Luxair Société Luxembourgeoise de Navigation Aérienne S.A. (Luxair), the national airline of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, signed a firm purchase agreement for three Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft and options on an additional two Q400 NextGen aircraft.
Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best/AirlinersGallery.com. Bombardier DHC-8-402 (marketed as the Q400) LX-LGC (msn 4162) approaches the runway at London Heathrow.
Luxair aircraft slide show: 
airBaltic (Riga) has announced it is expanding its European network next summer with these new routes:
The company will start the Riga-Pisa route on June 13 with one weekly Boeing 737 flight.
The Tallinn-Vienna route will be added on May 7 with Bombardier Q400 aircraft with four weekly flights.
The Tallinn-Berlin route will also be added on May 6 with four weekly Bombardier Q400 flights.
The carrier is also launching summer weekly flights to Usedom Island (Heringsdorf) on May 9 with Bombardier Q400 aircraft.
Copyright Photo: Andi Hiltl/AirlinersGallery.com. Bombardier DHC-8-402 (marketed as the Q400) YL-BAX (msn 4324) prepares to land in Zurich.
airBaltic aircraft slide show:
http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Europe-1/Airlines-Europe-1/airBaltic
EuroLOT (eurolot.com) (Warsaw) is giving up in its financial struggle. According to Radio Poland, the struggling airline is not taking any reservations past March 31.
According to report, the airline has been exploring its options for the past two months and concluded it could not make the company profitable. The state airline will be liquidated. The treasury of Poland controls 62.1 percent of the shares.
Read the report: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Rolf Wallner/AirlinersGallery.com. EuroLOT’s Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) SP-EQH (msn 4424) is framed on the ramp at Zurich. The Q400s will find new homes quickly.
Routes from Warsaw:
EuroLOT aircraft slide show:
http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Europe-1/Airlines-Europe-1/Eurolot-eurolotcom
Air Canada (Montreal) said today that its amended and extended capacity purchase agreement (CPA) with Chorus Aviation Inc., parent company of Jazz Aviation LP (Halifax), has been concluded with all terms and conditions now met. The agreement provides both parties with greater stability and significant cost reductions through a better alignment of their interests.
The airline continued:
Air Canada estimates the new agreement will result in approximately $550 million in financial value over the next six years as compared to the previous CPA, of which two-thirds will be in network optimization benefits. The remaining benefits will be spread across several cost areas. Annual benefits in 2015 are expected to increase operating income by approximately $50 million as Air Canada implements the new CPA, increasing each year throughout the following five years.
The agreement also provides for long-term stability by eliminating the risks, uncertainties and set-up costs of a potential transition to alternative regional providers in 2021. Post 2020, Air Canada expects Jazz will provide competitive costs and continued high service levels.
The highlights of the new CPA include:
Extension of the term by five years to December 31, 2025;
Establishment of a pilot mobility agreement that provides Jazz pilots with access to pilot vacancies at Air Canada, thus allowing a significant reduction in Jazz operating costs;
Simplification and modernization of the Jazz fleet which will provide improved service and greater efficiency through the addition of 23 Bombardier Q400 aircraft;
Reduction in Air Canada and Jazz costs derived from a combination of improved fleet economics, greater network flexibility and reduced operating and labour costs. This supports Air Canada’s cost reduction initiatives; and
Modification of Jazz’s CPA fee structure, moving from a “cost plus” mark-up to a more industry standard fixed fee compensation structure. This will provide more cost certainty and better align the cost reduction goals of both Air Canada and Jazz. This eliminates non-value added costs and the necessity of the 2015 benchmarking exercise.
As a result, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft and Chorus Aviation Inc., parent company of Jazz Aviation LP announced today that they have signed a firm purchase agreement whereby Chorus will acquire 13 Q400 NextGen aircraft and options for 10 Q400 NextGen aircraft. Once delivered, the aircraft will be operated by Jazz under the Air Canada Express banner.
The Companies also announced Chorus and Jazz as the launch customer and operator for the industry’s first Dash 8-300 aircraft Extended Service Program that will extend the life of the Dash 8-300 turboprop to 120,000 flight cycles from the original 80,000 flight cycles.
Copyright Photo: TMK Photography/AirlinersGallery.com. Jazz Aviation’s Bombardier DHC-8-402 (marketed as the Q400) C-GGOI (msn 4381) arrives in Toronto (Pearson).
Air Canada aircraft slide show:
http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Canada/Airlines-Canada
Air Canada Express-Jazz aircraft slide show:
Horizon Air Industries, Inc. (Horizon Air) (Alaska Horizon) (Seattle/Tacoma) has converted two of seven previously acquired Bombardier DHC-8-402 (marketed as the Q400 NextGen) aircraft options to firm orders. The airline retains its options on another five Q400 NextGen aircraft. Horizon Air and its sister carrier, Alaska Airlines are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group.
Horizon Air’s Q400 aircraft are equipped with Head-up Guidance Systems (HGS) for all-weather operations, Wide Area Augmentation Systems (WAAS) with approach guidance (LPV) for ILS-like landing minima at remote runways and RNP AR 0.1 to fly curved approaches to airports in difficult terrain.
Established in 1981, Horizon Air was acquired in 1986 by Alaska Air Group, Inc., the parent company of Alaska Airlines. At its start, the airline operated two aircraft and served three destinations in Washington state. Today, Horizon flies its 76-seat Q400 aircraft on behalf of Alaska Airlines and serves 43 cities in the western United States, Canada and Mexico. Horizon Air, which is also a codeshare partner of American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, operates both the longest (Seattle to Fresno, 748 miles/1,204 km) and shortest (Pullman to Lewiston, 26 miles/42 km) turboprop routes currently being served by regional carriers in the U.S.
In 2014, Bombardier and Horizon Air signed a five-year heavy maintenance agreement whereby Bombardier will perform heavy maintenance tasks for the airline’s fleet of Q400 aircraft at Bombardier’s service center in Tuscon, Arizona.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) N448QX (msn 4409) arrives in Anchorage, Alaska.
Alaska Horizon aircraft slide show:
Flybe (Exeter) flight BE 202 from Manchester to Inverness landed at the Scottish airport at 10:14 am yesterday morning, January 20, before encountering ice on the runway and skidding off onto the nearby grass.
The aircraft involved was the pictured Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) registered G-JEDW (msn 4093).
None of the 47 passengers and four crewmembers were injured by the incident and all were immediately transferred to the terminal building by bus.
Temperatures of -3° were recorded around the airport following the coldest night of the year in Scotland where temperatures dropped to -12°.
A Flybe spokesman said: “Flybe can confirm that, when taxiing at low speed at the end of the runway having landed safely at Inverness Airport this morning, the wheels of the Q400 aircraft skidded on the surface of the airfield causing it to slide onto the grass.
“The 47 passengers and four crew were unharmed and exited the aircraft by the stairs for bus transfer to the terminal where they collected their luggage as normal.
“The safety of its passengers and crew is the airline’s number one priority and Flybe regrets any inconvenience experienced as a result of this incident.”
Report by Assistant Editor Oliver Wilcock from Manchester.
Read more (with photos) from the Mirror: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Keith Burton/AirlinersGallery.com. G-JEDW before its was repainted in the new livery.
Flybe aircraft slide show:
http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Europe-2/Airlines-Europe-2/Flybe
Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) inaugurates new Alaska Horizon (Horizon Air) (Seattle/Tacoma) seasonal service between Las Vegas and Mammoth Lakes, California, today (January 15). Mammoth Lakes is a popular ski destination and close to Yosemite National Park.
Alaska’s nonstop flight from Las Vegas to Mammoth Lakes will operate on Mondays and Thursdays between January 15 and April 6, 2015.
Alaska Airlines also provides year-round flights to Mammoth Lakes from Los Angeles and winter seasonal flights from San Diego.
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Alaska Horizon’s (Horizon Air) Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) N403QX (msn 4037) arrives in Las Vegas in the special college Montana State Bobcats color scheme.
Alaska Horizon aircraft slide show:
Air Canada (Montreal) and Jazz Aviation LP (Halifax), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chorus Aviation Inc., have reached agreement on an amended and extended capacity purchase agreement (CPA) which provides for significant cost reductions for both parties, strengthens the relationship and better aligns their interests over the long term. The new CPA is subject to a number of terms and conditions, including the ratification of a new tentative agreement reached between Jazz and its pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (‘ALPA’), and approvals by the respective Boards.
The highlights of the new CPA include:
Extension of the term by five years to December 31, 2025;
Establishment of a pilot mobility agreement that provides Jazz pilots with access to pilot vacancies at Air Canada, thus allowing a significant reduction in Jazz operating costs;
Simplification and modernization of the Jazz fleet;
Reduction in Air Canada and Jazz costs derived from a combination of improved fleet economics, greater network flexibility and reduced operating and labour costs. This supports Air Canada’s cost reduction initiatives; and
Modification of Jazz’s CPA fee structure, moving from a “cost plus” mark-up to a more industry standard fixed fee compensation structure. This will provide more cost certainty and better align the cost reduction goals of both Air Canada and Jazz. This eliminates non-value added costs and the necessity of the 2015 benchmarking exercise.
