The two companies announced on July 1, 2024, that they had entered into a definitive agreement for Boeing to purchase Spirit AeroSystems in a deal worth around $4.7 billion.聽

The plan evolved after Boeing searched for ways to increase safety following a year when its aircraft production methods and quality control were called into question.聽

In an interview with , Shanahan, who took over at Spirit last year, responded to rumors swirling that he is the lead candidate to head up Boeing when incumbent Dave Calhoun leaves later this year.听听

鈥淚t精东影业 not my place to comment on what Boeing might or might not do. I鈥檒l be keeping my eye on getting this deal done at Spirit,鈥� he told the US newspaper. 

In terms of the Boeing takeover Shanahan, who was instrumental in getting the deal through, struck an extremely positive tone about the future for all the companies involved.  

鈥淏ringing Boeing and Spirit together will enable greater integration. […] It鈥檒l bring together their safety and quality systems and make them better. The new organization will be faster and more nimble,鈥� Shanahan said.   

The Spirt boss added: 鈥淭his is a fabulous industry. I鈥檓 proud of playing the role of making it stronger and better.鈥� 

As part of the agreement, Spirit will pay Airbus $559 million to absorb the segment of the organization that makes A350 and A220 parts.聽

Boeing and Airbus to split up struggling supplier Spirit AeroSystems

• Aircraft

byClement Charpentreau

2024-07-01

The Cebu-based airline精东影业 agreement with Airbus includes firm orders for 102 A321neo aircraft, along with purchase rights for an additional 50 A320neo family aircraft.

Known for its fuel efficiency and green credentials, the A320neo delivers 20% fuel savings and CO2 reduction compared to previous-generation Airbus aircraft. 

Pratt & Whitney GTF engines have been selected by Cebu Pacific to power the new planes.

“The order is designed to provide Cebu Pacific with maximum flexibility to adapt fleet growth to market conditions, with the ability to switch between the A321neo and A320neo,” Cebu Pacific Chief Executive Michael Szucs said in a statement.

The airline said the transaction would be finalized in the third quarter of 2024.

In April 2024, Cebu Pacific unveiled a brand-new Airbus A320neo, the fourth new aircraft delivery for the airline. The carrier also announced its plans to operate an all-neo fleet by 2028.

Cebu Pacific unveils new A320neo as part of push for all-Airbus fleet by 2028聽

• Aircraft
• Airlines

byIan Molyneaux

2024-04-22

“By reintegrating Spirit, we can fully align our commercial production systems, including our Safety and Quality Management Systems, and our workforce to the same priorities, incentives, and outcomes 鈥� centered on safety and quality,” Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun emphasized. 

The acquisition encompasses nearly all Boeing-related commercial operations at Spirit, as well as additional commercial, defense, and aftermarket operations. Boeing will collaborate with Spirit to ensure the continuity of its operations, especially those supporting defense customers. 

Boeing subcontracted certain manufacturing operations in 2005, aiming to lower expenses and enhance production effectiveness. The sale of Boeing精东影业 Wichita division led to the establishment of Spirit AeroSystems, which constructed the fuselages of the 737 and 787.聽

The purchase of Spirit AeroSystems was considered following an event in January 2024 when an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 experienced a mid-cabin door plug loss. Boeing has faced other problems in the past few years, including the repercussions of the deadly crashes involving its aircraft in 2018 and 2019. Amid ongoing safety and quality issues, Calhoun has announced that he will leave by the end of 2024.聽

Boeing CEO search ongoing as talks with Spirit boss on hold and GE head declines

• Aircraft

byIan Molyneaux

2024-06-18

Airbus to acquire Spirit AeroSystems’ Airbus-related operations 

In related news, Airbus has entered a binding term sheet agreement with Spirit AeroSystems to acquire several of Spirit’s Airbus-related operations for $559 million.  

