Tag Archives: Airbus A321-211 WL

Frontier Airlines starts service on 109 new routes

This April, Frontier Airlines, the low-cost airline leading the way to low fares nationwide, will begin service on 69 new routes across the country and re-start 40 seasonal routes during April. The new flights are part of the Denver-based airline’s ongoing mission to make air travel affordable for more people than ever before. Frontier is known for its unique Low Fares Done Right philosophy that is built on offering passengers a friendly and reliable experience. Frontier makes it possible for more people to fly and for people to fly more often.

In Austin, Frontier will launch 19 new routes this spring and serve 30 destinations non-stop, making Frontier the second-largest carrier in Austin when measured by the number of destinations served. The carrier will also expand service at Raleigh-Durham with 11 new destinations joining the roster this spring.

In the summer, Frontier will add three new destinations from Raleigh-Durham which were just announced last week. In July, Frontier will begin service to Harrisburg, Penn., Portland, Maine and Syracuse, N.Y.

Summary of new Routes:

Origin	Destination
Albuquerque	Austin, Orlando
Atlanta	Colorado Springs, Islip/Long Island, Providence, San Jose
Austin	Albuquerque, Buffalo, Charleston, Cleveland, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Omaha, Portland, Providence, Reno, San Jose, Seattle and Tampa
Birmingham	Denver, Orlando, Philadelphia
Buffalo	Austin, Denver, Raleigh/Durham
Charleston	Austin, Trenton
Charlotte	Austin, Providence
Chicago O’Hare	El Paso, Islip/Long Island
Cincinnati	Austin, Jacksonville, Raleigh/Durham, San Antonio, San Jose
Cleveland	Austin
Columbus	Austin
Colorado Springs	Atlanta, Minneapolis, San Antonio, Seattle
Denver	Birmingham, Buffalo, Grand Rapids, Pensacola, Spokane, Washington – Dulles
Dallas	Cincinnati
Detroit	Austin, Denver, Islip/Long Island, Trenton
El Paso	Chicago O’Hare
Grand Rapids	Denver, Philadelphia
Houston	Raleigh/Durham
Indianapolis	Austin, Philadelphia
Islip/Long Island	Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare, Detroit, Minneapolis, San Juan – Puerto Rico
Jacksonville	Austin, Cincinnati, Trenton
Kansas City	Raleigh/Durham
Las Vegas	Omaha
Madison	Philadelphia
Memphis	Philadelphia
Milwaukee	Austin, Raleigh/Durham
Minneapolis	Austin, Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Cincinnati, Islip/Long Island, Trenton
Nashville	Trenton
New Orleans	Raleigh/Durham
Oklahoma City	San Diego
Omaha	Austin, Las Vegas, Philadelphia
Orlando	Albuquerque, Birmingham, San Antonio, Tulsa
Portland	Austin
Philadelphia	Birmingham, Denver, Grand Rapids, Indianapolis, Madison, Memphis, Omaha
Pensacola	Denver
Providence	Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Denver, Raleigh/Durham
Raleigh/Durham	Buffalo, Cincinnati, Houston, Kansas City, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Providence, San Antonio, San Juan – Puerto Rico
Reno	Austin
San Antonio	Colorado Springs, Cincinnati, Orlando, Raleigh/Durham, San Jose
San Diego	Oklahoma City, Tulsa
San Jose	Atlanta, Austin, Cincinnati, San Antonio, Tulsa
San Juan – Puerto Rico	Islip/Long Island, Raleigh/Durham
Seattle	Austin, Colorado Springs
Spokane	Denver
Trenton	Charleston, Jacksonville, Minneapolis, Raleigh/Durham
Tampa	Austin, Las Vegas
Tulsa	Orlando, San Diego, San Jose, Washington – Dulles
Washington – Dulles	Tulsa

Summary Of Returning Seasonal Routes:

Origin	Destination
Atlanta	Austin, Cincinnati, San Antonio
Austin	Atlanta, Orlando, Phoenix, Philadelphia
Bismarck	Denver
Cedar Rapids	Denver
Chicago O’Hare	Colorado Springs, Trenton
Cincinnati	Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, San Diego,
Cleveland	Denver, Minneapolis, Portland, Raleigh/Durham, Seattle
Colorado Springs	Chicago O’Hare, Washington-Dulles
Denver	Bismarck, Cedar Rapids, Cleveland, Detroit, Fort Myers, Greensboro, Knoxville, New York – LaGuardia, Pensacola, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Raleigh/Durham, Sioux Falls, Washington – Dulles
Dallas	Cincinnati
Detroit	Denver, Trenton
Fort Myers	Denver
Greensboro	Denver
Houston	Philadelphia
Kansas City	Philadelphia
Las Vegas	Tampa
Los Angeles	Cincinnati
Milwaukee	Austin, Raleigh/Durham
Minneapolis	Cleveland, Cincinnati
Nashville	Philadelphia
New York – LaGuardia	Denver
Orlando	Austin
Portland	Cleveland
Philadelphia	Austin, Cincinnati, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Nashville, San Antonio
Phoenix	Austin
Pittsburgh	Denver
Providence	Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Raleigh/Durham
Raleigh/Durham	Cleveland, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Trenton
San Antonio	Atlanta, Philadelphia
San Diego	Cincinnati
Seattle	Cleveland
Sioux Falls	Denver
Trenton	Chicago O’Hare, Detroit, Raleigh/Durham
Tampa	Las Vegas
Tulsa	Orlando, San Diego, San Jose, Washington – Dulles
Washington – Dulles	Colorado Springs, Denver

Frontier flies one of the youngest fleets in the industry, consisting of nearly 80 Airbus A320 Family aircraft. With nearly 200 new planes on order, Frontier will continue to grow to deliver on the mission of providing affordable travel across America.

Copyright Photo: Frontier Airlines (2nd) Airbus A321-211 WL N709FR (msn 7097) (Steve, the Eagle) SJU (Raul Sepulveda). Image: 938925.

Frontier Airlines aircraft slide show:

Route Map:

Germania sets up additional services to Turkey and year-round flights to Antalya

After a successful sales start for flights in summer 2018 to Turkish destinations, Germania has set up additional services to the Turkish Riviera. Additionally, more flights for next winter have been added to the Antalya schedule. From eight German airports (Bremen, Dresden, Erfurt-Weimar, Münster/Osnabrück, Nuremberg, Rostock-Laage, Berlin-Schönefeld, and Friedrichshafen), the airline with the distinctive green-and-white livery will continue to fly to the popular destination during winter season. Most of the connections will be operated year-round.

Germania heads for 15 Turkish airports in total. Compared to last year, the airline’s holiday flights will increase by 57 percent in volume. This includes new connections that have already been announced: from Nuremberg and Berlin-Schönefeld to Antalya, from Münster/Osnabrück to Istanbul and from Dusseldorf to Kütahya/Zafer.

From Germany and Switzerland, Germania will offer up to 60 weekly flights to Turkey. The flight program does not only include holiday destinations, but also connections associated with the VFR (Visiting Friends and Relatives) travel sector.

Already in December 2017, Germania announced several new routes from Berlin. Multiple weekly connections are offered to Antalya and Bodrum as well as to Dalaman, Samsun, Kayseri, and Gaziantep.

The development benefits from the fact that Germania did not withdraw from the Turkish market in the last two years. During a meeting between Germania’s management and Turkey’s tourism minister Numan Kurtulmuş at ITB trade fair in Berlin last week, the independent airline received additional positive feedback on building strong touristic relations.

TopCopyright Photo (all others by Germania): Germania Fluggesellschaft Airbus A321-211 WL D-ASTW (msn 970) ZRH (Andi Hiltl). Image: 938700.

Germania aircraft slide show:

Frontier Airlines adds flights between Providence and Myrtle Beach

Frontier Airlines has announced its tenth destination from Providence’s T.F. Green International Airport (PVD) with new flights to Myrtle Beach, S.C. beginning in May. The route is on top of new, low-cost, nonstop flights to Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport (ATL) and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS).

