AerCap signs lease agreements with Air Europa for 5 Boeing 787 Aircraft and 10 Boeing 737 MAX Aircraft

AerCap Holdings has announced it has signed lease agreements with Air Europa Líneas Aéreas S.A.U. for the long-term lease of five Boeing 787-9 aircraft and ten Boeing 737-8 MAX aircraft. The aircraft are scheduled to deliver beginning in 2024 through 2026.

Air Europa will become the first Spanish operator of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. "Air Europa has been a long-time friend and valued customer of AerCap.  With this landmark transaction for the airline, we are delighted to reconfirm our belief in the Air Europa business and management team and wish them every success with their fleet modernization program," said Peter Anderson, Chief Commercial Officer, AerCap. "The future is bright for the Boeing 787 and MAX programs.  For Air Europa these new technology fuel-efficient aircraft will provide improved cost efficiencies and help them to meet their sustainability commitments. We thank the team at Air Europa for the confidence they have placed in AerCap, and we look forward to working together as these aircraft deliver." Richard Clark, Managing Director of Air Europa, said, "We are very pleased to reach this agreement with AerCap, with whom we have a long and successful relationship. It reinforces our strategy of unifying the fleet around the most modern, efficient, and sustainable models in the industry. Once again, we are pioneers. Just as we were the first Spanish company to incorporate the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, we are now doing the same by adding the new Boeing 737 MAX to our fleet."

Air Models have a range of aircraft models, including some special 737 MAX models, including this one in the colours of flydubai.  

Other airlines featured include Air China,  Xiamen Air and China Southern 

The most valuable airline ticket in history…….

Air Europa becomes first airline to mint a plane ticket on the Algorand blockchain via TravelX, making it most valuable ticket sold in commercial aviation history.

TravelX, the company building the travel industry's first blockchain-based distribution protocol, and Air Europa, the third-largest Spanish airline flying to over 60 destinations around the world, announced the close of the first NFT (non-fungible token) Flight Ticket, or "NFTicket," auction for $1,002,000 USDC.

"We are very happy with the results of this first experience trading a NFTicket. We see this as a bet on the future, as it allows us to apply a layer of service experience that transforms our customer offering," explains Valentín Lago, CEO of Air Europa. "We hope it will become a quality leap forward for all users."

TravelX was born to reimagine the travel industry and accelerate its adaptation to Web3, by tokenizing travel inventory into NFTs that can be exchanged through the blockchain ecosystem along with digital stablecoins. A simple integration will enable a whole new world of use cases, allowing travel suppliers to enhance and make their inventory distribution more efficient and profitable.

 

Spanish government approves massive €475 million aid package for Air Europa

On Tuesday of this week, the Spanish government approved a massive €475 million / £427 million bailout aid package for struggling airline Air Europa 

This aid package includes a regular loan of €235 million and an equity-backed loan of some  €240 million according to a news report from Reuters, following a government press briefing. The airline would then have up to six years to pay back the loans in full. 

As a result of this deal,  the Spanish authorities will now have a say on the proposed sale of Air Europa to International Airlines Group,  which already owns the Spanish airlines Iberia, Vueling, and Air Nostrum.  How the government would be involved in that deal has not yet been explained, however, spokesperson Maria Jesus Montero said the government "reserved the right to give an opinion and decide criteria" over the deal.  

It is understood that IAG wants to drastically reduce the €1 billion price tag for Air Europa it agreed to pay last November when the takeover deal was first orchestrated, prior to the global pandemic that has shrunk ait travel demand by over 80%.

Montero also said the government would have input on staff redundancies and senior management's remuneration. "In the case of Air Europa, the impact of the pandemic ... is evident, due to the drastic reduction in air traffic caused by reduced mobility and fewer tourist arrivals,"

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False alarm causes major incident at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport..................

A false alarm by a member of the flight deck crew of an Air Europa aircraft sent the security forces at Amsterdam's Schipol airport into a frenzy on Wednesday evening.

Dutch police and emergency services rushed to the area amid fears that a hijacking was in progress.

Wild and unconfirmed reports started circulating o social media that two men had been spotted with knives trying to hijack a Madrid bound aircraft.

Military Police and other security services cleared and evacuated some parts of the terminal and airport apron while the investigations took place. 

Air Europa later apologised, saying in a tweet it has been a false alarm.

"In the flight Amsterdam - Madrid, this afternoon was activated, by mistake, a warning that triggers protocols on hijackings at the airport.
Nothing has happened, all passengers are safe and sound waiting to fly soon. We deeply apologise."

#AirEuropaInfo False Alarm. In the flight Amsterdam - Madrid, this afternoon was activated, by mistake, a warning that triggers protocols on hijackings at the airport. Nothing has happened, all passengers are safe and sound waiting to fly soon. We deeply apologize.

— Air Europa (@AirEuropa) November 6, 2019

Air Europa sold to IAG's Iberia for €1 billion

International Consolidated Airlines Group - IAG confirmed on Monday that it had reached a deal with Globalia for Iberia to acquire the entire issued share capital of Air Europa for €1 billion.

Air Europa is one of the leading private airlines in Spain, operating scheduled domestic and international flights to 69 destinations, including European and long-haul routes to Latin America, the United States of America, the Caribbean and North Africa. In 2018, Air Europa generated revenue of €2.1 billion and an operating profit of €100 million. It carried 11.8 million passengers in 2018 and ended the year with a fleet of 66 aircraft.

The deal will totally transform Madrid for Iberia, making it one of the key European hubs, to rival Paris Charles de Gaulle. Amsterdam's Schiphol and London's Heathrow.  It will also allow Iberia to re-establish itself and the group in Latin America and the Caribbean and create opportunities for network growth in the South Atlantic.

Air Europa partners with gategroup

Gate Gourmet and gateretail, two gategroup member companies, have been awarded a six-year contract to serve Spanish carrier Air Europa Lineas Aereas (Air Europa).

The Majorcan-headquartered carrier is 100% owned by the Globalia travel and tourism group and is a member of the Skyteam alliance. Air Europa flies to and from destinations across Spain, Europe, Latin- America, the US, Africa and the Middle East.

Air Europa to launch new Dreamliner Business Class cabin

The Latin America specialist airline Air Europa has announced the launch of a new Business Class cabin design, adding more Business Class capacity and greater privacy for passengers. 

The new design will be installed on the airline’s new Boeing 787-9 aircraft from October 2019 and will feature a 1-2-1 layout, giving every passenger direct aisle access and privacy from neighbouring seats.  The airline says each seat will be upholstered in high-quality leather and can be converted easily into a bed.  

Etihad Guest programme welcomes Air Europa as new airline partner

Etihad Airways has announced a new partnership with Air Europa earlier this week which enhances benefits for its members of the frequent flyer programmes. The partnership allows members to also accumulate miles on codeshare flights operated and marketed by Etihad Airways in partnership with Air Europa. In addition, Etihad Guest members can redeem miles for tickets across the Air Europa network.

New route to Panama City from Air Europa

Panama City to get new air service from Madrid Air Europa, the Latin America specialist airline has confirmed.  The growing carrier says it will start the new route 25th February 2019.

Air Europa will introduce flights to Tocumen International Airport, the international airport of Panama City, further cementing itself as a Latin American specialist as the addition of Panama will bring the number of Air Europa routes to the Latin America region to 20 destinations, in thirteen countries.

The flight will be operated by the latest Dreamliner B787-9 aircraft: it will depart from Air Europa’s hub at Madrid’s Barajas International Airport, with connections feeding in from all over Europe including London Gatwick airport. This new service will be operating five flights a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday).

Air Europa Dreamliner to fly to Amsterdam!

Air Europa will be increasing its winter 2018/19 capacity on its popular Madrid – Amsterdam route, with the introduction of one of the airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft on 1 of 2 daily flight. 

From the 28th October this year, the Dreamliner will operate UX1091 from Madrid at 0705 arriving Amsterdam at 0945. The return leg is UX1098  departing Amsterdam 1105 arriving in back in Madrid at 1740.