Category: Orders & Deliveries

Tiger Airways orders 20 additional A320

Tiger Airways, Asia-Pacific’s fast growing low-fare carrier, has signed a contract with Airbus for an additional 20 A320s, which will take its fleet up to 70 aircraft. This announcement follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for 50 A320s in June 2007, with the first 30 of these orders confirmed in October. Tiger Airways currently operates a fleet of 12 A320s, with eight more to be delivered by 2010. Tiger Airways A320s will be configured in a 180-seat, all economy configuration

The A320s will be deployed on the airline’s rapidly expanding Asia-Pacific network that currently extends to more than 25 destinations in eight countries. This includes Tiger Airways’ new Australian domestic operation, which was launched out of Melbourne in November 2007.

The latest order from Tiger Airways serves to further boost the significance of Singapore as a major market for the entire family of Airbus aircraft. Over the past decade, Singapore carriers have ordered a total of 156 Airbus aircraft comprising of 63 wide-body and 93 single aisle aircraft.

Source: Airbus

5000th Airbus Aircraft Delivered

Airbus today celebrates another major milestone in its relatively short but successful existence – the delivery of its 5,000th aircraft, an A330-200, to Australian customer, Qantas.

Thirty three years ago, in May 1974, Airbus delivered its very first aircraft, an A300B2, to first operator Air France. Nineteen years later, in 1993, Airbus delivered its first 1,000th aircraft, and it took it another six years to reach the 2000th in 1999. Reflecting its subsequent rapid growth with an expanded aircraft family and more products on offer, the 3,000th Airbus aircraft was delivered in 2002, and only three years later, in September 2005, the 4,000th. It needed only another two years to reach the 5,000th delivery milestone of today. Also, it took Airbus more than 30 years to deliver more than 50 per cent of all airliners of more than 100 seats delivered in one year. This was in 2005, and Airbus continued in the lead since. It also took Airbus some 30 years after its initial creation in 1970 to bypass it main competitor in terms of sales and remain constantly at around half the market share, with more than 50 percent for five years in a row since 2001.

The Airbus history shows how long it takes to become a major player in this very difficult and long term market. “Not only does it require a vision, but it also requires a strong commitment to invest in the long term. This was the basis to the Airbus success”, says Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Enders. “And today, I want to assure our customers, our employees, our suppliers and shareholders, and all our other stakeholders, that we are committed to building on this success for the future by ensuring the competitiveness of our company and its products to the benefit of all”.

Airbus continues to considerably ramp up its production rates so as to reach ten A330/A340, 40 A320 Family planes and four A380s per month by 2010 in order to cope with very strong demand for its products. Its backlog of more than 3,000 aircraft should be delivered within the next five to six years only.

Watch Videos at http://www.airbus.com/en/corporate/orders_and_deliveries/5000th_delivery/

Source: Airbus

GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS) orders 55 Boeing planes

On Dec. 13th GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS) ordered 55 Boeing airplanes that includes 53 Next-Generation 737-800s and two Boeing 777-300ER (Extended Range) passenger jetliners.
The order, valued at approximately $4.5 billion at list prices, includes an exercise of existing options.
GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS), the U.S. and Irish commercial aircraft financing and leasing businesses of GE, has a fleet of 1,450 owned aircraft it leases to more than 230 airlines in some 70 countries, and it manages nearly 300 aircraft for others.

Finnair orders further A330-300 for long-haul fleet

Yesterday, Finnair has placed a firm order with Airbus for an additional A330-300 long-range aircraft for delivery in spring 2009. This new order brings the total number of Finnair’s Airbus wide-body aircraft to 22, including seven A330-300s, four A340-300s and eleven A350 XWB. They contribute to the modernisation of Finnair’s long-haul fleet and help them meet their expansion plans.

Jukka Hienonen, President and CEO of Finnair said: “We want to update our long-haul fleet as quickly as possible, so as to serve our customers better. We also want to benefit from the modern twin-engine technology offered by the Airbus products, which are both more fuel efficient and environmentally friendlier. This will allow us to operate one of the most modern and eco-efficient fleets in Europe”.

The A330-300 will consume 20 percent less fuel than its predecessor aircraft.

Source: Airbus

China Airlines chooses Airbus A350 XWB for their future long-haul fleet

China Airlines, Taiwan’s largest carrier, has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Airbus for the acquisition of 14 A350-900 plus an additional six on option. The new generation medium capacity long-haul aircraft has been selected as part of their future fleet modernisation programme.

China Airlines intends to start using the A350 XWB from 2015. The aircraft will be powered by Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines.
The A350 XWB will primarily be deployed on the airline’s long-haul routes to Europe, Australia and the United States.

