Lufthansa Consulting is in talks with Sudan’s government over a role in restructuring one of Africa’s oldest airlines. “If not through a joint venture, they can help to restructure Sudan Airways so that it can be competitive,” Finance Minister Gibril Ibrahim said in an interview. He didn’t give more details or say at what stage the discussions were. A delegation from Lufthansa Consulting, an independent subsidiary of Deutsche Lufthansa, will travel to Khartoum, the African nation’s capital, in June to continue talks with Sudanese authorities, a representative for the company said in an emailed response to questions. Founded in 1946, Sudan Airways stands to benefit from the country’s reintegration with the global economy after the end of US restrictions. In 2018, it was facing sweeping staff cuts as well as difficulties in maintaining its fleet, forcing it to lease planes from other airlines.<br/>
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Airbus delivered 50 airplanes in May, bringing its total so far this year to 220 jets, up 38% from the same period last year, the European planemaker said on Monday. Deliveries included the first A380 superjumbo to Dubai’s Emirates since December last year, leaving four more to deliver before the world’s largest airliner ends its production and cabin-fitting run in the wake of weaker than expected sales. Airbus also confirmed an order of five A350 wide-bodied jets from Germany’s Lufthansa, announced by the airline last month. But Airbus data released on Monday showed that the German airline had also simultaneously cancelled three previous A350 orders, resulting in a net addition of two A350 jets. An Airbus spokesman confirmed the mixture of cancellations and orders. The order reshuffle was part of a fleet restructuring that also saw Lufthansa buy five more competing Boeing 787-9 jets that had been left without buyers after they were manufactured. <br/>
Air New Zealand has released a special flight schedule that will enable Kiwis stranded in Melbourne to return to New Zealand, despite the current travel bubble pause. Tickets are now on sale for the “return green flights”, which will start from Wednesday, June 9. Travellers eligible for the flights will not have to enter managed isolation on arrival. The flights have been permitted by the Government but are being operated commercially by airlines. Air New Zealand will have two flights a day between Melbourne and Auckland from Wednesday, and daily flights from Melbourne to Queenstown, Wellington and Christchurch from Friday, June 11. The flights are available to anyone who is normally resident in New Zealand, as well as people with humanitarian exemptions and critical workers stranded in Victoria. On Monday, the Air New Zealand website showed there were seats on the first flight from Melbourne to Auckland, departing at 12.05pm, available from $807. The later flight that day, departing at 6.55pm, had seats available from $360. An Air New Zealand spokesperson said they were seeing “pent-up demand in the first few days of green flights recommencing”. Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has said the Government will step in to help with a sequencing framework if demand exceeds supply.<br/>