Air Astana made this announcement on social media:
Air Astanaโs โSnow leopardโ has started its journey! Meet the new improved Embraer E190-E2 with its special livery, which arrived in Kazakhstan on December 2 from Brazil.
This is the first of five Embraer E190-E2 aircraft scheduled to be delivered to Air Astana to replace the older Embraer E190s in the fleet.
The new aircraft features a special Air Astana โSnow Leopardโ livery, which is intended to draw global attention to the threat of extinction faced by this large wild cat, which is a native of the mountain ranges in southern Kazakhstan.
Note: The first E190-E2 is registered as P4-KHA (msn 19020012).
Update: On December 14, 2018 Embraer made this announcement:
Air Astana, the flag carrier of Kazakhstan, presented its first E190-E2 jet in a ceremony held today in Astana.
The airline will receive four additional E190-E2s next year, with the last of the five aircraft, leased by AerCap, being delivered in the final quarter of 2019.
The Kazakhstan airline will start flying the new aircraft on domestic and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) routes later this month.
Air Astanaโs first E190-E2 features a โsnow leopardโ livery, designed and hand painted by Embraer in the โProfit Hunterโ style. Air Astanaโs snow leopard joins the now famous Eagle, Tiger, and Shark E2s with the distinctive โProfit Hunterโ nose art.
For Air Astana however, the paint scheme is designed to draw global attention to the threat of extinction faced by the wild cat. The snow leopard is an official symbol of Kazakhstan and is native to the countryโs southern mountain ranges. Foster continued.
Currently the airline operates fleet of E190s aircraft, the first of which was delivered in 2011. The E190-E2 is the first of three new aircraft types that will make up the Embraer E2 family of aircraft developed to succeed the first-generation E-Jets. Compared to the first-generation E190, the E190-E2 burns 17.3% less fuel and nearly 10% less than its direct competitor. This makes it the most efficient single-aisle aircraft on the market. The E190-E2 brings more flexibility with maximum range of up to 3,293 miles (5,300 km), about 621 miles (1,000 km) more than the first-generation E190. The E190-E2 also generates significant savings for airlines in terms of maintenance costs, with a reduction of up to 25%. It has the longest maintenance intervals with 10,000 flight hours for basic checks and no calendar limit in typical E-Jets utilization. This means an additional 15 days of aircraft utilization over a period of ten years.
Pilots of the first-generation E-Jets require only two-and-a-half days of training without the need for a full flight simulator in order to fly the E2, which decreases the training burden and saves both time and money for the airlines. The E2 cockpit features advanced Honeywell Primus Epic 2 integrated avionics. Combined with the closed-loop fly-by-wire controls, the systems work together to improve aircraft performance, decrease pilot workload and enhance flight safety. From the passengerโs perspective, the E2 cabin features a comfortable two-by-two layout. The absence of a middle seat enables passengers to have an enjoyable flight experience with more legroom and additional luggage storage space.
Embraer is the worldโs leading manufacturer of commercial jets with up to 150 seats. The Company has 100 customers from all over the world operating the ERJ and E-Jet families of aircraft. For the E-Jets program alone, Embraer has logged almost 1,800 orders and 1,400 deliveries, redefining the traditional concept of a regional aircraft. Today, E-Jets are flying in fleets of 70 customers in 50 countries.
Xiamen Air made this announcement on social media on December 1, 2018:
December 1 marked that the Boeing 757 ended his era of being a passenger airplane in China as our last Boeing 757 touched down in Xiamen Airport and completed its final commercial flight. Farewell, the most handsome member of the fleet.
Note: Xiamen Air operated four Boeing 757-200s at the end.ย B-2868 (msn 32941) had the honor of operating the last revenue flight, flight MF8512 from Shanghai (Hongqiao) toย Xiamen.
Above Photo credit: @ๆฑ็ๅฏปๆญ (Weibo)
Top Copyright Photo: This pictured 757 was also retired.ย Xiamen Air Boeing 757-25C B-2869 (msn 32942) PEK (Michael B. Ing). Image: 944470.
Swiss has lined up a further host of specials and surprises for its customers in the coming Advent and Christmas season. The festivities begin with an exclusive Yuletide flight that will take several lucky families up to Lapland for a feast of Christmas magic. The airline will also be serving special seasonal meals in all seating classes on its long-haul flights from Switzerland.
