A trusted source of Asia-Pacific commercial aviation news and analysis


MARCH 2018

Week 10

Orient Aviation’s Week in the Asia-Pacific

By Dominic Lalk

The week has created some headaches for Airbus. On Wednesday, the European OEM announced that up to 3,700 jobs could go at the group as it reduces production of the A380 and the A400M. The following day, Airbus revealed Hawaiian Airlines, the sole customer for the A330-800, had cancelled its order for six of the smallest A330neo variant, which leaves the -800 program in limbo.

But there was good news too for the Toulouse OEM. Start-up carrier, Bamboo Airways, signed an agreement for 24 A321neo from 2022 in Hanoi.  The planned airline said it would sign for another 24 of the long-and-thin A321LRs once its business licence had been approved. Similarly, Taiwan’s StarLux Airlines said it planned to launch operations with 14 A320neo aircraft.

Mainland flag carrier, Air China, will commence a Chengdu-London service, Shanghai Airlines will take delivery of its maiden B787-9 in coming weeks and Sichuan Airlines is considering an A350 route to Panama City.

Airbus to cut 3,700 jobs amid A380 and A400M production cuts Read More »

 

News

Bamboo Airways signs MoU for 24 A321neo; interested in A321LR

New Vietnamese carrier, Bamboo Airways, has signed a preliminary agreement with Airbus for the proposed purchase of 24 A321neo. Read More »


 

News

StarLux to lease 10 wide bodies and 14 A320neo

Evergreen Group heir and former EVA Airways chairman, Chang Kuo-wei, will apply for a business licence in Taiwan, followed by an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) application, for StarLux Airlines later this month, an airline spokesman has announced. Read More »


 

News

Hawaiian decides in favour of B787-9 and cancels A330-800 order

Airbus this week lost Hawaiian Airlines as the sole customer for the A330-800neo after the Honolulu-based carrier cancelled its contract with Airbus for six of the type and instead ordered 10 B787-9s with purchase rights for another ten of the type. Read More »


 

News

Air China to launch Chengdu-London

Mainland flag carrier, Air China, will launch Chengdu-London in May. Read More »


 

News

HNA Group announces Gategroup IPO

HNA Group needs money fast to appease creditors and service its burgeoning debt. Read More »


 

News

Sichuan Airlines to launch five A350 long-haul routes

Chengdu-based full service carrier, Sichuan Airlines is rapidly growing its long-haul network. Read More »


 

News

Shanghai Airlines to receive four-class B787-9s

Shanghai Airlines, a China Eastern Airlines subsidiary, will take delivery of its first B787-9 in June, the carrier announced on Weibo. Read More »


 

News

Air Astana and Cathay Pacific sign extensive codeshare deal

Kazakh flag carrier, Air Astana, and Cathay Pacific Airways this week signed an extensive codeshare agreement. Read More »


 

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News

HNA’s Air Guilin sources two A320s from DAE

Air Guilin, an HNA Group carrier, has signed a contract with DAE to lease two A320 jets. Read More »


 

News

IndiGo leases more A320ceo amid GTF delays

India’s largest airline, low-cost carrier IndiGo Airlines, has signed a lease agreement with Air Lease Corp. (ALC) for two additional A320ceo to join its fleet in the third quarter of the year. Read More »


 

News

AirAsia: “We have no plan to buy from Boeing.”

AirAsia Group CEO and co-founder, Tony Fernandes, this week said the low-cost conglomerate was not interested in acquiring aircraft from U.S. manufacturer Boeing. Read More »


 

News

Qatar Airways announces 14 new destinations for 2018-19

At this week’s ITB trade show in Berlin, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, announced the airline would launch 16 destinations in 2018-2019. Read More »


 

People

CALC appoints CRO

China Aircraft Leasing Group (CALC) has appointed Hatty Cheung as the group’s chief risk officer (CRO), effective immediately. Read More »


 

Short Takes

Airlines: AirAsia Group has selected Salesforce Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud and Community Cloud to create faster and more personalised service for passengers. Read More »