At least part of Airbus's A350 fleet will be inspected as a precautionary measure, Europe's aviation safety regulator said on Thursday, after an engine part failed during the flight of a Cathay Pacific A350-1000 passenger plane. Barring fresh evidence as investigators examine the fuel system of a jet forced to return to Hong Kong on Monday, manufacturers had been leaning against recommending worldwide checks, sources told Reuters on Wednesday. "We will require a one-time fleet inspection, which may be applicable only to a portion of the A350 fleet, in order to identify and remove from service any potentially compromised high pressure fuel hoses," the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) said in a statement. EASA will release an airworthiness directive with details of the inspection later on Thursday, it added. "We acknowledge the information provided by EASA and are working closely with (engine maker) Rolls-Royce and the authorities on the implementation of this precautionary measure," Airbus said. Rolls-Royce did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Airbus and Rolls-Royce briefed airlines on the fallout from the issue earlier on Thursday, sources familiar with the matter said.<br/>
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Business travel, after shrinking to almost nothing during the pandemic and then being slow to bounce back as companies kept one eye on costs, looks to be finally back in vogue. Some 42% of corporate travel planners in a global survey said they intend to boost spending on business trips over the coming 12 months as the lucrative-for-airlines segment rebounds, with expectations it may even surpass pre-Covid levels. In terms of number of trips being taken, only 10% of the more than 560 respondents to Flight Centre Travel Group’s inaugural State of the Market survey anticipated a reduction, with almost one-third saying they expect to travel by up to 20% more. The return to the skies for corporate road warriors is being reflected in business travel spending, which the Global Business Travel Association expects to grow 11% this year to top $1.48t. Such travelers have long been a coveted segment for the industry since they account for a big chunk of airline and hotel profits. Business travelers are also now routinely blending work and leisure, making them an even more attractive demographic. “Corporate travel is now, without question, deemed to be a non-discretionary spend for businesses,” said Melissa Elf, Flight Centre’s global chief operating officer. While Asia Pacific leads the trend, there are some markets, like China, where business travel hasn’t fully rebounded, in part because international flights to China haven’t completely resumed. <br/>
Malaysia is targeting net zero emissions in its aviation sector by 2050 through the launch of a decarbonisation plan, its transport ministry said on Thursday. The blueprint includes plans to reduce carbon emissions by up to 18% in aircraft technology, and increasing the use of sustainable aviation fuel, including biofuels and other alternatives, which aims to reduce emissions by 46%, the transport ministry said. Malaysia will also pursue an additional 30% reduction in carbon emissions by adopting carbon offset schemes and purchasing carbon credits, the ministry said. The targets were, however, dependent on local sustainable aviation fuel development as well as the implementation of carbon offset projects that meet international guidelines, it said. Malaysia's aviation regulator will also develop an action plan to support the implementation of the decarbonisation blueprint, the ministry added.<br/>