MD Aircraft signs LOI for 10 MDA1 aircraft: MD Aircraft GmbH announced today that it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for the sale of 10 MDA 1 eViator aircraft to Makmor, headquartered in Bangalore, India. “MDA’s eViator is the ideal platform for us to establish Makmor as a significant regional operator committed to sustainable aviation.” Said Ravi Andrews, Managing Partner of Makmor. “We are excited to partner with Makmor and see the MDA 1 eViator gaining broader traction in the regional air mobility market,” said Gregor Muller, CEO of MD Aircraft GmbH. “This Letter of Intent reflects the increasing global interest in our all-electric, 9-passenger eCSTOL aircraft. We look forward to working closely with our growing operator community to ensure that we meet their mission requirements and that we move together toward carbon-free air travel.” “Leveraging regional and global expertise – including prior corporate experience with Honeywell Aerospace and Airbus Defence & Space – will transform green air mobility across Indian skies,” said Ravi Andrews, Makmor’s Founder. “Fuelled by our deep dedication to sustainable aviation, we are energised by the game-changing prospects ahead.”
A new Link to the mainland set to touch down at Launceston: Launceston Airport will have a new year-round connection to the nation’s capital with Link Airways announcing it will commence services to Canberra this year. The new year-round service will operate four times a week to Canberra using the airline’s SAAB340B aircraft, with the first flight scheduled to take off on the 6th of May. It will be the first time Link Airways has flown out of Launceston, with the regional carrier currently operating more than 250 flights a week to 16 destinations around Australia. The new service was enabled by the Tasmanian Government’s Aviation Attraction Fund in partnership with Launceston and Canberra Airports. Launceston Airport CEO Katie Cooper said it was exciting to welcome a fifth carrier. “We’re proud to welcome Link Airways to Launceston and in doing so provide our passengers and exporters with another direct link to the mainland,” she said. “Whether it be a direct school trip to Canberra or a hiking holiday of a lifetime, this service will be popular with travellers from both Launceston and Canberra. “Starting with a year-round four day a week service shows the level of commitment that Link has to the Launceston market.” Jeff Boyd, Manager of Network Strategy at Link Airways said the new service would deliver benefits to both Launceston and Canberra. “We are very pleased to announce the establishment of direct flights for passengers wanting to travel to Launceston and Northern Tasmania, and Tasmanians to visit the National Capital,” he said.
Flyadeal expands with new domestic routes: Flyadeal, Saudi Arabia’s fast-growing low-cost airline, is expanding operations from its recently set-up Madinah base with the launch of three domestic routes, effective 1 March 2026. The introduction of scheduled flights to Jazan on the Red Sea coast in the southwestern part of Saudi Arabia; Qassim, known for its date farms, in the heart of the Kingdom; and Arar, an agricultural centre and capital of the Northern Borders Province, takes the number of domestic and international destinations operated non-stop from Madinah to 10. Flyadeal already serves the domestic cities of Abha, Al Hofuf, Dammam, Riyadh and Tabuk, along with Cairo and Istanbul direct from Madinah’s Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport. The three new routes take flyadeal’s frequency up to 94 flights a week to and from Madinah. flyadeal operates an Airbus A320 featuring 186 all-Economy Class seats in a 3 – 3 configuration and spacious interiors on all its scheduled services. The airline has rapidly developed into the Middle East’s fastest growing carrier operating its young fleet from bases in Jeddah, Riyadh, Madinah and Dammam to more than 30 seasonal and year-round destinations across Saudi Arabia, and in the Middle East, Europe, North Africa and South Asia. By 2030, in line with Saudi Vision 2030, flyadeal expects to triple its network to over 100 destinations and more than double its fleet to 100 aircraft.
AAR signs new agreement with Otto Instrument Service: AAR has signed a new agreement with Otto Instrument Service to sell and support the LASEREF IV inertial reference system product line. The agreement reinforces AAR’s strategy to broaden its OEM distribution portfolio serving the business aviation market. Under the agreement, AAR will ensure availability and rapid global deployment of the LASEREF IV system, an essential avionics unit installed on a range of business aircraft, for replacement and upgrade. The collaboration combines Otto’s expertise with AAR’s global supply-chain reach, advanced distribution infrastructure, and customer-support capabilities. “This agreement further strengthens AAR’s position as a premier global distributor and expands access into the business aviation market,” said Frank Landrio, AAR’s Senior Vice President of Distribution. “In coordination with Otto, we look forward to enhancing availability, logistics, and technical support for operators upgrading to the latest technology.” “AAR’s global footprint and proven performance in avionics logistics make them an ideal distributor for this system,” said Chuck Farley, Otto Instrument Service’s Vice President of Sales and Contracts. “Together, we can deliver faster, more efficient support for business and general aviation customers worldwide.”
Akasa Air chooses Travelport for distribution deal: Travelport and Akasa Air (AKJ) announced the signing of a new, long-term content distribution agreement which will provide unique content from Akasa through Travelport+. With this deal, Travelport becomes the first global distribution system (GDS) to sign a content agreement with Akasa Air, underscoring the airline’s confidence in Travelport as its preferred distribution channel. “Choosing our first global travel retailing platform was significant for Akasa’s growth and expansion plans, but the final decision was easy based on Travelport’s strength in India and beyond,” said Sagar Naik Vice President, Commercial & Sales. “Travelport’s singular focus on agents, its industry leading search speed, and its history of customer service and satisfaction made them the perfect partner and easy choice for Akasa.” This partnership will enable Akasa Air’s flights, offers, and services to be distributed through Travelport’s extensive network of travel agents globally, broadening the airline’s reach and supporting Akasa’s focus on strong financial and commercial performance as it expands its global footprint. The distribution agreement also allows Akasa’s content to be accessed by agents using Travelport+, the fastest and most innovative travel content platform, potentially unlocking new opportunities for Akasa to achieve its goal of expanding its ancillary revenue ecosystem.
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