U.S., Russia, Israel and France jostle for sales.

Late last month, American Airlines CEO Tom Horton unveiled with great fanfare the airline's splashy new livery, the first update to the carrier's logo since 1968. But it will take more than a few gallons of silver paint to restore this U.S. icon to its former glory.

As airlines there increase in size, it is natural that they leverage their scale to gain efficiencies. That comes from both purchasing power and the desire to bring higher-technology maintenance, repair and overhaul capability in-house—or at least in the region.

Volga-Dnepr Group has been pushing United Aircraft Corp. (UAC) and Antonov to restart production of its An-124 Ruslan freighter for years. With no additional orders in sight, the operator may take the project into its own hands.

State-owned to private, military to commercial, industry is moving

Fuel prices, high taxes wallop airlines.

While the Chinese city Hefei has a big new airport that it would like to keep busy, aircraft maker Avic has a turboprop airliner plant that is not busy enough. Each of these state entities is making a small contribution to solving the other's problem.

The price of EU Allowances (EUA) under the European Union Emissions Trading System crashed to a new low for the December 2013 contract in January after an EU committee rejected a proposal to adjust auction timings to prop up prices. EUAs for delivery in December 2013 collapsed to €3.97 per metric ton ($5.38) at the close on Jan. 29—an all-time low for the contract. That compares with a price as high as €7.40 in December and €9.45 in November.