Source: Airbus

Saudi Arabian Airlines signs firm contract for Airbus A320

Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia), Saudi Arabia’s national airline, has signed a firm contract with Airbus for 22 A320 aircraft, as part of its fleet modernisation plan. This follows the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed at the 10th Dubai Airshow in November 2007. The agreement allows Saudia to increase the order by eight further A320s.

The contract marks the first time Saudi Arabian Airlines has placed an order with Airbus in more than two decades. Previously, Saudi Arabian Airlines was the launch customer for the A300-600, which was first delivered to Saudia in 1984.

The firm contract reflects a period of rapid expansion of the aviation market in the region, with Saudia experiencing unprecedented demand for air travel.

Source: Airbus

Libyan carriers order 10 A350s, 4 A330s and 7 A320

Airbus recently announced orders by 2 Libyan carriers for a total of 21 new Airbus aircraft.

Afriqiyah Airways orders six A350-800s

Afriqiyah Airways has signed a firm contract with Airbus for the purchase of six A350-800s for its long-term expansion plan. This comes in addition to the 14 A320 Family aircraft and three A330-200s this young airline from Libya already has on order.
With deliveries to Afriqiyah commencing in 2017, the A350 XWBs will allow Afriqiyah Airways to expand its long-haul operations in the longer term.

Libyan Airlines orders 15 Airbus aircraft including A350s, A330s and A320s

Libyan Airlines has signed a firm contract for the purchase of 15 Airbus aircraft, including four A350-800s, four A330-200s and seven A320s, thus confirming its initial agreement signed in June this year. The Libyan flag carrier will use the new aircraft to replace and expand its existing fleet.
The A330-200s respond to mid term fleet requirements for new international routes to Asian destinations. The new A320s will be put into service on Libyan Airlines’ growing network, both domestically and in Europe and the Middle East. With deliveries commencing in 2017, the A350 XWBs will allow the Libyan carrier to further develop its long haul operations in the longer term.

Source: Airbus

BBAM orders 20 Next-Generation 737-800s

Boeing and Babcock & Brown Aircraft Management (BBAM) today announced that BBAM, in conjunction with its long-term business partner, Nomura Babcock & Brown, has placed an order for 20 Next-Generation 737-800s.
The order, valued at $1.5 billion at list prices, was previously listed on the Boeing Orders & Deliveries Web site and attributed to an unidentified customer.
“Babcock & Brown Aircraft Management has experienced great success in placing the Boeing Next-Generation 737 with airline operators around the world and we look forward to taking delivery of these aircraft from Boeing, which will bring our fleet of Next-Generation 737s to more than 125 aircraft,” said Steven Zissis, president, BBAM.
Babcock & Brown Aircraft Management’s aircraft leasing portfolio is the world’s fifth largest, managing 245 leased commercial jets with a total value in excess of $6.5 billion. The fleet, which is currently 100 percent utilized and leased to 72 customers, has an average age weighted by value of 7.6 years.

Source: Boeing

Cathay Pacific orders 8 more A330-300s

Actually this news was already announced a few days ago, but I’m posting it anyway to keep the “Orders & Deliveries” category up-to-date. Aside from that, I just love to post news about my favorite airline. 😉

Cathay Pacific Airways has signed a contract with Airbus to further expand its A330 widebody fleet with the addition of eight A330-300s. The new planes, powered by Rolls Royce Trent 700 engines, are scheduled for delivery before the end of 2012.

The Hong Kong based carrier, together with sister airline Dragonair, is currently the largest operator of A330 in the world with a fleet of 45 A330-300s currently in service across its combined international route network. Together with three leased A330-300s scheduled for delivery in 2008, this latest order will bring the airlines’ combined A330-300 fleet to a total of 56 by 2012.

Source: Airbus

AirAsia becomes largest A320 customer

Airbus recently announced, that AirAsia, the largest Asian low-cost carrier, has placed a firm order for an additional 25 A320s. The latest contract brings AirAsia Group’s (Malaysia AirAsia, Thai AirAsia and Indonesia AirAsia) total orders to 175 A320 aircraft and makes it the largest airline customer for the Airbus A320 in the world.

AirAsia placed its original order for 60 A320s in March 2005, with re-orders for an additional 40 aircraft announced at the Farnborough Airshow in July 2006 and another 50 aircraft in January 2007. The first aircraft was delivered to AirAsia in December 2005, with the airline currently operating 31 A320s on a rapidly expanding domestic and regional network.

AirAsia Airbus A320

AirAsia’s Kuala Lumpur hub is fully operated with A320s and the aircraft is expected to completely replace Thai AirAsia’s and Indonesia AirAsia’s old generation Boeing 737 fleets by 2008.

Photo Credit: Airbus
Source: Airbus