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Taiwan's China Airlines is "actively" looking at options to replace its ageing fleet of 22 Airbus A330 widebodies and is also starting to examine next-generation freighter planes, the company's president told Reuters. The carrier, which has been profitable during much of the pandemic because of a shift to cargo services, is now starting to gear up for a rebound in passenger travel when Taiwan lifts quarantine rules for arrivals. China Airlines is looking to phase out its A330s, a mainstay on regional routes, as it modernises its fleet to reduce emissions and cut its fuel bill, President Kao Shing-Hwang said. "We are actively studying our options for the A330 fleet's successor," he said on Thursday. "China Airlines has invited a number of manufacturers to submit their proposals." He declined to comment on the timing of the planned order and the types under consideration.<br/>

A Vietnam Airlines flight from Danang to Hanoi was forced to make an emergency landing not long after take-off on Wednesday morning after smoke was seen billowing from an engine. The Airbus A321 with 111 passengers onboard returned to Danang Airport after the problem was reported. All passengers were transferred to other flights later the same day. Technicians are inspecting the plane to determine the cause of the problem. Bui Van Thanh, director of the Central Region Airports Authority under the Civil Aviation Authority of Việt Nam, told the Vietnam News Agency that the incident was not serious and the flight crew didn’t need to seek emergency support upon landing. The case has been reported to the CAAV, Thanh said, and further developments, if any, would be made public when available. According to local media, the smoke was not because of a fire in the engine but rather a product of the incomplete combustion of fuel due to a lack of airflow. <br/>