Air Baltic has reaffirmed its commitment to resuming scheduled flights to and from Ukraine as soon as the country's airspace reopens and all necessary approvals are secured. A delegation from the Latvian airline visited Kyiv this week to meet with local stakeholders about restoring air connectivity, the Latvian carrier says. The carrier plans to reintegrate Kyiv and Lviv into its route network once conditions allow, with expanded connections linking Ukraine not only with Riga but also with Tallinn and Vilnius. During their visit, the delegation met with representatives from Ukraine's Ministry of Development of Communities and Territories, Boryspil International airport, and the Latvian Embassy. Air Baltic president Martin Gauss states: "We have consistently expressed our plans for AirBaltic to be the first airline back in Ukraine when it is safe, and we stand by this commitment. The safety of our employees, passengers, and operations will always be our highest priority, and following our second in-person visit to Kyiv, preparations for our return are well underway." In preparation for its return, AirBaltic has integrated the Ukrainian language into its official website to enhance accessibility for Ukrainian-speaking customers. The airline currently operates nearly 130 routes from Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Tampere and, seasonally, Gran Canaria.

US carrier Spirit Airlines has emerged from its Chapter 11 restructuring process. The Dania Beach, Florida-based carrier had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2024. Spirit in February won approval for its plan of reorganisation under Chapter 11 bankruptcy from the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. "With this approval in place, the company expects to emerge from Chapter 11 in the coming weeks," Spirit said on 20 February. Chief executive Ted Christie will retain his position, as will the rest of the existing executive team, Spirit said on 12 March. "We're pleased to complete our streamlined restructuring and emerge in a stronger financial position to continue our transformation and investments in the guest experience," Christie states. "Throughout this process, we've continued to make meaningful progress enhancing our product offerings, while also focusing on returning to profitability and positioning our airline for long-term success. Today, we're moving forward with our strategy to redefine low-fare travel with our new, high-value travel options." Spirit has reconstituted its board, which includes Christie and new members Robert Milton, David Siegel, Timothy Bernlohr, Eugene Davis, Andrea Fischer Newman and Radha Tilton. It notes that with its emergence from its financial restructuring, it has complete "a consensual, deleveraging transaction that equitises approximately $795 million of funded debt". Spirit adds that it has also received a $350 million equity investment from existing investors to support future initiatives. On 11 February, Spirit reiterated its intention not to merge with Frontier Airlines after the latest proposal and counter-proposal exchanged between the US carriers failed to culminate in an agreement. Spirit said at the time that it will "continue swiftly to advance and conclude its restructuring process, which will significantly deleverage the company and position it for long-term success".

EasyJet plans to implement its APU-Zero project at Milan Malpensa airport following a successful trial in September 2024. The carrier says the initiative involves turning off aircraft Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) during turnarounds and replacing them with electric and hybrid Pre-Conditioning Air Units (PCAs) that connect to the airport's Fixed Electrical Ground Power. The project, developed in collaboration with TCR, PCA manufacturer Guinault, and ground handler Menzies Aviation, with support from SEA Milan airports, aims to reduce fuel consumption, carbon emissions and noise pollution during ground operations. During the trial, which involved 57 aircraft at Milan Malpensa's Terminal 2, EasyJet demonstrated that the PCAs could effectively provide heating, cooling air and power to stationary aircraft. Easyjet director of sustainability Lahiru Ranasinghe states: "This trial, part of our operational efficiencies workstream, resulted in fuel and emissions savings and a reduction in noise, without affecting our operation. This is yet another small but important step that contributes to our broader decarbonisation journey and is an excellent example of an initiative that provides both environmental and business benefits." The airline estimates the full implementation will save approximately 1,150 tonnes of fuel annually, equivalent to 3,600 tonnes of CO2. The rollout will involve deploying 16 PCA units at Milan Malpensa, with six units being added in March, six more in April, and the final four in May 2025.