Three long-haul charter airlines will introduce the Airbus A330-200 in 1999 and 2000, including UK carriers Airtours International and Leisure International Airways (LIA), and Air Transat of Canada.
Airtours, which selected the A330-200 some time ago to supplement its Boeing 767-300ERs on long-haul charters (Flight International, 24 December, 1997-6 January, P8) has concluded a deal to lease two Rolls-Royce Trent 772-powered A330-200s from International Lease Finance (ILFC), for delivery in April and June 1999. The aircraft will be flown on routes from the UK to Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico and the USA.
LIA, which, like Airtours, uses the 767 on its long-haul network, will take delivery of two 380-seat, Pratt & Whitney PW4168A-powered A330-200s in the first quarter of 2000. These will replace the smaller 767s on services to the Caribbean and the USA.
The airline says that the 767s - which are leased by LIA's parent, Unijet, from ILFC - will be returned to the lessor when the A330s are delivered. LIA says that the A330s will be ordered directly from Airbus.
Canada's Air Transat, based in Montreal, has concluded a deal with ILFC for two Trent 772-powered A330-200s to be taken on five-year leases from February and April 1999. The aircraft, to be configured with 362 seats, will supplement and eventually replace the airline's Lockheed L-1011s.
Source: Flight International
