Malaysia Airlines is tapping banks to fund about nine Boeing 737 MAX planes in what will be the carrier’s first jet financing with lenders since it was restructured more than three years ago, sources familiar with the situation said. The financing represents a key test for the airline, which was taken over by Malaysian sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional in December 2014, months after MH370 disappeared and MH17 was shot down over Ukraine. Finance industry sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Malaysian, European and Chinese banks are expected to compete for financing of the planes, for which Malaysia Airlines sent out a request for proposal a few weeks ago. The jets have a list price of around $1b, but airlines typically receive large discounts from manufacturers. Though the aviation financing environment remains strong, sources said Malaysia Airlines’ poor operating performance and a forced haircut taken by banks and lessors on finance and operating leases during the airline’s restructuring could make some banks wary of a financing deal with the carrier.<br/>
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Qatar Airways plans to further expand its European network with the start of services to Gothenburg. The three main Gulf carriers—Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and Emirates Airline—have been rapidly pushing into secondary European cities in recent years, making use of their fast-expanding fleets. The Qatari flag carrier will launch 5X-weekly services to Gothenburg, on Sweden’s west coast, on Dec. 12. It will be the airline’s second Swedish destination, after Stockholm Arlanda. The route will be served with a two-class Boeing 787-8, with 22 seats in business and 232 in economy. “This new direct route demonstrates our commitment to expanding our presence in the Nordic countries, a highly important market for us,” Qatar Airways’ group CEO, Akbar Al Baker, said.<br/>
An American Airlines flight carrying International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde made an emergency landing in Argentina shortly after taking off from Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza airport on Sunday, several local media outlets reported. Reports said the flight, which was destined for the United States, experienced a drop in cabin pressure about 200 km north of the Argentine capital and returned to Ezeiza to land. Lagarde had been in Argentina over the weekend for the G20 meeting of finance ministers and central bank presidents. No injuries related to the incident were reported.<br/>
American Airlines is working with the TSA to install a new bag-scanning machine at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. The machine uses the same technology as CT scanners, providing a 3D image of a bag’s contents, and is expected to be operational in late July. The new scanner, which will be used at the airport’s Terminal 8 security checkpoint, will allow TSA to rotate a bag’s image 360 degrees to show its contents. American Airlines says this should provide a more effective way for agents to inspect bags for explosives and other prohibited items. TSA administrator David Pekoske said that the new machines could allow for liquids, gels, aerosols, and laptops to be left in bags. “We think in perhaps five years or so, the passengers won’t have to take anything out of their carry-on bags.” Pekoske also said that the machine’s sensitivity will make the security process faster compared to traditional X-ray systems. “What it’s capable of doing is detecting a wider range of explosives, which is very important, [as well as] a much lower weight of explosives. They’re just much better at detection, so you really get better security faster, essentially.” The TSA plans to have 15 of the new CT scanners at airports by the end of the year, and are authorized to purchase up to 240 of the machines in 2019.<br/>