Airbus Updates No.1693

Air Mauritius considering A320neo and B737 MAX products

Air Mauritius Airbus A319-100© Tis Meyer / PlanePics.org

26OCT2017

Air Mauritius (MK, Mauritius) chief executive Somaskaran Appavou has told Air Transport World that the airline is planning to conclude a narrowbody replacement study by the end of this year with the B737 MAX and A320neo aircraft families currently under consideration.

The ch-aviation fleets database currently shows that Air Mauritius's narrowbody fleet consists of two owned A319-100s with an average age of 15.4 years. It uses its A319 fleet for regional services from its Mauritius hub to Antananarivo, Cape Town, Dar-es-Salaam, Durban King Shaka, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo and Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta.

Having just taken delivery of its first of six A350-900s and with two A330-900neo aircraft on order, Air Mauritius has already chosen to go with Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) for its widebody needs. Appavou also mentioned an interest in the A321neo LR as part of the current narrowbody study being undertaken.

Airbus Updates No.1692

easyJet agrees to take over up to 25 Air Berlin aircraft

Air Berlin Airbus A320-200© Airbus

27 minutes ago

easyJet (U2, London Luton) has announced it has reached an agreement with the administrator of Air Berlin (AB, Berlin Tegel) wherein the UK-headquartered budget carrier will take over the dry-leases on up to twenty-five A320 aircraft currently in service for the bankrupt German operator.

The deal, which has been in the offing since earlier this summer, still requires approvals from Air Berlin's creditors committee, the solicitor in its insolvency proceedings, and the European Commission. If given, easyJet plans to recruit 1,000 new employees in Berlin and will "primarily" base the A320 family aircraft at Berlin Tegel where it will also assume its slots. The transaction is valued at approximately EUR40million (USD46.5million) and is expected to close in December 2017.

The tie-up also signals that talks between Air Berlin and Condor (DE, Frankfurt Int'l) over a similar, if smaller, deal, have now ended albeit unsuccessfully.

In its statement confirming the agreement, easyJet emphasized its strategy of pursuing either the number one or number two position at Europe's leading airports and said it eagerly anticipated becoming Berlin's leading airline going forward. It added that it plans to operate a "reduced timetable" from Tegel during the upcoming winter season but plans to have up to 25 aircraft operational by the end of March 2018.

"This will enable easyJet to operate the leading short-haul network at Tegel connecting passengers to and from destinations across Germany and the rest of Europe," it said.

In terms of its existing German capital operations, Berlin Schönefeld is currently easyJet's sixth largest base behind London Gatwick, Geneva, Milan Malpensa, London Luton, and Amsterdam. From Schönefeld, the LCC will serve Amsterdam, Athens Int'l, Barcelona El Prat, Basle/Mulhouse/Freiburg, CH, Bordeaux, Bristol Int'l, Budapest, Copenhagen Kastrup, Edinburgh, Geneva, Glasgow Int'l, Larnaca, Lisbon, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Luton, Luxembourg, Lyon St. Exupéry, Malaga, Manchester Int'l, Marseilles, Milan Malpensa, Naples Int'l, Newcastle, GB, Nice, Palma Son Sant Joan, Paris Orly, Pisa, Pristina, Salzburg, Santa Cruz de La Palma, Tallinn Lennart Meri, Tel Aviv Ben Gurion, Tenerife Sur, Thessaloniki, Toulouse Blagnac, Venice Marco Polo, Vienna and Zurich this winter season using twelve based aircraft.

Airbus Updates No.1691

Malaysia Airlines details A380 to A350 roll over

Malaysia Airlines Airbus A380-800© Airbus Industrie

24OCT2017

Malaysia Airlines (MH, Kuala Lumpur Int'l) is planning to withdraw its six A380-800s from regular scheduled service by March 5, 2018 according to the carrier's schedule data. It currently uses the aircraft for a twice daily service on its flagship route from Kuala Lumpur Int'l to London Heathrow.

