Contributor - UK

David Donald

Taiwan’s Starlux Airlines signed an order on Wednesday at the Singapore Airshow covering three A330neo airliners and five A350F freighters, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 and XWB97 engines, respectively. The A330 order builds on the four aircraft already in service, one of which is on show in the static display. Airbus will deliver the new aircraft in 2025/26. The machines will come configured with 28 business class sets and 269 in the economy cabins.
Starlux operates an all-Airbus fleet and sees the A330neo as ideal for its intra-Asia services and to feed passengers into its growing North American passenger services, which started from Taipei to Los Angeles last year and later added San Francisco. Chairman Chang Kuo-Wei said that the airline would add Seattle as a destination this year. A330s operate on the transpacific routes. Chang added that the airline planned to bolster its narrowbody fleet in the near future with further A321neos.
The order for A350Fs makes Starlux the 10th customer to sign up for the freighter, which has already received 50 orders. Starlux’s move into the segment resulted from the large demand for cargo capacity that originates or transits through Taiwan, in particular the large volumes of IT goods. “KW” Chang also noted that the cargo business had remained relatively buoyant during the Covid pandemic.
“With this order, Starlux will become the first Taiwanese airline to operate the next-generation A350F widebody freighter,” said the airline’s CEO, Glenn Chai. “In an era of climate change, the A350F has unbeatable efficiency in terms of fuel burn, CO2 emissions, and economics, offering significant energy-saving and carbon reduction benefits. It not only meets customer requirements for carbon reduction but also aligns with Starlux’s ESG [environmental, social and governance] plan to achieve zero emissions by 2050.”
The airline settled on five as the ideal number of aircraft to start the dedicated freight business, but it expects it to grow. As a consequence, the carrier took options on a further five A350Fs, said Chang.

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

Starlux Grows Widebody Fleet with Three A330neos and Five A350Fs

The Taiwanese carrier is buying three A330neos and five A350Fs

Taiwan’s Starlux Airlines signed an order on Wednesday for three A330neo airliners and five A350F freighters, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent engines. 

Starlux Grows Airbus Widebody Fleet

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charlotte Bailey

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

ATR 72 aircraft performs pre-modification flight in Toulouse

Kepplair Starts Converting ATR 72 Into Water Bombers

Curt Epstein

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Only the piston aircraft segment posted a decline

GAMA: Bizjets, T-props, and Rotorcraft Deliveries Up

Hanneke Weitering

Two captains held the prototype 33 feet above the water for 30 seconds

Regent Flies Electric Seaglider with Crew for First Time

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Icing approval would open year-round service to northern communities

Horizon Begins Icing Tests for Cavorite X7 eVTOL

Kerry Lynch

Deal to close this year

Bombardier To Grow Manufacturing Capacity with MHICA Buy

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

The two NATO allies will purchase seven of the tanker/transport aircraft

Spain and Poland Agree to Buy A330MRTT Tanker Transports

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

GE Aerospace has tested the GE9X, Leap 1A, Leap 1B, and more with the 747.

GE Aerospace Flies Boeing 747 To Test New Engine Tech

Charles Alcock

News about commercial airlines, including regulations, aircraft orders, safety, acquisitions, and mergers.

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

Singapore Airshow 2024

More In Aircraft