Spain Orders Three Airbus A330MRTT Aircraft

(16 Nov 2021)
The Spanish Ministry of Defence has signed a
formal order for the acquisition of three Airbus A330MRTT
(Multi-Role Tanker Transport) aircraft.

Under the agreement, the handover of the first
aircraft in transport configuration is expected within days with its conversion to MRTT
scheduled for 2024.

The handover of
the first fully converted aircraft is scheduled in 2023 and the
third and final unit in 2025.

The contract covers associated support such as
spares, ground support equipment, training and in-service support
until the end of the contract.

Spanish Air Force (Ejercito del Aire) Airbus A330MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport)

The aircraft, acquired from Iberia, will be
converted into military tanker transport at Airbus’ Spanish
headquarters in Getafe, Spain. It will be equipped with a
state-of-the-art hose & drogue refuelling system and a specific
Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) kit.

The A330 MRTT fleet will be
operated by the Spanish Air Force 45 Wing, based in Torrejón Air
Base (Madrid).

“With the addition of A330 MRTT to its fleet, the
Spanish Air Force acquires a key and proven new capability, that
will enhance and support overseas operations, as well as medevac
missions, on which the aircraft played a key role during the
COVID19 pandemic crisis worldwide,” said Jean-Brice Dumont,
Executive Vice President Military Aircraft at Airbus.

The large 111 tonnes / 245,000 lb basic fuel capacity of
the successful A330-200 airliner, from which the A330MRTT is derived,
enables the aircraft to excel in air-to-air refuelling missions
without the need for additional fuel tanks.

Thanks to its wide-body fuselage, the A330MRTT
can also be used as a dedicated transport aircraft able to carry
up to 300 troops, or a payload of up to 45 tonnes/99,000 lb.

It
can also easily be converted to accommodate light and intensive
care stations for Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC).

With more than 250,000 flight hours achieved, the
A330 MRTT counts 51 deliveries to 13 customers.

Headlines:

