Australia to contract out the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH 370

Malaysia Airlines (Kuala Lumpur) missing flight MH 370 is entering a new phase in the search for the missing Boeing 777-200. So far, no debris has been found from the missing Triple Seven. All 239 passengers and crew members on board Boeing 777-2H6 ER 9M-MRO (msn 28420) remain missing.

According to CNN, “Australia, the closest country to the area where the plane is believed to have entered the ocean, has decided to delegate the management and operation of the new phase to a private company.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), which is leading the search at the request of the Malaysian government, said Wednesday it is accepting proposals for the task until the end of June. The new search is expected to start in August, at the earliest.”

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Meanwhile, Y.B. Dato Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Minister of Defence and Acting Minister of Transport of Malaysia, today issued this statement:

Introductory Statement

It has been 89 days since MH 370 went missing. We have entered a new difficult phase which brings with it new challenges which we will overcome together. Today, I met up with the 4 Ministerial Committees and we discussed on our way forward in the search for MH 370.

Let me begin by stating that the ASEAN Member States have publicly acknowledged in April their solidarity as reflected by the concerted efforts in the search mission of the missing MH370. They also recognised the unwavering support from all Member States in this new phase of this unprecedented search. This was again emphasised at the 8th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting held in Nay Pyi Taw on May 20, 2014.

We also have a firm commitment, formalised by our Tripartite Agreement on the 5th of May 2014, between Malaysia, Australia and China that the search needs to be a continuous and intensified effort.

In the Joint Communique between the People’s Republic of China and Malaysia in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Malaysia have also agreed to work closely together in the next phase of the search operation for MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean. This Joint Communique was signed and agreed upon on the 31st of May by both the Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak and the Premier of the People’s Republic of China, Premier Li Keqiang.

The Defence Ministers of the Five Power Defence Arrangement have also reaffirmed their continued support for the search mission of MH 370.

As we enter the new phase of this search, we are grateful for the continuous support that we have received from the international community.

Next Of Kin Committee

With regards to the next of kin, we will continue to engage with the families of those on board MH 370 by providing them with timely updates on the search operation. This initiative has been led by Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun. We appeal to all parties to be understanding during this extraordinary and difficult time.

My pledge to all the families, wherever they are, is the same: we will do everything in our power to keep you informed. We also appreciate all that has been done by the Chinese Government on this matter.

Technical Committee

Preparations are well underway for the next phase of the search operations which includes the refinement of the search area. A team of experts set up and led by the Australian authorities in Canberra are currently conducting the re-analysis together with Inmarsat. This team has given me the assurance that the search area remains in the arc of the Southern Corridor.

Asset Deployment Committee

On the asset deployment front, we have been in discussions with several Malaysian companies to deploy highly specialised underwater systems and platforms including the Autonomous Unmanned Vehicles (AUVs), Deep-water towed side scan sonars, Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), and support vessels to deploy these assets to join in the new phase of this search mission.

On that note, I am pleased to announce that PETRONAS has agreed to deploy assets under the Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) approach where Malaysian companies are part of the resources to fund the search operations.

PETRONAS will contribute by providing funds for a Deep Towed Side Scan Sonar. A complete system will accompany the asset with a dedicated support vessel complete with crew members.

Boustead is finalising terms for specialised assets and services to be deployed which will include an Oceanographic Survey Vessel with bathymetric survey capabilities, a Deep Towed Side Scan Sonar for deep sea search and a ROV for recovery purposes.

I also had the opportunity to meet with Chuck Hagel, Secretary of Defence for the United States of America during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore last weekend. I have officially requested for the US to continue its lease for the Bluefin-21 AUV, to provide the Orion Deep Towed Side Scan Sonar and the Curv-21 ROV.

In addition, the Chinese survey ship, Zhu Kezhen, has covered 4,088 km2 as part of the bathymetric survey process.

It is important for all the Malaysian entities involved in this effort to be on the same page- working as one team, flying the Malaysian flag to find MH 370.

Communication, Coordination And Media Committee

On that note, the previously announced Communication, Coordination and Media Committee will be liaising with our Australian and Chinese counterparts. Jailani Johari, the Deputy Minister for Communications and Multimedia, will lead this team, consisting of members from all 4 ministerial committees along with the Director General of the Department of Civil Aviation, the Deputy Chief of the Royal Malaysian Navy and Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, to Canberra first to acquire the latest updates on the search operation and will then travel to Beijing.

Indeed, this will further strengthen our Tripartite Agreement between Malaysia, Australia and China that the search needs to be a continuous and intensified effort.

Concluding Remarks

Let me stress that the search has not stopped and we will keep searching for the plane for as long as it takes. I would like to conclude by stressing that we will continue with the search operations until we have fully covered the search area. We will strive to explore all possible options in finding MH 370

Delta and Garuda Indonesia to codeshare

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) and Garuda Indonesia (Jakarta) announced a new codesharing agreement to place the Garuda code on Delta operated flights from Tokyo (Haneda) International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The flights will be conveniently timed to connect Garuda Indonesia’s flights between Jakarta and Tokyo-Haneda, offering both airlines’ customers one-stop travel between Indonesia and the U.S.

The codeshare flights are pending final government approvals and are targeted to be available for purchase in July 2014.

The Delta codeshare flights will be operated with Boeing 767-300 ER aircraft.

Garuda Indonesia will operate its Airbus A330-300 for the Jakarta – Tokyo Haneda route.

Top Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 767-332 ER N194DN (msn 28451) departs from Los Angeles International Airport.

Delta Air Lines (current):

Garuda Indonesia:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Tony Storck/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A330-341 PK-GPE (msn 148) taxies at Baltimore/Washington.

Terminal 2 opens as the Star Alliance terminal at London Heathrow Airport

The first phase of the rebuilding of Terminal 2 at London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) opened today (June 4) for the Star Alliance. United Airlines operated the first flights from the new T2.

The Star Alliance has issued this statement:

The new Terminal 2 – the home of Star Alliance at Heathrow – threw open its doors to welcome its first passengers, marking the start of a new travel experience for the 12 million Star Alliance passengers who pass through this leading UK airport every year. Star Alliance member airline United is the first to move in to the new facility, known as Terminal 2 | the Queen’s Terminal for her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

All 23 Star Alliance airlines operating Heathrow will move over the next six months: the first time all member airlines will be collocated at the airport. “After many years of planning and construction, tests and optimisation, we at Star Alliance are proud to welcome the first passengers into the new terminal,” said Star Alliance CEO Mark Schwab. “It is particularly fitting that one of our five founder members, United, should operate the first flights from this terminal, which sets new standards for Alliance customer service and seamless travel at this important hub airport.”

The first flight to arrive at the new terminal was United’s service UA 958 from Chicago, which landed at 05:43 local time and reached gate B38 at 05:49, six minutes ahead of schedule. The Boeing 767-300 had 178 passengers and 11 crew on board.

Terminal 2, designed by lead architect Luis Vidal, was jointly developed by Heathrow, Star Alliance and its member carriers, with the aim of establishing a true seamless hub at one of the world’s premier international airports. Optimised for today’s air traveller, the facilities of the 23 Star Alliance airlines are integrated to an unprecedented level – laying the groundwork for customer service excellence.

Once all airlines are in residence, connections for transfer passengers will be smoother than ever before at Heathrow, with a standardised minimum connection time of just 60 minutes. Move dates for the remaining 22 airlines have been carefully planned to ensure that each group of airlines has time to embed its operations before the next set of carriers moves in.

Air Canada, Air China and ANA will be the next new occupants, transferring their operations to T2 from June 18th. In July, Aegean, EVA Air, THAI, and Turkish Airlines will move in, together with Avianca – which will launch a service between London and Bogota on July 4th. After a break for the European summer holiday period, moves will resume in September with EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines and Singapore Airlines. Then finally, October sees the arrival of Air New Zealand, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, South African Airways, SWISS and TAP Portugal.

A positive tone for the passenger journey is set by the architectural design of the terminal, which uses natural light to create an open and airy atmosphere. Its open-plan check-in facility is directly adjacent to the security area. Passengers exit security on the top level of a two-tier international departures hall, with a clear view out onto the airport. This is just one example of the logical passenger flows that underpin the terminal’s design.

Departing and arriving passengers pass through the building on different levels, guided by clear signage. Transfer passengers follow a separate channel from the arrival gate to security and then join the departing passengers flow. Technology is integrated into the terminal experience and will be used throughout to give the passenger control of their journey. The check-in area has been specially designed for speed and efficiency.

Airlines are grouped in zones, while a row of 81 common use self-service kiosks can be used by any passenger to check in and/or print a bag tag before they proceed to a bag drop desk to hand their luggage to an agent. Full-service traditional check-in desks are provided for the use of First Class, Business class and Star Alliance Gold passengers. Premium passengers also have a fast-track option to speed them through the security checks.

Eight out of 12 gates at the T2B satellite will allow self-boarding, meaning passengers simply pass through a mechanical barrier to board their flight. Four airline lounges will be available for premium passengers, including those with Star Alliance Gold status. These are located in the main terminal building and the satellite, so eligible passengers can relax close to their gate.

The 23 Star Alliance airlines serving Heathrow are Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca*, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI, and United. Together they operate over 121 flights per day to 45 destinations in 25 countries. Each of these flights acts as a gateway to the full Alliance network of more than 18,000 daily flights to 1,269 airports in 193 countries. The strong Star Alliance hub at Heathrow is expected to act as a catalyst for growth in global passenger traffic to London and to increase the attractiveness of Heathrow as an international transfer airport. It will enhance Heathrow’s standing for the truly frequent international traveller.

In addition, United Airlines issued this statement:

United Airlines today (June 4) became the first airline to operate a flight at London Heathrow Airport’s new Terminal 2: The Queen’s Terminal. United flight UA 958, a Boeing 767 from Chicago, arrived at gate 38B at 5:49 a.m. local time.

United flight 958 was the first of United’s 17 scheduled flight arrivals at Terminal 2 today. The airline also is scheduled to operate 17 departures from the terminal today, bringing all of its operations at Heathrow – previously split between Terminals 1 and 4 – “under one roof” for the first time.

Interactive LHR Airport Map: CLICK HERE

US Airways launches its codeshare agreement with Airberlin

US Airways (Phoenix and Dallas/Fort Worth), part of American Airlines Group, today announced the launch of its codeshare agreement with fellow oneworld® member Airberlin (Berlin), further enhancing its relationship with the German carrier and providing customers increased access to major destinations throughout Germany and beyond.

The codeshare includes placing the US Airways code on Airberlin flights from Chicago, Miami and New York (JFK) to Berlin, and from Fort Myers, Florida, Los Angeles, Miami and New York (JFK) to Dusseldorf. From Berlin and Dusseldorf, customers will have access to 16 destinations in Europe, including Airberlin’s flights to Copenhagen, Hamburg, Munich and Vienna. Customers traveling with Airberlin will now be able to book codeshare travel on US Airways flights from Frankfurt to Charlotte and Philadelphia, Zurich to Philadelphia, and from Munich to Philadelphia, as well as connecting service to Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and Phoenix.

US Airways plans to implement codeshare agreements with select other members of the oneworld alliance in the coming months. The airline joined oneworld as an affiliate member on March 31, and will remain as such until it fully integrates with American Airlines as part of their merger to create the largest airline in the world.

In other news, the American Airlines Group is having its first stockholder meeting tomorrow in Dallas. It is the first stockholder meeting since the merger and bankruptcy.

The Dallas News highlights the status of the group heading into tomorrow’s meeting: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. The clock is ticking for the last remaining US Airways Boeing 737-400s. The airline will quietly retire the last 737 Classic flight from the Charlotte hub on August 18. Boeing 737-4B7 N455UW (msn 24997) of US Airways climbs away from the runway at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).

US Airways:

HNA Group celebrates the 500th aircraft and the seventh Boeing 787 for Hainan Airlines

HNA Group (Hainan Airlines) (Haikou and Beijing) quietly celebrated the delivery of the seventh Boeing 787 for Hainan Airlines. The pictured Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner registered as B-2739 (msn 38055) was handed over on May 30. The delivery of this aircraft also represents the 500th airplane aircraft delivered to the HNA Group, including those no longer in service.

Senior HNA official Mr. Mou Weigang made the following remarks at the Boeing handover ceremony (translated from Chinese):

Today, we are very glad to have come to this beautiful “Emerald City” — Seattle – to receive the 500th airplane of the HNA Group. Here, on behalf of Hainan Airlines, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Boeing Company and the friends from all walks of life for your longtime loyalty and support for Hainan Airlines.

As one of the leaders in global aviation, Boeing possesses the most advanced airplane manufacturing technologies and excellent service ability in aviation technology. Over the past century, Boeing has led the world aviation technology revolution with the 247, 707, 727 and many other classic airplanes it has designed and developed, turning flight into one of humanity’s trip modes. Today, the dominant airplanes in the airline market, such as the 737, 747, 777, 787 and so on, are flying all over the world, and have made air travel more secure, more comfortable and more convenient.

Hainan Airlines and Boeing are old partners and friends. After 21 years of hard work, Hainan Airlines has developed from a single air transport enterprise to HNA Group, involving such areas as aviation, real estate, business, hotel, tourism, finance, logistics and more. Hainan Airlines is the flagship air transport enterprise in the HNA Group, and it is also the foundation and main force to develop and expand the HNA Group. The 7th Boeing 787 Dreamliner which will join in Hainan Airlines is the 500th airplane of HNA Group. The number 500 stands for a new milestone in the developmental history of Hainan Airlines. Meanwhile, it marks a new and glorious chapter that Hainan Airlines will open.

Boeing and Hainan Airlines have established and maintained a long-term and friendly cooperative relationship. We appreciate the diversified Boeing technical team which is full of creative spirit, and also thank you for your outstanding services for the development of Hainan Airlines. We hope Boeing and Hainan Airlines will continue to make progress together and provide a high-level flight experience to more travelers around the world.

Special thanks to Joel Chusid, reporting from Seattle.

Hainan Airlines:

LOT Polish Airlines fights back against low-cost rivals with new low fare groups

LOT Polish Airlines (Warsaw) is introducing new “Economy Plus” and “Economy Simple” fare groups to remain competitive against low-fare airlines. The airline just issued this statement:

In June LOT is introducing new Economy Plus class of service in short and medium haul aircraft and LOT Economy Simple tariffs providing discounts of up to 30 percent off normal economy fares.

Passengers traveling in LOT Economy Plus will enjoy a business product for an economy price. They will have a dedicated hotline number, check-in desk, priority baggage and boarding service as well as a dedicated bus when the aircraft cannot be accessed from a jet bridge at Warsaw airport. On board, these passengers will have a choice of meals, beverages and alcoholic drinks just as in business class. They will sit in the front of the aircraft and obtain more miles in the frequent flyer program than before. Premium Economy passengers traveling on long-haul flights will connect to flights in Europe in LOT’s Economy Plus Class.

LOT has also prepared a special, simple and low-cost tariff called LOT Economy Simple created for the short-haul passengers who want to decide for themselves what services to use and when the fare price is the lowest. Ticket prices are 30 percent lower than in standard economy class. With a LOT Economy Simple ticket, a passenger has the option for online or airport check-in and while on board, served a drink and a sweet snack plus score frequent-flyer miles.This tariff is mainly for leisure travellers traveling only with their cabin luggage.To check luggage, there will be charged PLN 60 ($20) extra.In normal economy class, checked luggage is still free.

A ticket in LOT Economy Simple starts at PLN 199 ($65).For example, flights to Brussels are 30 percent off PLN 439 ($144) in Economy Simple vs. PLN 638 ($210) in Economy; to London 29 percent off PLN 499 ($164) in Economy Simple vs. PLN 705 ($232) in Economy and to Paris 24 percent off PLN 449 ($148) in Economy Simple vs. PLN 458 ($151) in Economy.

These new developments are another step in implementing the Restructuring Plan.In the past year, the airline focused primarily on cutting costs, looking for savings and beginning to improve the quality of the product and service standards.

“We significantly improved our results in the past year, but cutting costs alone is not enough,” said Sebastian Mikosz, CEO LOT Polish Airlines. “To achieve sustainable profitability, LOT has to grow and take better care of its passengers, by expanding the portfolio, offering better comfort and a broader range of optional services.”

Copyright Photo: Rolf Wallner/AirlinersGallery.com. Embraer ERJ 170-200LR (ERJ 175) SP-LIE (msn 17000153) in the 1945 retrojet scheme taxies at Zurich.

