Africa’s largest carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, has inked a loan agreement with Citi. Worth USD 450 million, it is to finance five new Boeing aircraft – three 737-8s and two 777F (cargo). For Citi, this loan agreement is the largest for aircraft financing in Ethiopia in the last 10 years.

The airline will take delivery of all five jets before December comes to a close. Once done, its fleet will expand to 150. Where the 737-8s will help the carrier bolster its short- and medium-haul network, the 777 Freighters will further boost Ethiopian Cargo & Logistics Services’ stature to become the largest cargo network operator in the continent.

Ethiopian Airlines presently serves 135 passenger and cargo destinations worldwide, including 63 in Africa. Besides the belly hold capacity in passenger aircraft, the airline’s cargo and logistics arm covers 67 dedicated services using 17 freighter jets. By 2035, the airline aims to expand its fleet to more than 270 aircraft.

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Transavia Airlines, a European low-cost carrier, has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321neo on lease from Air Lease Corporation. The airline will lease a total of seven such jets from the lessor. With this aircraft, the airline, part of the Air France-KLM Group, becomes a new Airbus operator of the A321neo. Also, the delivery marks the beginning of Transavia Airlines’ transition to an all-Airbus fleet.

The A321neo delivered, which flew from Airbus’ Hamburg production site using SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) and landed at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, has 232 seats in a single-class configuration. In addition, the cabin boasts the manufacturer’s XL bins that provide a 40 per cent increase in storage space compared to the previous ones. Also, every seat is equipped with a USB-C port.

The largest member of the Airbus A320neo Family, the A321neo, is powered by twin CFM International LEAP-1A engines. They offer a 50 per cent reduction in noise and 20 per cent savings in fuel and CO2 emissions over the last-generation single-aisle jet.

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US-based charter carrier JSX has inked a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Swedish aeroplane maker Heart Aerospace to buy 50 of the latter’s ES-30 hybrid-electric aircraft, with an option to purchase an additional 50.

The ES-30 is a regional aeroplane with a standard seating capacity for 30 passengers. On electric power alone, it can travel up to 200km. The hybrid range, on the other hand, is 400km. Its maker claims a range of up to 800km with 25 passengers aboard while complying with the typical airline reserves.

Heart Aerospace has received 250 firm orders for the ES-30, with options and purchase rights for an additional 120 aircraft. Post the latest LOI with JSX, the manufacturer’s count of LOIs has risen to 192.

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British low-cost carrier easyJet and Airbus have inked an agreement for 157 additional A320neo Family aircraft and purchase rights for 100 more. The order comprises 56 A320neos and 101 A321neo jets. Additionally, the airline has upsized an existing order for 35 A320neo aircraft into the larger A321neo.

The newly ordered planes will be delivered between FY29 and FY34. They will help the airline phase out the older Airbus A319 fleet and replace nearly half of the A320ceo jets in its fleet. Presently, easyJet has 69 A320neo Family aeroplanes in operation. Also, by FY29, it will receive a further 158 A320neos. Like all Airbus aircraft, the A320neo Family can fly with up to 50% SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel). The manufacturer has set a target to make its entire product portfolio capable of flying with up to 100% SAF by 2030.

Also Read: Lufthansa Shops For Airbus And Boeing Aircraft

To further boost and modernise its short- and medium-haul aircraft fleet, Lufthansa Group has ordered jets from Airbus and Boeing. Starting with Airbus, Lufthansa Group has placed a firm order for an additional forty A220-300s, an aircraft that has operated with the group since 2016. In fact, Lufthansa was among the first carriers to fly the A220. Ever since it took delivery of the A300 in the 1970s, the Lufthansa Group has gone on to operate all Airbus commercial jets, including the A220, A320 family, A330/A340, A350 and A380.

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With Boeing, Lufthansa has placed a firm order for forty 737 MAX jets with the option to purchase an additional sixty. This deal will reintroduce the Boeing 737 in the group’s fleet, as the last specimen from the family, a 737-300, was delivered in 1995. Before that, Europe’s largest airline group had taken delivery of 145 Boeing 737 aircraft, with the first in 1967. Lufthansa retired its last 737 in 2016. In addition to the 737 MAX, there are other Boeing jets in Lufthansa’s order book. It comprises thirty-four 787 Dreamliners, seven 777-8 Freighters and twenty 777-9 planes.

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