The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced a strengthening of its IATA PaxInsight passenger satisfaction benchmarking program with the addition of Virgin Atlantic’s trans-Atlantic routes to the survey. From booking and check-in to flight comfort and the arrival experience, PaxInsight measures satisfaction on more than 60 travel attributes across the passenger journey. Airlines participating in the program are able to benchmark their own customers’ satisfaction levels against industry averages and against their competitors on the same routes.

ITA Airways takes another step towards becoming part of the Lufthansa Group. The strategic Europe Japan Joint Venture of Lufthansa Group (LHG) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) will be expanded to include ITA Airways by the Lufthansa Group as of autumn of this year. A corresponding agreement was signed the previous day at the IATA Annual General Meeting in Rio de Janeiro. The Italian airline’s entry into the largest Joint Venture between Europe and Japan will enable deeper cooperation in many key areas. It will include the European network of ITA Airways, including Italy domestic and the Maghreb as well as its long-haul route between Rome Fiumicino and Tokyo-Haneda. This complements the existing scope of the Joint Venture in Italy with the current ANA connection from Tokyo-Haneda to Milan-Malpensa.

Aero, the private jet airline, today announced new summer flights between Los Angeles and East Hampton on a single ticket, debuting June 22, 2026. The new route features a flight on a Gulfstream IV-SP from Van Nuys (VNY) into the closest airport to New York city, then a jetside transfer with BLADE for the short final leg to East Hampton (HTO). Flights run Fridays out and Sundays back through August 30, 2026. Seats are $7,570 (VNY–HTO), available at Aero.com.

United Airlines has been recognised with multiple honours at the 40th anniversary Business Traveller Cellars in the Sky Awards in London, reinforcing the airline’s position as a leader in premium onboard wine experiences. The airline received a Gold Medal in the ‘Business Class Red Wine’ category for The Mascot Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, which judges praised for its “exceptional depth, rich fruit tannins, great balance and presence”. United also secured Gold in the ‘Drinks Innovation: Bespoke Drinks Partnership’ category for its collaboration with Champagne Laurent-Perrier and the bespoke Laurent-Perrier “La Cuvée”, UA 100, created to celebrate United’s 100th anniversary and mark a century of connecting customers around the world.

Aerospace Tech Week (ATW), the premier event dedicated to aerospace technology, has unveiled the agenda for its inaugural UK edition. The event will take place on 11-12 November at Excel London. With more than 120 speakers taking to the stage, this year’s agenda will focus on the technologies and operational shifts shaping the next decade of aerospace, including AI-driven flight operations, digital MRO, predictive maintenance, airspace modernisation, next-generation connectivity, open avionics architectures, cybersecurity, SAF, and defence innovation.

Iberia today unveiled its ChatGPT app at South Summit, one of the world's leading innovation and entrepreneurship events, marking the latest evolution of its AI-powered conversational experience. Developed using OpenAI technology, Iberia’s ChatGPT app enables more natural, flexible and contextual travel search experiences within ChatGPT. With this launch, Iberia continues to explore new digital channels capable of supporting customers throughout their journey, from initial inspiration to accessing the booking process within the Iberia ecosystem.