Spirit Airlines is taking delivery of five new A319s through year end through a sale and leaseback arrangement with GECAS. Three have been delivered. When the remaining two arrive, Spirit's fleet will comprise 25 A319s and six A321s.

A380 launched a series of global route proving flights this week as it approaches type certification, Airbus said. A Trent 900-powered aircraft--the second A380 produced--will fly Singapore-Toulouse today after leaving France on Nov. 13 and stopping in Seoul. It will depart tomorrow on a Toulouse-Hong Kong-Tokyo Narita-Toulouse routing and a third journey starting Nov. 21 will include stops in Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai before a Nov. 24 return. The final flight traverses both poles and will stop in Johannesburg on Nov.

Aeromexico signed an MOU with GE for purchase of GEnx engines to power the two 787-8 orders confirmed last week (ATWOnline, Nov. 15). The deal, which includes an OnPoint Solutions MRO agreement, is valued at more than $100 million.

TAM, already the largest Airbus operator in Latin America, signed a contract for 12 A319s, 16 A320s, three A321s and six A330s that brings the number of A320 family aircraft on firm order to 56. It also took 12 options. The deal finalizes an MOU signed in June (ATWOnline, June 29). TAM currently operates 14 A319s, 48 A320s and 10 A330-200s.

Embraer delivered 13 fewer commercial aircraft in the third quarter than in the year-ago period and saw net income for the three months ended Sept. 30 fall 45.5% to $61.4 million compared to $110.2 million last year on a 16% drop in revenues to $894.1 million. The Brazilian manufacturer admitted to "difficulties with the production ramp-up of the Embraer 190 and Embraer 195 aircraft," citing problems resulting from "wing assembly and supply chain delays." Consequently, it lowered its full-year forecast for aircraft deliveries from 145 to 135.

El Al has canceled its 10 787 options, according to a filing with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange cited by press reports. The carrier said Boeing will return the $1.5 million deposit on the aircraft that would have been delivered in 2013 or 2014 if firmed. A Boeing spokesperson told Reuters that the company "will continue to communicate with El Al concerning its interest in the 787."

Boeing yesterday delivered to Air China a 737-800 adorned with an official Beijing 2008 Olympics livery, marking the 150th Boeing plane delivered to the carrier.

Aeromexico yesterday announced firm orders for two 787-8s and 10 737-700s, orders that previously were listed by Boeing as unidentified. The combined value of the 12 aircraft is more than $830 million. The 787s, to be delivered in 2011, are in addition to three the carrier plans to lease from ILFC (ATWOnline, June 30).