Emirates has conducted a special flight experience for 30 UAE families with neurodivergent children.  The flight, which took place on April 24, 2024, was to help the children practice and alleviate anxieties before traveling and to raise awareness of autism. The airline hosted Her Excellency Hessa BuHumaid, Director General of the Community Development Authority of Dubai, as well as 30 neurodiverse children aged between 8 and 12 years old – from Dubai Autism Centre, Safe Centre for Autism, Rashid Centre for People of Determination and the New England Centre Children Clinic – to attend the ..read more

Delta Air Lines and American Express have announced the return of a limited edition credit card design containing 33% metal taken from two B747 aircraft.  The airline said that the metal credit cards, which were first launched two years ago, were brought back due to an ‘overwhelming’ response from existing credit card holders and members. The limited-edition cards, which are available until June 5, 2024, are made from two Delta Boeing 747 aircraft that were retired after more than 27 years of service. The cards feature each plane’s history, including their first and last flights, tail num ..read more

Lufthansa presented its new Allegris cabin to the media at an event held at Munich airport (MUC) on April 25, 2024.  The German airline had unveiled its new premium cabin product publicly in February 2023, but this was the first time that Lufthansa showcased it after installing it on one of its aircraft.  The aircraft in question in question was an Airbus A350-900 registration D-AIXT, which had been delivered to Lufthansa just a few days prior on April 13, 2024.  During the event, Lufthansa’s CEO, Jens Ritter, announced that the new Allegris class would be first available on A3 ..read more

Brussels Airlines has unveiled a new Tomorrowland-inspired livery adorned across an Airbus A320neo that arrived fresh from the planemaker’s Toulouse facility in December 2024.   The Airbus A320neo, registered OO-SBB, was revealed to an audience of media representatives, guests, and employees at an event inside a Brussels Airlines hangar.   The aircraft features ‘Amare’, the newest ‘Belgian Icons’, and was inspired by the longer standing partnership Brussels Airlines shares with the iconic music festival, Tomorrowland.   According to Brussels Airlines, Amare is a ..read more

Etihad Airways has announced the reintroduction of its Airbus A380 service to Paris that came to an abrupt halt following the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in 2020.   The announcement means that Paris joins London and more recently New York in a select group of worldwide cities that will be served the famous Etihad A380 experience.   When Etihad pulled the A380 from service in 2020, it was understood that the aircraft would not see the light of day again, so the introduction of the Paris route signals a massive turnaround for the superjumbo.  Etihad will start flying its ..read more

The German leisure airline Condor has recently received its first Airbus A320neo on lease from Avolon.  The delivery ceremony held in Toulouse on April 24, 2024, is part of Condor’s efforts to rejuvenate its fleet, which already includes the A330neo for long-haul routes.   By adding both A320 and A330neo families, Condor plans to leverage the operational benefits and synergies resulting from the commonality between the two aircraft types.  “Condor is continuing to modernize its fleet, consistently combining responsible travel with maximum customer comfort. Since last month ..read more

Thai Airways has officially bid a fond farewell to the Boeing 747 ‘Queen of the Skies’ at a special ceremony in Thailand.   Perhaps prompted by the retirement of Air India’s last four Boeing 747-400s on April 22, 2024, Thai Airways gathered staff and rolled out a fancy carpet to pay homage to the original superjumbo jet.   On April 23, 2024, Thai Airways posted a photo at the retirement ceremony with tables and chairs gathered around the engineless Boeing 747-400 inside a hangar.   Farewell, Thai Airways Boeing 747-400. pic.twitter.com/dm52ZbHis6 — YOSHIRJNK (@YO ..read more

North America’s largest seaplane airline, Harbour Air, has reached an agreement with aviation propulsion innovators magniX to purchase 50 magni650 electric engines.    Harbour Air and magniX confirmed on April 22, 2024, that the two companies had signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the engines after collaborating closely with each other over the past few years.  The new electric propulsion units (EPUs) will be used to power Harbour Air’s entire fleet, beginning with the De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver in 2026.  “We are excited to accelerate the adoption of electric aviation techn ..read more

United Nations (UN) experts have warned airlines and aviation authorities against “facilitating unlawful removals” of asylum seekers from the United Kingdom (UK) to Rwanda.  Siobhán Mullally (Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons), Gehad Madi (Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants) and Allice Jill Edwards (Special Rapporteur on torture) said on April 22, 2024, that airlines and aviation authorities “could be complicit in violating internationally protected human rights and court orders” if they assist in removals to Rwanda.  On April 22, 2024, a bill was passed in ..read more

Canadian airline WestJet announced that it has acquired the first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supplied in Canada by Shell Aviation.  The airline said the purchase marks a milestone in its mission to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, and is a step forward in making Canada’s aviation industry more sustainable. Angela Avery, WestJet Group Executive Vice President and Chief People, Corporate and Sustainability Officer, emphasized WestJet’s pioneering role in advancements such as winglets and drag reduction, and highlighted the airline’s pride in being the first to acquire SAF from Shell ..read more