Spirit plans to sell certain Airbus-related operations and facilities in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Prestwick, Scotland, and Subang, Malaysia. The activities include the production of A350 fuselage sections and A220 wings, mid-fuselage, and pylons.聽

鈥淲ith this agreement, Airbus aims to ensure stability of supply for its commercial aircraft programmes through a more sustainable way forward, both operationally and financially, for the various Airbus work packages that Spirit AeroSystems is responsible for today,鈥� the European manufacturer said in a statement. 

The transaction is expected to close by mid-2025, pending approval from regulators and Spirit shareholders. 

Emirates is set to become the 鈥極fficial Airline Partner of The Championships, Wimbledon鈥� just days before the Grand Slam event opens in London on July 1, 2024.听听

The unique livery painted across the Emirates Airbus A380 features the iconic Wimbledon logo, placed in between two sporting silhouettes in action with the words 鈥極fficial Partner鈥� set out in bold white lettering.  

The superjumbo will arrive at London-Heathrow Airport (LHW) on July 1, 2024. It will wear its new colors for the whole duration of the tournament, which ends on July 14, 2024. 

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline, said: 鈥淲imbledon is one of the most prestigious events on the global sports calendar and we鈥檙e thrilled to celebrate our first year as the Official Airline Partner. We have a unique opportunity to strengthen our enduring connection with tennis fans, including the many amongst our global customers. In our debut year of partnering with Wimbledon, our message to tennis fans will be big and bold.鈥澛犅犅�

Clark added: 鈥淲e look forward to showcasing some of the iconic Wimbledon experiences to our customers onboard, and also to bringing our renowned Emirates brand experience to The Championships at .鈥澛犅犅�

While the professional tennis players compete on the club’s iconic grass courts in SW19, the Emirates A380 will jet off between Manchester, Washington., Paris, New York, Casablanca, Zurich, Brisbane, Barcelona and Perth. 

Representatives of Emirates will also be present at the tournament itself, providing a variety of activities to keep fans of all ages entertained and dishing out exclusive giveaways to the lucky few.  

Throughout July, Emirates flights between Dubai and the UK will feature snacks and food inspired by Wimbledon.  

Economy and premium economy class passengers will be able to enjoy cream cheese mousse, strawberry compote, hazelnut streusel and strawberry cheesecake. 

First and business class passengers can indulge in strawberries and cream, pastries, and lemon strawberry cupcakes featuring a Championships logo dessert topper, while Pimm’s cocktails will be served in the A380 onboard lounge. 

There will be tennis-branded beverage coasters and headrests across the different cabins, and first-class guests will also be gifted Emirates-branded Wimbledon 2024 towels. 

Emirates currently serves the UK with 133 weekly flights across seven airports including London Heathrow, London Gatwick (LGW), London Stansted (STN), Manchester (MAN), Birmingham (BHX), Newcastle (NCL) and Glasgow (GLA) with a fleet mix of A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft. 

From November 2024, Emirates will also restart flights between Dubai and Edinburgh with a daily A350 service.听听聽

Japan Airlines becomes Liverpool FC精东影业 first airline partner in five years聽

• Airlines

byIan Molyneaux

2024-06-25

Entitled the 鈥楢330neo: The Heir Apparent鈥�, the mini docuseries focuses on the evolution of Airbus鈥� A330neo, the successor to the highly popular A330ceo. 

The A330neo aircraft variant has not reached the dizzy heights of its predecessors, the A330-200 and A330-300, but Airbus clearly felt it was a story worth telling.听听

鈥淭he series will focus on the dedication, fervour and commitment of the teams entrusted with the development of this game-changing aircraft, as well as the trust and confidence displayed by the customers who have chosen it,鈥� Airbus said in a statement announcing the launch. 

The docuseries is free to view through the Airbus website, with the first season looking at the work of engineers, test pilots and designers at both the planemaker and British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce.  

The first episode, 鈥楩lying the Nest鈥�, introduces viewers to Vincent Lebas, the Head of A330neo Overall Aircraft Design at Airbus, who provides invaluable insights into the plane精东影业 development.  

In the opening episode, Lebas explains how a double-digit reduction in fuel burn was the driving force behind the design of the aircraft, with particular regard to the aerodynamic efficiency of the new wing and wing/engine integration. 

