Airbus has become the first manufacturer to receive an aircraft CO2 emissions certificate from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, for the A330-900. EASA says Airbus voluntarily responded to a late-2019 call to come forward for the new certification process. The regulator predicts that "more manufacturers will be seeking early CO2 certification in the immediate future". ICAO adopted the CO2 standard in 2017, and it was implemented into EASA's basic regulation in 2018. EASA says Airbus's experience with the certificate will "contribute to improving and further developing the standards set by ICAO which will benefit the entire industry". The certification methodology assesses aircraft fuel consumption in cruise flight. EASA notes that the process is complex as fuel consumption depends on factors including speed, altitude, and aircraft weight, which diminishes as fuel is being burned during flight. EASA describes the certification as a "key milestone" within its wider effort to establish an environmental label for aviation by 2022. That label will take CO2 emission and other values into account to provide a "comprehensive assessment" of an aircraft's environmental performance, the EU agency says. Its executive director Patrick Ky acknowledges that "there is a long way still to go" to reach the aviation sector's carbon-neutrality target by 2050. "But every step is important in demonstrating that aviation is moving determinedly towards that objective," he states.

Ordering the Airbus A380 was the largest mistake in Qatar Airways' history, chief executive Akbar Al Baker has declared, citing the aircraft's high operating costs and poor environmental performance. "In my opinion, looking backward, it was the biggest mistake we did – to purchase A380s," Al Baker said during a webinar organised by Simple Flying on 26 May. He goes on to criticise the aircraft's high fuel burn and "the mistake in the design" for rendering the aircraft uneconomical. Although the A380 initially seemed to work for the carrier in the mid-2000s when oil prices were low, he recalls, once they began rising the economic case for the aircraft fell apart. "People who have large numbers of A380s in their fleets will suffer in operating costs and from people who are conscious of emissions," he adds. Of the 10 A380s that Qatar Airways ordered, all are currently grounded, and the Middle Eastern airline has taken impairments against five. Al Baker warns: "I don't think there is a market for that aircraft in the near term." Discussing his carrier's fleet strategy, he says Qatar Airways will "take all the Airbus A321LRs we have on order" as the aircraft provides the optimum volume for intercontinental routes in off-peak seasons. Data shows it has 50 A321LRs on order.

Garuda Indonesia has confirmed media reports that it is in the early stages of offering an "accelerated pension programme" for eligible staff. In a 24 May disclosure to the Indonesia Stock Exchange, the Indonesian flag carrier provided an explanation pertaining to two 21 May local media reports, from Tempo.co and DetikFinance, that detailed a plan to offer early retirement for employees. Garuda noted that it will need to "take steps to adjust the aspects of supply and demand amid a decline in operating performance and significant reduction in flight traffic". It stressed that the accelerated retirement plan is "voluntarily offered to existing employees who meet the criteria", without detailing those criteria. Also as part of the carrier's restructuring amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the airline intends to retain fewer than 70 aircraft from its current fleet, according to minutes of an internal company meeting cited in the Tempo.co report, although Garuda did not comment on this in its 24 May exchange filing. According to fleets data, Garuda Indonesia has a fleet of 142 aircraft, including 73 Boeing 737-800s, 24 Airbus A330s, three A330neos, 10 777s, 18 Bombardier CRJ1000s, 13 ATR72s and one 737 Max 8.The carrier also has an orderbook of 69 aircraft that comprises 49 737 Max 8s, 15 A330neos and five ATR72s. Garuda only manages 13 aircraft itself: six A330-300s, one 737-800 and six CRJ1000s. The remainder of its fleet is managed by 29 different lessors. Nordic Aviation Capital has the largest exposure by number of aircraft with 25 regional jets on lease to Garuda, Cirium fleets data show.