Ellinair expands with two new aircraft, 7 new routes and 4 bases

Ellinair has announced it will add two more aircraft to grow its fleet to 10 aircraft: 3 144-seat Airbus A319s, 5 180-seat Airbus A320s and 2 148-seat Boeing 737-300s (Boeings to be retired in 2019).

The aircraft will operate from four bases, namely from Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Corfu and Moscow.

The company will concentrate on the routes to and from Crete, where this year Ellinair will fly to Heraklion from Thessaloniki, Athens, Moscow, Berlin, Munich, St. Petersburg, Belgrade, Bucharest and Cluj Napoca (Romania), Katowice (Poland), Kiev and Lviv (Ukraine) and Tbilisi (Georgia).

Routes from Crete (Heraklion):

For the coming summer season the company will operate to Stuttgart, Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin, Clus, Warsaw, Katowice, Tallinn, Riga and Belgrade, while at the same time maintaining the linking Thessaloniki with 17 Russian cities, 5 Ukrainian cities, 2 cities
Kazakhstan and the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by Ellinair): Ellinair Airbus A319-133 SX-EMB (msn 3705) FCO (Jacques Guillem). Image: 935177.

Ellinair aircraft slide show:

IAM files third petition at Boeing South Carolina

Boeing has issued this statement:

Boeing has been notified by the National Labor Relations Board (NRLB) that the International Association of Machinists (IAM) has filed a third petition in less than three years seeking to unionize Boeing South Carolina (BSC). This petition is limited exclusively to the flight line teammates, a tactic commonly referred to as “micro-unit” organizing.

“This union refuses to hear the clear message our team has voiced repeatedly,” said Joan Robinson-Berry, vice president and general manager of Boeing South Carolina. “Now they want to pit our teammates directly against each other. The company will challenge this filing because we strongly believe that the IAM’s attempt to isolate our flight line teammates is unreasonable and is prohibited by federal law.”

In the days ahead, the company will file its legal challenge and the NRLB will determine if the petition will proceed as filed. There will be no election scheduled until the NLRB resolves the legal challenge. In 2017, the union lost its second bid to unionize the site when approximately 74 percent of the voters cast a “no” ballot.

“It’s really a shame and a disappointment that they have chosen to put our flight line teammates through this divisiveness and disruption again,” said Robinson-Berry. “We will share reliable facts and information with our team as we’ve done in the past, while the IAM will continue to try to deceive with their typical half-truths and misinformation. Our collaborative culture has been the cornerstone of success at Boeing South Carolina, and we continue to strongly believe that a union isn’t in the best interests of our teammates, our business, our community and our state.”

“This community has embraced Boeing and we’re proud to call South Carolina home,” said Robinson-Berry. “We want to ensure that our teammates and our Charleston area neighbors understand the real impact that IAM representation could have on our teammates, their families, our business and our community. This petition is prohibited by federal law and we will fight it aggressively.”

Airbus to reduce production rates on the A380 and A400M programs, to notify employees

Airbus is meeting with its employees to discuss work force reductions as it reduces the production rates for the A380 and A400M programs. The company issued this statement:

Senior management representatives of Airbus will meet with the European Works Council on March 7, 2018 to explain previously announced rate reductions on the A380 and A400M programs and to discuss associated implications for the workforce.

Airbus has a policy of first addressing workforce issues with its social partners before any public disclosure. The company will continue to abide by this policy.

Airbus deeply regrets that the process on the current subject matter has been disturbed by leaks to the media, which resulted in excessive reporting about alleged job cuts in its four home countries.

Airbus is committed to managing any social implications in a responsible manner and has demonstrated its ability to find the best possible solutions for its workforce on various occasions in the past.

Only after its initial meeting with the European Works Council on March 7, 2018, Airbus will provide further details on the company’s plans and considerations.

Vietjet expands to India and Thai Vietjet adds the Bangkok – Krabi route

Vietjet has announced its plan to operate nonstop flights connecting Vietnam and India.

The India route will connect Ho Chi Minh City with New Delhi with four flights a week.

Vietjet’s Thai subsidiary, Thai Vietjet (below), is to launch a new nonstop domestic service between Bangkok and Krabi from April 5, 2018.

Thai Vietjet will launch a new nonstop domestic service between Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) and Krabi, starting on April 5, 2018. The service will operate with two daily return flights and a flight duration of one hour twenty minutes per leg. Departure times from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) are 07:10, 19:25 and departure times from Krabi are 09:05, 21:20. Thai Vietjet will deploy an A320 aircraft with 180 seats for the route, representing the airline’s determination to meet passenger demand for popular routes.

Above Copyright Photo: Vietjet Air Thailand (VietJetAir.com) Airbus A320-214 WL HS-VKC (msn 6878) BKK (Michael B. Ing). Image: 936176.

With the new Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Krabi flight addition, the airline will be flying five Thailand domestic routes, including Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Krabi and a daily direct flight connecting Phuket and Chiang Rai.

Top Copyright Photo: Vietjet Air (VietJetAir.com) Airbus A320-214 VN-A668 (msn 3791) BKK (Jay Selman). Image: 402705.

Vietjet aircraft slide show:

Thai Vietjet aircraft slide show:

Delta to bring Cleveland, Ohio a nonstop link to its Salt Lake City hub

Delta Air Lines is linking Cleveland Hopkins International Airport with a nonstop flight beginning July 8 to its Salt Lake City hub, bringing customers direct access to the great leisure and business options along Utah’s capital region and many other great one-stop onward destinations.

Salt Lake City service marks the eighth Delta nonstop destination from Cleveland, bringing an increase of Delta peak day departures to over 40 percent and seat levels by 100 percent in the last five years.

The flying will operate on the following schedule:

Departs	Arrives	Aircraft
CLE at 8:30 a.m.	SLC at 10:25 a.m.	Airbus A319
SLC at 5 p.m.	CLE at 10:50 p.m.	Airbus A319

For customers, the onboard Delta experience will be on Airbus A319 aircraft, with seating for 12 in First Class, 18 in Comfort+ and 102 in the main cabin. Free in-flight streaming entertainment via Delta Studio and access to Wi-Fi is available at every seat.

In other news, Delta is also bringing New York nonstop service to Chattanooga customers, thanks to new nonstop service to be flown six times weekly beginning July 9.

The flights will be operated by Delta Connection carrier Endeavor Air on CRJ900 aircraft with seating for 12 in First Class, 20 in Delta Comfort+ and 44 in the main cabin. Complimentary beverages and snacks will be served and customers will have access to inflight Wi-Fi. Flights will operate on the following schedule:

Departs	Arrives	Days of Operation
CHA at 7:05 a.m.	LGA at 9:30 a.m.	Mon. – Sat.
LGA at 8:20 p.m.	CHA at 10:55 p.m.	Sun. – Fri.

The new LaGuardia service will complement existing Delta service, offering 12 peak-day departures from Chattanooga with global connections via the airline’s hubs at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

More than 70 years ago, Delta began serving Chattanooga and the southeastern Tennessee community on 21-passenger Douglas DC-3 aircraft.

Delta Air Lines aircraft slide show (Airbus):

Photo of the Day: The first Boeing 737-9 MAX 9 in airline colors now with its delivery registration

From Joe G. Walker reporting from Seattle:

The first Boeing 737-9 MAX 9 that will be delivered, is now painted at Renton and will be getting ready to fly very soon.

The aircraft will be going to Thai Lion Air as HS-LSH (msn 42991, line number 6771).

The first MAX 9, in house colors, is still conducting flight tests out of Boeing Field (BFI). The second, the pictured HS-LSH, was the first to appear in an airline livery.

It has been stored at Renton since around September of last year.

Video: The rise and fall of Hooters Air

Introduction to the video:

Hooters Air launched in 2003, but closed about three years later. The company cited a number of reasons for the airline’s failure, including a $40 million loss. But in the short time that Hooters Air existed, it made a major economic impact on one city in particular — Myrtle Beach, South Carolina — that’s where the airline was headquartered, and where it brought thousands of tourists every week. We talked to people who worked for Hooters Air — flight attendants and one pilot (who asked to remain anonymous). They told us what it was really like to work for the airline (which featured two Hooters Girls on every flight) and dispelled some common misperceptions about what it was like to fly it. Hooters declined to comment for this story.

Hooters Air aircraft slide show:

Video:

Serve Air Cargo 9S-ASG runs off the runway at Lubumbashi

Serve Air Cargo (Kinshasa) ex-United Airlines Boeing 737-322 (F) 9S-ASG (msn 24378) ran off the side of runway 7 on March 4, 2018 while landing at Lubumbashi Airport in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The nose gear collapsed.

JACDEC on social media:

The company’s profile according to the airline:

Serve Air is one of Democratic Republic of Congo’s leading private sector cargo airline in its formative stages based in Kinshasa (DRC). It is well organized to take advantage of a specific gap in the short-haul domestic freight transportation market.

Serve Air was established in 1993 as a registered business entity and came in to effect as a sole ownership through Mr. Harish Jagtani in 2003. Harish Jagtani has extensive experience in freight transportation aviation. The management of Serve Air is well versed in all governmental approval procedures, having traversed them in the past to a full approval and operational status.

The foundation of the company’s growth over the last 5 years is a deep understanding of economic stimuli and his ONG customer needs, and the ability to translate them into customer-desired offerings through leading edge business strategy. The company’s 230 employees are guided by the vision to be “best in the manner in which we operate, best in the airline business, and best in his value system and ethics.”

Serve Air is also expanding its international footprint, established through turnover since 2003. The company’s commercial cargo aircrafts are already being marketed in all over country.
True to the tradition of the Serve Air Group, Serve Air is committed in letter and spirit to Corporate Social Responsibility. It is a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact, and is engaged in community and social initiatives on labour and environment standards in compliance with the principles of the Global Compact. In accordance with this, it plays an active role in community development, serving rural communities adjacent to its aviation locations.
With the foundation of its rich heritage, Serve Air today is etching a refulgent future.

Incorporated on January 05, 1993, Serve Air Group Inc. has been providing Domestic and International cargo service throughout Dem. Rep. of Congo.

In early 2009, Serve Air introduced the Boeing 727-200 aircraft (above) to it’s fleet, to become Congo’s only Boeing 727 Super 27 Freighter operator serving the cargo market between DR Congo, and all over Africa. Serve Air is led by a highly experienced and motivated management team, driven by under serviced markets and based on a solid business plan. Enjoying the unique advantages of being a wholly Indian staff with persons from all over the world, we will provide economical, reliable, and superior charter service to the World.

Route Map:

Western Global to operate Boeing 747-400Fs between Los Angeles and Hong Kong

Western Global Airlines has made this announcement:

Western Global Airlines is pleased to announce that it has entered into a three-year agreement with Flexport to provide dedicated 747-400 freighter scheduled service between Hong Kong and Los Angeles beginning on April 5, 2018.

Western Global’s CEO and Founder, Jim Neff stated: “Our partnership with Flexport is a significant milestone because it will enable our two companies to join forces to revolutionize the traditional air cargo platform for the 21^st century. Both Flexport and WGA were founded in 2013, and both have taken customer-focused approaches based on new technology. They have grown rapidly to become leaders and innovators in their respective business segments, and as such are natural partners in changing the air freight dynamic together. I believe that WGA’s responsive and robust service will allow Flexport to strongly serve their customer base both in Asia and the US.”

The initial service starting in April will be roundtrip twice per week between Hong Kong and Los Angeles growing to three times per week in September.

Based in Florida, minutes from the Southwest Florida International Airport, Western Global is a FAA Certified 121 all cargo airline operating its owned fleet of Boeing 747-400F and McDonnell Douglas MD-11F freighter airplanes worldwide for many of the top airlines, express companies, logistics providers, humanitarian and relief organizations, and the US DOD. In less than four years of operations, Western Global has flown to 315 airports, in 115 countries on six continents.

Copyright Photo: Navitrans (Western Global Airlines) Boeing 747-446 (F) N344KD (msn 26344) ANC (Arnd Wolf). Image: 937885.

Western Global Airlines aircraft slide show:

Etihad Airways launches the first ever scheduled flight between Abu Dhabi and Baku

Etihad Airways’ inaugural flight, flight EY297, departed Abu Dhabi on March 3 carrying a special delegation including diplomats, dignitaries, media representatives, and senior members of Etihad Airways’ management team.

On arrival in Baku, the aircraft was greeted with a traditional water cannon salute (below), followed by the customary display of the Emirati and Azerbaijani national flags from the cockpit windows.

Etihad Airways and Azerbaijan Airlines recently announced a codeshare partnership which now sees Azerbaijan Airlines place its ‘J2’ code on Etihad Airways services between Baku and Abu Dhabi.

Under this partnership, Azerbaijan Airlines guests will be able to book codeshare flights to and from Abu Dhabi and connect onto Etihad Airways’ extensive global network.

Flying three times a week using a 136-seat Airbus A320, configured with 16 seats in Business Class and 120 in Economy Class, the new flights will operate every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, providing optimal daylight timings for guests departing and arriving in Abu Dhabi and Baku. The schedule provides convenient connections to and from the airline’s global network and has been timed evenly throughout the week to provide a mix of weekend, short stay and business travel options.

Schedule

Flight No.	Origin	Departs	Dest	Arrives	Freq	Aircraft
EY297	Abu Dhabi	10:10	Baku	13:15	Wed, Fri, Sat	A320
EY298	Baku	16:30	Abu Dhabi	19:25	Wed, Fri, Sat	A320