JetBlue Airways arrives in Philadelphia today
JetBlue Airways (New York) today (May 23) launches service to its 78th city, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. JetBlue will serve Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) with five daily nonstop flights from Boston’s Logan International Airport (BOS).
Philadelphia will be the 48th destination JetBlue serves from Boston.
JetBlue’s schedule between Boston and Philadelphia:
| BOS to PHL: | PHL to BOS: |
| Depart – Arrive | Depart – Arrive |
| 6:40 a.m. – 8:08 a.m. | 8:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. |
| 8:45 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. | 10:55 a.m. – 12:25 p.m. |
| 11:35 a.m. – 13:00 p.m. | 1:40 p.m. – 3:07 p.m. |
| 3:15 p.m. – 4:48 p.m. | 5:25 p.m. – 7:04 p.m. |
| 6:10 p.m. – 7:48 p.m. | 8:25 p.m. – 9:52 p.m. |
| - Flights operate daily effective May 23, 2013 – | |
JetBlue’s flights to Philadelphia will be operated with its 100-seat Embraer ERJ 190 fleet.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. JetBlue Airways Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N273JB (msn 19000073) in the Harlequin design lands at the focus city of Long Beach, California.
JetBlue Airways: 
JetBlue’s growing route map from BOS:
AeroMexico to add three Embraer 175s starting in June
AeroMexico (Mexico City) has announced the addition of three Embraer 175 planes to its fleet, making it the first national airline in Mexico to operate this aircraft type.
As part of the plan for the renovation of its fleet, the aircraft, with 86 seats in one single class, will gradually replace the smaller Embraer ERJ 145 planes with 50 seats operated by Aerolitoral.
The Embraer 175 shares its design and cabin structure with the larger Embraer 190. This attribute allows customers to have the same travel experience on either one of these aircraft. Other features include more space for storing carry-on luggage in compartments that are overhead or underneath seats, more comfortable seats, a 2×2 seating configuration with space in the aisle, to name a few. Embraer aircraft are recognized as the most comfortable family of aircraft in their category.
Two of the three planes will start operations on June 1 and June 20, offering greater comfort along with cutting edge technology on routes from Mexico City to Acapulco, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Guadalajara, Tampico, Zihuatanejo, Minatitlan, San Luis Potosi and Aguascalientes.
Aerolitoral, operating as AeroMexico Connect (Monterrey), is expected to operate the aircraft for AeroMexico.
Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough. The new ERJ 175s will supplement the larger ERJ 190s. Embraer ERJ 190-100LR XA-JAC (msn 19000248) prepares to land at Miami.
AeroMexico:
AeroMexico Connect:
JetBlue to serve Port-au-Prince, Haiti
JetBlue Airways (New York) today announced its intent to serve Port-au-Prince, Haiti with daily nonstop service from both New York City and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood. From Toussaint Louverture International Airport (PAP) in the Haitian capital, JetBlue plans to offer one daily nonstop flight to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and twice daily flights to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), subject to receipt of government operating authority. Port-au-Prince will be JetBlue’s 82nd BlueCity with service to begin on December 5, 2013.
Destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean now make up almost one-third of JetBlue’s route network. In the Caribbean, JetBlue is the largest carrier in terms of capacity in both Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, offering more flights than any other carrier. JetBlue flies to more than ten countries, including Aruba. Barbados, and the Bahamas. This June, the airline is set to begin nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale and Medellin, Colombia, and in November to Lima, Peru, subject to receipt of government operating authority.
JetBlue’s flights from New York to Port-au-Prince will be operated with its comfortable Airbus A320 fleet with seating for 150, while flights from Fort Lauderdale will be operated on its spacious 100-seat Embraer 190 fleet.
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N206JB (msn 19000025) arrives at runway 9L at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
JetBlue Airways:
Routes from Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood:
JetBlue Airways plans to double its operations at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood in the next five years
JetBlue Airways (New York) plans to grow its operations at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to 100 daily departures over the next five years, making it the third busiest focus city for the airline. The carrier grew over 11 percent at FLL last year. Most of the expansion at FLL will be to foreign destinations according to this interview with CEO Dave Barger in the Sun-Sentinel.
Read the full report: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough. Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N329JB (msn 19000433) in the Barcode tail design taxies to runway 9L on the north side of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The south parellel runway is being extended for expansion.
JetBlue Airways:
AviancaTaca reports a net profit of $192.1 million in 2012, will start the TACA rebranding
AviancaTaca Holding S.A. (Avianca Colombia and TACA) (Bogota) issued this financial report for 2012:
In the first two months of 2013, Avianca and TACA recorded a 9.7% increase in passenger numbers compared to the same period of 2012.
During 2012, AviancaTaca Holding SA reported net income of COP $351,684 million ($192.1 million), up 73.9% from net income obtained in 2011.
In February 2013, attached to the Holding airlines transported nearly two million passengers.
In the first two months of the year, airlines mobilized attached to 3,982 .201 AviancaTaca Holding passengers, registering an increase of 9.7% from January to February 2012.
Only in the month of February, Avianca, TACA and its subsidiaries 1,866 .367 mobilized passengers, 6.8% above the passengers carried in February 2012. The capacity, measured in ASKs (available seats per kilometer flown) increased 1.6%, while passenger traffic measured in RPKs (paying passengers per kilometer flown) grew 5.5%. The load factor for the month reached 80.7%.
Domestic markets of Colombia, Peru and Ecuador
During January and February 2013, the number of passengers moved in markets within Colombia, Peru and Ecuador amounted to 2,278 .645, 11.4% more than in 2012. The capacity (ASKs) in these markets increased by 15.1%, while passenger traffic (RPKs) increased 14.1%. Consequently, the load factor stood at 79.5%.
In February, the carriers assigned to the Holding transported within these markets a total of 1,089 .289 travelers, up 7.9% from February 2012. The capacity (ASKs) in these markets increased 13.6%, while passenger traffic (RPKs) increased 11.1%. As a result, the load factor stood at 78.8%.
International markets
During January and February 2013, the number of passengers on international routes mobilized amounted to 1,703 .556, 7.4% higher than the figure recorded in the same period of 2012. The capacity (ASKs) rose 1.9% and passenger traffic (RPKs) increased by 6.7%. As a result, the load factor reached 82.9%.
In February, Avianca, TACA and its subsidiaries carried 777,078 passengers on international routes to an increase of 5.4% over the same period of 2012. Product of a reorganization of the operation, capacity (ASKs) decreased 1.2% while passenger traffic (RPKs) increased by 4.1%. The load factor stood at 81.2%.
Copyright Photo: Arnd Wolf. The TACA fleet will start to be repainted in the Avianca brand in the second quarter. TACA’s Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N984TA (msn 19000273) arrives at Miami International Airport.
Avianca Colombia:
TACA:
Air Canada and Etihad Airways to code-share
Air Canada (Montreal) and Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a commercial cooperation agreement that will enhance travel services between the United Arab Emirates and Canada.
While the two carriers currently have interline agreements in place for passenger and cargo services, Etihad Airways and Air Canada intend to offer customers through-checked bags, reciprocal codeshare services and frequent flyer benefits.
