China Eastern has resumed operating a small number of its Boeing 737-800s, flight tracking data suggests, after a fleetwide grounding of the variant for nearly one month since the fatal MU5735 crash. Data from Flightradar24 shows instances of China Eastern operating its 737-800 jets. An example includes a 737-800 jet, bearing registration B-207L, on flight MU5843 on 17 April, from Kunming to Chengdu. Data shows the aircraft, bearing MSN 63075, is of 2018 vintage and managed by China Everbright Financial Leasing. Another 737-800 jet, bearing registration B-1308, is expected to be operated on flight MU5844 on 18 April, from Chengdu to Kunming, according to Flightradar24 data. Data shows the 2017-vintage aircraft, bearing MSN 63762, is managed by SPDB Financial Leasing. The data also shows China Eastern Group operates a fleet of 223 737-800s, of which 108 are operated by China Eastern Airlines, 71 by Shanghai Airlines and 44 by China United Airlines. The resumption of 737-800 operations comes after China Eastern grounded its 737-800 fleet on 21 March, in response to the fatal crash of flight MU5735 at Wuzhou, Guangxi province, killing all 123 passengers and nine crew. It was flying from Kunming to Guangzhou. Days-long search efforts have recovered the aircraft’s cockpit-voice and flight-data recorders, which have been sent for analysis, as well as parts of aircraft. Preliminary details on the crash are expected to be released, in line with ICAO’s accident investigation provisions that require states investigating the accident to lodge the preliminary report within 30 days of the accident.

Hong Kong International airport handled 94,000 passengers in March, a figure up 61% year on year, although passenger traffic continued to remain significantly lower than the pre-pandemic level in 2019. The growth in passenger throughput was mainly attributed to the growth in Hong Kong residents’ travel. During the month, departure passengers to Southeast Asia and mainland China experienced the most significant increases, Airport Authority Hong Kong says in a 14 April press release. HKIA handled 9,870 flight movements during the month, representing a year-on-year decrease of 7%. Cargo throughput fell by 11% to 352,000t due to flight reductions amid the emergence of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. Overall cargo to and from North America and Europe experienced the most significant decreases during the month, it adds. On a 12-month rolling basis, passenger volume grew by 70% to 1.4 million, while flight movements rose by 13% to 144,505. Cargo throughput rose by 7% to 4.9 million tonnes. The Hong Kong government lifted restrictions on arrival flights from nine countries on 1 April, it says.

Flair Airlines is at risk of having its operating license suspended or cancelled as the Canadian Transportation Agency reviews US investments in the low-cost carrier to determine whether it meets Canada’s limits on foreign ownership. The Edmonton-based airline disputes the CTA’s preliminary ruling filed in March that states “Flair may not be controlled in fact by Canadians and may, therefore, not be ‘Canadian’”. Canada has a 49% foreign ownership limit and a 25% limit for an individual foreign entity. The CTA states that in addition to these equity limits, Canadian ownership “in fact” can be determined by whether an owner or financial group has the direct or indirect power “whether exercised or not” to control or influence strategic decisions. Flair says that it is “a Canadian airline and is controlled by Canadians both in law and in fact”. “Flair Airlines, at all times, operates its business in compliance with the laws and regulations governing air transportation in Canada,” the airline says. Concerns about whether Flair is majority-controlled by Canadians both in law and “in fact” revolve around investment by Miami-based 777 Partners. The US investment firm owns a 25% stake in the carrier and leases aircraft to it. The low-cost carrier has 10 Max jets in service and three 737NGs, fleets data shows. Five of those Max jets are owned by 777 Partners, along with three firm orders for additional Max aircraft. 777 Partners also has firm orders for 58 additional Max aircraft with options to purchase 60 more. The investment firm could expand its leasing partnership with Flair to help the airline with its ambition of operating a fleet of 30 Max aircraft by mid-2023 and 50 Max jets by 2025.