Saudi Arabia CAA plans to privatize 11 airports by 2020.

Ocean Airlines (Somalia) and Blue Sky Airlines (Somalia) merged, forming Blue Ocean Airlines with a fleet of EMB120s and CRJ200s.

Value Alliance formed by eight LCCs in Asia — Tigerair Australia, Tigerair Singapore, Vanilla Air (Japan), Jeju Air (South Korea), Cebu Pacific (Philippines), Nok Air (Thailand), NokScoot (Singapore) and Scoot (Singapore) — to bring their extensive networks together.

GOL (Brazil) commenced private Exchange Offers intended to ensure that the company emerges from its restructuring in the best competitive position. GOL retained Morten Beyer & Agnew (US) to conduct an appraisal of the collateral and valued it at approximately US$223 million. The spares are used in the operation of GOL’s fleet of B737-700 and -800 aircraft.

Juneyao Airlines (China) completed 148 million A-share placements, raising US$515.9 million.

WestJet (Canada) announced that the Toronto Stock Exchange accepted its notice of intention to make a normal course issuer bid to purchase outstanding variable voting and common voting shares on the open market in accordance with the rules of the TSX.

Air Namibia wet leased one A340-500 from Hifly (Portugal) to cover 10 days in May 2016, as one A330-200 is temporarily out of service.

American Airlines (US) plans to accelerate the retirements of all of its A330-300s, E190s, and some of its B767-300ERs, according to VP of Flight Service Hector Adler.

ANA All Nippon Airways (Japan) took delivery of one B787-8, serial 34501.

Austrian Airlines took delivery of one E195LR, serial 500, its fifth Embraer jet out of a total of 17 aircraft of this type which the carrier will integrate into its fleet by end of 2017.

AviaAM Leasing (Lithuania) delivered the fourth and final A321 to Small Planet Airlines (Lithuania). Delivery of all aircraft was conducted with the support of and financed by PK AirFinance (Luxembourg).

Cathay Pacific (China) to take delivery soon its first A350, leased from AerCap (Netherlands).

Chorus Aviation (Canada) received ECA commitments for five CRJ900s on firm order. Export Development Canada agreed to finance up to 80%.

Garuda Indonesia took delivery of one ATR72-600, serial 1321, on lease from Nordic Aviation Capital (Denmark). It is the 13th new aircraft to be delivered to the airline as part of a 20 aircraft lease deal signed in 2014 with NAC.

GECAS (US) announced that it is underway with its inaugural B737-800NG passenger-to-freighter conversion with Aeronautical Engineers (US). Conversion and the subsequent certification process are scheduled to take approximately a year.

LATAM (Chile) took delivery of one B787-9, serial 38474.

Lufthansa CityLine (Germany) took delivery of one CRJ900LR, serial 15249.

Nesma Airlines (Egypt) to acquire its first A319-100 by end of 2Q 2016.

Qatar Airways announced the successful completion and implementation of a new fleet management system called TOPS that allows the airline to optimally schedule aircraft and better manage flights.

Ruili Airlines (China) took delivery of two new B737-800s, serials 4535 and 4564, bringing its fleet size to nine.

Seychelles Airlines, which is still going through the certification and licensing process, intends to lease a B767-300 for its initial operations. Carrier has yet to reveal its new name.

Thai Airways International approved the sale of one A340-500, serial 698, one spare engine, serial 71270, and related componets, to the Royal Thai Air Force for US$49.4 million.

Ukraine International Airlines received two B737-800s, serials 30628 and 28241, in May 2016 on lease from AerCap (Netherlands).

Ryanair (Ireland) opened its new European Training Centre in London Stansted Airport.

Ukraine International Airlines B737-900 sustained damage of the left forward entry door at the gate at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion International Airport. The passengers and crew sustained no injuries.

Alaska Air Group (US) and Virgin America (US) announced that each carrier has received a request for additional information from the Antitrust Division of the US DOJ in connection with Alaska’s proposed acquisition of VX. Regulatory approval and completed transaction expected no later than 01 January 2017.

Avtrade (UK) appoints Patrick Armstrong as Regional Sales Manager based in Dubai.

Etihad Airways (UAE) appointed George Mawadri as its new GM in Nigeria.

Gulf Air (Kuwait) promoted Acting CEO Maher Salman Jabber Al Musallam to CEO; appointed Sahar Ataei as CFO, Ahmed Janahi as CCO and Jamal Hashim as CTO.

Loganair (UK) appointed former chief operating officer Jonathan Hinkles as its new managing director.

MASwings (Malaysia) appointed Izham Ismail as CEO, effective 01 July 2016, taking over from current CEO Ritzerwan Rashid who will be retiring at the end of August 2016.

Ryanair (Ireland) could cut the amount it invests in Britain if the country votes to leave the EU in next month’s referendum, said chief executive Michael O’Leary.

Air India to resume service from Ahmedabad to Newark via London Heathrow on 15 August, for the first time since 2008/09, with B787-8. Additionally, a once weekly Ahmedabad – London Heathrow terminator service to be served on 21 August 2016.

AirAsia Philippines to start A320 service from Manila to Shanghai Pu Dong on 10 June 2016.

AirBaltic (Latvia) launched new service from Zurich to Usedom on 14 May 2016.

Asiana Airlines (South Korea) to start new A330-300 service from Seoul Incheon to New Delhi on 03 July 2016.

China Southern reports April 2016 RPKs up 8.3%, ASKs up 8.6%, passenger numbers up 1.8% to 9.4 million, and passenger load factor down 0.2 points to 81.6%.

China Southern to start service from Guangzhou to Phu Quoc on 06 July, and resume service to Da Nang on 08 July 2016.

Delta Air Lines (US) expects capacity growth to slow to below 2% for 2H 2016 driven by actions across all regions.

Delta Air Lines (US) to end Los Angeles – Tokyo Narita service on/after 28 October 2016.

Ethiopian Airlines plans to expand its operations in India with new flights to Chennai, and new cargo service to Bangalore, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, as well as B787 upgrade from B737-800 on one of its New Delhi services.

Flybe (UK) to start seasonal service from Doncaster/Sheffield to Dusseldorf, as well as from Newquay to Leeds/Bradford on 30 October, and from Cardiff to Berlin Tegel on 02 November 2016.

Hong Kong Airlines (China) to start A320 service from Hong Kong to Osaka Kansai on 15 July 2016.

Japan Airlines expanded codeshare coverage in Mexico with American Airlines (US) in early May, with JL code being placed on additional routes out of Dallas/Ft. Worth. Additionally, JL code to be placed on a number of American’s new service from Los Angeles on 02 June 2016.

Nile Air (Egypt) from Sharm el Sheikh to Riyadh on 07 July, and to Tabuk on 09 July 2016.

Oman Air to start service from Muscat to Manchester on 01 April 2017.

Rusline (Russia) to start service from St Petersburg to Oslo on 01 June and from Moscow Domodedovo to Paderborn on 03 June 2016.

Singapore Airlines reports April 2016 systemwide passenger load factor up 1.8 points to 77.1%, with RPKs up 1.9%, ASKs down 0.5%. Overall cargo load factor rose 1.3 points with FTKs up 8.5% and ATKs up 6.3%.

Surinam Airways was granted rights for direct flights to the United States.

Air Costa Rica plans to launch operations in November 2016 with B737-300 acquired by sister carrier Air Panama. New carrier is scheduled to take delivery of three more aircraft, one more B737-300 and two F100s. First flights are to Guatemala, then Punta Cana, Roatan Island, San Andres, Cartagena, and Miami.

AirAsia Japan to miss its target launch in summer 2016, and a new date has yet to be set.