Skift
• Peden Doma Bhutia
Etihad Airways CEO Antonoaldo Neves said intense competition among Gulf carriers is delaying the pass-through of higher jet-fuel costs, though fares could rise next year. The airline is also pursuing substantial expansion into China and Africa, with widebody aircraft availability limiting its growth ambitions.
Orders
Latest source-backed stories
High activity
Etihad Airways CEO Antonoaldo Neves said intense competition among Gulf carriers is delaying the pass-through of higher jet-fuel costs, though fares could rise next year. The airline is also pursuing substantial expansion into China and Africa, with widebody aircraft availability limiting its growth ambitions.
Embraer has unveiled the first C-390 Millennium in the colors of Uzbekistan’s Air and Air Defence Forces, marking the type’s entry into Central Asia. The aircraft appears to have originally been prepared for delivery to Brazil, suggesting a reassignment in the program’s customer pipeline.
Vietravel Airlines is poised to order 50 Airbus aircraft for delivery from 2029, including A220s and long-range A321XLRs. The fleet expansion would introduce Vietnam’s first A220s and significantly increase the airline’s capacity and network-planning options.
High activity
Boeing recorded 15 net commercial aircraft orders and delivered 51 jets in August 2026. Its latest market analysis says financing for elevated delivery volumes is increasingly moving toward bank debt and leasing companies, while forecasting 43,625 commercial aircraft deliveries globally between 2026 and 2045.
High activity
The agreements position Airbus to support an expansion by Vietravel Airlines, which is targeting a larger fleet and international network, while Vietnam Airlines added five A350-900s to its post-2030 fleet strategy. The commitments reinforce Vietnam’s importance as a fast-growing Southeast Asian aviation market.
IndiGo plans to expand its fleet to 550 aircraft by fiscal 2030 while increasing the share it owns to 30–40%, with the balance remaining under operating leases. The strategy would give India’s largest airline greater control over fleet assets while retaining leasing flexibility.
QantasLink plans to place its first in-house Embraer E190 into commercial service in January 2027, subject to regulatory approval. The move would mark the Australian regional carrier’s entry into operating the aircraft type directly, although the available report does not provide further details on fleet size or routes.
KLM has completed two test flights with its first Airbus A350 ahead of delivery later this month. The widebody is expected to enter service on routes including Toronto, Montreal and Nairobi, marking the aircraft’s initial deployment within KLM’s network.
Create a free account to see more recent Orders stories and keep bookmarks in one place.
