-Ansett Australia has confirmed it will lease two Boeing 747-400s from Singapore Airlines, to replace the two 747-300s it leases from the same carrier. The two aircraft will be operated on Ansett's daily services between Sydney and Osaka, returning via Brisbane, and on its five-times weekly Sydney-Hong Kong services.
-American Airlines has taken delivery of its first two Rolls-Royce Trent 800-powered Boeing 777-200ERs. It will receive nine more this year, and a total of 34 over three years.
-United Express carrier Air Wisconsin has introduced its first Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet into service, and placed orders worth C$165 million ($108 million) for five more of the 50-seaters, for use primarily from its Denver hub. The new aircaft will be delivered between January 2000 and October 2001. Five additional options have been placed for 2002.
-AeroCentury, the Burlingame, California-based leasing company, has purchased a Rio Sul-operated Fokker 50 turboprop from an affiliate of Lazard Freres.
-Olympic Airways has taken delivery of its first two Airbus A340-300s, and will receive two more in the second half of this year. The 295-seaters will replace Olympic's ageing Boeing 747-200s on routes to North America, Australia, the Far East and South Africa.
-Las Vegas start-up National Airlines has arranged to lease two used, Rolls-Royce RB211-powered Boeing 757-200s from Sunrock Aircraft, to enable it to launch services in late March to Miami, New York Kennedy Airport, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Set up by Las Vegas casino owners, the carrier, headed by former America West Airlines chief executive Michael Conway, plans to grow its fleet to almost 40 757s within five years .
-Phoenix-based Express Air, operating as Sunrise Airlines, has acquired a nine-seat Catpass-modified Raytheon Beech King Air 200, to fly scheduled services from Show Low in the White Mountains to Phoenix.
Source: Flight International
