18 Jun 2025
Acumen Daily Aviation Brief - 18th June 2025
Acumen Aviation Newsletters
Acumen Aviation’s newsletters offer deep dives into the most impactful trends and developments across the aviation sector. These resources are crafted to keep you informed about critical industry changes and provide actionable insights:
- China Aviation Industry Newsletter: Explore recent developments in airline strategies, OEM activity, and policy shifts.
READ NOW: https://www.acumen.aero/blogs/-2-june-2025-china-aviation-industry-newsletter
- India Aviation Newsletter: Catch up on airport infrastructure projects, fleet activity, and key regulatory updates.
READ NOW: https://www.acumen.aero/blogs/-2-june-2025-india-aviation-newsletter
- Irish Aircraft Leasing Newsletter: Track lease transitions, asset activity, and strategic shifts in the global leasing hub.
READ NOW: https://www.acumen.aero/blogs/-2-june-2025-irish-aircraft-leasing-newsletter
- Irish Commercial Aircraft Update: Detailed aircraft movement updates involving Irish lessors and operators.
READ NOW: https://www.acumen.aero/blogs/-2-june-2025-irish-commercial-aircraft-update
- North American Aviation Newsletter: Insight into airline operations, fleet transactions, and regulatory news across North America.
READ NOW: https://www.acumen.aero/blogs/-2-june-2025-north-american-aviation-newsletter
IrishAero News
FlyArystan Adds A320neo EI-KFH
Kazakhstan-based Low Cost Carrier FlyArystan, a subsidiary of the Air Astana Group, announced the delivery of its 27th Airbus A320 aircraft. The aircraft will begin operating flights this month.
The aircraft delivered 29 May, Toulouse to Almaty International, registered EI-KFH Airbus A320-271N (msn 6614), named "Atlas" after the bright star in the Pleiades cluster, symbolising reliability, strength, and the pursuit of great heights.
Acumen’s Take:
FlyArystan’s continued fleet expansion reinforces its strong growth trajectory in Central Asia. The addition of the A320neo enhances operational efficiency and aligns with the airline’s strategy to strengthen its domestic and regional network using fuel-efficient narrowbody aircraft.
Ryanair Bases 4th Boeing 737 in Shannon
Ryanair has announced the addition of a fourth based aircraft at its Shannon Airport base — a new Boeing 737-8200 "Gamechanger". The expansion comes with the introduction of three new routes to Lapland, Madeira, and Madrid, along with increased frequencies on six popular routes: Alicante, Edinburgh, Kraków, Lanzarote, Manchester, and Wrocław for the Winter 2025/26 season.This move is expected to deliver a 20% traffic boost, bringing total Ryanair passenger traffic at Shannon to 1.6 million per year and supporting over 1,500 local jobs.
Acumen’s Take:
Ryanair’s fleet expansion at Shannon reflects its long-term commitment to regional connectivity and economic growth in Ireland. The addition of the fuel-efficient 737-8200 and new winter routes enhances Shannon’s role as a key hub in Ryanair’s network strategy.
Turkish Airlines Expands Dublin–Istanbul Service
Turkish Airlines has increased its weekly flights between Dublin and Istanbul from 18 to 21, effective 9 June 2025, as part of its expanded UK and Ireland summer schedule. The additional frequencies will be operated using two-class 182-seat Airbus A321ceo and A321neo aircraft to accommodate growing passenger demand.
Acumen’s Take:
This capacity increase reaffirms Turkish Airlines’ strategic focus on strengthening Dublin as a key gateway to its global network. With growing year-round demand to Turkey and beyond, the move enhances connectivity for both leisure and business travellers, while positioning Istanbul as a vital international hub for Irish outbound traffic.
Aircraft Update
N810CM Airbus A330-302(F) Ferried to Shannon for ASL Airlines
Airbus A330-302(F) (c/n 1272), registered as N810CM and managed by Cargo Aircraft Management, was ferried to Shannon on 7 June 2025 for ASL Airlines. The aircraft was previously registered as 2-AEPS.
Acumen’s Take
The arrival of N810CM in Shannon signals the continued expansion of ASL Airlines’ widebody freighter capacity. With global e-commerce driving sustained demand for efficient long-haul cargo operations, strategic acquisitions like this support ASL’s growth in transcontinental logistics.
SU-NMZ Airbus A320-232 Delivered to Nesma Airlines
Airbus A320-232 (c/n 5524), registered as SU-NMZ, was delivered to Nesma Airlines on 6 June 2025. The aircraft, previously registered as B-9902, arrived in Cairo to join the carrier’s fleet.
Acumen’s Take
The delivery of SU-NMZ reflects Nesma Airlines’ continued fleet consolidation strategy. As demand in the Middle East recovers, refreshed narrowbody assets will enhance route flexibility and cost-efficient regional operations.
Global Aviation News
Airbus Global Market Forecast 2025: People and Commerce Driving Air Traffic Growth
Airbus forecasts 43,400 new aircraft deliveries over the next 20 years, driven by a projected 3.6% annual growth in passenger traffic. This is supported by rising global GDP (+2.5%), a growing urban population (+1.2 billion), and the expansion of the global middle class (+1.5 billion people). The demand includes 34,250 single-aisle and 9,170 widebody aircraft, with 44% (18,930) replacing older, less efficient models. Emerging markets like India (+8.9%), Asia–China (+8.5%), and the Middle East–Asia (+5.3%) are expected to lead growth, supported by Airbus’ flexible fleet offerings across the A320, A330, and A350 families.
Acumen’s Take
Airbus’ outlook highlights key growth corridors and underscores the ongoing shift to fuel-efficient aircraft. For lessors and airlines, investing in versatile fleet types and aligning with demand in emerging markets will be critical for future growth and asset performance.
Airlines Pioneering Strategic Rail Partnerships to Expand European Networks
At SXSW London, Eurostar CEO Gwendoline Cazenave outlined how major airline alliances are forging strategic partnerships with European rail operators. These collaborations are introducing integrated booking systems, aimed at enhancing network efficiency and offering travellers more seamless, multimodal journey options across the continent.
Acumen’s Take
These evolving airline–rail synergies mark a significant shift toward intermodal connectivity in Europe. For lessors and operators, such integrations may influence route economics and short-haul network planning, encouraging aircraft deployment on longer or more commercially viable sectors while rail handles regional flows.
Avation PLC: Sale of Boeing 777-300ER Aircraft
Avation PLC has confirmed the sale of a Boeing 777-300ER widebody aircraft currently on lease to Philippine Airlines. The transaction, reflecting strong post-pandemic widebody valuations, is expected to generate a material profit above book value. Following debt repayment, the deal will release approximately US$33 million in net cash proceeds.
Acumen’s Take
This sale highlights a resilient widebody market and Avation’s strategy to capitalise on favourable asset pricing. Lessors may continue to benefit from liquidity opportunities in high-demand aircraft segments, especially when tied to strong credit lessees.
TAP Launches Direct Terceira–San Francisco Flight
TAP Air Portugal has introduced a direct Terceira–San Francisco service, operated by an Airbus A330neo as part of its Lisbon–San Francisco route. The weekly Tuesday stopover in Terceira is designed to connect with California’s Azorean diaspora, estimated at over 300,000, while also promoting the Azores as a U.S. tourist destination.
Acumen’s Take
This route extension reinforces TAP’s transatlantic strategy by tapping into strong VFR (Visiting Friends and Relatives) demand while diversifying its network through strategic stopovers. The move also highlights the Azores’ potential as a niche but growing tourism hub in North Atlantic aviation.
Ted Christie: LCC Futures Depend on Understanding Meaning of Value, Power of Trust
At APEX FTE EMEA in Dublin, former Spirit Airlines CEO Ted Christie shared a candid perspective on the evolution and resilience of the low-cost carrier (LCC) model in the U.S. market. In conversation with APEX Group CEO Dr Joe Leader, Christie emphasised that the LCC model is far from broken. Instead, he argued, its future lies in building trust and truly understanding what ‘value’ means to the customer. Drawing from over a decade at Spirit, including six years as CEO, Christie highlighted the need for a more human, relationship-driven approach among value carriers.
Acumen’s Take
Christie’s message resonates in a global market where price competition is no longer enough. As cost-sensitive travellers grow more discerning, trust and clarity of value proposition will define the next generation of LCC success, not just in the U.S., but worldwide.
White House Directs FAA to Lift Supersonic Overland Flight Ban
The White House has issued an executive order directing the FAA to lift the decades-long ban on supersonic overland flights within 180 days. The order also mandates the release of final aircraft noise certification rules for supersonic operations within two years.The administration cited outdated regulations as a barrier to innovation, asserting that modern advances in aerospace engineering, materials science, and noise reduction now make safe and commercially viable supersonic flight achievable over land.
Acumen’s Take
This move could reignite investment and innovation in a sector long stifled by regulatory hurdles. For lessors and OEMs, it opens new long-term prospects, particularly for business aviation and high-speed commercial routes, though infrastructure, certification, and operating economics will remain key challenges.
Irish Aviation News
Dublin’s Department of Transport to Lead Meeting on Reopening Derry Flight in 2026
The Irish Government has granted ministerial approval to begin preparatory work for the re-establishment of Dublin–Derry air services in 2026. A meeting, led by the Department of Transport, is scheduled with key stakeholders in the north-west in the coming weeks to explore the route’s revival. The Economy Minister welcomed the move and confirmed continued collaboration with both the Irish and UK Governments to support the delivery of this regional connectivity initiative.
Acumen’s Take
The resumption of this air link would be a strategic step towards enhancing all-island connectivity, supporting regional development and strengthening aviation links between Dublin and the North-West. For Ireland’s aviation ecosystem, such routes can offer long-term value beyond traffic figures, promoting accessibility and economic inclusion.
easyJet and Belfast City Airport Celebrate Return of Palma Flights
Belfast City Airport has marked the return of easyJet’s direct service to Palma de Mallorca as part of its Summer 2025 schedule. Operating twice weekly on Mondays and Thursdays, the route caters to strong seasonal demand for Mediterranean getaways.
Katy Best, Commercial Director at Belfast City Airport, commented that the resumed service is “a firm favourite with local holidaymakers” and showcases easyJet’s commitment to expanding travel options from the airport.
Acumen’s Take
The resumption of Palma flights by easyJet is a clear sign of confidence in Northern Ireland’s outbound travel market. Seasonal routes like this one are vital for leisure connectivity, and their return reflects the ongoing rebound in regional travel demand post-pandemic.
Irish Aerospace Collaboration Secures €2.5m DTIF Funding
A new partnership between Galway-based ÉireComposites, UCD spin-out PlasmaBound, and Technological University Dublin has been awarded €2.5 million from Ireland’s Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) to develop advanced lightweight composite technologies for the aerospace sector. The initiative aims to enhance sustainability and efficiency in aerospace manufacturing by leveraging cutting-edge materials expertise across all three partners.
Acumen’s Take
This funding underscores Ireland’s commitment to fostering innovation in aerospace. Lightweight composite development aligns with industry priorities on fuel efficiency and carbon reduction, strengthening the country’s role as a hub for next-gen aerospace materials and R&D collaboration.
Ireland West Airport Funding Not Targeted Towards Flight Expansion
The Irish Government has allocated €5.6 million to Ireland West Airport under the Regional Airports Programme, with the funding strictly earmarked for critical infrastructure upgrades rather than expanding passenger or flight operations. The investment will support improvements in safety, security, and air traffic control systems, reinforcing the airport’s operational resilience and compliance with regulatory standards.
Acumen’s Take
While this funding does not directly stimulate route expansion, it plays a vital role in maintaining the airport’s long-term viability. Infrastructure-focused investment is essential to ensure Ireland West Airport remains a reliable regional gateway, especially for future growth opportunities tied to broader regional development.
Avia Solutions Eyes Market Expansion to Offset Seasonal Lulls
Irish-headquartered air travel services firm Avia Solutions is nearing completion of its expansion into new international markets. The move is strategically aimed at bolstering revenue during off-peak seasons, particularly winter, when demand for leased aircraft and crew services traditionally declines by around 40%.
Chairman Gediminas Ziemelis highlighted the challenge of seasonal fluctuation in their European operations, noting that while summer leasing activity remains robust, diversifying geographically is key to sustaining year-round business momentum.
Acumen’s Take
Avia’s expansion plan reflects a savvy response to cyclical pressures in the ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) leasing market. As airlines increasingly rely on short-term capacity solutions, firms like Avia are well-positioned to thrive, provided they adapt to seasonal and regional shifts in demand.
Irish Visits to Spain Hit Record High in April 2025
Ireland recorded 250,214 visits to Spain in April 2025, marking a new monthly record. This figure is up 5.2% year-on-year and represents a 32.8% increase over pre-pandemic levels. Cumulatively, Irish visits to Spain in the first four months of 2025 were also up 5.2%.
Spain welcomed 8.6 million international tourists in April overall, a 10.1% rise from April 2024, with Catalonia leading as the most visited region, accounting for 20.3% of all arrivals.
Acumen’s Take
The surge in Irish outbound travel to Spain reflects robust consumer confidence and sustained demand for leisure travel. This trend holds significance for airlines operating trans-European routes, indicating strong load factor potential and network planning opportunities into high-demand destinations like Catalonia.
Retail inMotion Secures New Five-Year Onboard Retail Contract with Ryanair
Retail inMotion (RiM) has signed a new five-year contract with Ryanair, reinforcing its 15-year partnership with Europe’s largest airline. The agreement covers onboard retail products, distribution, and technology solutions, ensuring continued collaboration on enhancing passenger retail experiences across Ryanair’s extensive network.
Acumen’s Take
This renewed partnership signifies Ryanair’s continued investment in ancillary revenue streams and passenger engagement through innovative onboard retail. For Retail inMotion, it highlights long-term confidence in their technology-driven approach to in-flight services. As passenger volumes grow, such collaborations become increasingly pivotal in shaping the future of onboard commercial offerings.
Tweet Picks
@PHXSkyHarbor Historic: Nonstop service to Asia from Phoenix is slated to begin early next year! Mayor Kate Gallego announced today that STARLUX Airlines intends to begin new service between PHX and Taipei Taoyuan Airport, pending final government approvals.
@SAS We’re launching a new codeshare with our @skyteam partner @VietnamAirlines , making it easier to fly between Scandinavia and Vietnam.
@united This is the beginning of a blue-tiful friendship. Introducing Blue Sky, the new collaboration between @JetBlue and United that gives TrueBlue members and MileagePlus members the opportunity to earn and use miles and points across both airlines, travel to more destinations – and the benefits of each airline’s loyalty programs will be available when you fly with either one of us, starting as early as this fall.
@VerticalAero We’re proud to share that we have received approval from the @UK_CAA (UK Civil Aviation Authority) for our Safety Management System (SMS) and its incorporation into our Design Organisation Approval (DOA).
Video Picks
Aerdogs Special Edition – A Pathfinder for Irish Aviation
This special edition of Aerdogs explores the newly released report A Pathfinder for Irish Aviation, a strategic framework aimed at shaping the future of aviation in Ireland. The episode delves into the key recommendations, including enhancing MRO capacity, investing in talent through apprenticeships, and expanding infrastructure, core themes driving sustainable growth across the sector.
Acumen’s Take
This Aerdogs episode effectively distils the strategic intent behind A Pathfinder for Irish Aviation. As an MRO and asset management leader, Acumen Aviation recognises the critical importance of capacity planning, workforce development, and infrastructure. These align with our long-held view that collaborative vision and policy support are key to Ireland's aviation competitiveness on the global stage.
How Qatar Is Attracting Tourists and the Future of Travel
This feature explores Qatar's growing appeal as a tourism destination, spotlighting the country's strategic investments in luxury hospitality, cultural landmarks, and sports tourism following the FIFA World Cup 2022. With streamlined visa policies and a growing calendar of international events, Qatar is positioning itself as a dynamic stopover and long-stay destination.
Acumen’s Take
Qatar’s approach reflects a broader regional trend where aviation, hospitality, and government policy converge to drive tourism-led economic diversification. As travel patterns shift post-pandemic, national carriers and airport infrastructure—both areas where Qatar has invested heavily—are playing a pivotal role in reshaping global connectivity and positioning Gulf nations as year-round hubs for both business and leisure travellers.
IATA Congress Delhi 2025 – Willie Walsh’s Report in Full
IATA Director General Willie Walsh delivers a comprehensive address at the 2025 AGM in Delhi, covering major developments and concerns within the global aviation sector. The report highlights challenges around sustainability, regulatory consistency, and airline profitability, while calling for greater collaboration across governments and industry stakeholders to support recovery and long-term resilience.
Acumen’s Take
Willie Walsh’s remarks reflect the urgent priorities of a sector balancing recovery with reform. As aviation demand rebounds, harmonised global policies, emissions management, and operational agility are paramount. His address aligns with Acumen’s view that data-driven strategies and smart leasing models will play an increasingly central role in helping airlines manage cost, compliance, and competitiveness.
