Frontier Airlines announced a firm order yesterday for six new A320s and the exchange of eight existing A319 orders for four A318s and four A320s. Delivery of the carrier's first A320 is scheduled for 2008, with deliveries continuing through 2011 by which time it will operate 11 A318s, 49 A319s and 10 A320s.

Austrian low-fare airline Niki is planning to add A319s to its fleet of four A320s and one A321 in order to access new markets. "Currently we take delivery of our new A320s to phase out leased aircraft. With the A319 from 2007, we can operate nonstop services from Vienna to Barcelona, increase frequencies to Palma and look for new markets in Italy like Milan and also to Amsterdam," founder and majority owner Niki Lauda told ATWOnline. The carrier has two A320-200s on order.

A little more than a month after announcing a record annual profit of nearly $15 million (ATWOnline, Jan. 12) Indian Airlines put pen to paper on a deal for 43 A320 family aircraft that was approved by the Indian government last September.

Trans States Airlines expects to complete its transition to an all-jet fleet by September when its six remaining Jetstream 41s are retired. Four of the nine markets currently operated with J-41s will be upgraded to jet service. Trans States will end service to five other J-41 markets: Columbia, Joplin and Springfield, Mo., and Decatur and Springfield, Ill. It said it will work with its partner American Airlines to continue service to these communities. TSA also flies for US Airways and United Airlines.

Jet Airways committed to equip its 10 A330-200s from an order confirmed in October (ATWOnline, Oct. 26, 2005) with GE CF6-80E1s. The deal is worth more than $300 million. Delivery of the new aircraft will begin next year.