To strengthen its commercial aviation sector, Alergia’s national carrier Air Algérie has placed a firm order for seven widebody planes from Airbus. The order is for five A330-900s and two A350-1000s. Both aircraft are the latest generation of Airbus’ widebody range. The A330neo family is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, efficient enough to deliver a flying range of up to 13,334km (7,200 nautical miles) non-stop. On the other hand, the larger A350 series features Rolls-Royce’s new XWB engines. As a result, the long haulier can fly 16,100km (8,700 nautical miles) without stopping. In addition, Airbus claims that Air Algérie will benefit from operational savings as the chosen aircraft burn 25 per cent less fuel per seat.

To strengthen its range of long-haul aircraft, Philippine Airlines has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus to purchase nine A350-1000. The jet offers the longest range of any commercial aeroplane in production today. It can cover 8,700 nautical miles, which translates to 16,100km, non-stop. The new aircraft will be used for non-stop services from Manila to North America, covering the USA and Canada. They will also be flown to Europe. And like the existing A350-900s in PAL’s fleet, the A350-1000 will offer three separate seating cabins – Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy Class. 

Pocket-friendly commercial airline Ryanair has placed its biggest order with Boeing. The purchase agreement confirms a firm order for 150 737-10 jets and options for 150 more. The new aircraft will complement the European carrier’s 737-8-200 fleet, which has a 197-seating capacity. The larger 737-10 variant will offer more space with 228 seats and the best per-seat economics of any single-aisle aeroplane.