Airbus Updates No.1870

First ACJ320neo final assembly – Hamburg, Germany

The first ACJ320neo – an Airbus Corporate Jet derived from the A320neo used by airlines around the world – has entered the final assembly process and is due to be delivered to Acropolis Aviation of the United Kingdom in the final quarter of 2018

Airbus Updates No.1869

Nepal Airlines adds maiden A330

Nepal Airlines Airbus A330-200 © Airbus

13 hours ago

Nepal Airlines (RA, Kathmandu) has taken delivery of its first A330-200 following the arrival of 9N-ALY (msn 1872) in Kathmandu on Thursday, June 28.

The twinjet will be joined by a second of the type, 9N-ALZ (msn 1878), which will arrive in-country in four weeks' time.

Both aircraft have been procured from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) via a consortium of three firms that include Portuguese ACMI/charter specialists Hi Fly, AAR Aircraft Sales & Leasing, and the German Aviation Capital Corporation (GACC).

According to Aviation Nepal, the Rolls-Royce Trent 700 jets will feature a two-class cabin configuration of 274 seats with 18 in business class and 256 in economy class. They will initially be deployed on flights to Dubai Int'l before opening up new services for the Nepali carrier.

Nepal Airlines' fleet also includes two A320-200s, one B757-200, three DHC-6-300s, two MA-60s, and four Y12s.

Airbus Updates No.1868

Russia's S7 Airlines adds maiden A321neo

Logo of S7 Airlines © S7 Airlines

11 hours ago

S7 Airlines (S7, Novosibirsk) has taken delivery of its first A321neo. One of four on lease from Air Lease Corporation, VQ-BDU (msn 8088) was ferried from Hamburg Finkenwerder to Moscow Domodedovo on Wednesday, June 27.

"The new Airbus A321neo aircraft will enable us to increase capacity on long-distance flights within Russia as well as offer our passengers new international routes,” Vladimir Obyedkov, the CEO of S7 Airlines, said.

VQ-BDU is powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1100Gs.

S7 Airlines is an existing A320neo Family operator with six A320neo currently in service alongside seven A321ceo. It also operates eighteen A319-100s, eighteen A320ceo, and seventeen B737-800s (operated by its Globus (GH, Novosibirsk) subsidiary).

Airbus Updates No.1867

Canada's Air Transat to lease seven more A321neo

Illustration of Air Transat Airbus A321-200LR(neo) © Airbus

5 hours ago

Air Transat (TS, Montréal Trudeau) has signed an agreement with AerCap for the long-term lease of seven A321neo Family jets including two A321neo and five A321neo(LR)s.

The Canadian leisure specialist said in a statement the aircraft would deliver direct from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) between 2020 and 2022 and will replace select A330s whose leases will expire over the period.

"We are continuing our fleet transformation in order to achieve greater efficiency and versatility," Jean-François Lemay, President of Air Transat, said. "With their smaller size, the A321neos will enable us to implement our air strategy, which involves increasing our flight frequencies, expanding our network and strengthening our position in several markets. The goal: continue to provide our customers with comfortable service at the best possible price."

With 199 seats in a two-class configuration, the A321neo will be used for feeder flights and service to the South (short- and medium-haul) while the long-range variant will be deployed to Caribbean Sun and transatlantic destinations.

Air Transat has an existing contract with AerCap for ten A321neo(LR)s which will start delivering from spring 2019 onwards. These aircraft will be used to gradually replace Air Transat's fleet of seven A310-300s, all of which will be retired by late 2020.

Air Transat currently operates seven A310-300s, two A320-200s, two A321-200s, sixteen A330-200s, four A330-300s, and six B737-800s. The Boeing narrowbodies will be withdrawn by 2024 at which time Air Transat will transition into an all-Airbus operation.

Airbus Updates No.1866

Spain's Iberia adds maiden A350-900

Iberia Airbus A350-900© Airbus

10 hours ago

Iberia (IB, Madrid Barajas) has taken delivery of its first A350-900 following the handing over of EC-MXV (msn 219) on Tuesday, June 26. 

