Boeing ended 2021 with a backlog of 4,250 commercial aircraft orders, having delivered 340 jets during the year, amid pressure to reduce its inventory of undelivered aircraft and boost production. Unfilled orders at year-end totalled 5,136, but this is reduced to 4,250 by adjustments required under accounting standard ASC 606, which factors in uncertainty of fulfilment. The 737 Max dominated the US airframer's orders during 2021, accounting for 749 of the gross total of 909. Factoring in cancellations and accounting adjustments, net orders came in at 535. This compares with negative net totals in 2019 and 2020, of 87 and 1,194 respectively. Cancelled orders in 2021 spanned 395 737's, 32 787's and three 747's. The 2021 orderbook also included 84 dedicated freighters, reflecting ongoing demand for air freight amid lack of cargo capacity. Boeing in December won orders for 80 aircraft, including for 50 Max jets from Allegiant Air. There were orders for 19 767-300 Freighters from UPS, seven Max jets from Southwest, and seven 777Fs from Atlas Air's parent. US lessor Aviation Capital Group in December cancelled an order for one Max jet. Boeing delivered 38 aircraft in December, including 32 Max jets. Deliveries of 787's remain paused as Boeing co-ordinates with the US Federal Aviation Administration to conduct quality inspections. Boeing reports a backlog of 411 unfilled 787 orders. Deliveries in 2021 were more than double the 157 of 2020, when customers deferred aircraft amid the pandemic and Max jets were grounded for most of the year. The FAA had ordered the Max grounding in March 2019 following two fatal crashes and lifted the ban in November 2020. Boeing had delivered 380 aircraft in 2019, and 806 in 2018. The airframer increased deliveries of Max jets from 14 in August 2021 to 32 in December. Boeing says that an estimated one third of the Max aircraft it has in storage are awaiting deliveries to China. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on 2 December published a directive allowing fixes to Max automated flight controls that were implicated in the two crashes, but the regulator has not yet lifted its grounding of the aircraft.

France will ease its heightened travel restrictions on UK arrivals from 14 January. Since 18 December, the French government has required that all entrants from the UK have a "compelling reason" to travel and that they isolate for 10 days, in order to stem the spread of Omicron. Under the new rules, travellers will just be required to present a negative Covid-19 test taken within 24h of leaving the UK, though for non-vaccinated travellers the heightened restrictions will remain in place. Jet2 has reported a "sharp and immediate" surge in bookings to France following the announcement, with the UK leisure airline acting to restore its services to Lyon, Chambery and Grenoble from 22 January, as well as Paris from 11 February. "This is yet more great news for the travel industry and further reinforces our already strong belief that 2022 is a year to look forward to with real confidence," states chief executive Steve Heapy. EasyJet says the development is welcome news for UK travellers. "We've continued to operate to our destinations across France including Lyon and Grenoble that also serve France's most popular ski resorts, with frequencies already scheduled to increase in the coming weeks. We also continue to keep our schedule under review, with the view to align our flying programme with the demand we see," adds the Luton-based low-cost carrier. Data shows that the number of passenger flights operating from the UK to France slumped after the extra requirements were imposed, with a seven-day average of just 31 services departing on 12 January, the lowest level since 21 July.

Jetstar is restarting flights to Thailand with flights from Sydney to Phuket to take off today and from Melbourne on 13 January. The flights from Sydney will operate three times a week and from Melbourne at twice-weekly frequency using Boeing 787-8 aircraft, the low-cost carrier says in a 12 January statement. These flights mark the first time Jetstar has flown to Thailand flight since 26 March 2020, it says. Jetstar chief executive Gareth Evans states: “Thailand has always been one of the most popular destinations in Jetstar’s international network, and restarting flights was an important milestone in the recovery of low-cost international leisure travel.” Jetstar says it will also resume international flights to Bali, Japan and Vietnam in the first part of 2022 “as quarantine requirements in these destinations ease.”