In the evolving landscape of commercial aviation, the Boeing 797 — officially known as the New Midsize Airplane (NMA) — once captured significant attention as a promising bridge between existing single-aisle and widebody jets. Among the few airlines that showed keen interest in this prospective aircraft was Qatar Airways, a global aviation powerhouse known for investing in next-generation technology. So, what fueled Qatar Airways’ enthusiasm for the Boeing 797, who else was interested, and why did this much-anticipated aircraft ultimately never take flight?

Back in 2019, Qatar Airways' CEO Akbar Al Baker publicly expressed strong interest in the Boeing NMA during an exclusive interview at the IATA Annual General Meeting in Seoul. The 797, designed to seat between 200 to 270 passengers, seemed tailor-made for the airline’s evolving fleet strategy.

Baker revealed that Qatar Airways was so impressed by Boeing's preliminary plans that they hoped to become the launch customer if the program moved forward. The airline viewed the NMA as the ideal platform for medium-haul routes, promising both improved capacity and efficiency to meet future market demands.

The Boeing 797 concept emerged through the 2010s as an innovative “middle-market” airliner intended to fill the capacity and range gap between the 737 MAX and the 787 Dreamliner. Its goal was to replace aging fleets of 757s and 767s  workhorse planes no longer ideal for modern fuel, efficiency, and emissions standards.

Although no firm specifications were ever finalized, analysts envisioned the 797 offering two variants, with ranges around 4,500 to 5,000 nautical miles. Unlike incremental upgrades such as the Airbus A321XLR, which have enjoyed widespread success, the 797 promised a clean-sheet design incorporating new engines and avionics, aiming to blend technology advancement with versatility.

This ambitious aircraft was anticipated to become a critical solution for airlines seeking to balance route flexibility, passenger capacity, fuel efficiency, and compliance with increasingly strict environmental regulations.

Qatar Airways was far from alone in its interest. Australian carrier Qantas expressed enthusiasm, seeing strong potential for domestic and regional flights that require higher capacity and longer range than currently available single-aisle options. Alan Joyce, Qantas’ CEO at the time, praised the NMA’s economic outlook well before the disruptions caused by the pandemic.

Across the Pacific, U.S. airlines like Delta Air Lines also eyed the jet as the perfect successor to their aging fleets of 757 and 767 aircraft. Delta CEO Ed Bastian openly supported Boeing’s effort, anticipating a possible order of up to 200 jets once the program launch was confirmed.

Collectively, these airlines alongside aircraft lessors and other carriers  viewed the 797 as a logical progression to meet changing market needs, signaling strong customer demand that could have driven a robust launch.

Despite genuine interest from key players like Qatar Airways, Qantas, and Delta, Boeing ultimately decided not to proceed with the 797 program. Several converging challenges sealed its fate:

• 737 MAX Crisis: Beginning in 2018, the grounding of the 737 MAX following two tragic crashes delivered a severe blow to Boeing’s finances, reputation, and operational focus. Resources and attention shifted heavily toward resolving this crisis, leaving little room for new aircraft development.
• COVID-19 Pandemic: Early 2020 brought catastrophic disruption to the aviation industry. Airlines worldwide deferred deliveries, canceled orders, and prioritized survival over expansion, resulting in a dramatically shrunk market for new aircraft.
• Competitive Pressure: Airbus moved swiftly to capitalize on the middle-of-the-market opportunity by extending the A321neo family with the highly successful A321XLR. This less risky step enabled Airbus to seize market share Boeing might have targeted with the NMA.

In the face of these dynamics, Boeing chose to concentrate on stabilizing existing programs rather than launching a new, capital-intensive airliner project with uncertain timing and returns.

If launched, the Boeing 797 promised to revolutionize the medium-haul segment by combining cutting-edge technology with optimized range and seating capacity. For Qatar Airways and others, it represented a strategic opportunity to modernize fleets with efficient, next-generation jets suited to the evolving demands of global aviation.

While technology and market trends still point toward the need for a “middle-market” aircraft, the 797 program remains a powerful “what if” a glimpse of a potential future deferred but not forgotten.

Boeing may revisit the middle-market segment as recovery stabilizes and market conditions improve, but for now, airlines like Qatar Airways must rely on existing platforms and incremental innovation. The story of the Boeing 797 stands as a reminder of how unpredictable challenges shape aviation’s future  where ambition, market forces, and circumstance collide in shaping the skies of tomorrow.

