KLM has criticized the Dutch government's renewed push to reduce capacity at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport (AMS), which includes proposals to limit night flights and ban certain aircraft, as “harmful and not proportionate.” The Netherlands’ infrastructure minister Mark Harbers has outlined a revised package of measures to reduce noise pollution. These include limiting annual night flights from 32,000 to 27,000 from November 2025 and banning the loudest aircraft—such as the Boeing 747-400—from operating between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. In a letter to parliament, the minister also said the government was undertaking a consultation over a partial night closure at the airport. That could see restrictions on arriving and departing flights between midnight and 6 a.m. from November 2026. KLM said it was committed to reducing the noise impact for Schiphol-area residents while maintaining international connectivity. The aviation industry’s “cleaner, quieter and more fuel-efficient” plan can meet noise reduction targets without drastically cutting flights, the airline said.<br/>
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Air France has revealed the final design of the new seat to retrofit its fleet of 23 Embraer 190 regional jets aircraft, an industry-leading lightweight product defined by the carrier’s senior vice president of customer experience Fabien Pelous as having “no equivalent on the market”. It marks the French national carrier’s first collaboration with manufacturer Expliseat. Slated for retrofit across Air France’s regional fleet of 23 E190s, the new TiSeat 2X is part of a E20m ($22m) upgrade initiative which will also see the total of seats raised from 100 to 110. The first aircraft to undergo the retrofit has already been delivered and is expected to start flying later this year, with all units to be completed by summer 2025. Featuring black leather-covered foam, Air France’s signature red accent and a white seatback, the new seat “reaches Air France’s expectation for a very comfortable and very beautiful seat” says Pelous, adding that “details make a difference”. A 29 degree angle of recline will be available as standard, along with an extra inch of personal space as compared to the E190’s existing arrangement. Crucially, the “robust and very light” 2X is 30% lighter than the existin seat, weighing just 18lb (8kg) in its baseline configuration. Even with Air France’s optional extras such as charging points, the airline says it still places its overall weight in an industry-leading position. The low weight was a “driving factor” in Air France’s decision to partner with Expliseat, continues Pelous, adding that the synergy with a French company was also a significant factor. Expliseat will produce the product at its new factory in Angers.<br/>
The sixth C919 jetliner delivered worldwide joined the China Eastern Airlines fleet on Tuesday, indicating the acceleration of commercial operation of China's homegrown large passenger aircraft. This came one year after the first commercial flight of C919 was made. With its self-developed trunk jetliner, China aims to secure a share of the global civil aviation market, which is currently dominated by Boeing and Airbus. The aircraft, delivered to China Eastern on Monday, landed at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport on Tuesday morning after a short flight from Shanghai Pudong International Airport. This was the first delivery of 100 C919 aircraft that China Eastern, the first global customer of the single-aisle jetliner, ordered last year. So far, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC) has delivered six C919 aircraft worldwide, all to China Eastern. "China Eastern has achieved breakthroughs in the commercial operation of the C919 large aircraft, with the fleet size of C919 rising from zero to one and from one to five. Now we are in the process of achieving further breakthroughs by expanding the fleet size from six to over 100," said Wang Zhiqing, chairman of China Eastern Airlines. "We will further improve the operational efficiency and market competitiveness of the C919 aircraft so that the C919 can fly more steadily, farther, wider and better," Wang added. The C919 is expected to make its first overseas commercial flight on June 1, with China Eastern operating a chartered flight from Hong Kong to Shanghai, according to the airline.<br/>
Việt Nam's recent venture into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) marks a significant milestone not just for Vietnam Airlines (VNA) but for the entire Vietnamese aviation sector. By completing flight VN660 from Singapore to Hà Nội using SAF, Vietnam Airlines has taken a bold step towards fostering greener practices within the industry. SAF, derived from renewable and sustainable sources like used cooking oil and waste animal fat, offers a promising avenue for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in aviation. Its ability to meet stringent international aviation standards while significantly curbing emissions throughout its life cycle makes it a compelling alternative to traditional fossil fuels. SAF's compatibility with existing infrastructure, resilience in various weather conditions, and potential to enhance flight performance underscore its viability as a fuel of the future. As the global aviation community increasingly commits to net zero emissions by 2050, SAF emerges as a pivotal solution in mitigating the industry's environmental footprint.<br/>