Monthly Archives: July 2022

Delta to add service to Cape Town, Tel Aviv and Tahiti

Delta Air Lines has made this announcement:

Delta customers ready to travel the globe will soon have more destinations to add to their bucket lists with the launch of two never-before-operated, nonstop routes from Atlanta to Cape Town* and Los Angeles to Tahiti*, both beginning Dec. 17. The airline will also add nonstop service from Atlanta to Tel Aviv* beginning next May.

With the addition of service to Cape Town from Atlanta, the largest airline hub in the world, Delta will expand on its leading position serving Africa, providing 10 times weekly service to South Africa specifically, via Cape Town and Johannesburg. The launch of additional Tel Aviv service brings the total of weekly Delta flights to Tel Aviv to 13, from three U.S. hubs – Atlanta, Boston and New York-JFK.

SCHEDULE DETAILS

ATLANTA – CAPE TOWN (CPT)

Will operate Monday, Thursday and Saturday on the Airbus A350-900

Begins Dec. 17, 2022

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport – Cape Town International Airport

  • Departs ATL at 8:50 p.m.
  • Arrives CPT at 6:15 p.m. (next day)

Cape Town International Airport – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

  • Departs CPT at 10:50 p.m.
  • Arrives ATL at 8:00 a.m. (next day)

ATLANTA – TEL AVIV (TLV)

Will operate Wednesday, Friday, Sunday on the Airbus A350-900

Begins May 10, 2023 (westbound service begins May 8)

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport – Ben Gurion International Airport

  • Departs ATL at 2:00 p.m.
  • Arrives TLV at 9:15 a.m. (next day)

Ben Gurion International Airport – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

  • Departs TLV at 11:30 a.m.
  • Arrives ATL at 5:55 p.m.

 

LOS ANGELES – TAHITI (PPT)

Will operate Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday on the Boeing 767-300ER

Begins Dec. 17, 2022

Los Angeles International Airport – Fa’a’ā International Airport

  • Departs LAX at 11:10 a.m.
  • Arrives PPT at 6:10 p.m.

Fa’a’ā International Airport – Los Angeles International Airport

  • Departs PPT at 8:10 p.m.
  • Arrives LAX at 6:40 a.m. (next day)

 

*Operation of this route is subject to final government approval

In other news, Delta is opening its first Delta Sky Club at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport – the only club there operated by a U.S. airline – a luxurious addition featuring regional specialties as Japan gradually eases pandemic-era restrictions and welcomes business and leisure travelers alike.

Delta aircraft photo gallery (Airbus):

 

Cyprus Airways launching scheduled flights between Larnaca and Yerevan

Cyprus Airways (2nd) has made this announcement:

The management of Cyprus Airways distances itself from several statements made by local websites about its new scheduled flights to Yerevan.

For the past months Cyprus Airways has planned to operate seasonal flights to Yerevan, this in competition with Aegean Airways and Wizzair. After acquiring all permits these flights have been published by the airline. The flights are operated on a scheduled basis 2 times per week with an Airbus A320.

The management of Cyprus Airways is very surprised to read these reports and fully distances itself from the insinuations that these flights are done in partnership with other airlines and more specifically Russia based carriers.

Cyprus Airways has NO interline, codeshare or any other form of partnership with Russian carriers ever since the sanctions have been in play in February of this year.

Cyprus Airways is solely operating scheduled flights between Larnaka and Yerevan as its competitors Wizzair and Aegean Airways are doing. Cyprus Airways has as its competitors applied and received all overflights and landing certificates for this operation.

Cyprus Airways (2nd) aircraft photo gallery:

WestJet and Unifor agreement ratified

WestJet made this announcement:

On July 29, the first collective bargaining agreement between WestJet and Unifor was ratified by Unifor’s members. Unifor is the certified union representing certain WestJet airport employees at YYC Calgary International Airport and Vancouver International Airport.

“WestJet is pleased to share that the agreement negotiated with Unifor has been ratified by its membership,” said Angela Avery, WestJet Executive Vice-President and Chief People, Corporate and Sustainability Officer. “This settlement demonstrates WestJet’s commitment to its employees, the long-term success of the airline and the communities we serve.”

The agreement will come into September 1, 2022 and will be in place until December 31, 2026.

“This agreement will provide our guests, who rely on our critical investments for their air travel needs, with well-deserved confidence in their long-awaited travel plans.”

WestJet aircraft photo gallery:

Jetstar Airways takes delivery of first Airbus A321neo in revised livery

Jetstar Airways, part of the Qantas Group, has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321neo.

Featuring the airline’s refreshed livery, the aircraft is powered by CFM International LEAP-1A engines and configured in a single class layout with 232 seats. The cabin features extra-large Airspace overhead bins offering a 40% increase in volume, USB ports and tablet holders at every seat and the latest lighting system for an overall enhanced passenger experience.

Jetstar’s new A321neo is fitted with an additional fuel tank, enabling the aircraft to fly between all destinations on its domestic network, as well as to South East Asia, including the popular leisure destination of Bali.

The aircraft is the first of 38 A320neo Family aircraft for Jetstar, comprising 18 A321neo and 20 A321XLR. These are part of a larger backlog of single-aisle aircraft ordered by the Qantas Group, which now stands at 149 aircraft.

As at the end of June 2022, the A320neo Family has received more than 8,000 firm orders from over 130 customers worldwide.

Photo: Airbus.

Jetstar Airways (Australia) aircraft photo gallery:

JetSmart takes delivery of its first Airbus A321neo

Airbus made this announcement:

JetSMART, the South American ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) operating in Chile, Argentina and Peru, took  delivery of its first Airbus A321neo, leased from Aviation Capítal Group. The fuel-efficient single-aisle aircraft will be key in reducing the airline’s environmental footprint.

JetSMART’s A321neo is powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines and can seat up to 240 passengers in Airbus’ award-winning Airspace cabin, which brings unique lighting displays, more personal space and a sleek design to improve passenger experience.

Photo: Airbus.

JetSmart (Chile) aircraft photo gallery:

Air France to launch Paris CDG – Newark flights in addition to JFK this winter

Air France made this announcement:

  • A nonstop daily flight between Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport and New York-Newark Liberty International airport, operated by Boeing 777-200 as from 12 December 2022.

As the leading airline on the Paris-New York route, Air France is continuing to increase its capacity between the two cities.

Starting on 12 December 2022, the airline will operate a year-round, non-stop daily service between its hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport and New York-Newark Liberty (EWR), the second largest international airport to serve the New York metropolitan area, located approximately 18 miles away from Manhattan.

Flights will be operated by Boeing 777-200 with a capacity of 280 seats (40 in Business, 24 in Premium Economy and 216 in Economy), and equipped with a Wi-Fi connection.

Flight schedule (in local time):

AF062: Leaves Paris-Charles de Gaulle at 12:30, arrives at 15:00
AF063: Leaves New York Newark Liberty at 17:05, arrives at 06:05 (the folllowing day)

This daily flight marks the return of Air France to Newark, a historic destination served by the airline with non-stop flights until 2012. It will come in addition to the “shuttle” service introduced between Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport and New York-John F. Kennedy airport with 6 daily flights operated by Air France and 2 by its Skyteam alliance partner Delta Air Lines.

New York-Newark Liberty will be Air France’s 18th destination in North America this winter, along with Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York- JFK, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C in the United States, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver in Canada, and Cancun and Mexico City in Mexico.

Air France aircraft photo gallery:

Emirates expands its Tel Aviv schedule with second daily flight

Emirates made this announcement:

A little over a month since it inaugurated its first flight, Emirates has announced plans to boost connectivity and increase travel options for customers flying between Dubai and Tel Aviv with a second daily flight, starting 30 October 2022.  The additional morning frequency is in response to high demand for travel to/from Israel, and builds on the success of Emirates’ existing operation, as the airline reaffirms its commitment to growing its presence in the country.

The second daily flight will be served by the modern and efficient Emirates Boeing 777-300ER in a three class configuration. The new schedule will operate as follows: EK 933 departs Dubai at 0815hrs arriving in Tel Aviv at 0950hrs. EK 934 leaves Tel Aviv at 1150hrs, arriving in Dubai at 1650hrs*.

The second flight provides Emirates customers from Israel with additional travel options to Dubai, as well as convenient onwards connections to popular destinations. The new flight also unlocks enhanced connectivity to a multitude of points within Emirates’ global network such as Auckland, Brisbane, Perth, Bali, Seoul, and Singapore, as well as points across India, among others, making it easier for Israeli travellers to discover new places with shorter transit times.

The service will also provide customers traveling to Israel with more flexibility when planning their trip with the choice of a morning arrival at Ben Gurion airport, in addition to the existing EK931 service which arrives in the evening. Customers can also take advantage of Emirates’ partnership with flydubai when planning their travel, which includes a robust schedule of multiple daily codeshare flights.

Travellers flying with Emirates can enjoy the best experience in the sky, with thoughtful product touches and exceptional service provided by its multinational cabin crew. Customers across every class will be able to enjoy Emirates’ ice entertainment system with over 5,000 channels of on-demand entertainment to choose from, including numerous Hebrew language movies and programmes, regionally inspired menus complemented by a wide selection of beverages, as well as specially prepared kosher meals, available for pre-order on all flights.

Emirates’ second daily flight between Dubai and Tel Aviv will also provide another 20 tonnes of cargo belly-hold capacity for businesses, further opening global trade lanes through enhanced import and export opportunities.

Tickets can be purchased on emirates.com, Emirates Sales Offices, via travel agents or through online travel agents.

Customers connecting through Dubai are encouraged to check the latest travel guidelines and ensure they meet the travel requirements of their final destination.

*All timings are local.

Emirates aircraft photo gallery:

Etihad Airways soars to record-breaking first half profit as transformation pays off

Etihad Airways announced its financial and operating results for the first half of 2022, posting a record-breaking core operating profit of US$ 296 million (H1 2021: US$ 392 million loss). This result was achieved despite fuel costs increasing by almost 60% in comparison to the same period last year.

Etihad carried 4.02 million passengers in H1 2022, over 3 million more than last year (H1 2021: 980,000), with an average seat load factor of 75%. Passenger loads increased consistently over the first six months, rising by 21.9 percentage points as travel demand recovered. The airline saw a strong boost in passenger volumes in February as Abu Dhabi further relaxed pandemic-related restrictions.

Network capacity came in at 24 billion ASKs for H1 2022, growing by 46% compared to last year (H1 2021: 16.4 billion), as the airline connected Abu Dhabi to 71 passenger and cargo destinations across 45 countries. The first half of the year saw Etihad launch five summer services, including new seasonal routes to Heraklion on the island of Crete and the French city of Nice.

Tony Douglas, Group Chief Executive Officer, said: “Thanks to our transformation programme, Etihad is emerging from the pandemic stronger than ever, with a world-class fleet, an unmatched customer proposition and sustainability woven into every fibre of our business.

“As air travel came roaring back in 2022, Etihad was there to reconnect our customers with their loved ones and take them on their long-awaited vacations, carrying over 4 million passengers to and from our beautiful home of Abu Dhabi.

“Sustainability continued to be a priority area for Etihad as we entered our fuel-efficient A350-1000s into service and continued our industry-leading decarbonisation efforts, leading to Etihad being recently named Environmental Airline of the Year.

“Etihad Guest delivered record results this year as we continued to drive member engagement and launched Conscious Choices, the first green loyalty programme in the world to reward frequent flyers for making sustainable choices in the air and on the ground.

“Our results would not be possible without the hard work and commitment of the entire Etihad family, and our focus now is on continuing this momentum into the second half of the year.”

Financial and loyalty related highlights

Etihad’s passenger revenues tripled in the first six months of the year, climbing to US$ 1.25 billion (H1 2021: US$ 320 million) as more business and leisure travellers returned to the air. This was supported by more countries across Etihad’s network relaxing their Covid-related travel restrictions.

Cargo operations continued to deliver exceptional results with revenues of US$ 802 million in the first half of 2022, representing an increase of 6% on the same period last year. Revenues remained strong despite the increase in passenger volumes limiting belly-hold capacity, leading to a 19% reduction in freight carried (295,020 tonnes).

As a result of a constant focus on cost containment, fixed overhead and finance costs decreased in H1 2022, falling by 9% (or US$ 29 million) and 13% (or US$ 22 million) respectively.

Etihad Guest, the airline’s award-winning loyalty programme, delivered a record of new member acquisitions in June 2022, increasing to 7.95 million members globally. Flight redemptions increased 15% in H1 2022 compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, with over 737,000 flights taken, and member engagement levels translated into record card spends across the programme’s portfolio of UAE banks, supported by a new partnership with Emirates NBD.

Key figures

 

  H1 2022 H1 2021
Passenger revenue (US$ billion) 1.25 0.32
Cargo revenue (US$ billion) 0.80 0.76
Operating revenue (US$ billion) 2.29 1.23
EBITDA (US$ billion) 0.69 0.06
Core operating result (US$ billion) 0.30 (0.39)
Total passengers (million) 4.02 0.98
Available seat kilometres (billion) 24.00 16.43
Seat load factor (%) 74.98% 24.89%
Number of operating aircraft 71 64
Cargo tonnage (leg tonnes ‘000) 295.02 365.48

Etihad Airways aircraft photo gallery:

Ryanair is facing weekly strikes from its Spanish cabin crews union

Ryanair is facing weekly strikes from its Spanish cabin crews union through January according to Reuters.

More from Reuters:

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/ryanairs-spanish-cabin-crew-union-calls-strikes-until-january-2022-07-27/

Ryanair aircraft photo gallery:

Avelo Airlines adds 2 more cities and 3 new routes from Florida

Avelo Airlines continues to grow on the East Coast, especially in Florida for the upcoming winter season.

The airline will add two new routes from its growing Orlando base in October:

Kalamazoo (October 26)

Lexington (October 19)

The growing carrier will also add the Lexington – Tampa on November 12.

East Coast Route Map:

Avelo Airlines aircraft photo gallery: