Italian flag carrier ITA Airways has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330-900 from the European airframer via an aircraft deal with Air Lease Corporation. The long-haul twinjet (registered EI-HJN) will join ITA's fleet in June, the airline says. It has been configured with 30 lie-flat Thompson Vantage XL business, 24 premium economy and 237 standard coach seats. Thirty-six of the coach seats are in what the airline terms a "comfort economy" layout. Safran has supplied the aircraft's premium and standard economy seats. The airline has selected the French aerospace group's Rave inflight entertainment and connectivity system for the widebody. Fleets data shows ITA has another 16 A330-900s on order. Its fleet currently comprises four A220-300s, 52 A320-family jets, eight A330-200s, six A350-900s, three Bombardier-built CRJ1000s and two Embraer 190s. All A330neos are powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000s. Rome-based ITA notes that its first A330-900 will be powered by a 16% sustainable aviation fuel blend on the delivery flight from Airbus's assembly line in Toulouse.

US carrier Frontier Airlines has established a new crew base at Dallas/Fort Worth International airport in Texas and has launched four new routes to support its previously announced plan for the base. The ultra-low-cost carrier says that the new base is expected to employ up to 120 pilots and 220 flight attendants within its first year of operation. The carrier launched daily services to San Juan in Puerto Rico and New York LaGuardia on 4 May and 11 May, respectively, and four flights a week to Cleveland on 12 May. Thrice-weekly flights to Montego Bay in Jamaica also began on 22 May. With the new services, Frontier will serve 21 destinations from the airport.

Israeli flag carrier El Al turned an operating profit of $9 million for the first quarter, representing a first positive result for this period in 18 years. EBITDA reached $60 million although the airline was still loss-making the net level, to the tune of $34 million. Passenger numbers and capacity were at 93% of their 2019 levels. El Al says it is working to return to pre-pandemic levels "and beyond". Revenue rose to 117% of the level seen in the first quarter of 2019. The result follows restructuring at the airline that has involved slashing of staff numbers and streamlining of operations following years of persistently weak earnings. It received a government bailout amid the Covid pandemic in 2020 that also sparked a partial change in ownership. El Al notes that it is now seeing stability in booking patterns, with profit bolstered by its streamlining efforts. Operating expenses excluding fuel actually fell compared with pre-pandemic levels, led by a reduction in headcount. The airline has also revealed a request for proposals from Boeing, Airbus and engine manufacturers for a narrowbody replacement programme starting from 2025, as part of a strategy of expanding its fleet to maintain market share. Currently operating 23 Boeing 737s, it is eyeing a narrowbody expansion to 28-31 aircraft in 2028. El Al's widebody fleet is scheduled to expand from 16 Boeing 787s in the third quarter of this year to 17 in the second quarter of 2024 and 22 in 2028. It also operates four Boeing 777s which it will run "until their retirement" with a retrofitting programme extending their service. The first refitted unit will enter service in the third quarter.