BERLIN
(Reuters) – Lufthansa has ordered 20 Boeing 787-9 and 20 additional
Airbus A350-900 long-haul planes to replace its older four-engine
aircraft as it seeks to boost the fuel efficiency of its fleet, the
airlines group said on Wednesday.
The
German company said it has also agreed to sell six of its 14 Airbus
A380 planes back to Airbus in 2022/2023 for economic reasons.
Airbus
said last month it would scrap production of the A380 superjumbo from
2021 following lacklustre sales. The decision reflected a dearth of
orders as airline bosses shied away from bulky, larger planes that are
harder to fill.
Qatar airways said last week it would phase out its A380 planes from 2024.
Lufthansa
said the new aircraft will be delivered between late 2022 and 2027. It
did not disclose how much it had paid for the planes which have a
list-price investment volume of $12 billion (9.1 billion pounds), but
said it had negotiated a significant price cut.
“In
addition to the cost-effectiveness of the A350 and B787, the
significantly lower CO2 emissions of this new generation of long-haul
aircraft was also a decisive factor in our investment decision,” Chief
Executive Carsten Spohr said in a statement.
Lufthansa
currently operates a long-haul fleet of 199 aircraft. It said the new,
more economical aircraft will lower its operating cost compared to
earlier models by around 20 percent.
The
airline will also seek to reduce the complexity of its fleet over the
next few years by taking seven aircraft types out of service to help
reduce maintenance costs and the supply of replacement parts.
(Reporting by Caroline Copley; editing by Thomas Seythal and Michelle Martin)
SAO
PAULO, March 11 (Reuters) – Brazilian airline Azul SA said on Monday it
intends to pay $105 million for certain assets held by Avianca Brasil,
which was headed to court to face aircraft lessors as it seeks to keep
operating planes despite mounting late payments.
Azul
said the non-binding purchase agreement would involve 70 pairs of
slots, which grant airlines the rights to operate regular flights
between airports.
Azul
already operates two Airbus A320 planes that were previously used by
Avianca Brasil until they were repossessed in December due to
outstanding payments. Under the agreement announced on Monday, Azul said
it could end up operating up to 30 Airbus planes currently in use by
its rival.
Azul
did not disclose how it would be able to take over the leases and the
airline did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Avianca
Brasil filed for bankruptcy protection in December in an attempt to
stall aircraft lessors who had sued to repossess its fleet, two months
after the carrier started missing payments on many of its aircraft.
The
Avianca Brasil hearing scheduled for Monday in an appeals court will
deal with a request from aircraft lessors, including Aircastle, that
planes be repossessed as soon as possible, after a bankruptcy judge
extended the airline’s control over the aircraft until at least April.
Since filing for bankruptcy, Avianca Brasil has secured a $75 million loan from hedge fund Elliot Management.
(Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun and Ana Mano Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Bill Trott)
Azul Linhas Aereas Embraer 195 at Curitiba Airport, Brazil
WASHINGTON
(Reuters) – Purchases of U.S.-made Boeing Co aircraft by China could be
part of a sweeping deal currently being negotiated to end the
months-long trade war between Washington and Beijing, Boeing’s top
executive said on Thursday.
A
tit-for-tat trade war between the world’s two largest economic powers
has slowed the global economy. It has also opened up new risks for
Boeing, which calls itself America’s biggest exporter, in the world’s
fastest growing aviation market. Boeing sells roughly a third of its
top-selling U.S.-made 737 jetliners to customers in China.
Boeing
Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg told an aviation summit in Washington
that he sensed U.S.-China trade talks were progressing “in a good way.”
“They
are dealing with some of the tough framework issues around intellectual
property and things like that,” Muilenburg said. “I do think they are
making progress. And at the same time, I think there’s an economic
opportunity here for airplanes to be part of the ultimate deal and help
further close the trade deficit gap.”
Governments
typically use jet deals to achieve broader diplomatic objectives. In
talks with Beijing, U.S. officials have demanded more details on China’s
pledge to make big purchases of American goods, as well as to push for
ways to hold China to any commitments on changes to industrial policies.
U.S.
President Donald Trump has demanded that China shrink its widening
trade surplus with the United States. On Wednesday, the U.S. reported
the goods trade deficit with China rose 11.6 percent to an all-time high
of $419.2 billion in 2018.
China
is poised to overtake the United States as the world’s largest aviation
market in the next decade and is gobbling up planes made by both Boeing
and European rival Airbus SE, while also investing in homegrown
aircraft businesses.
Boeing forecasts Chinese demand for 7,700 new airplanes over the next 20 years valued at $1.2 trillion.
(Reporting by Eric M. Johnson and David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Tom Brown)
NOTE: Planesintheair.com forcast that 12 to 16 Boeing 747-8F freighters will be included in any new US-China trade deal!
SÃO PAULO, March 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Azul S.A., “Azul”, (B3: AZUL4, NYSE: AZUL), the largest airline in Brazil by number of cities served and flight departures, announces today its preliminary traffic results for February 2019.
Consolidated passenger traffic (RPKs) increased 18.4% compared to February 2018on a capacity increase (ASKs) of 16.9% resulting in a load factor of 81.1%, an increase of 1.0 p.p. compared to the same period in 2018. Domestic load factor was 82.1% and international was 78.0%.
“We had a very strong February with domestic demand growing 24.4% resulting in a load factor of 82.1%, up 2.9 percentage points. We couldn’t be more excited about the results we are seeing from the A320neos. We now have 24 next-generation aircraft in our fleet and will continue to focus on accelerating our fleet transformation plan going forward,” says John Rodgerson, Azul’s CEO.
Year to date we continue to be the most on-time airline in Brazil with 85.6% of flights departing within 15 minutes of departure time, according to FlightStats.
About Azul
Azul S.A. (B3: AZUL4, NYSE: AZUL), the largest airline in Brazil by number of cities served, offers 821 daily flights to 110 destinations. With an operating fleet of 123 aircraft and more than 11,000 crewmembers, the Company has a network of 220 non-stop routes as of December 31, 2018. In 2018, Azul was awarded best airline in Latin America by TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice and by Kayak’s Flight Hacker Guide, and also best regional carrier in South America for the eighth consecutive time by Skytrax. Azul also ranked as most on-time airline in Brazil in 2018 according to FlightStats. For more information visit www.voeazul.com.br/ir
This traffic release includes estimates and forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. These estimates and forward-looking statements are based mainly on our current expectations and estimates of future events and trends that affect or June affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flow, liquidity, prospects and the trading price of our preferred shares, including in the form of ADSs. Although we believe that these estimates and forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, they are subject to many significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are made in light of information currently available to us. In addition, in this release, the words “June,” “will,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should” and similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on such statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. Azul is not under the obligation to update publicly or to revise any forward-looking statements after we distribute this press release because of new information, future events or other factors. Our independent public auditors have neither examined nor compiled the forward-looking statements and, accordingly, do not provide any assurance with respect to such statements. In light of the risks and uncertainties described above, the future events and circumstances discussed in this release might not occur and are not guarantees of future performance. Because of these uncertainties, you should not make any investment decision based upon these estimates and forward-looking statements.
(Reuters) – Boeing Co is indicating “full speed ahead” for a new midsized airplane in what would be the first all-new jet program for the world’s biggest planemaker in more than a decade, Air Lease Corp’s chief executive, John Plueger, said on Wednesday.
Boeing reiterated on Wednesday that it will make a decision in 2020 on whether to launch the plane, which aims to address the middle of the jet market between traditional narrowbody jets with one aisle and long-distance widebody planes. It can start seeking offers in 2019, subject to launch.
“Boeing is signalling full speed ahead but there’s still a lot to be decided in these programs,” Plueger said at a conference, noting the company had met with Boeing in Seattle on Friday.
In an emailed statement, Boeing said it is still working through the business case for the new jet, adding: “If we decide to offer the airplane and the market responds positively, we will proceed with a launch decision sometime in 2020.”
Air Lease, one of the largest aircraft lessors, said it sees interest in Boeing’s proposed mid-market aircraft from airlines, some of which are looking for longer range while others, such as Asian carriers, seek the lowest possible cost per seat kilometre.
Still, Boeing is taking a “thoughtful approach” to the potential project following a series of cost overruns and delays with its last jet program, the 787, and has yet to discuss possible pricing, Air Lease Executive Chairman Steven Udvar-Hazy said.
Air Lease will meet on Saturday with Airbus SE, which is preparing to counter the potential new jet by Boeing with a new version of its A321 and the larger A330neo.
While Boeing and Airbus have traditionally launched new jets alongside purchase commitments from airlines, interest by aircraft lessors like Air Lease is forming an increasingly important role in the decision-making process, industry sources have said.
Delta Air Lines Chief Executive Ed Bastian said on Monday that it is interested in a mid-market aircraft from Boeing to replace 200 757 and 767 aircraft over the next decade.
Last month, Rolls-Royce dropped out of the race to power Boeing’s planned jet, strengthening a leading position in the high-profile contest for a transatlantic venture involving General Electric Co and France’s Safran.
“Somebody had to drop out and the competition at this point is progressing normally,” Plueger said.
Pratt & Whitney is also a potential supplier for the new Boeing jet.
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski in Chicago; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
Interest is rising for Boeing’s new 757 replacement jet!
Airbus Helicopters is unveiling a new version of its best-selling H145 light twin-engine helicopter at Heli-Expo 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. Visible in the Airbus booth at the show, this latest upgrade brings a new, innovative five-bladed rotor to the multi-mission H145, increasing the useful load of the helicopter by 150 kg while delivering new levels of comfort, simplicity and connectivity.
“We’re extremely happy to be able to showcase the new H145 to our customers here in Atlanta as this upgrade owes a lot to the feedback they have provided us over the years about the aircraft,” said Bruno Even, Airbus Helicopters CEO. “Our teams have worked hard to quickly bring to the market a set of innovations that we believe will contribute to the success of our customers’ operations. It is their trust in the H145 and all its predecessor variants over the last decades that have made it the fantastic helicopter it has become today, and I want to thank them for their continuous support”.
The H145’s new five-bladed rotor brings a significant increase in overall performance, with a maximum take-off weight raised to 3,800 kg and a useful load now equivalent to the aircraft’s empty weight. The simplicity of the new bearingless main rotor design will also ease maintenance operations, further improving the benchmark serviceability and reliability of the H145, while improving ride comfort for both passengers and crew. The reduced rotor diameter will allow the H145 to operate in more confined areas.
The new H145 introduces new levels of on-board connectivity to customers and operators through the integration of the wireless Airborne Communication System (wACS), allowing seamless and secure transmission of data generated by the helicopter in real-time, including in-flight.
EASA certification of the new H145 is planned for early 2020, with first deliveries to follow later that year. This upgrade will also be offered to current H145 customers as a retrofit option in order to deliver the same improvements in terms of useful load, simplified maintenance and comfort to the existing version of the H145.
Powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines, the H145 is equipped with full authority digital engine control (FADEC) and the Helionix digital avionics suite. It includes a high performance 4-axis autopilot, increasing safety and reducing pilot workload. Its particularly low acoustic footprint makes the H145 the quietest helicopter in its class.
About Airbus
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2018 it generated revenues of € 64 billion and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Ryanair is in early discussions with Airbus about a potential future order for some 100 A321 aircraft for its recently acquired subsidiary Laudamotion, but for now the company is focusing on leased older aircraft, Chief Executive Michael O’Leary said on Wednesday.
The
Irish budget carrier is also interested in the latest Boeing
narrow-body model – the 737 MAX 10 – for its all-Boeing main fleet “at
the right price” but those conditions do not exist currently, O’Leary
told Reuters in an interview.
Any
future order of Airbus A321s for Austrian unit Laudamotion would most
likely “not include fewer than 100 aircraft” including 50 firm orders
and 50 options, O’Leary said on the sidelines of an airlines conference
in Brussels.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher; editing by Jason Neely)
FILE PHOTO: A Ryanair Boeing 737-800 plane taxis at Lisbon’s airport, Portugal September 27, 2018. REUTERS/Rafael Marchante
BRUSSELS
(Reuters) – British Airways owner IAG is unlikely to renew its interest
in Norwegian Air after ruling out a new bid for the Scandinavian
carrier earlier in the year, but “never say never”, IAG Chief Executive
Willie Walsh said on Wednesday.
“I’d
never say never, but I think it’s unlikely,” Walsh told reporters on
the sidelines of the Airlines for Europe summit in Brussels.
IAG
sold its stake in Norwegian when it ended its interest in the airline,
which competes with IAG’s low-cost long-haul Level brand, earlier this
year.
“If there was a case that we might have done that (renewed our interest), we probably would have retained the shares in Norwegian,” he added.
Norwegian Air Shuttle; 737MAX-8; Air to Air; K66675
Asked if Level could expand into Scandinavia, Walsh said: “It could, ultimately.”
“There
are several significant markets that are underserved from a long-haul
point of view and can be best served by a low-cost model,” he said.
He
also said that, although he was still not interested in buying A380s,
those who wanted to approach him with offers after Airbus said it was
scrapping production of the superjumbo should do so.
“I’m
not looking to buy A380s. If there are people looking to sell them,
they should probably approach us, because we would be one of the few
people who might be interested. But I’m not looking to buy,” he said.
“Let’s see what happens.”
(Reporting by Alistair Smout; Editing by Jason Neely and Mark Potter)
HONG KONG/SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Hong Kong flagship carrier Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd said on Tuesday it is in “active discussions” about an acquisition involving budget airline Hong Kong Express Airways Ltd, although an agreement has yet to be reached.
Such
a deal would give Cathay exposure to the growing budget-travel market
at a time when a lack of slots at Hong Kong International Airport has
constrained its ability to follow peers like Singapore Airlines Ltd and
Qantas Airways Ltd and set up its own budget brand.
The
Hong Kong carrier has instead shifted some destinations from its main
brand to its regional carrier, Cathay Dragon, as part of a
transformation plan designed to cut costs and increase revenue. It has
ordered 32 Airbus SE A321neos for Cathay Dragon.
Cathay
said it had decided to go public about the discussions in response to
media reports suggesting it may be in talks to acquire shares in Hong
Kong Express Airways Ltd and full-service sister carrier Hong Kong
Airlines Ltd from cash-strapped Chinese conglomerate HNA Group Co Ltd.
It
did not detail the potential value of the transaction, nor the size of
the stake it would hold. It said it would issue an additional statement
when appropriate.
An analyst last year estimated to Reuters that HK Express could be worth about $300 million.
HNA and HK Express did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A
person with knowledge of the matter said the companies appeared close
to reaching an agreement and noted Cathay’s parent Swire Pacific Ltd had
historically taken majority stakes when making investments.
Cathay is not interested in Hong Kong Airlines because it has both similar routes and full-service positioning, the person said.
A
second person with knowledge of the matter said Cathay had signed an
exclusivity period for discussion but other parties remained interested
in HK Express if a deal could not be reached.
Both sources spoke on the condition of anonymity as discussions are confidential.
ANTITRUST
Given Cathay’s dominance of Hong Kong’s aviation market, a deal could attract scrutiny from the competition regulator.
Some
analysts have also expressed doubts about the likely benefits of any
deal. Daiwa analyst Kelvin Lau said he did not see much value from the
acquisition as the two airlines flew similar routes, but also because
Cathay would need to undertake significant reform to add a budget wing.
Jefferies analyst Andrew Lee however said in a note to clients it would be “positive for Cathay Pacific” as it would give the airline greater access to a different passenger segment in the low-cost market.
FLYING HIGH
News
of Cathay’s interest in HK Express comes just weeks after Hong Kong’s
flagship carrier projected its annual profit at more than double analyst
estimates, sending its shares surging nearly 9 percent.
Shares
of Cathay have risen more than 19 percent so far this year, compared
with an 8 percent fall in 2018. The airline’s shares jumped more than 3
percent on Tuesday morning.
Cathay has faced repeated questions from investors over the last few years about its failure to set up a budget carrier.
Chief
Executive Rupert Hogg has said it would be difficult to do so until a
third runway was completed at Hong Kong International Airport in 2024,
opening up more slots.
“Our
home-based airport is full at the moment, or largely full, and so it’s
not a perfect place to develop a model from scratch,” he told CAPA
Centre for Aviation last May.
HK
Express operates a fleet of 25 A320 family aircraft to regional
destinations around Asia, according to plane tracking website
FlightRadar24.
Embattled
HNA Group is more than a year into the process of unwinding a $50
billion acquisition spree that at its peak netted the company stakes in
banks, fund managers, hotels, property and airlines, among other assets.
(Reporting by Donny Kwok in Hong Kong and Jamie Freed in Singapore; Additional reporting by Kane Wu in Hong Kong; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree and Stephen Coates)
(Reuters)
– Delta Air Lines fueled the appetite of planemakers on Tuesday after
Chief Executive Ed Bastian said the airline planned to replace some 200
Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft over the next decade.
The plans come as the second largest U.S. airline seeks to grow internationally, though Bastian said at a conference that the company had not yet decided whether to invest in struggling Italian carrier Alitalia.
Atlanta-based Delta’s potential fleet order, which analysts say would be worth over $10 billion, could boost proposals by Boeing Co to launch a new plane in that segment while Airbus is preparing to counter with a new version of A321 and the larger A330neo.
Delta
is “very interested” and in discussions with Boeing about its proposed
new midsized airplane, known as the NMA, Bastian said. Boeing will
decide in 2020 whether to produce the plane which industry sources say
would have two aisles and seat seven across.
The
plane aims to address the so-called middle of the jet market between
traditional narrowbody jets with one aisle and long-distance widebody
planes.
“Hopefully they’ll decide to go,” Bastian said.
Delta
is already in the process of replacing one-third of its mainline fleet,
one of the largest and oldest among U.S. airlines, in the next five
years.
Delta shares were up 2.5 percent at $50.03 in afternoon trading after Bastian said spring and summer travel demand was solid.
Delta Air Lines reveals their first A220 in Atlanta, Georgia at the TechOPS engine shop at Hartsfield Jackson International airport on Monday October 29,2018. (Chris Rank/Rank Studios)
ALITALIA INVESTMENT?
Bastian
said it was too early to decide whether to invest in Alitalia, which
was put under special administration in 2017 after workers rejected the
latest in a long line of rescue plans, leaving the Italian government
seeking a buyer to save the airline.
Italy’s
state-controlled railway Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) said last month it
would start negotiations with Delta and EasyJet Plc to draft a rescue
plan, the third in a decade, for the struggling airline.
Delta
executives have held talks in Rome in recent weeks, according to
Italian industry sources, but doubts remain whether an outside investor
would be willing to take a minority stake in the strike-prone airline.
Bastian
said that the numbers being thrown around for Alitalia are “pretty
large” and “not the kind of numbers that we’re considering, just to
quell any concerns.”
Still,
he said it makes sense to consider an investment in Italy, an important
market for U.S. consumers, and noted that Delta’s global growth over
time will skew toward international rather than congested domestic
markets.
That growth could come through direct investments in overseas carriers.
“You
can’t actually own partner carriers so you have to find ways to
influence them beyond just a commercial contract as a partner, and what
we have found is that by making an investment into these businesses we
can get actually inside the board room and help to start shape the
strategy.”
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski in Chicago, additional reporting by Tim Hepher in Paris; Writing by Nick Zieminski; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Lisa Shumaker)
