Nigeria 1 Aviation (Lagos) is the planned name of the new Nigerian national carrier, set to take to the skies during the course of this year. The airline is Abuja's second venture into the airline industry following the collapse of Nigeria Airways (WT, Lagos) in 2003 under debts of more than USD60million. Nigerian Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, did not expand on any proposed fleet or route networks. Last year, both Lufthansa (LH, Frankfurt Int'l) and Air France (AF, Paris CDG) were approached over a planned possible partnership in the new airline, a proposal both subsequently turned down.

Lufthansa (LH, Frankfurt Int'l) will reportedly order "around" 50 additional long-haul aircraft later this year to replace its current fleet of 48 A340-300s and A340-600s. Speaking in Cape Town during the ongoing 69th IATA AGM, Lufthansa CEO Christoph Franz said his airline has considered various options including the A350-900 and A350-1000 or a mixture of the B787-9/10X and the proposed 777 upgrade, the 777-8X and -9X. Once a deal is in place, the German carrier plans for the delivery of the aircraft from around the turn of the decade to about 2025. Regarding the airline's B747-8s, Mr Franz, surprisingly said the fleet could be replaced with the 777-9X as early as 2020 as "once a twin (engine jet) becomes available in the 747-8 size category, any airline would have to take a close look at such an aircraft because it is likely to be much more efficient."

Croatia Airlines (OU, Zagreb) is faced with the prospect of bankruptcy if critical cuts that entail a 20% workforce reduction coupled with 40% wage cuts does not come into effect, Croatian Transport Minister, Siniša Hajdaš Dončić, has said. Mr Dončić made the revelation amidst an on.going strike by Croatia Airline pilots and cabin crew to protest the impending cuts which has caused mass disruptions to the airline's network. The walkout began early Tuesday, May 14 as management and unions failed to reach a deal on new contracts after two days of negotiations. The strike also has forced Lufthansa (LH, Frankfurt Int'l) and Brussels Airlines (SN, Brussels National) to temporarily suspend all of their codeshare agreements with the Croat carrier. So dire has the situation become that the Government has now reportedly looked beyond the bankruptcy and is considering a future in which a renewed national carrier is borne, albeit with half the current staff and with Zagreb holding a 49% stake. Reportedly, a foreign carrier, ideally non-European, would be preferred for the remaining majority stake, though with Croatia's upcoming entry into the European Union, it is uncertain how this would proceed given EC regulations regarding foreign ownership of EU airlines.

GoAir (G8, Mumbai Int'l) has allegedly caught the eye of Lufthansa (LH, Frankfurt Int'l), Emirates (EK, Dubai Int'l) and Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Int'l) as stakes in Indian airlines are fast becoming a hot commodity among international carriers. According to India’s Economic Times, the Mumbai-based airline "is in talks with German carrier Lufthansa and Dubai-based Emirates and Qatar Airways, among others." Go Air had appointed Wall Street investment firm, JP Morgan, to find it fresh investment capital following a change in foreign direct investment (FDI) laws that now permit foreign carriers to hold up to 49 percent equity in Indian airlines. The announcement comes shortly after Qatar Airways boss, Akbar Al Baker, talked about a codeshare deal with IndiGo Airlines (6E, Delhi Int'l) but said that his airline "had not the money to go around buying shares" in airlines. The revised investment laws coupled with a more flexible Bilateral air services agreement between the UAE and India, have given the capital-rich Emirati carriers fresh impetus to establish a firm foothold in the subcontinent through share-acquisitions with Etihad Airways (EY, Abu Dhabi Int'l) having recently bought a 24% stake in Jet Airways (9W, Mumbai Int'l).

Austrian Airlines (OS, Vienna) is to lease an additional B777-200, it's fifth, for use in expanding it's international network after the Supervisory Board of Lufthansa (LH, Frankfurt Int'l) approved the move. Valued at EUR33million, the aircraft is due to begin flights in Summer next year on an 8-year contract. While no specific markets or destinations have been identified, Austrian Airlines Chief Executive Officer Jaan Albrecht was quoted as saying “the long-haul market has growth potential, particularly destinations in Asia and North America. In this way we will secure our long-term competitiveness at the Vienna flight hub.”