China Eastern Airlines took delivery of its third and final A300-600F at the EADS EFW facility in Dresden. Conversion began last September.

Atlantic Airways of Faroe Islands signed a contract for one firm A319 scheduled to deliver in 2011 plus one option. It currently flies BAe 146s. KLM took delivery of its first 777-300ER as part of a November order for two -300ERs and three 737-700s. It will deploy the aircraft in a two-class configuration on routes to Dubai, Sao Paulo Guarulhos, New York JFK and Manila. KLM has aligned the configuration and specification of its 777-300ER with Air France, which has operated the type since May 2004. KLM currently operates 15 777-200ERs.

Synergy Aerospace, the Colombia-based conglomerate that is the parent of Avianca, SAM, Brazil's OceanAir and Ecuador's VIP, signed an MOU with Airbus for the purchase of 10 A350 XWB-800s plus 10 options, the manufacturer announced.

Boeing CFO James Bell told an investors conference in Miami Beach that US airlines constitute just 11% of Boeing's $255 billion backlog and that orders will be required "to avoid an unmanageable fleet replacement period post-2012 that approaches about 1,000 aircraft," the Chicago Tribune reported. He said the manufacturer is "trying to reserve some spots" in its production line this year.

Thales on Monday opened a 15,240-sq.-m. facility in Montreal to accommodate 145 employees and future growth. The inauguration marked the company's 10-year anniversary of aerospace operations.

In a major fleet upgrade, Garuda Indonesia plans to order 10 777-200ERs at next week's Singapore Air Show. According to Bisnis Indonesia, the airline will use the aircraft to support expansion plans in Europe, the Middle East and East Asia. Garuda Operations Director Ari Sapari told media that the MOU with Boeing will be signed in Singapore.

Airbus is off to a strong start in 2008 with the booking of orders for 238 aircraft in January and the delivery of 37, including Singapore Airlines' second A380. Some orders were announced last year but were signed in January. Last month's most significant commitment was the 110 A320s ordered by China Aviation Supplies Import and Export Group last fall (ATWOnline, Nov. 27, 2007).

Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines have briefed their pilot groups, both of which are represented by the Air Line Pilots Assn., on a proposed merger, according to multiple published reports.