News
Paris Air Show – Asia-Pacific highlights
June 21st 2019
AIRCRAFT ORDERS
AirAsia will convert 253 A320neo to the larger A321neo in an expected up-gauge decision. Read More » The Malaysia-headquartered LCC group has a backlog of 353 A321neo.
Air Tahiti has chosen to buy two new version ATR 42-600s that have the capacity to take off on runways as short as 800 metres, and down from 1,050 metres. The Short Take-Off and landing (STOL) airplane, with 50 seats, is expected to be confirmed for launch by year-end.
Cebu Pacific signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus for 16 A330neo, 10 A321XLR and five A32neo. The Philippines LCC will be a higher capacity version of the A330-900 with 460 seats in a one class configuration.
China Airlines signed a Memorandum of Agreement for 11 A321neo and will lease another 11 of the type to renew its single aisle fleet. China Airlines intends to order up to six 777 freighters.
Korean Air has committed to 10 more 787-9s and 10 787-10s from Boeing and another 10 -10s from U.S. lessor, Air Lease Corporation.
Qantas Airways converted an order for 26 A320neo to the Airbus type, the A321XLR, and also committed to 10 more of the type which will allow Qantas group carriers to fly up 4,700 nm which is 15% further and 30% more fuel efficient than the A321LR.
Sichuan Airlines will lease 10 A321-200neo from Air Lease Corporation (ALC), with deliveries from 2021-2022. ALC already has placed an A350-900, an A321-200neo, an A320-200neo, a A330-200 and one -300 with the Chengdu-based carrier.
ENGINE ORDERS
AirAsia ordered 200 LEAP-1A engines and expanded its Rate Per Flight Hour service agreement.
ANA HOLDINGS INC. controlled LCC, Peach Aviation, committed to 20 CFM LEAP-1A engines to power its new A320neo aircraft, for a reported US$294 million. Established in 2012, Peach Aviation has 26 CFM-powered A320 family aircraft in its fleet.
Avolon, 70% owned by an indirect subsidy of Shenzhen listed Bohai Leasing Co. Ltd and 30% owned by ORIX Aviation Systems, will purchase 140 CFM LEAP-1A engines for an additional 70 A320neo airplanes, at list prices of US$2.06 billion.
Lessor CDB Leasing, which is wholly-owned by China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co., ordered 90 CFM LEAP -1A engines for its portfolio of 45 A320neo.
Macquarie Finance finalized an agreement for 40 CFM LEAP-1A engines to power its 2018 order for 20 new A320neo.
Hangzhou-headquartered Zhejiang Loong Air, launched in 2013, has committed to a US$800 million 12-year rate per flight hour agreement with CFM for 40 LEAP-1A engines on its leased A320neo/A321neo fleet.
MRO
AFI-KLM E&M confirmed agreements with AirAsiaX, Indonesia’s GMF and new customer, Cambodian start-up, Lanmei Airlines in Paris this week. The Franco-Dutch MRO will provide support services for Lanmei’s 10 A320s including aerostructures and line replacement units for the V2500 and CFM engines that power the carrier’s fleet. Components will be available at Lanmei’s home hub in Phnom Penh and from Singapore. Established in 2016, the LCC flies to China, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand and Vietnam.
In Paris, AirAsiaX announced an expansion of its contract with the European MRO to include the A330neo that will soon join the long-haul LCC carrier. In 2016, AirAsiaX contracted AFI-KLM E&M to deliver support services for the AirAsia group’s 304 A320neo and renewed is contract with the MRO for the same services for its A330s.
