Castlelake announced on Thursday that it was no longer interested in acquiring easyJet. This ended its months-long attempt to buy out one of Europe's largest budget airlines, weeks after Apollo Global made a higher bid. The Minneapolis-based company, which is also a major investor in aviation, didn't specify the reason it "bowed out" of the race but stated that it was very appreciative for the constructive engagement it had with easyJet Board members and management. Castlelake's decision ends an investment pursuit in which the firm made five bids for easyJet. Among them was a PS6.90 share offer that was made...

German authorities opened a counterterrorism probe after a drone containing explosives was discovered at Leipzig/Halle Airport - a cargo and logistics hub for military purposes. The interior minister called it a hybrid attack. The discovery by airport workers of a 'drone' in a restricted zone on Tuesday led to flight cancellations and closures of certain parts of the airport. Alexander Dobrindt, the German interior minister, said that on Wednesday this incident had opened up a "new level" of danger. Here are some details on the drone incident that occurred at Leipzig/Halle Airport this week. From WORLD WAR II DESTRUCTION to...

The Sueddeutsche Zeitung, among other news outlets, reported that a Ukrainian cargo aircraft found parked next to an explosive-laden drone at Germany's Leipzig/Halle Airport on Tuesday night was actually carrying military ammunition. The report, also broadcast by NDR and WDR, cited a confidential police report and said that forensic experts determined the explosives on the drone to be of high military grade. These findings could raise the stakes of a wider counterterrorism investigation into the incident at a?airport that serves as a major military and cargo logistics hub, which the German government has classified as critical infrastructure. Alexander Dobrindt, the...

Hadrian, a manufacturing startup in the United States, announced on Thursday that its valuation was $7.87 billion. To meet the growing demand, a larger footprint is needed. Investors have poured money into U.S. Manufacturing firms, as the Trump Administration prioritizes domestic manufacturing in order to reduce U.S. dependence on overseas supply chains for critical industries. The California-based firm raised $1.37billion in a?Series D round led by Washington Harbour Partners, WCM Investment -Management, 137 Ventures, Valor Equity Partners and Baillie Gifford. JPMorgan Chase’s strategic investment group joined as an anchor and co-lead?investor?through its Security and?Resiliency Initiative, which invests into U.S. businesses...

Air India, which is owned by Singapore Airlines and the Tata Group, named Tewolde Gebremariam its new CEO. This comes at a time of great challenges for Air India. From record losses to safety lapses, they have been under intense scrutiny from regulators. Here are the major challenges that former Ethiopian Airlines CEO,?Mr.?Mahmoud?Al-Ghani?faced: SAFETY & COMPLIANCE The Air India Boeing 787 crash in Ahmedabad, June 2025 that killed 260 people has increased scrutiny on the airline's safety culture and operations. Indian regulators have reprimanded Air India over lapses, including the operation of an Airbus A320 in multiple flights without having...

Fraport, the German airport operator, surpassed expectations for its second quarter earnings on Thursday as a result of a growth in its international airports that helped to offset weakened passenger traffic at Frankfurt. In a LSEG survey, analysts had predicted that second-quarter EBITDA would rise 0.7% to 386.3 millions euros ($446million), but the actual result was?372million euros. EBITDA for the first half of 2013 grew to 582.3 millions euros. The first-half revenue increased 4% to 2.1 billion Euros. The number of passengers at Frankfurt Airport, Germany's largest airport, decreased by 0.8% due to strikes and disruptions resulting from the conflict...

Qantas, an Australian pilots union and the airline announced on Thursday that they had reached a?provisional agreement? on a wage package after long-haul?pilots voted this week in favor of industrial action. This agreement would cover approximately 1,700 pilots flying Qantas Airbus A380, A330 and Boeing 787 jets on long-haul routes. The short-haul crews are covered by a separate contract. The Australian and International Pilots Association has expressed its satisfaction with the progress made during discussions at Australia's industrial arbitrator, the Fair Work Commission. "A broad agreement has been reached" (with Qantas). AIPA President Andrew Marshall stated by email that they...

Air India appointed former Ethiopian Airlines Chief Tewolde Gebremariam to its 'CEO' post on Wednesday. The Indian airline is currently struggling with persistent losses, and increased regulatory scrutiny after a fatal crash last year. Gebremariam succeeds New Zealander Campbell Wilson. Wilson was a former Singapore Airlines executive who was appointed in 2022 as the new leader of Air 'India after it had suffered years of decline under state ownership. Air India reported that Wilson had informed Chairman N Chandrasekaran of his intention to step down in this year 2024. The 'Tata Group owned airline is suffering heavy losses, not only...

El Al Israel Airlines announced a doubling of its second-quarter profit on Wednesday. The airline cited recovery from the initial impact of fighting between Israel & 'Iran' despite a sharp increase in jet fuel prices. On February 28, the U.S., Israel and other countries launched airstrikes on Iran. During this time Iran fired missiles towards Israel. This effectively closed Israel's commercial airspace, forcing El-Al and its rivals to fly only limited routes. The conflict was briefly ended by a ceasefire on 8 April. Israel has not been dragged back into conflict despite the fact that Iran and the U.S. continue...

Cathay Pacific Airways announced a record-breaking first-half profit on Wednesday, as strong demand for passengers and cargo offset the higher fuel prices. Hong Kong's flagship carrier saw its net profit rise 71%, to HK$6.24billion ($795.59m), for the six-month period ended June 30. This is the second highest in the company's history. Last month, the airline forecast a profit for the first half of the year in a range?of HK$6 to HK$6.5billion. In a recent statement, Cathay Chairman Guy Bradley stated that the summer travel demand is expected to be strong into the third quarter. "We are cautiously optimistic about the...

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing a Tuesday air-traffic incident involving a military helicopter carrying President Donald Trump. The FAA announced that it was investigating a Marine One safety incident. However, the FAA stated that the close call did not appear to be dangerous and the aircraft were not apparently convergent. Two sources said that Trump's Marine One helicopter left the White House on Tuesday afternoon. However, air traffic controllers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport had not stopped commercial flights as required by a policy set last year after a fatal accident. The Wall Street Journal was the...

Jetstar, Australia's budget airline, is re-evaluating its cabin baggage policy and will charge passengers extra if they want to store their carry-on luggage in overhead compartments. This change will take place from February. According to airline examples, the 'carrier' will allow a bag that fits under the seat, like a laptop bag, a handbag or a backpack. A larger bag, however, could cost up to A$52 per flight, depending on the route. Jetstar now has a carry-on bag policy that is more in line with other low-cost carriers around the world. These airlines charge for overhead storage space, but include...