The Week in Brief 11 August

Garuda has finalised an order with Airbus for the purchase of 25 A320 aircraft, firming up an order announced during this year's Paris Airshow. The order makes Garuda a new A320 Family customer and includes 15 standard A320s and 10 A320neo aircraft for operation by the airline's low-cost subsidiary Citilink.

    

The first B787 that will enter service with launch customer ANA gas been rolled out of the paint hangar this week. The aircraft carries special lvery which signifies the core elements of the airline's service brand: innovation, uniqueness and the inspiration of Japan. ANA will operate the first 787 revenue flight as an intenrational charter flight from Tokyo to Hong Kong, shortly after delivery in September.

    

Virgin Australia has announced the introduction of business class  product on services to the Gold Coast from later this year, when the first B737-800s fitted with new seating become available.

    

Travel Daily’s take on the latest ABS numbers reveals that while 5.9 million short-term visitors arrived in Australia for the 12 months to 30 Jun, the trend for inbound tourism is continuing downwards. The trend estimate was down 0.5 per cent compared to May and is 2.2 per cent lower
than in Jun 2010. Japan was down 28.5 per cent, Korea dived 17.4 per cent and the UK fell 8.4 per cent. Chinese visitors increased 9.4 per cent year on year, while Indonesian arrivals have soared 22.6 per cent.

    

Architect Richard Spencer has joined Woods Baggot as Design Director Aviation. He has extensive airport experience from across the globe, including principal work at Heathrow, Delhi, Cork and Lisobon.

Qantas-owned Jetconnect has been fined NZ$12,000 for breaching curfew restrictions at Wellington  Airport late last year. The flight departed late from Sydney and landed in Wellington at 0147, well after the 0100 curfew start. The pilots could have landed in Christchurch but decided against that option believing that there would not be enough Qantas staff available to process the disembarkation.

 Bombardier is opening a regional support hub in Brazil. How's that for taking the battle to the enemy?