Qatar Airways has welcomed Boeing's 777-9 test aircraft to Doha International airport for the first time. The twin-engine jet will remain in Qatar before returning to Seattle’s Boeing Field to continue its rigorous test programme, says the airline, a global launch customer of the jet. The aircraft, which is expected to join the airline’s fleet in the near future, is claimed to deliver 20% lower fuel consumption and emissions than previous generation aircraft. Key technologies are its new carbon-fibre composite wing, new engines and natural laminar flow nacelles. Qatar Airways Group’s chief executive Akbar Al Baker states: “It was back in 2013 that Qatar Airways Group initially announced its planned investment in the Boeing’s latest generation aircraft. “After visiting the Boeing factory in Everett, Washington in September 2018, we had the opportunity to view the 777-9 up close in person, but today marks the first chance for the airline and our esteemed VIP guests to witness our significant commitment to this aircraft here in Qatar as it arrives for the first time.”

Virgin Australia Group plans to acquire seven Boeing 737NG aircraft, as it eyes the return of passenger demand amid rising vaccination rates and the reopening of borders. Speaking during a staff event today from the company's Brisbane hangar, Virgin Australia chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka said the airline has signed letters of intent to acquire the seven 737NG aircraft that would bring its fleet to 84 aircraft. In the last 12 months since its re-launch, the airline had announced plans to grow its 737 fleet from 58 to 84 aircraft. In April, the airline added 10 737-800s to its fleet, and a further nine examples in August, all of which are to be operational over the Southern Hemisphere's summer season. "This fleet growth underlines the confidence we have in the future of our business and the industry generally. Vaccination rates are rising, borders are opening, and demand is returning," says Hrdlicka. Virgin Australia will return all frontliners to work from 1 December, and also recruit for 600 roles across the business, in areas such as engineering, pit crew, cabin crew and corporate. Hrdlicka says the company is "really positive about travel restarting" and "fully intends to continue growing with demand to ensure we operate at roughly 33% of the domestic market". The group has also added a pair of Airbus A320's to Virgin Australia Regional Airlines, its Perth-based regional arm, which brings its total A320 fleet to seven, along with a number of Fokker F100 aircraft. Since September, Virgin Australia has announced 12 new domestic routes and plans to commence international operations next month, such as short-haul services to Fiji, Bali and New Zealand.

UK regional carrier Flybe will relaunch under its new ownership in the spring with an all-De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 fleet, and has announced Birmingham airport as its base. Flybe collapsed in March 2020 and had planned to relaunch operations earlier this year, following the completion in April of its sale to a company associated with Cyrus Capital. The company, previously known as Thyme Opco, has since been renamed Flybe Limited. In a 17 November statement, Flybe says it now plans to serve "key regions across the UK and EU" from early 2022, with Birmingham as its headquarters and crew base. The previous Flybe was based in Exeter. No routes have yet been disclosed but the carrier's chief executive, Dave Pflieger, says it will "provide more information in the coming weeks and months about ticket prices, new routes and destinations". He adds that Flybe's "entire fleet" will be comprised of Dash 8-400 turboprops. Aergo Capital chief executive Fred Browne advised in June that the Irish lessor was in talks with Flybe's new owners about potentially placing some of the former Flybe turboprops it had recently acquired with the new incarnation of the airline. Aergo had disclosed in April the acquisition of 20 Dash 8 turboprops, ranging in vintage from 2003 to 2011, which were formerly operated by Flybe. New Flybe says it expects to create 200 direct jobs in the Birmingham and West Midlands region over the next three years, and an additional 400 jobs nationwide within the same period. Pflieger describes Birmingham as "an ideal choice for us due to its great people and highly-skilled workforce, its central UK location, and the fact that Birmingham airport is a global travel hub where local and connecting customers have access to over 150 worldwide destinations". The airport's chief executive Nick Barton adds that "Flybe's return to the skies from Birmingham is a shot in the arm for our airport as well as West Midlands businesses and communities".