Xiamen Air (Xiamen) plans to launch its first European route to Amsterdam from Xiamen starting on July 26. The new route will be operated three days a week with Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners.
Copyright Photo: Steve Bailey/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner B-2760 (msn 41540) approaches the runway at Paine Field near Everett before the handover.
Xiamen Air aircraft slide show:ย 
Flybe (Exeter) recently announced that it will operate a new year round service between Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA) and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport starting on September 7. The airline will offer up to three flights a day departing early morning, lunchtime and late afternoons.
Meanwhile the carrier is moving towards an all-turboprop fleet. According to this article by Travel Weekly, “The carrier is to use two of a surplus fleet of E195 jets to start services from Cardiff airport, meaning that โsolutionsโ have been found for half the fleet of 14 aircraft as it concentrates on operating a mainly turboprop fleet.
Flybe revealed that it was in โactive discussionsโ to find a permanent solution for the remaining seven jets.”
Meanwhile the airline is on track to break even and the revised routes from London City Airport are showing progress according to the article.
Read the full article: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Keith Burton/AirlinersGallery.com. The Embraer ERJ 195 have proved to be too large for the carrier forcing it to ground some of the E195s. The pictured ERJ 190-200LR (ERJ 195) G-FBEA (msn 19000029) at London (Gatwick) was acquired on September 1, 2006 but has since gone on to Kalstar Aviation as PK-KDA.
Flybe aircraft slide show:ย
AirBridgeCargo Airlines-ABC (Volga-Dnepr Group) (Moscow) on April 2 launched an around-the-world route with twice-weekly cargo service on the Moscow (Sheremetyevo) โ Shanghai (Pudong) โ Anchorage โ Los Angeles โ Chicago (O’Hare) โ Amsterdam route per Airline Route.
In other news, AirBridgeCargoย reported a 20% increase in tonnage for the first quarter of 2015, continuing the trend set by previous years.
According to the airline, “In the January 1-March 31 period this year, ABC carried 103,816 tons across its international route network connecting customers in Europe, the United States and Asia Pacific through its hub in Moscow.
At present the airline operates scheduled flights to 26 destinations in 14 countries using its enlarged fleet of 14 Boeing 747 family aircraft.
Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 747-867F VQ-BVR (msn 60687) passes through Amsterdam on the special long-range route.
ABC aircraft slide show:ย
Flybe (Exeter) hasย announced it will operate a new year round service between Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA) and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport starting on September 7. This will offer up to three flights a day departing early morning, lunchtime and late afternoons.
With the addition of this new route, Flybeโs 2015 Summer schedule features those to the Isle of Man and Belfast City offering a total choice of up to 60 flights a week.
Copyright Photo: SPA/AirlinersGallery.com. Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) G-FLBD (msn 4259) taxies at Southampton (SOU).
Flybe aircraft slide show:ย
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (Amsterdam) was due to commence a new route to Edmonton on May 5, but the new route was postponed. Now the company will launch the new route withย Airbus A330-200 equipment under flight numbers KL 675 and KL 676 on May 19. Flights to Edmonton will be operated on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and, from June 26, on Fridays.
The flight from Amsterdam departs at 14:45 hours and lands in Edmonton at 15:45 hours local time. The return flight departs at 18:10 hours from Edmonton and lands the next day at 10:45 hours in Amsterdam.
In other news, KLM has relaunched scheduled service to Bogota and Cali, Colombia.ย KLM now serves eleven destinations in Latin America and expanded its network to a total of 67 intercontinental destinations. KLM served Bogota from October 1992 through March 1995.
Finally KLM and Air France will adopt the EASA “two persons in the cockpit” rule in the wake of the tragic Germanwings accident. KLM issued this short statement:
The Agency recommends the operators to issue a safety and security risks assessment in order to require at least two persons in the flight crew compartment or guarantee an equivalent safety level. As previously announced, this recommendation followed a consultation of operators including Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Both KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Air France will implement the recommendations of EASA as soon as possible.
Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A330-203 PH-AOE (msn 770) with the special “95 Years” logo taxies at the Amsterdam hub.
KLM aircraft slide show:ย
Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norwegian.com) (Oslo) and easyJet (UK) (London-Luton) have become early adopters of a new “two persons” cockpit rule in the wake of the devastating news of what caused Germanwings flight 4U 9525 to crash in the French Alps. The rule is already in place in the United States.
In addition, Deutsche Welle is reporting “Germany’s BDL aviation federation announced late Thursday that airlines such as Lufthansa and Airberlin intended to immediately enact the two-person rule in consultation with the Federal Office of Civil Aviation.”
Read the full report: CLICK HERE
Above Copyright Photo: Keith Burton/AirlinersGallery.com. In celebration of the new 26th base at Amsterdam, easyJet has introduced this new Amsterdam logo jet on Airbus A319-111 G-EZDN (msn 3608) painted at Southend. The new theme was rolled out of the paint shop on March 25.
In other news, overshadowed by the stunning Germanwings crash investigation announcements, easyJet yesterday (March 26) celebrated the opening of its new base at Francisco de Sรก Carneiro Airport in Porto. Three new UK routes from Manchester, Bristol and London Luton Airports to the new Porto base will be launched this summer.
Flights from Bristol to Porto will commence on April 19 and operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Porto is the 25th base of easyJetโs network and the airline will also inaugurate its 26th base in Amsterdam on March 31.
easyJet started its operations in Portugal in 1999 and flies now to 48 destinations in Europe being the third largest airline in the country with 12% market share and more than 4 million passengers carried in 2014. easyJet flies to Faro, Funchal, Porto and Lisbon and from 29 March a service will start connecting the capital with Ponta Delgada in Azores.
Top Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Boeing 737-8JP WL LN-NIF (msn 39434) with Finnish writer and social activist Minna Canth on the tail arrives at Tenerife Sur.
Norwegian aircraft slide show:ย
easyJet aircraft slide show:ย
Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) and Virgin Atlantic Airways (London) are celebrating a significant expansion of their trans-Atlantic partnership with the introduction of six new daily services.
The two airlines begin their summer schedule this weekend and will offer up to 39 return trans-Atlantic flights a day between the U.K. and 15 destinations across North America. The joint schedule now includes 10 daily flights between New York and London Heathrow, with eight daily departures from New York-JFK and two departures from Newark. Customers travelling between JFK and London Heathrow will benefit from a memory schedule* of regular evening departures from New York.
Virgin Atlantic is launching a second daily service between Los Angeles and Heathrow, complemented by significant investment on the ground with the first-ever Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in Los Angeles due to open next month. Combined with the Delta service launched in October 2014, the partnership will offer three daily flights from Los Angeles to London and expects to carry close to 400,000 annual passengers on the route.
Also launching this weekend is a seasonal second-daily Virgin Atlantic service between Atlanta and London Heathrow and a second service between San Francisco and London Heathrow that will operate five days a week over the summer.
The two airlines are maximizing the benefits of their joint-venture partnership and increasing passenger choice by aligning schedules to best meet customer demand. This will see a transfer of operations that begins this weekend with Delta flying one of the Newark-to-London Heathrow services previously operated by Virgin Atlantic. Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic will take over Delta’s Atlanta-to-Manchester service.
Further joint-venture services will be introduced later in the summer. These include:
A new daily Delta service between Philadelphia and London Heathrow starting April 26
A new daily Delta service between New York-JFK and Manchester starting May 21
A new daily Virgin Atlantic service between London Heathrow and Detroit starting June 1
Virgin Atlantic is also offering a series of special seasonal services this year from Orlando to Belfast, Northern Ireland (June and July), and Las Vegas to Glasgow, Scotland (September and October).
Virgin Atlantic is resuming flights from London Gatwick to the Caribbean island of Tobago on Sunday and will be offering a weekly service during the summer and a twice-weekly service in the winter.
This summer, Delta flights between London Heathrow and Boston, Los Angeles and New York will operate from Heathrow’s Terminal 3 alongside all Virgin Atlantic services. Delta flights between Heathrow and Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis-St Paul, Philadelphia and Seattle/Tacoma will operate from Terminal 4. Delta One and Upper Class passengers departing from London Heathrow Terminal 3 will be able to enjoy a seamless transfer from car to lounge via the Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Wing. Business class passengers travelling from Heathrow Terminal 4 will enjoy complimentary access to the SkyTeam lounge.
Since the start of the joint venture, more than five million people have travelled on its services with 10,000 people per month connecting between the two airlines last year. The new schedule offers connecting itineraries to 215 destinations.
Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A330-323 N813NW (msn 799) taxies at Amsterdam.
Delta aircraft slide show (current livery):ย
Virgin Atlantic aircraft slide show:ย
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (Amsterdam) is postponing its new route from Amsterdam to Edmonton until further notice. KLM was planning to serve the new destination three times weekly starting on May 5 and four times weekly from June 22.
At present, KLM is negotiating with its trade unions to arrive at new collective labor agreements. As yet, KLM has not reached an agreement.
In other news, KLM has made the decision to defer the 2015 delivery of its first two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners according to Airways News. The delay is due to the on-going negotiations with its unions.
Image: Boeing/KLM.
KLM aircraft slide show:ย
El Al Israel Airlines (Tel Aviv) and Boeing (Chicago, Seattle and Charleston) today (March 12) celebrated a major milestone ย with the delivery of the airline’s 50th airplane purchased from Boeing โ a Next-Generation 737-900 ER.
Boeing 737-958 ER 4X-EHD (msn 41555) was officially handed over yesterday (March 11).
The delivery is the fifth 737-900 ER for the airline following an order placed for eight between 2011 and 2013. Since taking delivery in 1961 of its first new Boeing airplane, a 707-420, EL AL’s fleet has expanded to include an all-Boeing fleet consisting of 21 737s, seven 747s, six 767s and six 777s.
Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. The first, Boeing 737-958 ER 4X-EHA (msn 41552), is seen at Amsterdam.
El Al aircraft slide show:ย
Air France (Paris) and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (Amsterdam) have outlines the changes for its upcoming Summer Schedule effective from March 29 through October 24, 2015. Overall theย Air France-KLM Group capacity is increasing (+ 1.7%) compared with the summer 2014 season.
Long-haul operations are increasing by 1.8%. Medium-haul activity is continuing its reorganization and is decreasing by 1.9%. Transaviaโs low cost operations (+ 7.8%) are undergoing strong development in France and are being consolidated in the Netherlands.
Here are the highlights:
Long-haul: Air France-KLM is increasing services to Canada and is launching two new routes: Vancouver operated by Air France from March 25, 2015 and Edmonton served by KLM from ย May 5, 2015. The Group is also improving its position in South America thanks to the launch of a new KLM route to Bogota and Cali (Colombia) from March 31, 2015.
Medium-haul: Air France-KLM is developing its European network on departure from the Amsterdam-Schiphol hub by adding three new destinations operated by KLM Cityhopper as from May 18, 2015: Belfast (Northern Ireland), Krakow (Poland) and Montpellier (France). At Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Air France is increasing capacity to Bordeaux (France), Naples (Italy), Billund (Denmark), Bucharest (Romania) and Budapest (Hungary).
On departure from Paris-Orly and the regional airports, the Group continues to reorganize its short-haul activity, currently regrouped within HOP! Air France’s operations.
Low-cost operations: Transavia is continuing its rapid development in France (+30%) and is consolidating its activity in the Netherlands. The company is launching 14 new routes, while strengthening its offer of flights to the most popular summer destinations.
New products and services: Air France-KLM is continuing its move upmarket. At the end of the summer season, 20 Air France Boeing 777 (above) will be equipped with the latest BEST cabins. After renovating its World Business Class cabin on all its Boeing 747-400, KLM is gradually equipping its fleet of Boeing 777 with its new World Business Class and Economy Class. From April 2015, Air France is also introducing a new leather seat on 24 Airbus A319 on departure from Paris-Charles de Gaulle. It will then equip 25 Airbus A320 in the first half of 2016.
Partnerships: As well as strengthening its joint ventures (Delta, Alitalia, China Southern, China Eastern, Kenya Airways, Air Mauritius) and its strategic agreements (GOL), Air France-KLM is continuing the development of its partnerships all over the world. To offer more and more flight frequencies and destinations, the Group is extending its cooperation with the Canadian airline WestJet. The Group also has strong ambitions In Asia, illustrated by the signing of a cooperation agreement between KLM and Xiamen Airlines and the code-share agreement with Garuda on flights between Amsterdam and Jakarta.
LONG-HAUL: +1.8%
Air France-KLMโs long-haul activity is increasing by +1.8%.
North America
For the 2015 summer season, Air France-KLM is increasing services to Canada. As of March 25, 2015, Air France is launching a new route to Vancouver, with up to 5 weekly flights from Paris-Charles de Gaulle. KLM is also introducing a new service between Amsterdam-Schiphol and Edmonton on May 5, 2015, with 3 weekly flights, then 4 weekly flights as of ย June 22, 2015.
Air France-KLM is developing its partnership with the Canadian airline WestJet, by offering new connecting opportunities in North America in addition to the new Paris-Vancouver and Amsterdam-Edmonton routes. Moreover, the Group is maintaining its close cooperation with Delta Air Lines as part of the trans-Atlantic joint venture.
Between May and September 2015, the seasonal service to Minneapolis-Saint Paul (USA) will be resumed from Paris-Charles de Gaulle. To meet market demand, Air France will be operating a second daily flight to San Francisco (USA) during the peak summer season (from mid-June to the end of August 2015). KLM is also further extending its second flight to Los Angeles to the full summer period, offering 12 weekly frequencies.
Central and South America and the Caribbean
As from March 31, 2015, KLM is launching a new service to Bogota and Cali (Colombia) from Amsterdam-Schiphol with 3 weekly frequencies. As a continuation of the winter season, Air France is increasing capacity to Panama City, with 5 weekly flights. Services to Brasilia (Brazil), launched in summer 2014, are maintained with 3 weekly frequencies.
In addition, Air France-KLM is maintaining its close cooperation with the Brazilian airline GOL, in order to offer numerous connecting opportunities to its customers on the Brazilian domestic network.In the Caribbean, as a continuation of the winter schedule, Air France-KLM is adjusting capacity during the peak summer season. The Company will offer up to 13 weekly flights to Pointe ร Pitre and up to 11 weekly flights to Fort de France. Moreover, during the peak summer period, KLM will be operating a second nonstop flight twice a week to Curacao, in addition to the daily flight from Amsterdam-Schiphol.
Asia
Air France is continuing its daily service to Hong Kong (China) by Airbus A380 (5 weekly flights) and by Boeing 777-300 (2 weekly flights). The Company is also increasing capacity to Seoul (South Korea), serving this destination by Boeing 777-300 with 383 seats as well as to Singapore, with three additional flights operated during the peak summer period. Air France is continuing to serve Tokyo-Haneda Airport (Japan) up to 13 times a week in addition to the daily flight to Tokyo-Narita which provides connections to Noumea (New Caledonia).
The Group is also continuing to strengthen its cooperation with its Asian partners to offer an even wider choice of flights and destinations. In particular, KLM and Garuda Indonesia have set up a code-share agreement on both airlinesโ flights between Amsterdam and Jakarta (Indonesia). KLM has also signed a cooperation agreement with the Chinese airline Xiamen Airlines, illustrating their commitment to strengthening accessibility between the Netherlands and China.
Africa and the Indian Ocean
As a continuation of the winter season, Air France will serve Abidjan (Ivory Coast) daily, including 3 weekly flights by Airbus A380. The Company is also increasing capacity to Dakar (Senegal), by operating the route from Paris-Charles de Gaulle by Boeing 777-300 with 383 seats.
In East Africa, KLM is continuing to specifically adjust its network to market expectations by increasing capacity to Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and Entebbe (Uganda). Both destinations are served non-stop three times a week from Amsterdam-Schiphol, providing new connecting opportunities to Europe and North America in particular. On the other days these destinations are offered respectively as a continuation of the services to Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) and Kigali (Rwanda). KLM is also strengthening its cooperation with its partner Kenya Airways by offering new connections to Zambia, Zimbabwe, Zanzibar and the Indian Ocean, as a continuation of the service to Nairobi airport which boasts new airport facilities.
In the Indian Ocean, Air France serves Reunion Island up to 11 times per week, including 5 night flights.
Middle East
Air Franceโs new BEST cabins have been flying to Dubai (UAE) since February 23, 2015. In September 2015, these cabins will also be available to Beirut (Lebanon). Furthermore, the Group maintains its code-share agreements with Middle East Airlines, Saudia and Etihad.
New long-haul products and services
Air France-KLM is continuing to roll out new products and services aiming to be among the best in the world.
By the end of the 2015 summer season, the new Air France BEST cabins will equip 20 aircraft and fly to 18 long-haul destinations:
North America: Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, Washington;
South America: Sao Paulo;
Africa: Bangui, Douala, Libreville, Malabo, Yaoundรฉ;
Middle East: Beirut, Dubai;
Asia: Beijing, Guangzhou, Jakarta, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo-Haneda.
On its BEST fleet (Boeing 777-200 and 777-300), Air France is adapting to customer demand during the peak summer period (from mid-July to the end of August) by adjusting in just ten hours the seating configuration of its aircraft. This ‘quick change’ can replace certain Business class seats with additional Economy seats. These additional seats correspond to the operation of the 3 additional Boeing 777-200 during the entire season.
