Aviation

Iberia takes delivery of its first A350-900

Iberia boosts its flight offer in Latin America and United states

Toulouse, 26th June 2018 – Iberia, Spain’s flag carrier and a founding member of the IAG’s group of airlines, has taken delivery of its first of 16 A350 XWB on order, becoming the 18th airline to operate the world’s newest and most efficient twin engine widebody.

The aircraft is the first A350-900 to feature the latest performance improvement package including a wing twist, extended winglets and increased maximum take-off weight capability, delivering unrivalled performance across Iberia’s network. The aircraft is configured in a Premium three-class layout, with 348 seats, including 31 full lie-flat bed business, 24 Premium economy and 293 economy seats.

The A350-900 will join Iberia’s all Airbus fleet comprising more than 100 aircraft (including Iberia Express), allowing them to leverage the full benefit of Airbus’ unique aircraft family commonality.

In order to reduce its carbon footprint, the A350 delivery flight from Toulouse to Madrid is fuelled with a blend of sustainable jet fuel.

The A350 XWB features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fibre fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 percent reduction in fuel burn and emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs. As the founding member of “Airspace by Airbus” cabin brand, the A350 XWB cabin provides passengers and crews the best in comfort, well-being and technology.

To date, Airbus has recorded 847 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 44 customers worldwide, already making it one of the most successful widebody aircraft ever.

Aviation

Boeing Resumes 737 MAX Manufacturing After Seven-Week Strike

In a crucial move for its recovery, Boeing has restarted production of its best-selling 737 MAX jetliner, about a month after a significant seven-week strike involving 33,000 factory workers came to an end.

This marks a key milestone for the planemaker, which has been facing considerable challenges in recent years, including heavy debt and a series of setbacks.

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According to the report from Reuters, Boeing resumed the production of the 737 MAX jetliner last week, a pivotal step as the company aims to meet the growing global demand for air travel. With over 4,200 orders from airlines, Boeing’s ability to get the 737 MAX production line back in motion is vital for its financial recovery.

Although Boeing had previously planned to restart production earlier, the company faced numerous obstacles that delayed this process. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) head Mike Whitaker told Reuters on Thursday that while Boeing had not yet resumed production, they had plans to restart by the end of the month.

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The road to this point has been rocky for Boeing. Setbacks such as the tragic fatal crashes of the 737 MAX, the COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing supply chain issues, production safety concerns, and increased regulatory scrutiny have all contributed to delays in the company’s efforts to ramp up production.

The seven-week strike, which involved thousands of Boeing’s factory workers, added yet another hurdle. Despite these challenges, production of the 737 MAX officially resumed on Friday, according to one of the anonymous sources.

Boeing, however, declined to comment on the matter. The planemaker is now focused on reaching its goal of producing 56 737 MAX airplanes per month, a target that has been delayed due to the many issues that have beset the company over the past few years.