Aviation Week
• Chen Chuanren
Japan Airlines has begun operating TLD Robotics’ driverless EZTow tractors at Fukuoka Airport, extending airside autonomous towing to a third airport in its network. The vehicles move cargo containers on a 1.7-kilometer restricted-area route, as JAL turns to automation amid ground-handling labor shortages and a shrinking working-age population.
Boeing 747
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A low-altitude Air Force One flyover during a White House Halloween celebration startled visitors and D.C. residents, with some reports citing only 15 minutes’ notice. The event also disrupted operations at Reagan National Airport, delaying dozens of flights and raising concerns about the impact of presidential aircraft movements on the capital’s airspace.
Romanian cargo operator ROMCargo has wet-leased two Boeing 747 freighters, according to ch-aviation. The report provides no details on the aircraft, lessor, contract duration or routes, leaving the scale and operational purpose of the capacity addition unclear.
CEO Taher Abdolhai said on Oct. 19, 2026, that IranAir intends to return the aircraft to service in just over a month. The airline’s A321 plans remain on hold, according to the report’s headline.
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Japan Airlines has begun operating TLD Robotics’ driverless EZTow tractors at Fukuoka Airport, extending airside autonomous towing to a third airport in its network. The vehicles move cargo containers on a 1.7-kilometer restricted-area route, as JAL turns to automation amid ground-handling labor shortages and a shrinking working-age population.
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A Cargolux Boeing 747-8F, registration LX-VCF, suffered a collapse of its left-wing main landing gear while parked at Luxembourg Airport. No injuries were reported. The freighter was grounded, prompting inspections across the carrier’s 747-8F fleet and an investigation into the incident.
A dispute with a small Florida supplier over a critical wing component has stopped 777F production for nearly two months and disrupted 767 output, including freighters and KC-46 tankers, according to reports. The freighter has dozens of orders, and regulators recently approved continued production through 2030.
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Lufthansa has operated its final A340-600 flight, while Lufthansa and SWISS are retiring their A340 fleets after 23 years of service. Separately, Lufthansa plans to retire its last eight 747-400s; Edelweiss expects to keep one A340-300 in service until January 2027.
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