Company Watch - Airbus

AirGuide Business, July 14, 2008

Etihad said at the Farnborough Airshow it was buying 25 Airbus wide-body A350 aircraft, 10 A380 superjumbos and 20 single-aisle A320 planes in a transaction worth USD$11 billion at list prices. Etihad's orders included 10 Airbus A380 superjumbos as well as other mid-sized and short-haul jets from Airbus and Boeing. Emirates of neighboring Dubai is already the largest customer for the 525-seat A380, reflecting the Gulf's growing importance as a commercial airlines hub and plans to boost the region as a tourist destination. 7/15/2008

Frontier Airlines has received approval to defer the purchase of seven single-aisle Airbus planes for two years, according to US bankruptcy court documents. The order for Airbus A318 and A319 planes, worth more than USD$400 million at list prices, was booked in 2000. The deferral comes as Airbus and rival Boeing face the growing threat of large-scale order cancellations and postponements as their airline customers reel from high fuel prices and an economic downturn. Under an order issued by federal bankruptcy court in New York, some of Frontier's deposits on the planes will be returned to repay lenders. Denver-based Frontier, one of the leading US regional carriers, went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April as the price of fuel surged and its credit card processor said it would withhold more proceeds from ticket sales. The company is still operating in bankruptcy, but like other airlines, is cutting back on flights to save on fuel costs, meaning it needs fewer planes than it previously planned to operate. 7/11/2008

GMT Global Republic Aviation announced the acquisition of four Airbus A320-200s worth $68 million from Aercap Holdings. Aircraft are on lease to TAM until 2012. Dublin-based GMT now owns 16 aircraft. 7/16/2008

ILFC announced the following lease agreements: One used 737-800 to Miami Air International for four years; four new A321-200s and two used A330-200s to Vietnam Airlines for 10 and eight years each respectively; three used A330-200s to Gulf Air for eight years each; one new A321-200 to Air France for six years; one used 737-800 to Caribbean Airlines for three years; two new A321-200s to Aegean Airlines for six years each; one new 737-800 to Oman Air for 10 years; two used 737-800s to Orenburg Airlines for five years each; two used A320-200s and three used 767-300ERs to Rossiya for five and seven years each respectively; two used 737-800s to Saga Airlines for seven years each; one new A320-200 to SATA for six years; one new 737-800 to Shanghai Airlines for 10 years; one used 767-300ER to Blue Panorama for five years; two new A320-200s, four used 737-800s and one used 767-300ER to S7 Airlines for six years each; two used 737-800s to Garuda Indonesia for eight years each; two new 737-800s to Korean Air for eight years each. 7/17/2008

Lufthansa Technik signed a 10-year deal with Aer Lingus to provide component support for 34 Airbus A320s and nine A330s. Contract volume likely will exceed [euro]90 million ($143 million). Services will be coordinated by an LHT representative in Dublin and launch Nov. 1. 7/16/2008