The 2012 Farnborough Air Show was held last week in the UK. Unlike its previous editions as well as its counterpart the Paris Air Show (which alternates with Farnborough each summer), this one failed to live up to the hype as no significant orders were placed especially for wide bodied aircraft.
The main highlights of the show were as follows:
- United Airlines ordered 100 B 739Max's to fully replace its B757-200 fleet
- Cathay Pacific ordered 10 A350-1000s and will convert 16 A350-900 orders to the -1000 model; all of which are destined to replace their regional B773A fleet
- MEA (Middle East Airlines of Lebanon) ordered 5 A320NEOs + 5 A321NEOs
- Air Lease Corporation placed an order for 75 B737MAX series i.e. 60 B738Max's + 15 B739Max's
- ALAFCO ordered 20 B738Max's
- Arkia of Israel ordered 4 A321NEOs
- CIT Leasing ordered 5 A330-300ERs
- AVOLON ordered 10 B738Max + 5 B739Max + 10 B738s + 15 A320NEOs
- GECAS ordered 75 B738Max + 25 B738s
- UT Air of Russia ordered 21 A321s
- Air Baltic ordered 20 Bombardier CS300 series aircraft i.e. 10 firm + 10 options
- An undisclosed customer placed an order for five Bombardier CS100 + 10 CS300 series aircraft
Qatar Airways has officially announced a major expansion plan across its network from the on set of the upcoming IATA W12 season of which the main highlights are as follows:
OSL - frequencies increased from 5 to 9 times per week using an A332
BRU - frequencies increased from 5 weekly to daily flights using an A332
BCN - frequencies increased from daily to 10 weekly using an A332
SAH - frequencies increased from 4 weekly to daily flights using an A320
In addition, QR's CEO has also officially announced that the carrier will be launching new daily nonstop flights to BHX-Birmingham, UK using its new Boeing 787s in 2013. These new flights are going to be extremely popular with passengers bound to ATQ and ISB in particular.
Korean Air has officially announced that it has placed an additional order for 2 new Boeing 777-300ERs which would bring its total to 16 of this type of aircraft in its fleet. KE's B77Ws are mainly used on long haul trans-pacific flights to USA and Europe respectively. Its B77Ws are configured to seat 291 pax in a 3 class layout i.e. 8F + 56J + 227Y.
British Airways has officially announced that it will be significantly reducing its international operations in the Middle East region as part of the next phase of its route restructuring due to its purchase of BMI-British Midland.
The main highlights are as follows:
DMM - all flights suspended effective 16SEP. Currently, BD operates 3 weekly flights to DMM using an A332.
KRT - all flights suspended effective 01OCT.
RUH - frequencies reduced from 13 weekly overall (BA+BD) to daily nonstop flights using a B747-400.
JED - frequencies reduced from 8 (BA+BD) to 5 weekly overall using a B767-300ER.
IKA - frequencies reduced from daily to 4 weekly flights using an A321.
Jet Airways of India has officially announced a major increase of capacity to the Far East and
Middle East region for the upcoming IATA W12 season. The main highlights are as follows:
DEL/DMM - frequencies increased from 4 weekly to daily nonstop flights
DEL/AUH - frequencies increased from 5 weekly to daily nonstop flights
DEL/DOH - frequencies increased from 5 weekly to daily nonstop flights
DEL/BKK - capacity increased from daily B738 to daily B739ER
DEL/SIN - frequencies increased from daily to double daily i.e. daily A332 + daily B738
BOM/BKK - frequencies reduced from triple daily to double daily
CCU/BKK - frequencies increased from daily to double daily
Emirates has officially announced it will be implementing few more capacity changes across its route network during the course of the IATA W12 season. The main highlights are as follows:
NCE - capacity increased from daily A345 to daily B773A
ATH - capacity reduced from daily B773A to daily A345
LHR - capacity increased with all 5 daily flights being operated with an A380 effective 01FEB 13
JED - capacity increased with the 4 new A332 operated flights being upgraded to a B773ER hence overall double daily A380 + 4 weekly B77W
Singapore Airlines has officially announced that it will be reducing capacity to both Milan and Barcelona for the upcoming IATA W12 season as the carrier looks to realign its Boeing 777 aircraft fleet to high demand winter routes as well as to engage in cost cutting where ever possible. Services to both BCN and MXP will be reduced from daily to 5 weekly each using a Boeing 777-300ER.
ANA of Japan has officially announced that it will be launching new services to Delhi, India effective 28OCT 2012. Flights shall be operated on a daily basis nonstop using a Boeing 767-300ER and the schedule is timed to connect conveniently in both directions via its Tokyo hub to Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco in particular. This new service will be a joint venture with United Airlines. The schedule is as follows:
Frequency: Daily
NH 917 Dep NRT 1720 Arr DEL 0020+1
NH 918 Dep DEL 0125 Arr NRT 1250
Lufthansa has officially announced that it shall be suspending all flights to CGK-Jakarta, Indonesia effective 28OCT 2012. LH currently operate a daily service to CGK via SIN from its secondary Munich hub using an Airbus A 340-300. With the increasing competition to/from CGK on offer by the Middle East carriers in particular, LH feels that it is better off code sharing via SIN or BKK to CGK rather than operate its own service.
Oman Air's Board is in advanced stages of studying a proposal to add much needed capacity to its network. WY revealed that it has put forward a proposal to purchase 3 additional Airbus A 330-300s + 3 Boeing 737-800s. With 3 A333s on the drawing board, it seems very evident that further long haul expansion is on the horizon with nonstop flights to Manila in particular a firm realization in the making!.
LHR - all three daily flights to be upgraded to a B773ER (new cabin product seating 330 pax in 3 classes)
ICN - capacity increased from daily A333 to daily A345
Spicejet of India has officially announced that it will be the first privately owned Indian carrier as well as the first low cost one to operate new international flights from India to Kabul effective 14AUG 2012. From this date onwards, it will be launching new 3 weekly nonstop flights from Delhi to Kabul using a 180 seater Boeing 737-800.
Days of service: 1/3/4/6/7
AB 7420 Dep BER 1000 Arr ORD 1210
AB 7421 Dep ORD 1525 Arr BER 0700+1
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