Tag Archives: Airbus

Inflight review: Qatar Airways A380: Business Class: Doha to Paris

The lounge on Qatar's A380.

Earlier this year, I flew Qatar Airways from Bangalore to Paris which included one leg on the airline’s flagship aircraft, the Airbus A380. Transit at Doha Airport After leaving the lounge, I was running just a little late. I asked the lounge access agent at the bottom of the escalator where gate B3 was, which was luckily just a five …

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Turkey’s Pegasus receives first CFM LEAP powered Airbus A320neo

Turkey's Pegasus Airlines takes delivery of the first CFM LEAP 1-A powered A320neo. Airbus photo.

Earlier this week, Turkey’s leading low cost carrier, Pegasus Airlines, became the first airline to fly the Airbus A320neo powered by CFM International’s LEAP-1A engines, and the fourth airline globally, after launch customer Deutsche Lufthansa and India’s IndiGo and GoAir. This is the first of the up to 100 A320neo (new engine option) the airline had ordered back in 2012. …

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Photos: Spotting at Airbus’ Hamburg Finkenwerder plant

Today, I had the opportunity to go spotting at Hamburg’s Finkenwerder Airport. The airport houses Airbus’s second largest factory. The plant houses final assembly for the A320 family aircraft, cabin assembly and painting for the A380 and major component assembly for the A380. The plant has a small hill that allows visitors to view flight operations on the airport’s main …

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Virgin Atlantic orders 12 Airbus A350-1000 #FAS16

Airbus CGI of Virgin Atlantic A350-1000.

British carrier Virgin Atlantic has announced an order for 12 Airbus A350-1000s. The order is worth $4.4 billion at list prices, though airlines get a substantial discount. Eight of 12 ordered aircraft will be purchased and balance four will be leased. The Virgin A350’s will be powered by British made Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. The -1000 is the longest variant …

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American Airlines takes delivery of it’s first US produced Airbus

The first American Airlines A321 to be delivered from the Mobile, Alabama plant. Airbus Image.

American airlines has taken delivery of it’s first US built Airbus aircraft – an Airbus A321 ceo. Bob Lekites, Executive Vice President-Customers, Airbus Americas “The relationship between American Airlines and Airbus is a long and successful collaboration to provide the most modern, fuel-efficient aircraft for both of our customers. American Airlines already operates the world’s largest fleet of Airbus aircraft …

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Airbus delivers first US built aircraft

Airbus employees at the delivery of the first aircraft made at Mobile.

European airframer Airbus delivered the first aircraft to be produced at it’s US plant in Mobile, Alabama yesterday. The aircraft an A321 for JetBlue was delivered with the entire team of Airbus employees from the American assembly line gathered to present their very first completed product. Airbus announced it’s commitment to build a single-aisle assembly line in Mobile in 2012, …

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IndiGo becomes first Asian and second global operator of the A320neo

IndiGo's first A320neo. MSN6799. VT-ITC. Photo courtesy the airline.

India’s largest domestic airline Indigo, has taken delivery of the first of its ordered 430 Airbus A320neo (new engine option) at Toulouse, France, today. The airline accepted the airframe, MSN 6799 (manufacturer’s serial number) at 1212Z which is 17:42 Indian Standard Time. The aircraft will be registered VT-ITC. Its sisters VT-ITA and VT-ITB will join the fleet later. VT-ITC will …

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Singapore Airlines announces new IFE app as it takes first A350 delivery

First A350 XWB of Singapore Airlines receives the traditional water cannon salute at Singapore Changi airport.

As Singapore Airlines took delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 XWB, it announced it was the first airline to introduce an app which enables passenger to pre-select their choices on its KrisWorld In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) system ahead of boarding the aircraft. Receives first A350 XWB The airline’s first A350 arrived at Singapore’s Changi airport to the traditional water cannon salute …

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IndiGo to receive three A320neos in March. Will receive 24 by March 2017

IndiGo A320neo MSN6720

India’s largest domestic airline is set to become the second operator globally of the new Airbus A320neo (new engine option) aircraft, and the first in Asia. The carrier today released a statement confirming that it will take delivery of a total of 24 new aircraft, three till end March 2016 and 21 in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017. …

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Philippines Airlines orders six Airbus A350-900s. Options for six more

Computer generated image of the Philippines Airlines' A350-900

Jaime J. Bautista, President & COO of national carrier Philippine Airlines and Fabrice Brégier, President & CEO of European airframer Airbus announced that the two companies have signed an MOU (memorandum of understanding) for the order of six A350-900s, with options to purchase up to an additional six planes. The aircraft which will be used primarily on long distance North …

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Airbus begins A350-1000 final assembly

European airframer Airbus has begun final assembly of the first A350-1000 at the A350 XWB Final Assembly Line (FAL) at Toulouse, France. The A350-1000 is the largest variant in the current A350 XWB family, the A350-1000, measuring nearly 74 meters from nose to tail. It will seat 366 passengers in a typical 3-class configuration. The aircraft is intended to replace …

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Airbus delivers first A320neo to launch customer Lufthansa

Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO, Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG. Robert Leduc, Pratt & Whitney President

European airframer Airbus, has delivered the first A320neo (new engine option) to German flag carrier Lufthansa. The A320neo is the latest revision of the popular single aisle narrow-body A320 family. It features the new Pratt & Whitney PurePower® Geared Turbofan™ PW1100G-JM engines which have an improved efficiency and reduce fuel burn by 15% along with reduced emissions and noise, compared …

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Airbus delays A320neo delivery to 2016. IndiGo, GoAir fleet plans disrupted.

First Airbus A320neo with Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1127G-JM Geared Turbo-Fan (GTF) engine. Photo courtesy Airbus.

Airbus along with engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney and launch customer Deutsche Lufthansa has decided to delay the first delivery of the A320neo into 2016. While a date is not specified, sometime in January is the widely accepted time frame. The company said the delay was due to “some more documentation items that need to be address by Pratt& Whitney …

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France confirms Airbus A330 MRTT order

The French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) has confirmed an order for a further eight A330 MRTT Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft out of the original contract for 12 A330 MRTTs signed by the French Ministry of Defence in November 2014. This brings France’s total firm order of the MRTT to nine, including the initial aircraft. The remaining three are scheduled to …

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A320neo launch customer Lufthansa, not Qatar. IndiGo now third.

First Airbus A320neo with Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1127G-JM Geared Turbo-Fan (GTF) engine. Photo courtesy Airbus.

Air Transport World is reporting that Airbus will deliver the first A320neo (new engine option) to German flag carrier Lufthansa and not Qatar Airways as originally planned. India’s IndiGo which was expected to be the second operator to receive deliveries will now be moved to third slot. The last minute change has been necessitated due to the ongoing problems which …

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EASA and FAA certify Airbus A320neo. IndiGo will get its first soon.

Powered by Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1100G-JM Geared Turbo Fan

The Airbus A320neo (new engine option), the newest version of the popular single aisle narrow body jet has received joint Type Certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) powered by Pratt & Whitney Pure Power PW1100G-JM geared turbo-fan (GTF) engines. The EASA A320neo type Certificate was signed by EASA’s Certification Director …

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A330neo to use A350’s cockpit mask

Ahead of the Dubai airshow, Airbus has announced that it will use the A350’s distinctive cockpit windscreen design on the A330neo. Eric Zanin, Head of A330 programme, Airbus “The A330neo complement the A350 XWB in the new Airbus Long-Range family, so it was only natural that the A330neo should have the same cockpit shades design than its larger sibling” The …

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Etihad to begin A380 service to India

Middle eastern carrier, Etihad Airways will begin to operate it’s Airbus A380 to Mumbai from May 2016. The new route is designed to connect to the carrier’s A380 New York service and will allow connecting passengers a through journey on the super-jumbo. Mumbai is the fifth destination that Etihad has announced for their A380 service, but should be the fourth …

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Metrojet Airbus A321 crashes over the Sinai #7K9268

A Airbus A321 of Russian carrier MetroJet (Kogalymavia) crashed about 25 minutes after takeoff over the Sinai peninsula in Egypt. The aircraft was performing flight 7K 9268 from Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg. The aircraft was carrying 224 people including 17 children and seven crew. Egyptian officials have said that most onboard are believed to be dead. The aircraft was …

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Finnair eyes Asia expansion with A350 delivery

Finnair has taken delivery of it’s first A350 XWB. The carrier is first European operator and the third worldwide after Qatar Airways and Vietnam Airlines to operate the new aircraft. The aircraft is configured in a three-class layout with 297 seats, comprising 46 Business Class, 43 Economy Comfort and 208 Economy. This is the first A350 out of a 19 …

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