In the light of last yearโs success, Swiss will again be bringing a gleam to childrenโs eyes by conjuring up all the magic of the Christmas season. On the weekend of December 1-2 the airline flew an Airbus A320 from Zurich to Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland in Northern Finland. A lucky 120 persons have been selected to take part in this seasonal โLXmasโ social media event and experience the unique Yuletide ambience within the Arctic Circle in a packed programme of activities and attractions. A number of families who are supported by the Sternschnuppe childrenโs help foundation will also be aboard.
โMandelsterneโ, โGrittibรคnzesโ and seasonal amenity kits
SWISS will be serving freshly-baked โGrittibรคnzโ breads in the morning and gingerbread men in the afternoon on selected European flights from Zurich on Thursday 6 December to mark St. Nicholasโs (โSamichlausโ) Day.
The airline will also be offering traditional Swiss Christmas fare from the beginning of December. Economy Class travellers on afternoon European flights will be served a snack of Christmas cookies and mandarins. And on long-haul services between 24 and 26 December SWISS Business travellers can enjoy โBerner Mandelsterneโ (almond stars), in keeping with the current chapter of the SWISS Taste of Switzerland programme, which spotlights the cuisine of Canton Bern. The present range of Victorinox Business Class amenity kits will also be given a seasonal touch, with the addition of a further model in the shape of a Christmas stocking. And the traditional Swiss Chocolates will get a December makeover in the form of a special gold โSeasonโs Greetingsโ wrapping.
Seasonal meals, too
SWISS will be serving special Christmas meals to travellers in all classes on long-haul flights from Switzerland between 19 and 25 December. In addition to the usual fine menu selection, SWISS First customers can opt for a starter of truffled veal terrine with fig and nut chutney, a main course of dry-aged Angus beef (Fillet Wellington) with Pรฉrigord truffle sauce and vegetables and a seasonal dessert of baked apple with cinnamon ice cream and vanilla sauce.
The seasonal SWISS Business extras start with a trilogy of salmon (smoked, gravad and tartare), continue with corn-fed chicken with truffle sauce and bread dumpling slices, red cabbage and Brussels sprouts, and conclude with chestnut cake with spiced orange compote. And SWISS Economy travellers will be additionally offered a potato and chestnut salad with gravad salmon, followed by turkey breast with potato dumplings, red cabbage and lingonberry jam, along with a dessert of cinnamon mousse with baked apple compote.
The special SWISS First and SWISS Business meals can also be rounded off with a seasonal Etter โWeihnachtspflรผmliโ Christmas plum liqueur, while SWISS First customers can additionally enjoy a Sirocco โWhite Christmasโ or โWinter Momentsโ tea.
airBaltic on December 1, 2018 in Riga welcomed the last Airbus A220-300 jet for the year, registered as YL-CSM. Currently airBaltic has a total of 14 Airbus A220-300 aircraft on its fleet.
Thus far, airBaltic has carried over 1 850ย 000 passengers on the Airbus A220-300 aircraft with every third airBaltic passenger flying on the aircraft. Airbus A220-300โs have completed more than 17ย 684 flights and flown over 47ย 475 block hours. By the end of the 2019 airBaltic plans to have 22 Airbus A220-300 aircraft on its fleet.
Since the launch operations on December 14, 2016, airBaltic Airbus A220-300s have been in more than 35 countries and landed in over 70 airports. Most often airBaltic flies Airbus A220-300โs to Moscow, Amsterdam, Paris, London and Barcelona.ย
This summer airBaltic has also launched an improved cabin with new, comfortable seats on its latest three Airbus A220-300 aircraft. Passengers now benefit from such additional improvements as more legroom, new pockets behind the seats for magazines, as well as hangers next to the seat for jackets.ย
airBaltic serves over 70 destinations from Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius, offering the largest variety of destinations and convenient connections via Riga to its network spanning Europe, Scandinavia, the CIS and the Middle East. For summer 2019, airBaltic has introduced three new destinations from Tallinn to Malaga, Brussels and Copenhagen. In addition, next summer airBaltic will launch new direct routes from Riga to Stuttgart and Lviv.ย
Emirates, Etihad, flydubai, Air Arabia and Al Fursan took to the skies in unison today to celebrate the UAEโs 47th National Day, as well as commemorate the legacy and values of HH Sheikh Zayed. The late founding father of the UAE dedicated his life and leadership to unify and shape a better collective future for the nation, and todayโs formation flight is a soaring display of unity as all four carriers showcase the UAEโs aviation success story to the nation and world.
