A United Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing Tuesday morning shortly after taking off from Newark Liberty Airport. Flight 1544 took off around 6 a.m. and was destined for Las Vegas, but was forced to turn around less than an hour later due to possible engine issues, according to the FAA. The plane landed safely back at Newark, where all 176 passengers were able to board a different flight several hours later. No injuries were reported among the passengers or six-person crew. The FAA is investigating what caused the issue, as concern over air travel safety grows despite the statistical unlikelihood of a crash. The emergency landing came after two other United flights were forced to make emergency stops in Newark on Jan. 18 and Jan. 25.<br/>
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The venture arm of United Airlines has invested in a leading carbon dioxide removal (CDR) startup in a deal that will give the carrier new decarbonization and revenue options. The agreement between United Airlines Ventures (UAV) and Heirloom is notable for its size: it includes an undisclosed investment in the startup and the option to buy 500,000 tons of carbon removal, which if exercised would be a significant purchase for the nascent removals sector. The deal’s structure is also innovative. Like other agreements in this space, UAV can sequester the carbon dioxide to offset emissions — or use the CO2 as feedstock for the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). “This is the first time we’ve done a deal that provides for either CDRs or sustainable aviation fuel production,” said Max Scholten, Heirloom’s head of commercialization. “It gives them the opportunity to meet their climate goals in a way that’s flexible.” Story has more.<br/>
United Airlines recently opened a new lounge at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), designed for travelers who are on the go and seeking a quick snack or beverage instead of a full lounge experience. The airline’s new Club Fly is located on the south end of Terminal B, which is primarily used by United Express for short route trips. United stated that more than 50% of its passengers at IAH are connecting, and the Club Fly concept was created to provide efficient service to these types of travelers. “Designed for on-the-go United Club members, Club Fly offers a club experience that matches the ways travelers’ needs have evolved, especially when they’re pressed for time,” United Airlines’ Head of Club and Lounge Program Alexander Dorow shared in a statement with Travel + Leisure. “Not all customers travel the same way and that encourages us to constantly look at new opportunities to add value to our club program and support travelers throughout their entire journey.”<br/>
Air Canada has once again named one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers for 2025. It is the seventh time in 10 years Air Canada has received this recognition. "We are very proud to be recognized again for our longstanding workplace diversity. As a global company connecting Canada to over 55 countries across the six inhabited continents, we have long subscribed to the importance of reflecting the best of Canada to our employees, customers and stakeholders," said Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer and Public Affairs at Air Canada, in a press release. Air Canada says it continues to foster representation through numerous partnerships, its many employee-based initiatives to support workplace inclusion and belonging, and its successful outreach directly to diverse communities when recruiting.<br/>
Polish flag-carrier LOT is claiming a strong full-year performance with an operating profit of zl806m ($205m) and net profit of zl688m, athough both are down on the previous figures. The airline attributes the achievement to “active network management” and “disciplined cost control” as well as “effective utilisation” of charter market opportunities. LOT’s revenues reached zl9.93b for 2024. The company says the financial results are its second-highest “in recent decades”, reached despite increased market competition and softer fares. LOT has managed to “rebuild” its equity over the last three years, to zl1.14b from a negative zl734m at the end of 2021. It introduced 11 new aircraft last year, comprising seven Boeing 737 Max 8s and three Embraer 195-E2s, plus an older-variant E195 – taking the carrier’s fleet to 86, its highest level. Management board president Michal Fijol says LOT is “larger and financially stronger”. “With new aircraft joining our fleet, we’re offering even more exciting destinations,” he adds. The carrier opened eight new routes from Warsaw last year, among them Athens, Tashkent, Riyadh and Innsbruck. LOT increased its charter presence by hiking available capacity by more than 10%. Charter passengers rose by over 18%, to 1.3m, while LOT’s total passenger numbers of 10.7m exceeded pre-pandemic levels.<br/>
Japan's ANA Holdings said on Tuesday it planned to place a company-record order for up to 77 aircraft to replenish its fleet and take advantage of growing demand for travel. The order was its largest ever in terms of aircraft numbers and was worth more than 2.1t yen ($14b) at catalogue prices before any discounts, ANA said. Aircraft are typically sold at roughly half their list price, aviation analysts say. The deal includes 68 firm orders and nine options, potentially bringing the overall purchase to 30 aircraft from Boeing, 27 from Airbus, and 20 from Embraer. The firm part of the order includes 18 GE-powered Boeing 787 wide-body jets and 15 Embraer E190-E2 regional aircraft. It also involves 27 Airbus A321neo-family narrowbodies and eight Boeing 737 MAX. Delivery of the planes is expected between 2028 and 2033. Growth in tourism to Japan has exploded in recent years, with annual visitors reaching record numbers. The airline said that its order reflected an expected increase in passenger demand, including from visitors to Japan. "So looking at the growth of the overall market, we want to procure the necessary supply just as it's needed," Daisuke Suzuki, ANA's director of corporate strategy, told a briefing. Suzuki said the Embraer aircraft would allow the airline to "flexibly adjust supply to demand in our medium to long-term domestic operations." ANA's order marks a breakthrough in Japan for Brazil-based Embraer's most recent generation of E2 regional jets and a setback for Airbus, which has been trying to get a Japanese foothold for its A220.<br/>
South Korea’s policy lender Korea Development Bank (KDB) announced on Tuesday that it plans to recover the remaining policy loan of 1.38t won ($963m) from Asiana Airlines Wednesday. With this repayment, creditors including KDB, the Export-Import Bank of Korea, and the Key Industry Stabilization Fund, will have fully recovered the 3.6t won in policy funds injected to normalize Asiana Airlines. The repayment follows improvements in Asiana’s financial structure and credit rating after its merger with Korean Air Lines Co. Asiana is expected to proceed with management normalization as a subsidiary of Korean Air. “With the full recovery of the support funds provided to Asiana, KDB has taken a key step toward job stability and strengthening the aviation industry’s competitiveness,” said a KDB official.<br/>
Thai Airways International expects to take delivery of four new aircraft this year, including its first Airbus A321neo, as it looks to tap into “ever-growing demand for travel” in the near term. In fleet plans disclosed alongside full-year financial results, the Star Alliance operator says it will also be adding a pair of Boeing 787-9s and an A330-300 to its fleet during the year. This is on top of ongoing efforts to retrofit its fleet of A320s – inherited from its merger with regional wing Thai Smile – with business-class seats. The first A321neo that will be delivered this year appears to be from an earlier deal. In June 2023, airline chief Chai Eamsiri told FlightGlobal the airline secured leases for five A321neos, with the first to be delivered in 2025. Thai would later sign a separate lease deal with lessor SMBC Aviation Capital for another eight of the twinjet type, to be delivered from 2026. The Bangkok-based operator also confirms plans to revamp its cabin products on its 777-300ERs, which Eamsiri first disclosed to Airline Business in late-2024. The “customer-centric” upgrade will see its older 777s retrofitted with three cabin classes: business, premium economy and economy. The fleet update comes as Thai saw its quarterly operating profit hit a post-pandemic high.<br/>