Iberia has ordered five A340-600s from Airbus and placed options for seven more, confirming its January commitment to the type. The aircraft will be delivered between 2004 and 2006. Iberia is to firm up four of its options through International Lease Finance (ILFC), with the first two of these aircraft to be delivered in 2005, leaving the airline with three outstanding options. Separately, Iberia will receive the first of three -600s initially intended for Swissair by the middle of this year, on lease from Airbus. Air Atlanta Icelandic has signed a lease contract with GE Capital Aviation Services for four Boeing 747-200 freighters, bringing the airline's fleet to 27 aircraft, including six 747s. EgyptAir has ordered seven Airbus A330-200s to be delivered from June 2004 for operation on routes within the Middle East and to Europe, replacing A300-600Rs. The Czech Republic will take delivery of three new Yakovlev Yak-42Ds by mid-year, funded by the Russian finance ministry. The trijets, valued at $12 million each, are being provided by Russia from the Saratov Aviation Factory to pay off debts to the Czech Republic.
Source: Flight International
