Hong Kong Airlines (Hong Kong) will add additional frequencies to to bothย Bangkok and Haikou, which, according to the airline “have always been tourists’ favorite destinations in the Hong Kong Airlines’ network (below)”. Hong Kong Airlines (HKA) will increase the frequency of its Haikou route service to 11 flights a week, starting on December 1, 2014. Capacity on the Bangkok route will also be expanded with a sixth daily service, commencing on December 19, 2014.
Top Copyright Photo: Gerd Beilfuss/AirlinersGallery.com (all others by HKA). Airbus A320-214 F-F-WWIA (msn 5264) became B-LPF on delivery.
Hong Kong Airlines aircraft slide show:ย
Route Map:
Video: Flying (from a passenger’s perspective) from Hong Kong to Bangkok:
Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) has unveiled a new look for the delivery of the first Airbus A380. The first Boeing 787 will follow in the same eye-catching color scheme. This new livery will be painted on the entire fleet. The fast-growing carrier issued this statement and photos:
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), today (September 26) unveiled a stunning new livery design which will be introduced across its fleet.
Created by leading brand consultants Landor Associates in partnership with Etihad Airways, the new livery is inspired by traditional Emirati design patterns, the landscapes of the desert and the geometric shapes found in the modern architecture of Abu Dhabi.
The result is a striking and unique livery design which will present Etihad Airways as the airline of a progressive and innovative cultural hub, firmly rooted in its rich history.
The new livery was unveiled as Etihad Airways’ first A380 rolled-out of the paint hangar at the Airbus Finkenwerder facility in Hamburg, Germany.
James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways said: “Only a few months ago Etihad Airways unveiled the new cabin interiors for our A380 aircraft and we are now proud to show the world how this aircraft will look on the outside.
“The striking new livery also continues our commitment to breaking from convention and doing things differently. This is a real divergence from the norms of traditional airline livery design and will stand out in the sky and at every airport we fly to.”
The design pattern named ‘Facets of Abu Dhabi’ uses a colour palette which reflects the varying hues of the landscape of the UAE, from the darker sands of Liwa to the lighter colours seen in the Northern Emirates. The design development involved researching design options amongst Emiratis and international travellers to help select the final ‘winning’ livery.
The UAE national emblem is given prominence along the fuselage next to the Etihad name and the national flag is respectfully featured forward near the cockpit.
The design pattern is also a key feature of the new cabin interiors being introduced on Etihad Airways’ Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 aircraft, and is being rolled out across the airline’s corporate branding โ from advertising to brochures to premium lounges.
Peter Knapp, Global Creative Officer of Landor Associates, said: “Etihad Airways is undoubtedly a leading airline on the international stage and this new livery is a real step change in the industry. I believe there will be nothing like it on any apron in the world.
“It tells the remarkable story of this region and of Abu Dhabi’s past, present and future, providing a narrative for an innovative airline brand. We used the ambient geometry present in the architecture and culture of the emirate and reinterpreted it with a sense of Arabian modernism which has become synonymous with Etihad and Abu Dhabi itself.”
The entire Etihad Airways fleet of more than 100 aircraft, as well as those to be delivered, will be painted in the new livery during the next three years ensuring that the Facets of Abu Dhabi is seen across the world.
Etihad Airways will take delivery of seven wide-bodied aircraft in 2015 โ four Airbus A380s and three Boeing 787-9s โ and seven narrow-bodied aircraft โ one A320 and six A321s.
Etihad Airways, which celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2013, has introduced unique liveries on several of its aircraft to mark special events and occasions.
These include an Airbus A340 and A320 in Formula 1 livery to celebrate the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The airline also flies a Manchester City FC Airbus A330 painted in the Premier League club’s sky-blue colours with the name and crest clearly visible on both sides of the aircraft.
Etihad Airways’ first Airbus A380 will operate on flights between Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow from December 27, 2014. The two subsequent deliveries of the A380 in early 2015 will also service the route, making it a triple daily A380 operation.
Later in 2015, A380s will operate to Sydney and New York as Etihad Airways receives its fourth and fifth aircraft. The airline has currently 10 of the giant double-decker airliners on firm order.
The Etihad Airways A380 is set to transform luxury air travel with The Residence by Etihad, which features a living room, separate double bedroom and ensuite shower room, making it the first three-room luxury suite in history of commercial aviation.
The Residence by Etihad, located on the forward upper deck of the A380, can accommodate one or two guests who will also have a personal Butler trained by the Savoy Butler Academy in London.
Etihad Airways’ A380 will also feature new First Apartments, which are fully private suites with a separate reclining lounge seat and full-length bed; as well as the new Business Studio and Economy Smart Seat.
Copyright Photo: Airbus (all others by Etihad Airways). The first A380, the pictured A380-861 A6-APA (msn 166), is pictured at the Hamburg (Finkenwerder) Airbus facility.
Etihad Airways:ย
Previously the airline unveiled images of the Airbus A380 interiors: CLICK HERE
Video: the painting of the Airbus A380:
Video: The unveiling of the new livery:
Video: The new livery:
Video: Time lapse video of the assembly of the first Airbus A380:
Qatar Airways (Doha) has taken delivery of the pictured Airbus A380-861 A7-APA (msn 137) today (September 17), its first Airbus A380. Airbus issued this statement:
At a ceremony in Hamburg hosted by Airbus, Qatar Airways, one of the worldโs fastest growing airlines welcomed a new star to its fleet โ the Airbus A380. In the presence of His Excellency Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, and Fabrice Brรฉgier, Airbus President and CEO, the airline took delivery of the first of its 10 Airbus A380 aircraft on order.
The delivery marks the beginning of a new chapter for Qatar Airways, as it pushes boundaries and expands its operations. The A380, with its unique combination of increased capacity, long-haul range and unbeatable fuel efficiency, will enable the airline to carry its passengers even further and at deluxe comfort standards.
As a five-star performer, the A380 has become a firm favourite with passengers and airlines, due to the smoothness of the flight, quietness of the cabin and the spaciousness of the overall aircraft layout. These unique characteristics allow Qatar Airways to achieve their ambition of providing excellent services to their passengers. The A380โs built-in cabin flexibility has also given Qatar Airways the opportunity to make innovative use of the aircraftโs space, offering the airlineโs passengers an exceptional in-flight experience.
All seats are equipped with the latest entertainment systems, and the stylish and comfortable interior for Qatar Airwaysโ A380 will accommodate a total of 517 people โ 461 in Economy, 48 in Business and eight in First Class, featuring the widest first-class seats in the industry. The aircraft has two full-length passenger decks – First and Business Class cabins will both be located on the aircraftโs upper deck, along with a special lounge area for premium passengers.
Qatar Airways is the 12th world class carrier to fly the A380. The airlineโs first A380 will make its debut on the popular London Heathrow route, from Hamad International in Doha, followed by Paris Charles de Gaulle.
With 318 orders so far by 19 customers the A380 captures 90 percent of the Very Large Aircraft market. With the delivery today, the global A380 fleet mounts up to 142 aircraft, having accumulated over 1.5 million flight hours on some 180,000 commercial flights. To date over 65 million passengers have already enjoyed the unique experience of flying on board an A380. Every four minutes, an A380 either takes off or lands at one of the 41 airports where it operates today and the network is constantly growing.
Copyright Photo: Airbus.ย Handing over Qatar Airways’ new A380 flagship: Airbus President and CEO Fabrice Brรฉgier (right) and His Excellency, Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Group Chief Executive Qatar Airways.
Qatar Airways (Doha) and Airbus (Toulouse) have resolved a three-month dispute that was blocking the delivery of the first Airbus A380 according to this report by Reuters. As we had reported, Qatar had previously declined to take delivery of the pictured Airbus A380-861 A7-APA due to concerns about the quality of the cabin interior. Qatar has 10 A380s on order.
Qatar Airways has been delaying the inaugural flight from Doha to London (Heathrow). According to Airline Route the latest inaugural date is October 10 for this route. Doha-Paris (CDG) remains on target for October 16 so the airline is bound to take two aircraft at first on delivery.
Top Copyright Photo: Gerd Beilfuss/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A380-861 A7-APA (msn 137) awaits the official handover date.
Above Copyright Photo: Qatar Airways. The First Class section of the Airbus A380.
Qatar Airways Aircraft Slide Show:ย
Video: Qatar Airways unveiled its Airbus A380 product in March 2014:
Yeti Air International (Kathamandu), a subsidiary of the Yeti Airlines Group, has been reformed as a new joint venture between Tibet Airlines (Lhasa, Tibet) (49 percent) and Yeti World Investment and HIF Aviation Investment according to The Economic Times. This time the airline will operate as Himalaya Airlines.
Himalaya Airlines will launch operations on October 28 on the Kathamndu-Lhasa route with leased Airbus A320 Family aircraft.
The airline will literally fly “on top of the world”.
Tibet Airlines started operations on July 26, 2011 and is 31 percent owned by Air China.
Copyright Photo: Gerd Beilfuss/AirlinersGallery.com. Tibet Airlines will likely be the operator of the aircraft for the new joint venture. Airbus A319-115 D-AVYH (man 4766) became B-6436 on delivery.
Asiana Airlines (Seoul-Incheon) has moved forward the start of Airbus A380 service on the route to Los Angeles to August 20, instead of August 26 per Airline Route.
