ACI Europe has warned that the continent's airports face a summer of chaos as resurgent passenger numbers combine with the need for extensive Covid-19 document checks, creating massive congestion. The airports group says there will be "an unprecedented operational challenge" if, as it expects, passenger numbers triple to around 125 million in August. Although such a number would still be below pre-Covid levels, a confluence of factors means that airports may struggle to cope with the surge, ACI warns. Crucially, space at airports is constrained by the need to allow social distancing, reducing capacity and increasing passenger processing times. ACI adds that airlines' current plans indicate a concentration of activity on peak periods this summer, "more than last year or even more than in summer 2019 at some airports". The need to perform additional passenger checks at airports to verify Covid-19 test certificates, vaccine information, passenger locator forms and quarantine documents is the greatest challenge facing European airports this summer, in ACI's view. Testing documents vary depending on the holders' point of origin and destination, and are based on non-standardised rules for different countries across Europe – creating a swathes of paperwork. "In addition, they are being carried at multiple times both at departure and upon arrival, most of the time manually – resulting in inefficiencies and considerably slowing passenger processing time. For example, checks on Covid-19 tests upon departure are currently duplicated or even triplicated at 77% of Europe’s airports," notes ACI. This echoes recent statements from IATA warning of the consequences of heightened health checks on airport processing times. During its press briefing on 27 May, IATA's director general Willie Walsh said airport transit times had already increased by around 1.5h on average, most of it occurring on arrival, despite passenger levels remaining in the doldrums. Should manual checks continue to be required as traffic levels recover, "airports won't cope", warned Walsh, adding: "A digital solution is absolutely critical". IATA is urging governments to adopt a common standard for vaccination, testing and certification processes, and is pushing for such an effort to be adopted by the G7 at the group's meeting later this month. Adoption by the G7 would cover almost 30% of global travellers, Walsh said. Olivier Jankovec, director general of ACI Europe, notes that while airports are "desperate to see their facilities coming back to life", the levels of uncertainty and complexity in preparing for the restart are "just mindblowing". "With each passing day, the prospect of travellers enduring widespread chaos at airports this summer is becoming more real," he states. "We absolutely and urgently need governments to step up advance planning on the full range of issues involved – and work more closely with airports and airlines.” The group is urging European governments to lift travel restrictions for vaccinated, tested and recovered travellers, as well as issue digital Covid-19 certificates by 1 July. Authorities should also work towards ensuring that Covid-19 checks are not duplicated during the travel journey and that checks take place as early in the passenger process as possible, as well as provide additional staffing at airports.

Boeing will once again pause deliveries of its 787 widebody jets while it co-ordinates with the US Federal Aviation Administration on how best to inspect that aircraft type for safety issues resulting from manufacturing errors. This marks the latest setback for the Chicago-based airframer as it seeks to prepare for an eventual recovery of air travel demand by increasing aircraft production and deliveries to airlines. Boeing paused deliveries of 787s between November 2020 and March 2021 due to concerns about fuselage safety on some of those jets. The airframer had proposed an algorithm that would have eliminated the need to inspect components individually. The FAA says it has not yet approved a method for Boeing to inspect 787s for other such errors. "The FAA is waiting for additional data from Boeing before determining whether the company’s solution meets safety regulations," the agency says. "Since the FAA has not approved Boeing’s proposal, Boeing chose to temporarily stop deliveries to its customers." There are around 866 jets in the 787 aircraft family in service worldwide, along with 139 in storage. Two FAA airworthiness directives published in May related to 787 fuselage safety state that "shimming requirements were not met during the assembly of certain structural joints, which can result in reduced fatigue thresholds and cracking of the affected structural joints". Both Congress and US regulators have increased scrutiny of the safety of 787 and 737 family aircraft manufacturing. The FAA on 27 May announced that Boeing will pay a fine of $17 million to address manufacturing problems with both 737NG and Max aircraft. The agency also plans to co-ordinate with Boeing to determine if it is safe to increase production of Max aircraft. Lawmakers in the US House seek records to begin a new investigation into how the FAA certificated Boeing's Max and 787 aircraft, while the US Department of Transportation is conducting its third review into Max certification. Regulators in the USA and other nations have allowed Max aircraft to return to service following a 20-month grounding that the FAA ended in November, yet Boeing faces eroding confidence in both Max and 787 jets after repeated delivery delays and safety issues. Boeing in its most recent report in April logged orders for 25 aircraft, including 20 Max jets and five 777s. This was nearly offset by 17 cancellations of Max jet orders, reflecting the financial difficulties of airline customers, along with a lack of confidence or patience for Max jets. Its top competitor Airbus also seeks to increase production and deliveries as airlines gear up for a recovery of air travel demand. Airbus during April logged 48 new orders and delivered 45 jets to its customers, including three A220s, 34 A320 family aircraft, two A330neos and six A350s. Cowen analyst Cai von Rumohr on 1 June upgraded the firm's rating on Boeing stock from "hold" to "buy", optimistic about a renewal of air travel and the likelihood that China will eventually approve Max aircraft to return to service.

Austrian Airlines on 31 May confirmed the retirement its De Havilland Dash 8-Q400 fleet. The flag carrier says it carried out the last passenger flight with its Dash 8 turboprop aircraft (registration OE-LGI) between Vienna and Innsbruck. The future fleet of Austrian Airlines will consist entirely of aircraft from Airbus, Boeing and Embraer, the airline notes. “Austrian Airlines is well prepared for the phasing out of the Dash. With the comfortable, efficient Embraer and Airbus aircraft, we will continue to offer our passengers a good feeder offer with Vienna as our hub,” the carrier’s chief commercial officer Michael Trestl states. “Dash has had an impressive career in our company, it is and will remain part of our history. We will not forget that," Austrian Airlines’ chief operating officer Francesco Sciortino says. "I would like to thank everyone who has looked after the Dash aircraft over the past few decades, the cabin and cockpit crews, the technical team and many more."