While it is anticipated that Jazz will achieve similar returns to its current fee structure until 2020, there will be a reduction in the fixed fee compensation structure beginning in 2021. The new CPA affords Chorus the opportunity to provide more Jazz operated aircraft to Air Canada at market rates. Provisions within the new CPA will contribute significantly to ensuring Jazz is a formidable cost competitor in the regional sector over the term of the new CPA, thereby enabling Jazz to bid for new regional flying for Air Canada on a more competitive basis.
Further modernization of the Jazz fleet continues with the addition of 23 Bombardier Q400 aircraft to gradually replace 34 Bombardier DHC-8-100 and 25 CRJ200 aircraft. The transition to a newer, larger gauge aircraft operation calls for a reduction in the Jazz fleet from 122 to an established minimum guarantee of 101 aircraft by the end of 2020, and 86 aircraft by the end of 2025. The transition to newer and more efficient larger gauge aircraft significantly helps to reduce per seat operating costs. The up-gauging of aircraft results in a reduction of seat capacity of less than 4% by 2020, and is further reduced by less than 9% by 2025.
The new CPA is subject to respective Board approvals, the ratification of the pilot tentative agreement, and all requirements of the pilot mobility agreement being met. It is anticipated that all such approvals should be obtained by February 1, 2015.
In related news, Jazz Aviation announced that a new tentative agreement has been reached with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) who represents Jazz pilots. The proposed term of this tentative agreement is 11 years expiring on December 31, 2025, and is consistent with the term of the amended CPA announced today with Air Canada. The new labor agreement is subject to ratification by the majority of Jazz pilots and the requirements of a pilot mobility agreement being met. Details of the agreement will not be released pending ratification which is expected to be completed by February 1, 2015.
Copyright Photo: Chris Sands/AirlinersGallery.com. Jazz Aviation’s Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) C-GGNW (msn 4388) departs from Calgary.
Air Canada Regional-Jazz Aviation aircraft slide show:
Routes operated by Jazz for Air Canada:
Air Canada (Montreal) is now questioning whether it should continue operations at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport due “to current imposed terminal rates and terms”. Air Canada currently operates 15 round-trip flights a day between Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Montreal (Trudeau). Air Canada competes against Porter Airlines. See the statement below.
Read more from The Toronto Star: CLICK HERE
On the bright side, the company reported its highest load factor ever for the full year 2014. The company issued this statement:
For the month of December 2014, Air Canada reported a near record system load factor of 82.6 per cent, its second highest system load factor ever on a system-wide capacity increase of 8.5 per cent, versus a load factor of 82.7 per cent in December 2013. On this additional capacity, system wide traffic for December increased 8.3 per cent. For the full year 2014, load factor was a record 83.4 per cent, versus 82.8 per cent in 2013, an increase 0.6 percentage points. Air Canada reports traffic results on a system-wide basis, including Air Canada rougeTM, which began operations on July 1, 2013, and regional airlines from which Air Canada purchases capacity.
“I am pleased to report our highest load factor ever for the full year 2014 and second highest for the month of December on continued strong traffic growth of 8.5 and 8.3 per cent, respectively,” said Calin Rovinescu, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Led by an increase in traffic in the U.S. transborder market of 16.2 per cent, Air Canada generated greater traffic for the month of December in all markets the airline serves. These strong results, for both the month and full year, underscore the effectiveness of our commercial strategy focusing on international growth and the strategic deployment of Air Canada rouge to compete more effectively in leisure markets. I thank our employees for taking care of our customers while transporting them safely to their destination. Their professionalism and efforts in earning our customers’ loyalty have been recognized by many industry awards, including the selection of Air Canada as the Best Airline in North America by frequent world travelers.”
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport Operations
While Air Canada’s traffic and load factor at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport increased in 2014 over the previous year, as part of its continuing cost transformation initiatives, Air Canada is assessing the viability of Billy Bishop operations based on current imposed terminal rates and terms.
Copyright Photo: Gilbert Hechema/AirlinersGallery.com. Air Canada Express, operated by Sky Regional Airlines, Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) C-FSRJ (msn 4165) departs from Montreal (Trudeau).
Air Canada aircraft slide show: 
Air Canada Express-Sky Regional aircraft slide show:
Bombardier Commercial Aircraft (Montreal and Toronto) has announced that lessor GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) has signed a firm purchase agreement for five Bombardier DHC-8-402 (marketed as the Q400) NextGen aircraft and has also taken options on an additional 10 Q400 NextGen aircraft.
Based on the list price of the Q400 NextGen aircraft, the firm order is valued at approximately $160 million US. The value could increase to $448 million US should GECAS exercise all its options.
Image: Bombardier.
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