Airbus and Spirit Airlines have agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding for the U.S.-based airline to acquire up to 100 A320neo Family aircraft. Spirit announced its intention to place firm orders for a mix of A319neo, A320neo, and A321neo to meet its future fleet requirements.
“This new order represents another milestone for Spirit,” said Spirit Airlines’ President and CEO Ted Christie. “The additional aircraft will be used to support Spirit’s growth as we add new destinations and expand our network across the U.S., Latin America, and the Caribbean. We look forward to working with our valued partners at Airbus to finalise our agreement.”
“The Airbus A320 Family has been a strong platform for the remarkable success of Spirit over the past several years,” said Airbus Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer. “The ongoing, enthusiastic spirit the airline demonstrates in our A320neo Family is most rewarding, and we look forward to playing a part in the Spirit team’s continued growth for many, many years to come.”
Spirit is a fast growing ultra-low-cost carrier in the Americas, based in South Florida.
Featuring the widest single-aisle cabin in the sky, the best-selling A320neo Family, comprising the A319neo, A320neo, and A321neo, deliver at least 20% reduced fuel burn as well as 50% less noise compared to previous-generation aircraft, thanks to incorporating the very latest technologies including new-generation engines and Sharklets. At the end of September 2019, the A320neo Family had received more than 6,650 firm orders from nearly 110 customers worldwide.
São José dos Campos, Brazil, October 15, 2019 – Amaszonas Línea Aérea of Bolivia is the newest Embraer E-Jet operator. The airline started flying an E190 today between Santa Cruz de la Sierra’s Viru Viru Airport and La Paz. Amaszonas is adding a total of six E190s to its fleet. The airplanes will fly to several domestic and international destinations.
“We have been working with Amaszonas for a long-time. To see the E190 flying in the airline’s colors is really rewarding for Embraer,” said Reinaldo Krugner, Vice President, Latin America & Caribbean, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “The E190 is the ideal aircraft to support the airline’s growing capacity in a very disciplined way. Amaszonas is taking advantage of the E190’s low operating cost.”
The first two E190s are leased from GECAS and configured with 112 seats in a single class layout. The other four aircraft will be leased from CDB Leasing and have 110 seats in a single class layout. The airline will also operate the E190s at Montevideo’s Carrasco International Airport in the future.
“The range of the E190 allows us to replace our smaller regional jets and support our expansion plans in Bolivia and Uruguay,” Sergio de Urioste, President & CEO of Amaszonas Línea Aérea. “Our E-Jets give us the flexibility we need to add more frequencies and destinations. We know our passengers are going to love the comfort of the E190 cabin.”
Embraer and Amaszonas have also signed a Flight Hour Pool Program agreement until 2024 to provide repairable component support for the carrier’s fleet of up to six E190s. The multiyear program features both the Pool Program and repair management services for the carrier’s fleet of E-Jets, including material services engineering and advanced component exchanges from Embraer’s spare parts distribution center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Embraer is the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial aircraft up to 150 seats with more than 100 customers across the world. For the E-Jets program alone, Embraer has logged more than 1,800 orders and 1,500 aircraft have been delivered. Today, E-Jets are flying in the fleets of 80 customers in 50 countries. The versatile 70 to 150-seat family is flying with low-cost airlines as well as with regional and mainline network carriers.
RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – A left-wing political party on Wednesday filed a lawsuit to block the sale of 80% of Brazilian planemaker Embraer SA’s <ERJ> commercial jet division to Boeing Co <BA> for $4.2 billion (3.3 billion pounds), arguing it will harm Brazil’s sovereignty.
The deal, which would position Boeing to compete more directly with Airbus SE <EADSY> in the market for mid-sized passenger planes, has faced significant left-wing opposition largely because Embraer is seen as a strategic company for Brazil’s national security.
So far, a handful of lower court decisions temporarily blocking the deal have been overturned by appeals court judges. The government has authorized the deal and Embraer’s shareholders are all for it.
But the latest lawsuit, filed by Brazil’s Democratic Labor Party (PDT), underscores that there is still a political risk that could potentially unravel the agreements reached so far between Boeing and Embraer. The PDT’s leader, Ciro Gomes, has staunchly opposed the sale of Embraer’s commercial jet division to Boeing.
Embraer declined to comment on the lawsuit.
The proposed deal with Boeing was first announced in July 2018.
Boeing and Embraer are waiting for antitrust approval to finalise the deal, including intense scrutiny from European regulators. They expect that to happen in early 2020.
(Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier in Rio de Janeiro; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
Greg Foran, president and CEO of Walmart U.S., smiles after speaking about the company’s Black Friday plans at a Walmart store in Secaucus, New Jersey
(Reuters) – Air New Zealand Ltd <ANZLY> named Walmart U.S. boss Greg Foran as its new chief executive on Friday, bringing him back home at a time the airline is trying to control costs in a lower-growth environment.
New Zealand-born Foran is credited with turning around Walmart Inc’s <WMT.N> U.S. business as its president and CEO since 2014, with the unit reporting 20 quarters of comparable sales growth under his leadership.
Air New Zealand Chairman Therese Walsh said the carrier was “thrilled to have attracted a world class Kiwi back home.”
“Greg has an impeccable track record in delivering strong commercial performance, outstanding customer focus and in building teams that can take a business to the next level,” Walsh said in a statement.
Grant Williamson, investment adviser at Hamilton Hindin Greene in Christchurch, said snagging Foran was a coup for the carrier.
“In the short term, it’s not going to have a major impact on earnings, there’s bigger things moving in the background like oil prices and global growth,” Williamson said. Air New Zealand shares were marginally higher at NZ$2.85 on Friday.
“But in terms of someone to have a steady hand on the wheel for Air New Zealand going forward, I don’t think they could do much better,” Williamson added.
Foran, who boosted Walmart’s sales by focusing on improving existing stores to keep costs and prices low, said he looked forward to building on Air New Zealand’s competitive advantage in customer focus and care.
The airline is known overseas for its quirky safety videos and consistently ranks highly in global airline customer surveys.
Foran will join Air New Zealand in the first quarter of next year, replacing Christopher Luxon who departed last month after seven years in the role. Luxon, a former Unilever executive, had also joined the airline after a career in fast-moving consumer goods.
During Luxon’s tenure, the carrier was recognised globally as an industry leader for its focus on innovation, environmental sustainability and diversity in hiring.
However, it has more recently faced challenges from a higher fuel bill and weak travel demand, leading the national carrier to report a 31% fall in annual profit in August.
Air New Zealand Chief Revenue Officer Cam Wallace, who had been an internal contender for the top job, according to sources with knowledge of the matter, welcomed the appointment on Twitter.
Foran will remain at Walmart until Jan. 31, when he will be replaced by the head of its Sam’s Club warehouse chain, John Furner.
“While we’ve been highly impressed with Mr. Furner’s work at Sam’s Club… he does admittedly have big shoes to fill,” said a note from Jefferies Group LLC <JEF.N>. “We can’t help but expect the market to react negatively to today’s news.”
(Reporting by Jamie Freed in Singapore and Devika Syamnath in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington; Editing by Sandra Maler and Jane Wardell)
– Boeing and Virgin Galactic enter strategic partnership to transform commercial space travel and mobility
– Latest investment to date by Boeing HorizonX Ventures organization
Boeing [NYSE: BA] is investing $20 million in Virgin Galactic, a vertically integrated human spaceflight company. The companies will work together to broaden commercial space access and transform global travel technologies.
“Boeing’s strategic investment facilitates our effort to drive the commercialization of space and broaden consumer access to safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible new forms of transportation,” said Brian Schettler, senior managing director of Boeing HorizonX Ventures. “Our work with Virgin Galactic, and others, will help unlock the future of space travel and high-speed mobility.”
To date, Virgin Galactic has invested $1 billion of capital to build reusable human spaceflight systems designed to enable significantly more people to experience and utilize space. In July, the company announced its intent to become a publicly-listed entity via a business combination with Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings Corp. The Boeing investment will be in return for new shares in Virgin Galactic and is therefore contingent on the closing of that transaction, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2019, and any such investment will be in the post-business combination company.
This investment brings together two companies with extensive experience in the space industry. Virgin Galactic is a pioneer of commercial human space flight and is the first and only company to have put humans into space in a vehicle built for commercial service, having built and flown a Mach 3 passenger vehicle. Through its manufacturing and development capabilities, Virgin Galactic can design, build, test, and operate a fleet of advanced aerospace vehicles. Boeing has unsurpassed experience transporting people to orbit and building and operating large structures in that challenging environment. A part of every U.S. manned space program, Boeing serves as NASA’s prime contractor for the International Space Station (ISS) and is preparing the new, reusable, Starliner space capsule for launch to the ISS.
“This is the beginning of an important collaboration for the future of air and space travel, which are the natural next steps for our human spaceflight program,” said Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Galactic. “Virgin Galactic and Boeing share a vision of opening access to the world and space, to more people, in safe and environmentally responsible ways.”
Boeing Defense, Space & Security President and CEO Leanne Caret, said “the unique expertise of our companies stretches from points all around the world to the deepest reaches of space. Together we will change how people travel on Earth, and among the stars, for generations to come.”
George Whitesides, CEO of Virgin Galactic, noted: “we are excited to partner with Boeing to develop something that can truly change how people move around the planet and connect with one another. As a Virgin company, our focus will be on a safe and unparalleled customer experience, with environmental responsibility to the fore.”
Additional information on specific projects to be pursued will be shared in the future.
Peruvian Airlines has posted the following message on its website!
As a result of an embargo carried out by the Customs of Peru on all Peruvian accounts, due to the valuation difference in the temporary importation of 2 commercial aircraft since the Temporary Admission Law did not exist in the country, the coercive action occurred that resulted in the lack of liquidity that affected our operations.
This embargo that generated the paralysis of our flights for half a day, created a distrust with the travel agencies that significantly lowered their sales, affecting even more the cash flows of the company not allowing its operation, a situation from which we could not recover, So we are in the unfortunate situation of having to suspend all our flights until further notice.
Faced with this situation, we are making efforts with new investors in order to refloat the company in order to continue providing the important service that Peruvian represents for national aviation as it is the only Peruvian company that operates in the skies of Peru for more than 10 years.
We deeply regret the inconvenience that our passengers are causing and we reiterate our commitment to provide a prompt solution. For information, call 716 6000 or Av. Pardo 495 Miraflores.
Today Air Lease Corporation (AL) announced a long-term lease agreement with MIAT Mongolian Airlines for one new Boeing 787-9 aircraft. This aircraft, scheduled to deliver to the airline in Spring 2021 from ALC’s order book with Boeing, will be the first 787-9 to operate in Mongolia as well as the first Dreamliner in MIAT Mongolian Airlines’ fleet.
“ALC is honored to announce this significant lease placement with MIAT Mongolian Airlines and be the first to introduce the airline to the Dreamliner,” said Steven F. Udvar-Házy, Executive Chairman of Air Lease Corporation. “We are proud to support the national carrier as it expands its fleet with the most technologically advanced aircraft to connect Mongolia with the rest of the world.”
“Our vision is to become a globally recognized Mongolian national flag carrier, and we are making a significant step forward by adding the first 787-9 Dreamliner to our fleet,” said Battur Davaakhuu, President and CEO, MIAT Mongolian Airlines. “The Mongolian Dreamliner will fly our passengers direct and in unmatched comfort to their dream destinations. Today is a proud day for MIAT and for all Mongolians.”
“It will be wonderful to see the 787 Dreamliner in MIAT Mongolian Airlines’ livery flying in and out of Ulaanbaatar and connecting Mongolia with key destinations across Asia and Europe. The airline has continued to build on its proud aviation history by modernizing its fleet and operations. We are honored MIAT has selected the 787 and its superior fuel efficiency and range to profitably grow their international network,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing for The Boeing Company. “We are delighted to partner with leading lessor ALC, which has a tremendous portfolio of 787 Dreamliners and other advanced jets, to open a new chapter in MIAT’s history.”
MIAT Mongolian Airlines currently operates two Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft and one 737-800 aircraft on lease from ALC.
NORTH CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, Sept 30, 2019 – Boeing [NYSE:BA] delivered to Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) its first 787-10 Dreamliner, which will play a key role in the airline’s fleet and network expansion. The largest member of the Dreamliner family sets the benchmark for fuel efficiency and operating economics and will complement SAUDIA’s fleet of 787-9.
“SAUDIA operates a state-of-the-art fleet equipped with the latest technology, and in addition to the airline’s existing Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, is now adding the 787-10 variant which will further support future network growth plans,” said His Excellency Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, Director General, SAUDIA. “The airplane’s onboard cabin features, long range capability and the latest in technological advancements are among the many aspects of what makes the Boeing 787 highly popular with our guests.”
In addition to the 787-10, SAUDIA operates 13 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes, and 33 777-300ER (Extended Range) jets.
“SAUDIA has been a valued partner with Boeing for nearly 75 years and this delivery marks another major milestone in our partnership. Our team takes great pride in building and delivering quality aircraft to SAUDIA and we are honored by the continuing confidence in the 787 Dreamliner and 777 families,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing, The Boeing Company. “The addition of the 787-10 to SAUDIA’s fleet will continue the superior inflight experience that passengers have come to expect of the Dreamliner. Moreover, the unmatched fuel efficiency of the 787 will help SAUDIA open new routes and achieve significant fuel savings and emission reduction.”
With the delivery to SAUDIA, the 787-10 continues to expand its global presence. More than 30 of this Dreamliner model have been delivered to seven operators since the airplane entered commercial service last year. As a stretch of the 787-9, the 787-10 adds about 40 more seats in a 2-class configuration and cargo capacity, offering 25 percent better fuel per seat and fewer emissions than the airplanes it replaces. With a range 6,345 nautical miles (11,750 kms), the 787-10 can fly more than 95 percent of the world’s twin-aisle routes.
Since entering service in 2011, the 787 family has enabled the opening of more than 235 new point-to-point routes and saved more than 40 billion pounds of fuel. Designed with the passenger in mind, the 787 family delivers an unparalleled experience with the largest windows of any commercial jet, large overhead bins with room for everyone’s bag, comfortable cabin air that is cleaner and more humid, and includes soothing LED lighting.
To optimize the performance of its 787 fleet, SAUDIA uses Boeing Global Services digital solutions powered by Boeing AnalytX such as Airplane Health Management (AHM), Maintenance Performance Toolbox and Crew Rostering and Pairing to optimize performance, manage global crew schedules and maintain their fleet. Boeing AnalytX is a suite of software and consulting services that transform raw data into efficiency, resource and cost savings in every phase of flight.
Boeing [NYSE:BA] delivered to Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) its first 787-10 Dreamliner, which will play a key role in the airline’s fleet and network expansion.
Leading long-range carrier builds future fleet with eight super-efficient 787-10s and includes options to increase number of aircraft to up to 20 Dreamliners
Largest Dreamliner model offers more seats and unmatched fuel efficiency, and environmental performance
SEATTLE, Sept. 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing [NYSE:BA] and Air New Zealand [NYSE:ANZLY] today finalized an order for eight 787-10 Dreamliner airplanes valued at $2.7 billion at list prices. The carrier, recognized for its long-range flights and global network, will integrate the largest Dreamliner model into its world-class fleet of 787-9 and 777 airplanes from 2022 to strategically grow its business.
The airplane deal, announced in May as a commitment, includes options to increase the number of aircraft from eight up to 20, and substitution rights that allow a switch from the larger 787-10 to smaller 787-9s, or a combination of the two models for future fleet and network flexibility.
“This is an exciting decision for our business and our customers as we deliver on our commitment to grow our business sustainably. With the 787-10 offering around 15 percent more space for both customers and cargo than the 787-9, this investment creates the platform for our future strategic direction and opens up new opportunities to grow,” said Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Christopher Luxon.
As the largest member of the passenger-pleasing and super-efficient Dreamliner family, the 787-10 is 224 feet long (68 meters) and can seat up to 330 passengers in a standard two-class configuration, about 40 more than the 787-9. 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 commercial service last year. The airplane allows operators to achieve 25 percent better fuel efficiency per seat compared to the previous airplanes in its class.
“Air New Zealand has made very strategic investments in advanced widebody aircraft to build on its status as a leading global carrier connecting the South Pacific with Asia and the Americas. We are very honored that Air New Zealand has selected to add the 787-10 and its unique capabilities to complement its long-haul fleet of 777 and 787-9 airplanes,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing, The Boeing Company.
Air New Zealand was a global launch customer for the 787-9 and today operates 13 of the Dreamliner variant. With another 787-9 on the way and the 787-10 airplanes in the future, the airline’s Dreamliner fleet is on track to grow to 22. The new Dreamliner aircraft will replace Air New Zealand’s fleet of eight 777-200ERs. Air New Zealand’s widebody fleet also includes seven 777-300ERs.
As part of its efforts to maintain an efficient and reliable fleet, Air New Zealand utilizes a number of Boeing Global Services solutions, including Airplane Health Management and Maintenance Performance Toolbox. These digital solutions provide maintenance data and decision support tools that enable aircraft maintenance teams to increase operational efficiency.
DETROIT, Sept 19 (Reuters) – Electric vehicle startup Rivian Automotive LLC got a big boost from one of its investors on Thursday when Amazon.com announced it was ordering 100,000 electric delivery vans.
Before Rivian has even begun commercial production at its factory in Normal, Illinois, the Amazon order rocketed it to the forefront of electric vehicle makers.
Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said in Washington that as part of the online retailer’s plan to be carbon neutral by 2040 it would order the electric vans from Rivian, with deliveries starting in 2021. The goal is to deploy all the vehicles by 2024.
Rivian, a potential rival to Silicon Valley’s Tesla Inc, unveiled its electric R1T pickup and R1S SUV last November, but had piqued Amazon’s interest earlier. Bezos personally reached out to Rivian CEO R.J. Scaringe last summer to express interest in an investment, sources previously said.
Plymouth, Michigan-based Rivian, founded in 2009, has raised close to $1.9 billion from investors, including a $700 million February round led by Amazon.
The deal solidifies Rivian’s place among EV builders, said Sam Fiorani, a vice president with Auto Forecast Solutions. “It helps boost the image of the (Rivian) brand,” he said.
Rivian aspires to be the first to produce a mass market electric pickup. It intends to begin selling its R1T by the end of 2020, a target that has not changed with the Amazon deal in place, said Rivian spokeswoman Amy Mast said.
Traditional U.S. automakers Ford Motor Co, a Rivian investor, and General Motors Co, as well as Tesla, are pushing to develop their own electric pickups.
The Amazon vans, under the exclusive deal, will be built at Rivian’s plant, a former Mitsubishi factory in Normal, Illinois, Mast said. The first vehicles will be delivered in 2021 and 10,000 should be on the road by late 2022, she said. The vehicles will be serviced by Rivian.
Scaringe has described the Rivian vehicle’s platform as a skateboard that packages the drive units, battery pack, suspension system, brakes and cooling system all below wheel height to allow for more storage space and greater stability due to a lower center of gravity.
Amazon is looking to speed packages to shoppers’ doorsteps regardless of spikes in consumer demand or shortages of delivery personnel. Last year, Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz said Amazon had become the biggest customer of its Sprinter vans, securing 20,000 vehicles for delivery contractors.
Ford invested $500 million in Rivian in April with plans to use the Rivian EV platform to build a new vehicle in North America. Details of that vehicle were not disclosed. Ford is not involved in the Rivian deal, Mast said.
Cox Automotive Inc, the owner of the Autotrader online automobile market and the Kelley Blue Book car valuation service, invested $350 million in Rivian this month. The companies will explore partnerships in digital retailing, service operations and logistics.
Other backers include Saudi auto distributor Abdul Latif Jameel Co, Sumitomo Corp of Americas and Standard Chartered Bank.
Amazon’s reputation and the contract size would raise Rivian’s status with potential customers and investors, Fiorani said. It also offers the advantage of not having to chase buyers or ship vehicles all over the country.
(Reporting by Ben Klayman in Detroit; Editing by David Gregorio)
