Tag Archives: Airbus A340-300

Finnair and its pilots reach a tentative agreement

Finnair (Helsinki) and its pilots, represented by the Finnish Airline Pilots’ Association (SLL), have reached a tentative labor contract agreement. The pilots have agreed to work for lower wages which is expected to save the company around 15 million euros a year.

According to Yle Uutiset, talks will continue until early September to finalize the agreement. In the meantime, the airline has agreed not to furlough any pilots.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Finnair:

SriLankan Airlines joins oneworld tonight

SriLankan Airlines (Colombo) will become part of oneworld ® alliance from midnight tonight, offering the full range of services and benefits of theworld’s fastest growing and highest rated global airline alliance.

SriLankan becomes the first carrier from the Indian subcontinent to join any of the global airline alliances – and completes oneworld’s biggest expansion program since the alliance was launched 15 years ago.

These landmarks are being celebrated today at a ceremony attended by the key ministers from Sri Lanka’s government at South Asia’s newest international airport, Hambantota’s Mattala Rajapaksa International, serving Sri Lanka’s South and East Coasts and the Hambantota seaport.

From midnight, the flag carrier of Sri Lanka will be flying alongside some of the world’s leading carriers:

 Asia-Pacific’s Cathay Pacific Airways, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Australia’s QANTAS Airways.
 From Europe, Airberlin, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia and Russia’s S7 Airlines.
 In the Middle East, Qatar Airways – the only one of the Big Three Gulf carriers to be part of any alliance – and Royal Jordanian.
 In North America, American Airlines and its US Airways merger partner.
 In South America LAN Airlines and its partner in LATAM Airlines Group, TAM Airlines.

SriLankan’s first flight as part of oneworld will be flight UL 318 departing from Colombo to the Kuala Lumpur hub of oneworld partner Malaysia Airlines at 7.45 am (0745) tomorrow (May 1).

The airline’s addition to oneworld will bring two new destinations on to the alliance network – Hambantota itself plus India’s Tiruchirapalli – along with its Colombo base as a new oneworld hub. With an extensive schedule serving southern India and as the leading international airline serving the Maldives, SriLankan also significantly strengthens oneworld’s presence throughout South Asia, one of the world’s fastest growing regions for air travel demand.

With SriLankan, oneworld:

 Serves almost 1,000 airports in 150 countries, with 14,250 daily departures.
 Carries more than 500 million passengers a year on a combined fleet of some 3,300 aircraft.
 Generates $140 billion (US) annual revenues.
 Offers more than 600 airport lounges, including many frequently rated as the world’s best.

Top Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best/AirlinersGallery.com (all others by SriLankan). Airbus A340-311 4R-ADC (msn 034) climbs away majestically from London’s Heathrow Airport bout for Colombo.

SriLankan Airlines:

Iberia to resume the Madrid-Montevideo route on September 1

Iberia (Madrid) will resume the Madrid-Montevideo, Uruguay route on September 1. The restored route will be operated four days a week with Airbus A340-300s.

Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A340-313X EC-IDF (msn 474) exits the active runway at Los Angeles International Airport.

Iberia:

Swiss becomes the first “allergy-friendly” airline

Swiss International Air Lines (Zurich) has become the first “allergy-friendly” airline. The airline just issued this statement:

In May, Swiss International Air Lines Ltd., will introduce a number of ground/inflight products designed to enhance the air travel experience for allergy sufferers. These innovations will include new alternative (lactose- and gluten- free) food and drinks, along with cabin interior changes.

Swiss has teamed up with the European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation (ECARF) to offer its guests an even more individualized service product for travelers with allergies. New onboard all SWISS flights will be lactose- and gluten- free food and beverage alternatives such as lactose-free coffee cream and a lactose-free version of the popular Swiss chocolate bar.

Depending on the length of the flight, Swiss guests with allergies or other intolerances may further request special snacks (candy bars, yoghurt or cakes) that address passenger allergies, and pay full regard to their conditions.

At present, allergy sufferers will be able to order special meals tailored to their needs in all seating classes on long-haul services and in Business Class within Europe up to 24 hours before their scheduled departure. From the U.S., Swiss offers long-haul flights to Switzerland in First, Business, Economy classes of service from Boston, Chicago, New York, Newark, Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Swiss is making allergy-minded modifications to its cabins, too. First and Business Class passengers will be offered pillows stuffed with synthetic materials as an alternative to the down-filled version. Swiss is also ceasing its use in the cabin of decorative flowers and air fresheners that might cause nose and throat irritations; and the on-board toilets will now feature soaps that are gentle on the skin.

“The numbers of people suffering from allergies have been increasing throughout the industrialized world for several years now,” adds Professor Torsten Zuberbier, the Director of Berlin-based ECARF. “Over 30 percent of Europe’s population are directly affected by one or more allergies – not to mention those indirectly affected, such as their families. Yet only around 10 percent of sufferers get the right medical treatment; and allergies are still often not taken seriously, even by the sufferers themselves.”

Swiss is the first airline in the world to meet the ECARF criteria for “allergy-friendly” airlines. As a result, Swiss can now place the ECARF seal of approval on its service product range.

Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A340-313X HB-JMF (msn 561) taxies at Los Angeles International Airport.

Swiss International Air Lines:

Finnair to operate scheduled flights to Krabi and Phuket in Thailand this coming winter

Finnair (Helsinki) will introduce scheduled services to Krabi and Phuket in Thailand. Both of these destinations were previously served only on a charter basis. Flights to Phuket (HKT) will be operated three times a week from November 14, and to Krabi (KBV) twice a week from December 10. Both routes will be operated with Airbus A340 aircraft.

The number of weekly flights to Nagoya, Japan (NGO) will also increase from four to five per week. The additional frequency is scheduled to depart on Tuesdays in November–December and Wednesdays from January to March. All Finnair flights to Nagoya are operated with Airbus A330 aircraft with full-flat seats in Business Class.

Additionally, Finnair will reopen its service to Tromsø (TOS). The Arctic city in the far north of Norway will be served from Helsinki three times a week from January 1 until March 28, 2015 for the Northern Lights season. The route will be operated by Flybe Finland with Embraer 190 aircraft.

Copyright Photo: Kok Chwee K.C. Sim/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A340-313X OH-LQD (msn 921) in the special Unikko floral print 1964 color scheme departs from Singapore.

Finnair:

SAS expands flights to the U.S. as it celebrates 50 years of flying between Copenhagen and Chicago

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS (Stockholm) is celebrating 50 years of flying to Chicago with increased service to the United States. The airline issued this statement:

SAS was the first airline to fly over the North Pole to the U.S. West Coast in 1954. Ten years later, SAS also began flying to the U.S. Midwest and is now celebrating 50 years of service between Copenhagen and Chicago. In 2014, SAS is continuing to increase its traffic, adding five weekly departures and a new route to the USA. In doing so, SAS is cementing its position as Scandinavia’s biggest and most capable airline for travel to the United States.

On April 2, 1964, SAS launched the route to Chicago (O’Hare) with the maiden flight from Copenhagen. Captain Jens Mueller flew passengers and crew in a Douglas DC-8-33 to Chicago via Montreal, sowing the seeds for a successful route, which has since been operated by aircraft including the McDonnell Douglas DC-10, Boeing 767 and Airbus A330and A340. More than 3 million people have flown this route with SAS, and today the airline flies directly from Copenhagen and Stockholm to Chicago.

SAS operates a nonstop route between Copenhagen and Chicago (O’Hare) with one flight a day every day of the week. This will now also apply to the route to San Francisco, which is getting an extra departure on Tuesday, making it a daily service as of June 10.

SAS currently flies from Stockholm to Chicago every day in the summer and five times a week in winter. SAS is adding another winter departure to Chicago (O’Hare) from Stockholm, which will also be getting an extra flight to New York (JFK). SAS is also adding two more departures a week on the Oslo-New York (JFK) route in winter. Oslo-New York (JFK) operates daily in the summer.

SAS has also just announced the opening of a new route between Stavanger and Houston (Bush Intercontinental) (please see our previous report).

Details of the expansion of U.S. services:

· Copenhagen-San Francisco: From June 10 to October 25, 7 departures per week (Tuesday has been added)
· Stockholm Chicago: Daily departures in the summer. On the winter timetable (from end of October) 6 departures per week (Thursday has been added)
· Stockholm-New York: Daily departures in the summer. On the winter timetable (from end of October) 6 departures per week (Friday has been added)
· Oslo-New York: Daily departures in the summer. On the winter timetable (from end of October) 6 departures per week (Tuesday and Wednesday have been added)
· Stavanger-Houston: From 20 August with 6 departures per week (except Saturday)

Copyright Photo: Stefan Sjogren/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus Airbus A340-313X OY-KBM (msn 450) in the Star Alliance motif departs the runway at Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport (ARN).