The spectacular flypast – a world-first and a UAE civil aviation milestone – involved over 11 aircraft: a flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 (Zayed 1), an Air Arabia Airbus A320 (Zayed 2), an Etihad Airways Airbus A380 (Zayed 3) and an Emirates Airline Airbus A380 (Zayed 4), as well as seven Al Fursan aerobatic display jets from the UAE Air Force. All of the commercial aircraft within the formation were emblazoned with โYear of Zayedโ decals. This is also the first time this unique combination of aircraft types fly in formation.
The aircraft were proudly commanded by Captain Adrian Smith from flydubai, Captain Nadhem Al Hamad from Air Arabia, Captain Richard Dyson from Etihad Airways and Captain Abbas Shaban from Emirates Airline. The Al Fursan team was led by Lieutenant Colonel Nasser Al Obaidli.
Formation and flight path
The carefully choreographed โstair stepโ aerial formation began this afternoon at 1300 hrs, when the aircraft took-off from Dubai World Central Al Maktoum International Airport. Once all of the aircraft established their holding positions with altitudes ranging from 2,000 feet to 5,000 feet with a 1,000 foot vertical separation, the formation commenced. Over the skies of Ras Al Khaimah, each aircraft adjusted its speed and turned to achieve a trail formation. The aircraft then descended into their positions and vertical separation was reduced to 300 feet.
Flying first in the โYear of Zayedโ formation was flydubai, cruising at an altitude of 1,000 feet and an airspeed of 210 knots, closely followed by Air Arabia, in line astern and stepped up at an altitude of 1,300 feet. Next came the Etihad Airbus A380 double-decker, trailing the first two aircraftย and flying at 1,600 feet, stepped up by the Emirates Airbus A380 flying at the highest altitude at 1,900 feet to make room for the seven Al Fursan jets set in an arrow formation ready to release their signature smoke trails in the colours of the UAE flag.
Together, the stunning UAE carrier formation flew with impressive precision across the coastline of the UAE, starting at Ras Al Khaimah, continuing on to Um Al Quwain and Ajman, and then passing landmarks including the Sharjah Corniche, Dubaiโs Palm and World Islands with the Burj Khalifa skyline in the background, and finally crossing the Abu Dhabi Corniche and the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, where all aircraft then split and continued on to their respective airports for landing.
Executive remarks
HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, and Chairman of flydubai said: โHis Highness Sheikh Zayed was a true pioneer and one of the most inspirational leaders of our time. It is fitting that on UAE National Day, such a spectacular aerial display be done to honour his legacy.ย This ground-breaking initiative showcases how unity and a shared vision can achieve outstanding results. ย I am immensely proud of all of the teams across every airline, the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, and all the organisations who came together to plan and execute todayโs unprecedented flight formation which will go down as an extraordinary moment for UAE civil aviation.โ
His Excellency Mohamed Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei, Chairman of Etihad Aviation Group, said: โToday our nation celebrates the 47th National Day, a day we celebrate the achievement of the vision of our founding father His Highness Sheikh Zayed to unite the seven Emirates. In the Year of Zayed, we are very proud to witness this historic flight formation which resembles the vision set forth by our founding father. Our Emirati carriers flying across the seven Emirates in this formation represents the spirit of our union, and demonstrates the economic progress our nation and aviation sector achieved in less than half a century through connecting over a 100 million travellers annually to 500 destinations globally.โ
Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer of Air Arabia said: โIt gives us a great honour to be part of this remarkable formation display dedicated to the Year of Zayed and while celebrating the UAEโs National Day. ย This unique flight formation display reflects the unity, leadership and the forward vision of the UAE. We thank all the airlines, Al Fursan and the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority for working together to achieve such a successful and first of its kind flight display that will now be added to the UAEโs pioneering journey in aviation.โ
His Excellency Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the GCAA said: โIn this historical formation flight, The GCAA ensured that communication and coordination was carried out between all pertinent authorities and stake holders to ensure that flight details were established and the route flown would avoid all departure and arrival lanes, thereby guaranteeing uninterrupted routine airport operations. This fly past was continuously controlled by Air Traffic Control, tracked by surveillance radar and communicated by two-way radio communication for any advisory and instruction. In addition, the GCAA has further imposed certain requirements for assessment and approval of the entire fly past exercise which includes routing, separation, weather minima, aircraft limitation and trials so that no stone is left unturned.โ
Precision planning and co-ordination
While the flawlessly executed aerial formation flight may appear to be a straightforward assignment, the mission was under planning for more than five months due to the complexity of the formation and the number of aircraft involved. With a primary focus on flight safety, the meticulous technical planning and co-ordination involved all four airlines and multiple regulatory stakeholders.
