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.

Delays in Boeing 787 deliveries have prompted American Airlines to scale back its international schedule in 2022. The Fort Worth-based carrier has reversed its decision to restart transatlantic flights to Edinburgh and Shannon. "Continued delivery delays of Boeing 787 aircraft have provided unique challenges in planning international flying months in advance," American states in a 9 December US Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Additionally, American is discontinuing service to Hong Kong, citing soft demand in Asia. The carrier has "also adjusted operations on some existing Asia and South America routes and reduced frequencies". American has 46 Dreamliners in its current fleet and 43 on order. Boeing has delivered one 787 to American this year, in April. Thirteen 787s are to arrive in 2022, but manufacturing issues continue to affect production rates. In a memo to American staff, chief revenue officer Vasu Raja states: "Boeing continues to be unable to deliver the 787s we have on order, including as many as 13 aircraft that were slated to be in our fleet by this winter. "Without these widebodies, we simply won’t be able to fly as much internationally as we had planned next summer or as we did in summer 2019." United Airlines has four 787's on order; Delta Air Lines has no Boeing widebodies on order. Delays in 787 deliveries are having a broad impact across aviation. During a third-quarter results call on 4 November, Air Lease Corporation chief executive John Plueger said the US lessor had originally been scheduled to take 10 new 787's by year-end but was "uncertain" it would receive any.

Manchester Airports Group has already seen passenger numbers fall 10-20% because of the emergence of Covid-19's Omicron variant and the subsequent announcement on 27 November that travellers arriving in the UK must undertake a PCR test. Releasing six-monthly results, UK airport operator MAG notes that the impact of restrictions "has increased further over recent days following the introduction of pre-departure tests this week". The UK government has said the restrictions are "precautionary" and "temporary" measures intended to help slow the spread of the new variant. MAG, which in addition to Manchester owns Stansted and East Midlands airports, is now calling for an urgent review of the government's travel rules, after passenger numbers across the first six months of its financial year to end-September came in 82% below 2019 levels. The company saw a brief window of higher activity when restrictions lifted, reaching 58% of pre-pandemic levels in November, before being sent into reverse by Omicron and the new restrictions. "The first half of this year tells a story of how travel restrictions held back the recovery of UK aviation, especially when compared to the rest of Europe," states MAG chief executive Charlie Cornish. "As restrictions eased, passenger numbers grew steadily at all three of our airports. The reintroduction of costly and inconvenient travel testing requirements has created further uncertainty and delayed our recovery." He adds: "As a business, we will always do our part to protect public health, but we also need these temporary measures to be removed when they are no longer worthwhile." The group saw revenue rise £64.9 million ($85.6 million) year on year, but the total was down 70% on the same period two years ago. MAG made a loss before interest and tax of £75.7 million in the six-month period this year, after a £173 million profit two years earlier.