Sky Airline (Chile) (Santiago)ย on July 3 2013 retired from scheduled operations three of its Boeing 737-200s: CC-CTO, CC-AAG and CC-ABD. Three 737-200s still remain in service: CC-CTH, CC-CTK and CC-CVI. However these last three aircraft will be retired by the end of July 2013. After that, the carrier willย onlyย operate Airbus A319s and A320s.
Copyright Photo: Alvaro Romero/ModoCharlie.com.ย Boeing 737-230 CC-CTK (msn 22402) completes its final approach back into the Santiago base.
Hainan Airlines (Haikou and Beijing) and Boeing (Chicago) today (July 4) celebrated the delivery of the airline’s first 787 Dreamliner at Charleston, SC. ย Boeing 787-8 B-2722 (msn 34939) was handed over to the carrier. The following day the aircraft flew to Boeing Field in Seattle as a crew rest stop and training before proceeding to China. The delivery is the first of 10 787s for Hainan Airlines.
Hainan Airlines will first operate the Dreamliner on a domestic route from Beijing to Haikou starting on July 31. Thereafter, the airline will deploy the 787 on its North America routes, increasing the frequency of its Beijing-Seattle/Tacoma, Beijing-Toronto (Pearson) and Beijing-Chicago (O’Hare) services, with several new destinations.
Beijing-Chicago (O’Hare) commences on September 3.
The Hainan Airlines 787 Dreamliner interior consists of 36 full, flat-bed business seats configured in rows of 2-2-2, as well as 177 economy seats configured in rows of 3-3-3.ย Each seat has a 15-inch, touch screen panel and a power outlet.ย Each business seat also has a USB port.
As one of only seven airlines rated as five-star by Skytrax, Hainan Airlines is the fourth largest airline in terms of fleet size in the People’s Republic of China.ย Its current fleet includes 106 Boeing airplanes. The airline serves scheduled domestic and international services on 500 routes fromBeijing, Haikou and other operating base on the mainland, and provides charter services.
Copyright Photo: Joe G. Walker. Boeing 787-8 B-2728 (msn 34938) lands at Paine Field Field near Everett after a test flight.
Malawi Airlines Limited (Blantyre) was launched on July 2 as the replacement flag carrier of Malawi replacing defunct Air Malawi (Blantyre). The new airline will be operated in partnership with investor Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa). Malawi will have a 51 percent share in the new carrier and Ethiopian Airlines will hold the other 49 percent according to this report by Nyasa Times.
Ethiopian Airlines will supply two aircraft for the new venture.
Air Malawi was placed into liquidation in November 2012. One grounded Boeing 737-300, one 737-500 and one ATR 42-300 are for sale by the receiver.
Copyright Photo: Rainer Bexten/AirlinersGallery.com. Air Malawi was one of the last passenger operators of the Boeing 737-200. 737-2K9 7Q-YKX (msn 23405) is pictured arriving at Johannesburg.
Garuda Indonesia (Jakarta) on June 27, 2013 took delivery of its first Boeing 777-3U3 ER (PK-GIA, msn 40074). Boeing and Garuda Indonesia are celebrating the delivery in Jakarta today. Boeing issued this statement:
Boeing and Garuda Indonesia celebrated the arrival of the airline’s first 777-300 ER (Extended Range) in Jakarta Tuesday (July 2).
The long-haul, twin-aisle airplane is the first of 10 777-300 ERs delivered to the airline and is a key component of the Garuda Indonesia’s Quantum Leap fleet revitalization program.
The airline configured its new 777-300 ERs with eight first-class suites, 38 business-class seats and 268 seats in economy class. The aircraft is also equipped with in-flight internet connectivity.
The airplane can fly up to 7,825 nautical miles (14,490 km). The 777-300 ERs are equipped with GE90-115B engines, the world’s most powerful commercial jet engine.
Southwest Airlines (Dallas) and the DISH Network has announced a new partnership. The DISH Network Corporation issued this statement today:
DISH, the leading pay-TV provider, today announced โTV Flies Freeโ marking the first time TVย entertainmentย is free for passengers aboard Southwest Airlines. Beginning today for Southwest Customers using iPhoneยฎ, iPadยฎ and iPod touchยฎ, or most other Internet-ready personal devices, DISH is providing free access to live TV and up to 75 on-demand shows on the airlineโs more than 400 Wi-Fi-enabled aircraft.
The news was unveiled by DISHโs โBoston Guysโ who surprised each of the passengers aboard a Southwest flight fromย Bostonย to Baltimore/Washington with a free iPad 2 on behalf of the two companies. Southwest Customers and Crew greeted the news with spirited applause, as for the first time, Customers flying on Southwest Airlines can stream directly to their personal devices live TV and up to 75 on demand titles for free, a savings of $5 per day. Over the past year, the โBoston Guys,โ have popularized DISHโs Hopperยฎ Whole-Home HD DVR with their Boston accents featured humorously in DISHโs โHoppaโ commercials.
โDISH and Southwest are two iconic American brands known for putting the customer first, providing products, services and experiences they truly demand,โ said DISH President and CEO Joe Clayton. โItโs only logical our two companies should team up to give passengers free live TV and on-demand shows on flights around the country.โ
Clayton added: โCustomers using DISHโs award-winning DISH AnywhereTMย and Hopper TransfersTMย apps on their iPad can watch all theirย live TV, DVR recordings and on-demand shows anywhere, anytime viaย Wi-Fi connectionย orย Hopper Transfers. Now, on Southwest, they can use an iPad to watchย free live TVย and on-demand shows. Itโs a perfect fit.โ
โSouthwest Airlines continues to innovate and evolve our on-board Customerย experience,โ said Kevin Krone, Chief Marketing Officer at Southwest Airlines. โWe started with Wi-Fi and now have expanded to television. This new offer puts free television in the hands of our Customers. Just one more way Southwest offers more value at 37,000 feet.โ
In-air access to live TV, on-demand programming and Wi-Fi connectivity is delivered by Southwestโs satellite-based inflightย entertainmentย and connectivity partner, Row 44, a subsidiary ofย Global Eagle Entertainment, Inc.
PROMOTION AND SERVICE DETAILS
As part of the agreement, DISH also announced a promotion for new DISH customers signing up for the Hopper Whole Home DVR and a qualified programming package, offering 12,500 points in Southwestโsย Rapid Rewardsย frequent flyer program and the choice to receive an iPad 2. DISH is teaming up with Southwest Airlines for the nationwide marketing campaign to make its offer available to the airlineโs Customers.
Southwestโs in-airย live TV, delivered by connectivity partner Row 44, is available on most Internet-ready devices on most flights. The live-TV lineup currently features Bravo, CNBC, FOX 5 New York (WNYW),ย FOX Business Network,ย FOX News Channel, Golf Channel, MLB.com (Major League Baseball, when games are available), MSNBC, NBC 4 (WNBC), NFL Network,ย Food Network, HGTV and Travel Channel.ย Popular TV showย episodes are also available on demand as part of the TV lineup. Free TV, compliments of DISH, is a limited-time promotion.
Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Boeing 737-8H4 WL N8609A (msn 36893) prepares to land at Washington (Reagan National).
Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa) has announced that it has added South America, the fifth continent in its route network, with the launching of new services to Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as of today – July 1, 2013.
The inaugural flight to these destinations is operated using Ethiopian Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, the most technologically advanced commercial aircraft offering unparalleled on-board comfort to passengers with high ceiling, the biggest windows in the sky, greatly reduced noise, unique lighting system and higher level of humidity.
Ethiopian flight to Brazil are operated through its second hub in Lomรฉ, Togo, three times a week. The addition of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro will bring the number of its international destinations across five continents to 75. The flights will be the only connection between West Africa and Brazil.
Copyright Photo: Paul Denton/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner ET-AOQ (msn 34745) arrives in Dubai.
Air India (Mumbai) will again serve Australia after a 16-year absence. The carrier is launching a triangular route from Delhi to Sydney and Melbourne and back to Delhi four days a week starting on August 29 per this report from The Sydney Morning Herald. On the other three days of the week, the route will be Delhi-Melbourne-Sydney-Delhi. The restored route will be operated by its Boeing 787-8s. Therefore it will become the first 787 operator in Australia.
Read the full story from The Sydney Morning Herald: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner VT-ANH (msn 36276) taxies to the terminal on arrival at Frankfurt.
Iraqi Airways (Baghdad) in May 2008, through the Iraqi government, ordered 30 new Boeing 737-800s from The Boeing Company with options for 10 additional aircraft. The first aircraft in the order is being prepared for delivery. The flag carrier is taking the opportunity to also introduce a new livery for the airline. The airline is retaining its historic green and while color scheme but now with updated lines.
