FLEET - Austrian Airlines to introduce the Boeing 787 Dreamliner on May 17

Austrian Airlines is planning to introduce the new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner into revenue service on May 17.
Austrian is acquiring 11 787-9s through 2028.
Initially the new type will be introduced on two short-range European routes as a way of the crews getting used to the new airliner.
Vienna-Frankfurt and Vienna-Berlin will be the first two routes before the 787 is introduced on transAtlantic routes in June.
OE-LPM was handed over to the carrier on March 26, 2024.
The new 787s will replace the older 767-300 and 777-200 models.
Austrian Airlines aircraft photo gallery

 

FLEET / ORDER - IndiGo Airlines orders 30+70 A350-900s

IndiGo Airlines (6E, Delhi International) has placed its first widebody order, covering thirty A350-900s coming directly from Airbus with a further 70 purchase rights.

The widebodies will start delivering to the Indian low-cost carrier in 2027. IndiGo Airlines said the exact configuration would be determined at a later stage.

Despite long-standing speculation about its widebody ambitions and the ongoing long-term damp lease of two B777-300(ER)s from Turkish Airlines, IndiGo Airlines has thus far focused on growing its in-house narrowbody and regional fleet.

The carrier currently operates twenty A320-200s, 192 A320-200Ns, ninety-four A321-200NX, and forty-five ATR72-600s, as well as three A321-200(P2F)s. It has unfilled orders for 273 A320-200Ns, 608 A321-200NX, sixty-nine A321-200NY(XLR)s (expected to enter into service in 2025), and five ATR72-600s. Its 2023 order for 500 A320neo aircraft was the largest-ever commitment in terms of the number of aircraft.

IndiGo also wet-leases thirteen A320-200s from SmartLynx Airlines/SmartLynx Airlines Estonia/SmartLynx Airlines Malta and will damp-lease five B737-8s from Qatar Airways due to the ongoing Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engine issues. The ch-aviation fleets module shows that fifty A320neo and fourteen A321neo are inactive.

CH Aviation

 

FLEET - Korean Air mulls B777X order

 Korean Air (KE, Seoul Incheon) is reportedly in talks to acquire at least ten B777X, according to Reuters. Citing industry sources, the news agency said talks were ongoing but no firm decisions had been made.

The report comes after the Korean airline placed an order with Airbus for twenty-seven A350-1000s and six A350-900s earlier this month. Following the Airbus order, Korean Air CEO Walter Cho told CNBC that the airline intended to place more orders and was in talks with Boeing.

"We've been their customer, we've been their user for a long, long time, [and] a satisfied customer of their B777s," he said. "That's what I'm looking at right now, and hopefully soon we'll be announcing that as well."

A Korean Air spokesman told ch-aviation that the airline remained in active discussions with manufacturers. However, he declined to provide any further details.

Now eleven years in the planning and development, Boeing hopes to have the B777X certified and rolling off the assembly lines next year. Boeing delivery data shows customers have placed orders for 481 of the type, including 205 due to Emirates (EK, Dubai International). When in production, it will be the world's biggest twin-engine aircraft with the largest variant, the B777-9, able to carry over 420 passengers in a two-class configuration.

Korean Air is a traditional Boeing customer, with 107 of its current 163 aircraft supplied by the North American manufacturer. However, in recent years, the airline has placed several orders with Airbus. Korean Air's current Airbus-supplied aircraft include ten A220-300s, ten A321-200NX, five A330-200s, twenty-one A330-300s, and ten A380-800s, although not all are in service. Aside from the A350 order, the airline also has thirty-nine A321-200N and one A321-200NX on order. Its outstanding Boeing orders comprise twenty-two B737-8s, twenty B787-10s, and seven B787-9s.

CH Aviation

FLEET - Air China orders 100 C919s with extended range.

Air China (CA, Beijing Capital) has placed a firm order with COMAC for 100 extended range C919s with deliveries scheduled to begin this year.

The carrier said in a stock market filing that the order was signed on April 26, 2024, and approved by the airline's board of directors the day after. Deliveries are scheduled to continue through 2031. Air China said the C919s will partially replace older aircraft, which are due to be retired, and partially be used for fleet growth. It intends to grow in "a controlled manner" and estimated that the deliveries of 100 C919s will eventually lead to a 7.5% net increase in ASK capacity compared to the level from 2023.

Air China said it would finance the transaction from a mix of its own cash, loans, and other sources. In late December 2023, the carrier announced a plan to issue additional shares to its controlling shareholder China National Aviation Corporation to the tune of up to CNY6 billion yuan (USD828 million). The issuance was completed by early February 2024.
Air China previously ordered five C919s, the ch-aviation fleets module shows, and is the second of the big three state-owned Chinese carriers to commit to a large number of C919s, after China Eastern Airlines, which has ordered 100 on top of the five it already has in service. China Southern Airlines currently has just five due.
The C919 will join existing Airbus and Boeing aircraft in Air China's narrowbody fleet which currently comprises thirty A319-100s, thirty-eight A320-200s, fifty-three A320-200Ns, sixty-one A321-200s, ten A321-200Ns, twenty A321-200NX, seventeen B737-700s, twenty-one B737-8s, and eighty-eight B737-800s.

CH Aviation

 

FLEET - Türkiye’s AJet to lease six B737 MAX 8s from CDB

AJet (VF, Istanbul Sabiha Gökcen) parent Turkish Airlines (TK, Istanbul Airport) has reached an agreement with lessor CDB Aviation to lease six B737-8s, for the new-look subsidiary to take delivery of in 2025 and 2026.

CDB Aviation and Turkish Airlines reached an agreement for a total of seven new leases, the seventh of which pertains to one used A330-300, which will be delivered to Turkish in May 2024 to support its mainline international growth.

With this agreement, CDB Aviation will be dry leasing a total of 17 aircraft to Turkish Airlines and its subsidiary, including twelve B737-8s, one B737-800, one B777-300ER, one A320-200N, one A321-200NX, and one A330-300.

“The 737 MAX 8 aircraft will contribute toward the airline’s stated goal for AJet to become an important part of the low-cost aviation industry on a global scale,” said Jie Chen, CDB Aviation’s chief executive officer.

The carrier formerly known as AnadoluJet is a division of Turkish Airlines and operates a fleet of 70 aircraft, of which 65 are wet-leased from several sources including BBN Airlines Türkiye, SmartLynx Airlines, SmartLynx Airlines Estonia, SmartLynx Airlines Malta, and Turkish Airlines itself. It recently launched operations employing its own code ‘VF'.

CH Aviation
Photo: Paul Bannwarth - BSL
TC-JFF B.737-8F2(WL)- cn.29768 (ex.N1786B) 

 

FLEET - Southwest Airlines (US) received five B737-8 and retired three B737-700 in 1Q 2024, ending the quarter with 819 aircraft.

The carrier now plans for approximately 20 B737-8 deliveries in 2024 and plans to retire approximately 35 aircraft in 2024. Southwest also converted 19 2025 B737-7s to the MAX 8, and shifted on -8 option into 2026.

Photo: Duncan Stewart - LAX

FLEET - Badr Airlines (Sudan) has purchased its first B737-800, serial 39046, which was acquired from AviaAM Leasing (Ireland).

Photo: Badr Airlines
 

FLEET - Hawaiian Airlines (US) plans extend its A330s well into the next decade, then gradually replace them with B787s.

A third Dreamliner arrives in 2024, with two in 2025, and by 2027, the carrier expects to have the 12 firm aircraft all delivered. The decision on the B717 is paused until the deal with Alaska Airlines (US) is completed. The A220, E2 and midlife A320/A319s are all options.

Photo:Duncan Stewart

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SPECIAL SCHEME - World premiere: Brussels Airlines and Tomorrowland present aircraft with augmented reality in new livery

“Amare” is the new Belgian Icon representing the music festival and airline all over the world

Brussels, April 25th, 2024 – Brussels Airlines and Tomorrowland proudly present “Amare”, the newest Belgian Icon. Amare represents unity for people all over the world. The brand-new Airbus A320neo’s livery features augmented reality, a world-first. Both partners also ramp-up efforts to make the Tomorrowland-flights more sustainable.

During an event in Brussels Airlines’ Maintenance & Engineering hangar, the new livery was presented to media, guests, and employees. The new Belgian Icon is a tribute to the world-famous music festival Tomorrowland and demonstrates once more the Belgitude of Brussels Airlines, whereby the airline brings the world to Belgium and brings the best of Belgium to the world.

The design is a world premiere: Amare is the first aircraft to feature augmented reality in its livery as the bird comes to life when scanned through specific Social Media channels such as Instagram and TikTok. This feature provides The People of Tomorrow a first augmented storytelling behind the world-famous magical creature Amare, which symbolizes unity and transcending time and space. The whole design process of the livery took about 15 months and great attention has been given to details, from the feathers of the bird to the sparkles of the fireworks transitioning into the Brussels Airlines’ logo.

The Tomorrowland experience will of course continue inside the aircraft where passengers will enjoy the impressive sound system and special mood lighting in the cabin.

Exploring the world in a more responsible way
Both partners are aware of their environmental impact and have been working to reduce it over the past few years. The new Amare is the second brand-new A320neo (with registration number OO-SBB) having joined Brussels Airlines’ fleet in December 2023.
The neo emits up to 20% less CO2 and up to 50% less noise than its predecessors. The new Amare is thus a tangible example of how Brussels Airlines and Tomorrowland are aiming to reduce their ecological impact.
Furthermore, all Global Journey Packages Brussels Airlines and Tomorrowland sell together will from now on be Green Fares, which compensate the flight emissions with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (20%) and thanks to the investment into qualitative CO2-reducing programmes (80%). To top it off, Tomorrowland and Brussels Airlines signed an agreement to invest in the purchase of SAF to compensate the total carbon emissions of all party flights that will be operated.
“Brussels Airlines has been a proud partner of Tomorrowland since 2012 and I am happy to announce that we will extend this partnership until 2028. We have many things in common such as the passion to explore the world and connecting cultures, but also the awareness of our environmental footprint and our willingness to take the necessary steps to reduce our impact. These shared values make this partnership such a success.”
- Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO, Brussels Airlines
First maiden flight
Amare will not only bring the festivalgoers to Tomorrowland but will be operating commercial flights as from 26 April 2024. It will leave on its “maiden voyage” on 26 April 2024 to Tenerife, at 1.20pm, flight number SN3781.

 

BRUSSELS AIRLINES 

AIRPORT - Habsheim Airport-France

Paul Bannwarth
 

AIRPORT - EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg - 04/2024

Paul Bannwarth
 

AIRPORT - Los Angeles International Airport - 03/2024

K.C.Wong