The MoU provides for reciprocal codeshare services to Etihad’s Abu Dhabi hub and select points in North America served by Air Canada via its Toronto hub. The two parties have commenced discussions to finalize details with the objective of introducing codeshare services in the third quarter of 2013.
The agreement will also allow frequent flyer mileage accrual on codeshare flights by members of Etihad Guest and Aeroplan programs and reciprocal premium lounge access at Toronto and Abu Dhabi airports for eligible passengers of both airlines.
This announcement follows the recent decision by the Governments of the UAE and Canada to restore the previous visa regime which means Canadian nationals can once again obtain a free visa on arrival in the UAE.
The UAE is Canada’s largest merchandise export market in the Middle East region and more than 40,000 Canadians reside in the UAE. Furthermore approximately 150 Canadian companies are based in the UAE.
Subject to regulatory approval, Etihad Airways will place its EY code on Air Canada flights between Toronto and select North American points.
In return, Air Canada will place its AC code on Etihad Airways’ non-stop services between Toronto and Abu Dhabi, as well as Etihad Airways’ flights between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi.
Etihad Airways and Air Canada will also work together to enhance cargo services into and out of Abu Dhabi and Toronto, and beyond on each other’s networks.
Top Copyright Photo: TMK Photography/AirlinersGallery.com. Embraer ERJ 190-100 nIGW C-FHJU (msn 19000044) arrives at the Toronto (Pearson) hub.
Air Canada:
Etihad Airways:
Bottom Copyright Photo: Keith Burton. Boeing 777-3FX ER A6-ETK (msn 39686) takes off from London (Heathrow).
The first Embraer 190 is delivered to FlyNonstop, will launch operations on April 25
FlyNonstop (Kristiansand, Norway) this week received its first Embraer 190 at a ceremony at Embraer’s headquarters in São José dos Campos, Brazil. The aircraft, leased from a third party, will be used to launch nonstop routes between Kristiansand and key cities in Southern and Central Europe.
The E190 is configured with 100 Elite seats in single class configuration.
The airline will commence operations between Kristiansand on April 25 and major European cities, including Barcelona, Berlin, Dubrovnik, London City Airport, Nice, Palma de Mallorca and Parma.
Copyright Photo: Embraer. The pictured Embraer ERJ 190-100LR PT-TJU became PH-FNS (msn 19000616) on delivery and is named “Elias”. The airliner was leased starting on April 16.
Austral acquires two additional Embraer 190s
Austral Lineas Aereas (subsidiary of Aerolineas Argentinas) (Buenos Aires) and Embraer have signed a contract for the sale of two Embraer ERJ 190 jets. The Argentine airline currently operates 20 airplanes of this model.
Like the aircraft that are already in operation, Austral’s new E190s are the Advanced Range (AR) model, which allows the airline to fly on any route inside Argentina and to reach such important capital cities of Brazil as Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, nonstop. The jets are configured with 96 seats in a two-class layout—eight in executive and 88 in economy—with a modern onboard entertainment system equipped with individual monitors.
Copyright Photo: Bernardo Andrade. Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW (ERJ 190AR) LV-CIG (msn 19000427) lands at Rio de Janeiro (Galeao).
Austral:
JetBlue is coming to Worcester, Massachusetts
JetBlue Airways (New York) has announced its 80th BlueCity: Worcester, Massachusetts.
JetBlue will kick off its service to Worcester Regional Airport (ORH) on November 7 with daily flights to Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood (FLL) and Orlando (MCO). Worcester is the eighth BlueCity in New England. The new Worcester routes will be operated with Embraer 190s, operating on this schedule:
Flight Schedule
ORH-FLL
4:05 p.m. – 7:31 p.m.
FLL-ORH
7:15 p.m. – 10:17 p.m.
ORH-MCO
7:20 a.m. – 10:37 a.m.
MCO-ORH
11:20 a.m. -2:07 p.m.
Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough. Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N267JB (19000065) with the Stripes tail motif arrives at Baltimore/Washington.
JetBlue Airways:
Augsburg Airways is likely to be liquidated in late October
Augsburg Airways (Munich) is due to lose its Lufthansa Regional flying contract on October 26, 2013 as we previously reported. According to this report by Augsburger Allgemeine, the chances the airline can survive the contract flying closure are becoming bleaker all of the time. The company is now likely to be shut down and liquidated in late October unless it can champion a new future with a new partner.
The company started scheduled airline service in September 1986 as Interot Airways. It became the current Augsburg Airways on November 6, 1995.
Read the full report (in German): CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Paul Denton. “We have white planes, we are willing to paint”. Augsburg is searching for a new mission or partner since Lufthansa dropped the carrier. Embraer ERJ 190-100LR D-AEMF (msn 19000310) taxies at Geneva.
Augsburg Airways:
Azul receives permission to merge TRIP
Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras (Sao Paulo-Campinas) has received permission from Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) to merge TRIP Linhas Aereas (Sao Paulo-Campinas). On March 6, 2013 Brazilian authorities gave the final approval for the merger with a few restrictions relating to code-sharing with TAM (LATAM Group) (Sao Paulo) and slot use at Rio de Janeiro (Santos Dumont Airport).
Previously on May 28, 2012, Azul announced it had purchased TRIP forming a new holding company until TRIP could be merged into the larger Azul.
Copyright Photo: AirSpeed. The TRIP brand will now be retired as the merger continues. Embraer ERJ 190-100LR PP-PJL (msn 19000189) is pictured in action at Florianopolis is southern Brazil.
Azul: 
TRIP:
New Route Map:
Please click on the map for the full-size view.
JetBlue and Asiana move closer with a new interline agreement
JetBlue Airways (New York) and Asiana Airlines (Seoul) have announced the launch of an interline agreement to connect each other’s networks and bring new flight options to travelers between Asia and the Americas.
Through the arrangement, effective immediately, travelers can book single-ticket travel combining flights on both carriers and enjoy one-stop baggage check-in when they transfer between the airlines at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
JetBlue is the largest domestic airline at JFK, where Asiana offers daily nonstop service to its global hub at Incheon International Airport. Travelers can connect onward to cities across Asia and Oceania via Seoul.
U.S.-bound travelers will enjoy easy transfers at JFK from Asiana to JetBlue destinations including Boston, Massachusetts; Burlington, Vermont; Syracuse and Buffalo/Niagara Falls, New York; Portland, Maine, Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and six cities in Florida including Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Jacksonville.
Top Copyright Photo: Keith Burton. Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N348JB (msn 19000511) with the Barcode tail fin gracefully climbs away from Toronto (Pearson).
JetBlue Airways: 
Asiana Airlines:
Bottom Copyright Photo: Yuji Wang. Boeing 767-38E HL7514 (msn 25763) of Asiana Airlines arrives from the Seoul hub at Shanghai (Pudong).
Flybe announces a two-year plan to return to profitability, 300 jobs may get axed
Flybe (Exter) today made a major announcement for a two-year plan to return the airline to profitability. The reorganization may lead to a loss of 300 jobs. Here is the full announcement:
- As part of this announcement Flybe confirmed:
- Medium term operational profit targets for the Group.
