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Boeing and Ryanair announced Europe’s leading low-cost airline has selected the largest 737 MAX model to power its future growth with an order for up to 300 airplanes. The purchase agreement is the biggest in Ryanair’s history and includes a firm order for 150 737-10 jets and options for 150 more.Ryanair has deployed a growing fleet of 737-8-200 airplanes to accelerate its post-pandemic recovery and meet strong travel demand. The 197-seat 737-8-200 model has helped the airline reduce fuel use and emissions by over 20% compared to the airplanes they are replacing. The new order adds the larger 737-10 variant, which offers Ryanair 228 seats and the best unit economics of any single-aisle airplane.
“Ryanair is pleased to sign this record aircraft order for up to 300 MAX 10s with our aircraft partner Boeing. These new, fuel efficient, greener technology aircraft offer 21% more seats, burn 20% less fuel and are 50% quieter than our B737-NGs,” said Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s Group CEO.
“We expect half of this order will replace older NGs while the remaining 150 aircraft will facilitate controlled, sustainable growth to just over 300m guests per annum by 2034.  This order, coupled with our remaining Gamechanger deliveries, will create 10,000 new jobs for highly paid aviation professionals over the next decade, and these jobs will be generated across all of Europe’s main economies where Ryanair is currently the No.1 or No.2 airline,” O’Leary said.
“In addition to delivering significant revenue and market growth opportunities across Europe, we expect these new larger more efficient aircraft to drive further unit cost savings, which will be passed on to passengers in lower air fares. The extra seats, lower fuel burn and more competitive aircraft pricing supported by our strong balance sheet, will widen the cost gap between Ryanair and competitor EU airlines for many years to come, making the Boeing MAX 10 the ideal growth aircraft order for Ryanair, our passengers, our people and our shareholders.”
“The Boeing-Ryanair partnership is one of the most productive in commercial aviation history, enabling both companies to succeed and expand affordable travel to hundreds of millions of people,” said Boeing President and CEO Dave Calhoun. “Nearly a quarter century after our companies signed our first direct airplane purchase, this landmark deal will further strengthen our partnership. We are committed to delivering for Ryanair and helping the airline group achieve its goals.”ADVERTISEMENTThis new order will be posted to Boeing’s Orders and Deliveries website once it is finalized.

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Coinciding with World Immunisation Week, Iberia and UNICEF Spain celebrate the strategic alliance that has brought them together for ten years to support regular vaccination programmes for vulnerable children.
A decade in which this alliance has made it possible to vaccinate more than one million children thanks to the support of the airline’s customers and employees.
During this time, the airline has been committed to vaccination as the most effective, economical, and straightforward way to save lives, supporting UNICEF in the national child immunisation programmes of Afghanistan, Angola, Chad, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Sudan, and Yemen.
In this way, the alliance contributes to the supply of routine vaccines that UNICEF administers regularly as part of extensive immunisation campaigns, as well as to the distribution of supplies to reinforce the cold chain so that the vaccines are stored properly. It also supports, for example, the training of health professionals and the launching of campaigns to promote the importance of vaccines, all leading to strengthening national health systems and guaranteeing the protection and survival of children against preventable diseases such as polio and measles.
In the most difficult moments of the pandemic, the alliance also supported COVAX, the global mechanism for the equitable distribution of vaccines against COVID-19, in which UNICEF played a key role. Thanks to donations from Iberia customers, UNICEF was able to supply 29,000 people in low- and low-middle-income countries with COVID-19 vaccines.ADVERTISEMENTLikewise, for the last two years the alliance has been active in a new area of collaboration that, beyond strategic financing, contributes and puts the knowledge and experience of Iberia’s logistics teams, fleet, and commercial routes at the service of children. And this is possible thanks to the addition of IAG Cargo to the alliance as logistics facilitator. Under this new collaboration framework, in November 2021 a shipment of humanitarian supplies was sent to Haiti following the earthquake that shook the southwest of the country.
“We must congratulate ourselves on the great impact that the Iberia-UNICEF Spain alliance has had every day for ten years. At a time when we are seeing the greatest setbacks in childhood vaccination worldwide in decades, it is essential to continue having the support of committed companies such as Iberia, which are evolving and providing more and more value for children. It is precisely this type of long-term alliances that guarantee systemic and lasting changes in the lives of the most vulnerable boys and girls”, said the president of UNICEF Spain, Gustavo Suárez Pertierra.
For his part, Javier Sánchez-Prieto, CEO of Iberia, said, “We are truly proud of our collaboration with UNICEF, and very grateful for both the work carried out by this organisation and the generous contributions of our customers. We hope that you will continue to support this project and that, together, we can contribute to providing better healthcare to more children around the world”.
Micro-Donations to Support Child Vaccination
Iberia was the first airline globally to activate the micro-donation system to support UNICEF with the online purchase of plane tickets. In this way, Iberia customers who buy a ticket through Iberia.com may support the work that UNICEF carries out with vaccination programmes for vulnerable children.
Donations (between €3 and €20) are made through the ticket reservation and payment platform developed by Amadeus within the framework of its global alliance with UNICEF. As of today, the funds mobilised among the airline’s passengers thanks to this agreement exceed €1.3 million.

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The decision by the Dutch government to limit the number of flights taking off and landing at Schiphol Airport will reduce the value of trade and tourist expenditure in the Netherlands by up to €13.6 billion, according to a new study by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr).The report, commissioned by the Red Schiphol Campaign, predicts that the decision to reduce flight movements at the airport to 440,000 per year will lead to a 180,000 tonne drop in the amount of cargo handled at Schiphol compared to 2019 levels. This represents €11.5 billion worth of goods or about 11.4% of Schiphol’s usual cargo volume.
Under a worst-case scenario, Cebr suggests this figure could rise to 330,000 tonnes, or €21.3 billion worth of goods. This represents over a fifth (21.2%) of Schiphol’s 2019 cargo volume. The report also outlines that the flight cap could result in 1.3 million fewer tourists using Schiphol Airport each year – roughly equivalent to the total number of travellers who visited the Netherlands from Asia in 2019. According to Cebr, this reduction would be associated with a €2.2 billion drop in annual tourist expenditure.
George Chichester, campaign manager for the Red Schiphol Campaign, says this could have a disastrous impact on the Dutch economy.
“In 2019, Schiphol Airport was responsible for over 90% of the cargo coming into the Netherlands and 88% of all passengers flying into or out of the country. It is unlikely that other airports will be able to handle the extra passengers or cargo that will be uncatered for under the flight cap, meaning the value from these two revenue sources is essentially lost to the Dutch economy,” Chichester said.
In addition, Cebr estimates that the reduction in flights is associated with a reduction in Dutch economic activity supported by Schiphol Airport’s operations, amounting to a €205 million fall in Gross Value Added (GVA) and 599 fewer jobs supported throughout the airport and its supply chain. Much of this impact will be felt in the Noord-Holland region, which the report suggests will experience 94% of the impact on GVA.ADVERTISEMENTRowlando Morgan, Head of the Environment, Infrastructure and Local Growth team at Cebr, says that Schiphol’s current contribution to the national and local economy should not be understated. “This research shows that the decision will have significant adverse economic impacts on the consumers and businesses that rely on Schiphol Airport.”
The report also highlights that the flight cap could lead to higher ticket prices. For instance, evidence shows that constrained capacity at London Heathrow has been associated with a 17% premium on short-haul fares and a 25% premium on long-haul fares.
Chichester argues this will hit ordinary Dutch families particularly hard at a time when the cost of living is already very high.
“The government has already tripled the tax on plane tickets. If this flight cap goes ahead, the price of tickets will climb even higher and hard-working Dutch families will no longer be able to afford to go on holiday,” he said.
The Red Schiphol Campaign has been set up to bring together concerned Dutch citizens and businesses in opposition to what it calls the ‘440 decision’ to limit flight movements at Schiphol.
Marc Mabelis, a local politician and active supporter of the campaign, has voiced his concern over the government’s decision, stating that “In an open economy, logistics by air is very important via a strong network for passengers and cargo at Schiphol.”
Supporters are encouraged to sign the campaign’s petition – which is already at over 5,700 signatures – or email [email protected] to find out more ways to get involved.

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Help alliance, the aid organization of the Lufthansa Group, is further expanding its global commitment and is supporting a total of 8 new aid projects this year.For the first time, projects in Namibia, Syria and the Dominican Republic will be supported. In total, help alliance is now active in 28 countries with 52 projects and is making an important contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations.
Among the new projects are three initiatives that were developed in close cooperation with the Lufthansa Group airlines Eurowings Discover and Edelweiss Air. “The involvement of the airlines through their own aid projects strengthens the sense of community of the entire Group and shows that there is great motivation to work across the board for disadvantaged children and young people,” says Andrea Pernkopf, Managing Director of help alliance.
In addition to its long-term projects, help alliance is also stepping up its emergency relief in crisis areas such as Ukraine or the earthquake-stricken regions of Turkey and Syria. With needs-oriented emergency aid and reconstruction measures, the organization supports the affected people quickly and effectively.
“As an aid organization of the Lufthansa Group, we are proud to further expand our project portfolio and to support people in need. Our work contributes to promoting high-quality education (SDG 4) and decent work and economic growth (SDG 8) in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in countries of the Global South, but also in Europe,” emphasizes Pernkopf.
As usual, the projects of help alliance are proposed by employees of the Lufthansa Group and supervised on a voluntary basis. Since its foundation in 1999, the aid organization has been working for sustainable social development in the project countries and is committed to helping disadvantaged children and young people worldwide.ADVERTISEMENTFor detailed information about the 8 new help alliance projects, visit http://www.helpalliance.org, including:
Arusha, Tanzania: School of the Future.In the project region, many children live in difficult and poverty-stricken circumstances. To help these children and at the same time to develop the community, an innovative school center is to be built with a special focus on sustainability, environmental protection and integration.
Masaka, Uganda: Entrepreneurship ProgramTo counteract the difficult labor market situation in Uganda, teachers are being trained at 12 secondary schools to introduce young people to entrepreneurship, develop product ideas with them and support them in setting up their own businesses.
Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic: Lilis SchoolIn 1992, Florencia “Dona Lili” Bonilla founded the Colegio Enriquillo in a poor suburb of Puerto Plata with the aim of providing the children living there with access to a high-quality education that would pave the way to a university degree. The school building, which had fallen into disrepair, is now to be rebuilt.
Katutura, Namibia: Afternoon careThe construction of new premises, the provision of school materials and school meals for disadvantaged children will relieve the burden on teachers and parents and create an improved learning environment for all students.
Costa Maya, Mexico: Plastic collectorsOver the past 20 years, coastal pollution in southern Mexico has increased dramatically. Plastic waste washes up on the beaches every day, severely affecting flora and fauna. Local fishermen are to be motivated to collect old plastic from the seas. This is then recycled and reused as new plastic material. For this social and environmentally friendly approach, the project partner Tide Ocean 2022 was awarded the Swiss Ethics Award.

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Scotland’s largest airline easyJet has expanded its popular Twilight Bag Drop service to Edinburgh airport. Available for the first time today, the free service provides customers on early morning flights with the option to drop their bags off the evening before, saving time for their journey through the airport on their day of travel by skipping bag drop and heading straight to security. It is expected to be especially popular with thousands of families who are travelling with easyJet for their Easter holidays next month.
The service will be available to all customers on early morning flights departing before 1200 at Edinburgh, which represents around 40% of all flights departing from the airport, and bags can be dropped between 1600 and 2100 the day before they fly.
Customers will now be able to simply drop their bags off the evening before their flight during quieter times and to make it easier, just one family member or one customer on the booking is able to drop the bags off for the whole group if they wish.
Ali Gayward, easyJet’s UK Country Manager, commented:
“We are always looking for ways to make travel even easier for our customers, so we are really pleased to be introducing our free Twilight Bag Drop service at Edinburgh from today. We know the service is already very popular with our customers flying from London Gatwick, Bristol and Manchester and by introducing this in time for Easter, thousands of families set to fly with us on their holidays from Scotland can now benefit by dropping their bags with us at airport the night before, for a quicker and easier journey.”ADVERTISEMENTAdam Wilson, Chief Operating Officer at Edinburgh Airport said:
“Providing options for passengers is a key strand to our overall offering to make the journey through the airport as smooth and efficient as possible – that’s a view shared by our partners at easyJet and it’s been great to work closely with them to bring the Twilight service into operation.
“We know a lot of customers will welcome the ability to check-in bags the night before their flight, meaning they can arrive at the airport in the morning, head straight to security and start their trip that little bit quicker.”
easyJet now offers Twilight bag drop services to its customers across four of its key UK airports:  London Gatwick, Bristol, Manchester, and now Edinburgh.
To find out more visit www.easyjet.com/en/help/baggage/cabin-bag-and-hold-luggage.

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QANTAS INVESTS IN NEW MENUS, LARGER MEALS AND PREMIUM PRODUCE

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This week the A321XLR development flight-test aircraft (“FT3”, MSN11080) dedicated to the cabin returned from its four-day cold-weather ground testing at Iqaluit in northern CanadaA few weeks earlier, one of the other A321XLR test aircraft (“FT2”, MSN11058) made a similar visit to Iqaluit. On that initial occasion the mission was to test the operation of the hydraulics and other systems at extreme cold temperatures – after an overnight soak at minus 40 degrees Centigrade.
Ground testing the water and waste system“The objective of this most recent cold-weather campaign was to validate the aircraft operation in cold weather for ground operations,” says Tuan Do, Lead Flight Test Engineer.
He notes: “This time around we tested the cabin water and waste system – which required the temperatures inside the unheated cabin to ‘soak’ at below -15 degrees Centigrade overnight. To this end, several cold soaks were conducted over successive nights with the doors left open, while the outside temperature was around minus 20 degrees Centigrade.
In each case different heating and insulation configurations were applied for subsequent comparative analysis by the engineering department.”
As part of this, a new ‘cold weather option’ available for A321XLR operators, was tested in real conditions for the first time – it adds heaters to ensure the system doesn’t freeze-up overnight. The tests also validated the ‘standard aircraft’ configuration – ie. without the optional package activated – and a weight-saving opportunity configuration, with less insulation.ADVERTISEMENTOf course, every airliner cruises at high altitudes where the outside temperatures are much lower. However, inside the cabin the water and waste systems operate in above zero temperatures. This is why ground testing (in a completely powered-down state) is specifically called for – so that the ambient environment inside the cabin and below the passenger deck, where many systems are located, can cold-soak at sub-zero temperatures.

Hydraulics, oil and electrical system testing at -40 degrees Centigrade“During our first five-day visit to Iqaluit a month ago, when we powered-up the aircraft in the morning, we would ‘wake-up’ the hydraulics, electrics, and other systems and see how long it took to operate the aircraft and get it ready for taxiing and takeoff.”
“There were also some flights to validate the landing gear operation in very cold temperatures. Notably, the A321XLR features an uprated landing gear – to support the higher maximum take-off weight of the aircraft (whose MTOW is 101 metric tonnes, vs 97 tonnes for the A321LR). Consequently, the shock-absorbers on this new variant are designed to handle higher loads compared with those on the other A320 Family members.
The test objective was to check the ‘weight-on-wheels’ signal, so the aircraft knows when the main landing gear shock absorbers are compressed or extended.
“There are many systems on the aircraft which depend on the weight on wheels signals to tell them whether the aircraft is in flight or on ground. So during our first visit to Iqaluit we verified how the weight-on-wheels function is affected by the physical changes in the main landing gear, and how shock absorber stiffness is affected by cold temperatures,” recalls Tuan.
Another design feature of the -XLR related to hydraulics which needed to be evaluated in the cold environment were new hydraulic lines which pass through Rear Centre Tank, located aft of the Landing Gear bay. “Our design office colleagues wanted us to check that the routing of the pipes did not significantly affect the hydraulic temperatures and operations after warm-up of the aircraft,” notes Tuan.
Other cold weather challenges, applicable for any aircraft, include ensuring that hatches don’t freeze shut, or that the systems in general don’t freeze up – not only the water pipes, oil and hydraulics systems, but also the electrical system, especially batteries. “Batteries don’t hold as much charge or provide as much power output when they are at low temperatures. Meanwhile, oil and hydraulics become very viscous at very low temperatures which makes it hard to move flight control surfaces around and drive pumps etc. So you need to heat the aircraft up and its pipework to be able to operate the aircraft,” explains Tuan