London Heathrow Airport has solidified its position as the most expensive and fiercely contested aviation hub in the world, with takeoff and landing slot pairs fetching record prices up to $75 million in 2025. The extreme demand far outstrips the limited supply of slots at the airport, which is capped at approximately 10,500 weekly movements around 40 to 45 takeoffs and landings per hourcreating one of the world's most lucrative and competitive aviation markets.

Key airlines like Oman Air and American Airlines have previously paid sums in the tens of millions for coveted slots, with a recent transaction echoing Oman Air's 2016 record $75 million deal for prime morning slots. These slots, particularly those during early morning and summer peak times, are highly valued due to their potential revenue generation and strategic importance for flight scheduling in one of the busiest travel corridors globally.

The scarcity arises from Heathrow's operational constraints, including a long-standing cap of 480,000 annual Air Transport Movements and strict allocation regulations overseen by Airport Coordination Limited (ACL). British Airways dominates the market, controlling over half of the allocated slots, which reinforces the advantage of incumbent carriers through a system that prioritizes historical usage. Regulatory changes in 2025 aimed to ease entry for new carriers and reduce "ghost flights" have yet to alter the market's fundamental dynamics.

Looking ahead, the proposed addition of a third runway could nearly double the airport’s capacity, introducing up to 276,000 additional flights annually and potentially easing the slot shortage. However, the manner in which these new slots are allocated likely favoring carriers with substantial current usage will determine whether slot prices will decrease or remain near current record highs.

For now, securing a slot at Heathrow remains a high-stakes investment, representing critical competitive leverage and access to one of the world's wealthiest passenger markets, particularly lucrative for carriers targeting premium business and long-haul travel.

British Airways (BA) is pushing the boundaries of loyalty travel by operating exclusive Avios-only flights, allowing passengers to redeem points for every seat on selected routes. The latest—and most ambitious—offering targets the highly sought-after London Heathrow to Cape Town International Airport route during the fiercely competitive Christmas holiday season.

Scheduled to depart on December 20, 2025, with a return on January 2, 2026, these Avios-only flights come with a significant financial trade-off. Industry analysis estimates that BA could sacrifice more than £1 million in revenue by filling entire aircraft with points redemptions rather than cash-paying customers on this premium leisure route.

Since launching Avios-only flights in April 2023 with short-haul destinations like Geneva and Sharm-el-Sheikh, British Airways has steadily expanded the program. By late 2024, long-haul Avios flights appeared on routes to Dubai, followed by Caribbean destinations like Barbados earlier in 2025, and Abu Dhabi during the Easter period.

The Cape Town flights are notably different. Scheduled during peak Christmas travel when fares routinely command premium prices, this route is dominated by leisure travelers willing to pay top-tier prices, unlike some other Avios routes drawing more mixed business leisure demand. This makes the sacrifice in potential revenue especially striking.

Analysts estimate the total revenue opportunity for this roundtrip Avios flight pair at between £1.2 million and £1.3 million, with the outbound, pre-holiday leg holding the most value due to constrained seat availability and strong demand. The loss is softened—at least internally—by Avios Group Limited (part of IAG, BA’s parent company), which likely compensates BA for these seats at market rates, ensuring balance within the group.

Industry commentary highlights the loyalty program growth as the core motivation behind these Avios-exclusive flights. BA’s 2024 annual report spotlighted a 24% increase in Avios earnings and a 20% jump in redemptions, contributing to a strong £363 million profit on £1.585 billion revenue and a 22.9% pre-tax margin. These exclusive flights, with their aspirational redemption opportunities, help attract new members and deepen engagement among existing Avios collectors.

Unlike many 2025 flight releases, which appear 222 to 317 days ahead, the Avios flights to Cape Town were unveiled 142 days before departure. This shorter window likely curbs speculative bookings and cancellations, aligning with travelers’ post-summer holiday planning cycles. The timing also ensures flights sell out rapidly, demonstrating pent-up demand.

Alongside the Avios-only flights, BA operates standard cash fare services on these dates—nearly fully booked—a factor suggesting some reallocation of bookings as passengers choose between cash and points options.
Modeling passenger fare classes using the “shelf” principle, which balances revenue contributions across economy, premium economy, and business/first classes, analysts incorporated demand from European markets where fares tend to be lower than from London. For example, Club World fares ex-Europe range from £5,553 to £9,086 compared to £6,292 from London.

During the Christmas peak, direct fares for Cape Town reach £12,341 to £16,555 in First Class, around £6,292 for Club World, £4,144 to £5,133 for World Traveller Plus, and £2,716 for World Traveller, before taxes—underscoring the premium nature of this route.

Though costly in the short term, Avios-only flights provide tangible benefits. They make expensive holidays more attainable for points-rich travelers, foster goodwill, and encourage passengers to maintain BA credit cards and prioritize the airline for future bookings. Passengers who save money on flights might redirect funds towards hotels, dining, or ancillary services, supporting the wider travel ecosystem.

Cape Town’s appeal is undeniable, even with steep accommodation prices ranging from around £5,000 at The Westin to over £20,000 at Mount Nelson, reinforcing the premium leisure positioning of this route.
In the broader picture, BA’s bold Avios-only approach exemplifies how airlines can leverage loyalty currencies not just as marketing tools but as strategic assets driving long-term customer engagement—even if it means foregoing millions in immediate ticket revenue.

Zurich Airport Ltd. has announced its strongest first-half financial results in history, posting a consolidated profit of CHF 161.3 million for the first half of 2025, reflecting a 6% increase compared to the same period last year. The airport’s revenue rose by 2% to CHF 640.7 million, buoyed by a 4% increase in aviation-related income to CHF 327.3 million. Although non-aviation revenue saw a slight decline to CHF 313.4 million, the company’s operating expenses decreased by 1%, helped by lower electricity costs.

Passenger traffic hit a new milestone with a record 14.96 million travelers passing through Zurich Airport in the first six months—a 3% increase year-on-year. Freight also showed growth, rising 2% to reach 219,410 tonnes. Zurich Airport’s extensive summer schedule now connects travelers to 206 destinations through 63 airlines.

However, commercial and parking revenues experienced a modest decline of 1%, mainly due to ongoing landside construction work. Real estate income, on the other hand, saw a slight improvement. Zurich Airport invested CHF 422.9 million in development projects, including CHF 155 million for the new Radisson Blu building. Significant infrastructure upgrades underway include replacing Dock A, modernizing the baggage handling system, expanding cargo and business aviation facilities, and enhancing passenger areas landside.

In line with its commitment to sustainability, Zurich Airport is progressing steadily towards its ambitious net-zero emissions target set for 2040. Current initiatives include building a new energy centre, testing seasonal energy storage solutions, and piloting innovative technologies like autonomous shuttles, robotic cleaners, and smart restroom systems.

The company’s international ventures also recorded strong results, with revenue climbing 14% to CHF 56.3 million. Development continues at India’s Noida International Airport, while several Brazilian airports under Zurich’s management earned top sustainability rankings. Florianópolis airport was named Brazil’s best, and Vitória and Macaé airports received high sustainability accreditation. Notably, Macaé opened a new runway in June to support increased traffic.

Looking ahead, Zurich Airport expects to welcome around 32 million passengers in 2025, representing a 2.5% growth, reinforcing its position as a vital gateway for Switzerland and highlighting its ongoing efforts to provide sustainable and high-quality mobility solutions for travelers.

In the evolving landscape of commercial aviation, the Boeing 797 — officially known as the New Midsize Airplane (NMA) — once captured significant attention as a promising bridge between existing single-aisle and widebody jets. Among the few airlines that showed keen interest in this prospective aircraft was Qatar Airways, a global aviation powerhouse known for investing in next-generation technology. So, what fueled Qatar Airways’ enthusiasm for the Boeing 797, who else was interested, and why did this much-anticipated aircraft ultimately never take flight?

Back in 2019, Qatar Airways' CEO Akbar Al Baker publicly expressed strong interest in the Boeing NMA during an exclusive interview at the IATA Annual General Meeting in Seoul. The 797, designed to seat between 200 to 270 passengers, seemed tailor-made for the airline’s evolving fleet strategy.

Baker revealed that Qatar Airways was so impressed by Boeing's preliminary plans that they hoped to become the launch customer if the program moved forward. The airline viewed the NMA as the ideal platform for medium-haul routes, promising both improved capacity and efficiency to meet future market demands.

The Boeing 797 concept emerged through the 2010s as an innovative “middle-market” airliner intended to fill the capacity and range gap between the 737 MAX and the 787 Dreamliner. Its goal was to replace aging fleets of 757s and 767s  workhorse planes no longer ideal for modern fuel, efficiency, and emissions standards.

Although no firm specifications were ever finalized, analysts envisioned the 797 offering two variants, with ranges around 4,500 to 5,000 nautical miles. Unlike incremental upgrades such as the Airbus A321XLR, which have enjoyed widespread success, the 797 promised a clean-sheet design incorporating new engines and avionics, aiming to blend technology advancement with versatility.

This ambitious aircraft was anticipated to become a critical solution for airlines seeking to balance route flexibility, passenger capacity, fuel efficiency, and compliance with increasingly strict environmental regulations.

Qatar Airways was far from alone in its interest. Australian carrier Qantas expressed enthusiasm, seeing strong potential for domestic and regional flights that require higher capacity and longer range than currently available single-aisle options. Alan Joyce, Qantas’ CEO at the time, praised the NMA’s economic outlook well before the disruptions caused by the pandemic.

Across the Pacific, U.S. airlines like Delta Air Lines also eyed the jet as the perfect successor to their aging fleets of 757 and 767 aircraft. Delta CEO Ed Bastian openly supported Boeing’s effort, anticipating a possible order of up to 200 jets once the program launch was confirmed.

Collectively, these airlines alongside aircraft lessors and other carriers  viewed the 797 as a logical progression to meet changing market needs, signaling strong customer demand that could have driven a robust launch.

Despite genuine interest from key players like Qatar Airways, Qantas, and Delta, Boeing ultimately decided not to proceed with the 797 program. Several converging challenges sealed its fate:

• 737 MAX Crisis: Beginning in 2018, the grounding of the 737 MAX following two tragic crashes delivered a severe blow to Boeing’s finances, reputation, and operational focus. Resources and attention shifted heavily toward resolving this crisis, leaving little room for new aircraft development.
• COVID-19 Pandemic: Early 2020 brought catastrophic disruption to the aviation industry. Airlines worldwide deferred deliveries, canceled orders, and prioritized survival over expansion, resulting in a dramatically shrunk market for new aircraft.
• Competitive Pressure: Airbus moved swiftly to capitalize on the middle-of-the-market opportunity by extending the A321neo family with the highly successful A321XLR. This less risky step enabled Airbus to seize market share Boeing might have targeted with the NMA.

In the face of these dynamics, Boeing chose to concentrate on stabilizing existing programs rather than launching a new, capital-intensive airliner project with uncertain timing and returns.

If launched, the Boeing 797 promised to revolutionize the medium-haul segment by combining cutting-edge technology with optimized range and seating capacity. For Qatar Airways and others, it represented a strategic opportunity to modernize fleets with efficient, next-generation jets suited to the evolving demands of global aviation.

While technology and market trends still point toward the need for a “middle-market” aircraft, the 797 program remains a powerful “what if” a glimpse of a potential future deferred but not forgotten.

Boeing may revisit the middle-market segment as recovery stabilizes and market conditions improve, but for now, airlines like Qatar Airways must rely on existing platforms and incremental innovation. The story of the Boeing 797 stands as a reminder of how unpredictable challenges shape aviation’s future  where ambition, market forces, and circumstance collide in shaping the skies of tomorrow.

China’s civil aviation sector is demonstrating strong momentum this year, with air passenger trips reaching an impressive 440 million in the first seven months of 2025. According to the latest figures released by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on Friday, this marks a 5.6 percent increase compared to the same period last year, highlighting a steady rebound and growing demand for air travel across the country.

The sector’s transportation turnover—the total volume of goods and passengers moved over distance—also surged by 11 percent, climbing to 93.15 billion tonne-kilometers from January through July. This growth is mirrored in air cargo and mail shipments, which saw a significant 14.7 percent rise to over 5.65 million tonnes, underscoring the expanding role of air freight in China’s logistics network.

July 2025 alone showcased even sharper gains. Air transportation turnover jumped 8.6 percent year-on-year to 14.8 billion tonne-kilometers. Passenger trips increased by nearly 4 percent, reaching 71.82 million for the month, while cargo and mail volumes soared 15.3 percent to 867,000 tonnes. These figures reflect not only seasonal travel peaks but also the steady recovery of both business and leisure air travel following global disruptions.

International routes are also thriving, with Chinese airlines handling a record 7.09 million passenger trips in July—a remarkable 15.7 percent increase from the previous year. This surge illustrates China’s expanding connectivity with the global market and growing confidence in cross-border travel and commerce.

The robust data from the CAAC signals a vibrant year for China’s aviation sector, driven by rising passenger demand, a booming cargo market, and increasing international travel. As air travel continues to rebound and expand, the industry is set to play a pivotal role in supporting economic growth, enhancing mobility, and linking China more closely with the world.