Airbus and Boeing face a similar problem—but it's a nice one to have. Demand for their best-selling jets, the A320 and 737 families, respectively, is so high that they are steadfastly increasing production rates.

Despite troubles, aircraft builders are eyeing bigger projects.

City and state officials in Alabama are still celebrating Airbus's decision to build an A320 final assembly line in Mobile. By any measure, the planned $600 million industrial facility will be a big stimulus to the local economy. It also will add to the southeastern U.S.'s emergence as a major hub for aerospace manufacturing. What may not be apparent yet, however, is how much the supplier base across North America could share in that bonanza.

Here is how Air Berlin can survive: Continue to cut costs, grow the long-haul network and everything will be fine eventually. But there are two problems for one of Europe's largest airlines: It does not have the necessary money to grow and, at the moment, there is not even an airport where the plan can be implemented.

The Airbus A350 is facing crucial milestones in the coming weeks, with final assembly of the first flight-test aircraft to start in September but wing assembly several weeks behind schedule. Airbus plans to confirm by the end of October the A350 schedule leading up to first flight. The wing is due to arrive that month for MSN1, the first flight-test aircraft.

Mongolia's airline industry could soon be coming to the fore internationally, because it has a remarkable number of carriers that are planning to connect this remote nation to its Asian neighbors.

Air New Zealand is facing a lot of change this year, as it simultaneously undertakes a leadership transition and a sweeping overhaul of its international business. Christopher Luxon (see photo) is central to both these shifts. As general manager of international operations, he has overseen the review of this segment, and he has also been named to take over as CEO when Rob Fyfe steps down at the end of the year.

Despite troubles, aircraft builders are eyeing bigger projects.