- Lufthansa took delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 on August 29. The aircraft, registration D-ABPA, flew from Paine Field near Seattle to Frankfurt where it will prepare for an entry-into-service on domestic German routes in October, and on flights between Frankfurt and Toronto shortly thereafter. Lufthansa first ordered 20 787s in 2019 for its future fleet, and has since upped its commitments for the type to 32 aircraft (including the 787 delivered last week). It’s worth noting that the production quality issues that halted 787 deliveries for more than a year until August had little impact on Lufthansa; the airline was always due to receive its first of the aircraft in 2022.
- Russian airlines remain cut off from the western aircraft market by sanctions on the country following its invasion of Ukraine. As a result, national carrier Aeroflot is turning to Russia’s domestic manufacturers for its fleet needs, CEO Sergei Alexandrovsky said in an August 26 meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin according to the Kremlin. Aeroflot will buy 323 domestic aircraft, he said, including 73 Sukhoi Superjet SSJ100s, 210 Irkut MC-21s, and 40 Tupolev Tu-214s. Production of the latter, the Tu-214, will resume in 2024 in response to the western sanctions.
- UPS has picked up nine more Boeing 767 freighters bringing its total commitments for aircraft to 28. The deal with Boeing includes eight new 767Fs with deliveries beginning in 2025, which is also the year that its the last aircraft from a December order for 767Fs is due. An additional 767F conversion will also be delivered in late 2023.
- Air Europa has agreed to lease 15 Boeing aircraft from AerCap. The Spanish carrier will take delivery of 10 737-8s and five 787-9s from 2024 to 2026. The Maxes, Air Europa’s first, would fit well with the 50 737 Maxes that suitor International Airlines Group has on order; IAG hopes to close its acquisition within 18 months, or by the end of 2023.
Edward Russell
September 6th, 2022