China and the UK have agreed to resume passenger flights, ending a more than two-year ban amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The UK Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Administration of China agreed to resume two-way direct passenger scheduled services, according to a notice posted by the British embassy in China on its official Twitter account on 10 August. "This will end the ban on direct passenger services imposed by the Chinese authorities during the Covid-19 pandemic," the notice states. Initial services are being offered by Chinese airlines, and work is ongoing for British airlines to resume routes. Air China will resume one weekly flight between Shanghai Pudong and London Heathrow from 13 August, according to a WeChat post on 8 August. China Eastern says it will resume flights between Shanghai Pudong and London Heathrow on 12 and 19 August, although the return London-Shanghai flights will not carry passengers, according to its 9 August notice. Data shows that in 2019, only Chinese and British carriers were operating services between the two countries. During the year, Air China, British Airways, China Eastern, China Southern, China Eastern, Hainan Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Tianjin Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, and Beijing Capital Airways collectively operated over 170 weekly roundtrip flights. Air China operated the highest number of flights, averaging about 45 weekly roundtrip flights on Beijing-London Heathrow and Chengdu-Gatwick routes, followed by British Airways with about 34 weekly roundtrip flights connecting London Heathrow with Shanghai and Beijing.

Indian carrier Jet Airways made a pre-tax loss of Rs3.9 billion ($49 million) in the first quarter of fiscal 2023, widening from a loss of Rs1.29 billion in the same period last year. For the three months ended 30 June, revenue from operations fell 83% year on year to Rs125 million, the airline says in an unaudited standalone financial results statement filed to the Bombay Stock Exchange. Total income decreased 83% to Rs131 million. Total expenses reached Rs4.03 billion, up 98% from Rs2.04 billion in the year-ago quarter. The company states: "Due to temporary suspension of operations and ongoing revival of the company, it is not feasible to determine the amount of impairment in its entirety, if any, which would have been required to be done in the net book value of the aircraft, engines and spare parts classified as tangible assets and intangible assets in ‘property, plant and equipment’.” Jet Airways has been grounded since April 2019. In May 2022, the airline received its revalidated air operator certificate (AOC) from India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation, which would enable it to resume its scheduled commercial operations in India. Then, the airline said it intends to restart commercial operations in the third quarter of 2022.

Emirates is preparing a cabin refurbishment programme for more than 120 aircraft as part of a $2 billion investment to enhance inflight customer experience. The airline will install for the first time premium economy seats on 120 aircraft as part of the effort. Other new features will include new or reupholstered seats, new panelling and flooring, the Middle Eastern carrier says. Every cabin class will be refreshed, it adds. Emirates notes it will be the only Middle Eastern airline to offer premium economy. Planning work and trials have begun for the programme. The first aircraft is scheduled for retrofitting at Emirates' engineering centre in November. Data shows Emirates' passenger fleet comprises 124 Boeing 777-300ERs, 10 777-200LRs and 121 Airbus A380s. Of these, 73 A380s are listed as being in storage.