30 Jun 2025
Acumen Daily Aviation Brief - 30th 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: Stay up to date with the latest developments in China’s dynamic aviation market. This edition highlights fleet expansions, policy updates, and emerging trends shaping airlines, lessors, and MRO providers across the region.
READ NOW: https://www.acumen.aero/blogs/-4-june-2025-china-aviation-industry-newsletter - India Aviation Newsletter: Explore key insights into India’s fast-growing aviation sector. This edition covers new route launches, infrastructure investments, fleet modernisation initiatives, and regulatory changes influencing airlines and leasing activity across the country.
READ NOW: https://www.acumen.aero/blogs/-4-june-2025-india-aviation-newsletter - Irish Aircraft Leasing Newsletter: Stay updated on the latest developments shaping Ireland’s global aircraft leasing hub. This issue highlights transactions, portfolio strategies, financing activity, and leadership updates across Irish leasing platforms.
READ NOW: https://www.acumen.aero/blogs/-4-june-2025-irish-aircraft-leasing-newsletter - Irish Commercial Aircraft Update: Explore detailed reporting on aircraft deliveries, transitions, and movements involving Irish operators and lessors. This edition covers recent milestones, ferry flights, and registrations impacting Ireland’s commercial aviation sector.
READ NOW: https://www.acumen.aero/blogs/-4-june-2025-irish-commercial-aircraft-update - North American Aviation Newsletter: Gain insights into fleet developments, airline strategies, and market trends shaping aviation across North America. This issue highlights new deliveries, MRO partnerships, and financing activity among major carriers and lessors in the region.
READ NOW: https://www.acumen.aero/blogs/-4-june-2025-north-american-aviation-newsletter
IrishAero News
Aer Lingus Deploys A321LR/XLR to Toronto
Effective 3 June through 25 October 2025, Aer Lingus has introduced a combination of 184-seat capacity Airbus A321LR and A321XLR aircraft on its daily EIN127/6 service between Dublin and Toronto Pearson International, replacing the larger 263-seat Airbus A330-200 aircraft.
Acumen’s Take
The switch to the A321LR/XLR highlights the airline’s focus on right-sizing capacity and improving fuel efficiency on transatlantic routes. Narrowbody long-range aircraft continue to reshape network planning by enabling more flexible frequency and capacity management.
Air France to Operate Year-Round Cork–Paris CDG Service
Air France has announced it will operate its Cork to Paris Charles de Gaulle route year-round starting 26 October 2025. The popular service will run up to four times weekly—on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays—during the winter season, using an Embraer 190 aircraft.
Acumen’s Take
Extending this service year-round underscores the resilience of regional demand and the importance of secondary city connectivity in Air France’s network strategy. Continued investment in Cork strengthens Ireland’s links to major European hubs.
Ireland West Airport Aims for German Market Growth
Ireland West Airport CEO Joe Gilmore and Head of Aviation Business Development Donal Healy recently met with the team at Tourism Ireland’s headquarters in Frankfurt. The visit was part of a strategic effort to strengthen connectivity and tourism links between Germany and the West of Ireland.
Acumen’s Take
Focused engagement with key tourism stakeholders is essential to unlocking inbound demand from Germany. Proactive collaboration like this positions Ireland West Airport to secure new routes and diversify its European footprint.
Aircraft Update
A6-FQG Boeing 737-8 Delivered to FlyDubai
Boeing 737-8 (c/n 61031), registered as A6-FQG, was delivered to FlyDubai after ferrying from Boeing Field via Shannon to Dubai between 25 and 27 June 2025.
Acumen’s Take
The steady arrival of new 737-8 aircraft supports FlyDubai’s fleet renewal strategy and underlines continued narrowbody demand in the Middle East. Such deliveries illustrate Boeing’s focus on maintaining output despite persistent supply chain headwinds.
EC-MAD Boeing 737-4Y0(F) Ferried to Gander
Boeing 737-4Y0(F) (c/n 25261), registered as EC-MAD and operated by Swiftair, was ferried to Gander on 26 June 2025. The aircraft was previously registered as EI-STE.
Acumen’s Take
This movement highlights the ongoing repositioning of mature freighter assets to meet shifting cargo requirements. As e-commerce demand remains resilient, legacy 737-400Fs continue to play a role in supporting regional logistics networks.
Global Aviation News
SAS Considering Additional Airbus A321LRs
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) CEO Anko van der Werff has confirmed the airline is evaluating the potential acquisition of more Airbus A321LRs, citing strong operational performance of the type within the carrier’s network.
Acumen’s Take
SAS’s interest in expanding its A321LR fleet underscores the growing role of long-range narrowbodies in optimising transatlantic and thinner long-haul routes. The A321LR’s efficiency and flexibility are well suited to European carriers navigating evolving demand patterns and sustainability targets.
Skymark Airlines Secures Three More B737 MAX for Future Growth
Skymark Airlines has approved the purchase of three Boeing 737-10 aircraft following a resolution passed by its Board of Directors on 20 June 2025. The order, valued at a catalogue price of US$183.6 million per aircraft, is intended to support fleet renewal and growth. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2027.
Acumen’s Take
This commitment reflects the strong demand for next-generation narrowbodies in the Asia-Pacific region, as airlines like Skymark position themselves for growth with more fuel-efficient fleets. The 737-10 offers higher capacity and improved economics, supporting Skymark’s competitive strategy in Japan’s domestic market.
Turkish Airlines Weighs Bid for Air Europa Stake as Deadline Nears
Turkish Airlines is evaluating a bid for a minority stake in Spain’s Air Europa, sources told Reuters. The carrier joins Lufthansa and Air France-KLM among a field of interested investors as Air Europa works to secure funding to repay government loans received during the pandemic. The deadline for binding offers is set for early July.
Acumen’s Take
This potential investment underlines intensifying consolidation trends in Europe’s airline sector. For Turkish Airlines, acquiring a stake in Air Europa could strengthen its presence in Southern Europe and improve access to Latin American connections via Madrid.
United Airlines Renovates Dining Room in Newark Terminal C
United Airlines has unveiled a refreshed dining room at the Polaris Lounge in Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal C. Originally opened in 2018, the upgraded space now accommodates nearly 60 guests—a 10% increase in capacity—and offers a variety of seating arrangements designed to suit solo travellers and groups alike.
Acumen’s Take
Premium cabin investments like this remain key for US carriers differentiating their transatlantic product, especially in competitive hubs such as Newark.
314 European Airports Now Disclose Net Zero Roadmaps
ACI EUROPE has released an updated Net Zero Resolution showing that 314 European airports have now published detailed roadmaps outlining their plans to achieve net zero carbon emissions. The announcement highlights significant progress in the region’s collective climate action efforts and underscores airports’ central role in decarbonising the aviation sector.
Acumen’s Take
Transparent disclosure of net zero pathways signals growing regulatory and investor pressure to accelerate emission reductions across airport infrastructure and operations.
Irish Aviation News
Dublin Airport Passenger Cap Causing ‘Quite a Bit of Anger’ Among US Airlines – Willie Walsh
Ireland’s standing as an attractive hub for international airlines has been “tarnished” by the protracted disputes over the passenger cap at Dublin Airport, according to Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA. Speaking about the controversy, Walsh noted that the issue is “causing quite a bit of anger” among US carriers, which see the cap as a barrier to growth and a signal of poor long-term planning.
Acumen’s Take
Ongoing uncertainty around the cap is likely to weigh on airline confidence and route development. Resolving the issue swiftly will be crucial to safeguarding Dublin’s competitiveness as a transatlantic gateway.
Pan Am Back on the Board at Shannon Airport After 30 Years
Pan American Airways has returned to Ireland for the first time in over three decades. A Boeing 757-200 operated the commemorative journey, retracing historic transatlantic routes established by Pan Am in the 1930s and 1940s. The flight highlights the enduring legacy of Shannon as a gateway between New York, London, and Ireland.
Acumen’s Take
While symbolic, the return of the Pan Am name underscores Shannon’s rich aviation heritage and the ongoing importance of historic transatlantic connections to the region’s identity and tourism profile.
Pilot Careers Live – Croke Park – 18th October
Pilot Careers Live will return to Dublin on 18 October 2025 at the Croke Park Conference Centre. The event will showcase a broad selection of airlines, flying schools, and training providers, offering aspiring pilots and air traffic controllers the opportunity to learn more about training pathways and career options within the aviation industry.
Acumen’s Take
Events like Pilot Careers Live are essential for sustaining the future talent pipeline in aviation. With demand for skilled pilots and ATC professionals forecast to grow, initiatives that connect candidates with training providers and employers are more important than ever.
Ryanair Converts Münster/Osnabrück Routes to Year-Round Operation
Ryanair has announced that two of its routes from Münster/Osnabrück Airport (FMO), launched during the summer 2025 season, will now operate year-round. Flights to Malaga will continue twice weekly and London Stansted three times weekly throughout winter 2025. Additionally, Alicante and Palma de Mallorca will each be served twice weekly over the winter period, expanding FMO’s connectivity to popular leisure destinations.
Acumen’s Take
Extending these services to year-round schedules reflects strong demand and Ryanair’s confidence in secondary airports to support sustained leisure traffic beyond the traditional summer peak.
Sabena technics and Aer Lingus Sign Maintenance MoU
Sabena technics, a leading independent European MRO provider, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Aer Lingus to deliver base maintenance and cabin enhancements on the airline’s Airbus A330 fleet. The work will be carried out at Sabena technics’ Bordeaux facility across three winter maintenance seasons, running from 2026 through 2029.
Acumen’s Take
This long-term agreement demonstrates Aer Lingus’ proactive investment in fleet reliability and passenger experience, while reinforcing Sabena technics’ role as a trusted MRO partner for widebody support in Europe.
Shannon Airport Chairman Calls for Aviation Policy to Shore Up Balanced Development
Conal Henry, Chair of The Shannon Airport Group, has urged the Irish government to revise national aviation policy to support balanced regional development across the country. Highlighting the importance of aviation as an economic driver, Henry emphasised that updated policy is needed to ensure airports like Shannon can compete effectively and contribute to regional prosperity.
Acumen’s Take
Shannon’s call for policy reform underscores the strategic value of decentralising growth beyond Dublin and enhancing regional connectivity to strengthen Ireland’s aviation ecosystem as a whole.
Tweet Picks
@AviationWeek The civil aviation industry will need to hire 400 professionals a day for the next 10 years if it is to keep up with soaring global demand for air travel, according to a new forecast released at the #ParisAirShow.
@BoardingArea IndiGo gets a final extension on Turkish Airlines owned Boeing 777 wet lease; operations allowed till August 2025.
@RAeSTimR Airbus studying increase in production rate of A330MRTT says Jean-Brice Dumont "demand signal for tankers very high" #avgeek #PAS25
@RollsRoyce AviLease has agreed to place an order for 20 Trent XWB-97 engines, our highest thrust engine, that will power 10 Airbus A350F aircraft. This will be the first Rolls-Royce powered freighter aircraft to operate in the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia.
Video Picks
Airbus CEO on Air India Crash, Global Uncertainty & Aviation Trends
Airbus CEO discusses the implications of the recent Air India crash, broader global uncertainties affecting the aviation industry, and the trends shaping commercial aircraft demand and innovation.
Acumen’s Take
The interview highlights how manufacturers are navigating operational safety challenges while also maintaining a focus on long-term fleet strategies and resilience in an unpredictable market environment.
Air France-KLM CEO on What It’s Like Negotiating with Former Colleagues
Air France-KLM CEO shares insights into the dynamics of negotiating major agreements with industry peers who were once colleagues, offering a candid look at relationship management in the complex airline ecosystem.
Acumen’s Take
This discussion underscores how personal connections and prior working relationships can shape high-stakes negotiations, influencing both strategy and outcomes in global airline alliances.
Brand USA Full Presentation at IPW 2025
Brand USA’s team delivered a comprehensive presentation at IPW 2025, outlining strategies to promote inbound tourism to the United States, highlighting destination campaigns, partnership initiatives, and the role of data-driven marketing in driving visitor growth.
Acumen’s Take
Brand USA’s approach illustrates how national tourism boards are evolving their marketing playbooks with immersive content and collaborative promotion to boost demand in an increasingly competitive global travel landscape.
