FLY BAGHDAD - B737-700 - YI-BAN - first Boeing 737-700 on its route network from Baghdad to Erbil, Amman and Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen airport.

Ilgaz Değer
Turkey, Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen (SAW)

NAM Air - ATR 72-600 - PK-NYT - (cn 1170)

Andika Primasiwi 

Semarang Achmad Yani International (SRG / WARS) , Indonesia

LOT to deploy B787-9s on North American routes from 2Q18

LOT Polish Airlines (LO, Warsaw Chopin) will deploy the first B787-9 on the Warsaw Chopin-Chicago O'Hare route from the end of March or early April 2018.

The Polish state-owned carrier said in a statement it plans to introduce the B787-9 on the route to New York JFK from May 2018 and to Toronto Pearson from July. While the aircraft will be used predominantly on the North Atlantic routes, LOT might also operate some of its Seoul Incheon services with this model.

LOT intends to take delivery of three B787-9s in 2018. The aircraft will be on lease from Air Lease Corporation and equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines. The fourth aircraft of this type will join the airline's fleet in 2019. The B787-9s will supplement the existing fleet of eight B787-8s and support the carrier's expansion from its primary base at Warsaw Chopin.

According to the carrier's statement, the B787-9s will be configured in a three-class layout with twenty-four seats in business class (up from sixteen in B787-8s), twenty-one in premium economy (same as in B787-8s) and 249 in economy class (up from 213 in B787-8s). In total, they will seat up to 294 passengers, forty-two more than the smaller B787s.

According to the ch-aviation capacity module, in summer 2018 LOT plans to operate long-haul flights from Warsaw to Chicago O'Hare (11x weekly), New York JFK, Toronto Pearson (9x weekly each), Newark, Seoul Incheon (5x weekly each), Los Angeles Int'l, Singapore Changi, Tokyo Narita (4x weekly each) and Beijing Capital (3x weekly). It also plans to operate trans-Atlantic routes from Kraków and Budapest.

LEVEL outlines S18 operations: New routes from Paris Orly

LEVEL today (28NOV17) revealed its new summer 2018 schedule, which sees the IAG’s low-cost carrier opening new base in Paris Orly, with A330 aircraft operated by OpenSkies. From Barcelona, the airline will introduce Boston link. Planned schedule as follows.

Barcelona – Boston eff 28MAR18 2 weekly (3 weekly from 06AUG18)
IB2625 BCN1600 – 1815BOS 332 36
IB2626 BOS2015 – 0930+1BCN 332 36

Service operates Day 146 from 06AUG18.

Paris Orly – Fort-de-France eff 03SEP18 3 weekly
IB2672 ORY1100 – 1405FDF 332 146
IB2673 FDF1700 – 0720+1ORY 332 146

Paris Orly – Montreal eff 02JUL18 3 weekly (Subject to Government Approval)
IB2678 ORY1945 – 2130YUL 332 146
IB2679 YUL2315 – 1205+1ORY 332 146

Paris Orly – Newark eff 04SEP18 4 weekly
IB2674 ORY1450 – 1715EWR 332 x146
IB2675 EWR1900 – 0820+1ORY 332 x146

Current OpenSkies service will be operated by Boeing 757 only on daily basis from the same date, instead of 757/767.

Paris Orly – Pointe-a-Pitre eff 03JUL18 4 weekly
IB2670 ORY1610 – 1910PTP 332 x146
IB2671 PTP2110 – 1120+1ORY 332 x146
On existing routes from Barcelona, planned frequency adjustments as foll. Reservation for these routes also opened on Tuesday 28NOV17:


Barcelona – Buenos Aires Ezeiza eff 25MAR18 4 weekly (Day x135; 6 weekly Day x1 from 11AUG18)
Barcelona – Los Angeles eff 28MAR18 2 weekly (Day 37)
Barcelona – Oakland eff 27MAR18 2 weekly (Day 25; 3 weekly Day 257 from 07AUG18)

Routes Online

Photo:Alain Charpentier - BCN

Eurowings outlines brussels airlines A340 operation in S18

Eurowings last week filed additional planned changes to its Dusseldorf long-haul service, for summer 2018 season. Additional filing changes sees the opening of reservation on flights operated by brussels airlines Airbus A340-300 aircraft, set to enter service from late-April 2018.

Planned brussels airlines A340-300 operation for Eurowings as follows.

Dusseldorf – Cancun eff 30APR18 2 weekly

EW1170 DUS1055 – 1545CUN 343 5
EW1170 DUS1205 – 1655CUN 343 1
EW1171 CUN1715 – 1025+1DUS 343 5
EW1171 CUN1840 – 1150+1DUS 343 1

Dusseldorf – New York JFK eff 28APR18 6 weekly (New Route)

EW1100 DUS1035 – 1255JFK 343 x2
EW1101 JFK1755 – 0720+1DUS 343 x2

Dusseldorf – Punta Cana eff 28APR18 2 weekly
EW1140 DUS1110 – 1530PUJ 343 2
EW1140 DUS1255 – 1700PUJ 343 6
EW1141 PUJ1700 – 0805+1DUS 343 2
EW1141 PUJ1830 – 0950+1DUS 343 6

Reported last week, brussels airlines’ A330-300 aircraft will also be operating for Eurowings service from Dusseldorf, including Fort Myers and Miami.

By Jim Liu

Bombardier and CemAir sign order for two new Q400 aircraft

Bombardier Commercial Aircraft announced today that CemAir (PTY) Ltd of South Africa has concluded a firm purchase agreement for two new Q400 turboprops, and has also signed the lease of a used Q400 aircraft that was delivered this month, paving the way for the new aircraft to be delivered afterwards. The letter of Intent (LOI) from CemAir, which was signed on June 21 at the 2017 Paris Air Show, has now been converted into a firm order.

Based on the list price of the Q400 aircraft, the firm order is valued at approximately $66 million US.

“We are delighted that CemAir has selected the Q400 aircraft to expand its fleet”, said Jean-Paul Boutibou, Vice President, Sales, Middle-East and Africa at Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “The Q400 is the next natural step in the growth of CemAir’s fleet of Bombardier CRJ Series and Q Series aircraft, as it brings more flexibility to increase the capacity on key routes while their aircraft’s superior performance and unbeatable economics support CemAir’s growing market position against competitive forces. The Q400 will open several market opportunities to CemAir on domestic and future regional routes.”

“CemAir has enjoyed significant growth in the last few years and this has come from our focused approach on selecting the right aircraft for our operation”, said Miles van der Molen, CEO, CemAir. “The Q400 is a fantastic performer especially in our environment of high altitudes and hot operating temperatures. It is really an unbeatable turboprop that brings so many jet-like features to ensure a competitive and operational advantage in our market. We see the Q400 as the ideal growth solution for our scheduled and charter operations as we continue to strengthen our relationship with Bombardier. We are working to expand our scheduled operations beyond South Africa and continuing to support new opportunities across the continent.”

With these Q400 aircraft, CemAir would increase its current fleet of Bombardier aircraft to 17 – including five Q Series turboprops and 12 CRJ Series aircraft. CemAir recently added a used CRJ900 aircraft to its fleet, the first in South Africa.

Bombardier Commercial Aircraft already has a solid foothold on the African continent with upwards of 190 Q Series turboprops – including over 35 Q Series operators – and CRJ regional jets in operation or on order from customers. Over the next two decades, Africa is expected to take deliveries of 550 new aircraft, and with Bombardier’s family of aircraft, the company is well positioned to serve this growing market.

Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Siemens team up for electric future Partnership launches E-Fan X hybrid-electric flight demonstrator

Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Siemens have formed a partnership which aims at developing a near-term flight demonstrator which will be a significant step forward in hybrid-electric propulsion for commercial aircraft.

The three companies together announced the groundbreaking collaboration, bringing together some of the world’s foremost experts in electrical and propulsion technologies, at the Royal Aeronautical Society in London.

The E-Fan X hybrid-electric technology demonstrator is anticipated to fly in 2020 following a comprehensive ground test campaign, provisionally on a BAe 146 flying testbed, with one of the aircraft’s four gas turbine engines replaced by a two megawatt electric motor. Provisions will be made to replace a second gas turbine with an electric motor once system maturity has been proven.

