Airline News in Brief 15 February 2026

ASL Aviation sells interest in LCC FlySafair: Dublin-headquartered global aviation group ASL Aviation confirmed it has sold its interest in Johannesburg based low-cost airline FlySafair to South African investment conglomerate, Harith General Partners and its affiliates. The transaction remains subject to customary regulatory approvals, including approval by the South African Competition Commission. Harith General Partners is the leading Pan-African infrastructure investor with over USD$3 billion in assets under management. Founded in 2006, Harith has established itself as a premier investor and developer of infrastructure assets across the African continent. Harith provides investors with exposure to diversified infrastructure sectors, with a strong focus on transportation, energy, connectivity, and logistics. The financial details of the transaction are not being disclosed. Launched as South Africa’s first ‘true low-cost carrier’ in 2014 with 3aircraft, FlySafair is now the market leader, holding 67% of all domestic seat capacity. The airline now has a fleet of 39 B737 aircraft and has carried more 54 million passengers while reducing fares by up to 32% on some routes. Ryanair and CFM sign long-term services agreement: Ryanair and CFM International (CFM) announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a long-term material services agreement to support Ryanair’s entire fleet of about 2,000 CFM56 and LEAP engines powering its Boeing 737 aircraft. The MoU, announced by Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair, and Olivier Andriès, CEO of Safran, one of CFM’s two parent companies, will cover the provision of spare parts and parts repair from CFM for the two new engine MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) shops that Ryanair plans to establish in Europe from 2029. CFM will also support Ryanair with a services agreement for both CFM56 and LEAP engines, until the Ryanair MRO facilities are fully operational. This agreement marks a new milestone in the historic partnership between Ryanair and CFM, dating back to 1998. Ryanair operates the world’s largest fleet of CFM-powered Boeing aircraft and the largest fleet of CFM56 engines in Europe, powering more than 400 Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft. The airline currently has more than 200 LEAP-1B-powered Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in service. Ryanair has also placed an order for 150 Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft, with 150 additional options. Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s Group CEO said: “We are pleased to extend our long-term partnership with CFM with this multi-billion-dollar spares support agreement. For the last 30 years, CFM has been maintaining all of Ryanair’s CFM56 engines under a long term “power by the hour” contract. However, from 2029 onwards, Ryanair expects to bring the maintenance of its engines “in-house”, and we are pleased to do so with the help and support of our partner CFM. Ryanair will place substantial orders for initial spare parts provisioning with CFM to support the opening of each of these 2 Ryanair engine maintenance facilities. When Ryanair takes over all its engine maintenance in-house, we expect this contract will be worth in excess of $1 billion annually to CFM in spare engines and spare parts supplies. This new spare parts agreement extends our 30-year partnership with CFM, and we look forward to working closely with CFM, Safran and GE to support what will be one of the world’s largest commercial aircraft fleets, and one of the world’s largest packages of Boeing 737 engines too.” Air Astana boosts services to Guangzhou: Air Astana is all set to boost services to Guangzhou in southern China, with the launch of new twice weekly flights from Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana on 2nd June 2026. The airline has been operating four flights a week from Almaty to Guangzhou since March 2025. Air Astana additionally operates scheduled flights to China’s capital, Beijing and Urumqi in western China and will launch a new service between Almaty and Shanghai at the end of March 2026. Flights from Astana to Guangzhou are scheduled to operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with departures at 18.45 and arrival at 04:30 next day. The return flight will operate on Wednesdays and Fridays, departing from Guangzhou at 05:45 and arrival in Astana at 10:10. All times local.  Flights will be operated by latest generation Airbus A321LR aircraft, with a flight time from Astana to Guangzhou of 6 hours 45 minutes. The launch of the new route helps strengthen business, tourism and cultural ties between Kazakhstan and China, and expands opportunities for travel and transit through Air Astana hubs in Astana and Almaty. AirAsia X goes global with Kuala Lumpur-Bahrain-London route: AirAsia X (AAX) marked a significant milestone in its international growth journey as it advances its medium-haul expansion beyond Asia with the establishment of Bahrain as its first strategic hub, connecting Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Australia. This follows the Letter of Intent signed on 3 November 2025 between Capital A Berhad and Bahrain’s Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications to develop Bahrain as AAX’s Middle East hub. This development reflects AAX’s broader ambition to build a more globally connected long-haul network, anchored by strategic hubs beyond Southeast Asia. Bo Lingam, Group CEO of AirAsia X, said: “This milestone reflects the broader transformation of AAX into a truly globally connected airline. We navigated one of the most challenging periods in aviation history and emerged from the pandemic stronger and more focused. Now, we are rebuilding with discipline – backed by a secured orderbook of 374 aircraft and counting, as well as a comprehensive five-year growth plan that will see us steadily cementing our footprint across the regions. Bahrain fits squarely into our long-term network blueprint to link ASEAN and Asia to the world. Our focus remains on disciplined fleet expansion, strengthening core hubs, driving ancillary and digital growth, ensuring every new market strengthens the overall network. This is how we create sustainable value for the group of airlines while continuing to democratise long-haul travel.” New direct Christchurch to Nelson service by Originair: Travellers heading to Nelson have an additional, easy way to get there, with Originair launching a direct service from Christchurch from 13 February. Flights will be operated using Originair’s British Aerospace Jetstream 32 aircraft, a pressurised twin-engine turboprop with 18 seats, designed for comfortable and efficient regional travel. The new service will operate twice weekly on Fridays and Sundays, offering a short 50 minute, no-fuss flight between the two South Island cities. The additional services will supplement the long-standing services from Air New Zealand. Nelson is a popular year-round destination, known as the gateway to Abel Tasman National Park, as well as its food and wine scene, arts community and local markets. At the same time, Christchurch continues to serve as a key hub for business, education and healthcare for the wider South Island. Originair Chief Executive Robert Inglis says the airline is focused on connecting regional communities with the places they need to be. “The response to our Blenheim, Christchurch service, which launched in October, has shown strong demand from business travellers and people needing easy access to Christchurch’s services. Nelson was a natural next step.” Emirates extends latest cabin experience to more cities worldwide: Emirates has announced a series of aircraft deployments and product upgrades across its network, extending the reach of Premium Economy and delivering a more consistent experience for customers. As part of its ongoing retrofit programme, the airline is set to complete the upgrade of its first high-density, two-class A380 by mid-April. The aircraft will be reconfigured into a three-class layout featuring 76 Business Class seats, 56 Premium Economy seats, and 437 Economy Class seats. The first upgraded aircraft will operate flights EK903/904 between Dubai and Amman from 14 April to 31 May, before moving to Prague on EK139/140 from 1 June. By November, Emirates expects to have retrofitted all 15 of its two-class A380s into the new three class configuration. In Asia, new services include: Ho Chi Minh City: From 1 May, flights EK392/393 will be operated with a three-class retrofitted Boeing 777-200LR. With this upgrade, the airline will offer more than 600 weekly seats in Premium Economy to and from Ho Chi Minh City on double daily flights. Hong Kong: Emirates will upgrade flights EK382/383 from a Boeing 777-300ER to an A380 from 1 October, transitioning to a retrofitted A380 fitted with Premium Economy from 1 December. GACA authorises AirX for domestic on-demand operations in Saudi Arabia: The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has granted AirX Charter a Foreign Operator Authorisation under GACAR Part 129, authorising the carrier to conduct domestic on-demand private jet operations within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, thereby expanding customer choice and enhancing access to high-quality business and private aviation services. Granting authorization to AirX marks another important step in advancing the objectives of the Aviation Program under the National Transport and Logistics Strategy, which aims to position Saudi Arabia as the leading aviation market in the Middle East by 2030. It also reflects continued progress under GACA’s General Aviation Roadmap, which is guiding the sector’s transformation by aligning infrastructure development, regulation, and investment opportunities to meet rising demand for premium private aviation services among business travellers and ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNW) across the Kingdom. Under the authorisation, AirX will commence domestic on-demand operations between airports across the Kingdom, supporting business aviation and premium tourism demand. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Sally Passey at [email protected]