Singapore Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330-300. The aircraft was handed over by Airbus at a delivery ceremony in Toulouse, France, yesterday. It is one of 19 new Rolls-Royce Trent 700-powered A330-300s that the airline will be leasing to tie them over until the purchased Airbus A350s arrive in the coming years.  The aircraft will be used to replace older Boeing 777s on regional and medium-haul routes, such as those between Singapore and Australia and Japan.

Singapore Airlines A330 (Source : SIA)

American Airlines announced today that it has entered into a purchase agreement with Boeing (under which American intends to acquire an initial 42 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners scheduled for delivery beginning in 2012 and ending in 2018, with the right to purchase up to 58 additional 787s that may be scheduled for delivery beginning in 2015 and ending in 2020. The purchase of the initial 42 787-9 aircraft is subject to certain contingency provisions, as more fully described below.

Provisions

The 787 purchase agreement contains provisions that would allow American to choose not to acquire some or all of the 42 initial 787s if it has not reached a satisfactory agreement with its pilots union to operate the aircraft. American must notify Boeing of its intent to purchase a 787 at least 18 months prior to its scheduled delivery date, with the first scheduled delivery date occurring in September 2012.

Australia’s flagship airline, Qantas, has received the first of 20 Airbus A380s on order, at a ceremony in Toulouse, France. The Rolls-Royce powered aircraft was handed over to Qantas Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Dixon and Qantas CEO-Designate, Alan Joyce by Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEO and John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers.

Geoff Dixon said: “When we ordered our A380 in 2000, we said that in addition to giving us the opportunity to reinvent our product, this revolutionary new aircraft offered capacity and operating savings, as well as environmental improvements. Everything we have seen since our initial order has reinforced this view.”

Qantas’ A380 cabin was created by internationally renowned designer Marc Newson. Typically the A380 seats 525 passengers in three-classes, however Qantas’ cabin is extra spacious with 450 seats (14 First, 72 Business, 32 Premium Economy and 332 Economy).

“The A380 sets the standards for the 21st century, “ said Tom Enders. “More than 380 patents on board underline the aircraft’s leadership in eco-efficiency and innovation and will allow Qantas to continue to grow whilst reducing its impact on the environment. We appreciate Australia’s iconic airline sharing the A380 vision with us from the very beginning.”

Qantas was the first customer to conclude the signing of a contract for the A380. In November 2000, it ordered 12 A380s, marking the first time in the airline’s long history it had ordered Airbus aircraft. Qantas later increased its order for A380s to 20, and is now the second largest customer for the world’s most modern aircraft.

The four Rolls Royce Trent 900 engines will each deliver up to 72,000 lbs of thrust, contributing to the aircraft’s overall fuel efficiency of less than three litres of fuel per passenger per 100 kilometres.

Rolls-Royce Chairman Simon Robertson said: “We appreciate the opportunity once again to be an integral player in shaping the future success of Qantas, Australia’s iconic carrier and one of the world’s leading airlines. This occasion marks another milestone for the Trent 900, the market leading engine for the A380.”

The aircraft’s efficiency and advanced technologies result in higher operational flexibility and outstanding economics, with a range of more than 15,000 km and seat-mile costs 20 per cent lower than its closest competitor. The A380 also provides vital extra passenger capacity without increasing the number of flights.

Qantas’ A380 will stop-over in Singapore before arriving in Sydney on September 21st. Qantas’ first commercial A380 services will be launched on October 20th from Melbourne to Los Angeles, and on October 24th from Sydney to Los Angeles. Later Qantas will also fly the A380 to Singapore and London. Currently the Qantas group, including low-cost subsidiary Jetstar, has ordered a total of 110 aircraft directly from Airbus.

United Airlines may cancel an order for 42 Airbus aircraft, forfeiting a $91 million deposit and possibly heralding a wave of deferrals and cancellations for the major plane makers as their customers scale back growth plans.

The airline, one of Airbus’ best U.S. customers, is currently committed to pay $2.2 billion for the purchase of 42 A319 and A320 single-aisle aircraft. If it does cancel the order, United would forfeit the advance deposit paid to Airbus.

Some analysts have said Airbus, a unit of Europe’s EADS, and rival Boeing could lose a quarter or more of the plane orders on their books as carriers cut back growth plans in the face of high fuel costs.

Airbus has had 43 order cancellations so far this year, according to its website, but some of those are accounted for by shifts to a new version of its A350 model. It said earlier this year that U.S. low-cost carrier JetBlue Airways will defer some deliveries.

Hawaiian Airlines will replace its Boeing 767 fleet with all-Airbus widebodies under agreements reached with Airbus and Rolls-Royce.

Hawaiian Airlines will acquire six Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered A350 XWB -800 aircraft and six Rolls-Royce Trent 700-powered A330-200s, with purchase rights for an additional six of each type.

The first A330-200 will be delivered by Airbus in 2012 and the first A350-800 in 2017.

China’s government reached agreement with Airbus yesterday on firm orders for 110 A320 family aircraft and 40 A330s valued at approximately $15 billion and also signed an MOU with the manufacturer stipulating that Chinese industry will take a 5% stake in A350 XWB production.

China Southern Airlines signed a separate contract for 10 A330-200s. The announcements of the large aircraft order and industrial cooperation on the A350 coincided with high-profile meetings taking place this week in Beijing between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Chinese President Hu Jintao, both of whom were present for the signing of the MOU by Airbus COO Fabrice Bregier and National Development and Reform Commission Vice Minister Chen Deming.

According to Airbus, the MOU states that Airbus and NDRC will “carry out high-level industrial cooperation on A350XWB development and manufacturing work in order to enhance a closer strategic cooperation relationship between Airbus and the Chinese aviation industry. Airbus confirms its intent to manufacture 5% of the airframe of the A350 XWB aircraft in China.” It added that a joint venture manufacturing plant will be established in Harbin in 2009 with AVIC II subsidiary Harfei Aviation Industry Co. “to produce [A350 WXB] composite material parts and components.”

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Brazil’s OceanAir placed a firm order for seven A330-200s, 14 A319s and seven A320s collectively valued at $2.65 billion, Airbus said.

Deliveries will begin in 2009. OceanAir is owned by Synergy Group, also parent of Colombia’s Avianca. Synergy Chairman German Efromovich told reporters in Sao Paulo yesterday that he wants to grow OceanAir’s domestic market share to 15% by 2010 from 2% currently and compete more directly with Gol and TAM and believes the 21 A320 family aircraft will help achieve that goal.

China Southern Airlines has agreed to order 55 more Boeing 737s for delivery from 2011. The Guangzhou-based carrier says in a Hong Kong stock exchange filing that it entered into an aircraft acquisition agreement with Boeing on 20 August covering the purchase of 55 737-700s and -800s. It says deliveries will take place between May 2011 and October 2013. China Southern has been expanding rapidly on the back of strong demand for travel within China. It has placed several aircraft orders with both Airbus and Boeing over the past year for its own operations and those of subsidiary Xiamen Airlines. Previous orders have comprised 37 737s.

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