Regional jet manufacturer Embraer is still sitting on the fence about whether to go ahead with a new-generation regional turboprop but argues that strong demand exists for such an aircraft and will keep working with potential suppliers. The company says on 14 December it has postponed some supplier decisions to allow more time to reach targets on “performance, maintenance, and sustainability”. During an interview in October, Embraer advised it would decide by the end of 2022 whether to progress from the “advanced design stage to detailed design” for the new aircraft by the second quarter of 2023. “Market studies and discussions with airlines shows strong demand exists globally for an advanced, next generation, turboprop aircraft,” the Brazilian airframer says on 14 December. “As of today, the options available from a few suppliers are not yet there with respect to all targets. Embraer has decided to postpone the decision on whether to go ahead with a next-generation turboprop aircraft but will work closely with potential suppliers during the course of 2023 to secure the business the program requires.” The demand for a new aircraft, in October, stems in part from ATR having a “de facto monopoly” in regional turboprop manufacturing following the sale by Bombardier to De Havilland Canada of its Dash 8-400 programme and the subsequent halt in production. A new turboprop built by Embraer would focus on gas turbines, so the aircraft could have 90 seats with a range of 800nm. Battery-powered propeller planes cannot yet match that. “We are going for new-generation propulsion with some fuel savings,” “The fuel burn of competing aircraft is driven by old technology.” Embraer targets certification of a new turboprop aircraft by 2028, depending on when development begins.

United Airlines has ordered another 100 Boeing 787s and 100 more 737 Max jets. The narrowbody portion of the order includes the exercising of 44 options which the US carrier had under a previous Max deal, Boeing notes. It says that in addition to ordering 100 Dreamliners, meanwhile, United has taken options on a further 100. Data shows United's backlog with Boeing includes 236 orders for the in-development Max 10 plus orders for 40 Max 8s, four Max 9s and 62 Max jets of an unspecified model. Some 27 Max 8s and 42 Max 9s have been delivered to the US carrier. United's widebody fleet, meanwhile, includes 12 787-8s, 38 787-9s and 16 787-10s. Before the new deal, United already had four 787-10s on order and options on 10 787-8s. Boeing notes that the commitment from United for a further 100 787s represents the manufacturer's largest order for the long-haul twinjet family. United's existing 787s are fitted with GE Aerospace GEnx-1B engines, while the 737 Max is exclusively powered by CFM International Leap-1B engines. The airline's chief executive Scott Kirby asserts that it "emerged from the pandemic as the world's leading global airline and the flag carrier of the United States". He states: "This order further solidifies our lead and creates new opportunities for our customers, employees and shareholders by accelerating our plan to connect more people to more places around the globe and deliver the best experience in the sky."

Cathay Pacific has welcomed the Hong Kong government's decision to remove the amber code restrictions under the vaccine pass for inbound travellers, effective 14 December. The adjustments "will help further boost sentiment for travel, especially among inbound visitors, thereby facilitating the resumption of travel activities and strengthening of network connectivity at the Hong Kong aviation hub", the Oneworld carrier says. Cathay Pacific recently resumed flights to destinations such as Tokyo Haneda, Sapporo and Fukuoka in Japan, Denpasar in Indonesia, Zurich in Switzerland, Penang in Malaysia, and Dhaka in Bangladesh. It plans to restore flights to destinations including Phuket in Thailand and Nagoya in Japan in January. Meanwhile, its low-cost subsidiary HK Express recently restored services to Tokyo Haneda, Chiang Mai in Thailand, and Da Nang in Vietnam, with flights to Jeju and Busan in South Korea scheduled to restart in January. Cathay says the group is on track to achieve its target of operating up to one-third of its pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity levels by the end of this year. It expects to operate around 70% of its pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity by the end of 2023, with an aim to return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024.