Airbus Updates No.1775

Launch operator Qatar Airways adds maiden A350-1000

Qatar Airways Airbus A350-1000© Airbus

21FEB2018

Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Hamad Int'l) has taken delivery of its first A350-1000 following a ceremony held at Toulouse Blagnac on Tuesday, February 20. A7-ANA (msn 88) will be positioned to Doha Hamad Int'l later this week ahead of its deployment into service on February 24 on the London Heathrow route.

In terms of specifications, the aircraft is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 powerplants and seats a total of 327 passengers.

The Gulf-based carrier currently has thirty-seven -1000s on order from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) alongside eighteen outstanding orders for the A350-900s.

Airline CEO Akbar al Baker told a press conference that given the improved operability of the -1000 over the -900, Qatar Airways is considering converting an unspecified number of -900s to the -1000s. On the -900(ULR) offering, al Baker said at the moment, there was no interest in the ultra-longhaul capable aircraft.

Airbus Updates No.1774

Australia's Jetstar to add A321neo(LR) from mid-2020

Airbus Airbus A321-200neo© Airbus

22FEB2018

Jetstar Airways (JQ, Melbourne Tullamarine) has converted a significant proportion of its order with Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) for ninety-nine A320neo into A321neo(LR). According to QantasGroup chief executive Alan Joyce, the first eighteen aircraft will deliver from mid-2020 through to the end of 2022. The order had previously constituted fifty-four A320neo and forty-five A321neo, with deliveries to have begun in 2019.

Operationally, the budget carrier will exploit the LR's range to replace the B787-8 on select longhaul routes such as Sydney Kingsford Smith and Melbourne Tullamarine to Denpasar, Indonesia. As such, the first four aircraft of the type will be used to add capacity on these routes while allowing the B787-8s to be redeployed to other leisure destinations such as Vietnam, China, Thailand, and Hawaii.

Qantas Group retains flexibility with the sequencing of the rest of its A320neo Family order which is more or less an even split between the 186-seater A320neo and 232-seater A321neo(LR). The aircraft will be used primarily for fleet renewal, i.e. to replace older A320ceo, but with scope to allow for growth depending on market conditions.

Airbus Updates No.1773

Airbus A320	-214	4594		OE-IZE	easyJet Europe	ferried 22feb18 WOE-SEN for paint	ex D-ABHM
Airbus A320	-214	5648		OE-IZP	easyJet Europe	ferried 12feb18 KUN-SEN for paint	ex D-ABZJ
Airbus A320	-214	6550		OE-ICT	easyJet Europe	delivery 21feb18 MPL-SXF	ex G-ZBAS
Airbus A320	-251N	7980		VT-TNH	Vistara	delivery 22feb18 TLS-DEL	ex F-WWDE
Airbus A320	-232	8027		XA-VAY	VivaAeroBus	delivery 19feb18 XFW-KEF-BGR-MTY	ex D-AXAO
Airbus A320	-214	8081		HZ-AS68	Saudi Arabian Airlines	delivery 19feb18 TLS-JED	ex F-WWIY
Airbus A320	-251N	8105		PR-YRQ	Azul Linhas Aéreas	delivery 22feb18 TLS-SID-CNF	ex F-WWIZ
Airbus A320	-232	8111		EC-MVD	Vueling	delivery 23feb18 TLS-BCN	ex F-WWBN
Airbus A320	-251N	8113		TC-NBP	Pegasus Airlines	delivery 22feb18 XFW-SAW	ex D-AXAA
Airbus A320	-214	8119		G-EZRS	easyJet	delivery 22feb18 TLS-LTN	ex F-WWDN
Airbus A321	-211	2005		OE-LCD	(flyNiki)	ferried 21feb18 MUC-HAM prior delivery to?	ex D-ALSC
Airbus A321	-231	2553		SX-DNF	Aegean Airlines	air-test at WOE 20feb18, G-reg prior delivery	ex G-ZBAI
Airbus A321	-211	8063		N336DX	Delta Air Lines	delivery 20feb18 BFM-MCI	ex F-WZME
Airbus A330	-243	261		EC-MNY	Wamos Air	ferried 16feb18 DAC-MAD after wet-lease to Bangladesh Biman	ex G-GGEN
Airbus A350	-1041	88		A7-ANA	Qatar Airways	delivery 21feb18 TLS-DOH	ex F-WZNR
Airbus A350	-941	132		A7-ALY	Qatar Airways	delivery 21feb18 TLS-DOH	ex F-WZFL
Airbus A350	-941	182		N507DN	Delta Air Lines	delivery 21feb18 TLS-ATL	ex F-WZFW
Airbus A350	-941	184		D-AIXH	Lufthansa	delivery 15feb18 TLS-MUC	ex F-WZGR
Airbus A350	-941	185		HS-THL	Thai International	delivery 22feb18 TLS-BKK	ex F-WWIW

Airbus Updates No.1772

Airbus A310	-304	524		EP-MMN	Mahan Air	back in svc after storage 19feb18 THR-BJB-THR	ex EX-301
Airbus A319	-111	3053		OE-LQT	easyJet Europe	G-reg canx 16feb18 at SXF on transfer	ex G-EZBL
Airbus A319	-112	3564		LZ-FBA	Bulgaria Air	posn 21feb18 SOF-KWI, Wataniya Airways cs on wet-lease	ex D-AVWS
Airbus A319	-111	3675		OE-LKM	easyJet Europe	ferried 23/26feb18 MXP-LJU on transfer, regd 26feb18	ex G-EZDP
Airbus A319	-111	3845		OE-LQQ	easyJet Europe	ferried 21/23feb18 MXP-LJU-MXP on transfer, regd 22feb18	ex G-EZFG
Airbus A319	-112	3853		D-ASGK	Sundair	air-test at WOE 20feb18, OE-reg prior delivery	ex OE-IEB
Airbus A319	-111	4048		OE-LKL	easyJet Europe	ferried 19/21feb18 MXP-LJU-MXP on transfer, regd 20feb18	ex G-EZFK
Airbus A319	-132	5535		D-AGWW	Eurowings	ferried 14feb18 OSR-HAM after paint	ex D-AVYN
Airbus A319	-132	5941		D-AGWY	Eurowings	ferried 21feb18 PAD-NWI, for paint	ex D-AVWD
Airbus A319	-132	5978		D-AGWZ	Eurowings	ferried 14/21feb18 CGN-NWI-DUS, for paint	ex D-AVWG
Airbus A320	-214	1101		EC-LKH	Iberia Express	ferried 21feb18 MAD-NWI, for paint into new cs	ex EC-HDP
Airbus A320	-214	1119		EC-LLE	Iberia Express	ferried 13/21feb18 MAD-NWI-MAD, paint into new cs	ex EC-IST
Airbus A320	-232	1383		SE-RJF	SAS	ferried 12feb18 OSL-DGX for part-out & scrap	ex EC-KOX
Airbus A320	-232	2077		D-ASPF	Small Planet Airlines Germany	in full cs at ISE 21feb18 after paint prior delivery	ex TC-AGU
Airbus A320	-233	3681		ER-00001	Fly One	posn 14-15feb18 KIV-DEL-SGN on wet-lease to VietJetAir	ex 2-DLLB
Airbus A320	-214	3945		OE-IZS	easyJet Europe	ferried 19feb18 MPL-MLA prior delivery	ex D-ABDW
Airbus A320	-214	3995		OE-IZT	easyJet Europe	ferried 12feb18 MLA-SEN for paint	ex D-ABDX
Airbus A320	-214	4012		OE-IVX	easyJet Europe	ferried 14/feb18 MXP-LJU-LGW on transfer, regd 16feb18	ex G-EZTL
Airbus A320	-214	4015		N258NV	Allegiant Air	delivery 22-23feb18 SNN-BGR-SAL	ex HZ-AS11
Airbus A320	-214	4153		D-AIZC	Lufthansa	ferried 20feb18 MUC-OSR for paint into new cs, first A320	ex D-AVVL

