Gallery: Farnborough Aircraft Orders Few But Meaningful

Delta Air Lines jump-started the 2022 Farnborough Airshow with an order for 100 Boeing 737-10s, plus 30 options, as well as interior upgrade work on 29 737-900ERs. Deliveries are scheduled from 2025-2029, with a timeline of 2030-2031 for the options. The aircraft will be configured with 29% premium seats.

Delta Air Lines firmed up an order for 12 Airbus A220-300s on the second day of the Farnborough Airshow, bringing Delta’s total firm order for the type to 107 aircraft—45 A220-100s and 62 A220-300s. The A220s are powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines. As the US launch customer for the A220, Delta took delivery of its first of the type in October 2018. As of the end of June, Delta was operating a fleet of 388 Airbus aircraft, including 56 A220s, 249 A320 family aircraft, 57 A330s and 26 A350-900s.

UK LCC easyJet confirmed a firm order for 56 A320neo family aircraft following shareholder approval, on the third day of the airshow. The deal—which is based on a 2013 framework agreement—is part of easyJet’s fleet renewal and up-gauging, cost and sustainability enhancements to the business. The agreement includes an upsizing of 18 A320neo to the larger A321neo model. EasyJet CFO Kenton Jarvis said the new aircraft are “aligned with easyJet’s sustainability strategy, with the adoption of the more efficient new technology aircraft being a core component of easyJet's path to net zero emissions. Alongside this, the new aircraft are significantly quieter, with half the noise footprint of the older aircraft they are replacing.”

US investment firm 777 Partners announced orders and commitments for up to 66 Boeing 737 MAXs, including a firm order for 30 high-density 737-8-200s. 777 Partners assigns its aircraft to ultra-LCCs around the world, such as Canadian ULCC Flair Airlines and Australian startup Bonza Airline, which will begin operations this year. Bonza's initial route map includes 27 routes to 17 destinations, 93% of which are not currently served by any airline. 777 Partners is a Miami-based private investment firm that was founded in 2015, targeting six industries, including aviation

ATR signed a letter of intent (LOI) for up to 36 aircraft with Feel Air Holdings, a new Japanese regional airline holding company created to revitalize Japan’s regions. The airline intends to establish new regional connections throughout the Japanese archipelago, which has close to 100 airports in operation. Its aim is to improve inter- and intra-regional mobility as never before, creating a sustainable flow of people and goods, and contributing to local economies in an affordable and responsible way. The LOI confirms Feel Air’s commitment to the exclusive use of ATR aircraft for its domestic operations, with a fleet that will consist of both ATR 42-600 and ATR 72-600 aircraft, as well as the short takeoff and landing variant, the ATR 42-600S, for easier access to smaller regional airports.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) confirmed an order for 20 Boeing 737-8s, plus 10 options, and substituted existing orders for two 777-9 passenger aircraft for two of the 777-8F cargo variant. ANA is Boeing’s first Japanese 737 MAX customer and first Asian carrier to select the 777-8 freighter. The Japanese carrier has a fleet of more than 200 jet aircraft and a long history with Boeing. “The 777-8 freighters will add flexibility and efficiency to our air cargo network. The 737 and 777 have long been a mainstay of the ANA fleet,” ANA Holdings president and CEO Koji Shibata said.

Canadian regional Porter Airlines placed a firm order for 20 Embraer E195-E2 passenger jets, adding to their existing 30 firm orders. Toronto-based Porter will use the E195-E2 to extend its service to destinations throughout North America. The deal, with a list price value of $1.56 billion, brings Porter’s orders with Embraer to a total of up to 100 E195-E2 aircraft, with 50 firm commitments and 50 purchase rights. Porter’s first delivery and entry into service is scheduled starting in the second half of 2022. The E195-E2 accommodates between 120 and 146 passengers.

LATAM Airlines ordered 17 A321neo aircraft to further expand their route offering, bringing the airline’s total A320neo order book aircraft to 100. Additionally, the airline has also confirmed to bring in the A321XLR to complement their long-haul operations. LATAM and its affiliate airlines have bases in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

Aviation Capital Group (ACG) announced an order for 12 Boeing 737 MAX8s, which will take its order book up to 34. The order was already on Boeing order & deliveries site as an unidentified customer. The public announcement was made Tuesday at the Farnborough Airshow. ACG executive chair said the additional -8s will “help position ACG's order book for a recovery in air traffic coming out of the pandemic.” California-based ACG is a Tokyo Century company. It has around 450 owned, managed and committed aircraft, predominantly Airbus A320 and 737 family aircraft.

Qatar Airways finalized an order for 25 Boeing 737 MAX-10s, firming an MOU it signed in January after Airbus canceled the airline’s A321neo order. The -10 order came about after Airbus canceled Qatar’s order for 50 A321neos in an escalating and ongoing dispute over problems with the Doha-based carrier’s A350 widebodies affecting the aircraft’s exterior surface layers.

Turboprop leasing newcomer Abelo, which was created from the June 2022 merger of Elix Aviation and ADARE Aviation Capital, has agreed terms to acquire 10 ATR 72-600s. Adare has also confirmed an order for 10 short takeoff and landing (STOL) ATR 42-600S, based on a letter of intent signed by Elix in 2019. Deliveries of the ATR 72-600s will begin in 2023, while the first STOL version will arrive at the end of 2024. Abelo launched on June 21. The merged company brings together ADARE Aviation Capital—which was created in 2020 by former Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC) chief funding officer Steve Gorman—and Dublin-based regional aircraft specialist Elix Aviation, which launched in 2013.

BBAM Aircraft Leasing and Management signed for nine additional Boeing 737-800BCF converted freighters. BBAM is one of the largest owners of the 737-800BCF, with 40 already on its books. The latest aircraft will be delivered in 2024-25 “and we have a number of customers lined up for them,” BBAM SVP-head of freighter programs John Lynch said. “We’ve seen more customers than we have aircraft available. Traditionally, we have been a passenger aircraft lessor [but the 737-800BCF] has penetrated whole new markets for us.”

Alaska Air Group announced plans to grow its regional fleet with an order of eight new additional Embraer E175 jets and options for 13 more. The E175 aircraft will fly exclusively for Alaska Airlines under a capacity purchase agreement (CPA) with Horizon Air. The value of the contract, including options, is $1.12 billion based on list prices. Horizon’s new 76-seat aircraft will be delivered in Alaska’s livery and three-class configuration over the next four years starting in Q2 2023.

Lessor AerCap has ordered an additional five Boeing 787-9s, growing its Dreamliner portfolio and orderbook to 125. Dublin-based AerCap, which is the largest 787 customer, announced the latest order Tuesday at the Farnborough Airshow. “This transaction is in line with our portfolio strategy of investing in the most in-demand new technology assets and will help us continue to support our airline customers meet their sustainability commitments,” AerCap CCO Peter Anderson said.

Azerbaijan Airlines signed an MOU for four Boeing 787-8s, which will take its Dreamliner fleet to 10 by 2030. Baku-based Azerbaijan has two 787-8s in service alongside a fleet of Boeing 757, 767 and 777 aircraft. Signing the deal at the Farnborough Airshow, Azerbaijan Airlines president Jahangir Asgarov said the MOU was “evidence of joint efforts to scale up the mutually beneficial partnership between Azerbaijan Airlines and Boeing.”

Oriental Air Bridge (ORC) and ATR signed an order for an ATR 42-600, as the Japanese regional airline retires its three Bombardier Dash 8 Q200s. ORC also signed a Global Maintenance Agreement with ATR. Oriental Air Bridge is based in Ōmura, Nagasaki Prefecture. From its main base at Nagasaki Airport, the carrier operates charter services throughout southern Japan in addition to scheduled services between Nagasaki and Fukuoka regions. The airline was established as Nagasaki Airways in 1961 and renamed Oriental Air Bridge in 2001. ORC senior managing director and representative director Kazuhito Tanaka said the ATR 42-600 “will allow us to revitalize remote islands around Nagasaki Prefecture by providing lifeline connections with high efficiency and reliable services, thanks to our ATR Global Maintenance Agreement.”

ATR finalized the sale of a further ATR 72-600 to Central African airline Afrijet, to be delivered before the end of the year. This order will bring the Gabonese airline’s -600 fleet size to six ATR 72-600s by 2023, allowing the opening of new routes and increasing frequency. Initially starting with pre-owned ATRs and then moving to leased ATR 72-600 in 2020, Afrijet said it is able to benefit from ATR’s effectiveness in growing regional networks, offering more responsible and inclusive connectivity to the communities and businesses of Africa.