Embraer has operated an E195-E2 to London City for the first time in preparation for KLM's planned scheduled flights with the aircraft from 2023. The Brazilian manufacturer says an example of its largest commercial aircraft was on 22 July flown to the downtown gateway from Farnborough, southwest of the UK capital. Landing at City requires a dedicated approval because of a 5.5-degree rather than standard 3-degree approach angle and increased braking after touchdown on the airport's relatively short 1,500m runway. Certification is scheduled to be granted by year-end, Embraer says. City's chief operating officer Alison FitzGerald states: "We are hopeful that we will see the first E195-E2 in operation next year with KLM." The Pratt & Whitney PW1900G-powered twinjet has the potential of connecting the airport with "more global markets", FitzGerald adds. Helvetic Airways, which serves City on behalf of compatriot Swiss, also operates E195-E2s, as well as E190-E2s. The 22 July tests at the UK gateway included ground handling. The 148-seat E195-E2 will supplant Swiss's 125-seat A220-220 as the largest aircraft operating from City. The A220's larger -300 variant – also part of Swiss's fleet – is not certificated for operation from City. Like the E195-E2, the A220 has a 35m wingspan. For Embraer, a City approval for the E195-E2 would mean that for the first time its largest passenger aircraft can operate from the airport. Within the first-generation E-Jet family, E190s and E170s were cleared to serve City, but not E195s and E175s. E190-E2s have been operating at the airport since September 2021. Embraer says the 22 July flight was powered by a 39% sustainable aviation fuel blend with conventional kerosene.

Emirates is temporarily boosting its services to London Gatwick as the Middle Eastern carrier rejigs its schedules to the UK following Heathrow's sudden decision to cap passenger flows. Dubai-based Emirates will operate a third daily service to Gatwick from 27 July to 3 August, using Boeing 777s. This reflects strong demand to and from London, says the airline, and will also "provide additional seats to accommodate Emirates passengers affected by capacity adjustments on flights from London Heathrow". The airline has engaged in a spat with Heathrow after the airport instructed it on 12 July to cancel a proportion of its services to comply with a daily 100,000-passenger limit. This led Emirates to complain that in addition to being given just 36h to comply, it was told which specific services to cancel and warned of legal action in the event of non-compliance. The passenger limit also appeared to be "plucked from thin air", it complained. Furthermore, Emirates Airline president Tim Clark said at the Farnborough air show on 18 July that Heathrow had suggested abandoning passengers at check-in in order to comply with the limit. "We said we can't do this, we won't do this," he said. "I had thousands of people who would have been left at Heathrow with absolutely nowhere to go." Following negotiations with Heathrow, Emirates agreed to reduce its services from six daily A380 services to five from a later date. Clark said that they were seeking to transfer the remaining flight to Gatwick. The airline has also capped load factors for further-out flights that are not yet fully booked, while a high level of no-shows – 200 out 3,000 booked on 17 July, for example – has also reduced passenger numbers. Emirates will continue to operate its six daily flights to and from London Heathrow during the period, and plans to restart from 1 August five weekly flights to London Stansted, moving to daily from September onwards.

Qatar Airways has finalised an order for 25 Boeing 737 Max 10s, filling a gap left by Airbus's cancellation of the Middle Eastern carrier's A321neo order. The deal for the Max's largest variant follows a memorandum of understanding signed by the US airframer and Qatar's flag carrier in January in Washington DC. "We are honoured that Qatar Airways has decided to add Boeing's single-aisle family to its fleet, deepening our relationship with this world-class airline," states Boeing Commercial Airplanes chief executive Stan Deal. "The 737-10 is ideally suited for Qatar Airways' regional network and will provide the carrier with the most capable, most fuel-efficient airplane in its class." Airbus's decision in January to terminate a Qatar Airways order for 50 A321neos came amid a dispute over premature surface degradation on some A350s. In April, the UK's High Court dismissed the airline's request that Airbus be compelled to continue delivery of the aircraft, enabling the European airframer to offer them to other customers. The Max 10 has seating capacity for 230 passengers and a range of 3,300 miles.