GetJet Airlines inks a long-term agreement with Corendon Airlines

GetJet Airlines, a Lithuanian airline, ACMI, and charter service provider operating since 2016, announced today that it has signed an agreement with Corendon Airlines, a leisure airline transporting tourists between Europe and holiday destinations across the Eastern Mediterranean.

Under the terms of the 7-month ACMI agreement, GetJet Airlines will operate flights on behalf of Corendon Airlines for the Summer 2022 season, starting from April 1, 2022.

Two GetJet Airlinesโ€™ Airbus A320 type aircraft, based in Antalya, will operate flights connecting popular European destinations.

Felipe รngeles International Airport is open for business

Felipe รngeles International Airport (NLU) is the new, second airport for Mexico City.

The new airport was opened on March 21 by by the Mexican President Lopez Obrador and AeroMexico with a domestic flight to Tabasco.

The airport is named after Felipe รngeles who was a general in the Mexican Revolution.

The new airport is located in the northeast sector of the metropolitan area.

Volotea adds six Airbus A320s

Volotea has made this announcement:

Volotea, the airline of Europe’s medium-sized cities, will increase its fleet this year by adding 6 Airbus A320 to its existing fleet, enabling the airline to reinforce its commitment to reducing environmental impact.

Volotea will operate its network this year with 6 more Airbus A320 (including 3 stand-by AC to ensure operational integrity) which will allow it to improve its cost structure in the next 2-3 years and to achieve an increase in supply thanks to the new aircraft having a greater capacity and a longer flight range.

The transition to a full-Airbus fleet last year, as well as the commitment to the A320 model, will allow Volotea to make its operations cleaner and more environmentally friendly. The Airbus A320 is a more sustainable aircraft due to its more efficient fuel consumption per passenger, which is in line with Volotea’s commitment to reducing environmental impact.

Since its launch, the airline has worked to make its routes more eco-efficient and minimize emissions. Since 2012, Volotea has developed more than 50 sustainability measures, thanks to which it has reduced its carbon footprint per passenger and kilometer by more than 41 percent since 2012. This year, the company will also introduce sustainable fuels and collaborate with manufacturers and the industry so that such fuels (now difficult to access) can be developed and more widely distributed as soon as possible.

This year, Volotea will increase its capacity almost 40 percent compared to 2019, when it offered 8 million seats. The airline expects to carry between 9 and 9.5 million passengers in 2022, which is about 32 percent more than its all-time record in 2019, when it carried 7.6 million passengers. It expects to reach 1,630 employees in summer. The impact of Voloteaโ€™s growth will also mean the creation of 45 new routes, the opening of two new bases in France, reaching a total of 19, and an estimated operation of almost 70,000 flights compared to 40,500 in 2021 and almost 58,000 in 2019, close to 18 percent more.

Air Canada expands initiatives to support Ukraine

Air Canada has announced it will be donating $10ย for every booking made on aircanada.com to supportย Ukraineย relief aid, with a total donation of up toย $250,000. Thisย $250,000ย donation will complement theย $170,000ย contribution recently made by Air Canada’s employees and the Air Canada Foundation to the Canadian Red Cross and other charities, as well as the ongoing humanitarian aid destined toย Polandย andย Ukraineย transported through Air Canada Cargo.

Additionally, Aeroplan Members may donate Aeroplan points atย Ukrainian Relief Fund, with 100% of points to be redistributed to various charitable organizations supporting relief efforts for Ukrainian refugees as well as providing critical aid to those in need.

Customers may also elect to donate further to theย Air Canada Foundationย which will focus donations to registered organizations in their work supporting the people ofย Ukraine.

“Together with our employees, our hearts are firmly in solidarity withย Ukraine’sย people in need. We will be donating up toย $250,000ย towardsย Ukraineย relief aid, complementing the donations made last week by our employees and the Air Canada Foundation. It is clear the scale of this extraordinary worldwide crisis requires combined efforts and to collectively enable additional global humanitarian support, we have made it possible for Aeroplan Members to donate points towardsย Ukraineย relief. We also remain in close contact with various stakeholders to determine how Air Canada and its employees can support Ukrainian people further, including those coming toย Canada,” saidย Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer at Air Canada.

In addition to Air Canada’s initiatives detailed above, its support for Ukrainian relief aid to date includes:

  • Airย Canadaย employees and the Air Canada Foundation donation ofย $170,000ย to supportingย Ukraineย relief aid,
  • Mar. 9ย Air Canada-operated humanitarian special cargo flight on behalf of Airlink and other aid partners transport hospital beds, humanitarian and medical supplies toย Warsaw, Polandย and medicines destined for Lviv,ย Ukraine,
  • Ongoing transportation of medical supplies toย Europeย with final destination ofย Ukraine,
  • Transportation of rapid response teams to scale up operations inย Europeย to help arriving Ukrainian families.

Airย Canadaย and Air Canada Cargo are able to accept requests for free or discounted transport of shipments including excess baggage waivers from registered charitable organizations only. These must be viaย Airย Canada’sย online application process. Individuals who wish to contribute supplies or other forms of aid are requested to work directly with a registered organization.

Bamboo Airways arrives in London

Bamboo Airways on March 22 arrived at London Heathrow Airport from Hanoi.

This flight was first nonstop commercial flight from Vietnam to the United Kingdom.

The route will operate two days a week.

Photos: Bamboo Airways.

Air New Zealand to fly nonstop to New York

Air New Zealand has announced its first, nonstop flight from New Yorkโ€™s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to New Zealandโ€™s Auckland International Airport.

Starting September 17, Air New Zealand will offer direct flights from New York to Auckland, celebrating the airlineโ€™s continued commitment to growth, with JFK being its seventh North American airport. This incredible aviation milestone will be the fourth longest flight in the world at 17 hours and 35 minutes.

Pertaining to COVID-19, in order to enter New Zealand:

  • All travelers entering New Zealand must be fully vaccinated in line with New Zealand government entry requirements.
  • A negative pre-departure test (PCR, LAMP or Rapid Antigen) in line with New Zealand government requirements is required for all travelers.
  • No compulsory requirement forย allย arriving travelers to either self-isolate or enter a government managed isolation hotel, i.e. all forms of isolation for arriving travelers (including foreign nationals) are removed at all border reopening steps except for unvaccinated New Zealand citizens and residents returning to the country.
  • All travelers will be provided with two rapid antigen tests at no charge on arrival at Auckland Airport which are self-administered after exit from the airport.
  • Travelers will be asked to undertake the first test on day of arrival and then a second test on day 5/6 after arrival, this can be done once travelers have left the airport e.g. at home or hotel.
  • Travelers who test positive via either of their arrival day or day 5/6 RAT test will be required to take PCR test to confirm positive status, if positive they will then be asked to self-isolate in line with the requirements that apply to all community COVID-19 cases in New Zealand.

Getting to New Zealand just got easier. Today, Air New Zealand has announced its first flight from New Yorkโ€™s John F. Kennedy International Airport to New Zealand will be on 17 September this year.

Landing at Auckland International Airport, the airline will operate the new route three times a week, year-round with its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. The new service further deepens the alliance between Air New Zealand and United Airlines.

Departing New York at 9:55pm, customers will enjoy Air New Zealandโ€™s award-winning cabin experience, and when they wake up theyโ€™ll be able to hit the ground running, heading off the beaten track and immersing themselves in everything New Zealand has to offer.

โ€œTraditionally, flight numbers 1 and 2 are used for an airlineโ€™s flagship route. And thatโ€™s what New York will be โ€“ our flagship route. Weโ€™ve worked incredibly hard over the past few years to make this ultra-long-haul service a reality โ€“ itโ€™s one of the longest routes in the world, at just over 16 hours northbound and 17 and a half hours southbound.โ€

Thereโ€™s been a lot of thought put into the onboard experience and a particular focus on the sleep ritual for Premium customers, introducing relaxing balms and sleepy teas and snacks. For those needing help to unwind a little more, the airline will launch โ€˜Zentertainmentโ€™ on its inflight entertainment system to encourage a restful sleep. And before descent into Auckland, a brunch service including a classic Kiwi flat white coffee will be offered.

Through Air New Zealandโ€™s strong partnership with United Airlines, domestic customers across the US can easily connect to New Zealand through New York as well as Air New Zealandโ€™s other gateways.

The configuration of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner that will service this route offers moreย Premiumย seats than other Dreamliners in the airlineโ€™s fleet. The flight will offer 27 seats in Business, 33 in Premium Economy, 215 in Economy and 13 Economy Skycouches โ€“ innovative private Economy seats that convert into a couch after take-off so customers can spread out, lie down or snooze.

