FLEET - Uganda Airlines adds Boeing 737-800s via Ethiopian Airlines partnership

Uganda Airlines has added two Boeing 737-800s on a wet lease.
Under the wet lease agreement, Ethiopian Airlines provides the aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance, allowing Uganda Airlines to rapidly increase capacity on key regional routes.

The Boeing 737-800s are expected to serve busy regional destinations, including:
Nairobi
Johannesburg
Kinshasa
Lagos

Photo: master aviation

Uganda Airlines (Ethiopian Airlines) - ET-APL - Boeing 737-860

AIRLINE - Somali Airlines Targets September Relaunch after Repeated Delays

Somalia’s flag carrier, Somali Airlines, is expected to resume flight operations in September 2026, more than 35 years after the airline suspended operations. Ahmed Moallin Hassan, Director General of the Somali Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) released the new launching date on Saturday August 15, 2026,according to aviation local media Hiiraan and SONNA.

Newsaero

FLEET - Timor-Leste's Aero Dili mulling third aircraft in 2027

Aero Dili (8G, Dili) is considering adding a third aircraft in 2027 as limited availability across its existing fleet constrains further network expansion, executive director Lourenço de Oliveira told the Timor-Leste news agency Tatoli.
The airline currently lacks sufficient aircraft availability to add a proposed Dili-Kupang
service, de Oliveira said, as its fleet is already deployed on routes to Australia,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and China.
The airline executive held talks with Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara governor Emanuel
Melkiades Laka Lena over possible Aero Dili services to Kupang. 

But the airline was not ready to launch the route in the near term and could instead wait until 2027, when it may add another aircraft.
ch-aviation data shows Aero Dili currently operates two Airbus narrowbodies: A320-
200 4W-AAL (msn 3672) and A319-100 4W-AAO (msn 2825). 

The A320 joined the carrier when it launched in 2023 and the A319 two years later.
In December 2022, de Oliveira said the airline aimed to operate at least three aircraft,
with a second due within six months of its first A320 and another around two years later. 

The second aircraft ultimately joined in 2025, while a third has yet to materialise. 

CH Aviation

FLEET - Air Cambodia to take first two C909s in mid-4Q26

 Air Cambodia (K6, Phnom Penh Techo International) expects to take delivery of its first two C909s in November 2026, with the remaining eight firm-ordered aircraft due through to 2029, the Khmer Times newspaper reported.

A further two C909s are scheduled to arrive in 2027, followed by three in 2028, and the final three in 2029, State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) spokesperson Sin Chansereyuth said.

As previously reported by ch-aviation, Air Cambodia signed a purchase agreement with COMAC on July 17, 2026, following a September 2025 memorandum of understanding covering ten firm C909 orders and ten options. At the time, the first deliveries were expected in the second half of 2026.

Air Cambodia currently operates two A320-200, one A321-200, and three ATR72-600s. It also has ten B737-8s on firm order.

CH Aviation

SPECIAL LIVERY - ANA Reveals Launch Date for "Green Pokémon Jet" Special Livery

The specially designed "Green Pokémon Jet" will operate on international routes, scheduled to enter service starting September 18, 2026 to

commemorate the 30th anniversary of the ANA x Pokémon partnership.

・ANA also announced the second phase of its collaboration with Pokémon GO as part of its anniversary celebration.

TOKYO, August 24, 2026 — All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. (ANA) today announced the inaugural flight schedule for the "Green Pokémon Jet," the

second aircraft to be unveiled as part of ANA's x 30th Anniversary Special Project, following the Red Pokémon Jet announcement last month.

The specially painted "Green Pokémon Jet" will enter service on regular international flights starting Friday, September 18.

At the same time, ANA is launching the second phase of its Pokémon GO collaboration.

"Green Pokémon Jet" (International routes)

・Aircraft type: Boeing 787-9 (Registration: JA923A)

・Inaugural flight date: Friday, September 18, 2026

* All times local

Please note aircraft and route assignments are subject to changeand are confirmed on the day of the flight.

For the safety of our passengers and crew, ANA cabin crew will refrain from signing or writing messages in logbooks. We ask for your understanding

and cooperation to ensure safe operations.

Operating Routes

Scheduled to operate on the following routes from September 18, 2026 to March 27, 2027.

Pokémon GO Collaboration Phase 2

Starting September 18, specially designed ANA PokéStops and Gyms will appear at 14 airports across Japan (Kochi, Matsuyama, Takamatsu,

Tokushima, Fukuoka, Saga, Miyazaki, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Nagasaki, Oita, Ishigaki, Miyako, and Naha), where players can enjoy Raid Battles

and Timed Research. By participating in these events, players will have a chance to encounter Pokémon with a Location Background exclusive to

The "Green Pokémon Jet" collaboration.

Details regarding the Pokémon Jets will be announced on the official ANA website and other platforms.

For more details and the latest updates on each initiative, please visit the special website

2026 ROUTES

Korean Air to launch daily Seoul Incheon-Hiroshima service

Aug 24, 2026

Korean Air will launch a daily service between Seoul Incheon and Hiroshima starting December 23, further strengthening its network in Japan’s Chugoku region.

More: https://www.koreanair.com/contents/footer/about-us/newsroom/list/2026/260824-Korean-Air-to-launch-daily-Seoul-Incheon-Hiroshima-service

United Airlines plans to resume Houston – Caracas route on 12 January 2027 at the earliest.

Singapore Airlines is expanding its European network with a new route to Madrid and increased flights to Manchester, London-Gatwick, Milan, and Munich.

Scoot announced the launch of flights from Singapore to Guiyang from 26 October 2026, with A320neo

S7 Airlines plans Novosibirsk – Guangzhou from 21 December 2026. with B737-800.

Lucky Air plans Kunming – Udon Thani service on 08 September 2026, with B737.

Korean Air To Return To Melbourne After 13 Years 

The South Korean flag carrier will take over the service formerly operated by Asiana Airlines prior to their merger, with three 787-9 flights to operate per week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from 18 December through 14 March 2027.

More: https://www.koreanair.com/contents/footer/about-us/newsroom/list/2026/260819-Korean-Air-launches-non-stop-service-to-Melbourne

Jazeera Airways  schedules Kuwait City – Aswan route launch on 25 October 2026, with A320.

FlyArystan plans to launch Astana – Yining route on 28 October 2026, with A320.

Cathay Pacific (Hong Kong) schedules Hong Kong – Almaty route launch on 09 January 2027, with A330-300.

Air Arabia (UAE) schedules Sharjah – Frankfurt launch on 15 December 2026, with A320neo.

*For more information about these flights, please contact your airline.

FLEET - The first Airbus A350-900 destined for Aircalin has officially appeared.

  Photo: A380_TLS_A350 

The aircraft, MSN 830, is still without engines.
Delivery is scheduled for December 2026.

The arrival of the A350-900 represents an important asset for AIRCALIN, supporting its main Nouméa-Paris route currently operated with the A330neo.

AIRPORT - Almaty International Airport

Republic of Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan Air Force - Yakovlev Yak-42D - 42721

Comac Express (Silk Road Air sticker) - Comac C909 / ARJ21-700 - B-3322

Kazakhstan Air Force - EADS Casa CN295W - 09-RED

Kazakstan Government (Kazakhstan Air Force) - Boeing B757-200 - UP-B5701

Air Hong Kong Cargo - Airbus A330-200(F) - B-LNY

Photos - Yannick van Praag

AIRPORT - Lisboa-Humberto Delgado-Portugal

Fyingphotos

 

AIRPORT - EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg,

Paul Bannwarth
 

FLEET - Avcon Jet San Marino operates an Embraer ERJ-140 (registration T7-MKTA, MSN 145554) previously associated with AfriJet Business Service, which originally sourced the over-20-year-old regional jet from U.S. lessor Regional One.

 T7-MKTA / Embraer ERJ-140LR / Avcon Jet San Marino

Photo: Darío Llull

 

Afrijet, an airline based in Gabon, is in the process of receiving an Embraer ERJ-140 (MSN 145554).

FLEET - Shenzhen Airlines / A350-900 / B-32F1

Jansky Shao
 

The B-32F1 is Shenzhen Airlines' second A350-900 passenger aircraft. Originally owned by Air China, it was transferred to Shenzhen Airlines in 2026.

The A350-900 is an advanced Airbus model, approximately 20% more fuel-efficient than the previous generation A330, with a maximum range of up to 15,750 kilometers.

SPECIAL LIVERY - The new Airbus Flightlab Airbus A380 (2-JAYN)

Airbus and CFM International unveiled the new livery of an Airbus A380 that will be converted into a flying laboratory for testing Open Fan propulsion technology at this year's Farnborough International Airshow

Photo: A380_TLS_A350
 

SPECIAL LIVERY - VUELING / Airbus a320-214(WL) /EC-LVU - 'XV France-French Rugby Federation livery (Qui a dit que le COQ ne savait pas VOLER)

Paul Bannwarth

FLEET - GEORGIAN Airlines / Boeing767-333(ER)(BDSF) / 4L-GIT

Paul Bannwarth
 

FLEET - AirAsia Group to return 25 older aircraft by YE26

AirAsia Group plans to return 25 older aircraft to lessors during 2026 as it cuts fixed lease costs and reduces capacity in underperforming markets, while new A220-300 and A321-200NY(XLR) deliveries are due to begin in 2028, the group disclosed in its second-quarter

results.

While it did not identify the 25 aircraft by type or air operator's certificate (AOC), group chief executive, Bo Lingam, previously said that the group plans to return twelve A320-200s to lessors in 2026, most of which will be coming from its Indonesia AirAsia (QZ, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta) and Philippines AirAsia (Z2, Manila Ninoy Aquino International) operations.

AirAsia declined to confirm the specific aircraft types and AOCs involved in this exercise.
Amid financial pressures exacerbated by the Middle East conflict and higher fuel costs during the second quarter, the group reduced fleet allocations in the Philippines and Indonesia to focus on higher-yield domestic and core Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) routes. 

It added that the financial pressures were concentrated in short-haul operations in the two countries, as well as Thailand.

"Where routes or entities underperformed, specifically in long-haul Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, we acted swiftly to cut unviable capacity, right-size fleet, and delay non-essential launches like Bahrain," Lingam said.

The fleet realignment comes alongside wider capacity cuts, with group capacity down 11% year-on-year in the second quarter. AirAsia Group plans to cut third-quarter capacity by 20-25% year-on-year before restoring capacity to what it described as "pre-war levels" in the final quarter.

AirAsia Group has also suspended underperforming long-haul routes and delayed its planned Kuala Lumpur International-Bahrain International-London Gatwick fifth-freedom service, the launch of which had previously been deferred to March 2027 amid the conflict in the Middle East.

"Uncertainties persist, yet our low-cost DNA, agile network model, and dominant position on core trunk routes give us full confidence in our ability to stabilise performance, protect shareholder value and capitalise on the industry’s eventual recovery," Lingam said.

CH Aviation

2026 ROUTES

Sundair plans Berlin – Damascus flights from 15 August 2026, with A320.

Sky Airline plans routes from Santiago de Chile to Punta Cana and Salvador da Bahia in late December 2026, with A321neo

LEAV Aviation will offer Cologne/Bonn – Deir ez-Zor service on 01 September 2026, with A320.

Juneyao Air plans Shanghai Pu Dong – Manila route on 02 September 2026, with A320neo and later A321neo.

Copa Airlines schedules Panama City – Porlamar flights from 26 November 2026, with B737-800.

Aeromexico plans to open a nonstop route between Mexico City and Milan in March 2027, with B787.

Photo: Duncan Stewart - LAX

AIRPORT - Astana Nursultan Nazarbayev airport

Kazakhstan National Guard - Mil Mi-171E 'Hip' - 02-YELLOW

Kazakhstan National Guard - Shaanxi Y8F-200WA 'Pegasus' - 03-YELLOW - Astana (NQZ/UACC) , May 2026

Kazakhstan Air Defense Force (602sqn, Shymkent Airbase) - Sukhoi Su-25 SM3 'Grach / Frogfoot' - 09-YELLOW

Kazakhstan Air Defense Force (602sqn, Shymkent Airbase) - Sukhoi Su-25 SM3 'Grach / Frogfoot' - 11-YELLOW

Kazakhstan Air Defense Force (602sqn, Shymkent Airbase) - Sukhoi Su-25 SM3 'Grach / Frogfoot'
10-YELLOW

Kazakhstan Air Defense Force (602sqn, Shymkent Airbase) - Sukhoi Su-25 SM3 'Grach / Frogfoot'

07-YELLOW

Kazakhstan Air Defense Force (602sqn, Shymkent Airbase) - Sukhoi Su-25 SM3 'Grach / Frogfoot'

12-YELLOW

Republic of Qazaqstan (operated by Berkut Air) - Airbus Helicopters H225 'Cougar' - UP-EC501

Astana NQZ / UACC, June 2026

Photos: Yannick VP