Lufthansa Group will launch its new long-haul experience "Allegris" cabin product aboard an Airbus A350 flying from Munich to Vancouver on 1 May. The group says Toronto is the second destination which will be served alternately with Vancouver on selected flights in the first few months. It adds that with further A350s delivered, the Allegris cabin will also be used on flights to Chicago and Montreal this summer. Lufthansa plans to equip over 80 new aircraft such as Boeing 787-9s, A350s and 777-9s with its new long-haul product Allegris. It notes that its 747-8s will also receive the new product. Around 27,000 new seats will be installed with the business class seats manufactured by Stelia, Collins and Thompson, premium economy class seats by ZIM and economy class seats by Recaro. The group will invest €2.5 billion ($2.7 billion) in product and service improvements until 2025. Lufthansa notes that the new Allegris experience allows its passengers to create their own individual travel experience – with choices in seats, meal

United Airlines has converted a portion of its Boeing Max 10 orders scheduled for delivery from 2025 through 2027 to Max 9s, and may convert additional Max 10s to Max 8 and 9 aircraft. Additionally, the US major says it has signed letters of intent with two lessors to receive 35 new Airbus A321neos with CFM engines in 2026 and 2027. The Max order conversions and A321neo leasing deals disclosed on 16 April follow long-term manufacturing slowdowns at Boeing and Airbus, delayed certification of the Max 10 and the Alaska Airlines Max 9 door-plug blowout event on 5 January, which forced United to temporarily ground its 79 Max 9s. At the end of 2023, United had contractual commitments with manufacturers for 183 narrowbody deliveries this year. The Chicago-based carrier at the beginning of 2024 nevertheless expected manufacturing delays would result in 101 narrowbody deliveries. A further dimming of expectations was to come. "Following the 737 Max 9 grounding and the FAA's announced significant production capacity constraints on Boeing, the company now anticipates 61 narrowbody aircraft and five widebody aircraft to be delivered in 2024," United said on 16 April. United has on order 346 Max jets, 150 787s, 172 A321neos and 45 A350s. "We've adjusted our fleet plan to better reflect the reality of what the manufacturers are able to deliver," United chief executive Scott Kirby states. "We'll use those planes to capitalise on an opportunity that only United has: profitably grow our mid-continent hubs and expand our highly profitable international network from our best in the industry coastal hubs."
United notes that the grounding of its Max 9 fleet earlier in 2024 had a "$200 million impact" on its first-quarter financial results, "without which the company would have reported a quarterly profit". The carrier in the first quarter of 2024 made a net loss of $124 million, narrowing its net loss of $194 million in the same period last year. It made an operating profit of $99 million, reversing its operating loss of $43 million in the first quarter of 2023. United generated $12.5 billion in total operating revenue in the first quarter, up 10% year on year. Total operating expenses grew 8%, to $12.4 billion. The carrier ended the first quarter with liquidity of $16.9 billion, and total debt and finance lease obligations of $27.2 billion.

The EU's aviation regulator and its Chilean counterpart intend to increase their co-operation and work toward common safety and environmental standards. Under a working arrangement signed during the recent FIDAE air show in Santiago, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and Chile's Direccion General de Aeronautica Civil say they have agreed to "facilitate and accomplish the DGAC acceptance or validation of certificates issued by EASA" for aerospace products, parts and appliances. They add that the accord covers co-operation on continuing airworthiness of EASA-approved equipment that has been validated/accepted by the DGAC and on export documentation where such products are being delivered to Chile. Another objective is to "strengthen the regular exchange between the DGAC and EASA with regards to the institutional and regulatory harmonisation and technical requirements in the field of aviation safety, interdependencies between safety and security and environmental protection". The DGAC's aim is "to go through a harmonisation process with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and converge when appropriate with the EU system and EU aviation safety rules and EASA measures. Both sides recognise the continuous trend towards multinational design, production and operation of civil aeronautical products and have considered the need to reduce the economic burden imposed on the aviation industry and protectionist barriers, together with the demand to further promote industrial and scientific co-operation." The working arrangement covers "all regulatory aspects in the domains of civil aviation safety", EASA and the DGAC note.