Delta has emerged as the probable buyer for 10 Airbus A330neo jets worth $3 billion, industry sources said, in a boost for the becalmed European model. Airbus announced an order for 10 of the 300-seat aircraft in its latest monthly order update on Friday, but withheld the name of the buyer for the Oct. 30 deal. Two industry sources said Delta was the buyer. A third said Delta had been looking to expand an existing order for 25 A330neo aircraft. Airbus declined comment. Delta was not immediately available for comment. If confirmed, the deal would mark the second order for the slow-selling A330neo in as many weeks after Kuwait Airways ordered eight of the long-haul planes in mid-October.<br/>
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More than 250 airline passengers who endured an unexpected three-day layover in Russia's Siberia region have finally made it to their destination in China. The extended travel delay began Sunday when an Air France flight from Paris to Shanghai made an emergency landing in the eastern Siberia city of Irkutsk after a smoke smell appeared in the cockpit. The 264 passengers and 18 crew members were taken to hotels, but many weren't dressed for the minus-15 degrees Celsius weather. In any case, they couldn't leave the hotels because they were without Russian visas. The China-bound travellers boarded a replacement plane on Tuesday, but it couldn't take off because of problems in the hydraulic system. A second replacement plane got them to Shanghai on Wednesday.<br/>
Garuda Indonesia said Wednesday it would take over operational control of rival Sriwijaya Group, giving them a majority share of the fast-growing domestic aviation market. Under the agreement, Garuda, via its unit Citilink, aims to improve the operational and financial performance of Sriwijaya Air Group, including in meeting its financial commitments to Garuda Group, it said. Garuda has been battling for market share against the country’s No. 1 player, Lion Air, which last month suffered a crash of a Boeing Co 737 MAX jet, killing all 189 people on board. The take over will involve change in Sriwijaya’s management, said Garuda spokesman Ikhsan Rosan. “With this operational cooperation, we hope Sriwijaya will get healthier ... With healthier operation, they will earn profit and fulfil their obligations,” Rosan said, but declined to disclose Sriwijaya’s financial obligations to Garuda. The partnership could also be escalated to share ownership in Sriwijaya Group, Garuda’s statement said.<br/>