flynas board approves increasing new orders up to 250 aircraft

flynas has made this announcement:

The Board of Directors of flynas, the Saudi air carrier and the leading low-cost airline in the Middle East, ratified the company’s strategic plan and approved raising the volume of its orders to 250 aircraft.

After reviewing the financial results for the year 2021, the Board praised the company’s remarkable success in quickly recovering from the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic and the efficiency of the executive management in managing the crisis restoring the pre-pandemic operating levels in record time.

After concluding these agreements, flynas will become the largest low-cost airline in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It will also be the largest owner and operator of modern aircraft in the region.

Almohanna indicated that the Board of flynas approved its international expansion within the new strategic plan and to explore the opening of new bases in several countries, which will serve as bases for flynas outside Saudi Arabia.

flynas connects more than 70 domestic and international destinations through its fleet of more than 35 aircraft, and it has transported more than 55 million passengers since its establishment in 2007.

Recently, flynas has achieved the highest rating in APEX Official Airline Rating, the non-profit organization, and ranked in the 4-star low-cost carrier category, the highest category of the low-cost airline in the world among 600 companies globally. It has been ranked as the Leading Low-Cost Airline in the Middle East by the World Travel Awards for seven consecutive years and has been awarded the Skytrax International Award as the Best Low-Cost Airline in the Middle East for 2017 2018, 2019, and 2021 and also the Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East in 2019.

Eurowings opens a new base in Stockholm, first flight departs Arlanda Airport to Barcelona on March 27

Eurowings made this announcement:

Hey Sverige – yesterday was finally the day: the first Eurowings flight from the new base in Stockholm/Arlanda took off punctually from Stockholm shortly after 2 p.m., heading for Barcelona.

For the first time, Eurowings is now offering its passengers direct flights from Sweden to numerous attractive destinations – including exciting cities like Barcelona, Hamburg and sunny destinations such as Europe’s most popular vacation island, Mallorca. With the opening of its new base, the German airline is significantly expanding its services in northern Europe: Stockholm is the eleventh Eurowings location in Europe – and the fifth base outside the home market of Germany, following Palma de Mallorca, Prague, Pristina, and Salzburg.

With its increased presence in “the Nordics,” the popular German airline is not only creating better connections for Sweden, especially to sunny destinations in southern Europe. The move also brings hundreds of new jobs to the region (both direct and indirect), creating employment momentum for the Scandinavian aviation market.

The new flights from Stockholm go to several popular holiday destinations in southern Europe, such as Palma de Mallorca, Alicante and Malaga in Spain. Other destinations are Birmingham, Nice, Hamburg and Düsseldorf. Eurowings will also fly to the Greek islands of Heraklion, Rhodes and Mykonos as well as Larnaca in Cyprus. Eurowings will add more destinations from Arlanda during the summer. Tickets can be booked via eurowings.com and the Eurowings app. Prices start at SEK 299 (29.99 euros) for a one-way flight.

Hongyuan Group acquires 7.7% of the shares of Air Belgium

Hongyuan Group, headquartered at the airport economic area of Beijing Capital International Airport, has taken over the 7.7% Air Belgium shares owned by Hong Kong-based Aviation Investment Holding and bring fresh capital into the company to reach up to 49% of the shares.

The other 51% would remain in the hands of current Belgian shareholders (SRIW, Sogepa, SFPI, 3T Management – the company of CEO Niky Terzakis – and Sabena Aerospace) and the airline would thus retain its European status.

With fresh money, two ex-Saudia Boeing 747-8F aircraft (HZ-AI3 and HZ-AI4) have been leased from Aircraft Finance Germany (AFG) for cargo operations. One of them has taken the OE-LFD registration and has been painted in a mixed Saudia/Hongyuang/Air Belgium colors.

Photo by Javier Rodriguez reporting from Spain.

British Airways to power a number of flights with SAF, receives first supply from Phillips 66

British Airways has made this announcement:

British Airways becomes the first airline in the world to use sustainable aviation fuel (“SAF”) produced on a commercial scale in the UK after signing a multi-year agreement with Phillips 66 Limited
SAF is produced from sustainable sources such as waste gases, crop and forestry residues, household and commercial waste and used cooking oil, and can reduce lifecycle CO₂ emissions by over 80% compared to traditional jet fuel
The delivery of the first batch of SAF from Phillips 66 Limited is another significant milestone for the airline as it delivers a range of initiatives to decarbonise and achieve net zero emissions by 2050
British Airways has also today published its 2021 Sustainability Report looking at the progress and milestones achieved last year and following the launch of its BA Better World programme. It has also published the first video in the airline’s newly launched sustainability docuseries, with this one explaining how sustainable aviation fuel is produced and how it delivers emissions benefits

British Airways has taken delivery of the first batch of sustainable aviation fuel produced by Phillips 66 Limited, making it the first airline in the world to start using SAF produced on a commercial scale in the UK.

The Phillips 66 Humber Refinery near Immingham is producing thousands of tonnes of SAF that will now help power a number of British Airways flights. The SAF is produced from sustainable waste feedstock at the refinery and British Airways will add it into the existing pipeline infrastructure that directly feeds several UK airports including London Heathrow.

British Airways and Phillips 66 are both committed to a lower carbon future. The sustainable aviation fuel bought by the airline will be enough to reduce lifecycle CO₂ emissions by almost 100,000 tonnes, enough to power 700 net zero CO₂ emissions flights between London and New York on its fuel-efficient Boeing 787 aircraft.

Both companies support Government plans for a future SAF mandate and a business model for investing in advanced waste to jet fuel projects through participation in the Department for Transport’s Jet Zero Council Delivery Group. British Airways also continues to work with Government on ways to provide certainty for investors to help the UK be a leader in SAF production.

International Airlines Group (IAG), the airline’s parent company, is investing $400 million over the next 20 years into the development of SAF and British Airways has existing partnerships with several companies to develop plants and purchase the sustainable fuel.

Customers can now also join British Airways on its journey to reach net zero by 2050 through its onboard Speedbird Café menu app. A new category can be found on the BA Better World tab labelled ‘Contribute to Carbon Offsets’, where customers on short-haul European flights can help fund carbon reduction projects around the world. The £2.50 contribution represents the carbon compensation of an average British Airways European return flight per customer, and the funds are invested in verified CO₂ emissions reduction and avoidance projects.

Launching BA Better World in September 2021, British Airways made a commitment to create a better, more sustainable future with a focus on people, planet and responsible business. Today the airline is publishing its latest sustainability report looking back at the milestones and achievements of the last year and has also launched its new sustainability docuseries, with the first video being all about SAF.

JetBlue Airways lands in the Heart of America with nonstop flights to Kansas City from Boston and New York

JetBlue Airways has announced it has officially launched service from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Boston’s Logan International Airport (BOS) to Kansas CityInternational Airport (MCI), with the first flight arriving on March 27.

Enabled by JetBlue’s Northeast Alliance (NEA), Kansas City service expands the airline’s presence in the Midwest, while diversifying and advancing its New York and Boston focus city strategy. Kansas City is one of more than half a dozen new cities recently added to JetBlue’s route map. In 2022, the NEA will offer nearly 500 daily departures from New York’s three major airports and 200 daily departures from Boston.

Schedule between Boston (BOS) and Kansas City (MCI)
Daily service starting March 27, 2022
*all times local

BOS-MCI Flight #2363	MCI-BOS Flight #2364
7:00 a.m. – 9:32 a.m.	6:40 p.m. – 10:36 p.m.

Schedule between New York (JFK) and Kansas City (MCI)
Daily service starting March 27, 2022
*all times local

JFK – MCI Flight #2221	MCI-JFK Flight #2222
3:30 p.m. – 5:55 p.m.	10:18 a.m. – 1:59 p.m.

Kansas City service will operate using Airbus A220 aircraft, a next-generation aircraft that combines style and substance with its game-changing economics and a custom-created cabin design offering an industry-leading onboard customer experience. All JetBlue aircraft offer the airline’s award-winning service featuring the most legroom in coach (a); free and fast Fly-Fi broadband internet (b); complimentary and unlimited name-brand snacks and soft drinks; and free, live DIRECTV® programming at every seat.

Eurowings Discover now serves Las Vegas

Eurowings Discover made this announcement:

A new gateway to the U.S. casino metropolis of Las Vegas has opened up with the change to the summer flight schedule. Sunday, March 27, 2022, marked the first time a long-haul aircraft of the airline, which was founded last year, took off from Munich to the desert city in the U.S. state of Nevada.

The Airbus A330-300 took off from Munich on time at 12:45 p.m. with nearly 300 passengers on board for the 12-hour flight to McCarran Airport in Las Vegas.

The service from Munich to Las Vegas is offered on Fridays and Sundays. The wholly owned Lufthansa subsidiary Eurowings Discover is introducing also other attractive long-haul holiday destinations from Munich.

In addition to Las Vegas, flights will also be available to Cancun in Mexico and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

Above: Eurowings Discover Chief Revenue Officer Marco Götz (photo: right) and Thomas Kube, Head of Route and Passenger Development at Flughafen München GmbH, opened the route from Munich to Las Vegas for the first flight with the traditional ribbon cutting ceremony.

QANTAS launches flights to the Heart of Australia, joins the NFT craze

QANTAS Airways will today launch flights to the heart of Australia to bring Australian and international visitors to the red center and the world-famous Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park.

Qantas will operate four flights a week on a Boeing 737-800 aircraft between Sydney and Uluru on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday to support the iconic tourism destination’s post-pandemic recovery.

These new Qantas flights will be in addition to existing Jetstar flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Uluṟu taking the total Qantas Group flights to 18 weekly return flights in time for the upcoming peak tourist season.