Scandinavian Airlines-SAS:

SriLankan Airlines to join the Oneworld alliance on May 1

SriLankan Airlines (Colombo) will become a full member of oneworld®, offering the alliance’s complete range ofservices and benefits with effect from Thursday May 1, 2014 – as the first carrier from the Indian subcontinent to become part of any global airline groups.

The national airline of Sri Lanka received clearance to board oneworld, the world’s leading quality airline alliance, after successfully completing a thorough review of its readiness conducted by Cathay Pacific Airways, which is sponsoring its entry into the alliance, with the oneworld central team.

Its addition to oneworld will come a month after the alliance welcomes TAM and US Airways on board, on March 31, concluding the group’s biggest yet expansion program.

SriLankan will bring two new destinations on to the oneworld network – Sri Lanka’s new Hambantota International and India’s Tiruchirapalli.

SriLankan already code-shares with oneworld members Malaysia Airlines and S7 Airlines with code-share agreements with a number of other oneworld partners at an advanced stage of discussion.

Copyright Photo: Jay Selman/AirlinersGallery.com. The Airbus A340s will be phased out and replaced by newer A330s by late 2015. The company also has seven A350-900s on order. Airbus A340-311 4R-ADB (msn 033) completes its final approach at Bangkok.

SriLankan Airlines:

Finnair will increase its frequencies to Bangkok next winter

Finnair (Helsinki) will increase its number of flights to Thailand for next winter. From December 30, 2014 to March 27, 2015 Finnair will supplement its double-daily winter service to Bangkok with three additional frequencies per week. The extra flights bring the number of Finnair’s peak-season weekly Bangkok services to 17, the most frequencies of any European carrier.

The additional flights are scheduled to depart on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings. Flight AY 091 departs Helsinki Airport (HEL) at 8:15 P.M. (2015) for arrival at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) at 11:00 A.M. (1100) the next day. Flight AY 092 leaves Bangkok on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 12:45 P.M. (1245) for arrival in Helsinki at 6:55 P.M. (1855). The new evening frequencies, operated with Airbus A340 aircraft in a two-class Business and Economy configuration, offer excellent connections with other cities in Finland, Scandinavia, France and Germany. Together with the daily Bangkok flights AY 089 (departure at 4:40 PM) and AY 095 (6:30 PM), the three extra flights constitute an intensive traffic program giving passengers a wide range of choices and increased connectivity throughout Finnair’s network.

Copyright Photo: TMK Photography/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A340-313X OH-LQD (msn 921) in the special Unikko floral print (1964) design taxies at Toronto (Pearson).

Finnair:

Finnair is coming back to Miami next winter

Finnair (Helsinki) will begin operating nonstop scheduled flights between Helsinki and Miami, Florida once again. The new seasonal flight, operating from December 16, 2014 until March 21, 2015, will feature Airbus A340-300 aircraft in a two-class Business and Economy cabin configuration.

Flight AY 7 will leave Helsinki (HEL) on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:55 am (0955) for arrival in Miami (MIA) at 2:05 pm (1405). AY 8 departs Miami at 4:00 pm (1600). for arrival in Helsinki at 8:50 am (0850). the next day. The flight lasts approximately 11 hours outbound (HEL-MIA) while the return journey takes less than 10 hours (MIA-HEL). Starting from January 3, 2015, the service moves to three times weekly with an additional frequency on Saturdays.

The route between Helsinki and Miami International Airport will be included in the joint business on transatlantic traffic with oneworld alliance partners American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia. This gives customers the possibility to mix and match flights on the different carriers for the best pricing and scheduling options. For example, an itinerary could include a nonstop flight to Miami in one direction, but a connecting flight through New York, Madrid or London in the other, if the timing is more convenient. Finnair’s cooperation with the three other carriers also means that Miami is yet another gateway to dozens more North American destinations.

Finnair previously served Miami with seasonal flights utilizing Boeing 757-200s, McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30s and MD-11s.

Finnair:

Aerolineas Argentinas orders four Airbus A330-200s

Aerolíneas Argentinas (Buenos Aires) has signed a purchase agreement for four Airbus A330-200s to renew and consolidate their widebody fleet. Aerolíneas Argentinas will announce the engine selection at a later date.

Argentina’s flagship carrier will deploy the new A330 aircraft for medium and long haul routes from their Buenos Aires hub to destinations throughout Latin America, Europe and the United States. The airline currently operates eight Airbus A340-300s (above), four A340-200s and four A330-200s.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. The new Airbus A330-200s will help replace the older aging Airbus A340-200s and A340-300s. A340-313X LV-CSF (man 128) lands on runway 27 at Miami International Airport.

Aerolineas Argentinas: