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• Japan's ANA cancels a total of 65 flights this Saturday following the Airbus A320 Recall

  ANA Holdings says that it has cancelled 65 flights after the Airbus A320 was recalled, forcing it to ground aircraft. Airbus single-aisle aircraft such as the A320 are the most popular in Japan, and the carrier is one of the largest operators, with Peach Aviation and other affiliates. ANA's main rival, Japan Airlines, is a Boeing-only carrier and does not operate the A320. The recall of Airbus A320 jets affects over half of its global fleet, including the A320 family, which is the backbone of Asian aviation for short-haul flights, especially in China and India. About 11,300 single-aisle aircraft are in service worldwide, including 6,440 A320s. Fixing the problem involves going back to older software. Although relatively easy, this must be done before planes are able to fly again. Asiana Airlines, a South Korean airline, said that only 17 aircraft were affected by the recall. (Reporting and editing by Tom Hogue, Maki Shiraki and Tim Kelly)

• India investigates Air India for multiple flights without safety certificates

  India's aviation regulator announced on Tuesday that it is investigating Air India for operating an Airbus A320 aircraft without a valid certificate of airworthiness, which ensures compliance with safety regulations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said that it also had grounded the aircraft, and de-rostered 'concerned staff. The DGCA didn't specify the type and manufacturer of the aircraft, but a source with direct knowledge said it was a single-aisle Airbus jet. The regulator had previously warned the airline about various issues, including fatigue management and crew training. Air India's spokesperson issued a statement saying that the incident in which one of their aircraft operated without an airworthiness certificate was regrettable. The airline has suspended the personnel involved with the decision pending further investigation. Airbus didn't immediately respond to our request for comment. (Reporting and editing by Abinaya VIjayaraghavan and Abhijith GANAPAVARAM; Janane VENKATRAMAN, Bernadette BAUCH)

• Zipcar, the car-sharing company, plans to stop operations in UK

  Zipcar, an American car-sharing company and a subsidiary of Avis Group, announced on Monday that it will cease operations in the United Kingdom, as well as suspending any new bookings after the end of this year. The company said it was awaiting the results of formal consultations with its UK staff before deciding on a date for the closure of their operations. Avis Budget Group's spokesperson stated in an email that Zipcar had proposed changes to the UK operation as part of an overall transformation for international operations. This proposal is only for the UK market. Zipcar's operations on the United States market and other international markets continue to be fully operational, according to the statement. Zipcar provides car rental services in Europe and North America to students and business people. It has over 1 million members. Avis Budget Group acquired it in 2013 for approximately $500 million. Reporting by Unnamalai and Nishara in Bengaluru, editing by Shrey Biswas and Alan Barona

• Israeli carrier Israir is in negotiations to purchase 2 Airbus A330 aircraft

  Israir, an Israeli airline, said Monday that it is working on acquiring two widebody Airbus A330s for a combined total of $80m. The company wants to expand long-haul flights to counter the push made by Wizz Air to enter the Israeli market. Israir stated that it was in negotiations through various channels to complete the purchase. It is also in advanced discussions with local tourism group Issta in order to consider a seat allocation for 10 years for an advance payment of approximately $35 million. The company noted that there was no guarantee the deal would be completed at this time, and it continues to look for additional sources of financing. Wizz announced on Sunday that it planned to open a hub in Israel before April. Israir is opposed to this move as it would make it a direct rival. Israir owns or leases a fleet consisting of 21 aircraft, and it flies mainly domestically and into Europe. It has a 14 percent market share at Ben Gurion Airport, near Tel Aviv. The carrier said that the move was part of a series strategic adjustments it is making in response to Wizz Air expanding its activity in Israel. Israir has plans to fly transatlantic and to Asia. The airline has been granted permission to start nonstop flights from Tel Aviv to New York in March. Israir stated that "this strategic move is a continuation of the passenger traffic growth achieved by the company in 2025 with more than two million passengers on international flights." The move will allow Israir to grow its market share and expand to global destinations while also adapting to the market and customer needs. Airbus confirmed earlier Monday that it was facing an industrial quality problem with metal panels on certain A320-family aircraft. This is its latest challenge following a recall for a computer bug. Israir has said that it is not affected.

• Source: Ministers from Germany, France and Spain to meet in FCAS on December 11

  On December 11, the defence ministers of Germany, France, and Spain will meet to discuss FCAS - Europe's next generation fighter jet project - according to a source with knowledge of the issue. FCAS, a 100 billion-euro (117 billion-dollar) Future Combat Air System, was announced more than eight-years-ago but has been mired by disputes between companies over work-share and prized technologies. Bloomberg was the first to report on this meeting. The next phase in plans to deliver a fighter flanked with drones for France and Germany by 2040 is at stake, mirroring an UK-ItalianJapanese initiative known as GCAP. The project is at a standstill due to disagreements between Dassault Aviation France and Airbus. Last month, French president Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz talked about the project to try to move it forward.

• Spain plans to cull wild boars after the outbreak of swine flu

  Catalonia, a region in Spain, has pledged to reduce its wild boar populations, including through increased cullings, following the detection of African swine in several animals near Barcelona, in what is the first outbreak in Spain since 1994. This has put at risk the exports of pork from Spain, Europe's largest producer. The meat accounts for about a quarter (3.5 billion euros) of the EU's total output, with exports of around $4.05 billion per year. Two wild boars were first confirmed dead from the disease in the Collserola mountains outside Barcelona last week. Since then, seven other boars have been confirmed to be infected in the same region. Officials in Spain have stated that they expect to see more positive cases. The virus is harmless for humans but spreads quickly among wild boars and pigs. No farms have been infected so far. The Catalan regional leader Salvador Illa stated that local authorities have been working to reduce wild boar populations for some time due to their threat to public safety, but the recent outbreak shows the need to speed up the effort. Illa, who is in Mexico on an official trip, told reporters on Tuesday night that there were too many wild boars. "We have intensified and activated this task. We have contacted all hunting associations, and we are looking for proven and technically acceptable methods to achieve that." Overpopulation of boars The COAG farm association said that Spain's wild-boar population had grown by 550% over the past 30 years because of a lack effective control measures. Catalan public television has compiled data showing that there are approximately 1,000 wild boars living in the Collserola mountains, with 9.2 boars to every square kilometer. This is down from 17.4 boars in 2021-22, when the population was at its peak following the COVID-19 epidemic. This reduction was partly achieved through culling, as well as other measures. Officials believe the virus spread when a wild boar ate food contaminated by the virus. This could have been a sandwich that was brought in from outside Spain, perhaps by a trucker who stopped at a nearby gas station. "We have some of the most biosecure farming in Europe, but we're paying for a wild boar who ate a sandwich," COAG Official Jaume Bernis stated. After the outbreak, the Spanish government said that it had intensified its efforts to ensure international buyers' trust by working to obtain export certificates. Spain and Canada are still in negotiations with Canada on similar terms. China and Britain agreed to allow pork exports originating from non-affected areas. Luis Planas, the Agriculture Minister, told reporters that he will fight to resume exports "certificate-by-certificate and country-by country". (Reporting and editing by Joan Faus, Emma Pinedo and Jan Harvey).

• Pilots who hide their mental health issues to continue flying are more likely to be successful.

  Annie Vargas saw her son slip away and begged him to get help. Her son Brian Wittke (a 41-year old Delta Air Lines Pilot and father of three) resisted, fearing that seeking treatment for depression could cost him his license. Vargas said that the drop in air travel caused by the pandemic affected Wittke's mental health. Vargas sent Wittke a text message on the morning of 14 June 2022. However, his location information was not available. When the text reappeared in 2022, Wittke was dead by suicide near his home in the Utah Mountains outside Salt Lake City. Interviews with over 30 commercial airline pilots, industry officials and medical experts, along with a review medical studies, revealed that many pilots hide mental health issues for fear of losing their license if they disclose therapy, medication or seek help. This puts themselves and their passengers in danger. In order to write this article, I spoke with at least 24 commercial airline pilots from the U.S. as well as foreign carriers. They said they were reluctant about disclosing mental health problems, even if minor or treatable, for fear of immediate grounding, and a costly, lengthy medical review which could lead to their career ending. Pilots cited a variety of reasons why they did not come forward about mental health issues, including airline policy, regulatory requirements, and social stigma. REAL PEOPLE REAL PROBLEMS Vargas stated that "real people have real problems." "They shouldn't be punished for dealing with their problems." Vargas told the reporter that she spoke to the media because she wanted the tragedy of the family to challenge the mental health culture in the aviation industry. Details of Vargas' account were confirmed by Wittke’s wife. Delta described Wittke as a valuable team member, and referred to his death as "tragic and heartbreaking". The pilot community is stigmatized against seeking mental healthcare, according to the report. Delta, like many other major U.S. carriers offers confidential peer-support programs and counseling for its staff. Delta recently launched an employee assistance program for its pilots. It offers access to coaching and therapy, and takes into consideration medical certification requirements. The airline stated that it would continue to strive to provide additional solutions. In many industries, employees or regulators such as the Federal Aviation Administration do not need to be involved in seeking medical or psychological care. Pilots are subject to stricter standards in aviation. They must maintain their FAA medical certificate by meeting rigorous physical and mental criteria. In some cases, they may be required to undergo medical examinations every six months. Pilots who have anxiety or depression could be grounded. Mild cases can be resolved quickly. Severe conditions, however, require an FAA review which can take up to one year. In a press release, the FAA stated that it was committed to prioritizing mental health for pilots. It is constantly updating its approach in line with the latest medical research. Interviews reveal that stigma and the fear of being grounded remain a major obstacle to addressing mental health in pilots. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has increased the oversight of medical examiners. It also requires that airlines offer pilots peer support programs. The FAA in the United States has expanded its list of antidepressants approved for mental health conditions. The FAA has created a path for pilots to disclose an ADHD diagnosis. Airlines and pilot unions expanded confidential peer-support programs. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia allows pilots who suffer from depression or anxiety to maintain their medical certification if they manage safety risks. This is done on a case by case basis, even while they are receiving treatment. Kate Manderson said that her team usually completes certification reviews within 20 days. The gap between perception and policy is still wide. A 2023 study of 5 170 U.S. pilots and Canadians found that more than half avoided healthcare due to concerns of losing their flying status. A morbid pilot saying captures the feeling: "If you're not lying, you're not flying." Pilot unions, industry groups and advocacy groups are calling on the FAA adopt the recommendations made by its Aviation Rulemaking Committee. These recommendations will protect pilots who report issues and expedite their return to duty. The U.S. House of Representatives voted in September to require that the FAA implement these changes within two year. WAITING TO be cleared to fly Elizabeth Carll is a 36-year-old commercial airline pilot in the United States. She believes that reforms are needed now. She was grounded in 2021 during her training as a pilot after she revealed she was taking a low dosage of anti-anxiety medicine. She waited for six months to get an appointment with a mental health specialist approved by the FAA after a six-month mandatory waiting period. After spending more than a full year reviewing the report, the regulator decided that it was outdated and ordered a new examination. Carll did not experience financial hardship while she was in training as a flight attendant, but any change to her medication could result in the same long and costly process. "The joke is that you ignore it and pretend that it doesn't occur because people are scared of losing their livelihood." A spokesperson for the FAA said that it is updating its mental-health policies and has approved more medication. When asked about Carll's situation, the spokesperson declined to comment and refused to disclose how long it usually takes for medical reports of pilots who are undergoing mental health treatment. The FAA spokesperson stated that "we encourage pilots to seek early help if they are suffering from a mental health condition, since the majority of these conditions, when treated, will not prevent a pilot's ability to fly." In June, the safety of pilots was brought to light when Air India Flight 171 crashed shortly after takeoff and killed 260 people. In a preliminary report, it was found that both fuel shutoff switches were manually operated. This ruled out mechanical failure. The final report will be released in a few months. The Indian government reported that Air India had a slight rise in sick leave among all its fleets after the crash. The airline directed pilots to an app that promotes mental health. Air India did not provide a comment. Former Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph David Emerson, who was riding off-duty in the cockpit in 2023 when he tried to shut down a passenger aircraft's engines in November of that year, received a sentence for time served as well as three years probation. In court documents, Emerson admitted to police that he had a nervous break down and was on psychedelic mushroom therapy. He refused to be interviewed by this article. "A BETTER PIPET TODAY" The financial impact of a pilot being grounded due to a medical concern can be severe. After using their sick leave, pilots are often put on disability which can drastically reduce their income. Troy Merritt is a 33-year old U.S. commercial pilot who voluntarily grounded himself on December 20, 2022, and began taking medication when he realized that depression and anxiety were affecting his ability to safely fly. To get back into the cockpit, he had to take stable medication for six months and undergo a series psychological and cognitive testing -- some of which was not covered by his health insurance. The process, he said, cost him around $11,000. This figure could not be independently confirmed. Merritt had been grounded 18 months before he was able to return to flying. He lived off disability insurance. He said that pilots shouldn't have to wait for six months before reapplying for a medical certification if they responded well to treatment. The FAA should also review such applications in 30 days. Avoiding mental health care opens the door for pilots to avoid taking care of themselves. Merritt, speaking from his home near the Los Angeles International Airport, said that this is when cockpit problems can occur. Merritt said that he is living proof of the benefits that mental health treatment can have on pilots. He spoke under the condition that his employer not be identified. After his recovery, he began to train to fly in larger aircraft to destinations such as Shanghai and Hong Kong - long-haul flights that he had previously found intimidating. He said, "I am a better pilot than I used to be." Reporting by Rajesh K. Singh in Salt Lake City, Chicago, Dan Catchpole, Erica Stapleton, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Joe Brock, Los Angeles. Doyinsola Oladipo, Lisa Barrington, Aditya Kahra, Abhijith Ganapavaram, and Suzanne Goldenberg contributed additional reporting from New York City and Seoul.

• German Economy Minister: Investors find Uniper and Sefe 'attractive.'

  Potential investors see Uniper and Sefe as attractive assets, said Germany's Economy Minister on Wednesday. Her remarks were made during an investor conference in Frankfurt on German energy infrastructure, where more than 50 institutional investors representing over 10 trillion euros (11.6 trillion dollars) of global invested capital gathered. The second conference of its kind, organized by the state-backed lender KfW is aimed at generating investor interest in Europe’s largest economy. It has been contracting in the past two years and only modest growth is expected in 2025. Berlin spent approximately 20 billion euros in 2022 to stabilize both Sefe & Uniper after Russia cut and then stopped gas supply. The German government is required to reduce stakes in each group to maximum 25% plus one share, by 2028. Katherina Reiche, Economy Minister, said: "I am interested in the fact that both companies have been deemed interesting and attractive." "At this time, I can't say with whom we are discussing the matter," she continued, noting still that Germany has become a magnet to large energy investors.

• Airbus inspects A320s after a fuselage defect affects deliveries

  Airbus engineers found more defects in the A320 fuselage panel set as they prepared to inspect hundreds jets. The chief executive of Airbus said that this flaw is affecting deliveries. The presentation made to airlines by revealed that 628 planes, including 168 in service already, need inspections due to recently discovered quality issues on metal panels at some planes' fronts. According to the presentation, this figure includes 245 assembly lines. Industry sources estimate that about 100 of these are scheduled for delivery in 2018. Another 215 are at an earlier stage called Major Component Assembly. The presentation also showed that some panels on the plane's rear, as well as other parts, had similar problems with thickness, but none of these are currently in use. Airbus' spokesperson declined to provide specific numbers, but said that the aircraft in question were both in production and service. Bloomberg reported earlier that the detailed figures refer to a population of jets which will be inspected. Instructions are expected to be given to airlines within days. The first report of the problem with industrial quality was made earlier this week. Sources in the industry said that it was already discovered on several dozen undeliverable planes. The opposite of the Emergency Recall Sources said that despite the fact that Airbus A320s were recalled over the weekend for a software update, the fuselage issue is not considered a safety concern. AIRBUS "ASSESSING SITUATION" Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus, said on Tuesday that the data is still evolving and that decisions will be made in the coming days on what impact it may have on Airbus' December deliveries. Guillaume Faury confirmed that the problem had affected deliveries during a "weak November". Airbus will publish its November data on the Friday, but Faury’s comments leave a question mark about targets for this year. Some analysts have stated that they are becoming increasingly difficult to achieve. Faury said that he was assessing the situation and trying to determine the impact on his operations. He added that there may be more information in the coming days. One airline source estimated that inspections would only take a few minutes, but repairs will likely take much longer. The Air Current reported on the possibility of work being shifted out of its usual order, resulting in an expensive process that requires more labour. In the presentation, it was shown that the affected parts were the wrong thickness after a stretching and milling process carried out by Seville's Sofitec Aero. The company, which is one of the two suppliers of affected parts, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The Wall Street Journal was the first to identify it. (Reporting and editing by Michael Perry; Tim Hepher)

• Airbus CEO studies impact of December latest problem following 'weak November'

  Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said on Tuesday that the company is evaluating its impact on year-end delivery of a newly found fuselage issue on some A320 jets. This led to "weakness" in November handovers. In his first public comments on the matter, he stated that the problem had brought "another obstacle" to the already-backlogged year-end deliveries. The planemaker will assess the situation in the coming hours and days for deliveries to December. Faury stated in an interview at the ASD conference, which is an association of the aerospace industry, that Airbus will hold calls on Tuesday evening to assess the impact the problem has had on its operations. The first report was made by the ASD on Monday. Airbus is aiming to meet its year-end goal of 820 aircraft handovers. He confirmed the delivery problem in November, but did not confirm if it would continue into December. Faury stated, "We had an extremely weak November due to the fact that we had to stop aircraft in the middle of the production process to deliver them: aircraft that were finished but had a question on their panels." "We must assess the status of these aircraft, and those that will be delivered and produced before the end the year. This creates a new challenge for December which is already very behindloaded. Faury responded to the question of whether Airbus would still be able to carry out their plans for this month: "We'll take the next few hours and days to assess the situation fully and decide what the best course of action is." Reports on Monday stated that Airbus delivered 72 aircraft less than expected in November. Airbus refused to comment before a report on monthly orders and delivery due out Friday. (Reporting and editing by Jan Harvey, Alexander Smith, and Tim Hepher)

• On Sunday, the US checked a record 3,13 million airline passengers.

  U.S. Transportation Security Administration reported that it screened 3,13 million airline passenger on Sunday. This was the highest number of passengers screened in a single day. The record travel occurred on the busiest day of Thanksgiving travel, despite the weather problems in the Midwest. The previous record was set on June 22, when 3.09 millions passengers were screened. Airlines for America, a trade group, said that it expects U.S. airlines to fly 31 million passengers over the 11 days ending on Monday. The Federal Aviation Administration predicted that there would be over 360,000 flights in the nine days ending December 2, the highest number for 15 years. The TSA screened over 3 million passengers on a single day twice before 2024. But in 2025, it exceeded 3 million travelers eight times. As air travel increased in the last few years, the Biden administration increased TSA's size, which now has almost 60,000 employees. In 2024, the TSA screened 904 million passengers. This was a new record and an increase of 5% from 2023. Many airlines had to deal with a problem involving Airbus 320 aircraft over the holiday season. Airbus and global regulators ordered several U.S. airlines to perform a software upgrade that was mandated after an incident involving a JetBlue A320 revealed a vulnerability for solar flares. JetBlue announced that the problem forced them to cancel 20 more flights on Monday, as they continue to work on the planes covered by this order. (Reporting and editing by Franklin Paul, Paul Simao, and David Shepardson)

• Sources say RPT-Airbus is facing a new quality issue on dozens A320 jets.

  Industry sources reported on Monday that Airbus discovered a problem with the quality of fuselage panels in several dozen A320 family aircraft. Sources who asked not to be identified said that the suspected production defect is delaying certain deliveries, but there were no immediate signs it had reached aircraft already in service. Airbus had no immediate comment. It was not possible to identify the cause of the issue immediately. Airbus has been busy boosting its efforts to meet the challenging delivery targets set for this year, and also distracted by the weekend recall of jets due to a software error. SOURCE: SOME DELIVERIES HAVE ALREADY BEEN AFFECTED. One person who has direct knowledge of the situation said that some deliveries are already affected, but it was not immediately confirmed how many or for how long. Sources in the industry said that the planemaker had delivered 72 aircraft to date, which is less than what many analysts expected. This brings the total of the year up to 657. It targets "around 820 deliveries" for the year. This would mean it has to achieve a record performance in December of more than 161 jets. In 2019, the record for the last month of the calendar year was 138. Will the planner meet its delivery goals? Analysts are divided over whether the world’s largest aircraft maker will achieve its delivery goals. These goals determine revenue and cash flows as airlines pay a large portion of the plane’s value at delivery. Chloe Lemarie of Jefferies, an analyst who tracks aircraft handovers and forecasts 71 deliveries in November, stated that the performance for the month was lower than expected. She added that the target is still within reach as the underlying production has been increasing in an investor note issued before news of a reported quality issue emerged. Rob Morris, an independent aviation analyst, said Airbus would be able to reach 800 deliveries. Others say that this is enough for the company to be crowned a winner based on its forecast. However, there's a risk the final result will be "marginally less." Reporting by Tim Hepher, Editing by Bernadettebaum