Airbus Updates No.1336

Virgin America keen on the A321 says Cush

© Virgin America Virgin America Airbus A320-200

23MAY2015

Virgin America (VX, San Francisco, CA) CEO David Cush says his airline sees the A321 from Airbus Industrie (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) as the best fit option for its growing network. In an interview with Aviation Week, Cush said that while Virgin would ideally like to acquire the A321neo, its cost and potentially limited availability meant the A321ceo would be the next best option. As such, Virgin plans to acquire approximately six or seven A321ceo each year between 2017 and 2019, he said.

With its fleet currently made up of ten A319-100s and forty-three A320-200s, Cush said that of the ten A320-200 (sl)s due for delivery over the next twelve months, six are to be ETOPS-rated in order to ply upcoming Hawaiian flights. Virgin plans to launch San Francisco, CA to Honolulu and Kahului flights in November and December respectively.

Concerning future fleet plans, Cush said Virgin holds rights to thirty NEO airframes with deliveries starting in 2020. Thereafter, it can exercise those rights in batches of five with two years' notice.

Virgin also plans to acquire its own jets in a bid to reach a near 1:4 ratio of owned-to-leased aircraft in its fleet. 

Airbus Updates No.1335

HK Express to begin A321 deliveries this year

© HK Express HK Express Airbus A320-200

30MAY2015

HK Express (UO, Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok) is planning to take delivery of its first A321-200s later this year aiming to have between five and ten of the type in its fleet by the end of next year.

In its report CAPA says the 220-seater twinjets will allow the LCC to add capacity at Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok where an increasing lack of slots and traffic rights has started to take its toll.

In March, CEO Andrew Cowen said his airline currently considers securing additional take-off and landing slots to be a greater priority than placing new aircraft orders and as such, will acquire aircraft as and when they become available. As such, the A321s will likely be leased rather than acquired outright.

The Hong Kong Airlines (HX, Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok) subsidiary currently operates a fleet of eleven A320-200s with plans to replace five 174-seater units sourced from Hong Kong Airlines, with 180-seater A320s. 

Airbus Updates No.1334

RETRO AIRBUSES EVERYWHERE.................

Airbus Updates No.1333

Airbus Updates No.1332

Airbus A330	-302	1627		N822NW	Delta Air Lines	delivery 29may15 TLS-ATL	ex F-WWYX
Airbus A340	-313	359		CC-CQA	Lan Airlines	ferried 27may15 SCL-SFB for part-out & scrap	ex F-WWJY
Airbus A340	-542	912		CS-TFX	Arik Air	ferried 29may15 LHR-LIS after storage since 23apr15	ex F-WJKI
Airbus A380	-861	176		A6-APC	Etihad Airways	delivery 30may15 XFW-AUH	ex F-WWAY

Airbus Updates No.1331

Airbus A310	-221(F)	162		N450FE	FedEx	ferried 26may15 MEM-VCV for storage	ex HB-IPE
Airbus A319	-132	2886		PT-TMM	TAM	ferried 27may15 LIM-CNF, CC-reg prior transfer	ex CC-CPQ
Airbus A319	-112	2891		EI-FGY	Yaledell Ltd	ferried 29may15 SAW-DUB	ex B-6157
Airbus A320	-231	406		OY-RUP	Danish Air Transport	ferried 31may15 BLL-KEF on wet-lease to Icelandair	ex N406PR
Airbus A320	-214	1793		EC-ILR	Iberia	in svc from 22may15 on wet-lease to briitish Arways on MAD-LHR vv svces	ex F-WWIM
Airbus A320	-214	4203		LY-ONJ	Small Planet Airlines	posn 29may15 KUN-LGW	ex EI-ONJ
Airbus A320	-214	5658		D-AIZV	Eurowings	ferried 26may15 DUS-NWI for paint	ex D-AUBY
Airbus A320	-214	6591		B-8012	Spring Airlines	delivery 27may15 TLS-SVX	ex F-WWID
Airbus A320	-216	6597		TC-DCG	Pegasus Airlines	delivery 21/25may15 TLS-OSR-SAW, paint at OSR	ex F-WWDF
Airbus A320	-214	6598		PR-OCN	Avianca Brazil	delivery 27-28may15 XFW-SID-GIG	ex D-AVVQ
Airbus A320	-214	6600		B-1673	Zhejiang Loong Airlines	delivery 27-28may15 TLS-TSE-TSN-HGH	ex F-WWBR
Airbus A320	-232	6602		XA-VAE	VivaAeroBus	delivery 29may15 TLS-KEF-BGR-MTY	ex F-WWBH
Airbus A320	-232	6604		B-50006	Tigerair Taiwan	delivery 27-29may15 TLS-AAN-CNX-TSA	ex F-WWDG
Airbus A320	-214	6606		G-EZOO	easyJet	delivery 28may15 TLS-LGW	ex F-WWBB
Airbus A320	-214	6608		B-1693	Qingdao Airlines	delivery 29-30may15 TLS-TSE-TSN-TAO	ex F-WWBF
Airbus A321	-211	3401		C-	Air Canada	in full cs at TLS, F-reg prior delivery	ex F-GTAR
Airbus A321	-231	6609		N950JT	jetBlue	delivery 30may15 XFW-PWM-PAE	ex D-AVXN
Airbus A330	-343	1098		9V-STJ	Singapore Airlines	ferried 28may15 SIN-CAN, all white on return to lessor	ex F-WWKQ
Airbus A330	-223	1221		TC-JIY	Turkish Airlines	delivery 28/30may15 GIG-YYZ-SAW	ex PT-MVV
Airbus A330	-243(MRTT)	1610		ZZ343	Royal Air Force	ferried 27may15 TLS-LEGT for MRTT-config, regd EC-331	ex F-WWCX

Airbus Updates No.1330

Singapore Airlines’ first A350 XWB takes shape

19 MAY 2015 PRESS RELEASE

Airbus has begun final assembly of the first A350-900 for Singapore Airlines at its facilities in Toulouse, France. The aircraft is the first of 70 A350 XWBs ordered by the airline and is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2016. The A350 XWB will form a major part of the future Singapore Airlines fleet and will be operated on the carrier’s medium and long-haul routes.

The aircraft is now in the initial fuselage section joining phase. Following this, it will move in before the end of the month to the next assembly station for wing junction, start of cabin installation and first power-on.

The A350 XWB is Airbus’ all-new mid-size long range aircraft family and the latest member of the manufacturer’s leading widebody family. The A350 XWB is the world’s most modern and efficient aircraft in its size category and is setting new standards in terms of flight experience for passengers, operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness for airlines. 

Airbus Updates No.1329

VivaAerobus receives first of 52 A320s on order

New A320 marks next step towards fleet renewal for Mexico’s ultra-low-cost carrier

14 MAY 2015 PRESS RELEASE

Ultra-low-cost carrier VivaAerobus has taken delivery of its first new A320 following the aircraft handover at the Airbus Delivery Centre in Toulouse. The A320 is the first to be delivered from an order placed in 2013 for 52 aircraft (12 A320ceo and 40 A320neo), which is the largest single deal by a Mexican customer. VivaAerobus already operates six leased A320s and will become an all Airbus operator as it completes its fleet transition from 737-300s by early 2016.

Including the first A320, all VivaAerobus’ A320ceo are powered by IAE engines. The A320neo will be powered by Pratt and Whitney engines. The aircraft will be deployed on the airline’s domestic network and international routes to the United States. 

“Our new fleet of A320s will enable VivaAerobus to continue enhancing our operational efficiencies by lowering our costs and fares for our passengers, while offering a significant upgrade with the A320 cabin comfort,” said Juan Carlos Zuazua, CEO of VivaAerobus. “We couldn’t be more pleased to integrate this new aircraft into our growing Airbus fleet and we look forward to expanding our network and allowing even more passengers to fly for the very first time.”

“We are proud that VivaAerobus has chosen the market-leading A320 Family to renew its fleet and expand its network, taking a further step to becoming an all Airbus operator,” said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer, Customers. “The A320’s unparalleled reliability, best-in-class passenger comfort and unbeatable fuel efficiency complements VivaAerobus’ business model and we are eager to see their success evolve even more with the NEO in the years to come.” 

VivaAerobus, jointly owned by IAMSA, Mexico’s largest bus company, and Irelandia, a global low-cost-carrier airline developer group, has based its fleet renewal strategy on the A320 Family.  The A320’s unmatched operating economics and reliability will play a key role as the airline meets the growing demand for cost-efficient air travel in Mexico. 

The A320 Family is the world’s best-selling single aisle product line with almost 11,700 orders to date and over 6,500 aircraft delivered to 400 customers and operators worldwide. The newest member of the A320 Family, the A320neo, incorporates many innovations including latest generation engines and Sharklet wing tip devices, which together deliver more than 15 percent in fuel savings from day one and 20 percent by 2020. With nearly 3,800 orders received from 71 customers since its launch in 2010, the A320neo Family has captured almost 60 percent share of the market. To date, the A320neo program has 345 firm orders from six customers in Latin America. With more than 950 aircraft sold and a backlog of nearly 500, more than 550 Airbus aircraft are in operation throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. In the last 10 years, Airbus has tripled its in-service fleet, while delivering more than 60 percent of all aircraft operating in the region.

Airbus Updates No.1328

Airbus A320	-232	6594		EC-MFN	Vueling	delivery 22may15 TLS-BCN	ex F-WWDR
Airbus A320	-216	6597		TC-DCG	Pegasus Airlines	delivery 21/25may15 TLS-OSR-SAW, paint at OSR	ex F-WWDF
Airbus A320	-214	6598		PR-OCN	Avianca Brazil	delivery 27-28may15 XFW-SID-GIG	ex D-AVVQ
Airbus A320	-232	6604		B-50006	Tigerair Taiwan	delivery 27-28may15 TLS-AAN-DMK-TPE	ex F-WWDG
Airbus A320	-232	6607		EC-MGE	Vueling	delivery 27may15 XFW-BCN "#BuenVueling"	ex D-AVVS
Airbus A330	-243	1009		N968AV	Avianca	ferried 23-24may15 BOG-DFW-FTW	ex F-WWYE
Airbus A330	-243(MRTT)	1610		ZZ343	Royal Air Force	ferried 27may15 TLS-LEGT for MRTT-config, regd EC-331	ex F-WWCX
Airbus A330	-243	1617		B-5973	China Eastern	delivery 22may15 TLS-PVG	ex F-WWKV
Airbus A330	-303	1629		TC-JOI	Turkish Airlines	delivery 22may15 TLS-IST	ex F-WWKH

Airbus Updates No.1327

Airbus A310	-221(F)	162		N450FE	FedEx	ferried 26may15 MEM-VCV for storage	ex HB-IPE
Airbus A319	-112	2849		EI-FFY	JET-I 2849 Leasing	ferried 25may15 SAW-DUB	ex B-6156
Airbus A320	-231	295		C5-AAH	Aerolus Air	in svc 22may15 KBL-ESB-IST vv for Ariana Afghan, basic Myanmar cs	ex EY-626
Airbus A320	-231	406		OY-RUP	Danish Air Transport	regd 21may15, posn 22may15 BLL-AAR	ex N406PR
Airbus A320	-212	426		UR-CNK	Dart Airlines	ferried 22-23may15 THR-IEV-MPL-IEV-THR on new lease to Zagros Air	ex YL-LCH
Airbus A320	-214	828		9A-SLA	Limitless Airways	first in svc 23may15 ZAG-VAA-SDL-KOK-RJK	ex 2-ERIK
Airbus A320	-214	1694		N224NV	Allegiant Air	delivery 26may15 MAD-DUB, EC-reg	ex EC-IEI
Airbus A320	-214	1793		EC-ILR	Iberia	in svc from 22may15 on wet-lease to briitish Arways on MAD-LHR vv svces	ex F-WWIM
Airbus A320	-233	2102		OY-JRZ	Danish Air Transport	onward delivery 23may15 EMA-BLL after paint	ex EI-FGO
Airbus A320	-232	2343		VQ-	Ural Airlines	in full cs at SNN 24may15, M-reg after paint prior delivery	ex M-ABIO
Airbus A320	-214	3031		AP-BLA	Pakistan International	delivery 22may15 PRG-KHI	ex OK-MEH
Airbus A320	-214	3060		OK-MEI	CSA Czech Airlines	ferried 26may15 PRG-BOH for paint, for Pakistan Int´l as AP-BLS	ex F-WWDY
Airbus A320	-216	3080		EI-DSF	Alitalia	ferried 26may15 FCO-OSR for paint, for Air Berlin as D-ABZN	ex F-WWIV
Airbus A320	-214	3891		TC-	Freebird Airlines	at LIS 25may15 in full cs, CS-reg prior delivery	ex CS-TKO
Airbus A320	-216	3978		EI-DTJ	Alitalia	ferried 23may15 FCO-OSR for paint into special cs	ex F-WWIX
Airbus A320	-232	5725		B-LCF	HK Express	delivery 22-23may15 TLS-AAN-HKG, all white	ex F-WXAC
Airbus A320	-232	6486		B-1662	Sichuan Airlines	delivery 18may15 TSN-CTU	ex B-508L
Airbus A320	-214	6538		9K-AKK	Kuwait Airways	delivery 23may15 TLS-KWI	ex F-WWIB
Airbus A320	-232	6586		N642NK	Spirit Airlines	delivery 23may15 TLS-YYR-TPA	ex F-WWDV
Airbus A320	-214	6591		B-8012	Spring Airlines	delivery 27may15 TLS-SVX	ex F-WWID

Airbus Updates No.1326

Airbus A340	-313	164		YI- ?	Al-Naser Airlines	ferried 08may15 BGW-MHD, wearing G-reg	ex G-VAIR
Airbus A340	-313	214		G-VELD	Virgin Atlantic	ferried 12may15 LGW-LDE for storage	ex F-WWJY
Airbus A340	-642	371		YI-ASL	Al-Naser Airlines	ferried 08may15 BGW-THR, all white, for Mahan Air (+ 376 YI-ASM, + 383 YI-ASN)	ex G-VGOA
Airbus A340	-642	391		YI- ?	Al-Naser Airlines	ferried 08may15 BSR-THR, all white, for Mahan Air (+ 416 YI- ? BSR-THR ex 9H-TEQ)	ex 9H-TEP
Airbus A340	-642	449		YI- ?	Al-Naser Airlines	ferried 08may15 BSR-IKA, all white, for Mahan Air (+ 615 YI- ? ex G-VSSH)	ex 9H-TER
Airbus A340	-642	586		B-6055	China Eastern	operated last company A340-600 svc 03may15 PVG-NRT-PVG	ex F-WWCR
Airbus A350	-941	9		A7-ALC	Qatar Airways	delivery 07may15 TLS-DOH	ex F-WZFDD
Airbus A380	-841	179		HL7634	Asiana	delivery 07may15 TLS-ICN	ex F-WWAF
Airbus A400	M180	16		ZM401	Royal Air Force	delivery 07may15 LEGT-BZZ, EC-reg prior paint	ex EC-406
Airbus A400M		023		A4M023	Airbus Military	crashed 09may15 on f/f shortly after take-off from SVQ, 4/6 dead

Airbus Updates No.1325

Airbus A319	-111	998		EC-MFP	Iberia	delivery 12may15 TLS-MAD, all white	ex F-GRHC
Airbus A319	-115	6588		B-6480	Tibet Airlines	delivery 08-09may15 XFW-ALA-LXA	ex D-AVYE
Airbus A320	-232	1856		SX-DGV	Aegean Airlines	air-test at IST 11may15, TC-reg prior delivery (+ 1996 SX-DGX ex TC-JLL for delivery late-may15)	ex TC-JLJ
Airbus A320	-214	2789		AP-BLW	Pakistan International	delivery 12may15 PRG-KHI	ex OK-LEG
Airbus A320	-214	3093		OE-LEN	flyNiki	ferried 06may15 MUC-VIE, D-reg on transfer, regd 08may15	ex D-ABDP
Airbus A320	-232	3947		HA-LPW	Wizz Air	ferried 11may15 BUD-MST for paint into new cs	ex F-WWBD
Airbus A320	-214	5246		OE-LEV	flyNiki	ferried 08may15 DUS-VIE on transfer, regd 10may15	ex D-ABNB
Airbus A320	-232	6462		B-1651	China Southern	delivery 08may15 TSN-DLC	ex B-504L
Airbus A320	-232	6574		XA-VAA	VivaAeroBus	delivery 09may15 TLS-KEF-BGR-M TY	ex F-WWIY
Airbus A320	-232	6576		HA-LYO	Wizz Air	delivery 07may15 TLS-BUD	ex F-WWBE
Airbus A320	-232	6580		B-1691	Capital Airlines	delivery 12may15 TLS-TSE	ex F-WWDP
Airbus A320	-214	6584		VN-A656	VietJetAir	delivery 12may15 TLS-AUH	ex F-WWDT
Airbus A320	-214	6596		PK-GQK	Citilink Express	delivery 13-14may15 XFW-RKT-DMK-CGK	ex D-AVVP
Airbus A321	-112	488		I-BIXE	Alitalia	ferried 12may15 FCO-NWI after storage	ex D-AVZG
Airbus A321	-131	550		YI- ?	Al-Naser Airlines	ferried 08may15 BGW-IKA, basic Sichuan cs, for Mahan Air ex 2-WLGP	ex 2-WLGP
Airbus A321	-211	6590		D-AIAG	Condor	delivery 08may15 XFW-MAN	ex D-AVXJ
Airbus A330	-243	451		CS-	HiFly	ferried 12may15 LDE-CHR, F-reg for paint prior delivery	ex F-WJKG
Airbus A330	-202	1543		5A-LAU	Libyan Airlines	ferried by Airbus 11may15 TLS-LETL, F-reg for interim storage	ex F-WWCT
Airbus A330	-243(MRTT)	1555		ZZ341	Royal Air Force	ferried 13may15 LEGT-IGS, EC-reg for paint	ex EC-336
Airbus A340	-313	114		G-VSUN	Virgin Atlantic	ferried 13may15 LGW-LDE for storage	ex F-WWJI