Tag Archives: Miami

Lufthansa to fly to Panama City

Lufthansa (Frankfurt) is further expanding its route network to South America. From November 16, 2015, the airline will offer year-round flights to Panama City for the first time, subject to government approval.

An Airbus A340-300 aircraft will fly five times a week between Frankfurt and the economic metropolis in Central America. Flight LH 484 will take off from Lufthansa’s Frankfurt hub in the morning at 10.15 a.m. and arrive in Panama City in the afternoon at 4.40 p.m. (local time) after a flight time of 12 hours and 25 minutes. The return flight LH 485 will depart from Panama City in the early evening as a night flight and land at Frankfurt Airport the following morning.

Lufthansa is also expanding its partnership with Copa Airlines. Lufthansa passengers will in future be able to easily reach a further 50 destinations in Central and South America and the Caribbean with the partner airline.

Lufthansa aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-Europe-2/Airlines-Europe-2/Lufthansa

Frontier Airlines adds three routes from Atlanta

Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver) is expanding operations at Atlanta while it downsizes its Denver hub. On March 6 the ultra low fare airline will add new routes to Austin, Indianapolis and Miami.

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-214 N219FR (msn 1860) with Jack, the hare, taxies to runway 10L at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

Frontier Airlines aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-UnitedStates-2/Airlines-UnitedStates-2/Frontier-Airlines-2nd

American Airlines opens reservations for six new routes

American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) has open reservations for six new routes to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America starting in early June according to Airline Route. The company will start the following new routes heading south:

Dallas/Fort Worth – Grand Cayman (weekly, starting on June 6, 737-800)

Dallas/Fort Worth – Managua (weekly, June 6, A319)

Los Angeles – Belize City (twice weekly, June 6, 737-800)

Los Angeles – Guadalajara (daily, June 4, A319)

Miami – Barranquilla (daily June 4, A319)

Miami – Monterrey (six weekly, June 4, A319)

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A319-115 N8009T (msn 5788) approaches the runway at Miami International Airport (MIA).

American Airlines aircraft slide show (current livery):

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/American-Airlines

American Airlines’ pilots approve the new five-year contract

American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) has announced its 15,000 pilots have ratified the new contract. The company issued this statement:

The Allied Pilots Association (APA), representing 15,000 pilots at American Airlines, announced its members have approved a new five-year contract which provides immediate pay raises of 23 percent and subsequent annual raises of three percent for the next five years.

American Airlines President Scott Kirby said, “Today’s results provide immediate and significant pay increases to our pilots, and represent another step forward in our integration. We are especially pleased that American is in a position to support pay increases that recognize the contributions of our pilots this early in our integration. We also acknowledge and applaud the hard work and leadership of APA President Capt. Keith Wilson, the APA national officers, the negotiating teams from the APA and the company, as well as members of the APA Board.”

American Airlines aircraft slide show (current livery):

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/American-Airlines

American announces six new routes to Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America

American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) will add six new routes throughout Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America, further strengthening its position in these key markets. New service to Barranquilla, Colombia (BAQ), will add a new destination to the airline’s global network and customers will have increased options when traveling throughout the region. Expanded service includes new flights to Belize City, Belize (BZE); Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands (GCM); Guadalajara, Mexico (GDL); Managua, Nicaragua (MGA); and Monterrey, Mexico (MTY).

The new routes:

American is taking delivery of more than 100 new aircraft this year, giving it the youngest fleet of any U.S.-based network carrier. Orders include the Airbus A320 and A320neo family, A350-900s, Boeing 737 MAX, 777-300ERs and 787s, which will make American’s fleet even younger, more modern and fuel efficient.

American Airlines aircraft slide show (current livery:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/American-Airlines

Air Costa Rica wants to be the new international carrier of Costa Rica

Air Costa Rica (San Jose) is a new airline that plans to bring back to Costa Rica a national carrier. Air Costa Rica is a joint venture between local business interests and Air Panama (2nd) (Panama City). The upstart will be going through the certification process with the DGAC and plans to begin flying flights to international destinations. The company is planning to operate Boeing 737s to Panama, Mexico, Nicaragua and San Andres Island (Colombia).

Read the full report from The Costa Rica Star: CLICK HERE

Top Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Aero Costa Rica became a competitor to LACSa and broke the monopoly but it only lasted from 1992 to 1997. Boeing 737-2L9 N170PL (msn 22733) taxies at Miami.

Below Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. With the absorption of LACSA, Costa Rica lost its international flag carrier. LACSA also operated the Boeing 737 before they were replaced with Airbus A320s under Grupo TACA. Leased from Braathens SAFE, Boeing 737-296 LN-BRL (msn 22277) pushes back from the gate at Miami.

Aero Costa Rica aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-CSAmerica-1/Airlines-Latin-America1-AF/Aero-Costa-Rica

LACSA aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-CSAmerica-2/Airlines-Latin-America2-GZ/LACSA-TACA

Frontier Airlines to add the Miami – Atlanta route

Frontier Airlines (2nd) (Denver) is adding routes in places you would not expect but bound to cause a stir. While Frontier Airlines downsizes its Denver hub due to rising costs it is adding another route from Miami International Airport which is also high cost. The ultra low fare airline has announced it will operate daily nonstop flights between Miami and Atlanta starting on March 6.

In December Frontier launched operations from MIA to Chicago (O’Hare), Denver, New York (LaGuardia), Philadelphia and Washington (Dulles). Now Frontier serves some of the top domestic markets from MIA. Is Spirit Airlines far behind?

Copyright Photo: Tony Storck/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-214 N227FR (msn 6184) in the new 2014 updated livery approaches the runway at Miami International Airport (MIA). Frontier has been slow to repaint other aircraft in this new look.

Frontier Airlines (2nd) aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-UnitedStates-2/Airlines-UnitedStates-2/Frontier-Airlines-2nd

American Airlines Group reports a record 4Q GAAP net profit of $597 million and a 2014 GAAP net profit of $2.9 billion

American Airlines Group Inc. (American Airlines and US Airways) (Dallas/Fort Worth) reported its fourth quarter and full year 2014 results.

For the fourth quarter 2014, American Airlines Group reported a record GAAP net profit of $597 million. This compares to a GAAP net loss of $2.0 billion in the fourth quarter 2013, which includes the results for US Airways only for the period from the completion of the merger on December 9, 2013, through December 31, 2013.

For full year 2014, GAAP net profit was $2.9 billion, compared to a full year 2013 GAAP net loss of $1.8 billion for AMR Corporation, which includes the results for US Airways only for the period from the completion of the merger on December 9, 2013, through December 31, of 2013.

The Company believes it is more meaningful to compare year-over-year results for American Airlines and US Airways excluding special charges and on a combined basis, which is a non-GAAP formulation that combines the results for AMR Corporation and US Airways Group. On this basis, the Company’s fourth quarter 2014 net profit excluding net special charges was a record $1.1 billion, or $1.52 per diluted share. This represents a 153 percent improvement over the combined non-GAAP net profit of $436 million excluding net special charges for the same period in 2013. The Company’s fourth quarter 2014 pretax margin excluding net special charges was a record 10.6 percent.

Excluding net special charges, the Company’s 2014 net profit was a record $4.2 billion, or $5.70 per diluted share. This represents a 115 percent improvement over the Company’s combined 2013 non-GAAP net profit excluding net special charges of $1.9 billion.

“Our record 2014 results close out a fantastic first year for our merger. These results would not have been possible without the efforts of our more than 100,000 team members,” said Doug Parker, American Airlines Group Chairman and CEO. “They have done a great job of working together to take care of our customers and restore American as the greatest airline in the world.

“We have much to do in the year ahead as we continue to integrate two large carriers. The results we have achieved thus far, combined with our economic outlook, give us confidence that 2015 will be another outstanding year for American Airlines.”

Revenue and Cost Comparisons

Total revenue in the fourth quarter was a record $10.2 billion, an increase of 2.1 percent versus the fourth quarter 2013 on a combined basis and excluding special items, on a 1.7 percent increase in total available seat miles (ASMs). Consolidated passenger revenue per ASM (PRASM) was 13.50 cents, down 1.0 percent versus the fourth quarter 2013 on a combined basis. Consolidated passenger yield was a record 16.84 cents, up 0.9 percent year-over-year.

Strong demand throughout the year led to 2014 total revenue of $42.7 billion, up 5.6 percent versus 2013 on a combined basis and excluding special items. Full year consolidated PRASM was 13.97 cents, up 2.2 percent versus 2013 on a combined basis.

Total operating expenses in the fourth quarter were $9.3 billion, a decrease of 4.1 percent compared to combined fourth quarter 2013 due primarily to a 17.3 percent decrease in consolidated fuel expense. Fourth quarter mainline cost per available seat mile (CASM) was 13.32 cents, down 6.1 percent on a 1.5 percent increase in mainline ASMs versus combined fourth quarter 2013. Excluding special charges and fuel, mainline CASM was 8.67 cents, up 1.1 percent compared to the combined fourth quarter 2013. Regional CASM excluding special charges and fuel was 15.87 cents, up 0.9 percent on a 3.8 percent increase in regional ASMs versus combined fourth quarter 2013.

For the full year 2014, total operating expenses were $38.4 billion, up 1.5 percent versus combined 2013. Excluding special charges and fuel, mainline CASM increased 2.0 percent to 8.63 cents versus combined 2013. Regional CASM excluding special items and fuel increased 3.6 percent to 15.94 cents versus combined 2013.

Liquidity

At December 31, 2014, American had approximately $8.1 billion in total cash and short-term investments, of which $774 million was restricted. The Company also had an undrawn revolving credit facility of $1.8 billion.

Also in the fourth quarter, the Company returned $959 million to its shareholders through the payment of $72 million in quarterly dividends and the repurchase of $887 million of common stock, or 20.5 million shares. When combined with the $113 million of shares repurchased in the third quarter 2014, the Company repurchased a total of 23.4 million shares at an average price of $42.72 per share in 2014.The Company’s $1 billion share repurchase program announced in July 2014 is now complete – more than one year ahead of its scheduled expiration. The Company also purchased approximately 52,000 shares from its Disputed Claims Reserve at the prevailing market price to satisfy certain tax obligations resulting from the November 4, 2014, distribution.

As of December 31, 2014, approximately $656 million of the Company’s unrestricted cash and short-term investment balance was held in Venezuelan bolivars. This balance includes approximately $621 million valued at 6.3 bolivars and approximately $35 million valued at 12.0 bolivars, with the rate depending on the date the Company submitted its repatriation request to the Venezuelan government. These rates are materially more favorable than the exchange rates currently prevailing for other transactions conducted outside of the Venezuelan government’s currency exchange system. The Company’s cash balance held in Venezuelan bolivars decreased $65 million from the September 30, 2014 balance of $721 million. In the fourth quarter of 2014, the Company incurred an $11 million foreign currency loss related to the receipt of $23 million at a rate of 6.3 bolivars to the dollar for one of its 2012 repatriation requests originally valued at a rate of 4.3 bolivars to the dollar. Accordingly, the Company revalued its remaining pending 2012 repatriation requests from 4.3 to 6.3 bolivars to the dollar resulting in additional foreign currency losses of $19 million. In total, the Company recognized a $30 million special charge for these foreign currency losses in the fourth quarter of 2014.

The Company has significantly reduced capacity in this market. The Company is continuing to work with Venezuelan authorities regarding the timing and exchange rate applicable to the repatriation of funds held in local currency. The Company is monitoring this situation closely and continues to evaluate its holdings of Venezuelan bolivars for additional foreign currency losses, which could be material.

The Company also announced that its Board of Directors declared a dividend of $0.10 per share for shareholders of record as of February 9, 2015. The dividend will be paid on February 23, 2015. In addition, the Company announced that its Board also authorized an additional $2 billion share repurchase program to be completed by the end of 2016.

Shares repurchased under the program announced above may be made through a variety of methods, which may include open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions, block trades or accelerated share repurchase transactions. Any such repurchases will be made from time to time subject to market and economic conditions, applicable legal requirements and other relevant factors. The program does not obligate the Company to repurchase any specific number of shares or continue a dividend for any fixed period, and may be suspended at any time at management’s discretion.

In the fourth quarter, the Company recognized $507 million in net special charges, including:

$280 million in merger integration related expenses
$116 million in net charges for bankruptcy related items, principally consisting of fair value adjustments for bankruptcy settlement obligations
$70 million in charges related primarily to certain asset impairments
$31 million in non-operating special items primarily relating to a $30 million special charge for foreign currency losses relating to the Company’s cash balance held in Venezuelan bolivars
$16 million in net regional operating special items including a $24 million charge relating to a new pilot contract, partially offset by an $8 million gain on the sale of certain spare parts
$6 million in non-cash deferred income tax benefits relating to certain indefinite lived intangible assets

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 757-223 WL N185AN (msn 32379) approaches the runway at Miami International Airport (MIA).

American Airlines aircraft slide show (current livery):

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/American-Airlines

Centurion Cargo to return to Amsterdam

Centurion Cargo (Miami) will restore the Miami-Amsterdam route on February 19 with Boeing 747-400F freighters per Cargo Facts. The carrier dropped its only European route last year. The company is restoring services and redeploying its previously parked aircraft.

Centurion Cargo aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/Centurion-Cargo

Is AirAsia Indonesia flight QZ 8501 a repeat of Northwest Airlines flight NW 705?

AirAsia Indonesia (Indonesia AirAsia) (Jakarta) vanished from radar screens over the Java Sea on December 28 on a flight from Surabaya to Singapore with 162 passengers and crew members on board. Tragically there were no survivors.

Investigators have ruled out any act of terrorism. The same group has stated it was unlikely an explosion brought down the airliner. According to the preliminary reports, there were no sounds of gunfire or explosions on cockpit voice recorder. Analysis of the flight data recorder of Airbus A320-216 PK-AXC (msn 3648) operating flight QZ 8501 showed the A320 climbing at an abnormally high rate, then plunging and suddenly disappearing from radar. The A320 was climbing at a steep ascent of 6,000 feet a minute (a normal climb rate is 1,000 to 2,000 feet a minute) before it suddenly dived and crashed in the Java Sea. This is not a normal climb rate. The crew had asked air traffic control for a higher altitude due to severe thunderstorms in the area. The request was denied due to other air traffic in the area.

Read the full report from CNN: CLICK HERE

Was flight QZ 8501 trapped in the updraft of a severe thunderstorm and then it stalled and fell to the sea?

It has happened before with devastating results. Dial the clock back to February 12, 1963 over Florida’s Everglades. While the crashes of ValuJet Airlines flight 592 and Eastern Airlines flight 401 are more well known, there was a third crash in the Everglades that is very similar to the tragedy of AirAsia Indonesia flight QZ 8501. Both involved flying into severe thunderstorms.

Northwest Airlines (Northwest Orient Airlines) flight NW 705 was a regularly scheduled flight from Miami International Airport to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. After takeoff from MIA the flight crew operating Boeing 720-051B N724US (msn 18354) encountered an approaching cold front with large thunderstorms. The crew tried their best to avoid the approaching line of thunderstorms.

The accident (from Wikipedia quoting the official accident report):

Prior to departing from Miami, the flight crew questioned the ground controller at the airport about the departure routes being used, and he replied that most flights were departing “either through a southwest climb or a southeast climb and then back over the top of it.”

After the jet lifted off from runway 27L, it made a left turn based on radar vectors from Miami Departure Control, to avoid areas of anticipated turbulence associated with thunderstorm activity. Another flight had followed the same guidance shortly before the jet took off.

While maintaining 5,000 feet and a heading of 300 degrees, Flight 705 contacted controllers and requested clearance to climb to a higher altitude. After a discussion between the flight and the radar departure controller about the storm activity, and while clearance to climb was being coordinated with the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center, the flight advised “Ah-h we’re in the clear now. We can see it out ahead … looks pretty bad.”

At 13:43, Flight 705 was cleared to climb to flight level 250. They responded, “OK ahhh, we’ll make a left turn about thirty degrees here and climb…” The controller asked if 270 degrees was their selected climbout heading, and they replied that this would take them “… out in the open again…” Controllers accordingly granted the jet clearance. Following some discussion about the severity of the turbulence, which was described as moderate to heavy, the flight advised, “OK, you better run the rest of them off the other way then.”

At 13:45, control of Flight 705 was transferred to Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center. There were communication difficulties, although after the jet was provided with a different frequency to tune to, the flight crew established contact with Miami ARTCC. Several minutes after contact was established, the jet’s altitude began increasing with a rate of climb gradually increasing to approximately 9,000 feet per minute. Following this rapid ascent the rate of climb decreased through zero when the altitude peaked momentarily at just above 19,000 feet. During this time the jet’s airspeed decreased from 270 to 215 knots and as the peak altitude was approached, the vertical accelerations changed rapidly from 1G to about -2G.

In the next seven seconds the negative acceleration continued to increase at a slower rate, with several fluctuations, to a mean value of about -2.8G, the jet began diving towards the ground with increasing rapidity. As the descent continued with rapidly increasing airspeed, the acceleration trace went from the high negative peak to 1.5G, where it reversed again.

Below 10,000 feet the forward fuselage broke up due to the forces of the dive. The main failures in both wings and horizontal stabilizers were in a downward direction, and virtually symmetrical. The forward fuselage broke upward and the vertical stabilizer failed to the left. All four engines generally separated before the debris of the aircraft fell in unpopulated area of the Everglades National Park, 37 miles west-southwest of Miami International Airport.

The accident was investigated by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) which later became the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB):

Synopsis of the CAB Aircraft Accident Report:

Northwest Airlines, Inc., Boeing 720B, N724US, operating as Flight 705, crashed in an unpopulated area of the Everglades National Park, 37 miles west—southwest of Miami International Airport at approximately 1350 e. s. t., on February 12, 1963. All 35 passengers and the crew of eight were fatally injured.

Flight 705 departed Miami at 1335 e.s.t. Circuitous routing was utilized during the climbout in an effort to avoid areas of anticipated turbulence associated with thunderstorm activity. At 1347 e.s.t., in response to a request for their position and altitude, the flight advised, “We’re just out of seventeen five (17,500 feet) and stand by on the DME one.” This was the last known transmission from the flight. Shortly thereafter the aircraft entered a steep dive, during which the design limits were exceeded and the aircraft disintegrated in flight.

The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the unfavorable interaction of severe vertical drafts and large longitudinal control displacements resulting in a longitudinal upset from which a successful recovery was not made.

The FAA later added in its Lessons Learned section this summation:

As the investigation of Northwest Flight 705 proceeded, other jet transports became involved in similar upsets. These pitch upset events were collectively referred to as “Jet Upsets.” This terminology was used because the phenomena appeared to be unique to the new generation of swept wing jet transports which began to enter service a few years earlier. The investigation of Northwest Flight 705, and associated similar pitch upset incidents, led to changes in operating procedures and design requirements for jet transports, as well as improved forecasting and dissemination of hazardous weather information to Air Traffic Control and Flight Crews. These actions proved effective in substantially reducing the occurrence of this type of pitch upset events.

Was QZ 8501 a repeat of NW 705?

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Sister ship Boeing 720-051B N737US (msn 18793) is pictured at New York (JFK).

Northwest Airlines aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-UnitedStates-2/Airlines-UnitedStates-2/Northwest-Airlines