Eurowings (Dusseldorf) has announced it will begin service from Miami International Airport to Cologne/Bonn — Germany’s fourth-largest destination — beginning on May 1, 2016. The airline’s first-ever Miami service will operate three weekly flights using 310-seat Airbus A330 aircraft, which feature 21 premium seats and 289 in economy. The route will mark MIA’s third German carrier, after Lufthansa and Airberlin; its fifth German destination, along with Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and Munich; and its 20th European destination.
Miami-Cologne flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, with inbound flights scheduled to arrive in Miami at 4:10 p.m. and scheduled departures to Cologne at 5:55 p.m.
Eurowings is part of the Lufthansa Group.
Copyright Photo: Gerd Beilfuss/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A330-203 B-16301 (later D-AXGA) (msn 530) arrives at Hamburg.
Lufthansa (Frankfurt), in the wake of the tragic crash of Germanwings (2nd) (Cologne/Bonn) flight 4U 9225 in the French Alps, is facing some tough decisions on the future of its low-cost subsidiaries. Before the crash, Lufthansa was planning to gradually phase out the Germanwings brand and shift a number of routes to the new Eurowings (Dusseldorf) low-cost brand.
According to Airline Route, on October 25, 2015, a total of 55 Germanwings routes (and the 4U code) operating from Cologne/Bonn, Dusseldorf and Hamburg were due to be transferred to Eurowings and the EW code.
The Germanwings brand was expected to be gradually phased out with no end date specified. However with this tragic loss and the now apparent criminal act, will Lufthansa close out the tarnished Germanwings brand sooner?
Lufthansa has touted the success of its low-cost subsidiaries. Is this strategy now in jeopardy with the tragic loss of Germanwings flight 4U 9225?
Top Copyright Photo: The current red and orange brand was introduced with much fanfare in 2012. Airbus A319-112 D-AKNT (msn 2607) taxies at London (Heathrow).
Germanwings aircraft slide show:
Bottom Copyright Photo: Arnd Wolf/AirlinersGallery.com. The ill-fated Airbus A320-211 D-AIPX (msn 147) is pictured taxiing at the Cologne/Bonn hub in the previous 2002 yellow and maroon livery.
Ryanair (Dublin) is doubling its Cologne/Bonn traffic as it launches seven new routes, including a four-times daily service to/from Berlin (Schoenefeld), as part of its Cologne Winter 2015/16 schedule (17 routes in total).
Besides Berlin, the new routes include Copenhagen (once daily), Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) (weekly), Milan (Malpensa) (twice-daily), Porto (four times weekly), Valencia (three times weekly) and Warsaw (daily).
Copyright Photo: Paul Bannwarth/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8AS EI-DMO (msn 40283) with special Podkarpackie Travel markings prepares to land at Tenerife Sur.
Ryanair Holdings plc (Ryanair) (Dublin) announced that it intends to open its 5th German base located in Cologne/Bonn in October 2014.
Ryanair will be offering eight routes from CGN, including five new routes to Dublin, London (Stansted), Madrid, Riga and Rome (Ciampino).
Previously the airline announced it would open its third Polish base (66th in total) at Gdansk in October 2014 with one based Boeing 737-800 and three new winter routes to Birmingham, Leeds/Bradford and Warsaw (Modlin) (10 in total).
Copyright Photo: Globalpics/AirlinersGallery.com. Ryanair’s new “UK Airport Transfers” logo jet for National Express on Boeing 737-8AS EI-EMK (msn 38512) is pictured landing at the London (Stansted) hub.
Ryanair:
Current and some the new destinations from Cologne/Bonn:
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (Atlas Air) (New York) has announced it intends to pursue new ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) placement opportunities for three 747-8 Freighter aircraft currently operated for British Airways plc by Atlas Air Worldwide’s 49%-owned UK subsidiary, Global Supply Systems Limited (GSS).
