Tag Archives: Oneworld

American Airlines applauds ratification of U.S.-Brazil open skies agreement

American Airlines applauds the United States and Brazilian governments for finalizing an Open Skies agreement that will allow for increased air service between the two countries.

“We applaud the U.S. Departments of State and Transportation and the Brazilian Ministry of Transport for taking this important step to enhance the U.S.-Brazil aviation relationship,” said Nate Gatten, American’s senior vice president – Government Affairs. “We commend Secretary Pompeo, Secretary Chao and their teams for their leadership and commitment to finalizing this agreement. As the leading U.S. carrier in Latin America, American has long advocated for an Open Skies policy between the U.S. and Brazil. This agreement will strengthen economic ties between the U.S. and Brazil and deliver significant benefits for consumers.

U.S.-Brazil Open Skies will pave the way for the U.S. Department of Transportation to approve American’s proposed joint business with LATAM Airlines Group. The American-LATAM joint business, which was announced in January 2016, will cover all travel between the U.S. and Canada and Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.

The joint business will give customers an improved route network with increased connectivity and capacity, access to lower fares, and a seamless travel experience between American and LATAM flights. The joint business previously received regulatory approval from Brazil in October 2017, Colombia in May 2017 and Uruguay in November 2016.

American has proudly served Brazil for 28 years and has more flights between the U.S. and Brazil than any other carrier. American has nearly 600 team members in Brazil and more than 70 weekly flights to Rio de Janeiro (GIG), Sao Paulo (GRU), Manaus (MAO), Belo Horizonte (CNF) and Brasilia (BSB) from American’s hubs in Miami (MIA), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX).

American Airlines aircraft slide show (Boeing):

S7 Airlines launches flights from St. Petersburg to Croatia

S7 Airlines will launch scheduled flights from St. Petersburg to Pula, Croatia, starting on May 27, 2018.

Flights from Pulkovo Airport to Pula will be carried out on Sundays starting May 27, 2018. Flights will depart from St. Petersburg at 07:05 and arrive at Pula Airport at 09:15 local time. Return flights will depart at 10:10 and arrive at Pulkovo Airport at 14:20. The flights will be carried out on Airbus A319 aircraft.

Pula is the oldest Croatian city on the Adriatic coast where you can find one of the largest preserved amphitheatres of the Roman Empire, which is considered to be the city’s main attraction. If you go to Pula, you can also plan a visit to other fascinating Croatian cities in Istria, such as Rovinj, Poreč and Rijeka. Besides, here you can take a ferry to Italian Venice.

S7 Airlines is actively expanding the geography of flights from Pulkovo Airport to Western Europe. Direct scheduled flights of S7 Airlines from St. Petersburg to Alicante in Spain, Pisa in Italy and Scandinavian capitals — Copenhagen and Stockholm —will also be available in the summer season.

The Fleet:

Copyright Photo: S7 Airlines (Siberia Airlines) Airbus A319-114 VP-BTN (msn 1126) (Oneworld) FRA (Bernhard Ross). Image: 921254.

S7 Airlines aircraft slide show:

Finnair reports its 2017 financial results and outlook for 2018

Finnair issued its financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year 2017 and also issued its outlook for this year:

Q4 comparable operating result increased to 22.9 million euros and FY 2017 comparable operating result tripled to a record-high 170.4 million euros

Fourth Quarter – October–December 2017

Revenue increased by 13.2% to 645.3 million euros (569.9)*.
Available seat kilometres (ASK) grew by 17.2%.
Comparable operating result was 22.9 million euros (1.6).
Operating result was 23.5 million euros (18.2).
Comparable EBITDAR** was 94.0 million euros (59.4).
Net cash flow from operating activities was 92.6 million euros (30.5), and net cash flow from investing activities was -85.6 million euros (-264.7).***
Unit revenue (RASK) decreased by 3.4%.
Unit cost (CASK) decreased by 6.6%, and unit cost at constant currency excluding fuel decreased by 3.1%.
Ancillary and retail revenue per passenger grew by 3.2% to 12.60 euros.
Earnings per share were 0.11 euros (0.08).

Full Year 2017 – January–December 2017

Revenue increased by 10.9% to 2,568.4 million euros (2,316.8)*.
Available seat kilometres (ASK) grew by 8.9%.
Comparable operating result was 170.4 million euros (55.2).
Operating result was 224.8 million euros (116.2), including a sales gain on an A350 aircraft.
Comparable EBITDAR** was 436.2 million euros (270.4).
Net cash flow from operating activities was 382.3 million euros (219.7), and net cash flow from investing activities was -157.5 million euros (-499.6).***
Unit revenue (RASK) increased by 1.8%.
Unit cost (CASK) decreased by 2.6% and unit cost at constant currency excluding fuel increased by 0.3%.
The 20-million euro cost-efficiency program was completed in full by the summer.
Ancillary and retail revenue per passenger grew by 5.2% to 12.15 euros.
Earnings per share were 1.23 euros (0.55).
The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that a dividend of 0.30 euros per share be distributed for 2017.

*     Unless otherwise stated, comparisons and figures in parentheses refer to the comparison period, i.e. the same period last year.
**    Comparable operating result + depreciation + lease payments for aircraft.
*** Net cash flow from investing activities in Q4, includes 26.8 million euros of investments to money market funds or other financial assets maturing after more than three months. In 2017, these investments decreased in net terms by 82.9 million euros. These investments are part of the Group’s liquidity management.

Outlook

Global airline traffic is expected to grow strongly in 2018. Finnair expects increased competition as existing and new operators increase capacity, particularly on routes linking Europe with Asia and with North America.

Finnair plans on increasing its capacity by more than 15 per cent in 2018, with most of this growth coming in the first half of the year. Passenger volume is expected to grow broadly in line with capacity while revenue growth is expected to be slightly lower.

In line with its disclosure policy, Finnair will issue guidance on its full-year comparable operating result as part of its half-year report in July.

CEO Pekka Vauramo:

The year 2017 was excellent for Finnair. The favourable business environment supported our growth together with the right capacity, route network and product decisions we made in recent years. We ended 2017 in the middle of the fastest growth phase in Finnair’s history and we plan to continue our transformation and growth also in 2018.

Towards the end of the year, our route network was expanded by four new long-haul destinations, namely Goa, Havana, Puerto Plata and Puerto Vallarta. At the same time, we increased our flight frequency to several Asian and European destinations. We also invested heavily in our routes to Northern Finland by increasing our capacity between Helsinki and Northern Finland by more than 20 per cent for the current winter season and by introducing direct flights to Lapland from London, Paris and Zürich. Lapland is again the number one European destination for our Chinese customers this winter. Passenger demand on our route network remained strong from October to December, and we achieved a new passenger record during the period by carrying nearly three million passengers. The favorable development continued also in ancillary revenue, cargo and travel services. Our comparable operating result for the fourth quarter was a record high 22.9 million euros.

In 2017, our revenue grew to 2,568 million euros and our comparable operating result more than tripled, reaching 170 million euros. While increasing our capacity by nearly 9 per cent, we also managed to increase our passenger load factor by 3.5 percentage points. Our customer satisfaction, measured by our Net Promoter Score, increased by 4 units to 47.

During the year, we also completed the first phase of our long-haul fleet renewal. We made significant investments in the development of digital solutions and services to enhance the customer experience and to improve processes and ways to work at Finnair. Other significant steps we took included the commissioning of the new Nordic Cargo COOL terminal and the launch of the new Finnair Holidays product. These moves enable us to deliver more personalized services to our customers and to facilitate further growth going forward. In travel services, Aurinkomatkat Suntours became the largest operator in terms of the number of customers in the Finnish market in 2017.

I am satisfied with the renewal efforts we made during the year. They have contributed to our growth and improved customer satisfaction. I am also pleased with our records in monthly passenger volumes and passenger load factors, as they indicate that our route network and product have developed in the right direction.

Everyone at Finnair has made an excellent contribution during this period of growth and transformation.

The turnaround we have achieved in our operations and financial performance is a shared accomplishment by everyone at Finnair. As a sign of gratitude for the transformation that has driven the company forward on the path of profitable growth, Finnair decided to reward Finnair’s employees with a one-time bonus announced in December. Throughout this period of growth, we have invested in the development and well-being of our employees. We will continue these efforts and our other development efforts in 2018 to support our continued strong growth.

Dividend policy and the Board’s proposal for the distribution of profit

The aim of Finnair’s dividend policy is to pay, on average, at least one-third of the earnings per share as a dividend during an economic cycle. The aim is to take into account the company’s earnings trend and outlook,

financial situation and capital needs in the distribution of dividends. In 2017, earnings per share was 1.23

euros (0.55).

Finnair Plc’s distributable equity amounted to 424,036,052.14 euros on December 31, 2017. The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that a dividend of 0.30 euros per share be distributed for 2017.

Finnair aircraft slide show:

British Airways’ incident with G-CIVM at Phoenix

British Airways flight BA 288 from Phoenix to London (Heathrow) on December 6, 2017 had to return to PHX after dumping fuel due to a “technical issue” according to the airline. The crew had to shut down one of the engines on the pictured G-CIVM.

Read the full report from Fox 10 in Phoenix: CLICK HERE

Video:

American Airlines’ pilots and flight attendants to receive membership in CBP’s Global Entry program

American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth), in close coordination with the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), has announced it is the first carrier to offer its nearly 40,000 pilots and flight attendants complimentary membership in CBP’s Global Entry program. Membership in Global Entry allows expedited CBP clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States.

Started as a pilot program in 2008, Global Entry is now operational at 42 U.S. airports and 11 pre-clearance locations. As an added benefit, Global Entry members are also eligible to participate in the TSA PreCheck™ expedited screening program. As part of the process, all participants must be pre-approved for the Global Entry program and undergo a rigorous background check and interview before enrollment. Eligible American flight crew members may begin enrolling in the program this month.

