JetBlue Airways announces its “One Thing That’s Green” campaign (besides the Jets logo jet)

JetBlue Airways (New York) today (April 7) announced its seventh annual “One Thing That’s Green” (OTTG) campaign.

The airline issued this statement:

This year’s initiative will bring a little greenery to the scenery of several BlueCities. Customers and crewmembers throughout JetBlue’s network are encouraged to vote to spruce up their local communities with green spaces. JetBlue is continuing its long-standing partnership with New York Restoration Project (NYRP) and the MillionTreesNYC initiative for a tree-planting event in New York. The airline will also align with Charles River Watershed Association, Seventh Generation and Bobble to clean up Boston’s Charles River.

Throughout the month of April, customers and community members can visit Facebook.com/JetBlue to vote for JetBlue’s next green space. Customers can vote by selecting their favorite BlueCity from the route map on the One Thing That’s Green Facebook tab. Customers will be able to vote multiple times for the BlueCity they hope will receive the next green space after liking JetBlue’s Facebook page. JetBlue will announce the community it has selected on May 1 and the green space builds will take place in the fall.

“Our annual One Thing That’s Green campaign literally breathes new life into local communities. This year we are asking our customers where they would like to see more greenery and vibrant green spaces in their local neighborhoods,” said Icema Gibbs, JetBlue’s director corporate social responsibility. “Over the past seven years, we’ve played a small part in creating a healthier planet by planting more than 3,000 trees and cleaning 35,000 tons of trash in New York City. Our goal is to improve air quality and enhance the local communities where we live and serve. This year, we will add Boston to our efforts and provide a day of fun and festivities as our crewmembers and neighbors help clean the beloved Charles River.”

To celebrate Earth Day, the airline will plant trees and participate in community clean-ups in New York and Boston. On April 19, crewmembers and customers will work together to plant trees right in JetBlue’s backyard in Queens, New York. More than 250 volunteers will work side-by-side to plant 100 trees, clean up public spaces and beautify a garden in New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) Woodside Houses in Woodside, Queens. This tree-planting event is an important step in the continued rebuilding of New York City’s tree canopy.

“Over the years, our annual plantings with JetBlue gave root to more than 3,500 trees throughout the city, and brought over 3,000 New Yorkers together for a great, common cause,” said Deborah Marton, NYRP’s executive director. “We’re looking forward to continuing this wonderful tradition and demonstrating how great partnerships can make our city stronger, healthier, and more beautiful.”

On April 26, 1,200 crewmembers, customers and community members will also volunteer to help clean up the Charles River in Boston. JetBlue will also host a celebration festival at the Hatch Shell on the River and will raffle tickets to attendees. Community members can register at http://www.charlesriver.org to participate from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Charles River Watershed Association was formed in 1965 in response to public concern about the declining condition of the Charles River. Initiatives over the last four decades have dramatically improved the quality of water in the watershed.

“We are thrilled the 15thAnnual Earth Day Charles River is part of JetBlue’s One Thing That’s Green campaign this year. This collective effort further exemplifies how citizens and businesses can come together and make a positive impact in our communities through environmental stewardship,” said Charles River Watershed Association Executive Director, Robert Zimmerman, Jr.

This year’s One Thing That’s Green campaign solidifies JetBlue’s rooted in humanity environmental responsibility stance. Environmental responsibility and its connection to sustainability are key pillars of JetBlue’s corporate responsibility platform. Since 2008, more than 3,000 JetBlue crewmembers and customers have planted more than 3,500 trees and cleaned nearly three tons of trash in areas including in East Harlem, Manhattan; Forest Hills, Queens; Jamaica, Queens; Highland Park, Brooklyn/Queens and Long Island City, Queens in an effort to rebuilding New York and its communities.

Created by JetBlue to encourage healthier communities through a healthy planet, the One Thing That’s Green annual campaign highlights the airline’s commitment to environmentalism and giving back in the communities it serves. The day-long tree planting events in New York and Boston will take place rain or shine and will include giveaways, complimentary breakfast and lunch, and family-fun activities.

Top Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. The New York Jets-adorned Airbus A320-232 N746JB (msn 3622) arrives in Los Angeles.

JetBlue Airways:

Jetstar Airways announces new Brisbane-Honolulu flights starting on December 15

Jetstar Airways (Australia) (Melbourne) has announced new nonstop service between Brisbane and Honolulu starting on December 15, 2014.

The route will be operated by Airbus A330 aircraft up to three times a week during the peak season with two weekly services in the off peak.

The new Honolulu route will be the second wide body service from Brisbane following the start of nonstop services to Bali later this month to be operated by the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Flights will depart from Brisbane on Tuesdays and Fridays with services operating from Honolulu on Mondays and Thursdays.

The third service for peak season will operate on a Sunday. The route will eventually be operated by the Boeing 787 Dreamliner as Jetstar continues to take delivery of more aircraft.

Jetstar Airways:

AeroLap Paraguay Airlines paints its first Boeing 767-300, wants to fly to Madrid

AeroLap Paraguay Airlines (Asuncion) has painted its first Boeing 767-300. The proposed airline, awaiting its AOC certification, is proposing scheduled flights from Asuncion to Madrid.

Did Malaysia Airlines missing flight MH 370 purposely avoid Indonesian airspace?

CNN is reporting the following today (April 6) concerning missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH 370:

“A senior Malaysian government source told CNN that Flight 370 flew around Indonesian airspace after it dropped off Malaysian military radar. The plane may have been intentionally taken along a route designed to avoid radar detection, the source said.

In the search for the plane in the Indian Ocean, a Chinese patrol ship Haixun 01 picked up two signals, one on Friday and another on Saturday, that were only 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) apart, authorities said.”

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

CNN Video:

If true, this would show intent by someone in the cockpit to avoid radar detention by avoiding flying over western Indonesia before heading south into the Indian Ocean.

Meanwhile search teams have shifted to new areas to search (see map above) adding more credence to the Chinese ping reports. A British ship with elaborate detection equipment is moving into the area detected by the Chinese.

Map: AMSA.

Finnair to operate scheduled flights to Krabi and Phuket in Thailand this coming winter

Finnair (Helsinki) will introduce scheduled services to Krabi and Phuket in Thailand. Both of these destinations were previously served only on a charter basis. Flights to Phuket (HKT) will be operated three times a week from November 14, and to Krabi (KBV) twice a week from December 10. Both routes will be operated with Airbus A340 aircraft.

The number of weekly flights to Nagoya, Japan (NGO) will also increase from four to five per week. The additional frequency is scheduled to depart on Tuesdays in November–December and Wednesdays from January to March. All Finnair flights to Nagoya are operated with Airbus A330 aircraft with full-flat seats in Business Class.

Additionally, Finnair will reopen its service to Tromsø (TOS). The Arctic city in the far north of Norway will be served from Helsinki three times a week from January 1 until March 28, 2015 for the Northern Lights season. The route will be operated by Flybe Finland with Embraer 190 aircraft.

Copyright Photo: Kok Chwee K.C. Sim/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A340-313X OH-LQD (msn 921) in the special Unikko floral print 1964 color scheme departs from Singapore.

Finnair:

Air New Zealand’s first Boeing 787-9 is rolled out of the paint shop at Everett

Boeing (Chicago and Seattle) yesterday (April 5) rolled out of the paint hangar the first 787-9 Dreamliner (ZK-NZE, msn 34334) to be delivered to launch customer Air New Zealand (Auckland), revealing the carrier’s new-look livery. The airplane, painted in a distinctive black color scheme, features the iconic official New Zealand Fern Mark.

This 787-9 is the first airplane to feature the distinctive black version of Air New Zealand’s new-look livery design, with the white version having been gradually rolled out across the airline’s domestic fleet in recent months. While the majority of Air New Zealand’s fleet will eventually feature the white version, a limited number will feature the signature black version.

Air New Zealand plans to have the airplane begin service on its Auckland-Perth route later this year. Air New Zealand has 10 787-9s on order.

The 787-9 will complement and extend the 787 family. With the fuselage stretched by 20 feet (6 m) over the 787-8, the 787-9 will fly up to 40 more passengers an additional 300 nautical miles (555 km) with the same exceptional environmental performance — 20 percent less fuel use and 20 percent fewer emissions than similarly sized airplanes.

Twenty-six customers from around the world have ordered 405 787-9s, accounting for approximately 39 percent of all 787 orders.

Air New Zealand issued this statement:

The aircraft, which will soon become the first 787-9 in commercial operation, rolled out of Boeing’s paint hangar on Saturday evening April 5 and will join the Air New Zealand fleet mid year.

The 787-9 is the first Air New Zealand aircraft to feature the distinctive black version of the airline’s new-look livery. The white version of the livery has been gradually rolled out across the airline’s A320 domestic fleet in recent months.

The paint job took five days to complete and was done by 12 painters using around 350 liters of paint.

Air New Zealand’s new livery features the New Zealand Fern Mark, the use of which is authorised by Tourism New Zealand and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. While the majority of the airline’s fleet will eventually feature the white version of the design a limited number will feature this signature black version.

This aircraft is the first of ten 787-9 Dreamliners to join Air New Zealand’s fleet. Air New Zealand is the global launch customer for the 787-9 which is 20 percent more fuel efficient than the aircraft it’s replacing. The 787-9 will operate the Auckland – Perth route from October 15, 2014 and to both Tokyo and Shanghai from November.

Video: Air New Zealand. The building of the first ANZ 787-9:

Images below: Air New Zealand. The 2013 livery has two versions:

Air New Zealand:

Oman Air posts a loss of nearly $295 million for 2013

Oman Air (Muscat) reported a financial loss of nearly $295 million for 2013. This loss deepened from the previous year.

Oman Air reported strong increases in revenues and passenger numbers, supported by growth in seat capacity, cargo operations and the number of passengers carried in 2013. Oman Air blamed the loss on its investment in new aircraft.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Read the analysis by Muscat Daily: CLICK HERE

Oman Air:

Current Route Map:

Kenya Airways takes delivery of its first Boeing 787, arrives in Nairobi today

Kenya Airways (Nairobi) and Boeing (Chicago and Seattle) yesterday (April 4) celebrated the delivery and flyaway of the Kenyan flag carrier’s first 787 Dreamliner. Boeing 787-8 5Y-KZA (msn 35510) departed Paine Field in Everett for a 7,800 nautical mile (14,456 km) nonstop flight to Kenya Airways’ home base in Nairobi at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

This delivery is the first of nine 787 Dreamliners set to join Kenya Airways’ fleet. The deliveries of additional 787s, along with 777-300ER (Extended Range) airplanes, forms part of the East African carrier’s 10-year strategic plan called “Project Mawingu.” The plan is focused on increasing the airline’s fleet size from 44 airplanes to 107 by 2021 and destinations from the 62 to 115. Currently the Nairobi-based carrier operates an all-Boeing long-haul fleet of six 767-300 ERs, four 777-200ERs and one 777-300 ER.

Kenya Airways’ first 787 is scheduled to begin flying regionally within Africa (Mombasa and Johannesburg) in the coming weeks, before beginning long-haul service to Paris (CDG) in early June. Currently the “Pride of Africa” serves destinations across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. To date, more than 130 Dreamliners have been delivered to 17 customers worldwide.

Top Copyright Photo: Royal S. King/AirlinersGallery.com. 5Y-KZA is beautifully captured at Paine Field near Everett before the delivery.

Kenya Airways:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Kenya Airways. 5Y-KZA lands in Nairobi on April 5. CEO Dr. Titus Naikuni carries the Kenyan flag and walks towards H.E Uhuru Kenyatta for the hand over of the aircraft.

Videos:

Jambojet starts operations on April 1 with three Boeing 737-300s

Jambojet (Jambojet.com) (subsidiary of Kenya Airways) (Nairobi) as planned, launched low-fare operations on April 1 between Nairobi and Mombasa. Service to Kisumu and Eldoret were also commenced on the same day with three leased Boeing 737-300s (from Kenya Airways).

The new airline will gradually expand to Arusha (Tanzania), Bujumbura (Burundi), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Entebbe (Uganda), Kigali (Rwanda) and Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) according to ATW.

The formation of lower cost Jambojet is a defensive move by parent Kenya Airways against any plans by Fastjet to operate in Kenya.

Top Copyright Photo: Jambojet. Each tail represents a different animal, specifically the Cheetah, Zebra and Giraffe. The the three leased Boeing 737-300s are pictured at Nairobi.

Bottom Copyright Photo: Jambojet. Captain Aquinas Birika and First Officer Wanjiru Gichaga make a toast after landing the first flight.

Belavia to introduce the Embraer 195 on May 6

Belavia Belarusian Airlines (Minsk, Belarus) as previously reported, signed a firm contract for two Embraer ERJ 195s. According to Airline Route, the carrier will introduce the new type on May 6 between Minsk and Moscow (Domodedovo) and Minsk-Prague.

Image: Embraer.

Belavia: