Boeing celebrates delivery of Oman Air’s first

Dreamliner787

KUALA LUMPUR: Boeing and Oman Air celebrated the delivery of the

airline’s first Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The airline ordered six 787-8s in

November 2011 as part of its expansion plans. “We are delighted to

receive our first Dreamliner which combined with Oman Air’s award-

winning service will provide an excellent travel experience for our

customers. “Our decision to invest in this game-changing airplane

underlines our confidence in the 787 and the value it will add in terms of

reliability, operational efficiency and comfort,” Oman Air Chief Executive

Officer (CEO) Paul Gregorowitsch said in a statement.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is an all-new, super-efficient family of

commercial airplanes that brings big-jet ranges and speed to the middle

of the market. In response to airlines’ overwhelming preference, Boeing

designed the 787 family with superior efficiency, which allows airlines to

profitably open new routes to fly people directly where they’d like to go

in exceptional comfort. Since entering service in 2011, the 787 family

has opened more than 50 new non-stop routes around the world. Oman

Air has announced that it will deploy its first Dreamliner on services to

Saudi Arabia and Europe. “We’re proud to have Oman Air join our

growing base of 787 customers in the Middle East and around the world.

“Our partnership with Oman Air dates back almost 15 years during

which time the airline has been operating the 737 family. We’re delighted

to help introduce Boeing twin-aisle airplanes into its growing fleet,”

Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner said.

Boeing currently has eight 787 customers in the Middle East with a total

of 175 Dreamliners ordered and 140 in backlog. Boeing has also been

contracted by Oman Air for a suite of services to support the upcoming

entry into service of its 787 Dreamliners and to ensure ongoing

efficiency and cost savings for its fleet. These services will help Oman

Air minimise the time and cost of maintenance while increasing airplane

availability. -- Bernama

http://www.nst.com.my/

aviation agency issues safety note over EU

missilesCaspian BERLIN —

The European Aviation Safety Agency has issued a safety

bulletin to airlines and authorities regarding Iranian and Iraqi

airspace after Russian warships in the Caspian Sea last week

fired cruise missiles toward

.Syriafired cruise missiles towardweek

EASA said in a bulletin dated Friday that "before

, such missiles are necessarily crossing the Syriareaching

, below flight Iraqairspace above (the) Caspian Sea, Iran and

routes" used by commercial aircraft.

The agency says it has no specific recommendations at this

point and was issuing the bulletin to inform airspace users

about the potential hazard. EASA said it will be amended "if

more specific information is received" about the situation.

Russia said last week that it was using warships in the Caspian

.SyriaSea to target the Islamic State group in

Air France said Monday that it "has temporarily applied special

rules with regard to overflying Iran and the Caspian Sea." It

said they were implemented Saturday following its security

division's recommendations.

The airline didn't elaborate in a brief statement, but noted that it

.anywayIraqandSyriadoesn't fly over

http://www.wsoctv.com/

to 350 Singapore Airlines to fly Airbus A

, Kuala Lumpur, JakartaAmsterdam

)1(Singapore Airlines will take delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 in

January 2016 with Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Amsterdam chosen

as first routes for the next-generation jet.

The Star Alliance member and Virgin Australia partner revealed its

plans for the A350 during a media briefing at Airbus headquarters in

Toulouse, France.

Inaugural A350 commercial services will make short hops from

Singapore to Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta for the purposes of crew

familiarisation with the all-new aircraft through to April, before

spreading its wings onto the 13 hour Singapore-Amsterdam route.

The airline expects to have at least three A350 jets in its fleet by

April and 11 by years' end, out of a total of 63 orders and a further

20 options up its sleeve.

It's a massive commitment by Singapore Airlines costed at US$19.2

billion (A$26.2 billion) at list price, although airlines never pay the

manufacturer's published price, and speculation suggests deep

discounts close to 50% for large and prestigious orders.

The A350 would give Singapore Airlines the “potential to open new

routes, enhancing our network and further strengthening the

Singapore hub" said Singapore Airlines' SVP Marketing Planning,

Ms Lee Wen Fen.

Three classes, ~300 seats

Singapore Airlines' first tranche A350s will be fitted with business

class, premium economy and economy seating, but not first class.

"The seat configuration is almost nailed down, I presume it's going

to be close to the 300-seat mark" Mr Tan Pee Teck, Singapore.

http://www.ausbt.com.au/

(2)

Airlines' Senior Vice President for Product & Services,

told Australian Business Traveller following an A350 media briefing

in Tououse.

The A350's pointy end will feature the same superb business class

seats as SQ‟s newest Boeing 777s.

http://www.ausbt.com.au/

cabin with premium economyFurther down there'll be a smaller

seats in a 2-4-2 arrangement, which Tan says will be "a

somewhat new seat" compared to those of the A380 and

Boeing 777-300ER, "but the look and feel will be more or less

the same."

http://www.ausbt.com.au/

Economy seating will be the same as on the airline's newest

Boeing 777-300ERs and arranged in a 3-3-3- layout.

However, a Singapore Airlines executive has indicated

to Australian Business Traveller that later A350 deliveries

could include a two-class version without premium economy

and slated for medium-range flights where the „better than

economy‟ cabin has limited appeal.

"The exact number (of A350s) for long-haul flights is still

something to be pinned down but certainly the first batch that

will come in will be earmarked for long-haul flights and will

have premium economy" Singapore Airlines Executive Vice

President Commercial, Mak Swee Wah, told Australian Business Traveller during last year's launch of the airline's new

premium economy seats.

The Singaporean flag-carrier will be the fifth airline to fly the

(3)

http://www.ausbt.com.au/

(4)

and Finnair,Vietnam Airlines,Qatar Airwaysfollowing350 A

) in branded LATAM Airlines-newlyBrazil‟s TAM (part of the

Cathay and competitorneighbourDecember, while Asian

.2016February in350 will collect the keys to its first APacific

range' version of -'ultra longSingapore Airlines is also eager for an

stop flights between -which would allow it to resume non350the A

Singapore and the USA, potentially including a 19 hour trek to

New York.

hour 19 stop -will mean non350 'Ultra long range' Airbus ARead:for Singapore 350 range A-Airbus confirms ultra longandflights

AirlinesAlso on Singapore Airlines' roadmap is a new raft of Airbus A380s

from 2017, which will debut all-new first class suites and business

class seats.

first class suites, business 380 Singapore Airlines' new ARead:2017class in

Chris Chamberlin travelled to Toulouse as a guest of Singapore Airlines and Airbus (additional reporting by David Flynn)

http://atwonline.com/

issues missile advisory to airlinesEASA

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued a

Safety Information Bulletin (SIB) following Russia‟s use of cruise

missiles against Syrian rebel forces last week.

The SIB, addressed to “national aviation authorities and aircraft

operators,” sets out the publicly available information on the

missile routes, which crossed three countries to their targets.

EASA makes clear that its information on the incident comes from

only publicly available sources and its SIB carries a map supplies

by Russia‟s defense ministry.

This shows the path of the missiles—Russia says 26 were fired

from four naval vessels against 11 Syrian targets—from the

southwest corner of the inland Caspian Sea. Their path took them

southwest across the northwestern tip of Iran, before turning west

across Iraq and then across Syria.

EASA said the missiles were “below flight routes which are used

by commercial transport aeroplanes.” The Kalibr missiles, which

use a terrain-following guidance system, normally fly a few

hundred feet above the ground. Several were filmed flying in

daylight at low altitude across Iraq.

EASA said it has “no specific recommendations” on the issue, and

published the SIB simply “to inform airspace users about the

hazard. EASA will amend this SIB if more specific information is

received related to that situation.”

الشركة القابضة -ادارة العالقات العامة

لمصر للطيران