Nok Air converts two Bombardier Q400s to firm orders

Nok Air (Bangkok) of Thailand has converted two previously booked Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) NextGen aircraft options to firm orders. The options were acquired under a contract announced on November 19, 2013 that also included two firm-ordered aircraft and four purchase rights. At that time, Bombardier also confirmed that Nok Air would be the launch customer for the new extra capacity seating option of the Q400 NextGen turboprop that will allow the aircraft to accommodate up to 86 passengers.

Image: Bombardier.

Nok Air:

China Express converts three Bombardier CRJ900s to firm orders

China Express Airlines (Chongqing) has converted previously announced conditional purchase agreements for three Bombardier CRJ900 NextGen regional jets into a firm order. The conditional purchase agreements for five CRJ900 NextGen aircraft, with options on an additional eight CRJ900 NextGen aircraft, were announced on December 2, 2013, along with a firm order for three CRJ900 NextGen airliners.

China Express provides regional passenger services to 44 cities throughout China with its fleet of five Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft and nine 84-seat CRJ900 NextGen aircraft. The airline was the first to operate the CRJ900 aircraft in China.

Flybe paints the first aircraft in the new purple color scheme

Flybe (Exeter) today (April 1) unveiled its new “Faster than road or rail” purple livery. The pictured Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) G-JECY (msn 4157) was the first and was painted at East Midlands as part of its new advertising campaign.

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Air Canada finalizes its order for 61 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft

Boeing (Chicago and Seattle) and Air Canada (Montreal) have finalized an order for 61 737 MAX airplanes to lead the airline’s single-aisle fleet renewal plan. The order, valued at $6.5 billion at list prices, consists of 33 737 MAX 8s and 28 737 MAX 9s, as well as 18 options and 30 rights to purchase additional 737 MAXs.

The 737 MAX improves fuel efficiency and reduces carbon emissions by 14 percent, while reducing the operational noise footprint by 40 percent, compared to today’s aircraft.

The 737 MAX incorporates the latest technology LEAP-1B engines from CFM International with other advancements including Advanced Technology winglets, large flight deck displays and the Boeing Sky Interior to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market.

The 737 MAX has accumulated more than 1,900 orders to date from 37 customers worldwide.

Development of the 737 MAX is on schedule with firm configuration of the airplane completed in July 2013. First flight is scheduled in 2016 with deliveries to customers beginning in third quarter of 2017.

Image: Boeing.

Air Canada:

Israir Airlines to introduce four new routes

Israir Airlines (Tel Aviv) will commenced weekly Airbus A320 service to Stuttgart, Germany starting on June 4 according to Airline Route.

The company is also introducing three new routes this summer to Memmingen (May 30), Tbilisi (April 2) and Verona (April 3).

Israir Airlines:

El Al launches UP on March 30, reports a full-year net profit for 2013

El Al Israel Airlines (Tel Aviv) launched its UP division on March 30. 180,000 tickets were sold before the first flight departed. Up launched operations with low-fare service to five Destinations: Berlin, Budapest, Kiev, Prague and Larnaca.

Berlin: Up to 12 weekly flights
Prague: Up to 11 weekly flights
Kiev: Up to 11 weekly flights
Budapest: Up to 12 weekly flights
Larnaca: Up to 6 weekly flights
A total of up to 52 weekly flights to UP destinations

The inaugural flight to Berlin was piloted by Captain Hovev Ben David, Manager of the 737 fleet, together with First Officer Izhar Katzir (below).

The business model combines a low base fare and passengers can add for additional services – such as seating, check-in at the airport, baggage and other services.

Economy Class passengers may order meals, for a fee, from an UP menu that will be offered to them during the flight.

The menu includes a selection of fresh products: sandwiches, salads, baked goods, muesli, as well as snacks, soft drinks, hot drinks and alcoholic beverages. The fresh food offered for sale, including sandwiches, are Mehadrin kosher with certification provided by the Chief Rabbinate under supervision of Rabbi Moshe Nachshoni. All ingredients have Badatz kashrut certification.

In other news, financially El Al reported a full-year net profit of $25.4 million for 2013, reversing the $18 million loss the airline posted ithe previous year.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Marvin Goldman’s El Al Memorabilia Collection: CLICK HERE

El Al:

UP:

Ethiopian starts nonstop Boeing 787 flights to Shanghai, China

Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa) on March 29 started daily nonstop service to Shanghai, China. Ethiopian operates the Shanghai flight using its Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 24 Cloud Nine Business Class and 246 Economy Class seats.

Shanghai is Ethiopian’s 80th international destination.

Copyright Photo: Wingnut/AirlinersGallery.com. Up close on the ramp at London’s Heathrow Airport. Boeing 787-8 ET-AOO (msn 34743) taxies past the camera.

Ethiopian Airlines:

Norwegian opens its new base at Barcelona, Spain

Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norwegian.com) (Oslo) and Spanish authorities are celebrating today the opening of the new base in Barcelona. It is the sixth Spanish base along with Madrid, Alicante, Malaga, Las Palmas and Tenerife.

The mood among the travelers were on top when Norwegian, Spanish authorities and partners celebrated the opening of the new base in Barcelona with a ribbon cutting, refreshments and speeches.

Between March and October this year Norwegian expects to fly around 700,000 passengers to and from Barcelona. During the same period last year traveled 490,000 passengers to and from the Catalan capital.

Three Boeing 737-800 are now based at the Barcelona-El Prat Airport. Over 120 pilots and cabin crew have been hired locally with competitive wages and working conditions. Norwegian opens four new routes and increase frequencies on existing routes from April 2014. Norwegian now has 11 nonstop routes from BCN and 69 flights a week from Barcelona.

Top Copyright Photo: Norwegian.

Norwegian:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Michael Kelly/AirlinersGallery.com. The latest Norwegian Boeing 787-8 EI-LND (msn 35310) arrived at Dublin on delivery from Boeing on March 26. The Dreamliner was rolled out yesterday (March 31) with a decal of Norwegian marathon runner Grete Waitz on the tail.

CityJet to be sold to Intro Aviation

CityJet (Dublin) and its subsidiary VLM Airlines will be sold by AirFrance-KLM to Intro Aviation. Air France-KLM on March 28 agreed to accept the offer from Intro Aviation. The new owners are expected to take control in about four weeks. CityJet (Air France by CityJet) will continue to fly for Air France.

Air France-KLM issued this short statement:

On March 28, 2014 Air France accepted the firm offer received in December 2013 from Intro Aviation GmbH to purchase CityJet and its VLM subsidiary. The closing of the transaction for the CityJet shares should take place in April 2014.

Air France and CityJet will pursue their commercial co-operation as part of a new industrial plan which foresees, in particular, the development of flights under the CityJet brand on departure from London City to European destinations, and CityJet continuing to operate flights on behalf of Air France on departure from Paris-CDG.

The announcement of this future sale is important for the staff of CityJet and VLM. One of the aims of the operation is to set the conditions for a new long-term development for the company and its staff.

Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com. CityJet’s BAe RJ85 EI-RJG (msn E2344) lands at EuroAirport in Air France colors.

CityJet:

Air France by CityJet:

US Airways jumps from the Star Alliance to the Oneworld Alliance

US Airways (Phoenix) yesterday (March 31) as planned, completed its transition to Oneworld along with TAM Airlines (Sao Paulo) marking the biggest single-day expansion of the alliance since its launch 15 years ago.

US Airways’ regional affiliates, operating as US Airways Express, also transitioned to Oneworld, following US Airways’ recent merger with American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth).

With its regional affiliates, US Airways serves more than 200 destinations and 30 countries with a fleet of more than 620 aircraft. It carried 82.5 million passengers in 2013 and currently operates 3,200 departures a day. It uses the two-letter code US, but this will be changed to AA once the two airlines combine under a single operating certificate.

It has added more than 50 destinations to the oneworld map – most in its US home but also two in Canada and one each in Ireland and Mexico – along with its key hubs of Charlotte, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington DC’s Reagan National, expanding oneworld’s presence across the USA, particularly throughout the East Coast and across the North Atlantic.

Once the integration is completed, the new American will offer service to more than 330 destinations in more than 50 countries, carrying 190 million passengers a year on a fleet of 1,500 aircraft.

US Airways: