Hainan Airlines (Haikou and Beijing) will start the Beijing – Prague route three days a week beginning on September 23. The new route will operate with Boeing 767-300 aircraft per Airline Route.
Copyright Photo: Paul Denton/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 767-34P ER B-2490 (msn 33047) arrives in Dubai.
Hainan Airlines aircraft slide show:ย 
Air Transat (Montreal) on June 17 launched its twice-weekly summer seasonal service between Halifax and London (Gatwick) with Boeing 737 aircraft.
The return westbound routing stops at Gander per Airline Route.
Copyright Photo: Gilbert Hechema/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8Q8 C-GTQB (msn 30696) with APB Split Scimitar Winglets completes its approach to the runway at Montreal (Trudeau).
Air Transat aircraft slide show:ย
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (Amsterdam) has announced a pull back on its planned expansion for this coming winter season. The airline issued this statement:
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will reduce the number of flights it had planned and, in so doing, curtail the growth it had intended for the 2015/2016 winter season. The adjustments will result in a half-million fewer seats than were previously planned. The winter season will run from October 25, 2015 to March 26, 2016.
KLM will reduce flight frequencies to ten European destinations. Furthermore, frequencies to Africa, Japan, and Brazil will also be curtailed. KLM will do all it can to minimise any inconvenience to passengers.
The adjustments result from the fact that KLMโs revenues are under pressure. The pressure will force Air France-KLM to accelerate its plans to implement its Perform 2020 program. KLM has introduced a broad range of initiatives to improve its competitive position, and speed is of the essence.
KLM has already reached an accord with the cabin crew and ground crew unions concerning a collective labour agreement. Further implementation depends on an accord with the pilotsโ union (VNV), which has not yet agreed to much-needed productivity increases.
Copyright Photo: SPA/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-7K2 PH-BGK (msn 38054) departs from London’s Heathrow Airport.
KLM aircraft slide show:ย
Air China (Beijing) officials and China-bound passengers at Tom Bradley International Terminal welcomed the arrival of the inaugural flight of the airlineโs third daily nonstop service from Beijing (flight CA 887) at 9 a.m. PDT yesterday (July 1). Chinaโs national flag carrier is also celebrated the first day of the relocation of its airport operations from Terminal 2 to the Los Angeles International Airportโs (LAX) bigger and newly renovated Tom Bradley International Terminal.
All of Air Chinaโs three Los Angeles (LAX)-Beijing (PEK) daily nonstop services are operated by the ย Boeing 777-300 ER. Air China is the only airline with a nonstop service between these two cities.
Air China offers nonstop services to Beijing from its seven gateways in North America: Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Washington Dulles, Houston, Honolulu and Vancouver. In addition to Los Angeles, Air China is also the only airline with nonstop services to Beijing from New York and Houston. If offers double daily services from New Yorkโs JFK International; daily services from Houston, Vancouver and San Francisco; four times weekly service from Washington Dulles and three times weekly from Honolulu to Beijing.
On September 29, 2015, Air China will launch the three times weekly nonstop service between Beijing and Montreal (Trudeau). It will be the first transpacific direct link between these two cities. The new Montreal service will bring Air Chinaโs number of gateways in North America to a total of eight.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 777-39L B-2088 (msn 38668) approaches the runway at Los Angeles International Airport.
Air China aircraft slide show:ย
The Houston Airport System (HAS) has issued this statement and conceptual rendering:
The Houston Airport System (HAS) has been granted a Launch Site License from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that enables Ellington Airport (EFD) to establish itself as a launch site for Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLV), making it the 10th commercial spaceport in the United States.
Nearly two years after Houston City Council members gave their overwhelming support for the project, the FAA’s formal approval opens the door for plans that could see Ellington Airport become a focal point for aerospace operations, such as the launching of micro satellites, astronaut training, zero gravity experimentation, spacecraft manufacturing and a host of other potential activities.
“Houston will play a lead role in commercial space operations in the 21st century,” said Houston Mayor Annise Parker. “We believe a licensed Spaceport in Houston will not only serve as an economic generator for the city but also enhance Houston’s well-deserved reputation as a leader and key player in the aerospace industry.”
