Boeing and Virgin Australia have signed a wide-ranging memorandum of understanding to collaborate on key sustainability and First Nations initiatives in Australia. The two companies will jointly advocate for the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) acceleration in Australia, and to advance clean energy cooperation between Australia and the USA with a focus on clean energy supply chains. They will also partner to advance carbon offset projects that support regional development, with a particular focus on advancing First Nations people. Similarly, they will work closely to identify how they can accelerate First Nations engagement and inclusion in their workplaces and supply chain. "This is the first sustainability-focused MoU between our companies and we are delighted to partner with Boeing. This MoU, which combines our deep expertise in Australia’s commercial aviation industry with Boeing’s global knowledge and insights, will help to drive and amplify change," says Virgin Australia's chief corporate affairs and sustainability officer Christian Bennett. Virgin and Boeing signed the MOU as the carrier took delivery of its first of eight Boeing 737 Max 8s, which was handed over on 28 June. The jet was loaded with a 30% blend of SAF for the first leg of its delivery flight from Seattle to Brisbane. The agreement comes months after Airbus and Qantas announced a major sustainability partnership, including a co-investment by both parties in an A$400 million ($265 million) sustainability fund. Together, the companies are working with the Queensland government to explore scaling up SAF production using alcohol-to-SAF technology, using sugarcane wastes as the primary feedstock. Qantas has also called on the Australian government to introduce a minimum SAF blend mandate to help catalyse investment in domestic production of the alternative fuel.

Cathay Pacific is planning to recruit over 800 additional cadet pilots by the end of 2024, up significantly from around 250 cadets recruited in 2022. The airline disclosed the target at a graduation ceremony for 19 new pilots that recently graduated from its long-running training programme with Flight Training Adelaide. They will join the carrier as second officers from July. Cathay adds that there are over 400 cadet pilots currently in its training pathways. This includes a new programme developed with Hong Kong Polytechnic University where cadets undertake ground training in Hong Kong and flight training at AeroGuard Flight Training Center in Arizona or Flight Training Adelaide. A total of 177 cadets are expected to graduate across its two training programmes this year.

AerCap has placed three used Embraer E195-E1s on lease with South African airline Airlink. The first was delivered in March, while the second and third are scheduled for delivery in July, the lessor says. Airlink is a new customer for AerCap.