Tag Archives: Airbus

Hawaiian launches its new route to Beijing today

Hawaiian Airlines (Honolulu) reached a new milestone today as it launched three-times weekly nonstop service to Beijing, the latest addition to its expanded international network and first mainland China destination.

Hawaiian Airlines launched inaugural service between Honolulu and Beijing, the airlines first destination in mainland China.

The departure of Flight HA 897 was preceded by festivities at the boarding gate at Honolulu International Airport (HNL) that included Hawaiian music and hula, a Chinese cultural fan dance performance by Phoenix Dance Chamber (below), a traditional Hawaiian blessing and presentation of lei to more than 200 passengers boarding the inaugural flight.

Remarks were given by Peter Ingram, Hawaiian Airlines executive vice president and chief commercial officer; Mike McCartney, Hawai’i Tourism Authority (HTA) president and chief executive officer; and Vice-Consul General Lixin Bian and Assistant Consul General Shousheng Zhao, both of the Consulate General of People’s Republic of China in Los Angeles.

Hawaiian Airlines’ new nonstop service between Honolulu and Beijing will add nearly 50,000 seats to both travel markets. According to HTA, the state’s official tourism agency, Hawai’i welcomed more than 132,000 visitors from China in 2013, and projects an increase of 37 percent in 2014. In addition, the China market is the highest spending visitor market with an average of $397 per person per day spending.

Starting today, Hawaiian Airlines operates three flights a week between Honolulu and Beijing using a 294-seat A330-200 aircraft. Flight HA 897 departs HNL at 12:01 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, crosses the international dateline, and lands at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) at 5:55 a.m. the following day.

Return flight HA 898 departs Beijing at 1:05 a.m. every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, crosses the international dateline, and arrives in Honolulu at 4:40 p.m. the previous day (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday).

As a full-service leisure carrier, Hawaiian Airlines provides all of its passengers between Beijing and Hawai’i with complimentary meals, drinks and blankets, as well as selected in-seat video entertainment on its A330 aircraft.

Top Copyright Photo: Wingnut/AirlinersGallery.com (all others by Hawaiian Airlines). This dramatic image shows Hawaiian’s Airbus A330-243 N384HA (msn 1259) lifting off the runway at Los Angeles International Airport.

Hawaiian Airlines:

Airberlin to introduce a “Fan Force One” World Cup Airbus A320 logo jet in association with Bitburger

Airberlin (airberlin.com) (Berlin) on Saturday (April 19) in association with German beer brewery Bitburger will introduce its Airbus A320-214 registered as D-ABFK (msn 4433) in a special “Fan Force One” color scheme for the FIFA World Cup. The aircraft will be painted and unveiled at Munich.

Airberlin:

Video:

Singapore Airlines to sponsor the 2014 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix

Singapore Airlines (Singapore) has joined the group of airlines to sponsor Formula 1 Grand Prix races, following Etihad Airways, Gulf Air and QANTAS Airways.

In anticipation of this agreement, a photo-shoot was arranged on April 7 when the pictured Airbus A380-841 9V-SKS (msn 085) returned from a Los Angeles-Tokyo (Narita)-Singapore flight. 9V-SKS was towed to bay 102 for the special photo shoot.

Singapore Airlines issued this statement:

Singapore Airlines has signed an agreement with the Formula One Group to be the Title Sponsor of the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix.

This year’s event will take place from September 19-21 at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

Formula 1®, which began in 1950, is the world’s most prestigious motor racing competition and is the world’s most popular annual sporting series. In 2014 it was watched by over 450 million unique television viewers from 185 territories. The 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship™ runs from March to November and spans 19 races in 19 countries across five continents. Formula One World Championship Limited is a subsidiary of the Formula One group, founded by CEO Bernie Ecclestone, and holds the exclusive commercial rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship™.

Copyright Photo: Kok Chwee K.C. Sim/AirlinersGallery.com. 9V-SKS poses with a Formula 1 race car at bay 102 for special photo shoot.

Singapore Airlines:

Fiji Airways and Etihad Airways move closer with an interline agreement

Fiji Airways (2nd) (Nadi) and Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi), the national airlines of Fiji and the United Arab Emirates, respectively, announced a new and far reaching interline agreement between the two carriers.

This agreement will allow reciprocal sales from and to 12 cities in Europe, 17 cities in the Middle East, five cities in Africa, five cities in North America, 29 cities in Asia and three cities in Australia to and from Fiji. The agreement is effective immediately and is the starting point of further negotiations between the two airlines.

Etihad Airways joins Fiji Airways’ list of codeshare or interline partners, which includes American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, QANTAS Airways and Air New Zealand.

