Passengers at select European airports can now experience a more convenient and contactless entry process, thanks to the Star Alliance‘s decentralized facial recognition technology. By simply scanning their faces, passengers can pass through security and board their aircraft without fumbling in their bags for their boarding passes and passports. The Lufthansa Group was the first Star Alliance member to introduce biometric checkpoints at Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC) airports in November 2020, providing relief to travelers who were concerned about the transmission of the COVID-19 virus. This technology has since been expanded to other airports, including Vienna (VIE), Hamburg (HAM), and Zurich (ZRH). The system is available to passengers on Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, and SWISS, who are also members of the group’s Miles & More loyalty program. To access biometric checkpoints, travelers must be at least 18 or register 24 hours before through the Star Alliance app.<br/>
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Turkish Airlines has struck a deal to lease seven more aircraft from lessor CDB Aviation, including six Boeing 737 Max 8s for its newly rebranded low-cost unit AJet. AJet, the former Anadolu Jet operation which was established as a standalone subsidiary with its own air operator certificate earlier this year, will take the six Max 8s from the lessor during 2025 and 2026. The aircraft will be delivered from CDB’s existing orderbook with Boeing. The low-cost unit ended 2023 with a fleet of 91 aircraft, a mix of Airbus and Boeing narrowbodies – around a third of which are A320neo-family or 737 Max jets. It has plans to double its fleet to 200 by 2033. Turkish Airlines is also leasing a used Airbus A330-300, for delivery next month, from CDB. The Star Alliance carrier remains in talks over a major deal for Boeing narrowbody and widebody aircraft to meet long-term plans to double its fleet to 800 over the next decade, having finalised a deal for the Airbus portion of the order late last year. A delay in completing this deal, together with a requirement for additional capacity because of the impact of Pratt & Whitney GTF engine issues on some of its A320neos, has prompted the carrier to lease additional capacity to meets its growth ambitions. <br/>
Brussels Airlines, along with its parent company Lufthansa and partner United Airlines, is set to expand its routes by creating a new strategic hub in Brussels, aiming to enhance connectivity between North America and Africa. This move comes as air travel continues to recover post-pandemic and is indicative of the growing importance of the African aviation market. The new hub at Brussels Airport will serve as a key point of transit for passengers traveling between the two continents, leveraging Brussels Airlines’ extensive network in Africa, Lufthansa Group’s influence in Europe, and United’s reach across the Atlantic. Brussels Airlines currently operates to 18 destinations in Africa and is looking to strengthen its position by increasing its short-haul European capacity to support its profitable African routes. Furthermore, the collaboration amongst the airlines, all members of the Star Alliance, could potentially include Air Canada, enhancing the global connectivity through Brussels even further. The partnership is a strategic move to capitalize on the increasing number of travelers between Africa and North America, with an eye on the rising demand and the potential for Brussels to become a major global hub for transcontinental travel.<br/>
Oil sprayed from an All Nippon Airways plane as it landed Wednesday at Shin Chitose airport in northern Japan, but none of the 213 people on board was injured, officials said. The nonflammable oil from a control system evaporated as it contacted a hot engine, giving the appearance of smoke, ANA officials said. The leakage did not jeopardize the safety of those on board, they said. The leak triggered a warning in the cockpit and its cause was being investigated. ANA flight 71, a Boeing 787-800 Dreamliner, took off from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport with 204 passengers and nine crew members, the airline said. It landed safely and was later towed to the arrival terminal. All passengers and crew disembarked, the airline said. The Chitose city fire department said it mobilized several fire engines. One of the two runways at New Chitose airport near Sapporo was temporarily closed for removal of oil that leaked from the plane.<br/>