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Air Data News • Ricardo Meier

Air China Cargo locks in four more Airbus A350F freighters, lifting firm order to 10

Air China Cargo has signed a purchase agreement with Airbus for four additional A350F freighters, bringing its total firm order for the type to 10 aircraft. The carrier previously ordered six A350Fs in November 2025 and has been introducing Airbus freighters since end-2023, currently operating eight A330-200P2Fs.

2026-05-26T03:00:33.246158-07:00

ch-aviation

Air New Zealand sets timeline to restore grounded B787-9 by late June 2026, complete fleet return with Airbus by 2027

2026-05-25T19:16:42.356569-07:00

ch-aviation

Plus Ultra Airlines in talks with Spain on a government-backed viability plan

2026-05-25T04:05:40.469283-07:00

Air Data News

Saudia takes first Airbus A321XLR for June entry on Saudi–Europe/Africa long-range narrowbody routes

2026-05-24T10:05:09.376457-07:00

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Air Data News

Air China Cargo locks in four more Airbus A350F freighters, lifting firm order to 10 Air China Cargo has signed a purchase agreement with Airbus for four additional A350F freighters, bringing its total firm order for the type to 10 aircraft. The carrier previously ordered six A350Fs in November 2025 and has been introducing Airbus freighters since end-2023, currently operating eight A330-200P2Fs.

2026-05-26T03:00:33.246158-07:00

Air China Cargo locks in four more Airbus A350F freighters, lifting firm order to 10

ch-aviation

Air New Zealand sets timeline to restore grounded B787-9 by late June 2026, complete fleet return with Airbus by 2027 Air New Zealand expects its grounded Boeing 787-9 fleet to re-enter service by late June 2026, followed by a broader return of its Airbus aircraft by 2027. The carrier is mapping a multi-year recovery sequence to rebuild capacity and normalize operations across its widebody network.

2026-05-25T19:16:42.356569-07:00

Air New Zealand sets timeline to restore grounded B787-9 by late June 2026, complete fleet return with Airbus by 2027

ch-aviation

Plus Ultra Airlines in talks with Spain on a government-backed viability plan Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas is negotiating a viability plan with the Spanish government, according to ch-aviation coverage. The talks center on how the carrier can continue operating amid its financial stress, with negotiations signaling potential state involvement in its near-term future.

2026-05-25T04:05:40.469283-07:00

Plus Ultra Airlines in talks with Spain on a government-backed viability plan

ch-aviation

Biman Bangladesh Airlines names new Director of Finance Biman Bangladesh Airlines has appointed a new Director of Finance, according to the cluster briefing. The move signals a leadership change in the carrier’s finance function as it manages its fleet and commercial priorities.

2026-05-24T22:45:30.096157-07:00

Biman Bangladesh Airlines names new Director of Finance

Air Data News

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Saudia takes first Airbus A321XLR for June entry on Saudi–Europe/Africa long-range narrowbody routes Saudia has received its first Airbus A321XLR, positioning the carrier as an early operator of Airbus’s new long-range narrowbody. The aircraft will enter service in June on routes connecting Saudi Arabia with Europe and Africa, with a newly configured premium cabin layout.

2026-05-24T10:05:09.376457-07:00

Saudia takes first Airbus A321XLR for June entry on Saudi–Europe/Africa long-range narrowbody routes

FlightGlobal

North Atlantic “thin” long-haul routes increasingly moved to long-range narrowbodies A growing share of North American and European carriers are targeting thinner, long-haul “skinny” routes across the Atlantic using long-range narrowbody aircraft rather than widebodies. The pattern suggests airlines are testing aircraft utilization and unit-cost models that better match demand on lower-volume city pairs.

2026-05-22T15:53:59.297768-07:00

North Atlantic “thin” long-haul routes increasingly moved to long-range narrowbodies

AeroTime

Spain to retrofit A400M transports with specialized firefighting equipment Spain’s president, Pedro Sánchez, announced on May 21, 2026 that the Spanish Air Force will fit some Airbus A400M military transports with specialist firefighting kits. The move signals how operators are adapting the A400M beyond airlift roles to add capability for aerial wildfire response.

2026-05-22T06:55:17.416423-07:00

Spain to retrofit A400M transports with specialized firefighting equipment

ch-aviation

Wizz Air to treat A321XLRs as standard A321neos, folding 11 XLRs into a single A321-200NX fleet Wizz Air says it will integrate its 11 A321-200NY(XLR)s into the fleet as standard-range A321-200NX aircraft, without marking them as a separate type. The approach is intended to simplify how the carrier operates and manages its A321neo fleet, per chief commercial officer Ian Malin.

2026-05-22T06:09:42.122111-07:00

Wizz Air to treat A321XLRs as standard A321neos, folding 11 XLRs into a single A321-200NX fleet

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Airbus News

Air China Cargo locks in four more Airbus A350F freighters, lifting firm order to 10

Air New Zealand sets timeline to restore grounded B787-9 by late June 2026, complete fleet return with Airbus by 2027

Plus Ultra Airlines in talks with Spain on a government-backed viability plan

Saudia takes first Airbus A321XLR for June entry on Saudi–Europe/Africa long-range narrowbody routes

News Timeline