Monthly Archives: March 2014

Flybe to introduce a new purple color scheme tomorrow

Flybe 2014 logo

Flybe (Exeter) is introducing a new purple brand built around a new “Fastest Way from A to Flybe” ad campaign.  The first aircraft, Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) G-JECY (msn 4157) named the “Spirit of Liberum”, is due out of the paint shop at East Midlands (EMA) tomorrow with the new look. G-JECY is due to go into revenue service from Exter to Manchester on Thursday (April 3) afternoon.

The airline issued this statement:

Today (dated April 1) marks the beginning of a new era for Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline, that today unveils a major brand refresh with a reinvigorated product and service offering: Flybe Purple brings to life its core business of time-saving, punctual travel with the introduction of a vibrant, dynamic modern ‘look and feel’, a touch of fun and a world-first 60:60 On Time Guarantee for passengers.
The changes reflect a distinctive new product based firmly on the customer proposition that Flybe is the Fastest Way from A to Flybe, faster than rail and road.

Flybe’s flagship product is its world-first 60:60 guarantee that promises its customers if a flight arrives more than 60 minutes’ late at its destination due to a delay within Flybe’s control, they will qualify for a £60 voucher towards their next flight as long as they book within 60 days.

There is also a new-look website, and ticket options have been re-named so that ‘what you see is what you get’ – ‘Just Fly’ replaces ‘Essentials’; ‘Get More’ is the previous ‘New Economy’ and ‘All In’ is the former ‘Plus’ ticket choice.

An eye-catching purple aircraft, the Spirit of Liberum, will be the first Flybe Bombardier Q400 to take to the skies in special commemorative livery: and Improved on-board experiences feature the introduction of stylish purple crew uniforms and purple mood lighting as well as daily on-board winners, deplaning gifts and an on-time musical celebration.

Paul Simmons, Flybe’s Chief Commercial Officer, says: “As an airline we are dedicated to continuously looking at ways to improve as a business. Our brand refresh is a significant step forward for us as we move to become the UK’s local airline of choice with a focus on time-saving and punctual travel for regional customers. Purple is not just our new brand colour – it reflects our passion for delivering on our commitment to being the Fastest Way from A to Flybe.”

The new uniforms:

Flybe 2014 New Uniforms (Flybe)(LR)

Flybe: AG Slide Show

Flybe Think in Minutes banner (Flybe)(LR)

Videos: New TV ad and the making of the new ad campaign:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUAHsnaIeA4&w=560&h=315%5D

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmsIetPzkfc&w=560&h=315%5D

 

Island Air will again operate the Bombardier Q400, orders two

Island Air DHC-8-400 (14)(Flt)(Bombardier)(LRW)

Hawaii Island Air, Inc. (Island Air) (Honolulu) has placed a firm order for two Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) NextGen turboprop airliners and has also taken options for four additional Q400 NextGen aircraft. The aircraft will be delivered with a dual-class, 71-seat configuration. Island Air is Hawaii’s leading regional airline and second oldest carrier.

Island Air previously operated the type briefly in the past.

Image: Bombardier.

Island Air: AG Slide Show

InterCaribbean Airways to fly between Kingston and Montego Bay in Jamaica

InterCaribbean Airways logo

InterCaribbean Airways (formerly Air Turks and Caicos) (Providenciales) has announced the introduction of new scheduled nonstop air service connecting Kingston to Montego Bay, with 16 weekly flights each way.

The flights will be operated by 30 seat Embraer 120 aircraft with onboard flight attendant starting on April 16.

InterCaribbean Airways is the national carrier of the Turks & Caicos Islands and operates a fleet of Embraer EMB-120 and Beech 99 aircraft, operating flights domestically to Grand Turk and South Caicos, in addition to International flights to Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata and Santiago in the Dominican Republic; Cap Haitien and Port Au Prince in Haiti; Kingston and Montego Bay in Jamaica; Nassau in the Bahamas; new services to Samana, Dominican Republic and San Juan, Puerto Rico begin on April 2, 2014.

TAM joins Oneworld today

TAM 777-300 Oneworld (TAM)(LR)

TAM Airlines (TAM Linhas Aereas) (Sao Paulo), the Brazilian carrier of the LATAM Airlines Group, today (March 31) joined Oneworld, an airline alliance currently undergoing the largest expansion in its history.

This is one of the most important steps to achieve the entry of all LATAM Airlines Group into Oneworld. LAN Airlines has been a member of Oneworld since 2000 as well as all of its affiliates, namely LAN Argentina, LAN Colombia, LAN Ecuador and LAN Peru, have already joined. TAM’s affiliated airline in Paraguay (TAM Mercosur), will also join Oneworld soon. As a result, all passenger airlines of the LATAM Airlines Group will be members of the same alliance.

To celebrate this moment, today TAM’s first aircraft bearing the Oneworld logo will be on display at Congonhas Airport in Sao Paulo with the presence of CEOs and representatives of all Oneworld member airlines, who traveled to Brazil especially for this event.

As a result of the merger with LAN Airlines, TAM left the Star Alliance to join Oneworld.

Image: TAM.

TAM: AG Slide Show

 

Air Canada is folding Air Canada Jetz, will fly seasonal Ottawa-Fort Lauderdale flights

Air Canada (Montreal) is giving up on its charter division called Air Canada Jetz.

Air Canada Jetz logo

According to the Ottawa Citizen, Air Canada has made a “business decision to exit this segment of the market,” which it has been operating since 2001. The division will shut down this year when the current contracts expire.

The division’s main customers are sports teams, entertainment bands and political parties.

Air Canada lists past and current customers:

Rogers Communications
Phil Collins
Bruce Springsteen
U2
Rolling Stones
Spice Girls
United Jewish Association
CIBC
Honda
Toyota
American Express
Novapharm
Berlex
Comcast
CTV
Lombard
And many more…
Professional sports teams:

Montreal Canadiens
Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Raptors
Edmonton Oilers
Calgary Flames
Vancouver Canucks
And more…

In other news, Air Canada has announced it will operate seasonal nonstop flights every Monday and Saturday from July 5 to September 1, 2014, between Ottawa and Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood, Florida.

Copyright Photo: Eddie/Maloney/AirlinersGallery.com (all other images by Air Canada). Airbus A320-211 C-FPWD (msn 231) touches down in Las Vegas.

Air Canada: AG Slide Show

Air Canda Jetz: AG Slide Show

Air Canada Jets VIP Redefined (Air Canada)(LR)

ANA today operates the last Boeing 747 flight ending an era

ANA (All Nippon Airways) (Tokyo) today (March 31), as planned, operated the last Boeing 747 flight. The pictured Boeing 747-481 (D) JA8961 (msn 25644) with 497 passengers and 17 crew members operated a round trip from Tokyo (Haneda) to Naha, Okinawa and back, ending 35 years of continuous Boeing 747 operations. JA8961 was delivered to ANA for domestic operations on May 13, 1993.

ANA today (March 31) also retired the Bombardier (de Havilland Canada) DHC-8-300 (Q300).

Read the full report from ZipanguFlyer (with photos): CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 747-481 (D) JA8961 (msn 25644) departs from Tokyo (Haneda).

ANA: AG Slide Show

ANA Banner:

ANA Final 747-Thanks Jumbo (ANA)(LR)

 

Aeroflot retires the Ilyushin Il-96 from scheduled operations

Aeroflot Russian Airlines (Moscow) according to Airline Route, planned to operate the last scheduled Ilyushin Il-96 flight yesterday (March 30) between Tashkent and its Moscow Sheremetyevo hub. The type was introduced in 1993.

Copyright Photo: Arnd Wolf/AirlinersGallery.com. Ilyushin Il-96-300 RA-96015 (msn 74393202012) taxies at Salzburg, Austria.

Aeroflot: AG Slide Show

Video:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqE53ebrCN8&w=560&h=315%5D

Wizz Air Ukraine evolves and moves its assets to Kiev and western Ukraine

Wizz Air Ukraine (Kiev) has announced a new route that will connect the Ukrainian capital of Kiev with Naples in Italy. The route will be operated with Airbus A320 aircraft starting on June 14 2014.

Wizz Air (Ukraine) Kiev 3.2014 Route Map

Wizz Air Ukraine’s route network from Kiev will now consist of a total of 14 routes to six different countries.

Wizz Air (Ukraine) Donetsk 3.2014 Route Map

Meanwhile the company is suspending flights from the eastern Russian-speaking city of Donetsk (above map) in the Ukraine to Budapest, Rome (Fiumicino), Bergamo (Orio al Serio, near Milan), Larnaca and Dortmund.

Wizz Air Ukraine Lviv 3.2014 Route Map

The low-fare carrier is moving based aircraft from Donetsk to the ethnic Ukrainian city of Lvov in western Ukraine (above map) given the tension in the Ukraine between the eastern and western portions of the Ukraine.

Copyright Photo: Ole Simon/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A32-232 UR-WUA (msn 3531) approaches the runway at Antalya.

Wizz Air (Ukraine): AG Slide Show

Air Moldova to open a new route to Barcelona starting on June 3

Air Moldova (Chisinau) has announced the launch of a new route between Chisinau and Barcelona starting on June 3, 2014.

The twice-weekly flight will be operated on Embraer 190 aircraft.

In other news, despite the tension in neighboring Ukraine, all flights to Russia are operating normally.

Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Embraer ERJ 190-100LR ER-ECB (msn 19000325) exits the runway at Antalya, Turkey.

Air Moldova: AG Slide Show

Route Map:

Air Moldova logo-1

Air Moldova 3.2014 Route Map

 

 

SAS to connect the oil region of Norway with Houston, Texas

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) is launching services between Stavanger, Norway and Houston (Bush Intercontinental) on August 20. This fulfils the wishes of leading players in the oil industry for better connections between Norway, and the rest of Scandinavia, and Houston, Texas.

The route will be operated by a business version of the Boeing 737-700 and will have an SAS Long Haul Business Class concept on board, with just 44 comfortable business seats, along with a modern inflight entertainment system and full-service meals and service.

SAS has entered into a wet lease agreement with PrivatAir (Geneva) , which has this special version of the Boeing 737-700. The aircraft will carry SAS’s distinctive colors and logo.

The route will launch on August 20, just ahead of the major oil exhibition in Stavanger, Offshore Northern Seas (ONS). Tickets for route, which will operate daily except Saturdays, go on sale on April 29.

Read the article by Bloomberg Businessweek: CLICK HERE

Top Copyright Photo: Ariel Shocron/AirlinersGallery.com. SAS’ Boeing 737-783 LN-RRB (msn 32276) approaches the runway at Madrid (Barajas).

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS: AG Slide Show

PrivatAir: AG Slide Show

Bottom Copyright Photo: Keith Burton/AirlinersGallery.com. PrivatAir’s Boeing 737-7AK HB-JJA (34303) arrives in Amsterdam.