Airbus Updates No.3114

 SAS Successfully Finances Four Airbus Aircraft Deliveries

SAS has successfully secured the financing for the delivery of four new Airbus aircraft. The Solna, Sweden-headquartered full-service carrier has reached a sale and leaseback agreement for one Airbus A350-900 and three Airbus A320neos with CDB Aviation Lease Finance. The agreement also includes pre-delivery payments for the financing of five A320neos to be delivered in 2022.

SAS received its latest A350-900 on March 26th. Photo: SAS

SAS took delivery of the Airbus A350-900 on Friday the 26th of March, 2021. The aircraft has the registration number SE-RSE and, in keeping with its Nordic heritage, has named the plane “Ingeborg Viking”. The three A320neo aircraft are expected to be delivered to SAS sometime during the spring of 2022.

SAS will sell and then lease back the aircraft

The agreement between SAS and CDB Aviation Lease Finance means that the Scandanavian airline will sell the Airbus aircraft to CDB Aviation Lease Finance and then take them back on a long-term lease. CDB Aviation Lease Finance is wholly owned by the China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co. Ltd and has its headquarters in Dublin, Ireland.

In a statement released today announcing the agreement, SAS CFO Magnus Örnberg said,

“SAS has previously worked together with CDB Aviation Lease Finance for other S&LB transactions, and we are glad that we have secured financing of new aircraft deliveries together with Pat Hannigan and his team. The financing enables financing of our transition towards a unified fleet with significantly lower emissions in a cost and cash efficient way.” 

By selling planes that airlines have on order with the manufacturer to lessors and then taking them back on a lease, it offers airlines greater financial flexibility. This is especially important during the current crisis as it allows airlines to conserve cash. For aircraft leasing companies, it allows them to purchase planes at a discount while also expanding their portfolio.

SAS decided to become an all-Airbus airline

Several years ago, before the world had ever heard about COVID-19, SAS had made plans to modernize its short- and long-haul fleet. While deciding to commit to one aircraft manufacturer for its planes, SAS chose European planemaker Airbus to supply its future needs.

All together, SAS has ordered 80 A320neos, three A321LRs, and eight A350-900s. SAS says that the orders are a strategic step in its sustainability and development. All the new aircraft feature state-of-the-art technology and come with superior fuel efficiency and operating costs.

About SAS

SAS is the flag carrier of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden and has its headquarters in the SAS Frösundavik Office Building in Solna, Sweden. The airline’s main hub is Copenhagen-Kastrup Airport (CPH), and its secondary hub is at Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL).

SAS plans to become an all-Airbus airline. Photo: SAS

Governed by its Scandanavian heritage and sustainable values, SAS plans to reduce its carbon emissions by 25% by 2025 by using sustainable aviation fuel in its modern fleet of fuel-efficient aircraft.

As of March 29, 2021, aviation enthusiast website Planespotters.net list SAS as having the following aircraft in its fleet:

• 7 x ATR 72s
• 4 x Airbus A319-100s
• 11 x Airbus A320-200s
• 44 x Airbus A320neos
• 8 x  Airbus A321-200s
• 1 x Airbus A321neo
• 9 x Airbus A330-300s
• 5 x Airbus A350-900s

Airbus Updates No.3113

 

