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Flynas, Saudi Arabia’s first low-cost airline, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus for 10 A321XLR aircraft, the longest range variant of the A320. As part of the commitment, the airline will also upsize 10 of the A320neo it currently has on order to the A321neo.

Flynas operates a fleet of 30 A320ceos and 2 A320neos. Since its inception in 2007, Flynas has set ambitious growth plans to continuously develop its fleet in order to carry more passengers. In 2018 the airline carried around 6.6 million passengers on 60,000 domestic and international flights.

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. This will enable operators to open new world-wide routes such as India to Europe or China to Australia, as well as further extending the Family’s non-stop reach on direct transatlantic flights between continental Europe and the Americas.

Source Airbus / Edited By Airline Adviser 06/24/19

Le Bourget – American Airlines, the world’s largest airline, will acquire 50 Airbus A321XLR aircraft, the new longer-range version of Airbus’ hugely successful A321neo. The purchase agreement includes the conversion of 30 of American’s existing A321neo slots to A321XLRs and incremental orders for an additional 20 A321XLRs.

The A321XLR will have the longest range of any single-aisle commercial jetliner. The added range of up to 4,700 nm will allow airlines to operate the aircraft from U.S. East Coast airports to medium-size European cities. As a further enhancement of the A321neo and A321LR, the A321XLR will have a maximum takeoff weight of 101 metric tones without sacrificing performance. The A321XLR is powered by the same engines and has more than 90 percent commonality with the A321neo.

American, based in Fort Worth, Texas, is the largest Airbus operator in the world with 422 Airbus aircraft. Including today’s announcement, American has outstanding orders for 115 A321neos and A321XLRs from Airbus.

Source Airbus / Edited By Airline Adviser 06/24/19

Taiwan’s China Airlines (CAL) has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for 11 A321neo aircraft and will acquire another 14 aircraft of the type on lease. CAL has selected the A321neo to meet future requirements in the single aisle category.

These 25 aircraft will join the Airbus fleet at the airline currently comprising 23 A330s and 14 A350 XWBs. With the A321neo, China Airlines will be able to operate their single aisle flights with unmatched levels of efficiency and comfort, benefitting from the highest commonality of the Airbus product range.

Source Airbus / Edited By Airline Adviser 06/24/19

Dublin-based leasing company Accipiter Holdings has signed a Purchase Agreement to acquire 20 A320neo aircraft. The order, which was disclosed during the Paris Air Show by Paul Sheridan, Accipiter CEO and Isabelle Floret, Head of Leasing Markets, had been completed in March 2019, and was listed in the order books as undisclosed.

The new single-aisle aircraft will further expand the portfolio of Accipiter Holdings, which aims to be a leading player in the global leasing market and is wholly owned by Hong Kong’s CK Asset Holdings Ltd. Together with Vermillion, its joint venture with Mitsubishi Corporation subsidiary MC Aviation Partners (MCAP), Accipiter manages a total portfolio of just under 150 owned and committed aircraft.

Source Airbus / Edited By Airline Adviser 06/24/19

Atlantic Airways, the Faroe Islands flag carrier, has signed a Purchase Agreement with Airbus for two A320neo aircraft, becoming the latest A320neo customer. The engine selection will be made at a later date.

With this new order, Atlantic Airways intends to further develop its European network. The airline, an Airbus customer since 2008, already operates a fleet of three A320 Family aircraft.

Source Airbus / Edited By Airline Adviser 06/24/19

Le Bourget – Australia’s Qantas Airways Limited is backing Airbus’ new extended range A321XLR with an agreement covering 36 aircraft. This includes the conversion of 26 existing A320neo Family orders plus a new firm order for 10 A321XLRs.

The aircraft will allow the Qantas Group, which includes low-cost carrier Jetstar, to improve its network and fleet flexibility to better serve point-to-point markets in Australia, Asia and the South Pacific.

Source Airbus / Edited By Airline Adviser 06/24/19

Le Bourget – Delta Air Lines has ordered five additional A220-100 aircraft, bringing to 95 the total number of orders placed, including both the A220-100s and A220-300s. The airline is the first to select the new increased maximum takeoff weight option for its entire fleet from 2020.

Airbus announced in May that it would increase the maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) for the A220 by 2,268 kg (2.3 metric tons). The new MTOW will increase the respective maximum range capabilities by 450nm to 3,400 nm for the A220-100 and 3,350nm for the A220-300.

Delta was the U.S. launch customer for the A220, placing an initial order for 75 aircraft in 2016 and booking an additional 15 in December 2018. With this latest order, Delta’s orders total 45 A220-100s and 50 A220-300s.

Delta’s A220-100s are produced in Mirabel, Québec, while the A220-300s will be built at a new U.S. assembly plant now under construction in Mobile, Alabama adjacent to the existing Airbus A320 assembly facility.

In a separate arrangement, Airbus and Delta have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding for Delta TechOps to provide A220 component repair and material services for Airbus’ A220 Flight Hour Services maintenance-by-the-hour program. This strategic partnership will allow Airbus to further enhance its successful Flight Hour Services (FHS) program for A220 customers by building on Delta TechOps’ proven component repair and management capabilities and Airbus’ expertise in maintenance engineering, inventory management, and innovative services solutions.

The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market; it delivers unbeatable fuel efficiency and widebody passenger comfort in a single-aisle aircraft. The A220 brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines to offer at least 20 percent lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft. The A220 offers the performance of larger single-aisle aircraft.

Source Airbus / Edited By Airline Adviser 06/24/19

Courtesy Airbus

International Airlines Group (IAG) has selected the A321XLR to expand its fleet of highly efficient single aisles with a firm order for 14 aircraft. Of these, eight are destined for Iberia and six for Aer Lingus.

IAG, the parent company of leading airlines also including British Airways, Level and Vueling, is one of Airbus’s largest customers and this agreement will take the overall order from the group to 530 aircraft. IAG airlines combined operate one of the world’s largest Airbus fleets with over 400 aircraft.

The aircraft will enable Aer Lingus to launch new routes beyond the US East Coast and Canada. For Iberia, this is a new aircraft type that will enable it to operate new transatlantic destinations and increase frequencies in key markets.

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. This will enable operators to open new world-wide routes such as India to Europe or China to Australia, as well as further extending the Family’s non-stop reach on direct transatlantic flights between continental Europe and the Americas. For passengers, the A321XLR’s new Airspace cabin will provide the best travel experience, while offering seats in all classes with the same high-comfort as on a long-haul wide-body, with the low costs of a single-aisle aircraft.

Source Airbus / Edited By Airline Adviser 06/24/19

AirAsia will upsize its future Airbus single aisle fleet, converting 253 orders for the A320neo to the larger A321neo version. The change will enable the airline to offer higher capacity in response to ongoing strong demand across its network. AirAsia becomes the world’s largest customer for the A321neo.

In total, AirAsia has placed orders for 592 A320 Family aircraft. Following the upsizing, AirAsia’s backlog with Airbus includes 353 A321neo. To date, the airline has taken delivery of 224 A320 Family aircraft, flying out of its bases in Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines and Thailand.

Source Airbus / Edited By Airline Adviser 06/24/19

Saudi Arabian Airlines, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, has decided to expand its existing A320neo Family order from 35 to as many as 100 NEO aircraft including 35 options. The additional firm order takes SAUDIA’s order of A320neo Family aircraft to 65 of which 15 are A321XLRs.

The agreement was announced at the Paris Air Show by His Excellency Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines Corporation and Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer.

Passenger demand in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is experiencing strong growth on domestic, regional and international routes. The additional aircraft will be deployed to support the national carrier’s plan to boost capacity. Airbus and SAUDIA have also agreed to further expand their partnership with the development of technical training, maintenance and other services.

SAUDIA is the biggest Airbus operator in the Kingdom and currently operates a portfolio of 100 Airbus aircraft comprising A320ceo Family and A330ceo. This latest purchase is in line with the Group’s Transformation Program, which includes the establishment and growth of a dual-brand strategy of operating airlines catering to the different customer segments in the Kingdom, the region and beyond.

Source Airbus / Edited By Airline Adviser 06/24/19

Courtesy Airbus

Le Bourget – Cebu Pacific (CEB), a Low-Cost Carrier based in the Philippines, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for 31 Airbus aircraft, comprising 16 A330neo, 10 A321XLR and 5 A320neo.

Cebu Pacific’s A330neo aircraft will be a higher capacity version of the A330-900, with 460 seats in single class configuration. The airline also becomes one of the launch airlines for the A321XLR, which will be able to fly nonstop from the Philippines to destinations as far afield as India and Australia. The A320neo aircraft announced today will be the first of the type to feature 194 seats in a single class layout.

This latest agreement supports CEB’s ongoing fleet renewal program, which aims to have only new generation, environmentally efficient aircraft by 2024. The fast-growing carrier’s decision also strengthens its all-Airbus fleet status in the jet category.

Selected for their outstanding operational efficiency, comfort and increased range, these new-generation aircraft will allow Cebu Pacific to further expand its Asia-Pacific network and position itself even more competitively.

The A320neo and A321XLR are members of the A320 Family incorporating the very latest technologies, including new generation engines and Sharklets, which together deliver fuel savings of 20 percent. At the end of May 2019, the A320neo Family had received more than 6,500 firm orders from over 100 customers worldwide.

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 percent more than the A321LR and with 30 percent lower fuel burn per seat compared with previous generation competitor aircraft.

The A330neo Family is the new generation A330, comprising two versions: the A330-800 and A330-900 sharing 99 percent commonality. It builds on the proven economics, versatility and reliability of the A330 Family, while reducing fuel consumption by about 25 percent per seat versus previous generation competitors and increasing range by up to 1,500 nautical miles, compared to the majority of A330s in operation.

