Riyadh based National Air Services (NAS) signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to buy up to 38 Airbus A320 Family aircraft for the company’s budget airline arm, NASair. The agreement was signed at the 47th International Paris Air Show in Le Bourget. The agreement includes 20 firm commitments and 18 purchase rights.
NASair which began services in February 2007 is the first budget airline in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“We are thrilled to have concluded a deal with Airbus. With our plans to service domestic and international routes, this new fleet will give us the size to fulfil passenger demand using the most reliable, efficient and comfortable aircraft in the market,” said Taher Agueel, President & CEO, NAS.
National Airline Service (NAS) is the leading provider of tailor made aviation services in the Middle East, covering the entire spectrum of traveller from the value conscious to the extreme luxury end of the market. In December, 2006, NAS was awarded the first commercial licence to fly all the domestic routes within Saudi Arabia and is ideally placed to offer international services in the near future.
NAS currently manages a fleet of over 47 aircraft. Six of these are Airbus A320 Family aircraft. All the new Airbus aircraft will be deployed to NASair. This order coupled with NAS’s other commitments for 60 aircraft signed in 2007, will eventually grow the fleet to 145 aircraft making NAS one of the most dominant air service providers in the region in the private and commercial sectors.
“We are delighted that National Air Services has chosen Airbus as a partner in their exciting expansion plans. The market for air travel in the Middle East region is growing at above world average levels, and the Airbus A320 Family with its unbeatable economics and reliability, and also the widest and the roomiest cabin interior of any single aisle aircraft, will stand NASair in good stead” said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer Customers.
The A320 Family of aircraft which includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321 is recognised as the benchmark single-aisle aircraft family. Each aircraft feature fly by wire controls and unique cockpit commonality across the range. Over 5,070 Airbus A320 Family have been sold and over 3000 delivered to more than 180 customers and operators worldwide, making it the worlds best selling commercial jetliner ever.
With proven reliability and extended servicing periods, the A320 Family have the lowest operating costs of any single aisle aircraft. In addition, the latest new cabin design saves on weight and offers the passenger a quieter and roomier experience as well as significantly larger overhead stowage lockers.
Airbus is an EADS company
RENEWED MOMENTUM FOR AIRBUS’ LEADING PRODUCTS
ENDS PARIS AIR SHOW WITH 425 FIRM ORDERS
Airbus ends the 47th Paris Air Show with new momentum for its leading product range, the A380, the A350 XWB, the A330/A340 Family, as well as the A320 Family. During the Show the manufacturer received a total of 425 firm orders from 19 customers. In addition, Airbus received commitments for a total of 303 additional aircraft.
Market demand for the A380 was further consolidated, with 13 additional orders and commitments from existing customers who further confirmed their interest in Airbus’ all new “gentle green giant” by increasing their orders and commitments for this new product. Qatar increased its order book for the A380 by three firm orders. Emirates and Air France both committed to acquiring eight and two more A380s, respectively. This brings the total orders and commitments for the A380 to 173. Delivery to first operator Singapore Airlines will take place in October this year.
Orders received at the Show have also strongly validated Airbus’ new A350 XWB programme, which received a total of 141 firm orders from five customers during the week. The customers include Qatar, Aeroflot, Singapore Airlines and lessors Alafco and CIT. In addition the new A350 received commitments for 52 aircraft from four additional customers (US Airways, Kingfisher, Libyan Airlines and Afriqiyah). This brings the total orders and commitments received so far for the all new A350 XWB, which was launched in December last year, to 232 aircraft, including 154 firm orders and 78 commitments.
The A330/A340 Family continued to sell at record levels, receiving a total of 132 orders and commitments, of which 83 are firm and 49 are commitments. The A330-200 Freighter won as many as 46 firm orders from five different customers around the world. Altogether the family gained four new customers, which is also another indication of the success of this Family in the market place.
Finally, the demand for Airbus’ Single aisle product Family was again confirmed, with the addition of 390 orders and commitments (198 firm orders and 192 commitments). Airbus increased its A320 Family customer base, also welcoming four new customers as well as two new ACJ customers.
“This Airshow has confirmed that Airbus is very much back on the market, continuing to satisfy customers with the right products. Especially the A380 and A350 XWB have been the highlight of the show, receiving tremendous customer endorsement. They will lead the way in the future in terms of aircraft technology, passenger comfort and environment friendliness. Also, the A330/A340 Family continues to be very much in demand, as is our single-aisle Family,” said Airbus President and CEO Louis Gallois. ”This should give us further incentive to pursue our efforts to turn the company around in order to be able to deliver on our promises”.
Airbus is an EADS Company.
‘Dubai Culture and Art Forum’
Receives full support from Dubai’s leading public and private institutions
Dubai, June 24, 2007: The recently announced Dubai Culture and Art Forum has received an outstanding response from some of Dubai’s leading public and private institutions for various support and sponsorships. Apart from attracting sponsors the forum has also received excellent response for participation in the various events.
Organized by Dubai Cultural Council (DCC), the forum stretches over eight weeks, starting from the 26th of June to 31st of August 2007.
This first of its kind event in the UAE, which is organized in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to promote UAE’s rich heritage, art and culture among the local youth, will be a major step to attract the younger generations, the backbone of the society, and enthuse them to participate in a vast array of activities.
As part of their corporate policies in sponsoring major cultural and art events in the country, Damas, DTCM, Dubai Studio City, Ministry of Social Affairs, and Sama Dubai TV decided to provide the event their full support and sponsor its main activities.
Mariam Al Murr Mohammed bin Hareez, Director of Damas & Society Department, said: “Establishing DCC reflects a futuristic vision aimed at enhancing cultural and artistic activities in Dubai and UAE. One of our main objectives is to build bridges with such institutions mandated to develop the society. We are happy to be part of the forum which will provide different activities for the UAE’s youth.”
Dr. Amina Al Rustomani. Executive Director of Media Department in TECOM, said: “We are happy to be part of this event as one of the sponsors. Since the forum goes along with Dubai Studio City’s vision to enhance the cultural environment in the UAE, we are indeed happy to be associated with DCC’s initiatives. This will open more doors that would help in enhancing the abilities of people and will lead to flourishing the culture and arts environment which is very vibrant in the country in the present time”
Naji Al Hai, Assistant Undersecretary for social Development at Ministry of Social Affairs, said: “Based on the directions of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and the recommendations of the UAE Federal Strategy which was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, we join hands with DCC to achieve the strategic objectives to enhance the social responsibility. We hope that through this participation we let people know more about their culture, heritage and handicrafts, and allow the participants to gain some knowledge and experience in doing things that the older generations used to do.”
DTCM participates as an major sponsor through organizing different workshops in the Dubai’s Heritage and Village and Hatta’s Heritage Village. Hakam Al Hashemi, Manager of the Heritage and Diving Village, said that DTCM’s participation is part of the cooperation that the department has established with different government departments and authorities to promote all cultural activities in Dubai. “The department will be participating through sponsoring the workshops in Dubai’s Heritage and Diving Village and Hatta’s Heritage Village where activities include making and exhibiting handicraft that are part of the cultural heritage of the UAE before. This cultural activity will enhance Dubai’s position and make it more appealing in terms of cultural tourism, in addition to what makes it unique in other areas,” Hakam added.
Abdul Latif Al Gargawi, Director of Sama Dubai TV, said: “Sama Dubai TV has always allocated adequate airtime for cultural activities in Dubai and UAE throughout the year. “Ebdaat” (Creativities) programme is a major widow through which we promote the activities of DCC and the cultural life in the UAE. We are proud to cooperate with DCC and will cover its activities organized for the Culture and Art Forum through TV reports and live programs.”
His Excellency Mohammed Al Murr, Chairman of DCC, thanked all the sponsors and said: “We are really pleased to note the interest of leading public and private institutions in Dubai Culture & Art Forum. The events will be very rich and diverse in topics and include many activities that will meet the cultural and artistic interests of a wide spectrum of people, and are in line with our concerted efforts to enhance the cultural movement in the Emirate of Dubai, in its all intellectual, artistic and cultural dimensions”
“Dubai Culture and Art Forum” is one of the major initiatives of DCC which is mandated by the Emirate of Dubai to achieve excellence that reflects the culture of the people and the country, and which should advance in step with the construction, business, technological and economic progress that Dubai achieved in record time. At the same time, DCC works on an agenda that meets the intellectual and cultural requirements and expectations of people from all walks of life, and will eventually lead up to presenting the true and bright image of the people of UAE in general and Dubai in particular.
Through the ‘Dubai Culture and Art Forum’ and similar events, DCC aims to promote Dubai as a cultural destination by preserving and promoting its rich local heritage, and by hosting cultural performances from different parts of the world.
The event is also supported by a group of cultural organizations such as The Sultan Al Owais Cultural Foundation, Juma Al Majid Center for Culture and Heritage, The Cultural and Scientific Association, and other leading institutions.
