Cabo Verde Airlines introduces a new livery on D4-CCF

Cabo Verde Airlines on May 10 welcomed the arrival at Nelson Mandela International Airport in the city of the beach (Santa Maria), the first plane painted in the new colors and branding.

The “Beach of Santa Maria”, was the winning name of the of a contest held on Facebook. The new livery combines the colors the natural beauty of the archipelago and the colors of the houses.

Above Photo: The crew of “Praia de Santa Maria” (Beach of Santa Maria).

TACV was been eliminated from the branding.

The pictured Boeing 757-236 WL D4-CCF (msn 25808) is the former F-GPEK of OpenSkies.

All photos by the airline.

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Air Creebec to suspend the Timmins and Rouyn-Noranda to Montreal route

Air Creebec has announced its air services between Timmins and Rouyn-Noranda to Montreal, will be suspended during the summer season, as of May 24, due to low passenger loads.

Air Creebec aircraft photo gallery:

airBaltic extends Dublin route into winter season

airBaltic has announced a decision to continue the scheduled flights between Riga and Dublin, Ireland also during the winter season. The flights will take place four times per week.

Destination served

Flight frequency

Price *,

Basic

Price *,

Premium

Price*,

Business

Riga–Dublin

4 flights weekly

39 EUR

99 EUR

589 EUR

*Lowest fare (one way), including taxes, fees and service charges.

NBC: Ethiopian Airlines is not sure it will fly the Boeing 737 MAX again

NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt has made this announcement for a segment to air tonight:

The CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Tewolde Gebremariam, tells NBC News in an exclusive interview that he is not sure his airline will ever fly the 737 MAX again, saying: “If we fly them again, we’ll be the last airline to fly them again.” He added, “At this stage, I cannot fully say that the airplane will fly back on Ethiopian Airlines. It may if we are fully convinced and if we are able to convince our pilots, if we are ever to convince our traveling public.”

He continued, “Because, you know, other airlines have grounded the airplane, but in our case beyond grounding the airplane, we had this tragic accident just a couple of months ago. So it takes a lot of efforts to convince everybody that the airplane is safe. But beyond that, I think we have to convince ourselves and we want to do that.”

Ethiopian Airlines CEO wants rigorous review of Boeing 737-MAX planes following fatal crash

By Tom Costello

Two months after Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed, killing all 157 people on board, the CEO of the airline said his crews and passengers have lost confidence in the Boeing 737-MAX and he wants the company to conduct a more thorough review of the plane.

In an exclusive interview with NBC News on Monday, Tewolde Gebremariam said that the airline doesn’t yet know if it will fly the Boeing 737-MAX planes again. But he said, “At this stage I cannot, I cannot fully say that the airplane will fly back on Ethiopian Airlines. It may, if we are fully convinced and if we are able to convince our pilots, if we are ever to convince our traveling public.”

However, he also said that if the planes were back in service, Ethiopian Airlines would be “the last airline to fly them again.” “We have not got a time to discuss on the return to service and we have made it very clear on several occasions we would not be the first one to return their airplane back to air.”

Gebremariam said it’s not enough for Boeing to only review the “MCAS” anti-stall system believed responsible for the fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. He wants a much more rigorous review of the plane.

“We strongly believe that entire flight control system needs to be reviewed,” he said.

The Ethiopian Airlines crash on March 10 followed a Lion Air crash in Indonesia last October. The two crashes were responsible for 346 deaths.

Investigators in both countries say the Boeing 737-MAX’s new MCAS anti-stall system seems to have played a role.

“It’s very abnormal for a new airplane to have two accidents, fatal accidents in a span of five months,” he said. “These are brand new airplanes.”

Boeing has admitted that “MCAS” misfired, putting both the Indonesian and Ethiopian planes into a fatal nose dive. The company is expected to submit its software fix for Federal Aviation Administration approval later this month.

But investigators have also noted the Ethiopian pilots were flying much faster than is typical, more than 500 miles per hour.

Still, Gebremariam insisted the pilots did everything they could to save their plane.

“They have followed the procedures correctly,” he said. “This should not happen again to any airline, even a single life should not be put at risk.”

Boeing said in a statement, “Boeing is working closely with pilots, airlines and global regulators to update the max and help prevent this tragic loss of life from happening again.”

Gebremariam said the airline’s relationship with Boeing goes back more than 60 years, and he has confidence in Boeing, even if his crews have lost confidence in the 737-MAX.

“We still have very strong confidence in Boeing, but we want them to do the right thing without rushing to make sure this airplane is safe and clear confidence in all of us before it returns back to air.”

El Al Israel Airlines and Alaska Airlines expand their global partnership as El Al starts San Francisco service

El Al Israel Airlines and Alaska Airlines today expanded their commercial relationship to include a reciprocal frequent flyer agreement. The agreement was signed by the CEOs of each airline at a ceremony soon after the arrival of the first El Al flight from Tel Aviv to San Francisco and was attended by San Francisco Bay Area dignitaries and civic leaders. This agreement is in addition to the codeshare agreement that recently came into effect between the airlines allowing EL AL to place its “LY” code on various Alaska Airlines “AS” flights in the U.S.

The codeshare agreement which has been available for sale as of April 28 for flights as of May 5 includes flights from Newark, Los Angeles and now San Francisco onto a host of Alaska Airlines flights. From San Francisco, El Al will place its code on flights to Seattle/Tacoma; San Diego; Portland, Oregon; Honolulu; Los Angeles; Palm Springs, California; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Austin, Texas; Dallas (DAL); Santa Ana, California, Everett, Washington, Kansas City, Missouri; Salt Lake City; Kona, Hawaii and Las Vegas. Upon regulatory approval, will also include flights to various points in Mexico.

The El Al flights will operate three times weekly flying a state-of-the-art 787 Dreamliner, offering Business, Premium and Economy service. The flights from Tel Aviv will depart on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 0105 and arrive in San Francisco on the same day at 0600 for a flight time just under 15 hours. The flights from San Francisco to Tel Aviv will operate on Monday and Wednesday departing at 2000 for arrival the next day at 1940 and on Saturday night with a 2245 departure arriving in Tel Aviv at 2225 the next day for a flying time of just over 13 and a half hours.

JetBlue unveils “Bear Force One” for the Boston Bruins

Jetblue Airways, Boston’s largest airline and the Official Airline of the Boston Bruins, today revealed a brand new livery dedicated to Boston’s professional hockey team and six-time Stanley Cup winner. The Airbus A320 aircraft (N632JB), aptly named “Bear Force One,” was unveiled at an event this morning at Boston Logan International Airport, where JetBlue and Bruins executives were joined by Bruins’ mascot, Blades the Bruin, to surprise and delight customers. “Bear Force One” officially took flight this afternoon, transporting excited Bruins fans to Raleigh, N.C. for Game 3 of the NHL’s Eastern Conference Finals.

“Bear Force One” is JetBlue’s first livery dedicated to a team in the NHL and its third livery dedicated to a Boston professional sports team. The new paint scheme features a large-scale version of the Bruins’ iconic spoked-B logo on the tailfin, a nod to the often used reference to Boston as “the hub of the universe.”

The logo’s central ‘B’ encircled by spokes mirrors the central role that Boston has played in JetBlue’s network from the very beginning. Next to the boarding door, customers will be greeted with a “Boston’s Team Since 1924” wordmark, denoting the Bruins’ long legacy and tradition in its home city. The new livery serves as a symbol of JetBlue’s commitment to the Boston Bruins and the team’s avid fans throughout Boston and the New England region.

“We couldn’t think of a better time to celebrate our six-year partnership with the Boston Bruins,” said Marty St. George, Chief Commercial Officer, JetBlue. “As the team continues on in the Eastern Conference Finals, this new livery will make it easier for Bruins fans to show off their black and gold fanfare, and cheer on their team not only during the playoffs but year-round as it flies across JetBlue’s network of 100+ destinations.”

“For the past six years, the Bruins and JetBlue have had a very strong relationship,” said Cam Neely, President, Boston Bruins. “JetBlue has been a great partner and it’s fantastic to see one of their aircraft representing the Black and Gold as it travels around the country.”

JetBlue in Boston

JetBlue is the leading carrier in Boston in number of flights, customers carried and nonstop destinations served. The airline is proud to support the teams its customers and 3,800+ Boston-based crewmembers are most passionate about. JetBlue is the official airline sponsor for the city’s four major sports teams including the Boston Celtics, Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins and New England Patriots. JetBlue has also been the Official Airline of TD Garden and Presenting Sponsor of the entrance experience since 2010.

All photos by JetBlue and the Boston Bruins.

CNN: Boeing desperately needs to get the 737 MAX back in the air. Getting it approved will be hard

From CNN:

“Boeing’s future rides on the success of the 737 MAX. But all of those planes remain grounded, waiting for the world’s aviation regulators to approve a software fix that will make them safer to fly.

The 737 Max does not appear close to flying again. Aviation experts doubt global regulators will act in concert to approve the 737 MAX for flight, because serious questions remain about how and why the FAA approved the 737 MAX for flight and whether it rushed the certification process.

The world’s aviation authorities have lost confidence in the US Federal Aviation Administration.

In the past when planes were grounded, other regulators followed the FAA’s lead. When the FAA approved grounded planes to fly again, regulators around the world similarly let them fly too. That’s what happened when the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was grounded because of battery problems in 2013.”

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

4 airliners test the new Beijing Daxing International Airport

Four airliners landed today (May 13) at the new Beijing Daxing International Airport during a test of the new facilities.

The new airport is designed to someday become the world’s busiest airport.

Photos from China Southern Airlines. As the first plane of the trial flights, our Airbus A380 took off from Beijing Capital Airport at 9:03 a.m. and successfully landed at Daxing International Airport half an hour later.

Air China made this announcement with a photo:

May 13 – An Air China Boeing 747 -8 landed smoothly at Beijing Daxing Int’l Airport, successfully completing its first test flight at the new mega-airport. It’s an important milestone for the airport, which is set to become one of the world’s busiest. PKX , we’re ready for takeoff!

Xiamen Airlines issued this statement and photos on social media:

On May 13, the newly constructed Beijing Daxing International Airport has finished its four verification test flights. Our Boeing 787 United Dream, equipped with our best staff, landed smoothly and safely.

From Wikipedia:

Beijing Daxing International Airport (IATA: PKX; ICAO: ZBAD), located on the border of Beijing and Langfang, Hebei Province, is Beijing’s second international airport and is currently under construction.

The name of the airport was announced on September 14, 2018. The terminal building, the second-largest single-building airport terminal after Istanbul Airport, with an area of more than 1,000,000 m² (11,000,000 sq ft), is expected to be completed on July 15, 2019, and the airport is expected to be open on September 30, 2019.

Upon completion, it will serve as a major international hub airport in Northern China. There will be 4 runways, and approximately 80 aircraft stands, most of which can be configured to handle either one twin-aisle or two single-aisle aircraft. The new airport is expecting a total of 7 runways and another terminal to the south of the current one in the future, in order to accommodate 620,000 flights and 100 million passengers each year.

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WestJet is be sold to the Onex Corporation becoming a privately-held airline

WestJet has made this big announcement:

WestJet Airlines Ltd. announced today it has entered into a definitive agreement that provides for its acquisition in an all-cash transaction. Under the terms of the agreement, Onex Corporation and its affiliated funds will acquire all outstanding shares of WestJet for $31.00 per share, after which WestJet will operate as a privately-held company. The purchase price represents a 67% premium to Friday’s closing share price and a 63% premium to WestJet’s 20-day volume-weighted average trading price. The transaction value is approximately $5 billion including assumed debt.

“Since our first flight in 1996, WestJet has been singularly focused on providing better options for the Canadian travelling public and this transaction retains that commitment,” said Clive Beddoe, WestJet’s Founder and Chairman. “I am particularly pleased that WestJet will remain headquartered in Calgary and will continue to build on the success that our 14,000 WestJetters have created. Onex’ aerospace experience, history of positive employee relations and long-term orientation makes it an ideal partner for WestJetters, and I am excited about our future.”

“WestJet is one of Canada’s strongest brands and we have tremendous respect for the business that Clive Beddoe and all WestJetters have built over the years. WestJet is renowned internationally for its unparalleled guest experience and employee culture. We’re thrilled to be partnering with WestJetters and continuing this remarkable Canadian success story,” said Tawfiq Popatia, a Managing Director at Onex.

Ed Sims, WestJet’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are delighted to continue the journey of building an airline based on a growing network, providing competitive airfares and more choice to, from and within Canada, for communities large and small. Integral to this relationship is a commitment to our employees, and our unique ownership-driven culture.”

The investment will be led by Onex Partners, Onex’ private equity platform focused on larger investment opportunities.

Recommendation of the WestJet Board of Directors

Following an approach by Onex in March 2019, the WestJet board of directors formed a special committee of independent directors to provide the Board with its advice and recommendations with respect to the proposal from Onex and the transaction, and to supervise the negotiation of the terms and conditions of the transaction. After an extensive review of the proposed transaction, the special committee provided its unanimous recommendation of the transaction to the WestJet board of directors. The WestJet board of directors, having received and considered the recommendation of the special committee, determined that the transaction is in the best interests of WestJet and unanimously recommends that WestJet shareholders vote in favour of the transaction at the special meeting of shareholders to be held to approve the transaction.

Each of CIBC Capital Markets and BofA Merrill Lynch has provided the WestJet board of directors with an opinion to the effect that, as of May 12, 2019, the consideration to be received by holders of WestJet shares in the transaction was fair, from a financial point of view, to such holders, in each case subject to the respective limitations, qualifications, assumptions and other matters set forth in such opinions.

Each of the directors and executive officers of WestJet has entered into a voting support agreement pursuant to which each has committed to vote in favour of the transaction.

Additional Transaction Details

Equity financing will be led by Onex Partners.

The transaction is to be completed by way of an arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (Alberta). Completion of the transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including court and shareholder approval and receipt of certain regulatory approvals, including approval under the Canada Transportation Act. The approval under the Canada Transportation Act involves a determination by the Minister of Transport which entails an assessment of the public interest as it relates to national transportation. Assuming the timely receipt of regulatory approvals, the transaction is expected to close in the latter part of 2019 or early 2020.

WestJet expects to mail an information circular in late June 2019 for a special meeting of its shareholders expected to be held in July 2019 to approve the transaction.

The arrangement agreement for the transaction includes customary provisions relating to non-solicitation, subject to customary “fiduciary out” provisions that entitle WestJet to consider and accept a superior proposal if the purchaser does not match the superior proposal. WestJet has agreed to pay a fee to the purchaser upon the termination of the agreement in certain circumstances. The purchaser has agreed to pay a fee to WestJet if, after all other conditions to the closing of the transaction have been satisfied or waived, the purchaser is not in a position to fund the closing of the transaction.

WestJet is permitted to continue paying its regular quarterly cash dividend consistent with its dividend policy and past practice until closing.

Further details regarding the terms of the transaction are set out in the arrangement agreement, which will be publicly filed by WestJet under its profile at www.sedar.com. Additional information regarding the terms of the arrangement agreement and the background of the transaction will be provided in the information circular for the special meeting of shareholders.

Advisors

CIBC Capital Markets is acting as financial advisor to WestJet. BofA Merrill Lynch has provided financial advisory services to the WestJet board of directors. Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP is serving as legal advisor to WestJet and Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP is serving as independent legal advisor to the special committee of WestJet’s board.

Goodmans LLP is acting as Canadian legal advisor to Onex and Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is serving as U.S. legal advisor to Onex. DLA Piper (Canada) LLP is serving as Onex’ aviation regulatory counsel. Barclays is acting as lead financial advisor and lending bank to Onex with additional advisory and financing provided by Morgan Stanley and RBC Capital Markets.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by the airline): WestJet Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner C-GUDO (msn 64976) YYZ (TMK Photography). Image: 946160.

WestJet aircraft slide show:

Great Dane Airlines shows off its first aircraft

Great Dane Airlines has released photos of its first aircraft, the pictured ex Flybe/Stobart Air Embraer ERJ 1900-200LR (ERJ 195) EI-GGC (msn 19000213).

The new airline plans to offer scheduled flights and charters for Bravo Tours, with an initial fleet of two 118-seat Embraer aircraft.

As previously reported, Great Dane will start scheduled operations in June from its base at Aalborg to Dublin (June 21), Edinburgh (June 24) and Nice (June 26).

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