The success of the formation flight was made possible by the collaboration between the pilots and flight operation managers from each airline, the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), UAE Ministry of Defence, air traffic controllers, the Abu Dhabi Department of Transportation and Civil Aviation Authorities from other UAE emirates, amongst others.
All stakeholders worked together to identify suitable locations for the flight formation patterns, taking into account air traffic, areas overflown, route planning, visibility, and potential wind and weather conditions. The entire formation route was protected from any passing traffic within a Temporary Restricted Area controlled by the GCAA. Meetings were held to establish each airlineโs position within the formation and precise visual reference points were drawn up so each aircraft could safely join and hold their plotted position. In addition, all pilots went through rigorous flight simulation exercises.
A rehearsal flight was done on November 8, 2018 to ensure that the formation positions worked appropriately with the Al Fursan air display team. The test-run โYear of Zayedโ formation also included two helicopters and an Aero L-39 Albatross chase plane from the Latvian based Baltic Bees aerobatic display team to film every detail and aspect of the formation.
The โYear of Zayedโ is a tribute to HH Sheikh Zayedโs remarkable legacy which has left a lasting imprint on the UAE.ย The inspirational leader created a vision of prosperity, determination and tolerance โ attributes that remain strongly embedded in UAE culture and across all UAE aviation organisations.
Sunwing Airlines on December 1 added twice-weekly service on the Montreal (Trudeau) – Miami route until April 28, 2019.
The carrier will also operate weekly flights to MIA also from Ottawa, Quebec City and Toronto (Pearson) starting later this month during the winter/spring season according to Airline Route.
Top Copyright Photo (all others by Sunwing):ย Sunwing Airlines (flysunwing.com) Boeing 737-8Q8 SSWL C-FYJD (msn 41807) YYC (Chris Sands). Image: 932429.
Canada Jetlines Ltd.ย is pleased to announce that it has entered into a subscription agreementย with SmartLynx Airlines SIA for financing commitments of up to $15 million.
SmartLynx specializes in full-service ACMI (Aircraft-Crew-Maintenance-Insurance) aircraft lease services and is the leading ACMI provider in Europe for Airbus A320 aircraft. SmartLynx aircraft has been utilized by major airlines including Norwegian, EasyJet, Thomas Cook and TUI.
The net proceeds of the Offering will be used to further the business objectives of Jetlines in launching an ultra-low cost airline carrier in Canada, including advancing the licensing process, augmenting the leadership team with operations and commercial personnel, branding and marketing activities, as well as advance internet, digital media and IT systems initiatives.
In connection with the Offering, Jetlines Operations and SmartLynx will enter into an agreement whereby SmartLynx shall provide ACMI (Aircraft-Crew-Maintenance-Insurance) services to Jetlines operations during the following eight winter seasons. This agreement will allow Jetlines to increase its capacity in the market during the very busy Canadian Winter Season.
In addition, SmartLynx and the Company will enter into a two-year agreement that will provide Jetlines with services and certain proprietary software meant to support Jetlines during the early stage of their operations.
It is expected that the Offering will close on or before December 24, 2018.
Air Lease Corporation on November 29 announced the delivery of one new Airbus A321-200 aircraft on long-term lease to Frontier Airlines.
Featuring CFM International CFM56-5B3/3 engines, this A321-200 is the first of two A321-200 aircraft confirmed to deliver to Frontier Airlines from ALCโs order book with Airbus. Traditional to Frontier Airlines, this A321-200 aircraft will unveil a new special livery with a โXavier, The Mountain Goatโ animal tail.
This A321-200 aircraft joins two A320-200 aircraft currently on long-term lease to Frontier from ALC. The second new A321-200 aircraft from ALC is set to deliver to Frontier Airlines in December 2018.
Small Planet Airlines (Lithuania) (Vilnius) ceased all operations at midnight on November 28, 2018 after its AOC was suspended by the government of Lithuania.
The airline was in administration after it Polish and German subsidiaries filed for bankruptcy in October and November. The airline was attempting to reorganize but failed.
The airline issued this statement:
Small Planet Airlines flights are not operating any more.
If you have flight scheduled for Small Planet Airlines: please contact your tour operator for rebooking.
We say big “Thank you” for all passengers who were with us for more than 10 years.
Small Planet Airlinesย was the largest subsidiary of the Small Planet Group which also owned smaller and now defunct sister companies in Germany, Poland, Italy and Cambodia.
The airline at the end was operating seven Airbus A320s.
Top Copyright Photo:ย Small Planet Airlines (Lithuania) – TUI Airbus A320-214 LY-SPF (msn 967) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 935826.
New in the Eurowings long-haul portfolio: from December 1, 2018, the airline will fly to Newark (EWR) six times a week. This means that Eurowings is now offering two attractive connections from Dusseldorf to the Big Apple just in time for Christmas shopping. Eurowings passengers can already fly to John F. Kennedy Airport five times a week.
To mark the new route to Newark, Eurowings is sharing tips on activities and exciting locations in the wintry metropolis and idea for passengers with excess luggage to bear in mind for a stress-free flight after a successful shopping trip.
Getting the Christmas magic bug
At the end of November, the huge Christmas tree in front of the Rockefeller Center is officially lit up during a festive ceremony. Every year, thousands of people gather around the Rockefeller Plaza or follow the event live on television. But even away from this hotspot, the city is magnificently illuminated and beckons you to enjoy a winter shopping trip. Insider tip: Dyker Heights Christmas Lights in Brooklyn.
Shop till you drop
New York is considered to be a shopping mecca all year round but at Christmas time the metropolis excels itself, whether you fancy vintage shopping in Soho or strolling around the big department stores. A whole floor of Macyโs is turned into Macyโs Santaland โ in honour of Santa Claus who visits at this time of year โ and maybe here some of your long-held shopping wishes will come true. The most beautiful decorative displays can be admired at Saks Fifth Avenue, Henri Bendel, Tiffanyโs and Lord & Taylor โ all located on Fifth Avenue.
Winter Wonderland: Ice skating and holiday markets
Ice skating is one of the most popular winter sports and also great fun for beginners. The famous Wollman Rink in Central Park is open from October and skates can be hired on site. There is also a small ice rink at the Rockefeller Center. Whatโs special about this: visitors to New York can go skating under the Christmas lights at night. Then they can warm up with a hot drink at one of the many holiday markets, such as at Columbus Circle. The magnificently decorated Christmas markets offer not only delicious things to eat but also many pretty souvenirs.
Tips and tricks for excess luggage
After a prolonged shopping trip, suitcases are often bursting at the seams. Good preparation ensures a stress-free return journey: of course, extra luggage such as suitcases full of gifts or oversized souvenirs may be taken on board at Eurowings but should be registered in advance via the Call Center. Passengers can read up on the costs in detail in the schedule of charges.
Basically, at Eurowings, each passenger may carry one item of hand luggage on board with a maximum weight of 8 kg and maximum dimensions of 55 x 40 x 23 cm. In addition, a further small item of hand luggage is permitted (e.g. laptop bag, handbag, briefcase, folder satchel, etc.). In the regular SMART fare option, each passenger may additionally register a suitcase up to 23 kilograms. Liquids of all kinds may only be carried on board in containers with a capacity of up to 100 millilitres and they must be placed in a transparent, resealable bag. Eurowings provides more information about luggage at eurowings.com.
As a further pre-Christmas highlight, from mid-December Eurowings will inspire its passengers on board for their Christmas shopping in New York. In cooperation with Cologne-based start-up Sugartrends, a marketplace for local retailers, the airline showcases the best shops and trendy gift ideas from the Big Apple in a magazine which can be found in the seat pockets. Passengers can connect to the Internet on board their long-haul flight to New York, enabling them to browse and purchase the products of hip New York boutiques at Sugartrends.com. On arrival in New York, they can personally pick up the products purchased on board in the actual stores.
Top Copyright Photo:ย Eurowings (Brussels Airlines) Airbus A340-313 OO-SCW (msn 335) PMI (Javier Rodriguez). Image: 941319.
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