Airlines News Page 61
RYANAIR ADDS SIXTH AIRCRAFT AT LIVERPOOL FOR S26
Ryanair, the UK’s No.1 low fares airline, today (Thurs, 4 Dec) announced a sixth based aircraft at Liverpool John Lennon Airport for Summer 2026, representing a US$600m investment from Ryanair in the Northwest. This additional aircraft will deliver +250,000 additional seats (+15% growth), 3 exciting new routes to Marrakesh, Tirana, and Warsaw, and extra flights on 11 popular existing routes to Alicante, Barcelona, Faro, Ibiza, Kaunas, Kraków, Malaga, Malta, Porto, Reus, and Sofia. Ryanair’s record Summer 2026 schedule offers customers in Liverpool and the Northwest even more choice at Europe’s lowest fares whilst also supporting over 2,000 local jobs.
easyJet to acquire Adria Tehnika maintenance facility
easyJet, one of Europe’s largest airlines, has agreed to acquire the Adria Tehnika maintenance facility based in Slovenia. The five-bay aircraft maintenance facility in Brnik has undertaken heavy maintenance for the easyJet fleet of aircraft for several years and the airline plans to invest in the facility over the long term
Air Canada Unveils Celebratory Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Team Livery
Air Canada recently and proudly unveiled a special livery honouring our Canadian Olympians and Paralympians competing in the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. This bold design on Fin 940, an Airbus A330, features images of Team Air Canada Athlete Ambassadors and embodies the strength, dedication and national pride of Team Canada. The first scheduled flight for this special Team Canada livery is flight AC894 today headed for Milan! As the Official Airline of Team Canada, Air Canada will once again Fly The Flag, transporting more than 750 athletes and delegation members to and from the Games. The airline’s employee-driven Going for Gold program, further supports Team Canada in ensuring a seamless travel experience for Canada’s top athletes.
QANTAS COMPLETES A380 FLEET RENEWAL AS FINAL SUPERJUMBO RETURNS TO INTERNATIONAL FLYING
Qantas has welcomed its tenth and final A380 back to Sydney today after nearly six years in storage, marking the largest maintenance check in airline’s 105-year history. The return of the aircraft, named after one of the Qantas founders, ‘Paul McGinness’ will serve as an operational spare during the Christmas period and from 1 January 2026 will boost international capacity by allowing daily A380 flying on the airline’s Sydney – Dallas route.
Emirates activates interline partnership with Bahamasair
Emirates has officially activated an interline partnership with Bahamasair to provide connectivity to customers travelling to The Bahamas. The unilateral partnership between both carriers enables Emirates to expand its reach in the Caribbean, allowing its customers to connect on The Bahamas’ national flag carrier from two gateways in Florida to two destinations within The Bahamas - Nassau/Paradise Island and Freeport on Grand Bahama Island.
flydubai signs the Buckingham Palace Declaration to join United for Wildlife
flydubai, the Dubai-based carrier, has officially signed the Buckingham Palace Declaration to join United for Wildlife’s global taskforces. Founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation, the initiative aims to tackle illegal wildlife trade and protect endangered species worldwide by disrupting trafficking routes and strengthening supply chain security.
A BETTER WAY TO FLY
TAP Air Portugal introduces a new cabin that offers more space, more privacy, comfort, and a superior travel experience. Starting summer 2026, TAP Air Portugal will launch a new cabin, designed to give the consumer more choice between Economy and Business class. Available on long-haul flights aboard the A330 and A321LR fleets, this innovative product responds to evolving travel trends and the growing demand for enhanced comfort, privacy and differentiated services.
WIZZ AIR LAUNCHES SIX NEW ROUTES TO GREEK ISLANDS AND EUROPEAN HOTSPOTS
Wizz Air today announces the launch of six new routes from London Luton Airport. From next spring, Wizz Air customers will be able to reach four new destinations across Greece: Chania, Mykonos, Rhodes, Zakynthos, alongside two additional routes to the European cities of Bordeaux and Dortmund.
Lufthansa joins the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program
Lufthansa joined the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program on December 1. The global program to support people with invisible disabilities enables affected individuals to discreetly indicate their needs in public spaces. The symbol is a yellow sunflower on a green background, usually in the form of a lanyard with a pendant. The “Sunflower” is used in many public, high-traffic locations such as airports, train stations, supermarkets, theaters, and universities. The Lufthansa Group’s goal is to have all its airlines join the program by the end of 2026. Austrian Airlines, Eurowings, SWISS, and now Lufthansa are already on board.
Etihad Airways Set for a Record Winter Travel Period as Demand Peaks Across Global Network
Etihad Airways is preparing for one of its busiest winter travel seasons to date, with December expected to welcome more than 2 million guests through Abu Dhabi as travellers celebrate the festive season. While UAE residents take advantage of extended school holidays to travel, the capital’s expanding cultural and leisure offerings are attracting visitors from around the world. The strong demand reflects Abu Dhabi’s rising appeal as a global destination and Etihad’s accelerated network growth throughout 2025. With newly launched routes, additional frequencies across high-demand markets, and enhanced connectivity through Zayed International Airport, guests flying to or transiting through Abu Dhabi this December will benefit from a smooth, efficient, and well-coordinated airport experience. Etihad continues to enhance the end-to-end journey in collaboration with its airport partners, ensuring guests enjoy reliable and seamless travel throughout the peak season.
Jetstar celebrates 20 years in Christchurch
Jetstar’s first-ever direct flight between Hamilton and Christchurch took off Monday, as the airline celebrated 20 years of operations in Christchurch. The new daily service, operated by Jetstar’s A320 aircraft, will provide more than 135,000 new low-cost seats annually on the route
TAAG Angola Airlines and South African Airways (SAA) announce new codeshare agreement
TAAG Angola Airlines and South African Airways (SAA) proudly announce a strategic codeshare agreement to enhance regional and intercontinental connectivity. This partnership strengthens the networks of both airlines, leveraging Luanda, Johannesburg, and Cape Town as key hubs for seamless travel across Africa and beyond.