Boeing is urging 16 operators of 737 Max jets to address an electrical system concern before further operating the aircraft. The company has disclosed few details about the problem, and the US Federal Aviation Administration did not respond to a request for comment. “Boeing has recommended to 16 customers that they address a potential electrical issue in a specific group of 737 Max airplanes prior to further operations,” the company said on 9 April. “The recommendation is being made to allow for verification that a sufficient ground path exists for a component of the electrical power system.” Boeing adds that it is working “closely with the US Federal Aviation Administration on this production issue”. Emergence of the issue comes five months after the FAA lifted the Max’s grounding. “We are also informing our customers of specific tail numbers affected and we will provide direction on appropriate corrective actions,” Boeing adds. The company does not say how many aircraft are affected by the issue. Boeing says it is “premature” to estimate how long repairs to the jets might take, but adds that the maintenance work could take “a matter of hours or days”. The global fleet of in-service 737 Max stands at 176 aircraft. Those jets are operated by 22 airlines, most based in North and South America, but with some based in Europe.

Iceland has opened its borders to all travellers who can provide evidence that they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, or have previously been infected with the virus. On 6 April, the country removed quarantine restrictions for all international visitors who present a paper or electronic certificate that proves they have been fully vaccinated, or they have had Covid-19. Evidence for the latter can be either a positive PCR test result that is more than two weeks old, or a document showing the presence of antibodies against the disease. All arrivals are still required to take a Covid-19 test when they land in Iceland. However, those with certificates of vaccination or prior infection will no longer be required to quarantine for up to six days and take a repeat test. "The new border measures that came into effect on April 6 do apply to all passengers from non-Schengen countries as long as they can provide proof of vaccination or prior infection as stipulated by the chief epidemiologist (and have the required visa if necessary)," Iceland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed. Further travel from Iceland to the rest of Europe for non-Schengen residents is still not permitted, however. Unvaccinated visitors and those who have not previously had Covid-19 must present a negative PCR test up to 72h before boarding a flight to Iceland. They must then take another test on arrival and quarantine for five to six days before taking a third test. From 1 May, Iceland's border controls will follow the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control's traffic light approach, says Icelandair. Those arriving from countries on the red list will have to test on arrival and take a repeat test after five or six days in quarantine, while arrivals from amber and green countries will be required to take one test on arrival.

Boeing's 777X programme is in "a state of disarray", in the view of Emirates Airline president Tim Clark, who has revealed that the Middle Eastern carrier may not receive its first of the aircraft until as late as end-2025 – over five years later than scheduled. "We should have had our first delivery in June last year, and so far we have no visibility on when the first one will arrive," Clark said during a webinar organised by Simple Flying on 7 April. Clark says that, following discussions with Boeing Commercial Airplanes chief executive Stanley Deal, he expects the jets will begin arriving "either at the back end of '23, '24 or possibly even '25". Data shows that Emirates has a total of 115 777X jets on order: 101 777-9s and 14 777-8s. Letter-of-intent commitments cover a further 11 777-8s. Boeing says it is working closely with global regulators on the 777X's development, including a rigorous test program. "Our team remains focused on executing this comprehensive series of tests and conditions to demonstrate the safety and reliability of the airplane’s design," Boeing says. "It is diligent, deliberate work and we are pleased with the progress to date. We also are providing regular updates to our launch customers.” The airframer also highlights recent comments from 777X launch customer Qatar Airways that it expects to receive its first aircraft in 2023. Clark says the absence of the aircraft makes it difficult for Emirates to plan its fleet and network strategy. Emirates had planned to begin replacing some of its A380s with 777-9s, a strategy that would have enabled it to build capacity while retiring its oldest aircraft. Delays mean that such a move "has been shifted to the right, but we don't know by how much at this stage". Amid the uncertainty, the Airbus A380 will play an ongoing role at the carrier for at least another 15 years. The double-deck type has formed the backbone of the airline's fleet for over a decade, and Clark highlights that pre-pandemic the A380 accounted for 85% of profits and was "always full", proving popular with travellers across all seat classes, something that "we see continuing". The use of high-capacity aircraft such as the A380 and 777X underlines Emirates' commitment to its hub-and-spoke strategy. Clark says: "I see no reason to adjust our business model whatsoever [because of Covid-19]." He notes that most long-haul point-to-point routes remain uneconomical, while the use of a hub pushes down unit costs and allows income to increase "exponentially" as capacity is increased. Clark adds that he expects a rapid return to flying in the second half of 2021 as vaccines are rolled out. Emirates' passenger numbers declined from around 4.5 billion in 2019 to around 500 million last year, but he asserts that "people's desire to travel hasn't changed". "In the short term there will be a bow-wave of demand," he adds. This "will have to be accommodated by a diminished airline community in terms of capacity offered".