Sky High, the Caribbean regional carrier, has taken delivery of its second Embraer E190 leased by TrueNoord. The first of these aircraft was delivered earlier in the year. Immediate induction into the Sky High fleet has resulted in both E190s flying an extensive network to fifteen destinations throughout the Caribbean islands and beyond.
“TrueNoord is delighted to work with Sky High as they pioneer route development across the region” says Garry Topp, Sales Director – Americas. “The Embraer E190 has the potential to be disruptive to the Caribbean market. It’s very exciting to see Sky High proving the case for the E190, with its range capabilities connecting destinations not only across the Caribbean but also to new international routes to the USA, Central and South America.”
The second aircraft joins Sky High as passenger numbers grow and the operator furthers its ambitious plans to improve connectivity. Topp adds, “Providing pan-Caribbean coverage has been the objective of many operators over the years but until now it has not been achieved. The team at Sky High has worked hard with the authorities in Dominican Republic, Aruba and across the Caribbean to develop their network.”
Virgin Atlantic takes delivery of its first A330neo
Virgin Atlantic has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330neo aircraft leased from Air Lease Corporation. The A330neo will play a crucial role in the company’s fleet transformation and also marks the 50th Airbus aircraft for the UK-based airline. Virgin Atlantic will become the first operator of the type in the UK, and has ordered 13 A330neo aircraft (six on lease from ALC) with an intention to expand the fleet to 16 eventually.
The A330 Family is the most popular widebody aircraft ever in terms of customers and routes, while the A330neo’s flexibility in the mid-to-long-range market is unrivalled. The A330neo, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, brings double-digit lower operating costs per seat and has 25 percent less fuel burn and carbon emissions compared to previous generation competitor aircraft. It affords Virgin Atlantic A330-A350 fleet commonality for its pilots and a seamless passenger experience, as Virgin Atlantic already operates nine state-of-the-art A350-1000 aircraft.
Air Astana takes new Airbus A321LR
Air Astana’s ninth Airbus A321LR arrived in Almaty from Hamburg in October, with a 10th aircraft scheduled for delivery before the end of the year. The first Airbus A321LR was delivered to Air Astana in October 2019.The latest aircraft is on operating lease from Air Lease Corporation. The Airbus A321LR is a long-range version of A321neo and is operated on Air Astana’s international network, with destinations including Antalya, Bangkok, Dubai, Frankfurt, Istanbul, London, Phuket and Sharm El Sheikh. The aircraft is configured in a two-class layout featuring 16 seats in business class and 150 seats in economy. The Air Astana Group now operates a fleet of 40 aircraft, comprising 32 Airbus A320/A321 family aircraft, three Boeing 767 and five Embraer E2. The average age of the fleet is 3.8 years.