airBaltic resumes flights between Riga and Budapest

Starting on August 11, 2020 Latvian airline airBaltic will resume direct flights between Riga and Budapest in Hungary. The flights will be performed two times a week on an Airbus A220-300 aircraft.

Qatar Airways to resume flights to Adelaide, now serves 5 cities in Australia

Qatar Airways has made this announcement:

Qatar Airways has announced the resumption of services to Adelaide, Australia starting from August 16, 2020. The South Australian capital will become the airlineโ€™s fifth destination in Australia to resume flights, making Qatar Airways the only international carrier currently servicing five major cities in Australia.

Qatar Airways Cargo has operated a large number of charters and freight-only passenger aircraft to support Australian exporters and transport essential medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also introduced twice-weekly Boeing 777 freighters to Melbourne and Perth in April 2020 in response to the demand for Australian fresh produce and pharmaceuticals. With the resumption of passenger flights to Adelaide, the airline will operate a total of 25 flights in and out of Australia every week, comprising of 23 belly-hold cargo flights and two freighters, offering more than 700 tonnes of weekly cargo capacity each way.

Qatar Airways began its services to Adelaide in 2016 โ€” flying the first Airbus A350 into Australia. The twice-weekly service to Adelaide will be operated by the airlineโ€™s fuel-efficient Airbus A350-900, offering 36 seats in Business Class and 247 seats in Economy Class. The airline recently made the decision to ground its fleet of Airbus A380s, and instead operate its full fleet of Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 aircraft, as they are more environmentally and commercially sustainable. Benchmark figures identified that Qatar Airwaysโ€™ fleet of A350 aircraft saved up to 20 tonnes of CO2 per block hour on routes to Australia compared to the A380.

With the resumption of flights to Adelaide, Qatar Airways will operate 23 passenger flights per week to Australia:

โ—ย ย ย ย ย  Two weekly flights to Adelaide

โ—ย ย ย ย ย  Three weekly flights to Brisbane

โ—ย ย ย ย ย  Four weekly flights to Perth

โ—ย ย ย ย ย  Daily flights to Melbourne

โ—ย ย ย ย ย  Daily flights to Sydney

In other news, the airline has announced an aid program to Lebanon:

Standing with the people of Lebanon, QatarAirways today launches an aid program that will enable citizens and residents of Qatar to donate essential supplies.
We have partnered with Ali Bin Ali Group, Qatar Charity and Monoprix Qatar to deliver the programme, with essential supplies being transported free of charge from Doha to Beirut by Qatar Airways Cargo.
We initially launched the program on Thursday to support donations from our employees, and the response has been overwhelming. Today, we carried over 45 tons of supplies donated by staff from Doha to Beirut.

 

Finally the airline will resume operations to Lis bon on August 14 with four weekly flights.

Qatar Airways aircraft photo gallery:

Qatar Airways aircraft slide show:

https://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/frame/slideshow?key=5NJqVC&speed=3&transition=fade&autoStart=1&captions=0&navigation=0&playButton=0&randomize=0&transitionSpeed=2

Bamboo Airways leases two Embraer 195s from Great Dane Airlines

Bamboo leases two Embraer 195s from Great Dane Airlines

Bamboo Airways is leasing two (OY-GDB and OY-GDC) Embraer ERJ 195s of Great Dane Airlines for a period of 6 months. Great Dane Airlines will also move 45 employees to Vietnam to operate the aircraft.

The aircraft will operate charter flights from Can Tho to Con Dao, Da Nang to Con Dao, and Hanoi to Con Dao. Services from Ho Chi Minh City to Con Dao are expected as well but not yet confirmed. Great Dane Airlines will become the first Embraer operator in Vietnam.

In a near future Bamboo could exercise its option for an additional Embraer ERJ 195 aircraft, bringing its fleet of the type to four aircraft. This would allow it to continue to pursue growth in Denmark while 2 of its planes operate in Vietnam.
The aircraft are being gradually painted in the Bamboo Airways livery. Great Dane Airlines has given Bamboo Airways the possibility to extend the wet lease agreement until the Summer of 2021, by which time it wants the aircraft back.
Top Copyright Photo (all others by the airline): OY-GDC is seen at Palma de Mallorca still flying for Great Dane Airlines. Bamboo Airways (Great Dane Airlines) Embraer ERJ 190-200LR (ERJ 195) OY-GDC (msn 19000204) PMI (Javier Rodriguez). Image: 950868.
Javier Rodriguez reporting from Spain.

Frontier CEO says CDC should update coronavirus travel advice

From USA Today:

Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle (above) has called on the CDC to update its advice of flying during the COVID-19 pandemic according to a report by USA Today.

The airline also stated it has received only 27 requests from the CDS since January for contact tracing.

Read the full report.

Video:

N371FR:

In related news, Frontier Airlines on July 29 welcomedย the 100th aircraft to its all-Airbus fleet, an A320neo (N369FR) assembled in Mobile, Alabama, featuring โ€˜Chinook the Gray Wolfโ€™ on the tail with a distinctive starry night backdrop.

โ€œTaking delivery of the 100th Airbus aircraft in our fleet marks a tremendous milestone for our company,โ€ said Barry Biffle, CEO of Frontier Airlines. โ€œWe have significantly expanded our fleet in recent years as Frontier has continued to grow both domestically and internationally.โ€ Biffle noted that Frontier operates the largest A320neo fleet in the U.S. and has been an industry leader in sustainability initiatives and carbon reduction.

The Airbus A320neo (new engine option) is the latest enhancement to the A320 family offering greater fuel efficiency and noise reduction, compared to previous models. Frontier currently has a total of 160 additional Airbus aircraft on order, scheduled for delivery between now and 2027.

The aircraftโ€™s namesake, โ€˜Chinook the Gray Wolf,โ€™ was a female wolf-dog hybrid that was rescued in 1993 hours before she was to be put down because of the โ€˜wolf-hybridโ€™ label. The wolfโ€™s rescue became the impetus for the creation of the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center, located in Divide, Colorado. Chinook passed away in 2007, but her legacy continues to drive awareness and conservation efforts for the species.

N368FR:

All photos above by the airline.

Frontier Airlines aircraft photo gallery:

Frontier Airlines aircraft slide show:

https://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/frame/slideshow?key=r3ggfP&speed=3&transition=fade&autoStart=1&captions=0&navigation=0&playButton=0&randomize=0&transitionSpeed=2

In August Iberia Group is operating scheduled flights to 55 cities in Spain and Europe

Iberia Group has made this announcement:

  • Prague and Berlin are added to the destinations served by direct flights
  • Flights are timed for easy connections at Madrid Airportโ€™s T4
  • The company is offering a limited number of long-haul scheduled flights, repatriation flights, and cargo flights

This August , Iberia Group is offering regular scheduled flights to a total of 55 destinations in Spain and the rest of Europe, including new direct services to Prague and Berlin.

As in July, long-haul flights are being operated to countries open to air traffic, including Uruguay, Costa Rica, Ecuador or the United States, among others. Iberia is also operating special repatriation and cargo flights to countries still closed to schedules traffic. All flights are subject to each countryโ€™s restrictions.

Iberiaโ€™s flights are all now timed to facilitate connections at the airlineโ€™s hub in T4 of Madrid Airport.

These flights represent only 27% of Iberiaโ€™s planned pre-Covid-19 flight schedule, up by nine percentage points from July, thanks to the new destinations and added frequencies to the Canary and Balearic Islands, Barcelona, and other tourist destinations.

In addition to these flights originating in Madrid, the Iberia Group is also operating point-to-point Iberia flights such as Munich-Minorca, San Sebastian-Palma, and San Sebastian-Malaga, while Iberia Express is flying from Asturias to Gran Canaria and Tenerife, and from Vigo to Tenerife. Iberiaโ€™s franchise partner Iberia Regional Air Nostrum is flying from Nice to Malaga, as well as flights from different mainland destinations to the Canary and Balearic Islands.

Safe travel

The Iberia Groupโ€™s summer flight programme features new health and hygiene measures to ensure passenger safety and a pleasant travel experience, in keeping with the recommendations of the Spanish and European Air Safety Agency (EASA) and the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC), intended to facilitate the recovery of air travel in a safe environment.

Here follows a summary of these measures, which are given in detail on the Iberia, Iberia Express and Iberia Regional Air Nostrum web sites.

Pre-flight:ย 
โ€ขย ย  ย During check in passengers must sign a Declaration of Health, attesting that they have no symptoms, have not been diagnosed with Covid-19, and have not been in contact with a known carrier.
โ€ขย ย  ย On flights abroad passengers must also complete a โ€œHealth Tracking Formโ€ and a โ€œHealth Questionnaireโ€.
โ€ขย ย  ย Only passengers holding tickets to fly will be admitted to Spanish or other European airports.
โ€ขย ย  ย Passengers are strongly advised to obtain their boarding passes before reaching the airport, downloading them to their telephones in order to avoid contacts.

At the airport:ย 
โ€ขย ย  ย All surfaces that may be touched by passengers are disinfected frequently and barriers have been placed in strategic positions at check in and customer service counters.
โ€ขย ย  ย Queues for check in and other services have been redesigned to ensure distancing.
โ€ขย ย  ย Passengers are strongly advised to check in their hand luggage (at no charge), in order to avoid unnecessary movements aboard the aircraft.
โ€ขย ย  ย No hand luggage may be taken aboard that exceeds 56 x 40 x 25cm or 10 kg in Economy. On long-haul flights Business passengers may take two pieces of hand luggage not exceeding 14 kg.
โ€ขย ย  ย For additional speed, safety, and convenience, passengers will board by rows, starting from the rear.

Other measures:
โ€ขย ย  ย During flights all passengers above the age of six must wear face masks covering nose and mouth, preferably surgical ones.
โ€ขย ย  ย Passengers must change their masks with the frequency indicated by the manufacturer. Bags will be provided for the storage or disposal of used masks.
โ€ขย ย  ย Aircraft cabins will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected as recommended
โ€ขย ย  ย Air in cabins is replaced every 2-3 minutes, and HEPA filters eliminate 99.99% of all virus and bacteria from recirculated air.

On-board servicesย 
โ€ขย ย  ย On each flight passengers will hear messages from health authorities about detecting, avoiding, and reporting symptoms of Covid-19.
โ€ขย ย  ย Disinfectant wipes will be issued to all passengers, and extra supplies of hand-washing soaps will be available in toilets.
โ€ขย ย  ย Single-use disposable utensils will be used in food service, which has been simplified.
โ€ขย ย  ย Blankets and pillows issued on long haul flights are disinfected and sealed before use.
โ€ขย ย  ย Duty-free sales and the distribution of newspapers and magazines during flights have been eliminated, but passengers can access more than 7,000 on-line publications, along with other entertainment options.
โ€ขย ย  ย Outfitted in personal protection gear, Iberia cabin crews have also undergone specific training in the implementation of good health practices and special protocols, enabling them to detect and isolate any passenger showing suspicious symptoms.

Air India Express Boeing 737-800 VT-AXH overruns the runway at Calicut, India

Air India Express Boeing 737-800 registered as VT-AXH (below), operating flight IX1344 from Dubai to Kozhikode, India with 191 crew and passengers on board, overran the runway on landing at Calicut International Airport also known as Karipur Airport, Kozhikikode, in Kerala today (August 7). The aircraft skidded off the end of the runway and went into a 30′ ditch and and broke up and is destroyed. Rescue operations are continuing.

Previously it was raining hard in Kerala.

Flight IX1344 from Dubai to Kozhikode, India with 191 on board, overran the runway on landing at Calicut International Airport (Karipur Airport, Kozhikikode, Kerala) on August 7, 2020 (WO)

 

Above Copyright Photo: Air India Express Boeing 737-8HG WL VT-AXH (msn 36323) (India Gate-New Delhi) DXB (Jay Selman). Image: 404054.

At least 18 people have died in the crash.

Right side of crashed VT-AXH (Gateway of India)

Above Copyright Photo: Air India Express Boeing 737-8HG WL VT-AXH (msn 36323) (Gateway of India-Mumbai) BFI (Joe G. Walker). Image: 950869.

Air India Express operates a fleet of 25 Boeing 737- 800 Next Generation (NG) aircraft.

More from the Hindustan Times.

