63 AIRBUS SINGLE-AISLES
Airbus has confirmed plans to ramp-up production of its A320 Family to 63 aircraft per month. The company said last year it was studying the possibility of hiking output of its single-aisle range and it says it is aiming to achieve this rate in 2021. The company said it is “on track” to achieve an interim rate increase to 60 jets per month, up from the current 57/month rate, in the middle of this year.Mark Broadbent
1 WIZZ AIR A321NEO
The Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air received the first of what will be 174 Airbus A321neo deliveries. The airline is set to become the leading European operator of the largest A320neo Family variant, the carrier already operating 36 A321-200s and due to receive five more. Deliveries of the Wizz Air A321neos will take until 2022 to complete.Mark Broadbent
140 EMIRATES FLIGHTS TO UK
Emirates will from this summer operate a second daily flight to London Stansted, bringing the total weekly flights to the UK from Dubai served by the Gulf carrier to 140. There are six services a day from Heathrow, three from London Gatwick and Manchester, two from Birmingham, Glasgow and Stansted, and a daily service from Newcastle and Edinburgh.Mark Broadbent
1 BOEING 737 MAX 8 FOR COMAIR
Comair, operator of British Airways and Kulula flights in South Africa, has taken delivery of its first 737 MAX 8 from Boeing. The aircraft, ZS-ZCA (c/n 60432), arrived in South Africa from Seattle on February 28 via refuelling stops in the Dominican Republic, Cape Verde and Ghana, having departed two days earlier. The 189-seat aircraft will be flown in British Airways livery and maintained by Lufthansa Technik. When Comair ordered eight 737 MAX 8s it became the first airline in southern Africa to acquire the model, which will replace its 737-400s. (Mauritania Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines have also received 737 MAX 8s.) Deliveries will conclude in 2022, contributing to the airline’s efforts to get modern aircraft to reduce operating costs. (The 737 MAX 8 uses 14% less fuel than its predecessor). Comair’s two brands fly to 11 destinations in southern Africa and the Indian Ocean using 18 737-800s, seven 737-400s and three A320-200s wet leased from Global Aviation Operations. Another four leased 737-800s will be acquired to replace the 737-400s. Guy Martin
8 AIR BALTIC 737 CLASSICS TO RETIRE
Air Baltic is to phase out its eight remaining Boeing 737 Classics earlier than planned. The Latvian carrier plans to end operations with its six Boeing 737-300s and two 737-500s in autumn 2019, enabling it to focus on a single fleet type in the form of the Airbus A220-300. Air Baltic now has 14 A220-300s in service, the airline having 50 on firm order along with 30 options. A total of 60 A220 Family aircraft had been delivered by the start of March, consisting of 14 A220-100s and 46 A220-300s.Mark Broadbent
Data covers orders announced February 6-March 13, 2019. Key: HOA – Heads of Agreement, LOI – Letter of Intent), MOU –Memorandum of Understanding. Compiled by Mark Broadbent
