Aircraft News - Asia / Pacific.

Sep 10, 2007

A number of Indonesian airlines have been looking to modernize their older fleets. The country's airline industry has been under the spotlight after a series of fatal accidents this year which led to the European Union banning all 51 Indonesian airlines, including national carrier Garuda, from its airspace on safety grounds. In March, a Garuda plane with 140 people on board overshot the runway in the cultural capital Yogyakarta and burst into flames, killing 21 people, including five Australians. In January, a plane belonging to Indonesian budget carrier Adam Air with 102 people on board crashed into the sea, with all presumed dead. Sep 7, 2007

Pilots deemed too old by FAA fly for Asian airlines. American pilots who are forced to retire at age 60 are being recruited to fly for airlines in Southeast Asia. Every year, the FAA grounds thousands of pilots as they reach mandatory retirement age. Recruiters from abroad then swoop in with offers from foreign carriers. "We're on the lookout for pilots who have just had their 60th birthday," said one recruiter. "We help set them up with various countries around Asia." Sep 7, 2007

Airbus

Airbus wants to source more parts from China and grab more market share from Boeing in a market it expects to double every five to six years. Airbus, which edged ahead of Boeing this year in the annual race to chalk up more sales, plans to buy up to USD$400 million worth of parts from Chinese manufacturers by 2015, Airbus China President Laurence Barron said at an industry summit. Sep 7, 2007

Airbus

Airbus wants to source more parts from China despite a global backlash over the quality and safety of goods made on the world's factory floor, Barron said Airbus would source more and more complex aircraft components, such as wings. They "started out making basic parts like doors, fairly simple stuff. But a wing is about as complex as air structures get," Barron said at the summit, held in Hong Kong. Sep 7, 2007

Airbus

Airbus will pay higher production costs at China plant. Airbus officials concede that it will cost more to assemble planes at the plant it co-owns with local companies in China. The increased costs stem from the time and expense inherent in moving needed parts to that part of the world. Company executives hope to recoup the cost in increased business from China. Sep 7, 2007

Airbus

Airbus expects Chinese airlines will need up to 150 of its jets a year over the next five years, including its giant A380s, as Chinese carriers expand to serve a domestic and international travel boom. Airbus foresees local carriers needing 113 of its A380s -- the world's largest passenger aircraft -- over the next two decades. Asia and China are a pivotal battleground between Airbus and Boeing, both of whom are battling to sell airliners to the country's three top carriers: China Southern, China Eastern and Air China. Sep 4, 2007

Airbus

Airbus, which this year is edging out Boeing in the annual race to sell planes globally after losing in 2006, expects its first assembled-in-China jet to be delivered in 2009. The Airbus assembly line in Tianjin should hit full capacity -- four planes a month -- in 2011. China Southern Air, the country's largest carrier by fleet size, has placed five orders for the A380, on which Airbus has spent more than USD$10 billion developing. Sep 4, 2007

Airbus, Boeing

China is a pivotal battleground between Airbus and Boeing, both of which are battling to sell airliners to the country's top carriers: China Southern Air, China Eastern and Air China. Travel to and from China, the world's fourth-largest economy, is expected to keep climbing alongside double-digit economic growth and dwindling restrictions. Boeing currently controls roughly 60 percent of China's in-service fleet, compared to Airbus's 36 percent, but Barron says the rivals should draw level by 2013. Airbus expects Chinese airlines to need up to 150 of its jets in each of the next five years, including its giant A380s, as they expand to serve a domestic and international travel boom. Sep 7, 2007

Boeing, China Southern Airlines

Boeing received an order from China Southern Airlines, China's largest carrier by fleet size, for 55 additional next-generation 737-700s and 737-800s. The order is worth USD$3.8 billion at list prices, Boeing said in a statement. The 55 planes will add to the 129 737s already in China Southern's fleet and the 14 additional 737s yet to be delivered from previous orders, Boeing said. Sep 7, 2007

Boeing, Thai Airways International

Boeing and Thai Airways International announced that the airline has acquired cutting-edge materials-management and maintenance systems. The Bangkok-based airline is at the forefront of airlines that are using e-Enabled tools to achieve greater efficiency. Thai Airways becomes the 11th customer of Boeing's Integrated Materials Management, a program under which Boeing manages supplier-owned inventory at airline maintenance locations. The program promotes reduced inventory holding and reduces supply-chain management costs for the airline. Sep 7, 2007

Garuda Indonesia, Airbus

Garuda Indonesia is in talks with Airbus to acquire around 20 Airbus A320 aircraft to expand its fleet for domestic services, an airline official said on Thursday. The talks with Airbus, a unit of European aerospace group EADS, come after the company signed a deal with Boeing in March for 25 Boeing 737-800 planes, with an estimated total value of USD$1 billion. He said the number of the aircraft to be acquired was under review, but it would be "around 20 jets". Sep 7, 2007

GMF AeroAsia, Garuda Indonesia

GMF AeroAsia and MTU Maintenance Zhuhai entered into a three-year, $100 million partnership focusing on CFM56-3 MRO. Garuda Indonesia said that more than 200 units are in operation by Indonesian carriers. MTUMZ is a joint venture between MTU Aero Engines and China Southern Airlines. Sep 6, 2007

Jet Airways, Boeing

India's aviation market is forecast to expand at more than 20 percent annually until 2010. Jet has 65 aircraft, including four Boeing 777-300ER aircraft for overseas flights. Jet Airways said it was looking at firming up options for seven 777s and 10 A330 aircraft. The company expected to finalize plans for a cargo carrier by end-2007 and was talking to potential partners, Goyal said. Jet is also looking at co-operating with state-run Air India on some overseas routes for flights and other services and starting an MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) operation. Sep 7, 2007

Nepal Airlines, Boeing

Officials at Nepal Airlines, Nepal's state-run airline, have sacrificed two goats to appease Akash Bhairab, the Hindu sky god, following technical problems with one of its Boeing 757 aircraft, the carrier said Tuesday. Nepal Airlines, which has two Boeing aircraft, has had to suspend some services in recent weeks due to the problem. The goats were sacrificed in front of the troublesome aircraft on Sunday at Nepal's international airport in Kathmandu in accordance with Hindu traditions, an official said. Local media last week blamed the company's woes on an electrical fault. The carrier runs international flights to five cities in Asia. It is common in Nepal to sacrifice animals such as goats and buffaloes to appease different Hindu deities. Sep 7, 2007

OnAir, Kingfisher Airlines

OnAir will provide its Webmail OnAir and Webchat OnAir services to Kingfisher Airlines next year, followed by inflight Internet and Mobile OnAir service in 2009, the Airbus/SITA joint venture announced. The products initially will be installed on five A330s and five A340s, with plans "in place" to install the system across the entire fleet. Sep 6, 2007

OnAir, Shenzen Airlines

OnAir reached an agreement with Shenzen Airlines to provide inflight communication services including e-mail, SMS/text messages and voice calls aboard the carrier's fleet of Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s by mid-2009. "We are very proud to be the first airline in China to provide passengers with the ability to communicate during flights," Shenzen President Li Kun said. The OnAir service will enable passengers to use Blackberry-type devices and mobile phones to send and receive text messages and e-mails and to make and receive phone calls inflight. Sep 4, 2007

Singapore Changi

Integration trials have commenced at Singapore Changi's Terminal 3, which will open for scheduled flight operations on Jan. 9. The trials involve the terminal's check-in process, baggage handling system, immigration clearance system for departing passengers and security screening. Over the next few months the airport plans 50 trials with 5,000 participants. Sep 3, 2007

Xiamen Airlines, Boeing

Xiamen Airlines is the customer for 25 737-800s listed as unidentified on Boeing's Orders and Deliveries website in early August. The order is worth $1.9 billion at 2007 average list prices. "This order of 25 737-800s plus 10 purchase rights allows us to simplify our fleet with the most cost-efficient and superior-performance airplane in its class," said Xiamen Airlines President Yang Guanghua in a statement. Sep 3, 2007

ZZ

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