An incoming fleet of six A350-900s will initially be deployed on regional services from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore Changi, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and Penang between December 9 and January 13, according to Airline Route, before taking over the first Heathrow rotation starting January 15 and the second starting March 5.

As previously reported, MAS plans to reconfigure its A380s in high density configuration and then make it available to Hajj and Umrah charter services both from Malaysia and elsewhere.

Airbus Updates No.1690

Airbus A320	-251N	7803		9M-AGK	AirAsia	delivery 26oct17 TSN-KUL, 1st Neo assembled in TSN	ex B-000A
Airbus A320	-214	7886		A6-AOU	Air Arabia	delivery 26oct17 XFW-SHJ	ex D-AUBE
Airbus A320	-214	7890		B-1018	China Eastern	delivery 27oct17 XFW-TSE	ex D-AXAN
Airbus A320	-214	7916		B-8895	Zhejiang Loong Airlines	delivery 26-27oct17 XFW-TSE-TSN	ex D-AUBP
Airbus A321	-251N	7697		4R-AND	Sri Lankan	delivery 28-29oct17 XFW-DXB-CMB	ex D-AZAB
Airbus A321	-231	7798		N985JT	JetBlue	delivery 26oct17 BFM-GSO	ex F-WZMO
Airbus A321	-231	7825		N679NK	Spirit Airlines	deliver 25oct17 BFM-DTW	ex F-WZMP
Airbus A321	-211	7878		VP-BTH	Aeroflot	delivery 27oct17 XFW-SVO	ex D-AVZQ
Airbus A321	-211	7894		VN-A633	VietJetAir	delivery 27-28oct17 XFW-ALA-SGN	ex D-AZAW
Airbus A321	-271N	7917		N202HA	Hawaiian Airlines	delivery 28oct17 XFW-JFK	ex D-AYAF
Airbus A330	-243	314		F-WTBA	Aircraft Engine Lease Finance	ferried 19/29oct17 LDE-LPA-MEX, for Air Transat as C-GUBF	ex F-WJKM
Airbus A330	-203	472		PT-MVG	Latam Brasil	ferried 26oct17 QSC CNF, basic TAM cs	ex F-WWKQ
Airbus A330	-223	739		D-ALPH	Air Berlin	to be ferried 27oct17 DUS-GIG, for TAP Air Portugal	ex F-WWYD
Airbus A330	-302	1806		B-16340	Eva Air	delivery 26oct17 TLS-TPE	ex F-WWYA
Airbus A330	-343	1825		B-8690	Sichuan Airlines	delivery 26oct17 TLS-TSN	ex F-WWYJ
Airbus A350	-941	148		B-LRU	Cathay Pacific	delivery 27oct17 TLS-HKG	ex F-WZGT
Airbus A380	-842	236		A6-EUT	Emirates	delivery 28oct17 XFW-DXB	ex F-WWAP