“The E-Fan X is an important next step in our goal of making electric flight a reality in the foreseeable future. The lessons we learned from a long history of electric flight demonstrators, starting with the Cri-Cri, including the e-Genius, E-Star, and culminating most recently with the E-Fan 1.2, as well as the fruits of the E-Aircraft Systems House collaboration with Siemens, will pave the way to a hybrid single-aisle commercial aircraft that is safe, efficient, and cost-effective,” said Paul Eremenko, Airbus’ Chief Technology Officer. “We see hybrid-electric propulsion as a compelling technology for the future of aviation.”

The E-Fan X demonstrator will explore the challenges of high-power propulsion systems, such as thermal effects, electric thrust management, altitude and dynamic effects on electric systems and electromagnetic compatibility issues. The objective is to push and mature the technology, performance, safety and reliability enabling quick progress on the hybrid electric technology. The programme also aims at establishing the requirements for future certification of electrically powered aircraft while training a new generation of designers and engineers to bring hybrid-electric commercial aircraft one step closer to reality.

As part of the E-Fan X programme, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Siemens will each contribute with their extensive experience and know-how in their respective fields of expertise:

- Airbus will be responsible for overall integration as well as the control architecture of the hybrid-electric propulsion system and batteries, and its integration with flight controls.

- Rolls-Royce will be responsible for the turbo-shaft engine, two megawatt generator, and power electronics. Along with Airbus, Rolls-Royce will also work on the fan adaptation to the existing nacelle and the Siemens electric motor.

- Siemens will deliver the two megawatt electric motors and their power electronic control unit, as well as the inverter, DC/DC converter, and power distribution system. This comes on top of the E-Aircraft Systems House collaboration between Airbus and Siemens, launched in 2016, which aims at development and maturation of various electric propulsion system components and their terrestrial demonstraion across various power classes.

Paul Stein, Rolls-Royce, Chief Technology Officer, said: “The E-Fan X enables us to build on our wealth of electrical expertise to revolutionise flight and welcome in the third generation of aviation. This is an exciting time for us as this technological advancement will result in Rolls-Royce creating the world’s most powerful flying generator.

“Siemens has been driving innovation in core technology fields at full speed,” said Roland Busch, Chief Technology Officer of Siemens. “In April 2016 we opened a new chapter in electric-mobility with the collaboration with Airbus. Building up electric propulsion for aircraft, we are creating new perspectives for our company and also for our customers and society. With the E-Fan X partnership, we now take the next step to demonstrate the technology in the air.”



Among the top challenges for today’s aviation sector is to move towards a means of transport with improved environmental performance, that is more efficient and less reliant on fossil fuels. The partners are committed to meeting the EU technical environmental goals of the European Commission’s Flightpath 2050 Vision for Aviation (reduction of CO2 by 75%, reduction of NOx by 90% and noise reduction by 65%). These cannot be achieved with the technologies existing today. Therefore, Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Siemens are investing in and focusing research work in different technology areas including electrification. Electric and hybrid-electric propulsion are seen today as among the most promising technologies for addressing these challenges.

Serene Air eyes int'l ops in 1Q18

Serene Air (ER, Islamabad) is looking to commence international operations during the first quarter of next year, regional director Nehal Akbar has said.
In an interview with Business Recorder, Akbar said Serene Air would qualify to start flights abroad once it had completed the addition of two more B737-800s into its fleet in February next year. The start-up commenced operations in January this year using a fleet of three B737-800s and currently serves Karachi Int'l, Faisalabad, Islamabad, Lahore Int'l, Peshawar, and Quetta.

Akbar said initial flights abroad would focus on Saudi Arabia, Iraq and China. This growth, he said, will be underscored by the addition of a further three aircraft by year-end.

CH AVIATION

Norwegian boosts Barcelona long-haul capacity in S18

Norwegian in summer 2018 season is expanding capacity at Barcelona, where the airline plans to move all long-haul service to Boeing 787-9 aircraft, replacing -8. This aircraft adjustment was reflected in early-October 2017’s schedule update.

Barcelona – Ft. Lauderdale eff 22MAR18 2 weekly
Barcelona – Los Angeles eff 26MAR18 3 weekly
Barcelona – Newark eff 23MAR18 4 weekly
Barcelona – Oakland eff 25MAR18 3 weekly
By Jim Liu

New A330-800 starts final assembly

Development of latest member of A330neo Family progressing well
Final assembly of the newest member of the A330neo Family, the A330-800, has started and is on track for the first flight planned in mid-2018.

The A330-800 complements the A330-900, the largest member of the A330neo Family. With its 242-tonne Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) as base variant, the A330-800 can operate routes of up to 7,500nm and with the recently launched 251-tonne MTOW variant the aircraft can operate ultra-long-range routes of up to 8,150nm. Together, the A330neo variants are part of the world’s most comprehensive twin-aisle, twin-engine aircraft family from 260 to over 360 seats which includes the A350 XWB Family.

Development of latest member of A330neo Family progressing well

7,500nm and with the recently launched 251-tonne MTOW variant the aircraft can operate ultra-long-range routes of up to 8,150nm. Together, the A330neo variants are part of the world’s most comprehensive twin-aisle, twin-engine aircraft family from 260 to over 360 seats which includes the A350 XWB Family.

Building on the success of the A330-200 with over 600 aircraft in operation, the A330-800 brings new generation economics and comfort in addition to unprecedented range to the 250-seater aircraft market. Together with the larger 300-seater A330-900 they share 99% commonality, having the same airframe, engines and cross crew commonality. This gives operators great flexibility to use either aircraft in their fleet according to network needs in size and range. Both of these widebody aircraft incorporate new Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, zero-splice nacelle, titanium pylon, new wings and new Airspace by Airbus Cabin. The most visible new features of the A330neo wings are the specially developed curved wingtip Sharklets – which draw on A350 XWB technology, extending the wingspan to 64m, providing state of the art aerodynamic characteristics.

Airlines will benefit from 25% less fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation competitors, reduced maintenance costs and the A330’s market-leading 99.5% operational reliability. Passengers will enjoy the award-winning all new Airspace cabin inspired by the A350 XWB. On top of latest generation In-flight entertainment and connectivity, passengers can look forward to a new welcoming entrance area, spacious overhead bins, mood lighting and exceptionally quiet flights.

With close to 1,700 orders, the A330 is the most popular wide-body aircraft ever, having flown nearly 1,000,000 annual flights. Today, over 1,300 aircraft have been delivered to 117 customers worldwide on a wide range of routes, from domestic and regional flights to long range intercontinental services. Offering the lowest operating costs in its category, and thanks to continuous investments in latest innovations, the new generation A330neo will be the most profitable and best performing aircraft in its size category.

Air Albania to launch next year, fly to former Yugoslavia

Air Albania will launch next year and operate on routes from Tirana mostly to the nearby former Yugoslav countries, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced.
"Coming soon", Rama wrote on his Facebook page next to a visualization of a B737-400 in Air Albania's livery. He further commented that while it is too early to announce any precise dates, "half of the work is done and soon, I believe the next spring, this bird is going to start flying."

According to the PM's statement, the airline will first fly from Tirana to Pristina, Skopje, Zagreb, Podgorica, Sarajevo and unrevealed destinations in Western Europe. No information has been provided regarding the prospective airline's fleet.
Air Albania is aided by Turkish Airlines, although it remains unknown whether the Istanbul Atatürk-based carrier provides funding, aircraft or know-how.
Albania, one of the poorest European countries, was ruled as a communist autarchy independently from the neighbouring Yugoslavia. It emerged as a democracy in the early 1990s, but ever since has been marred by corruption, banking scandals and a lack of economic growth. Its two largest carriers, flag carrier Albanian Airlines (1995) and private Belle Air, went bankrupt in 2011 and 2013 respectively. In 2016, Albawings started operations.
aviation capacity module, the three largest airlines in the Albanian capital are Blue Panorama Airlines, Ernest Airlines and Alitalia. Air Albania would mostly compete with Adria Airways and Air Serbia.

ch aviation

BRAVO AIRWAYS - B737-500 - UR-CGY

Ton Jochems - AYT

AIR ASTANA - B757-200W - P4-MAS

Ton Jochems - AYT

YAKUTIA - B737-800 Split Scimitar Winglets, - VQ-BIZ

Ton Jochems - AYT

Etihad’s Swiss flights become Boeing 787 Dreamliner services

Etihad Airways’ flights to and from Switzerland will become an all-Boeing 787 Dreamliner operation with the aircraft being deployed on the Abu Dhabi – Geneva route, from 25 March 2018.

