American to operate the Boeing 787 internationally from Los Angeles

American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) will soon begin operating the new Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner internationally from Los Angeles International Airport. The carrier will launch daily Los Angeles – Shanghai (Pudong) Boeing 787 service on October 5 followed by daily Los Angeles – Sao Paulo (Guarulhos) flights on November 5 per Airline Route.

Copyright Photo: SPA/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner N800AN (msn 40618) approaches the runway at London (Heathrow).

American Airlines aircraft slide show (new livery only):

Air Canada operations at Toronto Pearson are operating normally

Air Canada (Montreal) yesterday issued this statement about operations at its Toronto (Pearson) hub:

Air Canada reported its operations returned to normal yesterday (July 4) morning following an illegal labor disruption at Consolidated Aviation Fueling of Toronto (the sole fuel agent at Toronto Pearson) that affected the fueling of all airlines operating at Pearson International Airport on July 3.

Ryanair to open a new base at Gothenburg, wants a three runway solution and will launch the Edinburgh – Copenhagen route

Ryanair (Dublin) will open its 74th base at Gothenburg in September with one based aircraft and 13 routes.

In other news, Ryanair has called for a three runway solution in the South East England (London) area. The airline issued this statement in response to the proposed third runway at London Heathrow:

“Ryanair believes that the proposed Heathrow runway – which won’t be delivered for 10 or 15 years – won’t solve the runway capacity crisis in the South East. Ryanair strongly advocates taking politicians out of runway decision making and allowing each of the three London airports, Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, to build 3 competing runways which will solve the capacity crisis in the South East for the next 100 years, while at the same time allowing competition between the airports to deliver this capacity efficiently. It remains a fact that additional runways in Stansted and Gatwick can and will be delivered much earlier than any Heathrow third runway.”

The company reported its June traffic grew 14 percent to 9.5 million customers. Its load factor rose five points to 93 percent!

Finally, the ultra low-fare airline announced a new route linking its Edinburgh base with Copenhagen. The new route will operate three days a week starting on November 6.

Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8AS EI-ENC (msn 34980) approaches the runway at Las Palmas.

Ryanair aircraft slide show:

Qatar Airways announces the seventh flight to London Heathrow

Qatar Airways (Doha) continues to expand. Starting on October 25, the fast-growing Gulf carrier is increasing the weekly frequencies on the Doha – London (Heathrow) route from 42 weekly flight to 46 weekly flights, meaning it will operate seven flights a day on key days of the week. This includes double-daily Airbus A380 (above) operations on the route.

In other news, on July 1 Qatar Airways launched its second new destination of the year, touching down in the Spice Island of Zanzibar. Zanzibar is the airline’s third route in Tanzania, following Dar-es-Salaam and Kilimanjaro.

Qatar Airways will initially operate five weekly flights to Zanzibar via Kilimanjaro, and commencing October 1, 2015, the airline will offer an additional two weekly flights making it a daily operation. Out of the daily flights from October, passengers will be able to fly nonstop to Zanzibar three-times-a-week and on a linked flight via Kilimanjaro four-times-a-week.

Qatar Airways is operating an Airbus A320 in a two-class configuration on the Zanzibar-Doha route, with 12 seats in Business Class and up to 132 seats in Economy.

Additionally the flag carrier has announced network frequency increases to multiple destinations across its global network.

The national airline is adding frequencies to its popular routes – Dubai (UAE), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Peshawar (Pakistan), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Belgrade (Serbia), Sofia (Bulgaria), Asmara (Eritrea), Djibouti (Djibouti), Najaf (Iraq), Luxor (Egypt), Salalah (Oman) and Zanzibar (Tanzania) all of which are launching over the coming months.

From July 16, Qatar Airways will increase its frequency on the Doha – Dubai route with one additional daily flight, taking its capacity up to 15 services a day to Dubai International Airport (DXB), which also takes the total frequency to DXB and DWC to 19 flights a day. Dubai has the highest frequency in the airline’s route network and this popular Gulf destination is currently served 126 times a week.

Flights to destinations in the Middle East has also increased with an additional daily flight during Ramadan to Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from June 18, services to Jeddah have risen from double-daily flights to triple-daily flights.

The third daily flight to Jeddah is being operated with an all-premium First Class service. The Airbus A319 aircraft fitted with an all First Class, single aisle, 2–2 seating configuration with 40 seats.

Qatar Airways will also be strengthening its commitment to Pakistan. After the recent announcement to launch flights to three new destinations (Sialkot, Faisalabad and Multan), the airline is expanding further in Pakistan with Peshawar moving from three weekly flights to daily flights effective from October 1.

The popular Far East destination of Kuala Lumpur, which is currently served 21 times-a-week, will have three additional flights from July 2 to August 29, helping to supplement busy travel demands during this summer season.

The Sofia-Belgrade linked route, which is currently served with five flights a week, will see an increase to daily flights when it adds two more flights commencing July 2.

Starting from July 1, Qatar Airways will initially operate five weekly flights to Zanzibar via Kilimanjaro, and commencing October 1, the airline will offer an additional two weekly flights making it a daily operation to Zanzibar. Out of the daily flights from October, passengers will be able to fly non-stop to Zanzibar three-times-a-week and on a linked flight via Kilimanjaro four-times-a-week.

Expansion in Africa includes one additional weekly flight to both Asmara and Djibouti from July 1 and July 3 respectively. Service to Luxor in Egypt will increase with one more weekly flight effective from November 1, 2015 to March 20, 2016.

Najaf in Iraq will be operated with two additional weekly flights from July 15 taking its frequency to 10 weekly flights. From September 18, four additional weekly flights will be launched to Najaf making it a double-daily operation.

In addition, Qatar Airways will operate three more weekly flights to popular tourist destination Salalah from October 6.

The airline now serves 147 worldwide destinations with 161 aircraft.

Copyright Photo: SPA/AirlinersGallery.com. Qatar Airways’ Airbus A380-861 A7-APA (msn 137) climbs majestically away from the runway at London’s Heathrow Airport.

Qatar Airways aircraft slide show:

JetBlue operates its first Cuban charter flight from New York JFK to Havana

JetBlue Airways (New York) yesterday (July 3) operated its first weekly charter flights between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Havana’s José Martí International Airport (HAV). JetBlue becomes the first major U.S. carrier to fly the route since travel restrictions were eased earlier this year.

With the addition of the flights between New York and Havana, JetBlue now operates five weekly round trips to Cuba, including flights from Tampa (TPA) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood (FLL) with various charter partners. As the largest U.S. airline to the Caribbean, Cuba will one day play an important role in JetBlue’s overall network in the region.

The New York-Havana charter service was announced in May shortly after a successful trade mission trip to Cuba with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. The Governor, joined by JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes and other New York business leaders, led a dialogue to connect Empire State businesses to new opportunities in Cuba.

Cuba Travel Services is offering the flight, operated by JetBlue, on Fridays from New York.

Cuba Travel Services Inc. arranges daily, nonstop public charter flights between the United States and Cuba and is licensed by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as an authorized Carrier Service Provider specializing in travel to Cuba. They offer full service travel arrangements to individuals, groups, families, educators, students, professionals and organizations, under Specific or General Licenses issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Copyright Photo: Stephen Tornblom/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-232 N586JB (msn 2160) in the special “I Love New York” scheme taxies from the gate at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York.

JetBlue Airways aircraft slide show:

Happy Fourth of July to all of our U.S. readers

B&H Airlines to be liquidated

B&H Airlines (Sarajevo) will be liquidated. The flag carrier of Bosnia and Herzegovina suspended schedule passenger operations on June 11. The federal government has decided to liquidate the carrier according to Balkans.com.

The airline was originally founded in 1994 as Air Bosna and became the current B&H Airlines in June 2005.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Photo Above: B&H Airlines. The personnel of the airline will lose their jobs.

Top Copyright Photo: Keith Burton/AirlinersGallery.com. ATR 72-212 T9-AAD (msn 464) approaches the runway at Zurich.

B&H Airlines aircraft slide show:

Video:

B&H Airlines aircraft slide show:

Delta’s Technical Operations has the ultimate grill

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) in celebration of the Fourth of July holiday, has issued this interesting story about the ultimate grill built by its Technical Operations:

Fourth of July weekend means patriotic parades, fireworks and yes, grilling out. Well, has Delta got a grill for you.

It’s Delta’s Celebration Grill, built to resemble an aircraft by the TechOps team. Its wingspan measures more than 20 feet across, the fuselage grilling chamber is 38 feet long and nearly 15 feet high at the tip of its tail. Fired up, it can make about 500 burgers an hour.

Nine things to know about TechOps’ Celebration Grill (pictured above):

By Morgan Durrant.

Think of it as the ultimate Delta tribute to grilling.- a passion shared by many Delta people. Its wingspan measures more than 20 feet across, the fuselage grilling chamber is 38 feet long and nearly 15 feet high at the tip of its tail. It can crank out about 500 burgers an hour.

Think of it as a microcosm of the Delta TechOps brand. S.V.P-Technical Operations Don Mitacek said that it can be difficult for customers and employees alike to fully understand and appreciate what TechOps does. “But the craftsmanship of the grill allows people to see what TechOps does each and every day to keep our planes in tip-top shape,” Don said.

Teamwork made it happen. This strikingly aerodynamic and newest member of Delta’s fleet is comprised of all new parts. The design, engineering, fabrication, construction and painting was done by more than 60 TechOps employees in seven departments at the Atlanta Technical Operations Center, the Minneapolis/St. Paul base and Ground Service Equipment.

About 30 Technicians and Engineers presented it to E.V.P. and Chief Operating Officer Gil West today. Gil enthusiastically accepted it alongside other TechOps leaders. Inaugural burgers sizzled on three of the six grills.

What better follow-up to the TechOps Party Bar built by much of same team in 2014? Because no Delta-branded outdoor adult beverage distribution apparatus should be without a culinary counterpart for too long.

Its debut to the entire Delta family was last month at the Atlanta Block Party. And there are plans for it go on the road later thanks to a 48-foot trailer.

Safety first: It’s got a built-in fire suppression system. In the ceiling compartment, sensors and extinguishers are perched strategically should a fire take hold. Oh, and there are also gas leak detectors that will ring a siren should a leak occur.

Have manual, will travel. Constructed to be mobile much like it’s Party Bar counterpart, the team created a detailed, photo-illustrated instruction manual to ensure safe and efficient operation – no matter which Delta grill master will have the honors to toss their preferred barbeque offering on it.

The tail and wings collapse for transport. But mind the ‘no-step’ areas on the wings. Because while this grill isn’t yet on Delta’s operations specifications book with the FAA, you never know what an inspector might think.

Photo: Delta Air Lines. The “Plane Grill” has the fake registration of “NBBQDL”.

Airbus and Chinese partners agree on A330 wide-body cooperation

Airbus (Toulouse) and its Chinese partners, namely the Tianjin Free Trade Zone Investment Company Ltd. (TJFTZ) and the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), have signed a framework agreement on setting up an A330 Completion and Delivery Centre (C&DC) in Tianjin, China, taking the partnership between Airbus and China a further step forward following the successful establishment of an A320 Family Final Assembly Line and Delivery Center in the Chinese city.

The agreement was signed by Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO, Yang Bing, President of the TJFTZ and Pang Zhen, Vice President, Commercial Aircraft, AVIC representing the Chinese parties, at the Airbus site in Toulouse, France. The signature was witnessed by visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and French Prime Minister Manuel Valls. Premier Li has had a tour of the Airbus facility, accompanied by Prime Minister Valls after they have presided over a Europe-China Economic Forum held in Toulouse.

