ARC NEWS
Azul completes Chapter 11 restructuring
February 23, 2026
Azul has concluded its voluntary financial restructuring process under US Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, completing it within nine months. "Throughout this process, Azul carried out a comprehensive transformation of its balance sheet and emerges from Chapter 11 having achieved its key objectives, including strengthening its capital structure, increasing liquidity, and substantially reducing indebtedness, enabling greater sustainability and long-term growth for its operations," says the Brazilian carrier in a 20 February filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The restructuring was implemented through agreements with the airline's main creditors, including holders of its debt securities issued in the market, its largest aircraft lessor AerCap, and two strategic investors: United Airlines and American Airlines. Azul says it has reduced loans and financial debt by $1.1 billion and cut aircraft lease debt by nearly 40%. It estimates that annual interest payments will be more than 50% lower than pre-Chapter 11 levels. During the restructuring, Azul operated about 800 flights a day. It says: "Looking ahead, Azul remains focused on disciplined and sustainable growth, maintaining operational excellence, and generating long-term value for customers, crew members, and partners worldwide." It was on 28 May 2025 that Azul filed for Chapter 11 in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.


Myanmar National Airlines ATR 72 damaged in ground attack
February 23, 2026
A Myanmar National Airlines ATR 72-600 has sustained damage to several parts of the fuselage on 20 February, reportedly caused by a drone attack while the aircraft was parked at Myitkyina airport. A statement from Myanmar's Ministry of Information says that the aircraft came under attack around 20:12 while it was preparing to operate a scheduled flight to Mandalay, which it blamed on two "terrorist groups using FPV suicide drones". Pictures carried on Myanmar news websites indicate that at least one of the drones struck the rear fuselage, just below the vertical stabiliser and to the aft of the passenger door. Other damage is shown to the middle of the fuselage and the windscreen. The aircraft involved bears registration XY-AMI. Fleets data shows that the aircraft, MSN 1368, is nearly 10 years old and has been operated by the carrier since new. DAE Capital is listed as the manager and owner, having purchased it in a sale-and-leaseback transaction on delivery.


Air France‑KLM incurs penalty after missed bond emissions target
February 20, 2026
Air France-KLM will incur costs of €7.5 million ($8.83 million) after missing emissions targets connected to two sustainability-linked bonds it issued in 2023. The carrier group says in its full-year results that its emissions intensity as measured by grams of CO2 equivalent per revenue tonne kilometre (gCO₂eq/RTK) stood at 913 for the year ending 31 December 2025. This represents a 1.6% decrease in gCO₂eq/RTK compared to 2024 and means that Air France-KLM Group "has not achieved the sustainability performance target of reduction of its GHG emission intensity by 10% from a 2019 baseline by 2025 as defined in the final terms of the sustainability-linked bonds issued in January 2023". The SkyTeam group raised €1 billion ($1.07 billion) in January 2023, composed of one €500 million bond with a 3.3-year maturity and a coupon of 7.250%; and a €500 million with a 5.3-year maturity and a coupon of 8.125%. The bonds’ coupons were indexed on Air France-KLM Group’s target to reduce its well-to-wake Scope 1 and 3 jet fuel greenhouse-gas emissions by 10% per revenue tonne-kilometre by 2025 compared with 2019, as part of its wider decarbonisation roadmap. In its latest results Air France-KLM and its airlines blame "headwinds to its GHG intensity progression", including delays in its fleet renewal plan due to constraints in the supply chain; engine issues with part of its new generation aircraft fleet, such as several Airbus A220s. These issues meant that the group was not able to operate the A220s to their "maximum capacity", while it also incurred higher fuel consumption due to longer flight time on certain routes caused by "different geopolitical circumstances", adding that: "These headwinds were faced by several actors in the airline industry". As a result Air France-KLM is obliged to make a payment of a €750 redemption premium on the bonds maturing on 31 May 2026. For bonds maturing on 31 May, 2028 a 0.375% "step-up" on the coupons will be paid on 31 May 2027 and on 31 May 2028.


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