Air Caraïbes places order for three A350-1000s and will lease a further three A350-900s from ILFC.

By BA Staff

Air Caraibes has signed a firm contract with Airbus S.A.S. for three A350-1000s, the largest member of Airbus’ new generation A350XWB Family.

The airline will also lease three new A350-900s from ILFC. The aircraft will enter into service between 2016 and 2022.

The Air Caraïbes’ A350-1000s will seat 439 passengers in three classes, and the -900 will seat 387 passengers. 

The aircraft will be operated on the airline’s routes from Paris to Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint-Marteen, Haïti, Saint-Domingue and French Guyana which are currently flown by five A330s.

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Photos: First flight of Asiana Airlines' first A380

by Devesh Agarwal

Korea's Asiana Airlines’ first A380 has successfully completed its maiden flight. The A380 flew from Airbus’ facilities in Toulouse, France to the aircraft manufacturer’s site in Hamburg, Germany, where it will undergo painting and cabin furnishing.

Asiana Airlines will become the twelfth operator of the A380 when it takes delivery of its first aircraft in the second quarter of 2014. The airline has firm orders for six A380s and will operate the aircraft on its primary routes from Seoul to the United States.

Below are two high resolution photos from Airbus which you can right click and download.

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AirAsia X orders 25 additional A330-300

by Devesh Agarwal

AirAsia X, the long haul, low fare airline affiliate of the AirAsia Group has placed an order for 25 more A330-300s with European airframer Airbus.

The order is valued at US$ 6 billion at list prices. This order increases AirAsia X’s total orders to 57 A330-300s, which are scheduled to be completed by 2019. Fifty-one direct on Airbus and six to be leased from the International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC).

(L-R) John Leahy, Chief Operating  Officer, Customers, Airbus, Fabrice Brégier, Chief Executive Officer, Airbus, Kiran Rao, EVP Sales, Strategy and Marketing, Airbus, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Co-Founder and Director of AirAsia X, Jerome Causse, Sales Manager, Airbus and Azran Osman- Rani, Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia X. AirAsia X image.

AirAsia X will start taking delivery of its newly-ordered A330-300s in 2015. It is expected to be deployed on the carrier's Asia-Pacific network. However, the new order includes the latest extended range versions of the A330-300, providing the carrier with the ability to offer non-stop service to destinations in Europe or one-stop service to the US.

AirAsia X currently operates 15 A330-300s on services linking its Kuala Lumpur base to 18 destinations in Asia, Australia and Saudi Arabia. In addition to A330s, the carrier also has 10 A350-XWB aircraft on order for future delivery. The AirAsia Group is one of Airbus’s largest airline customers in the world. In total, it has ordered 536 Airbus aircraft including 475 A320 Family single aisle aircraft for AirAsia’s short haul operations based out of Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta and Manila, plus the 51 A330s and 10 A350 XWBs for AirAsia X.

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Philippine Airlines and Airbus coordinate fourth humanitarian flight for typhoon Haiyan victims

By BA Staff

One month after Haiyan, one of the strongest typhoons ever recorded, struck the Philippines, thousands of people are still left homeless and without food or water.

Since the disaster happened in early November this year, Airbus’ Corporate Foundation has coordinated three relief and goodwill flights, with either Airbus Flight Test aircraft or newly delivered customer aircraft.

This week-end, a fourth flight to the Philippines was coordinated by the Airbus Corporate Foundation and its partners, Philippine Airlines (PAL), Action Contre la Faim, Aviation Sans Frontières and Humedica.

A PAL A330, with four doctors and one nurse on board, loaded with 5.6 tonnes of medical supplies, food and water sanitation equipment, took off on Friday 6th December from Toulouse and landed in Manila, Philippines on Saturday 7th December early morning. This is the third flight using a PAL aircraft since the typhoon struck the country.


Share your thoughts on the corporate social responsibility of these companies and organisations via a comment.

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Kuwait Airways signs agreement to buy A350 and A320neo

By BA Staff

Kuwait Airways Airbus A350-900 CGI

European airframer, Airbus has signed an agreement with national carrier Kuwait Airways to buy 10 A350-900s and 15 A320neos.

A little over two weeks ago, Kuwait Airways had suspended its Chairman for publicly stating an intent to buy five A330-200s from India's Jet Airways.

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Air Algérie orders three A330 passenger aircraft

By BA Staff


Air Algérie has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for three A330-200 passenger aircraft as part of the carrier’s continued growth plans. This order has been placed at Dubai Airshow 2013.

The new aircraft will be deployed on medium and long haul routes from the Air Algérie hub in Algeria. Air Algérie has already ordered a total of five Airbus A330, which have all been delivered to date.

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Qatar Airways orders Rolls Royce Trent 700 engines

By BA Staff

Qatar Airways has placed a $300 million order on Rolls-Royce for Trent 700 engines, with long-term TotalCare® support, to power five recently ordered Airbus A330 freighter aircraft.

The Trent 700, the only engine specifically designed for the A330, is the market leader on the aircraft with a 70% of new orders over the last four years. It is also the most popular Rolls-Royce engine type for wide-bodies currently in service, powering more than 530 A330 aircraft with 58 operators. More than 1,400 engines are either in service or on order.

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Libyan Wings orders three A350 XWBs and four A320neo’s

By BA Staff

Libyan Wings, a newly launched Tripoli based airline, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for three Airbus A350-900s and four Airbus A320neo’s.

The carrier is building up its fleet with aircraft orders announced at the 2013 Dubai Airshow.

Libyan Wings is expected to start operations for passenger charter and freight from early 2014.

Wisam Al Masri, Chairman of Libyan Wings said:

“The A350 XWB and A320neo will play a significant role in ensuring that our new airline operates one of the most modern and efficient fleets in the Middle East region moving forward. With these fuel-efficient aircraft we will be able to offer passengers the highest levels of comfort on both long haul and shorter regional routes, while benefitting from the lowest operating costs and best environmental performance."

John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers said:

"It’s very exciting to see a new airline starting its business today with our efficient, latest generation A320neo and A350 XWB Families. This means that the Airbus product line, from single aisle to widebody clearly meets customer requirements in the world’s most competitive and demanding markets like the Middle East. Whether for short regional services or long intercontinental routes, Airbus has the right products with the lowest operating costs and best in class comfort standards."

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Etihad Airways orders 115 Rolls Royce Trent engines

By BA Staff

Etihad Airways, has announced an order for 113 Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines to power 50 new Airbus A350 XWB aircraft and two Trent 700 engines for an Airbus A330-200 freighter.

The order, unveiled at the Dubai Air Show 2013, includes 102 engines fitted onto the aircraft, 13 spare engines and long-term TotalCare® support services.

The Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines will be fitted onto 40 A350-900 and 10 A350-1000 aircraft, Deliveries of the Etihad aircraft are scheduled to commence from 2020.

James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said: 

“We have a very successful track-record with Rolls-Royce engines, from the Trent 700 engines on our A330s to the Trent 500 engines on our A340s, and this latest order will further strengthen our relationship. The Airbus A350 XWB will play a fundamental role in the next phase of our international growth strategy and we are confident the Trent XWB engines will deliver exceptional lifecycle fuel-efficiency, maximise revenue potential, minimise disruption and reduce environmental impact.”

With thrust up to 97,000 pounds, the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines are the sole choice, as of now, for the Airbus A350 XWB.

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Etihad Airways orders CFM LEAP engine for its A321neo

By BA Staff

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, announced that it has selected CFM International’s advanced LEAP-1A engine to power 26 Airbus A321neo scheduled to begin delivery in 2018. The order is valued at $2.8 billion U.S. at list price, including a long-term services agreement.

To support the new fleet, Etihad has signed a 15-year Rate per Flight Hour (RPFH) agreement, under the terms of which CFM will guarantee maintenance costs on a dollar per engine flight hour basis.

James Hogan, president and chief executive officer of Etihad Airways said:

“Etihad Airways prides itself on operating modern, state-of-the-art and highly efficient aircraft, with the Airbus A320 family at the heart of our narrow-body fleet. Through the introduction of the brand new Airbus A320neo family aircraft, we will benefit from even lower fuel consumption and environmental impact on short-haul and medium-haul flights. Much of these operational improvements will derive from the advanced LEAP-1A engine, which has been meeting all performance targets.”

Jean-Paul Ebanga, president and CEO of CFM International said:

"We are happy to welcome Etihad as a CFM customer. In just 10 years, this airline has built a reputation for excellence in every facet of its business, and we are honored to become part of this team"

Gaël Meheust, vice president of sales for CFM International said:

“We are obviously excited that Etihad chose to power its new A320neo fleet with the LEAP engine. We think this engine is going to be the best we’ve ever built and Etihad will realize the benefits from day one – lower fuel burn, lower noise and emissions, all with CFM’s legendary reliability and low cost of ownership."

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Qatar Airways Cargo order five new Airbus A330-200F freighters

By BA Staff

Qatar Airways A330-200F. Image courtesy Airbus S.A.S.

Qatar Airways has placed a firm order for five new Airbus A330-200 Freighter aircraft in an agreement signed at the Dubai Airshow 2013.

These new aircraft will complement the airline's rapidly growing network, which includes more than 40 routes that have dedicated freighter services.

Included in the order are eight additional A330-200F options – which would make the deal potentially worth over $2.8bn at list prices for a total of 13 aircraft.

Qatar Airways Cargo already operates three A330-200Fs since earlier this year.

Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways CEO said:

“The A330 Family has demonstrated outstanding operational reliability and performance for both our passenger and cargo transport operations. It is with this in mind that we chose to expand our freighter fleets with more A330-200Fs. We aim to be the best in everything we do, the air cargo market is no different, which is why we ordered the most modern and economic cargo aircraft available in its category.”

Airbus President and CEO, Fabrice Brégier said:

“Qatar Airways is one of our key partners in the region, and its selection of the A330-200F illuminates its ambitious plans as the airline expands and invests in new freighter aircraft. The A330-200F, with up to 70 metric tonnes of payload, is the only viable alternative to large freighters in today’s fast changing market, making it an ideal choice for a constantly evolving carrier.”

Qatar Airways received its first Airbus aircraft in 1997. Today Airbus aircraft form an ever more essential cornerstone of Qatar Airways’ global operations with more than 200 aircraft directly ordered across all modern Airbus product families, from the single-aisle A320 all the way up to the flagship A380.

Aimed at replacing ageing mid-sized freighters, the A330-200F offers an alternative to larger freighters within fleets. It builds on the successful A330 twin-jet platform and can carry 70 tonnes of payload, with a range capability of up to 4,000nm.

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Lufthansa places CFM56-5B engine order for Airbus A320ceo

By BA Staff

Lufthansa A320 with Sharklets. Image courtesy Airbus S.A.S.

Deutsche Lufthansa has selected CFM International’s CFM56-5B engine to power 30 firm Airbus A320ceo (current engine option) aircraft. The agreement is valued at more than $610 million U.S. at list price. The aircraft order was announced in June of this year.

Nico Buchholz, executive vice president, Fleet Management for Lufthansa Group said:

"Our choice of the CFM56-5B engine is a true continuation of our long-running relationship with CFM. We know from experience that the CFM56-B offers a world-class combination of economic efficiency, reliability, and time on wing. We pleased to introduce more of these engines into our fleet."

Lufthansa, which is part of the Lufthansa Aviation Group, currently operates a fleet 350 CFM56 engines powering Airbus A319/A320, long-range, four-engine A340-300, and Boeing 737 Classic aircraft. Overall, Lufthansa Aviation Group, which includes Germanwings, Austrian, and Swiss, operates more than 560 CFM56 engines.

Jean-Paul Ebanga, president and CEO of CFM said:

“This is a fantastic vote of confidence for the entire CFM Team. Lufthansa is a long-time CFM customer and we are proud to continue this long relationship with them.”

Kevin McAllister vice president of sales for CFM parent company GE Aviation said:

“Lufthansa again chose the CFM56-5B after a very detailed technical evaluation. It is highly gratifying when an airline noted for its technical expertise recognizes the exceptional value that our product will bring to their fleet.”

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Emirates to implement Airbus Managed Inventory (AMI) Service

Emirates Airline has signed an agreement to implement a structured trial of the Airbus Managed Inventory (AMI) service which is expected to lead to a wider implementation thereafter.
The AMI service, continuously ensures the automatic replenishment of high-usage and non-repairable parts at the customer’s facilities.

The AMI automated inventory management solution supports Airbus customers to reduce their inventory holding costs. By capturing material consumption information in real-time and automatically triggering replenishment orders within the agreed inventory levels, the service guarantees high on-shelf part availability while decreasing the overall inventory stock level.

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Airbus corporate foundation coordinates relief aid to the Philippines

By BA Staff

An Airbus A340-300 test flight aircraft left Lyon, France at 7:45 Nov. 15, for Cebu, Philippines with 28 logistics and emergency rescue specialists on board plus nearly 30 tonnes of water purification equipment and energy biscuits, destined for the victims of the Haiyan typhoon in the Philippines. This relief mission has been jointly organised with Action Contre la Faim (ACF). The aircraft is scheduled to arrive on Saturday morning at 7 a.m. locally.

In addition a delivery-flight of an all new A321 to Philippine Airlines is being used to send a medical team of 10 doctors and nurses as well as 11 tonnes of medical equipment and food to Tacloban via Manila, Philippines. This help has been facilitated together with the Foundation partners Philippine Airlines, Humedica e.V. and Kühne & Nagel. The flight will leave the Airbus site in Hamburg, Germany, this Friday evening and is expected to arrive at Manila Capital airport on Sunday 8:30 p.m. local time. The medical personnel and goods will then be transported by an onward flight to Tacloban.

Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO and Chairman of the Airbus Foundation said:

"The Philippines have been struck by a true human disaster and it is natural, that we look at all possibilities about how we can contribute in facilitating relief in this tragic situation quickly and efficiently. It fills me with gratitude and pride to see our teams being engaged so strongly with our Foundation Partners to work towards this common objective, and I wish to thank everybody involved."

Jean-Baptiste Lamarche, Logistics Director ACF, stated:

"This partnership is very valuable to ACF. As one of our privileged logistics partners, Airbus helps us to intervene rapidly and efficiently during emergency situations, like after the natural disasters in Haiti in 2010, and recently in the Philippines. This logistical support allows us fulfill our mission, which consists in saving lives and helping the most vulnerable."                                                                                                                           

Wolfgang Gross, Managing Director of Humedica e.V. said:

"We are very grateful for this opportunity to quickly bring further aid to Tacloban. By now we have twelve medical specialists in Tacloban who are working non-stop and urgently need further support and medical goods.”

The Airbus Corporate Foundation has completed 34 relief or goodwill flights to destinations around the globe to date and has built up a global network of airlines and relief organisations to support international humanitarian causes.

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Etihad orders 87 Airbus aircraft

by Devesh Agarwal

Etihad Airways, of the United Arab Emirates, has announced a firm order on European airframer Airbus S.A.S. for 50 A350 XWBs, 36 A320neo aircraft and one A330-200F freighter worth $26.9 billion at list prices.

The contract was signed yesterday at the 2013 Dubai Airshow by James Hogan, Etihad Airways CEO and Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO.

The Airbus A350 XWB order will be equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines and deliveries will commence in 2020. The 26 A321neo and 10 A320neo aircraft are scheduled for delivery from 2018, while the A330-200F will arrive in 2017. The neos will be powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines.

Etihad currently operates a fleet of 23 A320 Family aircraft, 25 A330s and 11 A340s.

James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways,

“Ten years ago this month, we celebrated our inaugural flight from Abu Dhabi using an Airbus A330. A decade later, we have grown into one of the world’s leading airlines and the importance of Airbus to our fast-growing operations has never been stronger. We have more than 60 Airbus aircraft in our fleet today, and this latest order is testament to the continued strength of our partnership. As one of the first airlines set to receive the much-awaited Airbus A350-1000, we look forward to benefiting from its operational efficiencies and cost savings.”

The A350 XWB (Xtra Wide-Body) is an all-new "mini jumbo" long range product line comprising three versions, the A350-800, A350-900, A350-1000. In a typical two-class configuration, the A350-900 can seat 315 passengers and the A350-1000 seats 369 passengers. The aircraft will offer the range for Etihad to expand its network around the world. On the same day as it ordered the A350, Etihad also ordered its biggest competition the Boeing 777-9X and 777-8X which can seat 400+ and 350 passengers respectively.

