The new Italian government led by prime minster Giorgia Meloni plans to move forward with the sale process for flag carrier ITA, having previously expressed doubt about the transaction. In an interview with online news service Affari Italiani, Maurizio Leo, an adviser to the new prime minister, says that any potential changes to the sale "are closed", implying that it will be pushed through as envisaged by the outgoing government. "Now we need to find the financial resources, we need flows to make it work," he adds. The previous Italian administration last month selected US-based investment fund Certares as the sole bidder for negotiations on a majority stake in the company. "The hope is that Certares will also accompany the interventions with an industrial plan," adds Leo. "Meanwhile, the state will have to put €400 million [$385 million], while the fund will have to put another €350 million. With this injection of finance, we need a serious project." The bid by Certares is being launched in conjunction with Delta Air Lines and Air France-KLM. The latter European group expressed an interest in taking a stake in the carrier over the "medium term". Although ITA has refused to be drawn on the sale process, it has said it sees its future embedded within the SkyTeam alliance, which includes Delta and Air France-KLM. ITA signed an initial one-year agreement with SkyTeam on joining last year, an unusual move as alliances normally insist on long-term agreements. ITA was launched as a successor to former flag carrier Alitalia in October 2021, having taken on much of its fleet, staff, branding and other assets.

South African airline Airlink is acquiring a 40% strategic equity holding in Windhoek-based FlyNamibia for an undisclosed monetary sum. Through this venture, Airlink and FlyNamibia will support Namibia's National Transport Policy vision by providing affordable air transport, the South African airline says. The investment will accelerate Namibia's post-pandemic recovery and drive the expansion of airline services to, from and within the country, it adds. The investment is underpinned by a commercial franchise agreement under which FlyNamibia will adopt Airlink's "4Z" IATA designator for its ticket sales and scheduled flights, while retaining its unique corporate identity, brand and aircraft livery. It will also see FlyNamibia's inventory attaining higher visibility and being promoted on Airlink's computerised reservation system and on those of major foreign airlines which have partnered with Airlink. Airlink will also provide additional airline operations, technical and commercial skills training and development support for FlyNamibia. The changes will come into effect as soon as practicable, the airline says.

China Airlines on 28 September disclosed that it had finalised its existing order of 16 Boeing 787-9 aircraft, adding options for eight additional jets as deliveries of the widebody resume. The Taiwan-based carrier first disclosed its order in August as part of its plan to replace its ageing fleet of Airbus A330-300 aircraft. This fleet modernisation is “the cornerstone” of its sustainability efforts, China Airlines chairman Hsieh Su-Chien states. “The 787's best-in-class efficiency and low operating costs will allow us to expand our network for years to come," Hsieh says. The carrier has 22 A330-300s, including 19 that are leased and three of which that are parked or in storage, Cirium fleets data shows. Its widebody passenger fleet also includes 14 A350-900s and 10 777-300ERs. The airline also has six 777 freighters on order. Boeing gave no target date for when shipments could begin. The airframer seeks to accelerate its aircraft delivery speed now that the US Federal Aviation Administration allowed 787 shipments to resume following a halt that lasted 15 months.