Aigle Azur (Paris Orly) has signed a Letter of Intent with the Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) relating to two A330-200s (cn 874 and 939) due for delivery in December this year as well as in January next year. The agreement forms part of the carrier's new long-haul business development strategy as laid down in its partnership with the HNA Group, which in October 2012 acquired a 48% stake in Aigle Azur.
The aircraft will be configured with a two-class layout with 18 seats in business class and 247 in the main cabin.
The twinjets will be deployed on the airline's new Paris Orly to Beijing Capital route which will now launch in the first quarter of 2015 as opposed to June of this year. Aigle Azur had intended to use Chinese aircraft registered to its Hainan Airlines (HU, Haikou) parent to operate the route.
In a statement, the carrier blamed the delay on differences in the interpretation of a 2001 bilateral air transport agreement between France and Russia.
"...the air agreement signed between the two countries in July 2001 allows flights over Russian territory via the southern route - even with an aircraft chartered in China - whereas the Russian authorities believe that only aircraft registered in France can fly over their territory," it said.
As a result of the impasse and ongoing tensions between Russia and the European Union over Ukraine, Aigle Azur has opted to wait until 2015 when the A330s arrive and are registered in France.
