The UK’s competition regulator has backed a decision by the Civil Aviation Authority to cut charges at Heathrow airport by 20% next year. In April, the CAA decided in a provisional ruling that the airport should cut fees for services from £31.75 ($39.74) per passenger to £25.43. Heathrow had sought an increase to £40. Airline users of the facility and the airport itself requested then requested the Competition & Markets Authority investigate the ruling. Heathrow argued that charges were too low to support investment, and airlines that charges were harming the consumer. "Overall, we provisionally consider that the CAA was not wrong in most of the decisions that were appealed to us," writes the CMA in its subsequent review on 8 September. In "one small element", concerning the CAA's calculation of passenger numbers during exceptional events, the CMA did identify an error, but it did not deem this significant. It does add that the CAA was "inappropriate" in the way it calculated an adjustment pertaining to the clawing back of revenues in 2020 and 2021, but, again, this did not influence its view of the aviation regulator's overall decision. The CMA stresses that its job is not to assess the CAA's decision but to examine whether it was based on factual errors. The airlines and Heathrow can now appeal against the CMA's decision. A final ruling is to be made on 17 October. The current price-control period runs to end-2026.

Boeing has confirmed Vietnam Airlines' selection of the 737 Max 8 to grow its future single-aisle fleet. As earlier indicated in a White House fact sheet on US president Joe Biden's state visit to Hanoi, the airline has committed to ordering 50 of the aircraft, Boeing says. Airline chair Dang Ngoc Hoa suggests that "in line with Vietnam Airlines' 2025-2030 fleet strategy and a vision to 2035, aircraft investment is a crucial project that underpins positive recovery momentum and prosperous outlook for the airline". He adds: "The new narrowbody fleet will allow us to foster our overall development and extend our high-quality service on Vietnam Airlines' domestic and Asian routes, as well as modernise our fuel-efficient fleet." The Boeing 737 Max family is powered by CFM International Leap-1B engines. Boeing senior vice-president of commercial sales and marketing Brad McMullen notes the airframers' "historic partnership with Vietnam Airlines, dating back to 1995 when the airline first leased 767s".

A new report from the Airbus and Air New Zealand-led New Zealand Hydrogen Consortium predicts that green hydrogen fuelled aircraft deployed on domestic routes could reduce carbon emissions by 900,000 tonnes annually by 2050. The 'Launching green hydrogen powered aviation in Aotearoa New Zealand' report points to major investments that would be required in generation and transmission of renewable energy to generate green hydrogen, as well as new systems and processes to ensure safety in its production, distribution and use. The other key will be the production of hydrogen-powered aircraft, which Airbus is working on through its ZEROe initiative, and could start entering service during the mid-2030s. "The country’s large potential renewable electricity and water resources are key advantages while the size of aircraft used here and the length of routes flown match the capabilities of hydrogen-powered aircraft. This report lays out the ecosystem required to make that happen," says Airbus AEROe ecosystem vice president Karine Guenan. The report follows six months of studies examining the supply chain, regulatory settings and scoping the measures needed to establish a hydrogen aviation ecosystem in the country. Christchurch Airport, Fortescue, Hiringa Energy and Fabrum are the other partners in the consortium. Air New Zealand chief sustainability office Kiri Hannifin says the report provides information that could build a blueprint for hydrogen-powered aviation in New Zealand, and help the airline to meet its commitment to decarbonise. "Green hydrogen fuelled aircraft is one of the potential levers we have available to us. This report provides important proof points for both the aviation sector and decision-makers to work together to make that happen," she says.