HNA Group (China) is reportedly the most promissing bidder for Frankfurt Hahn Airport (Germany).

Cameroon’s Douala International Airport to receive US$49.8 million to rehabilitate its runway.

Yemen’s Aden airport is expected to reopen fully for commercial traffic within weeks.

Azul (Brazil) to become minority owner in TAP Portugal with US$130.6 million investment, made together with HNA Group (China). The two companies, in conjunction with the Atlantic Gateway consortium, will own 45% of the Portuguese airline.

FLY Leasing (Ireland) announces it closed a US$385 million blind pool aircraft acquisition facility with multiple financiers. Facility has a three-year revolving period followed by a three-year term and will bear interest at LIBOR plus 2.00% during the revolving period.

Moody’s Investors Service (US) upgraded the senior unsecured ratings of Qantas (Australia) to Baa3 from Ba1. As part of the action, Moody’s withdrew Qantas’ Ba1 corporate family rating. The outlook on all ratings is stable.

Turkish Aerospace Industries to invest US$130 million to renew and modernize its plant near Ankara to catch up with its growth plans for the next decade, in addition to buying $82 million worth of machinery and equipment from foreign suppliers.

Accipiter (Ireland) closed a US$1.2 billion refinancing with 11 banks, covering portfolio of 42 narrowbodies and two widebodies purchased in 2014 from three lessors.

Aeroflot (Russia) to lease five A320-200s, serials 3545, 3574, 3699, 3711, 3778, from AerCap Ireland, not exceeding 24 months per aircraft. Aeroflot to also sub-let three aircraft, serials 3794, 3942, 3998, to Rossiya, not more than 30 months per aircraft.

BAC Leasing (UK) lists two ERJ145LR, serials 223 & 277, for immediate sale. Contact: David Robinson, david.robinson@bac-leasing.com, +44.1732.522493.

Etihad Cargo (UAE) took delivery of a new B777F. Aircraft becomes the 11th freighter in the fleet and will enter commercial service on 01 March 2016.

Everjets (Portugal) to take delivery of first A320-200, serial 879, in March 2016.

FPG Amentum (Ireland) and Financial Products Group (Japan) acquire one B737-800, serial 40943. Aircraft was acquired from an affiliate of CDB Leasing (China) and is on lease to TUI Airlines Belgium.

GOL (Brazil) to return five aircraft to lessors and slash the schedule of planned deliveries of aircraft through end of 2017 to one from 15, in an effort to trim costs amid weak demand.

Guggenheim Aviation Partners (US) lists two B767-300ERs, serials 27205 & 27206, for sale or lease in February 2017 & 2018, respectively. Contact: Clive Bowen, clive.bowen@guggenheimpartners.com.

IndiGo (India) to take delivery of 24 new A320neos from March 2016 to March 2017, two less than orginally planned.

Jackson Square Aviation Ireland announced sale/leaseback of a new A321-200 to VietJet Air (Vietnam) in mid January 2016, marking the second aircraft that JSAI has leased to the carrier.

Jackson Square Aviation (US) announced deliveries of two new B737-800s on long term lease to VRG Linhas Aereas (Brazil) in late January 2016.

Jet Airways (India) decided to consolidate its existing position by maximizing aircraft utilization rather than adding more planes.

Jet Midwest Group (US) purchased an additional six B757-200s from American Airlines (US). Aircraft, equipped with twelve RB211 engines, are in excellent condition and will be available for sale and freighter conversions, or dismantled for parts sales.

Midex Airlines (UAE) lists two A300B4-200F, serials 203 & 218, for sale immediately. Contact: Issam Khairallah, khairallah.issam@midexairlines.ae, +971 4 2146808.

Oman Air agreed to US$75 million three-year wet leasing deal for two Kenya Airways B787-8s as part of an investment that gives Oman Air a second daily service to London Heathrow by using the Kenyan slots.

Residco (US) lists one ERJ145LR, serial 461, for sale or lease immediately. Contact: Scott Daniels, daniels@residco.com, +1.561.766.2142

TACV (Cape Verde) B737-800 on service from Sal to Paris via Rotterdam was detained in the Netherlands on 27 February 2016, reportedly in relation to debt owed to lessor AerCap (Netherlands).

Aeroflot Group (Russia) approved business plan of A-Techniks, which will specialize in aircraft maintenance and repairs on ad hoc and scheduled maintenance for the Group’s fleet. Business plan anticipates achieving operational profitability by end of 2017.

