ID :
25781
Tue, 10/21/2008 - 16:44
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/25781
The shortlink copeid
AIRASIA X SET TO TAKE DELIVERY OF NEW AIRBUS A33O By Salbiah Said
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 (Bernama) - Friday, Oct 31 marks yet another
significant milestone for AirAsia when its low-cost long-haul affiliate,
AirAsia X takes delivery of the first brand new Airbus A330, which is expected
to reduce the airline's fuel consumption and maintenance costs.
The handing over ceremony comes more than three weeks after AirAsia bade
farewell to the final Boeing 737-300 aircraft on its Malaysian operations. The
low-cost short-haul airline, has now switched to Airbus A320 fleet, which is
expected to help the airline save through fuel efficiency.
A group of Malaysian journalists who are on this assignment, will return to
Kuala Lumpur on this ferry flight (inaugural flight) on board the new A330-300
on the same day, after the official hand-over in Toulouse, France.
Toulouse, dubbed 'Ville Rose' ("Pink City") because of its distinctive pink
buildings, is the aircraft manufacturer's headquarters.
AirAsia X, whose shareholders include the Virgin Group of U.K., is helmed
by its 36-year old Chief Executive Officer Azran Osman-Rani, previously Senior
Director of Business Development at private satellite tv operator Astro, with
key team members, comprising young, driven and dynamic individuals, having a
wealth of experience in the aviation industry.
"The new A330 will enable AirAsia X to dramatically reduce operation costs.
With the new aircraft, we can reduce costs from 4.0 cents per available seat
kilometre (ASK) to 3.5 cents per ASK, which is significantly lower than the cost
of 7.5 to 8.0 cents per ASK on traditional carriers," Azran told a media
briefing last week.
He said AirAsia X's A330 is tailor-made for its low-cost long-haul service.
The aircraft features specifications "never before used on an aircraft of any
other airline before. It features a pioneering global design that will lead to a
whole new category of aircraft."
Its brand new A330 will feature leather seats onboard, with optional XL
seats for extra comfort and luxury; set meals for dining at 30,000 feet in the
air; comfort kits; and an advance seat request option, together with an all-new
inflight entertainment system.
"An all-new aircraft fleet gives us a strong differentiation against
airlines that operate aged aircraft. The new aircraft will lower our fuel
consumption and maintenance costs and enable us to raise our efficiency level by
up to 30 percent. The new aircraft is the main factor in changing the global
aviation industry," said Azran.
AirAsia X, which complements AirAsia's current extensive route network,
covers destinations between four and eight hours in flight duration from Kuala
Lumpur.
The first Airbus A330 will be the first of a batch of new fleet of 25
aircraft AirAsia X has ordered from Airbus.
Both AirAsia and AirAsia X, are no frills carriers. AirAsia's Airbus A320
has a 18-seat capacity while the Airbus A330 has more than 330 seats. The long
haul affiliate provides both economy and XL seats while AirAsia operates a
single seater.
During the trip, the media will visit the final assembly line of the A330
aircraft in Toulouse.
France is home to four Airbus manufacturing sites, along with three final
assembly lines and the company's headquarters. The manufacturing sites form the
Centres of Excellence for aircraft nose sections, centre fuselages and engine
pylons and nacelles.
Nearly 11,500 people are employed at sites in Toulouse, where the final
assembly of all Airbus aircraft takes place except for the A318, A319 and A321
(which is performed in Germany).
A new final assembly line has been built especially for the A380. One of
the largest construction jobs of its kind in the world, it is named after the
late Jean-Luc Lagardere, who was co-chairman of Airbus' main shareholder, the
European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS).
Final assembly of Airbus aircraft includes joining the forward, centre and
aft fuselage sections, mating the wings to the fuselage, which is followed by
the installation of the horizontal tail plane, fin, engine pylons, landing gear
and engines.
Integration of the systems in the cockpit, plus system tests, also are
carried out, including avionics, electrical, hydraulic, flight control, air
conditioning, fuel tank pressurisation and landing gear.
Cabin furnishing for the wide body A330/A340 is carried out in Toulouse
prior to final delivery.
At the Saint-Eloi area of Toulouse, engine pylons are manufactured, while
at Blagnac, electrical assemblies are built, along with the repair, modification
and preparation of spares for in-service aircraft.
As part of the Airbus Centre for Excellence for aircraft cabin and cargo
customisation, Toulouse is responsible for the customer definition of cabins,
design and painting. A mock-up centre is included in the resources at
Toulouse.
Toulouse activities also include flight and ground testing of aircraft, as
well as research, design and development.
One of the three major Airbus training centres is also based at Toulouse.
The other three are in Miami, Hamburg and Beijing.
Nearly 4,500 people are employed at Airbus' central entity in Toulouse,
situated close to Toulouse-Blagnac International Airport.
Airbus has 16 sites in France, Germany, Spain and the UK, and fully owned
subsidiaries in the US, China, Japan and the Middle East. Spare parts centres
are located in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Washington, Beijing and Singapore.
--BERNAMA
significant milestone for AirAsia when its low-cost long-haul affiliate,
AirAsia X takes delivery of the first brand new Airbus A330, which is expected
to reduce the airline's fuel consumption and maintenance costs.
The handing over ceremony comes more than three weeks after AirAsia bade
farewell to the final Boeing 737-300 aircraft on its Malaysian operations. The
low-cost short-haul airline, has now switched to Airbus A320 fleet, which is
expected to help the airline save through fuel efficiency.
A group of Malaysian journalists who are on this assignment, will return to
Kuala Lumpur on this ferry flight (inaugural flight) on board the new A330-300
on the same day, after the official hand-over in Toulouse, France.
Toulouse, dubbed 'Ville Rose' ("Pink City") because of its distinctive pink
buildings, is the aircraft manufacturer's headquarters.
AirAsia X, whose shareholders include the Virgin Group of U.K., is helmed
by its 36-year old Chief Executive Officer Azran Osman-Rani, previously Senior
Director of Business Development at private satellite tv operator Astro, with
key team members, comprising young, driven and dynamic individuals, having a
wealth of experience in the aviation industry.
"The new A330 will enable AirAsia X to dramatically reduce operation costs.
With the new aircraft, we can reduce costs from 4.0 cents per available seat
kilometre (ASK) to 3.5 cents per ASK, which is significantly lower than the cost
of 7.5 to 8.0 cents per ASK on traditional carriers," Azran told a media
briefing last week.
He said AirAsia X's A330 is tailor-made for its low-cost long-haul service.
The aircraft features specifications "never before used on an aircraft of any
other airline before. It features a pioneering global design that will lead to a
whole new category of aircraft."
Its brand new A330 will feature leather seats onboard, with optional XL
seats for extra comfort and luxury; set meals for dining at 30,000 feet in the
air; comfort kits; and an advance seat request option, together with an all-new
inflight entertainment system.
"An all-new aircraft fleet gives us a strong differentiation against
airlines that operate aged aircraft. The new aircraft will lower our fuel
consumption and maintenance costs and enable us to raise our efficiency level by
up to 30 percent. The new aircraft is the main factor in changing the global
aviation industry," said Azran.
AirAsia X, which complements AirAsia's current extensive route network,
covers destinations between four and eight hours in flight duration from Kuala
Lumpur.
The first Airbus A330 will be the first of a batch of new fleet of 25
aircraft AirAsia X has ordered from Airbus.
Both AirAsia and AirAsia X, are no frills carriers. AirAsia's Airbus A320
has a 18-seat capacity while the Airbus A330 has more than 330 seats. The long
haul affiliate provides both economy and XL seats while AirAsia operates a
single seater.
During the trip, the media will visit the final assembly line of the A330
aircraft in Toulouse.
France is home to four Airbus manufacturing sites, along with three final
assembly lines and the company's headquarters. The manufacturing sites form the
Centres of Excellence for aircraft nose sections, centre fuselages and engine
pylons and nacelles.
Nearly 11,500 people are employed at sites in Toulouse, where the final
assembly of all Airbus aircraft takes place except for the A318, A319 and A321
(which is performed in Germany).
A new final assembly line has been built especially for the A380. One of
the largest construction jobs of its kind in the world, it is named after the
late Jean-Luc Lagardere, who was co-chairman of Airbus' main shareholder, the
European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS).
Final assembly of Airbus aircraft includes joining the forward, centre and
aft fuselage sections, mating the wings to the fuselage, which is followed by
the installation of the horizontal tail plane, fin, engine pylons, landing gear
and engines.
Integration of the systems in the cockpit, plus system tests, also are
carried out, including avionics, electrical, hydraulic, flight control, air
conditioning, fuel tank pressurisation and landing gear.
Cabin furnishing for the wide body A330/A340 is carried out in Toulouse
prior to final delivery.
At the Saint-Eloi area of Toulouse, engine pylons are manufactured, while
at Blagnac, electrical assemblies are built, along with the repair, modification
and preparation of spares for in-service aircraft.
As part of the Airbus Centre for Excellence for aircraft cabin and cargo
customisation, Toulouse is responsible for the customer definition of cabins,
design and painting. A mock-up centre is included in the resources at
Toulouse.
Toulouse activities also include flight and ground testing of aircraft, as
well as research, design and development.
One of the three major Airbus training centres is also based at Toulouse.
The other three are in Miami, Hamburg and Beijing.
Nearly 4,500 people are employed at Airbus' central entity in Toulouse,
situated close to Toulouse-Blagnac International Airport.
Airbus has 16 sites in France, Germany, Spain and the UK, and fully owned
subsidiaries in the US, China, Japan and the Middle East. Spare parts centres
are located in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Washington, Beijing and Singapore.
--BERNAMA
