PARIS (Reuters) – Airbus delivered 49 aircraft in July, up from 36 in June as it continues to recover from a slump in deliveries during this year’s coronavirus lockdowns, the company said on Thursday.
The aircraft were all narrow-body jets, highlighting a dearth of demand for the industry’s biggest models, which last month prompted Airbus to trim A350 production for a second time.
The month’s deliveries included 47 A320neo-family jets.
Airbus also scored its first orders in three months as it sold two A320neos to an undisclosed customer and two A321neos to Lufthansa Technik, the modification and repairs business of German carrier Lufthansa <LHA.DE>.
So far in 2020, Airbus has delivered 245 jets and sold 369, or 302 after cancellations.
Demand for aircraft has been crippled by the coronavirus crisis and its heavy impact on air travel.
Airbus is boosting deliveries on a monthly basis despite the industry’s worst crisis as it negotiates deals with airlines.
But although deliveries are rising compared to the trough seen in April, several bankers and analysts have questioned how many of the aircraft are being placed into service as airlines struggle to save cash. Some are said to go straight to storage.
Airbus has issued default notices and threatened to sue airlines that refuse to collect planes already built while showing flexibility in deferring jets not yet in the factory.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Keith Weir)
An Airbus A320neo aircraft is pictured during a news conference to announce a partnership between Airbus and Bombardier on the C Series aircraft programme, in Colomiers near Toulouse, France
Embraer today announced a series of breakthrough cabin enhancements for its Praetor 500 midsize and Praetor 600 super-midsize business jets, consolidating the Praetor position as the best cabin environment among all medium jets. In addition to the lowest cabin altitude in the class (5,800 feet) and 100% fresh air capability, Embraer is now making the HEPA filter standard on all Praetor aircraft, announcing the certification of a new electric lavatory pocket door, and approving the use of MicroShield360.
“The Praetors truly lead the way as the most disruptive and technologically advanced aircraft in their respective categories for features such as the best-in-class Environmental Control System and cabin altitude. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the incorporation of new health and safety technologies is paramount, which is why we are proud to deliver even more value to Praetor customers with this series of cabin enhancements,” said Michael Amalfitano, President & CEO, Embraer Executive Jets. “Furthermore, with the certification of the new electric lavatory pocket door, the Praetors combine the cleanest cabin environment and compliance with the most stringent operational requirements, such as Part 135.”
As new-generation aircraft, the Praetor 500 and Praetor 600 were designed with the latest technologies, including the ability to move 100% fresh air through the cabin. Now standard, the HEPA filter further improves cabin air quality, capturing 99.97% of all particles, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Additionally, Embraer has tested and approved the use of MicroShield360 ― a preventative coating system that, when applied to aircraft interiors, continuously inhibits the growth of microbes on surfaces. A signature feature of the Praetor family, the aircraft enjoy the lowest cabin altitude in their classes. At 45,000 feet, Praetor passengers experience a comfortable 5,800-foot cabin altitude. As a result, passengers feel more rested and refreshed. The combination of these new and existing features equates to cabin health that is unparalleled in the medium cabin segment.
To further enhance the atmosphere of safety and cleanliness in the cabin, Embraer has developed the only electric lavatory pocket door in the midsize and super-midsize categories. Certified by ANAC in early June 2020, and recently validated by EASA and the FAA, the Praetor 500 and Praetor 600 are the only aircraft in the medium cabin segment to have the emergency exit door in the lavatory, while complying with the latest cabin safety requirements. This new optional feature, which allows the passenger the comfort of opening the lavatory door by just pressing a button, is now available for delivery in both new Praetor jets, and is retrofittable on both Praetor and Legacy 450 and 500 models (starting in the fourth quarter of 2020).
The new electric lavatory pocket door allows 100% of the Praetor aircraft to have the emergency exit in the lavatory — even those under FAA Part 135 operations. By moving the emergency exit to the lavatory, the cabin is further enhanced with a recognizably clean, quiet, and functional aesthetic, featuring minimized placards, temperature management, and noise reduction, thanks to the lack of an exit door cutout — plus full seat and table functionality.
Today, the Praetor platform, which is based on the Legacy 450/500, enjoys over 160 aircraft in operation and more than 180,000 flight hours.
Dassault Aviation has opened its new online shop: “The Store”.
This upgraded store, featuring an innovative design, allows aviation buffs in just a few clicks to purchase outstanding items reflecting the image and values of the Dassault Aviation brand. You will find a whole range of dedicated and exclusive products: the famous ‘Remove Before Flight’ keyrings, patches, apparel, airplane models …
This completely new line of articles has been specially designed and produced to Dassault Aviation specifications.
Japan’s five-star carrier plans to acquire 11 787-10 airplanes, four 787-9s jet and five options
Deal marks ANA’s sixth Dreamliner purchase; order book to eclipse 100 airplanes once options are exercised
ANA plans to use the largest, most efficient Dreamliner to replace certain domestic 777 models
Boeing [NYSE:BA] and ANA HOLDINGS INC. announced the Japanese airline group today decided to acquire up to 20 more 787 Dreamliner airplanes. The agreement with Boeing includes 11 787-10s, one 787-9 and options for five 787-9s valued at more than $5 billion at list prices. The airline also plans to acquire three new 787-9 airplanes from Atlantis Aviation Corporation.
Once the agreements are finalized, it will be ANA’s sixth order for the ultra-efficient and passenger-pleasing Dreamliner and bring their overall 787 order book to more than 100 airplanes.
“Boeing’s 787s have served ANA with distinction, and we are proud to expand our fleet by adding more of these technologically-advanced aircraft,” said Yutaka Ito, Executive Vice President of ANA and ANA HD. “These planes represent a significant step forward for ANA as we work to make our entire fleet even more eco-friendly and further reduce noise output.”
With this order, the airline will add 11 of the largest and most fuel-efficient Dreamliner models, the 787-10 to its world-class fleet. Powered by a suite of new technologies and a revolutionary design, the 787-10 set a new benchmark for fuel efficiency and operating economics when it entered service in 2018. The airplane allows operators to achieve 25 percent better fuel efficiency per seat compared to older airplanes in its class.
ANA sees the 787-10 as the perfect airplane to replace previous domestic 777 models that are slated for retirement.
“Introducing the 787-10 on our domestic routes will help ANA Group maintain its leadership role and improve our ability to operate as a responsible corporate citizen,” Yutaka Ito said.
ANA became the global launch customer of the 787 Dreamliner when it placed its initial order in 2004. Since then, like half of all Dreamliner operators, the Japanese carrier has placed follow-on orders. However, ANA is in a class by itself as the world’s biggest 787 operator with 71 airplanes in its fleet and 12 more to be delivered prior to the latest agreement. The new deal will bring the 11 additional 787-10 airplanes, one 787-9 and options for five more 787-9 jets.
ANA is also in the launch customer group for Boeing’s new 777X.
“ANA has grown into one of the leading airline groups in Asia by continually raising the bar for customer satisfaction and investing in the most technologically-advanced and capable fleet. We are truly honored that ANA HD is coming back to order more 787 planes with plans to boost their Dreamliner fleet to more than 100 jets,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing, The Boeing Company. “We are confident that the unique capabilities of the 787-10 will continue to safely serve its passengers with best-in-class comfort and reliability.”
The 787 Dreamliner is playing an important role in reducing carbon emissions around the world. Since the first 787 entered commercial service in 2011, the Dreamliner family has saved more than 48 billion pounds of fuel. In addition, the 787 fleet’s noise footprint is 60 percent smaller than those of the airplanes it replaces.
ANA HD’s new 787 jets will be powered by GE’s GEnx-1B engines. The new engines will contribute to the 25 percent improved fuel efficiency per seat of the 787-10.
A Boeing 737 Max aircraft taxis the runway at the Renton Municipal Airport in Renton
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Papua New Guinea carrier Air Niugini has updated its contract with Boeing Co <BA> to delay the delivery of its four 737 MAX jets on order until at least 2024, the airline’s chief executive said on Tuesday.
The carrier had been due to receive its first 737 MAX this year.
Air Niugini Chief Executive Alan Milne told Reuters the delay would give the airline more time to complete a broader review of its fleet plans, including a replacement for its smaller Fokker jets.
“This will then determine if the MAX is still appropriate for Air Niugini, or whether another Boeing product would better suit as a replacement for the 737/767,” he said, in reference to older models in the airline’s fleet.
Milne said it was possible the 737 MAX orders could be switched to the smaller Embraer SA <ERJ> E2 family if Boeing’s deal to buy the bulk of the Brazilian planemaker’s commercial division closes.
“Air Niugini is a valued Boeing customer and we are working closely with the airline to meet its evolving fleet requirements,” a Boeing spokesman said. “Unfortunately, we do not disclose ongoing customer discussions and have no further comment.”
Some other Boeing customers, including Malaysia Airlines, Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd <VBHLF> and Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA’s <NWARF> leasing arm have also postponed the delivery of 737 MAX jets since the model was grounded globally last March after two fatal crashes.
Boeing confirmed on Monday that it has temporarily halted production of the 737 MAX in Washington State in recent days. The company had said in December it would halt production at some point this month.
(Reporting by Jamie Freed; Editing by Paul Simao and Sam Holmes)
A logo of low cost carrier Spirit Airlines is pictured on an Airbus plane in Colomiers near Toulouse
(Reuters) – U.S. budget carrier Spirit Airlines Inc <SAVE> said on Monday it will buy 100 Airbus <EADSY> A320neo-family jets to be delivered through 2027, with options to purchase up to 50 additional aircraft.
The deal includes a mix of Airbus A319, A320, and A321 models, the company said.
The purchase agreement finalizes an October provisional deal for the aircraft, when Spirit picked European planes despite Washington imposing tariffs on them.
Depending on the number of each variant of the A320 single-aisle family chosen, the deal could be worth $11 billion to $12 billion at the most recent 2018 Airbus list prices, but industry sources say such deals typically involve discounts of at least 50%.
Washington has imposed 10% tariffs on some of the planes Airbus offers to U.S. carriers, as part of a long-running transatlantic trade dispute over aircraft subsidies.
Spirit currently operates an all-Airbus fleet of 140 jets.
Aircraft are typically ordered several years in advance, meaning any planes ordered now would only be covered by tariffs in the event of an extended transatlantic tariff war. Airbus jets assembled at a plant in Alabama are not currently included.
(Reporting by Rachit Vats in Bengaluru and Allison Lampert in Montreal; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta and Lisa Shumaker)
LONDON and SOUTHLAKE, Texas, Dec. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Wizz Air (PNK: WZZAF) Europe’s greenest airline and leading low cost carrier in Central Eastern Europe, has selected Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), the leading technology provider to the global travel industry, as a strategic partner to enhance its network planning and scheduling technology. With this new agreement, Wizz Air joins a portfolio of more than 80 airlines that have implemented Sabre’s leading technology to optimize complex schedule and slot management processes.
Sabre has a strong reputation in driving results through its intelligent planning and scheduling solutions. Empowering collaborative and intelligent decision-making, Sabre AirVision Schedule Manager helps airlines build and deliver robust, accurate and operationally feasible schedules across their networks. This proven solution has helped airlines achieve up to 9% incremental operating profit and up to 12% increase in productivity.
Wizz Air has implemented Sabre AirVision Slot Manager and Schedule Manager, equipping it with the right mechanisms to reduce the risks of losing valuable historic slot rights, while enabling increased productivity and a fast response to rescheduling.
“Adopting the right planning and scheduling technology has a significant impact on revenue optimization and cost reduction, as well as running a robust and efficient operation,” said George Michalopoulos, chief commercial officer at Wizz Air. “Sabre’s end-to-end planning and scheduling suite provides Wizz Air with the intelligence and flexibility needed to deploy optimized schedules.”
Sabre’s agreement with Wizz Air reflects its ongoing investment in creating technology solutions that are perfectly adapted to the requirements of different airline business models. With a customer community that includes a portfolio of airlines in the network, low-cost and ultra-low-cost categories, Sabre is consistently driving innovation through its partnerships.
“Wizz Air has a solid and ambitious plan for profitable expansion, and therefore needed a strong technology partner,” said Alessandro Ciancimino, vice president sales Europe, Travel Solutions, Sabre. “Sabre’s suite of technology helps airlines to get schedules to market faster, rapidly respond to market conditions in real time, and more efficiently manage a growing network of routes – which will help it position itself competitively, and differentiate itself among increased competition.”
About Sabre Corporation Sabre Corporation is the leading technology provider to the global travel industry. Sabre’s software, data, mobile and distribution solutions are used by hundreds of airlines and thousands of hotel properties to manage critical operations, including passenger and guest reservations, revenue management, flight, network and crew management. Sabre also operates a leading global travel marketplace, which processes more than US$120 billion of global travel spend annually by connecting travel buyers and suppliers. Headquartered in Southlake, Texas, USA, Sabre serves customers in more than 160 countries around the world.
About Wizz Air Wizz Air, the largest low-cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe, offers more than 700 routes from 25 bases, connecting 152 destinations across 44 countries. A team of more than 5,000 aviation professionals delivers superior service and very low fares making Wizz Air the preferred choice of 38 million passengers in the past 12 months. WIZZ operates an all-Airbus fleet of 120 aircraft. Its A320s are equipped with 180 seats, its A321s with 230 seats and its A321neo aircraft with 239 seats. According to the latest data of the Swiss airline intelligence provider CH-Aviation, Wizz Air has one of the youngest airline fleets in the world.
– 28th annual Global Business Aviation Outlook projects 2020 deliveries to be higher than 2019 as new models enter service
– Five-year purchase plans for new business jets down slightly, but plans to buy used jets grow significantly
– Long-range forecast predicts healthy market with steady annual growth
LAS VEGAS, Oct. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — The business jet industry is expected to see strong growth in the short to medium term, supported by several new airplane models coming to the market, according to Honeywell’s (HON) 28th annual Global Business Aviation Outlook. Released today, the Global Business Aviation Outlook forecasts up to 7,600 new business jet deliveries worth $248 billion from 2020 to 2029, down 1 to 2 percentage points from the 2018 10-year forecast.
“Production ramp up on many new business jet platforms are expected to lead to a 7% increase in deliveries in 2020, following a strong projected growth in 2019 over 2018 aircraft deliveries,” said Heath Patrick, president, Americas Aftermarket, Honeywell Aerospace. “We are confident that these new and innovative aircraft models will support solid growth in the short term and have a continuing impact on new business jet purchases in the midterm and long term.”
Key findings in the 2019 Honeywell global outlook include:
Operators plan to make new jet purchases equivalent to about 17% of their fleets over the next five years as replacements or additions to their current fleet, a decrease of 3 percentage points compared with 2018 survey results.
Of the total purchase plans for new business jets over the next 5 years, 35% are expected to occur in the first two years of the survey, with 57% of purchase plans realized by year three. This is 5 percentage points higher than last year’s survey.
Operators continue to focus on larger-cabin aircraft classes, from large cabin through ultralong-range aircraft, which are expected to account for more than 71% of all expenditures of new business jets in the next five years.
– Gualter Helicopteros appointed as Kopter Group distributor for Brazil. – Kopter’s SH09 is exhibited at LABACE in Sao Paolo from August 13th to 15th.
Kopter Group (Kopter) is starting the active promotion in Brazil of its SH09, the next generation single engine helicopter, with the appointment of Gualter Helicopteros as its representative & distributor.
The partnership between the two companies was signed on the first day of the LABACE 2019 exhibition, which is taking place in Sao Paolo from August 13th to 15th. Christian Gras, Kopter Executive Vice President Customers declared on this occasion: “With more than 30-year experience in the helicopter business and having introduced several helicopter models in the Brazilian market, Gualter Helicopteros is the right partner to ensure the success of the SH09 in Brazil. The team has an impressive track record, having sold over 600 new and used helicopters on the Brazilian and South American markets”.
Brazil, which has a solid aeronautical tradition and is the world third largest aircraft industry, counts today more than 1,800 helicopters in operations, including a large part of single engine models. It represents a unique opportunity for Kopter’s SH09 as the helicopter perfectly meets the market expectations for a modern, performing and cost-effective platform to replace an aging fleet.
For the first time, Kopter is showcasing the full-scale mock-up of its SH09 in Brazil at the exhibition. The SH09 is fitted with a seven-seat transport configuration (five passengers and two pilots) developed and installed by Metro Aviation. The mock-up also features the Garmin G3000H, a state of the art avionics suite for which Kopter is the launching customer. The G3000H will be integrated in the SH09 since the very first delivery. It will significantly reduce pilot workload, increase situational awareness and boost the aircraft’s operational safety margins.
The multi-role SH09 helicopter is a highly adaptive and versatile platform to transport passengers with the highest levels of safety, comfort and visibility. Its large cabin offers the volume and flexibility typically seen on light-twin helicopters only. It allows multiple interior layouts that provide ample legroom as well as flexibility for added luggage loaded through the rear clamshell doors. The helicopter’s low vibration levels with its five-blade main rotor, as well as the silent noise signature of the shrouded tail rotor, create the ultimate flying experience.
The SH09 is generating a strong response on the worldwide market, having today a total number of orders amounting to 70 units, to which another 100 LOIs are to be added. Kopter looks forward to welcoming Brazilian operators to its list of customers.
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Daimler has cut its earnings outlook for this year after lifting provisions for issues related to its diesel vehicles by “a high three-digit million euro amount”, the carmaker said on Sunday.
Group earnings before interest and tax for 2019 are now expected to be at last year’s level. Previously, the carmaker had expected the figure to be “slightly higher”.
The revision is related to an increase in expected expenses linked to “various ongoing governmental proceedings and measures with regard to Mercedes-Benz diesel vehicles,” the company said.
A spokesman declined to elaborate on the nature of those issues.
However, Sunday’s profit warning follows news over the weekend that Daimler must recall 60,000 Mercedes diesel cars in Germany after regulators found that they were fitted with software aimed at distorting emissions tests.
The transportation ministry said it was expanding its investigation into further models.
The company also said it was reducing its forecast for the return on sales for Mercedes-Benz vans.
It now sees a return between minus 2% and minus 4%, below its previous forecast of a return on sales of 0% to 2%.
