AirLibrary Bulletin
Commercial Air Transport
Issue 2522 - May 31
Coverage 2025 May 23 - 2025 May 30
Aviation Trends
ANA sign language
All Nippon Airways Group introducing re-designed sign language badge to enhance passenger communication and service quality; updated badge worn by cabin attendants and airport staff with Japanese sign language proficiency.
External capacity LatinAm
LatinAm booming, Avianca dealing with Amazon Air Cargo to carry Amazon boxes south-bound and general freight north-bound, also with Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Cathay Pacific to serve other international markets.
Regional supply chains
Businesses moving from globally optimized supply chain towards regionally focused, inter-linking supply chains, aligning for set markets; using dual-sourcing as strategy for supply chain alignment realized through “east for east” and “west for west” strategy.
World’s busiest airports
Top three busiest airports: Chicago O’Hare ORD by flights due to high number of regional jets, Atlanta ATL by passengers due to high volume of widebodies, Dubai DXB by seat miles due to high quantity of distant destinations.
Native order booking
Amadeus and Finnair launch ‘native order’ booking, replacing PNR and auxiliary standards, enabling passenger to utilize shopping basket on airline’s website as single record of travel for air, car, hotel and other services.
Digital aircraft asset cetificate
Professor Joe Gill of Cork University cites digital aircraft asset certificate, acceptable to airlines, lessors and banks, as means for Ireland to transform period required to trade aircraft into days instead of months.
Civil Aviation Agreement
Aviation Working Group recommends more signatories to 1979 Civil Aviation Agreement for re-confirmation of zero-tariff international rules applicable to aviation assets and aviation activities.
B737-7/-10 & B777-9 certifications
According to Aviation Week per Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, Boeing aims to certify B737 MAX variants -7 and -10 by year-end 2025, orders backlog 332 for MAX 7 and nearly 1,200 for MAX 10; Boeing also progressing with B777-9 certification, 419 orders.
Piloted wingborne eVTOL
Vertical Aerospace completed first piloted wingborne flight of eVTOL in open airspace, with VX4 prototype taking off, flying and landing like conventional aircraft using wing-generated lift.
Global pax traffic forecast
In 2025, global passenger traffic forecast to reach 9.9b +4.8% YoY, continuing to expect 17.7b by 2043 and 22.3b by 2053.
Nav chart competitor
Garmin enters navigation chart provider market with Smart Charts in competition with long-time dominant nav chart provider Jeppesen.
Crypto for flight bookings
Air Arabia accepting AE coin for flight bookings with payments processed via Mbank using AEC Wallet; AE coin based on AED currency as stablecoin pegged 1:1 to UAE Dirham.
Quarterhorse Mk 1 first flight
Hermeus completed first flight with uncrewed Quarterhorse Mk 1 test vehicle, validating high-speed takeoff and landing; Mk 2 planned for autonomous supersonic flight up to Mach 2.5 in late 2025.
Airports satellite connection
SITA Managed Satellites, available in 130 countries, offers LEO satellite communications delivered by established providers of high-speed internet connectivity, enabling subscribing airports to maintain communications continuously including during blackouts.
Global helicopter outlook
Global Helicopter Outlook 2024-2029 turibine helicopters: Africa looking better with contribution of 35% global 2024 revenue; Europe OEM’s well positioned to fortify presence; LatinAm rising market with increase use driving demand; Mideast planning next powerhouse in advance of World Cup 2034; NorthAm consistent commercial and para-public demand.
Global helicopter market
Global Helicopter Market Report 2024–2025 turbine helicopter distribution: NorthAm 41%, Europe 22%, Asia 16%, Africa Australia Oceania SouthAm 21%; OEM market leaders in global fleet of 21,282 helicopters: Bell 36%, Airbus 29%, Eurocopter 16%, Leonardo 11%, Robinson R66 5%, Sirkosky 4%.
Middle East seat capacity
Middle East sixth largest region in world based on available seat capacity, with 270m one-way seats in 2024; domestic markets within ME region account for 20% of capacity, of which Saudi Arabia and Iran provide 94% of seats - with Saudi Arabia capacity 3x more seats than Iran.
Cabin and catering waste
According to IATA, aviation generates more than 3.6 million metric tonnes of cabin and catering waste annually, reflecting need to adopt more sustainable models to reduce environmental impact of each flight through more efficient collection and separation systems and replacement of single-use plastics with recyclable or compostable materials.
MC21 SJ-100 deliveries 2026
Rostec testing new aircraft and preparing production to begin deliveries of SJ-100 and MC-21 to airlines next year.
Freighter population growth
Narrowbody freighter segment set to exceed 1k aircraft in first half of next decade; medium-widebody segment to grow to 1k units toward end of next decade, and large-widebody contingent to reach 1k freighters by 2044.
Growth and inflation
Avitas president Adam Piliarski: slower growth and higher inflation here to stay, tariffs manufacturing focus increases uncertainties and conflicts with unknown benefits, fleet bubble deflating - shortage not catastrophic - low supply means higher prices especially leases, China important but big growth over - India potential eventual.
Narrowbody freighters
According to Cirium, about 26% of narrowbody freighter fleet parked; transition to next-gen narrowbody freighters to accelerate when feedstock less expensive, subject to supply chain and labor issues increasing conversion costs and recent conversions continuing to remain inactive.
SAF demand mandate
SAF low demand throttled by higher price than Jet-A1 and, therefore, production as SAF lacks scale; path away from stalemate by States mandating specific blend of SAF in airline’s fuel consumption, such as ReFuelEU blend requirement.
Perishiable goods trade lanes
1st BOM-LHR, 2nd DVO-MNL, 3rd CAI-FRA, 4th AMS-DOH, 5th COK-DXB, with Australia as biggest meat exporter at over 50% of market primarily to SIN DXB DOH FRA, and seasonal markets for celebration flowers esp from Ecuador Kenya Colombia and for Chinese New Year fish from Norway.
Perishable goods 2024
Fruit and vegetables by far biggest segment in 2024, representing almost 1/3 of all perishable goods transported by air; next biggest segments fish 21%, flowers 13%, meat 10%; fastest-growing segments cool goods, up 45% and meat, up 21% YoY.
ABS cautious comeback
New ABS offerings, driven by better airline performance and stronger aircraft values, continue with A320ceo B737NG families making up more than 50% within ABS portfolios, while A320neo B737MAX families include larger proportion.
Airline Developments
| Airline | Event | Action | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Jordanian Airlines | Fleet | Added model A20N | 2025 May |
| Uganda Airlines | Intent | New model A20N A21N | 2031 2033 |
| Air Cambodia | Fleet | Added model AT76 | 2025 May |
| KF Cargo | Intent | New model AT75F | 2025 Jun |
| WestJet | Status | Merged Sunwing | 2025 May |
| Sunwing Airlines | Status | Merged into WesJet | 2025 May |
| Air Niugini | Intent | New model B788 | 2027 Q4 |
| Blue Bird Aviation Sudan | Intent | New model A320 | TBA |
| Skymark Airlines | Intent | New model B38M | 2026 |
| PIA Pakistan International Airlines | Intent | New owner Stake for Sale | 2025 Q2 |
| Lufthansa | Intent | Retire model A346 | 2026 Q1 Q2 |
| Asia Cargo Airlines | Fleet | Added model B738F | 2024 Nov |
| Play Iceland | Intent | Add capacity NVD A320 | 2025 May |
| TAH Airlines | Status | New airline Startup | 2025 |
| TAH Airlines | Status | License secured AOC | 2025 Jan |
| TAH Airlines | Intent | Launch Operations | 2025 Jun 19 |
| Toos Airline | Fleet | Added model E145 | 2025 |
| Sky Mali | Fleet | Added capacity TVR B734 | 2025 May 08 |
| Sunrise Airways Dominica | Intent | Launch Operations | 2025 Jul 06 |
| Royal Air Philippines | Intent | New model A321F | 2025 Jul |
| flyadeal | Intent | Add capacity CEB A320 | 2025 Q3 |
| Azul Brazilian Airlines | Status | Entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy process | 2025 May |
| Sunwing Airlines | Status | Ceased Operations | 2025 May 26 |
| Rossiya Airlines | Intent | New model A321 | 2025 |
| Freedom Airline Express | Intent | Launch cargo division | 2025 Jun |
| Azul Brazilian Airlines | Fleet | Retired model B734F | 2025 May |
Fleet Placements
| Lessor | Lessee | Model | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria Airlines | flyadeal | B777-300 | Start |
| Aloha Air Cargo | Northern Air Cargo | B737-300 | Start |
| Avion Express Lithuania | Tunisair | A320ceo | Finish |
| Avion Express Malta | Avion Express Lithuania | A320ceo | Start |
| Avion Express Malta | Transavia Netherlands | A320ceo | Start |
| BBN Airlines Indonesia | Bamboo Airways | B737-900 | Start |
| DAT Danish Air Transport | Finnair | A320ceo | Finish |
| DAT Danish Air Transport | Trade Air | A320ceo | Start |
| Electra Airways | AMC Aviation | A320ceo | Finish |
| GetJet Airlines Lithuania | SkyUp Europe | A320ceo | Start |
| Heston Airlines | Norwegian Air Sweden AOC | A320ceo | Finish |
| JetTime Denmark | Air Greenland | B737-800 | Start |
| JetTime Denmark | SAS Scandinavian Airlines | B737-800 | Start |
| JetTime Denmark | SAS Scandinavian Airlines | B737-800 | Finish |
| KlasJet | Air Cairo | B737-800 | Start |
| KlasJet | Animawings | B737-800 | Finish |
| KlasJet | SkyUp Europe | B737-800 | Start |
| Malta MedAir | FlyOne Romania | A320ceo | Start |
| Privilege Style | Wizz Air UK | A321ceo | Finish |
| Sky Angkor Airlines | FlyOne Armenia | A320ceo | Finish |
| SkyUp Airlines | Air Cairo | B737-800 | Finish |
| Smartlynx Airlines Latvia | AJet | A321ceo | Start |
| Smartlynx Airlines Latvia | Mauritania Airlines | A321ceo | Finish |
Industry Events
Air Transport Profile
Airspace: Bolivia
Air Transport Profiles & Aviation Industry Activities
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