Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low cost carrier, has signed a firm order for 120 Airbus aircraft comprising 73 A320neo’s, 27 A321neo’s and 20 A321XLR’s. The agreement was signed at the 2019 Dubai Airshow in the presence of Air Arabia’s Chairman Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Thani, Adel Al Ali, Chief Executive Officer Air Arabia and Guillaume Faury, Airbus Chief Executive Officer.
Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia, said: “Air Arabia’s fleet growth strategy has always been driven by commercial demand and we are glad to announce today one of the region’s largest single-aisle orders with Airbus to support our growth plans. This new milestone underpins not only our solid financial fundamentals but also the strength of our multi-hub growth strategy that we have adopted over the years while remaining focused on efficiency, performance and passenger experience.” He added: “The addition of the A320neo, A321neo and A321XLR complements our existing fleet and allows us to expand our service to farther and newer destinations while remaining loyal to our low-cost business model. We look forward to working with Airbus and receiving the first delivery.”
Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer said: “We are delighted to expand our partnership with Air Arabia, this is a great endorsement for the A320neo Family which will allow the airline to tap into new markets. We are committed to supporting the fast expansion of Air Arabia and the region”
Air Arabia is an all Airbus operator with a total fleet of 54 A320 Family aircraft including the A321LR. All aircraft will feature a comfortable single-class cabin with one of the most generous seat pitches today.
The A321XLR is the next evolutionary step from the A321LR which responds to market needs for even more range and payload, creating more value for the airlines. From 2023, it will deliver an unprecedented Xtra Long Range of up to 4,700nm – 15% more than the A321LR and with 30% lower fuel burn per seat compared with previous generation competitor aircraft.
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 October 2019, the A320neo Family had received more than 7,000 firm orders from over 110 customers worldwide.
Dubai, UAE, November 17, 2019 – Embraer and Cairo-based CIAF Leasing have signed a firm order for three E190 aircraft. The deal has a value of USD 161.4 million at current list prices and will be added to Embraer’s fourth quarter backlog.
The three new aircraft will join CIAF’s existing fleet of three E170s, two of which are on lease with Jasmin Airways, the other with Air Cairo. CIAF are also due to receive two E195s in mid-November.
Dr. Hassan Mohamed, Chairman and CEO of CIAF Leasing said, “The three new E190s will be an excellent addition to our growing fleet of Embraer E-Jets. With a fleet of E170s, E190s, and E195s, CIAF will have the flexibility to offer to both our wet and dry lease customers a service that fits their needs exactly.”
Raul Villaron, Vice President Sales, Africa and Middle East, Embraer Commercial Aviation said, “CIAF is rapidly increasing its footprint in both wet and dry leasing with the addition of further aircraft to their fleet and the establishment of their own AOC (Air Operator Certificate) in June this year. It’s a pleasure to work with an organisation that’s going from strength to strength by exploiting the benefits a family of aircraft can provide.”
All three aircraft will be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2020, in a new livery showing off CIAF’s new visual identity.
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.
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.
Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (27 Sept) celebrated the opening of its new Toulouse base (its 3rd in France) and the launch of its new summer 2020 schedule, with 2 based aircraft and 23 routes (13 new), connecting Toulouse to Athens, Brest, Budapest, Dublin, Lille, Luxembourg, Marseille, Oujda, Palermo, Palma, Porto, Tangier and Valencia, which will deliver 1.4m customers p.a. at Toulouse.
Ryanair’s new Toulouse base will deliver:
2 based aircraft
23 routes in total
13 new routes to/from Athens (2), Brest (3), Budapest (2), Dublin (daily), Lille (daily), Luxembourg
More frequencies on 2 other routes to/from Fez (3) & Seville (4)
4 million customers p.a. (+33%)
1,000* “on-site” jobs p.a.
Toulouse consumers and visitors can now book their holidays for summer 2020 enjoying the lowest fares and Ryanair’s industry leading on-time performance and customer care improvements.
To celebrate the launch of its new base, Ryanair has launched a seat sale with fares on its new Toulouse routes available from just €9.99, for travel until November, which must be booked by midnight Sunday (29 Sept) on the Ryanair.com website.
In Toulouse, Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said:
“We are pleased to open our third French base in Toulouse, with 2 based aircraft and 23 routes, delivering 1.4m customers p.a., supporting over 1,000* airport jobs.
We are also pleased to announce our biggest ever Toulouse S2020 schedule, with 23 routes, including 13 new routes to and from exciting cities such as Athens, Dublin, and Tangier. To celebrate we are releasing seats for sale on these new routes from €9.99 for travel until November, available for booking until midnight on Sunday (29 Sept) Since these amazing low fares will be snapped up quickly, customers should log onto www.ryanair.com to avoid missing out.”
Philippe Crébassa, Chairman of the Board of Toulouse-Blagnac Airport, said:
“After arriving in 2016, Ryanair strengthens its local presence with the opening of an operational base at our airport. Ryanair’s presence will generate local jobs and offer 13 additional destinations to France and Europe this autumn to our passengers. Our region is thereby even more connected internationally and will welcome new customers in the coming weeks from Luxembourg, Budapest or Tangiers.”
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Shares in Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd fell nearly 4% in early trade on Thursday following the resignation of its chairman after the market closed on the previous day.
The departure of John Slosar was announced less than three weeks after mounting Chinese regulatory scrutiny led to the shock exit of its chief executive, Rupert Hogg.
Cathay shares had closed 7.2% higher on Wednesday as the Hong Kong market was lifted by reports of the withdrawal of a controversial extradition bill, which was officially announced after the market closed.
Long-serving Swire Pacific Ltd executive Patrick Healy was appointed as Cathay’s new chairman on Wednesday following the resignation of Slosar, who had served in the role since 2014.
“As John would have retired soon anyway it’s not really a huge setback as a business,” an analyst said of Slosar’s departure. “However it’s always awful to see when politics dictate like this.”
The analyst, who was not authorised to speak publicly about personnel changes, said he believed if the political situation in Hong Kong stabilised, the situation at Cathay should as well.
Daiwa Capital Markets analyst Kelvin Lau said the extradition bill’s withdrawal was positive for Cathay, even though protests were not expected to end immediately.
“We expect this to be a turning point where the situation would at least not worsen,” he said in a note to clients, adding that recent personnel changes at the airline should satisfy the requirements of the Chinese regulator and were likely to instill confidence among customers.
China’s aviation regulator last month said crew who engaged in the anti-government protests in Hong Kong posed a threat to safety and should be suspended from staffing flights to the mainland and over its airspace.
(Reporting by Donny Kwok and Jamie Freed, writing by Jamie Freed, editing by Richard Pullin)
MILAN, June 14 (Reuters) – Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said on Friday an infrastructure or transportation group would be his preferred partner for troubled carrier Alitalia.
He added that he had reservations about a possible involvement of Lazio soccer club Chairman Claudio Lotito, who submitted an expression of interest for the airline this week.
Salvini’s comments put pressure on Industry Minister Luigi Di Maio, who is also the leader of the 5-Star Movement and has been handling the Alitalia crisis since the coalition government took office last year.
Di Maio has already had to postpone the deadline for the rescue of the carrier three times and the latest extension is due to expire on Saturday with every expectation it will have to be prolonged yet again as the search for a solution continues.
Italy’s state-owned railway group Ferrovie dello Stato is spearheading an effort to set up a consortium of investors to buy loss-making Alitalia, which is managed by administrators.
So far Ferrovie has secured the commitment of Delta Air Lines but it is struggling to find another partner who is willing to invest more than 300 million euros ($336 million) in Alitalia, which has a long history of financial woe.
Salvini, who is the head of coalition party League, said caution was needed in picking the right partners.
“We are talking about a company (Alitalia) with 11,000 employees, which has a potential U.S. partner (Delta) with dozens of billions in sales, that deals with infrastructure and airplanes,” Salvini told reporters in Milan.
“As far as I know, Lotito, at present, just lets lads play soccer,” he added.
One source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters that Ferrovie had recently had talks with infrastructure group Atlantia over Alitalia, but added that its involvement in any accord still lacked the necessary political green-light.
Di Maio and other 5-Star officials strongly criticised Atlantia over the deadly collapse of a motorway bridge managed by the group, which killed 43 people last August.
After the disaster the government said it would revoke Atlantia’s motorway concession, accusing the company of poor maintenance of its road network.
Atlantia has denied any wrongdoing and could join the Alitalia consortium as a way to mend its relationship with the government, sources had told Reuters. The company, which is controlled by the Benetton group, denied on Wednesday that it had reached a deal to join the rescue.
($1 = 0.8923 euros)
(Reporting by Francesca Piscioneri, Writing by Francesca Landini; Editing by Crispian Balmer)
American Airlines planes stand at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Grapevine, Texas, on April 6, 2018. MUST CREDIT: Bloomberg photo by Patrick T. Fallon.
Terminal F projected to open as soon as 2025, Terminal C to be upgraded
DFW AIRPORT, Texas — Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW) Airport and American Airlines have announced plans to develop a sixth terminal, providing a long-term commitment from the airline and opportunities for businesses and customers in the fastest growing region in the United States.
The plans call for DFW to invest up to $3 to $3.5 billion in terminal improvements, including the construction of Terminal F and enhancements to Terminal C. The identified site south of Terminal D provides significant flexibility for phasing in the number of gates for Terminal F, with a long-term projection of up to 24 gates, as demand for additional facilities is warranted.
Design work for Terminal F will begin immediately. DFW and American will explore several different options for the layout of the Terminal F site. DFW and American expect the details to be finalized as part of a new airlines lease agreement for DFW that is being negotiated. DFW and American anticipate the investment to be financed by bonds and repaid through airlines rates and charges over the life of the bonds.
“Today’s announcement sets the stage for DFW Airport’s next 50 years,” said Sean Donohue, CEO of DFW Airport. “The new Terminal F and the expansion that could follow will provide the region with the growth it needs to compete with international business centers. The Airport is growing faster than ever, and it needs to keep pace with the Dallas-Fort Worth economy to provide jobs and connections for businesses and families. We’re grateful to Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and Board Chairman Bill Meadows for their leadership. I want to especially recognize American for its commitment to DFW Airport. We look forward to working together to deliver what will be an efficient, modern terminal with a state-of-the-art customer experience.”
“This is an exciting day for American and our more than 31,000 team members who call Dallas-Fort Worth home. American enjoys a wonderful relationship with the City of Fort Worth, the City of Dallas and DFW Airport, and we thank Mayor Price, Mayor Rawlings, and Sean and the entire DFW team for being such great partners. DFW is American’s largest hub and a central gateway to our extensive international and domestic network. The plans we’re announcing today will allow for the continued growth of DFW and ensure the airport remains a premier gateway for American for many more years to come.”
— Doug Parker, American Airlines Chairman and CEO
“We look forward to accommodating the continued growth of our city and the region through infrastructure improvements and expansion at DFW Airport,” said Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price. “We’re glad to see DFW’s anchor carrier, American Airlines, headquartered in Fort Worth, collaborate with the Airport to take this area to new heights. This new terminal will further fuel economic development and job growth in our region.”
“This is one of the most significant announcements in my eight years as mayor,” said Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings. “The fact that American Airlines believes in the DFW International Airport Board and management enough to make this tremendous investment in the future of the Airport is something we should all celebrate. This will further solidify DFW’s standing as one of the best international airports in the world.”
The design of Terminal F is expected to accommodate a changing aviation industry as DFW utilizes innovative technologies to facilitate the movement of customers, maintain cost efficiencies for airlines and improve operational performance.
Terminal C is one of the Airport’s original terminals and opened in 1974. DFW and American plan to significantly improve the customer experience at Terminal C, bringing it in line with Terminals A, B and E, on which renovations were completed in 2018. Those renovations included redesigned check-in areas, larger security checkpoints, expanded concessions spaces, and improved lighting and flooring.
DFW Airport welcomed a record 69 million customers in 2018, and the Airport anticipates more passengers and air service to be added in the next two years than in the past two decades. In 2018, DFW announced 28 new destinations, giving it a larger domestic footprint than any other U.S. airport. Customers also have access to more than 60 international destinations from DFW, with double the number of European destinations and frequencies since 2015.
Over the past several years, American has expanded with additional DFW service, and by June 2019, the airline will operate more than 900 daily flights from the Airport. In total, customers have access to more than 230 nonstop destinations on American from DFW.
A 2015 economic impact study indicates DFW Airport contributes more than $37 billion to the Dallas-Fort Worth economy, with nearly 60,000 jobs at the Airport and more than 228,000 jobs created across the region. In 2018, DFW Airport awarded more than $150 million in contracts to small, women- and minority-owned businesses, and concessions agreements generated more than $155 million in revenues for disadvantaged businesses.
In a ceremony today at Pilatus Business Aircraft Ltd’s facility in Broomfield, Colorado, the Swiss aircraft manufacturer delivered the first of two PC-24 Super Versatile Jets to US customer U-Haul International.
In a stylish paint scheme featuring the distinctive U-Haul orange livery, the 27th production PC-24 aircraft took to the skies for its new home base in Phoenix, Arizona, where it will join a U-Haul fleet that includes two PC-12s.
On hand to accept the keys to their first PC-24 was Joe Shoen, Chairman of AMERCO, parent company of U-Haul International, who stated: “We are delighted to start flying this great new aircraft. When Pilatus announced the new jet, we were confident that it would be a real workhorse that, alongside our two PC-12s, would help us manage our growing operations throughout North America. We have been eagerly looking forward to this day.”
Thomas Bosshard, CEO of Pilatus subsidiary Pilatus Business Aircraft Ltd stated: “We are extremely pleased to have the honour of delivering the first of two PC-24s to U-Haul International, one of our many great, long-time customers. Joe Shoen and his flight department have been on board with Pilatus and the PC-24 since we first introduced the concept to them more than five years ago. Throughout the development and certification of the aircraft they’ve been looking forward to this day, and we are thrilled to celebrate it with them.”
With the aircraft now in operation, the global fleet of PC-24’s has now accumulated over 4,000 flight hours, with the fleet leader already clocking up more than 1,100 flight hours.
The PC-24 Super Versatile Jet will be on display at Pilatus’ static exhibit during the European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland, 21 to 23 May. Reservations for personal viewings may be made onsite or with any Authorized Pilatus Centre.
OSLO
(Reuters) – Norwegian Air’s shareholders overwhelmingly endorsed on
Tuesday the lossmaking airline’s plan for a deeply discounted cash call
to help bolster its finances, Chairman Bjoern Kise said.
Norwegian
Air said on Jan. 29 it would raise 3 billion Norwegian crowns ($348
million) in a rights issue, just days after British Airways owner IAG
ruled out a bid for the budget carrier.
Norwegian
is trying to replicate on transatlantic flights the low-cost model that
dominates the short-haul market, exemplified by the likes of Ryanair
and easyJet, but is struggling to make the business profitable.
The
European airline sector faces overcapacity and high fuel costs, with
several operators going out of business, the latest being British-based
Flybmi which filed for bankruptcy on Sunday.
In
the rights issue, Norwegian’s owners will get the right to buy two new
shares at 33 crowns each for every share they own, compared with
Monday’s closing price of 93 crowns.
Holders of more than 99 percent of Norwegian’s equity backed the proposal at a meeting on Tuesday, company officials said.
By
selling new shares far below the market price, Norwegian will boost the
value of each of the purchasing rights, which can be bought and sold.
This
in turn allows Norwegian Air Chief Executive Bjoern Kjos and his
business partner, the group’s chairman, to sell some of their
subscription rights and reinvest the proceeds in new shares, thus
limiting the dilution of their joint stake which stands at 24.66
percent.
Norwegian said last month that billionaire investor John Fredriksen was among those who had agreed to take part in the issue.
($1 = 8.6295 Norwegian crowns)
(By Terje Solsvik, Editing by Nerijus Adomaitis and David Holmes)
FORT WORTH, Texas – American Airlines is donating $25,000 to the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh and $25,000 to the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Our Victims of Terror Fund to support the community in the wake of Saturday’s shooting.
“We were devastated to learn about the senseless act of violence this weekend at the Tree of Life Synagogue,” said Chairman and CEO Doug Parker. “American has been serving the Pennsylvania community for nearly 80 years, and we want to do our part to ensure members of the synagogue and affected Pittsburghers have access to the resources they need to care for those impacted.”
The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh is the heart of Jewish Pittsburgh — the central fundraising, planning and organizing body of the Jewish community. It is committed to creating a thriving, vibrant, and engaged Jewish Community in Pittsburgh, in Israel, and around the world. Funds collected for Our Victims of Terror are earmarked for psychological services, support for families, general services, reconstruction, additional security throughout the community, and medical bills for all those involved, as well as counseling and other services that may prove necessary in the future. In the Jewish Federation’s emergency campaigns such as this, 100 percent of the money raised will go directly to the cause.
“Despite this terrible tragedy, the outpouring of support from around the world has been truly heartwarming,” said Adam Hertzman, Director of Marketing for the Jewish Federation. “We are so grateful to American Airlines for joining so many people and organizations in reaching out to help the Pittsburgh community in our time of greatest need.”
American is committed to inclusion in the communities where we live and work, as well as nationally and globally. The airline began working with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in 2017 to fight hate, bias, and bigotry and build respect, understanding, and unity. ADL and American share the goals of creating safe and inclusive communities where being different is not a liability, and diversity is a cherished strength.
The company also supports the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance. Founded in 1984, the museum is dedicated to teaching the history of the Holocaust and advancing human rights to combat prejudice, hatred, and indifference.
American’s roots in Pennsylvania go back to 1939, when predecessor airline All American Airlines began operating in many small western Pennsylvania communities. Today, American proudly employs nearly 10,000 team members in Pennsylvania and operates 504 daily departures from eight cities across the state, 47 of which are from Pittsburgh.
About American Airlines Group American Airlines and American Eagle offer an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries. American has hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. American is a founding member of the oneworld® alliance, whose members serve more than 1,000 destinations with about 14,250 daily flights to over 150 countries. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL. In 2015, its stock joined the S&P 500 index.