Airbus A320	-271N	10330		N937NK	Spirit Airlines	delivery 26mar21 BFM-DTW	ex F-WZML
Airbus A320	-251N	10536		VT-TQF	Vistara	delivery 25mar21 TLS-DEL	ex F-WWDJ
Airbus A321	-231	1204		N394CS	CSDS Aircraft Sales	ferried 25mar21 GYR-SFB	ex P4-OAS
Airbus A321	-211	1960		OY-VKD	Sunclass Airlines	ferried 24mar21 EMA-CPH after paint	ex G-EFPA
Airbus A321	-231	2234		9H-AME	Avion Express Malta	delivery 25mar21 QLA-VNO after transfer, basic Thomas Cook cs	ex LY-VEA
Airbus A321	-231	6059		N930JL	jetBlue Airways	ferried 24mar21 TPA-AMA for paint	ex G-TCVC
Airbus A321	-251NXLR	10157		CS-TXG	TAP Air Portugal	delivery 26mar21 XFW-LIS	ex D-AVZM
Airbus A321	-271NX	10227		HA-LVP	Wizz Air	delivery 25mar21 XFW-BUD	ex D-AVZH
Airbus A321	-253NXLR	10319		EI-LRH	Aer Lingus	delivery 26mar21 XFW-DUB	ex D-AVZL
Airbus A321	-231	5382		HL8267	Asiana Airlines	ferried 24-26mar21 ICN-TYN-ALA-IST-LJU on return to lessor	ex D-AVZN
Airbus A330	-203	819		AP-BNF	Serene Air	delivery 24mar21 GIG-ISL	ex F-WTAV
Airbus A330	-343	843		CS-TRH	Iberojet	at MAD 24mar21 with new titles	ex EC-KCP
Airbus A330	-243	1451		V5-ANO	AS Air Lease	to be ferried 29mar21 WDH-LEJ (+ 1466 V5-ANP)	ex F-WWYC
Airbus A340	-343	210		TF-EAB	Air Atlanta Icelandic	ferried 26nar21 TNR-CHR for onward storage	ex F-GLZL
Airbus A350	-941	484		SE-RSE	SAS	delivery 26mar21 TLS-CPH “Ingeborg Viking”	ex F-WZNV

Airbus Updates No.3112

 

Airbus A319	-111	2370		OE-ITY	Symphonic Aircraft Leasing	regd 26mar21, parked at LDE	ex G-EZMK
Airbus A319	-112	2593		LY-BHE	Carlyle Aviation Partners	fuselage left DGX 24mar21 by truck heading to Germany	ex VT-SCA
Airbus A320	-231	429		VH-FNP	Virgin Australia Regional Airlines	ferried 26-27mar21 PER-LEA-HRI-SHJ on delivery to?	ex G-BYTH
Airbus A320	-214	1873		SU-	Skybird Airlines	for delivery apr21 ex DGX	ex 2-ACSJ
Airbus A320	-232	1996		SX-DGX	Aegean Airlines	ferried 25mar21 ATH-DGX on return to lessor	ex TC-JLL
Airbus A320	-232	2130		ZK-OJD	Air New Zealand	ferried 24-26mar21 CHC-AKL-RAR-HNL-LAX-TUS on return to lessor	ex F-WWDK
Airbus A320	-232	2609		VT-IHK	IndiGo Airlines	ferried 23-24mar21 DEL-DOH-IST-NOC, for part-out & scrap	ex TC-JPA
Airbus A320	-214	2633		EC-NOY	Volotea	in full cs at MLA 25mar21, OE-reg prior delivery	ex OE-LMR
Airbus A320	-232	3541		OE-ITK	Avolon Aerospace	regd 23mar21, parked at HYD	ex VT-INU
Airbus A320	-214	3597		EC-NOP	Volotea	regd 24mar21 prior delivery ex OSR	ex OE-LMO
Airbus A320	-214	4014		G-EZTM	easyJet	ferried 26mar21 DGX-BRS after storage	ex D-AVVD
Airbus A320	-214	4357		M-ABNR	Osprrey Aircraft Leasing	regd 26mar21, parked at ISL (+ 4414 M-ABNU ex HZ-AS21)	ex 9K-CAG
Airbus A320	-232	4621		OE-ITS	Zephyrus Aviation Capital	ferried 26mar21 BUD-LDE, all white	ex HA-LWH
Airbus A320	-232	5036		OE-ITJ	Emerald Aviation AOE	regd 25mar21, parked at ISL	ex VT-IEQ
Airbus A320	-214	5166		N204NV	Allegiant Air	regd 23mar21 prior delivery ex OSR, all white	ex 2-AVL
Airbus A320	-214	5319		EI-GUF	Banc of America Leasing	ferried 26mar21 QLA-WOE	ex G-EZWF
Airbus A320	-214	8439		F-WHUI	Airbus	ferried 25mar21 XFW-LFBF for paint, Chengdu Airlines cs but ntu)	ex D-AUBO
Airbus A320	-251N	9056		VP-CZE	GECAS	ferried 25-26mar21 SJO-YYR-OSR	ex XA-ARG
Airbus A320	-251N	9456		SX-NIG	Sky Express	delivery 25mar21 MPL-ATH (+ 9507 SX-WEB ex VP-CCS)	ex VP-CCT
Airbus A320	-251N	10041		B-323C	China Eastern	delivery 25mar21 TSN-PVG	ex B-000A

Airbus Updates No.3111

 TAP Air Portugal Flies First Cancun Flight With An Airbus A330neo

Portuguese national flag carrier TAP Air Portugal has completed its first flight between Lisbon and the Carribean resort of Cancun using an Airbus A330neo. Previously the Lisbon Portela Airport (LIS)-based full-service carrier had planned to begin its Cancun service to coincide with the 2020-2021 winter season.

TAP was supposed to start flying to Cancun last year. Photo: TAP

Located on the northeast coast of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, close to the Tropic of Cancer, Cancun is a popular destination for American and Canadian vacationers looking for some winter sunshine. By operating a non-stop flight from Europe, TAP was hoping to entice Europeans to sample Cancun’s white sandy beaches and pulsating nightlife.

The flights we supposed to start last winter

In September 2020, ahead of its first flight to Cancun and other new destinations, TAP revised its Mexico launch due to European COVID-19 rules. The first-ever TAP Air Portugal flight to Mexico departed Lisbon on Saturday, March 27, 2021.

TAP Air Portugal will place one of its new widebody Airbus A330neos on the route with flights scheduled for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday as flight number TP176. The flights will depart Lisbon Portela Airport at 11:45 and arrive at Cancun International Airport (CUN) at 04:10, a flight time of around 10 hours. The return journey flight number TP177 will operate on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, departing CUN at 19:30 and arriving at LIS at 10:30 the next day, a flight time of around nine hours.

TAP is putting an Airbus A330neo on the route

On the new route will be a 1.3-year-old Airbus A330-900 featuring 34 fully flat business class seats, 96 economy plus class seats (with an additional 3 inches of legroom), and 168 economy class seats. Airbus says that its new cabin design offers passengers more personal space, larger overhead bins, advanced cabin lighting, and the latest inflight entertainment and Internet connectivity.

When speaking about TAP Air Portugal adding Cancun to its network Vice President of Sales for America Carlos Paneiro is quoted by Mexican tourist news website REPORTUR.mx as saying:

It is always very exciting to add new routes to countries that we have never served before. But it is particularly gratifying to increase our route network this year at a time when the airline industry has been reducing service. We see many opportunities for clients from Mexico to visit Portugal and fly to the rest of Europe and Africa with a stopover in Lisbon. ”

While the obvious historical and cultural attractions in Lisbon and Porto will appeal to Mexican tourists, TAP Air Portugal’s best in the world stopover program makes a  break in either city an affordable reality. The Cancun to Lisbon flight will also allow passengers to connect on TAP flights to the rest of Europe and parts of Africa.

While the summer is a good time for Mexican tourists to visit Europe, the same cannot be said for Europeans looking to go the other way. This is why TAP Air Portugal originally wanted to commence the flights for winter 2020/2021. What we have not figured into the equation, though, is the current COVID-19 restriction and what they will mean for travel to Europe.

COVID-19 could determine the route’s success

Currently, Portugal is in a state of emergency, declared until 15 April. Arriving passengers have to have a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken no longer than 72 hours before arriving in Portugal. The same cannot be said for Mexico, with the government not requiring any PCR test or proof of vaccination.

Summer is the low-season in Cancun, with plenty of deals to be found at beachfront resort hotels. Combines these two things and the fact that Mexico is an inexpensive place to vacation, and you now have a reason for the non-stop flights. The big question, and the one we cannot answer yet, is the situation regarding coronavirus restrictions over the coming months.

Airbus Updates No.3110

 FlyArystan Takes Delivery Of Two More Airbus A320s

Kazakh budget airline FlyArystan is celebrating the official arrival of two more Airbus A320s. This means the Almaty-based airline will now have nine aircraft in its fleet with an average age of seven years. By adding these additional aircraft, the airline says it will now be able to continue with its expansion plans, connecting more regions and countries.

FlyArystan is based in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and operates an all-Airbus A320 family fleet. With nine aircraft now in its fleet, its average fleet age stands at seven years. Photo: FlyArystan

Two A320s delivered

According to the airline’s Facebook page, two Airbus A320s have recently arrived to join the carrier’s growing fleet. This, the airline states, now brings its total fleet count to nine.

According to data from Planespotters.net, its most recent aircraft are as follows:

• One A320-200 registered as P4-KBN
• One A320neo registered as P4-KBH

Both aircraft are configured to accommodate 180 passengers in a single class, all-economy layout. Indeed, this is the standard configuration for all of its A320 jets.

The two planes aren’t exactly new and fresh from Airbus’ assembly facilities. P4-KBN is actually a former Vistara jet, which was withdrawn from use last September. Prior to FlyArystan’s seat reconfiguration, the jet was set up to have eight business class seats,  24 premium economy seats, and 132 economy class seats. The aircraft is six and a half years old.

P4-KBH, pictured below, came from FlyArystan’s ‘parent’ airline, full-service carrier Air Astana. Thus, it was previously configured with 16 business class seats and 132 in economy. The jet is now four and a half years old.

P4-KBH in its Air Astana livery before being repainted for FlyArystan. Photo: Aero Icarus via Flickr 

An expanding fleet for expanding services

According to Breaking Travel News, the airline will use this additional capacity to increase its flights to 65 per day across its domestic network in Kazakhstan, as well as its newly launched international service between the autonomous region of Turkistan and Istanbul.

Air Astana’s budget airline only launched in May of 2019. Photo: Yelena Sergiyenko via Wikimedia Commons 

Since it was announced that FlyArystan would be launching, Simple Flying has been covering the airline’s progress every step of the way- progress that has been quite impressive. Indeed, it appears that this low-cost subsidiary of Air Astana has tapped into an underserved, unsaturated market.

Expansion was swift during the airline’s first year of operations. Even though the airline launched in May 2019, it opened its second base of operations in the major Kazakh city of Karaganda in August just a few months later. Then, just two months later, it announced that it would soon be launching its first international route – a service to Moscow Zhukovsky from Nur-Sultan.

In its first eight months of operations, the budget carrier boasted carrying a total of 700,000 passengers.

Indeed, as this part of the world continues to develop and connect to other regions, it appears that FlyArystan is poised for success as the region’s only budget airline.

Airbus Updates No.3109

 Brand New Titan Airbus A321neo Repainted For UK Government

Images have emerged of an A321LR bedecked in the same eye-catching livery as the UK’s newest VIP transport plane. The aircraft, owned and operated by Titan Airways, has been painted in the same colors as the UK’s RAF Voyager, signaling it will become the latest VIP transport for the country.

Boris Force One has a tiny replica on the way. Photo: Getty Images

A baby Boris Force One

The UK’s new VIP transport, colloquially dubbed ‘Boris Force One,’ has had a baby. Specifically, an Airbus A321LR has been spotted painted in a perfect replication of the livery adorning the A330-based VIP jet and is set to begin operations for the Royal Air Force soon.