- A revised strategy to focus on two key sectors of the market – its UK scheduled services business, and the growing European contract flying market.
- Confirmation that there would be no change to its current route network, and that consumers will still enjoy the same choice of routes and airports.
- A cost reduction plan for its UK business and associated support activities which targets cost reductions both internally and externally.
- As part of the proposed cost reduction plan for the UK business, it is expected c300 roles will be made redundant.
- The total annualised benefit of the cost reduction plan will reach £35m.
- A review of the potential outsourcing of various support functions.
- The establishment of a new Flybe Outsourcing Solutions business bringing together its contract flying, maintenance and training divisions across Europe into one customer offering.
A summary of the announcement is provided at the end of this release.
Effect on UK employed Staff
As a result of the cost reduction plan announced today, Flybe UK has commenced the consultation process which may lead to circa 300 proposed redundancies. This would equate to approximately 10% of its current UK based employees.
It is expected that the majority of the proposed redundancies will, following consultation, come from Flybe’s Exeter HQ, Manchester and Newcastle.
Commenting on the plan, Flybe’s Chief Executive Jim French said: “Today’s restructuring plan for the airline has clear, two year profit targets which we believe are deliverable and realistic. A new, slimline business model for UK scheduled services underpins a turnaround which I expect will deliver a £3.00 per seat profit target in the medium term. Today’s announcement of a turnaround strategy for the UK business is a clear indication that Flybe has a plan not only to address the challenges we face, but also one to exploit the opportunities available, particularly in Europe.
“It is a matter of great regret that many valued and hard-working colleagues may leave the organisation and it was a decision I and the Board have not taken lightly ; it’s one we have tried to avoid and it is the first time in almost 30 years of business that we have had to take such action. However, faced with the brutal impact of a 160% rise in Air Passenger Duty (APD) over the past six years and the consequent 20% decline in domestic traffic over the same period, we have to recalibrate the business. There is no escape from the £68M per annum APD tax burden which Flybe has to pay as a result of increases successive governments have levied on the industry. Flybe now pays more than 18% of our ticket revenues to the government in APD, whilst other UK based carriers who operate a greater proportion of their business outside of the UK pay less than 6%.
Copyright Photo: Paul Denton. Embraer ERJ 190-200LR (ERJ 195) G-FBEL (msn 19000184) arrives at Geneva.
Flybe: 
Route Map (routes from Southampton):
Please click on the map for the full-size view.
Air Canada to drop Vancouver-San Diego nonstop service on May 1
Air Canada (Montreal) is planning to eliminate the nonstop Vancouver-San Diego route on May 1 per Airline Route. The route is currently operated with Embraer 190 equipment.
Top Copyright Photo: Keith Burton. Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW C-FGMF (msn 19000019) arrives back at the Toronto (Pearson) hub.
Air Canada:
Bottom Copyright Photo: Air Canada. Air Canada Trivia: On January 14, 2006, a retired Boeing 737-200 took on a new life as an artificial reef when it was sunk 20 meters (60 feet) deep near Chemainus on Vancouver Island. The airframe was donated to the Artificial Reef Society of B.C. by Qwest Airparts Limited (Memphis) and documented for a Discovery Channel series titled Mega Builders. Over 1,000 volunteer hours went into the project, aimed at homing dozens of species of sea life and attracting diving enthusiasts. The 737-275 was originally delivered to Pacific Western Airlines as C-GBPW (msn 20958) on January 13, 1975 and was also occasionally leased to America West Airlines as N128AW. The airframe would migrate to Canadian Airlines and Air Canada with the mergers, retaining its C-GBPW registration.
Frontier Airlines to drop the Colorado Springs-Denver feeder route on March 2
Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver) is planning to eliminate the short Colorado Springs-Denver route on March 2 according to Airline Route. The feeder route is operated by Republic Airlines (2nd) Embraer ERJ 190-100s.
Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough. Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N176HQ (msn 19000461) with Scooter, the Mountain Goat, on the tail, arrives at Washington (Reagan National).
Frontier Airlines (2nd): 
Frontier Airlines-Republic Airlines:
Airberlin to drop Las Vegas, San Francisco and Vancouver while increasing service to American Airlines hubs
Airberlin (Berlin) is realigning its route map to increase its growing relationship with American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) while dropping non-AA hub destinations like Las Vegas, San Francisco and Vancouver. The German carrier is also increasing its already large presence at Palma de Mallorca in Spain. The airline issued the following statement:
Airberlin has strategically revised its route network for next summer. The timetable modifications have been designed to increase efficiency and mainly refer to the intercontinental routes to the USA as well as the airline’s hubs in Palma de Mallorca and Vienna. The important consideration was not to reduce but to transfer capacities, thereby enhancing the airline’s profile in strategic core markets. In future Airberlin will also be focusing even more on the synergies emerging from its association with its strategic partner Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) and the oneworld® carriers, to derive even greater benefit from the potential stemming from the existing alliances and partnership.
The United States are a strategic growth market for airberlin. This will continue to be the case in the future. By restructuring its network in North America, Airberlin has set the course for further growth in this market from summer 2013 onwards. The new nonstop service between Berlin and the American Airlines hub of Chicago (O’Hare) from March 2013 underpins the strategy of the second largest German airline as regards developing the existing synergies from that association.
Against this background, Airberlin will also be increasing its nonstop services to New York (JFK), Los Angeles and Miami from May 2013 onwards, while at the same time cancelling its seasonal nonstop flights from Düsseldorf to Las Vegas, San Francisco and Vancouver.
The restructuring of the North American network is therefore aimed at selectively weeding out low-frequency routes while simultaneously strengthening the strategically important, high-turnover routes and making the best use of a strong network of partners. Consequently both San Francisco and Las Vegas will continue to be available for booking as codeshare flights with American Airlines, since this airline operates a far more frequent service to these destinations than Airberlin – and throughout the year.
The expansion and optimization of services from Berlin and Düsseldorf to the American Airlines hubs of New York (JFK), Los Angeles, Miami and Chicago (O’Hare) is an important element in Airberlin’s network strategy for summer 2013. Consequently Airberlin will be increasing the number of nonstop flights between Düsseldorf and New York (JFK) from seven to ten flights per week, thereby ensuring greater timetable consistency with the same arrival and departure times throughout the year.
The number of flights from Düsseldorf to Miami is also being increased: from May 2013 a daily service will replace the previous five flights a week to this major US destination. Another new feature at Airberlin’s Düsseldorf hub is that the number of nonstop flights to Los Angeles will be increased from three to four per week. The flights are scheduled for Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Since the service from Berlin to Los Angeles will still continue in summer 2013 with three flights a week – on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays – Airberlin passengers will be offered a daily flight from Germany to West Coast USA from May 2013 onwards.
The times of the flights between Berlin and Los Angeles, a service that Airberlin has been offering since May 11, 2012, have also been optimized for better connections to and from destinations in Airberlin’s growth markets of Scandinavia and Russia. The service between Berlin and Miami is also being increased from three to five flights a week.