Human challengesThe challenges behind the cold weather campaign also include human ones,” he notes. “We have maintenance and ground support teams who need to prepare and configure the aircraft, and check everything outside. They need to have the right clothes and equipment compatible with operations outside. But even with those provisions, the wind-chill factor is so strong in Iqaluit that it’s difficult. You can only work for a limited time outside, so we have shifts to ensure that nobody stays outside for too long.”
On-site Airbus for its part, had brought a team of more than 30 people. These included: six flight crew – pilots, flight test engineers, and a test-flight engineer; a cabin specialist engineer; a maintenance team – comprising mechanical specialists, electrical specialists, quality inspectors; instrumentation specialists; systems design specialists; technical photographers; as well as an operations colleague to oversee the logistics for the overall journey.
The human challenges are not simply on-site in Iqaluit, rather, they begin much earlier. The flight-test engineers will have agreed the test requirements with the design engineers’ office several months in advance, and from that will have prepared the campaign mission plan together with the mission flight-crew and ‘test-flight’ engineer colleagues. Together they determine how they need to configure the aircraft inside and out, when to start taxiing and then take-off, and what the ambient and systems temperature conditions should be etc. They will sequence all the testing and planning of the campaign, and of course, ensure that the whole mission is conducted safely.

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Qatar Airways announce their latest partnership with club cricket giants – the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), becoming the Indian Premier League (IPL) team’s Official Front of Jersey Partner.
The Indian Premier 2023 season will take place between 31 March – 28 May, with the Bengaluru based cricket team playing their opening match on 2 April against the Mumbai Indians.  In the presence of 40,000 fans, RCB’s home arena – the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, hosted a special “Unboxing Event” that featured cricket legends, celebrities, team officials and the likes of cricket superstars Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis and Glen Maxwell. Fans watched the RCB squad train in an entertaining atmosphere, after which the Qatar Airways cabin crew greeted the team during a special jersey unveiling ceremony.
The airline’s leisure division – Qatar Airways Holidays, is exclusively launching all-inclusive travel packages, allowing cricket fans to attend an IPL match at the bespoke Qatar Airways hospitality lounge at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. In addition, the packages will enable fans to partake in exclusive experiences such as viewing practice sessions, signed memorabilia, player meet and greet, photo opportunity with Virat Kholi, and more. The Ultimate RCB Fan packages include return flights with Qatar Airways, premium hotel options, IPL tickets and exciting experiences. To secure packages, customers can visit the dedicated link, qatarairways.com/RCB.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said:  “We embark on a new journey with the addition of the Royal Challengers Bangalore to our extensive sports portfolio. The team has a passionate fanbase and a well-represented list of cricket legends that have played for the team. Cricket is a global game with a world-wide audience and is a powerful means of uniting people of different backgrounds. From start to end, our RCB packages will take the fan experience to the next level with a seamless journey to witness world-class cricket and entertainment.”ADVERTISEMENT
“Qatar Airways regards India as an important market where we operate non-stop flights from 13 Indian cities. Our operations from India also serve connections to 13 cities in North America and 35 cities in Europe through our hub – Hamad International Airport, which was awarded Skytrax World’s Best Airport award for the past two years. We are excited to partner with RCB over the next three years in what we trust will be a successful alliance.”

Chairman of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chief Commercial Officer of Diageo India, Prathmesh Mishra, said: “We are thrilled at the potential of the RCB – Qatar Airways partnership. The synergies between both brands serve as a robust platform to build a very strong marketing association over the next three years and beyond. Qatar Airways has a strong demonstrative history of activating world class sports marketing partnerships and we hope the RCB partnership is just as successful. The partnership and its activation will be a benchmark in the Indian sports ecosystem and adds to the aspiration of RCB on its pathway to becoming a global cricketing powerhouse and a lifestyle brand.”

