Tag Archives: A340-642

Gol announces a code-share agreement with Etihad Airways

Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (Gol Transportes Aereos) (Sao Paulo) has signed a codeshare agreement with Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi). The agreement depends on approval from ANAC (National Civil Aviation Agency) and CADE (Brazil’s antitrust authority).

The companies already have an interline agreement and the expansion of the partnership through the codeshare agreement will initially allow Etihad Airways to include its code on flights operated by Gol, giving its customers a greater number of connections for destinations in Brazil and South America.

Both companies will soon sign a Frequent Flyer Program (FFP) agreement offering all their customers the benefits of their respective mileage programs – GOL’s Smiles and Etihad’s Etihad Guest.

In other news, Gol has announced it has filed a formal request to Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) to operate domestic flights to Carajás and Altamira, in the state of Pará. These destinations have an accelerated level of growth, generating demand for new services.

The request was made to operate in Carajás – with four weekly frequencies and Altamira – three weekly frequencies. The operation, still pending approval by ANAC, is expected to begin in September 2014.

Top Copyright Photo: Rodrigo Cozzato/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8EH PR-GUO (msn) of Gol in the special FIFA World Cup 2014 livery prepares to land at Sao Paulo (Congonhas).

Gol:

Etihad Airways:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Rodrigo Cozzato/AirlinersGallery.com. The 2014 version of the Etihad Airways special Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Formula 1 livery on Airbus A340-642 A6-EHJ (msn 933) prepares to land at Sao Paulo (Guarulhos).

Hainan Airlines retires its last Airbus A340-600

Hainan Airlines (Haikou and Beijing) on April 15 retired its last Airbus A340-600 from revenue service. The type was introduced in 2008 on its long haul services.

Top Copyright Photo: TMK Photography/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A340-642 B-6508 (msn 436) is pictured previously departing from Toronto (Pearson).

Hainan Airlines:

China Eastern is coming to Toronto

China Eastern Airlines (Shanghai) is planning to launch its second route to Canada, this time Toronto (Pearson). According to Airline Route, the new route will be started on June 25 with Airbus A340-600s operating three days a week.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A340-642 B-6053 (msn 577) in SkyTeam livery rotates at Los Angeles.

China Eastern Airlines:

Virgin Atlantic Airways to drop service to Sydney on May 5

Virgin Atlantic Airways (London) is dropping all service to Sydney, Australia due to increasing costs. The carrier will drop the Hong Kong-Sydney extension on May 5. The airline will continue to operate the London (Heathrow)-Hong Kong portion of the route.

The airline issued this statement:

It is with regret that Virgin Atlantic has announced, its intention to withdraw operations between Sydney and Hong Kong from May 5, 2014, due to increasing costs and a challenging economic environment.

However, Virgin Atlantic will continue to operate services, between London Heathrow and Hong Kong.

Craig Kreeger, Chief Executive at Virgin Atlantic said:

“We intend to withdraw our services between Sydney and Hong Kong. Despite the best efforts of our employees, external factors such as increasing costs and a weakening Australian dollar have affected our profitability.”

“These are still difficult times for the airline industry and as part of our strategy to operate more efficiently we need to deploy our aircraft to routes with the right level of demand to be financially viable.”

At this stage, we will continue to operate our full published schedule below.


London Heathrow	21:30	Hong Kong	17:40	VS200
Hong Kong	19:10	Sydney	07:30*	VS200

Sydney	15:45	Hong Kong	22:00	VS201
Hong Kong	23:30	London Heathrow	04:50**	VS201

* +2 days
** + 1 day

Copyright Photo: John Adlard/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A340-642 G-VSHY (msn 383) in the 1999 livery completes its final approach to the runway in Sydney.

Virgin Atlantic Airways:

South African Airways to operate nonstop flights to New York (JFK) now starting on March 9

South African Airways (Johannesburg) has announced that it is resuming its nonstop flights between Johannesburg, South Africa, and New York – JFK International Airport. The nonstop flight will resume on March 9, nearly three weeks ahead of its original schedule of March 28.

While SAA’s New York-Johannesburg flight has continued to operate on a nonstop daily basis, the return flight has been temporarily making a one hour refuelling stop in Dakar, Senegal, due in part to lower travel demand during the winter months. The nonstop flight will be timed to arrive in New York in the early morning, allowing customers to quickly connect on flights to points throughout North America.

The nonstop flight schedule is as follows (all times are local):

Flight SA 203 departs Johannesburg at 8:25 pm (2025), arrives New York JFK at 6:40 am (0640) the next day Flight SA 204departs New York JFK at 11:15 am (1115), arrives Johannesburg at 8:00 am (0800) the next day.

Copyright Photo: Paul Denton/AirlinersGallery.com. South African Airways’ Airbus A340-642 ZS-SNH (msn 626) departs from the Johannesburg hub.

South African Airways:

Hainan Airlines starts nonstop flights between Chicago O’Hare and Beijing

Hainan Airlines (Haikou and Beijing) today (September 3) officially commenced nonstop service from Chicago (O’Hare) to Beijing, opening the airline’s newest American gateway. Mainland China’s only certified Skytrax® five-star airline will operate service out of Chicago (O’Hare) twice per week on Tuesdays and Sundays. In November, subject to government approval, the airline plans to change aircraft type from an Airbus A340 to the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and in December, the nonstop frequency will be doubled to four times per week. In June 2014, the flight frequency will increase to daily.

Hainan Airlines currently serves the Chicago – Beijing route with an Airbus A340-600 aircraft, seating 288 passengers in a spacious three-class cabin. Connections to and from points throughout China are possible and cargo service is also offered.

With the introduction of the 787, the aircraft will feature 36 fully flat-bed business seats configured 2-2-2, as well as 177 economy seats configured 3-3-3. Each seat has a 15-inch touch screen panel and a power outlet. Each business seat also has a USB port.

Currently, flight 498 will depart Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) at 3:25 pm (1525) and arrive in Beijing Capital International Airport at 7:05 pm (1905) the following day. Flight 497 will depart Beijing at 12:35 pm (1235) and arrive in Chicago at 1:25 pm (1325) the same day. Flight times are subject to change.

Among the dignitaries that attended the airline’s official launch in Chicago were Wei Hou, Vice President of Hainan Airlines Co., LTD and Weiping Zhao, Chinese Consul General in Chicago.

Hainan Airlines:

Iberia is moving ahead with its new short-haul model

Iberia-Lineas Aereas de Espana Airbus A340-642 EC-IZY (msn 604) MIA (Bruce Drum), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Iberia-Lineas Aereas de Espana (Madrid) is moving ahead with a new short-haul model while it attempts to reach an agreement with its unions to create a new low-cost carrier to handle its short- and medium-haul routes according to Iberia’s chairman Antonio Vazquez.

So far the unions have not embraced the plans unveiled by the airline in October for a new budget airline. Iberia would like to focu on more profitable long-haul routes to Latin America where it is the market leader.

Read the full report from Yahoo! News:

CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. IB wants to concentrate on its more profitable long-range routes. Airbus A340-642 EC-IZY (msn 604) pushes back from the gate at Miami.

China Eastern Airlines produces a 2009 net profit of $79 million

China Eastern Airlines Airbus A340-642 B-6052 (msn 514) LAX, originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

China Eastern Airlines (Shanghai) also swung into the black and produced a $79 million net profit for 2009.

Read the full report in the WSJ:

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100419-707286.html?mod=WSJ_earnings_MIDDLETopHeadlines

Copyright Photo: The stretched Airbus A340-642 B-6052 (msn 514) of China Eastern Airlines taxies to the gate at Los Angeles after arriving from Shanghai.

South African Airways to weigh 4,000 passengers

South African Airways Airbus A340-642 ZS-SNI (msn 630) LHR, originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

South African Airways (Johannesburg) will survey and weigh 4,000 passengers and their carry-on luggage to determine a new average to avoid any weight and balance issues.

News link:

www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/News/1059/39c53f574b4d401aab70c3aa92bcd362/15-12-2009-02-32/SAA_to_weigh_passengers

Virgin Atlantic welcomes EU AA/BA concerns

Copyright Photo: Richard Vandervord. Please click on photo for full view, information and other photos.

Virgin Atlantic Airways (London) has long opposed any closer relationship between British Airways and American Airlines, saying it is anti-competitive. As you would expect, Virgin Atlantic has publicly stated it welcomes the same concerns expressed by the European Commission although it has not yet seen the details.

Press release:

finance.yahoo.com/news/Virgin-Atlantic-Welcomes-prnews-1359126037.html?x=0&.v=1