Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Xiamen Airlines have today announced in Amsterdam the merger of their existing joint venture agreements. The aim is to create even stronger links between the partners and offer customers smoother, seamless travel solutions.
By connecting the four airlinesโ networks, the joint venture offers customers a wide choice of destinationsconnecting Europe (Paris and Amsterdam) to China (Beijing*, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hangzhou and Xiamen). Transfer and connection times are also optimized.
It has been a good week for France.
Air France-KLM customers can also earn Flying Blue Miles on all flights operated within this joint venture formed by the four airlines.
This extended joint venture marks an important step for Air France-KLM. Moreover, it contributes tostrengthening the two airlinesโ position on the Chinese air transport market, which continues to grow. Everyyear, the four airlines โ Air France, KLM, China Southern and Xiamen Airlines โ carry some 1,250,000 passengers between Europe and China on their joint-operated routes.
Pieter Elbers, KLM President & CEO, stated: โIn 2016 we celebrated 10 years joint venture between KLM and China Southern, today we merge the existing two joint ventures into one. Iโm proud of this joint venture because it serves to further intensify Air France-KLMโs interests in China. Joining forces offers ourcustomers an extensive, seamless network within China and Europe.โ
Patrick Alexandre, Executive Vice President Commercial, Sales and Alliances, Air France-KLM added: โWeย are proud to pursue our cooperation with China Southern and Xiamen Airlines by combining the existing joint-ventures. Our single joint venture will at the same time preserve the benefits our customers enjoy and safeguard Air France-KLMโs position in China.โ
Beyond the joint venture, the airlines closely cooperate in other areas, notably in airport handling, catering and aircraft maintenance services. For example, Air France-KLM Engineering & Maintenance carries outengine maintenance for Xiamen Airlinesโ Boeing 787 fleet. More closely-integrated partnerships are also being discussed in other areas, such as aircraft maintenance, or cargo operations.
A global joint venture between Europe and China
Since 2006, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and China Southern Airlines have been operating a joint venture on the Amsterdam-Beijing service.
In 2015, Xiamen Airlines joined this joint venture on the Amsterdam-Xiamen route. In 2010, France formed a partnership with China Southern Airlines to also create a joint venture on the Paris-Guangzhou route. These agreements are currently combined to form a single joint venture between Europe and China.
Below: Xiamen Air is now the last passenger operator of the Boeing 757-200 in China. The 757s will soon be retired.
HNA Group Co Ltd (HNA Group) and Commercialย Aircraftย Corporationย ofย Chinaย Ltd (COMAC) signed a letter of intent (LOI) to purchaseย 20 ARJ 21 aircrafts at the 51st Farnborough International Airshow in London, the first tangible result between the two sides after signing a strategic cooperation framework agreementย in early June of this year in Shanghai. After delivery, the 20 jets will be operated by Urumqi Air, an HNA Group subsidiary.
The ARJ 21 aircraft, China’s firstย turbofan regional jet developed in accordance with international airworthiness standards, excels in five major areas: product adaptability, passenger comfort and cost efficiencies,ย as well as universality of parts and materials not only across the model suite but also with other commonly built aircraft, all of which help the model meet the operational requirements of taking off and landing at the airports located across the western plateau of China, a region frequently beset by high temperatures, and surmounting obstacles on complex routes, making the aircraft an ideal choice for routes and airports in Western China.
Through innovation both in terms of corporate organization and aircraft design, HNA Group plans to deepen the cooperation withย COMAC with an eye to introducing and operating China-made aircraft, setting up an end-to-end industry chain that encompasses production, materials supplying, sales and support for aircraft manufacturing in addition to improving the production chain and setting up a leasing services network for aircraft made in China, in a move to transition the country’s civil aviation sector into a leadership position on the global stage.
Hainan Airlines, Urumqi Air and Tianjin Airlines, as well as HNA Group’s other subsidiaries, will also benefit from the cooperation, speeding up business development and facilitating the group’s contribution to China’s the Belt and Road Initiative by building a more convenient regionalย airline network.
Hainan Airlines will receive another Airbus A330-300 aircraft by the end of July. It will be the first aircraft that Hainan Airlines introduces this year, which is also be the 18th new A330-300 aircraft of the fleet.
The airline continued;
Since 1993, Hainan Airlines has achieved 25 years of safe operations and has accumulated over six million hours of safe flights. Hainan Airlines’ fleet is composed mainly of Boeing 737s and 787s as well as Airbus 330s. The introduction of A330 aircraft will improve the capacity of Hainan Airlines. The size of wide body jets of the company will also be expanded after the new A330 joined.
This Airbus A330-300 is able to contain 303 passengers, containing 279 seats in economy class and 24 seats in business class. All the business class seats feature herringbone that allow passengers to enjoy lie-flat beds and highly increased privacy, with direct access to the aisle. All 279 passengers can experience Thales Avant in-flight entertainment system, power supply of 110V and USB port.
Tianjin Airlinesย is also receiving a new A330-300 aircraft from Toulouse on July 17th, initially serving flights from Tianjin to Tokyo and Osaka, and planning flights from Tianjin, Xi’an, Chongqing to London, Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland. The new aircraft will help improve the capacity of Tianjin Airlines in the future.
Top Copyright Photo (all others by Hainan):ย Hainan Airlines Airbus A330-343 B-8015 (msn 1656) MAN (Rob Skinkis). Image: 934862.
Tianjin Airlines, owned by HNA group has acquired a new Airbus A330-300 aircraft from Toulouse on July 17, 2018, which is Tianjin Airlines’ third new aircraft this year, hitting back at delivery delay rumors.
The new aircraft willย will debut on the Auckland-Chongqing-Tianjin route.
Tianjin Airlines, founded in 2009, is based in Tianjin, China. As of today, Tianjin Airlines operates a fleet of 98 aircraft, which includes 33 Airbus A330, A320, and A321 aircraft.ย The new aircraft joins the four A330’s already in the fleet as theย ninety-ninth aircraft of the Airlines.
This Airbus A330-300 is able to seat 303 passengers with 279 seats in economy class and 24 seats in upper class.ย The upper class seats are in a herringbone arrangement that allows passengers to enjoy flat beds and increased privacy while maintainingย direct access to the aisle. All 279 economy classย passengers can experience Thales Avant in-flight entertainment system and a 110vย power supplyย and a USB port.
Tianjin Airlines announced that they continue to take to the skies,ย adding flights from Tianjin to Tokyo and Osaka, with more flights planned from Tianjin, Xi’an, and Chongqing to London, Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland.
Boeing lifted its long-term forecast for commercial airplanes as rising passenger traffic and upcoming airplane retirements drive the need for 42,730 new jets โ valued at $6.3 trillion โ over the next 20 years. The global airplane fleet will also sustain growing demand for commercial aviation services, leading to a total market opportunity of $15 trillion.
The company’s annual forecast, renamed the Commercial Market Outlook (CMO) to include detailed analysis of the dynamic aviation services market, was presented today at the Farnborough International Airshow. Recognized as an industry benchmark for global air travel forecasting, the 2018 CMO projects the total number of airplanes increasing 4.1 percent over the previous forecast.
“For the first time in years, we are seeing economies growing in every region of the world. This synchronized growth is providing more stimulus for global air travel. We are seeing strong traffic trends not only in the emerging markets of China and India, but also the mature markets of Europe and North America,” said Randy Tinseth, vice president of Commercial Marketing for The Boeing Company. “Along with continued traffic expansion, the data show a big retirement wave approaching as older airplanes age out of the global fleet.”
According to fleet data, there are more than 900 airplanes today that are over 25 years old. By the mid 2020’s, more than 500 airplanes a year will reach 25 years of age โ double the current rate โ fueling the retirement wave. Tinseth said the data explain why 44 percent of the new airplanes will be needed to cover replacement alone, while the rest will support future growth.
Including airplanes that will be retained, the global fleet is projected to essentially double in size to 48,540 by 2037.
The single-aisle segment will see the most growth over the forecast period, with a demand for 31,360 new airplanes, an increase of 6.1 percent over last year. This $3.5 trillion market is driven in large part by the continued growth of low-cost carriers, strong demand in emerging markets, and increasing replacement demand in markets such as China and Southeast Asia.
The widebody segment calls for 8,070 new airplanes valued at nearly $2.5 trillionover the next twenty years. Widebody demand is spearheaded, in part, by a large wave of replacements beginning early in the next decade and airlines deploying advanced jets such as the 787 Dreamliner and 777X to expand their global networks.
Additionally, Boeing projects the need for 980 new production widebody freighters over the forecast period, up 60 airplanes over last year. In addition, operators are forecasted to buy 1,670 converted freighters.
New Airplane Deliveries through 2037 by size
Airplane type
Seats
Total deliveries
Market value
Regional jets
90 and below
2,320
$110 billion
Single-aisle
90 and above
31,360
$3,480 billion
Widebody
8,070
$2,480 billion
Freighter widebody
———
980
$280 billion
Total
———
42,730
$6,350 billion
The massive fleet generates a strong and growing demand for aviation services ranging from supply chain support (parts and parts logistics), to maintenance and engineering services, to aircraft modifications, to airline operations.ย Over the next 20 years, Boeing forecast an $8.8T market for commercial aviation services with annual growth of 4.2 percent.
“The commercial airplane business fuels an enormous ecosystem of service providers.ย Our combined forecast shows the full picture of the $15T commercial market ahead of us,” Tinseth said.ย “We see a market in which airlines outsource more and more, a market in which data and data analytics help aircraft and airline networks become more efficient and reliable, and a market in which new technologies provide new services solutions.ย All of these trends drive greater demand for integrated solutions over the life of an airplane.”
Major categories in the services forecast include the $2.3 trillion market for Maintenance & Engineering, which covers tasks required to maintain or restore the airworthiness of an aircraft and its systems, components, and structures. Another major category is the $1.1 trillion market for Flight Operations, which covers services associated with the flight deck, cabin services, crew training and management, and airplane operations.
Commercial Aviation Services through 2037 by service category
Service category
Market value
Corporate & External
$145 billion
Marketing & Planning
$540 billion
Flight Operations
$1,115 billion
Maintenance & Engineering
$2,365 billion
Ground & Cargo Operations
$4,665 billion
In terms of the geographic split of the new forecast, the airplane and services demand are similarly geared toward the major growth markets. The Asia Pacificregion, which includes China, will continue to lead the way, accounting for 40 percent of total airplane deliveries and 38 percent of total services value. North America and Europe round out the top three.
Commercial market through 2037 by region
Region
Airplane deliveries
ย Services market
Asia Pacific
16,930
$3,365 billion
North America
8,800
$1,850 billion
Europe
8,490
$1,875 billion
Middle East
2,990
$745 billion
Latin America
3,040
$515 billion
Russia/C.I.S.
1,290
$265 billion
Africa
1,190
$215 billion
Total
42,730
$8,830 billion
Formerly known as Boeing’s Current Market Outlook, the CMO is the longest running jet forecast and regarded as the most comprehensive analysis of the commercial aviation industry. The full report can be found at www.boeing.com/cmo.
Forward-Looking Information Is Subject to Risk and Uncertainty
Certain statements in this release may be “forward-looking” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “expects,” “forecasts,” “projects,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include statements relating to our future plans, business prospects, financial condition and operating results, as well as any other statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Forward-looking statements are based on current assumptions about future events that may not prove to be accurate. These statements are not guarantees and are subject to risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict.
Many factors could cause actual events to differ materially from these forward-looking statements, including economic conditions in the United States and globally, general industry conditions as they may impact us or our customers, and other important factors disclosed previously and from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any such statement, except as required by law.
Air Lease Corporation (ALC) announced today long-term lease agreements with Belavia-Belarusian Airlines for four new CFM LEAP-1B25-powered Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2019 and 2020. The first aircraft will deliver from ALCโs order book with Boeing in May 2019.
The new MAX 8s will join the other Boeing 737s including the growing fleet of Boeing 737-800s (top).
โBelavia-Belarusian Airlines is systematically continuing to implement theย strategy of the fleet renewal, thanks to cooperation with such reliable partners as ALC. The acquisition of four next-generation aircraft on a lease will contribute to the further development of the airline and, consequently, to the improvement of the quality of passenger service,โ said Anatoly Gusarov, Director General of Belavia-Belarusian Airlines. โWe hope that the delivery of the Boeing 737 MAX will allow our passengers to start travelling only with positive impressions and will make flights as comfortable as possible,โ continued Anatoly Gusarov.
The new aircraft will help the carrier to retire its older Boeing 737-300s and 737-500s.
Top Copyright Photo (all others by Belavia):ย Belavia Belarusian Airlines Boeing 737-8ZM WL EW-456PA (msn 61422) AMS (Karl Cornil). Image: 938677.
Boeing, Volga-Dnepr Group and CargoLogicHolding have signed a package of agreements that will further optimize the cargo transportation leaders’ airplane fleet and global operations.
The deals, announced at the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow, include a letter of intent (LOI) to acquire 29 Boeing 777 Freighters, confirmation of an order for five Boeing 747-8 Freighters, the purchase of a crew pairing solution, and an agreement to work together on future freighter projects.
Volga-Dnepr Group is among the world’s largest Boeing 747 Freighter operators. The Group, and its subsidiaries and strategic partners have leveraged the jet’s unique cargo-loading and cargo-carrying capabilities to build an unmatched global network for transporting unique, oversize and heavy cargo. Volga-Dnepr said it wanted to add more 747-8 Freighters to its fleet and affirmed a commitment to purchasing five more of the jets valued at $2 billion in current list prices.
While the Group and its partners have largely built its business on very large four-engine freighters, it now plans to expand its future fleet options with a commitment for the twin-engine 777 Freighter.
CargoLogicHolding intends to order 29 Boeing 777 Freighters, valued at $9.8 billion according to list prices. The airplane’s unmatched range and significant cargo capacity promises to open up significant network and growth opportunities.
The package of agreements also includes a commitment for both companies to explore other freighter solutions, such as new production 767 Freighters or converted cargo jets such as the 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter.
With the resurgence in the air freight market โ demand grew nearly 10 percent last year โ Boeing has seen a big spike in interest for cargo jets. Boeing has now captured more than 100 orders and commitments for production and converted freighters this year.
Volga-Dnepr Group also uses Boeing Global Services to improve its offering for its customers. Its airlines use offerings such as Fuel Dashboard, Electronic Charting, Airport Moving Map and other advanced services, many of which are powered by Boeing AnalytX.
As part of the agreements, Boeing Global Services will provide AirBridgeCargo โ a Volga-Dnepr Group airline โ with a Crew Pairing solution to support the planning and operation of the airline’s 300 crew members. The program creates optimized work duties, improving crew efficiency and improving airline productivity.
Cargo Logic Holding Limited is the private holding company based in the United Kingdom. It is a unique platform that unites under its umbrella the International Group of the Cargo Airlines, with CargoLogicAir, the only British all-cargo airline, being its main member, which started its commercial operations on the global market since early 2016.
Top Copyright Photo (all others by Volga-Dnepr Group):ย CargoLogicAir-CLA Boeing 747-83QF G-CLAB (msn 60119) FAB (SPA). Image: 933746.
Omanโs first budget airline, SalamAir, has signed an agreement to add six new Airbus A320neo aircraft to its fleet, of which five are on lease from an undisclosed lessor.
SalamAir is owned by the Muscat National Development and Investment Company (ASAAS) and other Omani private investors.The airline launched services on 30 January 2017 and today operates close to 120 flights per week across 14 regional and global destinations. As an all-Airbus operator, SalamAir currently operates a fleet of three A320ceo aircraft.
The new fleet will support the low-cost airlineโs plans to increase connectivity across the regionโs under-served and popular short to medium-haul routes.
SalamAirโs Chief Executive Officer, Captain Mohamed Ahmed said, โIn less than 18 months since our launch we have connected over half a million passengers across the globe and we continue to gain momentum as a leading budget carrier. With the new A320neo addition to our fleet we look forward to building on this success and expand to new markets while guaranteeing a great travel experience for our passengers.โ
Eric Schulz, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer said: โAs a home-grown brand SalamAir has demonstrated huge potential by addressing Omanโs demand for affordable travel options. The new Airbus A320neo is the best in the industry and will allow the carrier to achieve lower operating costs, greater fuel efficiency and offer the highest standard of passengers comfort.โ
Featuring the widest Single Aisle cabin in the sky, the A320neo Family incorporates the very latest technologies including new generation engines and Sharklets, which together deliver at least 15 percent fuel savings at delivery and 20 percent by 2020. With more than 6,100 orders received from over 100 customers, the A320neo Family has captured nearly 60 percent share of the market.
Boeing and Jet Airways confirmed that the Indian carrier placed an order for an additional 75 737 MAX 8 airplanes during a signing ceremony at the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow. The order, valued at $8.8 billion at current list prices, was previously posted as unidentified on Boeing’s Orders and Deliveries website.
This order for an additional 75 MAX airplanes helps the Indian carrier expand its network to meet surging demand in the fastest-growing aviation market in the world.
In June, the Mumbai-based carrier took delivery of its first MAX, a new and improved 737 that delivers a double-digit improvement in fuel efficiency and improved passenger comfort. These new airplanes arrive into an Indian aviation market that continues to grow at significant rates. According to industry data, domestic air traffic in India has grown about 20 percent in each of the past four years.
Jet Airways is India’s second-largest airline with a fleet of nearly 120 airplanes serving more than 60 destinations in 15 countries across Asia, Europe and North America.
The 737 MAX family achieves superior fuel efficiency and range through the latest CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets, and other improvements. The jet also features the signature Boeing Sky Interior and large flight deck displays.
Virgin Orbit is bringing new orbital launch capabilities to the UK that will help expand the countryโs space economy and accelerate satellite technology innovation.
Although Virgin Orbit is an American company and based in Long Beach, California, thereโs no denying that the heart and soul of Virgin resides in the UK. Itโs why the team is so proud to announce a new partnership with Spaceport Cornwall and the UK Space Agency to conduct the first ever flights to space from British soil.
Virgin Orbit revealed its plans to conduct orbital rocket launches from Cornwall Airport Newquay by 2021. To reach space, Virgin Orbit has designed and built a one-of-a-kind air-launch platform that uses a modified former-Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747-400 aircraft aptly named Cosmic Girl. Cosmic Girl carries a LauncherOne rocket under her left wing, and deploys the rocket around cruising altitude before it jettisons off to space with a customerโs small satellite tucked away in its fairing.
Air-launch comes with a number of benefits over the typical vertical launch youโre probably used to seeing. Most notably, it gives Virgin Orbit the freedom to bypass the traffic jam headaches at established launch ranges. Plus, the team can kick off launches from the UK relatively quickly, since most modern airports like Newquay are already equipped to support the system. Thereโs no need to spend tens of millions and a decade or more building out a brand new launch pad.
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