European airlines are facing a “precarious” transition as uncertainty surrounding Britain’s exit from the EU intensifies in the industry. Kenny Jacobs, Ryanair’s chief marketing officer, said he feared “hardcore Brexiters” were putting in doubt a draft transition deal that would allow airlines to continue flying freely between the UK and EU. UK PM Theresa May had agreed to the draft transition in March, but Jacobs feared pressure from pro-Brexit MPs would lead to the deal not being signed. This would mean there was no UK-EU agreement in place after Britain’s exit. If this happens, Ryanair would lose rights to fly freely into the UK and its few intra-UK routes could also be impaired. From the UK’s perspective, Britain-based airlines including BA and Virgin Atlantic would also lose rights to fly freely into the EU and US. Ryanair CE Michael O’Leary has previously warned about the threat to airlines from Brexit. In the company’s full-year results for 2016-17, O’Leary said: “Until we get clarity over the final terms of the UK’s future trading relationship with the EU, there must be significant uncertainty over flights between the UK and the EU for a period of time from March 2019 onwards.” Jacobs said he wished President Emmanuel Macron of France “godspeed” with his efforts to reform French institutions, including Air France-KLM.<br/>
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Hua Hin airport began servicing regular fights for the first time on Friday as AirAsia launched its new service between Hua Hin and Kuala Lumpur with four direct flights a week. The maiden flight landed at Hua Hin airport about 11am, an hour after departing Kuala Lumpur, with about 150 Malaysian passengers. Until now Hua Hin airport has handled only chartered flights. Deputy Transport Minister Pailin Chuchottaworn was on hand to welcome the inaugural flight. He predicted a brighter future for Hua Hin airport, with connections to water transport and a high-speed railway. AirAsia now operates four return flights a week on the Hua Hin-Kuala Lumpur route using Airbus 320 aircraft with 180 passenger seats.<br/>
British air traffic controllers gave Prince Harry and Meghan Markle a rare wedding gift - 15 minutes of guaranteed peace and quiet for the ceremony without the roar of airliners passing overhead. Britain’s National Air Traffic Services said the nearby Heathrow Airport had agreed “a 15 minute no-fly period over Windsor” in the build-up to the vows. Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, is around 10 miles from the wedding venue in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.<br/>
US regulators have approved a Buck Rogers makeover of Boeing’s revamped 777 jetliner that will allow the tips of its massive wings to fold upward after landing so the plane can park at existing airport gates. The new wings, the largest ever created by the Chicago-based planemaker, are taking shape as Boeing builds the first of its 777X jetliners in a factory north of Seattle. They will be the most distinctive-feature for the hulking jets, the first twin-engine models built to haul more than 400 travellers. Once the new planes touch down, the tips of the wings will rotate until they’re pointed skyward, which will make it the only commercial jet in widespread use with such a hinged design. A set of locking mechanisms will make it impossible for them to retract while airborne, according to the company. Because commercial aircraft design standards didn’t envision a foldable wingspan, US regulators had to craft them from scratch. Those “special conditions” were approved Friday by the FAA, according to federal documents. The Boeing plane’s chief project engineer, Terry Beezhold, called it “this beautiful wing” in a recent video made by the company. “This airplane actually will be the most efficient twin-jet ever developed in commercial history,” Beezhold said.<br/>