Additional episodes will explore the A330neo精东影业 updated cockpit and systems, Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines and the Airspace cabin. 

Spread over four episodes, the first season will also feature Chief Test Pilot Malcolm Ridley, Rolls-Royce精东影业 Trent 7000 Chief Engineer Paul Sixsmith and Jochen Werner, Airbus鈥� VP Industrial Cabin Design.  

A second season, which is already in the pipeline, will focus on A330neo customers, their thoughts on purchasing the aircraft variant and how it operates daily. 

Although Airbus has not confirmed which customer airlines will beinvolved in the docuseries, some of the A330neo existing operators include Delta Air Lines and Cebu Pacific, and lessor ALC.  

As of May 2024, a total of 319 A330neo family aircraft had been ordered by more than 25 customers, of which 131 aircraft had been delivered. 

Together, the A330-200 and A330-300 accumulated 1,445 orders before being replaced by the improved New Engine Option series.   

In June 2024, it was understood that Airbus had opened talks with several Chinese airlines regarding the potential sale of more than 100 A330neo widebody aircraft.聽

You can watch episode one of 鈥楢330neo: The Heir Apparent鈥� on the .

Airbus confirms order for 20 A330neos from secret buyer, 600th A350 delivered

• Aircraft

byIan Molyneaux

2024-06-07

Air India announced on June 27, 2024, that the maiden long-haul flight will depart from Delhi on September 1, 2024, replacing the current Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on 14 of 17 weekly flights.聽

The shift to the Airbus A350 will generate an extra 336 between Delhi and London each week, according to Air India.  

Air India精东影业 first ever A350-900 flight with was between Bengaluru Kempegowda Airport (BLR) and Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport (BOM) on January 22, 2024.  

Around three months later on May 1, 2024, Air India精东影业 first international flight took off from Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) to Dubai International Airport (DXB), a relatively short hop for a plane that can fly over 9,000 miles.    

Now the airline and staff are more familiar with the aircraft and flying internationally, Air India clearly felt it was in a good position to schedule its first long-haul flight.    

鈥淭he deployment of our flagship A350s and the B777s with upgraded cabin interiors to London Heathrow marks a significant milestone for Air India. It demonstrates our commitment to elevating the travel experience of our guests to truly world-class standards and to going beyond just meeting customer expectations as we continue to renew our fleet,鈥� said Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Air India. 

The airline boss added: 鈥淲ith our industry-leading cabin products on the A350 including a new Premium Economy experience and a host of new on board enhancements rolling out, we are confident that these daily flights between India and London Heathrow will soon be the preferred choice for travelers.鈥�  

The new route between Delhi and London-Heathrow will allow Air India to introduce its premium economy class on the service for the first time. 

Air India精东影业 A350-900 aircraft have a three-class cabin configuration with 316 seats: 28 private business suites with full-flat beds, 24 premium economy seats with extra legroom and other amenities, and 264 economy seats.   

According to , Air India currently has six A350-900s in service and is awaiting delivery of 14 more as well as 20 of the larger A350-1000s.听听

Air India精东影业 first six A350-900s were originally earmarked for the Russian airline, Aeroflot. 

However, after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, sanctions subsequently put in place by Western nations meant that the completed A350s could not be delivered and became available for purchase.聽 聽

Sneak peek: New Air India A320neo livery spotted at Airbus facility in Toulouse

• Aircraft
• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

2024-05-06

The aircraft involved is based on the Airbus A320neo passenger aircraft although it is the business jet variant, known as the Airbus Corporate Jet A320neo, or the ACJ320neo. The type has a range of 6,937 miles (11,100km) and can fly for up to 13 hours with 25 passengers on board without refueling.  

According to ch-aviation, there are currently just nine of these unique aircraft anywhere in the world, and this particular example has become the first of the type to be operated in Russia. The aircraft wears the Russian registration RA-73889 and is reportedly owned by a Russian businessman called Zarakh Iliev.  

According to Russian news source Pravda, Illiev is known to be one of the co-founders of the Kievskaya Ploschad Group, Russia精东影业 largest company in the international commercial property market. According to Forbes, the group’s income in 2023 was US$1.76 billion and despite being under the restrictions imposed by the EU/US sanctions, Illiev is said to have accumulated a personal fortune in the region of $3bn.  

One source told Pravda that Iliev had bought the new aircraft to replace an older (and smaller) Airbus A318CJ (RA-73888), while another source confirmed that the owner was connected to the Kievskaya Ploschad Group.聽

Looking into the background of this aircraft, its provenance is complicated, to say the least, as is the route it has taken to end up in Russian hands. 

Airbus Corporate Jets rolled the plane out of its factory in Hamburg (as D-AVVI) at the end of 2019 with the manufacturer精东影业 serial number 8774. The aircraft flew for the first time on December 19, 2019, and was delivered to its first customer on December 30, 2019. In January 2020, the plane flew from Hamburg to Basel to be fitted out with a bespoke VIP interior and painted 鈥� processes that took over a year to complete.听听

At this point, the aircraft was registered to a Malta-based company known as Sorens Aero and was placed on the San Marino aircraft registry as T7-HHH.  

In August 2022, the aircraft changed hands and came under the ownership of another company, ASG Business Aviation, assuming the Azerbaijani registration of 4K-5555. It then wore this registration until just recently, when on June 4, 2024, and for ten days only, it was registered as EY-565 on the Tajikistan register. 

On June 16, 2024, the aircraft was re-registered in Russia as RA-73889 and is reportedly owned by North-west Aircompany. According to Flightradar24, the first flight operated under this new registration was from Muscat in Oman to Moscow-Vnukovo Airport (VKO) on June 16, 2024. On June 26, 2024, the aircraft ferried from Vnukovo to Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport (DME) where it remains at the time of writing.聽

Given the strict sanctions in place, and that Russian operators are also unable to obtain spares for their exiting fleets of Western-built Boeing and Airbus aircraft as a consequence, authorities will be keen to understand how this very-low-hours aircraft has found its way into Russian ownership seemingly unchecked.听听

Should the plane stray beyond airports in Russia or those of its allies, it is likely to be impounded. In the meantime, it would seem that this is one private jet that has slipped through the sanctions net and has escaped.听听

Russian airlines now repairing Western engines rather than replacing them: sources聽

• Airlines
• Aviation Technology and Innovation

byLuke Peters

2024-05-13

The low-cost-carrier announced on June 24, 2024, that it will replace paper technical and cabin logs with Ultramain精东影业 e-techlog system to digitalize the process.  

The logs are used by cabin crew, engineers, ground crew and flight crew, and easyJet expects the new system will 鈥渟ave more than 300,000 sheets of paper from being printed and stored every year鈥� while improving efficiency.聽

easyJet expects that the new system will also lead to fewer ground delays and lower aircraft maintenance times.  

鈥淩olling out Ultramain精东影业 state-of-the-art technology across our fleet of aircraft will not only improve the reporting processes for our crew and engineering teams but will also see fewer delays on the ground, which will help further enhance the travel experience for our customers,鈥� David Morgan, Chief Operating Officer at easyJet, said. 

Morgan added: 鈥淥ur continued investment into innovative solutions like the e-techlog means we鈥檒l not only find quicker solutions to defects but by cutting our paper use and the weight on the aircraft, we are also taking another small but important step to reduce our environmental impact too.鈥� 

Once fully rolled out, the e-techlog will be run through 精东影业 software and will be installed on operational iPads accessible to easyJet personnel on the ground and in the air.聽 聽

This will enable both crew and engineers to raise and share maintenance issues, in real-time whilst on the ground, and in doing so give the engineers ample time to order new parts in advance, saving on-ground delays and operational downtime. 

