Shanghai Airlines became an Airbus customer for the first time with an order for five A321s. The aircraft are part of China Aviation Supplies Import and Export Group's order for 150 A320 family aircraft placed last year. Although the airline operates a nearly all-Boeing fleet (it said it flies 13 757-200s, six 767-300s, six 737-700s and 16 737-800s), President Zhou Chi said the A321 "meet[s] our strategic development plan," which includes "entering into the new phase of expanding internationally and comprehensively."

Boeing said yesterday that it has settled on the firm configuration of the 747-8 freighter and is aiming to deliver the first of the type to Cargolux in the second half of 2009. The 747-8F will be longer than the dash 400F by 5.6 m. (18.3 ft.) with a maximum structural payload capability of 140 metric tonnes (154 tons) and a range of 8,288 km. (4,475 nm.).

Gol exercised 20 737-800 options, bringing its firm orders for the type to 87, the Brazilian LCC announced yesterday. It also added 20 options, bringing the total back to 34. It took delivery of the first aircraft under the order on July 30. By year end it will operate 14 737-300s, 30 dash 700s and 21 dash 800s. At year end 2012 it will have 10 dash 700s and 91 dash 800s in its fleet.

Qantas gave Airbus a lift with an order for an additional eight A380s, taking its firm commitments to 20 of the aircraft. It also ordered four more A330-200s to be delivered between December 2007 and September 2008 to help with the shortfall in capacity resulting from the A380 delay. In addition, it committed to five more 737-800s, which will take its fleet of that type to 38.

Northwest Airlines today will complete the retirement of the DC-10 from its transatlantic network, leaving its Minneapolis-Honolulu service as the only route operated with the aircraft (ATWOnline, June 29). It will begin using an A330 on that route on Jan. 7. It earlier deployed an A330-300 on its daily Memphis-Amsterdam service, replacing the DC-10-30 used on the route. From Nov. 26 the route will be operated with a 243-seat A330-200.