PARIS: Airbus is tentatively targeting late September for the first flight of its delayed A350F freighter as the European planemaker seeks to challenge Boeing’s longstanding dominance of the large cargo aircraft market, industry sources said Tuesday.

The planned flight could be pushed into early October, leaving Airbus with a tight certification schedule as it seeks to complete flight testing and deliver the first aircraft to customers before the end of 2027.

Industry sources said organizers are working toward a preferred flight date of September 24, although technical issues or unfavorable weather could alter the schedule.

Flight testing for a new aircraft typically takes between 12 and 15 months, according to industry sources. The timetable therefore leaves limited room for delays if Airbus is to meet its target for initial deliveries in the second half of 2027.

An Airbus spokesperson said the company had no update beyond its latest guidance, which calls for the A350F’s maiden flight before the end of 2026 and its first customer delivery in the second half of 2027.

Launched in 2021, the A350F was originally scheduled to enter service four years later. The dedicated freighter variant of Airbus’ A350 wide-body family is designed to compete in a cargo aircraft segment that has long been dominated by Boeing.

Airbus has secured orders for 107 A350F aircraft, compared with 38 orders for its smaller and older A330F freighter.

The program has faced delays, including issues involving cargo doors manufactured by Airbus in Spain, Reuters reported in May.

Aviation publication Leeham News reported this month that deliveries of the A350F could potentially be delayed until 2028, adding further uncertainty to the program’s timeline.

Source: Reuters

Royal Jordanian Airlines and Air China have signed a memorandum of understanding in Beijing to strengthen air transport cooperation between Jordan and China and expand connectivity between the two markets.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of King Abdullah II’s visit to China, according to a statement issued by Royal Jordanian on Saturday.

The memorandum covers expanded commercial and operational cooperation, greater competitiveness in international markets and potential new air routes between the two countries.

As part of the agreement, the airlines will examine codeshare opportunities on several key routes and seek to make greater use of their respective hubs in Amman and Beijing. The arrangement is intended to provide passengers with more travel options and smoother connections across the two carriers’ networks.

The two airlines will also explore cooperation in areas including interline agreements, product and service training, brand promotion and operational support.

Their cooperation will extend to ground handling, air cargo and in-flight catering at their respective hubs, with the aim of maintaining high service standards.

Royal Jordanian Vice Chairman and CEO Samer Majali said the agreement was an important step in the airline’s strategy to strengthen its presence in China and the wider Far East, describing Air China as a strategic partner.

Majali said Beijing could serve as a gateway to wider Asian markets, while Amman plays an important role as a hub for the Levant. He added that deeper commercial cooperation and potential codeshare arrangements could help expand Royal Jordanian’s network and improve passenger connectivity.

He also highlighted the importance of the partnership in supporting the planned direct air route between Amman and Beijing.

Qu Guangji, General Manager of China National Aviation Holding Corp. and President of Air China, said the two airlines already have an established relationship and significant potential to deepen their cooperation.

Qu said Air China would fully support Royal Jordanian’s plans to launch nonstop flights between Amman and Beijing. He added that stronger cooperation could contribute to tourism, business and cultural exchanges between Jordan and China.

The memorandum is expected to provide fresh momentum to aviation cooperation and the development of the air transport markets in both countries.

Royal Jordanian and Air China plan to continue expanding their partnership, with the longer-term objective of creating a stronger air link between Jordan and China and supporting greater travel, trade, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

Source: Jordan News Agency

Qatar Airways has become the first airline in the world to operate Starlink-equipped Boeing 787-9 aircraft, further expanding its position as the operator of the world’s largest Starlink-enabled widebody fleet.

The airline has also completed the installation of Starlink connectivity across its Boeing 787-8 fleet in seven months, bringing the total number of Starlink-equipped widebody aircraft in its fleet to 150.

Qatar Airways said it remains on schedule to complete Starlink installation across its entire Boeing 787 fleet by the end of 2026.

The latest milestone follows the airline’s completion of Starlink rollouts across its Boeing 777 fleet in nine months and Airbus A350 fleet in eight months. Qatar Airways now operates what it describes as the world’s first and largest Starlink-equipped fleets of the Boeing 777, Airbus A350 and Boeing 787.

Starlink-equipped aircraft offer passengers Wi-Fi speeds of up to 500 Mbps, allowing them to work, communicate, access online services and stream content while in flight.

Qatar Airways was the first airline to introduce Starlink connectivity on long-haul and ultra-long-haul services across six continents. The complimentary, gate-to-gate connectivity is being expanded across its global network, covering destinations in the Americas and Australasia, as well as major gateways in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

Since launching Starlink onboard in October 2024, more than 23 million passengers have used the service across more than 86,000 Qatar Airways flights.

The airline said its Starlink widebody installation programme has now surpassed 83% completion, with as many as 323 Starlink-equipped flights operating each day.

The expansion is part of Qatar Airways’ broader effort to make high-speed onboard connectivity a standard feature of its passenger experience and allow travelers to remain connected throughout their journeys.

Source: TradeArabia

Air Arabia will launch four weekly nonstop flights between Sharjah International Airport and Katowice International Airport in Poland from December 17, 2026, further expanding its European network.

The new service will be operated with Airbus A320neo aircraft, making Katowice Air Arabia’s third destination in Poland from Sharjah after Kraków and Warsaw Chopin.

The airline said the route will provide travelers with a convenient and affordable connection between the UAE and southern Poland while supporting tourism, business and economic ties between the two markets.

Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, said the addition of Katowice would give passengers more travel options and strengthen the airline’s presence in Europe.

He said the carrier would continue expanding its European network in response to changing travel demand while maintaining a focus on reliable and value-oriented air services.

Artur Tomasik, CEO of Katowice Airport, welcomed the new route, saying Air Arabia would significantly improve the airport’s international connectivity.

He expects strong two-way passenger traffic, giving residents of southern Poland greater access to Air Arabia’s wider network through Sharjah.

The new service will also provide convenient connections via Sharjah to several destinations across Asia, while making Poland more accessible to UAE residents traveling for business and leisure.

Source: WAM

Saudi Arabia’s Air Connectivity Program (ACP), in partnership with national carrier Saudia, is expanding seat capacity on several international routes during 2026 as the Kingdom seeks to strengthen connections with key global markets.

The additional capacity is intended to accommodate rising travel demand, improve access to Saudi Arabia and provide passengers with a wider range of flight options, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

Connectivity between Saudi Arabia and China has been expanded through additional services on two routes.

The Guangzhou-Jeddah route will receive one additional weekly flight, increasing the frequency to four flights per week. The expanded service will provide more than 124,000 seats annually in both directions.

The Beijing Daxing-Riyadh route will also gain one additional weekly service, raising the frequency to three flights per week and increasing annual capacity to more than 93,000 seats in both directions.

Air links between Saudi Arabia and the United States have also been strengthened. Three additional weekly flights have been added to the New York-Jeddah route, increasing the total to seven weekly services and providing more than 211,000 seats annually in both directions.

The ACP said the expanded services form part of its continuing cooperation with Saudi national airlines to develop international routes and improve connectivity with priority markets.

The initiative is also aimed at attracting more international visitors, responding to growing passenger demand and offering travelers greater flexibility.

The program supports the objectives of Saudi Arabia’s National Tourism Strategy and Aviation Sector Strategy, which are aligned with the broader goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

The Air Connectivity Program was established to support the expansion of Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry by strengthening links with international markets, developing existing routes and introducing new destinations.

The Kingdom aims to establish air links with 250 international destinations by 2030.

As an executive enabler of the National Tourism Strategy and Aviation Program, ACP works with government and private-sector partners across the tourism and aviation sectors to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position as a leading global tourism destination.

Source: TradeArabia