Middle East Airlines took delivery of its first A330-200 directly purchased from Airbus. The Trent 700-powered aircraft is part of an order for four placed in 2006 that will replace MEA's three leased A330s.

Grandstar Cargo International Airlines, the Korean Air/Sinotrans joint venture airfreight carrier based in Tianjin, operated its inaugural flight Friday to Frankfurt using a 747-400 freighter. KE and the Chinese logistics firm first announced plans for the airline in 2006 and gained CAAC approval in July 2007. It is 51% owned by Sinotrans Air Transportation Development Co., 25% by KE, 13% by Hana Capital Co. and 11% by Shinhan Capital Co.

ABX Air parent Air Transport Services Group said last week that it has received formal notice from DHL that the express delivery giant will remove 39 of ABX's 55 DC-9Fs dedicated to DHL US air lift over the next 12-18 months. DHL is negotiating with UPS on details of an agreement reached last month to transfer its US air lift from ABX and Astar Air Cargo to its rival (ATWOnline, May 30).

Niki is in talks with Embraer and Bombardier about a regional jet order. "We are evaluating which smaller aircraft between 88 and 114 seats is ideal for us below the A320 family. The A318 is a not useful airplane, so we are studying what else is on the market. But nothing is concrete," President Niki Lauda told ATWOnline in Ibiza. The Austrian carrier would use smaller aircraft to increase frequencies on routes such as Zurich or Frankfurt. Lauda said high oil prices are forcing the airline to consider more cost-effective aircraft. Niki has hedged 35% of its fuel needs.

Hawaiian Airlines decided against acquiring a 767 to which it committed in an April letter of intent, citing "a delay in the date that the aircraft was to be in service and an uncertain economic environment." Converting the aircraft to HA's operating certificate would have delayed its introduction until the fourth quarter. The current owner of the aircraft was not revealed. HA still plans to acquire four additional 717-200s this fall.

ARINC will renew and upgrade its GLOBALink data link communications contract with Spirit Airlines for five more years. Integrated flight applications are expected to streamline operations.

TAM took delivery of two 174-seat A320s, bringing its fleet to 108 aircraft (15 A319s, 73 A320s, three A321s, 12 A330s, two A340s and three MD-11s). It plans to operate 123 aircraft at year end, adding two A330s, four 777-300ERs and two 767-300ERs (ATWOnline, June 25).

Air China said it will purchase 20 A330s valued at $3.82 billion, according to a statement obtained by several news services that the carrier issued yesterday to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Airbus did not confirm the order. CA said the aircraft will boost its capacity by 16.5% and allow it to increase flight frequencies from Beijing, according to Bloomberg. The airline will use cash, bank loans and debt instruments to pay for the aircraft. Delivery dates were not disclosed.