Social media:

Air India Express Route Map:

Emirates to resume its Airbus A380 service to Toronto

Emirates has released this statement:

The iconic Emirates Airbus A380 will begin serving travelers on flights to Toronto starting 16 August. The airline has so far resumed A380 operations to Amsterdam, Cairo, Paris, London Heathrow and Guangzhou (8 August) โ€“ taking its A380 network to six cities. The Emirates A380 experience remains a favourite amongst travellers for its spacious and comfortable cabins and the airline will continue to gradually expand its deployment in line with market demand and operational approvals.

Customers can fly the Emirates A380 from Dubai to Toronto five times a week.ย Emirates flight EK 241 will depart Dubai at 9:10 and arrive in Toronto at 15:05 local time. The return flight, EK 242 will depart Toronto at 21:45 and arrive in Dubai at 18:30 local time, the following day.

With safety as a priority, Emirates is gradually expanding its passenger services to 70 cities in August, returning to over 50% of its pre-pandemic destination network. Passengers travelling between the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Asia Pacific can enjoy safe and convenient connections via Dubai. Customers from Emiratesโ€™ networkย can stop over orย travel to Dubai as the city hasย re-opened for international business and leisure visitors.

COVID-19 PCR tests are mandatory for all inbound and transit passengers arriving to Dubai (and the UAE),ย including UAE citizens, residents and tourists,ย irrespective of the country they are coming from.

United resumes flights to Munich from Newark

Munich Airport issued this statement and photos:

United Airlines promoted the resumption of its flights to Newark Airport with the Statue of Liberty, the iconic symbol of New York. An ultramodern Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner departs the Bavarian capital for the US every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 12:30 p.m.

Thorsten Lettnin, Managing Director Sales for Continental Europe and India at United Airlines, remarked: โ€œWe are delighted to be resuming our service between Munich and New York/Newark at the beginning of August. Having restarted flights to Washington Dulles International Airport in early July, we are now flying to our two most important hubs on the US East Coast once more. Passenger and staff safety is our top priority at United.โ€

 

Ryanair restores 60% of scheduled flights in August

Ryanair hasย announced it has restored over 60% of normal flight schedules from August 1, 2020, following the successful resumption of its services at the end of June.

Throughout July, Ryanair have flown 4.4 million customers to destinations across Europe, reuniting friends and family, allowing commuters to get back to work, as well as jetting tourists off for post-lockdown breaks to some of the continentโ€™s most popular holiday hotspots.

As Europeโ€™s skies get busier and traveller confidence returns, Ryanair will continue to increase its flight frequencies throughout August with more than 1,600 routes and over 11,000 weekly flights across its network.

Ryanair encourages all passengers to observe the healthy flying measures it has had in place since mid-May, including the mandatory use of facemasks and a reduced in-flight cashless service.

Qatar Airways resumes flights to Kigali, Rwanda and Nairobi, Kenya

Qatar Airways has announced the resumption of services to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) – Nairobi, Kenya with 14 weekly flights and to Kigali International Airport (KGL) – Kigali, Rwanda with three weekly flights. With the addition of Kigali and Nairobi, the airline now operates 33 weekly flights to eight destinations in Africa including Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and Tunis.

During COVID-19 pandemic, Qatar Airways Cargo continued operating its scheduled twice-weekly with A330 freighters and four times weekly with Boeing 777 freighters to Nairobi along with freight charters.ย These flights provided much required capacity, supporting exporters and importers and bringing in essential medical supplies. With the resumption of passenger flights to Nairobi, the cargo carrier will operate 20 flights in total,ย offering more than 700 tonnes of cargo capacityย each week, each way.

Qatar Airways has further enhanced its onboard safety measures for passengers and cabin crew. The airline has introduced Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for cabin crew which includes gloves, face masks, safety glasses and a new protective gown that is fitted over their uniforms. A modified service that reduces interactions between passengers and the crew inflight has also been introduced.

Onboard, all Qatar Airways passengers are now provided with a complimentary protective kit. Inside a ziplock pouch they will find a single-use surgical face mask, large disposable powder-free gloves and an alcohol-based hand sanitiser gel. The airline has also introduced disposable face shields for adults and children. Passengers travelling from Hamad International Airport (HIA) will receive their face shields at the check-in counters, whereas at other destinations, the face shields will be distributed at the boarding gates.