TAM Airlines, Airbus’ biggest customer in the Southern Hemisphere and Brazil’s largest airline, signed a firm order for 25 eco-efficient Airbus aircraft, bringing the Brazilian airline’s total Airbus order book to 176. This order for 20 A320 Family and five A350-900s follows the Memorandum of Understanding announced at ILA Berlin Air Show in June.

TAM’s new A320 Family aircraft will replace existing A320 Family aircraft as part of the airline’s commitment to keep an average fleet age of six years. Both the A320 Family and A350 XWB fleet will serve the carrier’s existing routes and boost eco-efficiency. “We have the commitment to offer our customers one of the youngest fleets in the world of aviation,” said Líbano Barroso, CEO of TAM Airlines.

As of today, TAM's total Airbus orders have increased to 134 A320 Family aircraft, 15 A330-200s and 27 A350 XWB. 65 Airbus A320 Family aircraft, two A330-200s and 27 A350 XWB are still in the backlog.

"We are extremely pleased with TAM’s continued confidence in Airbus, and appreciate the great partnership we have established over the past decade,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. “The A320 Family is recognized as being the most modern and efficient single-aisle aircraft around, and through continuous investments the best keeps getting better. TAM’s repeat order underlines this aircraft’s leadership position in the market.”

Today more than 370 Airbus aircraft are flying with 23 Latin American airline customers and operators, representing more than 40 percent of the fleet in service. With TAM being the biggest customer, more than 500 Airbus aircraft have been sold in the region, which enjoys a record backlog of more than 200 aircraft.

The A320 Family (A318, A319, A320 and A321) is recognised as the benchmark single-aisle aircraft family. With over 6,500 aircraft sold, and more than 4,300 aircraft delivered to some 310 customers and operators worldwide, the A320 Family is the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft family. With 99.7 per cent reliability and extended servicing periods, the A320 Family has the lowest operating costs of any single aisle aircraft. Uniquely, the A320 Family offers a containerized cargo system, which is compatible with the worldwide standard wide-body system.

The A350 XWB Family is Airbus’ response to widespread market demand for a series of highly efficient medium-capacity long-range wide-body aircraft. The A350 has the widest fuselage in its category, offering unprecedented levels of comfort, the lowest operating costs and lowest seat mile cost of any aircraft in this market segment. After today’s announcement, orders for the aircraft stand at 535 from 34 customers.

Airbus press release 28 July 2010

Named “München“ at Munich Airport – Scheduled flights to Tokyo from 2 August

Just two months since delivery of its first Airbus A380, Lufthansa has received the second of the type in Hamburg. The new A380 will be ferried from Hamburg to Frankfurt on 21 July prior to being named ”München“ at a festive ceremony at Munich Airport by the wife of Munich’s governing mayor on 28 July. Its inclusion in the Lufthansa fleet will raise frequencies ex Frankfurt to Tokyo from thrice-weekly to daily services from 2 August.

In the Lufthansa configuration, the A380 seats a total of 526 passengers. An entirely new First Class with eight deluxe seats on the upper deck reflects individuality, superior comfort and technical innovation, making air travel an even more relaxing and pleasant experience. The upper deck also accommodates the prize-winning Business Class with 98 seats. Comfort is enhanced additionally in the 420 seats in an impressive and generously dimensioned Economy Class. Numerous airports around the world are currently preparing for the arrival of A380 flights. In Frankfurt, the home base of the Lufthansa A380 fleet, passengers are already boarding and disembarking from the new flagship on two levels.

Presumably from 1 September, Lufthansa is to begin flying thrice-weekly from Frankfurt to Peking with its third A380. The giant Airbus will take off for Peking on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays, with return flights each time on the following day. A daily flight will be possible on the route when the fourth A380 joins the fleet at the end of October. From 25 October, the airline is planning to commence thrice weekly flights with its flagship between Frankfurt and Johannesburg. These flights will be available ex Frankfurt on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The return flights from Johannesburg will each be operated on the following day.

Deutsche Lufthansa AG Corporate Communications 19.07.2010

Signalling a clear upturn in the aviation industry, Airbus announced commitments at the 2010 Farnborough Air Show for 255 aircraft, valued at around US$28 billion. The commitments so far include firm orders for 133 aircraft worth more than $13 billion, plus memorandum of understanding (MoU) agreements for a further 122 aircraft totalling around $15 billion.

The firm orders at the show came from GECAS for 60 A320s worth around $4.9 billion; from Air Lease Corporation for 51 A320 Family aircraft worth $4.4 billion; from Aeroflot for 11 A330-300s worth $2.3 billion; from Garuda Indonesia for six A330-200s worth $1.2 billion; and from Germania for five A319s worth $372 million.

The MoU commitments included: 40 A320s plus 10 A321s together worth $4.2 billion from LAN; 10 A330-200s worth $1.9 billion plus 15 A350 XWBs worth $3.8 billion from Hong Kong Airlines; 40 A320s worth $3.3 billion from Virgin America; and seven A330-300s worth $1.5 billion from Thai Airways International.

John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer, Customers commented: “Before the Farnborough Air Show we already had 131 orders, and we predicted that by the end of the week we’d double that. Indeed, the commitments which we have already received here, bring our total firm orders this year already to over 260 aircraft.” He adds: “This clearly proves that the market is back, and that our new end of year target for over 400 orders is within reach.”

Airbus’ success is founded on innovative design, which has given it the world’s most modern aircraft family in every category from 100 to 525 seats

Airbus press release 22 July 2010

Virgin America and Airbus signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 40 Airbus A320 aircraft today at the Farnborough International Air Show. The order will triple Virgin America’s fleet going forward. The airline indicated it would announce its choice of engines for the additional aircraft once the purchase agreement is finalized.



“The low operating costs and cabin comfort of the A320 fit our growth plans as well as our guests’ high expectations for comfort, style and efficiency in their travel,” said Virgin America President and CEO David Cush.

"A repeat order from Virgin America – a U.S. airline growing quickly both in terms of their route network and their reputation for excellent service – is a great affirmation of the benefits of operating the A320 Family," said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. “We are very pleased they have chosen to expand their reach with even more of our aircraft, and we look forward to continuing to support their Airbus fleet."

Virgin America already operates 28 Airbus aircraft (10 A319s and 18 A320s) and will put a total of 22 more purchased and leased A320s into service by the end of 2012. Once finalized, the MoU announced today would expand the Virgin America fleet to a total of 90 Airbus aircraft.

With this MoU, Virgin America may choose the new, fuel-saving “Sharklet” option that is available beginning in late 2012 on A320 aircraft. Sharklets are large wing-tip devices that will enhance the eco-efficiency and payload-range performance of the A320 Family. Offered as a forward-fit option, they are expected to result in at least 3.5 percent reduced fuel burn over longer sectors, corresponding to an annual reduction of around 700 metric tons of carbon dioxide per aircraft. This latest development is part of a larger, continuous-improvement program for the A320 Family.

Airbus press release 22 July 2010

ALAFCO, the Kuwait-based international Aviation Lease and Finance Company, has converted its existing firm order for 12 Airbus A350-800’s placed in 2007, into the higher capacity A350 -900 model.



The A350-900 is the first of the three members of the A350 XWB family to be introduced and will enter service in mid 2013.

ALAFCO’s main shareholder is Kuwait Finance House. ALAFCO specialises in Sharia-based commercial aircraft leasing.

“Our customers are seeing rapid recovery in demand. The A350-900 is best suited to meet the needs of our customers in the decades to come. The A350 XWB will be a strong asset in our portfolio,” said Ahmad Al Zabin, ALAFCO’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

“Growth in the industry is undeniable. As passenger traffic begins to recover, we are delighted that ALAFCO have chosen the most popular A350 XWB model. This decision is further evidence of a wider industry trend towards larger aircraft,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers.

The A350-900 typically has a capacity of around 40 more seats than the smaller 800 model.

The A350 XWB (Xtra Wide-Body) Family is Airbus’ response to widespread market demand for a series of highly efficient medium-capacity long-range wide-body aircraft. With a range of up to 8,300 nm / 15,400 km, it is available in three basic passenger versions: the A350-800 accommodating 270 passengers, the A350-900 seating 314 and the A350-1000 for 350 passengers in a typical three-class layout.

The A350 XWB has the widest fuselage in its category, offering unprecedented levels of comfort, the lowest operating costs and lowest seat mile cost of any aircraft in this market segment. With power supplied by two new generation Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines, the A350 XWB Family is designed to confront the challenges of volatile fuel prices, rising passenger expectations and environmental concerns. Orders for the aircraft stand at more than 530 from over 33 customers.

Airbus press release 21 July 2010