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Qatar Executive, the private jet charter division of the Qatar Airways Group, has announced a major milestone in private aviation connectivity. By early 2026, every Gulfstream and Bombardier aircraft type in the Qatar Executive fleet will be equipped with Starlink, the world's leading ultra-high-speed, low-latency Internet.This ambitious rollout builds on Qatar Executive's commitment to innovation and client experience. Half of the Gulfstream G650ER's and entire Bombardier Global 5000's fleet are already operating with Starlink, delivering seamless, ultra-fast Internet that allows passengers to work, stream, and communicate at ground-like speeds.All installations are performed in-house and will continue at a record pace with all remaining G650ER's and the entire G700 fleet scheduled for completion by early 2026.Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Badr Mohammed Al Meer said: "We are pleased to consistently go above and beyond the expectations of our clients. By equipping our entire ultra-long-range fleet with Starlink, and completing installations with our own skilled technical teams, we are now setting a new standard for private aviation as well. This initiative aligns with our relentless commitment to excellence, delivering an experience that goes beyond expectations and truly feels like a home in the sky."The fleet-wide upgrade, combined with Qatar Executive's world-class service, creates an exclusive and unmatched experience that elevates connectivity and enhances synergies across the Qatar Airways Group.Qatar Executive is the private jet charter division of the Qatar Airways Group. Luxury jet services are available for worldwide charter on board the operator's wholly-owned business jet fleet.The ultramodern fleet includes eight Gulfstream G700's, fifteen Gulfstream G650ER's, two Bombardier Global 5000's and one Airbus A319CJ, all of which operate on a ‘floating fleet' concept, repositioning as needed, around the world, to meet customer demand and minimising the flying required to move from one customer to the next.

Boeing Co expects to generate cash again in 2026, a significant reversal in the planemaker’s finances as it prepares to boost monthly production rates of its passenger aircraft.The US company expects positive free cash flow to reach the “low-single digits” billions of dollars next year, reversing the $2bn cash burn seen for 2025, said Boeing Chief Financial Officer Jay Malave, in his first solo presentation at an investor conference since taking over the post in August.The assurances propelled Boeing’s shares, with the stock advancing as much as 9.2%, the most since April. Malave’s comments provided the first detailed look at the planemaker’s cash projections for 2026, a year when Boeing’s comeback should gain momentum if jet deliveries keep rising while factories and the supply chain stabilise.Longer term, the company still expects to eventually reach the $10bn cash-generation target outlined by the previous management team, Malave said. That goal, initially set for 2025, had been pushed back repeatedly as Boeing battled through a series of crises.“There’s just no reason why we can’t get to that once we get to these higher rates on the aircraft,” Malave told a UBS conference. “I’m very comfortable saying that we can absolutely deliver $10 billion.”Malave’s comments shored up confidence in Boeing, particularly among investors nervous about the planemaker’s comeback after it reported a $4.9bn charge for the latest delay to its 777X jetliner in October, said George Ferguson, analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence.While Boeing had previously predicted its cash generation would vastly improve next year, Malave’s comments carried some weight as an outsider who joined Boeing from defence rival Lockheed Martin Corp, Ferguson said.“Fleshing out for next year is a nice confirmation” that Boeing’s operations remain on-track, he said. “And Airbus’s issues this week are a reminder that it’s not a one-horse race.”The CFO cited a steadily improving production cadence in Boeing’s factories, especially for its 737 Max and 787 Dreamliner jets, and the reduction of its inventory of undelivered aircraft as reasons for optimism, alongside improving profitability at its defence division and steady growth for its services operations.Analysts expect Boeing to generate $2.46bn in free cash flow next year, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg. They’ve pared their free cash flow predictions by more than half since mid-July on the slower-than-expected certification of the 777X, pushing its largest in-production jet more than seven years behind schedule. Malave said the delay would bring about $2 billion of “pressure” to next year’s cash generation.The company also expects to make a large payment to the US Justice Department next year to resolve a case stemming from two fatal crashes of its 737 Max. Malave also cautioned that the largest 737 model, the Max 10, likely won’t be certified for commercial service until later in 2026, pushing some deliveries into 2027.Boeing’s free cash flow hasn’t been positive on an annual basis since 2023. After years of turmoil, the planemaker is working to whittle down its debt load and invest in projects that will secure its future.Adding urgency to the turnaround is the fact that the company faces $8bn in debt payments next year, and plans to quickly pay down another $3bn in Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc obligations once the acquisition of the supplier closes. Approval of the complex deal reuniting Boeing with its former subsidiary is in the latter stages, Malave said.Boeing lost a cumulative $39bn during the first half of this decade, including $13.1bn last year as it faced a crippling strike and a near-catastrophe that sparked federal investigations and a leadership shake-up. 

Air travel has never been more global, yet some of the most obvious city pairs still have no non-stop flights. These gaps persist not because demand is weak, but because distance, aircraft performance, economics, and geopolitics still shape which routes airlines are willing to fly. Some of the world’s most heavily travelled long-haul flows remain entirely one-stop. Others, long ignored, have recently been connected for the first time — and often with immediate success.“Unserved” does not mean “unused”. Many of these city pairs move hundreds of passengers a day via Doha, Dubai, Istanbul, London, Singapore, or Los Angeles. What they lack is a nonstop operation that can be sustained year-round at a commercially acceptable margin. In some cases, the aircraft exist but the risk appetite does not. In others, geopolitical realities or bilateral restrictions make the route impossible. And in many cases, the demand exists but is too fragmented across seasons to support a single ultralong-haul aircraft tied up for 16-18 hours.One of the clearest examples is Cairo–Los Angeles. Egypt and the United States have strong tourism flows, a sizeable diaspora, and rising business links. Yet there is still no nonstop between Cairo and LAX. Passengers instead travel through Europe or the Gulf on itineraries that stretch to 18 hours or more. The issue is not the absence of passengers, but the absence of year-round premium demand that could support the cost of deploying an A350 or 777 on such a long mission.London–Canberra is another intriguing gap. The UK and Australia have never been closer in aviation terms; Qantas now flies nonstop from London to Perth. Yet the national capital, Canberra, still has no direct link to London. Canberra’s runway length, altitude, and relatively modest local catchment limit its viability for an ultralong-haul operation. Sydney is nearby, and passengers overwhelmingly connect through there instead, making point-to-point Canberra a difficult commercial proposition.Asia to South America is full of large unserved flows. Tokyo–Lima is a prime example. The Japanese-Peruvian community is substantial, and trade between the two countries has grown. But the route is too far for current aircraft to operate nonstop without severe payload penalties. Travellers route through the United States or Mexico, adding hours to the trip.India also has significant long-haul gaps. São Paulo–Delhi stands out as one of the most important missing connections between two major emerging-market economies. The traffic exists, but it is fragmented across Europe, the Gulf, and Africa. No airline has yet found the right combination of aircraft, schedule, and connecting feed to justify the nonstop. Mumbai–Los Angeles is another example. Despite the strong commercial and cultural ties between India and the West Coast of the United States, the route remains unserved. It is within the range of the 777-200LR or A350-900, but ultralong-haul flights require consistently strong premium demand, and Indian carriers have historically focused on more established long-haul markets.In Southeast Asia, Jakarta–Los Angeles remains one of the most obvious missing nonstops. Indonesia is the region’s largest economy, and Los Angeles is a major gateway for Pacific Rim travel. Yet carriers still route passengers through Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, or the Gulf because no airline has the right long-haul fleet mix or network structure to support a dedicated service.While some major gaps remain, the last decade has seen formerly unserved routes become commercially viable for the first time. Technology, network sophistication, and changing demand patterns have created new possibilities.New York–Auckland is perhaps the clearest example. For years, the route was dismissed as too far and too thin. Today, both Air New Zealand and Qantas operate it with modern long-range aircraft, supported by a combination of premium leisure traffic and strong connecting markets at both ends.Perth–London went through a similar evolution. The idea of a nonstop “Kangaroo Route” was discussed for decades, but only became feasible when Qantas deployed the 787-9 in a low-density configuration and invested in connecting flows via Perth. The route has become one of the airline’s most successful long-haul launches.Doha–Auckland, one of the world’s longest commercial flights, redefined what a Gulf hub could support. Qatar Airways connected New Zealand directly to a vast network spanning Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. By aggregating multiple mid-sized flows rather than relying solely on point-to-point traffic, the airline turned a theoretical route into a consistent performer.Africa has also seen long-ignored routes return. Lagos–Washington Dulles sat unserved for years, with travellers connecting through Europe or the Middle East. United Airlines has now launched a nonstop service, demonstrating how a strong hub on the US side can make West Africa more accessible without a stop. Meanwhile, São Paulo–Johannesburg, withdrawn when South African Airways restructured, has been relaunched by LATAM, restoring a direct link between South America and southern Africa.These examples show how quickly the map can change once aircraft technology improves and an airline with the right network sees an opportunity. The A350, 787, and 777-200LR have opened possibilities that were once beyond reach. The next generation — including the A350-900ULR variants and long-range narrowbodies — will push the limits further.But the world’s unserved routes persist for reasons that technology alone cannot solve. Geography matters. Ultralong-haul flights tie up expensive aircraft for long periods, magnifying the financial impact of any delay or operational disruption. Demand profiles matter too. Many of the world’s largest indirect markets have strong economy-class flows but weaker year-round premium yields, which makes nonstop service unviable. And geopolitics can be decisive; airspace restrictions in Russia or parts of the Middle East add hours of flying time and alter the economics of east–west long-hauls.Many of today’s major unserved routes will eventually launch as aircraft improve and markets mature. Others may remain one-stop indefinitely, not because of a lack of desire from travellers, but because even the most advanced aircraft cannot change the underlying economics of global aviation.The author is an aviation analyst. X handle: @AlexInAir. 

When Airbus acquired Bombardier’s C Series programme in 2018 and rebranded it as the A220, the move instantly gave the aircraft new credibility. The jet represented a bold new direction in narrowbody design — a quiet, efficient, and passenger-friendly aircraft intended to bridge the gap between regional jets and larger single-aisle models like the A320. Airlines praised its fuel efficiency, its range, and the comfort it offered on short- and medium-haul routes. But behind the success story, one problem has persisted since the aircraft’s earliest days: The Pratt & Whitney PW1500G engine. What began as an engineering breakthrough has turned into one of the longest-running maintenance and reliability challenges in modern commercial aviation, affecting dozens of airlines and forcing repeated groundings across the global fleet. The issue came to a head again this month when Swiss International Air Lines announced it would ground its entire A220-100 fleet following renewed engine problems. It’s a familiar story for operators of the aircraft, and one that continues to shape schedules, capacity, and costs. At the heart of the issue lies the Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan, or GTF, the family of engines that powers not only the A220 but also the Airbus A320neo and Embraer E2 series. The technology was revolutionary when it was introduced. By adding a gearbox between the fan and the turbine, Pratt allowed each section to spin at its optimal speed, significantly improving fuel burn and reducing noise. The results were impressive — double-digit efficiency gains and quieter operations — but the real-world reliability of the engine has never caught up with its ambition. The PW1500G has suffered a range of durability and materials issues, from premature wear on turbine components to microscopic contamination in powdered-metal parts. These are not theoretical concerns: They translate into repeated removals, lengthy inspections, and severe shortages of serviceable engines. Swiss, the A220’s launch operator, has dealt with the problem since 2019, when several inflight engine shutdowns triggered emergency inspections. Pratt & Whitney introduced a series of technical fixes and software updates that temporarily eased the issue, but the underlying reliability concerns have never been fully resolved. Other carriers have fared no better. AirBaltic, which operates one of the largest A220 fleets in the world, has had to lease aircraft from other airlines to cover cancelled flights. Delta Air Lines and Air Canada have reported schedule disruptions due to engine maintenance. Korean Air and EgyptAir have also faced extended groundings. For some operators, as many as 30 to 40% of their aircraft have been unavailable at any one time. The roots of the problem go back to manufacturing. In 2023, Pratt & Whitney disclosed that a powdered-metal contamination had affected the production of certain engine components across its entire GTF family. The discovery meant that hundreds of engines — possibly more than 1,200 — would require detailed inspection or overhaul between 2024 and 2026. Each inspection involves partial disassembly and advanced testing, a process that can take months per engine. With global maintenance capacity already constrained, the backlog has become a major operational bottleneck. For airlines, the consequences are tangible. Grounded aircraft mean lost revenue, disrupted schedules, and higher leasing costs as carriers scramble to source replacement capacity. Swiss’s decision to temporarily suspend operations of one variant was the most public example yet, but across the industry, the pressure is mounting. AirBaltic’s chief executive has described the situation as “an operational crisis that no airline can plan for.” Pratt & Whitney, now part of RTX, maintains that the long-term fix is underway. The company says new-build engines incorporate redesigned parts that eliminate the metallurgical defect, and that repair capacity is expanding through additional maintenance partners. It has allocated billions of dollars to compensate airlines and accelerate repairs. Yet the recovery timeline remains long. By its own estimates, most of the affected engines will not be fully cycled through inspection and rebuild until at least 2026. The problem is not only technical but logistical. Global engine-maintenance facilities are already operating at full capacity, and spare engines are scarce. Many airlines are keeping aircraft grounded for lack of available replacements. Engine turn times that once took 60 days can now stretch to 200 or more. For carriers with smaller fleets, the financial and operational strain is acute. The A220’s predicament is a reminder of how dependent modern aircraft programmes are on their engine suppliers. Unlike the A320neo, which can be fitted with either Pratt & Whitney or CFM engines, the A220 was designed exclusively around the PW1500G. That decision simplified certification but has left operators without alternatives. The aircraft’s performance is outstanding — when it flies. Airbus remains publicly confident in the A220’s long-term prospects. The manufacturer continues to secure new orders, particularly from North American and European carriers looking for efficient replacements for ageing regional and short-haul jets. Production rates are being increased, and airlines continue to praise the jet’s economics when operational. But every grounding chips away at that confidence. Airbus can build and deliver aircraft, but the engines that power them are Pratt’s responsibility, and the A220’s success now depends on how quickly the engine maker can deliver lasting stability. For Pratt & Whitney, the reputational cost has been significant. The geared-turbofan concept remains an engineering achievement, but the recurring maintenance issues have eroded trust among airlines. The company has been forced to spend heavily on warranty claims, compensation, and production adjustments. Investors and analysts have questioned whether the cost of fixing the GTF family could exceed its long-term profit potential. The industry, meanwhile, is learning a wider lesson about risk concentration. Aircraft today are designed with remarkable efficiency, but that efficiency comes at the price of integration. When a single supplier encounters systemic issues, the ripple effect is global. The GTF’s problems have affected hundreds of aircraft across multiple manufacturers, and the shortage of spare engines has highlighted how dependent airlines are on a few industrial bottlenecks. The A220 itself remains one of the most advanced aircraft in the skies — quiet, efficient, and well-liked by passengers. Its operational troubles are not of Airbus’s making, nor of the airlines that operate it. They stem from an ambitious engine design that has yet to achieve the reliability modern commercial aviation demands. The author is an aviation analyst. X handle: @AlexInAir.

The Turkish Ministry of National Defense announced Wednesday that 20 military personnel were killed when one of its cargo planes crashed on Tuesday near Azerbaijan-Georgia border.The cause of the crash will be determined following a detailed examination of the wreckage by a Turkish investigation team, according to the Turkish Anadolu Agency (AA), citing the Ministry of Defense.The Ministry had earlier confirmed that the wreckage of the aircraft had been located and that 20 people were on board, including the crew.

The Gerald Ford aircraft carrier strike group has moved into the Latin America region, US officials said Tuesday, dramatically escalating a military buildup that has deepened tensions with Venezuela. President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of the Ford last month, adding to the eight warships, a nuclear submarine and F-35 aircraft already in the Caribbean.The Ford, which was commissioned in 2017, is the United States' newest aircraft carrier and the world's largest, with more than 5,000 sailors aboard.The Pentagon confirmed the arrival, which was first reported by Reuters, saying in a statement it would help "disrupt narcotics trafficking and degrade and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations." Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has repeatedly alleged that the US buildup is designed to drive him from power.Washington in August doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest to $50mn, accusing him of links to drug trafficking and criminal groups that Maduro denies.The US military has carried out at least 19 strikes so far against suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and off the Pacific coasts of Latin America, killing at least 76 people.When the US first announced the Ford's deployment, Maduro warned that if the US ever intervened in the country, "millions of men and women with rifles would march across the country."Venezuela is deploying weapons, including decades-old Russian-made equipment, and isplanning to mount a guerrilla-style resistanceor sow chaos in the event of a US air or ground attack, according to sources with knowledge of the efforts and planning documents seen by Reuters.Tensions between the United States and Venezuela's neighbour, Colombia, have also spiked in recent weeks, with Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro trading barbs. Trump has called Petro an "illegal drug leader" and imposed sanctions on him. The leftist Colombian president has accused the US of committing "murder" with its strikes.A Reuters visual investigation found the US military is upgrading a long-abandoned former Cold War naval base in the Caribbean, suggesting preparations for sustained operations that could help support possible actions inside Venezuela.The deployment of the Ford, however, is a far more overt demonstration of US military readiness. With only 11 aircraft carriers in the US military's arsenal, they are a scarce resource and their schedules are usually set well in advance — making the Trump administration's surprise announcement last month unusual.The Ford carrier, which includes a nuclear reactor, can hold more than 75 military aircraft, including fighter aircraft like the F-18 Super Hornet jets and the E-2 Hawkeye, which can act as an early warning system.The Ford also includes sophisticated radars that can help control air traffic and navigation.The supporting ships, such as the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser Normandy, Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers Thomas Hudner, Ramage, Carney, and Roosevelt, include surface-to-air, surface-to-surface, and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

North Korea's defence minister vows 'more offensive action' a day after missile testSouth Korea's defence ministry denounces North Korea's missile testNorth Korea criticises US-South Korea security talks, US carrier visit to BusanUS says missile launch highlights North's destabilising effectNorth Korea’s defence minister No Kwang-chol threatened Saturday to take “more offensive action” as he condemned US security talks with Seoul and the arrival of a US aircraft carrier in South Korea.A day earlier, North Korea fired a ballistic missile towards the sea off its east coast, after denouncing on Thursday fresh US sanctions against North Korean individuals and entities that Washington said were involved in cyber-related money-laundering schemes.South Korea’s defence ministry Saturday condemned the missile launch, while saying the North’s criticism of the US-South Korea meeting was regrettable.No criticised a recent visit by US and South Korean defence chiefs to the border between North and South Korea, as well as their subsequent security talks in Seoul, alleging they were conspiring to step up deterrence efforts towards the North and to integrate their nuclear and conventional forces.“This is a stark revelation and an unveiled intentional expression of their hostile nature to stand against the DPRK to the end,” No said, referring to the country’s formal name - the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday the core of the alliance with Seoul will remain focused on deterring North Korea, although Washington will look at flexibility for US troops stationed in South Korea to operate against regional threats.No also said the visit of the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington to South Korea’s southeastern port city of Busan this week following US-South Korean joint air drills with Seoul had escalated tensions on the peninsula.“We will show more offensive action against the enemies’ threat on the principle of ensuring security and defending peace by dint of powerful strength,” No said, according to North Korean state media KCNA.South Korea’s navy said the carrier’s visit was to replenish supplies and grant leave for the crew.While visiting South Korea last week, US President Donald Trump repeated his willingness to sit down with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. No meeting took place, but Trump said he was willing to return to the region to meet Kim.Last week, North Korea also test-fired cruise missiles to the west of the Korean peninsula just as Trump and other leaders were set to gather in South Korea for regional meetings. Regarding the latest missile launch, the US Indo-Pacific Command said on Saturday that it “does not pose an immediate threat to US personnel or territory, or to our allies”. “The missile launch highlights the destabilising impact” of North Korea’s actions, it added.

Two Palestinian children were killed and several others injured today when Israeli aircraft bombed a school sheltering displaced families in Gaza City.According to Palestinian news agency WAFA, Israeli drones carried out multiple strikes on the Al Sabra neighborhood in the city's northwest, coinciding with heavy artillery fire and the detonation of explosive-laden vehicles in the same area. At the same time, Israeli forces continued to demolish residential buildings around Gaza City, while warplanes launched a series of air raids on the Tel Al-Hawa district in the city's southwest.In central Gaza Strip, Israeli artillery shelled the northern parts of Al Bureij refugee camp, and occupation forces opened fire on Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid near the Netzarim corridor. An Israeli airstrike near the electricity company in Al Nuseirat refugee camp caused extensive damage to several facilities and civilian infrastructure. The ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza, which began on Oct. 7, 2023, has now killed 65,174 people and injured 166,071 others, the vast majority of them women and children, amid what humanitarian agencies describe as an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.

The 10th Amiri Air Force aircraft arrived in the Afghan capital, Kabul, carrying urgent medical aid provided by the Qatar Fund For Development (QFFD) to support the healthcare sector, as part of the airlift being operated by the State of Qatar to help alleviate the suffering of the brotherly Afghan people following the earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan.The aid includes essential medicines, intravenous fluids, and a number of vital supplies needed to save lives, aimed at strengthening the capacity of hospitals and frontline health facilities to meet urgent needs.The Ministry of Public Health in Afghanistan received the aid to ensure its prompt and effective distribution to the affected communities.These efforts come as part of the State of Qatar's continued support for the Afghan people and reflects the country's firm commitment to humanitarian solidarity and support for those impacted by natural disasters.The State continues its steady approach to providing humanitarian aid, despite the Israeli attack, driven by its ethical responsibility and leading humanitarian role at both regional and international levels.

Boeing Co delivered 57 commercial aircraft in August, its best performance for the month since 2018, in the latest sign of steadying factory operations as the US planemaker targets faster production rates.The tally, which included 43 of Boeing’s 737 family of jets, is the second-highest of the year and marks an uptick from July, according to data posted Tuesday on the company’s website. August’s results underscore Boeing’s recent improvements in stabilising its factories as the manufacturer prepares to ask regulators for permission to return output of the best-selling jet to pre-Covid levels.Gross orders for Boeing totalled 26 during the month against two cancellations. The company recorded 83 net orders, including those added to its backlog under a US accounting provision for at-risk deals. For the year, the US planemaker has landed 725 gross orders against 600 for Toulouse, France-based Airbus SE.Boeing has started to narrow an output gap with market leader Airbus that’s stood since the US manufacturer fell into a series of crises starting with the first of two fatal 737 Max crashes in late 2018. Through August, Boeing has delivered 385 jets this year to 434 for its European rival, which handed over 61 aircraft for the month.Since the beginning of 2024, Boeing’s output deficit to Airbus has narrowed by more than half, based on the average of trailing six-month deliveries, according to Jefferies analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu.Jefferies estimates of 6-month average gap in Boeing-Airbus deliveries.Boeing is sharing with US regulators a series of measures of the health of its production system ahead of a formal request to speed its 737 assembly lines to a pace of 42 jets per month, from the current cap of 38.The company has told airline customers it’s optimistic it will be able to raise rates by October, Ryanair Holdings Plc Chief Executive Officer Michael O’Leary told reporters on August 27.

Five Qatari Amiri Air Force aircraft carrying humanitarian aid provided by the Qatar Fund for Development arrived in the Afghan capital, Kabul.The aid is part of the airlift being operated by the State of Qatar to help alleviate the suffering of the brotherly Afghan people following the earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan.This brings the total number of aircraft to nine.The aid includes field hospitals fully equipped with medical and surgical equipment. It also includes tents and basic hygiene kits.The Internal Security Force's (Lekhwiya) Qatar International Search and Rescue Group sent specialized teams for the search and rescue operations, and removing rubble with their equipment, in addition to a field medical team ready to provide urgent care. The aid comes in light of Qatar's continued support for the Afghan people and reflects the country's firm commitment to humanitarian solidarity and support for those impacted by natural disasters.