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).
Copyright Photo: OSDU/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-232 4X-ABF (msn 4354) prepares to land in Moscow (Domodedovo).
Israir Airlines:ย 
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
Copyright Photo: El Al/UP. The inaugural flightย ceremony at the gate before boarding.
The inaugural flight to Berlin was piloted by Captain Hovev Ben David, Manager of the 737 fleet, together with First Officer Izhar Katzir (below).
Copyright Photo: El Al/UP.
The business model combines a low base fare and passengers can add for additional services โ 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
Copyright Photo: Andi Hiltl/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-86Q 4X-EKO (msn 30287) of UP departs from Zurich.
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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.
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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 nonstopย routes from BCN and 69 flights a week from Barcelona.
Top Copyright Photo: Norwegian.
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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 Dreamlinerย was rolled out yesterday (March 31) with a decal of Norwegian marathon runner Grete Waitzย on the tail.
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:ย
Air France by CityJet:ย
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 โ most in its US home but also two in Canada and one each in Ireland and Mexico โ 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.
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Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) continued its rapid expansion in Seattle/Tacoma with the launch of new daily nonstop service from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to London Heathrow Airport on Saturday, March 29. The route, established as part of Delta’s joint venture with Virgin Atlantic Airways (London).
Through its trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia, Delta offers Seattle-area travelers nonstop service to Paris and Amsterdam while also providing connecting service to more than 150 additional destinations beyond those European hubs.
This spring Delta will also begin expanded Seattle/Tacoma service from Anchorage; Fairbanks, Alaska; Juneau, Alaska; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Portland, Oregon; San Diego; San Francisco; San Jose, California; and Vancouver to support its growing international gateway that currently serves London Heathrow, Amsterdam and Paris-Charles de Gaulle as well as Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo-Narita, and Tokyo-Haneda.
In June, Delta will begin new international service from Seattle/Tacoma to Seoul and Hong Kong, bringing Delta’s total nonstop transoceanic destinations to nine, as many as all other SeaTac international carriers combined.
By this summer, Delta will offer more than 2,500 daily international seats as part of its 79 peak-day departures to 25 destinations.
Delta currently operates 35 peak-day departures to 15 destinations from Seattle/Tacoma.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 747-451 N667US (msn 24222) departs from Tokyo (Narita).
Delta Air Lines (current):ย
Flybe (Exeter) is introducing a new purple brand built around a new “Fastest Way from A to Flybe” ad campaign.ย ย The first aircraft, Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) G-JECY (msn 4157) named the “Spirit of Liberum”, is due out of the paint shop at East Midlands (EMA) tomorrow with the new look. G-JECY is due to go into revenue service from Exter to Manchester on Thursday (April 3) afternoon.
The airline issued this statement:
Today (dated April 1) marks the beginning of a new era for Flybe, Europeโs largest regional airline, that today unveils a major brand refresh with a reinvigorated product and service offering: Flybe Purple brings to life its core business of time-saving, punctual travel with the introduction of a vibrant, dynamic modern โlook and feelโ, a touch of fun and a world-first 60:60 On Time Guarantee for passengers.
The changes reflect a distinctive new product based firmly on the customer proposition that Flybe is the Fastest Way from A to Flybe, faster than rail and road.
Flybeโs flagship product is its world-first 60:60 guarantee that promises its customers if a flight arrives more than 60 minutesโ late at its destination due to a delay within Flybeโs control, they will qualify for a ยฃ60 voucher towards their next flight as long as they book within 60 days.
There is also a new-look website, and ticket options have been re-named so that โwhat you see is what you getโ โ โJust Flyโ replaces โEssentialsโ; โGet Moreโ is the previous โNew Economyโ and โAll Inโ is the former โPlusโ ticket choice.
An eye-catching purple aircraft, the Spirit of Liberum, will be the first Flybe Bombardier Q400 to take to the skies in special commemorative livery: and Improved on-board experiences feature the introduction of stylish purple crew uniforms and purple mood lighting as well as daily on-board winners, deplaning gifts and an on-time musical celebration.
Paul Simmons, Flybeโs Chief Commercial Officer, says: โAs an airline we are dedicated to continuously looking at ways to improve as a business. Our brand refresh is a significant step forward for us as we move to become the UKโs local airline of choice with a focus on time-saving and punctual travel for regional customers. Purple is not just our new brand colour โ it reflects our passion for delivering on our commitment to being the Fastest Way from A to Flybe.โ
The new uniforms:
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Videos: New TV ad and the making of the new ad campaign:
Hawaii Island Air, Inc. (Island Air) (Honolulu) has placed a firm order for two Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) NextGen turboprop airliners and has also taken options for four additional Q400 NextGen aircraft. The aircraft will be delivered with a dual-class, 71-seat configuration. Island Air is Hawaiiโs leading regional airline and second oldest carrier.
Island Air previously operated the type briefly in the past.
Image: Bombardier.
Island Air:ย
InterCaribbean Airways (formerly Air Turks and Caicos) (Providenciales) has announced the introduction of new scheduled nonstop air service connecting Kingston to Montego Bay, with 16 weekly flights each way.
The flights will be operated by 30 seat Embraer 120 aircraft with onboard flight attendant starting on April 16.
InterCaribbean Airways is the national carrier of the Turks & Caicos Islands and operates a fleet of Embraer EMB-120 and Beech 99 aircraft, operating flights domestically to Grand Turk and South Caicos, in addition to International flights to Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata and Santiago in the Dominican Republic; Cap Haitien and Port Au Prince in Haiti; Kingston and Montego Bay in Jamaica; Nassau in the Bahamas; new services to Samana, Dominican Republic and San Juan, Puerto Rico begin on April 2, 2014.
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