LOT Polish Airlines:

Niki to fly daily Vienna-Abu Dhabi flights starting on November 24

Niki (flyniki.com) (Vienna) on November 24 will launch a new long-range daily route from Vienna to Abu Dhabi, the hub of partner Etihad Airways, following in the path of owner Airberlin (Berlin). The six-hour flight will be operated with Airbus A320 aircraft.

Niki:

Finnair SkyWheel opens today in the Helsinki harbor

Finnair (Helsinki) today (June 3) will open the Finnair SkyWheel in Katajanokka harbor in central Helsinki, not far from where Finnair first based its flight operations (as Aero Oy) in the 1920s (below).

The 460-foot observation wheel is equipped with 30 climate-controlled blue-and-white gondolas for year-round operation, including one special VIP cabin featuring a glass floor, leather seats and Veuve Clicquot champagne service. One trip on the Finnair SkyWheel lasts 15 minutes, while a ride in the VIP cabin lasts approximately 25 minutes.

On June 8, all Finnair Plus members will have the opportunity to board the Finnair SkyWheel free of charge between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. At other times, Finnair Plus members are eligible for a discounted single admission price of €9 (normal price €12).

The VIP cabin seats up to four and can be booked for a flat fee of €195, which includes a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne.

The Finnair SkyWheel is owned and operated by SkyWheel Helsinki Oy, and designed and built by the Netherlands-based firm Dutch Wheels, a global leader in the design and construction of observation wheels.

Finnair:

WestJet gets approval for passenger PEDs during all phases of flight

WestJet (Calgary) yesterday (June 2) announced that guests now have full access to their personal electronic devices (PEDs) during all phases of flight, including taxi-in and out, take-off and landing in non-transmitting or flight mode, starting immediately.

The move follows a recent Transport Canada exemption that enables airlines, once they have met all necessary safety conditions, to provide guests with access to PEDs such as cameras, electronic games and tablet computers. WestJet has completed comprehensive testing to ensure its fleet of Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft is proven safe and does not cause interference with navigation or communication systems on the aircraft. Testing is now underway on WestJet Encore’s growing fleet of Bombardier Q400s.

WestJet:

Delta starts nonstop Seattle/Tacoma-Seoul flights

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) on June 2 celebrated new nonstop service from Seattle/Tacoma to Seoul (Incheon) with a gatehouse inaugural ceremony. The flight marked Delta’s fourth nonstop international route added from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in a year, including London-Heathrow, Shanghai-Pudong and Tokyo-Haneda.

On June 16 Delta will celebrate a new international flight with nonstop service to Hong Kong.

In addition to the recently added international service, Delta also currently operates nonstop flights from Seattle/Tacoma to Amsterdam, Beijing, Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Tokyo-Narita. By this summer, Delta will offer more international service from Seattle/Tacoma than all other carriers combined with more than 2,500 daily long-haul international seats as part of the market’s 86 peak-day departures to 26 destinations.

The Seoul flight will operate using a 210-seat Boeing 767-300 ER aircraft with 35 full-flat bed seats in BusinessElite, 32 seats in Economy Comfort and 143 Economy class seats. Delta is the only carrier to offer full flat-bed seats with direct aisle access in BusinessElite on every long-haul international flight from Seattle along with Economy Comfort seating and entertainment on demand in every seat throughout the aircraft.

Delta currently operates 76 peak-day departures to 25 destinations from Seattle/Tacoma, and every flight offers BusinessElite/First Class and Economy Comfort seating as well as Wi-Fi service on all domestic aircraft. Delta also introduced international Wi-Fi on its Boeing 747-400 fleet earlier this year and will complete installation of Wi-Fi service on its entire long-haul international fleet by the end of 2015. The airline has also invested $15 million in its facilities at Sea-Tac, including its Delta Sky Club and recently completed lobby renovations, Sky Priority services, new gate area power recharging stations, expanded ticket counters and enhancements to the international arrivals area.

Bloomberg Businessweek article: “The Battle of Seattle” between Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines is getting serious. Read the full article: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 767-332 ER N175DN (msn 24803) taxies to the gate at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).

Delta Air Lines (current):