South African Airways has disclosed that it will lease another pair of Airbus A350-900s, after taking delivery of the first of two initial leased aircraft. The flag-carrier disclosed in mid-year that it was intending to lease two A350-900s and, on 31 October, the first of them arrived at its base in Johannesburg. SAA says these first two aircraft are nine months old and previously operated for another carrier. While it does not identify this source carrier, Cirium fleets data indicates that the jets are being taken from China's Hainan Airlines, and that the initial airframe is MSN226. The third and fourth, says SAA, will be subleased from Air Mauritius and delivered directly from the assembly line in Toulouse. SAA plans to put the initial A350 into service on its transatlantic route to New York JFK, replacing the Airbus A340-600. The twinjet is configured with 339 seats in two classes, with 30 lie-flat seats in the business cabin. The airline states that the first six economy-class seat rows include larger legroom. SAA acting chief executive Zuks Ramasia says the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered aircraft will "contribute to the airline's operational efficiencies" and put the embattled airline "back on track". She has revealed that four of the type will be delivered over the next six weeks, and all of them will be deployed on operations by mid-December. "It is an important step-change as we continue to make progress to transform our business and return the airline to financial sustainability, in the shortest time possible,” adds Ramasia. SAA will operate the aircraft for three years.


Source: FlightGlobal

Qantas has grounded two more Boeing 737-800s found to have structural cracks, a day after it removed one aircraft that was found to have a similar issue from service. The carrier says in an update that it has completed preliminary inspections on 33 of its 737s which have higher flight cycles. Cirium fleets data shows that Qantas operates 75 737-800s.
At the heart of inspections is a structure known as a "pickle fork", which connects the wing to the fuselage of 737-800s. Cracking of the structure could result in failure, affecting the integrity of the aircraft and potentially resulting in loss of control. Regulators had urged airlines with 737NGs with more than 30,000 flight cycles to inspect their aircraft immediately for cracks. Aircraft that have logged 22,600-30,000 cycles are to be inspected within the next 1,000 cycles. Qantas says that the three grounded aircraft have flown around 27,000 flight cycles, but did not provide further details. “Qantas is working with Civil Aviation Safety Authority and Boeing to resolve this issue, which involves some complex repair work. All three aircraft are expected to return to service before the end of the year,” the Oneworld carrier adds. On 31 October, Qantas slammed what it called “alarmist” comments by its engineers’ union to ground the entire 737 fleet, saying it was "irresponsible and completely inconsistent with advice from regulators and the manufacturer". Earlier last month, civil aviation authorities in Indonesia grounded three older 737NGs after inspections revealed similar structural cracks.

Source: FlightGlobal

South Africa's finance minister has told the country's parliament that discussions are being held with investors with a view to freeing flag-carrier South African Airways from state support. Tito Mboweni said, in a medium-term budget policy statement on 30 October, that SAA would probably never be self-sufficient as it stands. "[The airline is unlikely to ever generate enough cash flow to sustain operations in its current configuration," he told parliament. "I am pleased to learn that there are conversations involving SAA and potential equity partners, which would liberate the fiscus from this SAA 'sword of Damocles'." Mboweni said that the government, instead of funding "ordinary workers" travelling on old rail services from townships, had "essentially chosen to subsidise the middle-class and wealthy" who could afford to fly. "Which then begs the question," he said. "How long are we going to be on this flightpath? Forever? I think not."

Source: FlightGlobal