After working closely with the FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation, HAS now can move forward in establishing the required infrastructure and support facilities needed to accommodate RLVs โ which execute horizontal launches, rather than vertical, similar to commercial aircraft.
“Houston has been at the forefront of aviation history and innovation for decades,” Houston Aviation Director Mario C. Diaz said. “Not only does this opportunity reinforce an already long-established connection with the aerospace industry, it offers Houston an opportunity to strengthen its reputation as a forward-looking city and leader in creating high-tech, next-generation type jobs.”
Situated near the Gulf of Mexico, and featuring more than 400 acres of land readily available for development, Ellington Airport is tailor-made for the requirements associated with an operating licensed Spaceport. As a whole, Houston offers a booming economy with a strong aerospace industrial base, a well-educated workforce with experience in the high-tech demands of space exploration and plenty of room for growth at a strategically located airport facility.
“We look forward to completing our vision to create an aerospace industry cluster at the Houston Spaceport,” said Arturo Machuca, the General Manager at Ellington Airport who has led the efforts to bring the spaceport project to EFD. “Now that we are officially the 10th commercial spaceport in the U.S. we are ready to work with our aerospace industry partners to take advantage of the unique location, infrastructure and human resources that the fourth largest city in the U.S. has to offer.”
Videos:
JetBlue Airways (New York) today (July 1) opened the T5ยฎ Rooftop at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport, the only post-security outdoor space accessible to all customers at a New York airport. The T5 Rooftop, which includes a green area and kid-friendly and dog-friendly spaces, is open all summer from 6 am to 10 pm for travelers who clear security at JetBlue’s home terminal — T5. This new outdoor park offers customers views of the Manhattan skyline and the historic Eero Saarinen TWA Terminal from an unexpected vantage point — a rooftop at the airport.
The T5 Rooftop, designed by Gensler, perfectly complements the overall design of T5 which emphasizes light and well-being. In addition to spectacular views, outdoor seating and New York-centric food carts, the T5 Rooftop also includes the first post-security dog walk area at JFK. Much like T5, the T5 Rooftop focuses on sustainability, convenience and humanity with features including:
A wood roof deck, aluminum outdoor furniture and planters
Free Wi-Fi
New York-centric food and beverage carts/kiosks featuring Brooklyn’s Blue Marble ice cream and Hebrew National hot dogs
Native plantings including oak leaved hydrangeas, lilyturf and sweetsphire
Sustainable materials.
JetBlue celebrated the opening of the T5 Rooftop with a Live From T5โข concert featuring Brooklyn-based indie band Mainland, who performed selections from their debut EP, Shiner. JetBlue will host an ongoing Summer Friday series with DJ sets, acoustic performances, food and beverage samplings and other entertainment offerings for customers visiting the outdoor space and traveling through T5 this summer.
JetBlue’s award-winning Live From T5 concert series has served as a platform for emerging artists and top pop acts. Since 2009, the in-terminal concert series has enhanced the JetBlue experience with live entertainment exclusively for customers traveling through T5. These surprise shows have featured performances by an array of artists across musical genres including Goodie Mob, The Wanted, Taylor Swift, Emeli Sande, Jason Derulo, Sarah McLachlan, Daughtry and more.
The T5 Rooftop is the latest enhancement to JetBlue’s award-winning T5, recognized as one of the world’s ten most beautiful airport terminals by Frommer’s. T5 opened in 2008 and an international arrivals hall, dubbed T5 International, opened in November 2014. The T5 Rooftop includes a 4,046 square foot park with landscaped green spaces, seating for 50 people, a 400 square foot kid friendly space and a dedicated 400 square foot dog walk area.
Several JetBlue business partners and contractors collaborated on this project ensuring that the T5 Rooftop matched and enhanced T5’s existing feel and sustainable elements. Project partners collaborated on all aspects including infrastructure and design to construction. Business partners included Gensler, Arup and Turner Construction Company.
Photo: JetBlue Airways.
Bombardier Commercial Aircraft (Montreal) has announced it has delivered the first of seven CRJ900 aircraft to Mesa Air Group, Inc. of Phoenix, Arizona (Mesa Airlines). Mesa will operate the aircraft for American Airlines under the American Eagle brand. The aircraft delivered is one of a firm order for seven announced on March 12, 2015.
The CRJ900 delivery ceremony held on June 30 at Bombardierโs Mirabel, Quรฉbec facility, was attended by executives of both Mesa Airlines and Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.
The aircraft delivered will increase Mesaโs fleet of CRJ900 regional jets to 58, reconfirming the airlineโs standing as one of the largest operators of this aircraft model. Mesaโs new CRJ900 aircraft are configured with 76 seats in a dual-class interior. The airline also operates 20 CRJ700 aircraft with 70 seats in a three-class interior. By September 2015, Mesaโs currently scheduled deliveries will bring its regional jet fleet total to 115.
As of March 31, 2015, Bombardier had recorded firm orders for 1,865 CRJ Series aircraft, including 391 CRJ900 aircraft.
New video from S7 Airlines:ย The Imagination Machine โ an innovative project that allows people to control a virtual plane using only the power of their imagination.
Mainly in Russian with English sub-titles.
Boeing and Embraer S.A. have announced that they intend to collaborate to test environment-focused technologies through the ecoDemonstrator Program in a joint effort to improve aviation’s environmental performance. This expands ongoing cooperation between two of the world’s largest airplane manufacturers.
Frederico Curado, president and CEO of Embraer, and Marc Allen, president of Boeing International, signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the Brazil-U.S. Business Summit organized by the Brazil-U.S. Business Council. The business summit, hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, occurred during an official visit by Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff with U.S. President Barack Obama.
Boeing launched its ecoDemonstrator Program in 2011 to accelerate testing and use of new technologies that can reduce fuel use, carbon emissions and noise. The company has so far tested more than 50 technologies with a Next-Generation 737-800, 787 Dreamliner and, currently, a 757. Through their collaboration, Boeing and Embraer are planning to conduct ecoDemonstrator tests with an Embraer airplane in 2016.
The ecoDemonstrator cooperation between Boeing and Embraer advances a relationship that began in 2012 when the manufacturers announced they would cooperate in ways that create value for both companies and their customers. Since then, the manufacturers have worked together to improve runway safety and support Embraer’s KC-390 defense aircraft program.
In addition, in 2015, Boeing and Embraer opened a joint biofuel research center in Sรฃo Josรฉ dos Campos, Brazil, to perform biofuel research and coordinate research with Brazilian universities and other institutions.
Boeing has worked with suppliers, airlines and government agencies on previous ecoDemonstrator flight tests. Those technologies include a new winglet and “bug-phobic” wing coatings that can improve aerodynamic efficiency, software applications that can improve in-flight efficiency and new types of sustainable aviation biofuel.
Embraer incorporates environmental requisites into product development through its Environmentally Sustainable Products Program (DIPAS). Embraer aircraft are designed with an emphasis on incorporating innovations and adhering to environmental norms. With the ecoDemonstrator platform, new technologies under development that can lessen environmental impact are tested in flight and mature faster.
Lufthansa Group has issued this statement:
Lufthansa and Germanwings are assuming also the long-term responsibility for the outcome of the crash of the Germanwings flight 4U9525. Thus, in particular, children and teenagers who have lost one parent or both parents shall receive support for their education on the long-term. For this purpose a fund of up to โฌ7.8 million shall be made available on a fiduciary account.
Furthermore, an aid fund is being set up, which shall, over a term of three years provide individual support for aid projects of the relatives. Project funds shall be available in the sum of up to โฌ2 million per year. Projects that are related to the victims are those being promoted. A Board of Trustees has been contracted to decide on the fair distribution of the funds, and shall be employed over the coming months.
Besides the financial support memorials shall be set up in four locations affected by the tragedy over the coming months. A commemorative plaque shall be set up at Barcelona airport and at the company headquarters of Germanwings in Cologne. In the vicinity of the location of the crash in Le Vernet a โroom of silenceโ is planned. For the victims from Haltern trees have already been planted on the wish of the bereaved.
The relatives of the victims and their lawyers shall be informed on further compensation over the next few days. As a first step, Germanwings and Lufthansa have paid off an advanced compensation in the amount of โฌ50,000.00 to close relatives.
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