Delta Air Lines has entered into agreements with Seattle-based Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) to purchase split scimitar winglets for its Boeing 737-800 fleet and for a number of recently acquired 737-900ER aircraft. The US major also recently agreed to purchase scimitar blended winglets for up to 70 of its 757-200 aircraft, says the blended winglet technology specialist, which is a joint venture of Aviation Partners and Boeing. Both the split scimitar winglets and scimitar blended winglets are upgrades to APB's blended winglets, it adds. Delta has previously purchased and installed APB winglet products on its 737-800, 737-900ER, 757-200, 757-300 and 767-300ER fleets.

American Airlines has paid a nonrefundable deposit to Boom Supersonic for 20 of its Overture aircraft and taken an option on an additional 40 jets. The US major's agreement to purchase up to 20 Overture aircraft is contingent on Boom meeting industry-standard operating, performance and safety requirements in addition to American’s usual conditions with manufacturers. Boom last month disclosed a new design for its Overture aircraft, after five windtunnel tests. Powered by 100% sustainable aviation fuel, Overture will fly Mach 1.7 over water with a range of 4,250nm (7,871 km), carrying 65-80 passengers at twice the speed of today's airliners, says the US airframer. It expects to roll out Overture aircraft in 2025, and forecasts passenger flights by 2029. "Looking to the future, supersonic travel will be an important part of our ability to deliver for our customers," American's finance chief Derek Kerr states. "We are excited about how Boom will shape the future of travel both for our company and our customers." United Airlines was the first US airline to sign a commercial deal with the manufacturer, agreeing in June 2021 to purchase 15 Overture aircraft. In 2017, Japan Airlines invested $10 million in Boom as part of a strategic partnership.

KLM has agreed in principle terms for a new labour contract with Dutch pilot union VNV. If adopted, the agreement will become effective from 1 March 2022 until 1 March 2023. It will "ensure calm and stability for the coming year and reflects KLM's current circumstances", the airline says. KLM adds that the new agreement includes a wage clause specifying a 2% increase effective 1 October and further 2% effective 1 March 2023, similar to recent agreements for ground personnel. The two parties will now finalise the protocol texts and present them to VNV's members council for approval. The airline says it also reached an agreement with VNV on productivity and flexibility, under which employees will receive one-off payments when KLM no longer has a credit facility with government guarantees. An international commuting arrangement for pilots has meanwhile been discontinued. As a result, pilots living outside the Netherlands will have to pay for their flights when commuting to work, KLM says.