Above Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. The pictured Boeing 747-406 PH-BFT (msn 28459) now wears the updated 2014 livery.
Furthermore, having renovated its World Business Class cabin on all its Boeing 747-400 (above), KLM is gradually equipping its Boeing 777-200 and then its 777-300 with its new World Business Class and Economy Class. At the end of 2016, 80% of KLMโs fleet will be equipped with fully renovated cabins.
MEDIUM-HAUL: -1.9%
For the 2015 summer season, the Groupโs medium-haul capacity is continuing to readjust and is down by -1.9%.
On departure from the hubs at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol
For the 2015 summer season, KLM is expanding its European network on departure from its hub at Amsterdam-Schiphol by adding three new destinations: Belfast (Northern Ireland), Krakow (Poland) and Montpellier (France). These new services will be operated from 18 May 2015 with one daily flight. Furthermore, the number of daily KLM flights to Florence and Basel is increasing from 3 to 4.
On departure from Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Air France is adding a daily flight to Bordeaux (France), Naples (Italy), Billund (Denmark), Bucharest (Romania) and Budapest (Hungary). As of April 2015, the company will be introducing an upgraded product (greater flexibility for business trips, new gourmet attentions) as well as a new leather seat which will be progressively installed on board 24 Airbus A319s. This seat will subsequently equip 25 Airbus A320s during the first half of 2016.
On departure from Paris-Orly and the French regions
As from summer 2015, HOP! Air France is regrouping the entire short-haul network under a single commercial offer. This unified network includes all short-haul routes from Paris-Orly and the French regions. These routes are operated by Air France Airbus or HOP! regional aircraft.
Above Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com. Hop! For Air France ATR 42-500 F-GPYL (msn 542) taxies at Nantes, France.
HOP! Air France is continuing to restructure its network during summer 2015 –
On departure from Paris-Orly, HOP! Air France is rationalizing its offer to Toulouse, Strasbourg and Mulhouse by decreasing the number of frequencies while increasing the capacity of its aircraft.
On departure from the French regions, as a continuation of the adjustments initiated in the winter, HOP! Air France is suspending its international flights. However, to meet customer demand, certain destinations will still be operated during the summer holiday period, notably routes to Beirut and North Africa on departure from Marseille; Spain, Italy and Greece on departure from Toulouse; Tel Aviv and Athens on departure from Nice.
Transavia: +7.8%
As a continuation of the winter season, Transavia is continuing its rapid development in France (+30%) and is consolidating its operations in the Netherlands (-0.8%).
With the ambition to be the leading low-cost airline in terms of destinations from Paris-Orly in 2015, Transavia France is launching 10 new routes this summer:
– On departure from Paris-Orly: Valencia, Dublin, Munich, Thessaloniki, Tirana, Warsaw, Casablanca, Fez and Amsterdam.
– On departure from Nantes: Madrid.
Furthermore, the company is increasing frequencies on many routes including Barcelona, Madrid, Oporto and Lisbon.
Above Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com. Now painted in the old 2005 livery, Transavia’s (Netherlands) Boeing 737-7K2 PH-XRE (msn 30668) arrives in Las Palmas.
In the same way, Transavia Netherlands is concentrating its activity on the hub at Amsterdam-Schiphol, where it will offer new frequencies to Tel Aviv, Larnaca, Malta and Paris-Orly. The Company is also increasing its offer of flights to Alicante, Barcelona, Malaga, Pisa, Naples and Thessaloniki.
Transavia Netherlands will also operate a new route from Rotterdam-The Hague to Berlin. On departure from Eindhoven, the service launched to Athens in February 2015 will continue this summer.
To accompany this rapid growth, Transavia has ordered 20 Boeing 737-800, with 17 firm orders and another three options. These aircraft will support the rapid growth of Transavia France and the development of Transavia Netherlands. The delivery of these aircraft will begin in January 2016 and will continue until 2018.
Top Copyright Photo: Christian Volpati/AirlinersGallery.com. Air France’s Boeing 777-328 ER F-GZNE (msn 37432) in the SkyTeam alliance livery taxies to the runway at the Paris (CDG) hub.
Air France aircraft slide show:ย
KLM aircraft slide show:ย
Transavia (Netherlands) aircraft slide show:ย
Transavia (France) aircraft slide show:ย
Hop! Air France aircraft slide show:ย
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