Uluru features in the opening scene of Qantas’ latest reinvention of its iconic ‘Still Call Australia Home’ campaign, which launched on Friday.

With the inclusion of Uluṟu, the Qantas Group has launched 52 new domestic routes, including since the start of the global pandemic, as Australians seek out new holiday adventures both at home and overseas.

In other news, QANTAS will join the NFT market:

Qantas NFTs

A new way to own a piece of Qantas history is on its way.

We’re looking to the future for our next collection of memorabilia. A new set of digital art collectables is gearing up for release as non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

Using blockchain technology, each piece of digital artwork will be one-of-a-kind allowing you to buy, own, collect and sell your unique tokens.

In a world-first, the initial buyer of a Qantas NFT will be able to earn Qantas Points^, with more exciting future benefits for Qantas NFT holders underway.

Stay tuned for more details in the lead up to a mid-year release. Qantas NFTs will be released with net zero emissions, using low-carbon platforms and carbon offsetting.

https://twitter.com/Qantas/status/1505681913599574016?s=20&t=aiKICz6_dwPg36HSjzcDnw

WestJet takes off for London’s Heathrow Airport

WestJet today, celebrates the completion of its inaugural flight from Calgary International Airport to London’s Heathrow Airport with the arrival of flight WS18 at 12:00 pm local time. This new service complements WestJet’s already existing flights to London-Gatwick with the airline offering up to nine times weekly service between Calgary and London this summer.

Chris Hedlin, WestJet Vice President, Network & Alliances, Colleen Tynan, WestJet Vice President, Airports, Chris Miles, Vice President Operations and Infrastructure, Calgary Airport Authority & WestJet Cabin Crew Employees (CNW Group/WESTJET, an Alberta Partnership)

Aeroflot redeploys its international network, will launch flights from Sochi to six countries

Aeroflot Russian Airlines is being forced to realign its international network due to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and western sanctions, especially airspace closures to Russian aircraft.

Aeroflot will now fly from Sochi in southern Russia to six countries and 17 destinations.

The aircraft will be operated by Rossiya.

Using its shorter-range Sukhoi SuperJet 100s, Aeroflot will operate from Sochi to Armenia (Yerevan), Egypt (Cairo), Israel (Tel Aviv), Kazakhstan (Aktau, Aktobe, Almaty, Atyrau, Nur Sultan), Turkey (Antalya, Bodrum, Dalaman, Istanbul) and Uzbekistan (Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent, Urgench, Ferghana).

The international flights will connect to hubs in Moscow (Sheremetyevo), St. Petersburg and Krasnoyarsk.

Aeroflot is avoiding using foreign leased Airbus and Boeing aircraft on the routes due to a real fear of seizure.

Aeroflot issued this statement:

Aeroflot has opened sales of tickets for direct regular flights from Sochi to Armenia, Egypt, Israel, Kazakhstan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. The flight program is focused on transit passenger traffic and caters to those travelling on routes via Sochi from base airports of the Aeroflot Group airlines in Moscow (Sheremetyevo), Saint-Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk.

Flights from Sochi to 17 destinations will be operated by Rossiya Airlines (a subsidiary of Aeroflot Group) on domestically-produced Superjet 100 aircraft. Up to ten airliners of this type will be based in Sochi to operate the flight program.

Destination		Frequency of flights (per week)	Flights launch date
Country	City	Frequency of flights (per week)	Flights launch date
Armenia	Yerevan	7	8 April
Egypt	Cairo	7	7 April
Israel	Tel Aviv	7	7 April
Kazakhstan	Aktau	3	8 April
	Aktobe	3	7 April
	Almaty	7	8 April
	Atyrau	2	9 April
	Nur-Sultan	7	7 April
Turkey	Antalya	14	7 April
	Bodrum	3	22 April
	Dalaman	2	22 April
	Istanbul	19	7 April
Uzbekistan	Bukhara	3	7 April
	Samarkand	4	8 April
	Tashkent	7	8 April
	Urgench	2	8 April
	Fergana	3	7 April

Aeroflot will continue to explore the perspective of the development of international flights program from Sochi as well as from other cities of Russia.

Previous worldwide route map (now shrunk to six countries):

Previous Route Map to Western Europe:

Top Copyright Photo: Aeroflot Russian Airlines Sukhoi Superjet 100-95B RA-89014 (msn 95025) SVO (OSDU). Image: 921776.

Aeroflot aircraft slide show:

Aeroflot aircraft photo gallery:

Air Belgium operates its last Airbus A340-300 revenue flight

Air Belgium (2nd) has retired its last Airbus A340-300 revenue flight.

Flight KF 5961 from Fort-de-France and Pointe-à-Pitre, arrived at Brussels South Charleroi Airport on March 26 with OO-ABB according to Aviation24.be and FlightAware.