Aircraft News - Europe.

Sep 10, 2007

EU climate group recommends tighter controls on aviation. Environmental group Friends of the Earth has commissioned a report that recommends more taxes on the aviation industry as a way to encourage fuel efficiency and cut carbon emissions. Suggestions include a fuel tax and a value-added tax on passenger tickets. Sep 4, 2007

Aegean Airlines, Airbus

Aegean Airlines' new Airbus A320 aircraft will allow the carrier to expand its international routes and benefit from lower operating costs per seat. After all jets are delivered, Aegean says its fleet will be the youngest in southeast Europe. The A320 jets will be powered by International Aero V2500 engines and will gradually replace 15 Boeing 737-300 aircraft. The carrier went public in late June this year, raising EUR136 million in its initial public offering. Sep 7, 2007

Aegean Airlines, Airbus

Greek carrier Aegean Airlines said on Thursday it placed an order for an additional six A320 aircraft with Airbus, bringing its fleet total to 25. Aegean, which competes with state carrier Olympic Airlines on domestic and international routes, took delivery of the first three jets earlier in the year and expects 10 more to be delivered next year. The airline said the full renewal of its fleet will be completed by 2010. The order for the 25 jets from Airbus exceeds USD$1.5 billion based on the manufacturer's price list, Aegean said. Sep 7, 2007

Aeroflot, Boeing

Aeroflot said on Sept. 5 it finalized an order for 22 Boeing 787-8s valued at $3.6 billion following shareholder approval of the transaction. "The 787 will open new market opportunities as we further modernize our fleet and expand our international reach," GD Valery Okulov said. The airline announced neither an engine selection nor a delivery schedule. Previous reports pegged deliveries as starting in 2014. Boeing has logged orders for 706 787s from 48 customers, including 258 orders this year. Sep 5, 2007

Air Malta, Airbus, Etihad Airways

Air Malta is wet-leasing two Airbus A320s to Etihad Airways and providing operational support on a third for the winter schedule from Sept. 1. Sep 5, 2007

Airbus

Airbus 380 configuration may not yield big benefits to airports. Airports around the world that upgraded facilities to accommodate the Airbus A380 may not see the strategic advantages they originally envisioned. So far, airlines are seating fewer passengers than expected on the huge planes, negating some of the expected congestion-easing benefits. Sep 5, 2007

Aviation Capital, Boeing

Aviation Capital Group placed an order for 15 additional Boeing 737NGs valued at $934 million, bringing its total firm commitments for the type to 59. The lessor also has firm orders for five 787s. Boeing said the order previously was posted on its Orders and Deliveries website as unidentified. Sep 4, 2007

B/E Aerospace, Boeing

B/E Aerospace nets Dreamliner deals worth more than $100 million. B/E Aerospace reported landing contracts worth more than $100 million to supply seats for four airlines' Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The manufacturer of aircraft cabin products said it expects the value of the deals to exceed $150 million after orders for oxygen systems, passenger services units and food and beverage products are finalized. Sep 7, 2007

BAE Systems

BAE Systems Regional Aircraft said Indonesian startup PT Linus Airways signed lease agreements for two BAe 146-200s for delivery this summer. Sep 4, 2007

CTT, First Choice Airways, Boeing

CTT's Zonal Drying System will be installed on six First Choice Airways Boeing 767-300s this winter, the company said. FCA currently uses the system on its Airbus A320s. Sep 6, 2007

Estonian Air, Saab

Estonian Air will add two 33-seat Saab 340s to its current fleet of six Boeing 737s. The regional aircraft will operate three new routes: Daily Tallinn-Helsinki and six-times-weekly Tallinn-Vilnius beginning Sept. 24 and twice-weekly Tallinn-Kuressaare-Stockholm Arlanda from Sept. 27. The airline also is planning to launch service to St. Petersburg and Minsk when it secures the traffic rights. The 340s will be operated by Estonian Air Regional, a wholly owned subsidiary. Sep 4, 2007

Lufthansa Systems

Lufthansa Systems signed a contract with LOT Polish Airlines to implement Lufthansa's Web Check-in solution starting in December. Sep 3, 2007

Lufthansa Technik

Lufthansa Technik signed a five-year, $10 million Total Component Support contract with China's East Star Airlines covering its new A320 fleet. Sep 5, 2007

Lufthansa Technik

Lufthansa Technik signed a Total Component Maintenance agreement with Mexicana covering more than 250 part numbers for its 47 A320 family aircraft. Sep 3, 2007

Skyways Aviation, Fokker , Air Express

Skyways Aviation arranged the long-term lease of an Fokker F100 from Mass Holdings of the Netherlands to Air Express of Sweden. Aircraft will be operated by Air Express on behalf of Skyways Express under an ACMI contract. Sep 4, 2007

STG Aerospace, Oasis Hong Kong Airlines

STG Aerospace said Oasis Hong Kong Airlines ordered five shipsets of the latest ColorMatch variant of STG's floorpath marking system for its Boeing 747-400 fleet. Sep 4, 2007

Virgin Group

Virgin Atlantic in the past favored four-engined planes because he said passengers, staff and pilots preferred them. But Virgin's low coast carriers such as Virgin Blue, Virgin America and Virgin Nigeria. all operate twin-engined Airbus jets. "Global warming has become a priority, but it also makes good economic sense to be eco-friendly," Branson told reporters, adding he favored two-engined jets for the future. From 3 percent of mankind's total contribution to global warming in 2005, aviation's emissions are set to rise by a factor of two to five by 2050, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said in a major report this year. Branson, who was in London to promote the PICNIC environmental innovation competition, doubted travelers would be deterred by the figures and called on politicians to act. Virgin is developing biofuels for aircraft alongside Boeing and engine-maker GE Aviation and plans to test them next year. Branson has pledged that for the next 10 years all profits from his 51 percent stakes in Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Trains will be invested in renewable energy. Sep 4, 2007

Virgin Group

Virgin Group boss Richard Branson said he would aim to avoid buying fuel-thirsty four-engined planes in future to curb fuel costs and the environmental impact of his fast-growing airlines. Fears that CO2 emissions from airlines are fueling climate change will not reduce demand for air travel, he added, but innovation in biofuels could provide a solution in the next decade. Virgin Atlantic's fleet of 38 planes all have four engines, and it has six four-engined Airbus A380 superjumbos on order. But in April the airline said it was buying 15 of Boeing's new fuel-efficient carbon-composite 787 jets with two engines, which burn 27 percent less fuel than the Airbus A340s they will replace. Sep 4, 2007

ZZ

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