14 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2017
News Review • Americas
Freight Convert
Air Transat Selects the A321LR
CANADIAN LEISURE carrier Air Transat
has agreed to acquire ten Airbus
A321LRs from AerCap. They are being
acquired on 12-year leases and will
replace the airline’s A310s, which will
gradually be retired. All ten A321LRs
will be delivered between spring 2019
and autumn 2020.
“The A321LRs will perfectly complete
our fleet of A330s and 737s,” said
Jean-Marc Eustache, President and
CEO of Transat, the parent company of
Air Transat. “These aircraft are also an
ideal solution for replacing our A310s.
This agreement with AerCap will allow
us to continue offering our customers
the service and comfort they are used
to, at the best possible price. We are
very pleased to strengthen our partner-
ship with the world’s leading aircraft
lessor, with which we have enjoyed a
fruitful and long-standing association.”Air Transat says the 4,000nm (7,408km)
range of the A321LR is ideally suited to
its network and it will deploy the air-
craft on both sun and transatlantic ser-
vices. The A321LRs will be configured
in a two-class layout with 200 seats,
each of which will be equipped with a
touchscreen offering a wide choice ofin-flight entertainment options.
Aengus Kelly, CEO, AerCap, said: “We
are very proud of our long-standing
partnership with Air Transat and are
thrilled to play a significant role in
the future growth of the airline. The
A321LR will significantly improve Air
Transat’s fleet with the most efficient,longest-range single-aisle aircraft that
offers an exceptional level of passenger
comfort.”
Air Transat currently operates 31 per-
manent aircraft, consisting of nine
A310-300s, 11 A330-200s, four A330-
300s and seven Boeing 737-800s.
(Photo Airbus)A former British Airways Boeing 737-436 has been given a new lease of life hauling freight in Alaska. Northern Air Cargo is using N401YK
(c/n 25860, ex G-GBTB) after its conversion to a freighter by Pemco at Tampa, Florida. The Anchorage-based carrier has leased the aircraft
from lessor Automatic. MARCO FINELLIUnited Alters A350 Deliveries
UNITED AIRLINES has deferred four
Airbus A350s scheduled for delivery in- The Star Alliance carrier hasn’t
revealed when the aircraft are now
due but has bought forward delivery of
12 Boeing 737 MAX and two 787-
Dreamliners to 2019.
The moves were revealed in the
airline’s 2017 Q2 performance report,
which included its acquisition of four
additional 777-300ERs and 100 MAX
10s, announced at the Paris Air Show
in June.
United has confirmed plans to introduce
the 777-300ER on three new routes this
autumn. The type will be placed on the
San Francisco to Beijing and Frankfurt
services from September 6 and October
5 respectively.
From October 29, the type will be used toply the Newark-Tokyo/Narita route.
The 777-300ER is currently in service
on flights from San Francisco to Hong
Kong and Tokyo/Narita and from
Newark to Tel Aviv. From August 1, it
will also take on the San Francisco to
Taipei rotation.
United expects all 14 examples from its
original 777-300ER order to be in service
by the end of the year. (Photo Airbus)Dynamic Files
for Voluntar y
Chapter 11
DYNAMIC INTERNATIONAL Airways has
filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition
with the United States Bankruptcy Court
in the Middle District of North Carolina,
Greensboro Division.
The airline says its decision follows litiga-
tion matters related to Hajj flights the car-
rier operated for Air India in 2014. Added
to this was a judgment in the United
States District Court for the Middle District
of North Carolina affirming an arbitration
award against the airline, issued by the
Canadian Arbitration Association in April.
It determined the carrier was in breach of
contract by failing to pay commissions to
BKP Enterprises relating to the Hajj flights.
“While the debtor has filed a notice of
appeal and intends to challenge the judg-
ment and award, Dynamic International
has no immediate recourse to stay the
judgment and has determined the
commencement of the Chapter 11 case
is necessary,” the charter operator said
in a statement.
Dynamic reports it intends to continue
operations as normal during the Chapter
11 proceedings and has arranged for a
credit facility to ensure this and enable it
to reorganise.
Paul Kraus, CEO, said: “Operating under
the protection of the US Bankruptcy Court
will enable us to continue to serve our
customers, keep our team employed and
work with our vendors while we navigate
through the challenges presented. Once
we have completed the reorganisation
process, we expect Dynamic International
to emerge as a stronger company with a
sound financial structure that is appropri-
ate not only for today’s level of business
activity, but also for the future.”