Fiji Airways will join American Airlines' AAdvantage loyalty programme within the next year in a move that appears aimed at driving traffic from North America. The loyalty announcement comes as the Fijian carrier prepares to become a full member of the Oneworld alliance next year, having joined as a connecting partner in December 2018. "This new loyalty partnership marks a significant milestone for Fiji Airways and will offer new benefits to millions of travellers," says the carrier's chief executive Andre Viljoen. "By gaining access to a vast network of American travellers, this collaboration also aims to increase visitor arrivals to Fiji, bolstering the nation's tourism industry." Schedules data shows that American codeshares on Fiji Airways' flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Nadi, while the Fijian carrier places its code on 363 weekly US domestic flights operated by American. It is unclear how the AAdvantage tie-up will work with Fiji's existing Tabua Club loyalty programme.

Boeing has agreed to acquire Spirit AeroSystems in an all-stock transaction at an equity value of about $4.7 billion, with Airbus set to acquire the parts of the business that supply its programmes. The total transaction will be valued at $8.3 billion, including Spirit's last reported net debt, the airframer says in a 1 July announcement. “Boeing's acquisition of Spirit will include substantially all Boeing-related commercial operations, as well as additional commercial, defence and aftermarket operations,” it states. Spirit supplies airframe sections and components for Boeing's 737, 767, 777 and 787 commercial aircraft programmes. In a separate statement, Airbus says it has also entered into a binding term sheet agreement with Spirit to potentially acquire “major activities related to Airbus”. They include the production of A350 fuselage sections in Kinston, North Carolina, and St. Nazaire, France and also production of the A220’s wings and mid-fuselage in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Casablanca, Morocco, as well as A220 pylons in Wichita, Kansas. Airbus adds that it will be paid $559 million by Spirit AeroSystems, for a nominal consideration of $1 for the transaction. Boeing president and chief executive Dave Calhoun says: “We believe this deal is in the best interest of the flying public, our airline customers, the employees of Spirit and Boeing, our shareholders and the country more broadly. "By reintegrating Spirit, we can fully align our commercial production systems, including our Safety and Quality Management Systems, and our workforce to the same priorities, incentives and outcomes – centered on safety and quality." Boeing says the transaction is expected to close in mid-2025. Spirit is also proposing to sell parts of its operations, including those in Belfast, Prestwick in Scotland, and Subang in Malaysia, the airframer adds. PJT Partners acted as lead financial advisor to Boeing, with Goldman Sachs & Co and Consello acting as additional advisors, while Sullivan & Cromwell acted as outside counsel.

ITA Airways and KM Malta Airlines have signed a codeshare agreement. Under the partnership, ITA Airways will place its codes on all KM Malta Airlines to Italy. The Italian airline will meanwhile carry KM Malta Airlines codes on its services to Malta from Rome and Milan Linate. ITA says it will additionally place KM Malta Airlines codes on its domestic services from Rome and Milan, and on selected international connections. KM Malta Airlines plans to serve Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Catania, Dusseldorf, London Gatwick, Heathrow, Lyon, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Paris Charles-de-Gaulle, Orly, Prague, Rome, Vienna and Zurich during its summer 2024 schedule. ITA will fly to 57 destinations including new services to Chicago, Toronto, Riyadh, Accra, Dakar and Jeddah, it notes.