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SAS CCO Paul Verhagen stated (15-Jun-2026) the carrier aims to expanding its widebody fleet. Mr Verhagen said: "We have 140 aircraft and only around 15 for long haul routes if you include the [A321]LRs. That is very over-indexed on short-haul". SAS is considering offers from Boeing and Airbus. The carrier is also considering adding more A321LR aircraft or switching to A321XLRs. Mr Verhagen noted the carrier plans to expand to North America, Africa, Asia and Latin America. [more - Aviation Week]

Turkish Airlines chairman Murat Şeker outlined (18-Jun-2026) the need to expand MRO capacity, primarily for Turkish Airlines, but also for opportunities to generate third party revenue. Mr Şeker said: "We are investing in Turkish Technic. As we speak, another hangar is under construction at Istanbul Airport. Recently we had an agreement with Rolls-Royce to overhaul not just the aircraft airframes but also the engines". Turkish Airlines is also in discussions with Boeing and Airbus about establishing a component pool agreement for its MRO facility. [more - Aviation Week]

Grupo SATA CEO Tiago Santos stated (18-Jun-2026) SATA Air Açores expects delivery of one Dash 8-400 aircraft in Jul-2026, bringing the number of Dash 8-400 aircraft in its fleet to six. SATA Air Açores also operates two Dash 8-200s, which mainly serve the islands of Flores and Corvo due to short runway operations. Mr Santos stated: "There are no alternatives in the market to replace the Dash 8-200". He added: "We have decided that we cannot afford to invest in these aircraft", noting that a life extension programme for the Dash 8-200 would cost approximately EUR10 million per aircraft. The carrier expressed interest in the Deutsche Aircraft D328eco regional turboprop as a possible future replacement. [more - Aviation Week]

Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services (BSAS) opened (18-Jun-2026) an MRO hangar within the Lin-gang Special Area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. The hangar can accommodate up to four widebody aircraft and two narrowbody aircraft simultaneously. The company secured base maintenance contracts with Air Premia and Virgin Atlantic Airways between 2024 and 2025, under which the carriers' widebody aircraft will be serviced at the new hangar. BSAS is a joint venture between Boeing, Shanghai Airport Authority and China Eastern Airlines. [more - Aviation Week]

LATAM Airlines Group chief experience, brand and customer officer Paulo Miranda stated (18-Jun-2026) the airline has not seen a decline in premium demand over the short term. Mr Miranda said: "So far we haven't seen any changes in the behaviour of corporate travellers", noting that for 2H2026: "I think it's too soon to see how it's going". [more - Aviation Week]

Uzbekistan Airports signed (17-Jun-2026) a public private partnership (PPP) agreement with an international consortium led by Vision Invest, which includes Sojitz Corporation and Incheon International Airport Corporation, for construction and subsequent operation of New Tashkent International Airport. The private consortium will be responsible for construction and operation of the passenger terminal and landside facilities, while the state partner will retain responsibility for construction and operation of the airfield infrastructure. Construction is scheduled for completion by the end of 2030. The airport will be able to handle 20 million passengers and 300,000 tonnes of cargo p/a. [more - original PR]