Korean Air celebrates delivery of its first A380

Carrier to become sixth operator of world's most eco-efficient aircraft

Korean Air has celebrated the delivery of its first A380 at a special ceremony at Airbus in Toulouse today. The ceremony was attended by Korean Air Chairman Yang Ho Cho and hosted by Airbus President and CEO Tom Enders. EADS CEO Louis Gallois was also present at the event. Korean Air is the sixth airline to take delivery of the A380 and has ordered a total of 10 aircraft.

Korean Air will initially operate the A380 from its Seoul hub to selected destinations in Asia, followed by non-stop services to North America and Europe. The airline has specified an extra-spacious layout for its A380 fleet, with accommodation for 407 passengers in three classes. Special features on board the aircraft include the world's first ever duty free showcase area and a stylish onboard bar and lounge on the upper deck for premium passengers.

"Korean Air was the first airline to purchase an Airbus aircraft outside Europe and they have now become an essential part of our fleet,” said Yang Ho Cho, Chairman and CEO of Korean Air. “The exceptional, fuel efficient and environmentally friendly A380 that is being delivered today is perfect to assist Korean Air in advancing our goal of becoming a respected leading global carrier.”

"We are extremely proud to welcome Korean Air as the latest operator of the A380," said Tom Enders, President and CEO of Airbus. "The A380 has proven to be a game changer, setting new standards for comfort, economic efficiency and respect for the environment. We are confident that the A380 will play a key role in enabling Korean Air to further strengthen its position as one of the world's great airlines."

Since entering service in 2007 the eco-efficient A380 has exceeded all expectations, flying more people further at lower cost. The spacious, quieter cabin and smooth ride have made the aircraft a firm favourite with passengers. This has resulted in higher than average load factors and increased profitability on A380 flights, providing airlines with a key competitive advantage wherever they operate the type.

Typically seating 525 passengers in a three class layout, the A380 is capable of flying 8,300 nautical miles or 15,300 kilometres. This enables non-stop service with a full payload from Seoul to any destination in Europe, and as far afield as the East Coast of the US.

ARTICLE FROM WWW.AIRBUS.COM

Boeing Delivers American Airlines First 737-800 with Boeing Sky Interior

SEATTLE, May 24, 2011 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] delivered to American Airlines today its first Next-Generation 737-800 featuring the all-new Boeing Sky Interior (BSI). The new aircraft marks a major milestone in American’s commitment to improving and modernizing the customer experience through the execution of its fleet renewal plan.

The Boeing Sky Interior is designed to increase customer comfort onboard and is an important part of American’s ongoing initiative to modernize the look-and-feel of its 737 fleet interiors. The 737-800 BSI aircraft are a strategic part of American’s commitment to invest in products and services that make the travel experience more contemporary and innovative for customers.

Between 2007 and 2011, American Airlines expects to invest more than $5.5 billion in new aircraft and onboard and facility enhancement projects to improve the customer experience. 

“American Airlines has made a significant investment to enrich the flying experience for our customers through the purchase of new aircraft and the refurbishment of our existing fleet,” said Virasb Vahidi, American’s Chief Commercial Officer. “At American, we are focused on providing a differentiated customer experience, with a distinct focus on best delivering what premium customers value most – world-class products and services. The delivery of the first 737-800 with the new Boeing Sky Interior is our most recent step to deliver on this commitment.”

The new 737-800 BSI interior offers several unique features, including larger overhead bins – modeled after the 787 Dreamliner’s pivoting bins – that pivot down and out.  The innovative design allows the bins to hold 48 more bags than standard overhead bins and four more than current non-BSI aircraft with larger bins. Sculpted sidewalls provide customers with a contemporary feeling of spaciousness and updated window reveals make the windows appear larger. Brighter and longer-lasting LED lighting can be programmed to create different effects during the flight such as a soft blue sky overhead. Intuitive placement of switches and call buttons and improved sound quality are innovative features that will enhance the customer experience. Additionally, the new 737s offer 16 First Class seats and 144 in Economy Class for a total of 160 seats on each aircraft.

“This new airplane will be a great addition to American Airlines existing 737 fleet,” said Marlin Dailey, vice president of Sales and Marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “American Airlines is leveraging all the performance benefits of the Next-Generation 737 to enhance the its competitive position, while providing a new, more comfortable and inviting interior.”

As part of its fleet renewal plan, American began taking delivery of new Boeing 737-800s without BSI in April 2009.  The airline received 31 737-800s in 2009, 45 in 2010 and plans to receive 15 in 2011, 28 in 2012 and 11 in 2013.

To provide consistency within the travel experience and further elevate customer comfort onboard, American is updating its existing fleet of Boeing 737s to match the new deliveries without the BSI feature. The interior renovations include the installation of new customized First and Economy Class seats, new cabin interiors, updated inflight entertainment systems and bigger overhead bins to provide more storage throughout the aircraft.  American is also updating the interior of its 757 fleet, which will include a new look-and-feel throughout the cabin. Both projects are being handled in-house by American employees at the airline’s Maintenance & Engineering base located in Tulsa, Okla.

Watch a video of American Airlines effort to upgrade the interiors of their Next-Generation 737 fleet here: http://www.boeing.com/Features/2010/06/bca_american_airlines_06_28_10.html

In addition to the enhancements to its 737 planes, American has several fleet renewal efforts already under way. These initiatives highlight the multiple steps American Airlines has taken the past several years to continue investing in its future while it sharpens its focus on modernizing and improving the customer experience through various efforts – including, notably, execution of its fleet renewal plan. They include:

·         MD-80 Retirement: The 737 deliveries are designed to replace the MD-80 fleet with more passenger-friendly, fuel-efficient aircraft – lessening the impact on the environment. American intends to retire at least 25 MD-80s in 2011, as part of the company’s plan to continue renewing its fleet, while addressing the current fuel environment. In fact, a 737-800 will burn 35 percent less fuel than an MD-80 on a seat-mile basis.

·         757 Domestic Retrofit: In August 2010, American began enhancing its domestic fleet of 106 Boeing 757-200s with the installation of customized First and Economy Class seats, bigger overhead storage bins and updated inflight entertainment throughout the aircraft. Two additional First Class seats are being added to each 757 aircraft, for a total of 24 seats in the First Class cabin.

·         787-9 Dreamliner: Entering into a purchase agreement with Boeing to acquire an initial 42 of the 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, with the right to purchase up to 58 additional 787s.

·         777-300ERs: American has five 777-300ERs that are scheduled for delivery in 2012 and 2013, including two additional aircraft for which options were recently exercised. These 777-300ERs will complement American’s fleet, offering additional network flexibility in the future, and providing increased efficiency due to better seat mile economics and performance characteristics. 


ARTICLE FROM WWW.BOEING.COM

CENTRAL ASIA IS THE NEWEST HOME FOR EMBRAER E-JETS

​São José dos Campos, May 23, 2011 – Embraer has celebrated the entry into service of the first of two EMBRAER 190 jets with Air Astana, the national flag carrier of Kazakhstan, in a ceremony at the airline’s headquarters, in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The airline will operate the airplane on a lease agreement from Jetscape, Inc., the Florida-based aircraft leasing company. Air Astana also signed a lease agreement with Air Lease Corp. for two additional aircraft, which are scheduled to be delivered in 2011 and 2012, and is discussing the acquisition of two additional EMBRAER 190 jets directly with Embraer.

Air Astana selected the EMBRAER 190 to right size routes and fill a capacity gap between its Fokker and Airbus fleets. Air Astana’s EMBRAER 190 is configured in a dual-class layout, with 97 seats – nine in Business Class and 88 in Economy Class. The aircraft are slated to fly on a mix of domestic and international city pairs from both Almaty and Astana.

“Air Astana joins our growing list of customers who have embraced the E-Jets philosophy of low operating cost, high flexibility and outstanding passenger appeal. I’m pleased that such a reputable and progressive airline will be showcasing the EMBRAER 190 to this important region of the world where we see huge potential,” said Paulo César de Souza e Silva, President, Embraer Commercial Jets.

Peter Foster, President of Air Astana, commented on the decision to acquire the EMBRAER 190. “The aircraft’s seating capacity will efficiently complement our narrow body fleet, flying where it would be uneconomical to deploy larger aircraft, without compromising passenger comfort. Its range, efficiency and size are ideal for Air Astana and will enable us to grow our domestic and Central Asia network.”

Air Astana also has signed a service contract for Embraer’s Pool Flight Hour Program to cover its EMBRAER 190s in operation. The program gives Air Astana quick access to spare parts from Embraer’s distribution and service centers, eliminating the need for the airline to invest in a large inventory of replacement items.

Since they entered revenue service in 2004, Embraer has delivered more than 700 E-Jets to nearly 60 airlines from some 40 countries around the world. The versatile 70- to 120-seat, four-aircraft family is flying with low cost airlines, on regional routes and with mainline carriers. The current E-Jets order book has a backlog of nearly 1,000 firm orders.


Article from www.Embraer.com

China Southern Airlines signs Airbus Flight Hour Services for the first A380 fleet in China

Airbus expands its airline customer base for extended services

China Southern Airlines, the first Chinese operator to fly the Airbus A380 aircraft, has signed a contract with Airbus for customized Flight Hour Services (FHS) for its fleet of five A380s, scheduled to be in service from the second half of 2011.

Airbus will deliver to China Southern Airlines a tailor-made FHS solution supported by the benchmark Airbus worldwide customer services system. This long-term agreement guarantees on-site availability of Line Replaceable Units (LRUs), related logistics and maintenance services for China Southern Airlines, which joins the club of growing Airbus FHS customers in Asia.

“The introduction of Airbus A380s and the Airbus A380 FHS to China Southern Airlines extends a long and successful partnership with Airbus. The fully customised Airbus Flight Hour Services solution for our A380 fleet will contribute to securing the highest service level our passengers are accustomed to,” said Dong Suguang Executive Vice President Maintenance and Engineering of China Southern Airlines.

“With its introduction of Airbus A380s and becoming the first customer in China to operate this aircraft, China Southern Airlines again exhibits its innovative vision and excellent judgment. The A380 is the ideal aircraft to meet the demands of the fast growing travel market in China and Airbus FHS underlines our full commitment to service excellence,” said Pierre Steffen, Senior Vice President Customer Service and Operations Airbus China.

“This agreement reinforces Airbus strong commitment to be integrally involved from aircraft choice, the entry into service and onwards securing the daily operations of our Airbus customers,” said Didier Lux, Executive Vice President Customer Services of Airbus.

By the end of March 2011, China Southern Airlines operates the largest Airbus aircraft fleet in China, which includes 169 A320 Family and 18 A330s. In 2005, China Southern Airlines placed a firm order for five A380s, becoming the first Chinese airline to order the double-decker.

The Airbus FHS portfolio today includes 64 aircraft (from operators of A330, A340, and A380 aircraft) for six customers all benefiting from outstanding operational performance.

Article from www.airbus.com

A fresh look and identity for Airbus business and VIP aircraft

Airbus’ line of corporate jets has marked a new evolution with today’s introduction of updated branding, colours and nomenclature for these aircraft – which offer unmatched comfort, space and cabin flexibility.

Announced in advance of this week’s Annual European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland, the branding “refresh” provides a uniform new-generation aesthetic for the company’s business and VIP jets, and reinforces high commonality with the modern Airbus airliners on which each are based.

The new branding is reflected by the updated naming system employed for Airbus corporate jets, with “Airbus ACJ” now preceding the model it is derived from. For example, a 21st century flagship A380 ordered for corporate, VIP or government transport will carry the “Airbus ACJ380” designation.

Due to their strong ties with the world’s most modern airliner family, Airbus business aircraft continue to deliver all of the benefits modern technology has to offer – including fuel-saving aerodynamics, the use of innovative weight-saving materials and centralised maintenance.

Beyond the new designations, Airbus corporate aircraft also will stand out from the crowd with a fresh design and colour scheme – highlighted by metallic-blue shading on a majority of an aircraft’s fuselage and tail sections, and pulled together with distinctive flowing curves and an all-new “Airbus Corporate Jets” logo.

Airbus corporate jets are increasingly becoming the preferred choice of companies, individuals and governments, with more than 170 sold worldwide – comprising more than 110 ACJ318s, ACJ319s and ACJ320s, along with approximately 60 VIP and government widebodies.  Aircraft currently in service are operation around the world and on every continent, including Antarctica. 

This global success will be a focal point of Airbus’ high-profile presence at the three-day EBACE 2011 industry event, which begins on May 17.

Article from www.airbus.com

Boeing, Lufthansa Cargo Finalize Order for Five 777 Freighters

SEATTLE, May 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Lufthansa Cargo have finalized an order for five Boeing 777 Freighters. The order is valued at $1.35 billion, based on Boeing list prices. The airplanes will help Lufthansa Cargo in its initiative to modernize and expand its fleet. Lufthansa Cargo previously indicated its intention to order the freighters in March 2011.

"The 777 freighter is highly regarded for its fuel efficiency and a noise footprint significantly smaller than comparable freighters," said Karl Ulrich Garnadt, chairman and chief executive officer of Lufthansa Cargo. "We are certain that these airplanes will benefit our customers greatly, as experienced by our AeroLogic joint venture, which already operates eight 777 Freighters."

AeroLogic, a joint venture of Lufthansa Cargo and DHL Express, became the fourth carrier to operate the 777 Freighter in May 2009.

"Since entering service in 2009, the 777 Freighter has delivered on its promise of fuel efficiency, reduced emissions and lower noise," said Marlin Dailey, vice president of Sales and Marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "The 777 freighter features the lowest trip cost of any large freighter and its long range and high capacity will help Lufthansa Cargo achieve its ambitious business goals."

The 777 freighter is the world's longest range twin-engine freighter. Providing cargo capacity normally associated with larger airplanes, the 777 freighter can fly 4,900 nautical miles (9,070 kilometers) with a full payload of 225,200 pounds (102 metric tons). The 777 freighter is powered by General Electric's GE90-110B1L engines and meets QC2 noise standards for maximum accessibility to noise-sensitive airports.

Including this order from Lufthansa Cargo, a total of 88 777 Freighters have been ordered, of which 39 have been delivered.

Boeing is the leading provider of freighter capacity to the air cargo industry, offering the most complete family of freighters, which provide superior efficiency and operational economics.