United Parcel Service (UPS) has decided to accelerate the acquisition of its new Airbus A300-600 freighters, with the delivery of seven aircraft next year instead of the four originally planned. The airline holds firm orders for 30 Pratt & Whitney PW4158-powered A300s plus 30 options, with deliveries due between next July and June 2004. Meanwhile, UPS is leasing in 24 additional aircraft and more belly cargo capacity, including Boeing 747s and MD-11Fs, and McDonnell Douglas DC-8s and DC-10s, to cover the end of year holiday peak period. Ecuador- based Saeta's last Airbus A320 is being repossessed by International Lease Finance (ILFC), and has been replaced by an ex-SilkAir Boeing 737-300 leased from GE Capital Aviation Services. Tunis-based charter airline Nouvelair has taken delivery of its first CFM International CFM56-5B-powered Airbus A320, with the second aircraft due early next year. Gulf Falcon Group has acquired two ex-British Airways Boeing 747-100s from European Aviation. The aircraft are being reconfigured to seat 440 passengers. Qantas is urgently discussing the possible acquisition of Cathay Pacific's last Boeing 747-300 to meet a capacity shortage while it awaits the repair of the 747-400 damaged in a runway over-run at Bangkok in September. Sunstate Airlines, the Queensland-based Qantas subsidiary, is comparing new and used aircraft options for the acquisition of two Bombardier Dash 8-300s. The carrier, which operates five Dash 8-100/200s, needs the extra capacity for a key route to the Torres Straits. Venezuelan carrier Aerospostal has returned its two Pratt & Whitney PW4000-powered A310-300s to Airbus. Flight International's sister on-line service Air Transport Intelligence reports that Abu Dhabi-based leasing company Oasis International has purchased a five-year-old Boeing 737-400 which is leased by Olympic subsidiary Macedonian Airlines.
Source: Flight International
