Tag Archives: A330200

Emirates to add a new route to Phuket, Thailand on December 10

Emirates Airline (Dubai) nas announced newย daily services to Phuket, Thailand.

Phuket, the largest island in Thailand located in the Andaman Sea, will from December 10, becomeย Emiratesโ€™second destination in Thailand.

The new Dubai-Phuket route will be operated by three-class Airbus aircraft. Flight EK 378 will depart Dubai at 1245 and arrive at Phuket International Airport at 2155. The return flight, EK 379 will depart at 0035 the following day and arriveย at Dubai International Airport at 0435.

Copyright Photo: Christian Volpati. Airbus A330-243 A6-EAM (msn 491) arrives back at the Dubai base.

Emirates:ย 

Kingfisher Airlines cancels 41 flights today as some of its employees remain unpaid and fail to show up today for work

Kingfisher Airlines‘ (Mumbai and Bangalore) troubles continue. Today the struggling carrier was forced to cancel 41 flights according to Reuters after some of its unpaid employees (including pilots) failed to show for work today. According to the airline, 75 percent of its employees were paid yesterday and the rest will be paid on Monday.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Rolf Wallner. This Airbus A330-223 registered as VT-VJK (msn 874) has been returned to the lessor and the engines have now been removed at Zurich.

Kingfisher Airlines:ย 

Airberlin is coming to Chicago O’Hare on March 23

Airberlin (Berlin) is coming to Chicago in 2013 to connect with its Oneworld partner American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth). Airberlin onย March 23, 2013 will start operating direct flights from Berlin (Brandenburg) to Chicago (O’Hare). This is the first time a nonstop route has connected Berlin with Chicago.

Airberlin will start operations on the new route at the beginning of the Easter holidays at the end of March 2013. When the summer schedule starts in May 2013, Airberlin will increase the number of direct flights from three to five per week.

From May 1, 2013, an Airberlin Airbus A330-200 will make the nine-hour flight to the city on Lake Michigan on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Between March 23 and 30th April 30, 2013, Airberlin will operate the direct flight every Monday, Thursday and Saturday. Takeoff from Berlin is at 10:00 and the flight lands at Chicagoโ€™s Oโ€˜Hare International Airport at 12:10. The return flight from Chicago leaves at 15:25 und arrives in the German capital at 07:00 on the following morning.

Copyright Photo: Mark Durbin.

Airberlin:ย 

Etihad Airways’ second quarter revenues increase by 31% to $1.25 billion

Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) had a very good second quarter.

The company issued the following financial report for the second quarter (Q2):

“Etihad Airways has announced a 31 percent increase in its Q2 2012 revenues to $1.25 billion (2011: $957 million), contributing to first half 2012 revenues up 30 percent to $2.24 billion (2011 $1.73 billion).ย  Passenger numbers leapt to 2.55 million in Q2, up 34 percent, and to 4.89 million in the half year, thanks to increased overall capacity and improved seat factors.

The record results were boosted by the airline’s growing network of codeshares and strategic partnerships which together fed 800,000 passengers into Etihad Airwaysโ€™ network in the last six months, contributing $281 million.

During the quarter, Etihad Airways took minority equity stakes in Aer Lingus and in Virgin Australia, adding to its minority shareholdings in Airberlin and Air Seychelles.

Together these five airlines carried 72 million passengers on 376 aircraft in 2011, generating combined revenues of more than $14 billion.

Etihad Airways launched new routes to Basra and Nairobi during the quarter, and started a new Abu Dhabi-Lagos service on July 1, 2012, bringing its direct network of cities served up to 87. It also announced new codeshare agreements which brought its total passenger network up to 308 destinations, by far the largest of any Gulf carrier.

Last month, Etihad Airways unveiled plans to launch daily flights to Sao Paolo in Brazil, its first South American destination, which will start in June 2013.

The airline also continued to make considered investments in marketing, products and services, such as new lounges, the introduction of onboard chefs in its Diamond First class cabin and the launch of a global television advertising campaign to drive awareness of its brand and award-winning services.

Etihad Airwaysโ€™ available seat kilometres (ASKs) rose 25 per cent to 15.2 billion in Q2 (12.2 billion), as the fleet grew to 67 aircraft (61).ย  Revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) rose 33 per cent to 11.8 billion (8.9 billion).

The average seat factor was 4.6 percentage points higher in the quarter compared to the previous year, up to 77.6 per cent (73.0 per cent).

Etihad Cargo had another strong quarter, with tonnage up six per cent to 74,000 tonnes, contributing to revenues of $183 million, up 11 percent.ย  There was strong growth in particular in Germany, the UK and Bangladesh.

The airline continues to keep a tight focus on costs, with non-fuel costs per available seat kilometre (CASK) down one per cent.”

Q2 2012 results

Key indicators Q2ย 2012 Q2 2011 Variance
Passenger revenue US$850m US$727m 17%
Cargo revenue US$183m US$164m 11%
Total revenue US$1,253m US$957m 31%
Passengers 2.55m 1.91m 34%
Revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) 11.8b 8.9b 33%
Available seat kilometres (ASKs) 15.2b 12.2b 25%
Total revenue per available seat kilometre (RASK) (fils) 30.27 28.88 5%
Seat factor 77.6% 73.0% 4.6 points
Aircraft 67 61 6

Half year 2012 results


Key indicators H1 2012 H1 2011 Variance
Passenger revenue US$1,608m US$1,335m 20%
Cargo revenue US$348m US$306m 14%
Total revenue US$2,242m US$1,727m 30%
Passengers 4.89m 3.76m 30%
Revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) 22.73b 17.51b 30%
Available seat kilometres (ASKs) 29.5b 24b 23%
Total revenue per available seat kilometre (RASK) (fils) 27.94 26.39 6%
Seat factor 77.1% 72.9% 4.2 points
Aircraft 67 61 6

Copyright Photo: Keith Burton.

Etihad Airways:ย 

The final accident report for AF 447 is issued

Air France‘s (Paris) tragic flight AF 447 will soon be put to rest but the safety implications are bound to last longer. The final French accident report has been issued blaming pilot error, defective pitot sensors, inadequate training and insufficient oversight spreading the blame to several entities. 228 people were killed on June 1, 2009 when the pictured Airbus A330-203 registered as F-GZCP plunged into the Atlantic Ocean.

Read the full report from IOL News: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Paul Denton.

Air France:ย 

Middle East Airlines (MEA) joins the SkyTeam Alliance

Middle East Airlines-MEA (Air Liban) (Beirut) yesterday (June 28) was welcomed into SkyTeam, the global airline alliance. MEA becomes the 17th member. The flag carrier of Lebanon, MEA becomes SkyTeamโ€™s second Middle Eastern member, offering customers from the region access to an extensive global network.

MEA flies to 30 international destinations throughout Africa, the Middle East and Europe. MEAโ€™s membership of SkyTeam makes it easier for customers to travel to and from Lebanon, whether itโ€™s for business or leisure. This especially benefits the large Lebanese communities living in the US, Canada and Brazil, who will be able to connect via the major hubs Paris CDG and Rome. Beirut is served by SkyTeam members Alitalia, Air France, Aeroflot, Saudia and TAROM, providing additional connections via their hubs in Europe and the Middle East.

China has become an increasingly important trade partner for the Middle East. With members China Airlines, China Eastern and China Southern, the SkyTeam network opens up increased opportunities for commerce in the Greater China Region.

Copyright Photo: Wingnut.

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MEA:ย 

South African Airways to add Abidjan and Brazzaville

South African Airways (Johannesburg) will add two new African destinations, Abidjan and Brazzaville, bringing its total of African destinations to 28.

Abidjan, Ivory Coast, will be served twice-weekly with the pictured Airbus A330-200s starting on August 17.

Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, will also be served two days a week with Airbus A319s, starting on September 13.

Copyright Photo: Dave Glendinning.

South African:ย 

Hawaiian Airlines puts its ninth Airbus A330 into revenue service

Hawaiian Airlines (Honolulu) took delivery of Airbus A330-243 N389HA (msn 1316) on June 20, 2012. N389HAย is the fourth to join Hawaiianโ€™s fleet this year and the ninth overall since June 2010, when the company began its long-haul fleet renewal and expansion program. The aircraft was flown nonstop from the Airbus Factory in Toulouse, France to Los Angeles last week where it underwent final preparations for entry into service.

Hawaiianโ€™s newest A330 is namedย Kealiโ€˜iokonaikalewa, which is the Hawaiian name for the star Canopus, the second-brightest star in the night sky. Each of Hawaiianโ€™s new A330s is named for a constellation or star used by Polynesians for celestial navigation in ancient times when they voyaged in sailing canoes across the Pacific to Hawaiโ€˜i.

Hawaiian will take delivery of 13 additional new A330s between 2013 and 2015, bringing to 22 the total number of A330s in its fleet.

Hawaiianโ€™s new A330s are more fuel-efficient and have a longer operating range than its fleet of Boeing 767-300 aircraft, giving Hawaiian the capability to open new nonstop routes between Hawaiโ€˜i and points throughout North America and eastern Asia.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. The pictured N380HA was first, received on April 28, 2010.

Hawaiian:ย 

Avianca and TACA Airlines join the Star Alliance

Avianca (Colombia) (Bogota) and TACA Airlines (San Salvador) yesterday (June 21) announced their official entry into the Star Alliance. The airline network is the worldยดs largest in terms of daily flights, route network, service excellence and number of airline members.

After two years of work in the approval process and with the adoption of the highest standards of operation and service, Avianca and TACA Airlines now offer passengers the opportunity to access this global network, which brings together 28 internationally renowned airlines. It operates more than 4,200 latest generation aircraft, servicing 21,500 daily flights to 1,356 airports in 193 countries.

Star Alliance, with 15 years of experience (since 1997) is recognized as the first truly global airline alliance. Consistent with its goal of offering customers worldwide the largest number of destinations and a great travel experience, it now offers exclusive services and assistance to frequent flyers in 990 airport lounges on all five continents. It has the support of nearly half a million employees in America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.

The Alliance transports an average of 650 million passengers per year and has sales revenues of USD 160bn.

The combined Star Alliance network will provide Avianca and TACA Airlines an opportunity to strengthen their presence in Latin America and the Caribbean in general. Passengers of the global network can quickly and seamlessly fly to over 50 destinations in the region through Avianca and TACA Airlines Hubs in Bogota (Colombia), San Salvador (El Salvador), Lima (Peru) and San Jose (Costa Rica).

Top Copyright Photo: Jay Selman.

Avianca (Colombia):ย 

TACA:ย 

Bottom Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough.

Aer Lingus’ workers at Shannon threaten a strike over a potential move to Dublin

Aer Lingus (Dublin) is facing a possible strike by maintenance workers at a Shannon hangar over a potential consolidation move to Dublin. The 55 workers are protesting the move.

Read the full story from the Irish Examiner: CLICK HERE

In other news, Ryanair’s (Dublin) 30 percent share in Aer Lingus is being investigated by a British examiner over the fear the ownership could lead to higher ticket prices (so far the acquisition has not changed anything in Ireland or the UK).

Read the full report from the Irish Times: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough.

Aer Lingus:ย