Latest News
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WestJet reviews non-reclinable seat policy in response to passenger complaints
WestJet Airlines will review its non-adjustable seats in economy class as soon as this week. This is after a backlash from passengers who complained about the lack of leg room, according to an internal message seen by?. Samantha Taylor, the Chief Experience Officer of Air Canada, told her employees that the carrier was reviewing data and feedback from passengers to determine the best way forward in rolling out the seats onto more aircraft. Taylor wrote: "While originally we planned to make a decision by February, we are now working to accelerate that process and arrive at a 'plan forward aligned as early as this week." WestJet has not yet made a decision on the reconfigured seats. They are in a fixed-reclining configuration. The airline was not available to comment on Tuesday. WestJet's introduction of reconfigured seats last year on?some Boeing 737 -?planes - was widely viewed as a test to the limits of addon culture. The option to upgrade to adjustable economy seats is still available but at a cost. WestJet, backed by Onex Corp, halted the rollout last month. However videos of passengers with cramped leg space appeared on social media in January. The space between rows of seats (also known as pitch) was reduced from 30 inches to 28 inches in order to accommodate an additional row of seating. Taylor's message thanked frontline team members, such as cabin crew, who "managed our guests' frustrations"? over the seating. WestJet pilots and flight attendants also voiced concerns about the new configuration, warning that it could have a negative impact on health and safety. WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech and other executives from the carrier tried the new seat during a flight in November from Calgary to Toronto. Von Hoensbroech asked to sit in the middle "so he could see the entire cabin layout," according to the memo. Transport Canada, the federal regulator, said that WestJet’s seat modifications were "compliant" with federal regulations. (Allison Lampert, Montreal)
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UK prosecutors claim that the Russian captain did nothing to prevent a US tanker accident.
British prosecutors have said that the captain of a container vessel that collided with a U.S. oil tanker last year off Britain's East Coast did "absolutely nothing" to avoid an avoidable, fatal collision. His trial for the death of a crewmember began on Tuesday. Vladimir Motin was the captain of the Portuguese flagged Solong, heading for Rotterdam, Netherlands, when the tanker Stena Immaculate, which was anchored was hit on 10 March 2025. Tom Little, prosecutor, said that the Solong was mostly carrying alcohol, and some dangerous goods. These included empty but unclean containers of sodium cyanide. The Stena Immaculate, on the other hand, was carrying just under 220,000 barrels high-grade aviation gasoline. Little said that the Stena Immaculate, which was waiting to discharge its cargo, was struck, causing an fire to spread to both vessels. The jury was shown footage of the crash, which showed smoke and fire billowing in the air. Motin, who was charged days later, is accused of causing the death Mark Pernia (38), a Filipino national, and member of Solong crew. His body has not been found, and it's presumed that he died. Little has pleaded guilty to one count, gross negligence manslaughter. He is currently on trial in London's Old Bailey Court where he said that Pernia’s death was “entirely preventable”. CAPTAIN ACCUSED of 'GROSSLY NEGLIGERENT CONDUCT Little said to the jury as Motin listened, with the aid of a Russian translator: "He (Pernia), would still be alive had it not been for the grossly negligence conduct of the man on the dock." He stated that the?Solong' was traveling at approximately 18 miles per hour and had been on collision course for more than 30 minutes before the accident. Little claimed that Motin sent WhatsApp messages to wife saying, "there was a disaster. He will be guilty", to which his wife responded by telling him to say he didn't see the other ship on the equipment of the ship. The prosecutor informed the court that Motin had a duty to care towards?Pernia as the captain of the Solong and because he was the "sole?watch duty" on the bridge before the fatal accident. Little said, "In the end, he didn't do anything, nothing at all, to prevent the collision." He said that the alarm system of the Solong, which was supposed to?ensure someone was present on the vessel's deck, was switched off, and it was not activated on the morning the crash occurred. Little said that the crews of the Stena Impmaculate and Solong received no warning about the collision. The trial should conclude by the end of next month. (Reporting and editing by Sarah Young, Tomaszjanowski and Sarah Young; Corey Rudy and Sam Tobin contributed to this report).
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Boeing's turnaround is taking hold, with the highest annual jet delivery since 2018.
Boeing rebounded in 2025, delivering the most planes since 2018 and beating European rival Airbus for net orders 'for the first time in seven years. This is a sign that the U.S. aircraft manufacturer has turned a corner after a string of crises. Boeing announced on Tuesday that its 2025 deliveries increased by 72%, to 600 aircraft, although they lag behind Airbus' 793. Boeing has also placed 1,175 orders or a total of 1,075 net after cancellations. Boeing had its sixth highest annual total after cancellations, and it surpassed Airbus' net orders of 889. Under CEO Kelly Ortberg, Boeing is trying to improve its reputation and compete with Airbus for narrow-body plane orders. In 2018, Boeing's debt has increased due to two plane crashes, a COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, strikes at factories and a midair panel blowout. Boeing's finance director said last month that the company anticipates positive cash flows in 2026 due to higher commercial jet deliveries. The?U.S. The planemaker shipped 63 jets to customers in December. This was the highest number of deliveries in a single month since 2023. This included?44 of the best-selling 737 MAX and 14 787 jets. The company will deliver 440 737 MAX jets in 2025 and 88 787s. This is the highest number of 787 Dreamliner delivery since 2019 when Boeing delivered 158 wide-body jetliners. The demand for 787s is on the rise. Boeing received 368 Dreamliner Orders after cancellations in the past year. This is second only to 369 Dreamliner Orders it received the first time it offered the Dreamliner. Delta Air Lines announced on Tuesday it would purchase 30 Boeing 787-10 planes to increase its long-haul fleet. The exact date of the orders is not known. STRONG ORDER?BOOK Boeing's order book boom is a sign of confidence by airlines and aircraft lessors in the company's turnaround, said Scott Hamilton, aerospace analyst and consultant at Leeham Co. Boeing can also deliver new single aisle jets faster than Airbus because it has a smaller backlog. Alaska Airlines, at an event held in Seattle, announced that it had finalized orders for five 787s as well as 105 737-10s - the largest MAX variants - in December. Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci expressed confidence that Boeing will certify the long delayed?narrow body jet this year. Analysts and airlines are closely monitoring the progress of the MAX 10 certification, said George Ferguson. Ferguson is a senior analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. Ferguson, a senior aerospace analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence, said that Boeing could beat Airbus again in 2026 as it continues to improve its production quality and puts the turmoil of the past years behind them.
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Engie signs LNG supply contract for 15 years with Thai power plants
By America Hernandez PARIS, January 13 - French utility Engie signed a 15-year contract to supply liquefied natural gas to power plants in Thailand owned by Gulf Development PCL on Tuesday. Delivery of up to 0.8 millions metric tons per year will start?in 2028. Details of the price were not revealed. Thailand is the largest LNG importer in Southeast Asia. The demand for the fuel will continue to grow as it gradually replaces coal, which accounts for 14% of its electricity mix. Gulf Development's CFO Yupapin. Wangviwat stated in a?statement that "this LNG procurement aligns to Thailand's national strategy for gas supply by diversifying natural gas sources, improving price stability and supply volume and strengthening the nation's?long-term energy security". Engie has not responded to the request for comment regarding where LNG will come from. The state-backed French firm has signed long-term contracts with NextDecade Rio Grande LNG, Cheniere Corpus Christi LNG, and Sempra Port Arthur LNG to buy 3.5 million tons U.S. LNG annually after 2040. Reporting by America Hernandez, Paris Editing by David Goodman
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Wall Street to be muted after JPMorgan and Delta Air mixed results
Wall Street's major indexes opened Tuesday with a muted tone after an inflation report that was largely in line with expectations. Investors also weighed the mixed quarterly results of JPMorgan Chase and Delta Air Lines. Consumer prices in the United States increased by 0.2% from November to December, less than expected. The economists had predicted a 0.3% rise. The headline and core CPI increased 2.6% on an annual basis last month, after increasing by the same margin in November. The data confirmed Fed bets that at least two additional 25 basis point rate cuts will occur between June and Decemeber, with traders predicting a slight chance of a possible third cut,?per LSEG Data. Skyler Weinand is the chief investment officer at Regan Capital. She said, "The Fed will likely take its time to absorb more data. JPMorgan Shares were up 0.4% on choppy trading in the premarket after the bank beat its quarterly profit estimates. Its traders took advantage of volatile markets. There are also other big banks that will be reporting later this week. Expected to Post a Stronger Quarterly Results The dealmaking boom has helped s. Delta Air Lines The mid-point in its profit forecast for 2026 fell short of analysts' expectations. United Airlines and American Airlines both fell by about 2%. At 8:51 am, S&P E-minis had gained 2.5 points or 0.04%. Dow E-minis had lost 61 points or 0.12%. Nasdaq E-minis have gained 19.5 points or 0.08%. Focus on the Interest Rate Outlook Wall Street began the week in a bad mood after U.S. federal prosecutors launched a criminal probe into Fed Chairman Jerome Powell. This sparked new concerns about the independence of the central bank and drew sharp criticism from Republicans. The?market rebounded during the session as gains by tech giants and Walmart drove the S&P 500 to new record closes. Investors also have largely ignored geopolitical worries, such as the United States' threat to seize Greenland or its warnings of attacks in Iran. Investors are attracted to small-cap stocks because of their high valuations. They have outperformed the broader market since the beginning of the year. However, it is not clear if this trend will continue. Russell 2000 gained 6.2% during the first seven trading days in 2026, while the S&P 500 only saw a 1.9% increase. We've been seeing fits and starts from small cap stocks for years. "We need to see more before we believe that this is the right time for small cap stocks," said Ryan Detrick?, chief market strategist at Carson Group. "But a slightly stronger economy, and a Fed that is more dovish could provide a tailwind for small cap stocks." BNY, among other stocks, raised its target for an important profitability measure. However, the shares of the custodian banks fell 0.6%. KeyBanc upgraded the shares of both chipmakers to "overweight" and Intel shares gained 3.9%. (Reporting and editing by Maju Samuel in Bengalur; reporting by Medha Singh, Pranav Kashyap from Bengaluru)
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JetZero, a startup aircraft company, raises $175 Million in Series B financing
JetZero announced on Tuesday that it had raised $175 million as part of a Series B financing round. The California-based startup is aiming to "advance" the development and design of its blended-wing planes, which are designed to reduce fuel consumption. The latest funding round was led by Northrop Grumman and the venture capital arms of United Airlines and 3M. The company is a new entrant into the aerospace industry. It plans to capitalize on the?new jet shortages, and the industry's effort to make flying cheaper and more efficient. The new capital will help accelerate the development of its prototype aircraft, "Demonstrator", which is designed to achieve at least 30% better aerodynamics than traditional tube-and-wing aircraft. The prototype will be ready for flight in 2027. JetZero said that it has received more than $1 billion of funding, including grants from the government, incentives, and commercial backing. United Airlines invested in a startup last year. The investment included the option to order 100 airplanes, with a maximum of 100. Last year, the all-wing airplane manufacturer?said that it would invest $4.7 Billion over a decade on a production plant and headquarters in North Carolina. The company received a $235-million contract in 2023 from the U.S. Air Force to develop a demonstrator and is looking to enter commercial service by the early 2030s. (Reporting and editing by Vijay Kishore in Bengaluru, Anshuman tripathy from Bengaluru)
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Somali regions reject Mogadishu’s decision to cut off ties with UAE
Three autonomous regions of Somalia with close ties to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have rejected a central government decision taken this week to "sever" ties with UAE, which has been a long-term sponsor. Somalia canceled all agreements with the UAE on Monday, including those in the security field. The country accused the Gulf of having undermined Somalia's sovereignty by 'training and funding' its army, and investing in its ports. Somalia has not provided any further information about its motives for this move. Mogadishu investigates allegations that the UAE escorted a separatist leader from Yemen to Somalia via Somalia. Separately the UAE was linked to Israel's recognition of Somaliland as an independent country last month. Somaliland is a breakaway region in northern Somalia. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment on Somalia’s decision. The UAE has had long-standing interests in the Horn of Africa region and Red Sea, where they have often fought with wealthy Gulf states to gain influence. Somaliland, Puntland, and Jubbaland, two semi-autonomous countries in the north, and the south, have said that they will not recognise the decision of Mogadishu, to cut off ties with UAE. "Somalia’s daydreaming doesn't change anything" "The UAE is here to stay no matter what a weak government in Mogadishu claims," Khadar Hussein abdi, Minister of Presidency of Republic of Somaliland said late Monday. The regional government of Jubbaland said that Mogadishu’s decision is "null, void", and all existing "security and developmental agreements" will remain in place. Puntland stated that the decision will not have any impact on the relations between itself and the UAE. This includes the coastal city Bosaso, where a subsidiary owned by DP World in the UAE has a 30 year concession to operate the port. Expanding Influence UAE leverages its wealth for years to extend its influence in the Horn of Africa. They use a combination of economic, diplomatic and military clout. Since the 1970s, Somalia's federal govt. has had only a limited authority in the country. It has also failed to defeat islamist militants despite international support including African peacekeepers as well as U.S. aerial strikes. Senior Somali sources claim that the UAE trained hundreds of Somali troops between 2014-2018 and continues to pay salaries and provide logistics for around 3,400 Somali military officers and special forces troops in the capital. It has also formed bonds directly with regional governments and committed hundreds of millions to ports and military facilities along the coasts of global shipping routes. Speaking on condition of anonymity in order to discuss sensitive diplomatic issues, two Somali officials said that instead of the UAE funding, the country could seek help from wealthy Gulf rivals Qatar and Saudi Arabia. (Writing by David Lewis).
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UK prosecutors claim that the Russian captain did nothing to prevent the crash of a US tanker.
British prosecutors stated on Tuesday that the captain of the container ship which collided with a U.S. oil tanker off Britain's east cost last year, did "absolutely" nothing to prevent an avoidable fatal collision. Vladimir Motin (59) was the Russian captain of the Portuguese flagged Solong, which hit the Stena Immaculate tanker that was anchored on March 10, 2025. Motin, who was arrested four days earlier, was charged with the murder of Mark Pernia (38), a Filipino national, and member of the Solong crew. His body has not been located and is presumed to be dead. Tom Little, the prosecutor at London's Old Bailey Court, said that Pernia’s death could have been prevented. Little told the jury that "he would still be alive today if not for the grossly negligence?conduct" of the man on the dock. He stated that the Solong was on a collision path with the Stena Immaculate for more than 30 minutes before the crash. The Stena Immaculate was carrying "very large quantities" of aviation fuel. Little testified that Motin had a duty to Pernia as Solong's Captain and as he "was on sole watch duty at the bridge" prior to the fatal accident. Little said, "In the end, he didn't do anything, nothing at all, to prevent the collision."
Black Sea war insurance prices jump after tanker attack, sources claim
Five industry sources reported that the cost of war insurance for ships sailing into the Black Sea almost doubled after two Greek-managed tankers were struck by unidentified drones on their way to load crude oil at a terminal on 'Russian coast.
Black Sea is vital for shipping grain, oil and petroleum products. Bulgaria, Georgia and Romania, as well Russia and Ukraine, share its waters.
Sources said that the latest incidents raised concerns about the safety of ships heading to Russian and Ukrainian terminals.
The cost of war insurance for Black Sea terminals has risen from 0.6% to 0.8% in late December to 1%. Early December, rates rose to the highest level since 2023 - after a series drone attacks on Russian tankers.
"Rapid risk escalation with few indicators or warnings has become a trademark of the Black Sea, according to Munro Anderson, marine war insurance specialist at Vessel Protect.
Ships entering Russian or Ukrainian Black Sea terminals or ports around the Sea of Azov need additional war-risk coverage. The policy is typically for a period of seven days, and its terms are reviewed each 24 hours. Last month, policies were reviewed on average every 48 hours.
David Smith, the head of marine at insurance broker McGill and Partners said that Black Sea war rates are extremely volatile and change on a daily basis.
Smith said that "Right Now, they're spiking due to a few incidents. We wouldn't be surprised if we were quoted more than 1% depending on the vessel value, owner or proposed port of call."
The cause of Tuesday's strike, which affected a terminal serving as a loading port for approximately 80% Kazakh oil bound for international markets, was not immediately known. (Reporting and editing by Jan Harvey; Jonathan Saul)
(source: Reuters)