ALC Signs LOI for 111 Airbus Aircraft; Becomes Launch Lessor for A350F
IATA Appoints Marie Owens Thomsen as Chief Economist
Korean Air Receives Vietnam’s Approval for Asiana Acquisition
Six Senses Signs Very Special Hotel in Lisbon, Portugal
United Airlines Increases Flights to Las Vegas for CES 2022
TAROM Orders Three ATR 72-600 Aircraft
Spain Orders Three Airbus A330MRTT Aircraft
DHL Express Orders Nine More Boeing 767-300BCFs
UAE Air Force & Air Defence Orders Two Airbus A330MRTT Aircraft
Indigo Partners Orders 255 A321neo Family Aircraft at Dubai Airshow
Korean Air Reports Q3 Profit; Cargo Breaking Records
Boeing to Open Three More Passenger to Cargo Conversion Lines
HKIA Reports Increase in Cargo and Passenger Numbers in October
Thai AirAsia Reports Q3 2021 Results
Cathay Pacific to Require All Eligible Aircrew to Get Third Dose of COVID19 Vaccine
Binter Canarias Orders Four ATR 72-600 Aircraft
Court Approves CWT’s Recapitalization Plan
SIA Expects Passenger Capacity to Reach 43% of Pre-COVID Levels by December
Boeing to Showcase 777X at Dubai Airshow
United Airlines to Launch Flights to Amman, Jordan
Mandarin Oriental Reports First Profit Since Q4 2019
Envision Digital and SITA to Develop Net Zero Carbon Solutions for Airports
Embraer Starts Building Hungary’s First KC-390 Millennium Aircraft
Qatar Cargo First to Implement IATA CO2NNECT
Elbit Systems to Upgrade Electronic Warfare Capabilities of UK’s Royal Navy
SLH Signs First Hotel in Sapporo, Japan
PPHG Appoints Cristian Nannucci as GM of Two Properties in KL
AirAsia Group Appoints Colin Currie as CCO
China Southern Expands Codeshare Agreement with Qatar Airways
Fello’fly Could Significantly Boost Environmental Performance of Aircraft
SITA Develops Solution for Offline EPL Verification
Thai Cargo to Operate Flights to 30 Destinations in Winter Schedule
Eve Partners Widerøe Zero to Develop eVTOL Operations in Scandinavia
Courtyard by Marriott Hotel Opens in Phuket Town, Thailand
IHG Appoints Mark Winterton as GM of voco Orchard Singapore
Pan Pacific Signs Two Properties in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
54th AGM of the Arab Air Carriers’ Organization Taking Place in Doha
Air Astana to Resume Nur-Sultan – Bishkek Flights
Erik Billgren Appointed GM of Anantara Mui Ne Resort, Vietnam
Qatar Airways Sponsors Volleyball Federation of Russia
Airbus H225 Takes Off with 100% SAF in One Engine
Asia Pacific to Account for Nearly Half of Global Air Traffic by 2040
CGD Appoints Harris Kurdthip as Senior Director – Head of Marketing
Sabre Signs Distribution Agreement with Japan’s Hotel Keihan Group
Executive Appointments as Utopia Expands into Hospitality
Gauderic Harang Returns to Anantara as GM of Three Resorts in UAE
AirAsia Resumes Flights Between Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, Thailand
Park Regis Singapore Appoints Dino Lim as General Manager
Affinity to Operate Additional Training Aircraft for RAF
Marriott to Expand The Luxury Collection to Australia
Qatar Airways Returns Airbus A380 to Service
Sabre Launches Air Price IQ and Ancillary IQ
Minor Appoints João Corte-Real as Cluster GM of Two Resorts in Sri Lanka
FCM Invites Corporate Travel Managers to Experience Preview of New Platform
Air Astana Resumes Scheduled Flights Between Almaty and Baku
Gulf Air Launches Boutique Charter Service
Elbit Systems to Upgrade Training Platforms of British Army
Delta Air Lines Reports 450% Surge in International Bookings
David Steyn Moves to Cambodia as GM of Shinta Mani Wild
Accor Signs First Mövenpick Hotel in Queensland, Australia
Teleport Adds Dedicated Boeing 737-800 Freighter to Fleet
Hyatt Doubles Portfolio of Resorts with Acquisition of Apple Leisure Group
Mohammed Wazir Returns to Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara as GM
Lisa Baez Joins CWT as Senior Director Information Security
Emmanuel Calderon Joins Four Seasons Anguilla as Executive Chef
IATA Reports Moderate Rebound in Air Travel in September
Torsten van Dullemen Returns to London as GM and AVP for Mandarin Oriental
Air Cargo Demand Up 9.4% on Pre-COVID19 Levels in September
ATSG Signs Deal with Boeing for Four 767-300BCFs
Outrigger Thailand Appoints Manager, Executive Chef and Area Director of F&B
Mixed Opinions from WTM London on Whether Travel Prices will Rise in 2022
Japan Takes Delivery of First Boeing KC-46A Tanker
British Airways Continues to Retrofit New Business Class Seat on B777s
Korean Air Signs MOU with Insitu for Tactical UAV Co-Development
Marriott Opens W Hotel in Xiamen, China
Etihad Airways to Move Moscow Flights to Sheremetyevo Airport
48% of Senior Travel Pros Expect 2022 Bookings to Fall Short of 2019 Levels
Air France’s First A220-300 Enters Commercial Service
Emirates and TAP Air Portugal Expand Codeshare to 23 More Destinations
Whitbread Takes Premier Inn to New Heights
Maersk Orders Two Boeing 777 Freighters for Star Air
Saab Integrates TactiCall VCS into Remote Tower Solution
Thailand International Boat Show Confirms Dates for January 2022
Ascott Residence Trust to Buy UIUC Student Accommodation in Illinois, USA
100% of Cebu Pacific’s Active Flying Crew Now Fully Vaccinated
Air Astana to Launch Flights Between Almaty and Colombo, Sri Lanka
Huazhu Signs Expanded Distribution Agreement with Sabre
Airbus A319neo Begins Flight Tests Using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Etihad’s Most Sustainable Flight Uses Contrail-Avoidance to Reduce Emissions
Saudi Arabia to Host WTTC’s 22nd Global Summit
Dusit Expands Hospitality Education in Thailand with The Food School
Emirates Increases Flights to Australia
Ten Airlines Form Aviation Climate Taskforce
Ethiopian Airlines to Employ Ray, an Autonomous Aircraft Sanitization Robot
Ritz-Carlton Takes Luxury Hospitality to New Heights in Mexico City
airasia Super App Now Selling Tickets on 700+ Airlines to 3,000+ Destinations
United to Increase Flights to Airline’s Most Booked Int. Destination, London
Four Seasons L.A. at Beverly Hills Appoints Mitch Austin as Executive Chef
Six Senses Signs First Hotel in Saudi Arabia
The Reykjavik Edition to Open 9 November
WTACH Appoints Nigel Fell as President and CEO
Russia, Ukraine and CIS to Need 1,540 New Planes by 2040
Six Legends to be Inducted into World Rugby Hall of Fame
Four Seasons Chicago Appoints Executive Chef and Director of F&B
Emirates Signs MOU with the Ministry of Tourism of Maldives
FAA Selects SITA’s FANS-1/A-Based Datalink Solution to Manage Oceanic Airspace
Radisson Opens Fifth Collection Hotel in China
Qantas to Lease Catalina Lounge at Darwin Airport
CWT Appoints Laura Wang as Director of Global Supplier Management – China
Singapore Airlines Operating 14 Flights Per Week to Melbourne, Australia
Breeze Airways to Take Delivery of First Airbus A220 in Coming Weeks
Aviation Industry CTOs Issue Joint Call to Action to Deliver Sustainable Plans
Delta to Add 100 Daily Departures from JFK and LaGuardia
Governments Urged to Deliver on Commitments to Restore Global Connectivity
British Airways to Expand Use of VeriFLY
Hong Kong Airport Extends Relief Package to End-November
Rosewood Opens Luxury Hotel in Madrid, Spain
Franck Loison Joins Oakwood Residence Hanoi as General Manager
Rolls-Royce 747 Completes Test Flight with 100% SAF in One Engine
Emirates Airline to Recruit 6,000 Employees
Thierry Papillier Moves to Kuwait as Executive Chef of Four Seasons
Lufthansa Technik Appoints G. Ouzounidis as VP Corporate Sales Americas
Singapore Airlines to Operate Flagship A380 on Flights to Sydney
Honeywell Publishes 30th Annual Global Business Aviation Outlook
Thai AirAsia to Resume Flights from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport
Minor Hotels Signs First Property in Egypt
Boeing Forecasts Africa’s Airlines to Need 1,030 New Airplanes by 2040
Scandinavian Airlines Expands Network as Travel Demand Increases
Air Montenegro Signs Pool Program Agreement with Embraer
Hilton Upgrading Digital Key Technology
BA Launches Quarantine-Free VTL Flights Between Singapore and LHR
Korean Air to Resume Hawaii Flights
AirAsia Malaysia to Resume Kuala Lumpur – Phuket Flights
Bangkok Airways to Resume Phuket – Hat Yai Flights; Reopen Lounges
Boeing Forecasts Middle East to Need 3,000 New Planes by 2040
Virgin Australia Renews Distribution Agreement with Amadeus
Finnair Signs Airbus’ First European Contract for A320 FHS
48-Suite Six Senses Fort Barwara Opens in Rajasthan, India
Cathay Pacific’s Passenger Numbers Increased 180% in September
Smiths Detection to Improve Cargo Screening in Tokyo and Kobe, Japan
Marriott Appoints Ty Breland as EVP and Chief Human Resources Officer
Korean Air’s KUS-FT UAV Recognized as Top Industrial Tech Achievement
Making Long-Haul Aviation Compatible with Net Zero Goals
Travellers Must be Fully Vaccinated to Fly with AirAsia Malaysia
HD Videos and Interviews
Podcasts from HD Video Interviews
RSS News Feed and Ticker
Travel Trade Shows
High-Res Picture Galleries
Travel News Asia – Latest Travel Industry News