AirLibrary Bulletin
Commercial Air Transport
Issue 2525 - 2025 Jun 21
Coverage Jun 13 - Jun 20
Aviation Trends
Engine NOx emission
Study in 2021 says about 20% of warming effect (global ERF) attributed to emission of NOx gases created each time air transport aircraft engine combustion process exceeds about 1400°C for minimum time; amount of NOx emissions varies with engine’s design of combustion process.
A220-500 EIS 2030s
Airbus estimated stretched A220, informally known as A220-500, EIS early next decade, with conclusions about aircraft’s potential by end of 2025, potentially with more powerful engine than PW1500G.
Largest cargo ship
Largest cargo ship built: L 400 W 61 H 78 m, capacity 300k tonnes for 23k TEU containers, powered by latest gen 11-cylinder engine using LNG, enough power for ten A380s.
All-electric seaplane
Elfly Group signed contract with EASA for development of conceptual prototype of clean sheet, all-electric commercial seaplane Noemi model.
IL96 with PD-35 engines
United Aircraft considering twin-engine version of IL96 aircraft with new PD-35 engines.
MRO digital twins
Digital twins, virtual replicas of aircraft or engines or components, utilized by MROs to collect experiences and data, as well as, to enable interrogation and delivery of more accurate insights, simulations, predictions.
Hydrogen fuel cell propulsion
Airbus and MTU Aero Engines signed MOU to progress hydrogen fuel cell propulsion, as roadmap for development of engine suitable for commercial aviation market.
Mishandled bags
SITA Baggage Insights Report cites global improvement with bags mishandled continuing to decline to 6.3 per 1,000 in 2024, from 6.9 in 2023; athough overall number increased to 36.2m bags from 36.1m in 2023, air traffic hit record high of 5.3b travellers in 2024, up 8.2% YoY.
World’s top airlines 2025
Skytrax announced world’s top airlines for 2025: 1st Qatar, 2nd Singapore, 3rd Cathay, 4th Emirates, 5th ANA, 6th Turkish, 7th Korea, 8th Air France, 9th Japan, 10th Hainan, 11th Swiss, 12th EVA, 13th British, 14th Qantas, 15th Lufthansa.
Narrowbody P2Fs
Embraer advises air cargo market added too much narrowbody capacity in response to growing e-commerce volumes and that conversion market now in “cooling phase”; Cirium reports annual average of 146 narrowbodies, particularly A320 and B738, converted between 2020 and 2024.
Comcac C919 variants
Comac intends to offer C919 in 160-seat shortened variant with EIS 2028 and 240-seat stretched variant with EIS 2030; Comac also shifted C929 EIS 2035 as well as planned C939 as B777X competitor.
ATR & PWC collaboration
ATR & PWC intend to collaborate on development of advanced propulsion technology for next gen regional turbocraft aircraft, including hybrid-electric EVO concept, by improving thermal efficiency, applying advance materials, refining aircraft aerodynamics.
Bagometrics emergence
New technologies driven by AI to make baggage processes more effective and efficient; for instance, SITA integrated Apple’s Share Item Location feature, allowing passengers to share Air Tag data, helping to halve average time bag re-united with passenger to 1.5 days.
Aviation professionals
CAE released biennial Aviation Talent Forecast reporting need for approximately 1.5m civil aviation professionals by 2034, comprising 267k pilots, 347k maintenance technicians, 678k cabin crew members, 71k controllers, driven by record demand for air travel and wave of retirements expected across all categories.
Airport aircraft towing
British Airways at LHR using real-time tracking of aircraft on ground to monitor towing and optimize movements based on current operations, reducing 60-minute flight delays from 12% to 8%.
Airports OTP leaders
During 2025 May, On-Time Performance airport leaders: large airports Oslo International OSL, medium airports Panama City PTY, small airports Kona International KOA.
Airport iBeacon devices
Istalnbul IGA airport rolls out 7,000+ iBeacons enabling passengers to use portable devices such as smartphones to precisely navigate throughout terminal, also utilized via AI to monitor passenger flow across terminals.
Google AI Mode
Google’s planned release Summer 2025 of AI Mode to transform search function from flight discovery to travel assistant including reservation booking and ticket buying.
Traffic growth and load factors
Per Boeing projection, 4.8% annual growth in pax traffic over next 20-yrs, with today’s load factors about 84% up from 73% 20-yrs ago; primarily due to seat density of single-aisle aircraft, growing to estimated 70% of future fleet.
Fleet replacement and expansion
According to Boeing projection, 54% of 21,100 fleet replacement and 29% of 22,500 fleet expansion by NorthAm and EurAsia, plus 50% of 22,500 fleet expansion by China, SouthAsia & SEAsia, all together accounting for majority of narrowbody deliveries while MidEast & Africa receive most widebody deliveries.
Boeing 20-yr projection
Boeing projects need for 43,600 aircraft over next 20 years, growing from 27,000+ aircraft in 2024, with 21,100 for replacement and 22,500 for expansion - primarily in emerging vs advanced markets, top ten airlines market share 30% in 2025 down from 45% in 2000.
Embraer Market Outlook 2025
In sub-150 seat market, Embraer estimates 10,500 orders for 8,710 new regional jets and 1,780 regional props through 2044, projecting jet deliveries 2,680 US, 1,990 EU/CIS, 1,500 CN and prop deliveries 640 AsiaPac, 280 NorthAmer, 260 EU/CIS.
Top ten airline loyalty programs
By value: 1 Delta, 2 American, 3 United, then 4 Southwest, 5 Lufthansa, 6 IAG, 7 AF-KLM, 8 Air Canada, 9 Korean, 10 Cathay.
SITA/UAP integrated vertiport
SITA and Urban-Air Port to develop modular digitally enabled vertiport infrastructure for urban eVTOLs.
Largest cargo ship
Largest cargo ship built: L 400 W 61 H 78 m, capacity 300k tonnes for 23k TEU containers, powered by latest gen 11-cylinder engine using LNG, enough power for ten A380s.
Wet leasing eVTOL
Vertical Aerospace to join forces with Bristow Group to establish eVTOL wet lease focused on VX4 operated by Bristol for flights by Vertical’s customers.
Safran Landing Systems
With aircraft landing every second on SLS landing gear, Safran preparing new technologies, including lighter more reliable landing gear and main gear electric taxi actuators replacing use of engines while on ground.
Airbus Global Market 2025
Airbus forecast 43,400 new passenger and freighter aircraft deliveries over next 20 years, including 34,250 single-aisles and 9.170 dual-aisles, for global in-service fleet of 49,000+ aircraft by 2044.
Airline Developments
| Airline | Event | Action | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| EgyptAir | Intent | New model A359 | 2025 Q3 2029 |
| UniWorld Air Cargo | Fleet | Added model B734F | 2025 May 30 |
| Hainan Airlines | Fleet | Added model A21N | 2025 Jun |
| Blue Islands | Fleet | Added model AT76 | 2025 Jun 10 |
| Aeroflot Russian Airlines | Intent | New model MC23 | 2026-2030 |
| Aurigny Air Services | Intent | Replace D228 > DHC6 | 2025 Q4 |
| Starlux Airlines | Intent | New model A35K | 2025 Q3 - 2031 |
| AirKenya | Align | Added model DH82 | 2025 Apr 28 |
| Piedmont Airlines | Intent | New model E175 | 2028 Q1 |
| Vision Air | Status | New airline Startup | 2022 |
| Vision Air | Fleet | Added model B737 | 2025 Jun |
| Skyway Airlines | Intent | Add capacity B763F | 2025 Q4 |
| Mont Gabaon Airlines | Fleet | Added model E135 | 2025 Jun 08 |
| LOT Polish Airlines | Intent | New model A221 A223 | 2027 |
| Air Arabia UAE | Fleet | Added capacity ABY A320 | 2025 May 14 |
| MNG Airlines | Intent | New model A350F | TBA |
| JSX Air | Intent | New model AT46 | 2027 3031 |
| Uganda Airlines | Fleet | Added capacity ALW E145 | 2025 Jun 15 |
| Air Hong Kong | Intent | Retire model A306F | 2025 Jun |
| Bridges Air Cargo | Intent | New model E190F | 2025 Q3 |
| Challenge Airlines IL | Intent | New model B773F | 2025 Jun |
| GP Aviation | Fleet | Removed model A319 | 2025 Mar 05 |
| Aurigny Air Services | Intent | Add capacity IOS DH63 | EOY 2025 |
Fleet Placements
| Lessor | Lessee | Model | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Air | Amazon Air | B767-300 | Start |
| Avion Express Malta | Pegasus Airlines | A320ceo | Start |
| Avion Express Malta | Tunisair | A320ceo | Finish |
| Batik Air Malaysia | flynas | B737-8 | Start |
| Cebu Pacific Air | flyadeal | A320ceo | Start |
| Cebu Pacific Air | flyadeal | A320ceo | Start |
| DAT Danish Air Transport | Arkia Israeli Airlines | A320ceo | Finish |
| DAT Danish Air Transport | JetTime Denmark | A320ceo | Start |
| Electra Airways | Arkia Israeli Airlines | A320ceo | Finish |
| Fly ALS | Uganda Airlines | E145 | Start |
| Flyyo | FlyOne Moldova | A320ceo | Start |
| GetJet Airlines Lithuania | FreeBird Airlines Europe | A320ceo | Start |
| GetJet Airlines Lithuania | Royal Jordanian Airlines | A320ceo | Start |
| GullivAir | Arkia Israeli Airlines | A330-200 | Finish |
| Hello Jets | Israir Airlines | A320ceo | Finish |
| Hi Fly Malta | Air Algerie | A330-200 | Start |
| Hi Fly Malta | RwandAir | A330-200 | Start |
| JetTime Denmark | Air Greenland | B737-800 | Start |
| KlasJet | El Al Israel Airlines | B737-800 | Finish |
| Smartlynx Airlines Latvia | Air Peace | A320ceo | Finish |
| Smartlynx Airlines Malta | Air Peace | A320ceo | Start |
| SmartLynx Estonia | Royal Air Maroc | A320ceo | Finish |
Industry Events
| Event | City | Start | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| FligthGloal - How AI impact crew planning and Operation 2025 | Sutton | 2025 Jun 26 | 2025 Jun 26 |
| IATA Unlocking Efficiency: TACT Air Cargo Solution for Smarter Cargo Operations 2025 | Montreal QB | 2025 Jun 25 | 2025 Jun 25 |
| IATA Wings of Change Focus Africa 2025 | Dakar | 2025 Jul 08 | 2025 Jul 09 |
| IBA The Orders, Outcomes & Outlook 2025 | Paris | 2025 Jun 24 | 2025 Jun 25 |
| ICAO - Facilitation Regional Forum 2025 | Ulaanbaatar | 2025 Jul 07 | 2025 Jul 08 |
Air Transport Profile
Profile: Uzbekistan Airways
Air Transport Profiles & Aviation Industry Activities
Single-source for quick reference to worldwide coverage about aircraft & engines, airlines & fleets, airports & airspaces