In comparison to the Boeing aircraft, which Etihad is expected to fit with 17 inch width economy class seats, the A350 fuselage cross-section is optimized to accommodate Airbus’ 18-inch economy seat-width for long range passenger comfort. Etihad's new order is expected to commence delivery in 2020, the same time as the Boeing 777-9X.

The A320neo is offered as an option for the A320 Family and incorporates new more efficient engines and large "Sharklet" wing tip devices, which together will deliver up to 15 percent in fuel savings. At the end of October 2013, firm orders for the NEO stood at 2,487 from 44 customers, making it the fastest selling commercial airliner ever.

The A330-200F is the freighter version of the A330. It can carry 70 tonnes of payload with a range capability of up to 4,000nm.

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Dubai Airshow 2013 starts with record breaking orders

As expected the Dubai Airshow opened today with a record breaking order book.

Within three hours of opening, the show’s order tally reached US $162.6 billion – surpassing its previous record of US $155 billion record set in 2007 – with deals coming from Etihad Airways, Emirates Airline, flydubai and Qatar Airways.

The opening order came from Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways which announced a deal for 56 new Boeing 777s valued at US$25.2 billion at list prices, including related GE engines. The deal also sees Etihad become the launch customer for the 777-8X which is expected to enter service in 2022.

The airline also ordered 30 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners, making Etihad the largest customer for the composite aircraft.

James Hogan, President and CEO, Etihad Airways said

“We rarely make announcements at air shows, but when we do the world listens,”

Dubai-headquartered Emirates Airline rapidly re-wrote the Dubai Airshow record with news of a US$99 billion purchase of Boeing and Airbus planes – which industry experts dubbed the largest-ever aircraft order in civil aviation.

The Emirates headline deal was for 150 Boeing 777X, plus 50 purchase rights, and an additional 50 Airbus A380 superjumbos - of which Emirates is currently the largest fleet operator.

Low-cost airline FlyDubai weighed in with a US$11.4 billion order for 111 Boeing 737s and 738s, and then Qatar Airways topped off the morning’s historic agreements with the signing of a US$19 billion letter of intent for 54 Boeing 777s.

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Germania becomes new Airbus A321 operator

By BA Staff

S.A.T., the holding company of the Berlin-based German carrier Germania, has taken delivery of its first out of two A321s on order. Both aircraft are equipped with Airbus’ wing tip fuel saving devices, called Sharklets. The airline has already been operating eight A319 successfully since 2011.

The new Germania A321 will operate exclusively for Alltours, one of Germany’s biggest travel agencies. The airline has chosen a single class cabin layout for 208 passengers.

The cabin will be equipped with a state-of-the-art entertainment system, featuring video screens and in-seat audio channels. The aircraft will be powered by CFM engines.

Andreas Wobig, Germania Chief Executive Officer said:

“The delivery of our first brand-new A321 marks the beginning of a new era for Germania. With 208 seats, the aircraft capacity is one third higher than the jets we currently operate. This means that in the future, charter and scheduled flights on particularly popular routes can be operated even more economically. We are delighted with our A321s as they are especially fuel-efficient and make an important contribution to climate protection.”

John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer, Customers said:

“We are delighted that Germania has become the latest operator of the largest member of the hugely successful A320-Family. Thanks to Airbus’ unique commonality, the new A321s will fit seamlessly into Germania’s exiting fleet of Airbus A319s. The Sharklets will deliver Germania up to four percent in reduced fuel burn whilst passengers will benefit from the A320 family’s widest and most comfortable cabin.” 

Sharklets are made from light-weight composites and are 2.4 meters tall. They offer operators up to four percent fuel burn reduction on longer range sectors and provide the flexibility of either adding an additional 100 nautical miles range or increased payload capability of up to 450 kilograms.

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Finnair celebrates its 90th anniversary

By BA Staff

Finnair celebrated its 90th anniversary on Friday, 1 November 2013.

 The world’s fifth-oldest airline still in operation, Finnair was established in 1923.

Today, Finnair specialises in flights between Europe and Asia, offering direct connections from Helsinki to over 60 European destinations and 13 Asian destinations.

Over eight million passengers per year fly on Finnair’s all-Airbus fleet.

CEO Pekka Vauramo says:

“We build on a legacy of building better connections between Europe and Asia and our vision of doubling our Asian revenue by 2020."

Finnair celebrated its 90 years of flying in various ways. As one of the special events to mark its jubilee year, Finnair distributed a special Finnair-themed edition of the Donald Duck comic book to all passengers on long-haul flights on Friday, 1 November. Finnair also commissioned a special batch of posters by Finnish graphic designer Erik Bruun to celebrate its 90th anniversary.

As part of the jubilee year, Finnair renewed its service concept and now uses tableware and textiles designed by Marimekko for Finnair on all flights in both Business and Economy Class. (See video below)



In addition, Finnair launched cooperation with two renowned Finnish chefs, Pekka Terävä and Tomi Björck, in September. (See video below)



The entertainment systems of Finnair’s aircraft have also been upgraded, nearly doubling the selection of entertainment on long-haul flights with 72 films and over 150 television programmes available in both Business and Economy class.

Finnair is harmonising its fleet and became the first airline to take delivery of the new Airbus 321 Sharklet aircraft in September. Finnair is also installing new, fully reclining seats in most of its long-haul fleet from January 2014 onwards. See fleet video below.



In spring 2014, Finnair will open a new Premium Lounge at Helsinki Airport. The Premium Lounge will be located next to the existing Finnair Lounge between gates 36 and 37 in the non-Schengen area and will complement its services. As part of the renewal, a sauna and private showers will be opened between the lounges, and a new tax free shop will be opened in front of the existing Finnair Lounge.

Finnair has received international recognition in its anniversary year: Finnair became the first airline to be selected in the Leadership Index of the global Carbon Disclosure Project on carbon dioxide emissions. Finnair is also the only Nordic airline to be awarded four stars by Skytrax, and it has been named Northern Europe’s Best Airline at the World Airline Awards for the last four years. In addition, it was recently named Best European Airline at the annual TTG Travel Awards. Finnair is a member of oneworld alliance, which is formed by the world’s leading airlines.

See more videos from Finnair celebrating various aspects of their 90 years in aviation.

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Airbus Military signs additional contract with Kazakhstan for two more C295 aircraft

by BA Staff

Photo courtesy Airbus Military

Airbus Military has signed a contract with Kazspecexport, a State Company belonging to the Ministry of Defence of Kazakhstan, to supply two C295 military transport aircraft plus the related service support package for spare parts and ground support equipment.

This order is implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed in 2012 between the Ministry of Defence of Kazakhstan and Airbus Military for the procurement of eight C295s in total and on the basis of which two C295s were already delivered in 2013.

The first two C295s are already in service with the Kazakhstan Air Forces and the third and fourth are planned for delivery in 2014 and 2015 respectively. With regards to the remaining four aircraft in the MoU, a delivery schedule will be defined over the coming years.

 Antonio Rodriguez Barberan, Head Of Commercial, Airbus Military said: 

“Airbus Military is very proud that the Kazakhstan Ministry of Defense is placing a repeat order for the C295, confirming its confidence in the aircraft’s capabilities and cost-efficiency as well as in our company. We are proud of the relationship that has been created with Kazspecexport and the Ministry of Defence and congratulate the teams of both institutions on their professionalism in the process. We will keep striving to ensure that we live up to this mark of confidence and stand by our customer for many years to come."

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Airbus receives prestigious European Award

By BA Staff

Airbus has won an award in recognition for its contribution to European economy and integration. The prestigious “Golden Victoria for the European Idea of the Year”, awarded by the German Association of Magazine Publishers (VDZ), was handed over by European Union Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger to Airbus Chief Operating Officer Günter Butschek at the “Publishers’ Night” in Berlin. It is the first time the accolade was given to a company. Previous laureates include European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.

Günter Butschek said:

"Airbus is European integration in action. Our success highlights what Europe can achieve when working together. From start-up to world market leader in such a strategic and competitive industry – I hope that our success story sends a signal to other European business leaders and decision makers."

 The VDZ Board considered Airbus to be an outstanding example of European leadership, stating that Airbus highlighted the strength of the European ideal and the immense achievements that can be accomplished by a joint European undertaking, when stakeholders align.

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