Copyright Photo: Duncan Kirk/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-81Z YI-ASE (msn 40104) taxies to the runway at Boeing Field (King County) in Seattle yesterday (May 28) in the evening for a test flight.
Gestair Cargo (Madrid) has rebranded back to its original name of Cygnus Air Corporacion.
The airline is currently owned by the Macholfam International (Grupo Gestair) (60%) and IMES (Grupo ACS) (40%) according to Wikipedia.
Top Copyright Photo: Ole Simon/AirlinersGallery.com. This Gestair Cargo color scheme ย and name was introduced in 2008.
Bottom Copyright Photo: Gunter Mayer. Now ex-Iberia Boeing 757-236 EC-KLD (msn 24121), pictured at Nuremberg at night, is wearing the basic Gestair livery now with Cygnus Air Corporacion titles and the new (old) tail logo.
Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) will begin renovations funded by a $6.3 million grant from The Delta Air Lines Foundation and will kick-off a corporate sponsorship campaign to refurbish Delta’s historic hangars on the company’s corporate campus. Upon completion of the project, the facility will open to the public as the Delta Flight Museum offering daily tours and a unique private event facility.
The hangars, originally built in the 1940s for Delta’s aircraft maintenance, were repurposed in 1995 as the site of the currentย Delta Air Transportย Heritage Museum. Its mission then was to preserve the history of Delta’s people and culture of exceptional customer service forged by founder C.E. Woolman. The site has served as the backbone of the company’s global headquarters for more than 70 years.
“Returning Delta’s historic hangars to their original glory helps preserve the history and rich Delta employee culture for generations of aviation enthusiasts,” saidย Tad Hutcheson, vice president โ Community Affairs and Chairman of the Board of Directors for theย Delta Air Transport Heritage Museum. “The new Delta Flight Museum will offer a one-of-a-kind experience for theย Atlantacommunity and visitors from around the world.”
The renovation project will last 12 months and is scheduled to be complete in advance of Delta’s 85th anniversary of commercial aviation service on June 17, 2014. Some of the major improvements include the addition of a welcome theater, installation of an elevator and construction of a new mezzanine level.
When completed, the new museum will offer a full-service event space that will accommodate private events for groups ranging from 100 to 1,200 people for a seated meal service. The facility will be among the largest capacity venues in the Atlanta metropolitan area and will offer a variety of scalable rental options.
The entrance to the Delta Flight Museum will offer convenient access for daily visitors and will include dedicated parking for museum patrons as well as capacity for valet parking services to compliment private functions held in the facility.
The Spirit of Deltaย will continue to be one of the largest items on display in the museum. The Boeing 767-200 (above, caption below) was purchased by Delta employees in 1982 as an expression of thanks to the company and has been located in the museum since being retired from service in 2006.
The renovation also will include preserving the hangar doors by returning them to their original condition and polishing the concrete floors to retain the distinctive markings created when Delta installed the reinforced concrete needed to handle heavier aircraft as it transitioned from the use of propeller planes to the jet age.
New air conditioning and heat controls will provide a comfortable year-round visitor experience inside the large hangar facility. A full Convair 880 cockpit already owned by the museum along with a Boeing 737-200 flight simulator will be installed as permanent exhibits and a new retail store will be built for visitors to purchase aviation memorabilia and Delta-branded items.
The hangars were designated as an official Historic Aerospace Site by The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics in Feb. 2011, acknowledging them as the oldest surviving buildings currently in use atย Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
Delta moved its headquarters from Monroe, Louisiana, toย Atlantaย in 1941 and began use of the hangars as the primary maintenance facility for its daily commercial flight operations. Aircraft maintenance moved to the site of Delta’s currentย Technical Operations Centerย in 1960. In 1990, a group of Delta retirees launched an effort to consolidate Delta memorabilia, archival collections and one of Delta’s first 1940s era Douglas DC-3 aircraft. The effort resulted in the creation of theย Delta Air Transport Heritage Museumย located in the hangar facility donated by Delta.
Top Copyright Rendering: Delta Air Lines.
Middle Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. “The Spirit of Delta” in the form of donated Boeing 767-232 N102DA (msn 22214) worn several different liveries in its career with Delta. Here is the special “Celebrating 75 Years 2004” livery at Miami.
Delta Air Lines:ย
Bottom Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com.ย Douglas DC-3-357 NC28341 (msn 3278) lands at Baltimore/Washington (BWI).
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