Hawaiian mette in flotta due A330

[dreamliner]

Hawaiian Airlines to Add Two New Airbus A330s
In a significant first step of its long-range fleet plan, Hawaiian Airlines today announced the acquisition of two new wide-body Airbus A330-200 aircraft that will accelerate the start of the company's transition to a new Airbus fleet to 2011.
The two jets are in addition to the agreement that Hawaiian announced earlier this year to purchase up to 24 new Airbus aircraft.

Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian's president and CEO, said, "These additional aircraft underscore Hawaiian's commitment to future growth and to reaching new markets globally, which will be a huge plus for Hawaii travelers and for the long-term health and diversity of Hawaii's tourism industry."

The two A330s are being leased from AWAS and are scheduled to join Hawaiian's fleet in the first and second quarters of 2011, respectively. Hawaiian also announced a separate agreement with AWAS to extend to 2011 the leases of two Boeing 767-300ER jets currently in the fleet. The newly leased A330s will ultimately replace the B767s with the extended leases.

The wide-body, twin-aisle A330-200 seats 298 passengers in a two-class configuration and has an operating range of 5,500 nautical miles, which is significantly farther than Hawaiian's current fleet of B767-300ER aircraft. With the A330-200, Hawaiian will increase its seating capacity, improve its fuel efficiency, and have the ability to provide nonstop service to all of North America and eastern Asia.

In February, Hawaiian signed a purchase agreement with Airbus to acquire six A330-200 aircraft and six A350XWB-800 (Extra Wide-Body) aircraft direct from the manufacturer, with purchase rights for an additional six A330-200s and six A350XWB-800s.

The first deliveries of A330s under Hawaiian's purchase agreement with Airbus will join the fleet in 2012, with the A350s scheduled for delivery starting in 2017. The purchase agreement has a total list-price value of approximately $4.4 billion if the purchase rights to all 24 aircraft are exercised.

 

[rommix]

Hawaiian Airline's new Airbus A330 arrives on Oahu

It was an historic moment for Hawaiian Airlines as its newest plane, the Airbus A330, touched down at the Honolulu International Airport Monday morning.

The wide-body, state of the art aircraft, arrived in grand fashion, first a fly over, then a water blessing as it pulled onto the tarmac. Hawaiian Airlines CEO, Mark Dunkerley, says it was a magical moment, "This is a very important day for us. The delivery of the Airbus A330 is really the turning of a new chapter."

Captains Robert Mix and Mark Dawson are the first to fly aircraft. The pilots were in Toulouse, France last week as the Airbus was unveiled. They stopped in Seattle for maintenance, before arriving in Oahu. They both agree, it worth every penny of the $180 million it cost to build.

"We have all of the latest safety equipment and all of the latest navigation equipment. It makes it a joy to work in. It's a very comfortable cockpit and a great plane to fly, said Captain Mix.

"On the 12 hour flight from Toulouse, France to Seattle I was able to ride in the back in coach and in first class and the passengers are going to love it," said Captain Dawson.

Hawaiian is still putting the finishes touches on the interior of the plane, so no one got a glance inside, but the aircraft is more ' passenger friendly.' Each seat has more leg room and a personal entertainment center. This is the first of 27 Airbuses that Hawaiian will add to its fleet over the next decade. They say it's an upgrade from the Boeing 767's.

"This is an aircraft is far better than our existing aircraft. It's more fuel efficient -- it flies further, carries more customers. It allows us to put bigger seats in it so our customers will be more comfortable....and we have more cargo space," said Dunkerley.

Hawaiian's Airbus A330 will remain on Oahu for a month while crews are trained. It will begin it's route from Honolulu to Los angeles in early June.

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=12420522


dal sito airbis gli a330 sono 7, mentre gli a350 6