Minoan Air to fly from Oxford
Minoan Air (Herkalion) is expanding operations with a new base for its Fokker 50s at Oxford in the United Kingdom. The airline issued the following statement:
Minoan Air announces the commencement of five routes out of the London Oxford Airport in early 2013.
Five routes have been identified from the London Oxford Airport that demonstrate satisfactory traffic potential. The airline plans to operate the Munich, Amsterdam, Copenhagen Dublin and Edinburgh routes starting in January 2013 with a gradual introduction that will last for two months. The objective of the airline is to offer a premium service with no additional charges. More routes are under examination.
The frequency and departure time for each route will be tailored to the requirement of the business passenger for each specific route. Ticket sales for these routes will be available both online and from travel agencies by the middle of November 2012.
The new airline started operations 0n June 1, 2011 flying to Ibiza, Malaga, Valencia, Costa Daurada (Catalonia), Jerez de la Frontera (Andalusia), Alicante, Menorca and Palma de Mallorca.
Ceiba Intercontinental launches its first European route to Madrid
Ceiba Intercontinental Airlines (Malabo) made its historic first intercontinental flight on October 4 from Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, to Madrid. Ceiba will service the route with its Boeing 777-200 LR aircraft.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation of Equatorial Guinea purchased the aircraft as the first step in the government’s efforts to meet the growing demand for air service to the country and support its growing economy.
Ceiba has scheduled three flights a week on the new Madrid-Malabo route and is part of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA).
Ceiba currently offers scheduled service from Bata and Malabo in Equatorial Guinea to several cities in West and Central Africa, including Accra, Ghana; Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, Brazzaville, Congo; Douala, Cameroun; Libreville, Gabon; Cotonou, Benin; andLome, Togo.
Copyright Photo: Nick Dean. Boeing 777-2FB LR 3C-LLS (msn 40668) takes off from Paine Field near Everett.
Ceiba Intercontinental: 
Allegiant Air to start Las Vegas-Plattsburgh flights on December 19
Allegiant Air (Las Vegas) will launch twice-weekly service between the Las Vegas hub and Plattsburgh, New York starting on December 19 per Airline Route.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-83 (MD-83) N405NV (msn 49623) decorated in the Blue Man Group climbs away from the runway at Los Angeles International Airport.
Allegiant Air: 
Travel Service Airlines introduces a Moravian-Silesian Region logojet
Travel Service Airlines (Czech Republic) (Prague) has unveiled a new Boeing 737-800 logojet which promotes the Moravian-Silesian Region (Czech: Moravskoslezský kraj). The region is one of 14 administrative regions in the Czech Republic with the regional capital located in Ostrava.
Turkish Airlines orders 15 additional Airbus A330-300s
Turkish Airlines (Istanbul) has placed an order for 15 additional Airbus A330-300s, their seventh order for the A330 family of aircraft and their twentieth Airbus order overall. The aircraft will be operated on medium and long haul routes from the Turkish Airlines hub in Istanbul.
Turkish Airlines placed their first order with Airbus in 1984, and now operate 101 Airbus aircraft including 17 A330 Family aircraft.
Copyright Photo: Gunter Mayer. Airbus A330-343X TC-JNR (msn 1311) taxies across the ramp at Nuremberg.
Turkish Airlines: 
Wow Air announces its plans for this winter
Wow Air (Keflavik) according to the new airline, “has announced increased competition in the marketplace, one of the main goals is to make flights to and from Iceland cheaper than ever.”
The airline flew to 13 destinations in Europe this summer; Copenhagen, London, Paris, Lyon, Alicante, Zurich, Basel, Stuttgart, Cologne, Berlin, Kaunas, Warsaw and Krakow.
This winter Wow Air will fly to Iceland from Berlin, London, and Alicante. Around Christmas the airline will offer flights to Copenhagen, Warsaw and Kaunas and over the ski season from December until March Wow Air offer ski flights to Salzburg.
Wow Air fleet consists of two Airbus A320s named WOW Force One and WOW Force Two. The aircraft are comfortably set up with 30-32 inch leg space and are wet leased from Avion Express.
Copyright Photo: Rolf Wallner. Airbus A320-231 LY-COS (msn 415) taxies at Zurich.
Japan Airlines to phase out the McDonnell Douglas MD-90s in March
Japan Airlines-JAL (Tokyo) is planning to phase out its last McDonnell Douglas MD-90. The pictured MD-90-30 JA8070 (msn 53358) is the only MD-90 in the JAL fleet to be repainted in the new 2011 Crane livery. JA8070 was repainted in October 2012. The last six MD-90s will be phased out by March 2013 and will be sold to Delta Air Lines. The airliner is pictured taxiing out to runway 05 at Tokyo (Haneda) as flight JL1883 bound for Miyazaki.
Copyright Photo: Akira Uekawa.
Hot New Photos:
Japan Airlines:
Apollo expands its relationship with Scandinavian Airlines
Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) and Apollo are expanding their relationship. Before the summer, SAS and Apollo signed a record agreement worth SEK 920 million. Now Apollo has once again chosen SAS as its external partner for flying its customers. During negotiations, SAS’s punctuality was valued highly by Apollo. Another key factor was SAS’s flexible aircraft fleet, which enables Apollo to offer direct flights from regional airports in Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
The agreement between SAS and Apollo covers over 900 flights, with several departures from regional airports in Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
Copyright Photo: Andi Hiltl. Airbus A319-132 OY-KBO (msn 2850) touches down at Zurich.
Scandinavian Airlines-SAS: 
easyJet adds new routes to Iceland
easyJet (UK) (London-Luton) has announced the addition of two new routes from Manchester and Edinburgh to Keflavik (near Reykjavik), which will begin in March 2013.
Twice weekly flights will leave Edinburgh and Manchester from March 14 and 21, 2013 respectively. The flights will leave Edinburgh on Mondays and Thursdays and Manchester on Thursdays and Sundays.
Earlier this year, easyJet operated its inaugural flight to Keflavik from London (Luton) – a route which has proved popular with passengers both in the UK and Iceland. The Luton – Keflavik service is now being increased from three to four flights per week throughout the year, bringing the total number of easyJet flights to the destination to eight per week from next March. The additional flight will operate on Fridays.
Copyright Photo: Stefan Sjogren.
easyJet (UK):
Alaska Airlines introduces a new Boeing 737-800 “Salmon-Thirty-Salmon II” at Anchorage
Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) yesterday (October 4) introduced its latest logojet in the form of “Salmon-Thirty-Salmon II” painted on its Boeing 737-890 N559AS (msn 35178) in its salute to “Wild Alaska Seafood”. The company issued the following statement:
Weighing in at 91,000 pounds, the world’s largest salmon landed in Anchorage on October 4 to a cheering crowd of hundreds of Alaska Airlines employees and seafood industry executives. Stretching nearly 129 feet, the fish-themed Boeing 737-800 is the most intricately painted commercial aircraft in the world and celebrates the partnership of Alaska Airlines and the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.
The new “Salmon-Thirty-Salmon II” design is nearly identical to an earlier version of the paint scheme that Alaska Airlines unveiled on a 737-400 (737-490 N792AS msn 28887) (see link below) in 2005, which was re-painted with the carrier’s traditional Eskimo livery last year. In addition to sporting the glimmering image of a wild Alaska king salmon like the original “Salmon-Thirty-Salmon,” the new design is about nine feet longer and also features fish scales on the winglets and a salmon pink-colored Alaska script across the fuselage. The design was produced in partnership with ASMI, which promotes wild, natural and sustainable Alaska seafood.
Alaska Airlines flew nearly 24 million pounds of seafood last year from Alaska to markets in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Streamlined flight schedules and a rigorous training program required of all airline employees who handle perishables ensures the seafood that travels from Alaska waters to markets across the United States arrives fresh—often within 24 hours. The goal is to keep seafood moving rapidly throughout its journey on Alaska Airlines and maintain a consistent temperature range from the time it leaves the water to when it arrives in stores and restaurants.
About half of the United States’ total seafood catch comes from Alaska fisheries, according to ASMI. In addition, the state of Alaska is widely regarded as a world leader in sustainable management of its seafood resources.
“Salmon-Thirty-Salmon II” trivia
- The 129-foot-long Boeing 737-800 has a wingspan of 117 feet and a cruising speed of 530 mph.
- Four gallons of Mylar paint was used to create an iridescent sparkle over the nearly 3,500 fish scales, which also makes the painting three dimensional.
- More than 90 percent of the fuselage was airbrushed with 21 unique colors to create the lifelike king salmon.
- A crew of eight worked around the clock for 27 days at Associated Painters Inc. in Oklahoma City to paint the plane.
- The plane accommodates 157 passengers and six crew members.
Beginning today (October 5), the aircraft will fly passenger routes throughout Alaska Airlines’ network, connecting destinations from Hawaii to Boston and from Anchorage as far south as Mexico.
The “Salmon-Thirty-Salmon II” aircraft is an original design of Mark Boyle, a Seattle-based wildlife artist who is also a recognized leader in the livery design of commercial aircraft. Boyle designed the first Salmon-Thirty-Salmon plane and has created a dozen other special paint themes for Alaska Airlines in recent years, including the Spirit of Disneyland I and II and the Spirit of Make-A-Wish planes.
Video:
Copyright Photos: The new Salmon-Thirty-Salmon II plane boasts fish scales on the winglets. Four gallons of Mylar paint was used to create an iridescent sparkle over the nearly 3,500 fish scales decorating the plane. (PRNewsFoto/Alaska Airlines)
See all of the special schemes at Alaska Airlines (Slide Show):
Maldivian takes delivery of its first Airbus A320, will open new routes to India and Bangladesh
Maldivian (Island Aviation Services Ltd. dba) (Male) has announced it will launch new direct routes to Mumbai, Chennai and Dhaka in November as part of its regional expansion. The first Airbus A320, with 14 seats in the business class and 138 in the economy class will be flying these new routes.
The airline will operate three flights per week to Mumbai, Chennai and Dhaka. Flights to Mumbai will be on Wednesdays/Fridays/Sundays, while flights to Chennai will operate alternatively on Tuesdays/Thursdays/Saturdays.
The Maldives, a geological marvel nestled in the middle of the Indian Ocean, are made up of 1,190 coral islands that form an archipelago of 26 major atolls. Each of these atolls is fringed with abundance of exotic live corals and a rainbow of marine life.
Copyright Photo: Eurospot. On October 3, 2012 Maldivian added its first Airbus A320, the pictured former Iberia A320-214 EC-KHJ (msn 2347) now operating as 8Q-IAN.
Hot New Photos:
United Airlines to launch seasonal Chicago O’Hare-Shannon service on June 6, 2013
United Airlines (Chicago) today announced it will inaugurate five-times-weekly nonstop service between its Chicago O’Hare hub and Shannon, Ireland, from June 6 to August 26, 2013, subject to government approval.
The airline will also launch a third daily service between its Houston Bush Intercontinental hub and London Heathrow, effective on March 30, 2013.
The Chicago-Shannon flight will depart Chicago O’Hare five times each week at 6 p.m. (1800), arriving in Shannon at 7:30 a.m. (073) the following day. The return flight will depart Shannon at 11 a.m. (1100), arriving in Chicago at 1:05 p.m. (1305) the same day. United will operate the flight using Boeing 757-200 aircraft with a total of 169 seats – 16 in United BusinessFirst, 45 in United Economy Plus and 108 in United Economy. Eastbound service to Shannon will not operate on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Westbound service to Chicago will not operate on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
The additional Houston-London flight will depart Houston daily at 8:30 p.m., arriving at London Heathrow at 12:05 p.m. the following day. The return flight will depart London Heathrow daily at 1:05 p.m., arriving in Houston at 5:45 p.m. the same day. United will operate the service between Houston and London using Boeing 767-300 aircraft, with flat-bed seats, premium menu options and Economy Plus seats with additional legroom.
United will also launch three-times-daily service from the Washington Dulles hub to Fayetteville, North Carolina on February 14, 2013, and once-daily nonstop service from the Chicago O’Hare hub to Mobile, Alabama on April 9, 2013. United Express carrier ExpressJet Airlines (Atlanta) will operate the Chicago-Mobile services. United Express carrier CommutAir (Burlington) will operate the Washington-Fayetteville services.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Boeing 757-224 N29129 (msn 28969) approaches Los Angeles for landing.
United Airlines:
ANA brings the first Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on revenue service to Seattle/Tacoma
ANA (All Nippon Airways) (Tokyo) yesterday (October 1) operated the first revenue flight into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The pictured Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner JA814A (msn 34493) resting at SEA made the historic flight on the Tokyo (Narita)-SEA route. However a problem with the onboard air conditioning system forced the 24-hour cancellation and delay of the return segment. Boeing replaced the faulty system with another system while the airliner was parked overnight at SEA.
Read the full report from The Seattle Times: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Dan Cowdin. The pictured 787-8 JA814A was handed over to ANA on September 24, 2012.
ANA:
Gol orders 60 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft
Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes (Gol Transportes Aereos) (Sao Paulo) has placed an order for 60 737 MAX airplanes with Boeing. Gol plans to use the new super-efficient 737 MAX to increase operational efficiency and reduce costs.
The order is valued at approximately $6 billion at published list prices making it the largest order in GOL’s 12-year history and the largest airplane order from a single airline in South America’s aviation history.
Equipped with new LEAP-1B engines from CFM International and improvements such as the Advanced Technology winglet, the 737 MAX reduces fuel burn and CO2 emissions by 13 percent and maintains the 8 percent operating cost advantage over future competition. This order puts the 737 MAX at 724 firm orders to date.
In just more than 11 years, Gol has established itself as one of the fastest growing low-cost, low-fare airlines in the world. Gol currently offers approximately 810 daily flights to 63 destinations in Brazil and 12 in South America and the Caribbean.
Copyright Photo: Marcelo F. De Biasi. The new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft will supplement and eventually replace the current Boeing 737-700 and 737-800 fleet. 737-8EH PR-GUA (msn 37601) climbs majestically away from downtown Santos Dumont Airport in Rio de Janeiro.
Gol Transportes Aereos:
Sunwing Airlines to fly to San Jose, Costa Rica for the winter
Sunwing Airlines (Toronto-Pearson) has announced the launch of new flights to San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO), in addition to its current flights to Liberia (LIR). Flights from Toronto (Pearson) will depart weekly on Fridays from December 21, 2012 to April 12, 2013.
