Africa's largest carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, looks set to return to pre-pandemic levels of activity imminently as it continues to ramp up capacity. Data shows that the carrier's number of flights amounted to 97% of 2019 levels on 22 May, or 225 services, up from around 80% at the start of the year. By seats, the airline operated 42,283 spaces on 22 May, which remains down from over 51,000 before the pandemic began in 2019, indicating that it is on average operating smaller aircraft. Ethiopian Airlines is easily maintaining its position as Africa's largest carrier too. Since the start of 2022, it has operated over 24,160 services, for example, against the 17,465 of the next largest in Africa, Egyptair. It is followed by over 13,000 services at Safair and 8,800 at Royal Air Maroc. In March, Ethiopian Airlines Group disclosed the appointment of a new chief executive, following the sudden retirement of Tewolde GebreMariam on health grounds. Under the 11-year long leadership of GebreMariam, Ethiopian rose to being the largest airline in Africa by passenger numbers, generating revenues of $4 billion in 2019 and carrying 12 million passengers per year.

Airbus has selected USA-based Honeywell’s flight management system (FMS) to meet the air traffic management needs of its future A320, A330 and A350 fleet. The FMS will be offered as a single standardised hardware and software platform that can be used across these aircraft fleet with expected entry into service by end of 2026, Honeywell says. It comes with electronic flight bags to ease pilot workload and enhance fuel savings with the use of real-time data. A retrofit solution based on the same core hardware and common software is also planned for the A320 and A330 fleet, Honeywell Aerospace’s president of electronic solutions Jim Currier states.

“The new FMS combines multiple current FMS offerings for Airbus into one single solution for their A320, A330 and A350 platforms,” Currier says. “Importantly, the new FMS hardware is 15 times more capable than current hardware and enables a path to future enhancements without hardware changes. Honeywell has been supplying flight management systems since Airbus’ first A300 went into service, and this win will extend our 35-year partnership well into the future.” Airbus also uses Honeywell’s FMS on its A320, A330, A350, and A380 platforms.

Jet Airways has received its revalidated air operator certificate (AOC) from India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
With the receipt of the AOC, the Jalan Kalrock Consortium has "fulfilled all conditions precedent under their NCLT approved resolution plan", Jet Airways says in a 20 May press release, referring to India's National Company Law Tribunal, which adjudicates insolvency processes. The revalidation of the AOC enables Jet Airways to resume its scheduled commercial operations in India, it adds. The airline intends to restart commercial operations in the third quarter of 2022. It says it will unveil "in a phased manner" details of its aircraft and fleet plan, network, product and customer value proposition, loyalty programme, and other details "over the coming weeks". Next week, additional senior management appointments will be announced, it adds. Hiring for operational roles will now "commence in earnest", with preference given to former Jet Airways staff "wherever possible". Jet Airways says receiving the revalidated AOC is a "significant milestone" that paves the way "for the comeback of the iconic airline in a new avatar with fresh funding, changed ownership, and new management". The granting of the AOC was the final step in a "comprehensive" regulatory and compliance process involving "several procedural checks for the airline's operational readiness", the airline states. The process concluded with the airline having successfully conducted a number of proving flights between 15 and 17 May, with key DGCA officials on board, it goes on to say. It says: "The grant of the AOC revalidates the confidence of the DGCA in the operational preparedness of Jet Airways." Jet Airways was launched in 1993 and suspended operations in April 2019. The company is in the process of being revived under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy code as per the NCLT-approved resolution plan of the Jalan Kalrock Consortium. That consortium consists of UAE businessman Marari Jalan and UK-based Kalrock Capital.