SIA finalizes its order for the new Airbus A350F

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has finalized a purchase agreement with Airbus for seven A350F freighter aircraft. The order was signed at the Singapore Airshow by SIA CEO Goh Choong Phong, and Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International Christian Scherer.

The order firms up the carrier’s commitment to the new generation freighter announced by the plane maker in December 2021. The newly ordered aircraft will replace the carrier’s existing 747-400F fleet from the fourth quarter of 2025.

Etihad Airways and Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi launch “Little VIP” themed amenities and activity packs gifted to children on longer flights

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, launched a new experience for families flying with Etihad. The airline has partnered with the award-winning theme park, Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi, to launch a one-of-a-kind family friendly experience on board its fleet.

Etihad’s new ‘Little VIP’ campaign recognizes that young travelers are all very important people and aims to make traveling with children as easy and enjoyable as possible. The Park’s iconic Animation characters like Scooby-Doo, and Looney Tunes including Sylvester and his beloved nemesis Tweety, are emblazoned across the children’s activity packs given to guests traveling on longer flights with Etihad.

The airline’s new children’s gifts are designed in three age ranges. For infants up to 2 years old, parents will be given a soft fleece blanket decorated with the faces of Tweety, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Sylvester for them to take home. Young flyers aged 3 to 8 years, will be given a drawstring bag featuring an activity book, crayons, memory card game and passport holder. Tweens and teens aged 9 to 13 will be delighted with a Scooby-Doo themed backpack featuring the Museum of Mysteries board game designed to promote Yas Island’s incredibly immersive indoor theme park, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi.

In addition to the Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi’s themed inflight gifts, Etihad is bringing a comprehensive family travel experience to life, through cabin crew and ground crew training to identify and support family travel needs. At Abu Dhabi International Airport, a dedicated family check-in space will be available for families with minimized queuing to make family journeys as smooth as possible. Thoughtful touches include a small set of stairs at check-in counters meaning young eyes can take a peek at the check-in process with ease.

In flight, young travelers will be given their meals first for convenience, and diners will experience Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi themed dining equipment in bright colours. The menu has been enhanced based on consultation and feedback from family travelers and as a result requested traditional children’s favorites such as fusilli pasta with meatballs, waffles and pancakes have been added to the menu.

In line with Etihad’s sustainability ambitions, the new children’s packs and dining experience have been designed with product purpose and reusability in mind. The gifts are designed to be taken away and treasured, encouraging children to feel excited about traveling with Etihad. The amenities have also been designed without the need for individual packaging, avoiding the use of single use plastics.

Young flyers will also be kept amused on board by a bespoke children’s section on Etihad’s inflight entertainment, designed in a fun, kid-friendly format. Etihad offers a wide selection of family-friendly Warner Bros. movies and TV shows including Space Jam, Scooby-Doo, Tom and Jerry, Looney Tunes, Bugs Bunny and the Flintstones. A selection of TV shows for older kids from the DC Universe includes Batman, Justice League and Teen Titans.

In addition, an extensive selection of music albums for kids is complemented by a variety of e-games for avid gamers, which can also be played seat-to-seat.

Avelo Airlines expands again from New Haven to four new destinations

Avelo Airlines has announced a significant expansion of its East Coast service with the addition of four popular Southeastern U.S. destinations from Connecticut’s most convenient airport — Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN).

Beginning in May, Avelo will add exclusive nonstop service between HVN and two South Carolina destinations: Myrtle Beach and Charleston, as well as Savannah, Ga. / Hilton Head, S.C.; and Nashville, Tenn.

This announcement expands Avelo’s East Coast network from HVN to 10 exclusive nonstop destinations. Avelo currently flies between HVN and six sun-soaked Florida destinations: Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood, Fort Myers, Orlando, Sarasota/Bradenton, Tampa and West Palm Beach.

Route Map:

WestJet Group welcomes the border changes

WestJet Group issued this statement:

The WestJet Group welcomes today’s announcement from the federal government outlining changes to Canada’s border measures and travel policies effective February 28, 2022. The WestJet Group will continue to advocate, based on science and data, for the removal of all measures impacting fully-vaccinated air travelers.

“The removal of travel barriers for fully-vaccinated travelers and families is a positive step forward for our industry; we have been advocating tirelessly for these changes on behalf of our guests and our communities,” said Angela Avery, WestJet Executive Vice-President, External Affairs. “As a fully-vaccinated industry, we have worked with public health authorities and all governments to curb COVID-19 and today’s announcement validates that travel has never been a significant vector of transmission.”

WestJet continues to advocate for the return to surveillance arrivals testing only and for the federal government to outline a recovery roadmap for the travel and tourism industry, based on science and reflective of the current realities of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As measures transition and Canada’s pandemic situation continues to improve, we are optimistic that the remaining policies will be reassessed and removed for fully-vaccinated travellers in the weeks ahead as outlined today by the Ministers,” continued Avery.

American orders three additional Embraer E175s, will be operated by Envoy Air

American Airlines has signed a firm order with Embraer for three new E175s. The aircraft will be operated by American’s wholly owned subsidiary, Envoy Air.

With deliveries to be completed this year, Envoy’s fleet of E175s will grow to over 100 aircraft by the end of 2022. The contract value is $160.2 million at current list prices and will be included in Embraer’s 2021 fourth quarter backlog.

Envoy Air also made this announcement:

We are excited to start the new year with great news. Later this year, American Airlines Group (AAG) will take delivery of three newly manufactured Embraer 175 (E175) aircraft to be assigned to the Envoy fleet. Deliveries will begin during the fourth quarter of 2022 and will increase our E175 fleet to 101 aircraft by end of the year.

American Eagle-Envoy Air aircraft slide show:

American Eagle-Envoy Air aircraft photo gallery:

Swoop is coming to New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Nashville

Swoop, Canada’s leading ultra-low fare airline, today announced it will expand its presence in the United States (U.S.) by adding nonstop flights to five new destinations this summer: New York, Chicago, Nashville, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

In addition to serving five new destinations, the fast-growing Canadian airline will also extend its current seasonal services to San Diego, Palm Springs, Las Vegas, St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Sanford and Mesa into the summer season. In total Swoop will serve 11 U.S. destinations with ultra-not-expensive flights from its three main Canadian bases in Toronto, Hamilton, and Edmonton.

Demand for transborder travel amid restrictive testing requirements

Swoop’s announced U.S. expansion comes as the ULCC reports significantly increased domestic passenger numbers and record bookings, on par with pre-pandemic demand. The airline expects to see that pent-up demand trend extend to U.S. leisure travel this summer as more than 30.5 million fully vaccinated Canadians look to resume their transborder travel habits.

As countries across the globe take measures to safely re-open borders for vaccinated travellers and make sensible adjustments to overall travel guidance and testing requirements, the ULCC expects to see Canadian requirements updated by March 1, when current government measures are set to expire.

The ULCC continues to call on government to outline a re-opening timeline and roadmap for travel recovery that is based on science and reflective of the current realities of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Expanding Route Map:

Full Details of Swoop’s U.S. Network Expansion

Route	Peak Frequency	Start Date	Total fare one-way (CAD)^†	Base Fare (CAD)	Taxes and Fees (CAD)
Toronto (YYZ) – Chicago (ORD)	5x weekly	May 30	$99.00	$4.92	$94.08
Toronto (YYZ) – New York (JFK)	5x weekly	June 20	$99.00	$4.92	$94.08
Toronto (YYZ) – Nashville (BNA)	4x weekly	May 26	$99.00	$4.92	$94.08
Toronto (YYZ) – Las Vegas (LAS)	3x weekly	May 20	$99.00	$4.92	$94.08
Toronto (YYZ) – Orlando / Sanford (SFB)	2x weekly	Ongoing	$99.00	$4.92	$94.08
Toronto (YYZ) – St. Pete-Clearwater (PIE)	2x weekly	Ongoing	$99.00	$4.92	$94.08
Hamilton (YHM) – Las Vegas (LAS)	2x weekly	June 23	$99.00	$10.30	$88.70
Hamilton (YHM) – Orlando / Sanford (SFB)	2x weekly	Ongoing	$99.00	$10.30	$88.70
Hamilton (YHM) – St. Pete-Clearwater (PIE)	2x weekly	Ongoing	$99.00	$10.30	$88.70
Edmonton (YEG) – San Francisco (SFO)	4x weekly	June 6	$99.00	$2.21	$96.79
Edmonton (YEG) – Los Angeles (BUR)	3x weekly	June 23	$99.00	$2.21	$96.79
Edmonton (YEG) – Nashville (BNA)	2x weekly	June 19	$99.00	$2.21	$96.79
Edmonton (YEG) – Las Vegas (LAS)	Daily	Ongoing	$99.00	$2.21	$96.79
Edmonton (YEG) – San Diego (SAN)	3x weekly	Ongoing	$99.00	$2.21	$96.79
Edmonton (YEG) – Palm Springs (PSP)	1x weekly	Ongoing	$99.00	$2.21	$96.79
Edmonton (YEG) – Phoenix Mesa (AZA)	1x weekly	Ongoing	$99.00	$2.21	$96.79

†Special introductory fares are limited quantity. Book by February 18, 2022, for travel between June 1 and July 27, 2022. Blackout Period: June 28 – July 4, 2022.

Start exploring some of U.S.A.'s most thrilling cities with our latest destinations: #NewYork 🗽 #Chicago ⚾ #Nashville 🎸 #Burbank ☀️ #SanFrancisco 🌉

Get ready for summer, because your 'epic adventures' travel list just got more affordable. https://t.co/eAJbuPHd2B. pic.twitter.com/GI4nAuEZEE

— FlySwoop (@FlySwoop) February 15, 2022

JetBlue adds 30 Airbus A220s to its order book, total now 100

JetBlue Airways today announced an agreement to exercise its option to add 30 additional Airbus A220-300 aircraft to its order book, bringing the total number of A220s in the airline’s fleet and on order to 100.

In 2018, JetBlue announced its initial order of 60 A220s and the option for 60 additional aircraft. JetBlue converted 10 of 60 options to firm orders in 2019, and the 30 A220s announced today will enable acceleration of the retirement of JetBlue’s Embraer E190 fleet.

Exceptional Fuel Efficiency & Economics

The A220 offers nearly 30 percent lower direct operating costs per seat compared to the fleet it is replacing, supporting the airline’s focus on keeping costs low. Additionally, the aircraft’s range and seating capacity will add flexibility to JetBlue’s network strategy as it targets growth in its focus cities, including options for transcontinental flying and opening the door to new markets and routes not feasible with the airline’s existing fleet.

The A220 is powered exclusively by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, which deliver double-digit improvements in fuel and carbon emissions. Optimizing fuel burn is an important first step in JetBlue’s sustainability strategy, and prioritizing fuel-efficient aircraft and engines aligns with JetBlue’s approach to reducing emissions. Earlier this year, JetBlue became the first major U.S. airline to achieve carbon neutrality for all domestic flights, and later announced its plans to achieve net zero carbon emissions across all operations by 2040.

Considerable Comfort

The A220’s spacious and comfortable cabin makes it the perfect fit for JetBlue, which has consistently led U.S. airlines in onboard experience.

The airline’s A220s are outfitted with 140 Collins Meridian seats, customized around customer feedback and featuring a number of design elements with comfort and convenience in mind. Seating is arranged in a two-by-three configuration offering multiple seating options for all party sizes and includes USB-C, USB-A and AC power at every seat. JetBlue – which offers the most legroom in coach^a – maximizes the A220’s ultra-modern design to create an elevated customer experience throughout the interior.

Keeping customers connected and entertained is also on display aboard JetBlue’s A220 with Thales AVANT and ViaSat-2 connectivity. With this system, JetBlue offers every customer high-definition screens at every seat and personalized entertainment choices. Additionally, JetBlue is the only U.S. carrier with free high-speed Fly-Fi^® on every plane, providing customers with the ability to connect an unlimited number of devices to stream, surf, or chat during the entire flight, from gate to gate. Fly-Fi^® connectivity is available in nearly every region that JetBlue flies^b.

Future of the Fleet

JetBlue’s first A220 aircraft arrived in December 2020 and the airline is on track to take delivery of its ninth A220 this month. Nine more are scheduled for delivery in 2022, followed by another 21 in 2023. Ultimately, these A220s will replace the airline’s E190s, with the last E190 exiting in 2026.

JetBlue’s initial order for 60 A220 aircraft was announced in July 2018.

Eastern to operate its Boeing 777F freighters from Chicago O’Hare to Asia for Flexport

Eastern Air Holdings and Flexport, the platform for global logistics, have announced a multi-year contract for cargo services that will bring much needed net-new capacity to the global airfreight market. Eastern is expected to begin flying its Boeing 777 Express Freighters, once approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, twice weekly between Chicago International Airport (ORD) and Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) as well as Chicago International Airport (ORD) and Saigon’s Ho Chi Minh City Airport (SGN) on behalf of Flexport.

The Eastern Boeing 777 Express Freighter is the first of its kind to market, designed specifically for eCommerce goods, and provides much needed cargo capacity to the global supply chain with its low-cost, reliable solution. The innovative design converts the main deck cabin of the widebody Boeing 777, traditionally a passenger aircraft, into a true cargo aircraft that will enable Flexport clients – some of today’s most valuable global brands and fast-growing eCommerce companies – to fulfill consumer demand and keep goods moving.

The soon-to-be launched service will join Flexport’s extensive tech-enabled global airfreight, container freight station (CFS) and trucking network. As all shipments are managed via the Flexport Platform, clients utilizing the Eastern Boeing 777 Express Freighter service will benefit from end-to-end control of their shipments and continuous milestone visibility. Part of a comprehensive supply chain strategy, Flexport clients shipping from Asia hubs into the United States Midwest can use Flexport Platform data to determine high value SKUs and prioritize shipments to control costs and maximize the value of Eastern’s innovative solution.

As passenger travel remains depleted, the cargo constraints impacting the global supply chain continue to persist. Eastern has purchased five Boeing 777s for cargo conversion, with an option to acquire 30 additional Boeing 777s. As eCommerce-driven demand continues to grow, this new capacity provided by Eastern, and partners like Flexport, will deliver an innovative solution to ease the pain.

Eastern Airlines (3rd) aircraft slide show:

Eastern Airlines (3rd) aircraft photo gallery:

Alliance Air to connect challenging airfields of the Himalayas with two brand new ATR 42-600s

ATR and Alliance Air, the only Indian public airline, have signed a deal to acquire two ATR 42-600s via lessor TrueNoord. These new aircraft will support Alliance Air’s mission of serving challenging airfields in the Himalayas. The first deliveries to Alliance Air will start mid 2022.

The former regional subsidiary of Air India, which already operates 18 ATR 72-600s, has chosen to complement its fleet with brand new ATR 42s as their unique credentials, both in terms of versatility and economics, make it the perfect aircraft to serve even the least accessible regions of India. The aircraft will be able to operate on the short runways of the Shimla and Kullu airports, both located at high altitudes, and exposed to high temperatures.

In 2021, 40 new routes were created in India with ATR aircraft.

These are the third and fourth ATR 42 aircraft that TrueNoord is introducing into its fleet, as in December 2021, the lessor bought two ATR 42-600 to support Silver Airways’ development in the United States.

About Alliance Air

Alliance Air is wholly owned by the Government of India through AI Asset Holding Ltd., and is run as an independent Strategic Business Unit. It has an existing fleet of 18 ATR 72-600 and is in process of expanding its fleet by inducting two more ATR 42-600 to cater to airports with landing restrictions. Alliance Air operates 125+ flights/day to 50+ destinations within India with focus on connecting Tier II & III cities.

Alliance Air is the front runner in promoting the “Regional Connectivity Scheme” (RCS) of the Government of India, the very objective of which is to make air travel affordable and widespread, to boost the national economy.