Avolon has agreed to lease two Airbus A321neo aircraft to Royal Jordanian Airlines adding to to the eight A320neos that Avolon agreed to lease to the airline earlier this year, of which seven have already been delivered. The delivery was announced at the Dubai Airshow, with the aircraft to be delivered in 2027 and 2028.

The new aircraft will support Royal Jordanian’s fleet expansion strategy in key markets across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, and its transition to new technology aircraft. The A321neo delivers 20% lower fuel burn and CO2 emissions compared to previous-generation Airbus narrowbody aircraft, and 50% noise reduction.

Royal Jordanian currently flies to 50 destinations and is planning to grow its fleet to 41 aircraft by 2028. Avolon had 347 A320neo family aircraft on order as of 30 September 2025.

Paul Geaney, President and Chief Commercial Officer of Avolon, commented: “It is a pleasure to be extending our partnership with Royal Jordanian with this additional lease of two A321neos. It follows on from our agreement to lease eight A320neos earlier this year and shows our ability to use our large orderbook to support the airline’s fleet expansion plans with new technology, lower emissions aircraft.”

Samer Majali, Vice Chairman and CEO of Royal Jordanian, commented: “Our continued partnership with Avolon is an integral part of Royal Jordanian’s fleet modernisation journey. The addition of these new A321neos supports our growth strategy across the region and reinforces our commitment to operating one of the most efficient and environmentally responsible fleets in the Middle East. These next-generation aircraft will enhance our guests’ travel experience while advancing our goal to position Amman as the leading gateway to the Levant.”

Article Source: https://asianaviation.com/avolon-leases-2-a321neos-to-royal-jordanian-airlines/

Kazakhstan carrier, Air Astana Group, has reported strong Q3 revenue and capacity growth despite facing several external challenges during the peak summer season.

For the nine-month period ending September 30, 2025, the Group, which comprises the full service airline Air Astana and low-fare subsidiary FlyArystan, saw total revenue and other income increase by 10.1% to USD 1,097 million, up from USD 996 million in the same period last year.

This growth was supported by a 10.5% rise in passenger numbers, with the airline carrying 7.5 million passengers, compared to 6.8 million in Q3 2024, while maintaining a stable average load factor of 83%.

The airline also reported a 3.5% improvement in earnings before interest, taxes and other deductions, attributing the gain to a combination of dynamic capacity allocation and effective yield management.

However, capacity and profitability were negatively affected by several external factors over the quarter, typically the airline’s strongest period.

Unforeseen maintenance issues with Pratt and Whitney engines; the weakening of the Kazakh Tenge against the US Dollar and disruptions from temporary closures combined to create an adverse operating environment.

Air Astana CEO, Peter Foster, said the airline’s ability to improve financial performance despite the considerable challenges was testament to its agility.

“While it is frustrating to encounter these issues during our peak season, we are agile operators with a track record of navigating external headwinds,” he said.

Article Source: https://www.laranews.net/air-astana-group-records-strong-q3-performance-despite-headwinds/

AMMAN – Royal Jordanian Airlines has announced the launch of direct and regular flights between Amman and Casablanca, starting Thursday, October 16, 2025. The route will operate twice per week, supporting the airline’s ongoing network expansion strategy and efforts to boost inbound tourism to Jordan.

Samer Majali, Vice Chairman/CEO of Royal Jordanian, emphasized the strategic importance of the new connection: “The launch of flights to Casablanca marks an important step towards strengthening air connectivity between Jordan and Morocco, reflecting the two countries’ commitment to enhancing cooperation and facilitating travel for citizens, students, and business travelers. The new route will also contribute to strengthening economic, trade, and tourism ties between Jordan and Morocco across various sectors.”

The service will be operated using Royal Jordanian’s modern Airbus A320neo aircraft, offering enhanced efficiency and passenger comfort. Majali highlighted that the reinstatement of the Casablanca route is part of a broader strategy to enhance connectivity with key markets in North Africa.

September 30, 2025
SmartKargo, a global leader in SaaS solutions for air cargo management, announced that VietJet has adopted AIRCAM, SmartKargo’s AI-powered Revenue and Capacity Management (RCM) solution.
The move underscores VietJet’s commitment to boosting cargo profitability, optimising network capacity, and strengthening its position as a key player in the fast-growing Asian e-commerce and air cargo markets.
Fully integrated with the SmartKargo Cargo Management Platform, AIRCAM provides VietJet with a single, seamless system to forecast capacity, optimise space, predict demand, and maximise revenue in real time. By dynamically balancing demand, pricing, and available belly capacity, AIRCAM enables cargo teams to improve yields, reduce waste, and capitalise on emerging market opportunities.

“Air cargo has become a critical growth engine for VietJet,” said Nelson Wu Di, Managing Director at VietJet Cargo, “Implementing SmartKargo’s AIRCAM solution allows us to bring AI-driven forecasting and real-time revenue optimization to our operations. This gives our teams the ability to respond faster to market conditions, optimize capacity utilization, and grow profitability across our network — all while continuing to deliver reliable service for our customers.”

Olivier Houri, Chief Revenue Officer at SmartKargo, added: “VietJet’s adoption of AIRCAM reflects their vision and commitment to turning cargo into a strategic profit centre. AIRCAM empowers airlines to make data-driven decisions by combining advanced AI forecasting with real-time revenue and capacity optimisation. We are proud to support VietJet as they accelerate their cargo growth and unlock new revenue opportunities across Asia.”

With AIRCAM, VietJet can quickly adapt to seasonal demand surges, passenger load fluctuations, and changing cost dynamics. The AI-powered solution continuously evaluates demand and pricing, empowering VietJet’s commercial and operations teams to make proactive, profit-focused decisions that strengthen overall network performance.

This milestone represents a new chapter in the partnership between SmartKargo and VietJet and highlights their shared commitment to digital transformation, efficiency, and profitable growth in the competitive air cargo market.

Article Source: https://aircargoweek.com/vietjet-selects-smartkargos-ai-powered-aircam-solution-to-drive-cargo-profitability/

Aircraft lands in Bangkok on flight QV441, marking COMAC’s new phase in Southeast Asia market

The Chinese-manufactured COMAC C909 made its first commercial landing in Thailand, arriving at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Lao Airlines flight QV441 from Vientiane, Laos.

Lao Airlines highlighted the arrival as a ‘historic moment’ on its social media channels. The C909, formerly known as ARJ21, is produced by the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) and represents China’s ongoing efforts to expand its footprint in the global aviation market.

Two C909 jets are currently in Lao Airlines’ fleet. One is configured with 90 single-class seats, while the other features a dual-class layout with four business class and 85 economy seats. The airline began operating the type in March and has deployed it on selected routes between Vientiane and Bangkok.

The introduction of the C909 into Southeast Asian commercial operations is part of COMAC’s broader strategy to challenge the established Boeing and Airbus duopoly. The manufacturer also aims to introduce the larger C919 model, designed to compete directly with the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 families.

In addition to Laos, the ARJ21/C909 has been delivered to other regional carriers in countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia. Southeast Asia is considered a key target market by COMAC due to its growing demand for short- and medium-haul aircraft.

Article Source: https://www.airdatanews.com/comac-c909-commercial-debut-thailand-lao-airlines/