Saturday 31 October 2015

Airbus Updates No.1415

Airbus to boost A320 production to 60 a month in mid-2019

Ongoing high demand for world’s leading Single Aisle aircraft

30 OCTOBER 2015 PRESS RELEASE
To match ongoing high demand for its bestselling A320 Family, Airbus has taken the decision to further increase the production rate of the Single Aisle Family to 60 aircraft a month in mid-2019. The decision follows thorough studies on production ramp-up readiness in the supply chain and in Airbus sites to allow the ramp-up.
To enable the ramp-up Airbus will extend its capacity in Hamburg with the creation of an additional production line. In parallel Airbus will integrate cabin furnishing activities for A320 aircraft produced in Toulouse into the Final Assembly Line in Toulouse, and thereby harmonising the production process across all A320 Family Final Assembly Lines worldwide.
“The growing Single Aisle demand and impressive backlog for both CEOs and NEOs led us to decide on a further ramp-up,” said Didier Evrard, Executive Vice President Programmes. “I am confident that we have the highest skilled teams and the right solutions in place to gradually move to the highest production rate ever achieved in civil aviation history.” 
The A320 Family is the world’s best-selling single aisle product line with over 12,200 orders since launch and more than 6,700 aircraft delivered to more than 300 operators worldwide. Thanks to their widest cabin, all members of the A320 Family offer unmatched comfort in all classes and Airbus’ 18” wide seats in economy as standard. With one aircraft in four sizes (A318, A319, A320 & A321), the A320 Family, seating from 100 to 240 passengers, seamlessly covers the entire single-aisle segment from low to high-density domestic to longer range routes.
The A320neo Family incorporates latest technologies including new generation engines and Sharklet wing tip devices, which together deliver more than 15 percent in fuel savings from day one and 20 percent by 2020 with further cabin innovations. With over 4,300 orders received from more than 75 customers since its launch in 2010, the A320neo Family has captured almost 60 percent share of the market.

Airbus Updates No.1414

China Aviation Supplies Holding Company orders 30 A330 Family and 100 A320 Family aircraft

A great endorsement for the world’s leading versatile wide-body A330 and the best-selling single aisle A320 Family aircraft

29 OCTOBER 2015 PRESS RELEASE
China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CAS) has signed a General Terms Agreement (GTA) with Airbus for the acquisition of 30 A330 Family aircraft and 100 A320 Family aircraft. The 30 A330s are the firm up of the commitment signed in June 2015. The GTA was signed in Beijing by Li Hai, President and CEO of CAS, and Fabrice Brégier, President and CEO of Airbus, in the presence of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“We are grateful to CAS, one of our longest standing customers, for its continued confidence in Airbus and in the versatile A330 Family as well as the best-selling A320 Family,” said Fabrice Bregier, President and CEO of Airbus. “With these 30 A330 options now firmed up, CAS’ total number of orders for the popular Airbus widebody is this year 75 aircraft. This strong demand in China for the A330 has been the key driver behind our decision to set up an A330 Completion and Delivery Centre in Tianjin, China next to the A320 Family final assembly line and delivery centre in Tianjin, which has assembled and delivered more than 240 Airbus single aisle aircraft. This will enable us to be even closer to our customers and to take our long-standing mutual beneficial partnership with China to a new height.”  
The first agreements on setting up an A330 C&DC in Tianjin, China were signed by Airbus and Chinese partners in March 2014 and witnessed by French President Francois Hollande and visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping. This was followed in October 2014, when Airbus, the Tianjin Free Trade Zone (TJFTZ) and the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) in Berlin, Germany, in the presence of the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, A framework agreement was signed in July 2015 in Toulouse.
According to the Airbus global market forecast, China is leading the world in passenger growth. China’s domestic air traffic will become the world’s largest within the next 10 years, and traffic volumes will quadruple in the next 20 years. In the next 20 years, Airbus forecasts a demand in China for some 5,400 new passenger and freighter aircraft including 1,700 widebody aircraft like the A330, A350 and A380.               
At present, the in-service Airbus fleet with Chinese operators comprises over 1,200 aircraft (over 1,000 A320 Family aircraft, over 160 A330 Family aircraft and five A380s as well as Airbus freighters and corporate jets).
The A330 is one of the most popular widebody aircraft ever and has to date won over 1,500 orders, with over 1,200 flying with more than 100 operators worldwide. Airbus is investing hundreds of millions of Euros per year in the A330 Family to maintain the aircraft at the leading edge of innovations. The A330 Family is part of the world’s most modern and comprehensive widebody product line, which also includes the larger A350 XWB and double deck A380
The A330 family seats between 250 and 440 passengers and is one of the most efficient aircraft in the world, with the lowest operating costs in its category. Thanks to the continuous introduction of a large number of innovations, the A330 remains the most profitable and best performing aircraft in its class, boasting an average operational reliability of 99.4 percent. Worldwide an A330 Family aircraft takes off or lands every 20 seconds.
The A320 Family, seat from 100 to 240 passengers, seamlessly covering the entire single-aisle segment from low to high-density configurations on domestic to longer-range routes. To date, Airbus has sold more than 12,200 A320 Family aircraft and delivered over 6,700 CEO to more than 300 operators worldwide.
Airbus is the world’s leading aircraft manufacturer of passenger airliners, ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats. Airbus has design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain, and subsidiaries in the US, China, India, Japan and in the Middle East. In addition, it provides the highest standard of customer support and training through an expanding international network.
Notes to editors About China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CAS)
China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CAS) is a state-owned enterprise managed by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council. Its predecessor, China Aviation Supplies Company (CASC) was founded in October 1980 upon the approval of the State Import and Export Regulatory Commission and was the first company established in civil aviation industry. In October 2002, the transportation companies and supporting companies in the civil aviation industry underwent a merging and restructuring. As a result, China Aviation Supplies Import & Export Group Corporation (CASGC), as one of the six aviation transportation and supporting group companies, was officially established with the approval of State Council. In December 2007, its name was changed to China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CAS).
As the largest comprehensive aviation suppliers service and support provider in China, CAS acts as a neutral third party, and is a well-known brand which enjoys good image in the international aviation market. CAS keeps close partnership with Chinese airlines and foreign aircraft manufacturers, with distribution network covering the whole country and has endeavoured to optimize aviation resource allocation and build an aviation supplies sharing platform for the whole industry.

