Taiwanese carrier EVA Air plans to expand its fleet with the purchase of five more 787-9s, to serve mainly on its long-haul network. The airline's board has approved the purchase of 787-9s, to be delivered between 2025 and the end of 2027, it says in a 14 March statement. It notes that this will bring its 787 fleet to 26 jets, comprising 13 787-9s and 13 787-10s. EVA Air president Sun Jianming says the longer range 787-9s will be deployed on European and North American routes, while the higher seat density 787-10s will mainly operate routes in Asia and Oceania. EVA indicates that it has been approved for the entire purchase for up to $355 million per aircraft and up to a total of $1.77 billion, according to a separate filing with the Taiwan Stock Exchange. Fleets data shows EVA has a fleet of 85 aircraft, comprising 77 passenger and eight cargo jets: 21 A320-200ceos, three A330-200s, nine A330-300s, 34 777-300ERs, six 787-10s, four 787-9s and eight 777-200LRFs. Excluding the new commitment, the airline already has 12 Boeing jets on order: four 787-9s, seven 787-10s and a 777 freighter, which are expected to be introduced "before 2025". In August 2020 amid the pandemic, EVA was negotiating with Boeing on the future of its 15 on-order 787-10s, suggesting it was looking to defer or cancel some aircraft. At that time it had five -10s in its fleet.

JetBlue Airways has signed a new agreement with energy company Shell Aviation to bring an additional supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to Los Angeles International airport. Shell Aviation will deliver 10 million gallons of blended SAF over the next two years, the US carrier says. The agreement also provides JetBlue an option to purchase up to five million gallons more in the third year, either at Los Angeles International airport or other airports in its network. The delivery of SAF is expected to begin in the first half of 2023. The additional SAF provided through Shell Aviation at Los Angeles International will airline's SAF supply at the airport, bringing SAF to approximately 15% of JetBlue's total Los Angeles International jet fuel uptake. JetBlue also regularly flies on SAF out of San Francisco and in 2022 signed agreements with three additional SAF producers for future supply, it adds. Shell has announced its ambition to have 10% of its aviation jet fuel sales as SAF by 2030, notes JetBlue. Additionally, the airline aims to reach net zero by 2040, 10 years earlier than industry targets.

China has returned to pre-Covid visa arrangements and expanded the list of countries that it will allow outbound tour groups to travel to, providing a major boost to Asia’s airline industry. Speaking during a 14 March press conference, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Wang Wenbin said that from 15 March visas issued before the pandemic will be “reactivated”, while tourist and other visitor visas will also be resumed. It will also reinstate visa-free access to Hainan from eligible countries, for cruise groups at Shanghai ports, group travelling from Hong Kong and Macao to Guandong Province, and ASEAN tourist groups visiting Guilin. China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism has also lifted bans on outbound group travel to 40 countries from 15 March, including Vietnam, France, Spain, Italy, Brazil and Iran, building on the initial 20 countries that were part of a pilot program that started in early February. However, group travel to South Korea, Japan, Australia and the USA were not included in the list. “In light of the evolving Covid situation, China will continue to better facilitate the safe and orderly cross-border travel of Chinese and foreign nationals based on scientific assessment. We hope all other parties will do the same and make cross-border exchange much easier,” says Wang. South Korea’s exclusion from group travel is likely to be short-lived however, as Seoul has removed Covid testing requirements for arrivals from China, and the two parties have agreed to open up more flights between the two countries. On 10 March, the USA has dropped requirements for arrivals from China to test negative to Covid-19 prior to boarding their flights. Japan and Australia still have testing requirements in place for arrivals from China.