Turkmenistan Airlines has recruited Lufthansa Consulting to support its efforts to restore third-country authorisation from the European Aviation Safety Agency.

EASA recently withdraw the Central Asian carrier’s approval, forcing it to suspend its routes to European destinations.

The airline operates Boeing types including the 777-200LR, 757-200, and 737-700/800. It also has helicopters and Ilyushin Il-76 heavy freighters.

Withdrawal of the EASA clearance has resulted a wet-lease service being implemented to maintain connections between Birmingham and Ashgabat.

Lufthansa consulting says it has been commissioned by the carrier to “help them raise their performance” in respect of third-country operator criteria.

“The airline recently experienced difficulties in satisfying relevant EASA requirements and is taking matters in this regard very seriously,” it adds. “The operator is aware of the need for immediate action.”

It aims to review the situation and develop a corrective action plan for Turkmenistan Airlines, but has not given a timeline.

UK operator BMI Regional has become the latest casualty of the pressure on European airlines, with its decision to cease operations and file for administration.

The company is blaming the uncertainty regarding the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union for contributing to its demise.

All flights have been cancelled, effective 16 February.

BMI Regional had emerged in 2012 as a spin-off airline, under new owners, after the mainline carrier BMI was sold to British Airways parent IAG.

It subsequently became a sister carrier to Scottish operator Loganair, both having been brought under the holding company Airline Investments.

BMI Regional operated services under the brand name Flybmi with a fleet of 17 Embraer ERJ-135 and -145 jets, serving 25 European destinations, and employed nearly 380 personnel in the UK, Germany and Belgium

Middle Eastern carrier Etihad Airways is in talks to cut its A350 order by 42 aircraft, leaving the airline with 20 A350-1000s in the backlog.

Airbus has disclosed that it has held "commercial discussions" with Etihad, to "reduce" its order, in its full-year financial results.

Etihad had 40 A350-900s and 22 A350-1000s on order at the end of January, so the cuts amount to the entire -900 order plus two -1000s.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad’s blow to the airframer follows neighbouring Emirates’ decision to slash its A380 orders, forcing a closure of the double-deck aircraft programme.

Airbus says it will “continue to improve the A350 programme’s performance” in order to reach break-even this year, and improve margins beyond this date.