With 7.8 million passengers a year, the Airberlin group has been the carrier with the highest passenger volume at Majorca’s Son Sant Joan airport for nine consecutive years. With the start of its summer timetable, Airberlin will be transferring capacities to achieve a 12 percent increase in its services from Germany, Austria and Switzerland to Majorca, thereby further extending its market leadership on the Balearic Island. This means that in summer 2013 alone, Airberlin will be operating 402 flights a week to this Mediterranean destination. The move represents a 14 per cent increase on the previous summer (summer 2012: 352 nonstop flights a week from Germany). The summer will also see new additional flights to Palma de Mallorca from Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich.
Along with transferring its capacities, airberlin will be reducing the total number of destina-tions on the Spanish mainland available via a connecting flight from Majorca from 16 to 13. From summer 2013 passengers will therefore no longer be able to fly airberlin to Barcelona, Madrid and Santiago de Compostela via Majorca. Instead, airberlin plans to offer the route from Majorca to Madrid in cooperation with its oneworld partners starting in summer 2013. A new interline agreement with Vueling and Air Europa, which is also to come into effect in summer 2013, will allow passengers to carry on booking a connecting flight from Majorca to Barcelona via the airberlin website. Furthermore, airberlin will continue to operate its non-stop services from Berlin, Düsseldorf and Vienna to Barcelona. Both Barcelona and Madrid can also be reached from several German airports via non-stop flights operated by our codeshare partner Iberia.
While remaining at a total of 23 planes, the Niki (Vienna) fleet will be standardized to operate only Airbus aircraft. This total concentration on Airbus will increase the number of seats available on existing routes. The route network from Vienna will be expanded on the one hand by extending the range of services to new tourist destinations in Greece, such as Kalamata, Karpathos, Kavala, Lesbos and Volos, and on the other hand by increasing the frequency of flights to existing destinations in Egypt, Spain or Turkey.
In addition Airberlin is promoting its Eastern European services from its hub in the German capital. As a result, the services from Vienna to Sofia, Bucharest and Belgrade will no longer be offered as nonstop flights from Vienna as of summer 2013, but increasingly transferred to Berlin.
In summer 2013 passengers will have a choice of nine destinations in Eastern Europe (Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Budapest, Sofia, Bucharest) from Berlin. The airline will also be offering nonstop flights to Riga, the Latvian capital, in conjunction with its codeshare partner airBaltic (Riga).
On the financial side, the company issued this statement for its third quarter:
Airberlin, Germany’s second-largest airline company, significantly improved its net income for the traditionally strong third quarter, in comparison with the previous year. At the same time, it was able to offset strongly increasing external cost through the successful efficiency-improvement program “Shape & Size”, which will lead to an improvement of EUR 230 million in operations this year.
In the third quarter, airberlin was able to increase its net income to EUR 66.6 million (2011: EUR 30.2 million), an increase of more than 120 percent over the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The operating result improved by 4.5 percent to EUR 101.2 million (EUR 96.8 million). Revenue increased by 1.4 percent over the previous year, to EUR 1,395.1 million (EUR 1,375.5 million), despite a targeted capacity reduction of 5.4 percent. Capacity utilization increased slightly by 0.4 percentage points to 84.54 percent (84.14 percent). Yield (revenue per passenger) improved by 3.1 percent to EUR 115.84 (EUR 112.39). EBITDAR (Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and leasing expenses) increased by 3.8 percent to EUR 279.5 million (EUR 269.3 million). Total equity at the end of the quarter amounted to EUR 186.3 million, which corresponds to an equity ratio of eight percent.
Airberlin recorded a continuing reduction of direct operating costs – excluding fuel costs – as a result of the “Shape & Size” program, which yielded a contribution of EUR 70 million in the third quarter. Over this period, fuel costs increased by EUR 35 million.
Top Copyright Photo: Javier Rodriguez. Airbus A330-223 D-ABXB (msn 322), deployed on long-range and heavy routes, climbs away from the Palma de Mallorca base.
Airberlin: 
Niki:
Bottom Copyright Photo: Eurospot. The seven Embraer ERJ 190s will now be phased out at Niki. ERJ 190-100LR OE-IHA (msn 19000285) completes its final approach into Palma de Mallorca.
Lufthansa cancels its contract with Augsburg Airways, will launch Munich-Vancouver flights on May 16
Lufthansa (Frankfurt) has cancelled the regional feeder contract with the Augsburg Airways (Munich) effective on October 26, 2013.
The five Embraer ERJ 190-200s (ERJ 195s) assigned to Augsburg will be transferred to CityLine also on October 26, 2013.
The company was established in 1980 as Interot Airways. Revenue operations commenced in 1986. In 1996 the airline became Augsburg Airways. In 2003 Augsburg started operating as an Lufthansa Regional carrier. It was the last independent feeder operating for LH.
In other news, Lufthansa is expanding its long-haul services from its Munich hub and next year, for the first time, will offer a nonstop flight from Munich to Vancouver. From May 16, 2013, the new route to the largest city in British Columbia will be served daily with an Airbus A330. The service will complement Lufthansa’s daily flights from Frankfurt.
Read the full report about Augsburg from augsburger-allgemeine.de (in German) : CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Arnd Wolf. Augsburg Airways’ Embraer ERJ 190-200LR (ERJ 195) D-AEMD (msn 19000305) approaches the Munich hub for landing.
Lufthansa: 
Republic to operate five Embraer ERJ 190s for Caesars
Republic Airways Holdings Inc. (Indianapolis) and Caesars Entertainment Corporation (Las Vegas) has signed a three-year contract under which Republic’s Republic Airlines (2nd) (Indianapolis) subsidiary will operate five Embraer ERJ 190 aircraft to provide more than 1,500 flights annually for Caesars’ customers throughout the United States.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Republic Airlines’ (2nd) Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N173HQ (msn 19000206) arrives at Los Angeles.
Republic Airways/Republic Airlines:
Embraer delivers the 900th E-Jet to Kenya Airways
Embraer on October 10 reached a significant milestone, with the delivery of its 900th E-Jet, an ERJ 190-100 IGW to Kenya Airways (Nairobi) in a ceremony held at the company’s headquarters in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil.
Today, E-Jets are in service with more than 60 airlines from 40 countries with four different types of business models – mainline, low-cost carriers, regional application and most recently, with scheduled tour operator. The aircraft routinely fly long sectors over water and operate at some of the world’s most challenging airfields, like London City airport (LCY). The family also offers onboard entertainment systems, live satellite TV and radio, in seat power ports and Wi-Fi connectivity to the passengers.
Copyright Photo: Embraer.
Kenya Airways: 
Jetairfly to lease two Embraer ERJ 190s in 2013
Jetairfly (Jetairfly.com) (TUI Airlines Belgium) (subsidiary of TUI Travel PLC) (Brussels) will lease two Embraer ERJ 190 jets under an agreement with BOC Aviation (Singapore), an aircraft leasing company. The two ERJ 190s will be delivered in the first half of 2013.
Jetairfly’s ERJ 190s will be configured with 112 slim line seats in a single-class layout. The E-Jets will allow the airline to provide capacity more economically on lower-demand routes that are currently served by larger narrow-body equipment. The ERJ 190s are also intended to be deployed in winter markets where seasonal demand is better satisfied with 100-seat aircraft.
Jetairfly.com is a brand name of N.V. Jetair. Jetair is the Belgian branch of TUI Travel.
Jetairfly:
JetBlue Airways is coming to Charleston, South Carolina
JetBlue Airways (New York) will serve Charleston International Airport (CHS) with twice daily nonstop service from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and a daily flight from Boston’s Logan (BOS) starting on Thursday, February 28, 2013. CHS will become the airline’s 76th destination.
JetBlue’s schedule between New York and Charleston:
| JFK to CHS: | CHS to JFK: |
| Depart – Arrive | Depart – Arrive |
| 8:10 a.m. – 10:23 a.m. | 11:00 a.m. – 12:41 p.m. |
| 2:59 p.m. – 5:18 p.m. | 5:55 p.m. – 7:43 p.m. |
| - Flights operate daily beginning Feb. 28 , 2013 - | |
JetBlue’s schedule between Boston and Charleston:
| BOS to CHS: | CHS to BOS: |
| Depart – Arrive | Depart – Arrive |
| 9:35 a.m. – 12:06 p.m. | 12:45 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. |
| - Flights operate daily beginning Feb. 28 , 2013 - - All times local - |
|
JetBlue’s flights from Charleston will be operated with its 100-seat Embraer ERJ 190 fleet.
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N193JB (msn 19000017) in the Harlequin tail design climbs away from the runway at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL).
JetBlue Airways:
AeroMexico to resume Mexico City-Dallas/Fort Worth service on November 5
AeroMexico (Mexico CIty) will resume Mexico City-Dallas/Fort Worth service on November 5 according to Airline Route. The route will be operated with AeroMexico Connect Embraer ERJ 190s.
AeroMexico also added its first Embraer ERJ 170 for AeroMexico Connect. Eventually the newer ERJ 170s will replace the older ERJ 145 regional jets operated by AeroMexico Connect. Former Republic Airlines ERJ 170-100SU N806MD (msn 17000019) was delivered on June 15, 2012 as XA-ACP. It was followed by XA-ACQ (msn 17000042, ex N821MD) on July 9, 2012. The new type entered revenue service on July 7, 2012 from Mexico City to Acapulco, Campeche, Oaxaca and Veracruz.
Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough. Embraer ERJ 190-100LR XA-EAC (msn 19000145) completes its final approach into Miami International Airport.
AeroMexico Connect: 
AviancaTaca Holding S.A. reports 2Q net income of $40 million
AviancaTaca Holding (Avianca Colombia and Taca Airlines) (Bogota) reported second quarter 2012 operating revenue of $1.0 billion, a 12.9% increase compared to the same period in 2011. This result is mainly due to a 12.9% increase in pax revenue fueled by an 11.6% increase in passenger traffic compared to the second quarter in 2011.
Capacity, measured in ASK (Available Seats per Kilometer), increased 9.6% in the second quarter of 2012 as a result of the ongoing growth and consolidation strategy of the 4 hubs (Bogota, Lima, San Salvador and San Jose, Costa Rica). During the second quarter the Company opened 5 new routes and added 19 flights to existing routes.
Load factor for the second quarter of 2012 remained unchanged at 77.7% compared to the same period last year.
Operating income in the second quarter of 2012 increased to $22.5 million, boosting operating income for the semester 19.3% compared to the year-earlier period to $70.7 million.
Net profit in the second quarter of 2012 increased 334.3% versus the same period in 2011 to $4.9 million, increasing net profit for the quarter to $40.1 million.
On June 21, 2012, Avianca and Taca Airlines officially joined the Star Alliance.
Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough. Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N936TA (msn 19000215) lands at Miami.
Avianca: 
TACA: 
Frontier to launch nonstop Denver-Minot, ND flights on November 5
Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver) today announced new nonstop service between its Denver, Colorado (DEN), hub and Minot, North Dakota (MOT), with four weekly nonstop flights beginning on November 5, 2012.
Following is the schedule for Frontier’s Minot service:
Denver-MOT (beginning Nov. 5, 2012)
| Route | Departs | Arrives | Frequency | Aircraft | ||||||||||||
| DEN-MOT | 11:25 a.m. | 2:05 p.m. | Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun | E190 | ||||||||||||
| MOT-DEN | 2:35 p.m. | 3:35 p.m. | Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun | E190 | ||||||||||||
This new service will operate on 99-seat Embraer ER 190 aircraft operated by Republic Airlines (2nd).
In other news, the airline announced its new nonstop service between Fargo, North Dakota (FAR) and Denver, Colorado (DEN) will be starting service a week earlier than originally announced last week. Nonstop service between Denver and Fargo with three weekly nonstop flights will now begin on November 9, 2012.
Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough. Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N161HL (msn 19000154) with Clover, the Fawn, arrives at Washington (Reagan National).
Frontier-Republic: 
Alitalia to resume Rome-Zurich service on October 29
Alitalia (2nd) is planning to resume Rome (Fiumicino)-Zurich service on October 29 per Airline Route.
Copyright Photo: Lucio Alfieri. Embraer ERJ 190-100LR EI-RNB prepares to taxi from the gate at Bologna.
Alitalia (2nd): 
AirEuropa is coming to Brussels on December 3
AirEuropa (Palma de Mallorca and Madrid) will add the Madrid-Brussels route on December 3. The new route will be operated twice-daily with Embraer ERJ 195s according to Airline Route.
Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems. Embraer ERJ 190-200LR (ERJ 195) EC-KYP (msn 19000281) in the special Ushuaia Ibiza beach club motif visits Amsterdam.
AirEuropa: 
JetBlue reconfigures its Embraer ERJ 190s
JetBlue Airways (New York) today announced the reconfiguration of its Embraer ERJ 190 fleet to offer customers two more rows of its coveted Even More Space seats. For a small additional fee, sixteen seats in rows 1, 12, 13 and 14 offer extra legroom and are now available on all of the airline’s 100-seat ERJ 190 aircraft. Rows 1 and 12 offer 38 inches of legroom while rows 13 and 14 offer 39 inches in addition to bonus Even More services including early boarding, early access to overhead bin space and Even More Speed expedited security at select airports.
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N197GB (msn 19000020) taxies to the runway at Charlotte in the “Dots” livery.
JetBlue: 
JetBlue Airways is coming to Providence, Rhode Island 0n November 29
JetBlue Airways (New York) has selected Providence, Rhode Island as the 75th destination in its growing route network. Governor Lincoln Chafee, Rhode Island Airport Corporation Board Chair Dr. Kathleen Hittner, and top leaders of government, the business community and travel and tourism officials joined JetBlue’s President and CEO Dave Barger at a press event on the steps of the state capitol this morning to reveal JetBlue’s intent to serve T.F. Green International Airport (PVD), with twice daily nonstop service to Orlando International Airport (MCO) and one daily flight to Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL) in Florida beginning on Thursday, November 29, 2012.
JetBlue’s schedule between Providence and Orlando:
| PVD to MCO: | MCO to PVD: |
| Depart – Arrive | Depart – Arrive |
| 8:00 a.m. – 11:10 a.m.
3:20 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. |
11:55 a.m. – 2:35 p.m.
6:55 p.m. – 9:35 p.m. |
| - Flights operate year round beginning Thurs., Nov. 29, 2012 - | |
Customers traveling between Providence and Orlando can conveniently connect onwards to three other cities in JetBlue’s route network: Aguadilla, Puerto Rico; Montego Bay, Jamaica; or Nassau, The Bahamas.
JetBlue’s schedule between Providence and Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood:
| PVD to FLL: | FLL to PVD: |
| Depart – Arrive | Depart – Arrive |
| 4:15 p.m. – 7:40 p.m. | 12:35 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. |
| - Flights operate year round beginning Thurs., Nov. 29, 2012 - | |
JetBlue offers service from six additional New England airports, including: Burlington, Vermont; Hartford/Springfield, Connecticut; Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, Massachusetts; Portland, Maine; and Boston, where JetBlue is the largest carrier and serves 45 nonstop destinations.
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum.
JetBlue Airways: 
Frontier Airlines to drop Wichita on November 15
Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver) will drop Wichita and the Wichita-Denver route on November 15 due to underperforming results. The route is operated by Republic Airlines (2nd) (Indianapolis).
Read the full report by Channel 12: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Tony Storck. Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N163HQ (msn 19000255) with a Red Fox image on the tail arrives at Washington (Reagan National).
Frontier Airlines-Republic Airlines: 
AirEuropa is promoting the Ushuaia beach club on Ibiza with this logojet
AirEuropa (Palma de Mallorca) is promoting the Ushuaia beach club on the east coast of Ibiza, Spain with this new logojet. Oddly the beach club is named after the southern most city in Argentina, usually a very cold location in the Patagonia.
Copyright Photo: Pedro Baptista/Flyingphotos. Embraer ERJ 190-200LR (ERJ 195) EC-KYP (msn 19000281) departs from Lisbon with the special markings.
Hot New Photos: 
AirEuropa: 
Avianca and TACA Airlines join the Star Alliance
Avianca (Colombia) (Bogota) and TACA Airlines (San Salvador) yesterday (June 21) announced their official entry into the Star Alliance. The airline network is the world´s largest in terms of daily flights, route network, service excellence and number of airline members.
After two years of work in the approval process and with the adoption of the highest standards of operation and service, Avianca and TACA Airlines now offer passengers the opportunity to access this global network, which brings together 28 internationally renowned airlines. It operates more than 4,200 latest generation aircraft, servicing 21,500 daily flights to 1,356 airports in 193 countries.
Star Alliance, with 15 years of experience (since 1997) is recognized as the first truly global airline alliance. Consistent with its goal of offering customers worldwide the largest number of destinations and a great travel experience, it now offers exclusive services and assistance to frequent flyers in 990 airport lounges on all five continents. It has the support of nearly half a million employees in America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
The Alliance transports an average of 650 million passengers per year and has sales revenues of USD 160bn.
The combined Star Alliance network will provide Avianca and TACA Airlines an opportunity to strengthen their presence in Latin America and the Caribbean in general. Passengers of the global network can quickly and seamlessly fly to over 50 destinations in the region through Avianca and TACA Airlines Hubs in Bogota (Colombia), San Salvador (El Salvador), Lima (Peru) and San Jose (Costa Rica).
Top Copyright Photo: Jay Selman.
Avianca (Colombia): 
TACA: 
Bottom Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough.
Embraer ERJ 190s will need more frequent inspections due to a structural flaw
US Airways Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N966UW (msn 19000206) CLT (Bruce Drum), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.
The National Civil Aviation Agency (Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil-ANAC) (Brasilia) has issued an airworthiness directive (AD) that will affect the operators of the Embraer ERJ 190.
According to this report by Bloomberg, the ERJ 190 will need more frequent fuselage inspections after tests turned up cracks that may indicate a structural flaw, according to ANAC.
Cracks were found after metal-fatigue checks in unspecified “structural components” could compromise the airframes’ integrity. ANAC has set a 90-day period starting on June 16 for all operators to comply with the new procedures.
Read the full report from Bloomberg: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Please click on the photo for aircraft details.
Frontier Airlines to fly Kansas City-Fort Myers
Frontier Airlines (2nd)-Republic Airlines (2nd) Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N174HQ (msn 19000211) LGB (James Helbock) “Buddy”, originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.
Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver) announced new seasonal nonstop service between Kansas City International Airport (MCI) and Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers, Fla., the airline’s 15th nonstop destination from Kansas City.
Frontier will offer a once-weekly roundtrip flight beginning on December 18, 2010, and will increase service to two weekly roundtrip flights in February.
Republic Airlines (2nd) will operate a 99-seat Embraer ERJ 190 aircraft on this new route for Frontier.
Copyright Photo: James Helbock. Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N174HQ (msn 19000211) approaches Long Beach for landing.
Austral takes delivery of its first two Embraer ERJ 190s
Copyright Photo: AirSpeed.
Austral Lineas Aereas (Buenos Aires) on September 20 took delivery of its first two Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGWs (LV-CDY and LV-CDZ).
Copyright Photo: AirSpeed. ERJ 190-100 IGW LV-CDZ (msn 19000377) is pictured in the new 2010 livery at Buenos Aires (Aeropargue Jorge Newbery) on the delivery day.
Henan Airlines Embraer ERJ 190 B-3130 crashes in China
Henan Airlines (formerly Kunpeng Airlines) (Zhengzhou) lost its Embraer ERJ 190-100LR B-3130 (msn 19000233) tonight in China. The jet broke apart as it approached the fog-shrouded runway at Lindu Airport near Yichun and crashed into a grass field, killing 43 people and injuring 53 others, state media said.
The airliner had departed from Harbin.
Kunpeng Airlines was originally founded as a joint venture between Shenzhen Airlines and the Mesa Air Group. In 2009 Mesa Air Group and Shenzhen terminated their agreement and Shenzhen announced that the airline would be renamed Henan Airlines.
British Airways to launch London City-Copenhagen flights
British Airways-BA CityFlyer Embraer ERJ 190-100SR G-LCYM (msn 19000351) MAN (Nik French), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.
British Airways (London) is opening up its route network from London City Airport with the launch of its first route to Scandinavia.
The airline has announced plans to start a new double daily weekday service from the Docklands Airport with flights to Copenhagen in Denmark, providing a direct air link between the two capital cities.
There will also be one flight a day from London City on Sundays and one flight from Copenhagen on Saturdays.
The new flights will start on September 12, and will be operated by British Airways wholly-owned subsidiary BA CityFlyer with their fleet of brand new Embraer ERJ 190 aircraft.
Copyright Photo: Nik French. BA CityFlyer’s Embraer ERJ 190-100SR G-LCYM (msn 19000351) taxies at Manchester.
Republic signs LOI for 24 additional Embraer ERJ 190s
Republic Airways Holdings (Indianapolis) announced today it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Embraer to acquire 24 new Embraer ERJ 190 aircraft with the option to convert any of the aircraft in the order to the larger Embraer 195 model. The LOI is subject to final documentation, including final commercial terms.
Under the agreement, deliveries would begin in mid 2011, with the first six aircraft arriving by the end of the year. The aircraft would be configured in a single-class arrangement and include stretch seating, a key on-board amenity offered in Republic’s branded operation. The Embraer 190 would offer 99 seats, while the E195 would be configured with 116 if Republic chose to convert any of the orders.
ALC orders 15 Embraer ERJ 190s
ALC (Air Lease Corporation) (Los Angeles), a newly formed aircraft leasing company led by Steven Udvar-Hazy, signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) for 15 Embraer ERJ 190 jets at the Farnborough International Air Show. Five of the 15 orders are re-confirmable, and the deal also includes five options, representing a potential sale of 20 aircraft.
TRIP Linhas Aereas orders two Embraer ERJ 190s
TRIP Linhas Aereas Embraer ERJ 170-200LR (ERJ 175) PP-PJD (msn 17000017) SDU (AirSpeed), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.
TRIP Linhas Aéreas (Sao Paulo-Viracopos) announced the closing of a contract for the acquisition of two 106-seat Embraer ERJ 190 jets at the 47th Farnborough International Air Show for delivery in the second quarter of 2011.
TRIP currently operates six 86-seat Embraer ERJ 175 jets.
Copyright Photo: AirSpeed. One of the current TRIP Linhas Aereas Embraer ERJ 170-200LRs (ERJ 175) is this PP-PJD (msn 17000017) preparing for takeoff at Rio de Janeiro (Santos Dumont).
Azul Linhas Aereas Brasileiras orders five more Embraer ERJ 195s
Azul Linhas Aereas Brasileiras Embraer ERJ 190-200 IGW (ERJ 195) PR-AYE (msn 19000260) FLN (AirSpeed), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.
Azul Linhas Aereas Brasileiras (Sao Paulo-Viracopos) has ordered five additional Embraer ERJ 190-200 IGWs (ERJ 195s).
This order is already included in Embraer’s firm order backlog for the second quarter of 2010 as an “Undisclosed customer”.The five Embraer 195 jets will be delivered this year, and by December, Azul will have 26 E-Jets in its exclusively Embraer fleet.
After adding in the 36 aircraft ordered in March 2008 (five Embraer 190s and 31 Embraer 195s), Azul now has a total of 41 firm orders for Embraer jets.
Copyright Photo: AirSpeed. A nice portrait of Embraer ERJ 190-200 IGW (ERJ 195) PR-AYE (msn 19000260) at Florianopolis.
Frontier Airlines to launch seasonal Milwaukee-Tucson service
N174HQ-LAX20JUN10-2, originally uploaded by DuncanStewart.
Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver) announced it will launch new seasonal nonstop service between Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport (MKE) and Tucson International Airport (TUS). The carrier will operate once-weekly Saturday service using Republic Airlines’ (2nd) (Indianapolis) Embraer ERJ 190 aircraft between January 8 and April 16, 2011.
Copyright Photo: Duncan Stewart. Republic Airlines’ Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N174HQ (msn 19000211) is the first E190 in Frontier’s colors. It is pictured at Los Angeles on June 20.
Flybe moves closer to Air France
Flybe (flybe.com) Embraer ERJ 190-200LR (ERJ 195) G-FBEB (msn 19000057) SZG (Arnd Wolf), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.
Flybe (flybe.com) (Exeter) in the meantime has moved closer to the Air France-KLM Group. The new code-share agreement (effective at the end of October) with AF will encourage passengers to bypass the Heathrow Airport hub and connect instead at the Paris (CDG) hub.
Read the full Financial Times report:
CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Arnd Wolf. A nice winter study (in July) of Flybe’s Embraer ERJ 190-200LR (ERJ 195) G-FBEB (msn 19000057) at Salzburg.
Frontier names Republic’s N174HQ as “Buddy”
N174HQ at GRR, originally uploaded by PhotoLab507.
Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver) announced the name of the badger gracing the tail of Republic Airlines’ (2nd) (Indianapolis) 99-seat Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW (N174HQ) aircraft. And the winner is … Buddy.
From May 28 through July 4, more than 15,000 Wisconsin residents voted online and at Milwaukee’s Summerfest for Bella, Buddy or Cookie. Frontier Airlines narrowed the list to those three names after receiving thousands of name suggestions from frequent flyers and others.
Copyright Photo: PhotoLab507. The Wisconsin Badger, now named “Buddy”, graces the tail of N174HQ (msn 19000211) at Grand Rapids.
Frontier narrows the Badger airplane to three names
N174HQ at GRR, originally uploaded by PhotoLab507.
Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver) announced the finalists for the names of the badger gracing the tail of its newest 99-seat Embraer ERJ 190 aircraft operated by Republic Airlines (2nd) (Indianapolis). Thousands of Wisconsin residents offered up their favorite names for Frontier’s newest animal and Frontier narrowed the list to Bella, Buddy and Cookie.
The names and an online ballot will be posted on FrontierMidwest.com/namethebadger. Wisconsin residents can also vote at the Frontier Airlines Landing at Milwaukee’s Summerfest. Entries must be received by July 4, 2010. The winning name will be announced on July 5.
Copyright Photo: PhotoLab507. Republic Airlines’ (2nd) Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N174HQ (msn 19000211) stopped at Grand Rapids (GRR) on May 15.
Frontier Airlines launches four new markets
Midwest Airlines-Republic Airlines (2nd) Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N162HL (msn 19000231) LAX, originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.
Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver) yesterday (May 14) launched new nonstop service between the carrier’s Denver hub and Fairbanks (FAI); Grand Rapids (GRR) and Long Beach (LGB). The carrier also launched new nonstop service between its Milwaukee hub and Seattle/Tacoma (SEA). The service is part of a 17-market expansion taking place this spring and summer, making Frontier the fastest-growing major carrier in the United States. Services will be operated by Frontier’s Airbus A318s and A319s and Republic Airlines’ Embraer ERJ 190s.
In the coming weeks, Frontier Airlines will launch service between Denver and both New Orleans and Santa Barbara, Calif. The carrier will also launch service from Kansas City, Mo. to New Orleans.
Copyright Photo: Republic Airlines’ Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N162HL (msn 19000231), dressed in Midwest’s retiring livery, arrives at Los Angeles while operating a Frontier flight.
JetBlue Airways to add Boston-Sarasota/Bradenton
JetBlue Airways Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N193JB (msn 19000017) (Harlequin) FLL (Bruce Drum), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.
JetBlue Airways (New York-JFK) will add Sarasota/Bradenton (its 37th destination) and the Boston-Sarasota/Bradenton route on November 18.
The addition of SRQ is part of a major expansion for the company at BOS this summer.
Key summer schedule highlights for BOS:
* Two additional daily flights to Chicago/O’Hare (for a total of three)
* Two additional daily flights to Charlotte (for a total of four)
* Two additional daily flights to Raleigh/Durham (for a total of three)
* One additional daily flight to Fort Lauderdale (for a total of four)
* One additional daily flight to Pittsburgh (for a total of three)
* One additional daily flight to San Diego (for a total of two)
* One additional daily flight to Washington/Dulles (for a total of seven)
* One new daily flight to San Jose, California (for a total of one)
* Four additional weekly flights to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (for a total of one daily)
* Three additional weekly flights to Aruba (for a total for four)
* Two additional weekly flights to Cancun, Mexico (for a total of three)
* Two new weekly flights to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (for a total of two)
* One additional weekly flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico (for a total of 11)
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N193JB (msn 19000017) climbs away from Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood.
Republic Airlines paints its first Embraer ERJ 190 for Frontier, honors Wisconsin
Copyright Photo: Frontier Airlines.
Republic Airlines (2nd) (Indianapolis) has painted its first Embraer ERJ 190 for sister airline Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver). Previously Republic operated 12 Embraer ERJ 170s in Frontier Airlines colors. Ex-US Airways Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N174HQ (msn 19000211) was unveiled in a special ceremony yesterday (April 29) in Milwaukee and honors the State of Wisconsin (the former home of Midwest Airlines) with an image of an unnamed Wisconsin Badger on the tail.
During the unveiling, Frontier Airlines announced it is inviting residents of the Badger State to help the airline to name the badger.
According to the airline, “The choice of the badger to adorn the tail of our newest Embraer ERJ 190 honors the Wisconsin roots of Midwest Airlines,” said Jim Reichart, vice president of sales, distribution and loyalty programs. “We hope the residents of Wisconsin will submit their most memorable and creative monikers for their newest badger.”
Frontier has created an online form, at FrontierMidwest.com/namethebadger, so Wisconsin residents can submit the name they would like for their state animal and our most recent recruit into the Frontier animal family. Entries will be accepted through May 24, after which the names will be pared down to three finalists. Wisconsin residents will then be given the opportunity to vote for their favorite from May 28 through July 4. The badger’s name will be announced July 5.
The 99-seat ERJ 190, which features a two-by-two, all-leather seating configuration, will go into service tomorrow (May 1).
JetBlue Airways swings to a first quarter loss, will serve DCA starting on November 1
JetBlue Airways Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N192JB (msn 19000014) (Stripes) CLT (Bruce Drum), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.
JetBlue Airways (New York-JFK) reported a net loss for the first quarter of $1 million, or $0.01 per diluted share. This compares to JetBlue’s first quarter 2009 net income of $12 million, or $0.05 per diluted share.
In other news, jetBlue announce plans to serve the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), its third airport in the Washington/Baltimore area, with seven daily nonstop flights to Boston’s Logan International Airport (BOS) and one daily nonstop flight each to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and Orlando International Airport (MCO) beginning November 1, 2010.
DCA will be JetBlue’s 62nd destination. The carrier also serves the region with service from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). With the addition of DCA’s seven daily shuttle flights to Boston — complementing five daily nonstop flights from BWI and six daily flights between Boston and IAD — JetBlue will become the largest carrier for flights between Boston and the Washington DC region offering 18 conveniently-timed departures.
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N192JB (msn 19000014) taxies to the runway at Charlotte.
Austral finalizes its order for 20 ERJ 190s
Austral Lineas Aereas (Austral Argentina) (Buenos Aires) has finalized its order for 20 Embraer ERJ 190 jets. This agreement was previously announced in May 2009, and was conditioned on fulfilling several requirements, which were finalized. From the 20 jets on order, three were already included in the firm order backlog of the first quarter of 2010, as “Undisclosed”.
The ERJ 190 jets ordered by the Argentine airline are of the Advanced Range (AR) model, and can fly nonstop for 2,400 nautical miles (4,400 km). The passenger cabin configuration, with four seats per row, will have a total of 96 seats divided into two classes: eight in the executive and 88 in the economy. All passengers will have a modern inflight entertainment system with individual monitors.
American, JetBlue announce slot swap, interline agreement
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. JetBlue's Embraer ERJ 190-100 IGW N258JB (msn 19000047) prepares to land at the Long Beach focus city. Due to this new arrangement, the ERJ 190s are expected to leave the West Coast and return to the East Coast in May 2010 and will be operated from DCA.
American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) and JetBlue Airways (New York-JFK) announced an agreement for collaboration that will offer JetBlue customers connections to American’s international flights from New York’s John F.Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Boston’s Logan International Airport, where JetBlue is the largest domestic airline, and offer American’s customers convenient nonstop domestic flight options on JetBlue from those markets.
Under terms of the agreement, American intends to transfer eight slot pairs at Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport and one slot pair at White Plains, NY to JetBlue, and JetBlue intends to transfer 12 slot pairs at New York’s John F.Kennedy International Airport to American.
The agreement will provide customers with interline service in non-overlapping markets, which will offer them more choices and convenient connections. The companies are also exploring other commercial cooperation.
On domestic routes where the carriers don’t currently compete, American customers can book convenient, nonstop JetBlue flights from JFK and Boston to 18 domestic markets, including Portland, ME; Nantucket; and Burlington, VT.
Starting in summer 2010, American and American Eagle will expand the routes and service they offer customers from New York. Including previously announced additions, by year end at LaGuardia and JFK combined, American and American Eagle will add 31 total flights to and from 13 additional routes, bringing total NYC departures to 216 and unique destinations to 63. The announcement includes seven new destinations served on 23 new roundtrip flights. When combined with new options for travel on JetBlue, American’s New York customers will have access to 81 unique destinations on 271 nonstop flights by the end of 2010. In addition, American serves four destinations with 18 daily departures out of Newark’s Liberty International Airport.
LGA
New American Eagle Bombardier CRJ700 regional jets, outfitted with First Class as well as new Coach Class seats, will fly new routes from LaGuardia to Minneapolis-St. Paul four times daily, to Atlanta seven times daily, and five times daily to Charlotte. The CRJ700s will also be used to fly existing routes from LaGuardia to Toronto and Raleigh-Durham, giving passengers in those markets access to First Class service.
American will also increase mainline daily flights to and from Miami and Chicago from LaGuardia.
JFK
As previously announced, American begins service in April and May to San Jose, Costa Rica; Madrid, and Manchester, England. Previously announced nonstop service to Austin will begin in July.
American also announced it will add twice-daily, nonstop service to and from Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood in November and increase daily frequencies to Orlando, Las Vegas, and Miami effective in November.
American Eagle previously announced daily round-trip service on regional jets to and from Columbus, Ohio, and St. Louis. American Eagle today announced twice-daily service to and from both Indianapolis, and Cincinnati. In addition, American Eagle will begin one flight daily to and from Norfolk. Those new flights will use Embraer regional jets and are slated to begin by year end. They will be assigned times so that customers can make connections to American’s international flights. The airline will also assign the two-class CRJ700s to upgrade existing routes from JFK, offering First Class service to Washington (Reagan National), Boston, and Toronto starting in early 2011.
DCA
JetBlue Airways also announced plans to serve the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) beginning in November 2010. JetBlue intends to initially offer travelers at least eight daily departures from DCA to select East Coast destinations, complementing its existing service from Washington Dulles International Airport and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
