Tag Archives: 737

WestJet launches new services from Toronto Pearson

WestJet (Calgary) will launch new nonstop services from Toronto Pearson to six destinations over the next week beginning with twice-weekly service to West Palm Beach which started yesterday (December 11). Other new nonstop destinations include Huatulco, Merida and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, San Jose, Costa Rica, and Sarasota/Bradenton, Florida.

WestJet will operate 92 daily departures to 59 destinations from Toronto Pearson this winter, an increase of seven and 13 per cent respectively compared to last winter.

Details of WestJet’s new non-stop services launching from Toronto Pearson this month:

Route Frequency Departs Arrives Effective

Toronto – West Palm Beach Twice weekly 7:25 a.m. 10:32 a.m. Dec. 11, 2015
West Palm Beach – Toronto Twice weekly 11:20 a.m. 2:19 p.m. Dec. 11, 2015
Toronto – Huatulco Twice weekly 9:15 a.m. 1:55 p.m. Dec. 13, 2015
Huatulco – Toronto Twice weekly 2:45 p.m. 8:29 p.m. Dec. 13, 2015
Toronto – Merida Once weekly 8:15 a.m. 11:33 a.m. Dec. 15, 2015
Merida – Toronto Once weekly 12:25 p.m. 5:14 p.m. Dec. 15, 2015
Toronto – San Jose, CR Twice weekly 9:15 a.m. 1:40 p.m. Dec. 15, 2015
San Jose CR – Toronto Twice weekly 2:30 p.m. 8:38 p.m. Dec. 15, 2015
Toronto – Sarasota Twice weekly 8:05 a.m. 11:06 a.m. Dec. 18, 2015
Sarasota – Toronto Twice weekly 11:55 a.m. 2:39 p.m. Dec. 18, 2015
Toronto – Cabo San Lucas Once weekly 9:15 a.m. 12:32 p.m. Dec. 19, 2015
Cabo San Lucas – Toronto Once weekly 1:25 p.m. 8:32 p.m. Dec. 19, 2015

WestJet’s 2015 winter schedule also contains a number of new nonstop routes including Vancouver, Kitchener-Waterloo and Charlottetown to Orlando; Calgary to Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood and Liberia, Costa Rica; and Toronto and Halifax to Boston.

In other news, WestJet will today (December 12) launch new nonstop service from Calgary to Huatulco, its tenth destination in Mexico, and add new nonstop flights from Calgary to Liberia, Costa Rica, beginning on December 19.

With these new services, WestJet will operate 109 daily departures to 47 destinations from Calgary International Airport this winter, an increase of 12 and 17 per cent respectively over last winter. The airline now offers nonstop service from Calgary to 26 Canadian, 10 U.S. and 11 international destinations.

Copyright Photo: TMK Photography/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8CT C-GWST (msn 37158) in the eye-catching Walt Disney World – Frozen livery departs from Toronto (Pearson).

WestJet aircraft slide shows:

Southwest to offer international service from Los Angeles to Costa Rica

https://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-UnitedStates-3/Airlines-United-States3-QZ/Southwest-Airlines-Current/i-SjhWgXN

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) has announced plans to complement its growing portfolio of international routes by offering nonstop service between Los Angeles International Airport and Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia/Guanacaste, Costa Rica beginning in April 2016. Southwest® expects to operate the service daily from LAX Terminal 2, adjacent the carrier’s domestic operation in LAX Terminal 1.

The new international service comes as Southwest achieves several milestones in a revitalization of its LAX facilities at Terminal 1. As part of the $508 million modernization project unfolding now in partnership with Los Angeles World Airports, a new ticketing lobby and baggage claim facility is set to open early next year. Additional facility construction will bring new entrances, additional capacity in the security checkpoint expected to open in 2017, new food options, and an overall enhanced Customer experience. The project is expected to be completed fully by 2018.

Southwest Airlines began flying to California in 1982 and now serves nine airports in the Golden State, offering more daily departures in California than any other airline. 143 of those flights takeoff and land within the state, connecting 18 unique city-pair combinations within California. By summer 2016, Southwest’s nine California airports will offer Customers a combined peak weekday schedule of 678 departures to destinations across the United States, Mexico, and Costa Rica.

Following its launch of service in April 2013 to the U.S. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Southwest began its international journey in July 2014 with service to three Caribbean nations and, after adding service points across the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America, will end 2015 ‘twelve for twelve,’ so to speak: the carrier now serves a dozen destinations across Latin America and the Caribbean from a dozen gateway airports on the U.S. mainland. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) will become the carrier’s thirteenth gateway airport in the 48 contiguous states.

Southwest Airlines Gateway Cities within the 48 contiguous states (as of 12/31/2015, listed alphabetically):

• Atlanta
• Austin
• Baltimore/Washington
• Chicago Midway
• Denver
• Ft. Lauderdale
• Houston Hobby
• Milwaukee
• Orange County/Santa Ana
• Orlando
• San Antonio
• Tampa Bay

Southwest Airlines Service across Latin America and the Caribbean (as of 12/31/2015, listed chronologically by start of service):

• San Juan, Puerto Rico
(began Apr. 14, 2013)
• Oranjestad, Aruba
(began July 1, 2014)
• Nassau, The Bahamas
(began July 1, 2014)
• Montego Bay, Jamaica
(began July 1, 2014)
• Cancun, Mexico
(began Aug. 10, 2014)
• San Jose del Cabo/Los Cabos, Mexico
(began Aug. 10, 2014)
• Mexico City, Mexico
(began Nov. 2, 2014)
• Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
(began Nov. 2, 2014)
• San Jose, Costa Rica
(began Mar. 10, 2015)
• Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
(began June 7, 2015)
• Belize City, Belize
(began Oct. 15, 2015)
• Liberia, Costa Rica
(began Nov. 1, 2015)

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-76N N7706A (msn 32661) departs from Los Angeles International Airport.

Southwest Airlines aircraft slide show:

Star Alliance to expand its network with lower-cost “Connecting Partners”, Mango to be the first

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The Star Alliance has issued this statement:

To expand network reach via low-cost and hybrid airlines, Star Alliance launches a new model. South African airline Mango to be first airline to implement.

Star Alliance is set to expand its network reach with the launch of its Connecting Partner Model. Under this new concept, routes operated by “low-cost” and “hybrid” airlines will be able to connect to the Alliance network. This will allow customers of Star Alliance member carriers to select from an even wider choice of destinations and flights.

“With this innovative concept, we are breaking new ground. We see a definite trend of convergence between the ‘traditional full service’ and ‘low-cost’ business models in the airline industry,” said Mark Schwab, CEO Star Alliance. “At the same time, our customers are telling us that they need access to markets where we do not yet provide ideal coverage. In many cases network carriers are not in a position to fill this gap and hence working with future Connecting Partners will allow us to provide an extended network to our travellers.”

Connecting Partners will be carefully assessed for their fit into the existing Star Alliance network. While these selected airlines need to comply and adhere to the high operating standard required by the Alliance, they will not become a member of the Alliance itself.

Customers travelling on an itinerary which includes a transfer between a Star Alliance member airline and a Connecting Partner will be offered Alliance benefits such as passenger and baggage through check-in. Moreover, Star Alliance Gold Card holders will enjoy a tailored set of privileges in line with the different product offerings of the individual Connecting Partner.

Connecting Partners will enter into bilateral commercial agreements with selected Star Alliance member airlines, which may include additional Frequent Flyer Programme based privileges.

Innovative and multi-award winning South African low-cost airline Mango has been selected as the first airline with which Star Alliance will be implementing the new concept.

“We are delighted to be working with Mango as we marry traditional and low-cost or hybrid airlines for the first time in our Alliance’s history. The airline’s innovative and progressive style makes it an ideal candidate for launching our new Connecting Partner concept. We aim to have first customers using this new offer as of the third quarter of 2016,” adds Schwab.

Mango’s first flight took to the skies on November 15, 2006. Since then, the airline has grown its fleet from four to 10 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, operating between South Africa’s key domestic points as well as between Johannesburg and Zanzibar. The carrier remains the only African airline to offer on-board Wi-Fi. In addition, Mango has been recognised for its Customer Service Excellence by various awards, including the World Travel Awards and Skytrax.

“Innovation and a relentless pursuit of excellence are the cornerstones of Mango and fundamental to our culture as a business,” says Mango CEO Nico Bezuidenhout. Mango celebrates a decade in aviation next year and the carrier has recently become the largest low-cost airline in South Africa by passenger volume. “Participation in the development of, and ultimately becoming the launch Star Alliance Connecting Partner airline, wedges-in with our medium to long term business objectives,” he added.

Bezuidenhout said that while the Connecting Partner product flies in the face of convention, the common ground for the concept relates directly to the bottom line. “Becoming a Connecting Partner will give any low-cost or hybrid airline a competitive advantage that immediately grows market share while creating greater choice for travellers,” he said.

Copyright Photo: Christian Volpati/AirlinersGallery.com. Mango will be first carrier admitted under this new program. Boeing 737-8BG WL ZS-SJP (msn 32358) arrives at the Johannesburg base.

Mango aircraft slide show:

Norwegian donates a Boeing 737-300 Classic to the Bodø Aviation Musuem

Norwegian 737-300 LN-KKW final flight arrival at Bodo (Norwegian)(LRW)

Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norwegian.com) (Oslo) retired its Boeing 737-300 Classic fleet last month. Yesterday (December 9) the carrier retired and donated Boeing 737-3K9 LN-KKW (msn 24213). A final non-revenue ferry flight was conducted to Bodø.

According to the carrier, “Yesterday morning (December 9) landed one of Norwegian’s 737-300s with the registration of LN-KKW at Bodø Airport in Norway (above) and thus made its last flight. Norwegian donated the aircraft to the Norwegian Aviation Museum in Bodø.

Norwegian 737-300 LN-KKW final flight crew (Norwegian)(LRW)

Above Photo: Norwegian. Captain Johnny Silberg and First Officer Olav Hynne sit in the cockpit of LN-KKW on its final flight.

Behind the controls of the historic flight sat Captain Johnny Silberg who has worked at the airline since 2006.

This aircraft operated 40,106 flights and spent 64,656 hours flying. The plane was part of Norwegian in 2006 when the company had 14 aircraft, 54 routes and 560 employees. Today the company has 102 aircraft, 439 routes and over 5500 employees.”

The remaining four Boeing 737-300 aircraft are parked in Budapest in anticipation of a decision on where they will end up. Norwegian has over 250 aircraft on order including 100 of the new Boeing 737 MAX and 30 of the slightly larger Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

Norwegian has one of the youngest fleets in the sky with an average of 3.6 years for its fleet.

Norwegian aircraft slide show:

LN-KKW has had a colorful career with Norwegian carrying these two special liveries in 2007 and 2009 including Norwegian’s UNICEF special livery:

https://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Europe-2/Airlines-Europe-2/Norwegian-Air-Shuttle/i-mb2ZLHb

Above Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best/AirlinersGallery.com.

https://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Europe-2/Airlines-Europe-2/Norwegian-Air-Shuttle/i-5DKvcz8

Above Copyright Photo: Stefan Sjogren/AirlinersGallery.com.

Southwest Airlines to open 5 new routes in June including 3 from St. Louis

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Southwest Airlines (Dallas) will open five new daily routes on June 5, 2016 per Airline Route:

Dallas (Love Field) – Burbank

Oakland – Reno

St. Louis to Cleveland, Oakland and Portland, Oregon.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8H4 N8671D (msn 36715) departs from Los Angeles International Airport.

Southwest Airlines aircraft slide show (current livery):

Boeing rolls out the first 737 MAX 8

Boeing (Chicago, Seattle and Charleston) today made this announcement of the roll out at Renton of the first Boeing 737 MAX 8:

Today, thousands of Boeing (BA) employees in Renton, Wash., celebrated the completion of final assembly of the first 737 MAX 8.

“Today marks another in a long series of milestones that our team has achieved on time, per plan, together,” said Keith Leverkuhn, vice president and general manager, 737 MAX, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “With the rollout of the new 737 MAX – the first new airplane of Boeing’s second century – our team is upholding an incredible legacy while taking the 737 to the next level of performance.”

The production-complete airplane rolled out of the Renton factory and into the paint hangar on Nov. 30, the precise date determined when the MAX development schedule was defined more than four years ago. Today the freshly painted 737 MAX 8, named the Spirit of Renton, was revealed to employees in a special teal version of the Boeing livery. After celebrations are complete, the airplane will undergo pre-flight preparation in the factory before departing for Renton Field to continue flight test readiness. The airplane is on track for first flight in early 2016.

With the second and third 737 MAX 8 flight test airplanes currently in final assembly and the fourth (and final) in sub-assembly, the 737 MAX remains on track for first delivery to launch customer Southwest Airlines in the third quarter of 2017.

The new single-aisle airplane will deliver 20 percent lower fuel use than the first Next-Generation 737s and the lowest operating costs: 8 percent per seat less than the A320neo.

The 737 MAX incorporates the latest technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Boeing-designed Advanced Technology winglets and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market. The 737 MAX 8 is the first member in Boeing’s new family of single-aisle airplanes – the 737 MAX 7, MAX 8, MAX 200 and MAX 9 – to begin production. The 737 MAX family has nearly 3,000 orders from 60 customers worldwide.

Photos: Boeing. Boeing 737 MAX 8 N8701Q (msn 42554) will eventually be delivered to launch customer Southwest Airlines.

Norwegian launches its U.S. flights to Martinique and Guadeloupe

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Norwegian Air Shuttle’s (Norwegian.com) (Oslo) inaugural flight from Boston to the French Caribbean island of Martinique will take off today, while the first flights from New York and Baltimore/Washington to Martinique and Guadeloupe also departing this week.

Norwegian will be the only airline to offer free WiFi and live TV service between the U.S. and Caribbean using its Boeing 737-800 aircraft, which already operate on 29 routes from the UK to Europe.

Flight information for French Caribbean routes

From New York (JFK) to Guadeloupe– 3 weekly flights
From New York (JFK) to Martinique – 3 weekly flights
Boston (BOS) to Guadeloupe – 2 weekly flights
Boston (BOS) to Martinique – 2 weekly flights
From Baltimore / Washington (BWI) to Guadeloupe – 2 weekly flights
From Baltimore / Washington (BWI) to Martinique – 2 weekly flights

Norwegian recently launched the UK’s only direct flights to the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico and announced brand new low-cost flights to Boston from 2016 serviced by its state-of-the-art Dreamliner aircraft.

In other news, Norwegian retired its last Boeing 737-300 Classic in November.

Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8JP LN-DYU (msn 39008) with “Wireless Internet on Board” sub-titles and the image of Jorn Utzon on the tail, arrives at Tenerife Sur.

Norwegian aircraft slide show:

Alaska Airlines to introduce a new Premium Class

https://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/Alaska-Airlines/i-9dmWmDZ

Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) today (December 3) made this announcement:

Alaska (2014) logo

Today at its annual Investor Day, Alaska Airlines announced plans to roll-out a Premium Class section. Beginning in late 2016, the new upgrade option will provide more legroom and other perks to customers.

Customers who upgrade to Premium Class will get priority boarding and enjoy three to four inches more legroom compared with a standard coach seat. In addition, Alaska Airlines plans to offer additional amenities to further enhance the Premium Class in-flight experience. This upgrade option will be available to Alaska Airlines elite Mileage Plan members on a complimentary basis at booking or day of travel dependent on status and fare purchased.

Alaska Premium Class

Upgrade pricing and details on the included amenities will be announced closer to customer availability.

Alaska plans to retrofit up to 60 aircraft with the Premium Class section by the end of 2016 and the remainder of its 737-800, -900 and -900 ER fleet by the end of 2017. The upgrade option will also be available on Embraer 175s, operated by SkyWest, which are configured with 12 seats in the Premium Class section. Preferred Plus seating, currently available for purchase at check-in for bulkhead and exit rows, will continue to be offered on Alaska 737-400s and -700s.

Seats in the Premium Class section will have at least 35” of pitch, compared to 31” to 32” in the rest of the main cabin. To make room for the Premium Class while maintaining pitch in the main cabin, Alaska will reconfigure and reduce the number of seats available on some aircraft. Also, pitch in the First Class cabin will be increased from 36” to 41” providing a significantly enhanced experience for those customers.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-990 ER SSWL N479AS (msn 60576) departs from Los Angeles International Airport in the revised 2015 livery.

Alaska Airlines aircraft slide show:

Mandarin Airlines unveils today its new “Explore Taichung” Boeing 737-800

Mandarin Airlines (Taipei) and Taichung City Government today (December 2) jointly introduced its newly painted “Explore Taichung” Boeing 737-800.

The special livery features flowers representing Taichung which also showcases central Taiwan.

According to the airline, the cherry blossoms, lilies, and oncidium orchids represent opening arms to welcome travelers to Taichung.

Above: Mandarin Airlines flight attendants and the interior of B-18659.

On December 3, this newly painted Boeing 737-800 aircraft will make its inaugural flight to Hong Kong.

https://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Asia-2/Airlines-Asia2-FP/Mandarin-Airlines/i-Rjm9p8d

All Copyright Photos: Manuel Negrerie/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8SH B-18659 (msn 61424) is pictured at the Mandarin Airlines’ maintenance facility in Taichung.

Mandarin Airlines aircraft slide show:

American Airlines introduces the AirCal heritage jet

American 737-800 WL N917NN (15-AirCal 81)(Grd)(American)(LRW)

American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) has introduced its AirCal heritage jet scheme (painted in the 1981 livery) on Boeing 737-823 N917NN (msn 29572).

Air California (later AirCal) was acquired by AMR Corporation and merged into American Airlines on July 1, 1987,

Top Photo: American Airlines. N917NN in the 1981 AirCal color scheme.

Below Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. The original Air California/AirCal. Boeing 737-293 N464AC (msn 19309) is pictured at Seattle/Tacoma in the final 1981 livery.

https://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/Air-California-AirCal/i-mSM6nsg

Air California/AirCal aircraft gallery and slide show:

The Legacy of American Airlines (The American Family Tree) (American Airlines – photos supplied by AirlinersGallery.com)