Norwegian has signed agreements with the pilot schools OSM Aviation Academy in Norway, Center Air Pilot Academy in Denmark, TFHS in Sweden, and FTEJerez in Spain. The carrier cites an increasing need for pilots in the coming years given the ageing of the current workforce, increased demand for air travel, and rising education costs. It adds that pilot training takes about 20 months, and that students it believes will fit into the company may be offered jobs directly after completing their studies. "With this new agreement, we get the opportunity to get to know the cadets during their education," states Norwegian's people director Guro Poulsen. "This also allows those who are hired by Norwegian to start working immediately while receiving type-rating courses for the aircraft the company operates, as well as other necessary theory and advanced training courses."

The US Federal Aviation Administration has approved Pratt & Whitney's PW1100G engine as an option for the Airbus A321XLR. The variant entered service at Iberia with the alternative CFM International Leap-1A powerplant in November after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency had certificated the aircraft-engine combination in July. EASA is the lead certification authority for Airbus. The first PW1100G-powered A321XLR will enter service in 2025, P&W says. Thirteen customers have selected GTF engines for a total 217 on-order A321XLR jets, the US manufacturer adds. Fleets data lists 477 A321XLRs on order by airlines. Qantas has opted to power its on-order A321XLRs with PW1100Gs, and said in February that deliveries would begin in early 2025. Other operators that have selected the GTF engine include Air Canada, Air Transat, Cebu Pacific, Icelandair, JetBlue, JetSmart, LATAM Airlines, Middle East Airlines, United Airlines and Wizz Air. P&W notes that its upgraded GTF Advantage variant is on track for certification and first engine deliveries in 2025. The new production standard will deliver 4% to 8% higher take-off thrust with up to 1% in additional fuel efficiency and longer time on wing, the manufacturer adds, noting that the new variant will be "fully intermixable and interchangeable with today's model of the GTF". "A321XLR operators will benefit from the GTF's best-in-class fuel efficiency and the lowest carbon emissions available for single aisle aircraft," states P&W president commercial engines Rick Deurloo.

Air New Zealand will start technical demonstration flights of a Beta Technologies ALIA CX300 battery-powered aircraft from April 2025. The programme will initially be based out of Hamilton airport where it will complete a series of proving flights, the carrier states. From there, the Air New Zealand and Beta teams will gradually expand flights to surrounding airports before making the journey to Wellington, where it will complete flights designed to replicate the cargo operation planned in 2026 with New Zealand Post. The programme will allow the airline to understand how this new technology performs in New Zealand before it plans to use the type to fly cargo between Wellington and Blenheim in 2026. The ALIA CX300 is a five-passenger conventional take-off and landing aircraft powered by a single electric motor that has a maximum range of 336nm (622 km). Air New Zealand adds that it has invested in 60kW mobile chargers (to be based at Hamilton, Wellington and Blenheim) that will recharge the ALIA CX300 in around 90 minutes. "We're so thrilled to be moving into the next generation of aviation," says the airline's chief corporate affairs and sustainability officer Kiri Hannifin. "This future is one where we can fulfil our purpose to connect New Zealanders but with a much lower emissions – something we are deeply committed to expediating as quickly as we can to help meet our 2050 net-zero carbon-emissions target."