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Boeing 737-8Q8 C-FTAH (msn 29351) departs from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
Sunwing Airlines:
United Airlines to restore two routes from the Cleveland hub
United Airlines (Chicago) will restore two United Express routes from the Cleveland hub. The Cleveland-Nashville route will be restored on January 13, 2013 followed by Cleveland-Oklahoma City on February 14, 2013 per Airline Route.
In other news, United Airlines yesterday (October 1) announced that it exceeded its 80 percent on-time domestic performance goal for the month of September, and is rewarding its eligible employees with a $50 on-time bonus to recognize this performance. The airline ended the month with an 82.0 percent domestic on-time arrival rate, showing continued significant improvement from the prior months.
Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough. Embraer ERJ 145LR (EMB-145LR) N15555 (msn 145594) prepares to land at Washington (Reagan National).
United Express-ExpressJet Airlines:
Spirit Airlines to charge passengers $100 fee to check their bags at the gate
Spirit Airlines (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood) has announced it will charge $100 to check a bag at the gate. The airline is taking the radical step because last minute bag checks at the gate are often delaying the departures according to the airline.
The airline issued the following statement:
Spirit Airlines’ (SAVE) carry-on bag program — which includes priority boarding — has proven successful for customers and the airline. It has helped speed the boarding process, ensured sufficient overhead space is available for all carry-on bags, and it has helped reduce the airline’s fuel consumption rate by the equivalent of nearly six million gallons in the past year alone. The success of the program has allowed customers to pay for only the services that they use and it has permitted Spirit to continue lowering fares for its customers.
Unfortunately, some customers are still waiting until they reach the boarding gate to purchase their carry-on. This slows the boarding process for all customers, delays flights, increases costs for the company, and ultimately results in higher fares for everyone.
Starting November 6, 2012, customers who wait until the last minute to purchase their carry-on at the boarding gate will be charged $100. The $100 carry-on bag fee is intentionally set high to deter costly delay-causing gate activity.
Much lower priced options are available for those who plan ahead and reserve their bags in advance with prices from as little as $20.
“Our goal is for no customer ever to pay the $100 fee,” says Spirit’s Chief Operating Officer Tony Lefebvre. “Spirit offers our customers multiple opportunities to avoid this unnecessary fee and save money. By planning ahead and paying for bags before getting to the boarding gate, our customers are saving time at the airport and speeding up the boarding process. When our customers choose these time-saving, self-service options, our costs go down, and we can pass those savings along to our customers.”
Spirit says advance planning can bring significant savings to customers if they purchase their bags in advance online when making their reservation, when checking in online, at an airport kiosk, or at an airport ticket counter. Checked bags are available for as low as $20 and carry-ons for as little as $25 (including priority boarding).
Spirit’s “Bring Less, Pay Less” bag program passes the cost of handling bags solely to those bringing bags rather than have everyone subsidize these costs. Customers who bring less, pay less. That’s exactly what has happened at Spirit. Spirit’s customers have reduced the amount of baggage, saved money and helped the company conserve the equivalent of nearly six million gallons of fuel in the last year alone compared to the rate of consumption before the introduction of the program.
Spirit Bag Fees (effective November 6, 2012):
| $9 Fare Club Member Online |
Standard Online |
Telephone Reservations |
Airport Ticket Counter or Kiosk |
Boarding Gate |
|
| Checked Bag | $20 | $30 | $35 | $45 | $100 |
| Carry-on | $25 | $35 | $40 | $50 | $100 |
Spirit continues to offer customers one free personal item that fits under the seat free of charge. Also, a list of other items that are exempt from the carry-on bag fee can be found at spirit.com.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Airbus A319-132 N505NK (msn 2485) taxies off the runway at Las Vegas.
Spirit Airlines:
Southwest Airlines continues Denver expansion with the opening of a new flight crew bases and line maintenance at Denver International Airport
Southwest Airlines (Dallas) yesterday (October 1) officially opened the carrier’s newest Pilot and Flight Attendant crew bases at Denver International Airport. The new crew domiciles, which will be the airline’s ninth, will be home to nearly 400 Pilots and 400 Flight Attendants, with potential to grow as needed. The lounges will be located on the third level of concourse C at Denver International Airport (DIA). Southwest Airlines is also started line maintenance in Denver yesterday, which will be the first time the carrier has had this function at its operation at DEN.
The crew bases will serve as offices on the ground for Southwest’s Pilots and Flight Attendants. Flight Crews stationed in Denver may use these offices before and after trips to receive briefings, access required reading material, learn about changes in policies or schedules, and catch up on Southwest news.
Southwest currently operates eight Pilot and Flight Attendants bases nationwide. Additional Southwest crew domiciles are located in Baltimore/Washington, Chicago Midway, Dallas Love Field, Houston Hobby, Phoenix, Oakland, Orlando, and Las Vegas.
In addition to the crew bases, Southwest has also established a line maintenance operation at DIA. Southwest will now have six local Maintenance Employees perform routine maintenance as needed for flights flying to/from DIA to streamline the carrier’s growing operation in the Mile High City.
Southwest Airlines began service to Denver on January 3, 2006, with 13 daily nonstop departures to three destinations. The airline currently operates 166 daily nonstop flights to 54 destinations from Denver. Southwest recently demonstrated its LUV for the state of Colorado by dedicating Colorado One (above), which is a specialty aircraft painted with the colors of the Colorado state flag. Southwest also is actively engaged in the community through sponsorships of the Downtown Denver Partnership, the Denver Nuggets, Red Rocks Amphitheater, Denver’s Road Home, the Mile High Pedicab Company, and many more local organizations.
Copyright Photo: Mark Durbin. Boeing 737-7H4 N230WN (msn 34592) “Colorado One” taxies at San Francisco International Airport.
Southwest Airlines:
JetBlue Airways breaks ground on new International Arrivals Terminal at New York JFK
JetBlue Airways (New York) yesterday (October 1) broke ground on the extension to its home at John F. Kennedy’s Terminal 5 to pave the way for an international arrivals facility. Set to open in early 2015, the new space includes six international arrivals gates – three new and three converted from Terminal 5 – and an International Arrivals Hall with full U.S. Custom and Federal Inspection Services (FIS) to deliver a seamless travel experience for customers arriving from international flights on JetBlue and select partner airlines.
JetBlue’s President and CEO Dave Barger along with the airline’s executives and crewmembers joined Homeland Security Chairman Peter King; Queens Borough President Helen Marshall; City Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer; U.S. Custom and Border Protection JFK Port Director Susan Mitchell; Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s Aviation Director Susan Baer; and representatives from the JFK airport community to commemorate the announcement. Business partners working jointly with JetBlue on the project, including Gensler, Ammann & Whitney, Arup, AECOM, Gleeds USA, Turner Construction, were also on hand.
Event attendees enjoyed New York centric treats including fresh waffles courtesy of Wafels & Dinges famed local food cart and I HEART NEW YORK co-branded cookies from the airline’s neighbor in Long Island City, Baking For Good, which donates 15 percent of all net proceeds to charitable causes. Guests also enjoyed a first look at renderings of the new international arrivals terminal procured by the airline’s design architect partner Gensler.
Some highlights of the international arrivals terminal extension include:
- A design created by Gensler that mirrors the existing Terminal 5′s bright and friendly look and feel, supportive of JetBlue’s brand aesthetic and the company’s commitment to bringing humanity back to air travel
- An overall constructed area of approximately 150,000 square feet
- Two additional baggage claim belts and a U.S. Custom and Border Protection, Federal Inspection Service (FIS) facility designed to accommodate up to 1,200 customers per hour
- International Arrivals hall space featuring glass walls that allow for abundant natural daylight and a design that is modern, timeless, and clean
- Sustainable sensibilities, making the most of current building technologies to reduce T5i’s environmental impact throughout its lifespan
- Circulation paths designed to move customers through gates and Customs in the most efficient way possible with walking time and travel minimized
Environmentally-friend design elements include:
- Abundant natural daylight, notable in areas where that is not typically experienced—such as in the Immigration Hall and in the corridor connecting the aircraft to the hall
- Concrete reclaimed from the aircraft apron is recycled and reused as a base for the concrete within the building
- Low VOC materials inside of the terminal
- Efficient HVAC system to optimize performance
- Low flow water fixtures
- Overall focus on indoor air quality and emphasis on health and wellness
Copyright Photo: PRNewsFoto/JetBlue Airways.
JetBlue Airways:
Cyprus Airways expands with new domestic routes in Greece
Cyprus Airways (Larnaca) is adjusting its route map. On October 28 the flag carrier of Cyprus dropped all service to Milan (Malpensa) and Vienna and instead expanded domestic operations in neighboring Greece. Following the successful launch of the Athens-Thessaloniki route, the airline decided to expand operations in Greece on the following new routes:
• Athens-Heraklion, two daily flights.
• Athens-Rhodes one daily flight.
• Rhodes-Heraklion four flights a week.
• Athens – Thessaloniki now three flights daily (instead of two).
• Heraklion-Rhodes, four weekly flights (instead of three).
Cyprus Airways believes it has now built a long-term relationship in Greece. The airline has served the Greek market since its inception in 1947 from Cyprus.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. The airline added its first Airbus A321 (the pictured 5B-DCO) on June 14, 2012. A321-231 5B-DCO (msn 2730) prepares to land at London (Heathrow).
Cyprus Airways:
Frameable Color Prints and Posters: 
Wizz Air to start Budapest-Geneva service on December 14
Wizz Air (Hungary) (Budapest) will launch a new route from Budapest to Geneva starting on December 14. The new route will operate on three days a week. In addition, the company will launch a new route from from Belgrade to Beauvais.
Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best. Airbus A320-233 HA-LPA (msn 839) is seen in action at London (Luton).
Sita Air Dornier 228 crashes in Nepal, 19 killed
Sita Air (Kathmandu) flight 601 on September 28 operated with a Dornier 228 (9N-AHA) crashed after takeoff from Kathmandu International Airport. All 16 passengers and three crew members on board were killed. The crew reported a bird strike and the loss of an engine and was attempting to return to the airport when it crashed and burned. The flight was bound for the mountainous airport of Lukla, a popular destination near Mount Everest. The Nepalese government is investigating the tragic accident.
Read the full report from the San Francisco Chronicle: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Sita Air.
Route Map:
Please click on the map for the full size image.
British Airways and Japan Airlines to start their joint venture on October 1
British Airways (London) and JAL-Japan Airlines (Tokyo) will start their new joint venture on October 1.
British Airways issued the following statement:
British Airways and Japan Airlines (JAL) will begin a joint business agreement with the two airlines sharing revenue on applicable flights between Europe and Japan.
The joint business, which starts on October 1, 2012, will benefit customers by providing better links between Europe and Japan, greater choice of flights to more destinations, enhanced frequent flyer benefits and the potential to launch new routes.
British Airways and JAL, both members of the oneworld® alliance, have been forging ever closer ties in their evolution to the joint business. Earlier this month, JAL and British Airways began offering codeshare flights between Tokyo (Haneda and Narita) and London (Heathrow). The joint business will now see the two airlines co-operating on all non-stop flights operated by JAL or British Airways between Japan and Europe. This will not only include the 19 weekly services between the UK and Japan, but also JAL’s services to Paris and Frankfurt. This gives customers the flexibility of using a combination of JAL and British Airways flights and aligned fares on their journey to and from Japan and Europe, significantly increasing their options.
JAL and British Airways will also be improving flight transfers for customers by enhancing and expanding the codeshare network beyond their respective hub cities. JAL customers will, be able to book seats to the new codeshare destinations of Belfast, Helsinki, Frankfurt, and Gothenburg. British Airways will extend its reach to more destinations in Japan by codesharing on flights to Kansai, Okayama, Izumo, Okinawa, Nagasaki, Hiroshima and Kagoshima. Further expansion of codeshare arrangements are expected in the future. The websites of the two airlines will also be updated to enable customers to make bookings and check-in online, and access the flight information they need, irrespective of the carrier they are flying on.
Customers participating in JAL and British Airways’ loyalty programs will continue to enjoy reciprocal benefits as customers of oneworld, but top tier members of the respective loyalty schemes will now have the opportunity to earn bonus points on applicable flights on either airline.
In other news, British Airways will start nonstop London (Gatwick)-Alicante Boeing 737-400 service service on March 31, 2013 per Airline Route.
Top Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Boeing 767-336 ER G-BNWD (msn 24336) climbs away from the London (Heathrow) hub.
British Airways:
JAL-Japan Airlines:
Bottom Copyright Photo: Ken Petersen. Boeing 767-346 ER JA615J (msn 33850) in the special Samantha Thavasa motif lands at the Tokyo (Narita) hub.
Allegiant to start two new routes from Mesa, Arizona in December
Allegiant Air (Las Vegas) will start two new routes from Mesa, Arizona (west Phoenix) in December. Twice-weekly Mesa-Oakland service will be added on December 15 followed by twice-weekly Mesa-Casper, Wyoming service on December 20 per Airline Route.
Copyright Photo: McDonnell Douglas MD-88 N414NV (msn 49766) taxies at Los Angeles International Airport.
Allegiant Air:
US Airways’ flight attendants reject the new contract
US Airways‘ (Phoenix) flight attendants, represented by the the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), voted 51 percent against ratifying the proposed five-year agreement that would have amended existing contracts for the 6,800 flight attendants.
US Airways issued the following statement:
Flight attendants at US Airways, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) have voted 51 percent to 49 percent to not ratify a proposed five-year collective bargaining agreement between the carrier and AFA. US Airways and AFA reached a tentative agreement on August 7, 2012 that would have amended existing contracts for the airline’s 6,800 flight attendants who are based in its three hub cities of Charlotte, N.C., Philadelphia and Phoenix and its Washington, D.C. focus city.
“We are disappointed that our flight attendants chose to vote against ratification of a new contract,” said Doug Parker, US Airways’ Chairman and CEO. “The tentative agreement was unanimously endorsed by AFA leaders in each domicile and by the members of the AFA negotiating committee, and we thank them for their leadership. We would also like to express our appreciation to National Mediation Board Member Linda Puchala and Mediator Jim Mackenzie and Veda Shook, AFA’s International President, for their assistance in reaching the tentative agreement. Going forward, our current collective bargaining agreements remain in place, and we will consult with the National Mediation Board (NMB) to determine the next steps.”
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Airbus A319-112 N745VJ (msn 1289) painted in the 1966 Allegheny Airlines legacy livery taxies to the runway at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport hub.
US Airways:
Thai takes delivery of its first Airbus A380 today in Toulouse
Thai Airways International (Bangkok) has taken delivery of its first A380, becoming the ninth airline to operate the world’s largest airliner. The aircraft was handed over to Captain Montree Jumrieng, Executive Vice President Technical, by Kiran Rao, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing, Airbus, at a special ceremony in Toulouse today.
Thai has ordered six A380s, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines. The airline has specified a premium three class layout for its fleet, seating a total of 507 passengers. All classes feature new cabin designs, with 12 private suites in First Class, 60 fully flat sleeper seats in Royal Silk Class and 435 seats in Economy. All seats are equipped with the latest on-demand in-flight entertainment systems, communication outlets and individual power supply.
Thai will inaugurate commercial service with the A380 in early October on the Bangkok – Hong Kong and Bangkok – Singapore routes. As more aircraft are delivered, the airline will begin service to Frankfurt at the end of the year, followed by Tokyo and Paris early in 2013.
Copyright Photo: Eurospot. Airbus A380-841 F-WWAO (msn 087) became HS-TUA on delivery.
Thai Airways International:
Island Air takes delivery of its first ATR 72 and introduces a new look
Island Air (Hawaii) (Honolulu) has taken delivery of its first ATR 72-200. The pictured former American Eagle Airlines (Executive Airlines) ATR 72-212 registered as N348AE (msn 349) arrived at the pictured Honolulu base on September 23. N348AE will become N941WP with Island Air. The new type also introduces this new livery.
Copyright Photo: Ivan K. Nishimura/Blue Wave Group.
Route Map:
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Swiss to serve Singapore again
Swiss International Air Lines (Zurich) is adding Singapore again to its route network on May 12, 2013 with daily nonstop service from the Zurich hub. The route will be served with 219-seat Airbus A340-300s.
The new flights mark a return to the city-state for Swiss. Swiss served Singapore from its foundation until spring 2009, though this previous service was routed via Bangkok.
Copyright Photo: Andi Hiltl. When Swiss added the new route to San Francisco it created this special “San Francisco” color scheme on Airbus A340-313X HB-JMJ (msn 150). HB-JMJ is pictured departing from the Zurich hub.
Swiss International Air Lines:
Ryanair to start new service to Lublin, Poland
Ryanair (Dublin) has announced it will open a new route between London (Stansted) and Lublin – its 11th Polish airport on December 17, bringing its Stansted winter schedule to 95 routes, including new winter routes to Budapest and Warsaw (Modlin), as well as ski routes to Grenoble, Salzburg and Turin.
The ultra low fare carrier also announced it open a new route between Dublin and Lublin – its 11th Polish airport on December 18, bringing its Dublin winter schedule to 54 routes, including new winter routes to Budapest and Warsaw (Modlin), as well as ski routes to Grenoble, Salzburg and Turin.
Copyright Photo: Arnd Wolf. Boeing 737-8AS EI-DCJ (msn 33564) taxies at the ski destination of Salzburg.
Ryanair:
Virgin America to offer nonstop New York-Palm Springs weekly flights
Virgin America (San Francisco) has announced new flights to Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) from both San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The airline is expanding its footprint at PSP, with a new 2012-2013 seasonal flight schedule that will include a new weekly Saturday nonstop flight from JFK to PSP – the only nonstop flight offered from the New York City area to Palm Springs. The new nonstop flight will add to Virgin America’s seasonal daily connecting flight schedule from JFK to PSP and its seasonal daily nonstop schedule from SFO to PSP.
Virgin America’s 2012-2013 nonstop PSP flight schedule is as follows:
| San Francisco (SFO) – Palm Springs (PSP) | Palm Springs (PSP) – San Francisco (SFO) | |||||||
| Dep | Arr | Freq | Start date | Dep | Arr | Freq | Start date | |
| 4:40 PM | 6:10 PM | Daily | 18-Oct-12 | 6:55 PM | 8:30 PM | Daily | 18-Oct-12 | |
| 9:30 AM | 10:50 AM | Sat only | 12-Jan-13 | 6:55 PM | 8:30 PM | Daily except Sat | 12-Jan-13 | |
| 11:35 AM | 1:00 PM | Sat only | 12-Jan-13 | |||||
| 9:35 AM | 10:59 AM | Sun only | 13-Jan-13 | |||||
| New York (JFK) – Palm Springs (PSP) | Palm Springs (PSP) – New York (JFK) | |||||||
| Dep | Arr | Freq | Start date | Dep | Arr | Freq | Start date | |
| 10:55 AM | 2:00 PM | Sat only | 22-Dec-12 | 2:55 PM | 10:45 PM | Sat only | 22-Dec-12 | |
Connecting flights are also available from PSP to Virgin America’s New York (JFK), Boston (BOS), Philadelphia (PHL), Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Washington D.C. (IAD) cities.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Named “Virgin and Tonic”, Airbus A319-112 N525VA (msn 3324) approaches Los Angeles for landing.
Virgin America:
Spirit Airlines launches new routes from Houston
Spirit Airlines (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood) on September 20 launched its ultra low fare service between Houston (Bush Intercontinental) and Dallas/Fort Worth. Spirit now offers twice daily nonstop flights between Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, with connections available to 12 destinations throughout the Americas, including Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, Oakland/San Francisco, Phoenix/Mesa, Portland (Oregon), Tampa, and Toluca/Mexico City.
Spirit is also introducing daily nonstop service from Houston to Chicago O’Hare and Las Vegas on October 4, 2012.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Airbus A319-132 N534NK (msn 3395) prepares to land at Los Angeles International Airport.
Spirit Airlines:
Qatar Airways to drop Stuttgart on October 28
Qatar Airways (Doha) is reportedly planning to drop Stuttgart, Germany on October 28. The three roundtrips are operated from Doha to Stuttgart via a stop in Zurich. Zurich will continue to be served.
In other news, the airline will add a new destination in Saudi Arabia. Gassim will become Qatar Airways’ fifth destination in the country, where it already serves Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Medina.
The airline will operate four-flights-a-week to the central Saudi city of Gassim, offering travellers a greater choice of travel options to more than 100 destinations around the world served by the airline via its Doha hub. The Gassim route will be operated with an Airbus A320 in a two-class configuration of 12 seats in First Class and 132 in Economy.
Situated 400 kilometers northwest of Riyadh, Gassim is Saudi Arabia’s seventh most populated province with a rich agricultural industry.
Read the full report from Business Traveller: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Andi Hiltl. Airbus A330-202 A7-ACL (msn 820) departs from Zurich.
Qatar Airways:
Will American Airlines’ pilots go back to the negotiating table?
American Airlines‘ (Dallas/Fort Worth) management, according to this report by Reuters, are now prepared to go back to the negotiating table with the Allied Pilots Association representing AA’s pilots. The union leaders will meet tomorrow to discuss their next move in the on-going dispute.
Read the full report: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough. Boeing 737-823 N951AA (msn 29538) in the 1962 Astrojet retrojet scheme lines up to land at Miami International Airport (MIA). MIA will be the location of a new TV reality show on the Travel Channel called Airport 24/7 – Miami International Airport. The new show starts on October 2. Meet the airport stars. Below is a sneak video preview:
Video:
American Airlines:
Alaska Airlines to have a State of Hawaii “Spirit of the Islands” logojet in 2013
Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) is inviting school-aged children in Hawai’i to create artwork honoring the unique culture of the Aloha State that will adorn a Boeing 737-800 in a “Paint the Plane” contest. In partnership with the Hawai’i State Department of Education (DOE) and the Hawai’i Association of Independent Schools (HAIS), contest forms will be distributed to more than 400 schools and 218,000 students throughout the Islands.
Students in kindergarten through 12th grade from public, private and home schools across the state have until November 30 to submit designs that best capture the “Spirit of the Islands.” A final selection panel comprised of 10 judges representing Hawai’i's government, community, arts, education and tourism leaders will select three top designs. Residents of the state of Hawai’i will then vote on the top three designs and provide Alaska Airlines with their recommendation in an online public vote slated for December 2012. The plane is scheduled to be revealed at a public event in Hawai’i during the spring of 2013.
The student with the winning submission will get his or her design painted on an Alaska Airlines aircraft, a trip for four to any Alaska Airlines destination and a $5,000 scholarship. Second- and third-place winners will receive a trip for four to any Alaska Airlines destination, and 12 honorable mentions will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship, except for the grade of the grand prize winner.
Copyright Photo: Alaska Airlines.
Hawai’i Gov. Neil Abercrombie attended a kick-off event today with 330 students at Prince Jonah Kuhio Elementary School in Honolulu, along with representatives from Alaska Airlines, the DOE and HAIS (above).
“Spirit of the Islands” contest schedule:
- Sept. 24 – Contest begins for Hawai’i students
- Nov. 30 – Entry forms must be postmarked and mailed to a designated Alaska Airlines P.O. box in Honolulu
- Dec.11-18 – Hawai’i residents vote online for their favorite design
- January 2013 – Results of online voting revealed and winner announced
- Spring 2013 – Painted plane is unveiled
Complete contest details are available at www.alaskaair.com/hawaii, including contest rules, instructions and entry forms required to participate. Entry forms will also be available at the Alaska Airlines booth during several community events throughout the Islands, including the Maui Fair, Hawai’i's Children and Youth Day, Hawai’i Fishing and Seafood Festival, and the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival.
Copyright Photo: Nick Dean. Boeing 737-490 N705AS (msn 29318) in the State of Alaska theme arrives at the Seattle/Tacoma hub.
The “Spirit of the Islands” contest is the third time Alaska Airlines has turned to the public to paint a plane. The Spirit of Alaska Statehood aircraft paint scheme (above) was created by a 16-year-old Sitka student in a similar statewide contest celebrating Alaska’s 50-year anniversary. Last year, two soccer fans designed the MLS Portland “Timbers Jet” (below) to celebrate the airline’s jersey sponsorship of the Portland, Oregon, soccer team.
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Boeing 737-790 N607AS (msn 29751) taxies to the active runway at Seattle/Tacoma International Airport.
Alaska Airlines is hosting the contest in celebration of five years of serving Hawai’i, which today includes daily nonstop flights from seven West Coast cities and Anchorage, Alaska, to four major islands. On average, Alaska Airlines offers more departures in more nonstop markets between Hawai’i and the West Coast than any other carrier (22 daily roundtrips, or 308 weekly flights, in 21 nonstop markets).
Alaska Airlines:
Joel Chusid’s Airline Corner (October 2012)
Guest Editor Joel Chusid
Guest Editor Joel Chusid
Flight Attendants Make Headlines
The media loves sensational stories about flight attendants. One of the most notable was Steven Slater’s tirade and beer-fisted slide off of a jetBlue flight arriving from Pittsburgh at JFK two years ago when he snapped due to a supposed altercation with a passenger. Then, much more recently, also at JFK, two female American Eagle flight attendants got into a sensational verbal battle on a delayed flight to Washington, D.C, when one of them refused to stop using her cell phone and the other proceeded to make comments about it over the PA. The Captain couldn’t even break them up. The scheduled forty-minute flight ended up delaying passengers four hours, and the media went wild. The New York Post headlines proclaimed “Jet Gal Jabber Wacky – Call Stewar’diss”. But the good stories get far less attention. This past August, United Airlines flight attendant Ron Akana retired. What was unusual was he had the distinction of being the oldest working flight attendant and made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. At age 83, he had chalked up 63 years of flying, equivalent to 20 million miles. He had started at United, which later merged with Continental, as one of the industry’s first male flight attendants, in 1949 after responding to a newspaper ad in Honolulu. One of his memories: mixing martinis for Frank Sinatra! Congrats, Ron. Well done.
Nostalgic for Inflight Meals?
Remember hot meals on domestic flights in coach? How about any (complimentary) meals at all? I recall flying on an early morning Braniff Boeing 727 from Newark to Washington, D.C. and getting French toast, fresh fruit, juice, freshly brewed Colombian coffee and a bun, served on china with flatware, all in under an hour – in coach. Those days are long gone, and even eight-hour flights to Hawaii require a purchase on board or a brown bag. Some airlines in Europe, South America and even in China and Africa still do a full meal service, even on short haul flights. But those meals of yore live on, at least virtually, on www.airlinemeals.net. The site features over 26,000 pictures of airline meals on no less than 630 airlines. US Airways recently started testing a new product they’ve monikered “DineFresh” – for $19.99 economy passengers can order, on 24-hours’ notice, a “first class-style” meal on flights to Europe, Tel Aviv or South America instead of the complimentary hot meal. The meals, albeit “chilled” can be vegetarian or chicken, are rotated monthly and include free wine. Pictures on their website:
http://www.usairways.com/en-US/traveltools/intheair/foodandbeverages/economy.html
Seats that are Climate Controlled…
While the free meals won’t be coming back, here’s something to look forward to. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP in Germany have been working with nine partners at universities and the aviation industry to produce the first climate controlled seat. Unveiled at the Berlin Air Show in September, the seat would permit passengers to adjust temperatures and air flows to their individual comfort, much as you could do in a luxury car. Airflow would come from the seat in front, the armrests, and gooseneck cables in the headrest as opposed to in the ceiling panel above. I remember airflow vents on headrests on the old Douglas DC-8s of old, but this is a far cry from that. This technology, while currently available, won’t likely happen on board your flight that soon, but once it is, you can expect it might be available for a small ancillary fee!
…or that are Sliders?
While the Germans work on ways to make your seat more comfortable, a company in Denver, Molon Labe Designs, has found a way for seats to slide from side to side to allow airlines to board planes faster. The “Slider Seat” is a row of three that has an aisle seat that is designed to slide halfway over the middle seat to increase the aisle size from 19 to an astounding 43 inches. This can cut the boarding time in half, resulting in an estimated $30 savings per flight which can add to airlines’ bottom lines. A prototype is being built to be marketed to airlines. There is a tradeoff, however. The seats have far less padding and are harder and do not recline – that’ll be in line with the plans of some airlines I can think of, most notably Ryanair, which must be drooling over this. Have a look at http://molonlabedesigns.com/the_slider_seat.
