Aviation
Airbus wins order to renew Qantas fleet in blow to Boeing
- Airbus A320neo and Airbus A220 families selected as preferred aircraft types.
- In-principle agreement for up to 134 orders and purchase right options over 10 plus years with deliveries from FY24 onwards.
- Combines with existing Jetstar order to give the Qantas Group significant flexibility on timing and aircraft type/size.
- Order is expected to be finalised by the end of FY22.
Qantas has selected the Airbus A320neo and Airbus A220 families as the preferred aircraft for the long-term renewal of its domestic narrow-body fleet.
A firm commitment for 40 aircraft – 20 A321XLR (extra long-range) and 20 A220 aircraft – is expected to be placed with Airbus by the end of FY22, following discussions with employees about arrangements to operate the new aircraft types and a final decision by the Qantas Board.
Qantas will also have a further 94 purchase right options[1] on aircraft over a 10-plus year delivery window as its existing Boeing 737-800s and 717s are gradually phased out.
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The order is in addition to Jetstar’s existing agreement with Airbus for over 100 aircraft in the A320neo family. Part of this new deal includes combining these two orders so that the Group can draw down on a total of 299 deliveries across both the A320 and A220 families as needed over the next decade and beyond for Qantas, QantasLink and Jetstar.
Once finalised, this will represent the largest aircraft order in Australian aviation history.
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Financial details of the deal are commercial in confidence but represent a material discount from list prices.
Today’s announcement follows a detailed review by the airline’s engineering, flight operations, customer experience, network, fleet procurement and finance teams. The airline conducted detailed evaluation of the A320neo and B737 MAX families as well as the smaller A220 and Embraer E190/195-E2s.
Qantas has selects the Airbus A350-1000 for ‘Project Sunrise’
AIRCRAFT SPECIFICATIONS
Note: Aircraft information has been sourced from manufacturers’ websites. Specifications are indicative only and not reflective of the specifications of any potential aircraft order by Qantas.
Airbus A320 family
- Includes the Airbus A320neo and A321neo
- A320neo seats – from 150 to 180 for a two-class configuration. 6,300km range
- A321neo seats – from 180 to 220 for a two-class configuration. 7,400km range
- A321XLR seats – from 180 to 220 for a two-class configuration. 8,700km range
- The A320neo family offers fuel improvements of 14 per cent from A320ceos
- 50 per cent quieter than the A320ceos
- Pratt & Whitney GTF™ (PW1100G-JM) engines
Qantas’ Boeing 787 flight from Buenos Aires will be one of its longest.
Airbus A220
- Specifically designed for the 100-150 seat market
- More than 20 per cent lower fuel burn per seat than B717s, half the noise footprint, and decreased emissions
- Up to 6,390km range
- Pratt & Whitney GTF™ (PW1500G) engines
[1] Purchase right options provide the Qantas Group with a firm price and preferred access to delivery slots with
flexibility to match deliveries to demand.
Aviation
Boeing’s Commitment to Safety: Praising Employee Amidst Quality Assurance Challenges
In a notable move signaling Boeing’s commitment to transparency and safety, the executive overseeing the company’s 787 program praised an employee for their integrity in reporting an issue.
According to an internal memo obtained by Business insider, the commendation came after a worker observed an “irregularity” during a required test of the wing-to-body join and promptly notified management.
Scott Stocker, vice president and general manager of the Boeing 787 program and the South Carolina site leader, expressed gratitude to the employee for their vigilance. He emphasized the importance of every team member speaking up when they notice something amiss, highlighting the critical role of accountability within the organization.
Upon investigation, it was discovered that several employees had neglected to conduct required tests, despite falsely recording the work as completed. Boeing assured that its engineers determined the misconduct did not pose an immediate safety risk to flight operations. However, the company is taking swift and serious corrective action with the individuals involved.
While no planes have been grounded as a result of the lapse, performing tests out of order will inevitably affect the pace of deliveries. Despite this setback, Boeing assured that the issue wouldn’t compromise the safety of the in-service fleet.
Stocker’s commendation of the employee underscores Boeing’s acknowledgment of the importance of ethical conduct and adherence to protocols. At a time when the company is facing heightened scrutiny due to previous quality assurance lapses, this demonstration of accountability serves as a reminder of Boeing’s ongoing efforts to prioritize safety and integrity.
Aviation
Air India Express 300 crew go on ‘mass sick leave’, more than 80 flights cancelled
Air India Express, a prominent airline in both international and domestic routes, found itself in a whirlwind of disruptions as over 80 flights were abruptly cancelled due to an unexpected occurrence.
More than 300 crew members reported being ‘sick’. The airline’s senior crew member disclosed this puzzling situation, sparking concerns and investigations from Civil Aviation authorities.
The fallout from this mass sick leave has been profound, with scores of flights cancelled across various key airports like Kochi, Calicut, and Bangalore. Passengers were left stranded or facing significant delays, amounting to approximately 15,000 individuals grappling with the repercussions of these cancellations.
While the exact reasons behind this sudden wave of sick leave remain unclear, speculations point towards discontent among the Air India Express staff. Allegations of mismanagement within the Tata Group-owned airline have surfaced, hinting at possible reasons for the crew’s protest.
The Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU), claiming to represent a significant portion of the cabin crew, echoed sentiments of morale depletion among its members due to managerial issues. In response to the chaos, Air India Express issued a statement acknowledging the disruptions and expressing regret for the inconvenience caused to passengers.
They assured affected travelers of full refunds or rescheduling options, urging them to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport.
Social media platforms buzzed with complaints from passengers caught off guard by the sudden flight cancellations, highlighting the extent of the turmoil faced by those relying on Air India Express services.
Aviation
JetBlue & Etihad Airways Join Forces for Loyalty Partnership under Codeshare Agreement
A long-standing codeshare collaboration between JetBlue New York’s Hometown Airline® and Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has expanded to include loyalty benefits beginning on May 8, 2024.
Celebrated today at Dubai’s Arabian Travel Market was the agreement between the two airlines. As a result of the partnership, passengers travelling across the networks of both airlines will now be able to accrue and redeem points in their preferred programme while they are part of JetBlue’s TrueBlue and Etihad Airways’ Etihad Guest.
With Etihad Guest miles redeemable against a variety of experiences, including travel and lodging across the globe as well as the ability to convert miles into reward cards for retail purchases, this alliance enhances the redemption choices offered by the individual programmes.
In addition, JetBlue introduced its new TrueBlue loyalty programme last year, giving members more value than ever before with expanded Mosaic levels for the airline’s most devoted customers, Perks You Pick®, tiles to track status, and more opportunities than ever before to earn perks and status.
TrueBlue recognises that every traveller is unique, thus it allows users to select the benefits that are most important to them and accrue points for every flight, purchase, drive, or shop.
The customer reward programmes expand on the nearly ten-year cooperation between the two airlines, which provides connectivity between New York and Boston to over 70 locations worldwide on Etihad and over 40 destinations in the Americas on JetBlue.
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