Bahrain's Gulf Air to lease nine A320neo Family aircraft

IFS and Japan Airlines Collaboration IFS announced that Japan Airlines (JAL) has initiated a project to implement IFS Cloud for Aviation Maintenance, aiming to modernize its aircraft maintenance management system that has been in operation for over 15 years. IFS Cloud for Aviation Maintenance has a proven track record with major international airlines, offering an integrated solution that combines aircraft, engine, and component maintenance capabilities with corporate functions such as supply chain, spare parts inventory management, finance, and project management. Through this implementation, JAL aims to enhance aircraft quality and operational availability. JAL set out to transition from on-premise systems to a cloud-based platform designed for long-term scalability—not just to serve a single function, but to support future growth across the business. An aviation maintenance specialist from the IFS Aerospace and Defence division, with experience in deployments at other leading organizations, has traveled to Japan to work closely with JAL’s maintenance and IT departments. Together, they will conduct a detailed assessment of operational alignment with IFS Cloud for Aviation Maintenance, with the goal of full implementation. Comments from IFS Aerospace & Defence Scott Helmer, President, IFS Aerospace & Defence, commented: “By choosing IFS Cloud, JAL is adopting a platform built to drive operational efficiency and deliver long-term value through the latest advances in Industrial AI. From predictive maintenance to real-time analytics and workflow automation, IFS Cloud will equip JAL with the tools needed to streamline operations, optimize performance, and scale for future growth in an increasingly competitive and dynamic industry. We are proud to provide JAL with a resilient, AI-powered platform to lead the future of aviation in Japan and beyond.” Contact Information For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at matt.driskill@asianaviation.com For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Kay Rolland at kay.rolland@asianaviation.com

Philippine Airlines Fleet Update and Executive Appointments Philippine Airlines (PR, Manila Ninoy Aquino International) is set to receive its first A350-1000 in late 2025. Lucio Tan, chairman of PAL Holdings Inc., announced during a shareholders meeting on May 30, 2025, in Manila. The delivery is part of an order for nine A350-1000s. The aircraft will initially enhance the airline's North American services. Additionally, the first of thirteen A321-200N aircraft is scheduled for delivery in 2026. Fleet Enhancement and Financials "Philippine Airlines is preparing for a significant fleet update with the planned delivery of nine A350-1000 long-range aircraft and thirteen A321neo regional jets over the next few years," Tan detailed. He also mentioned a comprehensive retrofit program for the existing A321-200 fleet. In terms of investments, shareholders were informed that Philippine Airlines has made substantial pre-delivery payments amounting to PHP20.26 billion pesos (USD363 million) for the A350-1000s and PHP16.54 billion (USD297 million) for the Airbus narrowbodies. Expansion and Partnerships During the meeting, Tan highlighted that the new aircraft would be used to expand the airline's nonstop route network and develop more partnerships with other airlines. Financial Performance Philippine Airlines has recently achieved its 14th consecutive quarterly profit, with a PHP4.33 billion (USD77.8 million) profit in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 20% increase compared to the same quarter in 2024. "Philippine Airlines delivered solid financial results, expanded its network, and maintained high standards of operational reliability amid global challenges that have continued to impact the airline industry," Tan stated. Leadership Appointments The meeting also confirmed the appointment of former SriLankan Airlines CEO Richard Nuttall as the new president of Philippine Airlines and Carlos Luis Fernandez as executive vice president and COO. Tan emphasized the need for the airline to stay competitive by managing costs and adapting to changing circumstances.

Key Takeaways from Joby Aviation's Recent Announcement Joby Aviation's stock prices saw an increase on Tuesday following the announcement of a new partnership with the Saudi Arabian conglomerate Abdul Latif Jameel. This partnership will focus on exploring potential distribution and sales collaborations and may lead to the launch of Joby's air taxi services in Saudi Arabia. Details of the Partnership Joby Aviation and Abdul Latif Jameel have entered into a memorandum of understanding that aims to explore opportunities for establishing a distribution agreement in Saudi Arabia for Joby’s electric aircraft. According to a press release issued on Tuesday, the collaboration has set ambitious targets: - Potential delivery of 200 aircraft - Other services valued at approximately $1 billion in the coming years The partnership also looks to capitalize on "potential revenue opportunities across the Middle East" in the long term. Initial efforts will focus on establishing local air taxi services in Saudi Arabia, which includes setting up aftermarket services such as Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO), and pilot training programs. Joby's Market Performance and Future Prospects Following the announcement, shares of Joby Aviation (JOBY) saw a 9% increase in Tuesday trading. This positive market reaction comes after a recent pullback from a rally that was initially sparked by news of a $250 million investment from Toyota Motor (TM). Joby continues to set its sights on launching passenger services, with plans to carry its first passengers in Dubai by 2026. It is noteworthy that Abdul Latif Jameel has also participated in previous investment rounds for Joby, signaling a strengthening of their business relationship and shared vision for the future of electric air travel in the Middle East.

Aerospace and Defence MRO South Asia Summit 2026 It has been officially announced that the Aerospace and Defence MRO South Asia Summit 2026 is set to take place on 11th and 12th March, 2026 in New Delhi. The event will be co-located with Aircraft Interiors India and MRO XPO India, which will focus on India’s cabin sector and its rapidly growing defence manufacturing and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) sector, respectively. The summit is designed to offer a platform for industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to converge, collaborate, and drive the future of aerospace and defence in South Asia. The Summit, due to take place at the India International Convention & Expo Centre (IICC), serves as a forum for discussions on the evolving aviation and defence landscape in the region. With the 2026 edition, the event is expanding its scope by integrating both commercial and defence MROs under one umbrella, providing networking and business opportunities. The MRO XPO India and Aircraft Interiors India shows will continue to cater to commercial aviation, highlighting innovations in areas such as aircraft maintenance, interior refurbishments, and sustainable aviation technologies. The event will also host the newly launched Defence MRO XPO, which will focus on the rapidly growing defence manufacturing and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) sector in India. The expo will shine a spotlight on India’s growing self-reliance in defence manufacturing, repair, and overhaul, in line with the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision. Why the Summit matters The aerospace and defence sectors are undergoing rapid transformation, with India emerging as a key hub for MRO and defence production. The Indian government has been actively pushing reforms to strengthen the country’s MRO infrastructure, inviting global investments, and fostering domestic capability development. The summit aims to address critical challenges and opportunities in the sector, providing actionable insights to shape the industry’s future. Key themes and focus areas - **India’s aerospace and defence MRO roadmap**: Strategies to position India as a global MRO hub. - Enhancing collaboration between OEMs and domestic MRO providers. - Government policies and regulatory frameworks support growth. Defence MRO: Strengthening India’s self-reliance - Infrastructure development for defence aircraft maintenance and repair. - Indigenisation of spare parts and critical components. - Public-private partnerships in the defence MRO sector. Technological innovations in aerospace and defence - AI, predictive maintenance, and digital transformation in MRO. - Sustainable aviation solutions and green initiatives. - The role of automation and robotics in defence and civil aviation MRO. Investment and Market Expansion - Attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) in MRO and defence manufacturing. - India’s evolving role in the global supply chain for aerospace and defence. - Financing and funding opportunities for MRO and aviation startups. Who will attend? The 2026 summit is expected to attract a diverse group of participants, including: - Government representatives & policymakers: Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Defence, and DGCA officials. - Industry leaders & executives: CEOs and decision-makers from airlines, MROs, OEMs, and defence contractors. - Technology providers & innovators: Companies specialising in AI, IoT, digital twin technology, and sustainable aviation. - Military and defence experts: Representatives from the Indian Air Force, DRDO, and defence PSUs. - Investors

Impact of AI on Aviation: A Practical Approach There is no shortage of discussion about the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on industries worldwide. Aviation is no exception. While AI's potential is frequently debated, many conversations remain abstract, focusing on futuristic scenarios rather than tangible, real-world applications. This report is different. Rather than speculating on what AI might mean for aviation in the distant future, we examine how AI is already transforming airline and airport operations today, with a particular focus on solving one of the industry’s most persistent challenges: operational stability, especially around delays and flight irregularities. Our approach is rooted in applicability. We outline concrete operational bottlenecks that aviation stakeholders face today, analyze their underlying root causes, and highlight real-world AI use cases that are already mitigating these challenges. From crew scheduling optimization to real-time turnaround management and proactive delay mitigation, AI-powered solutions are not just enhancing airline efficiency; they are fundamentally reshaping the passenger experience from 2025 and beyond.

Tata Consultancy Services Extends Partnership with Virgin Atlantic India’s largest IT services company, **Tata Consultancy Services**, on Tuesday announced a seven-year extended partnership with **Virgin Atlantic** to modernise the airline’s core systems with AI-led solutions that will amplify personalized, connected, sustainable experiences. The companies did not divulge the financial details of the deal, which expands a two-decade-long strategic partnership between the two organisations. “Under this renewed seven-year agreement, the two organisations will deepen their collaboration to strengthen the technological foundations of Virgin Atlantic, enabling it to streamline operations and enhance customer service capabilities,” they stated.

LONDON, UK. June 3, 2025 OAG, the global leader in aviation data and analytics, is proud to release its latest industry report in collaboration with Microsoft: "Can AI and the Right Data Rewrite the Rules of Airline Performance?”. The report explores how trusted data is enabling AI to address critical operational challenges in aviation today. From minimizing delays and turnaround bottlenecks to forecasting maintenance needs and enhancing stakeholder decision-making, AI is already delivering tangible impact—but only when powered by accurate, complete, and well-structured data. Drawing on real-world case studies, robust research, and expert insight, the report illustrates how data readiness and AI transformation are ushering in a new era of operational resilience across the airline industry. A key highlight of the report is a comprehensive visual mapping of nine of the airline industry’s most persistent operational challenges, structured along the end-to-end operational journey from pre-flight to post-flight. For each, the report showcases one real-world AI use case already delivering tangible results, offering airline leaders and innovators a clear path from problem to solution. Filip Filipov, OAG’s Chief Operating Officer explained, “AI is already transforming airline operations but to truly scale its impact, the industry must prioritize data readiness. Scalable transformation is only possible with intelligent, high-quality data at the core of every AI solution.” The full report “Can AI and the Right Data Rewrite the Rules of Airline Performance?” is available to read now. About OAG OAG is a leading data platform for the global travel industry offering an industry-first single source for supply, demand, and pricing data. Media Enquiries: pressoffice@oag.com

Electronics Supply Chain Disruptions Due to Coronavirus Electronics manufacturers are currently facing weeks of delays in parts shipments due to the coronavirus outbreak. This situation could potentially impact the availability of various tech products in the future. A survey conducted by the electronics trade group IPC revealed that approximately 65% of electronics makers have been informed by their suppliers about expected shipment delays caused by the outbreak. Most of these manufacturers anticipate that the delays will last between four to six weeks. IPC conducted this survey last week, gathering insights from 150 respondents that include suppliers, manufacturers, and sellers of a wide range of products, from electric lawn mowers and cars to smartphones and cable boxes. The report highlights that many U.S. and European-based manufacturers depend on components from China to produce finished goods in their domestic facilities. Consequently, any delay in receiving these inputs leads to production delays. Impact on Financial Markets and Industry Vulnerabilities The coronavirus has also caused significant turmoil in financial markets this week, amplifying concerns that the disease might escalate to a pandemic. Several companies have cautioned investors about potentially missing their financial targets for the quarter. The technology sector is particularly at risk due to its heavy reliance on Chinese supply chains and production facilities. Due to the outbreak, numerous Chinese factories and suppliers were compelled to extend their closures beyond the Chinese New Year holiday. Additionally, travel restrictions and quarantines for workers have slowed their ability to resume operations at full capacity. Some companies are now exploring alternative countries for sourcing supplies, although finding new sources can be a lengthy and complex process. Corporate Earnings Warnings Apple (AAPL) has already informed investors that it expects to miss its revenue projections for the quarter because of challenges related to the production and sale of iPhones due to the coronavirus. Similarly, Microsoft (MSFT) disclosed on Wednesday that it anticipates falling short of its quarterly guidance for sales of Windows and Surface laptops, as its supply chain is recovering more slowly than expected. These announcements, however, are not directly tied to the IPC survey's findings, which suggest more prolonged effects on the industry. Electronics manufacturers usually place orders for supplies months before they plan to deliver finished products to sellers. Shawn DuBravac, chief economist at the IPC, noted that it is challenging to predict how significantly the current delays will affect the availability of finished tech products in the coming months. He explained that the overall impact depends on several factors including the length of the delay, any further extensions beyond current expectations, and which specific components are delayed. "The finished product is nothing more than the sum of a lot of individual components, so if even one of those doesn’t show up, they can’t start manufacturing until they have it," DuBravac stated. Interestingly, the survey indicates that most manufacturers are bracing for a situation worse than what suppliers have communicated. While suppliers have generally advised to expect around three weeks of delays, most manufacturers are preparing for an average of five weeks of delays. Many companies maintain inventories to buffer against such disruptions, but the prolonged nature of the current delays poses significant challenges.