ALAFCO (Kuwait) chose AerData (Netherlands) Corporate Management System to support their fleet of over 50 aircraft.

Aeroflot Group (Russia) confirmed changes to the Group Strategy for 2017-2021 due to the update of the multi-brand platform approach. During the current year, the platform will switch to a new operational structure of four different companies, one of which will be formed from the integration of Rossiya, Donavia and Orenair.

Air Armenia, which is in debt US$17 million and declared bankrupt, obtained court approval for its recovery plan, which will be presented to creditors on 04 March 2015.

AJW Aviation (UK) appointed Thomas van de Wiel as its new CFO.

EasyGroup (UK) founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou demands directors of Fastjet (Tanzania) be sacked, including immediate dismissal of CEO Ed Winter, citing concerns over costs. Stelios Haji-Ioannou believes the carrier will run out of cash sometime in 2016 due to “unrealistic revenue forecasts” for a fleet of six aircraft.

Kingfisher Airlines (India) lenders’ consortium to move the Debt Recovery Tribunal against the airline Chairman Vijay Mallya to stake claim on the US$75 million severance package he will be getting for quitting United Spirits (India).

Korean Air and Asiana Airlines (South Korea) are grappling with escalating labor-management conflicts because they are seeking to downsize their workforces and reduce employee benefits amid worsening business conditions.

Nok Air (Thailand) may resort to a temporary halt of its services while resolving its pilot shortage problem and restructuring its flight operations to avoid further negative effects for passengers and the airline industry, suggests CAA of Thailand.

Ryanair (Ireland) called on the UK to scrap Air Passenger Duty for all customers in order to stimulate job and tourism growth, ahead of the removal of the travel tax for all under-16 customers from 01 March 2016.

European Commission decided to fine SAS Cargo and the SAS Group, alongside 11 other airlines, for participating in a global cartel in the cargo sector. SAS was fined US$76.7 million, but appealed the decision to the European Court’s first instance, the General Court. In December 2015, the General Court annulled the European Commission’s decision including the fine.

Mauritius and Swaziland discussed a Bilateral Services Agreement and the possibility for Swaziland to join the Africa-Asia ‘Air Corridor’ through Mauritius and Singapore.

Nigeria and Qatar signed a bilateral air services agreement to pave way for direct flights between major cities of both countries.

US Senate member wants to require the FAA (US) to establish seat-size standards for commercial airlines.

Aerodesierto (Chile) plans to soon start B737-200 service from Iquique to Oruro.

Aeroflot (Russia) to resume A320 service from Moscow Sheremetyevo to Lyon on 03 June 2016, after a 16 year hiatus.

Air Canada to resume codeshare partnership with EVA Air (Taiwan) on 10 March 2016, after 6-year hiatus, covering service within Domestic Canada, and intra-Asia service, subject to government approval.

Association of Asia Pacific Airlines reports January 2016 international passenger numbers up 9.2% to 24.5 million for member airlines, with RPKs up 9.9%, ASKs up 7.1%, and load factor up 2.1 points to 79.6%. For cargo, FTKs fell 0.7%, with load factor down 2.0 points to 59.6%, and ASKs up 2.6%.

EasyJet (UK) started new service from London Southend to Paris CDG on 26 February 2016.

Interjet (Mexico) to add new A320 service from Cancun to Los Angeles on 19 May 2016.

Nok Air (Thailand) to use charter airlines to try to meet demand, as carrier grapples with a lack of pilots. Nok Air hopes to resume normal operations from 10 March 2016.

S7 Airlines (Russia) to introduce new B767 service from Vladivostok to Bangkok on 30 October 2016.

Sprint Air (Poland) to start service from Radom to Gdansk, Wroclaw, Prague and Berlin Tegel on 18 April 2016, with SF340.

SWISS to suspend service from Geneva to Sarajevo in March 2016 and is likely to do the same with its Geneva – Belgrade route, just a few months after terminating services between Zurich and Ljubljana. Subsidiary Edelweiss Air (Switzerland) to suspend its seasonal summer service from Zurich to Podgorica.

Thai Airways International to start A350-900 service from Bangkok to Melbourne on 01 July 2016.

Originair (New Zealand) aircraft were grounded at Nelson Airport due to safety concerns with operator Air Freight NZ.

Nigeria commenced discussions on partnerships towards establishing a national airline for Nigeria.