News

Reuters • Hadeel Al Sayegh, Hadeel Sayegh

DAE and Blackstone launch 'Equator' aircraft-leasing platform to deploy $1.6bn per year

Dubai Aerospace Enterprise and Blackstone Credit & Insurance have launched 'Equator', a global aviation leasing investment platform that will target approximately $1.6 billion in aircraft deployments per year. The vehicle pairs DAE's fleet placement capability with Blackstone's flexible credit capital to acquire, finance and place aircraft.

2026-04-09T04:37:08.763361-07:00

ch-aviation

Middle East airspace reopens after Iran ceasefire; routes resume but remain longer and safety‑constrained

2026-04-08T22:51:23.238578-07:00

FlightGlobal

El Al accelerates return to scheduled operations after conflict; bookings remain suspended

2026-04-09T00:51:13.369565-07:00

AeroTime

Etihad to resume seasonal Abu Dhabi–Dhaka 4x‑weekly 777 service from 26 June 2026

2026-04-08T18:46:59.477335-07:00

News Timeline

Reuters

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DAE and Blackstone launch 'Equator' aircraft-leasing platform to deploy $1.6bn per year Dubai Aerospace Enterprise and Blackstone Credit & Insurance have launched 'Equator', a global aviation leasing investment platform that will target approximately $1.6 billion in aircraft deployments per year. The vehicle pairs DAE's fleet placement capability with Blackstone's flexible credit capital to acquire, finance and place aircraft.

2026-04-09T04:37:08.763361-07:00

DAE and Blackstone launch 'Equator' aircraft-leasing platform to deploy $1.6bn per year

FlightGlobal

El Al accelerates return to scheduled operations after conflict; bookings remain suspended El Al is planning a substantial restoration of scheduled operations after several weeks of restricted flying caused by regional conflict. Passenger bookings remain suspended while the carrier automatically prioritises customers awaiting reassignment as it says it is "accelerating its return" to a normal schedule.

2026-04-09T00:51:13.369565-07:00

El Al accelerates return to scheduled operations after conflict; bookings remain suspended

ch-aviation

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Middle East airspace reopens after Iran ceasefire; routes resume but remain longer and safety‑constrained Iraq, Syria and Bahrain have reopened airspace to commercial flights after a US–Iran ceasefire, with Bahrain’s Manama International restarting operations following a 39‑day closure. Airlines have resumed services — including a passenger flight into Iraq after ~40 days — but continue longer, safety‑driven routings that avoid still‑closed Kuwaiti airspace.

2026-04-08T22:51:23.238578-07:00

Middle East airspace reopens after Iran ceasefire; routes resume but remain longer and safety‑constrained

ch-aviation

Etihad to reconfigure A321LR to higher-density layout from Q1 2027 Etihad Airways will reconfigure its Airbus A321LR cabin to a higher-density layout, increasing seat counts across the fleet from Q1 2027. The retrofit will be applied to in-service A321LRs and is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2027, affecting capacity on routes served by the type.

2026-04-08T22:02:35.901662-07:00

Etihad to reconfigure A321LR to higher-density layout from Q1 2027

AeroTime

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Etihad to resume seasonal Abu Dhabi–Dhaka 4x‑weekly 777 service from 26 June 2026 Etihad Airways will relaunch seasonal Abu Dhabi–Dhaka flights from 26 June 2026 with four weekly rotations operated by a Boeing 777 (28 Business, 374 Economy). The June–October schedule targets strong passenger demand while expanding cargo capacity to strengthen UAE–Bangladesh trade links.

2026-04-08T18:46:59.477335-07:00

Etihad to resume seasonal Abu Dhabi–Dhaka 4x‑weekly 777 service from 26 June 2026

Airways Magazine

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Cirium March 2026 On‑Time Performance — Global and Regional Leaders (visualised) Cirium's March 2026 On‑Time Performance report ranks global and regional leaders in punctuality, presenting visualised OTP standings and trend and scale context across North America, Europe, APAC, LATAM and MEA. The dataset highlights month‑on‑month shifts and comparative scale between regional markets.

2026-04-08T08:36:15.452502-07:00

Cirium March 2026 On‑Time Performance — Global and Regional Leaders (visualised)

Skift

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Delta halts growth, trims Q2 profit as Iran war-driven jet fuel spike adds >$2bn in costs Delta pulled planned capacity growth for the quarter and cut its Q2 profit forecast below Street expectations after Iran war-driven jet fuel spikes that will add more than $2 billion to June-quarter costs. Its refinery is expected to offset about $300 million and traffic demand remains strong.

2026-04-08T03:39:29.930362-07:00

Delta halts growth, trims Q2 profit as Iran war-driven jet fuel spike adds >$2bn in costs

Airline Economics

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Two‑week US–Iran ceasefire reopens Strait of Hormuz, eases airspace risk and cools fuel markets President Trump agreed to a two‑week US–Iran ceasefire late Tuesday, brokered as the Strait of Hormuz reopened, prompting airlines to cautiously consider restoring Gulf routings and markets to rally as oil slipped below $100/bbl. The pause reduces immediate airspace risk but jet‑fuel supply vulnerabilities persist.

2026-04-08T01:11:28.427546-07:00

Two‑week US–Iran ceasefire reopens Strait of Hormuz, eases airspace risk and cools fuel markets

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Middle East News

DAE and Blackstone launch 'Equator' aircraft-leasing platform to deploy $1.6bn per year

Middle East airspace reopens after Iran ceasefire; routes resume but remain longer and safety‑constrained

El Al accelerates return to scheduled operations after conflict; bookings remain suspended

Etihad to resume seasonal Abu Dhabi–Dhaka 4x‑weekly 777 service from 26 June 2026

News Timeline