Two bits of news from Airbus today.

Firstly, the Airbus A350 unsurprisingly.. is going to be late (and anyone who thought the A350 would be on time really needs to look at the recent history of new aircraft deliveries from both Boeing and Airbus).

The A350-900′s schedule has now slipped to “final assembly” beginning in early 2012, and Entry into Service to the first half of 2014. Airbus had hoped to get those numbers into 2011/2013, but it seems technological issues as well as a desire to avoid immature sections of the new aircraft being delivered (which would necessitate massive rebuilds) force this time slip. Suffice to say it’s costing Airbus €200 million for this little time slip.

Lets hope this one of the last – although going by previous constructions, I’d expect more slips to come…

Secondly, for fans of the BendyBus (aka the Airbus A340), the programme to build new ones has ended. By canning the project, it’s costed €192 million ($260 million) on its earnings before interest and taxes.

EADS/Airbus have not given further reasons on the cancellations, but it isn’t hard to work out. There have been no fresh orders for A340′s for the past two years, and the numbers of the A340 don’t stack up in comparison to the 777-200LR – hence the lack of sales of the A340 family. This makes the second class of Airbus aircraft that Airbus will retire – the first being the A300 family.

Whilst there is a resurgence in the A330 models, the A340 models have been left stagnated, with Boeing hoovering up the trade with it’s 777-200LR and 777-300ER models.

Ok, now I’m not working on real work, its time to do an analysis.

With a mixed order of 25 of each type of aircraft (with options for 50 more of each – so a possible 75 aircraft of each class), what is United trying to achive?

Fleet Replacement- The 747′s and 767′s are up for the chop in this case.

• The 747′s are being replaced with Airbus A350-900′s (with 11% more range than a 747-400)
• whilst the 767′s are being replaced with Boeing 787-8′s. (with a 32% increase in range)
• No 747-8′s – Well lets be honest, who really wants this type? Apart from Lufthansa and Korean Air, United seems not to be in the 350 people plus market
• No new 777′s – Unsurprising as interest in the current generation equipment is slowly waning as people look to 787/A350.

Shrinkage – Yes – there’s a lot of it.   Apart from fleet shrinkage of 10% airframes, there will be a 19% shrinkage in actual seats. That’s a *lot* of seats.

Cost reduction and “greenness” – The green issue rears its head again, with alleged savings of 40% over the liftime of the frame

Both fleets also represent a chance for United to take gambles with long and thin routes – or really beef up exisit routes.

One little issue – neither fleets are due to come on stream until 2016, with delivery complete in 2019.

That is a *lifetime* away in airline terms.

So, it’s a win-win for both Boeing and Airbus?  Airbus should be feeling happy, however, the real looser is Boeing – in terms of not the aircraft ordered, but the aircraft lost to Airbus.

However, rather than being nationalist – United has done the right thing by buying aircraft suited to need… and knowing United – suited to it’s pocket. 

Well it seems United seems to be as good at taking a descsion as most major organisatons with the order of intent for  25 Boeing 787-8′s and 25 Airbus A350XWB-900′s.

Yes – it’s a 50/50 split for both Boeing and Airbus.

More analysis later with a few pictures if you’re good!

Something that happened yesterday.. Virgin Atlantic became 25 years old… but more importantly for the geeks amongst us, Virgin made an order for more aircraft – this time more Airbus A330′s.

Hang on. This from the airline that said “4 engines 4 longhaul”.

They’re also on the warpath for Boeing 787-9′s and Airbus 350′s.

Now there is a sign that someone has visited the Strategy Boutique and picked up a new one in a rush. The realist says they’re replacing some of the older 747 capacity and probably some of their older A340-300′s. The actualist realises that these older aircraft burn fuel like it’s out of business and this is a chance to get some new aircraft on the cheap and try and make cheap publicity out of it.

From what they’re mumbling about IFE, it’s looking quite a nice product throughout the plane, but there seems to be telecoms capability that’s being built into the specification to allow text messages and emails to be sent from devices, and USB/Power from the Upper Class/PE seats.

Perhaps Branson inc should stop toying with peoples jobs (as is their habit at the moment when mentioning the long term enemy) and start concentrating on his own companies and getting their houses in order.

Or – I think Richard has spent far too much time with Kate Moss….

Image (c) Getty/Metro/Assiocated Press Ltd -
Source. http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?Branson_manhandles_Kate_Moss∈_article_id=689820∈_page_id=34

The other issue that is now coming to the fore, and perhaps more important is the 787… and the distinct lack of deliveries (and even the wait for first flight). And it’s now starting to bite with companies shopping around for stopgap aircraft and even certain Qatar airlines saying they’re close to pulling out of Project Dreamliner…

Welcome to yet another review of day to at Paris

… and if we’re blunt, not a lot from those IFE units and suppliers today. However Thales (who are providing the IFE on the new QR birds) seem to have a new weez… Wireless IFE

Of course, wireless seems to be one of those buzzwords, so we’re looking at wireless in terms of Cabin control and systems. Of course – pumping all those bits and bytes across a LAN the size of an aircraft requires cabling.

Neither Thales and Panasonic seem to be new to this as Boeing spec’d it into the 787 – which of course was popped out when Boeing ran into a few little issues.

Here’s a hint: there’s work to be done – least of all bandwidth control. Don’t expect it in your next plane for some time…

However today’s tidbits include a few more orders – one from Air Asia X for 10 A350′s (option of 5), 16 A321′s for Vietnam Airlines, with a pair of A350′s, 5 for Cebu Pacific but more interestingly, up to 20 (10 confirmed, 10 option) ATR-72-600 from Air Nordstrom (who were doing a lot of buying yesterday with their acquisition of CRJ-1000′s)

Obviously someone hasn’t told Air Nordstrom there’s a downturn on at the moment – but as they run CRJ-200′s, ATR’s probably could be considered an upgrade probably.

On the Boeing front (who are strangely quiet – probably all the fun with the 787 due for take off at the end of the month), there seems to discussions regarding either re-winging the 777, moving towards 787-10 or even a clean-sheet design.

There’s logic on all fronts – 777 re-winged means the use of a perfectly good body with fancy new wings, 787-10 (an easy follow-on) or Clean-Sheet (which will give spotters something to wet themselves over) – so it’s down to what is the commercial consideration of working towards these new models – and how does Airbus’s A350-800/900/1000 fit into the picture?

Interesting times as always…

Welcome to GhettoIFE.com!

I’m your host – Kevin – and I’ll be here to guide you through the maze of modern travel, and hopefully add some insightful comment and humour.

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As well as random posts on the days events, my trip reports and a few other bits, there will be a few “regular” slots including:

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