Yearly Archives: 2020

First Copper River salmon arrives safely in Seattle

From Alaska Airlines blog:

Photos by Ingrid Barrentine

Alaska Airlines Captain Brent Carricaburu presenting the first Copper River salmon, which weighed in at 33 pounds.

One taste is all it takes to fall in love with Copper River salmon. Known for its bright orange or red color and mouthwatering taste, anyone lucky enough to enjoy a fresh filet of this wild, not farmed, fish won’t be disappointed by its flavor and freshness.

The salmon made its way from the state of Alaska to Seattle this morning by Alaska Air Cargo – the first of many shipments expected this season, which runs now through September.

“Alaska Air Cargo has long been a partner of the Alaska seafood industry,” said Torque Zubeck, managing director of cargo for Alaska Airlines. “Now more than ever, we provide a critical service that directly impacts the economic vitality of the region. In Cordova alone, more than half of its 2,200 residents are directly involved in the fishery or related business and industry.”

Photos:

More than 200 health care workers at Swedish Medical Center – Ballard will be among the first to enjoy the season’s first catch of prized Copper River salmon in appreciation for their efforts to help stop the coronavirus.

Alaska Airlines, Trident Seafoods, Ocean Beauty Seafoods, and Copper River Seafoods – the region’s largest seafood processors, Copper River Marketing Association and famed Seattle chef Tom Douglas are partnering to provide a delicious meal to health care workers, as well as feed the community while raising money for Food Lifeline.

Safety from first catch to delivery

With guidance from government and medical professionals, Trident Seafoods CEO Joe Bundrant, along with others in the fishing industry, put extraordinary workforce and community protection measures in place, with the goal of ensuring a safe and successful season this year.

“Our No. 1 priority at Trident Seafoods is keeping our communities, our employees and our fishermen safe,” said Bundrant. “We are doing everything in our power to deliver seafood safely and in record time to allow our customers to enjoy our Alaska salmon products fresh and ready to serve thanks to Alaska Air Cargo.”

To keep our employees safe and to align with Centers for Disease Control recommendation, Alaska Air Cargo employees who cannot maintain six feet of social distance during interaction with co-workers have also started to wear face coverings.

Alaska Air Cargo employees begin to unload Copper River salmon, part of the first shipment to arrive in Seattle.

Grant Aviation to fly for Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines is partnering with Grant Aviation to partially fill the void left by the demise and bankruptcy of Ravn Alaska on April 5, 2020.

Staring on May 16, 2020, Grant Aviation will begin flying the Anchorage-Cold Bay-Unalaska (Dutch Harbor) route under a codeshare agreement with Alaska Airlines. The route will operate twice-weekly for now.

Brussels Airlines plans to resume its flight operations with a reduced network on June 15

Brussels Airlines has made this announcement:

After more than seven weeks of hibernation mode, Brussels Airlines is planning to resume its operations as from June 15, 2020. The Belgian home carrier plans to start with a reduced flight offer that will be built up in a phased approach according to the market demand and to the travel restrictions. While preparing its restart, Brussels Airlines will put in place every health protection measure necessary to protect its customers and staff during their travel journey. The network of the first weeks will be communicated in the days to come.

On March 21, 2020 Brussels Airlines had to cease its commercial flight operations as a consequence of the unprecedented coronavirus crisis. The airline plans to resume its commercial flight operations as from June 15, 2020. The complete destination portfolio and flight offer will be communicated in the days to come and will cater to the needs of the corporate as well as the leisure market, including a range of destinations in – amongst others – Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Portugal and Spain.

In the months to come, the airline plans to offer a reduced network that will gradually be expanded in line with the evolution of the demand for flight tickets and following the travel restrictions imposed by the different countries Brussels Airlines operates to.

In order to prepare for the planned restart, Brussels Airlines puts in place measures to protect its staff and customers during the travel journey, such as additional disinfection of the aircraft and the use of mouth masks. Several other measures are being evaluated together with the authorities.

Brussels Airlines aircraft photo gallery:

Lufthansa Group significantly expands service with June flight schedule

Over 1,800 weekly frequencies
Over 106 German and European destinations and over 20 long-haul destinations soon to be available again
Airlines’ flight schedules are closely coordinated

With the June flight schedule, the airlines of the Lufthansa Group are significantly expanding their services compared with the previous weeks operation.

Lufthansa, Swiss and Eurowings are again adding numerous leisure and summer destinations to their flight schedules in June, as well as more long-haul destinations.

With over 106 destinations in Germany and Europe and more than 20 intercontinental destinations, the range of flights on offer for all travellers will be greatly expanded by the end of June.The first batch of flights will be available for reservation in the booking systems from May 14.

By the end of June, the Lufthansa Group airlines plan to offer around 1,800 weekly roundtrips to more than 130 destinations worldwide.

Lufthansa’s additional flights that are resuming in the first half of June, in Germany and Europe, are from Frankfurt, Hanover, Majorca, Sofia, Prague, Billund, Nice, Manchester, Budapest, Dublin, Riga, Krakow, Bucharest and Kiev. From Munich, it is Münster/Osnabrück, Sylt, Rostock, Vienna, Zurich, Brussels and Majorca.

In the first half of June, the flight schedule also includes 19 long-haul destinations, fourteen more than in May. In total, Lufthansa, Swiss and Eurowings will thus be offering more than 70 weekly frequencies overseas until mid-June, almost four times as many as in May. Further resumption of Lufthansa long-haul flights is planned for the second half of June.

Lufthansa’s long-haul resumption of flights from Frankfurt in detail (subject to possible travel restrictions):

Toronto, Mexico City, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Tel Aviv, Riyadh, Bahrain, Johannesburg, Dubai and Mumbai. The destinations Newark/New York, Chicago, Sao Paulo, Tokyo and Bangkok will continue to be offered.

Lufthansa’s long-haul return flights from Munich in detail (subject to possible travel restrictions): Chicago, Los Angeles, Tel Aviv.

The flight schedules of the Lufthansa Group airlines are closely coordinated, thus enabling reliable connectivity to European and intercontinental destinations once again.

Austrian Airlines has decided to extend the suspension of regular flight operations for a further week, from May 31 to June 7, 2020. A resumption of service in June is being considered.

Swiss is planning to resume services to various destinations in the Mediterranean region, and other major European centres such as Paris, Brussels and Moscow will also be added to the programme.

In its long-haul operations, SWISS will again offer its passengers new intercontinental direct services in June, in addition to its three weekly services to New York / Newark (USA). The Swiss carrier plans to offer flights from Zurich to New York JFK, Chicago, Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo, Mumbai, Hong Kong and Johannesburg.

Eurowings had already announced last week that it would be expanding its basic program at the airports of Düsseldorf, Cologne/Bonn, Hamburg and Stuttgart and gradually adding 15 further destinations within Europe from May onwards. With flights to Spain, Greece, Portugal and Croatia, the focus is on destinations in the Mediterranean region. Furthermore the island of Mallorca will again be offered from several German Eurowings gateways

Brussels Airlines plans to resume its flight operations with a reduced network offer as from June 15

When planning their trip, customers should consider the current entry and quarantine regulations of the respective destinations. Throughout the entire trip, restrictions may be imposed due to stricter hygiene and security regulations, for example due to longer waiting times at airport security checkpoints. The catering services on board will also remain restricted until further notice.

In addition, passengers will continue to be asked to wear a nose-and-mouth cover on board during the entire journey.

Lufthansa aircraft photo gallery:

airBaltic to resume flights on May 18 with new measures

As of May 18, airBaltic will resume direct flights from all three Baltic capitals – Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius. To limit the spread of the virus airBaltic has implemented several new health measures.

As of May 18, before the security check at Riga Airport, passengers’ body temperature will be measured and passengers with a temperature above 37.8°C will be denied boarding. Affected passengers will be informed and instructed on further procedures.

The aircraft cabin disinfection will be done with increased regularity. All passengers on board of airBaltic aircraft will be provided with a complimentary basic care kit consisting of a protective face mask and disinfection wipes. airBaltic passengers will need to wear a protective face mask all time on board during flights.

Also crew members will be wearing a protective face mask and gloves. airBaltic cabin crew are instructed on the steps that have to be taken in case of some passengers on board might be infected with coronavirus, and all aircraft are equipped with the necessary preventive equipment. Additionally, airline will introduce an adjusted inflight service, replacing inflight magazines with disposable information on hygiene and catering menu.

According to the World Health Organization, there is minimal risk of any communicable disease being transmitted onboard an aircraft. The quality of cabin air is carefully controlled and is recirculated with ventilation rates that provide a total change of air 20-30 times per hour. Airbus A220-300 recirculation filter is a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) type filter that provides the best level of filtration currently available for recirculated cabin air.

Passengers are strongly suggested to check the travel regulations and airport restrictions on the official websites or with local embassies before travelling. Regulations are changing rapidly and vary per country, therefore always make sure you have the latest information to have a smooth journey.

airBaltic aircraft photo gallery:

Emirates to resume passenger service to 9 cities on May 21, SkyCargo expands to 75 destinations

Starting on May 21, 2020, Emirates will resume scheduled passenger flights to 9 cities in 8 countries, including connections between the UK and Australia via Dubai. We look forward to reconnecting with Chicago, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Madrid, Melbourne, Milan, Paris, Sydney and Toronto. We are working closely with the authorities to resume flights to more destinations.

In other news, Emirates SkyCargo has expanded its weekly scheduled cargo flight operations to cover 75 destinations across six continents. Through its wider reach, Emirates SkyCargo is able to transport essential commodities and other urgently needed cargo more rapidly across the world, allowing exporters and importers across markets to benefit from direct access to widebody cargo capacity.

Some of the destinations recently included in Emirates SkyCargo’s network include Colombo, Conakry, Dakar, Dhaka, Dublin, Khartoum, Kuala Lumpur, Perth and Quito.

In addition, Emirates SkyCargo has also upped frequency of flights to several key destinations such as Amsterdam, Beijing, Bengaluru, Brussels, Chennai, Chicago, Frankfurt, Hanoi, Johannesburg and London allowing businesses more choice and flexibility in having their cargo shipped to customers and supplementing additional cargo capacity for the transport of urgent and necessary goods.

Over and above scheduled flight operations, Emirates SkyCargo also operates charter flights in response to customer demand.

Since March 2020, Emirates SkyCargo has played an important role globally in the transport of urgently required medical supplies including personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves, pharmaceuticals, healthcare equipment, electronics such as laptops and mobile phones as more people around the world have turned to online working and learning, food items including fruits, vegetables, sea food and meat. The carrier operated over 2,500 flights in the month of April. Currently Emirates SkyCargo is operating more than 100 flights a day from its hub in Dubai.

Emirates SkyCargo expands network to 75 destinations

Emirates aircraft photo gallery:

Austrian Airlines extends its flight suspension until June 7

Austrian Airlines has made this announcement:

Due to worldwide travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the demand for air travel is still low. The Austrian federal government announced that the borders with Germany and possibly other countries would be reopened on June 15. For this reason, Austrian Airlines has decided to extend the suspension of regular flight operations at least for another week, from May 31 to June 7, 2020. A restart during the month of June is under review.

“When the demand is right and the travel restrictions fall, we want to fly again”, says Austrian Airlines Chief Commercial Officer Andreas Otto.

Austrian Airlines aircraft photo gallery:

Delta to early retire the Boeing 777-200 fleet by the end of the year

Delta Air Lines has made this announcement:

Delta plans to retire its 18 wide body Boeing 777-200s by the end of 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The retirement will accelerate the airline’s strategy to simplify and modernize its fleet, while continuing to operate newer, more cost-efficient aircraft.

Last month, Delta announced plans to accelerate the retirement of the McDonnell MD-88 and MD-90 fleets to June. Since the onset of the COVID-19 situation, Delta has reacted quickly by parking aircraft and considering early aircraft retirements to reduce operational complexity and cost. To date, the airline has parked more than 650 mainline and regional aircraft to adjust capacity to match reduced customer demand.

The Boeing 777-200 first entered the fleet in 1999 and grew to 18 aircraft, including 10 of the long-range 777-200LR variant, which arrived in 2008. At the time, aircraft was uniquely positioned to fly non-stop between Atlanta and Johannesburg, South Africa, Los Angeles to Sydney and other distant destinations.

Delta will continue flying its fleet of long-haul next generation Airbus A350-900s, which burn 21% less fuel per seat than the 777s they will replace.

Despite a reduction in international passenger travel, the 777 fleet has been the workhorse of Delta’s cargo, mail and U.S. citizen repatriation operations amid the pandemic. Since late April, the widebody jet has flown dozens of trips from Chicago and Los Angeles to Frankfurt to deliver mail to U.S. military troops abroad; operated between the U.S. and Asia to deliver thousands of pounds of critical, life-saving supplies to aid in the COVID-19 response; and carried thousands of U.S. citizens back to the U.S. from Sydney, Mumbai, Manila and other cities around the world.

More specific details of the timing of the 777’s exit from the fleet will be disclosed at a later date.

Top Copyright Photo: Delta Air Lines Boeing 777-232 LR N701DN (msn 29740) “The Delta Spirit” AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 950027.

Delta Air Lines aircraft slide show (Boeing):

Air Serbia postpones start of scheduled passenger services by two weeks

Air Serbia, the national air carrier of the Republic of Serbia, will postpone the start of scheduled flights from the planned June 1 to June 15, 2020, in view of the European Commission’s recommendation regarding the extension of temporary restrictions. As many of the countries affected are served by Air Serbia’s network, the Serb flag carrier is compelled to postpone the start of its anticipated scheduled air services.

Nevertheless, the relaunching of flights to a limited number of destinations (London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Zurich, and Vienna), announced for the period beginning from Monday, May 18, will go forward as planned. In keeping with the European Commission recommendation, flights to these destinations will be operated at somewhat reduced frequencies than originally planned. Air Serbia is also closely monitoring possible re-opening of the region, and ready to prioritize regional flying and adjust to new opportunities and returning demand within the region.

“Our fleet and our staff are ready to resume scheduled passenger services at any time. The start and scope of our services, however, depend not only on us but on the decisions and guidelines of national, foreign, and international bodies and civil aviation authorities, and on the changes in the travel restrictions valid in the countries we serve. We are closely following the decisions of competent authorities, while adjusting our operation and plans to present conditions”, said Duncan Naysmith, Air Serbia CEO.

Earlier, Air Serbia had announced the gradual relaunching of flights after the break caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the various travel restrictions introduced globally. The airline announced changes in its anticipated flight schedule for the 2020 summer season, with reduced frequencies to some and temporary suspension of flights to other destinations.

Air Serbia aircraft photo gallery:

Azul defers 59 Embraer E2 aircraft deliveries

Azul S.A. has announced that it reached an agreement with Embraer to defer 59 E2s deliveries, expected to take place between 2020 and 2023, to 2024 and beyond. These aircraft have a list price of R$24.5 billion.

Azul has acted very swiftly in adapting its business to the COVID-19 crisis. It adjusted its capacity to the new demand environment by reducing it by 90% in the month of April compared to 2019. It also made headcount and salary changes which allowed the Company to reduce payroll costs by over 50% compared to the similar period last year.

“Azul entered this crisis as one of the most profitable airlines in the world. The impact of the pandemic on the Brazilian and global economy has been unprecedented, and the timing of the recovery still remains uncertain. With the contribution of all of our stakeholders, we believe we will be able to come out of this crisis as an even stronger company. The agreement reached with Embraer to defer aircraft deliveries to 2024 is one important component of our comprehensive plan that allows us to create the liquidity runway for this crisis. With this support, we are able to ensure that we have the liquidity and the resources required to optimize the airline for the future,” said John Rodgerson, Azul’s CEO.

The Company continues to work with its partners on its fleet optimization plan and will keep the market informed of further developments.

Azul aircraft photo gallery: