GECAS arranges sale-leaseback plus PDP financing for two Boeing 737 MAX 8s for Okay Airways

GECAS has made this announcement:

Following the delivery last week of Okay Airwaysโ€™ first leased Boeing 737 MAX 8, GECAS signed another contract with Okay Airways for the purchase-and-leaseback with pre-delivery payment financing of two Boeing 737 MAX 8s. The aircraft, fitted with CFM LEAP-1B engines, are scheduled for delivery in July and September 2019.

Established in 2004, Okay Airways is the first privately-owned aviation company in operation in China. Based in Tianjin Binhai International Airport, the carrier currently operates an all-Boeing fleet. The new 737 MAX 8s will provide Okay with the latest technology and fuel efficiency to enhance their fleet, which services over 150 domestic and international routes and connects to approximately 70 cities.

Image: GECAS.

GECAS to lease Hongtu Airlines four Airbus A320neo aircraft

GECAS welcomed Hongtu Airlinesโ€™ to the GE Pavilion in Farnborough to commemorate the agreement to lease four Airbus A320neo aircraft from GECASโ€™ skyline orderbook when they enter service beginning in the first quarter of 2019.

Hongtu A320neo

Headquartered in the Yunnanย Provinceโ€™s capital of Kunming, Hongtu Airlines launched operations in May 2016 and presently operates a fleet of four Airbus aircraft.

โ€œGECAS is delighted to partner with Hongtu Airlines as they look to expand their operations,โ€ shared Alec Burger, GE Capital President, and GECAS President and CEO. โ€œThese new-technology aircraft, incorporating CFM Leap-1A engines, optimize fuel consumption while doubling Hongtuโ€™s fleet and their capacity to serve their customers. As Hongtu Airlines grows, we wish them every success and we look forward to deepening our relationship with the carrier.โ€

โ€œBy leveraging the GECAS orderbook, Hongtu Airlines will be able to better serve our passengers with the latest technical and comfort enhancements as well as expand our operations to meet the needs of our travelers within China,โ€ said Gang Liu, CEO of Hongtu Airlines.

Image: GECAS.

United Airlines to purchase 25 new Embraer E175 and 4 new Boeing 787-9 aircraft

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United Airlines today announced orders to purchase 25 new Embraer E175 and 4 new Boeing 787-9 aircraft.

United expects to take delivery of the Embraer E175 aircraft in 2019 and expects to take delivery of the Boeing 787-9 aircraft in 2020.

The 25 new E175 aircraft will replace 25 CRJ700 aircraft currently being flown by our United Express partners. These new E175 purchases will allow United to offer a more comfortable and efficient aircraft to its customers.

The new 787-9 aircraft are part of United’s widebody fleet replacement strategy. The 787-9 is the longest-range version of the aircraft, while using 20 percent less fuel than older-generation aircraft. It will offer the airline’s all-new United Polaris business class seats and other modern amenities to provide a superior onboard experience to United’s customers.

Boeing also made the announcement:

Boeing and United Airlines announced the carrier has expanded its commitment to the 787 Dreamliner program with a repeat order for four more 787-9 airplanes. The deal, valued at about $1.1 billion per current list prices, was finalized this year and was listed as unidentified on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website.

The 787-9 is the longest-range Dreamliner with the ability to fly up to 7,635 nautical miles (14,140 kilometers), while using 20 percent less fuel than older generation airplanes. In United’s three-class configuration, the 787-9 seats about 250 passengers. The Chicago-based carrier also operates the smaller 787-8 and will be the North American launch customer of the larger 787-10.

United Airlines is one of the leading global carriers that have taken full advantage of the Dreamliner’s superior range and fuel efficiency, having deployed the 787 on some of the longest routes such as Houston to Sydney and San Francisco to Singapore. In all, the 787 Dreamliner family has made possible more than 180 new non-stop routes.

With this latest purchase, United Airlines has now ordered 55 787 Dreamliners. Nearly half of all 787 customers have placed repeat orders for the airplane.

The 787 is the fastest selling twin-aisle airplane in history with nearly 1,400 sold and more than 700 delivered to customers. Since entering service in 2011, the 787 family has flown more than 255 million passengers while saving an estimated 25 billion pounds of fuel.

Top Copyright Photo:ย United Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner N17963 (msn 37812) LHR (SPA). Image: 942824.

United Airlines aircraft slide show:

 

Malaysia Airlines implements SkyBreatheยฎ to reduce its carbon emissions and improve fuel savings

Malaysia Airlines, the country’sย national carrier, in collaboration with OpenAirlines, announced the successful implementation of SkyBreatheยฎ Fuel Efficiency, an advanced system to reduce fuel costs and CO2 emissions of their fleet.

The cost of fuel is the arch enemy of the airline industry and since last summer, crude oil prices have gone up. The spike in fuel prices, generally airlines’ biggest cost, is quickly eroding carriers’ profits and jeopardizing their development.

For this reason, Malaysia Airlines has chosen to adopt the latest digital technology with SkyBreatheยฎ to monitor the fuel efficiency of their operations and improve both economic and environmental performance.

Every day, the fuel management software will automatically collect and analyze the massive quantity of data from the 79+ aircraft operated by the airline and combine them with data from other sources including payload, weather conditions, flight path and ATC constraints.

Using this solution, Malaysia Airlines will benefit from a thorough understanding of its fuel efficiency through all phases of a flight to identify the most relevant saving opportunities. Based on this information they will be able to implement the most efficient procedures on ground (pushback, taxi, takeoff, APU, etc.) and during flight (climb, cruise, approach, landing, etc.) without compromising safety.

Malaysia Airlines joins more than 28 other airlines across the world using SkyBreatheยฎ, including Norwegian, Cebu Pacific, Atlas Air, flydubai, Royal Brunei Airlines and Atlas Air.

About OpenAirlines:

OpenAirlines is an international software company based in Toulouse, with offices in Hong Kong, and Miami. It provides consulting and software solutions for airlines flight operations. Since 2006, OpenAirlines help airlines to save fuel and CO2 emissions (SkyBreatheยฎ), manage crews (CrewIntelligenceโ„ข and CrewPadโ„ข) and fleet (OptiFleetโ„ข).

Today, 28 airlines all over the world use OpenAirlines’ software. In 2017, their customers saved more than 50 million USD and 300,000 tons of CO2.

Juneyao Airlines unveils new liveries for the new Boeing 787 fleet

Chinese carrier Juneyao Airlines Co. Ltd. (Juneyao Airlines) is scheduled to receive its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner this September, making it the first Chinese private airline to receive a widebody, long-haul jet airliner. Juneyao Airlines recently unveiled the livery plan for its 787 fleet.

The first Boeing 787 Juneyao receives will feature the “Chinese Peony” livery. (PRNewsfoto/Juneyao Airlines)

Juneyao Airlines’ first Boeing 787 aircraft will be delivered with a colorful Chinese peony-themed livery (above). Peony, the nationalย flowerย ofย China, is synonymous with graceย andย elegance and reflects the Chinese airline’s brand and vision for itself in terms of upcoming plans for development. The new design is meant to depict the airline’s hope and expectations for a peaceful, powerful and prosperous China. The aircraft, together with Juneyao Airlines’ painted fleet of Airbus A320, which received the livery in preparation for the carrier’s recent celebration of its 10th anniversary, also served as an announcement of the airline entering a new era, whereby it is operating with both Boeing and Airbus aircraft.

The “Chinese Red” livery for Juneyao’s Boeing 787. (PRNewsfoto/Juneyao Airlines)

The airline will continue with the Chinese Red livery (above), the color that is representative of China and of promise for the future and that was applied in the A320/1 series, and extend it to the Boeing 787 to showcase that promise around the world.

The “Chinese Ribbon” livery for Juneyao’s Boeing 787. (PRNewsfoto/Juneyao Airlines)

In addition, the Chinese Ribbon livery design (above), which outrivaled other proposals in a public livery competition, will be used on the Boeing 787, demonstrating Juneyao Airlines’ support for the direction that China is taking and its dedication in contributing to the country’s One Belt, One Road initiative.

Juneyao Airlines is also taking the lead when it comes to the design and configuration of the cabins in the Boeing 787. The Businessย Class section has been fitted with 180-degree lie-flat Thompson Vantage XL seats, each with a 42-inch pitch and arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration. Economy Class features Recaro CL3710 nine-way adjustable headrests and seats equipped with warm, fantasy lighting, in-flight HD entertainment systems with 12-inch screens, standalone USB interfaces, and other facilities allowing passengers to feel pampered during their flight.

According to the delivery schedule announced by the airline and the aircraft manufacturer, Juneyao’s first Boeing 787-9 will arrive at Boeing’s general assembly line on August 8, and, during the month of September, be put through paintings and trial flights. Final delivery will take place in late September or early October. The airline expects to take delivery of three painted 787 planes between now and the end of the year. At first, the planes will service some key domestic routes before being transitioned to the airline’s first grouping of long-haul, intercontinental routes.

Juneyao Airlines, a subsidiary of Shanghai Juneyao (Group) Co. Ltd., is one of the airlines to emerge after China’s aviation industry started to grow rapidly on the heels of the rollout of China’s reform and opening-up policy. Shanghai Juneyao (Group) took the lead in expanding into the industry via charter flight operations. In 2006, Shanghai Juneyao (Group) made its first foray into the aviation sector when Juneyao Airlines successfully completed its maiden flight. By mid-2018, Juneyao Airlines was operating 68 single-aisle A320 planes. Last year, the airline placed an order for 10 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, in a move to meet the needs of its rapidly growing international network. Juneyao Airlines is committed to furnishing best of class aviation services by providing passengers with high-quality, friendly services and conveying its brand philosophy of happiness, good fortune and Chinese culture to more passengers.

Images: Juneyao Airlines.

Boeing, Qatar Airways finalize order for five 777 Freighters

Qatar Airways Cargo Boeing 777-FDZ A7-BFB (msn 36100) AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 941964.

Boeing and Qatar Airways finalized an order for five 777 Freighters at the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow.ย  The deal, valued at $1.7 billion at current list prices, was announced as a commitment in April.

The announcement was attended by the State of Qatar’s Minister of Finance and Qatar Airways Chairman, His Excellency Ali Shareef Al Emadi.

Qatar Airways, one of the world’s top cargo carriers, operates a fleet of 13 777 Freighters and two 747-8 Freighters.ย  With this latest order, the airline is set to grow its Boeing Freighter fleet to more than 20 jets.

Boeing has now sold 65 widebody freighters in 2018, and more than 180 widebody freighters since the start of 2014, which equates to a 98-percent share of the market. In that same time, Boeing has delivered more than 140 wide-body freighters, which translates to a 92 percent share of deliveries.

The 777 Freighter is capable of flying 4,900 nautical miles (9,070 kilometers) with a payload of 112 tons (102 metric tonnes or 102,000 kg). The airplane’s long range translates into significant savings as fewer stops mean lower landing fees, less congestion, lower cargo handling costs and shorter delivery times.

Qatar Airways also uses Boeing Global Services to improve its offering for its customers. The airline uses services products such Maintenance Performance Toolbox, Airplane Health Management and flight deck solutions, all powered by Boeing AnalytX.

Top Copyright Photo:ย Qatar Airways Cargo Boeing 777-FDZ A7-BFB (msn 36100) AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 941964.

Qatar Airways aircraft slide show:

Video:

Bombardier unveils the new Atmosphere Cabin at Farnborough

Bombardier Commercial Aircraft unveiled the interior of the first CRJ Series aircraft with the new ATMOSPHรˆRE cabin design on the opening day of the Farnborough International Air Show in the United Kingdom.

Bombardier showcased the new cabin alongside launch operator Delta Air Lines and supplier Zodiac Aerospace during its air show inauguration event.

โ€œOur product is evolving, and this signature cabin design represents the latest innovation to our very successful regional jet program,โ€ said Fred Cromer, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. โ€œThis cabin design will add value to airlines, the feedback has already been very positive as demonstrated with the recent momentum we have gained in the market.โ€

The CRJ900 aircraft on static display at the airshow is painted in Delta Air Lines livery and fitted with the ATMOSPHรˆRE cabin.

Bombardier will also emphasize its presence at the airshow from July 16-20 with a display of a Q400 aircraft in the colours of Ethiopian Airlines, as well as a Global 6000 business jet featuring the Premier Cabin.

Bombardierโ€™s static display and chalet are located at OE26 and A5, respectively.

About the ATMOSPHรˆRE Cabin

The new ATMOSPHรˆRE cabin sets new standards of passenger experience in the regional jet market segment. Key features of the new interior are comprised of larger passenger living space, wheel-first roller bag capability, more spacious lavatory, increased cabin connectivity options, all integrated in a contemporary design and material choices. In fact, the ATMOSPHรˆRE cabin design allows each passenger to carry and store an โ€œoversizedโ€ roller bag within the aircraft cabin bins which minimizes the need to check bags at the counter or the gate.

Image: Bombardier.

Jackson Square Aviation orders 30 Boeing 737 MAXs

Boeing and Jackson Square Aviation (JSA) announced the leasing company has ordered 30 737 MAX airplanes in its first direct purchase from a jet maker, reflecting the evolution of the airplane lessor’s business and its confidence in the market for 737 MAXs.

The two companies unveiled the $3.5 billion deal โ€“ per current list prices โ€“ during a signing ceremony at the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow. The order, previously unidentified on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website, represents the 100th customer for the 737 MAX program.

“Today’s order is an exciting moment in the history of Jackson Square Aviation,” said Toby Bright, JSA’s chief executive officer. “We are excited to become even more of a full-service partner for our airline customers by expanding our fleet of 737 MAX airplanes as global demand for narrow-body jets continues to rise. The MAX is quickly becoming an important part of our portfolio and we look forward to offering this modern, fuel-efficient and reliable aircraft to airlines around the world.ย  We have carefully evaluated how speculative orders can enhance our long-term business model, and this transaction signifies the next step in that development.”

Since its founding in 2010, San Francisco-based Jackson Square Aviation has grown steadily by buying new technology airplanes from airlines globally through sale-leaseback financing and pre-delivery payment financing agreements. The stable model has served JSA well as it has built a portfolio of more than 180 jets with long and balanced lease terms placed with 49 customers in 27 countries.

“Jackson Square Aviation has reached significant heights since its founding, having financed more than 100 Boeing airplanes. We are proud to have been their partner and we are extremely honored that JSA has chosen to expand its business on the wings of the 737 MAX,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president, Commercial Sales & Marketing for The Boeing Company. “The 737 MAX is the best airplane in the single-aisle segment. It will provide Jackson Square Aviation’s customers with exceptional efficiency, improved range and unmatched reliability.”

Jackson Square Aviation chose the 737 MAX 8, which offers 162 to 178 seats in a standard two-class configuration and flies up to 3,550 nautical miles (6,570 kilometers), while improving fuel efficiency 14 percent over its predecessor.

The 737 MAX family incorporates the latest CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets, Boeing Sky Interior, large flight deck displays and other features to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market.

Boeing, DHL Express announce the purchase of 14 Boeing 777 Freighters

Boeing and DHL today announced that the leading international express carrier has placed an order and commitment for 14 Boeing 777 Freighters, and purchase rights for 7 additional freighters.

DHL Express also announced today an order for 14 Boeing 777 Freighters, which also includes options and purchase rights for 7 additional aircraft. The delivery of the first four planes is expected to be completed in 2019.

The $4.7 billion order agreement, at current list prices, was unveiled at the opening of the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow. A portion of the order was previously unidentified on Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries website. When the full order is finalized, it will also appear on the website.

DHL was the first express operator in 2009 to introduce the 777 to perform long-haul time critical services. The aircraft type has proven to be the most reliable large freighter connecting the major markets across the globe, bolstering service quality for DHL’s express customers. The new order will double the size of DHL’s global 777 fleet, allowing more markets and customers to benefit from the uniquely capable aircraft.

“The 777 Freighter is an airplane perfectly suited to DHL’s needs, offering an outstanding payload capability, with incredible range to service its extensive intercontinental network and unmatched reliability,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President & CEO Kevin McAllister.

Global air freight demand grew by nearly ten percent last year with demand growth outpacing capacity growth by a factor of three. Expanding cross-border e-commerce sales for instance will grow to $4.48 trillion by 2021, which means a growth of 19.2 per cent per year. DHL’s investment in the 777 Freighters is a direct answer to the growing demand for global express capacity.

As the largest twin-engine cargo airplane in the world, the Boeing 777 Freighter is capable of flying 4,900 nautical miles (9,070 kilometers) with a cargo load of 102 tons.

DHL Express operates over 260 dedicated aircraft with 17 partner airlines on over 600 daily flights across 220 countries.

Photo: Deutsche Post DHL Group. Left to right:ย Kevin McAllister CEO Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Ihssane Mounir, VP Sales & Marketing The Boeing Company, Dan Abraham, VP Sales Europe Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Ken Allen, CEO DHL Express, Charlie Dobbie, COO DHL Express, Mike Parra, CEO DHL Express Americas

Starlux Airlines selects the Airbus A350 XWB for long range services

Starlux Airlines of Taiwan has selected the all-new AIRBUS A350 XWB for its future long haul fleet, following the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the purchase of 17 aircraft, comprising 12 A350-1000s and five A350-900s.

The agreement was announced at the Farnborough Airshow in the UK by Chang Kuo-wei, founder and Chairman of STARLUX Airlines and Eric Schulz, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer.

The news follows a decision by the airline earlier this year also to select Airbus for its regional single aisle fleet, with a plan to finalise leases for 10 Airbus A321neo aircraft from third party lessors by the end of the year.

Starlux Airlines is a new full-service airline based in Taipei and founded by Taiwanese aviation veteran Chang Kuo-wei, former Chairman of EVA Air.

STARLUX A350-1000 (PRNewsfoto/STARLUX Airlines)

The carrier will develop a network spanning destinations across Asia and long haul services to North America. The carrier will launch regional operations in early 2020, followed by long haul services early in 2022.

The Airspace cabin which, on top of the aircraft spaciousness and quietness, provides better ambience, design and services, contributing to superior levels of comfort and well-being, and setting new standards in terms of flight experience for passengers in all classes.

Image: Airbus.