Page 9 - Aviation News (February 2020)

E175s for Congo Airways

Congo Airways, based at Kinshasa, has
signed a firm order for two Embraer
175s (see table below). The agreement
also includes purchase rights for a
further two airframes.
Desire Bantu, the airline’s CEO, said:
“These new jets will replace our current
turboprop offering and allow us to serve
routes both within the Democratic
Republic of Congo and regionally to
West, Central and Southern Africa, from A computer-generated image of
our hub in Kinshasa.” a Congo Airways E175. Embraer
Bantu went on to say that the E175
offers flexibility and is the right size for additional order may be required, for which 76 passengers in total, with 12 in business
the airline’s market, adding that an order the E2 is a particularly compelling option.” class. Deliveries will begin in the fourth
for the E2 could be on the horizon: The aircraft it has ordered will be quarter of 2020. The airline currently flies
“[The market] is growing so rapidly, so an configured in a dual-class layout seating four two Airbus A320s and two Q400s.

Delta Sells Turkmenistan IN BRIEF

Bizjet Branch Airlines’ UK Return AER LINGUS has published its largest ever

Nearly a year after it was banned from the capacity increase between Ireland and North
Delta Air Lines is selling its private-jet EU on safety grounds, Turkmenistan Airlines America ahead of the 2020 summer season.
charter business to Wheels Up Partners. has resumed operations to the UK with The Irish carrier is making almost two million
The airline will retain an equity stake the relaunch of its route to Birmingham. seats available during the peak holiday
in Wheels Up but will step back from EASA had raised concerns over the safety period – the most it has ever offered. David
Shepherd, Aer Lingus’ CCO commented: “Not
the Delta Private Jets operation, which of the carrier’s operations and prohibited only does our increased capacity strengthen
it has run for 20 years, but which has operations from February 2019 but, by Ireland’s connectivity with the United States,
only been “marginally profitable” and October last year, the company confirmed but it creates a greater, more efficient
hasn’t grown as the carrier had hoped, it had complied with technical requirements connection via Dublin for our neighbours in
according to Delta chief executive related to air operations of Third Country the UK and Europe.”
officer Ed Bastian. Following the Operators (TCO) within the EU. The Dutch low-cost carrier TRANSAVIA is to offer
sale, New York-based Wheels Up will TCO regulations apply to non-European links to nine European destinations from a
have a fleet of more than 190 private aircraft operators conducting commercial new Brussels base. The KLM subsidiary plans
aircraft and over 8,000 members and air transport flights in the region. The to connect the Belgian capital with Alicante
customers. Wheels Up founder and CEO connection links the airline’s hub in and Ibiza in Spain, Verona in Italy, Corfu,
Kenny Dichter will continue to run the Ashgabat to Birmingham once a week using Heraklion and Thessaloniki in Greece, Tel
combined company. a Boeing 737-800 (see the Enthusiasts’ UK Aviv in Israel, Agadir in Morocco and Faro
in Portugal. Erik-Jan Gelink, commercial
Route Guide starting on p32). director of Transavia, said: “Our research
indicates that there is a gap in the market
CIVIL ORDERS from Brussels for low-cost leisure travel
which Transavia can fill.”
Purchaser Aircraft Number Order Placed Notes During April and May, EL AL ISRAEL AIRLINES
SKY A321XLR 10 December 9 is to operate a series of proving flights
Congo Airways E175 2 December 10 plus two purchase rights between Tel Aviv and Melbourne as part of
plans to launch an ultra long-haul service to
Air France A350-900 10 December 11
the Australian city. The flights – presently
Air France A220-300 60 December 18
scheduled for April 2, April 23 and May 14 –
Spirit Airlines A320neo Family 100 January 6 October MoU confirmed are to be operated by one of the Israeli flag
BOC Aviation A320neo 20 January 7 up to 12 for lease to Avianca carrier’s 12 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.

Air Kiribati Embraer Air Kiribati’s first E190-E2, PR-EHT (to become
VH-IKJ), made a refuelling stop at Palma de
Mallorca on January 1, 2020 during its delivery
flight to the South Pacific. Javier Rodriguez
significantly expand its footprint and
directly connect parts of its far-flung
republic. The Air Kiribati E190-E2,
delivered on December 30, will be able
to fly nonstop from the country’s capital
Tarawa to Kiritimati (Christmas) Island,
one of the most challenging routes in
the Pacific. Until now, the domestic
The flag carrier of the central Pacific delivery of the first of two Embraer flight from Tarawa to Kiritimati required
island nation of Kiribati has taken 190-E2 jets, giving it the ability to an international stopover in Fiji.

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