Aviation

Why did France release a Romanian airplane that was suspected of human trafficking?

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office reported on Saturday that French authorities had grounded a passenger plane carrying 303 Indian citizens, including 11 unaccompanied minors, at the Vatry airport on suspicion of human trafficking.

The aircraft, which belonged to Romania-based Legend Airlines, was en route from the United Arab Emirates to Nicaragua when it made a supply stop at Vatry airport, about 150 kilometers east of Paris, according to the Prosecutor’s Office. The aircraft was taken by French authorities on December 21 following the arrival of an anonymous tip.

A special French investigation into suspected human trafficking by an organized criminal group resulted in the arrest of two passengers. According to the local government, several others applied for asylum in France. Eleven passengers were placed under special administrative care, according to the prosecution, because they were unaccompanied minors.

The prosecutor stated on Sunday that a decision regarding the next course of action was anticipated overnight. The hearings were suspended in the middle due to a disagreement over the protocol used to prevent the Indians from entering the airport.

The prefecture stated that the French Civil Aviation Authority then started working to secure the required authorization for the aircraft to take off again, to have them in place “no later than Monday morning.”

Attorney Liliana Bakayoko of Legend Airlines told that the airline hoped the aircraft could arrive in Mumbai, India, on Monday “with as many passengers as possible.

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Aviation

COMAC Unveils Plans for the C929 to Rival Airbus and Boeing

After the success of China’s first C919 aircraft, the country is setting its sights on developing a larger plane. COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) has officially confirmed plans to build a widebody aircraft, marking a significant step in its aircraft lineup.

Traditionally, Airbus and Boeing dominate the widebody aircraft market, with decades of expertise in developing planes and engines capable of carrying heavy payloads. China, which currently relies on imported engines, is now aiming to challenge these giants with its own widebody jet, the C929, designed to compete with the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777.

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The C929 will be China’s first independently developed long-range widebody aircraft. It adheres to international airworthiness standards and boasts independent intellectual property rights. The baseline version is designed to seat 280 passengers and offers a range of 12,000 kilometers, catering to global demand for both regional and international air travel.

Russia, which also needs reliable narrowbody and widebody aircraft, could become a key customer for the C929. Additionally, China plans to target the broader Asian market as it continues to expand its aviation capabilities.

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China’s aviation progress includes the ARJ21 (now called C909), a regional jet with 100 seats for shorter routes, and the C919, a narrowbody jet with 180 seats designed to rival the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320. Both models have found increasing demand in the domestic market.

At China’s largest air show in Zhuhai, COMAC announced that Air China will be the launch customer for the C929 widebody jet, though details about order size and delivery timelines were not disclosed.

Other major deals announced by COMAC include:

Hainan Airlines: Firm orders for 60 C919 and 40 C909 regional jets.
Colorful Guizhou Airlines: 30 C909 jets, with 20 firm orders and 10 provisional agreements.

The C929, renamed from the CR929 after Russia withdrew from the joint development project in 2023, is expected to carry 280–400 passengers with a range of 12,000 kilometers, competing directly with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

According to COMAC’s deputy general manager, Tong Yu, the first fuselage section of the C929 is expected by September 2027, with prototype test flights anticipated soon after.