Italy's Air One cemented its commitment to increasing its international profile with a firm order for 12 A350-800s plus 12 options and 12 A330-200s with eight options.

The new union representing US Airways pilots filed suit against a group of fellow pilots originally with America West Airlines charging that they have engaged in harassment, extortion, racketeering and other illegal activities.

Airbus selected Diehl Stiftung & Co. and Thales as the preferred bidder for its Laupheim site (ATWOnline, May 15). Airbus and Diehl/Thales will enter into negotiations toward arriving at a final sales agreement. Thales and Diehl already are partnered in Diehl Aerospace, an aircraft component and systems supplier formed in 2000. Diehl holds 51% of that venture and Thales 49%. The selection "also includes A350 XWB cabin work-packages for Laupheim," according to Airbus.

Air One is expected to announce a widebody aircraft order with Airbus Wednesday, ATWOnline learned in Istanbul. The privately held Italian carrier recently took delivery of its first two A330-200s, which it will use on its first long-haul routes from Milan Malpensa to Boston and Chicago O'Hare starting later this month.

XL Airways last week put its first 737-900 into service on routes from Manchester. Aircraft seats 215. The airline serves more than 750,000 passengers at the airport annually.