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LARA • Grace Hardy

IATA and ALA demand 4.9% annual cut to AENA airport charges, accuse operator of 'gaming the system'

The International Air Transport Association and Spain's ALA have jointly called for a 4.9% annual reduction (excluding inflation) in Spanish airport charges from 2027–2031, saying the level is compatible with sustaining AENA's near-€10 billion investment plan and accusing the operator of 'gaming the system'.

2026-02-18T04:41:28.715446-08:00

Via Satellite

EUSPA awards Thales Alenia Space framework to build central ground platform for European GNSS services

2026-02-18T13:11:26.068133-08:00

Space Intel Report

EU to field sovereign satcom: Iris2 to offer free, anonymous government links as GOVSATCOM goes live

2026-02-18T10:15:35.912836-08:00

Breitflyte

KM Malta unveils Summer 2026 schedule — 262 weekly flights, adds Tel Aviv and Catania

2026-02-18T11:39:47.362756-08:00

News Timeline

Via Satellite

EUSPA awards Thales Alenia Space framework to build central ground platform for European GNSS services EUSPA has awarded Thales Alenia Space a framework contract to develop a central ground support platform and an EGNSS Service Demonstrator to integrate EU navigation and space services — EGNOS, Galileo, Copernicus and GOVSATCOM/IRIS². The work is intended to streamline deployment and enable cross-service interoperability.

2026-02-18T13:11:26.068133-08:00

EUSPA awards Thales Alenia Space framework to build central ground platform for European GNSS services

Breitflyte

KM Malta unveils Summer 2026 schedule — 262 weekly flights, adds Tel Aviv and Catania KM Malta Airlines' Summer 2026 program schedules 262 weekly flights across 19 routes between late March and late October (7,948 seasonal flights, ~1.34 million seats), adding twice‑weekly Malta–Tel Aviv from 27 May and a seven‑times‑weekly Malta–Catania service from 30 April operated with Airbus A320neo aircraft.

2026-02-18T11:39:47.362756-08:00

KM Malta unveils Summer 2026 schedule — 262 weekly flights, adds Tel Aviv and Catania

Space Intel Report

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EU to field sovereign satcom: Iris2 to offer free, anonymous government links as GOVSATCOM goes live Brussels plans to offer Iris2 satellite communications free and anonymously to governments, with deployment accelerated from 2029 and commercial links potentially pre-empted during crises. The move coincides with activation of GOVSATCOM secure‑encrypted services as the EU builds a homegrown alternative to Starlink and other global providers.

2026-02-18T10:15:35.912836-08:00

EU to field sovereign satcom: Iris2 to offer free, anonymous government links as GOVSATCOM goes live

FlightGlobal

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Avia Solutions Group unifies AirExplore and KlasJet under single leadership Avia Solutions Group has placed Slovakia’s AirExplore and Lithuania’s KlasJet under a single operational leadership while retaining both brands. The change centralises decision-making to eliminate duplicate structures, speed aircraft deployment and simplify ACMI and charter planning across the two carriers.

2026-02-18T08:54:02.951193-08:00

Avia Solutions Group unifies AirExplore and KlasJet under single leadership

ch-aviation

ASG pins SmartLynx collapse on weak cargo market, launches capital raise ASG says a weakening cargo market caused SmartLynx's collapse and is preparing a capital raise to address the fallout. The move signals the group's immediate effort to secure funding amid challenges tied to freight demand that have hit operators and lessors.

2026-02-18T08:36:54.917393-08:00

ASG pins SmartLynx collapse on weak cargo market, launches capital raise

Space Intel Report

MBDA proposes sovereign, interoperable European space‑defence network MBDA, the Franco‑German‑British‑Italian missile JV, has outlined a plan for a sovereign, interoperable European space‑defence network to integrate missile defence, ISR and secure communications. The proposal aims to reduce reliance on non‑European services and accelerate collective command‑and‑control and industrial collaboration.

2026-02-18T08:15:07.341307-08:00

MBDA proposes sovereign, interoperable European space‑defence network

Bloomberg

Alkagesta to begin jet‑fuel deliveries via Europe’s NATO pipeline network Commodity trader Alkagesta will start supplying aviation fuel through one of Europe’s most important NATO‑linked pipeline networks under a new supply agreement, giving the firm direct access to strategic pipeline infrastructure for regional jet‑fuel distribution across NATO member states.

2026-02-18T07:06:02.657477-08:00

Alkagesta to begin jet‑fuel deliveries via Europe’s NATO pipeline network

Aviation Business News

Pegasus opens $40m digitalised MRO at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen with five‑narrowbody capacity Pegasus Airlines has opened a $40m, state-of-the-art MRO centre at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen, completing the first phase of new narrowbody maintenance facilities. The digitalised, efficiency- and sustainability-focused complex includes a paint hangar and space to service five narrowbodies simultaneously, boosting the carrier's in‑house maintenance capability ahead of fleet growth.

2026-02-18T06:20:24.533296-08:00

Pegasus opens $40m digitalised MRO at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen with five‑narrowbody capacity

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Europe News

IATA and ALA demand 4.9% annual cut to AENA airport charges, accuse operator of 'gaming the system'

EUSPA awards Thales Alenia Space framework to build central ground platform for European GNSS services

EU to field sovereign satcom: Iris2 to offer free, anonymous government links as GOVSATCOM goes live

KM Malta unveils Summer 2026 schedule — 262 weekly flights, adds Tel Aviv and Catania

News Timeline