mffoda From United States of America, joined Apr 2010, 908 posts, RR: 0 Posted (6 months 1 week 5 hours ago) and read 3215 times:
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."
jetblueguy22 From United States of America, joined Nov 2007, 2021 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (6 months 1 week 5 hours ago) and read 3232 times:
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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
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kaitak From Ireland, joined Aug 1999, 11952 posts, RR: 37 Reply 5, posted (6 months 1 week 4 hours ago) and read 3245 times:
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?
TC957 From UK - England, joined May 2012, 335 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (6 months 1 week 4 hours ago) and read 3251 times:
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.
Stitch From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 26700 posts, RR: 83 Reply 9, posted (6 months 1 week 4 hours ago) and read 3247 times:
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?
9252fly From Canada, joined Sep 2005, 1342 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (6 months 1 week 4 hours ago) and read 3245 times:
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.
Polot From United States of America, joined Jul 2011, 1497 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (6 months 1 week 2 hours ago) and read 3244 times:
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?
Carls From Germany, joined Aug 2007, 517 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (6 months 1 week 2 hours ago) and read 3242 times:
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.
Polot From United States of America, joined Jul 2011, 1497 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (6 months 1 week 1 hour ago) and read 3242 times:
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...).
r2rho From Germany, joined Feb 2007, 2248 posts, RR: 1 Reply 17, posted (6 months 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 3241 times:
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
zeke From Hong Kong, joined Dec 2006, 7726 posts, RR: 73 Reply 20, posted (6 months 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 3243 times:
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.
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CARST From Germany, joined Jul 2006, 705 posts, RR: 1 Reply 23, posted (6 months 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 3239 times:
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.
lightsaber From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 10671 posts, RR: 100 Reply 24, posted (6 months 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 3240 times:
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.
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.
TC957 From UK - England, joined May 2012, 335 posts, RR: 0 Reply 32, posted (6 months 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 3576 times:
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.
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"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.
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