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Qantas’ international fleet renewal ramps up with the first A350-1000ULR due to arrive in April 2027 and the first non-stop Sydney-London flight to operate in October. In addition to the 12 Project Sunrise aircraft, Qantas Group has firm orders for 12 A350s and 12 787s. The first of the additional 787s will begin arriving in FY28 with the next evolution of the airline’s Business seats, including more space, sliding privacy doors and larger entertainment screens.

Qantas is also in discussions with Airbus and Boeing regarding converting around 20 of its existing purchase right options to firm orders from 2030. The A380 will now be gradually phased out of the fleet from calendar year 2028. The next generation aircraft replacing it can fly further and will be able to operate all routes on the airline’s current international network and open up new ones.

Fleet renewal accelerated during FY26 with the Airbus A321XLR entering service and 7 aircraft now in operation, and the A220 fleet growing to 12 aircraft. These new aircraft, as well as almost all of Qantas’ current Boeing 737s, are now fitted with Qantas Economy Plus seating. The product will launch on Qantas’ A330 fleet next month. QantasLink is also refurbishing the existing A320 and A319 fleets, with mid-life Embraer E190 aircraft arriving in the coming months to replace the Fokker F100 fleet.

Qantas International revenue grew 8 per cent, supported by a 7 per cent increase in capacity. This result was underpinned by strong premium cabin demand and the performance of the 787 fleet on long haul routes, which continues to provide confidence ahead of the launch of Project Sunrise.

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Premium Economy will be available on flights EK703/704, operated by A380, and EK709/710, operated by a retrofitted Boeing 777. Both widebody aircraft will operate in three-class configurations.

Emirates’ A380 operating flights EK703/704 will feature 76 Business Class seats, 56 seats in Premium Economy and 437 Economy Class seats, while the Boeing 777 operating EK709/710 will offer 38 Business Class seats, 24 Premium Economy seats and 214 Economy Class seats.

Emirates will deploy its new A350 aircraft on flights EK344/345 between Dubai and Kuala Lumpur from 1st September. This will expand the airline’s Premium Economy offering in the Malaysian capital to 52 seats daily, with the A350 joining the airline’s retrofitted Boeing 777 operating on EK346/347.

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Operating 5 flights per week with Airbus A330-300 aircraft, the new route will make EVA Air the only Taiwan-based airline offering nonstop passenger flights to India.

The new service also provides a more convenient alternative for travelers who currently connect through other Asian gateways. Through EVA Air’s partnership with Star Alliance member Air India, passengers can conveniently connect beyond Delhi to major Indian cities. At the same time, Indian travelers can connect via Taipei to EVA Air’s North American network, supporting growing demand from business travelers, students, researchers, and visiting friends and relatives.

Eligible Indian nationals traveling to the United States or Canada may also benefit from Taiwan’s conditional visa-waiver transit program, making short stopovers in Taiwan easier while supporting inbound tourism.

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Starting in March 2027, the airline will fly to 10 new international cities – including 8 no other U.S. airline serves – across Europe and Asia. Tickets are available for sale on united.com and in the United app.

Beyond the 10 new cities, United is adding new flights from Los Angeles to Osaka, Japan; Washington, D.C. to Milan, Italy; Denver to Paris; and will restart service from San Francisco to Tel Aviv, Israel. The airline will serve more destinations in Japan, Spain, Portugal, Italy and France than any other U.S. carrier.

Expanding global reach

United is also adding new international routes to destinations it already serves from three of its U.S. hubs spanning coast to coast.

From Los Angeles, United will add new daily service to Osaka, Japan, becoming the only airline to serve Osaka from two continental U.S. cities. The route will complement the airline’s existing service from San Francisco and Guam. The new route is scheduled to begin March 27.

From Washington, D.C., United will add new three times weekly nonstop service to Milan on May 28, becoming the only airline to connect the nation’s capital to Milan nonstop. United will also serve more destinations in Italy nonstop from the U.S. than any other airline.

From Denver, United will add new daily nonstop service to Paris beginning on May 27. The new route will complement existing service from Newark/New York, Washington Dulles, Chicago and San Francisco.

United is also restarting service from San Francisco to Tel Aviv on March 28. The three times weekly service from San Francisco to Tel Aviv will offer the most business class seats between the two cities of any airline.

In addition, United will be bringing back the new destinations it added in summer 2026 for summer 2027 with flights from Newark/New York to Split, Croatia; Bari, Italy; Glasgow, Scotland; and Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Airbus A321XLR

United’s Airbus A321XLR will support United’s international growth in summer 2027 with service to new destinations in Ibiza, Luxembourg, Marseille, Toulouse and Valencia.

When customers step onboard United’s Airbus A321XLR, they will find a new United Polaris suite with a privacy door, free Starlink Wi-Fi for MileagePlus members, 4K OLED screens with Bluetooth connectivity, a snack bar in United Economy and the new Economy Plus seats with extra elbow room and access to a shared table across an open middle seat.

The aircraft also offers 32 premium seats, including 20 United Polaris suites and 12 United Premium Plus seats – 16 more premium seats than the Boeing 757-200.

The A321XLR is scheduled to start flying select domestic routes in September and will transition to international service on December 1st, starting with flights from Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. to Amsterdam and Dublin. Tickets for the first international flights will go on sale on August 27.

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Modern classrooms and practical training areas, state-of-the-art equipment and a contemporary learning environment provide the foundation for training to high professional standards. Condor Technik currently trains aircraft mechanics specializing in maintenance technology at the facility. From 2027, the program is set to be expanded to include a specialization in manufacturing technology as well as training for aircraft electronics technicians.

At the heart of the Training Center is a large practical training area equipped with workbenches and machine tools, where apprentices acquire the practical and technical skills required for their future work in aircraft maintenance. The facility also includes a classroom and a recreation area, closely integrating theory and practice throughout the training program.

The idea of establishing a dedicated Training Center was initiated by Condor Technik’s management two years ago to further strengthen the company’s position as a training provider. The first class began its training in early August 2026: 12 aspiring aircraft mechanics specializing in maintenance technology are now completing their training at the new Condor Technik Training Center in Mörfelden-Walldorf.

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“Unifying our narrowbody fleet is an important step in delivering the reliable and welcoming experience our guests and WestJetters expect from us,” said Samantha Taylor, WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief Experience Officer. “This milestone creates a stronger foundation for our teams to focus on delivering exceptional service and a seamless travel experience for our guests.”

Aircraft that previously operated with an all-Economy layout will now feature thoughtful design elements and modern amenities to support guests throughout their journey. Premium, Extended Comfort and Economy cabins have been upgraded with the following features:

– Fast and free WestJet Wi-Fi presented by TELUS
– Updated headrest with four-way adjustment capability
– Convenient seatback personal phone/tablet holders
– Modernized charging ports
– Coat hooks

Looking ahead, WestJet will begin to refurbish its legacy narrowbody aircraft to include the enhanced amenities and expanded Extended Comfort cabins now available on the airline’s reconfigured aircraft. This process will begin in September and is expected to be complete by the end of 2027. Approximately 14 Boeing 737-800 aircraft will be updated this year.

WestJet operations teams are also prioritizing updates to the exterior of WestJet’s narrowbody fleet. By the end of 2026, all WestJet aircraft will fly the iconic teal and navy banner.

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United’s Flight Training Center in Denver now has 8 buildings, nearly 700,000 square feet of training space, the equivalent of 12 football fields, and a total of 86 CAE training devices: 52 state-of-the-art full-motion flight simulators and 34 fixed training devices.
The airline now can train up to 860 pilots per day and with nearly 18,000 current pilots and continued growth ahead, United already has plans on adding to the training facility.

Phase two of the expansion project is expected to break ground next year and be operational before 2030. United Chief Executive Officer Scott Kirby was joined by CAE’s President and Chief Executive Officer Matthew Bromberg, along with other United and CAE leaders, to celebrate the completion of phase one.

Located in the Central Park neighborhood of Denver, the facility spans 22-acres and is the sole training facility for the airline’s nearly 18,000 active pilots and all newly hired pilots.

All United pilots complete intensive simulator training with pilot instructors and evaluators during the initial qualification process and every nine months thereafter to maintain their certifications at United’s Flight Training Center in Denver.

– United’s Flight Training Center has 52 full-motion flight simulators and 34 fixed training devices.
– The Flight Training Center can conduct more than 32,000 training events annually and train up to 860 pilots per day.
– The facility is in operation 24 hours a day for 362 days a year.

In July 2026, the Denver City Council approved United’s rezoning request for two parcels of undeveloped land United purchased in 2023 near Denver International Airport (DEN). United has begun formal site building plans and anticipates groundbreaking on the next phase of the Flight Training Center expansion to begin on the new land in 2027, with the facility expected to be operational around 2030. The airline will operate the additional Flight Training Center in conjunction with its current facility.

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Qatar Airways remains on track to complete the Starlink rollout across its Boeing 787 fleet by the end of 2026. The latest achievement builds on Qatar Airways’ completion of the Boeing 777 programme in 9 months and the Airbus A350 programme in 8 months. The airline now operates the world’s first and largest Starlink-equipped Boeing 777, Airbus A350, and Boeing 787 fleets.

Whether passengers want to work, stay connected with their loved ones or simply relax, Starlink Wi-Fi speeds of up to 500 Mbps allows the cabin to become whatever passengers need it to be at 35,000 feet.

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Travelers from these countries now have the opportunity to extend their stay during a layover in Munich and explore the Bavarian state capital and its surrounding area. The joint initiative launched in the spring, initially covering Singapore and the USA. With this expansion into five additional international markets, even more international guests now have the chance to enjoy a short getaway in Munich and Bavaria.

For many Lufthansa passengers, the Munich hub serves as their first point of contact with Bavaria. The Stopover Program offers ideas on how to utilize a layover for a visit to Munich and the region. Currently, twelve partners are involved in the program, providing hotel accommodations, rental cars, sightseeing opportunities, and shopping options. Visitors can plan their time flexibly, with stays ranging from 24 hours to seven days.

The Stopover Program can be booked at www.lufthansa.com

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In October, Edelweiss is increasing capacity on several popular holiday routes. On Fridays and Sundays from October to mid-November, Edelweiss will deploy the significantly larger Airbus A340 to Gran Canaria. This will provide considerably more seats on these flights. An Airbus A340 will also be used on Monday flights to Tenerife and Saturday flights to Rhodes in October. Rhodes will also have an additional flight on October 30th.

Significantly more capacity is also available for travel to Crete: Saturday flights to Heraklion will be operated with the larger Airbus A350 instead of an Airbus A320. Furthermore, the destination will be served until the beginning of December.

Edelweiss will expand its service to Mallorca in October with several additional flights and larger aircraft. This creates extra travel options for those who want to extend their summer under the southern sun.

Christmas and New Year

Edelweiss is further expanding its long-haul flight offerings for the particularly popular travel period around Christmas and New Year’s. From December 14, 2026, to January 11, 2027, Cape Town will have an additional flight every Monday. This provides guests with more travel options to South Africa over the holiday season.

There are also additional travel options to popular island destinations in the Indian Ocean. Malé in the Maldives will be served every Sunday from December 20, 2026, to January 10, 2027. Edelweiss will offer additional flights to the Seychelles and Mauritius every Friday from December 18, 2026, to January 8, 2027. This creates more opportunities to spend the holidays on white sandy beaches under the tropical sun.

Finnish Lapland

During the winter school holidays, Edelweiss is further expanding its already significantly enhanced service to Finnish Lapland. From February 5th to March 5th, 2027, Kittilä will have an additional flight every Friday. From February 2nd to March 2nd, 2027, a new connection to Rovaniemi will also be offered on Tuesdays.