Aviation News

eVTOL Sustainability & Climate Initiatives Airlines Beta Technologies

ch-aviation • Dirk Andrei Salcedo

Air New Zealand asks Beta to study larger electric aircraft after ALIA CX300 proves too small

Air New Zealand says Beta Technologies’ ALIA CX300 demonstrator is too small to be cost-effective and has asked the company to examine a larger battery-electric aircraft. The assessment could reshape the airline’s approach to electric regional operations and the aircraft requirements for commercial viability.

1 Source

2026-08-17T18:13:26.048992-07:00

Routes Asia-Pacific (APAC) Airlines

NEW

FlightGlobal • Alfred Chua

Vietjet to boost Philippines operations in latest network expansion

By FlightGlobal: Airline to launch three new routes linking Vietnam and Philippines. Vietjet is to launch five new international routes, focusing on flights to the Philippines amid stronger tourism demand.

1 Source

2026-08-17T19:49:56.708403-07:00

China Orders Aircraft Manufacturing (OEMs) Asia-Pacific (APAC) Airlines COMAC

NEW

ch-aviation • Dirk Andrei Salcedo

China's Shenzhen Airlines and Loong Air eye C919s

By ch-aviation: Shenzhen Airlines (ZH, Shenzhen) and Loong Air (GJ, Hangzhou) have expressed interest in adding C919s, the South China Morning Post newspaper reported, citing statements by executives from both airlines at an aviation forum in Guangzhou.

1 Source

2026-08-17T20:20:08.713804-07:00

AI Aircraft Demand: Airline Distress & Consolidation Airline Industry & Market Trends Cybersecurity (Cyber Threats & Protection) Airlines Spirit Airlines

Bloomberg Law • James Nani

Google Aims to Boost AI With Purchase of Spirit Airlines Data

By Bloomberg Law: Google LLC won a bankruptcy auction for a trove of deindentified business data, software code, and operations records from collapsed low-cost carrier Spirit Aviation Holdings Inc., saying it plans to use the assets to improve its artificial intelligence.

View from the Wing

Google Buys Spirit Airlines’ Emails, Files And Flight Records For $10 Million

Airline Geeks

Report: Google Buys Spirit Data for $10M

Also: Skift, FlightGlobal, Aviation Week, Business Insider, Economic Times, Yahoo Finance and CNA

14 Sources

2026-08-17T09:36:43.804418-07:00

Routes Europe Airports Airlines

Aviation Source • Len Varley

Loganair Closes Dundee Base as All Flights End in October

By Aviation Source: Loganair will close its Dundee base later this year, confirming it will end scheduled commercial flights from the airport after 23 October 2026.

Also: CAPA

2 Sources

2026-08-17T15:10:36.617387-07:00

Sustainability & Climate Initiatives Airlines easyJet

Aviation Source • Len Varley

easyJet Equips Pilots with Digital Fuel App to Cut Emissions and Costs

By Aviation Source: easyJet is rolling out a new digital tool that helps pilots order and confirm aircraft fuel more accurately, cutting unnecessary fuel burn, and lowering costs.

2 Sources

2026-08-17T14:33:17.877644-07:00

Saudi Arabia Routes Middle East Airlines Boeing

airwaysmag.com • Ivan Oleinik

Riyadh Air Enters Pakistan With Islamabad, Lahore Routes

By airwaysmag.com: Riyadh Air has begun daily Islamabad flights and will add Lahore on August 18, both using Boeing 787-9s.

Aviation Source

Riyadh Air Launches First Direct Flights to Pakistan

3 Sources

2026-08-17T08:51:10.977331-07:00

eVTOL UAV Development & Drone Programs AI Airlines

Wall Street Journal • Kelly Cloonan

Uber, Zipline Partner With Goal of Hitting 1 Million Drone Deliveries a Day

By Wall Street Journal: Uber is teaming up with drone startup Zipline to take its delivery service to the skies, a move aimed at winning customers demanding ever-quicker turnaround times for takeout, grocery and retail orders.

dronelife.com

Uber and Zipline Target One Million Drone Deliveries a Day by 2029

newsable.asianetnews.com

Uber, Zipline Target 1 Million Daily Drone Deliveries By 2029 — Zipline CEO Keller Cliffton Sees 10X Growth In Instant Delivery Market

Also: The Verge and Seeking Alpha

5 Sources

2026-08-17T14:50:47.026877-07:00

Air New Zealand asks Beta to study larger electric aircraft after ALIA CX300 proves too small

Vietjet to boost Philippines operations in latest network expansion

China's Shenzhen Airlines and Loong Air eye C919s

Google Aims to Boost AI With Purchase of Spirit Airlines Data

Google Buys Spirit Airlines’ Emails, Files And Flight Records For $10 Million

Report: Google Buys Spirit Data for $10M

Loganair Closes Dundee Base as All Flights End in October

easyJet Equips Pilots with Digital Fuel App to Cut Emissions and Costs

Riyadh Air Enters Pakistan With Islamabad, Lahore Routes

Riyadh Air Launches First Direct Flights to Pakistan

Uber, Zipline Partner With Goal of Hitting 1 Million Drone Deliveries a Day

Uber and Zipline Target One Million Drone Deliveries a Day by 2029

Uber, Zipline Target 1 Million Daily Drone Deliveries By 2029 — Zipline CEO Keller Cliffton Sees 10X Growth In Instant Delivery Market

China's Shenzhen Airlines and Loong Air eye C919s

Vietjet to boost Philippines operations in latest network expansion

Air New Zealand says ALIA too small to be cost-effective

easyJet Equips Pilots with Digital Fuel App to Cut Emissions and Costs

Loganair Closes Dundee Base as All Flights End in October

Uber, Zipline Partner With Goal of Hitting 1 Million Drone Deliveries a Day

Textron Aviation delivers 500th Cessna Citation CJ4

Three killed in helicopter crash on Greek island of Sifnos

Netflix to Release Documentary Examining Boeing Culture, 787 Dreamliner and Whistleblower Allegations

Perú greenlights Abra’s acquisition of SKY Airline

Vietnam Airlines 787-9 returns to Munich after reported runway overrun and tail strike

Identical American Airlines Callsigns Contributed to Phoenix Conflict Between Two 737-800s

Vietnam Airlines 787-9 Returns to Munich After Apparent Tailstrike and Runway Overrun on Takeoff

Vietnam Airlines 787-9 sustains substantial damage after late rotation and runway overrun at Munich

The day’s aerospace signal, in one email.

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