Divers

🌊 The new Saudi-owned cruise line has launched its first ship aiming for a higher market segment in price and quality. Named "Aroya" (Arabian dream), the ship features a reduced capacity of 2,700 passengers and 1,500 crew members to enhance quality. Originally not built for Saudis, it underwent modifications to meet their standards, including reducing passenger capacity by about 500. The luxury cruise line, which has been operating in the Red Sea for months, now ventures into the Mediterranean. The ship boasts numerous pools, party halls, restaurants, shops, and suites up to 400 square meters.

✈ Boeing is repatriating 737 aircraft from Shanghai, China due to the US tariff battle. The first plane, intended for Xiamen Air, flew from Boeing's Zhoushan factory to Guam and will continue to the US. Two additional 737s are also reportedly en route to the US. Chinese airlines, facing urgent need for new planes, speculate some might be acquired by Indian airlines. Meanwhile, China Southern canceled the auction of ten 787 planes scheduled for May 12, with no public reason provided.

🛫 Emirates airline, anticipating high traffic with 300,000 passengers at Dubai Airport in three days, advises early arrival. Baggage check-in and boarding pass issuance begin 24 hours before departure, or 12 hours for US flights. A minimum of 90 minutes for security and passport control, and 45 minutes for first and business class gate arrival is instructed to avoid chaos, particularly in Terminal 3.

🔥 In Denver, USA, a United Airlines 737 with 153 passengers and six crew members aborted takeoff when the aircraft's engine sucked in a rabbit. The pilots followed emergency procedures and safely returned to the airport. Witnesses reported a loud explosion and fireballs from the affected engine.

🚀 A Boeing 737, initially en route from the US to a manufacturing plant near Shanghai, was forced to return due to the tariff dispute between the US and China. Boeing, with a significant market in China, opened a factory there in 2018 but doesn't assemble planes like Airbus. Despite China's suggestion to not purchase American planes, no formal ban is in place, but tariffs could effectively halt purchases. Boeing has 130 aircraft orders pending in China, 96 of which are 737s, and the impact on leasing, which accounts for 55% of planes in China, remains uncertain.

✈ Wizz Air has postponed the opening of the London to Jeddah route in Saudi Arabia for the second time due to delays in the delivery of the A321XLR aircraft. Initially set to debut on March 31, the launch was rescheduled to April 10, only to be delayed again. The Hungarain airline's subsidiary Wizz Air UK will operate the route from Luton. No new date for the start of operations has been announced, nor has information been provided regarding affected passengers with reservations. Wizz Air purchased 47 XLR planes to serve markets like the Middle East. Other XLR aircraft will be operated by subsidiaries in Abu Dhabi, Malta, and Hungary.

✈️ Iberojet's airplane was honored at Luxor airport, Egypt, a city known for Nile cruises. On its debut at the airport, Iberojet's plane received the traditional firefighters' water arch, an event captured on film by a pilot. Sources from the airline informed Preferente that the operation is a one-off occurrence.

📍 Aer Lingus' first Airbus A321XLR completed its inaugural flight on April 12, linking Dublin with Nashville, USA. The aircraft, captured during takeoff by spotter @sirspotter, was the second delivered by Airbus following Iberia’s debut. Flights to Indianapolis will be added on May 3, providing travelers on these routes, which have no other direct flights to Europe, connections in Dublin to the rest of the continent.

🚀 VAS Aero Services, based in Florida, has been chosen by Airbus to dismantle and prepare reusable materials from three Airbus A380s previously owned by Lufthansa and Malaysia Airlines. Emirates is the primary customer for parts, with smaller clients also in the market. The parts will be marketed in Europe, as the U.S. has no A380-operating airlines. Additionally, Lufthansa's last A340 has recently arrived at Teruel Airport for storage and potential dismantling.

🚀 Easyjet's Airbus A320 from Basel, Switzerland, reported a possible hydraulic system fault while approaching Palma de Mallorca Airport. The crew was allowed a direct approach to the longer runway 24R, normally used for takeoffs. The aircraft landed safely and resumed normal operation. Captain Julio Morillas thanked air traffic controllers and emergency services for their professionalism on social media.