A330 Production Hits An All Time High
Airbus says it has firmed up its largest-ever Latin-American
order, while it continues to increase production of its A330
airliner.
AviancaTaca, which includes subsidiary AeroGal of Ecuador, has
signed a purchase agreement for 33 eco-efficient A320neo and 18
A320 Family aircraft. The order, which is the largest from a single
airline in the region in terms of number of aircraft, follows a MOU
signed during the Le Bourget Air Show in Paris in June 2011.
The new aircraft will support AviancaTaca’s expansion into
new markets in Latin America, while keeping the airline’s
fleet among the youngest in the region.
“With this order AviancaTaca and our subsidiaries will
continue the modernization process that includes fleet renewal as
its primary focus,” said Fabio Villegas, President of
AviacaTaca. “Our goal is to offer travelers the most
comfortable and efficient aircraft in the market, and we are proud
that the A320neo aircraft is recognized for its eco-efficiency and
cutting-edge technology,”
AviancaTaca has placed firm orders for 190 Airbus aircraft
(including the latest 51) and has currently in service 88 A320
Family aircraft and eight A330. AviancaTaca operates the entire
A320 Family, A318, A319, A320 and A321 aircraft.
Etihad Airways, meanwhile has signed a firm order for two
additional A330-200F freighter aircraft to meet their growth plans
in the cargo market. The airline was a launch customer and the
launch operator of the A330-200F, having taken delivery of its
first aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow in 2010.
Today’s order will increase the fleet of the airline’s
cargo business, Etihad Crystal Cargo, to four A330-200F
freighters.
“We are strongly committed to building our presence in the
cargo sector with the platform of Abu Dhabi as our hub to connect
global trade lanes,” Etihad Airways President and Chief
Executive Officer, Mr James Hogan, said. “The A330-200F has
been a key part of our recent success in the market. We are very
pleased with its high reliability and versatility, and that’s
why we are keen to expand this fleet type,” he said.
The A330-200F, which has just celebrated a successful first year
of efficient operation with a high operational reliability topping
99.5%, can carry up to 70 tonnes of payload and offer a range of up
to 4,000nm. Nine A330-200F freighters are now flying with four
operators in the Middle East, Europe and Asia.
The A330 Family, which spans 200 to 400 seats for the passenger
variants, also includes Freighter, VIP, and Multi Role Tanker
Transport (MRTT) variants, and has attracted close to 1,200
orders.
Airbus says production of the A330 reached a rate of nine per
month in January, bringing the output of this popular twin-engine
jetliner to a record rate in meeting international demand.
Assembly of the A330 is performed in Toulouse, France, with Airbus
planning a further ramp-up to 9.5 aircraft monthly.