Aircraft News - Asia / Pacific.

Jun 25, 2007

AirAsia, Airbus, Boeing

AirAsia, originally established in 2001, currently has 34 Boeing 737-300 and 20 Airbus A320s. A total of 130 Airbus A320 series aircraft have been ordered, some as replacements for the Boeing fleet. The airline has long-haul ambitions and has placed a firm order for ten Airbus A330-300 aircraft, with options for a further five. AirAsia executive vice-president - commercial, Kathleen Tan, said: "As the biggest low cost airline in Asia, the penetration to Shenzhen means a lot us. It is also noteworthy that Shenzhen is the 4th busiest airport in China and this will allow us to tap into passenger traffic and facilitate travellers to other ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] destinations that we fly to. We are very confident that this route will open more opportunities to enhance both of our hubs with greater international links in the region, especially with Shenzhen being the gateway to Southern China and Hong Kong." Jun 19, 2007

Airbus

India has asked Airbus to consider setting up an assembly line in the country, matching its recent decision to set one up in China, an Indian minister said on Wednesday. The invitation came as Indian airline Kingfisher Airlines signed more than USD$7 billion in provisional new orders for Airbus including 20 single-aisle A320 planes as well as wide-body ones. Airbus agreed last year to set up an assembly line for the A320 family in China from 2009 to meet strong demand. India's aviation market is also witnessing rapid expansion. Jun 20, 2007

Airbus, Singapore Airlines

Airbus has won a USD$3.7 billion deal with Singapore Airlines, the Asian carrier said on Friday. Singapore Airlines said in a statement it had signed a contract for 20 of Airbus's A350-900 XWB planes and had an option to buy 20 additional units. Friday's deal firmed up a letter of intent signed and announced by the two companies in July last year. Airbus has been hit by delays to its A380 superjumbo, which caused a slump in the 2006 profits of parent company EADS, but has since fought back with a series of high-profile orders at the Paris air show. Jun 22, 2007

Hong Kong Airlines, Airbus

Hong Kong Air Signs Agreement For 51 Airbus Planes. Airbus said Hong Kong Airlines signed a memorandum of understanding to buy 51 planes in a deal worth some USD$5.6 billion at list prices. The deal includes 30 A320 family narrow body planes and 20 A330 wide body aircraft, Airbus told a news conference at the Paris air show on Thursday. Hong Kong Airlines also agreed to buy an Airbus Corporate Jet, the planemaker added. The carrier will choose engines for the aircraft at a later date, Airbus added. Jun 21, 2007

Jet Airways, ATR

Jet Airways Orders 13 ATR 72-500 Aircraft. ATR, a joint venture of EADS and Italian group Finmeccanica, announced an order for 13 ATR 72-500s to be operated by Jet Airways. An agreement for six of the planes has been reached with Irish-based leasing company Aircraft International Renting, a unit of TAT Leasing, ATR said at the Paris air show on Wednesday. Jet Airways has concluded purchase agreements for the remaining seven planes and plans to conclude lease agreements for these aircraft too. The total value of the contracts is about USD$238 million, ATR said. Jun 20, 2007

Jet Airways, Boeing

Displaying its new livery, Jet Airways' latest Boeing 777-300ER arrived Saturday at Le Bourget Airport ahead of June 18 opening of the 47th Paris Air Show. The aircraft's colors aren't the only change for India's largest private airline. Jet Airways' 777-300ER is fitted with an innovative interior, including newly created first class suites with premiere amenities. Each of the first class suites offers nearly 26 sq. ft (2.4 sq. m) of usable space that can be closed off with sliding doors. The suites feature a 23-inch flat-screen monitor, storage areas that include a personal hanging wardrobe and a 6' 11" (2.1m) flat bed. With a business-jet style table, two can dine comfortably in the suite. The twin-engine 777-300ER, one of 10 777s Jet Airways has ordered, is configured in three classes, including eight first class suites, 30 Premiere seats and 274 economy seats. Jun 18, 2007

Kingfisher Airlines, Airbus

India's Kingfisher Airlines on Wednesday announced a preliminary USD$7.2 billion deal to buy Airbus aircraft including an extra 15 A350-800 XWB jets worth USD$3 billion. The order also includes five four-engine A340-500 planes, 10 A330-200 wide-body models and 20 single-aisle A320-family jets. The order is worth a total of USD$7.2 billion at list prices. Kingfisher had already ordered 5 of the original version of the A350 and has upgraded these orders to the plane maker's redesigned A350 XWB model. The new order for 15 A350 XWBs brings the total commitment for the aircraft to 20. Kingfisher said it has ordered two versions of Rolls-Royce's Trent engines to power the Airbuses in a deal worth USD$1 billion at list prices. Airbus has redesigned the A350 to boost flagging sales, dubbing its new version the Xtra Wide Body or XWB. Jun 20, 2007

Shandong Airlines, Boeing

Shandong Airlines recently took delivery of a 179-seat Boeing 737-800 for use on its newly opened routes from Jinan to Beijing and Mudanjiang. Shandong President Feng Gang noted that the company plans to take delivery of eight aircraft this year and increase capacity by 30%. Its third 737-800 will arrive at the end of this month, he added. It currently operates 40 aircraft. Jun 22, 2007

Thai Airways, Airbus

Thailand's army-appointed cabinet has told Thai Airways to lease the eight Airbus A330-300 aircraft it ordered instead of buying them, airline president Apinan Sumanaseni said on Tuesday. The cabinet agreed with a form of operating lease. There will be no more negotiation. It has been finalized," Apinan told reporters after attending a weekly cabinet meeting. The national carrier had agreed to buy the planes at a discount of more than USD$15 million each as part of a compensation package for delays in delivering six A380 superjumbo planes. An airline executive said the compensation would change into another form, but gave no further details. In February, the state-owned airline said the eight Airbus A330s would replace existing 20-year-old aircraft, six A300-600s and two Boeing 747-300s. Jun 20, 2007

Tiger Airways, Airbus

Tiger Airways, the LCC based in Singapore, signed a memorandum of understanding to buy 30 Airbus A320 aircraft in a deal worth USD$2.2 billion at list prices, Airbus said at the Paris air show on Thursday. The carrier also took options on 20 more A320s, Tiger Chief Executive Tony Davis told a news conference at the show. He added that there was no pressing need for an initial public offering (IPO) of the carrier. "There's no timetable for an IPO at this point," Davis said. Singapore Airlines is the largest shareholder in Tiger Airways. Jun 21, 2007

ZZ

Editorial eMail: [e-mail] For Air Transport & Travel Business Experts contact our Director of Content Aram Gesar eMail: [e-mail]

For more global news, reviews, features and analysis, please subscribe to our Newsletters: http://www.airguideonline.com/order_formsubs.htm#news

To Advertise: [e-mail]

AirGuideFlightTracker is a new service that keeps travelers informed on flight and airport status via the Web. For more go to http://www.airguideonline.com/airline_tracker.htm

Copyright [c] 2007 Air Travel Media / Pyramid Media Group. All rights reserved.