Hong Kong Airlines this week took delivery of its first Airbus aircraft, an A330-200 with which it intends to launch services to Europe by the end of the month, initially flying to Moscow. The A330 is the first of 53 Airbus aircraft it has on order comprising 23 A330s and 30 A320s. "The arrival of the A330 is a milestone for Hong Kong Airlines as we expand into the long-haul market," President Yang Jian Hong said. Aircraft are equipped with Panasonic Avionics' eX2 IFE and communication systems.

Turkish Airlines topped up its firm order with Airbus with an additional A330-200 for delivery in July 2011. The aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines. The purchase joins existing orders for 10 A330-300s, two A330-200 freighters and 24 A320 family aircraft signed last year. ‪

Boeing yesterday announced a further bump to the 737NG production rate, to 35 per month in early 2012, up from 31.5 currently.

Boeing announced yesterday that the 747-8 freighter has received expanded type inspection authorization from US FAA, a critical step toward certification that allows agency personnel to participate in test flights and collect required data.