PARIS (Reuters) – Saudi Arabian Airlines is close to placing a multi-billion-dollar order for aircraft at least partly involving Airbus jets, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
The carrier, known as Saudia, has been negotiating with both Airbus and Boeing for wide-body jets for months and its chief executive told Air Transport World in March that a decision for planes like the Airbus A350 or Boeing 787 was expected soon.
The order for wide-body aircraft, which could also include a number of smaller A320-family narrow-body aircraft, may be announced at the Paris Airshow, the people said.
Airbus declined comment.
Saudia Arabian Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Airbus and Boeing are battling for wide-body aircraft orders worth well over $10 billion as the clock ticks towards next week’s Paris Airshow, industry sources said on Tuesday.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher, Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)
Seventh consecutive order will increase Israel Railways’ fleet of Bombardier-built double-deck TWINDEXX Vario coaches to 586
Mobility solution provider Bombardier Transportation has signed a contract to provide 74 additional BOMBARDIER TWINDEXX Vario double-deck coaches to Israel Railways (ISR). This call-off is part of a framework agreement signed in October 2010 and is valued at approximately 147 million euro ($166 million US). Delivery of the new coaches is scheduled to be completed by December 2021.
Michael Fohrer, President Central and Eastern Europe and Israel at Bombardier Transportation said, “We are very proud to have signed a seventh consecutive order with Israel Railways, a result of exemplary collaboration and customer intimacy. It is testimony to the superior quality and reliable performance in customer service of all coaches delivered up to this point.”
Eran Cohen, Chief Country Representative Israel at Bombardier Transportation, said, “Sustainability over the entire lifecycle, safety, reliability, higher capacity and performance; those are the ingredients that make our double-deck TWINDEXX Vario trains so successful. We are grateful that Israel Railways has once more decided to put their trust into this well-proven product and the team behind it.”
“This order will strengthen and also benefit from the ongoing transformation of our two sites in Saxony, Germany,” added Michael Fohrer. “Görlitz, as the competence center for carbody production, and Bautzen, as our industrial lead site for serial production, will decisively contribute to the successful execution of this order. In addition, we will continue progressively developing our local supply base and the railway industry in Israel, in particular through the increased involvement of our final assembly site of M.T.R. Dimona, Israel.”
The new order consists of eleven control cars for operation with TRAXX electric locomotives, also compatible with diesel locomotives, eleven intermediate coaches with dedicated space for people with reduced mobility and 52 trailer cars. Additionally, the driver’s desk in the control car will be re-designed to be identical to one in the TRAXX electric locomotives.
This single-car concept enables ISR to configure the loco-hauled trainsets according to the required capacity. Each of the eight-car trains currently in-service feature seating capacity for 1,000 passengers. The popular trainsets, based on a proven platform concept in operation across Europe, are in daily service in Israel and compliant with all current safety, comfort and efficiency standards. They represent great strides in helping alleviate congestion in Israel. As a full solution provider, Bombardier Transportation operates a service depot in Haifa where 293 double-deck coaches out of ISR existing fleet are being upgraded for a speed of 160 km/h and for electric traction.
About Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is a global mobility solution provider leading the way with the rail industry’s broadest portfolio. It covers the full spectrum of solutions, ranging from trains to sub-systems and signalling to complete turnkey transport systems, e-mobility technology and data-driven maintenance services.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – American Airlines Group Inc and Qantas Airways Ltd have been given the U.S. government’s tentative approval to operate a joint venture after a prior effort was rejected in 2016.
The U.S. Department of Transportation on Monday issued an order tentatively approving the joint business agreement and tentatively granting antitrust immunity to the airlines covering international service. An application for a joint venture covering the United States, Australia and New Zealand was rejected by former President Barack Obama’s administration.
The deal would allow the airlines to coordinate their planning, pricing, sales and frequent flyer programs, with new options and customer service improvements. The airlines planned up to three new routes within the first two years and increased capacity on existing routes, the department said.
American Airlines said a final decision is expected in the coming weeks.
“The joint business will also create additional jobs at our respective companies and in the industries we serve,” said American Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Doug Parker.
The department will require the airlines perform a self-assessment of the joint venture’s impact on competition seven years after it takes effect and report their findings to the government, which could subsequently take action.
Regulators in Australia and New Zealand approved the first application for the joint venture before it was initially rejected by the U.S. Transportation Department.
American and Qantas in February 2018 made a second attempt to gain U.S. regulatory permission under President Donald Trump’s administration for a venture that would let them coordinate prices and schedules. They threatened to cancel services if it was rejected and argued it could “unlock” up to $310 million annually in consumer benefits.
The revised application made significant changes, including removing a provision that would have barred either carrier from code-sharing with other carriers. Code-sharing is an arrangement between airlines in which two or more carriers publish and advertise a single flight under their own flight number.
The airlines argued in their 2018 application that the venture would lead to a reduction in fares and higher capacity as a “more viable third competitor” and require other carriers to respond with improvements in quality, schedules and prices.
Qantas said last year the joint venture would allow the two airlines to “significantly improve service” and “stimulate demand.” The airlines said the agreement could generate up to 180,000 new trips between the United States and Australia and New Zealand annually.
U.S. regulators in 2001 approved similar joint venture agreements for United and Air New Zealand Ltd and in 2011 for Delta Air Lines Inc and Virgin Australia.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Dan Grebler and Grant McCool)
An American Airlines Boeing 737-800 airplane takes off at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Caracas, Venezuela January 25, 2019. REUTERS/Andres Martinez Casares
Airline could place an order for A350 or 777X by year end
21-hour flight would be the world’s longest
Qantas plans economy class section, including stretching zone (Adds details on aircraft configuration)
SEOUL, June 3 (Reuters) – Qantas Airways Ltd has asked Airbus SE and Boeing Co to present their “best and final offer” for planes capable of flying 21-hours non-stop from Sydney to London by August, the airline’s chief executive said on Monday.
“Hopefully by the end of the year … we will come to a conclusion one way or another,” Qantas CEO Alan Joyce told reporters on the sidelines of an airline industry conference in Seoul. “If the business case works we will put in an order.”
Qantas is aiming for the planes to be delivered from late 2022, with the first Sydney-London flights likely in 2023, he said. The route would be the world’s longest commercial flight and Qantas is examining A350 and 777X models.
The airline is in talks with pilots about changing a labour contract to increase productivity to help support the business case for an order, Joyce said.
Qantas plans to have four service classes on the airplane, including first, business, premium economy and economy, with a zone for economy and premium economy-class passengers to stretch and hydrate, he said.
Singapore Airlines Ltd has only business class and premium economy on the world’s current longest route, from Singapore to New York.
Joyce said Qantas’ success in selling around 90% of economy-class seats on its Perth-London flights showed there was demand for economy class on the even longer Sydney-London route.
“There still will be a large economy,” he said.
Qantas also planned other routes with the new jets such as Melbourne-London, Sydney-New York and possibly flights from the east coast of Australia to other cities in Europe, the U.S. east coast and Brazil, he said.
(Reporting by Jamie Freed; Editing by Stephen Coates)
WELLINGTON
(Reuters) – Air New Zealand Ltd said on Monday it has ordered eight
Boeing Co 787-10 Dreamliner jets worth $2.7 billion (2.12 billion
pounds) at list prices, to be powered by General Electric Co engines, as
part of a drive toward increased efficiency.
New
Zealand’s flag carrier also trimmed its earnings outlook citing higher
fuel prices, and said problems with Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC engines and
a moderation in demand growth have impacted its financial and
operational performance.
The
new plane order confirmed a Reuters report last week that Boeing had
beaten out rival Airbus SE, which had proposed the A350 for the hotly
contested deal.
The
airline, which has Rolls-Royce engines on its existing fleet of 13
787s, announced it had switched to GE engines for the new order.
The
787s will replace eight older 777-200ERs and leave the carrier with an
all-Boeing wide-body fleet as well as Airbus A320 family jets for
shorter flights.
The order comprises eight long-range 787-10s, with the agreement including an option to increase the number of aircraft to 20.
The
deal also gives the airline, which has previously mentioned a goal of
flying Auckland-New York non-stop, the option to switch some aircraft to
the longer range 787-9s.
“With
the 787-10 offering almost 15 percent more space for customers and
cargo than the 787-9, this investment creates the platform for our
future strategic direction and opens up new opportunities to grow,” Air
New Zealand Chief Executive Christopher Luxon said in a statement.
The eight jets will enter the Air New Zealand fleet between 2022 and 2027, the airline said.
“The
787-10 has 95 percent commonality with Air New Zealand’s existing fleet
of 787-9s and will provide the airline with added benefits in terms of
capacity and overall operations,” Vice President of Boeing Commercial
Sales and Marketing for Asia Pacific Christy Reese said.
The
787-10 is the largest member of Boeing’s Dreamliner series, and can
serve up to 330 passengers in a standard two-class configuration, about
40 more than the 787-9 airplane.
The
airline said the 787 was 25 percent more fuel efficient than the jets
it is replacing, and noted that carriers typically receive large
discounts on the list price of jets.
HEADWIND
In
a separate announcement, Air New Zealand trimmed its 2019 earnings
before taxation, saying it now expects to beat NZ$340 million ($223
million). That compared with a forecast range of NZ$340 million to
NZ$400 million announced in late March.
The change was due to an additional NZ$25 million headwind from increased jet fuel prices, the company said.
The
airline also said Rolls-Royce engine issues – in which components
prematurely fail or needed extra checks – impacted 2,500 flights and led
to 150 cancellations, affecting its financial performance.
Air
New Zealand in March launched a two-year cost reduction programme and
said it would defer spending on aircraft by about NZ$750 million ($491
million) as part of a business review.
In
February, Air New Zealand slashed domestic fares by as much as 50
percent in a shake-up of its pricing structure in response to the
slackening travel market.
(Reporting by Praveen Menon in Wellington, Aditya Soni in Bengaluru and Jamie Freed in Singapore; Editing Richard Pullin and Christopher Cushing)
Geneva, Airbus Corporate Helicopters (ACH) has secured an additional sale for its latest ACH160 helicopter just days before the EBACE 2019 business aviation show in Geneva.
This new order, from an experienced UK helicopter operator which will use it for general corporate purposes, takes the ACH160 orderbook to 11 aircraft of which four have been won in the UK.
Two other ACH160s have been ordered by a privately owned UK company which is also a long-time corporate helicopter user, and a fourth UK aircraft has been ordered by an existing private Airbus Helicopters VIP customer to be managed by Isle of Man-based Luviair.
The H160 medium helicopter programme remains on-track for certification at the end of 2019 to be followed by the first ACH deliveries about one year later.
After recording 54 sales in 2017 following its launch at EBACE in May that year, ACH recorded 68 orders in 2018.
Mirroring sister brand Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ), ACH provides an exclusive end-to-end ownership experience from first enquiry and ordering, through in-service support, to enhanced resale opportunities.
ACH delivers the highest standards in safety, technology, craftsmanship and service and is backed by HCareFirst – a premium support service aimed directly at the specific needs of operators typically recording low flight-hours but demanding worry-free aircraft availability when required.
Frederic Lemos, Head of ACH, said: “This substantial new business for the ACH160 even before certification is clearly demonstrating its very high level of acceptance in the market. These firm orders from highly knowledgeable customers are concrete evidence that the aircraft is addressing the needs of the most demanding operators.”
The full ACH helicopter range consists of the ACH125, ACH130, ACH135, new ACH145, ACH160 and ACH175 variants of Airbus Helicopters’ comprehensive and market-leading family of light and medium models. A range of premium-design aircraft completions, including bespoke solutions, is available for all models.
Renowned for its combination of versatility and comfort, the ACH range of helicopters is admired by passengers and pilots alike for its stylish interiors, smooth and quiet ride allied to its technologically advanced Helionix digital avionics system ensuring carefree handling and the highest level of safety.
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.
Pilatus has already handed over 30 PC-24s since the first customer delivery in February 2018. The PC-24 fleet leader, serial number 101 belonging to PlaneSense, has already flown over 1,100 hours in its first 15 months of operation. The PC-24 fleet as a whole has clocked up over 5,000 hours of safe airborne time – an impressive result for the newly launched business jet by Pilatus.
The PC-24 Super Versatile Jet takes off! All in all, 30 PC-24s are currently in operation around the world, including three PC-24s used as medevac aircraft for the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia. Pilatus plans on delivering about 40 PC-24s in 2019, and on stepping up production to 50 aircraft the following year.
Oscar J. Schwenk, Chairman of Pilatus, is delighted with the success of the PC-24: “Demand for the PC-24 is phenomenal. From day one, there has been keen interest from various customer segments all over the world. Feedback from the first 30 PC-24 operators is extremely positive, with special mention for the aircraft’s versatility, its spacious, quiet cabin and the incredible performance of the PC-24. These remarks plus the high degree of attention which the aircraft commands all confirm our chosen PC-24 strategy.”
Certified for unpaved runways and steep approaches
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have already certified the PC-24 for use on unpaved runways. Work to obtain post-certification for other surfaces, including grass, is currently underway. The PC-24 has also been certified for steep approaches as required for e.g. the approach into London City Airport.
The very first PC-24 of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (RFDS Central Operations) with serial number 118 arrived in Australia on 29 April 2019. A few days later, the first landings on unpaved strips went ahead in Kingoonya, a small and almost totally abandoned farming settlement in the central outback of the Australian state of South Australia.
Order book reopened
In 2014, Pilatus sold 84 PC-24s in the space of one and a half days. The order book was subsequently closed until receipt of feedback from the first PC-24 operators.
Pilatus and its Authorised Pilatus Centres are now taking orders for the PC-24 again, with delivery positions programmed for late 2020 and 2021. The base price of the PC-24 is 10.7 million US dollars.
The PC-24 Super Versatile Jet will be on display at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) from 21 to 23 May in Geneva, Switzerland. Reservations for personal visits can be made on site or at any Authorised Pilatus Centre.
PARIS (Reuters) – Air New Zealand Ltd has decided to buy wide-body planes from Boeing Co, people with direct knowledge of the matter said, ending an 18 month battle between the U.S. aircraft maker and European rival Airbus SE.
The carrier has been considering replacing eight Boeing 777-200ER aircraft in a deal worth over $2 billion at list prices, though carriers typically receive steep discounts. Air New Zealand already uses Boeing wide-bodies exclusively on long-haul flights, and Airbus single-aisle jets on shorter routes.
The final choices under consideration were the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350, Air New Zealand Chief Financial Officer Jeff McDowall said in a video interview with the New Zealand Herald published on Saturday.
“They are both fantastic aircraft,” McDowall said. “Both produce a fantastic customer experience compared to the existing aircraft but also a lower cost and lower carbon emissions… We expect to make a decision soon, in the next month.”
Air New Zealand already operates 13 787-9 jets and has one more on order. The airline did not respond to a Reuters’ request for comment. It will hold an annual investor briefing on May 27.
Boeing and Airbus declined to comment. The people with direct knowledge of the matter declined to be identified ahead of a public announcement.
Air New Zealand’s chief executive, Christopher Luxon, last year told Reuters the larger Boeing 777X was also under consideration, and that the airline planned to use the new jets to begin longer routes such as Auckland to New York and Brazil.
In March, CFO McDowall in an analyst briefing said the airline would need fewer replacement jets in 2023 than initially anticipated due to changes in its flight network.
Air New Zealand began a two-year cost reduction program in March and deferred aircraft capital expenditure of about NZ$750 million ($490.1 million) as part of a business review.
A month earlier, it slashed domestic fares by as much as 50% in a shake-up of its pricing structure in response to a slackening travel market.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher in Paris; Additional reporting by Praveen Menon in WELLINGTON; Editing by Stephen Coates and Christopher Cushing)
FILE PHOTO: An Air New Zealand Airbus A320-200 plane takes off from Kingsford Smith International Airport in Sydney, Australia, February 22, 2018. REUTERS/Daniel Munoz/File Photo
DUBAI (Reuters) – Emirates will “work smart and hard” to improve its performance after the Gulf airline’s profit hit a decade low as soaring fuel costs and a strong dollar took a toll on earnings, while passenger growth stalled.
After years of growth, during which it has become one of the world’s biggest airlines as other long-established national carriers have struggled, Dubai-based, state-owned Emirates warned last week profit would be lower than previous years.
It revealed just how badly it had fared on Thursday, reporting a 69 percent fall in net profit to 871 million dirhams ($237 million) in the year to March 31.
Meanwhile, the number of passengers flying Emirates rose 0.2 percent to 58.6 million, its weakest growth rate in at least 15 years, while cargo increased 1.4 percent to 2.7 million tonnes.
Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum said in a statement that the year had been “tough”, with higher oil prices, a strong dollar and stiffer competition, adding “our performance was not as strong as we would have liked”.
While revenue at the airline rose 6 percent to 97.9 billion dirhams, its profit fell to its lowest level since 2009. And profit at Emirates Group, which includes other units, fell 43.7 percent to 2.3 billions dirhams, its lowest since 2012.
Despite the profit fall, Emirates said it will pay the Investment Corporation of Dubai a dividend of 500 million dirhams for the year.
“SMART AND HARD”
Sheikh Ahmed said it was difficult to predict the year ahead but Emirates would “work smart and hard to tackle the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities.”
Unfavorable currency moves in key markets cost Emirates $156 million, while operating costs rose 8 percent with the airline recording its biggest ever fuel bill of 30.8 billion dirhams.
Emirates filled an average of 76.8 percent of passenger seats, slightly lower than the previous year, while increasing the number of available seats by 4 percent.
Fare increases helped Emirates register a 3 percent increase in passenger margin, despite it filling fewer seats.
The number of airline employees fell by 2,074, or 3.3 percent. Overall group workforce rose 1.9 percent to 105,286.
Emirates agreed with Airbus in February to cancel dozens of A380 orders and buy smaller A350’s and A330’s as the planemaker scrapped production of the world’s largest passenger jet.
Emirates, which will take 14 more A380’s between this year and the end of 2021, is developing a new route network for a fleet that will include smaller aircraft, it said last week.
Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Kirsten Donovan and Alexander Smith
FILE PHOTO: Emirates Airline Boeing 777-300ER planes are seen at Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates February 15, 2019. REUTERS/Christopher Pike/File Photo
The last of the A320neo variants, an Airbus A319neo, has completed its maiden flight powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines for the first time. The A319neo test aircraft took off from Toulouse at 12:30 local time and landed at 15:20. It was flown by a crew of five including Captain Philippe Castaigns, First Officer Shaun Wildey, flight test engineers Frank Hohmeister, David O’Nions, and Test flight engineer Cedric Favrichon.
The aircraft, MSN 6464, will perform an extensive flight test campaign in order to achieve its certification with P&W GTF engines by Q4 2019. The same aircraft had originally been powered with CFM International LEAP-1A engines for that variant’s full certification test campaign, which began on 31 March 2017 prior to FAA/EASA certification in December 2018.
The A319neo is the smallest member of the A320neo family. This family is the world’s best-selling single aisle aircraft, with over 6,500 orders from some 100 customers since its launch in 2010. It has pioneered and incorporated the latest technologies, including its new-generation engines and the industry’s reference cabin design, delivering 20% fuel cost per seat savings alone. The A320neo Family also offers significant environmental benefits with a nearly 50% reduction in noise footprint compared to previous generation aircraft.
