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A Royal Air Force Dassault Falcon 900LX transporting UK Defence Secretary John Healey lost GPS reception for the entire three-hour flight returning from Estonia on 21 May, in an incident UK defence sources have attributed to Russian interference and which has sharpened concerns over the resilience of European airspace. The aircraft, an Envoy IV CC.1 operated by Centreline AV on behalf of 32 (The Royal) Squadron at RAF Northolt, was transiting Baltic airspace after Healey visi

Lufthansa Group has committed to a $7.7bn fleet renewal split evenly between Airbus and Boeing, alongside a move to acquire majority control of ITA Airways, in twin announcements that reshape the European long-haul map for the coming decade. The supervisory board approved orders for ten Airbus A350-900s and ten Boeing 787-9s at its 11 May meeting, with deliveries scheduled between 2032 and 2034. Chief executive Carsten Spohr framed the commitment as a sustainable investment i

The European Union has formally opened its airspace to American-grade jet fuel, a regulatory concession that underscores how deeply the Iran conflict has destabilised the continent's aviation supply chain ahead of the peak summer season. In guidance issued by the European Commission and the EU Aviation Safety Agency, regulators confirmed there are no legal obstacles to using imported Jet A fuel, provided the switch is carefully managed across the supply chain. The move addres

France has unveiled an emergency aid package for its airlines as soaring jet fuel costs and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz force European carriers into the deepest summer schedule cuts since the pandemic. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot confirmed last week that the government would defer social security contributions, extend tax payment deadlines, and grant carriers greater flexibility over fuel allowances to reduce direct operating costs. The measures follow a 6 May

Lufthansa Group has moved to take majority control of ITA Airways, exercising an option to acquire an additional 49 per cent of the Italian flag carrier for €325 million and lifting its overall holding to 90 per cent. The German group, Europe's largest airline operator by passenger numbers, said on Tuesday that the deal had been approved by its supervisory board on Monday and was announced at its annual general meeting in Frankfurt. The Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance

Lufthansa Group and Air France-KLM have reaffirmed their pursuit of a stake in TAP Air Portugal during first-quarter earnings calls, setting up a two-horse race for the Lisbon flag carrier as Portugal advances the privatisation into its binding-offer phase. Carsten Spohr, chief executive of Lufthansa, told analysts the German group's interest in TAP "remains unchanged", framing the deal as a route to lift the group's share of Latin American traffic relative to Air France-KLM

Lufthansa Group narrowed its first-quarter loss and held annual guidance on Wednesday, even as Europe's largest airline warned that the Middle East conflict would add €1.7 billion to its 2026 fuel bill. The German carrier reported record first-quarter revenue of €8.7 billion, up 8% year on year, while its adjusted operating loss narrowed by €110 million to €612 million. Net debt fell to €5.3 billion from €6.4 billion at the end of 2025, and liquidity stood at €10.3 billion. C

Scandinavian Airlines has warned that Europe is on course for a structural shortage of electro-sustainable aviation fuel, raising the prospect of higher fares, route cuts and a fresh energy vulnerability for the bloc just as its flagship ReFuelEU Aviation regulation enters into force. In a report published this week, the carrier said no European e-SAF production facility has yet reached Final Investment Decision, even as legally binding submandates begin to bite from 2030. Sc

Airbus first-quarter aircraft deliveries fell 16 per cent, the European planemaker reported on Tuesday, as a persistent shortage of Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines and a fuselage panel quality issue continued to choke its production system, even as the order book swelled to a record 9,037 commercial jets. The Toulouse-based group handed over 114 aircraft in the three months to March, down from 136 a year earlier, dragging revenues down 7 per cent to €12.7bn and compre

Ryanair will close its base at Berlin Brandenburg Airport on 24 October, the fourth such withdrawal by Europe's largest low-cost carrier in Germany since 2019, as escalating taxes and airport charges drive capacity towards lower-cost EU member states. The Irish airline confirmed last week that all seven Boeing 737s currently stationed in the German capital will be redeployed to bases in Sweden, Italy, Albania and Slovakia, countries that have recently abolished or reduced avi

Lufthansa Group is cutting roughly 20,000 short-haul flights from its summer schedule through October, a capacity adjustment that lays bare the scale of the jet fuel shock now moving through European aviation. The German group, which also owns SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines and ITA, said on 21 April it would scrap less profitable routes out of Frankfurt and Munich, saving around 40,000 tonnes of fuel. Capacity at Zurich, Vienna and Brussels will be expanded on surviving r

European carriers are pulling flights from summer schedules and scrambling for alternative jet fuel supplies as the Strait of Hormuz paralysis drags into its second month, with spot prices for Jet A-1 at major European hubs trading well above pre-crisis levels and exposing the continent's lingering dependence on Middle Eastern crude. KLM this week confirmed the cancellation of 160 services, becoming the largest European flag carrier to formalise schedule cuts since the confli