Lufthansa Group is looking to hire around 13,000 new employees this year for a wide range of roles. The German group says it will recruit cockpit and cabin crew, technicians and people in IT roles apart from other areas such as ground staff at the Lufthansa hubs in Frankfurt and Munich. More than 3,500 cabin crew and around 1,000 pilots are expected to be hired. In addition, around 2,000 technicians, roughly 800 trainees and approximately 900 IT experts will join the company. Lufthansa recruited more than 13,000 new employees in 2023, having shed staff during the pandemic.

Norwegian has secured a position in energy firm Norsk e-Fuel, a move that it says will guarantee long-term and early access to sustainable aviation fuel. In 2023, Norwegian and Norsk e-Fuel agreed a strategic partnership to build a large-scale electrofuel production facility in Norway's Mosjoen. Norwegian says it has invested more than NKr12 million ($1.14 million) in the first phase and will invest a further NKr45-50 million at the next project milestone. This investment secures Norwegian more than 7,000 metric tonnes of fuel per year from the first factory, and volumes could increase to 29,000 metric tonnes annually if the next two planned factories become operational, it adds. "This agreement marks the start of a pioneering partnership that will accelerate the transition to fossil-free fuels in aviation and give us access to a product that will be available in limited quantities," states Norwegian chief executive Geir Karlsen. "The partnership with Norsk e-Fuel is fully in line with our ambitions of cutting emissions, and electrofuel can be a change of pace for our entire industry," he adds. By 2030, Norwegian intends to reduce its emission by 45%.

Airbus has deleted from its backlog Iran Air orders for 45 A320-family jets, 36 A330s and 16 A350s nearly seven years after halting deliveries to the carrier. Finalised in late 2016 – following a multinational agreement that had removed nuclear-related sanctions on Iran – the order originally spanned 46 A320-family jets, 28 A330-900s, eight A330-200s and 16 A350-1000s. Iran Air received a CFM International-powered A321 from Airbus in January 2017 and in March that year took two A330-200s from the airframer. The two widebodies had previously been delivered to Avianca but not put into service, and were separately leased to Iran Air. Further Airbus deliveries to the carrier did not take place after US president Donald Trump withdrew from the multinational accord in 2018. Prior the reimposition of US sanctions, Iran Air received 13 ATR 72-600s from the turboprop manufacturer jointly owned by Airbus and Leonardo. The carrier had signed for 20 ATR 72-600s and taken options on another 20 in 2016. At that time, Iran Air additionally reached a deal with Boeing for 50 737 Max 8s and 30 777s. Airbus data shows that its Iran Air backlog – including 32 A320neos, six A320ceos and seven A321ceos – was removed in December. Other changes disclosed by Airbus include cancellation of China Aviation Supplies' orders for eight A330-300s and one A320neo. Two A320 orders from an undisclosed customer were cancelled. EasyJet switched 35 A320neo orders to the A321neo. An order from German leisure carrier Condor for two A320neos and four A321neos was transferred to BOC Aviation, while Croatia Airlines' order for six A220-300s was assigned to Griffin Global Asset Management.