Speaking of Colorado
My friend Karen Gray dropped me a note of her experience on a flight from Denver to Montrose, Colorado on the dreadful summer day that United’s computers went down. Thousands of people endured aggravating delays and frayed tempers along with Karen whose trauma started in Los Angeles with exceptionally long lines that caused her to almost miss the flight, and the resulting delay repeating the near miss with her connection to United Express in Denver. But it was the arrival at Montrose, only 20 minutes late. which was more memorable. It seems the United Express employees and TSA went home for the night. (I myself am not sure why TSA would have been there for the arrival, but this is what they were told.) The pilot announced the crew could be arrested if they tried to deplane without a ground crew. Passengers fumed, and eventually help arrived in the form of a lone firefighter followed later, by a couple of the ground crew who must have gotten word of the unexpected arrival which, according to Karen, was showing on the airport’s arrival board. Someone obviously had their wires crossed.
It Happens
Concourses or entire airports are sometimes shut down due to security breaches or related events. Remember the guy at Newark Liberty Airport in January 2010 who slipped past security to kiss his girlfriend goodbye which inadvertently resulted in a three hour shutdown that caused disruptions to passenger travel worldwide. But these kinds of shutdowns are routine. Less routine, but not totally isolated, are the shutdowns in Europe that sometimes happen when an “old” bomb is discovered such as what happened at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on August 29. At the fifth busiest airport in the world, the heavily-used Terminal C was shut down for several hours while experts removed an unearthed bomb from World War II. Berlin’s Tegel International Airport was shut down for the same reason two years ago. Munitions like this in Europe are still regularly found, especially at airports and railway stations. Hard to believe these are from a war that ended 67 years ago.
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RAK Airways to operate the first domestic route in the United Arab Emirates
RAK Airways (rakairways.com) (Ras al-Khaimah) will add the first domestic route in the United Arab Emirates. A new route to Abu Dhabi starting on October 3 will bring the capital closer to the residents of Ras Al Khaimah and the Northern Emirates.
With the launch of this first flight to Abu Dhabi, RAK Airways will be the first UAE flag carrier to operate domestic flights and the airline’s route network moves up to 10 destinations.
Copyright Photo: Paul Denton. Airbus A320-214 A6-RKB (msn 3907) is pictured at the Ras al-Khaimah base.
RAK Airways:
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The RAK Airways system now stretches from Egypt east to Bangladesh.
Arik Air resumes domestic operations
Arik Air (Arik Wings of Nigeria) (Lagos) yesterday (September 23) according to Bloomberg Businessweek resumed domestic operations after a dispute was resolved with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria union. The union had blocked aircraft gates on September 20 at Lagos due to unpaid bills. International flights to west Africa, London, New York and Johannesburg were not impacted.
Read the full report: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Keith Burton. Former Aloha Airlines Boeing 737-76N WL N742AL (msn 30830) became 5N-MJK with Arik Air.
Arik Air:
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Domestic routes from Lagos:
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Thomas Cook Group to use easyJet next summer for their package deals
Thomas Cook Group (London) will reportedly book its package tour customers on low-cost easyJet (easyJet.com) (London-Luton) next summer raising concerns about the long-term prospects on its own in-house Thomas Cook Airlines (Manchester).
Read the full report from Sunday Times and the Stropshire Star: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Paul Denton. Airbus A319-111 G-EZFC (msn 3808) climbs away from scenic Geneva.
easyJet (UK):
Frameable Color Prints and Posters:
Monarch Airlines drops the use of Aurela Airlines after an incident today at Birmingham
Monarch Airlines (London-Luton) has issued the following statement today after an incident involving an Aurela Aircompany (Vilnius) Boeing 737-300 (LY-SKA) at Birmingham:
“Monarch confirms that the flight operating from Nice on flight ZB 467 operated by Aurela Airlines on September 21, 2012, has been involved in an incident upon landing at Birmingham Airport.
It is understood that the flight operating on an Aurela Boeing 737-300 aircraft registration LY-SKA with 135 passengers onboard left the runway whilst taxiing to the terminal, bringing the aircraft to a stop. Passengers have now safely disembarked from the aircraft and have been coached to the terminal where they are being cared for by Monarch Airline staff. At this time we understand that no passengers or crew have sustained any injuries.
Monarch apologises to all passengers on-board and is offering them all possible assistance. Monarch is working with Birmingham Airport to move the aircraft and is fully assisting with the authorities. As a standard precaution emergency services have attended the aircraft.
We have suspended the use of Aurela Airlines.”
Top Copyright Photo: Javier Rodriguez. Boeing 737-35B LY-SKA (msn 23972) was being operated for Monarch in the basic Aurela livery without titles. The airliner is pictured departing from Palma de Mallorca before today’s incident.
Aurela:
Monarch:
Bottom Copyright Photo: Nik French. Monarch’s Airbus A321-231 G-OZBS (msn 1428) has received decals (both sides) of a drawing by an employee’s daughter. This drawing was selected in a competition for the employees’ children to draw a picture depicting new destination Munich. Service to MUC starts today.
TAME expands into Venezuela
TAME (Linea Aerea del Ecuador) (Quito) on September 10, 2012, began operating a new daily flight to Caracas, Venezuela from Quito. The ceremony was attended by government authorities, media and special guests. This new route complements the company’s daily flight between Quito and Bogota which was launched on July 9, 2012.
Will the flag carrier expand next to the United States?
Copyright Photo: Stefano Rota. Airbus A320-232 HC-CID (msn 934) climbs away from Guayaquil.
TAME:
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Route Map:
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Air Canada to fill 900 new positions
Air Canada (Montreal) announced it will hire more than 900 employees over the next 12 months to meet its planned workforce requirements. In addition, 200 new jobs will be created for flight attendants and pilots at the airline’s low cost carrier that will be launched in 2013.
Highlights of Air Canada’s 2012-13 recruitment program are as follows:
- In addition to 160 new customer service call center agents hired to date in 2012, Air Canada is hiring an additional 60 agents in the coming months for its call centers in Montreal and Toronto.
- Air Canada is hiring approximately 400 flight attendants to compensate for attrition and meet planned schedule requirements for its main network airline operation with the first training classes scheduled in October.
- Air Canada will be seeking candidates for approximately 500 permanent, part-time and full-time airport customer service agent and baggage handler positions at its major airport bases located across Canada mainly to compensate for attrition as the airline prepares to meet planned operational requirements for its winter schedule.
- Air Canada’s unnamed low cost carrier will be hiring approximately 150 flight attendants and 50 pilots for its launch in 2013.
In other news, Air Canada and Aer Lingus announced they have signed an interline agreement to make flying between Canada and Ireland more convenient. The agreement is effective immediately and is a preliminary step toward a full code sharing relationship expected to be finalized next year between the Canadian and Irish flag carriers.
Copyright Photo: TMK Photography. Airbus A320-211 C-FTJQ (msn 242) taxies at the Toronto (Pearson) hub.
Air Canada:
United Airlines to launch two new routes from the Cleveland hub
United Airlines (Chicago) has announced plans to launch daily nonstop service from its Cleveland hub at Hopkins International Airport to Nashville and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The United Express flights will be operated by ExpressJet Airlines (United Express) (Atlanta) using 50-seat regional jet aircraft, with the Nashville service beginning on December 19, 2012, and the Oklahoma City service beginning on February 14, 2013.
The weekday flight schedules are as follows:
| Cleveland – Nashville | Nashville – Cleveland | |||
| Departs | Arrives | Departs | Arrives | |
| 8:55 a.m. | 9:25 a.m. | 11:45 a.m. | 2:10 p.m. | |
| 5:00 p.m. | 5:40 p.m. | 5:45 p.m. | 8:05 p.m. | |
| Cleveland – Oklahoma City | Oklahoma City – Cleveland | |||
| Departs | Arrives | Departs | Arrives | |
| 8:40 a.m. | 10:30 a.m. | 10:55 a.m. | 2:30 p.m. | |
Separately, United will also discontinue service between Cleveland and Green Bay, Wisconsin, effective December 18, 2012. United will continue to offer connecting service between Cleveland and Green Bay through Chicago (O’Hare).
In other news, United is dropping the twice-weekly Guam-Okinawa route on October 31.
Copyright Photo: Tony Storck. Embraer ERJ 145LR (EMB-145LR) N14959 (msn 145091) prepares to land at Baltimore/Washington.
United Airlines:
United Express-ExpressJet Airlines:
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:
Frontier starts nonstop Colorado Springs-San Diego service
Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver) yesterday (September 18) expanded its service from Colorado Springs Airport with the launch of nonstop service to San Diego. This new service joins existing Frontier nonstops from Colorado Springs to Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Seattle.
Following is the schedule for Frontier’s San Diego service:
Colorado Springs-San Diego (Sept. 18 to Nov. 15, 2012)
| Route | Departs | Arrives | Frequency | Aircraft | ||||||||
| COS-SAN | 2:32 p.m. | 3:40 p.m. | Tue, Thurs, Sun | A319 | ||||||||
| SAN-COS | 4:20 p.m. | 7:22 p.m. | Tue, Thurs, Sun | A319 | ||||||||
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Airbus A319-111 N902FR (msn 1515) with the Wood Duck on tail departs from LAX.
Frontier Airlines:
American may eliminate 11,000 positions
American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) has sent notices to more than 11,000 employees they could lose their jobs as part of its Chapter 11bankruptcy reorganization according to this report by Reuters. AA is also cutting flights by one to two percent for the rest of September and October.
Read the full report: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 (MD-82) N411AA (msn 49322) arrives at Las Vegas. More DC-9-82s and DC-9-83s are likely to be retired.
American Airlines:
LOT Polish Airlines announces the first Boeing 787-8 routes
LOT Polish Airlines (Warsaw) today officially announced the launch dates for its new Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner intercontinental service. The inaugural flight from Warsaw to Chicago (O’Hare) will be on January 16, 2013, followed closely by Toronto (Pearson) on February 1 and New York (JFK) on February 3. Beijing will begin one month later on March 3, 2013.
LOT is offering three classes of service on the new aircraft, Economy Class, Premium Club (Premium Economy) and Elite Club (Business Class). All three classes will enjoy comfort beyond their expectations as well as the professional and friendly service of the Elite Fleet Crew.
With the introduction of a new class, Premium Economy, which will be referred to as Premium Club, LOT has fares starting as low as $1,342 from New York and Chicago to Warsaw. LOT’s new Business Class, referred to as Elite Club, have fares starting as low as $3,787 from New York to Warsaw and $4,087 from Chicago to Warsaw. Sample fares include all taxes fees and surcharges.
In addition, according to Airline Route, from December 2012 to January 2013 (subject to aircraft deliveries), LOT will introduce the new Boeing 787-8 on select European cities prior to the above regular long-range schedule. The Star Alliance member is also planning to retire its Boeing 767-300s by March 2013.
Image: LOT Polish Airlines.
LOT Polish Airlines:
Alaska Airlines launches nonstop Seattle/Tacoma-San Antonio flights today
Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) is launching daily nonstop flights between Seattle/Tacoma and San Antonio, Texas, today (September 17).
Alaska Airlines started service to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in 2005 and to Austin and Houston in 2009. The dominant carrier along the West Coast, Alaska Airlines now serves 16 destinations east of the Rocky Mountains.
Summary of new flights:
| Start date | City pair | Departs | Arrives | Frequency |
| Sept. 17 | Seattle-San Antonio | 12:30 p.m. | 6:35 p.m. | Daily |
| Sept. 17 | San Antonio-Seattle | 7:25 p.m. | 9:55 p.m. | Daily |
| All times are based on local time zones | ||||
The flights will be operated with Boeing 737-800 aircraft, accommodating 16 passengers in first class and 141 in the main cabin.
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Boeing 737-890 N597AS (msn 35689) taxies to the runway at the Seattle/Tacoma hub.
Alaska Airlines:
Emirates SkyCargo starts new freighter service to Osaka and Seoul
Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates Airline (Dubai), commenced a new freighter service from Dubai to Japan and Korea on September 7.
The new service will operate one flight per week and serve the growing demand for air freight to and from Kansai International Airport and Seoul Incheon International Airport. Flight EK 9891 – using a Boeing 777F freighter with a cargo capacity of more than 100 tons – will depart Dubai every Thursday at 22:30 and arrive at Kansai at 12:40 the following Friday, and depart Kansai at 14:40 and arrive at Inchon at 16:10 same day.
Flight EK 9892 from Incheon to Dubai will depart from Incheon at 18:15 every Friday and arrive at Dubai at 22:45 on the same day.
Copyright Photo: Andi Hiltl. Boeing 777-F1H A6-AFG (msn 35613) climbs away from the runway at Zurich.
Emirates:
Interjet is coming to Orange County on October 11
Interjet (ABC Aerolíneas, S.A. de C.V. dba) (Mexico City) will add Orange County (Santa Ana), California on October 11 with daily service to both Guadalajara and Mexico City.
Copyright Photo: Luimer Cordero. Airbus A320-214 XA-YES (msn 4933) in the special EcoJet markings arrives at Miami.
Interjet:
California Destinations: Sometimes airlines can be space challenged to produce a geographically correct route map. No, Los Angeles has not shifted to northern California.
Germania establishes Gambia Bird in Africa
Gambia Bird (Banjul) is a new airline in Gambia in western Africa. According to Airliners.de, in cooperation with AJW Aviation, the new airline will lease two Airbus A319s from Germania. Gambia Bird is planning to serve Dakar, Conakry, Freetown and Lagos. Later the company, hopes to expand to Europe. Germania will retain a 90% ownership in Gambia Bird. The first Airbus A319 has been painted at Norwich.
According to a report by ATW, Gambia Bird is now planning to launch operations on October 15, 2012 from Banjul with weekly flights to London (Gatwick) and Barcelona and also from Freetown to London (Gatwick). The new airline is also planning four-times-weekly service from Banjul to Dakar, twice-weekly to Freetown, Monrovia and Lagos as well as once a week service to Conakry and Accra.
The airline has the following statement on their website:
“Flights will commence later in summer and the airline will connect Banjul to other West African Airports but also link Banjul to Europe. The schedule will be published soon.”
Copyright Photo: Matt Varley. The pictured Airbus A319-112 D-ASTA (msn 4663), formerly painted in Germania livery, has emerged from the paint shop at Norwich, pending delivery.
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