Schedule data shows it will tentatively begin operations on July 20 with crew training flights to London Heathrow followed by Paris Orly on July 27. Its longhaul debut is slated for August 4 with service to New York JFK.

Iberia has configured the jets with 348 seats of which 31 are in Business class, 24 are in its new Premium Tourist cabin, and 293 are in Economy class.

The IAG International Airlines Group unit has a further 15 aircraft of the type due from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) by 2021.

Airbus Updates No.1865

Airbus A321	-211	8359		N355DN	Delta Air Lines	delivery 28jun18 XFW-KEF-YYR-MCI	ex D-AYAZ
Airbus A330	-223	979		VP-BUA	Nordwind Airlines	delivery 25jun18 LETL-SVO, all white	ex EI-EJZ
Airbus A330	-202	1877		EC-MYA	Level	delivery 25jun18 TLS-MAD	ex F-WWKT
Airbus A330	-343	1880		B-	Capital Airlines	delivery 21jun18 TLS-TSN, F-reg for cabin config and paint	ex F-WWYJ
Airbus A340	-642	764		B-KOL	South Pacific Airlines	delivery 21jun18 MAN-MNL, G-reg wearing dual reg	ex G-VFIZ
Airbus A340	-313	938		OO-ABE	Air Belgium	delivery 28jun18 LDE-LGG	ex F-WXAH
Airbus A340	-642	1030		9H-PGS	Maleth-Aero	ferried 24jun18 BOH-AUH, 2-reg prior delivery	ex 2-FIXP
Airbus A350	-941	212		D-AIXK	Lufthansa	delivery 21jun18 TLS-MUC	ex F-WZNN
Airbus A350	-941	219		EC-MXV	Iberia	delivery 26jun18 TLS-MAD	ex F-WZNP
Airbus A380	-841	8		9V-SKD	Singapore Airlines	ferried 27jun18 SIN-LDE, all white, for storage	ex F-WWSE
Airbus A400M	-180	78		16-0078	Türk Hava Kuvvetleri	delivery 21jun18 SVQ-ASR	ex A4M078

Airbus Updates No.1864

Airbus A310	-325	644		EK31002	Armenia Airways	delivery 25jun18 OTP-EVN	ex YR-LCB
Airbus A319	-112	3661		D-ABGN	LGW	Eurowing cs, ferried 25jun18 HAJ-SXF after storage	ex OE-LNA
Airbus A320	-212	1286		F-HZGS	Air Corsica	delivery 28jun18 WOE-AJA	ex RP-C8987
Airbus A320	-251N	8167		VT-CIM	Air India	delivery 26jun18 TLS-DEL	ex F-WWDK
Airbus A320	-251N	8243		G-UZHG	easyJet	delivery 26jun18 XFW-LTN	ex D-AXAZ
Airbus A320	-251N	8268		G-EZHH	easyJet	delivery 28jun18 XFW-LTN	ex D-AVVQ
Airbus A320	-251N	8272		TC-NBV	Pegasus Airlines	delivery 27jun18 TLS-SAW	ex F-WWIX
Airbus A320	-214	8334		JA25MC	Starflyer	delivery 23jun18 TLS-TSE	ex F-WWIM
Airbus A320	-214	8343		A6-AOX	Air Arabia	delivery 27jun18 TLS-SHJ	ex F-WWDO
Airbus A320	-214	8344		G-EZRY	easyJet	delivery 21jun18 XFW-LTN	ex D-AUBJ
Airbus A321	-231	1202		EP-IGD	Iran government	re-regd in svc 26jun18 THR-RAS	ex EP-AGB
Airbus A321	-211	2005		OE-LCD	GECAS	ferried 22jun18 HAM-BUD	ex D-ALSC
Airbus A321	-211	6454		OE-LCN	Anisec Luftfahrt	delivery 26jun18 BTS-VIE, after paint into Level cs (+ 6719 OE-LCR NWI-VIE)	ex HB-IOU
Airbus A321	-211	6629		OE-LCP	Anisec Luftfahrt	ferried 22jun18 LFBF-LDE-BTS for paint into Level cs prior delivery	ex HB-JOV
Airbus A321	-253N	8085		TF-DTR	Wow Air	delivery 26jun18 XFW-KEF	ex D-AVYW
Airbus A321	-271N	8088		VQ-BDU	S7 Airlines	delivery 27jun18 XFW-DME	ex D-AVYY
Airbus A321	-231	8293		N995JL	jetBlue	delivery 28jun18 BFM-LCQ	ex F-WZMX
Airbus A321	-211	8322		N353DN	Delta Air Lines	delivery 27jun18 XFW-KEF-YYR-MCI	ex D-AVZY
Airbus A321	-231	8325		HA-LTE	Wizz Air	delivery 28jun18 XFW-BUD	ex D-AVZY
Airbus A321	-231	8336		B-300E	Capital Airlines	delivery 28jun18 XFW-TSE	ex D-AYAK

Airbus Updates No.1863

Air China pencils in A350 debut for late 3Q18

Logo of Air China© Air China

19JUN2018

Air China (CA, Beijing Capital) has set a tentative September 1 date for the start of commercial A350-900 operations, ch-aviation analysis of schedule data has revealed.

As it stands, the Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) widebody will be used to run 2x daily Beijing Capital-Chengdu shuttle flights, presumably for crew training purposes, through to September 30. Additional deployment plans are expected to be announced closer to the time of delivery.

According to its financial statements, Air China has a total of ten A350-900s on order of which six are due this year while the remaining four are due next year.

Airbus Updates no.1862

LaudaMotion talks with Airbus, lessors

Illustration of LaudaMotion Airbus A320-200© LaudaMotion

20JUN2018

LaudaMotion (OE, Vienna) is negotiating a new order for narrowbodies with Airbus but is also talking to lessors who could ensure quicker deliveries for the expanding leisure carrier, Reuters has reported. 

"Airbus is sold out until the end of 2020. But there are enough leasing firms," chairman and founder Niki Lauda has told journalists. 

According to the ch-aviation fleets module, the Austrian carrier currently operates ten A320 Family aircraft, including five A320-200s and five A321-200s, although one unit of the latter type has not yet been released from pre-delivery maintenance at Sofia. LaudaMotion also wet-leases eight B737-800s from its equity partner Ryanair. In total, it plans to operate twenty units in Summer 2018, including ten Boeing narrowbodies wet-leased from the Irish LCC. 

It is recalled that Niki Lauda said in May 2018 that the carrier would be talking about an order for nine A320 Family units, possibly including some A320neos. Subject to availability on the market, LaudaMotion would be looking to add the first units of the new batch already for Winter 2018/19 or at the beginning of 2019 in order to replace the B737-800s wet-leased from Ryanair. 

LaudaMotion plans to boost its own fleet to thirty jets within two years. 

LaudaMotion, an airline born after the takeover of Niki by Niki Lauda, is coordinating its fleet strategy with Ryanair, which already holds a 24.9% stake in the Austrian carrier and is looking to increase it to 75%, pending the European Commission's approval.

Airbus Updates No.1861

Airbus mulls ultra-long-range A321neo variant - report

Airbus Airbus A321-200neo© Airbus

20JUN2018

Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) is reportedly mulling developing a new ultra-long-range variant of the A321neo narrowbody, tentatively dubbed the A321XLR, Reuters has reported. 

The new variant would be equipped with additional fuel tanks which would extend its range beyond even the capabilities of the A321neo(LR), the longest-range variant of the A320neo Family currently in production and which is currently undergoing type certification. 

Airbus has not commented on the report. If confirmed, the new XLR would likely challenge rival Boeing's "Middle Of Market" project. The American manufacturer is currently studying a new type which was broadly outlined during the Paris Air Show in 2017. Although configuration has yet to be firmed, Boeing officials have said it could be in service by 2025.

Deliveries of the A321neo(LR)s are expected to commence later this year, with the first aircraft going to Primera Air Scandinavia (PF, Billund) and TAP Air Portugal (TP, Lisbon). Other airlines which have commitments for the new variant include Norwegian, Aer Lingus, Jetstar Airways, Air Astana, Air Transat, Air Arabia, and Azores Airlines.

Airbus Updates No.1860

Cathay Pacific adds maiden A350-1000

Cathay Pacific Airbus A350-1000© Cathay Pacific

20JUN2018

Cathay Pacific (CX, Hong Kong Int'l) has taken delivery of its first A350-1000 following the handing over of B-LXA (msn 118) at a ceremony on Tuesday, June 19.

The Hong Kong-based carrier said in a statement marking the event that for the purposes of crew training, the twinjet would initially be deployed on regional Asian services starting with Taipei Taoyuanon July 1. Thereafter, it will make its intercontinental debut on September 15 with a non-stop flight to Washington Dulles.

Cathay Pacific has twenty of the type on firm order from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) of which eight are expected this year, four next year, with the remainder due from 2020 and beyond. It is also an existing operator of the A350-900 of which it has twenty-two in service at present.

Airbus Updates No.1859

Hainan Airlines said to order 15 A350s - report

Logo of Hainan Airlines© Hainan Airlines

21 hours ago

Hainan Airlines (HU, Haikou) is the Unidentified Customer behind an order for fifteen A350-900s, Reuters has reported citing industry sources. The order was placed on May 31.

In related news, Reuters says China Eastern Airlines (MU, Shanghai Hongqiao) is in the market for 150 narrowbody jets witn both Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) and Boeing (BOE, Chicago O'Hare) products in contention.

According to the report, Airbus could have wrapped up a 180-aircraft order in January this year if only for "unfortunate" comments made by French and German officials concerning the 1937 Nanking Massacre, in which Japanese troops are said to have killed 300,000 Chinese civilians.

Sources familiar with diplomatic developments told Reuters that comments made by the French and German ambassadors to China in a December 2017 edition of The Financial Times wherein they used the massacre as a reference for economic reconciliation with Japan, akin to that between France and Germany post-1945, was received "coolly" in Beijing. The sources said the comments were seen as "unwarranted foreign advice on a painful episode in China’s history"

Airbus Updates No.1858

Air Malta's first Airbus A320NEO 9H-NEO

Airbus Updates No.1857

Airbus A321	-211	5038		C-FYXF	Rouge	onward delivery 19jun18 DUB-YMX	ex OE-LCI
Airbus A321	-271N	7920		B-1087	China Southern	delivery 19-20jun18 XFW-TSE-CAN	ex D-AYAH
Airbus A321	-271N	7968		B-1089	China Southern	delivery 20-21jun18 XFW-TSE-CAN	ex D-AVYD
Airbus A321	-271N	8112		B-1053	Sichuan Airlines	delivery 19-20jun18 XFW-TSE-TSN	ex D-AVZH
Airbus A321	-271N	8129		N212HA	Hawaiian Airlines	delivery 15jun18 BFM-PAE	ex F-WZMH
Airbus A321	-251N	8270		CS-TJI	TAP Air Portugal	delivery 19jun18 XFW-LIS	ex D-AYAF
Airbus A321	-211	8279		N356DN	Delta Air Lines	delivery 19jun18 BFM-MCI	ex F-WZMW
Airbus A330	-322	96		9H-AGU	HiFly Malta	posn 17jun18 MAD-MAN on wet-lease to Thomas Cook Airlines	ex EI-FSP
Airbus A330	-243	807		DQ-FJP?	Fiji Airways	in full cs at AUH 17jun18, S7-reg prior delivery	ex S7-VDM
Airbus A330	-243	1208		PR-OBS	Avianca Brasil	N-reg canx15jun18, ferried 18jun18 BOG-CNF on transfer	ex N974AV
Airbus A350	-941	114		A7-ALW	Qatar Airways	delivery 20jun18 TLS-DOH	ex F-WZGN
Airbus A350	-1041	118		B-LXA	Cathay Pacific	delivery 19jun18 TLS-HKG	ex F-WZGV
Airbus A350	-941	212		D-AIXK	Lufthansa	delivery 21jun18 TLS-MUC	ex F-WZNN
Airbus A400M	-180	78		16-0078	Türk Hava Kuvvetleri	delivery 21jun18 SVQ-ASR	ex A4M078