Germanwings (2nd) (Cologne/Bonn) will drop all service from Berlin (Tegel) to Bucharest, Geneva and Stockholm (Arlanda) in the first week of January per Airline Route.
Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Airbus A319-132 D-AGWU (msn 5457) departs from Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg.
Germanwings:ย 
EasyJet (easyJet.com) (UK) (London-Luton) will launch a new route connecting Berlin (Schoenefeld) and Tel Aviv starting on February 4, 2014 per Airline Route.
Meanwhile pilots in France staged a one-day strike yesterday to protest the large profits and the lack of sharing with the employees. The company reported its pretax profit rose by 51 percent in the fiscal year ending on September 30.
Read the full report from The Telegraph: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Paul Denton/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Airbus A319-111 G-EZFW (msn 4380) climbs away from Geneva.
EasyJet (UK):ย
Air Canada rouge (Toronto-Pearson) todayย begins year round flying between Toronto (Pearson) and Orlando, Florida with three daily departures and two more starting on December 14. By March 1, 2014 the airline will fly six times daily to/from Orlando, more thanย any other Canadian carrier.ย Customers on this route now have the option of enhanced comfort withย Premiumย rougeย service inย additionย to rouge and rouge Plusย serviceย on Air Canada rouge’s Airbus A319 aircraft. Premium rouge service on theย A319 aircraft will also be introduced on several Air Canada rouge destinations in the US,ย Caribbeanย and Mexico to be launched inย theย coming months.
Air Canada rouge will also assume the Montreal-Orlando route on February 15, 2014.
Toronto-Orlando schedule:
Toronto departures to Orlando:
Orlando departures to Toronto:
*actual flight times may vary slightly with seasonal changes.
Air Canada rouge introduces Airbus A319 Premium rouge service
Air Canada rouge isย operatingย newly retrofitted A319 aircraft on select routesย featuring 136 seats, including the introduction of 12 Premium rouge seats in the front 3 rows of the aircraft in aย separate curtained cabin. Premium rouge features a 35″ pitch with a 5″ recline, blocked middle seats forย more personal space, complimentaryย entertainment including both freeย contentย and iPads and a premium meal and beverage service. Premium rouge customers also enjoy complimentary Maple Leaf Lounge access, priority check in, security and boarding. Premium rougeย service will be offered on theย following routes:
In addition toย Premiumย rouge, the cabin also features 6 new slimline rouge Plus seats in a 3+3 configuration directly behind the Premium rouge cabin offering more legroom; and 118 new slimline rouge seats in a 3+3 configuration.ย A tasty selection of meals, drinks and snacks, as well as comfort items such as pillows, blankets and headphones are available to rougeย andย rouge Plus customers onboard through Air Canada rouge’s Buy On Board service.
Airย Canada rouge crew offer the airline’s unique warm welcome onboard.ย Trained in Orlando in Customer Service Excellence, they take every measure to ensure flights that are relaxed, enjoyable and are a memorable start and end to a Florida vacation. Airย Canada rouge aircraft are all equipped withย player, a next generation in-flight entertainment system that streams unlimited live entertainment — including movies, TV shows, kids programming, music and an About Us section — to customers’ personal electronic devices. Air Canada rouge is one of the first airlines in North America to offer streaming onboard content.ย playerย is offered at a nominal fee of $5 for rouge and rouge Plus customers for unlimited movie and TV show access; music and destination content are always complimentary. Customers areย invitedย to ย bring their own fully-charged laptop or iPad, iPod or iPhone, or they can rent an iPad on board for $10.
Copyright Photo: TMK Photography/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Airbus A319-112 C-GSJB (msn 1673) departs from Toronto (Pearson).
Air Canada rouge:ย
Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver) has announced it will expand its low-fare service at Trenton-Mercer Airport (TTN), in Ewing, New Jersey, with the addition of nonstop service to Cleveland, Ohio, beginning on February 13, 2014; Indianapolis, Indiana beginning on April 29, 2014; and Nashville, Tennessee beginning on April 30, 2014.
Frontier is the only airline providing scheduled service out of Trenton-Mercer Airport, the gateway to New Jerseyโs state capital, all of central New Jersey, and Southeast Pennsylvania, including metro Philadelphia.
The addition of these three cities brings Frontierโs total nonstop destinations served from Trenton-Mercer Airport to 14:
All Frontier flights from Trenton/Princeton will operate on 138-seat Airbus A319 aircraft.
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Frontier Airlines’ (2nd) Airbus A319-111 N930FR (msn 2241) taxies to the runway at Los Angeles International Airport.
Frontier Airlines:ย 
Republic Airways Holdings (Indianapolis) hasย announced that it has agreed to a 48-hour extension of exclusivity of the sale process for Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver).
โIndigo Partners informed us they have made good progress but have not been able to resolve all the conditions to close the transaction,โ said Republic Airways Chairman, President and CEO Bryan Bedford. โThey requested and we agreed to extend the deadline by 48 hours.โ
Republic Airways Holdings is an airline holding company that owns Chautauqua Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Republic Airlines and Shuttle America.
Indigo Partners issued the following statement on the status of its pending acquisition of Frontier Airlines from Republic Airways Holdings:
โIndigo Partners has informed Republic Airways that its planned acquisition of Frontier Airlines will move forward. Major conditions, including agreements with FAPAInvest and Barclaycard are satisfied, as are other commercial and business arrangements. An agreement has not been reached with the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA); however, Indigo has informed Republic that it will waive that condition. The transaction is expected to be finalized later this month, subject to receipt of certain regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.โ
William A. Franke, managing partner at Indigo Partners said, โWe are pleased about the progress we have made to resolve major issues and move this acquisition toward closing. We look forward to completing the transaction and continuing to extend Frontierโs reach and service as a leading, nationwide ultra-low cost carrier (ULCC).โ
Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Airbus A319-111 N922FR (msn 2012) with the Red Fox exits the runway for the gate at Los Angeles International Airport.
Frontier Airlines (2nd):ย
Indigo Partners (Phoenix) has issued this statement regarding the progress of its acquisition of Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver):
โGood progress has been made on all fronts as we work to satisfy conditions to close Indigo Partners’ previously announced acquisition of Frontier Airlines from Republic Airways Holdings.
โWe remain hopeful that remaining conditions to closing can be achieved in the next few days.โ
Indigo Partners is a private equity firm established by W. A. Franke in 2003 to pursue acquisitions and strategic investments in the air transportation and related industries. The firm was a significant investor in Tiger Airways based in Singapore and Spirit Airlines based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and maintains lead investments in Wizz Air Holdings, Plc, a ULCC with multiple bases in Central and Eastern Europe and Volaris Airlines, a ULCC based in Mexico City.
Copyright Photo: Tony Storck/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Frontier Airlines’ Airbus A319-111 N908FR (msn 1759) (Blue Heron) lands in Las Vegas.
Frontier Airlines:ย
Lufthansa (Frankfurt) has issued this statement:
Representatives of Lufthansa Technik and Lufthansa Technical Training officially handed over a Vickers Viscount 814 to the Museum of Technology in Speyer in southwest Germany. Lufthansa operated the aircraft on scheduled routes from 1962 to 1969, and in 1972 converted it into a technical training aircraft. To date, more than 2,000 young people in the Lufthansa Group have undergone basic training on this Vickers Viscount as an aircraft mechanic or electrician.
In cooperation with the workshop team at the Museum of Technology in Speyer, Lufthansa Technik trainers and apprentices have now restored the Viscount 814 with the registration D-ANAF for exhibition purposes. Before being transported to Speyer, the plane had to be dismantled. It was then re-assembled at the museum and repainted in its original livery with its 1960s registration. The Lufthansa Technik apprentices completed the work in a total of 2,096 man-hours, and visitors to the museum can now admire the results.
In the 1960s, the Vickers Viscount 814 was the workhorse on European routes and was one of the most popular propeller aircraft ever deployed on short and medium-haul routes. Since 1958, Lufthansa has operated a total of eleven of these aircraft on its domestic German and European scheduled services.
A close friendship has developed between the Museum of Technology in Speyer and Lufthansa Technik, which is an honorary member of the Museum Association. For many years, both companies have collaborated successfully on joint projects. Back in 2003, Lufthansa handed over a retired Boeing 747-200 with the registration D-ABYM to the museum for the symbolic price of one euro. There was an outburst of applause as โYankee Mikeโ (the phonetic designation used by pilots for the last two letters โYMโ in the aircraft registration) taxied to its final parking position. And now the Vickers Viscount 814ย has also found a new home.
While the Lufthansa Group is currently investing 36 billion euros in new, even more environmentally friendly aircraft as part of the largest fleet renovation process in the companyโs history, the Vickers Viscount represents a โhistoric fleet renewalโ at Speyerโs Museum of Technology.
In other news, Lufthansa has announced it will add vortex generators to reduce noise for its 157 Airbus family aircraft. The company issued this statement:
Lufthansa is an active proponent of noise abatement and is investing in the nationwide modification of 157 aircraft from its Airbus A320 family. These planes connect Lufthansaโs hubs in Frankfurt and Munich with the destinations in its closely meshed European route network.
The manufacturer, Airbus, has even developed vortex generators especially for the A320 family. These are based on the findings of research carried out by Lufthansa and the German Aerospace Center. Flyover measurements showed that the vortex generators eliminate two unpleasant tones and therefore reduce the total noise generated by the approaching plane by up to two decibels. They can be fitted both to aircraft already in service as well as to the new Airbus A319, A320 and A321 models, which are still to be delivered.
โBy fitting these vortex generators to our Airbus short and medium-haul fleet, we are continuing to invest in active noise protectionโ, says Kay Kratky, Member of the Lufthansa German Airlines Board, Operation & Hub Frankfurt. โIn addition to the extensive modernisation of our fleet over the next few years, this is one of several steps that we are taking to reduce noise. It shows our commitment to working towards a balance between the interests of aviation and local residents, especially at our hubs.โ
The tons that the vortex generators will eliminate are created on the underside of the wing by the pressure equalisation vents for the fuel tanks. Airflows passing over them in flight have an effect like blowing across the mouth of a bottle. The new components create a vortex in front of these vents and so prevent the noise. The modification of the existing fleet is to start in early 2014. All new deliveries of the A320 and A321 for Lufthansa will be fitted as standard with the vortex generators in future.
Top Copyright Photo: Lufthansa.
Lufthansa:ย
Have you seen the “new look” AirlinersGallery.com photo library website?
Bottom Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Airbus A319-114 D-AILF (msn 636) (Star Alliance) arrives in Zurich.
Volarisย (Mexico City)ย announced the launch of new international service between the cities of Guadalajara and San Antonio, Texas. Flights will start on December 14.
San Antonio becomes the 27thย destination operated by Volaris from Guadalajara and the 12thย city to be serviced in the U.S., strengthening the carrier’s commitment to air connectivity and promoting binational cultural, economic, and commercial exchange. In addition, the new service marks Volaris’ incursion into the Texas market, extending its reach within the US.
The new service is part of Volaris’ new “Volaris always with you and your budget” (Volaris Siempre Contigo y tu Bolsillo) initiative, which provides travelers with the lowest available fares in the market and includes 25 kg of checked-in luggage. Flights are available for booking at “fares that make you travel”, with advance purchase options, as well as the innovative “Tu decides” approach, whereby customers purchase optional products and services they need for their travel, customizing every trip to their needs.
Volaris CEO, Enrique Beltranena, addressed the importance of the market segment targeted by the new flight. “The segment of travelers visiting friends and family between the US and Mexico is the largest of its kind in the world, it is essential to satisfy the demand for this much needed service on both sides of the border, offering flights at outstanding fares and with high services standards.”
Beltranena said that for this reason, the Guadalajaraย – San Antonio service is of utmost interest to the Guadalajara market, given that Volaris is the only carrier servicing this route. “We seek to consolidate our presence in Guadalajara by extending our destination offering from this city, so our customers no longer have to consider ground transportation options to travel to cities such as San Antonio. Volaris’ fares will make them travel,” he said.
Currently, Volaris is the leading airline in Guadalajara with over 40 daily departures. According to the 2011 U.S. Census Bureau, San Antonio, Texas, is the seventh most populated city in the United States with 2.1 million inhabitants, of which 55% are of Mexican origin.
Customers interested in booking travel for the new service, may do so on the following schedule:
Guadalajara, Jaliscoย – San Antonio, Texas
(As of December 14) – Tuesdays and Saturdays
On the financial side, the company issued this statement:
Controladora Vuela Compania de Aviacion, S.A.B. de C.V. (“Volaris” or the “Company”), (NYSE: VLRS, BMV: VOLAR), an ultra-low-cost airline based in Mexico, today announced its financial results for the third quarter of 2013. The following financial information, unless otherwise indicated, is presented in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Unless otherwise stated, all comparisons with prior periods refer to the third quarter of 2012.
Third Quarter 2013 Highlights
“We are very excited now that Volaris is a public company and we want to thank our investors for their support in the transaction,” said Enrique Beltranena, Volaris’ CEO. “In the quarter, Volaris delivered record operating revenue, maintained its growth trajectory and grew its market share while lowering fares and giving more options to our customers to choose what they want to pay for. Despite slower growth in the Mexican economy and the challenging competitive environment in Mexico during the quarter, these results show that our ultra-low-cost model is the right strategy for Mexico and all of our target markets.”
Market Drivers
Record Operating Revenue
For the third quarter 2013, Volaris’ total operating revenue was Ps.3,722 million, which represented an increase of 11.1% year over year compared to the third quarter 2012. The load factor was 87.5%, the highest quarterly load factor in the Company’s history, and a 3.6% increase year over year driven by our low-fare strategy.
Volaris booked 2.6 million passengers in the third quarter 2013, 25.4% more than in the third quarter of 2012. This increase in passengers was a result of our ongoing strategy to stimulate demand by targeting passengers who travel by bus and by offering lower base fares, which were lowered 12.8% year over year.
As compared to the third quarter 2012, passenger revenue per available seat mile (RASM) was 6.2% lower and total operating revenue per available seat mile (TRASM) was 4.6% lower, resulting from our lower fare structure combined with an increase in the domestic competitive environment that put additional pressure on our base fares in certain key markets.
Volaris traffic, measured in terms of revenue passenger miles (RPMs), increased by 21.6% year over year in the third quarter 2013 with the incorporation of nine new aircraft from October 1, 2012 to September 30, 2013.
During this period, our non-ticket revenue increased to Ps.503 million, a 24.8% increase as compared to third quarter 2012.
Continued Cost Discipline
The operating expenses per available seat mile (CASM) for the third quarter 2013 were Ps.113.9 cents, a 4.7% reduction compared to the third quarter of 2012, primarily driven by efficiency benefits and sustained cost control discipline. CASM excluding fuel also decreased 2.9% year over year.
Strong Balance Sheet and Liquidity
As of September 30, 2013, Volaris had Ps.2,974 million in unrestricted cash and cash equivalents, representing 23% of last twelve month total operating revenues. The Company recorded negative net debt (or a positive net cash position) of Ps.2,565 million and total equity reached 4,135 million.
During the third quarter 2013, Volaris incurred capital expenditures of Ps.163 million. The Company paid Ps.99 million in pre-delivery payments for future deliveries of aircraft net of refunds, and recorded additional purchases of rotable spare parts, furniture and equipment totaling Ps.64 million. The Company also obtained an extension of its pre-delivery payments facility for eight new aircraft with Santander and Bancomext for US$71 million, which now covers aircraft deliveries through the first half of 2016.
Young and Fuel Efficient Fleet
As of September 30, 2013, reflecting our strategy to further reduce our unit cost, Volaris has continued to take deliveries of larger A320 aircraft, bringing our mix of A320/A319s to a 50/50 split. The Companyยดs fleet was comprised of 44 aircraft (22 Airbus A320 and 22 Airbus A319), with an average age of 4.2 years. During the third quarter of 2013 Volaris received one new Airbus A320 aircraft equipped with sharklets.
On August 19, 2013, the Company selected Pratt & Whitney and International Aero Engines (IAE) to power its fleet of 30 A320neo and 14 A320ceo to be delivered between 2015 and 2020.
Other Current Highlights
In October, we successfully migrated to our new reservations system, called Navitaire, which will enable us to further develop our non-ticket revenues. We also took advantage of this platform migration to re-launch our new webpage and implement our new baggage policy.
Copyright Photo: Eddie Maloney/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Volaris’ Airbus A319-133 XA-VOH (msn 3253) named “Humberto” carries a new special livery promoting Mexico and the Rivieria Nayarit.
Volaris:ย
Jat Airways (Belgrade) is no more. The national carrier of Serbia was succeeded by replacement carrier Air Serbia (Belgrade) yesterday (October 26). Air Serbia is the result of a new strategic partnership between the Government of Serbia and Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi). The majority 51 percent of the shares of new Air Serbia are now owned by the Serbian Government and the remaining 49 percent by Etihad Airways which has been on a spending spree to to partially acquire and transform underperforming national carriers to feed its own operations.
Jat Airways is now defunct.
Air Serbia’s inaugural flight departed Belgrade yesterday for Abu Dhabi.
Here is the history of troubled Jat Airways (from their website):
Jat Airways’s predecessor, the Society for Air Transport AEROPUT, was founded on June 17, 1927. This date marks the beginning of civil aviation in our country. The first aircraft to fly under the company name Yugoslav Airlines took off 20 years later, on April 1, 1947.
In mid-January 1947, the civil aviation traffic administration became part of the Transport Ministry, thereby confirming its civilian status. On March 17, 1947, pilots, navigators, radio operators and flight mechanics were transferred from the Transport Regiment to the newly formed company. In the meantime, the company acquired modified aircraft and the first flying season was launched on April 1, 1947.
After weathering the winds of war, AEROPUT pilots and mechanics joined Yugoslav Airlines crews in JATโs earliest days.
Yugoslav Airlines kicked off with two Douglas C-47 aircraft modified into a DC-3 and two JU-52 Junkers. In the course of the year, the fleet grew by another JU-52, four DC-3s and one unmodified C-47 intended for cargo transport. These aircraft maintained regular traffic on domestic lines: Belgrade-Zagreb-Ljubljana and Zagreb-Sarajevo, and on international lines: Belgrade-Prague-Warsaw.
The first three Sud Aviation Caravelle airplanes joined the JAT fleet in 1963, and the fleet continued to grow six years later with the addition of the first Douglas DC-9, and seven years later with the first Boeing 707. At the same time, the last of the piston-engine veterans – the DC-3 and Convair – were withdrawn from the fleet. The introduction of jet engine aircraft enabled more comfortable and affordable flights – far exceeding the characteristics of piston engine aircraft. With increased capacity and range, these planes served as a basis for expanding the flight network, enabling the company to appear in third markets and make a bid for genuine air traffic growth. This was the main course of Yugoslav Airlines development through the early 1970s, a period tentatively termed by the company as “the beginning of jet aviation”.
Just as the beginning of the 1960s was decisive due to the introduction of the first jet-engine aircraft, so were the 1970s with the introduction of the “big Boeing” – the Boeing 707, after which the first charter lines were established to North America with regular traffic. In addition to the introduction of the Douglas DC-10-30, the first wide-body aircraft, in 1978, this period represented the beginning of one of the most important stages in JATโs evolution.
Persistent investment in modernization and the acquisition of the McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 guided Yugoslav Airlines to yet another phase of development, the so-called wide-body stage, which was followed several years later by the purchase of a medium-range aircraft – the Boeing 737. This acquisition, among the first in Europe, established a basic pre-condition for further expansion of traffic in nearly all directions. Also, existing lines in Europe, the Middle East and Africa were significantly extended, followed by network expansion to the US, Canada and Australia.
During those “golden years”, as some JAT chroniclers have dubbed the period, Yugoslav Airlines opened many offices abroad, carried five million passengers annually, continued to develop and modernize its technical operations parallel to developing service activities such as general aviation, hotel commerce, operating its own training centre and investing in infrastructure. JAT also constructed a large hangar to accommodate wide-body aircraft and a jet-engine test stand, which enabled the company to master the technique of examining engines and other components for modern fleets. Furthermore, the company proved excellent in business skills, successfully negotiating contracts with several third world companies.
Meanwhile, JAT developed its information system and introduced automatic ticket sales. In short, the company made a bid to meet its competition by responding to the growing demands and expectations of its passengers while continuing to satisfy regular passengers by living up to the famous company slogan – JAT is MORE THAN FLYING.
Yugoslav Aerotransport changed its name to Jat Airways on August 8, 2003.
Top Copyright Photo: Rolf Wallner/AirlinersGallery.com. A fine taxiway study of Jat Airways’ Boeing 737-3Q4 YU-AON (msn 24208) in the last color scheme at Zurich. The Jat Airways Boeing 737-300s are being replaced with newer Air Serbia Airbus A319s, another narrow body customer loss for Boeing.
Jat Airways:ย
Air Serbia:ย
Video:
Bottom Copyright Photo: Greenwing/AirlinersGallery.com. Former TACA AIrbus A319-132 N473TA (msn 1140) has become A6-SAA on lease from Etihad Airways to Air Serbia.
EasyJet (UK) (easyJet.com) (London-Luton) has announced 10 new routes which will launch as part of its summer 2014 schedule.
The new routes will operate from its London Gatwick, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle and Belfast bases to destinations across the UK and Europe.
There are four new additions to London Gatwickโs schedule with Jersey, Paris, and Newcastle strengthening easyJetโs unrivalled business network out of the airport. Important connections between London and Newcastle will be provided through new 6 per week services. Flights to Brittany, a region of France popular with British holidaymakers, will also add to the airlineโs comprehensive range of leisure destinations.
Further choice is also being offered from Belfast International Airport with affordable flights to Bordeaux and Jersey. There are also four new routes launching in Scotland which will provide sun seekers with even more choice for travel further afield to both Heraklion and Bodrum from Edinburgh Airport or the option to fly to Split and Kos from Glasgow International Airport.
The ten new 2014 routes on sale now include:
Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Airbus A319-111 G-EZGL (msn 4744) lands at EuroAirport serving Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg.
EasyJet (UK):ย
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