Aviation

Airbus and partners pave way for Hydrogen-Powered Flights in Sweden and Norway

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed by Airbus, Avinor, SAS, Swedavia, and Vattenfall to look into the viability of a hydrogen infrastructure at airports in Sweden and Norway.

To support the development of the hydrogen aviation ecosystem in both countries, this cooperation will improve understanding of hydrogen aircraft concepts and operations, supply, infrastructure, and refueling needs at airports. Along with identifying the associated regulatory framework, the work will also determine the process by which the airports in both countries will be converted to accommodate hydrogen-powered aircraft initially.

This is the first feasibility study of its kind encompassing over 50 airports across two countries. It reflects the partners’ common goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and using their specialized expertise to support the decarbonization of the aviation sector.

In addition to substantially reducing aircraft emissions in the air, the use of hydrogen to power future aircraft may also contribute to the decarbonization of air travel-related ground operations. To introduce the first hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft into service by 2035, Airbus unveiled the ZEROe concept in 2020. Within a global Research & Technology network, work is currently being done on developing the matching technology bricks.

To expedite research into low-carbon airport operations and infrastructure requirements throughout the whole value chain, Airbus also initiated the “Hydrogen Hub at Airports” programme. Currently, ten nations—France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, and the United Kingdom—have agreements signed with partners and airports.

Aviation

Boeing to Slash 17,000 Jobs Worldwide Amid Ongoing Factory Strike

Boeing to Slash 17,000 Jobs Amid Ongoing Factory Strike

Boeing, one of the world’s largest aerospace manufacturers, is facing a severe crisis. The company announced on Friday that it will lay off 17,000 employees—roughly 10% of its workforce.

This decision comes amid a prolonged strike, production delays, and ongoing safety concerns with its aircraft. Kelly Ortberg, Boeing’s CEO since August, delivered the news, stating, “Our business is in a difficult position, and it is hard to overstate the challenges we face together.

Beyond navigating our current environment, restoring our company requires tough decisions, and we will have to make structural changes to ensure we can stay competitive and deliver for our customers over the long term.”

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Boeing has been struggling financially, with the last reported profit in 2018. The company’s largest union, with 33,000 members, has been on strike for nearly a month after rejecting a labor deal. The ongoing walkout is reportedly costing Boeing around a billion dollars each month as negotiations remain at a standstill.

Compounding these issues, Boeing’s much-anticipated boeing 777x wide-body plane is now six years behind schedule, with deliveries postponed until 2026. This follows the discovery of structural damage during flight tests. Boeing also announced it will stop manufacturing its commercial 767 freighters after fulfilling its remaining orders by 2027.

Financially, the company expects to report a significant third-quarter loss—nearly $10 per share—and a total cash outflow of $1.3 billion. boeing new aircraft commercial airplane unit faces a $3 billion pretax charge, while its defense business will absorb an additional $2 billion hit.

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The strike has severely impacted production at key boeing facilities, particularly in Seattle, where half of the company’s nearly 150,000 employees work. Since 2019, Boeing has lost approximately $25 billion.

Ortberg was brought in over the summer to help the company regain public trust following safety concerns, especially surrounding the 737 Max line, which was involved in two deadly crashes. Earlier this year, a separate incident involving a panel popping off a 737 Max mid-flight reignited concerns. A Federal Aviation Administration investigation following the event found that Boeing had failed 33 out of 89 product audits.