Tag Archives: A340311

Surinam Airways celebrates 50 years

Surinam Airways (Paramaribo) is celebrating 50 years as an airline. Organized in 1953, the airline commenced scheduled commercial operations on January 6, 1955 as SLM (Surinaamse Luchtvaart Maatschappij) flying from Paramaribo to Moengo with a Cessna 170B aircraft. The Surinam Airways name was adopted in 1966 and gradually replaced all references to SLM.

Read the full story from the Curacao Chronicle: CLICK HERE

Peter Sanches has written a beautiful book (we helped Peter with many of the photos) on the first 50 years of Surinam Airways: Flying on Trusted Wings: 50 Years of Surinam Airways (hardcover).

Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems. Ex-Air France Airbus A340-311 F-GLZG became PZ-TCP (msn 049) with Surinam Airways and is the European lifeline aircraft for the company flying between Paramaribo and Amsterdam.

Surinam Airways:

Route Map:

Lufthansa faces additional strikes by Verdi

Lufthansa (Frankfurt) is facing additional strikes by its Verdi union.

According to this report by Reuters, Verdi is demanding a 5.2 percent pay raise over 12 months and job security for about 33,000 cabin crew and ground staff.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: TMK Photography. Airbus A340-311 D-AIGC (msn 027) in the Star Alliance livery climbs away from the runway at Toronto (Pearson).

Lufthansa:

SriLankan Airlines opens a second international airport in Sri Lanka

SriLankan Airlines (Colombo) and the president of Sri Lanka opened the country’s second international airport yesterday (March 18) on the island’s southeast coast.

Air Arabia (Sharjah) became the first foreign airline to operate scheduled services to and from Mattala Rajapakse International Airport, approximately 168 miles south of the capital of Colombo according to this report by Hindustan Times.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Sri Lankan Airlines:

Can Air Namibia survive the current pilots strike?

Air Namibia (Windhoek) is currently limping through a strike by its pilots, represented by the Namibian Airline Pilots Association (NAPA). Some flights are being cancelled as the carrier continues to lose money. The airline issued the following short statement:

The NAPA industrial action is still on going. Negotiations continue, to reach an agreeable solution.

According to this report by AllAfrica the African carrier is hiring foreign pilots to maintain most of its flights. According to the union the airline is paying more for these foreign pilots than what the national pilots are asking for in the negotiations.

Read the full article: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Bernhard Ross. Airbus A340-311 V5-NME (msn 051) awaits for its passengers at Frankfurt, bound for Windhoek.

Air Namibia:

Air Namibia to lease two Airbus A330-200s

Air Namibia(Windhoek) has announced the lease of two new Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The A330-200s will enter the fleet in October 2013, replacing the Airbus A340-300 currently in use.

The two Airbus A330-200 will be used on the flagship route between Windhoek and Frankfurt, as well as on future long haul destinations. The aircraft will be configured to Air Namibia passenger specifications and requirements, with 30 business class and 214 economy class seats, giving a total of 244 seats.