AeroMexico (Mexico City) will add the Mexico City-Boston route on June 1, 2015. The new route will be operated six days a week with Boeing 737-700 aircraft per Airline Route.
Copyright Photo: Jay Selman/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-752 XA-GOL (msn 35785) with the special Fight Against Breast Cancer markings arrives in Miami.
AeroMexico aircraft slide show:
http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Mexico/Airlines-Mexico-AZ/AeroMexico
Boliviana de Aviacion-BoA (Cochabamba) as we previously reported, launched the Cochabamba-Santa-Cruz-Miami route (fours days a week) via a refueling stop at Panama City, Panama with Boeing 737-300 aircraft on June 6, 2014. The airline upgraded the route to a Boeing 767-300 on November 24, 2014. The 767 does not stop at Panama City.
Copyright Photo: L. Apso. Formerly operated by Alitalia (I-DEIB), VARIG (PR-VAG), TAM (PT-MSU), this Boeing 767-33A ER was delivered to BoA on November 4, 2014 as CP-2880 (msn 27376) on lease from AWAS.
BoA aircraft slide show:
Western Global Airlines-WGA (Sarasota/Bradenton and Lakeland)ย launched new cargo service from Miami International Airport on Friday, November 14, becoming the 39th all-cargo airline to serve the global gateway.
Western Global is scheduled to operate four weekly international cargo flights from MIA to South America using its fleet of owned and operated McDonnell Douglas MD-11F freighter aircraft. WGAโs inaugural Miami arrival was celebrated with a traditional water cannon salute (below).
Photo credit: Miami International Airport (MIA).
The new carrier, which began operations on August 4, 2014, will serve the major cargo centers of South America, including Colombia. Colombia is MIAโs top international trade partner by weight, with 241,000 tons of goods valued at $7.1 billion moving between the two markets in 2013, headlined by cut flowers. Those strong numbers directly contribute to MIAโs standing as Americaโs #1 airport for international freight, and the addition of WGA will further strengthen the Gateway of the Americasโ top ranking.
Western Global Airlinesโ founder and CEO Jim Neff, who previously founded and owned Southern Air Inc. before selling it in 2007, said, โThe driving force behind WGA is to offer the marketplace a new, large-scale, customer-oriented wet lease and charter platform focused on low cost, flexible service, and high reliability. We are pleased to build on our extensive resources and experience to support the Miami-South America air trade as it continues to reach record levels.โ
The MD-11Fs are painted white but do not carry any titles.
SkyWay Enterprises Inc. (Kissimmee, FL) Shorts SD3-60 N380MQ (msn SH3702) with two crew members was operating flight SKZ 7101 from St. Maarten to San Juan on October 29 on behalf of FedEx Express per Aviation Herald. The aircraft, while departing the airport, crashed into the Caribbean Sea approximately two nautical miles west of the airport. One body was recovered and the other is missing.
Read the full report from The Daily Herald: CLICK HERE
Skyway Enterprises Inc. operates Shorts 330s, Shorts 360s and Learjets from as far west as Portland Oregon (PDX) to as far east San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) in both scheduled and “On Demand” service. Skyway Enterprises Inc. has F.A.A. authority to operate throughout the United States, Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Skyway Enterprises Inc. has an aircraft to suit your every need and desire for the rapid movement of your cargo.
The history of SkyWay Enterprises (from its website):
SkyWay Enterprises, Inc. was founded in 1981 as a Cessna Aircraft dealer to support it’s FAA approved flight school. In December 1983, SkyWay became a certified FAA air carrier and purchased its first learjet. SkyWay then began providing on-demand charter service for the air transportation of freight.
By 1984, SkyWay added a second Learjet to meet the increasing demand for air transportation of freight and expanded its services to accommodate passengers. In 1985, as demand for SkyWay’s services continued to increase, SkyWay purchased two more Learjets bring the fleet to a total of four aircraft.
In 1987, as SkyWay continued to diversify, it entered into the Air Ambulance service and continued to increase its executive passenger and freight services. SkyWay was also awarded a contract by the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan for scheduled service from Michigan to Florida. During this time, two additional Turboprop aircraft where added bringing the fleet to six aircraft.
During 1989, while the automotive market was struggling, SkyWay looked for an area that was less prone to the cyclic changes of the Detroit area and relocated to Kissimmee Florida. This offered more independence and provided more business opportunities in the Southern U.S. and Caribbean.
Once in Florida, Kissimmee Aviation Services Inc. began as a sister company of SkyWay providing a Fixed Base Operation service to the Kissimmee Municipal Airport. Also at the time, charter services to the Bahamas and other Caribbean islands started increasing in demand.
In 1994, SkyWay started a more central satellite base in Louisville, KY (KJVY) providing supplemental service to UPS and other freight services such as Kitty Hawk AirCargo, Active Aero, Grand Aire and many others. SkyWay also added two Shorts 330s to it’s fleet allowing for the capacity of a DC-3 with the reliability of a Turboprop aircraft.
In February of 1998, SkyWay purchased two Shorts 360 aircraft formally operated by American Eagle. Two days after this purchase, the two Shorts 330s operated by SkyWay were destroyed by a tornado at the Miami International Airport. After this happened, SkyWay personnel began an intensive program to convert the newly purchased 360s from passenger to cargo configuration. With a concerted effort on everyone’s part, the FAA required STC was approved within 90days of purchase. SkyWay once again would rely on a Shorts to satisfy the needs of its customers in transferring heavy cargo by air. Later that year, SkyWay went on to purchase two additional Shorts 330’s replacing the two that where recently destroyed in Miami. SkyWay also won the purchase of a Military version of the Shorts 330, a C-23 Sherpa from the U.S. Airforce. What makes the C-23 unique is its capability to open in the rear and take “oversized” cargo loads.
With the rapid expansion of the company now moving forward, SkyWay was being awarded contract runs throughout the U.S. and Caribbean. These contracts allowed SkyWay to expand its fleet even further with a purchase of 11 more Shorts 360 aircraft from American Airlines. These aircraft, at the time, where stored in the desert and the project of resurrecting and safely transferring them to Florida was accomplished within 45 days.
SkyWay is constantly striving to provide continued reliable service to the air cargo industry and currently provides contracted services to such companies as: UPS, Airborne Express, DHL, Avon Cosmetics, FedEx and many other cargo forwarders. SkyWay continues to pursue new routes and new customers, exploring new avenues and striving to provide superior service to ensure growth within the air cargo industry.
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Sister ship Shorts SD3-60 N385MQ (msn SH3707), formerly operated by Simmons Airlines (American Eagle) rests between flights at Miami International Airport.
American Airlines‘ (Dallas/Fort Worth) CEO Doug Parker announced the airline would restore the Miami-Frankfurt route in the first half of 2015 according to the Miami Herald. The route is expected to be operated with Boeing 767-300 ERs.
Update: On November 3 American confirmed this comment with this announcement:
American Airlines will launch new service to Germany with daily flights between Miami International Airport (MIA) and Frankfurt Airport (FRA) beginning May 14 with a Boeing 767-300 aircraft.
American’s Miami hub provides connections to more than 130 domestic and international markets in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America.
The flights will depart Miami at 2:45 p.m. (1445) daily, arriving in Frankfurt at 6:15 a.m. (0615). Flights will depart Frankfurt at 10:30 a.m. (1030) daily, arriving in Miami at 2:55 p.m. (1455). American Airlines now has four daily peak season flights to Frankfurt from its hubs in Miami, Dallas/Fort Worth, Charlotte, and Philadelphia.
The airline offers expanded service for customers through its Atlantic joint business with British Airways, Iberia and Finnair and its oneworld alliance partners, with more than 80 routes across the Atlantic.
American is expanding the Miami hub as it celebrates 25 years of expansion at Miami International Airport. American Airlines started serving MIA with a single DFW-MIA route originally with Boeing 707s. However with the acquisition of the Latin American routes from Eastern Airlines (1st), the hub started to grow to the 341 daily flights today.
Lufthansa operates its Airbus A380s on the route.
Read the full story: CLICK HERE
MIA Hub Terminal Map: With the recent expansion American Airlines has expanded from the North Terminal (Concourse D) back into the older Concourse E.
Copyright Photo: Ariel Shocron/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 767-323 ER N343AN (msn 33082) with Oneworld titles arrives at the Miami hub.
American Airlines (Current Livery):ย 
American Airlines Historical Liveries Slide Show:
Envoy Air (formerly American Eagle Airlines 2nd) (part of American Airlines Group) (Dallas/Fort Worth) continues to shrink its Embraer ERJ 145 operations as its parent continues to replace its flying with larger aircraft from other associated AE carriers..
Pedro Fรกbregas,ย President and CEO of Envoy, has informed its employees that the parent American Airlines Group has decided to phase down and finally close the Miami pilot and flight attendant base in April 2015.
According to the memo, withย the December 18 schedule, Envoy will operate 37 daily departures from Miami International Airport (MIA), using 12 50-seat Embraer ERJ 145 (EMB-145) regional jets. This is a big drop off from the 60 flights operated at the hub on October 1, 2014 with its 23 ERJs. The ERJ 145 aircraft and crews that will no longer be needed in MIA will be assigned to replace Envoy operations in other locations for the planned retirement of the 44-seat ERJ 140 (EMB-140) aircraft.
No Envoy pilots or flight attendants will be furloughed as a result of the schedule change.
Envoy is phasing out its pilot and flight attendant base in MIA. This will begin in January 2015 and will be completed by April 2015.
Republic Airlines will replace the smaller Envoy ERJ 145s with its newer and larger Embraer ERJ 175s.
Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Envoy Air’s Embraer ERJ 145LR (EMB-145LR) N697AB (msn 14500875) taxies to the runway at the Chicago O’Hare hub.
American Eagle-Envoy Air:ย 
American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) will launch new service between its Miami hub and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Kansas City International Airport (MCI), Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) and San Antonio International Airport (SAT) on March 5, 2015.
With these new routes, American will serve more than 130 domestic and international destinations from its Miami hub, providing customers ideal connections to Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America.
These new routes will be served with Boeing 737-800 aircraft and will operate on the following daily schedule (all times local):
MIA-AUS
Departs AUS at 6:10 a.m. CT
Arrives at MIA at 9:58 a.m. ET
Departs MIA at 7:50 p.m. ET
Arrives at AUS at 9:58 p.m. CT
MIA-MCI
Departs MCI at 6 a.m. CT
Arrives at MIA at 10:09 a.m. ET
Departs MIA at 7:55 p.m. ET
Arrives at MCI at 10:05 p.m. CT
MIA-SLC
Departs SLC at 12:59 a.m. MT
Arrives at MIA at 7:50 a.m. ET
Departs MIA at 7:55 p.m. ET
Arrives at SLC at 11:11 p.m. MT
MIA-SAT
Departs SAT at 6:10 a.m. CT
Arrives at MIA at 10:03 a.m. ET
Departs MIA at 7:50 p.m. ET
Arrives at SAT at 9:58 p.m. CT
American begins new daily service today (October 2) between Miami and Cap-Haitien, Haiti (CAP), adding a new international destination to the airline’s network. The new route supplements American’s long-standing service to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-823 N965AN (msn 29544) departs from the Miami hub.
American Airlines (current):ย
Air Hollywood, the studio in Hollywood where many movies involving airliners are filmed, is now offering the “Pan Am Experience” to help “passengers” relive the golden age of air travel ย on the original Pan Am of the 1970s. Prices range from $297 for the First Class experience and $197 for Clipper Class. The “experience” never leaves the ground, it occurs inside the mock Boeing 747 cabin that is used for making movies. Air Hollywood describes the experience:
From its birth in 1927, Pan American Airways was the pioneer airline whose routes spanned 6 continents and more than 80 countries. Almost a century later, the name Pan Am is still a very powerful brand, and inside this Southern California motion picture studio sits an exact replica of the airlineโs Boeing 747 and everything that made it so special.
Your Pan Am experience starts on the main deck with a cocktail and beverage service in the First Class cabin. Each stewardess that greets you will be adorned in her original 1970โs Pan Am uniform. Our Pan Am crew will offer various video & audio selections while you sit back in your Pan Am Sleeperette seat and sip a cocktail.
Soon after, youโll climb the winding staircase where the crew will set your table for a truly memorable dining event. In classic Pan Am style, youโll be offered your favorite cocktail and served a delightful gourmet meal. Everything from the china to the glassware is authentic with careful attention to the exquisite service delivery of the era and menu offerings of Pan Am.
After dinner, you will have an opportunity to view the vast collection of airline memorabilia and view other film production sets.
For the first time since Pan Am ceased operations, you can now relive the magic of this golden era in travel. We cordially invite you to personally experience this unique โflyingโ opportunity in the tradition of Pan Am.
Prices:
All photos above by Air Hollywood.
For more information: CLICK HERE
Pan Am (1st) Slide Show:ย
Bottom Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 747-121 N751PA (msn 19655) “Clipper Midnight Sun” displays the classic 1976 livery of the first and original Pan Am.
Icelandair (Keflavik) will begin seasonal nonstop service from Portland, Oregon to Reykjavik, Iceland via Keflavik International Airport beginning on May 20, 2015 and continuing through October 21, 2015. With this new route, Icelandair now provides flights to its third gateway in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, and 14th overall in the United States and Canada.
Icelandair’s 2015 route network is the largest in the airline’s history with flights to more than 20 destinations throughout Europe. As a result of this announcement, the Portland metro area’s 2.3 million residents will gain access to one of the regions fastest elapsed flying times to popular European destinations including London, Copenhagen, Paris, Stockholm and Munich. With low fares in three cabins of service, personal in-flight entertainment, on-board Wi-Fi access, and the exciting option of booking an Icelandair Stopover in Iceland at no additional airfare for up to seven nights, Icelandair is excited to bring this refreshing new alternative to Oregon.
Service from Portland International Airport (PDX) will operate on Wednesdays and Fridays with departures at 3:40 pm (1540), arriving at Icelandair’s hub at Keflavik International Airport the following morning at 6:15 am (0615), with a total flight time of just over seven hours. Return service departs Keflavik on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:15 pm (1715), with same-day arrival in Portland at 6:15 pm (1815).
Icelandair offers service to Iceland from Boston, New York-JFK, Washington (Dulles), Seattle/Tacoma, Denver, Toronto (Pearson) and Edmonton, with seasonal service from Newark, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Sanford (near Orlando), Portland, Vancouver, Halifax, and Anchorage.
Route Map:
The company is also increasing the frequencies next summer on the Newark, Toronto and Washington routes.
In other news, an Air Iceland pilot allowed his passengers to get an up-close view of the simmeringย Bรกrรฐarbunga volcano. Icelandair posted this report and photos on their website:
Icelandair Group passengers Erla Vinsรฝ and Odee were two of a few lucky customers on board a recent flight with our sister company Air Iceland during the morning of September 3, 2014. With the flight path routing over central Iceland, the chance of seeing the volcanic fissure eruption in the Bรกrรฐarbunga area quickly turned into a rare opportunity thanks to clear skies, and the Air Iceland pilot didnโt let the moment pass them by. Taking a short detour via a circle back around the eruption area, passengers on both sides of the aircraft were treated to an aerial view of the eruption while flying safely over the center of the action, allowing Erla and Odee to take these unique photographs of Icelandโs nature and power in action. With brightly-colored lava seeping through the earthโs crust and steam billowing from below the surface, the passengers and crew of this Air Iceland flight were provided a memory they wonโt soon forget. Tourists in Iceland are now booking all available charter flights for sightseeing into the uninhabited interior of Iceland where the volcano is putting on its show. For amateur and professional photographers and filmmakers alike, this is the chance of a lifetime. We would like to thank Erla and Odee for sharing their photographs with us!
Copyright Photo: Luimer Cordero/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 757-256 TF-LLX (msn 29311) arrives in Miami with a partial livery.
Icelandair:ย
Air Florida (3rd) (St. Petersburg/Clearwater) is the latest return of an historic brand following the return of PEOPLExpress and Eastern. The paper airline has posted this plan and information on their new website:
Air Florida is a privately-held start-up carrier, incorporated as a Florida Corporation In 2014. The company has filed for registration of all logos and indicia of the iconic carrier (Air Florida 1st, 1971-1984), and will operate initially as a public charter carrier.
The carrier Is expected to name the executive team of Aviation Solutions, Inc., of Dallas, TX to manage all phases of operation.
We have reached an agreement In principle with Xtra Airways of Boise, ID for the provision of multiple Boeing 737-400 aircraft (and crews) on an ACMI lease program.
The carrier is also in discussion for a similar lease arrangement for one McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft for long-haul service, initially proposed to be (Los Angeles-St. Petersburg/Clearwater-San Juan.
While Air Florida will indeed provide leisure travel services from under-served airports In the Northeast and Midwest to various destinations in our home state. Many of the cities in our launch service will become focus cities upon further expansion. The carrier will offer connecting flights and point-to-point service between Northeast and Midwest destinations.
In addition to providing both low-fare leisure and business travel, a key philosophy behind the start-up is a return to the original Air Floridaโs K.I.S.S. (Keep It Sweet & Simple) principles. Air Florida does not intend to add hidden or โA La Carteโ fees to its fares, but will work to keep fares low while offering our customers what should be expected in air travel.
We intend to commence service in early 2015 with service from St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Daytona Beach and Ft Lauderdale/Hollywood to Chicago (Gary), St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Allentown (Lehigh Valley) and Worcester.
The would-be airline is currently in discussions to lease Embraer EMB-120 turboprops as feeder flights for its proposed long-range routes operated with Boeing 737-400s.
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. The 1979 blue and green color scheme of the original Air Florida is seen on Boeing 737-2T4 N56AF (msn 22369).
The original Air Florida aircraft slide show:ย
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