Airbus Updates No.1689

Airbus A319	-111	2332		EC-MTE	Volotea	ferried 28oct17 NTE-SNN, EI-reg for re-registration	ex EI-FMV
Airbus A319	-132	2813		D-AGWA	Eurowings	ferried 25oct17 DUS-VIE on transfer to Eurowings Europe	ex D-AVWM
Airbus A319	-111	3364		VQ-BTL	Vim Avia	ferried 24oct17 VKO-WOE on return to lessor	ex AP-EDB
Airbus A320	-212	1381		OO-TCX	Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium	ferried 27oct17 HAJ-BRU, last flight by the airline	ex D-AICI
Airbus A320	-212	1402		OO-TCT	Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium	flight 27oct17 BRU-PFO-BRU	ex D-AICJ
Airbus A320	-214	1954		OO-TCW	Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium	ferried 27oct17 HAJ-MAN, for Thomas Cook Airlines Balearics	ex G-TCAE
Airbus A320	-214	1961		D-ABNF	Air Berlin	ferried 26oct17 MUC-OSR on return to lessor	ex G-SUEW
Airbus A320	-214	2529		D-ASPG	Small Planet Airlines Germany	last svc 22oct17 BRE-RHO-PAD prior return to (Air Berlin) lessor	ex OE-LEA
Airbus A320	-214	2606		D-ABNV	Air Berlin	ferried 28oct17 VIE-SXF for interim storage	ex B-6261
Airbus A320	-214	2619		D-ABDB	Small Planet Airlines Germany	ferried 18oct17 AMS-BUD prior return to (Air Berlin) lessor	ex SP-IAH
Airbus A320	-214	2627		D-ABNW	Air Berlin	ops 27oct17 last AB scheuled svc MUC-TXL, ferried 28oct17 TXL-SXF for interim storage	ex B-6262
Airbus A320	-216	2932		EI-DSB	Alitalia	ferried 26oct17 FCO-SNN, basic cs on return to lessor	ex F-WWBX
Airbus A320	-214	3055		D-ABDO	Air Berlin	ferried 28oct17 TXL-SNN on return to lessor	ex HB-IOW
Airbus A320	-214	3422		D-ABDT	Air Berlin	ferried 28oct17 TXL-VIE, for flyNiki as OE-LOA (+ 3908 D-ABHO, for flyniki as OE-LOD)	ex HB-IOQ
Airbus A320	-214	3516		D-ABDU	Air Berlin	ferried 28oct17 DUS-VIE, for flyNiki as OE-LOB	ex D-AVVC
Airbus A320	-214	4187		HB-IOP	Belair Airlines	ferried 28oct17 ZRH-VIE, for flyNiki as OE-LOG	ex D-AVVY
Airbus A320	-214	4294		VT-IHP	IndiGo Airlines	at SNN 26oct17 in full cs after paint, LZ-reg prior delivery	ex LZ-AWM
Airbus A320	-214	4316		D-ABHL	Air Berlin	ferried 28oct17 TXL-WOE	ex OE-LEF
Airbus A320	-214	4594		D-ABHM	Air Berlin	ferried 28oct17 TXL-MUC	ex OE-LEH
Airbus A320	-214	6831		D-ABNO	Air Berlin	ferried 28oct17 TXL-SXF for interim storage (+ 6927 D-ABNX, + 4033 D-ABDZ, + 6877 D-ABNQ FRA-SXF)	ex D-AXAS

Airbus Updates No.1688

News

Libyan Airlines A330 damaged by gunfire at Tripoli

Libyan Airlines Airbus A330-200© Airbus

11 hours ago

Libya's Tripoli airport has reopened to most traffic following a 48 hour-closure due to armed fighting in the area. A Libyan Airlines (LN, Tripoli Mitiga) A330-200 5A-LAR (msn 1412) was damaged by shrapnel during the clashes, and is currently grounded.

The airport announced the closure on October 17 saying that "the airport was evacuated to protect the safety of passengers and employees after renewed clashes in its surroundings." Further updates indicate that flights are operating to normal schedules for the time being.

News site El Balad reports that the Special Deterrent Force which protects the airport engaged with a group that tried to attack the airport, following the fatal shooting of an attempted drug smuggler.

Mitiga has frequently suspended operations over the past few years because of conflict. In July, the airport closed to traffic for two days after fighting breached the airport perimeter. All flights were diverted to Misurata airport. Flights were also delayed back in March 2016 for "safety and security reasons". 

Tripoli has been racked with violent skirmishes since 2011, as Libya's two rival governments and a growing ISIS presence do battle for control of the country. 

Airlines operating out of Tripoli Mitiga include: Libyan Airlines, Libyan Wings (YL, Tripoli Mitiga), Afriqiyah Airways (8U, Tripoli Mitiga), Rahila Air (RIH, Tripoli Mitiga), Buraq Air (UZ, Tripoli Mitiga), and Global Aviation (Libya) (5S, Tripoli Mitiga).

