Two Russian nationals have pleaded guilty to a scheme in which they conspired to evade US export laws and regulations and unlawfully send aircraft parts to Russia. The US Department of Justice notes that the scheme began in spring 2022, shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February of that year and the USA enacted enhanced sanctions on Russia. "These defendants smuggled sensitive aircraft technology into Russia following its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and did so in violation of laws designed to protect America's national security," US attorney general Merrick Garland states. The Russian nationals – Oleg Sergeyevhich Patsulya and Vasilii Sergeyevich Besedin, both residents of Florida – pleaded guilty specifically to conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act in connection with their efforts to acquire and unlawfully export controlled aviation technology to Russia. Patsulya also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit international money laundering, the DOJ adds. Patsulya and Besedin conspired with "several others" beginning approximately in May 2022 through May 2023 to acquire aircraft parts from US suppliers – including a supplier based in Arizona – and unlawfully export the parts to Russian commercial airlines. "The defendants admitted to knowing the items were controlled and required a license from the Department of Commerce to export," the DOJ says. Among their smuggling efforts, Patsulya and Besedin exported carbon disc brake systems used on Boeing 737 aircraft, telling US suppliers of the brake system that the parts were intended for countries other than Russia. During the scheme's timespan, US bank accounts associated with a company controlled by Patsulya received approximately $4.6 million sent from Russian airlines through Turkish bank accounts to purchase aircraft parts and components intended for unlawful export, the DOJ says.

Hainan Airlines will reinstate twice weekly flights between Shenzhen and Austria's capital Vienna from 29 May. The route marks its first direct international route to Vienna since the pandemic and is also its ninth international route out of Shenzhen, the Chinese carrier says. Schedules data shows that it is the only carrier to fly between the two cities. It will also be the third route between Vienna and China as Air China flies to the Austrian capital from Beijing Capital, while Austrian serves Shanghai Pudong. From Shenzhen, Hainan also operates direct flights to Vancouver, Paris, Rome, Milan, Brussels, Auckland, Tel Aviv and Cairo.

Alaska Airlines received $160 million in cash from Boeing in the first quarter as part of compensation for the grounding of its 737 Max 9 fleet following the door-plug blowout accident in January, according to a regulatory filing. The airline says its results were "significantly impacted" by Flight 1282 and the subsequent grounding which extended into February. "As a result of the Flight 1282 accident and the Boeing 737-9 Max grounding, we lost approximately $160 million in Q1 pretax profit, primarily comprising lost revenues, costs due to irregular operations, and costs to restore our fleet to operating service," it says in a 4 April Form 8-K filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Alaska expects additional compensation to be provided by Boeing beyond the first quarter, but says the "complete terms" of that compensation are confidential. In January, Alaska grounded its fleet of 65 Max 9 jets after one of the aircraft was forced to return to Portland International shortly after take-off following a door-plug blowout. The US Federal Aviation Administration subsequently ordered the temporary grounding of "certain Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft operated by US airlines or in US territory".