Air-Britain News – August 2019

IndiGo [6E/IGO] [India] has announced that it has ordered LEAP‑1A

engines to power 280 Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft. The

contract, which includes spare engines and an overhaul support

agreement, is valued at more than US$20 billion at list price. IndiGo

also signed a long‑term Service Agreement with CFM (US).

IndiGo will look to take some of the international operations of Air

India but only at the right price.

IndiGo founder Naresh Goyal has been asked for a deposit if he

wants to fly abroad, as the carrier owes lenders US$2.6 billion.

The airline’s board members are set to question cofounder Rakesh

Gangwal on the nature of what one of them characterised as “exclusive

parleys” with Pratt & Whitney (US) ahead of the airline’s latest engine

order.

IndiGo co‑promoter Rahul Bhatia is unlikely to budge from his

position and agree to dilute airline’s control structure that gives him

right to nominate Chairman, CEO and other management personnel.

He is ready for scrutiny of company books by any government agency.

01Jul19 onwards Tiruchirapally TRZ Singapore SIN Daily (+2 flights) 320

05Jul19 onwards Mumbai BOM Dammam DMM Daily 320

05Jul19 onwards Mumbai BOM Doha DOH 2× Daily

(+1 daily)

320/321

05Jul19 onwards Chennai MAA Doha DOH Daily 321 (x320)

05Jul19 onwards Kozhikode CCJ Doha DOH Daily 321 (x320)

15Jul19 onwards Chennai MAA

Kuala Lumpur

KUL 2× Daily^320

25Jul19 onwards Delhi DEL Dhaka DAC Daily 320

25Jul19 onwards Delhi DEL Jeddah JED Daily 320

25Jul19 onwards Mumbai BOM Dubai DXB

3× Daily

(+1 daily)^320

05Aug19 onwards Mumbai BOM Kuwait City KWI Daily 320

22Aug19 onwards Mumbai BOM Bangkok BKK Daily 320

22Aug19 onwards Mumbai BOM Singapore SIN Daily 320

04Sep19 onwards Kolkata CCU Hong Kong HKG Daily 320

15Sep19 onwards Delhi DEL Chengdu CTU Daily 320

InterCaribbean Airways [JY/IWY] [Turks & Caicos]

09Jul19 onwards Montego Bay MBJ Ocho OCJ Daily DH6

Interjet [IJ/AIJ] [Mexico] founder Miguel Aleman Velasco plans to sell

the airline to settle the debt, which is 7.9 times its EBITDAR. Talks are

said to be ongoing with some international airlines who assessing

possible mergers.

Interjet has added two more A320s, bringing its fleet to 65 aircraft.

The carrier is seeking approval to launch services from Mexico City

and Cancun to Guayaquil or Quito with A320 or A320neo.

Interjet has signed an interline agreement with Qatar Airlines via

various connection points in the US.

IrAero [IO/IAE] [Russia] is mulling the lease of two more B777s, as

the carrier no longer has plans to add more SSJ100s due to engine

complaints.

25May19‑21Sep19 Adler/Sochi AER Moscow ZIA Tu,Sa SU9

25May19‑21Sep19 Adler/Sochi AER Penza PEZ Tu,Sa SU9

26May19 onwards Moscow ZIA Kokshetau KOV Su SU9

29May19 onwards Moscow ZIA Petropavlovsk PPK W SU9

01Jun19 onwards Moscow ZIA Karaganda KGF Tu,Th,Sa SU9

18Jun19‑03Sep19 Ekaterinburg SVX Baku GYD Tu SU9

02Jul19 – 10Sep19 Irkutsk IKT Qinhuangdao BPE Tu (bi‑weekly) SU9

02Jul19 – 10Sep19 Khabarovsk KHV Qinhuangdao BPE Tu (bi‑weekly) SU9

Iran Air [IR/IRA] [Iran]

07Jun19 onwards Tehran IKA Moscow SVO F 321 (x300)

13Jul19 onwards Tehran IKA Izmir ADB Sa 330 (x300)

Iraqi Airways’ [IA/IAW] [Iraq] flights to Damascus, expected for the

first time since the war erupted in 2011, have been postponed

indefinitely because of administrative issues.

I Fly [H5/RSY] [Russia) has taken delivery of another A330‑300, its
second ‑300, and the eighth A330 in its fleet. Serial 1021 is on lease
from Air Lease (US). Further renewal and expansion of the fleet with
Airbus aircraft is part of iFly’s development strategy for the period
between 2019 and 2021.

iAero Group [US] has completed the acquisition of Swift Air (US).

IAG [UK] CEO Willie Walsh says Norwegian has yet to prove its
financial viability in the long term, and the Group will pursue all
consolidation opportunities which provide increased value to the
business.
IAG has converted two of the 100 A320neo options it announced in
August 2013 into firm orders for Iberia (Spain). Powered by LEAP‑1A26
engines, they will be delivered in 2021 and used to replace two A320s.
IAG has selected the A321XLR to expand its fleet with a firm order
for 14 aircraft, plus 14 options. Of these, eight are destined for Iberia
(Spain) and six for Aer Lingus (Ireland), with first deliveries scheduled
for 2023.
The Group plans to build its future fleet with the B737 MAX, with
an intention to purchase 200 MAX jets, in a deal valued at more than
US$24 billion, as per list prices. The new aircraft will be deployed
across the Group, including Vueling (Spain) and LEVEL (Spain). The
purchase will include MAX 8 and MAX 10 jets, with deliveries between
2023 and 2027.
IAG has ruled out bidding for the airline unit of Thomas Cook (UK)
as it is not actively pursuing M&A at the moment.
IAG will demand additional compensation from Rolls‑Royce (UK)
due to extra maintenance inspections on its Trent 1000 TEN engines.

Iberia [IB/IBE] [Spain] will discontinue winter operations between
Madrid and Dubrovnik, moving to seasonal summer flights from 2020.

13Dec19 onwards Madrid MAD Guayaquil GYE M,W,F,Su 332
15Oct19 onwards Madrid MAD Bogota BOG Daily 359 (x346)

27Oct19‑26Jan20 Madrid MAD Tokyo NRT Th,F,Sa,Su (*) (‑1 flight) 332

02Mar20 onwards Madrid MAD Cairo CAI M,W,F,Sa (*) 319
Iberia previously served Guayaquil until March 2017 and Cairo until
August 2014.

Ibom Air [Nigeria] was granted its AOC to begin commercial flight
services on 07Jun19 with three CRJ900s, registrations 5N‑BWK, 5N‑
BWL and 5N‑BWM.

Icelandair [FI/ICE] [Iceland] has signed a share purchase agreement
with Berjaya Property Ireland, whereby Berjaya acquires a majority
share in Icelandair Hotels and related real estate for around US$136
million.
The carrier has made changes to its flight schedules as is expects
the suspension of B737 MAX to last longer than anticipated. It is now
working on the leasing of an additional B767‑300.
Icelandair has pulled out of Tampa because the grounding of the
B737 MAX has left it short of aircraft. It will also lay off 24 pilots and
will not be hiring 21 new pilots due to the B737 MAX grounding.
Icelandair plans Q400 operations in 3Q19, leased from Air Iceland
Connect. The airline also leased an A319 between late June and early
August 2019. It also updated its leased Airbus A319 services scheduled
between the same dates. The following covers planned Dash8‑Q400
and A319 operational frequencies (not overall frequencies for each
route).

• Dash8‑Q400:
  Reykjavik Keflavik – Dublin 18Jul19 – 14Sep19: 2 weekly
  Reykjavik Keflavik – Manchester 15Jul19 – 11Sep19: 2 weekly


• Airbus A319:
  Reykjavik Keflavik – Billund 01Jul19 – 30Jul19: 1‑3 weekly
  Reykjavik Keflavik – Brussels 20Jul19 / 27Jul19
  Reykjavik Keflavik – Geneva 03Jul19
  Reykjavik Keflavik – Hamburg: one‑time on 03Jul19, and 3 weekly
  between 17Jul19 and 29Jul19
  Reykjavik Keflavik – Manchester 30Jun19 – 30Jul19: 2‑3 weekly
  Reykjavik Keflavik – Oslo 11Jul19 – 28Jul19: 2‑3 weekly
  Reykjavik Keflavik – Paris CDG 29Jun19 – 03Aug19: 1‑3 weekly
  Note: the A319 appears to have entered operation, however A319
  operating schedules were only filed from 29Jun19.