Italian Transport Minister Alessandro Bianchi told Il Sole 24 Ore that the government is completely satisfied with the nonbinding bids for Alitalia offered by Air France KLM and Air One parent AP Holding (ATWOnline, Dec. 20) and will look to take time over the next two weeks to "eliminate weak points, suggest corrections that further the public interest" and "work within the offers to improve them," Reuters reported.

World Airways signed long-term leases with Aircastle for two 747-400 freighters to be delivered in March and October 2008. World's freighter fleet currently consists of six MD-11Fs and two DC-10-30Fs.

Boeing's order book was boosted this week by orders for two 777-200LRs for Delta Air Lines, three unidentified 787s, 31 737NGs for AWAS and 31 737-800s for Qantas. The 737 orders were announced previously but now have been booked (ATWOnline, Dec. 17). This week's orders bring Boeing's 2007 gross to 1,223 with the net figure at 1,213. It said the QF order was valued at $2.3 billion at list prices (ATWOnline, Nov. 15).

TIMCO Aerosystems won FAA STC authority for the lower lobe crew rest unit on 767s.

Orient Thai Airlines and its low-cost subsidiary One-Two-Go Airlines are to undergo a $2.5 billion fleet revamp, according to a statement by founder and CEO Udom Tantiprasongchai cited in press reports from Bangkok. The airline group intends to buy eight 787-9s and 12 737-900ERs. It now operates a fleet of 18 aircraft comprising 747-200s and MD-80s. OTA has been cited by Korean and Japanese authorities on safety issues and one of its MD-80s crashed in Phuket in September, killing 89 (ATWOnline, Sept. 18).

Tiger Airways converted 20 A320 options, completing the firming of its 50-aircraft order (30 firm and 20 options) announced at the Paris Air Show (ATWOnline, June 22). Aircraft will seat 180 passengers in an all-economy configuration. Tiger currently flies 12 A320s and will take eight more through 2009. The final aircraft now will be delivered in 2016.

Thales said yesterday that it has received Category IIIb approval from EASA to utilize its MLS precision approach and landing system. Airbus said last month that EASA certification had been granted for Thales' MLS system on A320 family aircraft and that British Airways would be the first to implement it at London Heathrow in 2008 (ATWOnline, Nov. 14). Thales' announcement yesterday appeared to signal across-the-board certification for all aircraft types, but did note that BA would be the first to use it.

International Aero Engines said the SelectOne build standard of the V2500 received FAR 33 certification from US FAA. IAE said SelectOne will reduce fuel burn and carbon dioxide emissions 1%, improve time-on-wing 20% and reduce "miscellaneous" shop visits by 40%. Indian LCC IndiGo will launch the engine in the second half of next year.