Airbus Updates No.1687

Eurowings details wet-lease plans to replace Air Berlin lift

Illustration of Eurowings Airbus A320-200© Eurowings

15 hours ago

Eurowings (EW, Dusseldorf) will wet-lease two A340-300s from Belgian sister carrier Brussels Airlines(SN, Brussels National) starting from the end of March 2018. The plan has been confirmed by Brussels Airlines to Belgium's De Tijd after details leaked to the Belgian press following a meeting between Brussels Airlines management and trade unions.

The two aircraft will be sourced from Lufthansa's current fleet and be based in Dusseldorf for new routes to destinations such as Los Angeles Int'l and New York, routes which were previously served by bankrupt Air Berlin (AB, Berlin Tegel). Eurowings currently does not operate long-haul services itself, but instead wet-leases six A330-200s from Sun Express Deutschland (XG, Frankfurt Int'l), with a seventh such aircraft due soon. The Lufthansa Group low-cost carrier is planning to launch long-haul services from Dusseldorf to Punta Cana on November 8 using a B767-300(ER) aircraft operated by TUI fly (Germany) (X3, Hanover). It plans to serve Punta Cana twice weekly and Varadero weekly this winter season.

According to schedule data, Eurowings will also wet-lease PrivatAir (Switzerland)'s single B767-300(ER) HB-JJF (msn 27613) for the Punta Cana route from Dusseldorf between March 25 and April 29.

Regarding Eurowings' short-haul plans for the upcoming winter season, chief executive Thorsten Dirks told Süddeutsche Zeitung on October 17 that it would only wet-lease seven B737 aircraft from TUI fly instead of the fourteen the German leisure carrier currently operates on behalf of Niki (HG, Vienna). In general however, Dirks expects major difficulties ahead given Eurowings will have to replace the capacity of 32 Air Berlin (AB, Berlin Tegel) A320 family aircraft currently operating on its behalf during the months of November and December as Lufthansa Group waits for European Commission approval for the proposed transaction to take over 81 former Air Berlin group aircraft and subsidiaries Niki and LGW - Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter (HE, Dortmund). Unlike parent Air Berlin, which is due to completely suspend operations by the end of next week, Niki will continue to operate leisure routes in cooperation with tour operators in the meantime and might also wet-lease some aircraft to Eurowings.

While LGW will start operating at least ten Dash 8-400 aircraft on behalf of Eurowings next week, Dirks also expects to be forced to lease in whatever equipment is available on the ACMI market to fill the gaps: "There will be aircraft with different liveries and many different uniforms. The goal now is to get as much capacity as possible into the market and to use aircraft from wherever we can find them. Not everything will work as planned."

Meanwhile, Oneworld has announced that both Air Berlin (AB, Berlin Tegel) and Niki (HG, Vienna) will leave the alliance by October 27.

Airbus Updates No.1686

AIRBUS ORDERS AND CANCELLATIONS FOR 2017 

Orders
Aercap 1 x A320ceo
AirAsia 3 x A320ceo
Air France 3 x A350-900
ALC 12 x A321neo, 2 x A321ceo
BOC Aviation 2 x A320ceo
CALC 9 x A320ceo, 2 x A320neo
Cathay Pacific 32 x A321neo
Cebu Pacific 7 x A321ceo
China Southern 20 x A350-900
Delta Airlines 40 x A321ceo
Ethiopian Airlines 10 x A350-900
Frontier Airlines 1 x A320neo
GECAS 100 x A320neo
HiFly 2 x A330-200
IAG 3 x A330-200
Iberia 1 x A330-200
K Air Airlines 8 x A320ceo
Nile Air 2 x A321neo
Peach Aviation 4 x A320ceo
Private Customer 1 x ACJ319neo
Spirit Airlines 2 x A320ceo
Undisclosed 3 x A319ceo (13 March)
Undisclosed 3 x A319ceo (10 April)
Undisclosed 5 x A320ceo (2 May)
Undisclosed 4 x A320neo {3 May)
Undisclosed 1 x A350-1000 (6 July)
Undisclosed 2 x A320neo, 2 x A330-900 (5 Sep) – Aircalin
Undisclosed 4 x A330-300 (29 Sep)
United Airlines 10 x A350-900
VivaAerobus 1 x A320ceo
Vueling 3 x A320ceo
Wizzair 10 x A321ceo
Yemenia – Yemen Airways 4 x A320neo

Gross 319
Cancellations 48
Net 271

Cancellations/Changes
Air France 2 x A388 (converted to 3 x A359)
Avianca 5 x A319neo (converted to 5 x A320ceo)
CALC 6 x A320neo (converted to A320ceo)
Nile Air 2 x A321ceo (converted to A321neo)
Qatar Airways 4 x A350-900
Spirit Airlines 2 x A320neo (converted to A320ceo)
Transasia 6 x A321neos, 4 x A338
Undisclosed 4 x A320neo (April)
Undisclosed 2 x A320neo (April)
Undisclosed 5 x A320neo (May – converted to A320ceo)
Undisclosed 4 x A320ceo (May – converted to A320neo)
Undisclosed 1 A319ceo (August)
Undisclosed 1 x A319neo (August)
United Airlines 35 x A350-1000 (converted to A350-900)
Yemenia – Yemen Airways 4 x A320ceo (converted to A320neo)

Airbus Updates No.1685

The Airbus A330neo Performs its First Flight – Live from Toulouse

Roberto Leiro

October 19

04:122017

Print This Article

 by Roberto Leiro 0 Comments

TOULOUSE — The first prototype of the A330-900 has taken off this morning before the eyes of Airbus’ employees, invitees and media.

The aircraft, (F-WTTE · MSN 1795) departed Toulouse–Blagnac Airport at 09:57 local time (07:57 GMT), commanded by Captains Thierry Bourges, and Thomas Wilhem, Experimental Test Pilots, and Alain Pourchet, Test-Flight Engineer. The Flight Test Station Staff were Jean-Philippe Cottet, Emiliano Requena Esteban, and Gert Wunderlich.

The progress of the test flight, focused on the aircraft’s handling characteristics and flight envelope, will also be monitored in real time on a ground station via a direct telemetry link.

During the planned two-hour flight over Southwestern France, a Dassault Falcon 20 chase plane will join the A330-900 to document the behavior of the aircraft in flight. (Credits: Author)

Airbus plans to carry out a 1,400-hour flight-test campaign. The A330-900 will log 1,100 flight test hours before its certification and delivery to TAP Portugal by the third quarter of 2018.

The shortened -800 variant will go through a shorter flight test campaign of just 300 flight hours, and its certification is planned to take place in 2019.

A total of three A330neo will integrate the flight test fleet. The second A330-900 is set to join the fleet by the next month. The third aircraft, an A330-800, is currently in production.

To date, the A330neo program has logged 212 orders. 206 correspond to the A330-900, and just six A330-800 for Hawaiian Airlines (HA).

Among the largest customers there are AirAsia X (AK) with commitments for 66 aircraft, Iran Air (IA) for 28, Air Lease Corporation with 27, and Delta Air Lines with 25 aircraft.

AN ENHANCED MTOW VERSION ON THE WORKS

---

During a press conference after takeoff, Fabrice Brégier, president and chief executive officer of Airbus, has confirmed that the company is planning to systematically improve the Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW) of the A330neo, taking it from 242 tonnes to 251 tonnes by mid 2020, and it will extend the range of the A330neo by 700 nautical miles when compared to the standard neo, and 1,500 nautical miles when compared to the A330ceo (current engine option).