PARIS (Reuters) – American Airlines is edging towards a deal with Airbus to buy up to 50 newly launched A321XLR extended-range narrow-body aircraft including some converted from existing orders of other models, people familiar with the matter said.
Airbus and American Airlines declined comment.
The people said the order, if confirmed, could be announced to coincide with the Paris Airshow, though officials from the airline were not expected to attend the show in person.
One of the people said that American Airlines was likely to include the world’s longest-range single-aisle jet in its fleet, but the timing of a decision remained unclear.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher, Editing by Eric M. Johnson)
PARIS, June 17 (Reuters) – Airbus is set to win a deal to sell jets worth around $4.5 billion at list price to Philippines airline Cebu Air after a face-off with rival Boeing, industry sources said.
The deal involves 16 A330neo wide-body jets and around 10 of the newly launched A321XLR extended-range narrow-body aircraft, the sources said, asking not to be identified.
Together with other aircraft and options the deal could involve as many as 40 aircraft, one of the sources added.
Airbus declined comment. Cebu officials could not be reached for comment.
The deal follows a fight for business at the Philippines budget airline as Airbus seeks a new foothold for its A330neo in the face of heavy competition from Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.
The carrier had at one point been seen as likely to proceed with a Boeing 787 order, prompting Airbus to rescue the deal .
Cebu Air plans to expand its fleet with new aircraft that burn less fuel, CEO Lance Gokongwei said last month.
Asian carriers are looking to renew their long-haul fleets as passenger demand remains robust despite a decline in cargo.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Laurence Frost)
PARIS (Reuters) – Airbus has broken records by launching the longest-range narrow-body jetliner at the Paris Airshow, but planemakers are having to rethink their mantra on comfort as they squeeze ever more miles out of jets designed for shorter trips.
Airbus and Boeing have been promoting new carbon-fibre long-haul aircraft such as the 787 Dreamliner and A350, which offer roomier cabins and help passengers avoid jet lag by providing a cabin pressure closer to that felt on the ground.
But they have also been adding more range and capacity to older and narrower models such as the A320neo family and the 737 MAX as airlines demand more flexibility with the advantages of highly efficient single-aisle planes, supporting low fares.
Airbus pushed that further on Monday by adding a longer stride to the A321neo with its new A321XLR, whose range of 4,700 nautical miles leapfrogs the out-of-production Boeing 757 and nudges it into the long-jump category enjoyed by wide-body jets.
It also eats into a range category targeted by a possible new mid-market twin-aisle jet, the NMA, under review by Boeing.
But there is a debate over whether passengers will enjoy flying longer distances in medium-haul planes, or at what price.
Airline bosses on the long-haul low-cost panel at the Paris Air Forum on Friday differed over whether extended-range narrow-body jets or wider twin-aisles were best suited for their growing industry.
In particular, the rise of the single-aisle long-distance jet involves revisiting years of industry marketing about the benefit of escaping jet lag and fatigue on long trips.
Aircraft cabins are pumped to a higher pressure than the ultra-thin outside air at cruising altitude. But the pressure is still lower than at sea level due to structural limitations.
That’s not a problem for shorter trips but travel experts say the higher altitude setting on older planes can contribute to jet lag on long flights, worsening the effect of time zones.
WELL BEING
Although Airbus stresses the 1980s-designed A320 fuselage is wider than the competing 737 MAX and therefore has roomier seats, it also has a lower cabin pressure than modern long-haul alternatives like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner or Airbus A350.
On those airplanes the cabin is pressurised at a level equivalent to 6,000 feet compared with 8,000 feet for the A320 and most other metal-built jets of all sizes.
For the Airbus A330neo wide-body jet the cabin altitude is above 7,000 feet but still below 8,000 feet.
“XLR cabin pressure could be an issue,” said an airline executive who has studied the plane, asking not to be named.
The company itself set out the disadvantages of flying with a high cabin altitude on long journeys when it launched the business-jet version of the A320neo family in 2015.
“A lower cabin altitude makes most sense on long flights, especially towards their end, when an aircraft is able to reach its highest cruising altitude,” Airbus said then on its website.
For the business jet version, Airbus was able to lower the cabin altitude below 6,400 feet. But it could only do so by reducing the maximum number of trips, which matters relatively little to luxury operators but is less attractive to airlines.
That said, cabin pressure is one of many factors influencing the feel of a cabin and is rarely marketed separately.
“Everyone is pushing the ‘well being’ trend … but an A321XLR will arguably be more comfortable than a 9-abreast Boeing 787,” passenger experience expert John Walton said, referring to denser seat configurations used by some airlines.
Placing the first order for the XLR, leasing magnate Steven Udvar-Hazy, executive chairman of Air Lease Corp, said: “We are working on a number of improvements in the cabin to accommodate long-haul operations”.
The A321XLR is expected to be able to fly around eight hours in most cases, linking U.S. eastern cities deep into Europe.
The head of International Airlines Group’s low-cost long-haul carrier Level, Vincent Hodder, told the Paris Air Forum the XLR could be configured to fly as long as 10 hours. Level and others are studying it, he said.
Airbus is chasing potential customers including American Airlines and JetBlue for the XLR and aims to grab up to 200 orders. It is expected to announce a deal with U.S. airline investor Indigo Partners later this week.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher, Editing by Louise Heavens and Mark Potter)
New, Longest Route in the JetBlue Network Takes Off This December with Nonstop Service between New York-JFK and Guayaquil, Ecuador
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) today announced that its new and expanded Guayaquil service, with daily nonstop flights between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Guayaquil, Ecuador’s José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport (GYE), is now up for sale. JetBlue will launch the new service on December 5, 2019.* Flights will operate daily and the new route will become the longest in the JetBlue network, stretching beyond today’s longest route by more than 200 nautical miles.
“Today, the existing New York-Guayaquil market suffers from high fares and limited service choices,” said Andrea Lusso, director route planning, JetBlue. “Broadening our service in Guayaquil will also help us grow our network and will introduce yet another incredible destination for JetBlue customers in New York while also expanding JetBlue’s international footprint.”
Home to more than two million people, Guayaquil, is buzzing with colorful cityscapes, outdoor gardens and zoos. The city is also a convenient gateway to the natural beauty of the Galapagos Islands. With quick and easy flight access from Guayaquil, travelers can get up close and personal with wildlife while surrounded by unique landscapes unlike anywhere else in the world.
Guayaquil is the second city in Ecuador JetBlue serves and the sixth JetBlue city in South America overall. The airline first launched daily service between Fort Lauderdale and Quito in 2016. Existing service between Fort Lauderdale and Guayaquil launched February 2019.
Schedule between New York (JFK) and Guayaquil (GYE)
Beginning December 5, 2019
The new nonstop flight between the Northeast and South America will be made possible by the A321neo’s extended range and fuel efficiency. JetBlue’s growth in its existing Ecuador market advances the airline’s leadership position in Latin America and the Caribbean where it serves nearly 40 destinations, and where it currently operates approximately one-third of its flights.
Inside the aircraft, JetBlue’s award-winning comfort and connectivity will be the focus of the onboard customer experience. The A321neo will feature the Collins Meridian seat – which is the widest seat available for the single aisle Airbus family of aircraft – with enhanced cushion comfort, adjustable headrests, power connections at every seat and the most legroom in coach (a). Inflight entertainment will be powered by Thales AVANT and ViaSat-2 connectivity. With this system – featuring 10.1 inch, 1080P high definition screens, more than 100 channels of live television with DVR-like pause and rewind functionality, picture-in-picture function and more – JetBlue will offer customers expanded entertainment choices in nearly every region the airline flies (b). JetBlue is the only major U.S. airline with seatback entertainment screens at every seat on every aircraft.
About JetBlue Airways
JetBlue is New York’s Hometown Airline®, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles (Long Beach), Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue carries more than 42 million customers a year to 100+ cities in the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America with an average of more than 1,000 daily flights. For more information please visit jetblue.com.
*Subject to receipt of government operating authority.
Toulouse – The first single-aisle A321neo destined for La Compagnie, an exclusively business-class French airline operating scheduled transatlantic flights, will commence transatlantic services on 6 June from Paris Orly Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport.
On lease from GECAS, La Compagnie’s A321neo is powered by CFM International LEAP 1A new generation engines and features a business class only cabin with 76 full flat seats, offering passengers unmatched comfort. The cabin also includes a high level of connectivity onboard.
Selected for their outstanding operational efficiency, comfort and range, these new-generation single-aisle aircraft allow the French carrier to benefit from better fuel efficiency and lower operating costs on its transatlantic New York-Paris route.
With this brand new A321neo, La Compagnie becomes the latest A321neo operator. The airline has two new A321neo aircraft on order.
La Compagnie’s A321neo will be presented on the Airbus static display at the Paris Air Show on 18 June (professional day).
The A320neo and its derivative aircraft family members are the world’s best-selling single aisle aircraft with over 6,500 orders from over 100 customers since its launch in 2010. It has pioneered and incorporated the latest technologies, including its new generation engines and the industry’s reference cabin design, delivering 20 percent fuel cost savings alone. The A320neo also offers significant environmental benefits with nearly a 50 percent reduction in noise footprint compared to previous generation aircraft.
SEOUL (Reuters) – JetBlue Airways Corp is in discussions with Airbus SE about the European planemaker’s plans for a longer-range version of its A321neo family as it prepares to jump into the transatlantic market, Chief Executive Robin Hayes said on Monday.
The sixth-largest U.S. carrier has 85 A321neo aircraft on order, of which it has already decided to convert 13 into a longer-range version called the A321LR for its planned launch of daily flights from New York and Boston to London in 2021.
But if the low-cost carrier decides to fly to other European cities such as Brussels or Amsterdam, it will need a plane with more stamina. It is studying the A321XLR, which Airbus has been promoting ahead of a formal product announcement in June.
“London is the biggest opportunity because it has the highest fares, but there would be other opportunities if we had an airplane that had more range. The XLR gives us more range,” Hayes said on the sidelines of a global airlines meeting in Seoul.
“We’re still working through how many aircraft it would be (but) any XLRs would be linked to the planes we have on order today,” he told Reuters in an interview, adding any purchases would be converted from existing orders rather than generating completely new ones. No decision has yet been taken.
JetBlue is betting on its Mint business class product for narrowbody aircraft to succeed in the highly competitive premium transatlantic market. As of now, its U.S. customers have to fly to London on rival carriers where business class seats can cost as much as $12,000.
In the United States, JetBlue has argued that its Mint seats have driven a 50 percent decline in premium fares on some competing routes, and by sticking with narrowbody jets Hayes believes seats will be full.
U.S. carriers like American Airlines Group Inc and United Airlines service London with widebody aircraft that Hayes said can be tough to fill during off-peak travel.
“The transatlantic market is very seasonal. In the summer you tend to do very well but in the winter you’re flying a bunch of empty seats, so the LR helps us manage significantly the risk of the winter because we’re not flying such an expensive airplane.”
A handful of Europe-based budget carriers have tried to penetrate the transatlantic market in recent years, but only cash-strapped Norwegian Air is still standing.
Hayes said he expects to work on code-share agreements with partners that have a strong presence in Europe, where the airline wants to eventually build up its brand.
A number of JetBlue’s 50 airline partners have already reached out, he said.
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Tim Hepher, Christopher Cushing)
May
31 (Reuters) – Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia is in negotiations to
buy a proposed new longer-range version of the best-selling Airbus A321
passenger jet, two people familiar with the matter said.
Airbus has begun tying up customers for the A321XLR ahead of a possible formal announcement of the modified version at the Paris Airshow in June, though the timing of any deal between Airbus and AirAsia remains unclear.
Airbus declined to comment. AirAsia was not available for comment.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher; editing by Richard Lough)
Air Transat, a Canadian leisure and holiday travel airline, took delivery of its first Airbus A321LR aircraft. The A321LR is one of 15 the Montreal-based carrier is scheduled to receive. Air Transat leases the A321LR from AerCap.
The A321LR, with its unique Airbus Cabin Flex configuration allowing for installation of additional fuel tanks, will have a range of up to 4,000 nautical miles. Air Transat plans to use the A321LR for long-distance flights out of Canada, principally on more extended, thinner routes to European, Caribbean, Central and South American destinations. The A321LRs will replace older planes with an ultra-modern, highly cost-efficient aircraft equipped with state-of-the-art interior amenities for an enhanced and enjoyable passenger experience.
“The arrival of this new generation of aircraft is an important moment for our company and our passengers in many respects,” says Annick Guérard, Chief Operating Officer at Transat. “The Airbus A321LR represents what Air Transat stands for today and what we strive for in the coming years. It reinforces our position as a leader in sustainable tourism, while also offering our passengers a superior on-board experience.”
“We are proud to deliver the A321LR to Air Transat and to be associated with such a fine, innovative airline,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer. “The A321LR, with its increased range and low operating costs, enables Air Transat to increase flight frequencies, expand its network and strengthen its competitive position. Airbus will provide Air Transat with world-class support and work to ensure its ongoing success.”
The Air Transat A321LR is configured for 199 seats in two classes, including 12 premium Club Class seats in an exclusive cabin with personalized service and ergonomic seating. Economy Class seats are wider, provide more personal space and are equipped with a state-of-the-art entertainment system.
The A321LRs are part of a larger leasing deal Air Transat has with AerCap to convert to an all-Airbus fleet by 2022 as it phases out older widebody and narrowbody planes.
Air Transat is Canada’s number one holiday airline. It flies to some 60 destinations in more than 25 countries in the Americas and Europe, offers domestic and feeder flights within Canada, and carries some 5 million passengers every year. Based in Montreal, the company employs 3,000 people. Air Transat is a business unit of Transat A.T. Inc., a leading integrated international tourism company specializing in holiday travel and offering vacation packages, hotel stays and air travel.
FILE PHOTO: Travelers check-in at a JetBlue Airways kiosk at John F. Kennedy Airport in the Queens borough of New York, U.S., January 24, 2017. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
(Reuters)
– JetBlue Airways Corp hopes to break into the low-fare, transatlantic
travel market beginning in 2021 with multiple daily flights from New
York and Boston to London, its first European destination, the carrier
said on Wednesday.
To
service the routes, the sixth largest U.S. carrier will convert 13
Airbus A321LR aircraft from its existing order book with a fresh version
of its Mint business product.
The
idea is to offer customers a fresh choice on routes where JetBlue
President Joanna Geraghty said current competitor fares “are enough to
make you blush.”
New
York-based JetBlue, which unveiled the long-awaited launch at an
employee event at John F. Kennedy International Airport, said it is
still evaluating which London airports it will serve.
The
company, which has built a reputation in the United States for more
coach legroom than competitors and free broadband internet, has argued
for regulators to force slot divestitures at high-traffic airports like
London’s Heathrow to create a level playing field for new entrants.
A
handful of Europe-based budget carriers have tried to penetrate the
transatlantic market in recent years, but only cash-strapped Norwegian
Air is still standing.
Iceland’s
WOW, PrimeraAir Nordic, Britain’s Flybmi and Monarch Airlines and
Cypriot carrier Cobalt have all ceased operations in a sector grappling
with over-capacity and high fuel costs.
JetBlue said it will raise the bar on what travellers can expect from a low-cost carrier, particularly in Europe.
The
carrier has argued in the past that its version of business class,
Mint, has driven a 50 percent decline in premium fares on some competing
U.S. routes, a reduction it believes it can also deliver for premium
travel between the United States and Europe.
“JetBlue’s
Mint product suits the Atlantic market as they will likely come in with
stimulative fares to drive customer awareness and loyalty,” Cowen
analyst Helane Becker said in a recent note to clients.
The
main issue will be whether JetBlue is able to gain access at major
international airports, she said, like London Heathrow and Amsterdam
Schiphol.
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski, editing by G Crosse)
Lisbon-based TAP Air Portugal has taken delivery of its first of twelve A321LRs on order, becoming the first airline to operate a combined A330neo and A321LR fleet. The A321LR is the world’s most flexible and capable large single-aisle aircraft. Powered by CFM engines, TAP’s A321LR is configured with 171 seats (16 full flat Business, 48 Eco Premium and 107 Ecomomy seats).
The combination of the A321LR and the A330neo within a single fleet provides operators a powerful lever to cover the needs of the medium- to long-haul market. With both newest-generation single-aisle (20% fuel burn reduction) and widebody aircraft (25% fuel burn reduction), airlines benefit from an unrivalled commonality for operations while passengers experience a higher and harmonised comfort standards.
“The A321LR is critical for TAP’s expansion plans. With its superior range we can comfortably explore markets in North America, South America and Africa from Portugal, and it’ll fit in seamlessly with our A330neos,” said Antonoaldo Neves, CEO, TAP Air Portugal. “In North America it allows us to explore markets on the East Coast, such as New York, Boston, Montreal or Washington. In Brazil the A321LR can open new markets in the Northeast and complement existing services to cities like Recife, Natal, Fortaleza or Salvador,” he added. “The aircraft are equipped with the latest-generation full flat business class and high comfort economy seats, a full suite of in-flight entertainment (IFE) and connectivity, as well as free messaging services”.
TAP’s A321LR will be operated on the Lisbon-Tel Aviv route at its entry into service.
“We applaud TAP Air Portugal for becoming the first airline to leverage the benefits of the A321LR and the A330neo in a common fleet. The A321LR and A330neo working in tandem have the middle market segment nicely covered. The ‘Airbus NEO Midsize Aircraft’ – let’s call them the ‘A-NMA’s,’ are a winning, seamless combination – unprecedented capacity and transatlantic range with single aisle cost with the A321LR, and unbeatable unit costs and flexibility for true long haul with the A330neo. Both with the most contemporary technology and cabin comfort in their class,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer.
TAP currently operates an Airbus fleet of 75 aircraft comprising five A330neo, 13 A330ceo,4 A340s, and 45 A320 Family aircraft. The single-aisle fleet includes 21 A319ceo, 20 A320ceo, four A321ceo, two A320neo and six A321neo.
The A321LR is a member of the A320neo Family, with over 6,500 orders by more than 100 customers. It delivers 30% fuel savings and nearly 50% reduction in noise footprint compared to previous-generation competitor aircraft. With a range of up to 4,000nm (7,400km) the A321LR is the unrivalled long-range route opener, featuring true transatlantic capability and premium wide-body comfort in a single aisle aircraft cabin.
The A330neo is a true new-generation aircraft building on the A330’s success and leveraging A350 XWB technology. It incorporates the highly-efficient new-generation engines, new wings and new sharklets derived from A350 XWB technology.
