Airbus Updates No.4378

 Azul receives first Airbus A321P2F freighter

Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras (AD, São Paulo Viracopos) has taken the delivery of its first A321-200(P2F), ch-aviation research has revealed, and expects to induct it into scheduled service during the first quarter of 2025.

PS-AJA (msn 2741), formerly OE-IAW, was ferried to Belo Horizonte Tancredo Neves from Jinan via Samarkand, Malta International, and Sal Amilcar Cabral International between October 15 and 16, ADS-B data shows. It has a capacity to carry up to 27 tonnes in 14 pallet positions; it was converted to a freighter by Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH. "This aircraft will significantly increase our operational efficiency, integrating perfectly into our network and bringing more agility to our customers throughout Brazil," said Daniel Tkacz, the airline's vice president of operations.

The Brazilian carrier expects to add a second A321(P2F), OE-ICC (msn 2759), and soon to be PS-AJB. It is currently in Guangzhou. In a statement, Azul Cargo Express said this airframe will arrive in Brazil in November.

Both airframes are owned and managed by AerCap. They were delivered originally to China Southern Airlines (CZ, Guangzhou) in 2006.

Airbus Updates No.4261

 

Brazil’s Azul ends Airbus A350 operations

Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras (AD, São Paulo Viracopos) has ferried its last A350-900 out of Brazil, putting an end to the type's brief stint at the carrier, ch-aviation research has revealed.

PR-AOY (msn 168) flew from São Paulo Viracopos to Fort Lauderdale International on Tuesday, April 9 under flight number AD9840, which is only used for ferry operations and was last deployed when the airline retired its other A350, PR-AOW (now HS-THY, msn 124), flying it to San Bernardino, according to Flightradar24 ADS-B data.

The Brazilian carrier operated the A350-900 type between September 2022 and January 2024. The original plan was for the model to be part of its fleet renewal plan and replace its A330-200s, chief executive John Rodgerson said in September 2022.

However, one year later, Azul moved away from the A350 and instead focused on the A330-900N, placing an order for four aircraft of the type in June 2023. CFO Alexandre Malfitani said at the time that with the A330neo operating and on order, “we will standardise our international fleet.”

ch-aviation has reached out to Azul for comment.

PR-AOY is owned and managed by AerCap, the ch-aviation fleets module shows. HS-THY, owned by the same lessor, is under maintenance at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and will enter into service for Thai Airways International (TG, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi).

Azul’s fleet now comprises 166 aircraft: forty-nine A320-200Ns, six A321-200NX(LR)s, four A330-200s, five A330-900Ns (with nine more coming), thirty-seven ATR72-600s, two B737-400(F)s, forty-three E195s, and twenty E195-E2s. Regional subsidiary Azul Conecta (2F, Jundiaí) operates a fleet of twenty-four Cessna Aircraft Company Grand Caravan turboprops.

Airbus Updates No.4178

 

Azul Linhas Aéreas discloses incremental order for four A330neos

São Paulo, 15 December 2023 – Azul discloses a firm order for four additional A330-900 from a purchase agreement signed in June 2023. With these aircraft, the airline will expand its fleet and international route offering.

“We are proud to announce this order, as it confirms Azul as the airline with the most fuel- efficient fleet in the region, with over 80% of our capacity coming from next-generation aircraft. With the five A330neos we currently operate and the seven we now have on order, we will standardize our international fleet, allowing us to further enhance Azul’s renowned customer experience and on-time performance,” said Alexandre Malfitani, Azul’s Chief Financial Officer.

“Azul’s re-confirmed confidence in the A330neo underscores once again, that the A330neo's economics and performance are making a true difference in Azul’s widebody strategy, coming out on top of the competition," says Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International. "While Azul will leverage the full potential of Airbus' unique commonality between its A330 and A320 Family fleets, passengers can rave about a spacious, best-in-class cabin experience - and this on every long-haul flight the airline offers on its attractive, globally growing network.”

The A330neo is Airbus’ latest widebody aircraft. Powered by the latest generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, the A330-900 is capable of flying 7,200 nm / 13,300 km non-stop. At the end of November 2023, the A330 Family had accumulated over 1,800 firm orders from more than 130 customers worldwide, making it the world’s most popular widebody family, dominating the short-and medium-haul widebody market.

The A330neo features the award-winning Airspace cabin, which offers passengers a high level of comfort, ambience, and design. This includes more individual space, enlarged overhead bins, a new lighting system and access to the latest in-flight entertainment and connectivity systems.

Azul Linhas Aereas launched operations in 2008 and has since grown to become one of the largest airlines in Brazil by servicing more than 160 destinations within Brazil, the United States, Europe and South America. Azul received the Americas’ first A330neo in 2019 and operates 12 A330 Family aircraft. 

Airbus has sold over 1,150 aircraft in Latin America and the Caribbean. More than 750 are in operation throughout the region, with around 500 in the order backlog, representing a market share of 58% of in-service passenger aircraft. Since 1994, Airbus has secured 75% of net orders in the region.

Airbus Updates No.4066

 

Brazil’s Azul to retire A350s - reports

Azul A350-900© Aeroporto Int'l de Belo Horizonte

17.07.2023 - 17:02 UTC

Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras (AD, Sao Paulo Viracopos) plans to retire its A350-900s just a year after taking delivery of its first of the model, the aviation news site Aeroin reported citing updated slot data from Sao Paulo Viracopos Airport, the carrier’s main hub. Aviacionline and other news outlets have published similar reports.

Azul took delivery of its first A350, PR-AOY (msn 168), last September and commercially debuted it in December on its route to Orlando International. It has since taken a second of the Airbus widebody, PR-AOW (msn 124), the ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows. Both remain active, currently flying between the Brazilian airport and Paris Orly.

According to the updated slot data, the last A350 flight on Azul’s Orly route will be on October 2, immediately after which the jets will operate again to Orlando - but only until October 28, when the last A350 slot is scheduled at Viracopos. On both routes, the A350s will be replaced by A330-200 and A330-900 equipment after the dates mentioned.

Reports emerged last month, citing sources in and outside the company, that the high operating cost of the model - making it profitable only on routes of equal or greater distance to Sao Paulo-Paris in contrast to the A330-900 - had compelled the airline to decide to withdraw it from service. Azul is currently undergoing debt restructuring with its lessors.

The carrier has three more A350s due for delivery, all of which are currently stored at different locations - F-WTAQ (msn 187) at Abu Dhabi International, F-WXAM (msn 153) at Lourdes/Tarbes, and B-1069 (msn 98) at Beijing Capital.

Azul has opted not to confirm or deny the reports, telling Aeroin that it “is always looking at fleet opportunities and we will announce any changes at an opportune moment.” The airline did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ch-aviation.

Airbus Updates No.3846

 

Brazilian Air Force to buy Azul A330s for $80.6mn

RAAF Airbus A330-200 MRTT (KC-30B)© Airbus Industrie

13.04.2022 - 14:57 UTC

Força Aérea Brasileira (FAB, Brasilia) has confirmed it has selected Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras (AD, Sao Paulo Viracopos), the only bidder, as the supplier of two A330-200s that will be converted into Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) variants for USD80.6 million.

The Brazilian MRTT aircraft will be formally known as KC-X3s. The conversion of the two passenger planes will be tendered separately, although it is widely expected to be performed by Airbus Defence and Space at Madrid Getafe airport.

The ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows there are currently fifty-four A330-200(MRTT)s in service globally. The biggest operators are Royal Air Force with ten and Royal Australian Air Force with seven. The Azul jets will be the first large transport jets used by the Brazilian Air Force since the retirement of four KC-137s (converted B707-300(C)s) in 2013.

The tender required that the aircraft be manufactured on or after January 1, 2014. Only one out of eight A330-200s currently operated by Azul is of the required age. The carrier did not respond to ch-aviation's query concerning the source of the aircraft.

Airbus Updates No.2151

Brazil's Azul adds first A330neo

Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras Airbus A330-900 © Airbus

13.05.2019 - 07:54 UTC

Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras (AD, Sao Paulo Viracopos) has taken delivery of its first A330neo following the arrival of A330-900 PR-ANZ (msn 1876) in Belo Horizonte Tancredo Neves from Toulouse Blagnac on May 10. The Rolls-Royce Trent 7000-powered widebody features 298 seats; 34 seats in business class, 108 in Economy Extra, and 156 in Economy.

Azul is expecting a total of five such aircraft from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) to be used in replacing its current fleet of seven A330-200s which collectively average 17 years of age. Given delays in deliveries from Airbus, Azul said in a 1Q19 earnings call that the second jet, that was originally due in June/July, would now only likely arrive during the latter part of the second half of 2019.

The Brazilian hybrid carrier uses its A330s to run flights from Sao Paulo Viracopos, Belo Horizonte Tancredo Neves, and Recife to Florida and Portugal. For its part, the A330neo is due to make its commercial debut on June 10 on the Campinas-Lisbon route.

Azul's other fleet includes thirty A320neo, thirty-three ATR72-600s, seven E190s, and fifty-one E195s. It has also expressed an interest in taking over around ten A320neo that were recently in service with Avianca Brasil (O6, Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont) but has yet to finalise a deal.