Turkish Airlines Airbus A330-300 skids off the runway at Kathmandu

Turkish Airlines (Istanbul) flight TK 726 from Istanbul skidded off a foggy runway today (March 4) while landing at Kathmandu, Nepal. The Airbus A330-303 TC-JOC (msn 1522) had already aborted a previous approach and was circling the airport before attempting to land again. The aircraft skidded off the runway and the nose gear collapsed. The passengers used the emergency chutes to evacuate the airliner.

According to this report by NBC, only one passenger out of the 224 passengers and crew members on board was injured.

Turkish Airlines issued this short statement:

Our flight number TK726 from İstanbul to Kathmandu overshot the runway after landing at Napal / Kathmandu.

All of our passengers and flight crew evacuated safely.

Necessary precautions are taken; after the technical investigation, this unfortunate incident will be determined and announced to public.

Read the full report from NBC: CLICK HERE

Read the full report from The Independent: CLICK HERE

Twitter photo by Mallika Aryal.

Video:

Ryanair orders three additional Boeing 737-800s, the “nicer approach” is working

Ryanair (Dublin) and Boeing (Chicago, Seattle and Charleston) have announced an order for three Next-Generation 737-800s. The order, previously unidentified on the Boeing Orders & Deliveries website, is valued at $280 million at current list prices. With this order the Irish low-cost carrier now has unfilled orders for 174 Next-Generation 737-800s and 100 737 MAX 200s.

This new order will allow Ryanair to expand its Boeing fleet to over 520 aircraft.

Ryanair operates more than 1,600 flights daily from 72 bases, connecting 189 destinations in 30 countries. With a team of more than 9,700 highly skilled professionals, the airline flew more than 86 million passengers in 2014.

Also, Ryanair has reported a 29% rise in passenger numbers for February, with the low-cost carrier announcing today it carried a total of 5.8 million passengers last month, up from 4.5 million the same time last year.

The airline also said its load factor (how many seats it fills on each flight) rose 11% to 89% in February.

In a statement at the airline’s 30th Anniversary celebration of it’s first flight, CEO Michael O’Leary praised the carrier’s new “soft approach” to passenger relations and “Always Getting Better” campaign.

“If I had known that being nicer to our customers was going to work so well, I’d have been nicer to them much earlier,” O’Leary said.

Assistant Editor Oliver Wilcock reporting from Manchester.

Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8AS EI-ENR (msn 35041) completes its final approach to Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) in the Canary Islands.

Ryanair aircraft slide show:

Silk Way West orders three additional Boeing 747-800 freighters

Silk Way West (formerly Silk Way Airlines) (Baku) and Boeing (Chicago, Seattle and Charleston) have announced an order for three 747-8 Freighter airplanes valued at more than $1.1 billion at current list prices.

Silk Way West is an enterprise of the Silk Way Group, which includes 23 companies working in the aviation industry and related services. The airline currently operates seven Boeing airplanes, including two 767-300 Freighters, three 747-400 Freighters and two 747-8 Freighters.

According to Boeing, “there are now 56 747-8 Freighters in service with eight customers, the 747-8 Freighters have logged more than 500,000 flight hours and more than 88,000 flight cycles. They are performing with the highest dispatch reliability and utilization of any four-engine airplane in service.”

Copyright Photo: Royal S. King/AirlinersGallery.com. Silkway Azerbaijan Cargo (Silk Way West Airlines) Boeing 747-83QF VQ-BVC (4K-SW882) (msn 44937) lands at Paine Field near Everett.

Silk Way West aircraft slide show:

Cargojet paints its first aircraft for the Purolator contract

Cargojet Airways (Hamilton) has painted the first aircraft for the new Purolator contract.

Cargojet is taking over all Canada Post/Purolator flying after beating out Kelowna Flightcraft for the new contract.

On February 19, 2014 Cargojet announced they have been awarded the Domestic Air Cargo Network Services contract and have signed a Master Services Agreement with the Canada Post Group of Companies (CPGOC) for an initial seven-year (7) term with three (3) thirty-six month (36) renewal options. Projected revenues are estimated to be approximately one billion dollars during the initial seven-year agreement based on projected volumes.

Cargojet will provide comprehensive Canada-wide air cargo services for the Group of Companies, including Purolator’s national air cargo network. Cargojet’s domestic overnight network will be expanded and enhanced significantly to handle the additional volumes and provide a virtual dedicated Air Cargo Network to the Canada Post Group of Companies.

Purolator is Canada’s leading integrated freight and parcel solutions provider.

Copyright Photo: Chris Sands/AirlinersGallery.com. Former Star Air Boeing 767-39H ER C-FGSJ (msn 26256, ex OY-SRS) departs majestically from Calgary International Airport.

Cargojet aircraft slide show:

Norwegian’s pilots will strike tomorrow affecting traffic in Norway, Sweden and Denmark

Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norwegian Air Norway) (Norwegian.com) (Oslo) will be impacted by a pilots strike tomorrow (March 4) affecting operations in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The pilots, as previously reported, are represented by the NPU. The pilots are protesting the outsourcing of jobs. Norwegian has issued this statement (translated from Norwegian):

Over 35 000 customers will be affected tomorrow by a pilot strike at Norwegian. Norwegian’s management has since the weekend been trying to reach a solution with the Norwegian Pilot Union (NPU) and the union Parat to avoid even more travelers suffering, without success.

Despite several attempts by the Norwegian’s leadership to get to constructive talks to avoid an escalation of the strike, this has not been possible to get into a dialogue. This leads unfortunately that all domestic flights in Norway, Sweden and Denmark set for tomorrow, Wednesday March 4, will be impacted. All departures between the Scandinavian capitals are also set.

Norwegian really regrets that passengers will be affected by the flight cancellations. We will do everything we can to take care of our passengers in the best possible way. Anyone who has registered a mobile phone number on his Norwegian-profile and will be affected by the strike will receive SMS by Norwegian.

Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Norwegian Air Shuttle Boeing 737-8JP LN-NOW (msn 37817) with Oda Krohg on the tail taxies from the gate at Trondheim, Norway (TRD).

Norwegian aircraft slide show:

International Airlines Group reports higher earnings in 2014 due to Iberia turnaround

International Airlines Group (IAG) (British Airways, Iberia and Vueling Airlines) (London and Madrid) presented Group consolidated results for the year to December 31, 2014:

IAG period highlights on results:

Fourth quarter operating profit €260 million (2013: operating profit of €113 million) before exceptional items

Revenue for the quarter up 9.9 per cent to €5,015 million, up 5.8 per cent at constant currency

Non-fuel unit costs for the quarter down 0.8 per cent at constant currency

Operating profit for the year to December 31, 2014 of €1,390 million (2013: operating profit of €770 million) before exceptional items

Revenue for the year up 8.0 per cent to €20,170 million and passenger unit revenue for the year down 0.4 per cent at constant currency

Fuel unit costs for the year down 7.8 per cent also down 7.8 per cent at constant currency.

Non-fuel unit costs before exceptional items for the year down 1.9 per cent, down 3.9 per cent at constant currency

Cash of €4,944 million at December 31, 2014 was up €1,311 million on 2013 year end

Adjusted gearing up 1 point to 51 per cent and adjusted net debt to EBITDAR improved 0.6 to 1.9 times

Willie Walsh, IAG Chief Executive Officer, said:

“We’re reporting strong full year results with an operating profit before exceptional items of €1,390 million which is up 80.5 per cent. Total revenue was up 8.0 per cent with non-fuel costs up 7.0 per cent and fuel costs up 0.6 per cent on capacity growth of 9.3 per cent.

“Iberia made an operating profit of €50 million compared to an operating loss of €166 million last year. The airline’s turnaround has been remarkable, both financially and operationally, and we’re very proud of its achievement especially its strong cost discipline. In 2013 we said our intention was for Iberia to breakeven in 2014 and it has fulfilled that promise.

“British Airways’ operating profit increased to €1,215 million up from €762 million last year which shows significant progress towards its long term targets. Vueling made an operating profit of €141 million, compared to an operating profit of €139 million in 2013, with the airline focusing on flexible growth.

“We achieved a strong unit cost performance, down 4.1 per cent, through increased productivity, supplier cost savings and lower fuel unit costs. The latter was boosted by the introduction of more efficient aircraft into our fleet and lower fuel prices in the last quarter of the year. However, the positive effect of the oil price reduction has been partly offset by hedging and significant currency impact.

“In the quarter, we made an operating profit before exceptional items of €260 million which is up from €113 million last year. Revenue for the quarter was up 9.9 per cent. Non-fuel costs were up 10.5 per cent and fuel costs decreased by 0.4 per cent on capacity growth of 5.8 per cent.”

British Airways aircraft slide show:

Iberia aircraft slide show:

Vueling Airlines aircraft slide show:

Delta reports slightly lower numbers in February

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) today reported financial and operating performance for February 2015.

Consolidated passenger unit revenue (PRASM) for the month of February decreased 1.5 percent year over year, driven by 1.5 points of continuing foreign exchange pressure on international results and 0.5 point from the impact of lapping prior year’s winter storms. Continuing strength in the domestic entity and corporate revenue gains offset a portion of this month’s international PRASM pressure. System capacity increased 6% for the month which includes 2 points of capacity growth from prior year’s winter storms.

The company’s financial and operating performance is detailed below.

Preliminary Financial and Operating Results

February consolidated PRASM change year over year
(1.5)%
February mainline completion factor
97.5%
February on-time performance (preliminary DOT A14)
78.0%

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 757-2Q8 WL N624AG (msn 25624) departs the runway at Los Angeles International Airport.

Delta Air Lines aircraft slide show:

Alaska Airlines to take another look at flying to Everett after Snohomish County approves a Paine Field terminal

Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) is taking another look at possibly serving Paine Field near Everett, Washington (north of Seattle) after the Snohomish County council approved the construction of a passenger terminal. Paine Field is also the home of Boeing’s 747/777/787 assembly plant.

The Snohomish County Council has approved a two-gate passenger terminal at PAE. The building will be leased to Propeller Airports (New York). The facility once built, could handle up to 23 flights a day according to KING 5.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Meanwhile Alaska Airlines is now taking a new look at PAE for possible service probably by Horizon Air (Alaska Horizon) following this vote according to Puget Sound Business Journal.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Horizon Air (Alaska Horizon) Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) N452QX (msn 4459) taxies to the runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) in the special “Employee Powered” livery featuring the signatures of employees.

Alaska Airlines aircraft slide show:

Alaska Horizon aircraft slide show:

United Airlines is interested in the Boeing 777-300 ER, will not accept bulk shipments of lithium-ion batteries

United Airlines (Chicago) could become a new potential customer of the Boeing 777-300 ER. According to Reuters, Chief Financial Officer, John Rainey, told Reuters United is interested in the stretch Triple Seven as a “good fit its network”. United is considering swapping some Boeing 787s it has on order for the 777-300 ER. However United does not have an immediate interest on the new Boeing 777X design.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

In other news, United Airlines stated yesterday it will no longer accept bulk shipments of rechargeable batter (lithium-ion batteries), following the lead of Delta Air Lines.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. The 777-300 ER would mesh well with the current 19 Boeing 777-200s and 55 777-200 ERs. Boeing 777-222 ER N226UA (msn 30226) climbs away from Los Angeles International Airport.

United Airlines aircraft slide show (current livery only):

A new theory of what happened to Malaysia Airlines flight MH 370 by Captain Simon Hardy

Malaysia Airlines (Kuala Lumpur) flight MH 370 remains missing after we approach March 8, the first anniversary of the lost flight. Searchers are already stating the search cannot go on forever. It is possible the remains of the pictured Boeing 777-2H6 ER 9M-MRO (msn 28420) with 239 passengers and crew members on board may never be found.

According to this report by news.com.au citing a published report by Flightglobal, “British senior Captain Simon Hardy, who works with a major commercial airline, has claimed that Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was taken on an emotional “last farewell” near the pilot’s home island of Penang, before being deliberately landed in the ocean.”

Captain Hardy believes Captain Shah made a series of turns over his Penang birthplace as an emotional goodbye before crashing the Triple Seven into the sea with all on board.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Stefan Sjogren/AirlinersGallery.com. Ill-fated Boeing 777-2H6 ER 9M-MRO (msn 28420) lands at Stockholm (Arlanda) before it went missing.

Malaysia Airlines aircraft slide show: