UK regional airline Flybe, which has relaunched services after collapsing just prior to the pandemic in 2020, plans to operate up to 32 De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 turboprops as it begins to re-establish itself in the market. The carrier is hiring up to 600 new staff and plans 530 flights per week, according to a statement from law firm DLA Piper, which is advising the company on aircraft leasing. Flybe's new business model is based around a main base in Belfast and a strong presence in Birmingham, whereas previously it was centred on Exeter. It will also serve East Midlands, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Inverness, London-Heathrow and Leeds Bradford, and a handful of destinations across Europe. In total, it plans to operate 23 new routes by late-summer, 15 domestic and eight international. The new Flybe is owned by US-based Cyrus Capital Partners, who purchased the airline's brand following its collapse in 2020. Data shows that currently it operates just two Dash 8-400 aircraft with an average age of 15 years, with a further aircraft in storage. Last year it agreed a deal with lessor Nordic Aviation Capital to take 12 of the type, and said it was in discussions with Aergo about leasing some of the Dash 8-400 that the company operated until its bankruptcy.

Ryanair has partnered with Finnish energy company Neste to power approximately one-third of its flights at Amsterdam Schiphol airport with a blend of 40% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The Irish low-cost carrier says this blend will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 60%, supporting its pathway to net zero by 2050 decarbonisation goals. "We look forward to growing our partnership with Neste as we work toward achieving our goal of operating 12.5% of Ryanair flights with SAF by 2030," Ryanair’s director of sustainability Thomas Fowler says.

US majors American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines have dropped the mask requirement for domestic passengers and employees on aircraft and in US airports in the wake of a US district court's ruling that vacated the federal government's mask mandate. District judge Kathryn Mizelle for the US court in Tampa, Florida, said in a ruling on 18 April that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has "failed to adequately explain its decisions" regarding the extension of its mask mandate intended to prevent the spread of Covid-19 on public transportation and in transportation hubs. Declaring the mandate "unlawful", the judge vacated it.
Mizelle, who was nominated by former president Donald Trump in September 2020, notes in the ruling that while it is "indisputable" that the public has a strong interest in combating Covid-19, the CDC has exceeded its "statutory authority". The CDC on 13 April had extended its travel-related mask mandate through 3 May. The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on 18 April responded to the US court's ruling by saying that it will no longer enforce the CDC's requiring of mask use on public transportation and in transportation hubs. White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said during a press briefing on 18 April that the Florida court's ruling is "disappointing". "The CDC continues recommending wearing a mask in public transit," Psaki says. "So, right now, the Department of Homeland Security, who would be implementing, and the CDC, are reviewing the decision. And, of course, the Department of Justice would make any determinations about litigation." The US majors all say that the wearing of masks is now optional. "While this means that our employees are no longer required to wear a mask – and no longer have to enforce a mask requirement for most of the flying public – they will be able to wear masks if they choose to do so, as the CDC continues to strongly recommend wearing a mask on public transit," United says. Southwest stated: "We encourage individuals to make the best decision to support their personal well-being." The ending of the mask mandate arrives on the cusp of an expected boom in summer travel. Delta enthusiastically welcomed the TSA's statement that it would no longer enforce the CDC's mask mandate. "We are relieved to see the US mask mandate lift to facilitate global travel as Covid-19 has transitioned to an ordinary seasonal virus," the Atlanta-based carrier says.