Greece's largest carrier Aegean Airlines said on Monday it would offer more seats this year after its 2024 turnover rose to a record high, driven by a 6% increase in total passenger traffic. The airline's consolidated revenue rose 5% to E1.78b from E1.69b in 2023. "The successful execution of our strategy to increase capacity during off-peak months and the desirability of our services for both Greeks and visitors to the country contributed to this excellent performance," CE Dimitris Gerogiannis said in a statement. Aegean's total passenger numbers hit a record 16.3m in 2024, with 6.7m domestic and 9.6m international travellers. Greece collected E21.7b in tourism revenue last year, surpassing 2023's record of E20.6b, according to the Bank of Greece. Aegean plans to offer around 21.5m seats this year, an increase of 1.8m from 2024, including 13m seats for the international network and 8.5m for the domestic network. The carrier also said it would propose a dividend of 0.80 euros per share for 2024.<br/>
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The first Air India Airbus A320neo with new cabin products has re-entered service, as the airline continues its cabin retrofit programme for older aircraft. The narrowbody (VT-EXN) is also repainted with the airline’s new livery, and is the first of 27 A320neos that will undergo an extensive cabin upgrade. Flight tracking data shows the aircraft is already operating a series of domestic routes from Delhi, including to Bengaluru, Kolkata and Pune. In June 2024, the airline disclosed the configuration for the retrofitted A320neos, which will for the first time feature a premium-economy product. The three-class A320neos feature eight seats in business-class, 24 in premium economy, and 132 in economy. VT-EXN will join 14 newly-delivered A320neos already fitted out with the new cabin configuration. Air India states that the A320neo retrofit programme will be completed by the third quarter of 2025, about three months later than previously disclosed. As part of a $400m retrofit programme, Air India is upgrading the interiors of its legacy narrowbody and widebody aircraft, including its Boeing 787s and 777s. In February, the Star Alliance operator said its 777 cabin retrofits were delayed due to “production constraints” with its seat suppliers. The cabin upgrades for its older widebodies, which also include 787s, were slated to commence in early 2025. While the first 787 will begin its retrofit in April, Air India states that the 777 work will now only commence in early 2026. <br/>