Airbus Updates No.1413

Airbus A321-231 aircraft picture
Airbus A321 -231 663  EI-ETJ MetroJet crashed 31oct15 SSH-LED after t/o in central Sinai, 224/224 dead ex TC-OAE

Airbus Updates No.1412

Airbus A321 -211 6825  N702FR Frontier Airlines delivery 29oct15 XFW-YYR-TPA “Courtney, the cougar” ex D-AZAP
 Airbus A321 -231 6827  B-MCC Air Macau delivery 29-30oct15 XFW-ADB-DWC-RGN-MFM ex D-AZAQ
 Airbus A330 -202 842  VH-EBE Qantas Jetstar cs, ferried 28oct15 BNE-SIN for paint on transfer ex F-WWYV
 Airbus A330 -243 1672  N379HA Hawaiian Airlines delivery 30oct15 TLS-SEA ex F-WWTK
 Airbus A330 -343 1673  B-5978 Air China delivery 31oct15 TLS-TSN ex F-WWRL
 Airbus A330 -343 1675  PK-LEF Lion Air delivery 31oct-01nov15 TLS-JED-CGK ex F-WWTN
 Airbus A330 -243 1678  9K-APD Kuwait Airways delivery 30oct15 TLS-KWI ex F-WWTQ
 Airbus A340 -642 586  B-6055 China Eastern "Better City, Better Life" cs, ferried 30oct15 PVG-SZW ex F-WWCR
 Airbus A350 -941 11  A7-ALF Qatar Airways delivery 30oct15 TLS-DOH (+ 8 A7-ALE) ex F-WZFF

Airbus Updates No.1411

Airbus A319 -132 1096  PT-MZD TAM ferried 24/28oct15 SID-SNN-EGBP on return to lessor ex D-AVYR
 Airbus A319 -111 2184  G-EZEH easyJet ferried 28oct15 GVA-LTN on re-transfer, regd 29oct15 ex HB-JZF
 Airbus A319 -111 3377  EC- Vueling in full cs at SNN 30oct15 after paint prior delivery ex EI-EPS
 Airbus A319 -112 3950  D-ASTR Germania ferried / in svc 30oct15 SXF-DUS-FUE-DUS ex EI-FMB
 Airbus A320 -231 64  ZS-GAL Fly Baghdad in full cs at JNB 29oct15 prior wet-lease ex N625AW
 Airbus A320 -212 937  TS-INF Nouvelair ferried 29oct15 RKT-MIR after Hajj-lease to flyNas ex SU-KBA
 Airbus A320 -214 2964  EI-EYS Rossiya ferried 30oct15 LED-KEF-DLH on return to lessor ex A6-ABH
 Airbus A320 -214 3161  I-WEBB Alitalia ferried 30oct15 NWI-LIN after paint into new cs ex F-WWIC
 Airbus A320 -216 4098  HS-BBS Thai AirAsia ferried re-regd 30oct15 KUL-DMK on transfer ex 9M-AHW
 Airbus A320 -216 4346  VT-APJ AirAsia India re-regd in svc 27oct15 HYD-BLR ex PK-AXL
 Airbus A320 -214 6803  VT-EXE Air India delivery 29-30oct15 TLS-SHJ-DEL ex F-WWBR
 Airbus A320 -214 6808  B-8236 Juneyao Airlines delivery 29-30oct15 TLS-TSE-SHA ex F-WWDT
 Airbus A320 -214 6831  D-ABNO Air Berlin delivery 29oct15 XFW-TXL ex D-AXAS
 Airbus A321 -231 663  EI-ETJ MetroJet crashed 31oct15 SSH-LED after t/o in central Sinai, 224/224 dead ex TC-OAE
 Airbus A321 -231 2682  UR-WRI Windrose Air ferried 29oct ISB-KBP-NWI after wet-lease to Air Blue ex G-TTIE
 Airbus A321 -231 5409  N977UY American Airlines re-regd 28oct15, in svc 29oct15 PHX-CLT-FLL ex N565UW
 Airbus A321 -211 6268  F-WTDB Azur Aviation ferried 29oct15 LETL-LFBF, VQ-reg for paint, for Yunnan Hongtu Airlines ex VQ-BMH
 Airbus A321 -211 6511  N746AV Avianca Colombia delivery 30-31oct15 XFW-TFS-FOR-BOG ex D-AVZY
 Airbus A321 -211 6817  EI-SVX Transaero delivery 29oct15 XFW-LETL for storage ex D-AZAL
 Airbus A321 -231 6821  A6-AEI Etihad Airways delivery 30oct15 XFW-AUH ex D-AZAN

Airbus Updates No.1410

Crash: Metrojet A321 over Sinai on Oct 31st 2015, disappeared from radar in climb over Sinai
By Simon Hradecky, created Saturday, Oct 31st 2015 07:51Z, last updated Saturday, Oct 31st 2015 08:03Z
A Metrojet (former Kogalym Avia, Kolavia) Airbus A321-200, registration EI-ETJ performing flight 7K-9268 from Sharm el Sheikh (Egypt) to St. Petersburg (Russia) with 212 people on board, was climbing through FL307 out of Sharm el Sheikh over the Sinai Peninsula (Position N30.16 E34.17) at 04:17Z when the aircraft disappeared from radar.

Egyptian sources are reporting the aircraft is believed crashed, a search for the aircraft in Sinai is ongoing.

Egypt's Prime Minister confirmed the aircraft has crashed.


Airbus A321-231 aircraft picture
Status:Preliminary
Date:Saturday 31 October 2015
Type:Silhouette image of generic A321 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Airbus A321-231
Operator:Kolavia
Registration:EI-ETJ
C/n / msn:663
First flight:1997-05-09 (18 years 6 months)
Engines:IAE V2533-A5
Crew:Fatalities: / Occupants: 7
Passengers:Fatalities: / Occupants: 217
Total:Fatalities: / Occupants: 224
Airplane damage:Missing
Airplane fate:Presumed damaged beyond repair
Location:Sinai (   Egypt)
Phase:En route (ENR)
Nature:International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Sharm el Sheikh International Airport (SSH/HESH), Egypt
Destination airport:Saint Petersburg-Pulkovo Airport (LED/ULLI), Russia
Flightnumber:7K9268
Narrative:
A Kolavia Airbus A321 reportedly crashed in central Sinai after takeoff from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Egypt's prime minister has confirmed the crash, according to BBC News.
Kolavia flight 9268 took off from Sharm el Sheikh at 05:49 hours local time (03:49 UTC). Last contact with the flight was about 06:13 hours. Flight tracking website Flightradar24 shows the aircraft climbing too 33500 feet, after which it shows lower altitudes of 29925 feet and 28375 feet along with a drop in reported airspeed from 404 knots to 184 knots and 93 knots.

Operators of the aircraft

Delivery dateAirlineRegistrationRemark
27/05/1997MEAF-OHMPlsd ILFC - ret 05/2003  Correct
29/05/2003Onur AirTC-OAElsd from ILFC  Correct
15/11/2007Saudi Arabian AirlinesTC-OAElsd from Onur Air  Correct
24/01/2008Onur AirTC-OAEStored 03/2012  Correct
27/04/2012KolaviaEI-ETJLsd From Ilfc  Correct
01/05/2012Metrojet RussiaEI-ETJCorrect

Saturday 17 October 2015

Airbus Updates No1409

Airbus completes painting of Singapore Airlines’ first A350 XWB

14 OCTOBER 2015 PRESS RELEASE
The first A350-900 for Singapore Airlines has been revealed in the airline’s livery following completion of painting in Toulouse. The aircraft is now set to move to the next stages of production, including the installation of engines and cabin furnishing, before starting ground and flight tests. The aircraft is scheduled for delivery to Singapore Airlines in the first quarter of 2016.
Singapore Airlines has ordered a total of 67 A350s and will operate the aircraft on long haul routes to Europe as well as on ultra-long range non-stop services to US and selected regional routes.
The A350 XWB is the latest addition to the market-leading Airbus widebody product line. It features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fiber fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. Together, these latest technologies bring unrivalled level of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs.
At the end of September, Airbus has recorded a total of 783 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 41 customers worldwide, already making it one of the most successful widebody aircraft ever.

Airbus Updates No.1408

Airbus launches new Ultra-Long Range version of the A350-900

Enables Singapore Airlines to resume non-stop flights to the US

13 OCTOBER 2015 PRESS RELEASE
Airbus launches new Ultra-Long Range version of the A350-900
Singapore Airlines (SIA) has selected Airbus’ newly launched Ultra-Long Range version of the A350-900 for non-stop flights to the US. Under an amendment to the carrier’s existing order for 63 A350-900s, seven of the aircraft will now be delivered with an Ultra-Long Range capability for flights of up to 19 hours. In addition, the carrier has placed an additional order for four A350-900s, taking its total firm orders for the A350 XWB Family to 67.
Optimised for non-stop flights to the US, the aircraft, designated A350-900ULR (Ultra-Long Range), will ‎include a modified fuel system to increase the fuel carrying capacity, an increase in Maximum Take-Off Weight, plus aerodynamic improvements, enabling service to the US West Coast, as well as to New York.
Representing a distance of some 8,700 nautical miles, the New York service will be the world’s longest commercial passenger route, with an expected flight time of up to 19 hours.  Moreover, the unique flexibility offered by the A350 XWB allows operators to reconfigure their A350-900ULR to the standard long-haul A350-900 specification should they require it.
“Our customers have been asking us to re-start non-stop Singapore-US flights and we are pleased that Airbus was able to offer the right aircraft to do so in a commercially viable manner,” said Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong. “This is another example of how we strive to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations by remaining at the forefront of product and service innovation in our industry. It will also further strengthen the Singapore hub by providing the fastest and most convenient air connectivity between North America and Southeast Asia.”
“We are excited to be working with Singapore Airlines to re-launch its premium non-stop service to the US,” said Fabrice BrĂ©gier, Airbus President & CEO. “The A350 is the perfect, flexible platform for such operations, offering unrivalled operating economics for the very longest routes. And the wider and quieter cabin will provide the perfect environment for passengers to enjoy the world-famous Singapore Airlines in-flight product.”
The all-new A350 XWB entered commercial service earlier this year and features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fibre fuselage and wings, plus fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs.
To date, Airbus has recorded a total of 783 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 41 customers worldwide, already making it one of the most successful widebody aircraft ever. Singapore Airlines is the largest customer for the A350 XWB in East Asia, with deliveries of its 67 aircraft now on order starting in the first quarter of 2016. Deliveries of the carrier’s A350-900ULR aircraft are scheduled to take place in 2018.

