News
Airbus posts 15% profit gain in 2015, Boeing launches B737BCF with new orders
February 26th 2016
Airbus Group reported a full-year 2015 net profit of €2.7 billion ($2.95 billion), up 15% year-on-year. The group’s commercial aircraft division increased its revenues 8% to €45.9 billion. Excluding special items, the commercial division’s 2015 earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) rose 10% year-on-year to €2.78 billion. Read More » Including special items, which were mainly associated with the devaluation of the euro against the greenback, the commercial division’s EBIT dropped 14% to €2.3 billion.
Airbus gained 1,080 commercial orders in 2015, down 25.8% from 1,456 net orders in 2014, as it delivered 635 airframes during the year – a new record. The Toulouse-based OEM forecasts 650 deliveries in 2016.
As Airbus moves towards the transition from the A330ceo to the A330neo, set to enter service in late 2017/early 2018, it decided to boost production by one aircraft a month – from six to seven frames –starting in January 2017. Meanwhile, Toulouse conceded “some schedule setbacks” on the A320neo, deliveries of which it said “will be back-loaded this year”.
Over at U.S. competitor Boeing, the manufacturer achieved a milestone on Wednesday when it delivered its 400th B787, a -9 variant, to customer Norwegian. Also on Wednesday, Boeing officially launched its new B737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF) programme in Shanghai after securing 13 additional commitments from SF Airlines, Cargo Air (Sofia) and an undisclosed customer. Firm orders are at 30 for the aircraft, with options for another 25.
The B737BCF carries up to 52,800 pounds (23.9 metric tons) of cargo, flying routes of nearly 2,000nms (3,690kms). The first BCF is expected to be delivered to launch customer, GE Capital Aviation (GECAS), in the fourth quarter of 2017. Existing passenger airplanes will be modified at select facilities located near conversion demand, including Boeing Shanghai.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes senior vice president commercial aviation services, Stan Deal, said, “While the recovery of the global cargo market has been slow, we see demand for freighters, such as the 737-800BCF, that will carry express cargo on domestic routes. For the next 20 years, Boeing forecasts customers will need more than 1,000 converted freighters the size of the 737, with China’s domestic air freight carriers accounting for nearly one-third of the total market.”
In other good news for Boeing, the firm’s engineers’ union last week ratified new six-year labour contracts, a vote that ensures stability during a period of great significance as the OEM launches new B737 and B777 variants.
Separately, Boeing last Friday said the U.S. government gave it permission to enter talks with select Iranian carriers over their fleeting requirements. "We have applied for and received a license to assess the current commercial passenger airplane needs of U.S. government-approved Iranian airlines," it said in a statement. "The license permits us to engage approved airlines to determine their actual fleet requirements." A number of Iranian airlines, including Mahan Air, will continue to face sanctions as they are deemed supportive of Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps.
Airbus and ATR last month closed deals with Iran Air for 118 and 20+20 aircraft, respectively. Canada has indicated it would grant Bombardier access to Iran. Meanwhile, Reuters sources this week suggested Brazilian manufacturer Embraer was in talks to sell 50 jets to Iran. Experts have since questioned if the country really needs all the added short- and medium-term capacity.