Envoy Air Inc., an American Airlines Group wholly owned regional carrier, will also offer complimentary Global Entry membership to its more than 2,700 crew members.

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-823 N837NN (msn 30908) in the Oneworld scheme departs the runway at Washington’s Reagan National Airport.

American Airlines aircraft slide show (current livery):

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

Airberlin to drop the Berlin Tegel-Miami route on May 4, 2015

Airberlin (airberlin.com) (Berlin) is dropping the Berlin (Tegel)-Miami route on May 4, 2015 per Airline Route. The airline was planning to continue the route through next summer but this has now apparently changed. It is uncertain if the route will be added back for the following prime winter season. Airberlin was also feeding Oneworld partner American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) at the Miami hub.

Airberlin is adding frequencies to the New York (JFK) and Los Angeles routes.

Copyright Photo: Luimer Cordero/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A330-223 D-ABXA (msn 288) in the Oneworld motif arrives at Miami International Airport (MIA).

Airberlin:

American to restore the Miami-Frankfurt route next year

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):

American Airlines Historical Liveries Slide Show:

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

Iberia resumes flights to Istanbul

Iberia (Madrid) on June 20 resumed daily flights between its Madrid hub and Istanbul, Turkey. The restored route will now operate with Airbus A320s, with Business and Economy sections.

Iberia has also announced it is restoring IB service to Amsterdam, Athens and Stockholm in Europe, and to Montevideo in Uruguay and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic starting on September 1.

Copyright Photo: Paul Denton/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-214 EC-IZR (msn 2242) in the Oneworld color scheme completes its final approach to the runway at the Madrid (Barajas) hub.

Iberia:

SriLankan Airlines joins oneworld tonight

SriLankan Airlines (Colombo) will become part of oneworld ® alliance from midnight tonight, offering the full range of services and benefits of theworld’s fastest growing and highest rated global airline alliance.

SriLankan becomes the first carrier from the Indian subcontinent to join any of the global airline alliances – and completes oneworld’s biggest expansion program since the alliance was launched 15 years ago.

These landmarks are being celebrated today at a ceremony attended by the key ministers from Sri Lanka’s government at South Asia’s newest international airport, Hambantota’s Mattala Rajapaksa International, serving Sri Lanka’s South and East Coasts and the Hambantota seaport.

From midnight, the flag carrier of Sri Lanka will be flying alongside some of the world’s leading carriers:

 Asia-Pacific’s Cathay Pacific Airways, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Australia’s QANTAS Airways.
 From Europe, Airberlin, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia and Russia’s S7 Airlines.
 In the Middle East, Qatar Airways – the only one of the Big Three Gulf carriers to be part of any alliance – and Royal Jordanian.
 In North America, American Airlines and its US Airways merger partner.
 In South America LAN Airlines and its partner in LATAM Airlines Group, TAM Airlines.

SriLankan’s first flight as part of oneworld will be flight UL 318 departing from Colombo to the Kuala Lumpur hub of oneworld partner Malaysia Airlines at 7.45 am (0745) tomorrow (May 1).

The airline’s addition to oneworld will bring two new destinations on to the alliance network – Hambantota itself plus India’s Tiruchirapalli – along with its Colombo base as a new oneworld hub. With an extensive schedule serving southern India and as the leading international airline serving the Maldives, SriLankan also significantly strengthens oneworld’s presence throughout South Asia, one of the world’s fastest growing regions for air travel demand.

With SriLankan, oneworld:

 Serves almost 1,000 airports in 150 countries, with 14,250 daily departures.
 Carries more than 500 million passengers a year on a combined fleet of some 3,300 aircraft.
 Generates $140 billion (US) annual revenues.
 Offers more than 600 airport lounges, including many frequently rated as the world’s best.

Top Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best/AirlinersGallery.com (all others by SriLankan). Airbus A340-311 4R-ADC (msn 034) climbs away majestically from London’s Heathrow Airport bout for Colombo.

SriLankan Airlines:

US Airways jumps from the Star Alliance to the Oneworld Alliance

US Airways (Phoenix) yesterday (March 31) as planned, completed its transition to Oneworld along with TAM Airlines (Sao Paulo) marking the biggest single-day expansion of the alliance since its launch 15 years ago.

US Airways’ regional affiliates, operating as US Airways Express, also transitioned to Oneworld, following US Airways’ recent merger with American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth).

With its regional affiliates, US Airways serves more than 200 destinations and 30 countries with a fleet of more than 620 aircraft. It carried 82.5 million passengers in 2013 and currently operates 3,200 departures a day. It uses the two-letter code US, but this will be changed to AA once the two airlines combine under a single operating certificate.

It has added more than 50 destinations to the oneworld map – most in its US home but also two in Canada and one each in Ireland and Mexico – along with its key hubs of Charlotte, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington DC’s Reagan National, expanding oneworld’s presence across the USA, particularly throughout the East Coast and across the North Atlantic.

Once the integration is completed, the new American will offer service to more than 330 destinations in more than 50 countries, carrying 190 million passengers a year on a fleet of 1,500 aircraft.

US Airways: