Tag: airplane (Page 6 of 9)

Boeing, China Airlines Finalize Order for Six 777 Freighters

September 4, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Carrier to modernize its freighter fleet with six of the world’s largest, most capable twin-engine freighters

SEATTLE, Sept. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — China Airlines finalized its agreement with Boeing [NYSE: BA] to order six 777 Freighters to modernize its cargo fleet. The carrier, which currently operates one of the world’s largest 747 Freighter fleets, plans to transition to the largest and longest range twin-engine freighters in the industry as it launches operations from Taipei to North America, a key market that provides higher yields for the carrier.

Valued at $2.1 billion according to list prices, China Airlines had previously announced its intent to order up to six 777 Freighters at the Paris Air Show in June. Three of the six 777 Freighter orders were confirmed in July and posted to Boeing’s Orders and Deliveries website as an unidentified customer. The remaining three will post during the next update.

The versatile 777 Freighter can fly long-range trans-Pacific missions in excess of 6,000 nautical miles with 20 percent more payload than other large freighters like the 747-400F. The airplane, which is capable of carrying a maximum payload of 102 tons, will allow China Airlines to make fewer stops and reduce associated landing fees on these long-haul routes. As a result, it will provide China Airlines and other operators with the lowest trip cost of any large freighter and deliver superior ton-per-mile economics. In addition, the 777 Freighter features market-leading capacity for a twin-engine freighter, accommodating 27 standard pallets, measuring 96 inches by 125 inches (2.5 m x 3 m) on the main deck. This allows for lower cargo handling costs and shorter cargo delivery times.

“Air cargo is an important part of our overall business and the introduction of these new 777 Freighters will play an integral role in our long-term growth strategy,” said China Airlines Chairman Hsieh Su-Chien. “As we transition our freighter fleet to the 777Fs, this will enable us to deliver world-class services to our customers more efficiently and reliably.”

China Airlines, which marks its 60^th anniversary this year, currently operates 51 Boeing airplanes, including 10 777-300ERs (Extended Range), 19 Next-Generation 737s, four 747-400s and 18 747 Freighters.

“As China Airlines celebrates more than half a century of success, Boeing is honored to continue playing an integral role in its growth and expansion. With this order China Airlines will join an elite group of global air cargo operators operating new 777 Freighters,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing for The Boeing Company. “With the global air freight market forecasted to double over the next 20 years, the 777 Freighter’s market-leading capabilities and economics will help China Airlines extend their network and grow their future cargo business.”

The addition of 777 Freighters will enable the carrier to streamline maintenance and parts for its 777 fleet. The carrier uses a number of Boeing Global Services solutions to support its Boeing fleet operations, including Airplane Health Maintenance and Maintenance Performance Toolbox. These data-driven platforms track real-time airplane information, providing maintenance data and decision support tools that allow technicians to quickly and correctly resolve issues. On the ground and in the air, China Airline’s entire fleet uses Jeppesen FliteDeck Pro and access to digital navigation charts to optimize performance and enhance situational awareness.

AirAsia Inks Major Deals with Airbus

August 30, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

AirAsia X orders 12 more A330neo and 30 A321XLR aircraft

AirAsia X, the long-haul unit of the AirAsia Group, has finalised a firm order with Airbus for an additional 12 A330-900 and 30 A321XLR aircraft. The contract was signed by Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, Chairman, AirAsia X Berhad and Guillaume Faury, Chief Executive Officer, Airbus in Kuala Lumpur today, in the presence of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Chief Executive Officer, AirAsia Group, who was present at the signing, said: “This order reaffirms our selection of the A330neo as the most efficient choice for our future wide-body fleet. In addition, the A321XLR offers the longest flying range of any single-aisle aircraft and will enable us to introduce services to new destinations. Together, these aircraft are perfect partners for long-haul low-cost operations and will allow us to build further on our market leading position in this fast-growing sector.”

Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, Chairman of AirAsia X Berhad, said: “Today’s announcement is testament to our confidence and commitment to longer haul air travel. This is the future of our long-haul operations. The A330neo’s revolutionary new features and modifications will move our long-haul service sectors up to a higher level and allow AirAsia X to look at expanding beyond the eight-hour flight radius, such as to Europe, for example.”

Guillaume Faury, Chief Executive Officer, Airbus commented: “AirAsia X has been the pioneer of the long-haul low-cost model in the Asia-Pacific region. This new order for the A330neo and A321XLR is a true endorsement of the Airbus solution to meet mid-market demand with a combination of single-aisle and wide-body products. This powerful solution will provide AirAsia X with the lowest possible operating costs to expand its network and enable even more people to fly further than ever before.”

The new contract increases the number of A330neo aircraft ordered by AirAsia X to 78, reaffirming the carrier’s status as the largest airline customer for the type. Meanwhile, the A321XLR order sees the wider AirAsia Group strengthen its position as the world’s largest airline customer for the A320 Family, having now ordered a total of 622 aircraft.

AirAsia X currently operates a fleet of 36 A330-300s on services to points within the Asia-Pacific region and the Middle East. In addition, in August, the first A330neo joined the fleet of AirAsia’s Bangkok-based long haul affiliate, AirAsia X Thailand. The aircraft is the first of two leased A330neos joining the airline’s Thai affiliate by the end of the year.

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 4,700 nm – 15% more than the A321LR and with 30% lower fuel burn per seat compared with previous generation competitor aircraft.

The A330neo is a true new generation aircraft building on the A330’s success and leveraging on A350 XWB technology. It incorporates the highly efficient new generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, and a new higher span 3D optimised wing with new Sharklets. Together these advances bring a significant reduction in fuel consumption of 25% compared with older generation competitor aircraft of a similar size. The A330 is one of the most popular wide-body families ever, having received over 1,700 orders from more than 120 customers.

Spirit Airlines Looking at Airbus and Boeing Planes for Growth, Debuts WhatsApp

August 26, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – Spirit Airlines <SAVE>, a fast-growing, low-cost U.S. carrier that flies an all-Airbus SE <EADSY> fleet, is looking at both the Airbus A321neo and a larger Boeing Co <BA> aircraft to fuel its growth, Chief Executive and President Ted Christie said on Monday.

“The A321neo is certainly something we’re looking at, but we’re also in conversations with Boeing about their larger airplane too, so it’s all on the table,” Christie said at an aviation conference.

(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)

MIRAMAR, Fla., Aug. 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Spirit Airlines, the fastest growing airline in the United States, continues its commitment to invest in the Guest experience with an industry-leading technology to connect with its Guests via the messaging application WhatsApp. Beginning in September, the technology, powered by global conversational commerce solutions provider LivePerson, will open a new direct line of communication between Spirit’s English and Spanish-speaking Guest Relations and Reservations teams and the millions of Spirit Guests in the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America, who already use WhatsApp every day.

“We launched this service to better connect with our Guests, both domestically and abroad, as many have told us that they would rather communicate on a familiar and convenient service like WhatsApp,” said Bobby Schroeter, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Spirit Airlines. “We know WhatsApp is incredibly popular in the United States, but also in the more than two dozen destinations we serve in the Caribbean and Latin America. From travel updates to adding a bag to your reservation, this new messaging service allows Guests to communicate with us in English and Spanish and to opt in to WhatsApp messaging. It is all part of our goal to elevate and improve our Guest experience.”

The launch of WhatsApp support comes as a direct result of Spirit’s new partnership with LivePerson, a global leader in conversational commerce solutions. Beyond WhatsApp, the partnership also makes it possible for Spirit Guests who call to get immediate support by opting to begin a messaging conversation with Spirit representatives instead.

These new Guest solutions will also leverage LivePerson’s new AI-powered Maven Assist capability, which recommends the optimal next actions for human agents to take, including surfacing content or suggesting virtual assistants capable of responding to a Guest’s intent. Guests will still retain the ability to message with a live representative at any time during the process to address questions, comments and situations that are best suited for a live specialist.

“We’re excited to enable this new connection for America’s fastest growing airline, providing a powerful, engaging way for Guests to connect with Spirit on their own time,” said Rick Winnard, Global Head of Gainshare Programs at LivePerson. “Guests want to be able to ask questions, add products, and get immediate help without waiting, and with Spirit we’re making it possible for them to do so in the messaging channels they prefer.”

In addition to new WhatsApp and messaging support, Spirit will continue to serve its Guests via its social media channels, on Twitter and Facebook. Over the past two years, Spirit has heavily invested in the Guest experience touching all aspects of the journey, including on-time performance, Guest care technology, and in-flight products.

African Court Impounds Tanzanian Airplane

August 24, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

DAR ES SALAAM/JOHANNESBURG, Aug 24 (Reuters) – South African authorities impounded an Airbus 220-300 aircraft leased by Tanzania’s national flag carrier following a court application by a retired farmer who is owed compensation by the Tanzanian government, the farmer’s lawyer said.

The plane had been scheduled to fly from the Oliver Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Friday, but was seized on an order issued by the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, Tanzania’s transport ministry said in a statement on Friday.

Roger Wakefield, of Werksmans Attorneys, said his client, an elderly farmer who asked not to be named, was owed $33 million, including interest, in compensation from the Tanzanian government after his land in the country was expropriated several decades ago. The farmer was subsequently awarded the compensation in an arbitration, he said.

Wakefield said the only way Tanzania could secure the release of the plane was if it put up security or paid the debt.

A Tanzanian government spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

Calls to the High Courts in Gauteng province went unanswered outside of usual business hours.

Speaking by phone to Reuters, Wakefield said the plane was impounded in line with South African and international laws allowing for an asset owned by a foreign entity to be attached to a case related to a foreign arbitration award.

The plane was chosen because there is evidence it is owned directly by the Tanzanian government and its value is commensurate with the amount owed to the farmer, who was born in Namibia, he said.

While the Tanzanian government has acknowledged it owes the farmer money, has previously made some payments and promised to pay the rest, it has not made a payment since around 2014, Wakefield said.

The plane is leased by loss-making state carrier Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL).

President John Magufuli has personally taken charge of the revival of the airline, spending hundreds of millions of dollars purchasing eight new planes since 2016.

The airline’s existing fleet, which is leased from the state-run Tanzania Government Flight Agency (TGFA), includes one Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, two Airbus A220-300 jets and three DHC Dash 8-400 aircraft, formerly known as the Bombardier Q400 turboprop.

ACTL managing director Ladislaus Matindi told Reuters earlier on Saturday that the impounded plane was an Airbus 220-300, and arrangements had been made for its passengers to use another plane for their planned flight.

Tanzania has pinned hopes on the revival of the national airline to turn the country into a regional transport hub and boost the tourism sector, its biggest foreign exchange earner.

In 2017, a Canadian construction firm seized one of Tanzania’s new Q400 turbo-prop planes in Canada over a $38 million lawsuit related to a compensation ruling by the International Court of Arbitration.

The Q400 was released in March 2018 after Magufuli sent the country’s prime minister and attorney general to Canada to negotiate its release. Aviation sources said the government reached a financial settlement to secure the aircraft.

(Reporting by Fumbuka Ng’wanakilala in Dar es Salaam and Emma Rumney in Johannesburg Writing by Hereward Holland and Emma Rumney Editing by Angus MacSwan and Frances Kerry)

Vietnam Airlines Flies Its First Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner

August 18, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C., Aug. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Boeing [NYSE: BA] delivered the first of eight 787-10 Dreamliner airplanes to Vietnam Airlines today via lease from Air Lease Corporation [NYSE: AL]. The Vietnamese flag carrier plans to put the 787-10 – the most fuel-efficient twin-aisle airplane in the industry – on the busiest routes in its expanding network.

“Welcoming the largest member of the 787 family to our growing fleet ensures we continue to boast one of the youngest and most modern fleets in Asia and also adds a competitive edge to Vietnam Airlines’ operations. We appreciate the unbeatable efficiency performance with reduced fuel burn and outstanding passenger comfort and amenities,” said Pham Ngoc Minh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vietnam Airlines. “On our journey to become a 5-star airline, we are confident that the Boeing 787-10 fleet will further elevate the customer experience on the Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh route as well as many international routes.”

The new 787-10 will complement Vietnam Airlines’ existing fleet of 787-9 jets. Both feature the Dreamliner’s ultra-efficient technology and passenger-pleasing comforts. The 787-10 is longer than the 787-9, providing the space to carry 40 more passengers and more cargo and helping it offer the lowest operating costs per seat of any twin-aisle jet in service today. Vietnam Airlines is outfitting its 787-10 models with 367 seats (24 in business class and 343 in economy class). In addition to its size and fuel efficiency, the 787-10 can cover long distances. With a published range of 6,430 nautical miles (11,910 km), the 787-10 can fly more than 95 percent of the world’s twin-aisle routes.

“ALC is extremely pleased to announce this important first 787-10 delivery to Vietnam Airlines with Boeing and be the first lessor to introduce the airline to the -10,” said Steven F. Udvar-Házy, Executive Chairman of Air Lease Corporation. “This first of eight 787-10s from ALC will significantly contribute to Vietnam Airlines’ ongoing major widebody fleet upgrade with the latest technology. ALC values our long-time role as an advisor when planning the growth and replacement of Vietnam Airlines’ fleet to maintain the airline’s leading position in Southeast Asia and worldwide.”

With the delivery to Vietnam Airlines, the 787-10 continues to expand its global presence. More than 30 of this Dreamliner model have been delivered to six operators since the airplane entered commercial service last year. Airlines are deploying the 787-10 around the world, especially in Asia as it is home to more than half of all 787-10 destinations.

“Vietnam Airlines has achieved impressive growth in recent years and helped power the rapid rise of commercial aviation in Southeast Asia. We see even greater potential ahead and the 787-10 brings the perfect combination of size and efficiency for Vietnam Airlines to serve high-demand routes, while the longer-range 787-9 delivers the flexibility to connect the world’s major cities with popular destinations in Vietnam and surrounding countries,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing of The Boeing Company. “We are excited to partner once again with ALC to bring a state-of-the-art airplane to a valued customer. We are confident the 787-10 will help Vietnam Airlines continue to grow its regional and international network and improve its award-winning service.”

To optimize the performance of its 787 fleet, Vietnam Airlines uses Boeing Global Services solutions such as Airplane Health Management (AHM) to capture real-time flight data and enable predictive maintenance. AHM is powered by Boeing AnalytX, a collection of software and consulting services that transform raw data into greater efficiency during every phase of flight.

Boeing 737 Program Manager to Retire Amid Jet’s Grounding

July 11, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

SEATTLE, July 11 (Reuters) – Boeing’s 737 jet program manager, Eric Lindblad, will retire in a matter of weeks after roughly 12 months on the job, according to a company memo seen by Reuters on Thursday.

Lindblad’s departure, after a 34-year career at Boeing, comes as the world’s largest planemaker navigates one of the worst crises in its history. Boeing’s money-spinning 737 MAX jetliner has been grounded in the wake of two deadly crashes that killed nearly 350 people in the span of five months.

Taking Lindblad’s place as the lead of the 737 program and the Renton, Washington, factory will be Mark Jenks, who has been leading Boeing’s potential new mid-market airplane (NMA) project, Boeing Commercial Airplanes Chief Executive Kevin McAllister wrote in the memo to employees seen by Reuters.

Mike Sinnett, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president of product development and future airplane development, will assume the role of vice president for NMA in addition to his current role, the memo said. Sinnett, who originally led preliminary work on the NMA, has been seen a figurehead of the program.

“Let me be clear – the NMA team will continue to operate as a program, and I am looking forward to Mike’s leadership in this important effort,” McAllister said in the memo.

In naming Jenks and Sinnett to run marquee projects at such a crucial time, McAllister is choosing two of Boeing’s most high-profile engineers. Jenks has been credited with turning around the 787 Dreamliner program, and his appointment on the NMA was seen as key to putting the potential twin-aisle aircraft on a path to a rapid launch.

But industry sources say the launch of the NMA has been delayed by the 737 MAX crisis. The NMA program, if it goes ahead, will most likely not be launched before spring or summer of next year, the sources said.

(Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle and Tim Hepher in Paris; Editing by Leslie Adler)

Qatar Agrees to Buy U.S. Aircraft, Engines, Defense Equipment

July 9, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

(Bloomberg) — Qatar has made agreements with U.S. companies to spend billions on airplanes and jet engines and to develop a petrochemical complex, the White House said on Tuesday.

At least some of the deals were previously made but were publicly touted by the Trump administration Tuesday. Among them: Qatar Airways purchasing Boeing Co. 777 freighters and large-cabin aircraft from Gulfstream Aerospace, the private jet unit of General Dynamics Corp.

“They’re investing very heavily in our country,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “They’re creating a lot of jobs. They’re buying tremendous amounts of military equipment including planes.

Qatar’s defense ministry committed to acquire Raytheon Co.’s NASM and Patriot Systems, according to the White House. In addition, a unit of Chevron Corp. entered into an agreement with Qatar Petroleum for the development, construction and operation of a petrochemicals complex in Qatar.

The agreements, whose total cost wasn’t disclosed by the White House, were announced during a visit to the White House by the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani.

The deals come amid a two-year economic blockade of Qatar led by U.S. ally Saudi Arabia and supported by nations including Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Trump initially appeared to support the Saudi move — echoing its assertions that Qatar supported terrorists — even though it put the U.S. in an awkward position because it has a major military base in Qatar.

But Qatar has looked to improve relations in the U.S., with the emir saying the country was committed to doubling the economic partnership between the two countries. Mansoor bin Ebrahim Al Mahmoud, who leads the Qatar Investment Authority, said earlier this year that the country’s sovereign wealth fund will look to increase its U.S. investment portfolio from around $30 billion to about $45 billion over the next two years.

The country has also made significant gestures toward increasing its spending on U.S. defense contractors, with the U.S. approving a large weapons systems purchase ahead of Sheikh Tamim’s last visit to the country. In 2017, the country signed a deal to spend $12 billion for the purchase of 36 F-15QA fighter jets.

And the U.S. has announced plans to expand and renovate the al-Udeid Air Base near Doha, which houses the forward headquarters of the U.S. military’s Central Command and some 10,000 American troops. During a dinner with the leaders on Monday, Trump thanked Sheikh Tamim for Qatar’s $1.8 billion investment in the project which will be used to construct housing and entertainment facilities.

Several companies have released specifics of some of the agreements that were formalized on Tuesday.

Gulfstream said its deal is for $1 billion in corporate jets that General Dynamics announced in January without giving the customer’s name. Boeing said last month it made a deal to sell five 777 freighters at a list price of $1.8 billion.

Qatar Airways plans to use General Electric Co. jet engines for Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft, according to the White House.

A Chevron statement Tuesday said the company was signing a new agreement at the White House for a previously unannounced $8 billion U.S. Gulf Coast project. The White House statement mentions only a prior deal, announced last month, in which the company would join forces with Qatar Petroleum to build a facility in Qatar.

(Story by Justin Sink and Thomas Black, Edited by Alex Wayne, Justin Blum, and Larry Liebert)

Alaska Air Group to Announce Q2 2019 Financial Results

July 1, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

SEATTLE, July 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Alaska Air Group Inc., the parent company of Alaska Airlines Inc. and Horizon Air Industries, Inc., will announce its second quarter 2019 financial results on Thursday, July 25, 2019. A conference call is scheduled at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time/1:30 p.m. Pacific time. Interested parties may listen to the call via webcast at www.alaskaair.com/investors.

Alaska Airlines and its regional partners fly 46 million guests a year to more than 115 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica. With Alaska and Alaska Global Partners, guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900 destinations worldwide. Alaska Airlines ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Traditional Carriers in North America” in the J.D. Power North America Airline Satisfaction Study for 12 consecutive years from 2008 to 2019. Learn about Alaska’s award-winning service at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).

Air France and KLM to Swap Boeing and Airbus Orders

June 28, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

PARIS, June 28 (Reuters) – Air France-KLM said its separate Air France and KLM airline units would be swapping over some remaining orders from Boeing and Airbus, in a move which Air France KLM said would help its fleet run more efficiently.

The swap means that in the 2021-2023 timeframe, the six remaining Boeing 787 ordered for Air France will be transferred to KLM, and the current 7 Airbus A350-900s on order for KLM will be transferred to Air France.

“This is the first step towards harmonizing and simplifying the Air France-KLM Group fleet at its two major airlines,” said Air France KLM CEO Benjamin Smith.

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; editing by Michel Rose)

United Airlines Extends 737 MAX Cancellations To September 3

June 26, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

CHICAGO (Reuters) – United Airlines said on Wednesday it has decided to remove the Boeing 737 MAX from its flying schedule until Sept. 3, leading to about 1,900 total flight cancellations in August.

The Federal Aviation Administration earlier said it has identified a new potential risk that Boeing Co must address on its 737 MAX before the jet can return to service.

(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Chris Reese)

AirAsia X orders 12 more A330neo and 30 A321XLR aircraft

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