Turkish Airlines’ AnadoluJet arm is to lease a batch of Boeing 737 Max 8s from the Chinese-linked lessor CDB Aviation. The carrier is to take six of the type from Irish-based CDB. All six of the aircraft – which are powered by CFM International Leap-1B engines – will be sourced from the leasing company’s current Boeing backlog. They will be fitted out in line with the configuration of AnadoluJet, a subsidiary operator of the Turkish flag-carrier. CDB Aviation says the aircraft will be delivered over the course of 2024-25. “Adding these aircraft to the AnadoluJet fleet will contribute significantly to our goals and allow us to present remarkable travel experiences to our passengers,” says Turkish Airlines chief investment officer Levent Konukcu. CDB Aviation says the 737 Max deliveries will take the number of aircraft it leases to Turkish Airlines to nine. These include a Boeing 777-300ER, a 737-800 and an Airbus A320neo.<br/>“These highly efficient aircraft will bring Turkish closer to achieving their ambitious sustainability goals by lessening the environmental footprint of their mainline and subsidiary carrier’s flight operations,” says CDB Aviation chief Jie Chen.<br/>
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Central European budget carrier Wizz Air has taken delivery of an Airbus A321neo manufactured at the airframer’s Chinese assembly line. Wizz is claiming to be the first European carrier to take an A321neo from the plant at Tianjin. The aircraft – powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines – will bring the number of A321neos in the Wizz fleet to 92. Wizz says the delivery flight will be conducted using a 10% blend of sustainable aviation fuel. CE Jozsef Varadi says the aircraft’s introduction will mean A320neo-family jets will account for over half the carrier’s fleet. “As well as delivering exceptional operating economics, [the A321neo] provides the foundation from which to maintain our position as one of the world’s most sustainable airlines,” he adds. AVIC Leasing is financing the twinjet through a sale-and-leaseback agreement.<br/>
Ryanair expects passenger numbers in central and eastern Europe to surge by at least 50% over the next decade, the airline's manager for the region said, as it looks to dominate in a less-developed market also targeted by Wizz Air. Europe's biggest low-cost carrier has ordered as many as 300 Boeing jets as it seeks to take advantage of the rebound in air traffic following the COVID-19 pandemic and the company sees demand for new routes in eastern Europe. "We want to focus very much on this region," Alicja Wojcik-Golebiowska, the CEE and Baltics country manager for Ryanair told Reuters in an interview. "We see that this is going to be a large part of our upcoming expansion." "It's pretty hard at this moment to say about the exact numbers, but we hope that the whole region is going to grow at least by 50%," she added. While Poland has long been one of Ryanair's key markets, Wojcik-Golebiowska said the company was now redoubling its focus on other countries in the region. "We see that central and eastern Europe was a little bit left behind in last years. So we want to catch up in this region to catch it up with our most developed markets like Spain, Italy or Poland," she said. Hungarian budget airline Wizz Air will be its main competitor as it offers similar cheap fares, as well as connections to the Middle East.<br/>
A businessman in Dubai has vowed to get long-held plans for a low-cost Indian airline off the ground, with a launch date soon to be announced. Afi Ahmed, founder of Dubai travel agency Smart Travels, told The National he was working to revive Air Kerala, a project first announced by the Kerala state government in 2005. He is aiming to raise investment to launch Air Kerala as a domestic airline in the southern Indian state before expanding operations to include the Gulf. Ahmed, originally from Kerala, had previously announced that he had purchased the domain name airkerala.com for Dh1m. “Next month, I will formally announce the launch of Air Kerala,” he said. “The airline is a dream come true for non-resident Indians from Kerala. I really hope I can give wings to Air Kerala. I have approached all government entities for permissions. Even otherwise, I am planning to start this is a private entity with the support of NRI [non-resident Indian] businessmen.” He claims he has already found investors and has handed the project over to consultants for a fiscal report. “I also have a legal team that is looking into other formalities,” he said. “We will raise an initial amount of Rs100 Crores [about Dh275m]. The plan is to launch a domestic carrier in Kerala in the first phase and later expand it as an international airline operating in the Gulf-Kerala sector. “We cannot reveal more details at this stage. We will decide on the type of carrier and number of flights depending on approvals.”<br/>
Leading Omani budget carrier SalamAir is set to boost its services to the northern emirate of Fujairah, with four flights a week on Mondays and Wednesdays, starting from July 12. Fujairah is the latest addition to SalamAir's growing list of destinations, offering travelers an exciting new opportunity to experience the unique culture, history, and natural beauty of the UAE, reported Emirates News Agency WAM. The launch of this new destination comes in response to the rising demand for economical and practical air travel options among both leisure and business travelers. With the latest addition of Fujairah, SalamAir now serves a total of 39 destinations across 13 countries, making it one of the region's fastest-growing value-for-money airlines. The new destinations through Fujairah Airport and Muscat International Airport include several cities, namely Riyadh, Shiraz, Tehran, Trabzon, Bangkok, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, Dhaka, Chittagong, Colombo, Jaipur, Karachi, Salalah, Muscat, Kathmandu, Lucknow, Sialkot and Trivandrum. Captain Mohamed Ahmed, CEO of SalamAir, said: “The introduction of Fujairah to our destination network is part of our strategic plan to expand our reach within the regional routes we offer. We are certain that this new route will be a popular choice for all travelers, especially given the convenient connections from Fujairah to some of our most sought-after destinations on the network, and we look forward to welcoming our guests on board our flights to and from Fujairah.”<br/>
The acquisition of Smartwings and its fleet of over 40 aircraft would make Israir Israel's biggest airline, leapfrogging El Al. Israir Group, controlled by Rami Levy (60%) is on the brink of becoming Israel's biggest airline, in terms of aircraft fleet size. The airline notified the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) this morning that it has been given an extension in the deadline to complete negotiations for the acquisition of Czech airline Smartwings, and that it must pay a deposit of €500,000 for the extension. If Israir's acquisition of Smartwings goes ahead then it would have a fleet of 48 planes leapfrogging El Al, which has a fleet of 45 aircraft. Smartwings is a low-cost airline with over 40 aircraft that fly 6m passengers per year. The airline has hubs in Prague, Warsaw, Budapest and Paris. Its fleet includes Boeing 737s and Cessna aircraft. Israir currently has six aircraft 400 employees and has scheduled 3,850 flights this year. In 2016, Israir had 617 employees and conducted 1,750 flights. Israir flies to Dubai, Georgia, the Czech Republic, Greece and Italy. At the same time, in a matter unconnected to the acquisition, Clal Insurance is increasing its stake in Israir. Having previously held a 2% stake in the airline, Clal Insurance is increasing its stake to 7.44% through a private allocation of 11.4m shares at NIS 1.75 per share, 1.5% below the market price, making it a party at interest in the company. Clal Insurance's stake could rise to 11.3% if exercises an option for another 11.4m shares at NIS 2 per share.<br/>
Virgin Australia has taken delivery of its first Boeing 737 Max 8, kickstarting the airline’s fleet growth and renewal programme. The aircraft (VH-8IA) – on lease from lessor CALC – is the first of 33 737 Max aircraft that the airline will take delivery of over the next five years. Virgin Australia has eight Max 8s and 25 larger Max 10s on order. The new jet will enter commercial service at the end of July, where it will be deployed to fly the Cairns-Tokyo Haneda service, a new route which is being operated by 737-700s. Airline operations chief Stuart Aggs says the new aircraft are a “critical part” of the airline’s transformation - both operationally as well as in its sustainability efforts - noting the type’s fuel efficiency credentials. Adds Erika Pearson, Boeing’s vice president for commercial sales and marketing, Southeast Asia and Oceania: “Operating younger, more fuel-efficient 737-8 airplanes will support Virgin Australia to take key steps in meeting its sustainability goals, while providing passengers with enhanced comfort and a more enjoyable flying experience.” In December 2020, Virgin Australia, which had just emerged from administration under new owners Bain Capital, nixed its commitments for 48 737 Max aircraft, which comprised 23 Max 8s and 25 Max 10s. Instead, it placed a fresh order for 25 Max 10s. In April 2022, the airline added an order for four Max 8s with another four announced in August the same year.<br/>