the outbreak of the war in the Middle East, but are now gradually being deployed again on a limited number of routes
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Four Airbus A220s that previously flew for EgyptAir are being dismantled. The aircraft are between five and seven years old.
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Emirates from Dubai is the first airline in the world to offer a new travel insurance policy that provides travelers with extra protection in the event of disruptions, including conflicts. The coverage includes, among other things, medical expenses, hotel accommodation arranged by the airline, and support for extended stays. Etihad from Abu Dhabi also offers additional insurance
to travelers.

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* Origin: AVIATION ECHO HQ (2:292/854)