The Dreamliner flights to Geneva will complement the airline’s existing 787 Dreamliner scheduled services connecting Abu Dhabi and Zurich, becoming the fifth European city to be served by the carrier’s growing fleet of next generation aircraft.

The airline currently operates daily flights between the UAE’s capital city of Abu Dhabi and both Geneva and Zurich.

Introduction of the 787 Dreamliner will also see a scheduling change to provide attractive timings for customers travelling to and from Geneva.

It will operate out of the UAE to offer an early morning arrival into Geneva, and the revised timings will also improve connectivity to a wider network of destinations across Asia and the Indian Subcontinent.

It has a fleet of 18 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners operating from Abu Dhabi to 17 destinations worldwide – Amman, Amsterdam, Beijing, Beirut, Brisbane, Düsseldorf, Madrid, Melbourne, Nagoya, Perth, Riyadh, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, Washington and Zurich.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways chief executive officer, said: “With another of Etihad Airways’ popular European destinations joining our 787 Dreamliner network, we are giving more guests the opportunity to experience our next generation aircraft.

“The Geneva services cater to business and leisure travellers in Abu Dhabi, Switzerland’s second largest city, and offer connections over our hub to and from many destinations across our global network. The Dreamliner is fast becoming our flagship long-haul aircraft and as more join the fleet, we will continue to look at upgrading existing routes offering ground-breaking cabin interiors that have set a benchmark for high service levels in the region and across the world.”

China Airlines increases Gatwick-Taipei route

China Airlines is increasing its non-stop route from London Gatwick to Taipei from four to five flights per week.

The national flag carrier of the Republic of China (Taiwan) will add a fifth flight from 25 March 2018 onwards, with the additional service operating every Tuesday.

The increase follows the announcement that China Airlines is returning to the UK after a five year hiatus with the launch of a new non-stop service between London Gatwick and Taipei’s Taoyuan International on Friday 1 December 2017.

The new service will operate four times per week from Gatwick’s South Terminal until 25 March 2018, when the additional Tuesday flight will be added.

The A350-900 Airbus will carry up to 306 passengers with a three class configuration, offering Premium Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins.

“Having only just announced our return to the UK, we are already demonstrating our ambition and commitment to the service by expanding from four to five weekly flights,” said Roger Han, senior vice president, Europe at China Airlines.

“This addition to the only non-stop service between Taiwan and the UK will allow even more travellers to experience China Airlines’ impressive 4-star inflight service. Customers will be able to travel more frequently with the knowledge that our network is opening up many routes into Australia, New Zealand and Asia.”

Aloha Air Cargo is pleased to announce the arrival of our first 767 cargo aircraft in Aloha Air Cargo livery.The wide-body 767 plane will be used to fly cargo non-stop between Los Angeles and Honolulu six days per week.

Alex Crail - B767-323(ER)(BDSF) N399CM
Los Angeles Int'l Airport - KLAX
USA - California

Argentina's Flybondi unveils first 737

Argentina's low-cost start-up Flybondi has unveiled its first Boeing 737-800, which is expected to arrive in the South American country in the second half of November.
The aircraft is being leased from SMBC Aviation Capital, and is configured with 189 seats in a single class. Flybondi says the aircraft is in Singapore and will soon depart for Argentina.

Registered LV-HKS, the 737 entered service in 2005 and was previously operated by Ryanair and Thailand's Nok Air, Flight Fleets Analyzer shows.

The aircraft will undergo certification in Argentina, allowing the airline to launch operations by the end of the year, says Flybondi chief executive Julian Cook. Ticket sales have not started.

Flybondi plans to grow its fleet to 10 leased 737s, with eight based at the El Palomar military airbase in Buenos Aires and two at Cordoba. Cook told FlightGlobal in September that the airline has already leased another 737 from Avolon that will be delivered in the second quarter of 2018. While Flybondi had previously expressed interest in ordering the 737 Max 200 from Boeing, Cook has said the airline needs more time to negotiate a deal with the airframer and wants to first accumulate operational experience with the 737.

The carrier plans to operate to domestic destinations like Bariloche, Mendoza, Iguazu and Ushuaia among others. Cook has said that the airline plans to serve around 15 domestic points.
FLIGHT DASHBOARD BY: GHIM-LAY YEO WASHINGTON DC

Photo:TTT - Team NinerVictor Photos

B737-8AS - LV-HKS - Singapore Seletar - WSSL, Singapore

Thai Lion Air opens Utapao – Changsha public bookings from Nov 2017

Thai Lion Air has announced planned service changes for Utapao – Changsha route, currently served as scheduled charter. From 26NOV17, this 4 weekly service will be operating on regular basis, with flights available for booking on the airline’s website.

Boeing 737-900ER currently operates this route, but will switch to -800 from 01DEC17.

SL1937 UTP1910 – 2320CSX 738 237
SL1937 UTP1950 – 0005+1CSX 738 5
SL1934 CSX1435 – 1725UTP 738 x146

By Jim Liu

IndiGo Airlines in talks with Airbus for widebodies

IndiGo Airlines (6E, Delhi Int'l) has started talks with Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) over a possible widebody order India's Economic Times has reported quoting sources close to the airline's operations.
According to the report, the budget carrier is considering adding at least fifty widebody aircraft as an alternative to its proposed take-over of Air India's longhaul operations, which could take some time to complete.
"Right now, it's an optimistic 50-50, but the processes are slow. The airline will wait for four-five months and then implement Plan B of inducting its own fleet of wide-bodied planes," said one of the sources.
IndiGo currently operates 118 A320ceo and twenty-seven A320neo with a further 405 A320neo and twenty-five A321neo on order from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac).

Okay Airways firms up B787-9 order

Okay Airways  has firmed up a Memorandum Of Understanding with Boeing (BOE, Chicago O'Hare) for five B787-9s, signed during this year's Paris Airshow.

Though no delivery dates were disclosed, the carrier has said in the past that the widebody jets would be deployed to its upcoming base at Beijing's new international airport, set to open in 2019.


Okay Airways currently operates nineteen B737-800s and five B737-900(ER)s. It has also inked tentative firm orders for eight B737 MAX 10s and seven additional B737 MAX 8s.

ZURICH TRIP

Paul Bannwarth

Aerolíneas Argentinas set to receive Latin America’s first 737 MAX 8

CEO Mario Dell’Acqua said Aerolíneas Argentinas will take delivery of its first Boeing 737 MAX 8 Nov. 29. The aircraft will make its first commercial flight Dec. 1.

“It is a great honor to be the first Latin American airline to fly the MAX,” Dell’Acqua told ATW on the sidelines of the ALTA Airline Leaders Forum in Buenos Aires Nov. 20. “Having the MAX will allow us not only to improve our costs but also to potentially serve routes to the Caribbean with the MAX that we now serve with widebody aircraft, due to its improved autonomy.”

Buenos Aires-based Aerolíneas will receive an additional MAX 8 in December. Three more will be delivered in 2018 and a total of 12 will arrive by 2020, Dell’Acqua said. The airline intends to continue operating its 737-800s.

According to the airline’s fleet plan, Aerolíneas will end 2017 with 12 Airbus widebody A330/A340 aircraft, 41 Boeing 737 aircraft, including 39 737NGs and two new 737 MAX 8s, as well as 26 Embraer E190s that operate on Aerolíneas’ regional subsidiary Austral.

Mark Nensel mark.nensel@penton.com

Korean Air increases Barcelona flights in S18

Korean Air this week updated planned summer 2018 schedule for Seoul Incheon – Barcelona route, which sees the airline adding 5th weekly frequency on Saturdays, effective 31MAR18. Boeing 787-9 aircraft operates this route.


KE915 ICN1300 – 2010BCN 789 x24
KE916 BCN2210 – 1730+1ICN 789 x24
From 05MAY18, Saturdays service will be operated by 777-300ER, instead of 787.
By Jim Liu

IndiGo takes delivery of its first ATR 72-600

The Indian carrier will use its new fleet of ATR -600s to substantially expand its regional network
Toulouse, November 17, 2017 – IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share, today took delivery of its very first ATR 72-600. The airline and ATR announced earlier this year an agreement for the acquisition of 50 ATR 72-600s. Today’s delivery represents a major step in the airline’s ambitious plan to further develop its fleet with the introduction of fuel-efficient and cost-effective ATR 72-600s, thus expanding its regional footprint and bringing air connectivity to smaller Indian airports and communities.

The introduction of the new ATR fleet goes in line with the Indian government’s Regional Connectivity Scheme, which aims to boost economic development, employment and tourism by connecting small and remote cities. Under this scheme 100 new airports are expected to be created in the next three years.
The ATR 72-600 is the most popular regional aircraft in its category. Its unbeatable economics and operational versatility at small airfields makes it the perfect tool to support IndiGo’s plans to build its regional network in India. The ATR 72-600s feature seat and trip costs that are respectively 10% and 20% lower than those of other in-production turboprops. They also feature the most modern cabin interiors, specifically designed for ATR by the Italian firm Giugiaro, with thinner seats, larger overhead bins and LED lightening for an optimal passenger experience. With its new ATR 72-600s IndiGo will be able to offer their passengers affordable fares, while opening new routes throughout the country, thus contributing to developing local economies and strengthening social links.

Aditya Ghosh, President of IndiGo, said: “By taking delivery of this first ATR 72-600, we are now one step closer to the launch of our Turboprop operations by the end of this year. We are excited at the opportunity of once again being able to redefine air travel in India by bringing the reliability and efficiency of IndiGo’s operations to towns and regions in our country which so far have been devoid of reliable air service or have been subject to exorbitant air fares. My sincere thanks to the team at ATR. As we say at IndiGo, we are all set and TURBOCHARGED!”.



Christian Scherer, ATR’s Chief Executive Officer, stated: “IndiGo is a much respected airline which pays particular attention to every single detail relating to quality. Today’s delivery to such a renowned airline underlines the quality and the suitability of the ATR -600 and shows why it is unrivalled in the regional market. IndiGo’s choice highlights their commitment to offering passengers only the very best at the lowest cost possible. India’s rapidly expanding domestic market represented close to 100 million passengers last year, and has been steadily growing by more than 20% annually. As the country is expected to become the world’s third largest market by 2020, we are proud of playing a key role in such an expansion of the air connectivity”.

TRANSAVIA - B737-800W - PH-HSI

Matt Varley - NWI

TOULOUSE TRIP

 

Paul Bannwarth

Boeing, Avolon Finalize Deal for 75 737 MAX Airplanes

Agreement includes firm orders for 55 MAX 8s, 20 MAX 10s and options for 20 MAX 8s

Dublin-based lessor joins growing customer base of the 737 MAX 10, the newest member of Boeing's 737 MAX family

• 
  

SEATTLE, Nov. 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Avolon, the international aircraft leasing company, today finalized an order for 75 737 MAX airplanes. The confirmed order is for 55 MAX 8s and 20 MAX 10s, with options for 20 additional MAX 8s.
The agreement, announced as a memorandum of understanding at the 2017 Paris Air Show, is valued at nearly $11 billion at list prices including the 75 firm and 20 option aircraft.

Launched at the 2017 Paris Air Show, the MAX 10 will have the lowest seat-mile cost of any single-aisle airplane. The new airplanes will bolster Avolon's airplane portfolio to meet growing customer demand in the narrow-body market segment.

"Today's order for Boeing's newest 737 MAX airplanes will strengthen Avolon's position as a leading lessor in the global commercial aviation market," said Avolon CEO, Dómhnal Slattery. "This is the largest single order that we have placed with Boeing to date and underscores the scale of our ambition and the strength of our business. We have experienced strong interest in our initial MAX orders and this incremental order reflects this demand. With over 140 MAX aircraft now in our owned and committed fleet, we are confident that the superior economics and solid reliability of the 737 MAX family of airplanes will continue to allow our customers to grow their businesses profitably for many years to come."

Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Avolon is one of the world's leading aircraft leasing firms, with an owned, managed and committed fleet of 915 aircraft as of September 30, 2017. Avolon also has the youngest owned fleet amongst the top three lessors and an order book of exclusively new technology aircraft.

"Today's order solidifies Avolon's commitment to providing their customers with the most efficient, technologically advanced airplane on the market," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Kevin McAllister. "We are honored that the 737 MAX family of airplanes will become a key part of Avolon's world-class fleet as they look to leverage the surging demand for narrow-body airplanes in markets around the world."



The 737 MAX is the fastest-selling airplane in Boeing history, having surpassed 4,000 total orders from 92 customers. The MAX family incorporates the latest technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market.

Eastern Airways - ATR-72-212A - G-IACY

Matt Varley

Bahrain Amiri Flight - B737-86J - A9C-ISA

Matt Varley - NWI

Airbus A350-1000 receives EASA and FAA Type Certification

Aircraft on target to first customer delivery by year end

Following an intensive flight test campaign performed in less than a year, the A350-1000 has received Type Certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The certified aircraft is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines.

The EASA A350-1000 Type Certification document was signed by EASA’s Certification Director, Trévor Woods, and the FAA A350-1000 Type Certification document was signed by FAA’s International Section Manager, Bob Breneman. Both certificates were handed over to Airbus Executive Vice President Engineering, Charles Champion.

“Receiving the A350-1000 Type Certification from EASA and FAA less than one year after its first flight is an incredible achievement for Airbus and for all our partners who have been instrumental in building and testing this superb widebody aircraft,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus COO and President Commercial Aircraft. “The A350-1000 benefits from the maturity of its successful brother, the A350-900, which has translated into excellent right-on-time performance. We now look forward to deliver the first aircraft to Qatar Airways by the end of the year.”



The Type certification is a requirement for the aircraft to enter commercial service. This milestone comes after an intensive flight test trials that have taken its airframe and systems beyond their design limits to ensure the aircraft successfully meets all airworthiness criteria. The three A350-1000 flight test aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce engines successfully accumulated over 1,600 flight hours. Of these 150 flight test hours were completed with the same aircraft in an airline like operational environment to demonstrate its readiness for entry into service.

The A350-1000 is the latest member of Airbus’ leading widebody family, showing high level of commonality with the A350-900 with 95% common systems part numbers and Same Type Rating. As well as having a longer fuselage to accommodate 40 more passengers than the A350-900 (in a typical 3-class configuration), the A350-1000 also features a modified wing trailing-edge, new six-wheel main landing gears and more powerful Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines. Along with the A350-900, the A350-1000 is shaping the future of air travel by offering unprecedented levels of efficiency and unrivalled comfort in its ‘Airspace’ cabin. With its additional capacity the A350-1000 is perfectly tailored for some of the busiest long-haul routes. To date 11 customers from five continents have ordered a total of 169 A350-1000s.

Samoa Airways has commenced operations this week, relaunching flights from Apia (APW) to Auckland (AKL) and Sydney (SYD) on 14 and 16 November respectively

Formerly known as Polynesian Airlines, the airline was founded in 1959 and had previously operated flights to both of the restarted destinations as well as Wellington, Melbourne, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Nadi, Rarotonga, Papeete, Tongatapu, Niue and Pago Pago. Polynesian’s operation was downsized in 2005 and has been operating intra-island and charter flights for the last 12 years. The 4,324-kilometre, twice-weekly (Thursdays and Saturdays) route to Australia will face direct competition from Virgin Australia Airlines (twice-weekly), while the six times weekly New Zealand sector will encounter market opposition from Air New Zealand (daily). Both services are flown by Samoa Airways’ 186-seat 737-800.
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Turkish Airlines files 737 MAX 8 network in W18

Turkish Airlines last week gradually extended schedule listing into winter 2018/19 season, effective 28OCT18. This includes preliminary filing of Boeing 737 MAX 8 operational routes, although launch date is likely to move forward to summer season.

Configuration of the 737 MAX 8, is J16Y135. The airline’s internal configuration identification is 78D.
Preliminary 737 MAX 8 routes as follows.
Istanbul Ataturk – Algiers 1 daily TK653/654

Istanbul Ataturk – Cologne 1 daily TK1677/1678

Istanbul Ataturk – Djibouti – Mogadishu 1 daily

Istanbul Ataturk – Dublin 6 weekly TK1977/1978

Istanbul Ataturk – Esfahan 1 daily

Istanbul Ataturk – Lisbon 1 daily TK1755/1756

Istanbul Ataturk – Nairobi 1 daily

Istanbul Ataturk – Skopje 1 daily TK1005/1006

Istanbul Ataturk – Sofia 1 weekly TK1027/1028 (Day 7)

Istanbul Ataturk – Vienna 1 daily TK1889/1890

Istanbul Ataturk – Yanbu 1 daily

Planned launch date, operational routes/flights and frequencies for the 737 MAX 8 remains subject to change.

By Jim Liu - Routes Online