Tag Archives: Airbus

SAUDIA announced the expansion of its fleet with the addition of new aircraft type, Airbus A321neo under the slogan “A neo-way of flying.” This feeds into SAUDIA’s expansion plans as the airline aims to add 20 more A321neo aircrafts to its fleet by 2026. The A321neo aircraft is a narrow-body airliner part of the A320 family, the world’s most popular single-aisle aircraft family and airlines’ preferred choice with airlines around the world due to its reputation for high performance and superior comfort. The aircraft offers new levels of performance, seating 180 to 220 passengers in a typical two-class interior layout. The main reason behind the purchase of the aircraft is its ability to run on much less fuel. The A320 family of aircraft have saved 20 million tons of Co2 since the A320neo came into service globally in 2016. By incorporating Sharklets, new fuel-efficient engines and latest cabin innovations, the A320neo has also seen a 20 per cent decrease in fuel burning and Co2 emissions, a 50 per cent reduction in noise footprint, a 5 per cent lower airframe maintenance costs and a 14 per cent lower cash operating costs per seat versus previous generation aircraft. Captain Ibrahim Koshy SAUDIA CEO said: “We are excited to expand our fleet with the new Airbus A321neo aircraft. Our priority is to offer the best guest experience possible and to bring the world to Saudi Arabia, and we will continue to purchase state-of-the-art aircraft from the world’s top manufacturers to deliver on that promise.” Koshy added: “We commend Airbus for continuously looking to improve the performance of their aircraft, which goes in line with SAUDIA’s ambition to provide the best guests experience possible …

Oman Air has taken delivery of its second three-class Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and expects to receive it next month. Besides, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman is anticipated to receive a total of nine more 737 MAX 8s within the next year. The three-class Dreamliner features eight First Class Private Suites, 24 Business Class seats and 232 Economy seats. Guests travelling aboard this aircraft in First Class can enjoy unparalleled levels of comfort with one of the longest 180 degrees flat-bed seats available on any commercial airliner. Fully enclosed, the suite has 55-inch extra tall doors to ensure complete privacy. The aircraft will be equipped with leading technology and the latest-in-comfort amenities, including cutting-edge entertainment to enhance the travel experience of their guests. All classes feature ‘Aria’, a new state-of-the-art Thales Integrated In-Flight Entertainment System designed exclusively for Oman Air featuring an immersive cinematic interface design, showcasing the latest in on-demand blockbuster movies, TV programmes and audio selections. Exclusively curated content is available for visitors to Oman, who look to experience the very best of Oman culture from the moment they step onboard. Following the launch of new routes to Istanbul and Casablanca in June and July this year respectively, Oman Air recently celebrated the launch of its new service to Moscow on October 30, and the resumption of the Maldives route on October 28. With the addition of new Dreamliner, Oman Air’s fleet consists of three Boeing 787-8, five 787-9 Dreamliners, six Airbus 330-300s, four Airbus 330-200s, five Boeing 737-900s, 21 Boeing 737-800s, four Embraer 175s and five 737 MAX.

Etihad Airways is introducing economy space, a new seating option, across its wide-body fleet, to provide more choice to its customers on longer flights. By December 2018, the airline will have retrofitted its 10 Airbus A380s with economy space seats, which feature an increased seat pitch of up to 36 inches. The redesign increases the number of extra legroom seats in economy from 20 to 80 on this aircraft type. In addition to modifying its A380s, Etihad Airways will also have added additional economy space seats to 12 Boeing 777s and 21 Boeing 787 Dreamliners by the end of 2019, increasing the total number of extra legroom seats by 560 per cent. Families with small children, elderly travellers and those requiring wheelchair assistance can now purchase and benefit from the extra room available in economy space. Economy space complements Etihad Airways’ existing ancillary products to provide customers with greater opportunities to personalise their journey, including the neighbour-free seating option in economy and a range of ‘buy-on-board’ products. Irrespective of which seating option is selected, customers will continue to receive the Etihad’s complimentary core dining service and inflight entertainment. Jamal Ahmed Al Awadhi, Head – Guest Experience, Etihad Airways, said, “We recognise that no two travellers are alike, and today’s customers demand more choice and personalisation during their travels. In response to the popularity and demand for extra legroom seats, we have reconfigured our economy cabin to allow travellers to enhance their overall travel experience. While many airlines have been squeezing more seats into economy class, we continue to focus on providing our guests with exceptional products and services that meet and exceed the demands and budgets of different types of …

The Latvian airline, airBaltic, in cooperation with Etihad Airways, has announced extension of the operating season of flights between Riga and Abu Dhabi in 2019. The flights will restart on October 28, 2018 and continue until April 29, 2019. Wolfgang Reuss, SVP, Network Management, airBaltic, said, “When we launched flights to Abu Dhabi last year, it instantly became one of the most demanded routes during the winter season. As more of the Airbus A220-300 aircraft are joining our fleet, we are now extending the operating season of these flights by additional two months in 2019. In addition to serving the point-to-point demand, the cooperation with Etihad Airways offers a multitude of travel options to the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent and Australasia,” Reuss added. This winter season, airBaltic will also continue flights from Riga to holiday destinations like Malaga, Madrid, Lisbon and Nice. airBaltic will restart flights from Riga to Abu Dhabi on October 28, 2018 and will operate the route 4 times weekly. Passengers will board an Airbus A220-300 aircraft for a flight that will last 6 hours and 15 minutes. One-way ticket prices start at 129 EUR, including airport fees and transaction costs. A full schedule of airBaltic flights can be found on the company’s homepage at www.airbaltic.com.

Emirates Airline and Airbus have signed a memorandum of understanding to deliver an additional 20 A380 aircraft by 2020. The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the World Government Summit, in the presence of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai and Edouard Philippe, Prime Minister of France, between HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group; and Mikail Houari, President Airbus Africa Middle East. During the event, Sheikh Ahmed and French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe also discussed the strong aviation ties between the UAE and France, and the expansion of air services between both countries. Together with the airline’s 101-strong A380 fleet and its current order backlog for 41 aircraft, this new order brings Emirates’ commitment to the A380 programme to 178 aircraft, worth over US$ 60 billion. Emirates’ A380 fleet operates both Engine Alliance and Rolls-Royce engines, and the airline is evaluating engine options for its latest A380 order. Sheikh Ahmed said: “This agreement underscores our commitment to the A380 programme, providing stability to the A380 production line and supporting tens of thousands of high-value jobs across the aviation supply chain. For Emirates, the A380 has been a successful aircraft for our customers, our operations, and our brand. We look forward to continue working with Airbus to further enhance the aircraft and onboard product.” “We thank Emirates, HH Sheikh Ahmed, Tim Clark and Adel Al-Redha for their continued confidence in the A380, which has so successfully transformed air travel in the 21st century,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President Commercial Aircraft and Chief Operating Officer. “This latest agreement further demonstrates …

Turkish Airlines and Airbus signed an MOU to acquire 20+5 optional A350-900 aircraft. The agreement was signed at the Élysée Palace, Paris, during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s official visit to France with French President Emmanuel Macron. “With Turkish Airlines serving more destinations than any other airline around the world, we will be delighted to rely on our new A350 XWB to further develop our major international routes from Turkey.” said M. İlker Aycı, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, Turkish Airlines. Aycı went on to say, “This agreement is set to play a key role in our growing business in the years to come as the increased business volume for the local Turkish supplier industry by Airbus will be a great gain for the sector.” The A350 XWB is an all new family of mid-size wide-body long-haul airliners shaping the future of air travel. It features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fiber fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient engines. These latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs.

Ethiopian Airlines has placed an order for 10 additional Airbus A350-900 aircraft, enabling further development to its fast expanding long-haul route network. Last June, Ethiopian Airlines became the first African carrier to operate the A350 when it took delivery of the first of 12 aircrafts in order. Today the carrier operates a fleet of four A350s. Ethiopian Airlines’ A350-900s are configured in a two class layout, seating 30 passengers in Business Class and 313 in Economy Class. The spacious, quiet interior and mood lighting in the cabin contribute to superior levels of passenger comfort and well-being. “Operating the youngest fleet in the industry with modern and comfortable customer features in cabin is one of the four pillars in our 15 years strategic road map and this order placement for additional A-350s is one component of this strategy. The performance, operational and cost efficiencies we have achieved with our initial A350-900s have resulted in these additional ten aircraft order placement and thereby suffice our ever-expanding global network. We will deploy the additional aircraft on our long haul routes connecting Addis Ababa with destinations in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia,” explained Tewolde GebreMariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines.

Emirates will launch a series of new cabin products and enhancements in 2017 for both its A380 and Boeing 777 fleet. The multi-million dollar cabin interiors upgrade programme includes an enhanced Onboard Lounge for its flagship Airbus A380 aircraft. The new Emirates A380 Onboard Lounge will make its first public appearance at the Emirates Infinite Possibilities stand during ITB Berlin, one of the world’s largest tourism trade fairs. It is currently being installed onto one of Emirates’ brand new A380 aircraft at Airbus’ facilities, and will make its operational debut in July 2017. Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “The A380 Onboard Lounge is hugely popular with our customers, and has become an iconic feature of Emirates’ A380 offering.  Particularly on long-haul flights, our customers tell us they appreciate the opportunity to stretch their legs and mingle in the relaxed, yet classy lounge area. “Since we first launched the product in 2008, our A380 Onboard Lounge has gone through small but successive enhancements in line with customer feedback to increase the amount of space for our customers to interact in the lounge. In our latest revamp, we have taken inspiration from private yacht cabins, and amongst other thoughtful touches, we have increased the seating space, and also made it more intimate and conducive for our passengers to socialise or enjoy our lounge service.” Enhanced Emirates A380 Onboard Lounge Features while retaining the trademark horseshoe-shaped bar, Emirates’ latest A380 Onboard Lounge will offer more seating space with a new seating arrangement along the windows on both sides of the bar. Inspired by private yacht cabins, each seating area will have a table and window view. Overall, the lounge can comfortably …

Flynas, Saudi Arabia’s leading low-cost carrier, has signed an agreement with Airbus for 60 A320neo family aircraft. In addition to the 60 aircraft, Flynas has converted 20 A320ceo from a previous order to A320neo bringing the airline’s total firm order to 80 A320neo. The deliveries are scheduled to take place during 2018-2026. The agreement was announced in Riyadh in the presence of Ayed Al Jeaid, Chairman, NAS Holding, Bander Al Mohanna, Chief Executive Officer, NAS Holding Group and Fouad Attar, Managing Director, Airbus Middle East. Flynas, an all Airbus operator, currently has 26 A320ceo in service. Ayed Al Jeaid, Chairman, NAS Holding Group said, “Flynas has come a long way to establish itself as a highly reputed airline in Saudi Arabia. With the introduction of the new aircraft technology, we are confident of our ability to provide best services to our customers. We also look forward to being the first airline in the Kingdom to be successfully listed on the Saudi Stock exchange, which will offer equity ownership to the public and be a part of a great journey.”

Virgin Atlantic and Airbus have announced the agreement on a firm order, valued at $4.4 billion, for 12 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. The investment is part of a fleet modernisation program which will see 50 percent of Virgin Atlantic’s aircraft replaced in a six year period – creating one of the world’s youngest fleets. Of the 12 firm orders, eight will be purchased and four leased, as Virgin Atlantic continues its investment into increasing the mix of owned and leased aircraft in its fleet.