SAS opened booking for first electric flights

June 06, 2023

Last Friday, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) began accepting seat reservations for its groundbreaking commercial electric flights in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark… in 2028. After that, there are no seats available anymore. “This extraordinary event presents an opportunity for travelers to become part of aviation history. Each of the three inaugural flights, scheduled to take place in […]

China’s first passenger jet has completed its maiden commercial flight

May 30, 2023

The Comac C919, China’s first domestically manufactured aircraft, made its maiden commercial flight on Sunday. It should mark a turning point for the Chinese aviation industry, which has long wanted to compete with famous Western aircraft such as the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320. The C from Comac forms an ABC for a reason […]

Lufthansa steps into Italian airline ITA

May 26, 2023

The die is cast. After months of negotiations, German airline group Lufthansa will take a minority stake in Italian airline ITA Airways. The Germans are injecting 325 million euros into ITA in exchange for a 41% stake. Eventually, they may acquire the airline outright. Additional government funding In addition to the capital increase by Lufthansa, […]

Brussels Airport back to profit and plans to slash 1.500 night flights

May 25, 2023

Brussels Airport Company, the operator of Zaventem airport, posted a net profit of 16 million euros last year. It is the first time in three years that it’s back in the black. “The profit in 2022 was still limited, but it does shed light at the end of the tunnel,” said airport chief Arnaud Feist. […]

Ostend airport gets 66 000 solar panels

May 16, 2023

There will be 66 200 solar panels on the grounds around Ostend airport. Energy company EnergyVision will start installing them there in autumn. Ostend-Bruges airport will so become one of the largest solar parks in Belgium. The project involves an investment of 35 million euros. The electricity generated should power the airport, while part also […]

Uber launches flight booking in its UK app

May 11, 2023

Technology company Uber, which offers taxi rides and meal deliveries with its app, is to expand its services. This summer, it will launch a feature in the UK that will allow users to book flights directly in its app. The feature was launched on Uber’s UK app for multimodal travel options last year, and the […]

Brussels Airlines posts bigger revenue but remains in the red

May 04, 2023

Brussels Airlines posted sharply higher sales in the first quarter at 280 million euros than a year earlier. However, the airline still lost 44 million euros but maintains that it is “on track for strong black figures for all of 2023”. Parent company Lufthansa also posted a loss in the first quarter, a net loss […]

Brussels Airport counted over 1,6 million passengers in March

April 12, 2023

More than 1,6 million passengers in March traveled through Brussels Airport, an increase of 42% compared to March 2022. Furthermore, the share of departing transfer passengers was over 17%, an increase of 84% compared to 2022. Brussels Airport reported this. The increase is partly due to the (extended) semester break in French-speaking schools and the […]

Airbus Helicopters signs mega deal in China

April 11, 2023

Airbus Helicopters, the helicopter manufacturing division of the European aircraft giant Airbus, has signed a contract to supply 50 H160 helicopters to GDAT, one of China’s largest helicopter leasing and operating companies. The order is estimated to be worth between 750 million and 1 billion dollars. It is the most significant H160 order in the […]

Schiphol to ban night flights and private jets

April 05, 2023

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, one of Europe’s largest air hubs, will, from 2025-2026, ban night flights and private jets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution. Aircraft will be banned from taking off between midnight and 6 a.m. and will not be allowed to land before 5 a.m., the airport’s CEO Ruud Sondag said in […]

Brussels Airport: noise pollution takes toll on 220 000 residents

April 04, 2023

Planes at Brussels Airport cause strong annoyance to 220 000 residents. As a result, the cost of health damage would amount to more than 1 billion euros annually. This emerged from a new study by Bond Beter Leefmilieu (BBL), the Flemish federation for a better environment. The study, carried out by study agency ENV-ISA at […]

Private jet flights soar to record levels in Europe

March 30, 2023

Private jet flights in Europe reached record levels last year – most of which were ultra-short journeys. As a result, the number of private jet flights increased by 64% last year, reaching a record high of 572 806. Together, they emitted 3,4 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions. In Belgium alone, private flights more than […]

Nine new destinations from Brussels Airport

March 28, 2023

From Brussels Airport you can fly to nine new destinations this summer. These are Toronto (Canada), Billund (Denmark), Seville (Spain), Kayseri (Turkey), Monastir (Tunisia), and Béjaïa, Constantine, Oran, and Tlemcen (Algeria). From Brussels Airport, 59 airlines will thus depart to 175 destinations in summer. Brussels Airlines, with four additional aircraft in its fleet, will fly […]

Tests confirm performance of Amprius’ revolutionary airplane battery

March 24, 2023

It’s light. It packs a lot of energy. And it could make electric planes a reality. So when Amprius first announced its revolutionary lithium-ion battery pack, there were reasons to be enthusiastic. And cautious. The sector of battery developers is famous for making promises that it finds difficult to keep afterward. But in the case […]

Dorothea von Boxberg is new CEO Brussels Airlines

March 24, 2023

Germany’s Dorothea von Boxberg (49) will become the new CEO of Brussels Airlines. The top woman will take the helm of the airline from 15 April. Von Boxberg was, for the past two years, CEO of Lufthansa Cargo, the cargo airline which, like Brussels Airlines, is part of the German airline group Lufthansa. She succeeds […]

Brussels Airlines contests new fares at Zaventem airport

March 22, 2023

Brussels Airlines and sister airlines Lufthansa and Swiss are going to the Council of State against the new system of variable airfares at Brussels Airport. The new fares will take effect on 1 April. The airlines’ appeal is against the Terminal Navigation Charges elaborated by Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo). The charges, which must be […]

Brussels Airlines hopes to fly out of the red this year

March 06, 2023

Brussels Airlines carried over 6,8 million passengers last year, almost double the 2021 figure. That also led to a doubling of revenue, to 1,2 billion euros. On that basis, Brussels Airlines was able to limit the operating loss to 75 million euros, a halving compared to last year. This year, the airline aims to leave […]

Schiphol Airport tests self-riding wheelchair service

February 23, 2023

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Axxicom Airport Caddy are launching an experiment with self-riding wheelchairs this week. The wheelchairs, equipped with smart technology from WHILL Autonomous Mobility, are already being used successfully at major airports such as Tokyo International Airport in Japan. The wheelchair service should improve customer satisfaction and contribute to Schiphol’s objective to make […]

Belgian high-tech joins forces in aviation solid-state battery

February 22, 2023

Belgian aerospace company Sonaca joins the Limburg-based start-up SOLiTHOR to develop solid-state batteries for regional aviation and future air taxis (VTOLs). Solid-state batteries are lighter, have more energy density, and are considered safer than current lithium-ion batteries with a fluid electrolyte. SOLiTHOR will be responsible for cell research, development, testing characterization, format design, and production […]

Airspeeder Mk4: first manned ‘flying electric race car’

February 22, 2023

Alauda Aeronautics has unveiled its latest iteration of the Airspeeder. This Mk4 version is the first to be designed for manned operation, with previous Airspeeders being remote-controlled. A racing series is scheduled for 2024, but Alauda is still looking for support from OEMs and racing teams. The Airspeeder was first announced in 2019 with a […]

Boeing delivers very last Jumbo jet 747

February 01, 2023

On Tuesday, US aircraft maker Boeing delivered the very last sample of its Jumbo 747 jets, identified by the ‘hump’ at the front. With the delivery of the 1 574th example of the 747, the curtain falls on an iconic aircraft, also known as the ‘Queen of the Skies’, that played an important role in […]

Brussels Airlines CEO leaves for rival Condor to avoid retirement

February 01, 2023

Peter Gerber steps down as CEO of Brussels Airlines with immediate effect and is also leaving parent company Lufthansa Group. The airline announced that former CEO Christina Foerster will take over in ad interim. Gerber will start as CEO of German airline Condor on 1 February 2024, the latter announced. That 58-year-old Gerber is leaving […]

Only Lufthansa remains to bid for take-over ITA Airways

January 19, 2023

German airline group Lufthansa is the only bidder to take a stake in Italian airline ITA Airways, the successor to Alitalia. This was announced by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance on Wednesday evening, after the deadline. Earlier in the day, French-Dutch airline group Air France-KLM had announced that it would not submit a […]

Luxair flies from Antwerp to London again

January 17, 2023

Antwerp Airport reopened its connection with London on Monday. Luxembourg-based airline Luxair is responsible for the link to London City Airport. In the first phase, they will fly to the British capital four times a week. Although flying is climate-friendly compared to before, traveling by Eurostar remains a good deal less polluting, even if the […]

IATA chief calls ban on short-haul flights in EU ‘absurd’

December 08, 2022

France will ban short-haul domestic flights in favor of the train. The country was given the green light by the European Commission to abolish flights between cities if the link by train offers an alternative solution with trips of fewer than 2,5 hours. But Willie Walsh, the Director General of the International Air Transport Association […]

Five new aircraft and 200 recruits for Brussels Airlines

December 08, 2022

Brussels Airlines is expanding its fleet and offering in preparation for summer 2023. It is also creating more than 200 new jobs. The airline is thus adding five new Airbus A320 neo aircraft to its fleet, reducing its carbon footprint. Most of the additional jobs are flying personnel, some of whom are already being trained. […]

Airbus shows internal fuel cell powered propeller engine

December 06, 2022

European aircraft giant Airbus believes in hydrogen to propel aviation in the future. It solemnly pledged to have an H2 airplane commercially ready by 2035. The hydrogen-powered fuel cell engine showed last week could be the ideal solution for planes for mid-haul flights with up to 100 passengers and a range of 1 000 nautical […]

Air France-KLM to buy 800.000 tons of sustainable aviation fuel

December 06, 2022

Air France-KLM is to buy 800 000 tons of non-fossil Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) over ten years from TotalEnergies to meet its environmental objectives. The two companies signed on Monday a memorandum of understanding for this, starting in 2023. The fuel will be produced by TotalEnergies in its biorefineries and made available to Air France-KLM […]

EU gives France green light to ban short-haul domestic flights

December 05, 2022

France will ban short-haul domestic flights in favor of the train. The country was given the green light by the European Commission to abolish flights between cities if the link by a train offers an alternative solution with trips of fewer than 2,5 hours. When the measure was first announced, it was contested by the […]

Ryanair to purchase sustainable fuel from Shell

December 02, 2022

Low-cost airline Ryanair has signed an agreement with Shell to supply more sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The oil and gas group will help make SAF more available to the Irish carrier’s fleet at 200 European airports. This mainly concerns Ryanair’s largest bases in Dublin and London Stansted. Ryanair has already partnered with Neste, the world’s […]

Renault and Airbus to collaborate on solid-state batteries

December 01, 2022

In an unusual partnership, French carmaker Renault and airplane builder Airbus have announced a partnership to develop innovative battery technology. Apart from reducing the weight of the battery packs and looking at solutions for energy management, both companies will cooperate on solid-state development. Instead of joining forces with another carmaker, Renault has chosen one of […]

Rolls Royce and easyJet test airplane engine on hydrogen

November 29, 2022

It’s a world first, says the British airplane engine manufacturer Rolls Royce with the same name as the car, but no other than historical connections: a modern turboprop airplane engine running on green hydrogen. It didn’t fly yet, but it was a successful ‘ground test’ together with the British low-budget airline easyJet. H2ZERO, as the […]

Lufthansa aims to recruit 20 000 extra staff in Europe

November 22, 2022

Europe’s largest airline group Lufthansa has launched a campaign to recruit 20 000 employees in Europe. According to the group’s statement, Lufthansa will recruit these new employees in 45 professions at its site in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium. In particular, technicians, IT specialists, lawyers, pilots, and cabin crew are being sought. The campaign comes […]

Brussels Airlines profit flies to record high

October 28, 2022

Brussels Airlines made record profits in the third quarter. The adjusted operating profit or ‘adjusted debit’ amounted to 51 million euros, “the best quarterly result in Brussels Airlines’ 20-year history,” the airline said. With the strong increase in demand, good development of liquidity, and financial support of parent group Lufthansa, Brussels Airlines will be able […]

Xpeng’s flying car X2 takes off

October 14, 2022

It’s getting crowded in the air. Just a week after Volocopter took its maiden flight in Rome, Chinese brand Xpeng took its so-called ‘flying car’ airborne in Dubai. The demonstration flight was organized by its aviation subsidiary, Xpeng Aeroth. Over 150 attendees witnessed the X2 lifting off and hitting the skies on the opening day […]

ICAO’s 193 member states agree on climate-neutral aviation by 2050

October 10, 2022

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the UN body created in 1944 to regulate, among others, safety, efficiency, and environmental protection in global aviation, has agreed to the common goal to make the whole sector climate-neutral by 2050. Of the 193 member states of the 41st Assembly in Montreal, the organization’s sovereign body that meets […]

Volocopter performs first manned drone flight in Rome

October 10, 2022

German air mobility company Volocopter has taken the next step on its roadmap toward offering flying taxi services. At Fiumicino Airport in Rome, their 2X electric air taxi took off in front of onlookers from the media and airport officials. The test flight is a prelude to offering real taxi rides in 2024. While the […]

Eviation’s electric Alice makes eight-minutes maiden flight

September 30, 2022

Alice, the fully electric propeller airplane from American aircraft builder Eviation under development, has made its maiden flight this week at Grant County International Airport (MWH), flying for 8 minutes at an altitude of 3 500 feet (1 066 m). Alice is targeted at commuter and cargo markets and will typically operate flights ranging from […]

EasyJet invests up to €21 billion in emission-free flying by 2050

September 27, 2022

Airline company EasyJet will invest billions in hydrogen technology and more fuel-efficient aircraft, among other things, to achieve emission-free flying by 2050. The British low-cost airline reported this on Monday when presenting its detailed future plans. According to CEO Johan Lundgren, these measures and investments in hydrogen-powered jet engines, or a “roadmap to net zero”, […]

After 30 years again direct flights Belgium to South Africa

September 14, 2022

From today, there will be direct flights again between Belgium and South Africa. That will be ensured by the airline Air Belgium, which will fly twice a week from Brussels Airport to Johannesburg and Cape Town. According to Air Belgium’s CEO, Niky Terzakis, these are the first direct flights between Belgium and South Africa in […]

Antwerp and Ostend airports almost back at pre-corona level

September 13, 2022

Last summer, the airports of Antwerp and Ostend-Bruges welcomed almost 50% more passengers than last year. After two years of travel restrictions, the airports welcomed almost 160 000 passengers during the summer holidays. This means that these Flemish regional airports, managed by the French engineering group Egis, currently have 80% of the number of passengers […]

Detroit Auto Show: new formula, new epoch?

September 12, 2022

The motor show in Detroit, officially known as the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), will now take place in September and is following a new concept. The media day is next Wednesday, on the 14th of September, and after some professional days, the show opens to the public from 17 to 25 September. Being […]

Lufthansa Group launches new baggage drop-off at Brussels Airport

September 07, 2022

Passengers of Lufthansa Group’s airlines no longer must queue up at the check-in desk in the departure hall of Brussels Airport to have their suitcases labeled and taken to the aircraft. Instead, thanks to a new baggage drop-off system, they can now carry out this procedure themselves, the airline and the airport have announced. The […]

Lufthansa to shelve plans to buy successor to Alitalia

September 01, 2022

German airline Lufthansa is missing out on the take-over of ITA, the successor to Alitalia. The Italian government withheld the bid of the American investment company Certares, together with airlines Air France-KLM and Delta Air Lines. Exclusive negotiations for the take-over are now being started with the latter parties. Lufthansa has submitted a bid together […]

Brussels Airlines plans to expand with more aircraft and staff

August 24, 2022

Brussels Airlines wants to expand, with more planes and more staff. Vacancies have already been published and various growth scenarios are on the table. This was announced internally at the airline on Tuesday. “We are currently investigating various growth scenarios, which we will work out in more detail soon,” says spokesperson Maaike Andries. More clarity […]

American Airlines orders twenty supersonic airplanes

August 18, 2022

American Airlines, claiming to be the world’s biggest airline, announced it has placed an order and paid a non-refundable deposit to US aerospace company Boom Supersonic for 20 supersonic Overture airplanes with an option for an additional 40. United Airlines has a deal for 15 aircraft and an option for 35 more, and Japan Airlines […]

No more bottom-priced tickets at Ryanair

August 12, 2022

In the coming years, Ryanair will no longer offer tickets at absolute bottom prices, such as 0,99 or 9,99 euros. This is what the top man Michael O’Leary of the Irish low-cost airline said in a radio interview with the BBC. Due to rising fuel and energy prices, accelerated by the war in Ukraine, Ryanair […]

Jet-ski champion Zapata’s VTOL JetRacer to fly at 250 kph

August 05, 2022

Three years after flying over the Channel with a self-developed ‘Flyboard’, French former jet-ski world champion Franky Zapata has demonstrated his ‘flying car’, the JetRacer. The drone-like VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aircraft with one seat is propelled by ten micro turbo-jet engines. It can reach an altitude of 3 000 meters and a top […]

Lufthansa expects profit, Brussels Airlines loss

August 05, 2022

Lufthansa, led by its cargo arm, has achieved its first quarterly net profit in over two years. Europe’s leading air transport group expects to post an operating profit of at least 500 million euros in 2022. “The Lufthansa group is back in the green,” boss Carsten Spohr said in a statement. “It’s now a matter […]

Lufthansa tests SAF environmental tariff in Scandinavia

August 03, 2022

The German airline group Lufthansa and its Belgian subsidiary Brussels Airlines are testing a new environmentally-friendly ticket fare on the Scandinavian market. In addition to the classic Light, Classic, and Flex fares, a so-called ‘green fare’ has also been available since Tuesday in the booking process for European flights from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. With […]

Boeing: ‘2,1 million aviation workers needed next 20 years’

July 26, 2022

According to the American aerospace manufacturer Boeing, global aviation will need 2,1 million new employees over the next 20 years due to the growth of its commercial aircraft fleet. That fleet is expected to nearly double to 47 080 commercial aircraft by 2041, Boeing says in its new Pilot and Technician Outlook (PTO), which it […]

Easyjet partners with Rolls Royce in testing hydrogen jet engine

July 20, 2022

Europe’s second biggest low-budget airline, British-based Easyjet, will work with British aerospace giant Rolls Royce (not the carmaker) in developing jet engines running on hydrogen. Both parties announced at the Farnborough aerospace fair that they will start ground tests this year, aiming to get the technology airborne by 2030. H2ZERO, as the cooperation is baptized, […]

While raising ticket prices Lufthansa performs above expectations

July 18, 2022

Lufthansa more than doubled its turnover in the second quarter compared to last year. The German airline profited substantially from the increased demand for air travel as passengers rush to board planes again for business trips and their summer vacation, but the profit was also achieved because Lufthansa significantly increased the prices of its airline […]

Antwerp Flyinggroup orders 50 electric VTOL airplanes

July 18, 2022

The Antwerp-based private aircraft company Flyinggroup has ordered 50 e-VTOL VX4 airplanes from British Vertical Aerospace (Vertical), a pioneer in electric aviation. Delivery is expected by 2025. Flyinggroup, headquartered in Deurne (Antwerp), manages a fleet of more than 45 private planes in Europe and the Middle East, of which 15 are stationed in Antwerp. Now, […]

EU Parliament sets roadmap to fly on sustainable aviation fuel

July 08, 2022

On Thursday, the European Parliament agreed to set a roadmap for the sector to fly on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) made from food waste, animal fat, or hydrogen, and CO2 instead of pure fossil kerosine. The MEPs went further than the EU Commission, setting the bar to 85% added SAF by 2050 instead of the […]

Brussels Airport extends P3 car park with 2.000 extra spaces

June 28, 2022

The extension of the P3 ‘Holiday’ car park at Brussels Airport has been completed, providing 2 000 extra spaces, Interparking and the airport announced on Monday. The extension brings the total number of parking spaces available at Brussels Airport to 13 000. The extension is spread over ten floors, with two underground levels, and will […]

EU launches Alliance for Zero Emission Aviation

June 27, 2022

The European Commission calls on all partners in the aviation sector to join forces in an alliance on zero-emission aviation. Over the next two decades, the Commission says, more than 44,000 new aircraft are expected to be on the market. It estimates the potential market volume for zero-emission aircraft at 26 000 by 2050, with […]

Dutch to fly medium-sized airplane on hydrogen to London by 2028

June 14, 2022

Seventeen Dutch companies and organizations have set up a partnership to develop a complete zero-emission drivetrain replacement for traditional propeller airplanes for the short-haul, based on electric motors fueled by fuel cells and hydrogen. They want to become a tier-one supplier of their HAPSS system to retrofit existing turboprop airplanes up to 40 to 80 […]

WIzz Air to explore flying on hydrogen with Airbus

June 13, 2022

Hungarian low-budget airline Wizz Air will explore with European airplane builder Airbus all facets of flying ultra-low-cost on hydrogen. That includes the hydrogen aircraft, operations, infrastructure, the network, scheduling issues, ground bases, and airports. For this, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus that is to launch its hydrogen planes by 2035. Wizz […]

European airlines cancel thousands of flights due to staff shortage

June 10, 2022

German airline Lufthansa and its low-cost subsidiary Eurowings announced they would cancel +1 000 flights in July. This is because there is not enough staff, both in-house and at airport service providers, to ensure the planned flight supply. Many airlines and airports in Europe, which often let employees go during the corona crisis, are struggling […]