Airbus A220 d'Air Canada

[GoToTrudeau]

Il y a 8 heures, Normand Hamel a dit :

Just like the stunning A220, we all need to spread our wings and fly from time to time. Who’s ready for takeoff? . .

Tout comme l’épatant A220, nous avons besoin de déployer nos ailes et voyager de temps en temps. Prêts pour le décollage?

https://twitter.com/AirCanada/status/1296887796037120001

Photo: @sa_yul (IG)

Le 4 octobre je remonterai enfin dans un avion

[Normand Hamel]

https://twitter.com/SkaraBraeRanch/status/1299174130541944833

Photo: @John Dunn

[Normand Hamel]

Un 10e appareil s'apprête à être livré à Air Canada.

https://twitter.com/bouroux/status/1303916319696445440

[Normand Hamel]

Air Canada Refinances 18 Airbus A220 Aircraft

Air Canada has secured two longer-term refinancing transaction agreements worth about C$1.52 billion, replacing short-term facilities. The first transaction, worth C$787.7 million, covers financing for 18 Airbus A220 aircraft. The refinancing lowers Air Canada’s short-term cash expenditures, which is a win for the carrier.

Air Canada’s A220 refinancing

The majority of the C$1.52 billion transaction consists of a committed secured facility worth C$787.7 million to finance Air Canada’s purchase of 18 Airbus A220-300 aircraft. The refinancing has a term of 12 years from the delivery of each plane on a floating interest basis. This equates to an approximate interest rate of 2.39% using current rates.

Concurrently, Air Canada will repay the C$787.7 bridge financing for the same 18 A220 aircraft that was put in place in April 2020. Any amount that is left unpaid under the bridge financing will be repaid following the financing of the 18th A220, which is expected in the first quarter of 2021.

Essentially, Air Canada is paying off its old aircraft financing plan for 18 A220s and, instead, going for a better long-term financing option that will reduce the airline’s short-term cash expenditures on new aircraft.

Why does Air Canada want to keep taking A220s?

Most airlines worldwide have been deferring new aircraft deliveries amid the ongoing crisis, in which cash preservation is critical. However, there is one aircraft that served airlines well: the Airbus A220. Using the A220, Air Canada has kept viable some links that would not otherwise be possible with other aircraft, thus offering flights for passengers and cargo, while also not running losses due to the aircraft’s fuel efficiency and versatility.

However, Air Canada has previously threatened to cancel A220 orders. As of writing, the airline has not acted upon that even as international travel restrictions remain.

Overall, airlines are looking at ways to secure their long-term security and defer short-term expenditures. Refinancing debt is one way Air Canada is delaying short-term maturities, as the airline continues to take delivery of what it calls a “game-changing” aircraft: the Airbus A220.

https://simpleflying.com/air-canada-refinancing/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[WestAust]

Air Canada vient d'annuler l'achat de 12 A220 en plus de 10 737max et de repousser les livraisons des commandes restantes

Air Canada reports Q3 loss, defers aircraft deliveries

As a result of the decline in passenger demand and ongoing difficult business environment, Air Canada says that it will be deferring new Boeing 737 Max and Airbus A220 aircraft that had been scheduled for delivery in 2021 and 2022, and cancelling 10 737 Max and 12 Airbus A220s.

That represents about 40% of the carrier’s scheduled deliveries.

In addition, the Air Canada is accelerating the retirement of 79 aircraft, the airline says.

“This is the fleet that we are going to go with for the next three-plus years but we have great optionality, and we have the ability if there is a more optimistic return, to exercise our options and return to additional deliveries starting in 2022,” says chief executive Calin Rovinescu.

Air Canada recently took delivery of its 10th A220 and expects to end the year with 15, chief commercial officer Lucie Guillemette says. Altogether, the airline had ordered 45 of the type and 26 Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, Cirium fleets data show.

The airline does not expect Boeing’s beleaguered 737 Max to fly in Canada this year, but is optimistic that it can begin revenue service on Canadian routes in 2021. The type has been grounded for more than 19 months after two fatal accidents killed 346 people. 

The Federal Aviation Administration and other regulatory bodies including Transport Canada have been evaluating changes to the design and operation of the Max, and expect to release it into revenue operation in the coming weeks.  

“We don’t have a definitive date but the way its playing out now, [we] expect there to be an airworthiness directive issued this year…and that the aircraft will be flying early next year in Canada or to Canada,” Rovinescu says. That includes aircraft operated by other carriers flying to Canadian destinations.

https://www.flightglobal.com/strategy/air-canada-reports-q3-loss-defers-aircraft-deliveries/141037.article

[Normand Hamel]

Un A220 d'Air Canada au décollage à l'aéroport de Vancouver le 14 novembre dernier.

Photo: @Chung Kwok

[Normand Hamel]

Le 28 novembre dernier à Vancouver.

Photo: @kent matthiesen

[Normand Hamel]

Le 29 novembre dernier.

Photo: @kent matthiesen

[Normand Hamel]

Photo: @Patrick Cardinal

[Normand Hamel]

En hommage à Calin Rovinescu qui est parti à la retraite.