The largest airlines operating in the UK have called on prime minister Boris Johnson to remove the "disproportionate" travel restrictions enacted to slow the spread of Omicron, as well as provide further economic support to the sector. Amid the rapid spread of the Covid-19 variant over recent weeks, the UK government placed several African countries back onto its 'red' list, effectively closing down travel to and from those destinations, and made it mandatory for everyone arriving in the UK, including the fully vaccinated, to complete a pre-departure PCR test. The chief executives of British Airways, Ryanair, EasyJet, Virgin Atlantic, Jet2.com, Tui UK & Ireland and Loganair, as well as lobby group Airlines UK, argue in a joint letter that such moves have "severely undermined customer sentiment", hurting bookings into the crucial Christmas and New Year periods when up to 30% of annual tickets are typically sold. Such action could lead to "permanent scarring" of the industry, they warn. The letter, published ahead of meeting between several airlines and government officials on 13 December, calls on authorities to remove the need for testing of fully vaccinated individuals and for an immediate package of "bespoke economic support measures" for the sector. "Only the UK requires pre-departure and post-arrival PCR tests, irrespective of vaccination status. Whilst we have heard much talk of cracking down on the ‘rip-off’ testing regime – charging up to £399 [$529] for a PCR test – we’ve seen precious little action, despite repeated promises," it states. The signatories add that organisational problems have arisen for arrivals from red-list countries that have left passengers severely out of pocket. "Many people are stranded abroad through no fault of their own, due to a policy that cannot be executed properly." In recent days, the UK's largest airport London Heathrow warned that travellers were cancelling trips because of the spread of Omicron, while several airlines have noted a drop-off in bookings and souring customer sentiment.

Atlantic Joint Business partners American Airlines, British Airways and Level have announced several new routes between Europe and North America for summer 2022. BA says it will commence five-times-weekly flights to Portland in Oregon and a four-times-weekly service to Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania from London Heathrow on 3 June. Both routes will be operated with Boeing 787-8 aircraft, it adds. American plans to start serving Rome in Italy from Charlotte in North Carolina from 5 April. This route will be operated until 29 October, seven times a week using Boeing 777-200 aircraft. IAG-own Level plans to launch flights between Barcelona and Los Angeles on 28 March. The four-times-weekly service will be operated with Airbus A330-200 aircraft. “Next summer brings exciting and convenient new routes for all of our customers, further connecting Europe with the USA", Atlantic Joint Business’ general manager Seb Seward says. “The Atlantic Joint Business offers huge benefits to our customers including the option to mix and match flights from any of the six airlines, to get the best deals and enjoy smoother connections – all on one booking.” The Atlantic Joint Business is a joint venture that started in 2010, between American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia, with Finnair joining in 2013, Level in 2017 and Aer Lingus in 2021.

Airbus is establishing development centres for composite-based liquid hydrogen fuel tanks in Spain and Germany as part of efforts to build a zero-emissions aircraft. The European airframer has additionally launched an entity of its "UpNext" innovation subsidiary in Spain, and says this "reaffirms Airbus's commitment to remain a strong player in the Spanish aerospace ecosystem". In June, Airbus disclosed a plan to establish zero-emissions development centres (ZEDCs) for metallic liquid hydrogen tanks in the French city of Nantes and Bremen in Germany. Liquid tanks for commercial aircraft "are likely to be metallic in the near term", Airbus says. "Longer term," it adds, "tanks made from composite materials may be lighter and more cost-efficient to manufacture." An existing composite research centre at the company's site in Stade, near Hamburg in Germany, and a new dedicated ZEDC in Spanish capital Madrid will be focused on composite tanks for liquid hydrogen. Airbus notes that hydrogen delivers around three times more energy than fossil-based jet fuel in terms of mass, on a volume basis the figure for the typically gaseous element is much lower. "At normal atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature, you would need approximately 3,000 litres of gaseous hydrogen to achieve the same amount of energy as one litre of kerosene fuel," Airbus says. Cooled to -253°C – hydrogen's condensation point – four litres of liquid hydrogen would comprise the same energy as one litre of fossil kerosene. Cryogenic hydrogen tanks capable of maintaining such temperatures are made from materials that minimise heat transfer and "currently" feature inner and outer tanks with a vacuum in-between, Airbus says – perhaps indicating that alternative approaches are being investigated. Cryogenic tanks have been used in space vehicles and other industries for some time. Airbus cites its own experience with the European Ariane space programme as a source of "good insight" into the challenges of building and operating cryogenic tanks. But the airframer adds that rather than being used for a single space launch, cryogenic tanks on commercial aircraft would need to "endure approximately 20,000 take-offs and landings [and] keep the hydrogen in the liquid state for much longer". David Butters, head of engineering for liquid hydrogen storage and distribution at Airbus, states: "Adapting cryogenic tank technology for commercial aircraft represents some major design and manufacturing challenges." All ZEDC's are scheduled to be operational and ready for ground testing of a first functional cryogenic hydrogen tank in 2023. Flight tests with a tank are scheduled begin in 2025. The new Spanish UpNext operation will concentrate on fuel-cell cooling systems, fibreoptics and carbonfibre liquid hydrogen tanks. Airbus notes that UpNext's objective is to accelerate technology development by building demonstrators "at speed and scale". Chief technical officer Sabine Klauke states: "Establishing Airbus UpNext and the ZEDC in Spain strengthens our Research & Technology footprint in the country and ensures the involvement, from the start, of some of the best experts to support our zero-emission ambition." The airframer targets service entry for the zero-emissions aircraft in 2035.