Category: Orders & Deliveries

International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) and Airbus have concluded a revision of ILFC’s original 16 A350 order to 20 A350 XWBs. The revised agreement by the world’s largest commercial leasing company by fleet value, and a subsidiary of American International Group, Inc, is for both the -800 and the -900 version. ILFC has the flexibility to also select the -1000 version upon request. This transaction brings total orders for the A350 XWB to 196 from 9 customers.

“Airbus is now offering an outstanding product which satisfies the market and our requirements,” says ILFC Chairman and CEO Steven Udvar-Hazy.

“ILFC’s order confirms that the A350 XWB is a very attractive asset for a leading lessor. It is yet another strong endorsement by the financial community for our all new product,” Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Enders said. “The all-new A350 XWB will bring unrivalled operating performance and economics, whilst passengers will enjoy more comfort in a highly advanced and more spacious cabin. Being extremely fuel efficient and quiet, it will also set new standards in terms of environmental friendliness.”

With now over 600 Airbus aircraft ordered, ILFC is Airbus’ largest single customer worldwide. The leasing company was a launch customer for Airbus’ A319, A321, A330-200, A330-300, A340-600 and A380, all market leaders in their categories, and has ordered virtually every type of Airbus aircraft.

The A350 XWB (Xtra-Wide-Body) will enter service in 2013. Building on A380 technologies and going beyond, it is designed to increase productivity and offer unparalleled levels of passenger comfort in its class while further reducing fuel burn and emissions, and being even quieter. The A350 XWB will offer the lowest operating costs and lowest seat mile costs of any aircraft in that category. Addressing environmental concerns and cost-effectiveness, the A350 XWB will be one of the most fuel-efficient and “green” aircraft ever.

Powered by Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines, the A350 XWB will be available in three basic passenger versions with up to 8,300 nm/ 15,400 km in range, the A350-800 which can fly 270 passengers in a spacious three-class configuration, the A350-900 seating 314, and the A350-1000 which is designed for 350 passengers.

VistaJet, the Swiss-headquartered VIP charter company with operations in Austria, Germany and soon in Asia, has ordered 3 Airbus Corporate Jetliners (ACJs), becoming a new customer.

With the acquisition of these three Airbus ACJs, VistaJet will expand its fleet to a total of 31 aircraft, including those on order. The Airbus ACJs will become VistaJet’s flagship aircraft, will all have the same highest standards of configuration and services, and will all be offered for charter through its innovative concept.

VistaJet has yet to select the engines that will power its Airbus ACJs and the cabin completion centre that will outfit them.

“We see increasing demand for top-of-the-line corporate jets, such as the Airbus ACJ, as our “blue-chip” clients realise just how much more comfort and space they can get for their money,” says VistaJet CEO and President Bing Chen. “As a leader in the European and Russian market, we differentiate ourselves by providing the utmost in service with a fleet that is just two years old on average, and which the Airbus ACJs will help us to expand in Russia and Asia. This investment is a further commitment of VistaJet to satisfy the most demanding customers,” he adds.

Airbus’ ACJ Family is increasingly successful, and often serves as the benchmark at the top-end of top-end corporate jets.

“Airbus ACJs are the newest addition to the fast-growing VistaJet fleet that already comprises medium to ultra-long range business jets, some of which are managed for private customers, so it’s good to know that we have been selected by a company that knows its aircraft,” says Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers, John Leahy.

Airbus Corporate Jetliners are the first business jets to feature fly-by-wire controls – now the industry standard – and deliver all of the benefits that flow from being a modern design. These include advanced fuel-saving aerodynamics, industry-leading use of weight-saving composites, proven reliability and cost-saving centralised maintenance for all aircraft systems.

Total sales of the Airbus ACJ Family, which comprises the A318 Elite, Airbus ACJ and A320 Prestige, now stand at more than 100 aircraft. The family is derived from the tremendously popular Airbus A320 Family, which has won more than 5,300 orders and has some 250 customers and operators to its credit.

Grupo Marsans, the largest tourism and transport group in Spain, has signed today a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus for the purchase of 61 Airbus aircraft including 10 A350-900s, 4 A380s, 5 A330-200s and 42 A320 Family aircraft (of which 12 A319s, 25 A320s and 5 A321s). These aircraft will be operated by Grupo Marsans’ subsidiary airlines Aerolineas Argentinas and Air Comet amongst others in the group. At this stage no engine selection has been made. This new order combines with the previous order for 12 A330-200s and will bring Grupo Marsans’ total commitment with Airbus to 73 aircraft.

Gonzalo Pascual, President of Grupo Marsans, explained: “This purchase is an important step for us at Grupo Marsans in our development. It demonstrates our commitment to enhancing our group’s position on the short and long haul networks by incorporating the most efficient aircraft on the market today. Furthermore with the A380, we will become the first A380 customer and operator in Spain and South America.”

“We are extremely honored by this important vote of confidence from Grupo Marsans. This Memorandum of Understanding is a clear sign that Airbus responds to the market. We are very proud of the selection of the A320 Family, the A350 XWB and the A380 by Grupo Marsans which, as we all know, control Aerolineas Argentinas, Air Comet and several other airlines in Europe and South America,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers.

Being greener, cleaner, quieter and smarter, the A380 is already setting new standards for transport and the environment. The aircraft is the most fuel efficient aircraft flying today. The combination of extra passenger capacity without increasing the number of flights, excellent environmental performance and lower operating costs is an ideal solution for the airports and the airlines that serve them.

For passengers, the A380 offers wider, more comfortable seats in all classes and the quietest cabins in the sky. Its unique double-deck wide body architecture also gives airlines flexibility to economically offer improved comfort standards without reducing fleet capacity. To current standards for larger premium class products, the A380 can typically carry 525 passengers in three classes in unprecedented comfort on flights of over 8000 nm (15 000 km).

The A350 XWB (Extra Wide-Body) is Airbus’ newest aircraft model and will be the world’s most technically advanced aircraft when it enters service in 2013. Designed to increase productivity and offer unparalleled levels of passenger comfort in its class, the A350 XWB will offer the lowest operating costs and lowest seat mile costs of any aircraft in that category. Addressing environmental concerns and cost-effectiveness, the A350 XWB will be one of the most fuel-efficient aircraft ever.

The A330 is already the aircraft of choice for more than 60 customers and operators around the world and is the unquestioned leader in its class with a commanding market share and a continually expanding operator base. The A330 provides the operator with a significant competitive advantage in the market today through very low operating costs per seat, as well as the widest and most comfortable cabin in its category.

The A320 Family, which also includes the A318, A319 and A321, is recognized as the benchmark in the single-aisle aircraft market and has 5,400 orders and more than 3,200 deliveries to its credit.

Source: Airbus

Wizz Air, the Central and Eastern Europe based low cost airline, has signed a firm contract with Airbus for an additional 50 A320s, taking the total orders of the airline up to 82 A320 aircraft.

The contract represents the largest ever order in the region for a single Airbus type, and will enable Wizz Air to become one of the biggest airlines in Central and Eastern Europe within the next decade. Wizz Air have already ordered 32 new A320s from Airbus, and operate several additional A320s on lease.

The aircraft will be configured with 180 seats in a single class layout. The new aircraft will allow Wizz Air to increase frequencies on existing services, as well as to introducing new routes for the region.

“Wizz Air has demonstrated its ability for sustainable growth, where cost efficiency is the key to generate market and win competition. Our choice of aircraft plays a big part in this cost efficiency. The A320 continues to deliver low operating costs, high operational reliability and customer satisfaction whilst enabling us to remain environmentally conscious. The new aircraft order will make Wizz Air the largest fleet operator in the region.” said József Váradi, Chief Executive Officer of Wizz Air.

“We are very proud to take part in the tremendous growth of Wizz Air in the Central and Eastern Europe region,” said Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers, John Leahy. “The new order strongly underpins Wizz Air’s aspirations to expand. The A320 Family is clearly the leading aircraft in its category, and this milestone order really endorses the superiority of our product,” he added.

Tiger Airways, Asia Pacific’s fast growing low-fare carrier, has signed a contract for an additional 30 Airbus A320s and 20 options. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed at the Paris Airshow in June 2007.Tiger Airways currently operates a fleet of nine A320s, with 11 more to be delivered by 2010. With the latest order and option package, Tiger Airways’ fleet has the ability to grow to 70 A320s.

The A320s will be deployed on the airline’s Asia Pacific and Australian networks that currently extends to 20 services in seven countries, as well as the new Australian domestic operation scheduled to be launched out of Melbourne on 23rd November 2007 (pending regulatory approval). Tiger Airways’ A320s will be configured in a 180-seat, all-economy configuration. No engine choice has been made.

“Tiger Airways is expected to enjoy impressive growth from our Singapore international and Australian domestic networks, and we are expanding our aircraft fleet to meet continued strong demand for affordable air travel across the Asia Pacific region. The new order will take our total fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft to 70, making Tiger Airways one of the region’s largest A320 operators,” said Tony Davis, Chief Executive Officer of Tiger Airways.

“In just over three years, Tiger Airways has developed into a formidable success story, and we are delighted they did it with our aircraft and are continuing to expand with Airbus jetliners. The A320 is undoubtedly the world’s favourite single-aisle aircraft, offering superb economics and high passenger appeal,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers.

Total orders for the A320 stand at 3145 aircraft. (Results at end of September 2007.)