Airbus Updates No.1771

Airbus A320	-251N	8017		9M-AGV	AirAsia	delivery 14-15feb18 TLS-KRW-KUL	ex F-WWDM
Airbus A320	-251N	8056		VT-EXM	Air India	delivery 13feb18 TLS-DEL	ex F-WBX
Airbus A320	-214	8072		HZ-AS67	Saudi Arabian Airlines	, delivery 12feb18 XFW-JED	ex D-AVVA
Airbus A321	-212	827		9S-ASB	Compagnie Africaine d´Aviaton	delivery 13feb18 MPL-FIH	ex LY-VEE
Airbus A321	-211	1629		OE-LCE	flyNiki	ferried 08feb18 VIE-DGX for storage	ex D-ALSA
Airbus A321	-231	8047		N684NK	Spirit Airlines	delivery 08feb18 BFM-DTW	ex F-WZMD
Airbus A321	-211	8078		N338DN	Delta Air Lines	delivery 14feb18 XFW-KEF-YYR-MCI	ex D-AVYU
Airbus A321	-211	8104		TF-CAT	Wow Air	delivery 10feb18 XFW-KEF	ex D-AVZF
Airbus A321	-231	8114		N684NK	Spirit Airlines	delivery 15feb18 XFW-YYR-DTW	ex D-AVZK
Airbus A330	-322	96		CS-TKW	HiFly	ferried 14feb18 PGF-AMM, EI-reg prior delivery	ex EI-FSP
Airbus A330	-243	396		B-LHA	Hong Kong Airlines	delivery 10feb18 DUB-HKG, OE-reg	ex OE-IEG
Airbus A330	-342	915		OO-SFB	Brussels Airlines	regd 08dec18 prior delivery ex HKG	ex B-LAH
Airbus A350	-941	183		9M-MAD	Malaysia Airlines	delivery 13feb18 TLS-KUL	ex F-WZGA
Airbus A350	-941	184		D-AIXH	Lufthansa	delivery 15feb18 TLS-MUC	ex F-WZGR
Airbus A350	-941	186		9V-SMU	Singapore Airlines	delivery 09feb18 TLS-SIN	ex F-WWTW
Airbus A380	-841	5		9V-SKB	Singapore Airlines	ferried 09feb18 SIN-LDE, for HiFly Malta	ex F-WWSB

Airbus Updates No.1770

Airbus A319	-133CJ	1053		N105KR	AAR International	ferried 03/08feb18 STR-BRS-EGBP for part-out & scrap	ex D-ADNA
Airbus A319	-111	1654		EY-557	Asia Sky Lines	delivery 12feb18 BUD-DYU (+ 1679 EY-558, 1753 EY-559)	ex )H-LCS
Airbus A319	-111	2503		G-EZIN	easyJet	feried 08feb18 STN-SOF, for Allegiant Air	ex D-AVYZ
Airbus A319	-132	2657		XA-VOI	Volaris	ferried 13feb18 SAL-GDL prior return to lessor	ex D-aVYN
Airbus A319	-111	3754		OE-LQO	easyJet Europe	ferried 12/14feb18 MXP-LJU-MXP on transfer, regd 13feb18	ex G-EZDX
Airbus A319	-111	3810		OE-LQP	easyJet Europe	ferried 09/12feb18 MXP-LJU-MXP on transfer, regd 12feb18	ex G-EZFD
Airbus A319	-132	5535		D-AGWW	Eurowings	ferried 14feb18 OSR-HAM after paint	ex D-AVYN
Airbus A319	-132	5978		D-AGWZ	Eurowings	ferried 14feb18 CGN-NWI for paint	ex D-AVWG
Airbus A32	-231	1421		G-OZBZ	AerCap	Monarch cs, ferried 10feb18 OSR-ERF	ex TC-OAN
Airbus A320	-214	967		LY-SPF	Small Planet Airlines	ferried 05feb18 VNO-ALA-REP on wet-lease to Cambodia Angkor Air	ex EI-FKG
Airbus A320	-214	1130		VQ-BDR	Rossiya Airlines	ferried 09feb18 LED-SNN on return to lessor	ex EC-IMU
Airbus A320	-214	1213		ES-SAN	smartLynx Estonia	delivery 10feb18 ISE-TLL, all white	ex UR-AJA
Airbus A320	-232	1383		SE-RJF	SAS	ferried 12feb18 OSL-DGX for part-out & scrap	ex EC-KOX
Airbus A320	-214	2606		HB-JJL	Edelweiss Air	delivery 11feb18 SXF-ZRH prior paint	ex D-ABNV
Airbus A320	-216	3291		RP-C8964	Philippines AirAsia	delivery 09feb18 KUL-MNL on transfer	ex 9M-AHD
Airbus A320	-214	3373		OO-SNK	Brussels Airlines	OE-regd 09feb18 at OSR prior delivery	ex OE-IGK
Airbus A320	-214	3995		OE-IZT	easyJet Europe	ferried 12feb18 MLA-SEN for paint	ex D-ABDX
Airbus A320	-214	5522		OE-IZO	easyJet Europe	regd 09feb18 prior delivery ex KUN	ex D-ABNJ
Airbus A320	-214	5648		OE-IZP	easyJet Europe	ferried 12feb18 KUN-SEN for paint	ex D-ABZJ
Airbus A320	-214	6831		OE-IZF	easyJet Europe	delivery 09feb18 WOE-EMA, for paint	ex D-ABNO

Airbus Updates No.1769

Select A320neo grounded over new P&W 1100G issues

Airbus Airbus A320-200neo on 1st flight© Airbus

10FEB2018

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) that has lead to the grounding of specific Pratt & Whitney PW1100 GTF-powered A320neo/A321neo aircraft effective immediately.

Issued on Friday, February 9, the EAD said the measure was necessary after several A320neo Family jets reported In-Flight engine Shut-Downs (IFSD) and Rejected Take-Off (RTO) events. Affected PW1100G variants include: the PW1127G-JM, PW1127GA-JM, PW1130G-JM, PW1133G-JM, and PW1133GA-JM engines having Engine Serial Number (ESN) P770450 or subsequent.

"While the investigation is ongoing to determine the root cause, preliminary findings indicate that the affected engines, which have high pressure compressor aft hub modification embodied from ESN P770450, are more susceptible to IFSD. This condition, if not corrected, could lead to dual engine IFSD," EASA said.

Airbus said in a statement that it had extended full support to Pratt & Whitney in its investigations into "the root cause of this new finding." Citing sources at the European manufacturer, Reuters says Airbus has stopped test flights as well as deliveries of the PW1100-powered A320neo variant for the time being. Airlines and lessors have already been consulted, the report said.

According to Pratt & Whitney, the issue specifically pertains to the knife edge seal in the High-Pressure Compressor (HPC) aft hub on the PW1100G-JM engine.

"This issue is isolated to a limited subpopulation of engines," it said in a communique. "We have identified the potentially affected engines and communicated with our customers."

EASA's operational restrictions entail the grounding of aircraft with two affected engines pending repair/change out, the de-pairing of affected engines, and the discontinuation of Extended Range Twin-engine Operations (ETOPS) for aircraft fitted with affected engines.

Operators that have thus far been forced to ground select jets include IndiGo Airlines (6E, Delhi Int'l). According to The Economic Times, three of the Indian LCC's thirty-two A320neo have been taken out of service, by order of the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), pending remedial action. CNN reports Hawaiian Airlines (HA, Honolulu) has also confirmed that one of its A321neo is affected and that it has since been taken out of serviceA

Airbus Updates No.1768

Spirit to resume A320neo deliveries in mid-2019

Spirit Airlines Airbus A320-200neo© Airbus

08FEB2018

Spirit Airlines (NK, Fort Lauderdale Int'l) will resume deliveries of its A320neo order in mid-2019, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Ted Christie III has confirmed. The Florida-based ultra-low-cost-carrier had suspended their acceptance in April last year after protracted issues with the Pratt & WhitneyPW1127G powerplant had impacted the performance of the five A320neo that were delivered in 2016/17.

In January this year, UTC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Greg Hayes, confirmed that every GTF engine leaving the Pratt & Whitney plant now featured two major fixes - namely the #3 seal and an improved combustor liner. However, the most significant challenge in 2018 will now be to overhaul those affected engines that have already been delivered.

According to Christie, that particular issue has now been taken care of.

"...all five of our NEO aircraft are fully operational and we and Pratt have reached an agreement that, we believe, provides us with the support and modifications needed for a high utilization, high-reliability operator," he said in a recent earnings call. "And we are very excited about how that aircraft will not only expand our operating cost advantage from a fuel burn perspective, but will also open up considerable route opportunities through the enhanced range capability of the NEO."

As it stands, Spirit is due to add three A320neo during the third quarter of 2019 followed by six more due during the final quarter of that year. Thereafter, a further sixteen of the type are due in 2020 followed by eighteen in 2021.

Spirit also operates thirty-one A319-100s, fifty-two A320ceo, and twenty-five A321ceo.

Airbus Updates No.1767

Croatia's Trade Air seeks to purchase one A320

Trade Air Airbus A320-200© Trade Air

09FEB2018

Trade Air (C3, Zagreb) has exclusively mandated Airstream International Group to source an A320 aircraft for purchase. According to a statement, the Airbus twinjet will be used to grow the Croatian operator's fleet which currently includes one aircraft of the type.