In pictures: Emirates opens new $950k lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport

• Airlines
• Airport

byIan Molyneaux

2024-06-25

As a result, Airbus is now forecasting that it will deliver around 770 aircraft by the end of 2024, around 30 airframes short of its original target. To add to the company精东影业 woes, a planned ramping up of the A320neo family production line (increasing to 75 aircraft per month) has been delayed by a year from 2026 to 2027, suggesting that these supply issues are not expected to be resolved in the short term.聽

Speaking on a call with reporters, Airbus Chief Executive Guillaume Faury said the situation is not getting any better, requiring the company to adjust its goals for the remainder of 2024. Airbus has long been warning its customer base of supply chain issues and a lack of skilled workers. Both factors resulted after the pandemic grounded the global aviation industry, leaving it stalled, then rendering aircraft manufacturing underprepared once air travel bounced back.聽

Demand for Airbus aircraft has been particularly strong in the last two years as airlines have been looking to place large future aircraft orders to meet surging demand. However, this has left Airbus (and other manufacturers) under-equipped in both labor and capacity. 

Additionally, the supply of new jet engines has recently emerged as a bottleneck in the manufacturing process that contributed to Airbus lowering its outlook, Faury said.鈥疕e also added that cabin interior parts, for example, are in short supply because airlines are refurbishing older planes, meaning shipments of new interiors to Airbus are constrained.  

Meanwhile, this issue has had the dual effect of delaying future aircraft deliveries, meaning that airlines are being forced to fly older aircraft longer to meet demand as they await the arrival of new planes into their fleets.  

Faury added that economic and geopolitical challenges are contributing to the situation and are here to stay 鈥渇or a while鈥�, adding that supply issues might persist for the next two to three years.聽

Despite the supply chain setback it is facing, Airbus has been enjoying a relatively stable first half of 2024, winning several major orders from the likes of Saudia, IndiGo, and Korean Air. Compare this to arch-rivals Boeing, which has crawled from one headline-grabbing PR disaster to another following the Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 incident in January 2024.  

The US company has been forced to scale back production rates of its 737 MAX family of narrowbodies, which had the potential to open the floodgates to allow Airbus to sweep up any new narrowbody orders. However, facing its own issues, Airbus has been constrained in capitalizing on any perceived advantage. In any event, both manufacturers have bulging order books for both single-aisle and twin-aisle aircraft for many years to come. 

The European plane maker now expects adjusted earnings before interest and tax of 鈧�5.5 billion ($8 billion) in 2024, down from a previous goal of as much as 鈧�7 billion. The company also cut its outlook for free cash flow before customer financing to about 鈧�3.5 billion.鈥�

Airbus Helicopters begins flight tests of NH90 helicopter special forces variant

• Defense

byClement Charpentreau

2024-06-18

The last-minute strategy change by Boeing values Spirit AeroSystems around $35 per share according to sources familiar with the process that spoke with .听听

It had been expected that Boeing would make an all-cash offer of more than $4 billion for two-thirds of Spirit AeroSystems, according to .听听

Under the yet to be finalized agreement the segment of Spirit that makes parts for Airbus in Northern Ireland and North Carolina would be sold to the European planemaker. 

Boeing精东影业 change in approach to financing the deal is thought to be connected to concerns about how much cash the company has used this year following a slowdown in plane production. 

Following an incident on January 5, 2024, when a door plug separated from an Alaska Airlines 737-8 shortly after takeoff, Boeing has faced one of its biggest ever crises as it struggles to regain confidence in the industry. 

A Federal Aviaton Administration (FAA) audit following the accident in January 2024, identified 鈥渘on-compliance issues鈥� across Boeing精东影业 manufacturing process control, parts handling and storage, and product control. 

In recent months, a series of revelations by whistleblowers have compounded Boeing精东影业 safety record and in June 2024, the firm精东影业 CEO Dave Calhoun appeared in front of senators to answer questions about its failures.  

Boeing is also still waiting to hear what punishment it will face from the Department of Justice for violating its 2021 deferred prosecution agreement put in place following the 737 MAX fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.    

Boeing has denied it has violated the 2021 deferred prosecution agreement.聽 聽聽聽

US prosecutors advise DOJ to bring criminal charges against Boeing: reports聽

• Aviation Safety

byIan Molyneaux

2024-06-24