The “Unboxing Event” paved the way for several entertainment activities, featuring musical performances from various acts, including international artist – Jason Derulo, who performed live at the stadium. In addition, cricket legends A.B. de Villiers and Chris Gayle’s jerseys were officially retired by the team as a mark of honour to induct them into the club’s hall of fame.

Qatar Airways has recently launched a new brand campaign in collaboration with world-renowned Indian actor, Deepika Padukone, who encapsulates the premium experience available to customers of Qatar Airways, transiting through the best airport in the Middle East – Hamad International Airport.

Qatar Airways as a brand is committed to supporting global sports, helping fans travel to their favourite events wherever they may be. The airline is a leading global football supporter, with partnerships including FIFA, Paris Saint-Germain, FC Bayern and Concacaf. Additionally, Qatar Airways is the Official Airline of Formula 1®, the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 Triathlon Series, United Rugby Championship (URC), Global Kitesports Association and multiple other disciplines including equestrianism, padel, squash and tennis.Hit for a Six: Qatar Airways Welcomes Cricket Giants – Royal Challengers Bangalore to its Diverse Sports Sponsorship Portfolio

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Air India is expanding its UK presence in a move which reinforces the strong links between the UK and India, as it undergoes a massive modernisation programme to transform into a world-class, premium airline.
The Indian flag carrier is launching four new services from London Gatwick to Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Kochi and Goa, switching them from London Heathrow, and flying on each route three times a week.
Each of the four new services will be operated with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Flights to Ahmedabad and Amritsar started on Sunday, 26 March, with services to Kochi starting today (Monday, 27 March), and to Goa on Tuesday, 28 March.
From London Heathrow, Air India is adding five additional weekly frequencies, with flights to Delhi increasing from 14 to 17 times a week, and to Mumbai from 12 to 14 times a week, effective as of yesterday (Sunday, 26 March).
Air India also plans to upgauge the equipment on its London Heathrow to Delhi and Mumbai routes with Boeing 777 aircraft, expected to be added from May 2023, initially on the Delhi route. This will enable First Class service to be reinstated for passengers.ADVERTISEMENTCampbell Wilson, Air India Managing Director & CEO, said: “We have ambitious yet focused plans to restore Air India to its rightful place as one of the world’s foremost carriers.
“Our substantial investment in customer service, new aircraft and the brand overall will enable us to gain market share on key routes from the UK to India as well as drive more business and leisure travellers to visit India itself.
“We are pleased to be launching services from London Gatwick as well as expanding our Heathrow operation, enabling our passengers to have even more choice on how they enter India.”
Air India also flies from Birmingham to Amritsar and Delhi three times a week on each route. In total, there are 49 Air India flights a week between the UK and India (please refer to the below appended table).
The flag carrier, which has 126 aircraft currently, has embarked upon a major transformation, having recently placed the largest-ever firm orders for a total of 470 aircraft with Airbus and Boeing, with deliveries starting later in 2023.
The orders for new aircraft are in addition to 36 narrow-body and wide-body aircraft that the airline had leased in late 2022, which are already being inducted into its fleet. The airline has also committed over USD 400 million in a project to fully refurbish its entire legacy wide-body fleet, comprising 27 Boeing 787-8 and 13 Boeing 777 aircraft, which will see a complete overhaul of existing cabin interiors.
This will include the addition of latest generation seats and best in-class inflight entertainment across all classes. In addition, the refurbishment will see the introduction of a Premium Economy cabin on both fleets.
As part of the firm orders for 470 new aircraft, Air India has selected 250 new Airbus aircraft, consisting of 40 A350s and 210 A320/A321neos, as well as 220 Boeing aircraft, consisting of 190 Boeing 737 MAX, 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, and 10 Boeing 777X.
The first six Airbus A350s are due to arrive by the end of 2023. The fleet order, and expansion at Gatwick, will see an expected 500 new jobs created in the UK due to Air India’s ambitious transformation.
The fleet order, and expansion of its network, signals the swift return of one of the most iconic carriers worldwide. Air India became part of the Tata Group in 2022. The transformation will include major changes to its brand, world-class customer service offerings on the ground and in the air, and more dynamic digital products.
For more details about Air India, visit airindia.com

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