Tag Archives: A340642

Lufthansa to start Munich-Mexico City service

Lufthansa (Frankfurt) will launch a new route linking its Munich hub and Mexico City in April. The new route will be operated five days a week with Airbus A340-600s.

In other news, Lufthansa has stopped its humorous Swedish ad campaign for contestants to change their name to the gender-confusing “Klaus-Heidi” in return for a new life in popular destination of Berlin. 38 Swedes signed up in the contest for the false name change promotion before the airline decided to stop the ad campaign according to this report by RT.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Lufthansa has had a long tradition of naming its aircraft after cities. In this report by Lufthansa, the airline explains how it choses the aircraft names:

Lufthansa has been carrying the names of German cities around the world for over 50 years

An Lufthansa Airbus A319 is about to begin its life as a “flying ambassador” under the name of “Herborn.” On October 29, 2013, the jet with the registration D-AIBH was officially named “Herborn” at Frankfurt Airport by Ursula Benner, wife of the mayor. In accordance with the convention for Lufthansa aircraft naming ceremonies, Herborn’s Mayor Hans Benner then revealed the name on the fuselage and signed the naming certificate together with Karl Ulrich Garnadt, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board of Lufthansa Cargo AG.

Lufthansa naming conventions as a sign of our time

The “Herborn” brings the total number of aircraft named after German cities and states to over 300. This naming convention has a long tradition at Lufthansa. The first Lufthansa aircraft was named in 1960 (see inset). The idea was to express the company’s solidarity with its German homeland – not just with the major hubs and cities but also with the regions where a large portion of Lufthansa passengers and employees come from.

But 50 years later, the airline operates a much larger network. The increasing number of passengers from all over the world share a key Lufthansa characteristic – internationality. This is why the Airbus A380 will also bear the names of major international cities such as Beijing, Zurich and Johannesburg.

The size of the waiting list is a clear sign that there is still great interest in aircraft naming – even after 50 years. Lufthansa currently holds applications from 245 interested cities and the demand has led to extended waiting times of between 10 and 15 years. The name of your city on the body of a Lufthansa aircraft is still a desirable symbol.

The choice of partner cities – not an easy decision

When choosing names, Lufthansa is guided by the historical, social and economic relevance of the place. Cities may be considered if they have a special connection with aviation or with Lufthansa.

Size, on the other hand, is unimportant. Nevertheless, when choosing names, Lufthansa generally tries to match the population of the place to the size of the aircraft. A Boeing 747-8 carries the name “Brandenburg,” for example, and an Airbus A321 carries the name “Stade” all over the world.

So what happens when an aircraft is taken out of service? The towns and cities in question can relax, because aircraft naming has become an enduring tradition at Lufthansa. In other words, once a town has been accepted into the inner circle and had an aircraft named after it, the name is transferred to a new aircraft when the old one is taken out of the Lufthansa fleet. The motto is “Once Lufthansa, always Lufthansa.”

The history of the “Berlin,” 1960 to present.

The tradition of aircraft naming began on September 16, 1960 with the naming of the “Berlin” by the then mayor, Willy Brandt, who was later to become Chancellor of Germany. Five years after the refounding of the airline with its “crane” symbol, a Lufthansa aircraft began taking the name of a German city to all parts of the world. Over the next fifty years, the name “Berlin” would be passed on to five modern wide-bodied aircraft. At the present time an Airbus A380 bears the name of the German capital. The Lufthansa flagship was named at Berlin Tegel Airport by the mayor, Klaus Wowereit, in 2012. The “Berlin” now flies under the call sign “Mike India” along the east and west coasts of North America and to major cities in the Far East.

Top Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com (all others by Lufthansa). Airbus A340-642 D-AIHE (msn 540) arrives at the Frankfurt hub.

Lufthansa:

Iberia to eliminate now 3,807 jobs

Iberia (Madrid) now says it will cut 3,807 jobs. The airline failed to impress its unions with this lower number of job cuts and faces new rounds of strikes later this month according to this report by Reuters.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Iberia:

Iberia fails to find labor peace, faces new rounds of strikes later this month

Iberia‘s (Madrid) ground and cabin crews have rejected a new proposal by management on job and salary cuts and they now plan to strike for five consecutive days later this month according to this report by Reuters.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Meanwhile the IAG issued this short statement:

International Airlines Group (IAG) confirms that no agreement has been reached between Iberia and its trade unions over the airline’s transformation plan proposals, published on November 9, 2012.

Iberia will, therefore, press ahead with the previously announced capacity reduction of 15 per cent for 2013.

IAG will also move forward on alternative plans to return Iberia to break-even, in terms of operating cash flow, by the second half of this year and restore Iberia to an acceptable level of profitability by 2015.

Willie Walsh, IAG chief executive, said: “We’re disappointed that no agreement has been reached. Iberia is ready and willing to negotiate with the Trade Unions. We are determined and united to implement the necessary changes to secure the future survival and viability of Iberia”.

Copyright Photo: Dave Campbell. Iberia’s Airbus A340-642 EC-JNQ (msn 727) taxies to the runway at Miami International Airport bound for the MAD hub.

Iberia:

Video: Iberia is getting ready to introduce the new Airbus A330. Five Airbus A330-302s are on order. Iberia plans to introduce a new color scheme if it can achieve any form of labor peace. In the meantime, the carrier has introduced this new video touting the features of the new aircraft.

Per Airline Route the carrier has delayed the introduction of the new type until February 20 and will be introduced on the Madrid-London (Heathrow) route. Madrid-Dakar will follow on March 9.

Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic Airways to form a strategic alliance, Delta to buy 49% of Virgin Atlantic from Singapore Airlines

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) and Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. (London) have reached an agreement for a new joint venture that will create an expanded trans-Atlantic network and enhance competition between the U.K. and North America, offering greater benefits for customers traveling on those routes.

As part of this joint venture agreement, Delta will invest $360 million in Virgin Atlantic, acquiring a 49 percent stake currently held by Singapore Airlines. Virgin Group and Sir Richard Branson will retain the majority 51 percent stake and Virgin Atlantic Airways will retain its brand and operating certificate.

Highlights of the agreement include:

A fully integrated joint venture that will operate on a “metal neutral” basis with both airlines sharing the costs and revenues from all joint venture flights.
A combined trans-Atlantic network between the United Kingdom and North America with 31 peak-day round-trip flights.
Enhanced benefits for customers including cooperation on services between New York and London, with a combined total of nine daily round-trip flights from London-Heathrow to John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.
Reciprocal frequent flyer benefits.
Shared access to Delta Sky Club and Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse airport lounges for elite passengers.

The airlines will file an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation for antitrust immunity, which will allow a closer relationship and coordination on schedules and operations. The transaction also will be reviewed by the U.S. Department of Justice and the European Union’s competition regulator and other relevant authorities. The share purchase and the joint venture are expected to be implemented by the end of 2013.

“Our new partnership with Virgin Atlantic will strengthen both airlines and provide a more effective competitor between North America and the U.K., particularly on the New York-London route, which is the largest airline route between the U.S. and Europe,” said Delta CEO Richard Anderson. “By combining the strengths of our two companies in a joint venture, we can provide customers with a seamless network between North America and the U.K., and continue building a better airline for our customers, employees and shareholders.”

Steve Ridgway, Virgin Atlantic Chief Executive, added: “Consumers will reap the rewards of this partnership between two great airline brands on services from the UK to the USA, Canada and Mexico through a shared ethos in the highest standards of customer service. This joint venture will deliver much more effective competition at Heathrow.

“Both airlines are confident that the Department of Transportation will be as convinced as we are of the extensive consumer benefits arising from this joint venture, with expedited approval being granted by the end of 2013. The trans-Atlantic market is Virgin Atlantic’s heartland – it’s where we started. By aligning with Delta we can continue to grow our North American network and offer greatly enhanced connectivity across the USA.”

Virgin Atlantic President, Sir Richard Branson, commented: “This is an exciting day in Virgin Atlantic history. It signals the start of a new era of expansion, financial growth and many opportunities for our customers and our business. I truly look forward to the possibilities our partnership with Delta will offer. We have always been known for our innovation and service and have punched above our weight for 28 years. That is why our customers love us so much. We will retain that independent spirit but move forward in a strengthened partnership with Delta.”

Delta and Virgin Atlantic customers will be able to earn and redeem miles across Delta’s SkyMiles and Virgin Atlantic’s FlyingClub frequent flyer programs. Premium customers also will have reciprocal access to the Delta Sky Club and Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse airport lounges. Full details will be announced as services become available.

The partnership allows both carriers to offer a greatly expanded network at Heathrow and to overcome slot constraints, which have limited the growth and competitive capability of both airlines. The two carriers will operate a total of 31 peak-day round-trip flights between the U.K. and North America, 23 of which operate at London-Heathrow. The enlarged network will benefit customers of both carriers by providing greater access to a broader network, improved connectivity and convenient booking options.

As part of a $3 billion investment in enhanced global products, services and airport facilities, all of Delta’s flights between the U.S. and London-Heathrow feature full flat-bed seats offering direct aisle access in the BusinessElite cabin. These flights also offer Delta’s popular Economy Comfort seating in the forward section of the economy cabin. Economy Comfort offers four additional inches of legroom and 50 percent more recline compared to standard economy seats. All cabins offer in-seat audio and video on demand with a broad range of in-flight entertainment options. Delta also will begin introducing in-flight WiFi service on international flights beginning in 2013.

Virgin Atlantic has recently completed a £150m upgrade program. A new Upper Class cabin has been introduced across its Airbus A330 aircraft, which features the longest fully flat bed in the sky. This is complemented by a redesigned onboard bar and new Clubhouses at both JFK and Newark airports. The airline’s Boeing 747 leisure fleet has been completely refitted and features onboard connectivity and VERA Touch – Virgin Atlantic’s award-winning touch screen in-flight entertainment system – offering passengers hours of entertainment at their fingertips.

Top Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Boeing 747-451 N668US (msn 24223) completes its final approach into Tokyo (Narita).

Delta Air Lines:

Virgin Atlantic Airways:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Keith Burton. Airbus A340-642 G-VWEB (msn 787) arrives at the London (Heathrow) hub.

Iberia to drop long-haul service to Havana, Montevideo, San Juan and Santo Domingo on March 31, braces for strikes

Iberia (Madrid) is dropping all long-haul service to Havana, Montevideo, San Juan and Santo Domingo. The last flights will be operated on March 31, 2013. The airline is also dropping flights to Athens, Istanbul and Cairo, which will be suspended in mid-January 2013. The company has issued the following statement:

Iberia has announced details of its new commercial and routes policies under the Transformation Plan it announced recently. The plan is intended to restore profitability to the airline, which racked up operating losses of 262 million euros in the first nine months of 2012, and thus to ensure its future viability.

The plan calls for optimizing the Spanish airline’s route network in 2013, strengthening the most strategic and profitable routes, and dropping loss makers. Subsequently, it expects to resume growth if economic and market conditions allow, increasing revenues while cutting sales costs, to build a solid platform for future growth.

Iberia plans to improve connections to its busiest long-haul flights, achieve a better balance between business and holiday traffic, and augment its future growth possibilities. Within the Transformation Plan, it will boost services to some long haul destinations such as Brazil, Mexico, Miami, Central America and Chile and Ecuador. It will also increase capacity to some other short and medium-haul destinations, including London, Casablanca, Algiers, Dakar, Nouakchott, and Malabo.

The airline will drop some routes now dominated by holiday traffic, where it competes on unfavourable terms with other airlines. These include flights to Athens, Istanbul and Cairo, which will be suspended in mid-January. From 1st April it will also suspend flights to Santo Domingo and Havana. San Juan de Puerto Rico will be offered via Miami and Montevideo via other Iberia destinations in the region.

Iberia pledges to be flexible with customers holding reservations or tickets for flights on the routes to be dropped. It will offer full refunds or alternative travel on other carriers – on Vueling to Athens, Egyptair to Cairo, Turkish Airlines to Istanbul, and Air Europa to Santo Domingo and Havana.

Following these changes, Iberia group airlines will fly to more than 90 cities in some 40 countries, some of them new territories for Iberia, such as Ghana, Mauritania, Angola, and the city of Oran in Algeria and Los Angeles in California.

To generate new revenues and reduce costs, Iberia will offer all-new Economy and Business class sections on its long-haul flights. The new cabin interiors, seats, and entertainment options will be available on the current fleet of Airbus A340-600s, and the A330s to be delivered starting early next year. The company is also working to improve ground services, while seeking additional sources of revenue, such as the new VIP lounges in Miami and Buenos Aires.

In addition, SIMA is calling for a meeting with Iberia and its unions next week in an attempt to reach labor peace and to avoid planned strikes against the carrier this month. The company issued this statement:

On December 7 Iberia management met with the strike committee and with the contract negotiation committees of the unions representing its ground staff and cabin crews in a bid to advance with negotiations and to avert the series of day-long strikes called for the week before Christmas. Since no agreement was reached, new meetings have been scheduled for next week. The SEPLA pilots union refused to meet with the company.

Spain’s SIMA labor conflict arbitration body has summoned Iberia and the striking unions to a meeting on Monday (December 10) to explore the possibility of mediation.

Iberia regards the strikes as both a disproportionate and unjustified response to its new Transformation Plan, since the airline has already agreed to negotiate the labor aspects of the restructuring plan, aimed at restoring profitability and ensuring the future viability of the 85-year-old Spanish airline.

Unions have called six strike days, five of them consecutive, for one of the busiest weeks of the year, which will worsen the company’s current loss-making situation and seriously inconvenience thousands of customers, while bringing no possible benefit to employees.

The company’s position is that a strike to protest the restructuring plan is out of order since it has already agreed to negotiate the labour aspects of its plan that was unveiled in November. It says the strike will seriously worsen the company’s situation in a year when operating losses had already reached 262 million euros by end of September.

Since the strikes are scheduled for December 14 and December 17-21.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Airbus A340-642 EC-IZY (msn 604) pushes back from the gate at Miami bound for the Madrid hub.

Iberia:

The mess in South Africa

South African Airways (Johannesburg) is again having financial problems and has requested and reportedly received a loan from the government to bail out the company according to local media reports. Additional loans are expected to keep the airline flying as it continues in its “turnaround plan”.

The other independent carriers in South Africa, in competition domestically with the government flag carrier, are rightfully angry about the on-going state aid.

SAA will report a loss for the past year according to Business Day. The airline gave no comment to the local media.

Read the full report from BDlive: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Wingnut. SAA operates a predominate Airbus fleet. Airbus A340-642 ZS-SNI (msn 630) taxies across the ramp at London (Heathrow).

South African Airways: