CNBC
• Leslie Josephs
Bill Franke, a serial airline investor known for backing budget carriers, is shifting toward a more upmarket proposition, including first-class seating and other premium upgrades. The move signals a broader effort to capture higher-yield customers alongside traditional low-cost airline demand.
Airlines
Latest source-backed stories
The ongoing conflict in Iran has become the biggest crisis in Qatar Airways’ more than three decades of operation, CEO Hamad Al-Khater said. The airline has taken measures to adapt to the conflict, underscoring the operational and strategic exposure of Gulf carriers to regional instability.
Africa World Airlines has taken delivery of its first Embraer E190, adding substantially more capacity than the ERJ-145s that anchor its operation. The Ghanaian carrier is positioning the aircraft as part of a plan to build a larger fleet and expand available seats.
Bill Franke, a serial airline investor known for backing budget carriers, is shifting toward a more upmarket proposition, including first-class seating and other premium upgrades. The move signals a broader effort to capture higher-yield customers alongside traditional low-cost airline demand.
Severe thunderstorms caused flooding near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and disrupted air traffic through Chicago, where hundreds of flights were canceled Saturday. Dangerous road conditions around Fort Lauderdale and worsening Midwest weather raised the prospect of broader delays and cancellations across the U.S.
American Airlines plans to trial a new delay-update process in Charlotte that estimates boarding times from the inbound aircraft’s arrival rather than repeatedly pushing them back. The test targets a long-standing passenger frustration: leaving the lounge for a gate where the aircraft has not arrived.
High activity
Malaysia Aviation Group is close to finalizing an order for approximately 10 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners, according to people familiar with the negotiations. The deal would give Malaysia Airlines a new widebody type and replace its small fleet of leased Airbus A350-900s, nearly a decade after it retired its 777-200ERs.
Airlines for America is urging U.S. regulators to block proposed Air China service to New York and Washington, D.C., arguing that U.S. carriers cannot overfly Russia on routes to China and therefore face a structural operating disadvantage against Chinese competitors.
High activity
Aeroflot has ordered 90 additional MC-21-310 narrowbodies from United Aircraft Corp., expanding its planned Russian-built fleet to 108 aircraft. Deliveries of the latest batch are scheduled for 2029–2032, with the contract including simulators, crew training and 22 years of aftermarket support.
Create a free account to see more recent Airlines stories and keep bookmarks in one place.
