Tag Archives: Washington

Delta’s CEO Richard Anderson: The 40 Boeing 737-900 ERs and 20 Embraer E190s will be cancelled

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) management team held a conference call yesterday, mainly with the analysts and representatives of the media, after posting a record second quarter profit, beating all Wall Street forecasts.

In the conference call, CEO Richard Anderson when asked about the rejection of the proposed contract by the pilots, stated, without elaborating further, the 40 Boeing 737-900 ERs and 20 Embraer ERJ 190s on order “will be cancelled”. The company had tied these two orders with the ratification of the new pilot contract.

The comment could be considered posturing by some observers, intended as a new salvo to the pilots for the next round of contract negotiations.

The pilots, represented by ALPA, voted nearly two-to-one against the proposed contract. Both sides will now have about six months to further negotiate new terms in which both sides can agree.

ALPA has not formally responded to the comments.

The Embraers would have represented a new lower level of mainline flying.

Read more from Bloomberg Business: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-932 ER N817DN (msn 31928) banks on the river approach to the runway at Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport.

Delta Air Lines aircraft slide show:

Boeing and Vietnam Airlines showcase the airline’s first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner at Washington’s Reagan National Airport

Boeing (Chicago, Seattle and Vietnam Airlines (Hanoi) celebrated a historic event today (July 6) witnessed by H.E. Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, with the flag carrier’s first 787 Dreamliner serving as a backdrop.

The event was attended by more than 200 delegates, ministers and ambassadors from Vietnam and the United States, as well as local and international media, and other invited guests at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The airplane on display is scheduled to be delivered to Vietnam Airlines later this month.

At the event, the two companies also signed a memorandum of collaboration toward the goal of Vietnam Airlines’ fleet replacement and expansion. Boeing has offered the airline eight 787-10 Dreamliners and eight 777-8Xs, which the airline acknowledged. Boeing and Vietnam Airlines will work together and report to government authorities before coming to official cooperation agreements in the future.

Vietnam Airlines, the national flag carrier of Vietnam, operates more than 360 daily flights with its young fleet of modern aircrafts. The airline, headquartered in Hanoi, will continue to expand its fleet with new and modern aircraft such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner family. Vietnam Airlines became an official member of SkyTeam Alliance in 2010 and was the first representative of the alliance in the Southeast Asia region.

Photo: Boeing. Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner N1020K (msn 35151) completes the final river approach to DCA today. The airliner will become VN-A861 on delivery.

Vietnam Airlines aircraft slide show:

Porter Airlines is coming to Pittsburgh

Porter Airlines (Toronto-Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport) is on its way to Pittsburgh this fall, making it the airline’s 22nd city served.

Flights begin on September 21, 2015, with up to two daily roundtrips between Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Pittsburgh International Airport. The schedule features weekday departures from Toronto at 8:25 a.m. and 3:05 p.m. Pittsburgh departures are at 10:05 a.m. and 4:45 p.m.

Porter is the fourth carrier to announce the start of service at Pittsburgh International Airport within the past 12 months.

Above Photo: Porter Airlines. Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) over the city of Toronto.

Top Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Porter Airlines Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q400) C-GLQC (msn 4134) approaches the runway at Washington’s Dulles International Airport (IAD).

Porter Airlines Route Map:

Porter Airlines aircraft slide show:

United Airlines orders 10 additional Embraer 175s

Embraer S.A. (São José dos Campos) announced today at the 51st International Paris Air Show an agreement with United Airlines (Chicago) to add additional E175 jets to the United Express fleet. The agreement consists of ten firm orders, which will be included in Embraer’s 2015 second-quarter backlog. Additionally, Embraer expects that United or one of the carriers that operates as United Express will convert options for 18 aircraft to firm orders in the near term. The ten firm orders have an estimated value of $444 million based on current list price.

Delivery of the first of these aircraft is expected in 2016. The E175s are configured in a dual class 76-seat layout and will operate under the United Express brand. The carrier’s 76-seat jet fleet will be comprised exclusively of E175s. This latest acquisition is in addition to a previous order from United Airlines for 30 E175s in April 2013.

United’s E175 will be equipped with a 12 First class, 16 Economy Plus Seats, and 48 Economy seats. Wi-Fi will also be included.

The E175s feature a new wingtip that, among other technical enhancements, improves aerodynamic performance. Fuel consumption on a typical flight is 6.4% lower than first-generation E175s. In North America, the E175 is the preferred aircraft of carriers operating 76-seat jets. In the last two years, the E175 has captured over 80% of orders among aircraft in its class from airlines in the USA.

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Embraer ERJ 170-200LR (ERJ 175) N110SY (msn 17000405) departs from Washington (Reagan National).

United Airlines aircraft slide show (current livery):

United Express-SkyWest aircraft slide show:

United Airlines today starts Evansville – Chicago flights

United Airlines (Chicago) today (June 4) starts United Express service between Evansville (EVV) and the Chicago O’Hare (ORD) hub. The new route will be operated by ExpressJet Airlines (Atlanta) Embraer ERJ 145s.

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Embraer ERJ 145LR (EMB-145LR) N15555 (msn 145594) arrives at Washington’s Reagan National Airport (DCA).

United Airlines aircraft slide show (current livery):

United Express-ExpressJet Airlines aircraft slide show:

United Airlines and Air China expand their codeshare agreement

United Airlines (Chicago) and Air China (Beijing), members of Star Alliance, have announced plans to expand their code-sharing cooperation, covering an additional 22 routes in the China and U.S. markets. With this expansion, United and Air China will codeshare together on more than 110 routes, offering customers the most comprehensive route network between the U.S. and China.

Air China will place its CA code on United-operated flights on 12 additional U.S. domestic routes: from Los Angeles to Dallas/DFW, Cleveland, Tucson, San Antonio, New York/Newark and Seattle; from San Francisco to Salt Lake City and Austin; from Washington, D.C./Dulles to Columbus and Tampa; and from Houston/Bush Intercontinental to Tampa and Nashville. United will place its UA code on Air China-operated flights on 10 additional domestic routes in China: from Beijing to Mianyang, Taiyuan, Sanya, Shanghai Hongqiao, Yinchuan, Xining, Liuzhou, Haikou and Lanzhou; and from Shanghai Pudong to Yinchuan.

These new code-sharing routes will be open for sale from June 2, 2015.

Air China and United have enjoyed a successful cooperative relationship since 2003.

Air China in the U.S.

Air China has six gateways in the U.S.: New York/JFK, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston/Bush Intercontinental, Washington, D.C./Dulles and Honolulu.

United in China

United began nonstop service to China in 1986 and today serves Beijing with nonstop flights from Chicago, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington/Dulles; Shanghai with nonstop flights from Chicago, Guam, Los Angeles, New York/Newark and San Francisco; Chengdu with nonstop flights from San Francisco; and Hong Kong with nonstop flights from Chicago, Guam, New York/Newark, San Francisco, Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City.

Top Copyright Photo: Mark Durbin/AirlinersGallery.com. San Francisco (SFO) is United’s main gateway to the Pacific. Boeing 777-222 ER N786UA (msn 26938) arrives at the SFO hub.

United Airlines aircraft slide show:

Air China aircraft slide show:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Mark Durbin/AirlinersGallery.com. Air China’s newly delivered Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental has been put into service on the carrier’s Chongqing – Beijing – San Francisco route starting in May 2015. This is Air China’s second route to North America operated with the “Queen in the Sky” after the airliner was introduced on the carrier’s Beijing-New York route at the beginning of this year. The pictured Boeing 747-89L B-2487 (msn 44932) rests between flight at San Francisco International Airport.

Boeing starts assembly of the first 737 MAX

Boeing (Chicago, Seattle and Charleston) has released this statement and photos:

Boeing employees in Renton, Washington, have started building the first 737 MAX on schedule. Last week, employees started to assemble the wings for the first 737 MAX flight test airplane. Wings are the first 737 components to be assembled in the Renton production process.

Machine operators loaded 737 MAX wing skin panels and stringers into the new panel assembly line that uses automation to drill holes and install fasteners in the upper and lower wing panels. Mechanics also loaded the initial parts of the first 737 MAX spars – internal support structures in wings – into automated spar assembly machines. The unfinished skins, stringers and spars were machined by Boeing Fabrication Skin and Spar in Auburn and Fredrickson, Wash. When finished, the panels and spars will be transformed into completed wings.

The wings will be attached to the first 737 MAX fuselage on the new Central line in Renton Final Assembly later this year. The new production line will allow the team to isolate the first 737 MAX build from the rest of production in order to learn and perfect the build process while the Renton factory continues to build at a rate of 42 airplanes a month.

The 737 MAX incorporates the latest technology CFM International LEAP-1B engines, Advanced Technology winglets and other improvements to deliver the highest efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort in the single-aisle market. Beginning in 2017, the new single-aisle airplane will deliver 20 percent lower fuel use than the first Next-Generation 737s and the lowest operating costs in its class – 8 percent per seat less than its nearest competitor. To date, the 737 MAX has 2,720 orders from 57 customers worldwide.

Image Above: Boeing.

Top Photo: Boeing. Machine operator Les Nystrom is loading 737 MAX wing skin panels and stringers into the new panel assembly line that uses automation to drill holes and install fasteners in the upper and lower wing panels. The skins and stringers were machined by Boeing Fabrication Skin and Spar in Auburn and Fredrickson, Washington.

Photo Below: Boeing. Operators (left to right, Bin Pham, Marty Deslauriers and Larry Freeman) load the initial parts of the first 737 MAX spars – internal support structures in wings– into an automated spar assembly machine. The unfinished spars were machined by Boeing Fabrication Skin and Spar in Auburn and Fredrickson, Washington.

Craig Larsen; 737Max; 1st Sparassembly; Renton Factory

Video: Production of the current Boeing 737 Next-Generation family of aircraft:

Alaska Air Cargo delivers the first Copper River Salmon to Seattle for the new season

Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma) announced the opening of the annual Copper Riser Salmon fishing season and the first delivery to SeaTac by Alaska Air Cargo. Here is the announcement:

Alaska (2014) logo

A fish-filled Alaska Airlines jet touched down at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport shortly after 6 a.m. today, carrying 18,000 pounds of wild Alaska Copper River salmon — about 4,500 more pounds than the weight of a Learjet 31. A second plane carrying an additional 30,000 pounds is scheduled to arrive in Seattle around 10:20 a.m. Today officially marks the start of the salmon season that is anticipated by seafood lovers throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Above Photo: Alaska Airlines. The fishing fleet off of Cordova, Alaska.

Alaska Airlines will operate up to five more flights today transporting the coveted Copper River salmon caught for three seafood processors: Ocean Beauty Seafoods, Trident Seafoods and Copper River Seafoods. The extra Copper River salmon flights will depart Cordova, Alaska, and arrive in Seattle and Anchorage, Alaska, where the fish will be shipped throughout the Pacific Northwest and across the United States today and through the weekend.

Above Photo: Alaska Airlines.

Alaska plays a significant role in supporting the Alaska seafood industry, which is recognized worldwide for its sustainable fishing practices. The carrier flew nearly 25 million pounds of fresh Alaska seafood to the Lower 48 states and beyond last year, including nearly 1.2 million pounds of Copper River salmon.

Top Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-890 N559AS (msn 35178) in the unique “Wild Alaska Seafood” livery and named “Salmon-Thirty-Salmon 2” arrives in Washington (Reagan National).

Alaska Airlines aircraft slide show:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Dedicated freighter, Boeing 737-490 (F) N709AS (msn 28896) lands in Anchorage, Alaska.

Great videos from Alaska Airlines:

United Airlines offers free miles to hackers to hack their websites, will lease 11 Airbus A319s, adds new domestic routes

United Airlines (Chicago) according to Fortune, “is now offering free frequent flier miles to would-be hackers who can crack the airline’s various websites and mobile apps as part of a bug bounty program”.

Read the full article: CLICK HERE

Additionally, according to Reuters, United will lease 11 used Airbus A319s from AerCap Holdings NV over the next two years in order to reduce the number of 50-seat regional jets operated. The airline also has the right to lease 14 additional A319s over the next five years.

In other news, United will also offer two new twice-daily United Express Embraer 175 flights from Denver to both Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham starting on September 13 per Airline Route.

In addition, United will start summer seasonal twice-weekly United Express Bombardier CRJ700 service from Denver to Coos Bay/North Bend, Oregon (Southwest Oregon Regional Airport) starting on July 1.

Copyright Photo above: SPA/AirlinersGallery.com. Still active and going strong, Boeing 767-322 ER N662UA (msn 27159) climbs away from London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR).

Finally, the Boeing 767-300s of United still are in demand by passengers. According to The Street, the 30 remodeled 767-300s are the second most favored wide-body aircraft (after the new Boeing 787) in the UA fleet according to passengers after-flight surveys.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo below: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Mesa Airlines‘ Embraer ERJ 170-200LR (ERJ 175) N85320 (msn 17000454) completes the approach to Washington’s Reagan National Airport (DCA).

United Airlines aircraft slide show (current livery):

United Express-Mesa Airlines aircraft slide show:

Republic Airways Holdings reports first quarter net income of $6.4 million

Republic Airways Holdings Inc. (Republic Airlines 2nd and Shuttle America) (Indianapolis) reported its financial results for the first quarter of 2015.

Republic’s pre-tax income for the first quarter of 2015 was $11.2 million, compared to $22.8 million for the prior year’s first quarter. Republic’s net income for the first quarter of 2015 was $6.4 million, or $0.13 per diluted share. The Company incurred approximately $8.0 million, or $0.09 per diluted share, for charges related to fleet transition expenses and employee severance costs, which are included in other operating expense.

The first quarter of 2015 results also were negatively affected by a reduction in operational reliability. Republic’s operating performance, as measured in block hours, departures and available seat miles was approximately 4 percent lower than planned.

Since March 31, 2014, the Company added 23 E-Jet aircraft and removed 25 ERJ aircraft.

The Company took delivery of the final six E-Jet aircraft for its American Airlines E-Jet agreement, which now totals 47 aircraft. The Company expects to take delivery of 15 additional new E-Jet aircraft in the second half of 2015, which it will operate under its United E-Jet agreement. As of March 31, 2015, the Company operated 41 aircraft with 44-50 seats and 201 aircraft with 69-99 seats under its fixed-fee code-share and charter agreements.

During the first quarter of 2015, Delta Air Lines exercised its right to extend 24 aircraft under the Shuttle America ERJ code-share agreement from May 2016 to May 2021. The Company currently operates 41 aircraft under the agreement with Delta, of which 17 can be removed by Delta with 90 days prior written notice.

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Shuttle America will continue to operate for Delta as a Delta Connection carrier until at least May 2021. Embraer ERJ 170-200LR (ERJ 175) N213JQ (msn 17000265) completes its final approach to the runway at Washington’s Reagan National Airport (DCA).