Frontier is the only airline offering nonstop flights to Austin, Charlotte, Denver and Raleigh-Durham.

Summary of New Service

F9 1583 Depart PVD: 5:09 p.m. Arrive MYR: 7:08 p.m.

F9 1582 Depart MYR: 2:16 p.m. Arrive PVD: 4:09 p.m.

Frequency: Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday

Service Start: May 20

Aircraft: Airbus A321

Seasonal Service

Copyright Photo: Frontier Airlines (2nd) Airbus A321-211 WL N701FR (msn 6793) (Owl) (Jacques Guillem Collection). Image: 936802.

Frontier Airlines aircraft slide show:

Delta Air Lines announces fourth quarter and full year 2017 profit

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) on January 11, 2018 reported financial results for the fourth quarter 2017. Highlights of those results, including both GAAP and adjusted metrics, are below and incorporated here.

Adjusted pre-tax income for the fourth quarter 2017 was $1.0 billion, despite a $60 million impact from the combination of December’s power outage at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport and Winter Storm Benji. For the full year, adjusted pre-tax income was $5.5 billion, a $621 million decrease relative to 2016.

“Delta people rose to the challenges of 2017 to produce solid financial results, industry leading operational reliability and strong improvements in customer satisfaction, and it’s an honor to recognize their achievements with $1.1 billion in profit sharing,” said Ed Bastian, Delta’s chief executive officer. “Looking ahead to 2018, we expect to drive solid earnings growth by growing our top line 4 to 6 percent, improving our cost trajectory and integrating our international partner network. As a result, we are able to increase our previous full-year guidance to $6.35 to $6.70 per share due to additional benefits from tax reform.”

Revenue Environment

Delta’s operating revenue of $10.2 billion for the December quarter was up 8.3 percent, or $787 million versus prior year. Total unit revenues excluding refinery sales increased 4.4 percent for the December quarter.

Passenger revenue increased $527 million, including $200 million from Delta’s Branded Fares initiatives. Passenger unit revenues increased 4.2 percent, including 0.5 points from one-time revenue adjustments, on 2.3 percent higher capacity.

Cargo revenue increased 14.4 percent, driven by higher volumes and yields. Other revenue improved 17.9 percent primarily due to higher loyalty revenue and a $150 million increase in third-party refinery sales.

For the full year, Delta’s operating revenue of $41.2 billion was up 4.0 percent, or $1.6 billion versus prior year. Total unit revenues excluding refinery sales increased 2.4 percent on 1.0 percent higher capacity.

“We enter 2018 with significant momentum and every entity delivering positive passenger unit revenue for the first time in five years, driven by a robust demand environment and improving business fares,” said Glen Hauenstein, Delta’s president. “We expect to deliver total unit revenue growth of 2.5 to 4.5 percent in the March quarter and leverage our unrivaled domestic network, international partnerships, and solid pipeline of commercial initiatives to deliver similar performance each quarter throughout 2018.”

2018 First Quarter Guidance

For the first quarter, Delta is expecting improving revenues and the benefit from tax reform to partially offset fuel cost increases and the period of highest non-fuel expense growth for the year.

2017 Cost Performance

Adjusted fuel expense² increased $349 million compared to the same period in 2016 as market fuel prices increased throughout the quarter. Delta’s adjusted fuel price per gallon for the December quarter was $1.93, which includes $0.03 of benefit from the refinery.

CASM-Ex³ including profit sharing decreased 0.4 percent for the December 2017 quarter compared to the prior year period driven by the impact of Delta’s pilot agreement ratified in the December 2016 quarter. The pilot agreement resulted in $475 million of expense in the prior year period and included a $380 million retroactive payment for the first three quarters of 2016.

Normalized CASM-Ex⁴ including profit sharing increased 5.6 percent versus the prior year period, driven by continued investments in Delta’s people, product and operation, as well as pressure from accelerated depreciation due to aircraft retirements.

For the full year, CASM-Ex including profit sharing increased 4.3 percent compared to 2016. Excluding profit sharing, 2017 CASM-Ex increased 4.7 percent driven by targeted investments in Delta’s employees, fleet, and product.

Non-operating expense increased $36 million for the December quarter due to higher interest expense from Delta’s unsecured debt financing primarily used to fund its pension plan, as well as foreign exchange pressures.

“Our focus for 2018 is to bring our unit cost trajectory back in line with our long-term 0 to 2 percent target,” said Paul Jacobson, Delta’s chief financial officer. “We have a line of sight to achieving our cost goal, and expect our March quarter to be the peak of our non-fuel expense growth as we lap investments in our business and higher levels of depreciation, and the savings from our fleet and efficiency initiatives begin ramping up as we move through the year.”

Cash Flow, Shareholder Returns, and Adjusted Net Debt

Delta generated $1.7 billion of adjusted operating cash flow and $435 million of free cash flow during the quarter. The company invested $850 million into the business for aircraft purchases and improvements, facilities upgrades and technology. The company also spent $450 million to purchase its 10 percent stake in Air France-KLM.

Delta generated $6.8 billion of adjusted operating cash flow and $2.0 billion of free cash flow for the full year, and invested $3.6 billion into the business and $1.2 billion in equity stakes in partner airlines.

During the December quarter, Delta announced an order for 100 state-of-the-art Airbus A321neo aircraft with deliveries beginning in 2020 and a long-term commitment with Pratt & Whitney for Delta TechOps to be a major maintenance, repair and overhaul provider for the PW1100G and PW1500G engines, powering Delta’s A321neo and C Series aircraft.

Adjusted net debt at the end of the quarter was $8.8 billion, up $2.6 billion versus the prior year largely as a result of a $2.5 billion increase in unsecured debt, primarily issued to accelerate pension funding. The company’s unfunded pension liability declined by $3.6 billion from the end of 2016 to $7.0 billion at the end of 2017.

For the December quarter, Delta returned $541 million to shareholders, comprised of $325 million of share repurchases and $216 million in dividends. For the full year, Delta returned $2.4 billion to shareholders, comprised of $1.7 billion of share repurchases and $731 million in dividends.

Tax Reform

As a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Delta recognized a one-time charge of $150 million in the December quarter from the estimated impact of the inclusion of foreign earnings and revaluation of deferred tax assets and liabilities. This one-time charge is being excluded from Delta’s results as a special item. For 2018, Delta expects the reduction in the corporate tax rate will result in an all-in book tax rate for the company of 22-24 percent.

Fourth Quarter Results

Special items for the quarter consist primarily of the impact from tax reform noted above and mark-to-market adjustments on fuel hedges.

Top Copyright Photo: Delta Air Lines Airbus A321-211 WL N308DN (msn 7233) DCA (Jay Selman). Image: 403528.

Delta Airbus aircraft slide show (current livery):

Vietjet converts order for 42 Airbus A320neo to A321neo

Vietjet (Hanoi) will convert its existing order for 42 Airbus A320neo to the larger A321neo, bringing to a total of 73 A321neo and 11 A321ceo on order for future delivery.

The first A321neo “new engine option”, registered as VN-646, has also arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport from Hamburg recently, marking a major milestone for Vietjet as it has become the first airline in Southeast Asia to operate the Airbus aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation GTF engines.

Fitted out with 230 comfortable leather-covered seats and high-quality carpeting, the first five rows of Vietjet’s spacious new A321neo have been especially designed to accommodate passengers flying Skyboss, the airline’s premium service. The aircraft’s interior also features a unique color-changing LED light system and striking décor to create a comfortable and refreshing ambience throughout the whole cabin.

The brand new A321neo incorporates the latest in engine design, advanced aerodynamics and cabin innovations. According to the aircraft manufacturer, its GTF engines offer a significant reduction in fuel consumption — at least 16 percent from day one and 20 percent by 2020 — as well 75% reduction in noise and 50% in emissions.

The A321neo is also the 17th aircraft Vietjet has received in 2017 alone, increasing its total fleet to 55. The new aircraft has begun operating on domestic and international routes to and from Vietnam as of January 2018.

Copyright Photo: Vietjet Air (VietJetAir.com) Airbus A321-211 WL VN-A651 (msn 5295) (9000th Airbus Aircraft) HAN (Jacques Guillem Collection). Image: 939474.) (9000th Airbus Aircraft) HAN (Jacques Guillem Collection). Image: 939474.

Vietjet aircraft slide show:

Frontier Airlines continues to expand

Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver) added new service on 20 routes this December. Earlier this month, Frontier inaugurated flights from Buffalo, N.Y. to four Florida cities. The airline also launched new service from Grand Rapids, Michigan to two Florida destinations. In addition, the carrier has already announced it will begin service to 12 new cities in the first six months of 2018.

Earlier this month, the airline continued to expand its low-fare service from Tampa with new flights to Columbus, Ohio. This comes after recent additions of new service between the popular Florida destination and Buffalo; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Indianapolis; Islip, N.Y.; Kansas City, Mo.; Milwaukee; Minneapolis/St. Paul; Nashville, Tenn.; Providence, R.I. and St. Louis.

These new cities added to the carrier’s route map (see below) brings the total number of current destinations served to 70. In Buffalo, Frontier commenced service to four destinations, Frontier will begin service to Denver in the spring while flights to Fort Myers, Fla.; Miami; Orlando, Fla.; and Tampa, Fla. began earlier this month. In Grand Rapids new service will begin to Fort Myers and Orlando, with service to Denver starting in April.

In addition to the service noted above the following flights also began this month:

Cedar Rapids, Iowa to/from:

Orlando

Chicago O-Hare to/from:

Puerto Vallarta, Mex.

Cincinnati to/from:

Cancun, Mex.

Fort Myers to/from:

Columbus

Kansas City

Milwaukee

Indianapolis

Detroit

Kansas City to/from:

Cancun, Mex.

Las Vegas to/from:

San Francisco

In addition, according to Airline Route, the carrier will also add the following routes in 2018:

Chicago O’Hare – El Paso twice-weekly starting on April 8, 2018
Chicago O’Hare – Jacksonville FL three weekly flight effective May 10, 2018
Chicago O’Hare – Pensacola twice-weekly effective May 12, 2018
Chicago O’Hare – San Francisco daily effective April 8, 2018
Chicago O’Hare – Washington Dulles daily effective April 8, 2018
Cincinnati – Jacksonville FL three weekly flights effective April 8, 2018
Denver – El Paso four weekly flights effective March 9, 2018
Denver – Jacksonville FL four weekly flights effective February 14, 2018
Denver – Pensacola three weekly flights effective April 22, 2018
Omaha – Las Vegas three weekly flights effective April 8, 2018
Omaha – Philadelphia four weekly flights effective April 9, 2018
Omaha – San Francisco four weekly flights effective June 4, 2018
Philadelphia – Madison three weekly flights effective April 8, 2018
Philadelphia – Memphis four weekly flights effective April 9, 2018
San Francisco – Des Moines three weekly flights effective June 5, 2018

In addition, also according to Airline Route, the airline is also adding additional Airbus A321 routes including the following for 2018:

Atlanta – Salt Lake City four weekly flights effective April 9, 2018
Atlanta – San Juan three weekly flights effective April 8, 2018
Denver – Charlotte daily flights effective April 8, 2018
Denver – Spokane four weekly flights effective May 4, 2018
Orlando – Atlanta daily flights effective April 8, 2018
Orlando – Charlotte four flights effective April 9, 2018
Orlando – Raleigh three weekly flights effective April 8, 2018
Philadelphia – Austin four weekly flights effective April 9, 2018
Philadelphia – Cincinnati daily flights effective April 8, 2018
Philadelphia – Houston three weekly flights effective April 8, 2018
Providence – Charlotte four weekly flights effective April 9, 2018
Providence – Raleigh three weekly flights effective April 8, 2018

Frontier Airlines Aircraft Slide Show:

Route Map:

Delta selects Airbus A321neo for narrowbody fleet renewal, orders 100 firm copies

Delta Air Lines and Airbus have agreed to terms for a 100 firm and 100 option order for state-of-the-art Airbus 321neo (new engine option) aircraft with deliveries beginning in 2020. The new jets, which will be powered by Pratt & Whitney geared-turbofan engines, will feature cutting-edge safety, efficiency and comfort.

“This is the right transaction at the right time for our customers, our employees and our shareholders,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. “Delta, Airbus and Pratt & Whitney share the same commitment to safety, efficiency, innovation and continuously improving the customer experience. This order for the state-of-the-art A321neo with Pratt’s Pure Power next-generation jet engines reflects our long-term commitment to these values for Delta people and all our constituents.”

Airbus A321neo

Delta will configure the A321neo to a total of 197 seats including seating for 20 in First Class, 30 in Delta Comfort+ and 147 in the main cabin. On-demand inflight entertainment, fast satellite-based 2Ku in-flight Wi-Fi, power ports as well as streaming video content will be available at every seat through Delta Studio. The cabin will also feature expansive, 25-percent-larger bookshelf-style overhead bins and full spectrum LED cabin lighting.

Delta expects to take delivery of its first A321neo in the first quarter of 2020 with new aircraft arriving through 2023.

“The A321neo will equip Delta employees with a customer-preferred, versatile narrowbody aircraft befitting their position as a global airline leader — and we are excited to continue to partner with them as they deliver industry-leading operational performance, customer satisfaction and financial results,” said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer — Customers, Airbus Commercial Aircraft. “This purchase furthers our commitment to U.S. aviation — a commitment that has never been stronger. Today, there is more U.S. content in Airbus aircraft than from any other country, with more than 40 percent of our aircraft-related procurement coming from the United States. In addition, our workforce at the U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, Alabama is proud that they will be delivering many of these A321neos to Delta in the coming years.”

Pratt & Whitney engine MRO provider

Delta is also announcing a long-term commitment with Pratt & Whitney for Delta TechOps to be a major maintenance, repair and overhaul provider for the Pure Power PW1100G and PW1500G engines, powering Delta’s A321neo and C Series aircraft. This latest generation family of Pratt & Whitney engines is a major factor in the 12 percent fuel efficiency improvement on a per seat basis Delta expects over classic A321 performance.

“Pratt & Whitney’s commitment to complete over 5,000 engine repairs and overhauls at Delta TechOps is possible because of the high level of professionalism and quality MRO work the Delta TechOps team performs for the Delta fleet and to more than 150 additional airline and aviation customers based across the globe,” said Delta COO Gil West. “Delta TechOps’ position as an MRO industry leader and the largest in North America will be fortified even further with the addition of Pratt & Whitney engines to its extensive portfolio.”

This commitment by Pratt & Whitney will drive significant job creation within the Delta TechOps workforce and comes as Delta is already making significant investments to its engine overhaul capabilities at its Atlanta Technical Operations Center, including the first new engine test cell to be built in the U.S. in more than 20 years and expanded engine shop space.

“The addition of geared-turbofan technical knowledge at Delta TechOps will not only be applied to the 200 engines that will power Delta’s A321neo fleet, but will also uniquely position TechOps as an MRO leader in this space as future engine types are developed,” West said.

“We couldn’t be more proud of our long standing relationship with Delta, which dates back to the 1930s,” said Pratt & Whitney President Robert Leduc. “Fast forward nearly 90 years, and the GTF engine has revolutionized aviation technology, and will provide Delta with proven performance and environmental benefits. We are honored to power and support Delta’s new fleet of A321neo aircraft well into the future.”

Copyright Photo: The new Airbus A321neo aircraft will join the current fleet of Airbus A321-200s. Delta Air Lines Airbus A321-211 WL N310DN (msn 7293) DCA (Brian McDonough). Image: 936666.

Delta flies first no-cancel November

Delta Air Lines flew without a mainline flight cancellation for the 30 days of November, including the busy Thanksgiving period, setting a company record and highlighting the intense focus of Delta’s 80,000 employees on delivering a safe, reliable operation for the 180 million customers Delta flies each year.¹

The airline also finished the month by setting a record for on-time performance for any month in its post-merger history. In all, 82.5 percent of mainline flights arrived at the scheduled arrival time (A0) and 93.2 percent of flights arrived within 14 minutes of arrival time—a common industry metric signifying on time (A14). Delta’s previous record for both metrics was last set in October 2016.²

“Our employees are steadfastly committed to delivering on Delta’s promise to be a safe and reliable airline and we’re proud of the progress we’ve made to offer our customers an industry-leading global operation,” said Gil West, Delta’s Chief Operating Officer. “We are resolved to continue to improve, to set and break more performance records, and make the experience even better for our customers.”

The airline flew more than 84,300 mainline flights in November and, together with its Delta Connection regional operation, flew more than 145,000 flights carrying more than 14.8 million customers.³

Delta’s record mainline performance, when combined with the Delta Connection regional operation, has resulted in 84 days so far in 2017 without a cancellation anywhere across the system—besting last year’s total of 81 days by more than a month. Delta Connection accounts for 42 percent of the airline’s annual flying.⁴

[1] Based on Delta’s internal statistical reporting of all Delta-operated mainline flights scheduled between Nov. 1, 2017, and Nov. 30, 2017. Delta operated 16 mainline international flights on a delayed basis during the month via substitute flights using Delta aircraft with an alternate flight number.

[2] Based on Delta’s internal flight operations reporting for on-time arrivals between Nov. 1, 2017, and Nov. 30, 2017, based on Delta mainline flights flown.

[3] Based on Delta’s internal flight operations reporting for Nov. 1, 2017, to Nov. 30, 2017, based on flights scheduled across Delta’s mainline and Delta Connection system.

[4] Based on Delta’s internal flight operations reporting for Jan. 1, 2017, to Dec. 1, 2017, based on flights scheduled across Delta’s mainline and Delta Connection system.

Videos:

With the Airberlin closure, Belair also closes its doors, will be liquidated

Belair Airlines, as a subsidiary of Airberlin, was operating under the Airberlin brand until March 31, 2017.

Airberlin acquired 49% of the shares of Belair in 2007 and has fully owned Belair since October 2009.

During the 2017 summer season, Belair has been flying for Niki.

With the closure of Airberlin, Belair also has ceased operations as of October 28, 2017.

The airline issued this short statement on their website:

“Airberlin has permanently discontinued its operations. We would like to take the opportunity to thank you and bye-bye”.

Belair’s assets will now be liquidated.

Belair offered this guidance to its customers:

Questions and answers about the current situation at airberlin

Will flight operations be continued by airberlin/NIKI?

As far as we are currently aware, flight operations under the IATA airline code AB will no longer be possible during the insolvency proceedings, at the latest from October 28^th 2017. NIKI flights are not affected and will be continued.

My flight will no longer be operated. Will I get my money back?

For passengers who are affected by a flight cancellation, the following applies: If the booking was made before August 15^th 2017, reimbursement is not possible. Passengers affected may file their claim for the insolvency schedule after the opening of the insolvency proceedings. For tickets purchased after August 15^th 2017, we will reimburse the purchase price if the flight will no longer be operated. Rebooking to another airline is not permitted

Is NIKI also insolvent?

No, the status published on August 15^th 2017 applies. NIKI is not insolvent. It is not currently intended for NIKI to file for insolvency. Flight operations will continue as planned.

Do airberlin and NIKI still accept new bookings?

Yes, airberlin and NIKI flights can still be booked through our established booking and distribution channels. All fares are still valid.
Payments for flights operating after November 1^st 2017 are secured by a trustee. In case these flights are not operating against expectations, affected passengers will receive a ticket refund. This only applies for bookings from August 15^th 2017 onwards.

How long in advance can I book flights?

The entire schedule published by airberlin and NIKI can currently still be booked. As far as we are currently aware, flights with the IATA airline code AB will no longer be operated from October 28^th 2017.

Will I continue to receive topbonus miles for my flights?

topbonus, airberlin’s frequent flyer programme, submitted an application for insolvency on August 25^th2017. Nevertheless, the topbonus programme continues to exist. The status benefits for topbonus members remain valid. topbonus mileage credit and the redemption of miles is once again active. The conditions for collecting and redeeming miles as of September 20^th 2017 as well as the list of active partners can be found on the topbonus website.

Do the airberlin/NIKI products and services remain the same?

Yes, the existing airberlin and NIKI services and products remain the same.

Is my voucher still valid and if yes until when?

Vouchers cannot be redeemed anymore. Due to insolvency regulations, the utilization of vouchers had to be terminated. Affected passengers have the opportunity to file the claim arising from the unusable voucher for the insolvency schedule after the opening of the insolvency proceedings. We will advise about the formal proceedings at a later stage separately. Tickets that have already been booked against vouchers remain valid.

Can I get a cash payout for my voucher?

No, see above.

If my tickets are cancelled, will I be reimbursed the applicable fees and taxes?

No. This is not possible due to insolvency regulations. Affected passengers have the opportunity to file the claim for the insolvency schedule after the opening of the insolvency proceedings. Questions regarding the reimbursement of taxes and fees collected after August 15^th 2017 must be submitted via the BSPlink.

Can tickets that have already been issued be rebooked?

The tariff conditions, valid at the time of ticket issuance, still apply to rebooking. Any issued ticket may be rebooked on the basis of the applicable tariff conditions, provided these allow changes. Any applicable fees must be paid by the customer.

Am I still entitled to claims for damages/to receive compensation, e.g. for delays or flight cancelations?

For departures before the filing for insolvency unfortunately no compensations will currently be paid. This is not possible due to insolvency regulations. Affected passengers have the opportunity to file the claim for the insolvency schedule after the opening of the insolvency proceedings. In this case affected passengers automatically receive an official form with further information.

For departures after the filing for insolvency please refer to our online claim form provided by our Guest Relations Team using the following link: http://www.airberlin.com/complaint. Our Guest Relations Team will handle your request and will contact you directly. We kindly ask for your understanding that due to the current situation the processing time might take longer.

I booked a package holiday for 2018 and my flights are with airberlin – will there be any problems?

As far as we are currently aware, flight operations under the IATA airline code AB will no longer be possible during the insolvency proceedings, at the latest from October 28^th. Please contact your tour operator if you have any further questions.

Will tickets from partner airlines be accepted? Will airberlin tickets for flights operated by partner airlines be valid?

If you would like to verify the status of your ticket, please contact the respective partner airline.

Copyright Photo: Airberlin (airberlin.com) – Operated by Belair Airlines Airbus A321-211 WL HB-JOV (msn 6629) BSL (Paul Bannwarth). Image: 938931.

Thomas Cook Group Airlines creates a new airline based in Majorca

Thomas Cook Group Airlines has launched a new airline, based in Majorca, to supplement its existing operations. Currently operating ongoing airlines in Germany, the UK and Scandinavia, Thomas Cook Group Airlines has applied for a new Airline Operator Certificate (AOC) in Majorca with the aim of scheduling the first flights from early 2018.

The new airline, Thomas Cook Airlines Balearics, is part of Thomas Cook Group Airlines’ growth plans, giving it a new base in its most popular destination from which it can provide flights to support its other airlines, according to seasonal demand. The new base in Majorca will provide the Group with greater operational flexibility at a competitive cost, while allowing it to maintain closer control over the quality and customer experience than its current third-party lease arrangements.

The new airline will commence operations with at least three Airbus A320 aircraft which previously operated for Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium. These aircraft will initially take over short and medium-haul flights for Thomas Cook’s German airline Condor to replace third party aircraft leases.

Christoph Debus, Chief Airline Officer Thomas Cook Group, said: “The new airline and base will provide us with the right platform to better manage the seasonal demand in our business, giving us more control at lower cost as we continue to expand the choice of destinations we offer our customers. With more than one million Thomas Cook customers flying into Palma every year, we have a strong existing infrastructure on which to build.”

This announcement of the new AOC follows the recent agreement with Air Transat for the exchange of aircraft on a seasonal basis to better balance the seasonal demand for short and medium-haul aircraft in the European and Canadian leisure airline markets.

Thomas Cook Airlines (UK):