Tag Archives: 737-700

SAS Group to phase out the remaining five Blue1 Boeing 717s in 2015, reports a full-year net loss of $92.4 million

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) issued its year-end financial report for the period ending on October 30, 2014. The company continues to reduce its losses. The Group report a SEK (Swedish Krona) 719 million ($92.4 million) full-year net loss.

The comments by the CEO:

“SAS has delivered the promised efficiency measures, with declining unit costs as a consequence. In parallel, passenger growth was strong and the load factor posted a year-on-year improvement for the eighth successive month. However, earnings were impacted by intense com- petition and strong price pressure. This trend is expected to continue. External production models, proprietary low cost carriers and the use of staffing agencies are increasingly becoming the established indus- try norm and are changing competitive conditions for European avia- tion from the ground up.

To meet these challenges and strengthen competitiveness, we are implementing additional long-term cost-saving measures that spans the entire business and together generates an earnings impact of SEK 2.1 billion with full effect in 2017. Measures include our continued opti- mization of production and streamlining the aircraft fleet. On December 8, 2014, the Danish airline Cimber was acquired as part of this strategy and SAS intends to transfer regional CRJ900 production to Cimber in 2015. We are also enhancing our offering to our frequent travelers. For example, in 2015, the first of the new Airbus A330 Enhanced long-haul aircraft will be delivered to SAS and, in Septem- ber, a new direct route from Stockholm to Asia will be opened.”

Rickard Gustafson, SAS President and CEO.

As part of its cost reduction plan, SAS stated the following in its financial report about Blue1 (Helsinki):

“During the year, SAS has reduced capacity at Blue1 by about 40% as a result of the decision to divest four Boeing 717s. The five remaining Boeing 717s will be phased out in 2015. As a consequence, the SAS aircraft fleet will only comprise four aircraft types compared with nine types in 2012. SAS has also transformed Blue1 into a competitive production company and future production is currently being evaluated.”

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Top Copyright Photo: SPA/AirlinersGallery.com. SAS’ Boeing 737-7BX SE-RER (msn 30736) arrives in London (Heathrow).

SAS aircraft slide show:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 717-2K9 OH-BLO (msn 55056) taxies from the gate at Amsterdam.

Blue1 aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Europe-1/Airlines-Europe-1/Blue1

WestJet selects Global Eagle Entertainment for its inflight entertainment content

WestJet (Calgary) like other airlines, is overhauling its inflight entertainment system. The carrier has selected Global Eagle Entertainment to provide the inflight content. GEE issued this statement:

Global Eagle Entertainment Inc., a worldwide leading provider of content, connectivity and digital media solutions to airlines, today announced that it has been selected by WestJet to manage its inflight content services.

WestJet is currently overhauling its existing inflight entertainment (IFE) system and replacing it with a wireless IFE solution. Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE) will provide a broad array of content that can be accessed by passengers using their personal electronic devices or tablets rented from the airline. Through this long-term agreement, GEE will provide a selection of current movies and television, including a wide catalog of engaging and entertaining programs, beginning in the first quarter of 2015.

WestJet aircraft slide show:

AeroMexico to launch Mexico City-Toronto flights

AeroMexico (Mexico City) has announced that it will offer a new daily flight between Toronto (Pearson) and Mexico City as of May 4, 2015, becoming the second destination it serves in Canada.

The new route will be operated with Boeing 737-700 aircraft configured with 124 passenger seats, including 12 seats in Clase Premier —the Aeromexico Business Class cabin.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-752 XA-GMV (msn 35118) promoting Los Cabos as a destination, arrives in Los Angeles.

AeroMexico aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Mexico/Airlines-Mexico-AZ/AeroMexico

AeroMexico is coming to Boston

AeroMexico (Mexico City) will add the Mexico City-Boston route on June 1, 2015. The new route will be operated six days a week with Boeing 737-700 aircraft per Airline Route.

Copyright Photo: Jay Selman/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-752 XA-GOL (msn 35785) with the special Fight Against Breast Cancer markings arrives in Miami.

AeroMexico aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Mexico/Airlines-Mexico-AZ/AeroMexico

AeroMexico to add a new route to Panama City on May 14, 2015

AeroMexico (Mexico) on May 14, 2015 will add a new route between Mexico City and Panama City, making Panama City its 16th destination in Latin America.

This new route will be serviced by Boeing 737-700 aircraft with seating capacity for 124 passengers -12 in Clase Premier (Aeromexico’s First Class).

Copyright Photo: James Helbock/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-752 XA-MAH (msn 35122) with the special “Disney Planes” logo arrives in Los Angeles.

AeroMexico aircraft slide show:

SAS and Etihad Airways announce a codeshare agreement

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) has announce a new codeshare agreement with Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi). Etihad Airways is building an alliance of carriers.

Here is the official announcement:

SAS and Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, are set to begin codeshare operations and provide customers with enhanced travel options between Scandinavia and the UAE.

The agreement, which is subject to regulatory approval, will strengthen both carriers by enabling them to offer greater connectivity to and from a number of key European cities. SAS is Etihad Airways’ 47th airline partnership globally and its 22nd in Europe. For SAS, Etihad is the 23rd codeshare partner and the third with strong presence in the Middle East.

Both airlines will also develop and sign a Frequent Flyer agreement, which will benefit the members of Etihad Airways’ Etihad Guest and SAS’ EuroBonus loyalty programs.

The deal will see SAS place its SK code on Etihad Airways’ flights between Abu Dhabi and Brussels, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Rome, Milan, Zurich, Geneva and London Heathrow.

In turn, Etihad Airways will place its EY code on SAS-operated flights from these European destinations, excluding Brussels, onto SAS’ hubs in Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm.

The EY code will also be placed on flights beyond Copenhagen to Billund and Ålesund; beyond Oslo to Ålesund, Kristiansand, Trondheim, and Stavanger; and beyond Stockholm to Umeå, Sundsvall, and Östersund.

Top Copyright Photo: SPA/AirlinersGallery.com. SAS’ Boeing 737-705 LN-TUF (msn 28222) arrives in London (Heathrow).

Scandinavian Airlines aircraft slide show:

Etihad Airways aircraft slide show:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Gerd Beilfuss/AirlinersGallery.com. Another view of Etihad Airways’ first Airbus A380 at Hamburg (Finkenwerder). The pictured A380-861 F-WWSS (msn 166) will become A6-APA on delivery.

Sun Country to fly twice-weekly Fort Myers-San Juan flights next summer

Sun Country Airlines (Minneapolis/St. Paul) will operate twice-weekly flights between Fort Myers, Florida and San Juan, Puerto Rico from May 3 through August 23, 2015. The seasonal non-hub route will be operated with Boeing 737-700 aircraft per Airline Route.

Copyright Photo: James Helbock/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-73V N711SY (msn 30245) completes the final approach to the runway at Las Vegas.

Sun Country Airlines aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-UnitedStates-3/Airlines-United-States3-QZ/Sun-Country-Airlines

Current Route Map:

Boeing delivers the first direct purchase 737-700 to Ruili Airlines

Boeing (Chicago, Seattle and Charleston) on Saturday (November 22) handed over the first direct purchase 737-700 to Ruili Airlines (Kunming), the pictured 737-7ME B-5829 (msn 60460). The new airliner departed Boeing Field in Seattle on the same day for its long journey to Kunming, China. Today, Boeing issued this announcement on the arrival in Kunming:

Boeing and Ruili Airlines today (November 25) celebrated the arrival of the airline’s first direct purchase Next-Generation 737-700. Ruili is a newly established private airline based at Changshui International Airport in Kunming, the capital city of China’s Yunnan province.

The new airplane is the first of 14 737 orders and commitments from Ruili Airlines, including eight 737-700s and six 737 MAXs. The carrier currently operates two 737-700s and one 737-800 serving seven domestic routes in China.

Ruili Airlines obtained its public air transport enterprise business license from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) in February 2014, marking the formal establishment of the carrier. The start-up airline is the first private carrier approved by CAAC after the regulator relaxed restrictions on new carriers in 2013. According to its development plan, Ruili Airlines plans to increase its fleet to 30 Boeing airplanes by 2020, with around 120 daily flights on 60 to 70 routes.

Copyright Photo: Steve Bailey/www.vrefphotos.com/AirlinersGallery.com. A beautiful capture of the new B-5829 at Boeing Field in Seattle.

Southwest Airlines’ pilots file for mediation with the NMB

Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association-SWAPA (Dallas), representing the pilots of Southwest Airlines (Dallas), filed for mediation with the National Mediation Board (NMB). The union issued this statement:

In order to facilitate movement in contract negotiations, the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association (SWAPA) today officially filed for mediation with the National Mediation Board (NMB), the federal agency that oversees contract negotiations in the airline industry. After two-plus years of negotiations both sides are currently too far apart to realistically expect an agreement outside of a mediated process.

“This is certainly not a step either side wants to take during negotiations, and certainly not a typical step in the pilot and management relationship at Southwest Airlines,” said Mark Richardson, SWAPA President. “But times have certainly changed.”

SWAPA has focused their negotiations on improvements in areas that address the airline’s flat fleet growth, stagnant career advancement, and compensation. Over the past four years the pilots have sacrificed when asked by the Company. This facilitated Southwest reaching their financial goals, including a stated goal of 15 percent ROIC. Those goals have been accomplished, and furthered, with an announced ROIC total of 19 percent for the trailing 12 months, and a Wall Street expected 21 percent ROIC for fiscal year 2014. Southwest Airlines is on pace to enjoy almost $2.5 billion in operating profit for 2014.

“Our asks continue to be reasonable so that our highly productive pilots can enjoy marginal improvements in their schedule, pay, and especially retirement – an area where Southwest pilots lag significantly compared to our peers at other airlines,” continued Richardson. “Filing for mediation is the next step in the process toward a new contract. We are trying to avoid the destructive and combative relationships that have plagued our industry.”

SWAPA becomes the third Southwest Airlines labor group to request national mediation in order to finalize a new contract in this current round of negotiations.

Located in Dallas, Texas, the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association (SWAPA) is a non-profit employee organization representing the more than 7,500 pilots of Southwest Airlines and 500 pilots of AirTran Airways. SWAPA works to provide a secure and rewarding career for Southwest pilots and their families through negotiating contracts, defending contractual rights and actively promoting professionalism and safety. For more information on the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association, visit http://www.swapa.org.

Copyright Photo: Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-76N N7705A (msn 32744) arrives in Los Angeles.

Southwest Airlines aircraft slide show:

WestJet reaches a tentative agreement with the WestJet Pilot Association

WestJet (Calgary) has announced it has reached a tentative agreement with its more than 1,200 pilots, represented by the WestJet Pilot Association (WJPA). The agreement’s highlights will be available in early December and voting will begin later in the month.

The WJPA and WestJet leadership teams began negotiations in September 2014 to develop a tentative agreement to replace the previous agreement, which has been in place since May 2009.

WestJet aircraft slide show: