Latest news with #A220
Arabian Post
18 hours ago
- Business
- Arabian Post
Ethiopian Airlines Eyes Fleet Expansion with Regional Jet Acquisition
Ethiopian Airlines is evaluating the procurement of 20 to 30 regional or small narrowbody jets to enhance its domestic operations and replace ageing aircraft, according to Chief Executive Officer Mesfin Tasew Bekele. The airline is considering three aircraft models: Embraer's E-2 series, Airbus's A220, and Boeing's 737 MAX 7. The final number of aircraft to be ordered will depend on the selected model. The 737 MAX 7, which offers a larger seating capacity, is still awaiting certification, posing a potential challenge to its selection. The A220 and E-2 series are already in service with other carriers, providing a more immediate deployment option. Ethiopian Airlines, Africa's largest carrier, is experiencing robust travel demand. However, it faces challenges due to delayed aircraft deliveries and engine shortages. The airline has three Boeing 787s grounded because of a lack of Rolls-Royce engines and five turboprop aircraft grounded due to a shortage of Pratt & Whitney engines. Maintenance delays have extended engine turnaround times from the typical three months to six months or more.
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Ethiopian Airlines considering order for 20 regional jets, CEO says
Ethiopian Airlines is looking to order at least 20 regional or small narrowbody jets as it moves to expand its domestic fleet and replace some ageing aircraft, the airline's chief executive told Reuters on Monday. "We are evaluating three aircraft models, the E-2 from Embraer, the A220 from Airbus, and the 737 MAX 7 from Boeing," CEO Mesfin Tasew Bekele said in an interview. The final order quantity will depend on the type chosen, he added. Boeing's 737 MAX 7, which has a larger seating capacity and sits at the bottom of a larger category than the Airbus A220 and Embraer E-2, is yet to be certified. Africa's largest carrier is experiencing strong travel demand but has been constrained by jet delivery delays and the grounding of some aircraft due to engine shortages stemming from supply chain disruptions. "We are receiving airplanes from both Boeing and Airbus, but deliveries have been delayed, some by three months, some six months, some more," Bekele said on the sidelines of an annual IATA meeting of global airline leaders. The company is also in talks with lessors to bring onboard some jets to ease capacity constraints. The airline is among several facing grounded aircraft due to bottlenecks in engine maintenance plants. Ethiopian has three Boeing 787 widebody jets grounded due to a shortage of Rolls-Royce engines, with five turboprop aircraft grounded due to a shortage of RTX's Pratt & Whitney engines. "Normally engines were supposed to be repaired and returned in three months typically, but now it takes six months or even more to get them repaired and returned," Bekele said.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- General
- Straits Times
Rampaging raccoons add to Airbus factory headaches
MONTREAL/PARIS - A family of raccoons recently broke into an Airbus factory in Canada, adding an unusual headache to the planemaker's more familiar troubles with parts shortages and supply chain snags. Five of the baby mammals were found inside the plant near Montreal, which produces A220 airliners, sources told Reuters, after their mother was spotted climbing the landing gear of a jet being produced for a European airline. 'A guy came face to face with the raccoon, after having entered the plane,' a factory worker said. A second source said damage included urine and chewed wires. Workers on the overstretched assembly line had to be pulled off normal jobs to undertake the time-consuming task of quarantining the first jet and inspecting for damage from the furry intruders, which are known for foraging in trash cans for food. Airbus confirmed the discovery of a family of raccoons on one plane but declined to say whether they had further delayed production or caused any damage. 'The aircraft is pursuing its assembly process,' a spokesperson said, adding measures had been put in place to ensure safety and quality. While the incident is only a temporary headache, it comes as Airbus is scrambling to speed up production, having warned airlines that it faces another three years of delivery delays as it works through a backlog of supply-chain problems. Recent snags include missing engines, late arrivals of components and delayed interiors, Airbus has said. But rarely have its contingency plans had to deal with stray omnivores at the rural plant. 'We had to open everything back up to inspect,' explained the second source. Airbus said the animals had been removed to a safe location. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rampaging raccoons add to Airbus factory headaches
MONTREAL/PARIS (Reuters) -A family of raccoons recently broke into an Airbus factory in Canada, adding an unusual headache to the planemaker's more familiar troubles with parts shortages and supply chain snags. Five of the baby mammals were found inside the plant near Montreal, which produces A220 airliners, sources told Reuters, after their mother was spotted climbing the landing gear of a jet being produced for a European airline. "A guy came face to face with the raccoon, after having entered the plane," a factory worker said. A second source said damage included urine and chewed wires. Workers on the overstretched assembly line had to be pulled off normal jobs to undertake the time-consuming task of quarantining the first jet and inspecting for damage from the furry intruders, which are known for foraging in trash cans for food. Airbus confirmed the discovery of a family of raccoons on one plane but declined to say whether they had further delayed production or caused any damage. "The aircraft is pursuing its assembly process," a spokesperson said, adding measures had been put in place to ensure safety and quality. While the incident is only a temporary headache, it comes as Airbus is scrambling to speed up production, having warned airlines that it faces another three years of delivery delays as it works through a backlog of supply-chain problems. Recent snags include missing engines, late arrivals of components and delayed interiors, Airbus has said. But rarely have its contingency plans had to deal with stray omnivores at the rural plant. "We had to open everything back up to inspect," explained the second source. Airbus said the animals had been removed to a safe location. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Malaysia Sun
22-05-2025
- Business
- Malaysia Sun
Airbus in talks with Malaysian airlines for its A220 planes
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Airbus is in discussions with Malaysian airlines to introduce its A220 aircraft, the company's Asia-Pacific president Anand Stanley told state news agency Bernama. Stanley said the European planemaker sees significant demand for the A220 in Malaysia, where around 150 Airbus commercial planes are already in operation and where the company expects approximately 400 further orders in the future. "We see a lot of potential demand coming from Malaysia," Stanley said, adding that while talks are ongoing, he could not specify a timeline for potential orders. Malaysia is the third-largest market for Airbus in the Asia-Pacific region after China and India. Budget carrier AirAsia already operates a large fleet of A320 and A330 planes, while Malaysia Airlines runs a widebody fleet comprising several Airbus models. The report did not disclose which airlines Airbus was negotiating with. Last month, Malaysia Airlines' parent company, Malaysia Aviation Group, announced plans to acquire 20 Airbus A330neo jets by 2028, with two already in service and another eight expected to be delivered this year. Airbus reported delivering 192 aircraft as of May this year, a five percent decline from the same period in 2024. However, the company reaffirmed its annual target of 820 commercial deliveries, a seven percent increase, despite ongoing delays in receiving engines.
