Photos: Four new airlines take delivery of A320s with Sharklets

The fleet of Airbus A320s equipped with the new wingtips called "Sharklets" is growing by the day.

During the last fortnight, four new airlines have taken delivery of Sharklet fitted A320s.

Spain's largest low cost carrier Vueling, the largest low cost airline in Spain, took delivery of its first A320 Sharklet aircraft, becoming the first Spanish carrier to do so. Vueling’s in-service fleet rises to 61 A320 Family aircraft

Monarch Airlines, became the first UK carrier to take delivery of a Sharklet A320.

Germany's airberlin group took delivery of its first Sharklet Airbus A320. This aircraft will join the fleet of group member, the Austrian based airline NIKI. Till 2015 the airberlin group, will receive 13 more Sharklet fitted A320-family aircraft.

Wizz Air Ukraine, took delivery of a Sharklet A320, becoming the first Ukrainian carrier to do so.

Photos courtesy Airbus S.A.S.

Read more »

First new ATR 72-600 delivered to InterSky

by Devesh Agarwal

Austrian carrier InterSky has taken delivery of their first ATR 72-600 aircraft ordered in 2012. This is also the first ATR aircraft that will fly in the livery of an Austrian airline. The second ATR 72-600 ordered by InterSky is scheduled for delivery in March this year.

The new aircraft was welcomed this morning at Friedrichshafen Airport, the company's main operating base, strategically situated in the southernmost part of Germany. Although head-quartered in Bregenz, Austria, InterSky benefits from the proximity of the Friedrichshafen Airport to both Swiss and Austrian borders allowing the airline to conveniently serve many commuters and business travellers from the Alpine regions.
with the aircraft entering service on routes to key regional destinations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

The ATR72-600 are equipped with a new full-glass cockpit and feature a high comfort layout seating 70 passengers with larger overhead bins.

With the introduction of these two new ATR 72-600s, InterSky should almost double the seat capacity of its fleet, which currently consists of three 50-seat turboprop aircraft.

About the ATR 72-600:

• Passenger capacity: 68-74 seats
• Engines: Pratt & Whitney 127M
• Maximum power at take-off: 2,750 horse power per engine
• Maximum weight at take-off: 23,000 Kg
• Maximum load: 7,500 Kg
• Maximum range with full passenger load: 900 nautical miles (1,665 Km)

Founded in 1981, ATR is an equal partnership between two major European aeronautics players, Alenia Aermacchi (a Finmeccanica Group company) and EADS.

Visit the Flying Engineer for a great technical comparison between the Q400 and the ATR72.

Read more »

airberlin and NIKI to join oneworld alliance from 20 March

German carrier, airberlin will become a full member of the oneworld® alliance with effect from Tuesday 20 March 2012. Austrian airline NIKI, also a member of the airberlin group, will join oneworld at the same time as an affiliate member.

airberlin received its green light to board oneworld after successfully completing a thorough review of its readiness conducted by British Airways, which is sponsoring its entry into the alliance, with the oneworld central team.

airberlin and NIKI will follow India's Kingfisher Airlines, who will join the alliance eight days from now on February 10th.

airberlin is expected expand the alliance’s network in Germany, South and Central Europe, adding almost 70 destinations and extending oneworld’s global coverage to some 840 destinations in 150 countries, served by more than 9,000 departures a day operated by a combined fleet of some 2,500 aircraft, carrying nearly 300 million passengers a year, with annual revenues of almost US$ 100 billion.

airberlin will move into the new Brandenburg airport at Berlin, when the airport opens on 3 June with an eventual capacity for 27 million passengers a year.

Upon joining the alliance, members of airberlin's topbonus frequent flyer programme will be able to earn and redeem mileage awards on all oneworld partners – American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN Airlines, Malév Hungarian Airlines, Qantas, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines and almost 20 affiliated airlines. Likewise 120 million members of the established oneworld airlines’ frequent flyer programmes will be able to earn and redeem awards and tier status points and receive all other oneworld benefits on airberlin and NIKI.

airberlin already has code-sharing agreements with seven oneworld airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Malév Hungarian Airlines, S7 and Royal Jordanian.

Read more »