The purchase agreement between Kuwait
Airways and Airbus was signed on Monday (European time), giving the A330-800
its first customer since Hawaiian Airlines dropped plans to operate the type in
March in favour of the Boeing 787-9.
Kuwait Airways chairman Yousef Al-Jassim
said the aircraft would form part of the airline’s fleet expansion and growth
plans.
“We are confident that the A330-800 will
support us to compete effectively on our expanding route network,” Al-Jassim
said in a statement.
“Our relationship with Airbus extends
beyond aircraft acquisitions and we look forward to further collaboration on
technical fields.”
Kuwait Airways chairman Yousef Al-Jassim
and Airbus chief commercial officer Christian Scherer. (Airbus)Kuwait Airways
chairman Yousef Al-Jassim and Airbus chief commercial officer Christian
Scherer. (Airbus)
Should the purchase agreement be converted
into a firm order, Kuwait Airways would be the sole airline customer for the
A330-800. Deliveries were expected to begin in 2019 and run until 2026.
There are two A330neo variants – the
A330-800 is the replacement for the A330-200, while the A330-900 is the
replacement for the larger A330-300. They are powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000
engines and feature a new wing and new winglets similar to those on the
A350XWB.
There is 95 per cent commonality between
the A330neo and current A330 variants. It also shares a common pilot type
rating with the Airbus A350 family.
The A330-200 has a typical range of 7,250nm
when seating 247 passengers, according to the Airbus website, while the
A330-800 will have a range of 7,500nm with 257 passengers in a three-class
layout.
Meanwhile, the A330-300’s typical range is
6,350nm with a 277-passenger configuration, compared with 6,550nm for the
A330-900 configured with 287 seats in three classes.
Airbus chief commercial officer Christian
Scherer said the A330-800 would fit seamlessly into the Kuwait Airways fleet
alongside its existing A350-900s and A320neos.
“We are delighted that Kuwait Airways has
chosen the A330neo as a cornerstone of its future widebody fleet,” Scherer said
in the statement.
“The A330-800 with its unique efficiency
and versatility will support the carrier’s ambition to develop its expanding
long-haul network.”
The A330-800 was expected to begin its
flight test program shortly.
Aircalin became the first (and still only)
A330neo customer in Oceania in November 2016 when the New Caledonia-based
airline put pen to paper for two A330-900s to replace its existing A330-200s.
In this part of the world, Fiji Airways and
Qantas both operate the A330-200 and A330-300.
Meanwhile, Aircalin and Virgin Australia
have just the smaller A330-200.
In September, the A330-900 received its
type certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), paving the
way for first delivery to launch customer TAP Air Portugal.
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário