Aircraft

International Airlines Group (IAG) has announced an order for 14 Airbus A321XLR aircraft. Eight of these aircraft will go to Iberia and six to Aer Lingus. The aircraft will be delivered 2023 onward and will be configured in a two class configuration with flat bed business class seats. The XLR will allow Aer Lingus to operate flights beyond the US …

Boeing has opened its second day at the Paris air show by announcing an order for 30 787 Dreamliners from Korean Air. The airline has signed a deal for 20 787-10s and 10 787-9s. Ten of the 787-10s will be leased through Air Lease Corporation. The airline is a long time customer of Boeing and operates the 737, 777, 787 …

Saudi flag carrier Saudi Arabian Airlines has placed an order for an additional 30 Airbus A320neo family aircraft. The order which includes 15 A321XLRs also gives the airline options on 35 more A320 family aircraft, bringing the airline’s firm order to 65 aircraft and 100 aircraft including options. The airline has not yet announced what engines it will equip with …

Philippines based low cost carrier Cebu Pacific has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Airbus for a 31 aircraft deal which includes 16 A330neos, 10 A321XLRs and 5 A320neos. The airline will configure its A330-900neo in an all economy 460 seat configuration. The airline’s A320neo’s will be the first to feature 194 seats. The A321XLR will allow the airline …

Lebanese flag carrier, Middle East Airlines (MEA) has placed a firm order for four Airbus A321XLR making it the launch airliner customer for the type. The launch order came from American leasing company Air Lease Corporation earlier today. The order adds to the airline’s existing A321neo order placed in 2017. MEA will use the A321XLR to strengthen its network in …

American airframer Boeing has opened its 2019 Paris Air Show with a small order for 10 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters (BCF) for GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS). The lessor converted it’s options to firm orders and also added additional options for 15 more aircraft. Richard Greener, SVP and Manager, GECAS Cargo “Our leasing customers are very pleased with the versatility …

Brazilian airframer Embraer announced its first order of the 2019 Paris air show, an order for upto 39 E175s for United Airlines. The order which is valued at USD 1.9 billion at list prices includes a firm order for 20 E175s and options for 19 more. The aircraft will be configured in a 70 seat configuration and will be join …

UK based, Virgin Atlantic signed an order for up to 20 Airbus A330-900s. The carrier has placed a firm order for eight aircraft and has options for six more. The airline will also take six additional A330-900s on lease from Air Lease Corporation. Virgin will take delivery of the aircraft from 2021 and will use them to replace their existing …

American leasing company – Air Lease Corporation (ALC) has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) for 100 Airbus aircraft. The deal includes 50 A220-300s, 27 A321XLRs both new types for ALC and an order for an additional 23 A321neos. This order brings from Airbus’ third largest lessor customer brings ALC’s cumulative orders up to 387 Airbus aircraft.

European airframer has opened its 2019 Paris Air Show by launching the A321XLR. The A321XLR is the newest entry to the A321 lineup and will deliver a range of 4,700nm as compared to the currently longest range A321 – the A321LR which has a specified range of 4,000nm. The aircraft will be able to serve transcontinental routes in the US …

Embraer will be displaying the E190-E2 at this year’s Paris Air Show. The aircraft features a new livery called the Tech Lion – Profit Hunter. The manufacturer says that “A striking livery covers the entire fuselage of our newest and biggest E2. The TechLion design reflects the advanced technology features and e-enabled systems on the E2s. The mighty lion is …

Mitsubishi has debuted its new SpaceJet livery on an MRJ90 – now M90 aircraft at the Paris Air Show. The SpaceJet which is the new branding of the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ). The MRJ made its European debut at the last Paris Air Show in 2017.

Japan Airlines (JAL) has taken delivery of its first ever Airbus aircraft – an A350-900 at a special delivery ceremony at the manufacturers plant in Toulouse, France. Airbus secured JALs order for the A350 in 2013, breaking into a national stronghold of rival Boeing. The airline currently operates an all Boeing fleet of 737s, 767s, 787s and 777s. JAL has …

Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation has renamed the Mitsubishi Regional Jet as the Mitsubishi SpaceJet family. The two aircraft in the family will be the SpaceJet M90 (the current MRJ90 which is in flight testing) and a new model the SpaceJet M100 which has specifically been improved for the US market. The M100 will replace the older MRJ70 which could only carry …

European airframer Airbus logged only a single order for an ACJ320neo for an undisclosed customer. The order barely made a dent in the companies order deficit for the year which stands at negative 57 aircraft. However expect to see Airbus announce orders at the Paris airshow which starts in 10 days time. The company usually makes some large announcements during …

Last week, I was invited by Singapore Airlines to visit the Airbus Asia Training Centre (AATC). The AATC is part of the Airbus Flight Training Network which is used to train pilots to fly Airbus type aircraft. The AATC is a joint venture between Airbus and Singapore Airlines, which hold 55 and 45% respectively. The operations of the company began …

Air New Zealand has signed an order for eight Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners worth $2.7 billion at list prices. The deal includes options for 12 more 787’s which could see the total order rise to 20 aircraft, as well as substitution rights which would allow the carrier to swap same 787-10s for 787-9s if required. The deal to replace Air New …

With the production of the Airbus A380 ending 2021, airline enthusiasts the world over are wondering if there will be a replacement aircraft that is as awe-inspiring. The end of the program is also interesting as it contradicts the fact that airports are increasingly constrained and indeed airlines will have to devise strategies to overcome this. Yet, the impacts are …

European air-framer Airbus has delivered its 12,000th, an A220-200 to Delta Airlines. The aircraft is the 12th A220 to be delivered to Delta. Airbus delivered its first aircraft, an A300B2 to Air France in 1974. 36 years later in 2010, the company delivered its 6,000th aircraft. On 8 May, the aircraft flew a special route over the companies Mirabel facility …

American airframer Boeing has opened the second quarter of the year with by logging orders for four 737 MAXs for unidentified customers. However the company also removed 210 aircraft from its order book following the collapse of Jet Airways. The large cancellation will push Boeing’s net orders for the years into the negative like European rival Airbus. Deliveries As we …