Airbus Updates No.1407

Airbus A330 -343 1671  PK-GPY Garuda Indonesia delivery 14-15oct15 TLS-RKT-CGK ex F-WWTJ
 Airbus A340 -313 212  EC-MFA Plus Ultra Lineas AĂ©reas ferried 13/15oct15 MAD-LETL-MAD for mx** ex A9C-LG
 Airbus A340 -642 371  EP-MME Mahan Air posn 13oct15 THR-IKA after interim storage ex YI-ASL

Airbus Updates No.1406

Airbus A300 B4-203F 129  SU-BMZ Tristar Air w/o 12oct15 after emergency landing EBB-MGQ off airport near Afgooye due fuel shortage, 7/7 ok ex N825SC
 Airbus A319 -111 2113  9H-AEG Air Malta to be ops from jan16 for Volotea Airlines after paint at OSR (+ 2122 9H-AEH) ex D-AVWQ
 Airbus A319 -112 2891  9J- FastJet Zambia ferried 12oct15 DUB-MPL, F-reg by Azur Aviation prior paint and delivery ex F-WTDD
 Airbus A319 -132 3032  PR-MBN TAM ferried / in svc 10/12oct15 QSC-CGH-UDI-CGH after storage since nov14 ex D-AVWG
 Airbus A320 -214 2001  EI-EZV Aer Lingus ferried 12oct15 SNN-DUB after paint into standard cs ex I-EEZG
 Airbus A320 -214 2158  TS-INQ Nouvelair ferried 12oct15 BTS-NBE after summer-lease to Travel Service ex EI-FDV
 Airbus A320 -232 2334  VT-IDN IndiGo Airlines delivery 17oct15 SNN-CAI, M-reg ex M-ABIL
 Airbus A320 -214 3293  EC-KKT Vueling ferried 12oct15 BCN-SEN for paint prior return to lessor ex F-WWDU
 Airbus A320 -216 3598  EI-DSV Alitalia Air One cs, ferried 12oct15 FCO-EMA for paint into new cs ex F-WWDJ
 Airbus A320 -216 3643  EI-DSX Alitalia ferried 12oc15 BOH-FCO after paint into new cs “Trilussa” ex F-WWBT
 Airbus A320 -232 6688  B-8111 China Eastern delivery 14oct15 TSN-PVG ex B-000S
 Airbus A320 -216 6702  JA01DJ AirAsia Japan delivery 14oct15 TLS-CAI-MCT ex F-WWBV
 Airbus A320 -214 6782  PK-LAR Batik Air delivery 13-14oct15 TLS-AZI-SIN-CGK ex F-WWDV
 Airbus A320 -214 6788  G-EZOV easyJet delivery 14oct15 TLS-LGW ex F-WWIM
 Airbus A321 -211 6678  EI-VKO Transaero ferried 17oct15 VKO-LETL for storage (+ 6726 EI-LED) ex D-AVZG
 Airbus A321 -211 6756  EI-OVB Transaero delivery 16oct15 XFW-LETL for srorage ex D-AYAN
 Airbus A321 -211 6797  CC-BEG Lan Airlines delivery 15-16oct15 XFW-LPA-REC-SCL ex D-AZAC
 Airbus A330 -202 272  EI-DIR Alitalia ferried 16oct15 FCO-AUH for paint into new cs ex A6-EYV
 Airbus A330 -243 967  G-TCXC Thomas Cook Airlines ferried 16oct15 MAN-PGF by Azur Aviation, N-reg prior delivery ex N967CG
 Airbus A330 -202 1252  EI-EJK Alitalia ferried 16oct15 AUH-FCO after paint into new cs ex F-WWKP

Wednesday 14 October 2015

Airbus Updates No.1405

Accident: Tristar A30B at Mogadishu on Oct 12th 2015, forced landing off airport
By Simon Hradecky, created Monday, Oct 12th 2015 20:32Z, last updated Tuesday, Oct 13th 2015 18:32Z
A Tristar Air Airbus A300-B4, registration SU-BMZ performing freight flight TSY-810 from Oostende (Belgium) to Mogadishu (Somalia) via Cairo (Egypt) with 6 crew and perishables on behalf of United Nations, was forced to land about 12nm northwest of Mogadishu Airport in an open field between Afgoye and Arbiska villages at about 19:30L (16:30Z). Two occupants received minor injuries in the landing, the aircraft sustained substantial damage beyond economic repair.

Somali Authorities reported the aircraft had attempted several approaches to Mogadishu Airport but had gone around each time. The aircraft subsequently performed a forced landing off the airport in a government controlled area between Afgoye and Arbiska, about 12nm northwest of Mogadishu airport. Two of the six occupants received minor injuries and were taken to hospitals.

Local police reported the aircraft had suffered problems with the landing gear prompting the approaches to be aborted.

The weather manager at Mogadishu Airport reported, the airport is officially closed from 18:00L to 06:00L, the aircraft arrived after sunset, was unable to land, could not divert and ran out of fuel.

The airport had been damaged by a Tsunami in 2007, in 2010 the United Nations called for a tender to supply runway lights and according to media reports contracted solar/battery powered LED runway edge and threshold lighting systems as well as a solar/battery powered LED APAPI approach guidance lighting system, all of which by specification are capable to ensure 24/7 operation. There is no indication Mogadishu Airport has approach lights or precision approaches. The airport offers a runway 05/23 of 3220 meters/10,560 feet length.

No weather data are available, both weather stations at the airport (METARs) and local weather station were offline, METARs produced only NIL messages.

SU-BMZ guarded by soldiers the following day (Photos: Feisal Omar/Reuters):
SU-BMZ guarded by soldiers the following day (Photo: Feisal Omar/Reuters)

SU-BMZ guarded by soldiers the following day (Photo: Feisal Omar/Reuters)

SU-BMZ guarded by soldiers the following day (Photo: Feisal Omar/Reuters)

SU-BMZ on sandy ground between Afgoye and Arbiska (Photos: Goobjoog News):
SU-BMZ on sandy ground between Afgoye and Arbiska (Photo: Goobjoog News)

SU-BMZ on sandy ground between Afgoye and Arbiska (Photo: Goobjoog News)

SU-BMZ on sandy ground between Afgoye and Arbiska (Photo: Goobjoog News)

Map (Graphics: AVH/Google Earth):
Map (Graphics: AVH/Google Earth)

Saturday 10 October 2015

Thursday 8 October 2015

Airbus Updates No.1403

Kiitos! Airbus says thank you to Finnair

The delivery of MSN0018 on 7 October made Finnair the A350 XWB’s first European operator.

7 OCTOBER 2015 HEADLINE NEWS
There was a crackle of excitement in the air as Finnair took delivery of its first A350-900 in Toulouse today. Working closely with Airbus, the Nordic carrier had been preparing the handover for ten years. “Today heralds an exciting chapter in our history,” CEO Pekka Vauramo said. “The A350 XWB is the future of flying. This is the moment we have been waiting for.”
The airline became the first to commit to the type in 2007 with an order for 19 A350 900s. The delivery makes it the A350 XWB’s third operator. “Ties between our two companies are becoming even stronger,” commented Fabrice BrĂ©gier. “I must thank Finnair for giving the A350 XWB such firm support.”
The aircraft will form the backbone of Finnair’s long-haul fleet at a time of strategic importance for the airline. It has ambitious plans to double passenger numbers to Asia by 2020, making Helsinki Europe’s gateway to the Far East.
CEO Vauramo added that the A350 XWB would “take customer comfort to a new level” with its spacious, elegant cabin and mood lighting that “can even mimic the Northern Lights.” Passengers can also enjoy inflight WiFi. The aircraft’s 25% step change in fuel efficiency would translate into “huge” CO2 reductions,” Mr Vauramo said.
The aircraft prepares for entry into service during October, operating on European routes. It’s scheduled to fly its first long haul mission in late November, from Helsinki to Shanghai. Other Asian destinations will soon follow.
“This is the beginning of a new era for Finnair,” said Maija Ignatius, Finnair’s A350 XWB Chief Purser. “Everything is new and rethought for modern flying. I believe passengers can sense the excitement and pride as we work in the new airplane. I’m honoured to call the A350 XWB my work place. The experience of flying will be redefined!”

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Airbus Updates No.4245

  Airbus A321  -231  2553    N355FL  Spectre Air Capital  ferried 14-15mar24 LETL-TBS-ALA- prior P2F-conversion  ex LY-BLW  Airbus A321  -23...

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