The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU) have signed a comprehensive air transport agreement to enhance direct connectivity between the two regions, while upgrading rules and standards for concerned flights. The ASEAN-EU Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement (ASEAN-EU CATA) agreement took effect on 17 October and provides greater opportunities for airlines of ASEAN and the EU to operate passenger and cargo services between and beyond both regions, which will help bolster the recovery of air connectivity between the two regions following the Covid-19 pandemic, the two regions said in separate press releases. Under the "bloc-to-bloc" deal, airlines of ASEAN and the EU will be able to fly any number of services between both regions. In addition, airlines of each country of one bloc will be able to fly up to 14 weekly passenger services and any number of cargo services to each country of the other bloc with fifth freedom traffic rights, via any third country or beyond to any third country. Negotiations on the agreement commenced in 2016 and concluded on 2 June 2021. European commissioner for transport, Adina Valean states: "The agreement replaces more than 140 bilateral air services agreements, thereby providing a single set of rules and reducing red tape. The agreement also provides us with a new platform to work jointly towards our shared commitment to economically, socially and environmentally sustainable aviation." As a next step, the parties will launch the ratification process in line with their respective procedures to bring the agreement in force.

US lessor Aviation Capital Group has secured the return of a Boeing 737 Max 8 from Russia's S7 Airlines. Charles Taylor Aviation Asset Management (CTAAM) states in a LinkedIn post that it supported the lessor in repatriating the aircraft. A video posted by CTAAM identifies the aircraft as bearing the registration VQ-BGV, an aircraft Cirium data shows to be MSN 44297. The narrowbody is one of two Max 8s that Russian authorities in August approved S7 to return to ACG and Air Lease Corporation. CTAAM says the aircraft has been under its continuing airworthiness management (CAM) oversight since the suspension of S7 Engineering’s OTAR Part 39 Subpart F CAM approval. The asset manager adds that its technical and planning teams worked closely with all parties to obtain a special flight permit from the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority. As a result, the aircraft could be ferried to a place of storage in the UK.

Swiss has introduced into passenger service its first Boeing 777-300ER partially covered with sharkskin-inspired, ribbed airframe surface film designed to reduce fuel consumption. The technology dubbed AeroShark was jointly developed by Lufthansa Technik and German chemicals manufacturer BASF. LHT says that part of the aircraft's fuselage and engine nacelles were recently fitted with approximately 950m² of riblet film. The MRO provider predicts this will reduce fuel consumption by just over 1%. As soon as calculated savings have been validated in flight operations, LHT says that Swiss and Lufthansa Cargo intend to roll out the technology across their respective 777-300ER and 777 Freighter fleets. Lufthansa-owned Swiss has 12 777-300ERs while the German cargo carrier currently has 11 777Fs, LHT notes. “Our adoption of AeroShark is an excellent example of how we can use innovative technologies to make air travel more sustainable,” states SWISS chief executive Dieter Vranckx. “We are proud to be the first passenger airline in the world to adopt this new technology. And we will continue to consistently invest in such sustainable solutions,” he adds.