Gabonese carrier Afrijet has ordered one ATR 42-600 and taken an option for another of the type with the airframer. Delivery of the first aircraft is scheduled for 2025, while a slot in 2026 has been allocated to the option. ATR says the on-order aircraft will replace an ATR 42-500 in Afrijet's fleet and operate for FlyGabon in a 46-seat layout. FlyGabon operates two ATR 72-600s today, the airframer notes. "The acquisition of this ATR 42-600 represents a significant step forward in FlyGabon's fleet development," states Afrijet general manager Nyl Moret-Mba. Fleets data shows that Afrijet has four ATR 72-600s, one ATR 42-500 and one ATR 72-500 freighter.

Emirates will introduce its refurbished Boeing 777 with enhanced cabins on Chicago, Boston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Seattle routes and Miami via Bogota and Newark via Athens linked routes. The Dubai-based carrier says it is planning to deploy the aircraft on its Chicago and Boston routes from 1 November and 10 December, respectively. The 777 aircraft will be deployed from 9 January 2025 on the Dallas Fort Worth route and from 24 January 2025 for the Seattle route. The carrier will also use this aircraft on Newark/Athens and Miami/Bogota flights from 10 February 2025 and 1 March 2025, respectively. The four-class 777 features six or eight first class suites, 38 or 40 business class seats in a 1-2-1 arrangement, 24 seats in premium economy, and 256 economy class seats. With the deployment of its 777 aircraft, flights to and from 10 of the 12 gateways in its US network will feature premium economy by February 2025. These products will also be available to two cities in Latin America, with Bogota joining Sao Paulo.

Boeing is implementing rolling furloughs to deal with the cash flow impact of a strike that has crippled production of its 737 Max, 767 and 777 lines. The action was announced in a memo to staff from new president and chief executive Kelly Ortberg, who said that while talks were continuing to resolve the strike, "it is important that we take difficult steps to preserve cash and ensure that Boeing is able to successfully recover." "As part of this effort, we are initiating temporary furloughs over the coming days that will impact a large number of US-based executives, managers and employees," he adds in the 18 September memo. The memo states that Boeing is "planning for selected employees to take one week of furlough every four weeks on a rolling basis for the duration of the strike". Ortberg adds that he and the Boeing management team will also take pay reductions over the duration of the strike. Around 33,000 workers in the Puget Sound region of Washington state, Portland and California, represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers 761 and W24 districts started their strike on 13 September after over 90% voted to reject a new labour agreement that had been recommended by the union's leaders. Despite the impact of the strike and the furloughs, Ortberg says that critical safety, quality and customer support functions will be given priority and continue, while 787 production will also continue. Those jets are assembled by non-union labour at its North Charleston, South Carolina facility. Boeing is also expected to focus on clearing its inventory of jets that have not yet been delivered jets to keep up its cash flow. This is likely to include several Boeing 737 Maxes for Chinese airlines following regulatory pauses on deliveries earlier this year. Despite the furlough measures, Ortberg says that Boeing remains committed to continuing discussions with the IAM to reach a new agreement and end the strike.