The framework agreement firms-up the Letter of Intent signed by the three parties last year.
“Building on our successful cooperation with China, highlighted by the A320 Family Final Assembly Line in Tianjin, our partnership keeps growing and expanding. The signature of this framework agreement on the A330 Completion and Delivery Centre will open a new chapter of strategic cooperation on wide-body aircraft with China. Together, we will develop new facilities and capabilities, and attract new suppliers and businesses in China,” said Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO.

The A330 C&DC Tianjin will be located near the site of the Airbus A320 Family Final Assembly Line in Tianjin. The C&DC will cover the aircraft completion activities including reception, cabin installation, aircraft painting, engine run and flight test, as well as aircraft delivery and customer flight acceptance.

Under the project, the A330 Family aircraft to be completed at the A330 C&DC Tianjin will be assembled in Toulouse but will be painted and have their cabin furnished and installed in Tianjin.

On the same occasion, Airbus has also signed a Letter of Intent with AVIC on cabin development cooperation and procurement frame contract with Zhejiang Xizi Aerospace Fastener Co., Ltd for design, development, manufacturing, and supply of standard fastener parts.

At present, the in-service Airbus fleet with Chinese operators comprises over 1,150 aircraft (over 150 A330 Family and over 980 A320 Family aircraft). In the 20 year period between 2014 to 2033 Airbus forecasts a demand in China for more than 5,300 new commercial aircraft over 100 seats plus freighters.

Photo: Airbus.

Southwest Airlines reaches a tentative agreement with its flight attendants

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) has announced it has reached a tentative agreement with its Flight Attendants. Terms of the deal were not released, but the airline said they include wage increases, bonus opportunities, and work-rule adjustments.

According to the airline, Southwest Airlines Flight Attendants, represented by Transport Workers Union (TWU) 556, will be presented with the details of the agreement in the coming weeks, and members will have the opportunity to vote on ratification. The current contract became amendable May 31, 2013. If approved, the new agreement will run through May 2019.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8H4 N8662F (msn 36936) completes its final approach to the runway at Los Angeles International Airport.

Southwest Airlines:

Delta launches its “Early Valet” service at its U.S. hubs

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) has announced the launch of its new “Early Valet” service at its U.S. hubs. The company issued this statement:

Delta launched a special service this summer to improve the customer experience when boarding.

Delta’s Early Valet is a surprise-and-delight service in which Airport Customer Service gate agents preload customers’ carry-on luggage into the overhead bins above their assigned seats. The bags are tagged and labeled with the customer’s seat assignment.

The idea came to Alan Janbay, Delta’s Project Leader – Airport Customer Service Field Support, when he watched a mother load her bag in the overhead bin on a flight to Baltimore in 2014.

“She struggled with placing her roller board in the overhead bin for some time before a fellow passenger and I assisted,” he said. “I thought, ‘We should have a service for that.’ I immediately emailed my leadership team with the idea and the rest is history.”

Testing for Early Valet began last summer at Los Angeles International Airport and later in Atlanta. After data revealed faster boarding and an improved customer experience, the program was introduced at all of Delta’s domestic hubs, including Atlanta, Seattle, Minneapolis/St. Paul and New York-JFK, on June 1.

The program, which is available on Delta’s narrow-body aircraft on select routes, targets families traveling with small children, customers with disabilities, elderly travelers and high value customers. It has proven to shave one-and-a-half minutes from the average boarding time as between six to nine bags are typically retrieved and loaded approximately 45 minutes before departure.

“Our goal is to transform the gate experience from a ‘hold room’ to a friendly and interactive space where Early Valet agents engage with customers, welcoming and assisting them on the spot,” Janbay said.

Customer reaction to Early Valet has been positive as customer satisfaction scores increased up to 8 percent on the targeted flights compared to those that did not receive the service.

Photo: Delta.