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Lufthansa Group has firmed a previous option for 6 further Airbus A320neos, following a decision by the company’s supervisory board at the beginning of May. The latest agreement brings the Group’s total order for the A320neo to 122, consisting of 77 A320neos and 45 A321neos. In addition, the airline signed an order for 3 more A320ceos, bringing the Group’s A320ceo orders to 273. With a total of 395 A320 family aircraft on order, the Lufthansa Group is also Airbus’ biggest A320 operator with nearly 400 A320 family aircraft in service. “Benefitting from the Airbus commonality and the A320 family’s efficiency and environmental credentials such as reduced noise, lower fuel-burn and emissions, we are pleased the airline has decided to come back for more,” Airbus CCO Eric Schulz said. <br/>

A SIA boss says arriving at Auckland Airport can be a big let-down for passengers after enjoying comfort in the air. And a group representing all airlines operating there says it is ''absolutely frustrated'' at the quality of service at the airport. SIA's regional VP for the south west Pacific, Philip Goh, said his company was investing close to NZ$2b on upgrading cabins throughout its fleet but airports around this region could be a disappointment. ''We put lots of resources and funds on making sure our products are very good in the air but on the ground unfortunately they come up short,'' Goh said. ''You can't do much if you don't have enough gates - we have to bus our passengers to the terminal. If you don't have enough belts and people don't present baggage fast enough, all that affects [passengers],'' he said. <br/>

A key figure at the top of Air NZ will leave the airline later this year. COO Bruce Parton will leave at the end of September after 22 years at the airline, prompting a shake-up of the airline's structure. Air NZ CE Christopher Luxon said Parton had advised him last year that he wanted to take a break from corporate life. Luxon said Parton's career had been hugely successful. Parton joined Air NZ in 1996 and before his appointment in Nov 2007 as general manager of all its short-haul international and domestic operations, he had been general manager of the domestic airline, Pacific airline and airline operation. Parton, in his early 50s, was appointed to his current COO role in Jan 2013. Luxon said operations would now be restructured. <br/>

Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan said Sunday that discussions regarding the merger of 3 govt airlines would continue this week with other relevant ministers. South Africa has been abuzz with the potential consequences of merging Mango Airlines with SA Express and South African Airways. The airlines have each been pulled back from abysmal management in the past decade, as the case for owning a national airline comes under scrutiny. Gordhan said that he would be having meaningful discussions in the next few days with relevant colleagues in Cabinet on how to go about merging the airlines. Gordhan stated that the airlines have already been cooperating to ensure services and operations continue despite the many difficulties the airlines have experienced. <br/>

Kenya Airways could cosy up to rival South African Airways as the embattled companies seek to narrow the gap with the continent’s biggest carrier, Ethiopian Airlines. Kenya Air views a closer relationship with SAA as a possibility amid turnaround efforts at the unprofitable operators, CE Sebastian Mikosz said. Mikosz said he has spoken with Peter Davies, the restructuring expert recruited by the South African carrier last year, to see “what we can do together.” Kenya Air was taken under govt control in November after posting the biggest loss in the nation’s corporate history in 2016 and is cutting routes and planes to help revive earnings. SAA, under an eighth CE since 2010, reported a seventh straight annual loss this month and is seeking emergency funding even as it targets break even by 2021. <br/>