Loading

CAPA News Briefs

CAPA publishes more than 1,000 global News Briefs every week, covering all aspects of the aviation and travel industry. It’s the most comprehensive source of market intelligence in the world, with around 50 per cent of content translated from non-English sources. The breadth of our coverage means you won’t need any other news sources to monitor competitors and stay informed about the latest developments in the wider aviation sector.

Request More Information

Complete the following to request more information.

Our daily News Briefs are only available to CAPA Members

Membership provides access to more than 1,000 News Briefs every week, with quick links to our Analysis Reports, Research Publications, Data Centre and more.

It’s easy to keep your News Briefs relevant by customising your email alerts based on topic, region, sector, frequency and more. Once you’ve saved your settings, you can stay up-to-date wherever you are, by quickly scanning our News Briefs online or via the CAPA mobile app.

Membership also provides full access to our Analysis Reports, in-depth Research Publications and comprehensive Data Centre. Premium CAPA Members can also access add-ons such as our exclusive Fleet Database, Airline Cask Data tools and more, to enjoy the full capabilities of our global platform.

Below is a sample of the latest news headlines. 286 news briefs have been published for CAPA Members in the past 2 days.

United Airlines announced (24-Mar-2026) the following aircraft updates for the next phase of its long term plan:

  • The carrier expects to take delivery of over 250 new aircraft by Apr-2028, including the following;
    • 47 Boeing 787-9s with the Elevated interior;
    • 40 A321neo Coastliners out of 50 total on order;
    • 28 A321XLRs out of 50 total on order;
    • 119 737 MAXs;
    • 18 A321neos;
  • United will add new A321 Coastliner and A321XLR narrowbody aircraft, featuring the Elevated interior and new lie-flat seats in United Polaris. The carrier will have 100 aircraft coming into its fleet, replacing 40 757s:
    • The A321 Coastliner will operate between San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York Newark, and will introduce United Polaris cabin experience to domestic travellers;
    • The A321XLR will start flying later in 2026;
  • Bombardier CRJ450 aircraft will be operated by SkyWest Airlines, connecting smaller cities to Denver and Chicago from autumn 2026;
  • United's new 787-9 aircraft will operate San Francisco-Singapore service on 22-Apr-2026. The aircraft will be outfitted with the Elevated interior;
  • The carrier plans to operate 33 787-9 aircraft with the Elevated interior by 2028. [more - original PR]

Background ✨

United planned to introduce its first Boeing 787-9s with the United Elevated interior on San Francisco-Singapore from 22-Apr-2026 and San Francisco-London from 30-Apr-2026, featuring larger Polaris suites and 4K OLED screens.1 2 United also continued inducting new aircraft in early 2026, including a 787-9 plus A321neos and 737 MAX 9s.3

United Airlines introduced (24-Mar-2026) the United Relax Row for customers travelling in United Economy cabin on long haul services, enabling customers to modify three row seats into a lie flat mattress by adjusting the leg rests. United is the first North American carrier to offer this seating option. The United Relax Row is expected to launch in 2027, with plans to offer it on over 200 Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft by 2030. The seats will be between United Economy and United Premium Plus. United will offer up to 12 United Relax Row sections on each aircraft. [more - original PR]

Background ✨

United’s cabin investment programme included USD1 billion for Starlink installations, seatback screens and higher catering spend, with a further USD1 billion earmarked for the customer experience in 2026.1 United also unveiled its “United Elevated” Boeing 787-9 interior, featuring Polaris Studio suites, upgraded Polaris and Premium Plus cabins, and 4K OLED seatback screens across cabins, with first 787-9 operations planned from San Francisco in 2026.2 3

Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced (24-Mar-2026) plans to commence daily Singapore-Western Sydney service on 23-Nov-2026 with 303 seat A350-900. SIA senior VP marketing planning Dai Haoyu stated the service "will deliver more choice and strengthen connectivity to this popular destination for our customers". Mr Dai added Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport's late night departure capacity will enable connections through Singapore Changi Airport "to more than 130 global destinations served by the SIA Group". The service will complement Singapore Airlines' four times daily Singapore-Sydney Kingsford service. As previously reported by CAPA, QantasLink, Jetstar Airways and Air New Zealand also plan to operate passenger services at the airport, with Qantas Freight to operate cargo services. [more - original PR - Singapore Airlines] [more - original PR - Australia's Minister for Infrastructure]

Background ✨

Singapore Airlines scheduled further Australia capacity changes for 2H2026, including introducing premium economy on one of four daily Singapore‑Brisbane frequencies from 01-Nov-2026 and increasing Singapore‑Adelaide to 12 times weekly in Dec-2026/Jan-2027, while Singapore‑Cairns rose to five times weekly from 06-Jul-2026 and was set to move to daily from 01-Dec-2026 with 737 MAX 8 equipment.1

easyJet announced (23-Mar-2026) plans to install Mirus Aircraft Seating's Kestrel seats to its new aircraft deliveries from 2028. The LCC will be the first carrier to receive the seats on new A320neo and A321neo equipment across 237 aircraft orders. The seat is more than 20% lighter than seats in existing use, offering up to two inches of additional legroom and helping to deliver savings of 40,000 tonnes of CO2 p/a. The announcement forms part of easyJet's ongoing range of initiatives to maximise efficiencies and combine marginal gains into broader emissions reduction, including fleet renewal, sharklet upgrades on A320ceo aircraft, taxi management optimisation and lighter paints. [more - original PR]

Background ✨

easyJet previously announced plans to retrofit all remaining A320ceo aircraft with Airbus sharklets by summer 2026, estimating fuel savings of 2156 tonnes p/a and nearly 7000 tonnes of CO2 across its fleet.1 easyJet also trialled a lower-weight paint system from Mankiewicz Coatings, applied to 38 aircraft, with fleet-wide rollout planned to 2030 and projected savings of up to 1296 tonnes of fuel and 4095 tonnes of CO2e.2

Jazeera Airways announced (23-Mar-2026) plans to commence twice weekly service connecting Kuwait to Lahore via Al Qaisumah-Hafar Al Batin Airport on 29-Mar-2026. As previously reported by CAPA, the LCC temporarily shifted operations to Al Qaisumah-Hafar Al Batin Airport in Saudi Arabia, effective from 11-Mar-2026, following the temporary suspension of operations at Kuwait International Airport for safety reasons. It operates services via the airport to more than 20 destinations in Egypt, Jordan, Türkiye, Sri Lanka, India and the UAE. [more - original PR]

Jazeera Airways, via its official Facebook account, announced (23-Mar-2026) plans to commence three times weekly service connecting Kuwait to Dubai via Al Qaisumah-Hafar Al Batin Airport on 31-Mar-2026. As previously reported by CAPA, the LCC temporarily shifted operations to Al Qaisumah-Hafar Al Batin Airport in Saudi Arabia, effective from 11-Mar-2026, following the temporary suspension of operations at Kuwait International Airport for safety reasons. It operates services via the airport to destinations in Egypt, Jordan, Türkiye, Sri Lanka, India and the UAE.

Jazeera Airways commenced (22-Mar-2026) services connecting Kuwait to Sohag via Al Qaisumah-Hafar Al Batin Airport. As previously reported by CAPA, the LCC temporarily shifted operations to Al Qaisumah-Hafar Al Batin Airport in Saudi Arabia, effective from 11-Mar-2026, following the temporary suspension of operations at Kuwait International Airport for safety reasons. Sohag is the sixth destination in Egypt Jazeera Airways connects via Al Qaisumah, following Alexandria, Cairo International, Cairo Sphinx, Asyut and Luxor. [more - original PR]

Jazz confirmed (23-Mar-2026) a CRJ900 (AC8646) aircraft operated on behalf of Air Canada Express "collided with a fire truck" on the runway at New York LaGuardia Airport. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey officials confirmed that the pilot and first officer were killed in the accident. The preliminary passenger list indicates the aircraft was carrying 72 passengers and four crew members. Jazz stated it is "cooperating with the investigating authorities involved in the investigation into the cause of this accident". [more - original PR - Jazz Aviation] [more - original PR - Chorus Aviation]

MIAT Mongolian Airlines, via its official Facebook account, announced (17-Mar-2026) plans to increase Ulaanbaatar-Frankfurt frequency from three to five times weekly, commencing 05-Jun-2026, further increasing frequency to daily from 02-Jul-2026. MIAT is the sole scheduled operator on the route, according to OAG.

Qanot Sharq Airlines plans to launch twice weekly Tashkent-New York JFK service from 27-Apr-2026, according to OAG and the CAPA Route Changes Database. Uzbekistan Airways also operates the route.

Background ✨

Qanot Sharq Airlines previously scheduled multiple international additions from Tashkent, including twice weekly Shanghai Pudong from 04-Jul-2025 and planned twice weekly Frankfurt from 31-Mar-2026, as per its Telegram updates and OAG data.1 2 Uzbekistan Airways had progressively increased Tashkent-New York JFK frequencies over time, including an increase from three to four times weekly from 12-Aug-2022.3

Beond scheduled to commence three times weekly Male-Dubai World Central-London Heathrow service on 16-Dec-2026 with A319 equipment, as per a 20-Mar-2026 GDS inventory and timetable display. The airline will be the sole scheduled operator on the route, according to OAG.

Background ✨

Beond announced plans to launch three times weekly Malé-Dubai World Central-Paris CDG from Dec-2026, with no other scheduled operator on the route.1 Beond also scheduled a Malé-Dubai World Central-Zurich frequency increase from twice to three times weekly from 07-Dec-2025, remaining the sole scheduled operator on both sectors.2 It previously commenced Dubai World Central-Munich twice weekly under fifth freedom rights and considered additional German destinations by end-2025.3

Loganair confirmed (20-Mar-2026) the launch of demonstration flights with BETA Technologies' ALIA CTOL battery-powered, fixed-wing aircraft on the Glasgow to Dundee route. The demonstration series will be used to inform how Royal Mail could use electric aircraft as part of its essential daily mail flights to deliver to remote Scottish communities. The demonstration flights cover routes across Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness, Wick and Orkney. [more - original PR]

Background ✨

Loganair announced it planned Scotland’s “first-ever electric flight” with BETA Technologies’ ALIA CTOL on the Glasgow-Dundee sector on 19/20-Mar-2026, as part of a two-week network programme to demonstrate zero-emissions freight, mail and essential-goods operations.1 Loganair CEO Luke Farajallah said the flying programme would generate “invaluable data” on electric aircraft performance in a real commercial environment.1