On the financial side, Air Pacific Group reported an operating profit before income tax of $14.2 million for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2013, compared to an operating profit before income tax of $22.4 million for the preceding twelve month period ended March 31, 2013.

On a net basis, the Group reported an after tax profit of $14.5 million for the nine months period compared to $17.8 million from the preceding 12-month period. The nine months performance was driven by an increase in passenger numbers by 2.5 % with an additional revenue of 1.0%, hence a slight yield decrease of -1.5 % due to the relentless competitive environment, especially from/to the U.S. and Australia.

All amounts are in Fijian dollars.

Copyright Photo: Colin Hunter/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A330-243 DQ-FJT (msn 1394) of Fiji Airways arrives in Auckland.

Fiji Airways:

Etihad Airways:

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:

Is United Airways of Bangladesh in financial trouble?

United Airways (Dhaka) is a privately-held airline in Bangladesh. The international carrier commenced operations on July 10, 2007.

According to this report by the Daily Star, the airline may be facing a suspension of AOC due to outstanding aeronautical and non-aeronautical charges. The aircraft has been banned from adding new aircraft until its bills are paid. The airline must pay its overdue bills by June 15.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

United Airways:

Avianca to start nonstop Cartagena-New York service on July 17

Avianca (Colombia) (Bogota) will launch a new route from Cartagena nonstop to New York (JFK) on July 17. The new route will be operated three days a week with Airbus A319s per Airline Route.

Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A3219-132 N690AV (msn 5944) with Sharklets departs from Tenerife (Sur) on its delivery flight.

Avianca (Colombia):

JetBlue to launch Pittsburgh-Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood service on October 29

JetBlue Airways (New York) will launch a new route to Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) on October 29, 2014 from Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood. The service will complement JetBlue’s existing route from Pittsburgh to Boston Logan International Airport, and is one of five upcoming routes announced for Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood in 2014/15.

JetBlue currently operates 26 nonstop routes out of Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood, with five more new routes already announced to begin in 2014/15. On May 1, JetBlue will add three new nonstop routes from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood to Montego Bay (Jamaica), Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago) and Punta Cana (Dominican Republic). Next year, the airline also intends to launch a nonstop route to Albany, NY.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-232 N521JB (msn 1452) in the “Stripes” tail design taxies to runway 09L at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL).

JetBlue Airways:

Tibet Airlines takes delivery of the first Airbus A319 with Sharklets

Tibet Airlines (Lhasa) from the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China has taken delivery of its first A319 with Sharklets. The pictured Airbus A319-115 B-6451 (msn 5855) was handed over at the Airbus Tianjin Delivery Centre (ATDC) on April 12 and joins Tibet Airlines’ existing fleet of eight existing A319s. The aircraft is the 165th assembled at Airbus’Tianjin Final Assembly Line (FALC).

The aircraft is powered by CFM56-5B engines and features a comfortable two class cabin, seating 128 passengers with eight in business class and 120 in economy.

Tibet Airlines’ base is Gongga Airport, Lhasa, is one of the world’s highest airports at an altitude of 12,000 feet. The new A319 is certificated for high altitude airport operation and Required Navigation Performance – Authorisation Required (RNP-AR) and Satcom is installed.
RNP-AR procedures represent today the most modern navigation technique, allowing the aircraft to fly precisely along predefined routes using on-board navigation systems and the GPS-based ‘Global Navigation Satellite System’ (GNSS). The high accuracy provided by RNP-AR is especially important for airlines operating in and out of airports in mountainous regions. Tibet Airlines has selected Airbus ProSky, an Airbus subsidiary, as its strategic partner for its RNP-AR operations.

Sharklets are made from light-weight composites and are 2.4 meters tall. They are an option on new-build A320 Family aircraft and standard on all members of the new A320neo family. They offer operators up to four per cent fuel burn reduction on longer range sectors and provide the flexibility of either adding an additional 100 nautical miles range or increased payload capability of up to 450 kilograms.
The FALC in Tianjin is based on the latest state-of-the-art Airbus single aisle final assembly line in Hamburg, Germany. The aircraft delivered in China are assembled to the same standards as those assembled and delivered in Europe. Airbus has delivered 165 Tianjin assembled A320 Family aircraft. The aircraft are in service with 13 Chinese and Asian airlines.

Tibet Airlines:

Gulf Air to return to Athens on June 16

Gulf Air (Bahrain) has announced that it will be resuming its flights to Athens, with four weekly flights to Athens International Airport starting on June 16.

Gulf Air’s four weekly flights will be operated by Airbus A320 aircraft in a two-class configuration, featuring 14 Falcon Gold Class seats and 96 Economy Class seats.

Gulf Air took the difficult decision to suspend services to Athens in March 2012 for commercial reasons following a prolonged period of challenging operating conditions.

Gulf Air: