Fleet Developments

Richard Maslen June 02, 2011

ANA CONFIRMS DOMESTIC DREAMLINER DEBUT

All Nippon Airways (ANA) and US manufacturer Boeing have jointly confirmed that a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner test aircraft will operate a series a test flights across the Japanese carrier’s domestic network to help prove its readiness to enter commercial passenger service. One of the prototypes will make its first appearance in the home market of the type’s launch customer at the start of July, when across a four day period it will simulate in-service operations across several airports in Japan in a service ready operational validation. This will include flights between Haneda Airport in Tokyo and facilities in Osaka (Itami and Kansai), Okayama and Hiroshima. Boeing plans to delivers the first production 787 to ANA in August or September but has yet to formally confirm its initial operational plans for the aircraft. During the exercise ANA's maintenance crews will also practice maintenance and servicing of the 787. This will include typical ground servicing activities, fit checks of aircraft jacks and maintenance hangar stands, towing and refueling the aircraft, and other routine maintenance operations.

MALMO AVIATION SELECTS CSERIES FOR STOCKHOLM BROMMA

Swedish regional carrier Malmo Aviation has become the second European customer for the Bombardier CSeries after selecting the modern generation airliner to replace its Avro RJ models on flights from Stockholm’s downtown airport, Bromma. The deal comprises a firm order for five CS100s and five CS300s, with options for ten more and has been agreed with Braathens Leasing, which together with Malmo Aviation form part of the Braathens Aviation Group. "Bromma, being a city airport, has very strict noise regulations, as well as a short runway," said Knut Solberg, Chief Executive officer, Braathens Aviation. "We have been very focused on noise, emissions, fuel consumption and runway performance in our decision for a new aircraft type. With the CSeries aircraft, we found exactly what we were looking for. The CSeries aircraft promise excellent runway performance, noise levels which are less than half those of any similarly-sized aircraft currently in production, as well as unsurpassed environmental credentials." Bombardier has now secured 100 firm orders for the CSeries, including 40 CS300s for Republic Airways, 30 CS300s for Swiss International Air Lines and 17 CS300s and three CS100s for Lease Corporation International.

MIAT ACQUIRES FIRST 767

MIAT Mongolian Airlines has taken delivery of the first of two former China Eastern Airlines’ Boeing 767-300ERs which will be used to boost capacity on its flights to Berlin Tegel, Incheon and Moscow Sheremetyevo. The aircraft was handed over to the carrier in mid-May and but was due to be introduced on flights between Ulaan Baatar and Incheon from June 1 as well as existing links to Berlin via Moscow. However, from June 16 it will be used on a new four times weekly direct flight between Ulaan Baatar and Berlin Tegel, as well as to boost capacity on regional routes across Asia.

BULGARIA AIR AGREES E190 LEASE DEAL

Eastern European national carrier Bulgaria Air is to introduce three Embraer E190s into its fleet during the first and third quarter of 2012 enabling it to enhance its schedules within the Balkans and Central Europe. The aircraft will be acquired directly from a leasing company and will be configured in a dual-class layout with 108 seats: eight Elite seats in the premium cabin and 100 Slimline seats in the economy cabin. They will be based in Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia and will enable Bulgaria Air to develop its activities in a more efficient manner and increase the potential for new route launches. “Following a detailed analysis of the destinations to which we fly and taking into consideration the aircraft’s size, efficiency and passenger comfort, we selected the Embraer 190,” said Yanko Georgiev, Chief Executive Officer, Bulgaria Air. “The aircraft will reinforce our competitiveness, having the capacity to broaden our network and complement our narrowbody fleet.”

GERMANWINGS MODIFIES A319 FLEET

Germanwings, a wholly-owned subsidiary of German flag carrier Lufthansa, has revised its product with the introduction of a new enhanced cabin for customers. The low-cost carrier will introduce a new seating area across the first ten rows of its Airbus A319 fleet, providing what it describes as a “special comfort zone with Best Seat” to passengers offering increased legroom as an additional booking option. These are available at a cost of €15 per sector and offer an additional 3in pitch (32in rather than 29in), as well as one piece of checked luggage and a complementary onboard snack and drink. The German carrier offers services to more than 75 destinations across Europe from five German bases - Cologne/Bonn, Stuttgart, Berlin Schönefeld, Hanover and Dortmund – using 30 A319s.