Boeing's new president and chief executive Kelly Ortberg has promised in a letter to employees that he will be "transparent with you every step of the way, sharing news on progress as well as where we must do things better". "I can't tell you how proud and excited I am to be a member of the Boeing team," Ortberg writes in the 8 August letter which Boeing shared on its website. "While we clearly have a lot of work to do in restoring trust, I'm confident that working together, we will return the company to be the industry leader we all expect." Ortberg said that restoring trust "starts with meeting our commitments – whether that's building high quality, safe commercial aircraft, delivering on defence and space products that allow our customers to meet their mission, or servicing our products to keep our customers running 24/7. "It also means meeting our commitments to each other and working collaboratively across Boeing to meet our goals. People's lives depend on what we do every day, and we must keep that top of mind with every decision we make." Ortberg says he plans to be based in Seattle so he can be close to the company's commercial aircraft programmes, and made mention of the fact that he would be visiting the Renton facility that assembles the 737 Max the day the letter was released to review safety and quality plans and engage with staff. He concludes: "Throughout my career in aerospace over the last three decades, I have had the pleasure to work with The Boeing Company and I've always been impressed with the great employees here. We have what it takes to win, and I'm committed to working with you to focus the company in a way that makes us all proud to be a part of Boeing."

Ethiopian Airlines has signed a contract with Dar Al-Handasah Consultants to develop a "mega airport city" in Bishoftu.
The carrier says that the new project, in collaboration with Zaha Hadid Architects, will have the capacity to accommodate 110 million passengers per year, which is four times the current throughput of Addis Ababa Bole International airport, from which the new airport is 40km removed. The first phase, accommodating 60 million passengers, is set to be completed by 2029. The project includes a 1.1 million sqm terminal, extensive airline support facilities, and over 100,000 sqm of cargo and airport support infrastructure. The new airport will be located at a lower elevation than Addis Ababa, which is one of the world's most elevated airports, presenting what Ethiopian calls "unique operations challenges" for aircraft. Ethiopian Airlines Group chief executive officer Mesfin Tasew states: "The project will not only enhance connectivity but also drive economic growth and prioritise environmentally responsible practices in our country and beyond, reflecting the airline's commitment to innovation and sustainability."

Cathay Pacific has placed a firm order for 30 Airbus A330-900s, with options to acquire an additional 30. The Hong Kong-based carrier says the aircraft are expected to be delivered from 2028 through 2031 and will “progressively replace” its existing fleet of mid-size widebody aircraft. Cathay operates 138 widebodies, comprising 54 Boeing 777s, 47 A350s, 37 A330-300s and 20 747 freighters, fleets data shows. The A330-300 in its fleet has an average age of 14.9 years. Cathay values the order at $11 billion but notes that the actual transaction price will be lower as Airbus has granted “significant price concessions”. The delivery value of the 30 A330neos at $3.5 billion in 2024 economic conditions, based on a full-life base value of $115.3 million an aircraft. The transaction will be financed through bank loans, finance leases, sale-and-leasebacks or cash generated from operations, the carrier details. The incoming aircraft “will principally serve the company’s Asia regional destinations while also providing the flexibility to serve longer-haul destinations at a later stage,” it states. “As Cathay completes the final stretch of its rebuilding journey, we are turning the page to modernisation and growth, both in terms of scope and quality. We are delighted to announce this new order for state-of-the-art A330neo aircraft,” says Cathay Group chief executive officer Ronald Lam. "This latest order from Cathay, one of the world’s most experienced A330 operators, is a major endorsement of the latest generation A330neo. It is the natural successor for existing A330 fleets, bringing the highest levels of technical and operational commonality, and significant reductions in fuel consumption and carbon emissions,” adds Airbus chief executive officer of commercial aircraft, Christian Scherer. Excluding the latest order, Cathay and its subsidiary HK Express have 73 aircraft on order, including 46 A320 family jets, 21 Boeing 777-9s and six A350 freighters, according to its mid-year financial report. CORRECTION: A previous version erroneously stated that the carrier operates 28 A330s instead of 37.