According to the ch-aviation fleets module, 9A-BTG (msn 795) has been in Zagreb since November 1, 2017, for maintenance. 

The company also owns two Fokker 100s. 

Aside from its ACMI/charter operations, Trade Air also offers regular domestic flights throughout Croatia operated with Jetstream 32 equipment wet-leased from AIS Airlines (Netherlands). It currently operates its Fokker Aircraft on behalf of Adria Airways on routes out of each of Pristina and Tirana to each of Frankfurt Int'l and Munich, as well as on behalf of HOP! out of Lille to each of Marseilles and Toulouse Blagnac.

Airbus Updates No.1766

China's Sichuan Airlines orders ten A350-900s

Airbus Airbus A350-900 on 1st flight© Airbus

21 hours ago

Sichuan Airlines (3U, Chengdu) has announced it has signed firm order agreements with Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) for ten A350-900s. The carrier said in a statement it would use the widebody jets primarily for longhaul routes. No further details concerning delivery dates were revealed.

It is recalled that the carrier is currently due three A350-900s from AerCap along with one from Air Lease Corporation.

Sichuan Airlines currently operates a widebody fleet of seven A330-200s and four A330-300s on trunk Chinese routes as well as to destinations in New Zealand, Australia, the United States, Canada, Switzerland, Czechia, Russia, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United Arab Emirates.

Going forward it plans to expand its coverage to include Boston in North America, Copenhagen Kastrup in northern Europe, Cairo Int'l in North Africa, Tel Aviv Ben Gurion in Israel, as well as various other destinations in Southeast Asia and the southern hemisphere.

Airbus Updates No.1765

Airbus A320	-214	5522		OE-IZO	easyJet Europe	regd 09feb18 prior delivery ex KUN	ex D-ABNJ
Airbus A320	-214	6457		VN-A650	VietJetAir	posn 04feb18 SGN-KHI on wet-lease to Air Blue (+ 6498 VN-A655, + 6584 VN-A656)	ex F-WWBO
Airbus A320	-214	6831		OE-IZF	easyJet Europe	delivery 09feb18 WOE-EMA, for paint	ex D-ABNO
Airbus A320	-214	6892		OE-IZH	easyJet Europe	delivery 06feb18 MPL-MXP	ex D-ABNR
Airbus A320	-251N	8016		HS-CBG	Thai AirAsia	delivery 07feb18 TSN-DMK	ex B-000C
Airbus A320	-214	8072		HZ-AS67	Saudi Arabian Airlines	for delivery 09feb18 XFW-JED	ex D-AVVA
Airbus A321	-211	1607		CS-	Galistair	for delivery apr18, to be ops by White	ex D-AIAA
Airbus A321	-211	1629		OE-LCE	flyNiki	ferried 08feb18 VIE-DGX for storage	ex D-ALSA
Airbus A321	-231	3864		D-AISP	Lufthansa	ferried 07feb18 OSR-FRA after paint into new cs, 1st A321	ex D-AVZK
Airbus A321	-211	7119		CC-BEQ	Latam Chile	ferried 07-08feb18 SNN-SOF-AUH, OE-reg prior delivery (+ 7260 CC-BER ferried 07feb18 ex OE-IFY)	ex OE-IFX
Airbus A321	-211	7934		VP-BTK	Aeroflot	delivery 07feb18 XFW-SVO	ex D-AYAR
Airbus A321	-231	8047		N684NK	Spirit Airlines	delivery 08feb18 BFM-DTW	ex F-WZMD
Airbus A321	-211	8104		TF-CAT	Wow Air	delivery 10feb18 XFW-KEF	ex D-AVZF
Airbus A330	-202	1412		5A-LAR	Libyan Airlines	ferried 07feb18 MJI-CAI for further repairs after militia fights15jan18	ex F-WWCK
Airbus A350	-941	180		ET-AVB	Ethiopian Airlines	delivery 06feb18 TLS-ADD	ex F-WZFX
Airbus A350	-941	186		9V-SMU	Singapore Airlines	delivery 09feb18 TLS-SIN	ex F-WWTW
Airbus A380	-841	5		9V-SKB	Singapore Airlines	ferried 09feb18 SIN-LDE, for HiFly Malta	ex F-WWSB