Island Air (Honolulu), owned by billionaire Larry Ellison, wants its pilots to pay back a prematurely-paid $4,000 Christmas bonus according to the Star Advertiser. The payment was sent prematurely last month “due to an internal administrative error”. Oops!
Read the full story: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Ivan K. Nishimura/Blue Wave Group/AirlinersGallery.com.ย ATR 72-210 N342AT (msn 345) waits for the next flight departure at the Honolulu gate.
Island Air aircraft slide show:
Air Mandalay Limited (Yangon) and Boeing (Chicago and Seattle) have signed a memorandum of collaboration ย in support of working together toward Air Mandalayโs fleet renewal efforts. H.E. U Nyan Htun Aung, Minister of Transport of Myanmar and the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Derek J. Mitchell witnessed the signing.
Boeing will assist Air Mandalay with its efforts to procure Next-Generation 737 airplanes through leasing channels in support of Air Mandalayโs expansion plan.
The two parties commented:
โThis memorandum is an important step in our growth strategy,โ said Datoโ Adam Htoon, principal of Air Mandalay. โDue to the growth of tourism and business investment in Myanmar, air transportation has become an increasingly important contributor to both the nationโs economic growth and its infrastructure development. The country is looking to position itself as a major tourism destination capable of handling an increasing number of foreign visitors. The 737s will provide us with capabilities to support this critical national growth strategy.โ
โWe look forward to supporting Air Mandalay on its fleet expansion strategy, setting the foundation for a long and successful partnership between Air Mandalay and Boeing,โ said Skip Boyce, president, Boeing Southeast Asia. โThe Next-Generation 737 aircraft will provide Air Mandalay with market-leading efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort, allowing the airline to continue to prosper and grow in the region.โ
Air Mandalay Limited is a private joint venture company that was incorporated on October 6, 1994 to operate as Myanmarโs first privately owned airline and support the countryโs tourism industry. The airline, based in Yangon, has since established itself as a carrier of high standards with a wide domestic network and one regional link to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. It operates to all of Myanmarโs main tourist destinations and commercial hubs. The airline also offers air charter services to destinations both within the country and regionally.
Air Mandalay currently operates ATR 42 and ATR 72 aircraft.
Copyright Photo: Richard Vandervord/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Air Mandalay ATR 72-212 XY-AIR (msn 467) arrives at the Yangon hub.
Air Mandalay aircraft slide show:
http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Asia-1/Airlines-Asia1-AE/Air-Mandalay
Video: Flying on the ATR 72.ย Air Mandalay’s ATR 72-212 XY-AIR is taped operating into Heho Airport and landing on runway 18 from Mandalay International Airport as flight 6T 402 bound for Yangon. Situated at the edge of the mountainous Shan state at an elevation of 3,888 feet, the airport is the gateway to the picturesque Inle Lake. Videoed from Seat 5D.
Current Route Map:
Jet Airways (Mumbai) is getting out of the low-fare business and will concentrate on full service flights under its own brand. All JetKonnect-branded flights will end on November 30 and on the following day all flights will be operated under Jet Airways brand.
JetKonnect (Mumbai) was originally known as Sahara Airlines which started operations on December 3, 1993. The airline changed its name to Air Sahara on October 2, 2000. Jet Airways acquired the airline and changed its name to Jetlite on June 1, 2007.
Jetlite was replaced and merged into Jet Airways’s JetKonnect brand on March 25, 2012.
Jet Airways issued this statement:
From December 1, 2014 all existing JetKonnect flights will operate as full service flights under a single brand, Jet Airways.
All guests booking flights on or after September 15, 2014 for travel on or after December 1, 2014 will enjoy a full service experience onboard all Jet Airways and JetKonnect operated flights across our domestic network. This enhancement will involve complimentary meal service onboard all our flights for travel effective December 01, 2014. Consequently Sky Cafรฉ, our Buy on Board service will be discontinued.
JetKonnect flies to 47 cities within India with over 430 daily flights with a mix of Boeing and ATR aircraft.
Copyright Photo: Eurospot. Jet Airways retained the Jetlite color scheme and simply added JetKonnect titles when the two brands were merged. ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-600) F-WWEQ (msn 1056) descends from the clouds at an overcast Toulouse. F-WWEO became VT-JCX on delivery on November 30, 2012.
Jet Airways aircraft slide show:ย 
Air Sahara aircraft slide show:ย
LIAT – The Caribbean Airline (Antigua) has issued this statement about the reduction of its fleet from 11 aircraft to nine and possible staff cuts:
LIAT is about to embark on its annual budget planning exercise and to put in place its operational plans for 2015.
As a result of the airline’s fleet transition program, LIAT will be a smaller airline in 2015 than in 2014, operating a fleet of nine aircraft as opposed to 11 in 2014.
LIAT Chief Executive Officer David Evans said: “Like any responsible business we have to examine our cost base and if we fly fewer aircraft in 2015 than in 2014, we also need to reduce our costs to reflect this. We have also been mandated by our Board of Directors to ensure that our costs reflect the level of activity that we carry out. It is too early to say what impact there may be on jobs as a result of this, and the company will consult with its staff and their representatives over its plans before making any announcement.”
LIAT, The Caribbean Airline, operates a modern fleet of ATR 42 and ATR 72 aircraft across a regional network of 18 destinations. It is owned by regional shareholders, with the majority being the Governments of Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda and St. Vincent & the Grenadines.
Copyright Photo: Raul Sepulveda/AirlinersGallery.com. ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-600) V2-LIA (msn 1077) stops at San Juan, Puerto Rico.
LIAT Aircraft Slide Show:
http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Caribbean/Airlines-Caribbean-AZ/LIAT
Route Map:
Czech Airlines-CSA (Prague) has issued this statement concerning its new investor partner Korean Air (Seoul):
Czech Airlines management engaged in intensive negotiations with all company shareholders regarding their potential investments in the company immediately after the Czech Airlines shareholders unanimously approved a Czech Airlines restructuring plan at the beginning of September.
There has been a significant shift in negotiations with Korean Air. Czech Airlines management has received a letter from Korean Air confirming the companyโs decision to become financially involved in the Czech Airlines stabilization process and a proposal of its capital contribution to Czech Airlines.
Czech Airlines management has been reviewing Korean Airโs proposal thoroughly and will present it to Czech Aeroholding management at the earliest date possible. Czech Aeroholding has promised to review Korean Airโs proposal and is also ready to provide Czech Airlines with a capital contribution in the capacity of a private investor.
Czech Airlines appreciates the decision made by Korean Air and views it as a demonstration of strong support by a private shareholder and a positive signal regarding Czech Airlinesโ future. Czech Airlines management is convinced that this important move will help stabilize Czech Airlines in the immediate future.
Korean Air has conditioned its capital contribution to Czech Airlines by implicit execution of all measures outlined in the companyโs restructuring plan. Czech Airlines management will negotiate additional strategic investments in Czech Airlines with all shareholders upon completion of the entry of Travel Service into Czech Airlines.
Copyright Photo: Rolf Wallner/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Czech Airlines’ ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-500) F-GRPK (msn 727) with the special 90 Years – 1923-2013 emblem blocks at the gate.
Korean Air:ย
Czech Airlines:ย
Aer Lingus (Dublin) is restoring the Dublin-East Midlands route on February 4, 2015. The restored route will be operated daily by Stobart Air (formerly Aer Arann) (Dublin) ATR 72s as an Aer Lingus Regional carrier.
Read the full story from Dublin Airport: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Rob Skinkis/AirlinersGallery.com. ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-500) EI-REL (msn 748) departs from Manchester.
Aer Lingus:ย 
Aer Lingus Regional-Aer Arann:ย
Etihad Regional (Darwin Airline) (Lugano and Geneva) will add Brussels, Belgium on March 29 with two routes radiating to Dresden (three days a week) and Leipzig (four days a week). The new routes will be operated with ATR 72s.
Etihad Regional is the new European brand operated by Darwin Airline, the leading regional carrier of Switzerland. The airline is a full service carrier with a fleet of eight 50-seat SAAB 2000 turboprop aircrafts and four 68-seat ATRs 72-500s, operating to over 30 destinations in 9 European countries: Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Serbia, Netherlands and UK. Besides serving a range of key secondary cities in Europe, Etihad Regional offers international destinations across the entire world through its future 33.3 per cent shareholding equity and codeshare partner, Etihad Airways.
Copyright Photo: Karl Cornil/AirlinersGallery.com. ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-500) HB-ACC (msn 664) arrives in Toulouse.
Etihad Regional:ย
Current routes from Geneva:
TransAsia Airways (Taipei) 70-seat ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-600) B-22817 (msn 1145) operating as flight 222 crashed into residential buildings while attempting to make a landing at Magong Airport today (July 23) in the Penghu Islands with 54 passengers and four crew members on board. The brand new turboprop (delivered on May 14, 2014) had aborted its first attempt to land and was making a go around for its second attempt to land when it crashed into the village of Xixi in Penghu’s Huxi Township and burned. The aircraft was attempting to land when the last feeder band of departing Typhoon Matmo was hitting the islands. 48 people died (10 survived with injuries) in the crash according to the Civil Aeronautics Administration. The Penghu Islands are west of Taiwan in the Taiwan Straits.
Typhoon Matmo slammed into Taiwan yesterday (July 22) with heavy rains and strong winds and was departing the islands as the flight attempted to land.
TransAsia Airways flight 222 departed Kaohsiung International Airport bound for Magong Airport. The airliner was circling the island waiting for the weather to improve for landing when it lost contact with the tower as the feeder band of the storm lashed the island. The flight had been delayed at Kaohsiung waiting for the storm to pass the offshore islands.
Read the full report from the BBC (with photos): CLICK HERE
TransAsia pledges to take care of the families and officials defended the decision to fly into the departing storm. Read the update from Channel News Asia: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Manuel Negrerie/AirlinersGallery.com.
TransAsia Airways:ย 
Video:
Google Maps:
Myanmarโs state-owned national airline Myanma Airways (Yangon), to be named Myanmar National Airlines in the near future, has signed an agreement with ATR for 6 new generation ATR 72-600s with options for 6 additional aircraft. The acquisition of these new ATRs forms part of the carrierโs ambitious strategy to expand its global footprint to establish Myanma Airways (Myanmar National Airlines) as a major carrier in the region.
In parallel with the new order, following the companyโs dynamic development efforts, ATR will assist Myanma Airways (Myanmar National Airlines) to enhance its maintenance capabilities through the set-up of a modern MRO in Yangon meeting the highest international standards.
The new airplanes are scheduled for delivery in 2015 through to 2017. The new ATR 72-600s will completely and gradually replace the existing ATR fleet, boosting the airline services considerably by opening new routes, increasing flight frequencies to existing routes and offering the highest level of comfort to Myanma Airways (Myanmar National Airlines) customers.
Myanma Airways:ย
ATR (Toulouse) and the leasing company Air Lease Corporation (ALC) (Los Angeles) have signed an agreement for the purchase of seven additional ATR 72-600s. Air Lease Corporation (ALC) has purchased ATRs every year since its first contract at Farnborough in 2010. With this agreement, ALC now has 28 ATR 72-600s in its portfolio.
ATRs are currently operated by over 180 carriers worldwide.
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