Tag Archives: McDonnell Douglas

Allegiant Air to start new Las Vegas-Austin flights on October 31

Allegiant Air (Las Vegas) has announced new nonstop jet service between Austin and Las Vegas beginning on October 31.

The new flights will operate four times each week between Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) and McCarran International Airport (LAS).

In addition, the company will also start twice-weekly service between Reno and Oakland on August 30.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-83 (MD-83) N876GA (msn 53469) prepares to land at the Las Vegas base.

Allegiant Air:

Allegiant Air to fly Provo-Los Angeles flights

Allegiant Air (Las Vegas) has announced new, twice-weekly nonstop jet service between Provo Municipal Airport (PVU) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) beginning on September 26, 2013.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 (MD-82) N423NV (msn 53008) departs from Los Angeles International Airport.

Allegiant Air:

Allegiant Air seeks to fly to Mexico

Allegiant Air (Las Vegas) has filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to operate twice-weekly flights from Las Vegas to Hermosillo and San Jose del Cabo in Mexico. Flights, if approved, would start around June 1, 2014 according to this report by Bloomberg Businessweek.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

USA Today has joined the growing list of media publications now praising the small city strategy of Allegiant Air which they have been flying for years.

Read their take on the carrier: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-83 (MD-83) N866GA (msn 49910) prepares to land at the Las Vegas home.

Allegiant Air:

WSJ: Allegiant Air: The Tardy, Gas-Guzzling, Most Profitable Airline in America

Allegiant Air (Las Vegas) is under the financial analysis of the Wall Street Journal in a special detailed article by Jack Nicas that explores why this fast-growing airline is the most profitable airline in the United States. This low-fare airline, which breaks most of the industry “rules”, has been off the radar screens of most of the mainstream media for a long time, except in the smaller cities where a new Allegiant route to Las Vegas, Arizona, California, Hawaii or Florida grabs local headlines. Allegiant has the “lowest costs, fullest planes and highest margins” in the United States according to this article. The secret formula, as we have detailed, is flying mostly older planes that others no longer want from cities that are too small for the others to care about to exciting vacation destinations on a limited number of peak traffic days. Allegiant Air also makes a lot of ancillary revenue from its travel packages, taking a page out of the Ryanair playbook. Allegiant aims to be the total travel package airline for the traveller. The business plan is working well.

Now Allegiant is planning to expand in Mexico. This article details the growth and its expansion plans.

Read the full article: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Most airlines cannot get rid of these older, fuel-guzzling McDonnell Douglas MD-80s fast enough. Not Allegiant, they love the type and only fly their aircraft when they can make money. During mid-week, when most passengers are already at their holiday destinations, Allegiant parks most of its inefficient, fuel-guzzling fleet. Allegiant only flies when it can make money. Departing on a weekend, former SAS McDonnell Douglas DC-9-83 (MD-83) departs from Los Angeles International Airport.

Allegiant Air:

Route Map:

Video: Allegiant Air TV commercial:

Historical Photo of the Day – June 3, 2013

Air Canada McDonnell Douglas DC-8-43 CF-TJK (msn 45638) TPA (Bruce Drum). Image: 101449.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Taken November 30, 1969. Please click on the photo for additional information and the full-size image.

Air Canada:

Historic Photo of the Day – May 29, 2013

AeroPeru (1st) McDonnell Douglas DC-8-62 OB-R-1210 (msn 46142) MIA (Bruce Drum). Image: 101948.

AeroPeru:

Frameable Color Prints and Posters:

Finnair celebrates 90 Years of Aviation

Finnair (Helsinki) this year is celebrating 90 years of aviation excellence.

How are they celebrating? Here’s just a snapshot according to the airline:

A Stylish & Eco-Conscious Collaboration with Marimekko

In October 2012, Finnair announced their collaboration with popularFinnish textile and interior design company Marimekko.
For the next three years, all Finnair aircrafts will feature Marimekko textiles and tableware.
The collection, featuring Marimekko’s signature patterns, will also adhere to Finnair’s sustainable standards to reduce aircraft weight and fuel consumption.

Love Marimekko? You can purchase a selection of items from the Marimekko for Finnair collection, both through in-flight sales and the Finnair PlusShop!

For more information: CLICK HERE

Four Bold New Menus for Long-Haul Flights

Finnair partners with two renowned local chefs, Pekka Terava and Tomi Bjorck, to spice up their long-haul menus:

Michelin-starred Pekka Terava specializes in classic Nordic flavors and innovative Tomi Bjorck will bring his Asian-infused cuisine to the skies.
How about a sample menu? Reindeer fillet with mushroom puree, oven baked potatoes and organic barley and butternut squash yellow curry. Yum!

An Expanded Flight Network

Beginning June 2013, Finnair will begin operating direct flights from Helsinki to popular destinations including Xian (China), Hanoi (Vietnam), Tel Aviv (Israel), Antalya (Turkey) and Palma (Majorca).

Convenient Social Check-Ins and In-flight Wireless

Now travelers can choose to check-in to their flights with Facebook by linking their profiles with the airline seating maps.
This March, Finnair also launched a two-month trial of Windows 8-powered HP ElitePad 900 tablets on select aircrafts, a new chapter in wireless in-flight entertainment.

New Monthly Videos

Every month this year Finnair will be posting a video to their Youtube Channel to celebrate 90 years.

Video:

Top Copyright Photo: Stephen Tornblom. Historic Photo (click on the photos for the full-size view): Finnair add its first McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30, the pictured OH-LHA, on January 27, 1975.

Finnair:

United Airlines unveils a new look in celebration of 25 years at Newark Terminal C

United Airlines (Chicago) today will celebrate the 25^thanniversary of the airline’s Terminal C hub facility at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Travelers arriving and departing at Newark Liberty today will join United employees in an anniversary celebrationbetween 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the upper level United Airlines ticket counter, where customers will have opportunities to earn prizes, travel discounts and bonus MileagePlus miles, and see the airline’s new uniforms for the first time. The airline is also setting up a temporary exhibit during the two-hour period demonstrating how air travel has evolved since 1988.

Map of Terminal C at Newark Liberty International Airport (Port Authority of New York and New Jersey).

“We are pleased to celebrate United’s long history at our Newark hub – a premier global gateway and a powerful economic engine,” said Jeff Smisek, United’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “We continue to make investments in our terminal facilities, our services and our people to ensure United’s Terminal C remains a great place for our customers and co-workers.”

“Thanks to the Port Authority’s strong partnership with United, Newark Liberty has become not only a world-class airport but also an important driver of economic growth, jobs and development for the entire region,” said Port AuthorityChairman David Samson. “The continued investment in Newark Liberty’s facilities will ensure that the airport, and Terminal C specifically, remains a modern, premier gateway for travelers.”

As part of the event, Smisek will outline the airline’s plans for further investments at Terminal C, including:

a redesign of the airline’s check-in facilities
installation in gate areas of flight-information displays that offer customers more detailed information about their flights
construction of a widebody maintenance hangar that economic development officials anticipate will drive $52 million in economic activity in the region
a new checked-baggage screening system.

In addition:

Nearly two dozen United pilots, flight attendants, customer service agents and ramp workers will participate in an in-terminal fashion show that will debut the new uniforms that United employees worldwide will wear beginning onJune 25. This is the first time that all employees at the new United will wear the same uniforms.
Buddy Valastro, co-owner of the Hoboken, N.J. bakery Carlo’s Bakery and star of the TLC program “Cake Boss,” will join the program to present a cake made specifically for the occasion.
At 1:15 p.m., the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner to fly from any of the three New York-area airports since the aircraft re-entered service will depart for Houston.
This afternoon, United will send photos of iconic locations throughout Manhattan via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, meeting up with the company’s friends and followers in social media.

United in New York/Newark: The Hub for Wall Street

With more than 13,000 local employees, United is the New York area’s largest airline, offering more flights and more seats from the region to more destinations around the world than any other airline in history.

Since the first flight from Terminal C – the 6:15 a.m. departure of Continental flight 839 to Denver from gate 72 on the morning of May 22, 1988 – flights to and from the facility have enabled investment and economic development for theNew York metropolitan area, including Newark. In 1988, Continental offered service to 57 airports from Newark Airport.United today offers more than 400 flights each day from Newark Liberty to more than 150 destinations in North andSouth America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, giving New York-area travelers more flights and more destinations via United and United Express than any other airline.

Newark Liberty’s location and rail links make it the most convenient hub airport for travelers originating in north and central New Jersey, parts of New York City including Wall Street, and southern New York State.

The airline also offers New York-area travelers more flat beds in premium cabins and more extra-legroom economy seats than any other airline. In addition, the airline boasts:

the most saver-style award seats for frequent flyers among the largest U.S. global carriers, according to the 4^thannual Switchfly Reward Seat Availability Survey published this month by IdeaWorksCompany.
more aircraft offering satellite Wi-Fi and live television than any other U.S. airline.

Terminal C History

Copyright Photo: Dave Campbell/AirlinersGallery.com. The Boeing 737 and the pictured 727-200 were the mainstay aircraft in the PEOPLExpress fleet. Former Braniff Boeing 727-227 N553PE (msn 20774) poses for the camera at Chicago (O’Hare).

In 1985, People Express Airlines (PEOPLExpress) and the Port Authority agreed to remodel the existing Terminal C facility. After its 1987 mergers with Peoplexpress and New York Air (New York), which itself had a large Newark presence, Continental Airlines completed the terminal redevelopment project in conjunction with the Port Authority.

Copyright Photo: Fernandez Imaging/AirlinersGallery.com. The New York Air operation is pictured at nearby LaGuardia Airport.

In 2001, Continental Airlines (Houston) opened the Global Gateway, a $3.8 billion public-private partnership. The centerpiece of that project was the third concourse in Terminal C, “C-3,” designed to be bright and airy with gates constructed to enable international travelers to arrive at Terminal C – rather than solely at Terminal B – adding convenience and quicker connections.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Continental’s McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 N68046 (msn 47800) in the 1984 livery.

The Global Gateway also introduced the only rail station at a New York-area airport located in close proximity to the terminals, enabling Newark Liberty travelers direct AirTrain rail access to New York City’s Pennsylvania Station, New York State, New Jersey, Connecticut and Philadelphia.

Continental and the Port Authority also outfitted Terminal C with new roadways, parking garages, expanded electronic ticketing facilities, new terminal designs to facilitate more efficient security screening and an automated baggage handling system.

Top Copyright Photo: United Airlines. Crew members showcase the new uniforms.

United Airlines:

Continental Airlines:

Peoplexpress:

New York Air:

Route Map: How the Newark Hub has grown (click on the map for the full-size view):

Historic Photo of the Day – May 15, 2013

Delta Air Lines McDonnell Douglas DC-8-71 N1305L (msn 46072) FLL (Christian Volpati Collection). Image: 912117.

Delta Air Lines:

ATSG reports 1Q net earnings of $8.5 million

Air Transport Services Group, Inc. (ATSG) (Wilmington, OH), the parent of ABX Air (Wilmington, OH) and ATI-Air Transport International (Little Rock and Wilmington, OH) reported consolidated financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2013.

“We made a major investment in our combi business with the U.S. military, placed more of our Boeing 767 and 757 freighters with DHL, and completed the merger of two of our airlines during the first quarter,” said Joe Hete, President and Chief Executive Officer of ATSG. “The results were significant increases in our net income and in our Adjusted EBITDA, compared with the year-earlier quarter. Our baseline business remains solid, and we are moving quickly to capture the rest of the $5 to $6 million in merger synergies we projected a few months ago.”

For the first quarter of 2013, compared with first quarter 2012:

Revenues were $143.3 million, a decrease of 1.5%.
Total operating expenses were $126.9 million, down 3.7%, including a $3.8 million reduction in salaries, wages and benefits expense due in large part to reductions in airline related costs prior to the merger of Air Transport International and Capital Cargo International Airlines in March 2013.
Pre-tax income was $13.6 million, an increase of 26.5%.
Net earnings from continuing operations increased 27.6% to $8.5 million, or $0.13 per fully diluted share. Net earnings include a non-cash federal income tax provision. The company does not expect to pay significant federal income taxes until 2015.
First-quarter Adjusted EBITDA was $37.3 million, a 9.5% increase from $34.1 million in the same period of the prior year. This non-GAAP financial measure is defined and reconciled to comparable GAAP results in a table at the end of this release.
Capital expenditures totaled $59.4 million for the quarter, including the purchase of two 757-200 combi aircraft.

Segment Results

CAM (Aircraft Leasing)


CAM	First Quarter
($ in thousands)	2013		2012		% Chg.
Revenues	$	38,969	$	37,851	3.0
Pre-Tax Earnings	16,873		16,818		0.3

Fleet Developments:

On March 31, 2013, ATSG owned 47 aircraft in serviceable condition – 20 leased to external customers and 27 leased to ATSG affiliate airlines.
- The in-service fleet consisted of forty-one 767 freighters, three 757 freighters and three DC-8 combis. A table reflecting aircraft in service is included at the end of this release.
On March 31, 2012, CAM owned 51 in-service aircraft, including thirty-nine 767s, three 757s, six DC-8s (two freighters, four combis) and three 727 freighters. All of the 727 and DC-8 freighters, one DC-8 combi and one 767 passenger aircraft have since been removed from service.
Three other aircraft – two 767-300s and one 757-200 – were undergoing passenger-to-freighter conversion as of March 31, 2013.
Four 757-200 combi aircraft, including one modified in 2012, one purchased in December 2012 and two purchased in January 2013, are completing certification requirements. They will enter service for the U.S. military as replacements for the three remaining DC-8 combis starting later this quarter.

ACMI Services


ACMI Services	First Quarter
($ in thousands)	2013			2012			% Chg.
Revenues
Airline services	$	94,892		$	96,342		(1.5)
Reimbursables	18,159			16,853			7.7
Total ACMI Services Revenues	113,051			113,195			(0.1)

Pre-Tax Loss	(5,404		)	(8,215		)	34.2

Significant Developments:

Signed agreements with DHL in January for four additional freighters, including one 757 and three 767s, to replace the 727 freighters the company operated in DHL’s U.S. domestic network.
Extended agreements for three 767s operating in DHL’s network in the Mideast.
Airline-related headcount in the first quarter decreased approximately 26% compared with the beginning of 2012, principally as a result of combining ATI and CCIA operations prior to their merger in March.
Four 767 freighters leased from CAM were underutilized during the quarter.

Other Activities


Other Activities	First Quarter
($ in thousands)	2013		2012		% Chg.
Revenues	$	26,254	$	28,421	(7.6	)
Pre-Tax Earnings	2,181		2,001		9.0

Improved first quarter pre-tax earnings were driven by greater efficiencies and higher volumes at the U.S. Postal Service facilities we operate.

Copyright Photo: Tony Storck. The three remaining McDonnell Douglas DC-8s in service have been delayed in their retirements until later this year as newer aircraft come on line. A fine study of DC-8-62 (F) N41CX (msn 46129) arriving at Baltimore/Washington.

ABX Air:

ATI: