International investigators are set on Wednesday to launch criminal proceedings against suspects in the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine nearly five years ago. The Dutch-led international team tasked with assigning criminal responsibility for the plane’s destruction is to inform victims’ families of progress in their case on Wednesday morning, followed by a presentation to the media. Dutch broadcasters RTL and NOS reported late last week that investigators would reveal the names of individual suspects.. An Interfax Ukraine report on Tuesday quoted Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Olena Zerkal in an interview as saying prosecutors would name four “top” suspects. MH17 was shot out of the sky on July 17, 2014 over territory held by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine as it was flying from Amsterdam to the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people on board were killed. <br/>
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Boeing won a major vote of confidence at the Paris Airshow on Tuesday as BA owner IAG signed a letter of intent to buy 200 of its 737 MAX jets that have been grounded since March after two deadly crashes. News of the deal, worth more than $24b at list prices, sent shockwaves round the world’s largest air show which had struggled to find its rhythm amid the 737 MAX crisis and concerns about an economic slowdown. Airbus, the current supplier of IAG’s British Airways and Vueling brands, was stunned by the announcement which came months after it lost a major BA wide-body aircraft order to its US rival. Industry sources said the European company had not been offered a chance to bid. “We have every confidence in Boeing and expect that the aircraft will make a successful return to service in the coming months,” IAG CE Willie Walsh said of the 737 MAX, announcing the first deal for the plane since its grounding. Walsh, a former 737 pilot, said he would have “no hesitation” in boarding the plane and voiced confidence in the changes Boeing has made, having seen them first-hand on a 737 MAX simulator. “I believe the aircraft is safe,” he said.<br/>
Australia's Qantas Airways said Wednesday it would order 10 Airbus SE A321XLR jets, taking its total A320neo family order to 109 jets. As part of the deal, 36 of the jets will be the new long-range A321XLR model, the airline said. The A321XLR jets, to be delivered from mid-2024, have a 4,700 nautical mile range that will allow Qantas or its low-cost arm Jetstar to perform longer-range flights in narrowbody jets. "It can fly routes like Cairns-Tokyo or Melbourne-Singapore, which existing narrow-bodies can't, and that changes the economics of lots of potential routes into Asia to make them not just physically possible but financially attractive," Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce said. Jetstar operates an A320 narrowbody fleet, but Qantas uses the rival Boeing 737. Joyce said the A321XLR had plenty of potential uses across both airlines and it would decide closer to the date on where they would be deployed and if they would be used for growth or to replace older jets. Jetstar is due to receive 18 A321LR jets from 2020 to 2022 and plans to deploy them on domestic and international routes. The additional 10 jets are valued at more than $1b at Airbus list prices, although airlines typically receive substantial discounts.<br/>
Qantas will operate its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner across the Tasman between Auckland and Sydney over the peak summer season, marking the plane's debut in New Zealand skies. From December 4 to March 28 next year one of the airline's five daily flights will be aboard the aircraft in addition to the Boeing 737s and Airbus A330s the airline uses on the route. While meeting extra demand during the busy summer period, flying Dreamliners across the Tasman will give the airline the opportunity to promote the plane in the New Zealand market. Qantas is already targeting New Zealand passengers with its ultra-long haul fights between Perth and London and will hope Kiwis are attracted to its Brisbane-Chicago service next year.<br/>
Qantas is set to unveil major changes to its Frequent Flyer scheme, in what it has described as "the biggest overhaul to the airline’s loyalty program in its 32 year history". Qantas Loyalty CE Olivia Wirth and Qantas Group CE Alan Joyce will announce the changes at a press conference in Sydney on Thursday morning. The airline is so far tight-lipped on the announcement, which is expected to affect how members earn and use points. <br/>