Boeing launches 777X program - images and video

by Devesh Agarwal

Boeing 777-9X. Boeing image.

The Dubai Airshow is known for releasing multi-billion dollar orders from the major Gulf carriers, and yesterday was no exception.

Boeing was the clear winner on day one of the show, and the star was the yet to be commenced Boeing 777X program which is an upgrade of the already ultra-popular Boeing 777 twin engine wide body jetliner which today commands 71% of the in-service fleet worldwide.

Video at the end of the story

Despite receiving a order for 34 777-9X from German carrier Lufthansa two months ago, Boeing formally launched the 777X program at the 2013 Dubai Airshow, in deference to its largest 777 customer, Dubai-based Emirates airline, whose CEO, Tim Clark, has been the biggest demander of the new aircraft. (Watch a video of Tim Clark talking about wide body aircraft including the 777X).

Reflecting customer faith in the yet to be developed aircraft, Boeing took in orders and commitments for a whopping 225 aircraft, racking up its tally to 259, making the 777X, the largest product launch in commercial jetliner history by value.

Boeing image

Boeing received orders and commitments from Etihad Airways with 25 77X aircraft (17 777-9X and 8 777-8X), Qatar Airways with 50 777-9X; and Emirates with 150 777X (115 777-9X and 35 777-8X), with an option for 50 more. The combined value of the agreements is more than $95 billion at list prices.

The consistent large orders from the Gulf majors is not unexpected. As Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman of Emirates, explained

"In recent years, much of the action in global aviation has shifted to the Middle East because countries like the U.A.E. and Qatar have tapped into our geographical advantage to build new air transport connections for the world,"

The 777X will build on the market leading 777 and will introduce new technologies in multiple places. A new composite wing similar to the 787 Dreamliner and 747-8 Jumbo will feature folding raked wingtips, allowing the new plane to fit into existing gates at airports. The new GE9X is touted as the most advanced commercial engine ever. Giving airlines what they desire most, lower seat-mile costs.

Mini-jumbo battle

Boeing 777-9X and 777-8X CGI. Boeing image.

The existing 777-300ER (77W) will be upgraded to the 777-9X with a list price of $377.2 million, an expected entry in to service (EIS) date of 2020, range of 8,200 nm (15,185 km), and passenger capacity of 406. The 777-200LR will be upgraded to the ultra-long-haul (ULH) 777-8X with a list price of $349.8 million, an EIS about 18 months after the -9X, range of 9,300 nm (17,220 km), and passenger capacity of 350 which is close to that of the existing 777-300ER.

The "mini-jumbo" segment is hotly contested, pitting the 777X against the A350 XWB from European major, Airbus.

While Boeing claims "the 777-8X competes directly with the A350-1000, while the 777-9X is in a class by itself", Airbus counters saying Boeing has driven up passenger numbers to justify operating economics using the ultra-dense 17 inch width seating, as practised by Emirates and Etihad, when compared to the wider 18 inch seat width used by Airbus to arrive at its 350 seat A350-1000, which is due to enter service in 2017.

Video of 777X

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Etihad kicks off Dubai airshow with mamomth Boeing 777-9X, 777-8X and 787-10 order

by Devesh Agarwal

From top, clockwise, Boeing CGI of Etihad 787-10, 777-8X, 777-9X

United Arab Emirates' (UAE) national carrier, Etihad Airways PJSC, kicked off the Dubai Air Show with a massive order for 56 wide-body Boeing aircraft with options to purchase for an additional 26 aircraft taking the quantity up to 82 at a list price valuation of $25.2 billion.

The Abu Dhabi-based carrier's order includes 25 777X airplanes, comprising 17 777-9Xs and eight 777-8Xs, subject to program launch. Etihad Airways is the first airline to order the 777-8X and will be a launch customer of the airplane, which is expected to enter service around the end of the decade. The order includes options and purchase rights for 12 additional 777X airplanes.

The airline also ordered 30 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners, the high-capacity, medium-haul, and longest member of the Dreamliner family. Combined with the carrier's previous orders for 41 787-9s, today's order makes Etihad the world's largest airline customer for the Dreamliner family with a total of 71 787s on order. The order includes options and purchase rights for an additional 12 787-10s.

Today’s announcement also includes the milestone 1,000th Boeing 787 Dreamliner to be ordered.

Etihad also ordered one Boeing 777F freighter which is based on the 777-200LR.

The 777X is the upgrade of the venerable Boeing 777 family featuring new composite wings as seen on the 747-8 and 787 family aircraft, along with new GEnx engines which GE promises will be about 10% more fuel efficient. The 777X

The Boeing 777-9X is a stretched, more fuel-efficient version of Boeing ultra-popular 777-300ER. Typically seating 400 passengers, the 777-9X will be capable of flying the same distances as its predecessor, but with up to 40 more passengers, with lower operating costs and reduced fuel consumption per seat. The 777-9X was launched less than two months ago with an order from German flag carrier Lufthansa. Eithad is expected to start receiving its 777-9X from 2020.

The Boeing 777-8X is an upgraded version of the ultra long-haul Boeing 777-200LR, which Etihad recently purchased from Indian flag carrier Air India, to serve the Abu Dhabi – Los Angeles route. The -8X will replace the LRs when the start arriving in 2022. [Read our analysis on why the 777-200LR is ill-suited to Air India's operations]

The Boeing 787-10 is the largest and latest version of the Dreamliner family, typically carrying more than 320 passengers, up to 50 more than the 787-9 which Etihad Airways will introduce late in 2014. The aircraft will be capable of flying between Abu Dhabi and medium-haul destinations such as Dublin or Johannesburg, and it is expected to be deployed on high capacity medium haul routes by the airline. Final assembly and flight test of the 787-10 are set to begin in 2017, with first delivery targeted for 2018. Boeing launched the 787-10 earlier this year, at the Paris Air Show.

All the aircraft in this order will be powered by General Electric GE9X, GEnx and GE90 engines. Etihad ordered 57 GE9X engines which will power Etihad Airways’ 25 new Boeing 777X aircraft, 68 GEnx-1B engines for the airline’s 30 new Boeing 787-10 aircraft, and two GE90-115B engines which will be used on its new Boeing 777-200F freighter.

Etihad Airways currently has 86 aircraft in operation, with more than 80 aircraft on firm order. Its last major aircraft deal was made at the Farnborough Air Show in 2008, where Etihad Airways announced firm orders for 100 aircraft, including 45 Boeing aircraft, in a long-term order which was at the time one of the largest in aviation history.

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SpiceJet to launch Bangalore - Bangkok flights

by Devesh Agarwal

Delhi based low fare carrier SpiceJet will commence international flights from Bangalore on October 28. The first destination is Bangkok with four flights per week.

The carrier will be the only Indian carrier to service this route.

As per the SpiceJet website on which tickets which are available for purchase, the schedule is on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays,

SG091 departs Bangalore 03:35 arrives Bangkok Suvarnabhumi 09:05
SG092 departs Bangkok Suvarnabhumi 20:10 arrives Bangalore 22:35

The airline will use a Boeing 737-800 to service the flights.

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Lufthansa $19 billion order launches Boeing 777-9X. Carrier also orders 25 Airbus A350-900

German carrier also orders 25 Airbus A350-900 XWBs

by Devesh Agarwal

The Supervisory Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, at its meeting yesterday, has approved the purchase of 59 ultra-modern aircraft for the Group, comprising of 34 Boeing 777-9Xs and 25 Airbus A350-900s worth EUR 14 billion (approx $19 billion) at list prices, the largest ever jet order.

Computer generated image of Boeing 777-9X in Lufthansa livery

This order confirms indications made by the airline in March, it would finalise an order for its wide-body long range aircraft below the VLA (Very Large Aircraft) size, by the fourth quarter of this year. Lufthansa is currently the only airline to operate the passenger VLAs from both airframers, i.e. Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8i.

Computer generated image of Airbus A350-900 XWB in Lufthansa livery

The incoming aircraft from this order, which will commence delivery in 2016 with the A350, will replace the older 22 Boeing 747-400s and approximately 24 Airbus A340-300s which will be phased out by 2025. The Boeing 777-9X is expected to enter service by the end of the decade.

The 59 new aircraft will consume an average of just 2.9 litres of fuel per passenger and 100 kilometres flown. That is around 25 per cent less than aircraft available today and it will have a positive impact on the Group’s carbon footprint. Unit costs will sink by approximately 20 per cent compared with predecessor models.

The new aircraft will be operated by ultra-modern, powerful, low-noise engines – the Airbus A350 by the Rolls-Royce 'Trent XWB 84' engine and the Boeing 777-9X by General Electric's 'GE-9X' model. The noise footprint of the new models will be at least 30 per cent lower than today's aircraft.

Lufthansa's launch commitment to the 777-9X is not unexpected. As Nico Buchholz, Executive Vice President and Head of Fleet, Lufthansa says

"Boeing and Lufthansa share more than 50 years of partnership and innovation and a tradition of launching new airplane models – starting with the original 737s and most recently, the efficient 747-8 Intercontinental," "Lufthansa is demonstrating its legacy of innovation and market leadership again with its selection of the 777X. We look forward to many years of partnership with Boeing, as we make air travel more efficient, comfortable and environmentally sustainable with airplanes such as the 777X."

In a release Airbus S.A.S. said

The Supervisory board of Lufthansa, Airbus’ biggest airline customer and operator, has decided to expand and modernise its long-haul fleet with a commitment for up to 55 A350-900 aircraft (25 firm and 30 options). Lufthansa also has the flexibility to convert some of the order to the larger A350-1000.

This landmark A350 order comes just six months after Lufthansa made the strategic decision to become an all-Airbus operator for its single-aisle fleet. So far in 2013, Airbus has won more firm orders from Lufthansa (125) in a single year than ever before. Taking all commitments (firm and options) into account the figure rises to 232 aircraft – one more than the 231 Airbus aircraft currently in operation with the Lufthansa Airline.

Lufthansa’s decision today underpins the Group’s status as Airbus’ largest airline customer and operator, with to date 535 aircraft ordered and 397 currently in operation within the Group. The latter include: 282 A320 Family, 42 A330s, 63 A340s, and 10 A380s. Lufthansa has recently announced an order for 100 A320 Family aircraft to switch its Single-Aisle Fleet in the 150-230 size category entirely to Airbus.

Boeing in its release said

Boeing [NYSE:BA] welcomes Lufthansa's selection of the 777-9X for its future long-haul fleet.

The launch of the 777X family is targeted for later this year and entry into service around the end of the decade.

Earlier this year, the Lufthansa Group ordered six 777-300ERs for the fleet of Swiss International Airlines. Boeing will deliver the first of Lufthansa Cargo's five new 777 Freighters later this year.

Lufthansa today operates 93 Boeing airplanes within its group fleets.

In its release GE Aviation said

GE Aviation is excited with Lufthansa’s decision today to select GE9X-powered Boeing 777-9X aircraft. The engines for the 34 aircraft announced by Lufthansa are valued at more than $2.5 billion USD list price. This is the first selection for the new GE9X, which is part of the highly successful GE90 engine family.

The GE9X engine for Boeing's 777X aircraft will be in the 100,000 pounds thrust class with a 10 percent improvement in fuel burn over today's GE90-115B. Key features include: a 132" fan diameter; composite fan case and fourth-generation composite fan blades; next-generation 27:1 pressure ratio high-pressure compressor; a third-generation TAPS (twin annular pre-swirl) combustor for greater efficiency and low emissions; and ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material in the combustor and turbine.

Images courtesy Deutsche Lufthansa AG

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Hainan Airlines commences Beijing Chicago non-stop flights

by BA Staff

China's Hainan Airlines commenced non-stop service from Chicago to Beijing, opening the airline's newest American gateway. Currently the flight operates twice a week using an Airbus A340-600 seating 288 passengers in a three class configuration. The airline is hoping to obtain government approval to change equipment to a two class Boeing 787 Dreamliner in November, and to increase frequency to four times a week in December, and to a daily by June 2014.

Hainan's Dreamliner will feature 36 fully flat-bed business seats configured 2-2-2, as well as 177 economy seats configured in the bone crunching 3-3-3 nine abreast configuration. Each seat has a 15-inch touch screen panel and a power outlet. Each business seat also has a USB port.

The current schedule is:
HU498 departs Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) at 3:25 pm and arrives in Beijing Capital International Airport at 7:05 pm the following day.
HU497 departs Beijing at 12:35 pm and arrive in Chicago at 1:25 pm the same day.

On the A340-600, Business class passengers are pampered with priority check-in and access to the lounge. On board, they can relax in luxurious seats that convert into comfortable (160 degree reclining) seats and feature turn-down service complete with fluffy pillows, fine cotton sheets and a duvet, pajamas and slippers. First class passengers enjoy a fully flat bed with the same amenities, gourmet Chinese or western cuisine and wines are served on fine china, glassware and linens; customers may choose when they wish to dine. Freshly brewed coffee and a selection of teas are available. Amenity kits feature famous Bulgari® cosmetics. Individually controlled entertainment system offers over 100 movies, audio selections and games on demand.

In Beijing, with advance reservations, premium passengers are treated to complimentary private Mercedes-Benz® limousine service both on arrival and departure. Those making connections to other Chinese destinations may take advantage of the new business class lounge in Terminal 1 offering a wide range of luxurious amenities.

Economy class passengers can also enjoy complimentary beverages, meals, snacks as well as the same on-demand entertainment system on individual seat-back screens. If connecting in Beijing, an exclusive transit lounge is open to economy class passengers as well.

Visit Hainan Airlines.

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Boeing launches 787-10 Dreamliner. An Airbus A330-300 replacement?

by Devesh Agarwal and Vinay Bhaskara

At the Paris Air Show, as expected, US airframer Boeing has launched the 787-10 Dreamliner, the third member of the 787 family. The second member of the family, the 787-9, is in final assembly in Everett, Washington, USA, and is set to make its first flight later this year.

Video and analysis at the end of the article.

Final assembly and flight testing of the 787-10 are expected to begin in 2017 with the first delivery targeted for 2018.

The 787-9 will seat between 250~290 passengers depending on the airline's configuration choices, with a range of 8,500 nautical miles (15,750 km), and a MTOW (Maximum Take Off Weight) of 250,830 kgs (553,000 lbs). The 787-10 has the same MTOW as its shorter variant the 787-9, and will trade range for increased passenger capacity. The 787-10 has a range up to 7,000 nm (12,964 km), with seating for 300~330 which puts it head-on against the Airbus A350-900 XWB which underwent its first flight just last week.

Boeing is banking on the lighter weight of the 787-10 off-setting the range limitations in winning orders. The 787-10 would be used on high demand routes of up to 10 hours making it ideal for trans-Atlantic flights and long regional flights. India to Europe, Middle-East to Europe, Far East, and South-East Asia to Australasia, Northern Asia, etc.

This performance envelope gives good insight to the launch customers for the aircraft and the 102 airplane commitments received by Boeing. Air Lease Corporation (ALC), with 30 airplanes; GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), with 10; International Airlines Group / British Airways, with 12 subject to shareholder approval; Singapore Airlines, with 30 and United Airlines, with 20 airplanes.

Boeing 787-10 launch video

Boeing 787-10 will compete with the Airbus A330-300

We expect the Boeing 787-10 to serve as Boeing's answer to the wildly successful Airbus A330-300.

The A330-300 initially competed with the Boeing 777-200A (the non-ER variant), but over the past decade, beat the first 777 variant outright.

Cathay Pacific group is the largest operator of the A330-300

For almost every mission under 5,000 nautical miles, the A330-300 carries more payload at a lower seat-mile cost than any other airframe of its size on the market. Thus, for any airline who didn't need the range of the 777-200ER, the A330-300 became the aircraft of choice, and at 613 orders and 424 deliveries for this variant alone, one can see it is a huge market. The delays with the 787 program only benefitted the A333 program more, and Airbus won hundreds of orders in the last three years and still possesses a backlog of 187 frames.

The A333 has been especially popular with Asian carriers looking to use it for regional routes within Asia, like Singapore Airlines retiring its fleet of 777-200s in favour of A330-300s, and for carriers with large trans-Atlantic operations. The world's largest A333 operator is the Cathay Pacific / DragonAir group, which also uses the large belly space of the aircraft for cargo.

The 787-10 will give Boeing the upper hand in this market segment, and we estimate with potential sales of 700 aircraft long term.

The 787-10 can lift a higher payload than the Airbus A330-300, and has a maximum take-off weight of 250,830 kg versus 240,000 for the A330-300. The 787-10 will also have 600 more nautical miles of range than the A330-300, and 1,047 cubic feet of additional cargo space (18.9%), making it especially attractive to Asian carriers for whom strong cargo demand on regional routes is a big driver behind using wide-body aircraft for such flights.

From an operating cost perspective, the 787-10 is a new generation aircraft with updated technology. High composite light weight body, new wing shape, and bleedless and high bypass enginers. It could offer up to 20% savings on operating costs compared to the A330-300, and for an industry that loves even a 2% reduction, this would be huge.

We can also expect most operators to further reduce seat-mile costs by opting for the bone crunching nine-abreast narrow (17.2") seating, which can be justified on the shorter flights that will be operated by the 78J (time-table designation for the 787-10), in comparison, the eight abreast seating on the A330-300 offers 18" seat widths. (AirAsia X uses a nine abreast 16.5" seating on its Airbus A330s and A340s).

Airbus will naturally try to narrow this gap by offering better discounts on the A330, but the largest A330-300 operators like Cathay Pacific/DragonAir, China Airlines, Thai Airways, Delta, and Lufthansa can expect strong sales pitches from Boeing very soon.

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Lufthansa to re-launch new Germanwings budget airline with a la carte service-fare concept

German major, Lufthansa will re-launch its budget airline Germanwings on July 1, 2013, with a new brand and product concept allowing all passengers to enjoy “à la carte flying”.

Passengers will then be able to create their own package and adapt it in detail to their individual needs, from low-cost flying without add-ons to a high-quality passenger experience with lots of amenities and extras.

Keeping to its motto “Reasonably priced but not cheap”, passengers will be able to choose from three basic Economy Class fare-service offerings – Best, Smart and Basic.

The Best fare, similar to GoBusiness offered by Indian low fare carrier GoAir, offers the highest product currently available on inter-European low-cost routes. Passengers will be seated in the first three rows of the cabin with a seat pitch of 32 inches (36 inches in GoAir), and with the middle seat empty. The fare includes access to Lufthansa lounges, priority check-in and the use of the fast lane at security checks, more miles in the Miles & More programme, HON Circle miles, double the baggage allowance (two items weighing 23 kilograms each), à la carte catering on board, flexible rebooking and ticket cancellation.

The Smart fare will correspond to a conventional Economy product, seating towards the front of the aircraft with the same 32-inch seat pitch as those on the Best fare. Smart includes catering in the form of a snack and non-alcoholic drinks as well as a 23-kilogram baggage allowance. Ticket changes will be allowed for a fee.

The Basic fare, is the lowest and will compete with conventional low-cost products. No food or drink, and no baggage allowance. Seating with 29 inch seat pitch, will be from row eleven back.

Basic fares start at €33 one-way, Smart fares from €53, and Best will be in the €199-€399 range.

Germanwings will also offer passengers the ability to add extras to the Smart and Basic fares to simply and flexibly build a product they desire. For example Smart fare passengers can add on lounge access for €25.

Along with the new product concept, the Germanwings logo will also change. The core element will be a stylised “W” in blackberry and yellow colours, a succinct symbol chosen to convey the wings from the Germanwings brand. All of the airline’s aircraft will gradually be painted in the new livery following the launch of the new brand concept on 1 July 2013.

The airline will increase direct interaction with customers by further developing mobile booking and information systems. All prices will be communicated fairly and without hidden costs, while a cheaper 0180 telephone number will replace the previous 0900 number.

AviationWeek reports Germanwings will operate 32 Airbus A319s and A320s that have formed the fleet of the current low-fare airline. Lufthansa is shifting over 29 A319/320s for a fleet of 61 narrowbodies. The unit also is wet-leasing 23 Bombardier CRJ-900s from Eurowings, one of the group’s regional subsidiaries. The new Germanwings is to reach €1.8 billion in annual sales and 16 million passengers with a combined fleet of 84 aircraft, slightly fewer than the 90 originally envisaged. Lufthansa has decided not to transfer all of the existing non-hub fleet to the new unit. Some aircraft are shifted to hub flying, and the company has decided to accelerate the retirement of its Boeing 737-300 and -500 fleet.

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SpiceJet to launch Udaipur

Photo copyright Vedant Agarwal. Used with permission.

Low cost carrier (LCC) SpiceJet will be launching service to Udaipur from December 15th, utilizing its fleet of 78 seat Bombardier Q400 turboprops. SpiceJet continues to pursue a strategy of serving Tier II and Tier III cities with the Q400s.

SG 2435 DEL 1610 - 1730 UDR DH8 D
SG 2436 UDR 1750 - 1910 DEL DH8 D

Stay tuned for our analysis of the Q400 operation at SpiceJet coming soon. 

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