Inaugural outbound flight schedule โ€“ September 17 only:

Flight No. Operated by Aircraft type Departs Arrives Frequency
NZ2 Air New Zealand Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Auckland

16:00

 New York

16:15

 Sat

Flight schedule effective 19 September:

Flight No. Operated by Aircraft type Departs Arrives Frequency
NZ1 Air New Zealand Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner New York

21:55

 Auckland

07:30 +2

 Mon, Thu, Sat
NZ2 Air New Zealand Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Auckland

19:40

 New York

19:55

Flights will arrive into and depart from Terminal 1 at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Flights are subject to government and regulatory requirements.

The new Flybe announces its first route and schedule

Flybe (2nd) has announced its first flight and route.

The first route will be operated between Birmingham (above) and Belfast City (BHD) (below) on April 13. Both airports will be the focus hubs for the revitalized carrier.

 

Here is full list of routes and starting dates:

Belfastย City (BHD) to Birminghamย (BHX) From 13thย April up to 4x Daily

Belfast City (BHD) to Glasgow (GLA From 14thย April up to 4x Daily

Amsterdam (AMS) to Birmingham (BHX) From 28thย April Daily

Amsterdam (AMS) to East Midlands (EMA) From 28thย April Daily

Belfast City (BHD) to Leeds Bradford (LBA) From 28thย April up to 3x Daily

Belfast City (BHD) to London Heathrow (LHR) From 28thย April up to 2x Daily

Leeds Bradford (LBA) to London Heathrow (LHR) From 28thย April Up to 3x Daily

Amsterdam (AMS) to Belfast City (BHD) From 28thย May Daily

Amsterdam (AMS) to London Heathrow (LHR) From 29thย May up to 2x Daily

Belfast City (BHD) to Edinburgh (EDI) From 23rdย June up to 3x Daily

Belfast City (BHD) to East Midlands (EMA) From 7thย July up to 2x Daily

Belfast City (BHD) to Manchester (MAN) From 7thย July up to 4x Daily

Avignon Provence (AVN) to Birmingham (BHX) From 9thย July Weekly

Brest Bretagne (BES) to Birmingham (BHX) From 9thย July Weekly

Avignon Provence (AVN) to Southampton (SOU) From 23rdย July Weekly

Southampton (SOU) to Toulon Hyรจres (TLN) From 24thย July Weekly

Belfast City (BHD) to Southampton (SOU) From 28thย July up to 2x Daily

Birmingham (BHX) to Edinburgh (EDI) From 28thย July up to 4x Daily

Birmingham (BHX) to Glasgow (GLA) From 28thย July up to 3x Daily

Aberdeen (ABZ) to Birmingham (BHX) From 18thย August Daily

Aberdeen (ABZ) to Belfast City (BHD) Fromย 25thย August up to 4x Weekly

Belfast City (BHD) to Inverness (INV) From 25thย August up to 4x Weekly

Belfast City (BHD) to Newcastle (NCL) From 25thย August Daily

George Best Belfast City Airport issued this statement:

Flybe Ltd, one of the UKโ€™s newest airlines, has confirmed 12 new routes from George Best Belfast City Airport.

The airline will operate services from Belfast City to Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, London Heathrow, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, East Midlands, Manchester, Southampton, Aberdeen, Inverness, and Newcastle.

Flights willย commenceย from Belfast City onย 13thย April, with fares starting from as low as ยฃ29.99 one way, and to celebrate theย first day of sales, Flybeย willย be offering a further ยฃ10 off all faresย for purchasesย made onย 22ndย March only.

Air Canada announces the acquisition of 26 Airbus A321neo extra-long range aircraft

Air Canada today announced it is acquiring 26 extra-long range (XLR) versions of the Airbus A321neo aircraft. The aircraft has sufficient range to serve all North American and select transatlantic markets, while offering customers added comfort and improving the carrier’s fuel efficiency to advance its environmental programs.

 

Deliveries are to begin in the first quarter of 2024 with the final aircraft to arrive in the first quarter of 2027. Fifteen of the aircraft will be leased from Air Lease Corporation, five will be leased from AerCap and six are being acquired under a purchase agreement with Airbus S.A.S. that includes purchase rights to acquire an additional 14 of the aircraft between 2027 and 2030.

Airย Canada’sย A321XLRs will accommodate 182 passengers in a configuration of 14 lie flat Air Canada Signature Class seats and 168 Economy Class seats. Among the aircraft’s amenities, customers will enjoy next generation seatback entertainment, access to inflight Wifi and a spacious cabin design featuring generous overhead baggage storage bins. With a range of approximately 8,700 kilometres andย an ability to fly up to 11 hours, the A321XLR can operate non-stop anywhere acrossย North Americaย and, pending Transport Canada approval for overseas operations, also fly transatlantic missions, bolstering the carrier’s hubs and network. Airย Canadaย is in the process of selecting an engine manufacturer for its A321XLR aircraft.

GHG reductions

The A321XLR will be used both for incremental growth of Air Canada’s fleet and to replace older, less-efficient aircraft expected to exit the fleet. As a result, the new aircraft will yield significant operational cost savings and environmental benefits. Airย Canadaย projects it will have up to 17 per cent lower fuel burn per seat than the previous generation narrow-body on a typical transcontinental flight and a projected reduction of up to 23 per cent versus previous generation wide-body aircraft on a transatlantic flight. This will reduce greenhouse gas emissions to help Air Canada fulfill its environmental commitments, which include the achievement of net carbon neutrality by 2050. The A321XLR is also expected to be quieter for passengers and airports than the aircraft being replaced with the A321XLR.

As ofย December 31, 2021, Air Canada had a combined 214 aircraft in its mainline and Air Canada Rouge fleets, including 136 single-aisle, narrow-body aircraft.

 

Eurowings and Smartwings start codeshare flights

Germany’s largest leisure airline Eurowings and Smartwings, the leading Czech airline, have launched the first phase of their codeshare agreement.

With immediate effect, Eurowings connections from the new base in Prague to the destinations Cologne/Bonn, Hamburg, Dรผsseldorf, Bristol, Birmingham, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Athens, Larnaca, Heraklion, Mรกlaga, Alicante, Stockholm, Faro, Rome and Mallorca will also be offered under Smartwings flight numbers and marketed via smartwings.com and other channels. This will allow Smartwings customers to benefit from the growing number of direct connections of the Lufthansa Group airline from the Czech capital. In a next step of the partnership, it is planned that Smartwings flights will also be offered under Eurowings flight numbers.

With the opening of its base in the Czech capital, Eurowings has significantly expanded its services in Central Europe. By summer 2022, the Lufthansa subsidiary will be stationing three Airbus A320 aircraft, including local crews, in the Czech capital. The flights will be operated by Eurowings Europe, the pan-European flight operation of Eurowings.

Ryanair aims to become carbon neutral by 2050

Ryanair has announced its decarbonization strategy โ€“ Pathway to Net Zero.ย Developed to reduce its carbon emissions and the impact of its operations on the environment, this strategy outlines four core strategic pillars underpinning the airlineโ€™s ambitious goal of net carbon zero by 2050:

  • 34% decarbonization through the increased use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF)
  • 32% decarbonization through technological & operational improvements
  • 24% decarbonization through offsetting & other economic measures
  • 10% decarbonization through the introduction of better Air Traffic Management

With more than 1/3 of its decarbonization to come from the increased use of SAF, Ryanair is working with the EU and fuel suppliers to accelerate supply of SAF. As part of this, Ryanair established the Ryanair Sustainable Aviation Research Centreย in partnership with Trinity College Dublin. This partnership will deliver research in SAF, Zero Carbon Aircraft Propulsion Systems and Noise Mapping.

Ryanair will continue to invest in new technology, aircraft, as underpinned by its $22bn commitment to purchase 210 Boeing 737-8200 โ€˜Gamechangerโ€™ aircraft. To date the airline has taken delivery of 55 โ€˜Gamechangerโ€™ aircraft, which carry 4% more passengers, reduces fuel consumption & CO2 by 16% and lowers noise emissions by 40%.

The final leg of Ryanairโ€™sย Pathway to Net Zero will come from a combination of offsetting measures, through carbon capture offset projects and the support of key govt policies and reforms, such as the introduction of the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) initiative. If successfully introduced by the European Commission, the SESAR would deliver a standardized and more efficient air traffic management process, delivering a significant & immediate 10% reduction in European aviation carbon emissions.