CSA Czech Airlines will wet-lease two 737-400s to Nayzak Air Transport of Libya. Aircraft will be based at Tripoli and will operate domestically and to Egypt through April 2010.

Emirates dismissed reports that the A380 has a laundry list of problems that have kept the jet grounded numerous times for repairs. Germany's Der Spiegel claimed over the weekend that the airline, the A380's largest customer, delivered a 46-page list of problems to Airbus that required rectification.

TUI Travel said it is holding "very constructive" negotiations with Boeing regarding the delivery schedule for the 23 787s it has on firm order. "We are not seeking damages from Boeing, although the delay in the program has heavily impacted our expansion plans," TUI Travel Aviation Director Christoph Mueller told ATWOnline.

Shanghai Airlines Chairman Zhou Chi told a shareholders meeting last week that the 787 does not "fully meet the quality that Boeing touted earlier" and said the carrier is considering cancelling and/or postponing some or all of its nine Dreamliner orders, according to Bloomberg News.

Boeing's first 787 moved from the final assembly hall back into the paint shop to be repainted and washed prior to handover to the flight test department. The aircraft must complete a series of "gauntlet tests" that include power, systems and engine tests, each of which must be completed before the next can be started. The tests are expected to take two months. While they are being conducted, ship ZA002 should complete ground vibration testing and the static test airframe should conclude load testing. Meanwhile, the forward fuselage for ship ZA006 was delivered to Everett last week.

AerSale is the name of a new company that will focus on "the mid-life current technology airliner aftermarket." It was founded by Nick Finazzo and Bob Nichols, co-founders and sole shareholders of Miami-based AeroTurbine, a provider of aftermarket aircraft engines and parts that they sold to Amsterdam-based operating lessor AerCap in April 2006. AerSale will acquire aircraft 12-25 years old that are on lease or can be remarketed "with the intent to eventually disassemble such aircraft" for parts and engines.

Royal Air Maroc CEO Driss Benhima told a business conference in Casablanca last week that the carrier soon will place an order for six new aircraft. "We will sign the order deal by the end of this month," he was quoted as saying by Reuters, but declined to specify the aircraft type.

CIT Aerospace announced the delivery of a Trent 772B-powered A330-200 to Etihad Airways.