Malaysia Airlines has taken delivery the first of 20 Airbus A330neos from lessor Avolon in Toulouse. Fleets data shows the aircraft as bearing registration 9M-MNG (MSN 2080), with flight tracking sources showing that the jet is expected to arrive in Kuala Lumpur on 29 November. The aircraft is configured with a two-class layout with 297 seats, states Avolon. The carrier’s parent company Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) agreed in 2022 to lease 20 Airbus A330-900s from Avolon with 10 from the lessor’s orderbook and another 10 acquired from MAG via sale-and-leaseback with deliveries scheduled through 2028. “We are proud to have partnered with MAG on a complex and unique transaction, says Avolon chief executive Andy Cronin, adding: “With global supply of widebody aircraft extremely limited these aircraft are a core element of MAG’s fleet renewal strategy, allowing them to capitalise on the continuing recovery in the Asian aviation market.” The aircraft was initially scheduled for delivery in the third quarter of 2024 but was delayed due to “findings identified by Airbus during the flight line stage”, according to an October statement by MAG. The airline now expects to receive five A330neos by the first quarter of 2025.

Thai Airways International plans to raise up to Bt44 billion ($1.27 billion) through its offering of 9.82 billion shares at Bt4.48 per share, as it looks to exit its rehabilitation plan and resume trading by the second quarter of 2025 The carrier says the period for subscribing to the newly issued ordinary shares is from 6-12 December, with a subscription ratio of 1 existing share to 4.5 new shares, according to a 26 November Thai stock exchange filing. In a separate press release, Piyasvasti Amranand, chairman of its Business Rehabilitation Plan Executive Committee, says unsubscribed shares will be offered through a private placement at the same price. The carrier has allocated about 21 billion new shares to creditors through a mandatory debt-to-equity swap and voluntary conversion, representing a total debt of Bt53.5 billion. The shares were converted at Bt2.55 per share. The debt-to-equity swap "will result in the shareholders’ equity in Thai Airways’ financial statements becoming positive by the end of this year, achieving one of the conditions for terminating the business rehabilitation," states Amranand. As of 30 September, the carrier’s shareholders' equity stood at negative Bt27.8 billion. The capital restructuring is expected to be completed by the end of this year, after which Thai will apply to cancel its rehabilitation plan with the Central Bankruptcy Court.

Australia's competition watchdog has granted interim authorisation to Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways that allows them to start marketing new weekly flights between Australia and Doha under a wet lease arrangement that will start in June 2025. "We consider that granting interim authorisation now will allow Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia the lead time to undertake the necessary planning discussions, marketing, selling and system alignment in preparation for Virgin Australia to commence flying the new services by June 2025," ACCC deputy chair Mick Keogh says. The proposed Virgin flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Doha would start in June, and Perth from November, subject to other approvals. Qatar will operate the flights under a wet lease arrangement with Virgin, effectively allowing it to circumvent restrictions under the Qatar-Australia bilateral air services agreement. Data shows that the Qatari carrier operates 42 return flights per week from Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney to Doha. As part of the interim authorization, the two airlines have agreed to a court-enforceable undertaking that would allow passengers to receive refunds or alternative flights if final regulatory clearance is denied. The arrangement is part of a wider tie-up between the two airlines announced in October, with Qatar poised to take a 25% stake in Virgin, which will be subject to approval from Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board. Despite granting interim authorisation, the ACCC reiterated that it is continuing to assess submissions for the five-year authorisation the airlines have sought. A draft determination is set to be released in February. “We are carefully considering the concerns that interested parties have raised, particularly around the wet lease arrangements and the impact of the proposed exclusivity arrangements between Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways,” says Keogh. That exclusivity arrangement would see Qatar become Virgin's exclusive partner in the Middle East or Turkiye, and Virgin its sole partner in Australia. Virgin has already flagged to customers that its codeshare and loyalty partnership with Etihad Airways will end in June, however it will continue its partnership with Singapore Airlines.