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Qatar Airways has been making operating profits since its relaunch in 1997, CEO Akbar Al Baker said on the sidelines of a company event in Brussels Feb. 1.

European Turboprop manufacturer ATR is pleased to announce that Trinidad and Tobago’s flag carrier Caribbean Airlines has officially signed a contract for the purchase of 9 ATR 72-600 aircraft, valued at some US$ 200 million. The signature of this deal, which follows a Memorandum of Understanding announced in 2010, will enable the airline to become a new ATR operator. First deliveries will start in October 2011.

Spanish low-cost carrier Vueling is to temporarily sub-lease six Airbus A320s from part-owner Iberia and take over a number of the Spanish flag carrier's routes from Madrid Barajas.

Chile's anti-trust court TDLC has accepted a request by the consumer rights organisation CONADECUS to investigate the competitive impact of the planned merger between LAN and TAM and has ordered to "suspend the process" while it conducts an investigation.

Superjet International secured a key export order for the SSJ100 last month, while SSJ manufacturer Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (SCAC) acknowledged that certification of the 95-seat regional jet had stalled once again to the end of last month–some four weeks later than the most recent slipped deadline of December 28.

Low-cost carrier Jetstar has had the deliveries of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners delayed by six months to as late as 2013.

LAN is looking at acquiring additional widebody passenger aircraft this year to offset the latest delay in Boeing 787 deliveries.

Thomas Cook Group has signed a firm order for 12 A321, as a first step of its single aisle fleet harmonisation and renewal plan which is based on the A320 Family. The aircraft will be fitted with the latest fuel saving wing-tip devices, known as Sharklets.

Qantas Group’s low-cost carrier Jetstar is upbeat about the prospects of investing in Indonesia but has no firm plans yet.

Airbus spent its first 33 years building 5,000 orders on its books, but took only six more years to duplicate that level of sales and push its gross total into five figures in the final two days of 2010.

As Mexican low-fare carrier Interjet looks to expand its fleet, it is putting its faith in an aircraft most other Western operators have shied away from so far: the Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional jet.

Air New Zealand (ANZ) says it has acquired a 14.9% stake in Virgin Blue for A$145 million ($143 million), following yesterday's announcement that it has become a substantial shareholder in the Australia-based airline group.

Embraer delivered 61 executive jets during the fourth quarter, bringing the delivery total for Phenom, Legacy and Lineage aircraft last year to 144. While the fourth-quarter tally exactly matched that of 2009, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer shipped 29 more airplanes in total last year 25-percent increase. 

China’s President Hu Jintao came to Washington bearing gifts—solidified orders for 200 Boeing 737s and 777s.

All Nippon Airways, showing increasing impatience with Boeing over delays to 787 deliveries, will ask the manufacturer for an assurance that it can meet the latest schedule.

Delta Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson said Jan. 18 that he expects it will take Delta “the better part of the year” to choose a manufacturer or manufacturers for its potentially massive narrowbody fleet order, but he also made it clear that Boeing could have a tougher sell to make than its competitors.