The action follows notice from British Airways, a unit of International Consolidated Airlines Group, S.A., regarding British Airways’ strategic decision to exit dedicated cargo-freighter service and to return the aircraft to GSS in April 2014 pursuant to the terms of the existing ACMI agreement between the parties.
Effective with the termination of the agreement, the three 747-8Fs will be redelivered to the company by GSS. Through GSS, the company also will receive contractual early termination fees from British Airways.
Meanwhile Qatar Airways (Doha) will operate five Boeing 777F freighter flights between Hong Kong and London for IAG Cargo (British Airways) starting on May 1. IAG Cargo issued this statement:
IAG Cargo has announced it has signed a long-term commercial agreement with Qatar Airways to purchase capacity on Qatar Airways-operated air cargo freighters, effective from May 1, 2014.
Qatar Airways will operate five Boeing 777F flights a week between Hong Kong and London on behalf of IAG Cargo, providing continuity of service for IAG Cargo customers.
The agreement marks a transition for IAG Cargo and follows the company’s decision to transfer freighter operations from its current provider, Global Supply Systems.
IAG Cargo connects 350 destinations worldwide, serving the world’s economic hubs with cargo-friendly wide-bodied planes. Through its Constant Climate network, it has one of the largest networks globally for handling temperature-sensitive air cargo.
Qatar Airways is already a partner with IAG through the oneworld global alliance which it joined in October 2013. The airline is taking delivery of a further three Boeing 777F aircraft during 2014.
Top Copyright Photo: Rainer Bexten/AirlinersGallery.com. This decision will end British Airways World Cargo and Global Supply Systems. GSS operated Boeing 747-87UF G-GSSD (msn 37562) in British Airways World Cargo colors departs graceful from Cologne/Bonn.
British Airways World Cargo (GSS):
Qatar Airways:
Video: Flying the Boeing 747-800F freighter:
Bottom Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 777-FDZ A7-BFA (msn 36098) of Qatar Airways Cargo taxies at Amsterdam.
Cargojet Inc. (Cargojet Airways) (Hamilton) announced today financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2013 .
For the First Quarter Ended March 31, 2013:
Total Revenues were $40.7 million, an increase of $0.6 million or 1.5% versus the previous year.
Gross Margin was $4.9 million, a decrease of of $0.6 million or 10.9% versus the previous year
EBITDA was $2.7 million (all amounts in Canadian dollars), an increase of $0.8 million or 42.1% versus the previous year
“We are very pleased with the improvement in financial and operating results, as compared to the previous year, despite two less operating days in the quarter”, said Ajay K. Virmani, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We continue to see modest improvements in demand and volumes from all revenue sectors, although overall yields and pricing remain under pressure”. “We will continue to manage our cost prudently and gain efficiencies where available”, he concluded.
Copyright Photo: Rainer Bexten. Boeing 767-223 (F) C-FMCJ (msn 22316) makes a stop at Cologne/Bonn.
Air Botswana (Gaborone) is getting ready to take delivery of its first BAe RJ85, this former Lufthansa CityLine jetliner. The airline has also taken the opportunity to introduce this new color scheme which promotes the exotic country destination of Botswana in southern Africa.
Copyright Photo: Rainer Bexten. BAe RJ85 A2-ABG (msn E2303, ex D-AVRP) is pictured being prepared for the handover at Cologne/Bonn. The new livery also includes the new “Our pride, your destination” tagline.
ATRAN (Aviatrans Cargo Airlines) (Volga-Dnepr Group) (Moscow-Domodedovo) has acquired its first Boeing 737 freighter. The pictured 737-46Q (SF) VP-BCJ (msn 28663) was acquired on July 23, 2012 and will be operated on the Cologne/Bonn-Moscow (Domodedovo) route for UPS under a freight contract.
Previous to this new addition the cargo airline, formerly known as Moscow Aviation Enterprise, has operated Russian-built aircraft, especially those built by Antonov and Ilyushin.
Copyright Photo: Rainer Bexten. VP-BCJ is pictured at Cologne/Bonn today in a Volga-Dnepr like livery.
