Tag Archives: A319–14

Syphax Airlines suspends all operations

Syphax Airlines (Sfax, Tunisia) yesterday (July 30) announced it had suspended all operations from Tunisia.

The company was launched in 2011 by Mohamed Frikha, CEO of TELNET Group, Syphax Airlines is a limited company.

The airline commenced operations on April 21, 2012 as previously reported.

Syphax was based at Sfax Thyna, and its network consisted of international destinations, mainly to France and Turkey.

Tunisia has seen a dramatic drop in tourism after it suffered severe blows following the Bardo National Museum attack and the Sousse attack in 2015.

Copyright Photo: Christian Volpati Collection/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A319-112 TS-IEF (msn 3853) wears a special livery as the “Official Airline of the Carthage Eagles”, the Tunisia national football (soccer) team.

Syphax Airlines aircraft slide show:

Aer Lingus swings to the red for 2014

Aer Lingus (Dublin), adding to our previous story, reported a net loss of €95.8 million ($107.8 million) for 2014, reversing the €34.1 million ($38.3 million) net profit for 2013.

Christoph Mueller Aer Lingus’ CEO commented: “The year 2014 proved the strength of our “value carrier” business model across both our short and long haul businesses. We profitably expanded our long haul network utilizing our cost advantage and favorable geographic position and helped establish Dublin as the 7th largest European hub for trans-Atlantic connections. Our short haul business continued to demonstrate its resilience despite a highly competitive market. Commercial initiatives, in addition to cost control, led to the highest operating profit since the financial crisis and 17.8% above last year.

The focus on our business is unabated and in the coming months we will invest in our customer proposition and distribution model in addition to reducing costs. Now that the complex IASS pension funding issues have been addressed, we are re-launching our CORE program, starting with the introduction of a new voluntary severance scheme at the beginning of this year.

I am delighted to hand the reins to Stephen Kavanagh at the end of this week. I know that the entire Aer Lingus team has a lot of work planned for 2015 and I am confident that they will drive further improvements in profitability, customer satisfaction and employee engagement.”

International Consolidated Airlines Group, S.A. (IAG” offer update:

1. Board willing to recommend the financial terms of IAG’s offer to shareholders

2. Compelling strategic rationale and significant benefits for Aer Lingus, its current and future employees, its customers and for Ireland. The combination would:

A. Enhance Ireland’s position as a natural hub for Europe on the North Atlantic; Accelerate Aer Lingus’ transatlantic, long haul growth plans;

B. Grow employment;

C. Enhance short haul growth;

D. Strengthen Ireland’s connectivity; and Provide access to a global cargo network

3. Aer Lingus has confirmed IAG’s intentions to preserve Aer Lingus as a separate operating business within the group with its own brand, management, head office and operations

Colm Barrington, Aer Lingus Chairman, said: “Our performance in 2014 was strong, with significant growth in long haul and resilient short haul operations. To enhance these excellent results and to accelerate Aer Lingus’ growth, it is the Board’s strong belief that the company should now take the opportunity to combine with IAG. In this combination Aer Lingus will operate as a separate business while gaining access to IAG’s extensive network and benefiting from its scale. These significantly positive benefits will de-risk Aer Lingus’ future, strengthen its operations and enhance the future success of the company .”

The Irish government as we previously report, still has reservations about the sale of the flag carrier to IAG and has requested additional clarification.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Aer Lingus Aircraft slide show:

Air Canada rouge to introduce Vancouver-Palm Springs seasonal flights on December 18

Air Canada (Montreal) announced today that it will introduce a new seasonal nonstop service operated by Air Canada rouge (Toronto-Pearson) between Vancouver and Palm Springs, California this winter. Flights to the ‘Golf Capital of the World’ will be operated with Air Canada rouge Airbus A319 aircraft featuring three customer comfort options: rouge, rouge Plus with preferred seating offering additional legroom, and Premium rouge with additional personal space and enhanced service.

Air Canada rouge flights between Vancouver and Palm Springs, CA will begin on December 18, 2014 and will operate three times weekly until April 12, 2015.

Air Canada will continue to evaluate future market opportunities as new aircraft are introduced into its mainline fleet and existing aircraft are released for operation by Air Canada rouge as market demand warrants. Since the launch in July 2013 of Air Canada rouge, Air Canada has deployed its leisure carrier to a growing number of Caribbean, Mexico, Europe and select sun destinations in the United States.

Air Canada rouge operates a fleet consisting of Boeing 767-300ER and Airbus A319 aircraft transferred from Air Canada.

Air Canada’s mainline fleet renewal is ongoing with the introduction of new aircraft. In May, the airline took delivery of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner and is scheduled to receive a total of six 787 aircraft in 2014 with the remaining 31 scheduled between 2015 and 2019. In February 2014, Air Canada took delivery of the last of five new Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft to enter its mainline fleet.

Copyright Photo: TMK Photography/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A319-114 C-GBHR (msn 785) taxies at the Toronto (Pearson) hub.

Air Canada: