Reuters
• Federico Maccioni, Joanna Plucinska
Emirates says it is well hedged against higher jet fuel prices and is seeking to avoid passing rising costs on to passengers. The carrier’s position comes as airlines assess the impact of the Iran war on fuel markets and the potential pressure on fares and margins.
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Emirates says it is well hedged against higher jet fuel prices and is seeking to avoid passing rising costs on to passengers. The carrier’s position comes as airlines assess the impact of the Iran war on fuel markets and the potential pressure on fares and margins.
Air Arabia’s new Saudi budget carrier will begin operations on Sept. 20 with flights from Dammam to Riyadh, Jeddah and Medinah. Riyadh and Jeddah will receive twice-daily service, while Medinah will be served daily, establishing the airline’s initial domestic network across major Saudi cities.
Direct-to-device satellite services are attracting partnerships between mobile network operators and satellite companies, promising broader coverage without terrestrial infrastructure in remote areas. As these relationships multiply, unresolved questions around deployment, commercial models and service execution will shape whether D2D becomes a scalable network extension.
U.S. scheduled passenger airlines posted sharply lower earnings in the second quarter, with higher fuel costs and weaker margins pushing the industry near break-even after tax. June traffic also declined from a year earlier and from its 2024 peak, even as rising fares supported overall industry health.
Qatar Airways plans to expand its fleet by 138 aircraft over the next five years, according to CEO Akbar Al Baker. The announcement signals a significant capacity and fleet-growth commitment by the Gulf carrier, with implications for future deliveries, financing and network expansion.
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Airbus expects Asia-Pacific’s expanding middle class, new city-pair routes and fleet growth to sustain demand for thousands of aircraft over the next two decades. Despite geopolitical headwinds and supply-chain constraints, the manufacturer sees no significant regional slowdown and forecasts the region will account for about 45% of new jet deliveries.
Russia’s UAC is exploring localization of the SJ-100 regional jet and Il-114-300 turboprop in India. The proposition’s viability will depend on aircraft pricing, commercial terms and the strength of after-sales support—factors likely to determine whether Indian airlines view localized production as a credible fleet option.
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Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation has issued an Air Operator Certificate to an Air Arabia-led consortium, clearing the way for a new low-cost national carrier based at Dammam’s King Fahd International Airport. The approval marks a key regulatory step toward launching the airline.
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