Asia-Pacific Aerospace Briefs Today
March 24th 2025
Today’s briefs report news from Air India, ATR, BOC Aviation, Cathay Pacific, Cebu Pacific, FedEx, SITA, Thai Airways International, Virgin Australia and Viva Energy. Read More »
Air India has opened a Centre of Digital Innovation in Kochi. “At Air India, we believe equipping our frontline employees with tech-enabled systems will help us provide a greater level of customer service to our guests,” Air India CEO, Campbell Wilson, said.
Cebu Pacific has agreed with the Department of Migrant Workers and Aboitiz InfraCapital Cebu Airport Corporation to build an overseas foreign worker processing centre at Mactan-Cebu Airport. The centre, aimed at streamlining processing of key travel documents, is schedule for a June opening.
FedEx Corp has reported a net profit of US$910 million for calendar 2024 against US$880 million in 2023. Revenue improved 2.3% to US$22.2 billion, FedEx said. The company’s financial report said its Federal Express subsidiary has exercised options to purchase eight 777Fs with three to be delivered in 2026 and the remaining five in 2027. Federal Express has pushed back the retirement of its MD-11s from 2028 to 2032.
As well, ATR said Federal Express has ordered 10 72-600F freighters with deliveries from 2027 to 2029. The order was signed in 2024 but attributed to an undisclosed customer. The 10 freighter commitment is in addition to the air freight group’s previous order of 30 ATR turboprops.
The Cathay Cargo Terminal in Hong Kong has received International Air Transport Association Security Management System certification.
In other Cathay news, the airline group has launched its annual youth-focused community service initiative, I Can Fly, which this year aims to support 2,000 young people to find their career in the aviation industry.
SITA and Orange Business have agreed a five-year contract extension covering Orange’s aviation connectivity networks.
Thai Airways International will purchase four 777-300ERs it is leasing from BOC Aviation with the sale expected to be completed this year.
Virgin Australia is purchasing sustainable aviation fuel produced from waste and residue feed stocks that will be used on flights departing from Proserpine in northern Queensland.
