Virgin Australia is working to minimize the impacts of delays in delivery of its Boeing 737 Max jets, while its charter unit is looking to replace its ageing Fokker 100 jets with either Embraer E190-E2s or Airbus A220-100s. The carrier has four 737 Max 8s in service and a further 10 in its delivery pipeline, with four expected to deliver this year and the remaining six in 2025. "We have been advised by Boeing there will be a delay to the delivery of some 737 Max 8 aircraft and we are working to minimise impacts to our schedule.'' Virgin also has 25 of the larger Max 10 variant on order, the first of which are due for delivery in the year commencing July 2025. The airline did not comment on reports that it is considering swapping some of those for Max 8s due to the expected delays in certificating the Max 10. Separately, its Perth-based charter unit, Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA), is evaluating the E190-E2 and A220-100 to replace its remaining Fokker 100 jets that are used on mining charter services. VARA executive general manager Nathan Miller states that although it has added Boeing 737-700s to the group fleet to take over most of the F100 services, some aerodromes that it serves are not suitable for the type. This has meant it has had to retain some of the ageing 100-seat jets. Fleets data shows that the carrier still has four F100s in operation and two stored, with an average age of 31 years. Three others are wet-leased from Alliance Airlines. He adds, however, that there is "an opportunity for at least four new aircraft base in Perth, commencing mid-2025" to operate predominately on charter services, and some scheduled flying when demand for those services is lower. The potential step-change into new-generation 100-seat jets would see VARA depart from the path of rivals Alliance and National Jet Express, which largely rely on older Fokker and Embraer E1 jets with low ownership costs and low utilisation to service mining clients.

Asiana Airlines has retired its last passenger Boeing 747-400 after more than 25 years. The aircraft (registered HL7428; MSN 28552) operated its final commercial flight for Asiana between Seoul Incheon and Taipei Taoyuan on 25 March, the South Korean airline says. Configured with 34 business class and 364 economy class seats, the aircraft was introduced into commercial service on the Seoul Gimpo-New York JFK route on 22 June 1999. This also marks the last 747-400 passenger aircraft remaining in South Korea. "It was a thrill to see the last flight of the jumbo aircraft, which was an icon of an era. We will strive to enhance customer convenience by continuously introducing the latest models, such as the [Airbus] A350 and A321neo," an Asiana Airlines official says.

US carrier Breeze Airways is expanding its network with the addition of five new cities, including Bangor, Dallas/Ft Worth, Lancaster, Lansing and Pensacola. The low-cost airline says it will commence flights from Bangor, Maine to Florida cities Orlando and Tampa on 3 October and 4 October, respectively, with a seasonal route to Fort Myers starting on 5 October. Breeze will introduce flights from Dallas/Ft Worth to Provo-Salt Lake City on 7 June. Additionally, it will serve Orlando from Lansing, Michigan and Lancaster, Pennsylvania from 2 October and 8 October, respectively. Other new routes include flights from Lansing to Fort Myers starting on 3 October and from Pensacola to Tampa on 28 June. Furthermore, the airline says it is expanding its services from existing cities, bringing its total coverage to 56 cities across 29 states. These additions include flights from Fort Myers to Stewart/Newburgh, New York and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania, as well as from Norfolk, Virginia to Phoenix, starting in October. All new routes will be operated two times a week, the carrier notes.