Riyadh Air, the ambitious new national carrier of Saudi Arabia, has achieved a key regulatory milestone with the issuance of its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) by the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). This official approval authorizes the airline to commence commercial flight operations, marking the operational launch phase of one of the kingdom’s most high-profile aviation ventures.
AFI KLM E&M, the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) arm of the Air France–KLM Group, has signed a comprehensive extended maintenance agreement with CMA CGM AIR CARGO, both based in France, covering the GE90 engines that power the latter’s long-haul freighter fleet.
Viva, the low-cost carrier based in Mexico, has expanded its operational capacity with the delivery of five Airbus A320neo aircraft through a wet lease agreement with Sky Airline of Chile. The aircraft involved carry serial numbers 10034, 12320, 12325, 12319, and 12344.
VietJet, Vietnam’s leading low-cost carrier, is set to become one of the first international airlines to launch commercial operations of the COMAC C909 beginning mid-April 2025, deploying the aircraft on domestic routes within Vietnam. This move marks a significant step for both VietJet and the Chinese-manufactured narrowbody aircraft as it enters international service.
EVA Air, the Taiwanese full-service carrier, has finalized a firm order with Airbus for six A350-1000s and three A321neo aircraft, formalizing its March 2025 commitment to the European manufacturer. This latest transaction significantly strengthens EVA Air’s widebody and narrowbody expansion pipeline, positioning the airline for long-term fleet modernization and capacity growth.
Croatia Airlines has continued its fleet modernization strategy by retiring another DHC8 turboprop, specifically the unit with serial number 4205, as part of its ongoing transition toward an all-jet fleet centered on the Airbus A220 family. This marks another step in phasing out its legacy De Havilland Canada Dash 8-Q400 aircraft.
AviLease, the Saudi Arabian aircraft leasing company, has signed strategic long-term lease agreements with Turkish Airlines for a total of eight Airbus A320neo aircraft. Under the terms of the deal, two aircraft have already been delivered, with the remaining six scheduled for delivery throughout 2025.
Aeroitalia, the Italian carrier, has entered into a wet lease agreement with Trade Air of Croatia for an Airbus A320, serial number 3337, to operate services between Rome Fiumicino and Bergamo. The lease covers short-term capacity needs and reinforces Aeroitalia’s domestic network connectivity.
Icelandair has released its March 2025 traffic results, showing solid year-over-year growth across key performance indicators as the carrier continues to rebound in both passenger demand and operational output.
LATAM Airlines Group, the largest airline holding company in Latin America, has received a series of credit rating upgrades from Fitch Ratings (US), reflecting improved financial performance and stronger fundamentals following its post-bankruptcy recovery. The agency affirmed a Positive Outlook across all categories.