Source Airbus / Edited By Airline Adviser 06/24/19

Le Bourget – Airbus and AirAsia have unveiled the first A330neo for the AirAsia Group at the Paris Air Show. The aircraft will be delivered via lessor Avolon in the coming weeks for operation by AirAsia’s long-haul affiliate, AirAsia X Thailand. The event was attended by Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, AirAsia X Malaysia Chairman, Nadda Buranasiri, AirAsia X Group CEO, Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer, Domhnal Slattery, Avolon Chief Executive Officer and Chris Cholerton, Rolls-Royce President Civil Aerospace.

With capability to reach Europe non-stop from South-East Asia, the A330neo’s increased range and enhanced economics will bring a step-change in fuel efficiency for AirAsia’s long-haul operations.

During the event, media and other guests visited the new cabin for the first time. The Thai AirAsia X A330-900 features 377 seats in a two-class configuration, comprising 12 business class and 365 economy class seats.

The aircraft unveiled will be on the Airbus static display at Le Bourget from Monday 17 to Wednesday 19 June and will be open to media for daily visits between 9am and 10am.

AirAsia X currently operates 36 A330-300 aircraft. The airline is the largest customer for the A330neo with 66 on order. In addition, the airline will acquire two aircraft on lease from Avolon this year.

The A330-900 is the larger of the two A330neo variants. The A330neo Family is the new generation A330, comprising two versions: the A330-800 and A330-900 sharing 99 percent commonality. It builds on the proven economics, versatility and reliability of the A330 Family, while reducing fuel consumption by about 25 percent per seat versus previous generation competitors and increasing range by up to 1,500 nm compared to the majority of A330s in operation.

The A330neo is powered by Rolls-Royce’s latest-generation Trent 7000 engines and features a new wing with increased span and new A350 XWB-inspired Sharklets. The cabin provides the comfort of the new Airspace amenities including state-of-the-art passenger inflight entertainment and Wi-Fi connectivity systems.

Source Airbus / Edited By Airline Adviser 06/24/19

Le Bourget – Middle East Airlines (MEA), the flag carrier of Lebanon, has signed a firm order for four A321XLRs, making it the launch airline customer of Airbus latest evolution of the winning A321neo family.

The agreement takes Middle East Airlines’ cumulative single aisle orders with Airbus to 15 A321neo family aircraft, including 11 A321neos and 4 A321XLRs with deliveries starting in 2020. MEA will use the A321XLR to strengthen its network in Africa and Asia.

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. This will enable operators to open new world-wide routes such as India to Europe or China to Australia, as well as further extending the Family’s non-stop reach on direct transatlantic flights between continental Europe and the Americas. For passengers, the A321XLR’s new Airspace cabin will provide the best travel experience, while offering seats in all classes with the same high-comfort as on a long-haul wide-body, with the low costs of a single-aisle aircraft.

Source Airbus / Edited By Airline Adviser 06/24/19

Virgin Atlantic has selected 14 A330-900s to replace its A330ceos from 2021, with options to further expand its fleet of highly efficient wide-body aircraft. The firm order for eight aircraft and six additional on lease from Air Lease Corporation (ALC) (NYSE: AL), was signed at the Paris Air Show by Shai Weiss, Virgin Atlantic CEO and Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO.

Virgin Atlantic currently operates a fleet of 40 wide-body aircraft and will soon take delivery of its first of 12 A350-1000s. This latest order for A330neos is a further commitment by Virgin Atlantic to continue modernizing its fleet with aircraft offering the highest standards of fuel efficiency and noise reduction alongside the best in class cabin comfort.

The A330neo Family is the new generation A330, comprising two versions: the A330-800 and A330-900 sharing 99 percent commonality. It builds on the proven economics, versatility and reliability of the A330 Family, while reducing fuel consumption by about 25 percent per seat versus previous generation competitors and increasing range by up to 1,500 nm compared to the majority of A330s in operation.

The A330neo is powered by Rolls-Royce’s latest-generation Trent 7000 engines and features a new wing with increased span and new A350 XWB-inspired Sharklets. The cabin provides the comfort of the new Airspace amenities including state-of-the-art passenger inflight entertainment and Wi-Fi connectivity systems.

Source Airbus / Edited By Airline Adviser 06/24/19

Le Bourget – Air Lease Corporation (ALC) (NYSE: AL), the Los Angeles-based aircraft leasing company, has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) for 100 Airbus aircraft, including for the first time 50 A220-300s and 27 A321XLRs. The agreement also includes an incremental order for an additional 23 A321neos.

The A220 is the only aircraft purpose built for the 100-150 seat market; it delivers unbeatable fuel efficiency and widebody passenger comfort in a single-aisle aircraft. The A220 brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines to offer at least 20 percent lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft. The A220 offers the performance of larger single-aisle aircraft.

With an order book of 536 aircraft at the end of May 2019, the A220 has all the credentials to win the lion’s share of the 100- to 150-seat aircraft market estimated to represent at least 7,000 aircraft over the next 20 years.

Source Airbus / Edited By Airline Adviser 06/24/19