Iberia Group is adding new destinations

Iberia Group (Iberia and Iberia Express) (Madrid) has announced new routes from its Madrid hub.

Iberia Express has already added a new route to Stockholm (Arlanda) with two weekly flights. It will also add a new route to Amsterdam with twice-daily service starting on July 1.

Iberia Express is also increasing the number of flights to Berlin, Copenhagen, Dusseldorf and Frankfurt.

Iberia will add daily service to Istanbul starting on June 20. Santo Domingo will be added on September 1 with five weekly nonstop flights. Athens, which has been a summer route, will become a new year-round route.

Iberia is adding three weekly frequencies to Chicago (O’Hare) for the summer, two more to Panama City starting in July and additional frequencies to Brussels, Geneva, Munich, Rome, Tel Aviv, Venice and Zurich. Iberia has also resumed nonstop flights to Boston and Los Angeles and will also operate summer routes to Dubrovnik, St. Petersburg (Russia) and Zagreb.

Copyright Photo: Ariel Shocron/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Iberia Express’ Airbus A320-216 EC-LVQ (msn 5590) climbs away from the Madrid hub.

Iberia:ย AG Slide Show

Iberia Express:ย AG Slide Show

Delta to operate seasonal New York JFK-Vancouver flights starting on May 22

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) will begin seasonal daily nonstop flights from New York (JFK) to Vancouver on May 22. The route will operate with Boeing 737-800s until September 1 according to Airline Route. This route was also operated last summer.

Copyright Photo: Jay Selman/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-832 N375DA (msn 29623) completes its final approach into Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS).

Delta Air Lines (current):ย AG Slide Show

Mokulele Airlines adds Honolulu-Kahului, Maui flights on April 1

Mokulele Airlines (Kona, Hawaii) began offering nonstop flights between Kahului, Maui and Honolulu on April 1 as part of its expansion plans for 2014. This summer, Mokulele will also begin offering service from Kalaeloa Airport on O’ahu which is located at the former Barber’s Point Naval Air Base John Rogers Field. To meet these expanding flight schedules, Mokulele is adding three new Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft to its fleet.

Mokulele is also reassuring the public that it is separate from go! Airlines and is still operating despite the shutdown of go! on April 1.ย In 2011, Mokulele’s parent company, TransPac Aviation, purchased the turbo prop division of Mesa Air Group, the operator of go! Airlines. Since that time, Mokulele and go! have operated as two separate airlines, which is why Mokulele flight operations are not being affected by go!’s April 1 shutdown.

Copyright Photo: Ivan K. Nishimura/AirlinersGallery.com. Cessna 208B Grand Caravan N841MA (msn 1084) “Spirit of Kona” waits for the next assignment at Honolulu International Airport (HNL).

Route Map:

Mokulele 4.2014 Route Map

Virgin America doubles down on the San Francisco-Austin route as it celebrates being rated number one

Virgin America (San Francisco) today announced that it will expand its schedule to two daily nonstop roundtrips between Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) and its home base at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) as of July 8, 2014.

Earlier today, Virgin America was named the best airline in 2013 in the Airline Quality Rating, a joint research project conducted annually by faculty at Wichita State University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University that looks at airlines’ on-time performance and baggage handling, involuntary denied boarding and the customer complaint rates as reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Virgin America Airbus A319-112 N530VA (msn 3686) “Gogo Dancer” arrives in Los Angeles.

Virgin America:ย AG Slide Show

Route Map: Current routes from San Francisco:

Virgin America 4.2014 Route Map

Wichita State University and Embry-Riddle issue their annual Airline Quality Rating for U.S. airlines

Airline Quality Rating 2014

Airline Quality Rating 2014

Airline Quality Rating

The Airline Quality Rating (AQR) was developed and first announced in early 1991 as an objective method for assessing airline quality on combined multiple performance criteria. This current report, the Airline Quality Rating 2014, reflects monthly Airline Quality Rating scores for calendar year 2013. AQR scores for 2014 are based on 15 elements in four major areas that focus on airline performance aspects important to air travel consumers over the calendar year of 2013.

The Airline Quality Rating 2014 is a summary of month-by-month quality ratings for U.S. airlines that are required to report performance by virtue of having at least 1% of domestic scheduled-service passenger revenue during 2013. Using the Airline Quality Rating system of weighted averages and monthly performance data in the areas of on-time arrivals, involuntary denied boardings, mishandled baggage, and a combination of 12 customer complaint categories, airlinesโ€™ comparative performance for the calendar year of 2013 is reported. This research monograph contains a brief summary of the AQR methodology, detailed data and charts that track comparative quality for domestic airline operations for the 12-month period of 2013, and industry results. Also, comparative Airline Quality Rating data for 2012 are included, where available, to provide historical perspective regarding performance quality in the industry.

Airline Quality Rating 2014

 

What the Airline Quality Rating Tells Us About 2013

The Airline Quality Rating industry score for 2013 shows an industry that improved in overall performance quality over the previous year. As an industry, performance in 2013 was better than the previous two years. The AQR score for 2013 was the best industry score for all of the 23 year history of the Airline Quality Rating. United Airlines had the largest improvement in overall score, while Air Tran Airlines had the largest decline in AQR score for 2013.

The overall industry AQR score was improved for 2013, even though declines were seen in two of the four performance areas tracked. As an industry, the AQR criteria show that on-time arrival percentage was worse (78.4% in 2013 compared to 81.8% in 2012). Industry mishandled baggage rates were worse, increasing from 3.07 per 1,000 passengers in 2012 to 3.21 per 1,000 passengers in 2013. Involuntary denied boardings per passenger served by all carriers improved from 0.97 per 10,000 passengers in 2012 to 0.81 per 10,000 passengers in 2013. Consumer complaint rates across the industry improved to 1.13 per 100,000 passengers in 2013 from 1.43 per 100,000 passengers in 2012. Of the 9,684 complaints registered with DOT regarding all U.S. domestic carriers, 64.5% were for either flight problems, customer service problems, or baggage problems. Taking all 15 rated airlines together, the AQR score for the industry improved from a level of -1.11 in 2012 to -1.07 in 2013. With a mixed bag of gains and losses across the 15 carriers rated, the improvement in AQR score for the industry is a positive sign. The movement of the AQR score to a record low level during difficult economic times speaks well of the industry.

AirTran Airways (FL) On-time performance declined in 2013 (79.4% in 2013 compared to 87.1% in 2012). AirTranโ€™s denied boardings performance (1.29 per 10,000 passengers in 2013 compared to 0.95 in 2012) was worse. A decrease in customer complaint rate to 0.73 complaints per 100,000 passengers in 2013 was better performance than their 2012 rate of 0.91. The mishandled baggage rate of 3.71 bags per 1,000 passengers in 2013 was worse than their 2012 rate of 1.58. With improvement in only one area rated, Air Tran Airways overall AQR score showed the largest decline in of all airlines rated in 2013.

Alaska Airlines (AS) had performance improvement in two of the four areas tracked. Slightly worse on-time arrival performance (87.2% in 2013 compared to 87.5% in 2012) and a very small increase in mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers (2.94 in 2013 compared to 2.93 in 2012) were their only negatives. Fewer customer complaints (0.44 per 100,000 passengers in 2013 compared to 0.51 in 2012) and a lower rate of involuntary denied boardings (0.39 in 2013 compared to 0.63 per 10,000 passengers in 2012) were the positives. Alaska Airlinesโ€™ overall AQR score improved for 2013. With two of four areas showing improvement, the AQR score of -0.77 for Alaska Airlines for 2012 was improved to -0.69 for 2013.

American Airlines (AA) AQR score for 2013 stayed nearly the same as their score for 2012. The slight improvement in AQR score (-1.10 in 2013 compared to -1.11 for 2012) reflects a combination of better performance for on-time arrivals (78.1% in 2013 compared to 76.9% in 2012) and involuntary denied boardings (0.43 in 2013 compared to 0.73 in 2012) and a decline in performances regarding baggage handling (3.02 per 1,000 passengers in 2013 compared to 2.92 in 2012) and customer complaints per 100,000 passengers (1.99 in 2013 compared to 1.80 in 2012). The combination of performance outcome gains and losses produced very little improvement in their AQR score for 2013.

American Eagle (MQ) had a denied boarding rate of 1.14 for 2013, an increase from 1.07 per 10,000 passengers in 2012. The airline had an increase in the rate of customer complaints (1.70 in 2013 from 1.27 per 100,000 passengers in 2012). On-time performance was 72.1% in 2013 compared to 81.6% for 2012. Their mishandled baggage rate of 5.90 per 1,000 passengers in 2013 was only slightly worse than their rate of 5.80 for 2012, but was still well above the industry rate of 3.21. This combination of performance on the criteria produced a decline in AQR score for 2013 (-1.95 in 2013 compared to -1.78 for 2012.

Delta Air Lines (DL) On-time percentage for 2013 shows a decline over 2012 (86.5% in 2012 and 84.5% in 2013). Their rate of mishandled baggage of 2.19 bags per 1,000 passengers in 2013 was slightly higher than the 2.10 rate for 2012, but was better than the industry average of 3.21 mishandled bags per 1,000 passengers. An increase in denied boardings (2013 rate of 0.57 per 10,000 passengers compared to 0.51 for 2012) and a reduced rate of customer complaints (0.59 in 2013 compared to 0.73 in 2012) combined to basically keep Deltaโ€™s AQR score the same for 2013 (-0.59 in 2013 compared to -0.58 in 2012).

Endeavor Air (9E) Data for Endeavor Air reflects data for renamed Pinnacle Airlines (thru of 7/31/13) with the Endeavor Air name becoming official on 8/01/13. On-time performance (80.3%) is better than the industry average of 78.4%. Endeavor Airโ€™s involuntary denied boarding performance (0.85 per 10,000 passengers) compares favorably to the industry average of 0.89. A customer complaint rate of 0.86 complaints per 100,000 passengers is better than the industry average rate of 1.13 for 2013. Their mishandled baggage rate of 2.66 per 1,000 passengers was below the industry rate of 3.21 bags per 1,000 passengers for 2013. Overall, Endeavor Air entered the AQR ratings with score of -0.85 for 2013.

Frontier Airlines (F9) On-time performance in 2013 (73.1%) declined compared to 2012 (77.9%). Frontierโ€™s denied boarding performance (1.23 per 10,000 passengers in 2013 compared to 0.78 in 2012) was worse than last year. Their mishandled baggage rate of 2.15 per 1,000 passengers was slightly improved from their 2012 rate of 2.22. A customer complaint rate of 3.09 complaints per 100,000 passengers for 2013 was nearly three times higher than their 2012 rate of 1.05. Frontierโ€™s 2013 AQR score of -1.35 compared to -0.78 for 2012 was among the largest drops in AQR score of all the airlines rated.

Hawaiian Airlines (HA) On-time performance (93.3% in 2013 and 93.4% for 2012) is the best of all airlines rated for 2012 and 2013. Hawaiianโ€™s involuntary denied boarding performance (0.17 per 10,000 passengers in 2013 and 0.18 in 2012) is among the best of the airlines rated and compares very favorably to the industry average of 0.89. A customer complaint rate of 1.06 complaints per 100,000 passengers is higher than last yearโ€™s rate of 0.89. Their mishandled baggage rate of 2.25 per 1,000 passengers is better than their 2012 rate of 2.88. Hawaiian had the third best AQR score for 2013 at -0.59.

JetBlue Airways (B6) On-time performance in 2013 declined to 74.4% from 79.1% in 2012. Jet Blueโ€™s denied boarding performance (0.01 per 10,000 passengers in 2013 and 2012) is consistently the lowest of all the airlines rated. A customer complaint rate of 0.63 complaints per 100,000 passengers was lower in 2013 (0.79 in 2012) and was well below the industry average of 1.13 for 2013. Their mishandled baggage rate of 1.91 per 1,000 passengers in 2013 was second best among airlines rated but was higher than their 2012 rate of 1.88. JetBlue had the second best AQR score (-0.42) of the airlines rated for 2013.

SkyWest Airlines (OO) On-time performance of 79.7% in 2013, declined from 81.6% for 2012. SkyWestโ€™s involuntary denied boardings performance (2.55 per 10,000 passengers in 2013 compared to 2.32 in 2012) increased and was well above the industry average of 0.89. A customer complaint rate of 0.80 complaints per 100,000 passengers in 2013 compared to the 2012 rate of 0.88 had a positive impact on their 2013 AQR score. Their mishandled baggage rate of 4.93 per 1,000 passengers in 2013 improved from the 2012 rate of 5.26 bags per 1,000 passengers. SkyWestโ€™s AQR score improved slightly in 2013 to -1.84 from -1.88 in 2012.

United Airlines (UA) On-time arrival performance improved from 77.4% in 2012 to 79.3% in 2013. Their mishandled baggage rate decreased from 3.87 per 1,000 passengers in 2012 to 3.47 in 2013. Performance regarding involuntary denied boardings of 1.83 per 10,000 passengers in 2012 improved to 1.17 in 2013. A lower customer complaint rate of 2.14 in 2013 compared to 4.24 per 100,000 passengers in 2012 combined with improvements in all other performance areas to move Unitedโ€™s 2013 AQR score to -1.43 from -2.18 in 2012. United was the only airline to show improvement in all four areas rated in 2013. United also had the most improvement in AQR score of all airlines rated for 2013.

US Airways (US) showed improvement in two of the four performance areas tracked for 2013. A closer look reveals that US Airways performed worse in on-time performance (81.1% in 2013 compared to 85.9% in 2012) and mishandled baggage (2.52 per 1,000 passengers in 2013 compared to 2.14 in 2012). A customer complaint rate of 1.42 per 100,000 passengers in 2013 compared favorably to a 2012 rate 0f 1.74. An involuntary denied boarding rate of 0.61 per 10,000 passengers in 2013 compared to 0.68 in 2012 was also an area of performance gain for US Airways. Their overall 2013 AQR score of -0.88 reflects a slight decline over their -0.87 score for 2012.

Virgin America (VX) On-time performance of 82.1% in 2103 was a decline from their 83.5% for 2012. Virgin Americaโ€™s involuntary denied boarding performance (0.04 per 10,000 passengers in 2013 compared to 0.07 in 2012) was again the second best of the airlines rated and compares very favorably to the industry average of 0.89. A 2013 customer complaint rate of 1.28 complaints per 100,000 passengers is higher than the industry average of 1.13, but is an improvement over their 2012 rate of 1.50. Their mishandled baggage rate of 0.97 per 1,000 passengers in 2013 (best of all airlines rated) is clearly better than the industry rate of 3.21 bags per 1,000 passengers, but is a decline from their 2012 rate of 0.87. Overall, Virgin America improved on their industry leading AQR score of -0.35 for 2012 with a 2013 AQR score of -0.32.

 

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Boeing opens 737 Interior Configuration Studio

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Boeing (Chicago and Seattle) has debuted its new 737 Configuration Studio, a new facility where airline customers can choose their jetliner interiors. The 20,000 square-foot (1,900 square-meter) studio is located in Renton, Washington near the factory where 42 737s are produced per month.

Similar to the 787 Dreamliner Gallery, the 737 Configuration Studio provides a private and welcoming showroom environment to assist Next-Generation 737 and 737 MAX customers with the design and configuration of new airplane interiors.

More than two dozen major interior configuration introductions are expected over the next two years. To help 737 customers select among them, the studio presents views of suppliers’ products side by side in one location. Customers can see, touch and experience choices in galleys, seats and in-flight entertainment. They also can select interior colors and decors that highlight and support their brand.

Additionally, customers can use the 737 Boeing Sky Interior light lab (below) to study how fabrics, carpets, drapes and uniforms appear under various light settings. The facility also houses the “new features room,” which provides customers with a glimpse of future technologies.

Copyright Photos: Boeing.

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Airbus tests and unveils A350 cabin concepts

Airbus (Toulouse) has unveiled the A350 XWBโ€™s development cabin interior installed on board flight-test aircraft msn 002 at the Airbus site in Hamburg. Airbus A350-941 F-WWCF (msn 002), which made its first flight on February 26, 2014, is the first of two test aircraft fitted with a passenger interior and is part of the growing A350 XWB development fleet. Intensive cabin flight and ground tests have already been performed during a two-week stay of the aircraft in Hamburg in mid-March 2014. The cabins of all Airbus aircraft are developed by the engineering and research teams based there. The new interior demonstrates how the aircraftโ€™s โ€œeXtra-wideโ€ fuselage will soon offer passengers even more personal space, flexibility and comfort in business and economy classes, and especially, a wide 18โ€ seat in 9-abreast economy.

Airbus A350-900 F-WWCF Test Cabin (Airbus)(LR)

Copyright Photo: Airbus. The test cabin of F-WWCF (msn 002).

A350 XWB msn 002 will be tasked with conducting a series of โ€œEarly Long Flightsโ€ with its cabin accommodating real passengers. โ€˜Hot and coldโ€™ cabin trials will also feature in its busy test programme, which also includes validation of the advanced fourth-generation in-flight-entertainment (IFE). F-WWCF (msn 002) will soon be joined by the second cabin-equipped A350 msn 005, which will be tasked with route-proving flights around the world to the major destinations it will serve.

Airbus A350 Business Class Cabin (Airbus)(LR)

Copyright Photo: Airbus. Computer rendering of the Business Class cabin.

Together with the unveiling of the first A350 XWB test cabin, Airbus also inaugurated its dedicated A350 XWB Customer Definition Centre (CDC) where airline customers and operators will follow an efficient cabin design and definition process allowing shorter lead times. The CDC, which features individually tailored zones, enables the customers to see, feel and test the real catalogue solutions presented in a showroom environment, and in close cooperation with the risk-sharing partners. The centre also incorporates the innovative electronic โ€œA350 XWB Configuratorโ€ โ€“ a virtual environment and modelling tool for accelerated cabin specification and visualisation. In short, the CDC is a โ€œone-stop-shopโ€ for airlines to establish their own A350 XWB cabin definition efficiently in one place.

Airbus A350-900 Business Class lighting (Airbus)(LR)

Copyright Photo: Airbus. The lighting in the projected Business Class section.

Notable passenger-pleasing features of the A350 XWB cabin which customers can evaluate for real in the CDC include the full cabin LED lighting with 16.7 million possible colors for customized ambiances and scenarios, or the various galley options. They will also be able to experience the wide array of fourth-generation IFE consoles and high-definition display options – for which the associated electronics boxes and connections are smartly integrated and combined with the aircraftโ€™s unique flat floor architecture, thus freeing-up even more personal space, under the seat.

Airbus A350-900 Business Class seat (Airbus)(LR)

Copyright Photo: Airbus. The Business Class seat.

Visitors to the CDCโ€™s full-scale mock-ups will also appreciate the aircraftโ€™s near-vertical sidewalls, adding eXtra spaciousness to the cabin and the large overhead stowage bins to match growing hand-luggage volume requirements.

Airbus A350-900 Economy Class cabin (Airbus)(LR)

Copyright Photo: Airbus. The proposed Economy Class cabin.

The A350 XWB is Airbusโ€™ all-new mid-size long range product line comprising three versions covering a wide range of capacities from 276 to 369 seats. This family, whose 221-inch wide internal cabin cross-section is optimized for full long-range passenger comfort in all classes, brings a 25 percent step change in efficiency compared with existing aircraft in this size category. At the end of March 2014, the A350 XWB had won 812 orders from 39 customers worldwide.

Top Copyright Photo: Olivier Gregoire/AirlinersGallery.com. Test aircraft Airbus A350-941 F-WWCF (msn 002) in the “Carbon Fiber” livery arrives back at Toulouse.

Delta’s flight attendants to use Nokia Lumia 1520 phablets for in-flight sales

DELTA AIR LINES PHABLET CLOSE UP

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) this fall will equip more than 20,000 flight attendants with handheld Nokia Lumia 1520 phablets, which will serve as their on-board manual and in-flight sales device as well as a platform for future, more personalized in-flight customer service. The Lumia 1520 features a larger format, 6-inch screen and will replace the smaller Lumia 820 already in the hands of Delta on-board professionals.

Providing electronic access to the more than 500 page, five pound On-Board Manual carried by every flight attendant is expected to save more than $1 million annually in reduced fuel and printing costs while providing on board professionals a more intuitive way to access essential information.

In addition to its functionality as an in-flight sales device and replacement for the on-board manual, the Nokia Lumia 1520 phablet, running Windows Phone 8.1, will, as it develops, enable flight attendants to take customer meal orders, receive detailed information about their flight and provide information for personalized service, including customers’ frequent flyer status and potential need for special services during flight.

Devices will be distributed starting in October with all flight attendants receiving the device by the end of the year. The solution was developed jointly by Microsoft, Avanade, Nokia and AT&T and is the latest in a number of employee and customer-facing technology innovations Delta has made in recent years. Last September, Delta announced its pilots would receive Surface 2 tablets to be used initially as electronic flight bags and be developed into a multi-functional device that can be integrated across the airline operation.

Copyright Photo: Delta Air Lines.

Delta Air Lines (current):ย AG Slide Show

 

Alaska Airlines files an application to fly from Seattle/Tacoma to Cancun

Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) has submitted its application today to begin seasonal nonstop service between Seattle/Tacoma and Cancun, Mexico. Pending approval by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Mexico Direccion General de Aeronautica Civil (DGAC), the airline plans to begin its daily service to Cancun on November 6.

Alaska Airlines introduced service to Mexico in 1988 and operates more nonstop flights between the West Coast and Mexico than any other carrier, flying an average of 1.5 million passengers a year. Alaska already serves six Mexico beach destinations โ€” Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, Loreto, Los Cabos, Manzanillo, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta โ€” in addition to Guadalajara and Mexico City.

With the new flights, Alaska Airlines will now offer 279 peak-day departures nonstop to 79 destinations from Seattle, more than any other carrier.

Summary of new daily Seattle/Tacoma service:

Seattle/Tacoma โ€“ New Orleans: starting June 12
Seattle/Tacoma โ€“ Tampa: starting June 20
Seattle/Tacoma โ€“ Baltimore/Washington (BWI): starting September 2
Seattle/Tacoma โ€“ Detroit: starting September 4
Seattle/Tacoma โ€“ Albuquerque: starting September 18
Seattle/Tacoma โ€“ Cancun: starting November 6 pending governmental approval

When approved, the Seattle/Tacoma-Cancun route will be operated with Boeing 737 aircraft.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-890 N534AS (msn 35202) taxies to the runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA).

Alaska Airlines:ย AG Slide Show

MH 370 Update: Australian ship Ocean Shield using U.S. equipment finds a ping for two hours in the Indian Ocean

AMSA 4.7.14 Map

According to CNN, “Australia naval shipย Ocean Shield hat’s towing a sophisticated U.S. pinger locator through an area about 1,750 kilometers (1,100 miles) northwest of Perth. The first detection lasted for more than two hours; a second lasted for about 13 minutes.”

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Map: AMSA. Areas being searched today.