Monthly Archives: August 2013

The “New Look” Airliners Gallery Photo Library

Today we have unveiled a refreshed “new look” AirlinersGallery.com Photo Library. The new look includes larger photos, more slide shows (every gallery features a slide show option) and a new folder system. Due to the expanding library, we adopted this new folder system to expand and better organize the galleries by the geographical areas and subjects.

Due to the new folder system, many of the galleries are now located in new folders. Some of the older photo and gallery links used on World Airline News in the articles of the past may no longer work properly. All links going forth in World Airline News and our other news blogs will use the new links.

To find an airline photo gallery please use the “Galleries” button above or go right to AirlinersGallery.com. To find a previous airline news article on World Airline News, please see the “All Previous Articles” section in the lower portion of the “Right Column” below right on this page.

We will be doubling the size of the AirlinersGallery.com photo library in the next two years with more airline galleries and many great new and old photos. Our intent is to have a gallery for every airline, past and present, with the best photography from the best photographers around the world.

Every image in the library is available as a color print (in many finishes and styles) or as a large poster. We also supply images to editors, publishers and advertisers around the world with our stock images.

Thank you for your support of the Airliners Gallery and the World Airline News.

Bruce Drum

Managing Editor-World Airline News

Manager-AirlinersGallery.com

Boeing rolls out the first 787-9 Dreamliner

Boeing Rolls Out First 787-9 Dreamliner, originally uploaded by The Boeing Company.

Boeing has completed the first 787-9 Dreamliner. The second member of the super-efficient 787 family rolled out of the Everett, Wash., factory today to the flight line, where teams are preparing it to fly later this summer.

At 20 feet (6 m) longer than the 787-8, the 787-9 will extend the 787 family in both capacity and range, carrying 40 more passengers an additional 300 nautical miles (555 km). The 787-9 leverages the visionary design of the 787-8 such as its exceptional environmental performance — 20 percent less fuel use and 20 percent fewer emissions than similarly sized airplanes — and passenger-pleasing features.

With the second and third airplanes in final assembly, Boeing and the 787-9 are on track. First delivery to launch customer Air New Zealand (Auckland) is set for mid-2014.

Pan Am International Flight Academy in Miami acquired by ANA Holdings

The Pan Am International Flight Academy (Miami) is a repository of Pan Am memorabilia and memories of the past. It is also the location where the original 1928 Terminal was located along NW 36th Street on the north side of the current Miami International Airport. This site was the location of the MIA passenger terminal until the current “20th Street” location was first opened (and later expanded) on the east side of the airport in 1959. Pan Am inaugurated air service from this location in 1928 to Havana, Cuba via Key West. The current Pan Am facility specializes in pilot training and flight simulation. Pan Am, before its demise, built this facility as a state-of-art training facility for its pilots. The following statement about the sale to ANA Holdings has been issued:

Pan Am International Flight Academy and Pan Am Holdings, Inc. have announced it has been purchased by ANA Holdings, the parent company of All Nippon Airways Co. Ltd, (ANA) one of the leading airlines in the world. Former owner, American Capital, Ltd sold Pan Am, held in its portfolio since 2006 in an agreement reached on August 24.

The combination of Pan Am and All Nippon Airways (ANA) makes for a strong partnership and positions the new entity to meet the increasing demand for trained pilots worldwide. Pan Am is one of the world’s largest independent providers of flight simulation and aviation training services and has the second largest number of flight simulators used for training. Airlines and individuals from across the globe, including North and South America, Europe and Asia rely on Pan Am for flight training services.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) plans to expand Pan Am into Asia by providing training to other Asian airlines, partner firms and subsidiaries. With air travel expected to double within the next 30 years, and much of the growth occurring in Asia, the company is poised to capture opportunities and create an additional source of steady revenue for the Airline.

Pan Am CEO, Mr. Vito Cutrone states, “This is a very exciting time for Pan Am. We feel certain that working with our new owners at ANA will bring new and profitable opportunities for Pan Am’s continued growth, and particularly new opportunities for the employees of Pan Am.”

Pan Am International Flight Academy, headquartered in Miami, FL, has its origins in Pan American World Airways as its original training division, and operates under one of the most recognized brands in the world. The company provides flight simulation and training on all the leading aircraft types, operating nine training facilities in the U.S. and abroad, with more than 200 aviation training programs available.

Pan Am (1st):

The new Hunnu Air – Wings of Mongolia

Mongolian Airlines Group (Ulaanbatar) on April 18, 2013 changed its name to the pictured Hunnu Air – Wings of Mongolia to avoid any confusion with MIAT Mongolian Airlines. Besides operating Fokker 50 aircraft on domestic routes in Mongolia, the carrier operates two Airbus A319s on scheduled routes from Ulaanbaatar to Bankgok, Hong Kong and Shanghai (SHA).

The pictured Airbus A319-112 JU-8888 (msn 1750), named the “Great Mongol”, conducted a charter flight to Shizuoka/Mount Fuji, Japan on August 17, 2013.

Copyright Photo: Akira Uekawa/AirlinersGallery.com. YU-8888 taxies to runway 12 at FSZ as flight MR 8136 bound for the Ulaanbaatar base.

Mongolian Airlines Commercial:

Centurion Cargo gets ready to add its first Boeing 747 freighter

Centurion Cargo (formerly Centurion Air Cargo) (Miami) is getting ready to take delivery of this former Cargolux International Boeing 747-400F freighter. The cargo airline currently operates McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighters.

Copyright Photo: Kok Chwee (K.C.) Sim/AirlinersGallery.com. Pictured today at Singapore, this Boeing 747-4R7F still wears the LX-KCV (msn 25868) registration.

Centurion Cargo:

Xiamen Air finalizes its order for six Boeing 787s

Xiamen Air (Xiamen Airlines) (Xiamen) has finalized its order for six Boeing 787-8s. The first copy will be delivered on July 25, 2014 per this report by Reuters. The order was pending Chinese government approval which has now been confirmed.

Xiamen Air is owned by China Southern Airlines (51%), Xiamen Construction and Development Group (34%) and Jizhong Energy Group (15%).

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Xiamen Air:

LATAM Airlines Group loses $330 million in the 2Q

LATAM Airlines Group (LAN Airlines and TAM Linhas Aereas) (Santago and Sao Paulo) reported it lost $330 million in the second quarter. The group was created last year with the merger of the two airlines. The group is struggling in Brazil with TAM due to a weakening Brazilian economy. TAM is cutting costs and reducing flights.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

LATAM Airlines Group Fleet Plans (excerpt from the report):

Top Copyright Photo: Rodrigo Cozzato/AirlinersGallery.com. Sporting new Sharklets, Airbus A320-214 PR-MYY (msn 5591) taxies at the Sao Paulo (Guarulhos) hub.

LAN Airlines (Chile):

TAM Linhas Aereas:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Alvaro Romero/ModoCharlie.com. Boeing 777-F6N N772LA (msn 37708) arrives at the Santiago hub.

Delta gives its flight attendants Windows Phone 8 handheld devices for on-board sales

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) has made this announcement:

More than 19,000 Delta Air Lines flight attendants began using new Windows Phone 8 handheld devices that will streamline on-board purchasing as Delta continues its investment in technological innovation to improve the customer experience.

The Windows Phone 8 device, a Nokia Lumia 820, enables Delta flight attendants to offer:

Near real-time credit card processing for on-board purchases, including upgrades to Delta’s popular Economy Comfort seating. On-board Economy Comfort upgrades will begin on transcontinental and international flights before being offered on flights across Delta’s system.
Convenient eReceipts that can be emailed to customers.
Customers’ use of pre-paid credit cards for on-board purchases.
Quicker transaction processing times.
In the near future, the ability to read coupons displayed on a customer’s mobile device.
More efficient service recovery.

On August 26, flight attendants on Delta Connection flights also will begin using the device.

In the future, Delta expects to provide flight attendants with certain customer-specific information to enable more personalized service.

This solution was developed by Microsoft, Avanade and AT&T after months of development and feedback from flight attendants. The Windows Phone 8 devices will include a Delta-specific customer experience developed by Avanade on the Microsoft Dynamics for Retail mobile point-of sale platform and will operate over Wi-Fi and AT&T’s 4G LTE Network. The agreement includes plans to expand the solution over the next three years to the newest Nokia devices.

The new handheld device is Delta’s latest investment in technology for customers and employees, which in the past year has included the Fly Delta app for iPad, the launch of the new delta.com in December 2012 and revamped self-service kiosks in September 2012. Delta also offers its popular Fly Delta app for iPhone, Windows Phone, Android and Blackberry smartphones, and today offers in-flight Wi-Fi on more than 800 aircraft.

Delta Air Lines:

AMR Corporation and US Airways file a motion to set merger trial for November 12, 2013

AMR Corporation (Dallas/Fort Worth), the parent company of American Airlines, Inc. (Dallas/Fort Worth), and US Airways Group, Inc. (US Airways) (Phoenix) have announced that they filed a motion to set a trial date and a supporting brief in the United States District Court for the District Of Columbia in connection with the lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding the merger of the two airlines. In the motion, American Airlines and US Airways have requested a November 12, 2013 trial date.

In their filing, the Companies explain that their proposed trial date is very reasonable by recent historical standards. The DOJ request for 180 days, especially with one of the parties in bankruptcy, however, would be unprecedented and unreasonable in the circumstances. Based on the DOJ merger cases litigated to a decision since 2001, the average time from the DOJ’s complaint to trial is 70 days.

Top Copyright Photo: Ole Simon/AirlinersGallery.com. American Airlines’ Boeing 777-223 ER N781AN (msn 29586) approaches Madrid for landing.

American Airlines:

US Airways:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A319-132 N814AW (msn 1281) lands at Long Beach near Los Angeles.

LAN Argentina is evicted from its hangar in Buenos Aires, can it survive?

LAN Argentina (Buenos Aires) has been served notice to terminate its maintenance hangar lease at the downtown Aeroparque Jorge Newbery Airport in Buenos Aires. The Argentine airline of the LATAM Group is being evicted from the Aeroparque hangar although it has been faithfully paying its rent and has a contract through 2023. The carrier needs the hangar to maintain operations in Argentina. LAN Argentina has stated it will take the forced eviction to court in Argentina.

The airline competes against state-run Aerolineas Argentinas (Buenos Aires). According to this report by the BBC, the current government of Argentina, headed by Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, has been accused of protecting state-run companies in the past.

Meanwhile the government of Argentina has accused LAN Airlines and LAN Argentina of stirring up worker sentiment against Argentina.

Read the full report from the BBC: CLICK HERE

Read the full report from Reuters: CLICK HERE

Read analysis by Argentina Airline News: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Bernardo Andrade/AirlinersGallery.com. LAN Argentina’s Airbus A320-233 LV-BFO (msn 1877) in the Oneworld scheme, taxies at Aeroparque. The government wants to reportedly reserve the convenient downtown airport for the exclusive use of Aerolineas Argentinas and its subsidiary Austral.

Video: Arriving over Buenos Aires and landing at AEP: