Good news... Airbus has found a home for 2 of those A345's that they had lying around.

 "PARIS--U.K.-based aviation services group AJW Capital Partners Ltd has signed a firm contract to buy two Airbus A340-500s aircraft, the aircraft maker said Thursday.

Airbus, a unit of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co NV (EAD.FR, EADSY), said AJW Capital is its newest aircraft customer.

The two planes sold to AJW Capital were remaining stock after Airbus stopped making its A340 aircraft last year."

http://www.4-traders.com/EADS-4637/n...-Buys-2-Airbus-A340-500s-15513406/

Boy I hope they have someone to lease them. I can't imagine many airlines are searching for A340s at the moment. Though I have to imagine they got a bargain on them.
Blue

Would they have ordered them without having a client? I doubt it...

The question that arises next is: whom?

Could it be an Iranian airline?

This must be for a private client. I can't see an airline that would buy an A345 today no matter how gorgeous it is..

Could be a "middle man" for a very wealthy M/E client or a government? They're the only parties I can think of that might want A340-500s ... well, apart from Iranian airlines!

I guess the other question is, who were they originally built for? Possibly the Kingfisher aircraft, which never found a home?

I think it's only the two Kingfisher 345's that were still sitting around in TLS, so it must be them. Have they even flown yet ?
Interesting to see where these birds will end up.   

Quoting Focker (Reply 2): The question that arises next is: whom?

Airbus press release says an "existing AJW Group customer".....

http://www.airbus.com/no_cache/newse...il/ajw-capital-buys-two-a340-500s/

.....who will begin commercial service with the planes in early 2013.

Does anybody known the MSN numbers of those 2 frames?

The last 2 A340-500 aircraft were sold to the State of Kuwait.
http://www.planespotters.net/Product...=A340-500&fleet=1336&fleetStatus=2

MSN886 and MSN894 maybe?
http://www.planespotters.net/Product...=A340-500&fleet=1336&fleetStatus=6

Quoting Devilfish (Reply 7): Airbus press release says an "existing AJW Group customer".....who will begin commercial service with the planes in early 2013.

AJW appears to be an aircraft services group and MRO. I don't see where they have any aircraft leasing operations. I wonder if they bought these planes to be used for spares for an existing operator?

Quoting Stitch (Reply 9): Quoting Devilfish (Reply 7): I wonder if they bought these planes to be used for spares for an existing operator?

I suspect it might be?

Quoting Stitch (Reply 9): I wonder if they bought these planes to be used for spares for an existing operator?

Or would it be better to swap the new aircraft with the older one's and use them for spares? I was thinking in terms of D checks and other maintenance intervals.

There was a tweet on the 14th from CH-Aviation linking to an article saying that AZAL Azerbaijan Airlines were going to be getting msn 886 and 894

http://bit.ly/ZuVBES

Quoting TeamDA (Reply 12): There was a tweet on the 14th from CH-Aviation linking to an article saying that AZAL Azerbaijan Airlines were going to be getting msn 886 and 894

Then the question is are these actually going to be used for commercial service or will these be part of the VIP fleet for the Azerbaijan government?

I think these two A345 are for Conviasa. I was in Venezuela three month ago and Chavez was on TV stating that they were going to buy some Airbus, he mentioned the A340-500 and also the president of the airline mentioned few A330.

Looking at the Buyer these will more than likely be scrapped and used for parts.

Quoting Carls (Reply 14): I think these two A345 are for Conviasa. I was in Venezuela three month ago and Chavez was on TV stating that they were going to buy some Airbus, he mentioned the A340-500 and also the president of the airline mentioned few A330.

I believe they were looking at buying Ethiad's (The A340-500s that is), but the deal might have since fallen through (that happens a lot with the A345...).

Interesting. I hope they find a nice "home" for them. A345's can still be useful as VIP aircraft or for very niche airlines.
I assume these are the two remaining ex-IT frames, and nothing to do with the ones SQ will be returning?
In that case, they should be MSN886 & MSN902.

IIRC, 5 IT frames were built, 2 went to Arik, 1 to Tunisia (or was it Algeria?), and these would be the remaining two.

Any additions or corrections are welcome, the history of the last handful of A345's built is extremely confusing   

[Edited 2012-11-16 01:22:08]

Quoting Devilfish (Reply 7): Airbus press release says an "existing AJW Group customer".....

I think the group customers are

Hawaiian, Ryanair, British Airways, flybe, vueling, Wizz, Azul, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Silkair, China Eastern, Asiana Airlines, Jetstar, Eva, Qantas

With only one A340 on their books, an A340-300.

let the client be QF, than my username comes true, wouldnt that be amazing!!!!! (one can still dream... ... ... )

Quoting r2rho (Reply 17): Interesting. I hope they find a nice "home" for them.

I would not be surprised to see more and more A340s going to African operators, SonAir in Angola I seem to recall had 2 A340-500s on order at some stage. The A340-500 would be a useful aircraft for them to open up services to China where a lot of the oil industry financing is coming from in the region.

These were the old Kingfisher birds, such a pity we never got to see them in India

Is Arik Air a viable option? Or are they near to death?

[Edited 2012-11-16 02:52:40]

Wouldn't SA be interested, the aircraft would fit in well with their other A340s and they have some rather long routes with without ETOPS alternative airports to South America and Australia. I think the A345 can fly these routes at MTOW, thus turning the same profit as a comparable two-engined aircraft which might be more profitable overall, but takes a payload-hit on these long sectors. The A345 remains a niche aircraft, but there is a market for very few airlines which already operate other types of the A340 family.

Quoting 9252fly (Reply 11): Or would it be better to swap the new aircraft with the older one's and use them for spares? I was thinking in terms of D checks and other maintenance intervals.

You have a point there. However, the fuel costs of the A345 are so high that I cannot imagine any credit worthy business putting them into high utilization.

I wonder how much above their value as parts they sold for...

Quoting Cricket (Reply 21): These were the old Kingfisher birds, such a pity we never got to see them in India

A pity they didn't make it. But better that and have the employees (hopefully) paid.

Lightsaber

Quoting zeke (Reply 18): Hawaiian, Ryanair, British Airways, flybe, vueling, Wizz, Azul, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Silkair, China Eastern, Asiana Airlines, Jetstar, Eva, Qantas

I'd bet on Hawaiian. Considering they're doing well in MNL and that 5J has just been approved to fly to GUM, HNL, SFO and LAX on wet-leases. Airbus probably gave AJW and in turn them a very good deal (given their new A330s) which could offset the less than stellar economics, and allow them to fly MNL-US West Coast nonstop year-round and compete profitably.

The others don't need the range, have the range but not the market, or otherwise already have the service to their home markets.

I know the Bolivian airline "BOA" will use an A340 for their soon-to-be-started VVI-MAD-VVI flights.

What I don´t know is the 340-series they will use nor where the aircraft will come from...

http://www.ch-aviation.ch/portal/airline.php?cha=J2

see news 11/14/12.

Ka.

Concerning EY : i would be surprised they got rid of their A345s , as EY is planning a daily service AUH WAS by March 2013 .

Quoting Devilfish (Reply 25): Quoting zeke (Reply 18): Hawaiian, Ryanair, British Airways, flybe, vueling, Wizz, Azul, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Silkair, China Eastern, Asiana Airlines, Jetstar, Eva, Qantas I'd bet on Hawaiian

I would be shocked if it was HA.

Quoting ka (Reply 27): see news 11/14/12.

AZAL Azerbaijan Airlines.

Quoting LAXintl (Reply 30): AZAL Azerbaijan Airlines.

The big question is, where will they fly them?

Intriguing to know where J2 will operate the A345's to. Perhaps they have new non-stops to the US on their mind, like IAH for the oil & gas business. I think the 345 in J2's blue & white colours will look quite pretty birds.