The aircraft, registered G-XATW, is owned and operated by Titan Airways, a British wet leasing and charter flight company based out of London’s Stansted Airport. It was delivered in October last year, as the first of two Airbus A321LR to arrive with the carrier. Titan is seeking to replace its aging 757-200s with these newer, more efficient jets.

It’s likely that the A321LR will be a workhorse for official visits that are shorter in range and require fewer personnel. The RAF Voyager, registered ZZ336, will remain the aircraft of choice for long-haul operations, as well as fulfilling its regular day to day duties as a Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT).

Since its delivery in late October, G-XATW has been stored at London Stansted. In mid-November, it took a short hop over to Bordeaux, home to Sabena Technics – a company with a paint hangar that specializes in the A320 family of aircraft.

The aircraft returned to the UK from Bordeaux on March 8th. Flight data: RadarBox.com

On March 8th, it came back to the UK, landing at Norwich late in the afternoon. Readers report that the paintwork was applied here by Satys/Air Livery. Finally, on Friday, the A321LR headed to Titan’s home at London Stansted.

Replacing the BAe 146s?

Currently, the Royal Air Force has two VIP configured BAe 146 aircraft which it uses for short-haul, low capacity operations. It also has a further two BAe 146 configured to carry cargo. These aircraft are all rather old, with the two VIP aircraft clocking in at around 36 years of age.

As reported in UK Defence Journal today, last year there was confirmation from the UK government that replacements for the 146s were under consideration. Gareth Thomas, Member of Parliament for Harrow West had asked when they would be retired, what aircraft would replace them, and if the plan was to use the RAF Voyager for short-haul ops usually undertaken by the BAe 146s.

The UK’s current short-haul VIP jets are aging BAe 146s. Photo: Getty Images

In response, James Heappey, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement said,

“The current fleet of four BAe 146 aircraft are planned to be retired from Service on 31 March 2022. Replacements for those aircraft are currently under consideration as part of normal capability planning. The fleet of 14 Voyager will continue to support the collective Air Transport task including VIP and Command Support Air Transport tasking.”

While it was originally thought that the Global 5000 series would be a good replacement for the 146s, this now seems to not be the case. It also appears that the timeline has shifted forwards somewhat, as the A321LR is painted and ready to begin work. Although it may require some interior adjustments at Titan’s base in London, we could see it in service later this year.

Not for Four Seasons

When G-XATW was delivered, it was sporting an all-black livery and was thought to be heading for operations on behalf of TCS World Travel. TCS is the company that operates private jet tours on behalf of Four Seasons; multi-stop, ultra-luxury tours around the world with prices of around $170,000 per person.

However, it looks as if XATW will never receive its coat of Four Seasons livery, as it is clearly marked to be head to the Royal Air Force now. However, it could be that Four Seasons is destined to get the second A321LR, which is due to arrive with Titan soon. Currently flying under test registration G-OATW but due to become G-GBNI, the second is showing as due for delivery, so should arrive in the next few weeks.

Airbus Updates No.3108

 

Airbus A321	-253NX	10218		B-322A	China Southern	delivery 19-20mar21 TLS-NQZ-CAN	ex D-AYAL
Airbus A321	-251NX	10585		VT-ILE	IndiGo Airlines	delivery 17mar21 XFW-DEL	ex D-AVZD
Airbus A330	-243	309		OY-VKF	Sunclass Airlines	ferried 23mar21 CHR-CPH after paint	ex G-CSJS
Airbus A330	-343	986		C-GHKC	Air Canada	delivery 19-20mar21 SIN-NRT-YMX	ex 9V-STC
Airbus A330	-223	1266		VN-A381	Vietnam Airlines	to be ferried 24mar21 CGK-DUS, all white prior delivery to?	ex F-WKR
Airbus A350	-941	479		F-HTYG	Air France	delivery 22mar21 TLS-CDG	ex F-WWAW
Airbus A380	-841	48		D-AIMD	Lufthansa	ferried 22mar21 FRA-LETL for onward storage	ex F-WWAK