UK long-haul carrier Virgin Atlantic resumed passenger flights July 20 with an initial service between London Heathrow and Hong Kong, following a three-month suspension caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

China is requiring inbound international travelers to provide negative results from coronavirus nucleic tests five days before boarding flights.

American Airlines, International Airlines Group (IAG), Lufthansa and United Airlines are urging the EU and the U.S. government to introduce a common COVID-19 testing program that would allow airlines to restore a more substantial transatlantic network. 

Qatar Airways Group CEO Akbar Al Baker does not expect to return to profit in the next two or three years as the COVID-19 pandemic is sure to create uncertainty for several years to come, Al Baker said on an Aviation Week webinar July 21.

Europe’s new Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Unit (MMU) will fly its first aerial refueling training missions in August.

Vietnamese start-up Bamboo Airways is set to lease a pair of Embraer E195LRs from Danish operator Great Dane Airlines to launch new services to the Con Dao archipelago.

The House fiscal 2021 defense policy bill is on the floor this week, featuring 407 new amendments approved by the Rules Committee.

ATP Flight School, based in Jacksonville, Florida, has renewed an order with Piper Aircraft for 100 training aircraft and has taken delivery of six new Piper Archer TX trainers as part of the order.