LATAM Airlines Group will acquire 28 new Airbus narrowbody aircraft as it continues to work through its bankruptcy proceedings. The Santiago, Chile-headquartered airline says on 6 August that the new A320neos are in addition to a previously announced order for 42 Airbus aircraft, and will assist in the airline’s goal to modernize its fleet and reduce its carbon footprint. “The purchase of these highly efficient aircraft is a sign of the commitment we have made with the transformation towards a carbon neutral LATAM in 2050,” says Roberto Alvo, the airline’s chief executive. “At the same time, these 70 aircrafts reinforce the connectivity scale of the region. We will continue working responsibly to exit Chapter 11 with a fleet that accompanies the group’s new challenges.” LATAM filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the USA in May 2020 after the coronavirus pandemic wiped out demand for air travel, and aims to exit the process by the end of 2021. In July, a US bankruptcy court gave the airline more time to file its restructuring plan. According to Cirium fleets data, the airline currently has 36 Airbus A320-family aircraft and another 22 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in passenger service.<br/>
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Moroccan flag-carrier Royal Air Maroc is to introduce a fleet of five Airbus A321s under an agreement with Latvian wet-lease specialist SmartLynx. Under the long-term pact, the aircraft are being stationed at five RAM locations including Casablanca, Tangier, Fez, Nador and Oujda. SmartLynx focuses on Airbus single-aisle jet operations, although RAM operates a fleet primarily based on Boeing types, among them 737-800s, Max 8s, and 787s. “Along with the easing of worldwide travel restrictions and the steady increase in the volume of airlines resuming their scheduled passenger services, the important agreement comes as yet another welcome sign of recovery for the aviation and travel industries,” says SmartLynx. It states that the pact was achieved with the support of its broker partner Avico. Cirium fleets data indicates both CFM International CFM56-powered and International Aero Engines V2500-powered A321s from the SmartLynx fleet are being brought into RAM’s operation.<br/>
Qatar Airways has grounded 13 A350s on the orders of its regulator, saying it will refuse to receive any more of the passenger jets until Airbus resolves what the Gulf carrier described as “accelerated” degrading of the fuselage. The move is the latest instalment of a public spat rumbling between the long-haul specialist and the European manufacturer, which has led to Qatar Airways threatening to halt deliveries unless Airbus fixes the alleged deterioration of the fuselage’s surface underneath the paint. “With this latest development, we sincerely expect that Airbus treats this matter with the proper attention that it requires,” said CE Akbar Al Baker. “Qatar Airways expects Airbus to have established the root cause and permanently corrected the underlying condition to the satisfaction of Qatar Airways and our regulator before we take delivery of any further A350 aircraft,” he added. Airbus declined to comment on “confidential” discussions with its customers. But one person briefed on the matter said the aircraft maker had been investigating surface paint of some in-service A350s, resulting in a thorough assessment shared with the EU’s civil aviation regulator. “It was demonstrated that there is no airworthiness impact on the fleet, allowing for continued operations,” the person added. “No additional inspections are required beyond existing scheduled maintenance.” Qatar Airways said it was returning some of its A330 fleet into service to replace the grounded jets and was also considering other solutions to minimise disruption.<br/>