Virgin Atlantic and TCS Extend Partnership to Modernize Airline Technology LONDON | MUMBAI, June 3, 2025: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (BSE: 532540, NSE: TCS), a global leader in IT services, consulting, and business solutions, has expanded its two-decade-long strategic partnership with Virgin Atlantic, a premium long haul UK airline, to accelerate its digital transformation journey. Under this renewed seven-year agreement, the two organizations will deepen their collaboration to strengthen the technological foundations of Virgin Atlantic, enable modern airline retailing, deliver greater operational resilience, and enhance customer experience. As part of this long-term engagement, TCS will modernize Virgin Atlantic’s core technology operations by implementing a cloud-first, AI-powered digital core that enhances business agility, improves resilience of systems, and allows for higher scale of operations. TCS will implement a modern, AI-powered technology estate that will unify the airline's technology assets and deploy an advanced Technology Command Centre. This will serve as the nerve centre for transforming Virgin Atlantic's technology operations. Virgin Atlantic's Technology Command Centre, co-developed with TCS, will provide real-time operational insights to enhance decision making, streamline technology operations and empower front line staff with up to date, contextual data. This will support the elevation of both customer and crew experiences, enabling efficient, smarter and more sustainable journeys, and superior hyper-personalized customer experience across every touchpoint of airline travel. Oli Byers, Chief Financial Officer, Virgin Atlantic, said, "We exist to make our customers smile, it’s that simple. As we look ahead to this next phase of our digital transformation, technology will enable us to deliver smarter, simpler, and more memorable experiences. TCS has been a partner for more than two decades and together we’ll continue to build towards our vision of becoming the most loved travel company, powered by AI technology to modernize our systems, drive efficiency and deliver for our customers.” With deep aviation expertise and contextual knowledge, TCS will utilise its proprietary solutions such as TCS Cognix™ and TCS AI WisdomNext™ to accelerate transformation, enable experience-centric services, and enhance service delivery. TCS’ bouquet of technology solutions will support Virgin Atlantic in building a resilient and sustainable digital core, enabling the airline to innovate continuously while delivering value across revenue, efficiency, and customer experience metrics, and become sustainably profitable. These solutions will be delivered through a dedicated onsite team of TCS associates equipped with a deep contextual knowledge of Virgin Atlantic’s environment. Amit Kapur, Country Head - UK & Ireland, Tata Consultancy Services said, “At TCS, we believe being perpetually adaptive is a necessity in today’s dynamic business landscape. Our two-decade partnership with Virgin Atlantic is a testament to a shared vision. By combining our deep aviation expertise with advanced capabilities in data, AI, and engineering, we’re helping Virgin Atlantic build intelligent, scalable digital ecosystems and redefine the future of travel.” TCS has been a transformation partner to Virgin Atlantic which ferried over 5 million passengers worldwide in 2024 and connects over 30 destinations globally. For the future, both companies are committed to further expanding their partnership to explore new avenues and innovations in the airline industry.

Nav Durga Aviation Expands Fleet Nav Durga Aviation has commenced executive jet operations following the addition of a Citation Excel, ch-aviation research shows. The 20.9-year-old aircraft, VT-CSP (msn 560-5368), is configured for up to eight passengers. It was previously the sole jet operated by AirCar Airline (Mumbai International), which is no longer listed as holding an active non-scheduled operator's permit (NSOP). This Citation Excel joins an eight-seat Cessna (single turboprop) 208B on Nav Durga Aviation's NSOP. The company's website also features a King Air C90A, configured for up to six passengers, although it is not currently listed on the permit. Nav Durga Aviation is the aviation division of Nav Durga Group, an Indian conglomerate primarily focused on the steel industry, with diversified interests across multiple sectors.