Monthly Archives: May 2011

Alaska Airlines issues its pilots an iPad to replace paper manuals

Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) becomes the first major airline to issue an iPad to each of its pilots. As part of an ongoing effort to use technology to enhance flight safety, improve efficiency and protect the environment, Alaska Airlines is issuing iPad tablet computers to its pilots. The 1 1/2-pound iPads replace up to 25 pounds of paper flight manuals that pilots are required to carry when they fly.

The iPads are being distributed to all Alaska Airlines pilots, a process that will be complete by mid-June. This follows a successful trial by 100 line and instructor pilots and Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) representatives, who evaluated the feasibility of using iPads as electronic flight bags this past winter and spring.

The iPads will replace the paper manuals.

The iPads contain an app called GoodReader that is loaded with PDF versions of 41 flight, systems and performance manuals, reference cards, and other materials. The electronic manuals include hyperlinks and color graphics, enabling pilots to find information faster and easier. Updating these reference materials can now be accomplished with one tap on the iPad screen instead of the former, labor-intensive process of replacing individual pages with new ones. The iPad is considered a Class 1 electronic device, meaning it is stowed during takeoff and landing under Federal Aviation Administration regulations.

In conjunction with replacing paper manuals, Alaska Airlines is exploring the replacement of paper aeronautical navigation charts with electronic versions on the iPad, eliminating the need for every pilot to carry their own copy. The two initiatives, dubbed “Bye, Bye, Flight Bag,” will save about 2.4 million pieces of paper.

The cost of the project is expected to be offset by lower paper, printing and distribution expenses and reduced fuel consumption as some weight is removed from the aircraft. Further savings are expected from fewer back and muscle injuries caused by pilots carrying flight bags that can tip the scales at 50 pounds or more fully loaded.

Top Copyright Photo: Nick Dean. Please click on the photo for the aircraft details.

Alaska Airlines Slide Show: CLICK HERE

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Bottom Copyright Photo: Alaska Airlines.

Spirit Airlines going public, sets its IPO price at only $12 a share

Spirit Airlines (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood) is changing from a privately-held company to a publicly-held company. The ultra low-fare airline announced yesterday (May 26) that it has priced its initial public offering (IPO) of 15,600,000 shares of common stock at a public offering price of $12.00 per share. This is on the low side of the price range that was expected.

According to the offering, “Certain selling stockholders have granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 2,340,000 shares of common stock to cover overallotments, if any. The common stock will begin trading on The NASDAQ Global Select Market on May 26, 2011 under the symbol “SAVE”. Proceeds from the offering to the company are expected to be approximately $171.0 million after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable.

Citi and Morgan Stanley acted as joint bookrunners for the offering. Barclays Capital, Raymond James and Dahlman Rose & Company served as co-managers.

The initial public offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the final prospectus, when available, may be obtained from Citi, c/o Citi, Brooklyn Army Terminal, 140 58th Street, 8th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11220 or by emailing batprospectusdept@citi.com, or from Morgan Stanley, c/o Morgan Stanley, Attn: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014 or by emailing prospectus@morganstanley.com.

A registration statement relating to these shares of Spirit Airlines common stock filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission was declared effective on May 25, 2011.”

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough. Please click on the photo for the aircraft details.

Spirit Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Spirit Route Map:

JetBlue Airways launches seasonal New York-Martha’s Vineyard flights

JetBlue Airways (New York) yesterday (May 26) began nonstop service to Martha’s Vineyard from its home at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. The flights will operate during the peak summer travel season from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, with up to five weekly flights commencing in May and daily service commencing in July.

JetBlue’s flights will be operated with its quiet and fuel efficient 100-seat Embraer ERJ 190 aircraft.

Copyright Photo: Tony Storck. Please click on the photo for the aircraft details.

JetBlue Slide Show: CLICK HERE

AirTran Airways launches Atlanta-Bermuda service

AirTran Airways (Orlando), a wholly owned subsidiary of Southwest Airlines, yesterday (May 26) began daily nonstop service between Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and L.F. Wade International Airport in St. George’s, Bermuda.

Passengers took part in a colorful celebration at the airport featuring traditional Gombey dancers and a steel drum band. A special performance by the Atlanta Falcons cheerleaders also wowed the crowd as part of the “Touchdown Bermuda” themed event. In addition to welcoming passengers, the cheerleaders were heading to Bermuda for their annual swimsuit calendar photo shoot.

Bermuda is the latest destination in AirTran’s international route network, which includes: Aruba, Cancun, Mexico; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Nassau, Bahamas and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Atlanta becomes the second city in AirTran’s network to offer nonstop service to the island getaway. The low cost carrier began offering flights to Bermuda from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) last month.

Copyright Photo: Tony Storck. Possibly the last AirTran logojet, “Dolphin 1” arrives at Baltimore/Washington. Please click on the photo for the full story of this special aircraft.

AirTran routes from the ATL hub:

AirTran Airways Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Turkish Airlines introduces this Futbol Club Barcelona Boeing 777 logojet

Turkish Airlines (Istanbul) has introduced this new Futbol Club Barcelona special color scheme (featuring images of the players) on its Boeing 777-3F2 ER TC-JJI (msn 40709).

F. C. Barcelona is a Spanish professional football (soccer) club, based in Barcelona, Spain. They play in La Liga, and is one of the only three clubs to have never been relegated, along with Athletic Bilbao and rival Real Madrid.

Copyright Photo: James Mepsted. TC-JJI is pictured on final approach at London (Heathrow) on May 26, 2011.

Malaysia Airlines incurs a first quarter loss of $76 million

Malaysia Airlines (Kuala Lumpur) reported a net loss of $76 million in the first quarter ending on March 31.

The company blamed the loss on the “steep increase in fuel prices and strengthening of the Ringgit”.

Read the full report from the airline: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing.

Singapore Airlines to set up a low-cost long-haul subsidiary

Singapore Airlines (Singapore) has announced it too will set up a low-cost, long-haul subsidiary airline to compete against low-fare competitors such as Jetstar Airways and AirAsia X. Singapore envisions the new airline will be operating wide-body aircraft and launching operations within a year. No name has been selected at this time.

Read the full report from Bloomberg: CLICK HERE

ANA and partners select Peach as the name of its new LCC subsidiary

Peach Aviation Limited (formerly A&F Aviation)ย (Osaka-Kansai) is the name selected by ANA (All Nippon Airways) and its partners as the new name of its joint-venture low-fare airline subsidiary. The new airline will operate Airbus A320s and the first route is expected to be the Fukuoka-Sapporo route starting in March 2012.

The name Peach was selected because of the fruit’s Asian origin and because Peach invokes an image of “longevity, energy and happiness”. The A320s will be painted pink and fuchsia.

The join venture was formed in February 2011ย by ANA and First Eastern Investment Group (FEIG) (Hong Kong) initially called A&F Aviation. Since then theย Innovation Network Corporation (INCJ) of Japan joined the group in March 2011. ANA (33.4%), FEIG (33.3%) and INCJ (33.3% basically share ownership now almost equally.

Image: Peach Aviation.

Video (in Japanese):

Iberia to start Madrid-Luanda twice-weekly service on September 30

Iberia (Madrid) will add Luanda and the Madrid-Luanda route on September 30. The new route will operate on Mondays and Fridays to the Angolan capital with A340-300 aircraft. Luanda will be the 12th Iberia destination in Africa and the second long-haul flight in the African continent.

Copyright Photo: Dave Campbell. Please click on the photo for the aircraft details.

Iberia Slide Show: CLICK HERE

Pinnacle hires former Frontier CEO Sean Menke

Pinnacle Airlines Corporation (Memphis) has named Sean E. Menke as its new President and CEO. Menke, a veteran airline executive and Managing Partner at Vista Strategic Group LLC in Denver, Colo., succeeds Philip H. Trenary. He is expected to begin his new duties on July 1, 2011. Menke will also become a member of the company’s board of directors.

According to the holding company, “Mr. Menke, 42, brings 20 years of airline management experience. He was previously Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Republic Airways Holdings Inc. and President and CEO of Frontier Airlines, where he helped position Frontier as one of the lowest cost and most efficient airlines in North America.”

Prior to his senior posts at Republic and Frontier, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Air Canada; and Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Frontier, where he was also Senior Vice President of Marketing and held Vice President positions in planning and revenue management. Additionally, he held management positions with United Airlines, Western Pacific Airlines and America West Airlines.

Pinnacle Airlines Corporation is a $1 billion airline holding company with 7,800 employees and is the parent company of Pinnacle Airlines, Inc.; Mesaba Aviation, Inc.; and Colgan Air, Inc. Flying as Delta Connection, United Express and US Airways Express, Pinnacle Airlines Corp. operating subsidiaries operate 202 regional jets and 88 turboprops on more than 1,650 daily flights to 196 cities and towns in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Belize.

Copyright Photo: Jay Selman. Please click on the photo for additional information.