Farnborough Airshow Day 3/4: Flynas, Air Tahiti and Abra Group line up commitments

Farnborough International Airshow, the biennial airshow held every even year (with Parish Airshow taking on the odd years), went underway yesterday. The airshow is used by airlines to announce their new initiatives and commercial orders. Here is a roundup of Day 1 of the Farnborough Airshow and Day 2 of the Farnborough Airshow.

Airbus wins order commitments on Days 3 and 4; ATR gets some, too.

flynas signs an MoU for 75 A320neo and 15 A330neo aircraft

flynas, a low-cost Saudi Arabian carrier, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus for 75 A320neo family aircraft and 15 A330-900. The new aircraft will join the carrier’s all-Airbus fleet, serving international, domestic, and regional routes. The new A330-900 aircraft will boast a two-class configuration, accommodating up to 400 passengers.

The Saudi Arabian low-cost carrier recently took delivery of the 53rd new aircraft from its Airbus orderbook of 120 A320neo aircraft.

a group of men standing at a table with airplanes

On this occasion, Bander Almohanna, CEO and Managing Director of flynas, said,

We are excited to further strengthen our long-standing partnership with Airbus. The A320neo Family provides exceptional operational performance and environmental benefits, allowing us to offer unique, low-cost travel experiences. Additionally, the A330neo will enhance our long-haul capabilities with its advanced technology and efficiency while supporting our growth plans and Saudi Arabia’s pilgrim program.

Abra Group (majority investor of Avianca and Gol) signs MoU for five A350-900s

Abra Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for five A350-900s to expand its international long-haul operations and increase capacity. It would be interesting to track which carrier gets the aircraft. Gol is an all 737 fleet, while Avianca operates a 787 fleet in terms of its widebodies.

a plane flying in the sky

Adrian Neuhauser, CEO of Abra Group said,

We are delighted to announce this agreement with Airbus. We believe the arrival of these five A350s, which offer a best-in-class passenger experience, are more fuel efficient and have a lower cost per seat than competitor aircraft, will allow us to strengthen our commitment to make travel more accessible and responsible. This also means better prices for customers with better connectivity between our continent and Europe, and will further consolidate Abra as one of the largest and most competitive air transportation groups in Latin America. The aircraft selection is consistent with the strategic announcements we have done this year and further executes on our long term vision.

Air Tahiti orders 4 ATR 72-600 aircraft.

Air Tahiti ordered four additional ATR 72-600 aircraft and an eight-year Global Maintenance Agreement (GMA). The new turboprops are scheduled to be delivered between 2025 and 2028. Air Tahiti has been an ATR customer for 40 years.

The Tahiti-based carrier operates a fleet of 11 turboprops, comprising nine ATR 72-600 and two ATR 42-600. The additional ATR 72-600s will enable Air Tahiti to boost flight frequency and capacity.

a red and white airplane in the sky
Edouard Wong Fat, Air Tahiti’s Chief Executive Officer, highlighted:

Air Tahiti has been a cornerstone in Tahiti and its islands for more than 65 years, facilitating not just travel but a better quality of life. By ensuring our communities have easy access to essential goods, services, and cultural experiences, we’ve also helped boost the local economy and tourism. The ATR fleet has been pivotal in these efforts and it will continue to enable us to offer reliable and responsible connectivity.

Bottomline

On the third and fourth days of the Farnborough Airshow, Airbus had most of their MoUs, which might take a different form when the aircraft order actually arrives. Air Tahiti, a long-time ATR customer, also used the occasion to announce some more aircraft orders. Follow our coverage for more details.

What do you think of day 3/4 at the Farnborough Airshow?


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About Ajay

Ajay Awtaney is the Founder and Editor of Live From A Lounge (LFAL), a pioneering digital platform renowned for publishing news and views about aviation, hotels, passenger experience, loyalty programs, travel trends and frequent travel tips for the Global Indian. He is considered the Indian authority on business travel, luxury travel, frequent flyer miles, loyalty credit cards and travel for Indians around the globe. Ajay is a frequent contributor and commentator on the media as well, including ET Now, BBC, CNBC TV18, NDTV, Conde Nast Traveller and many other outlets.

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