Qatar Airways (Doha) is set to continue its expansion into the Far East tomorrow (June 18) when it launches its newest destination, Tokyo Haneda International Airport. The addition of its newest destination will double the airline’s service to the city of Tokyo with up to two flights a day. The route, which will be operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, will be Qatar Airwaysโ third into Japan, joining Osaka and Tokyo’s Narita International Airport.
With the commencement of flights to Tokyo Haneda, the number of flights to Japan rises from 14 to 21 frequencies each week.
In other news, Qatar Airways is now planning to introduce the new Airbus A380 on August 1 to London (Heathrow) and Paris (CDG) on August 15 according to Airline Route.
Copyright Photo: Gerd Beilfuss/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A380-861 F-WWST (msn 137) has now become A7-APA for its handover.
Asiana Airlines (Seoul) has taken delivery of its first Airbus A380, becoming the eleventh operator of the type in the world. The A380 was handed over to Park Sam Koo, Chairman of Kumho Asiana Group, by Fabrice Brรฉgier, Airbus President and CEO, during a special ceremony today (May 26) in Toulouse, France.
Asiana Airlines has ordered six A380s, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines. The airline has specified a premium three class layout for its fleet, seating a total of 495 passengers, with 12 private suites in First Suite, 66 fully flat seats in Business Smartium and 417 seats in Travel Class. All seats are equipped with the latest on-demand in-flight entertainment systems.
Asiana Airlines will initially deploy its new flagship aircraft from Seoul on regional services in Asia to Tokyo, Hong Kong and Bangkok, followed by long-haul routes to Los Angeles.
As part of its widebody fleet modernization strategy, Asiana Airlines also has 30 of the all-new the A350 XWB on order. The A350 XWB will offer a step change in efficiency, with operating costs 25 per cent lower than the competition. The A380 and A350 will complement an existing Airbus fleet at Asiana that currently includes the A330 and A320 Family.
Airbus currently has 324 firm orders for the A380, from 20 customers.
Top Copyright Photo: Gerd Beilfuss/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A380-841 F-WWAP (msn 152) became HL7625 on the handover.
Asiana Airlines:ย
Bottom Copyright Photo: Airbus.ย Park Sam Koo, Chairman of Kumho Asiana Group, and Airbus President and CEO Fabrice Brรฉgier toured the number 1 Asiana Airlines A380 after this aircraftโs formal handover ceremony on May 26, held at Airbusโ Toulouse, France delivery center.
Qatar Airways (Doha) has revealed an additional glimpse of its first Airbus A380-800 (above) with its First and Business Class lounge and bathroom interiors.
The onboard lounge of Qatar Airwaysโ A380 has been designed to ensure that every feature is the finest and most comfortable in the sky. Designed with passengers foremost in mind, the lounge offers them an ideal place to engage with a friend, sit and relax, or just move around.
The lounge also offers passengers an escape from the typical airplane environment and has been developed to make them feel like they are in their own executive club. The spaciousness of the lounge combined with the most advanced mood lighting system available helps make passengers feel refreshed when they return to their cabin for rest or work.
The First Class bathrooms have also been customised to create a spa-like warmth with contemporary clean lines and a finish that comes with the most luxurious amenities. The lavatories include features such as modern taps which are sensor operated and large square modern sinks which help to maximize space.
The airline is due to receive its first A380 (top) very soon, the first of 13 such aircraft on order and it will be deployed on one of its busiest routes, Doha โ London Heathrow on June 17.
Qatar Airways is celebrating a year of exceptional fleet growth as it is also set to welcome the first of 80 Airbus A350s on order later this year, being the global launch customer of the worldโs newest aircraft. Meanwhile the airline is also currently making enhancements to its select A320 and A330 fleet by upgrading its Business Class seating so that they recline into 180-degree fully lie-flat beds.
Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 17 years of operations, currently flying a modern fleet of 134 aircraft to 138 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and the Americas.
Over the next few months, the network will grow further with Al Hofuf, Saudi Arabia (May 15), Istanbul Sabiha Gรถkรงen Airport, Turkey (May 22, 2014), Edinburgh, Scotland (May 28, 2014), Miami, USA (June 10, 2014), Haneda, Japan (June 18, 2014), Dallas/Fort Worth, USA (July 1, 2014) and Djibouti (July 27, 2014).
In other news,ย Qatar Airwaysโ inaugural flight landed at Larnaca International Airport today (April 29), marking the five-star airlineโs 138th destination from Doha.
The inaugural flight signals the start of a four-time weekly service to Larnaca that will be operated by an Airbus A320, with 12 seats in Business Class and 132 in Economy.
Top Copyright Photo: Gerd Beilfuss/AirlinersGallery.com (all others by Qatar Airways). Airbus A380-861 A7-APA (msn 137) at Hamburg (Finkenwerder) will be the first Airbus A380 to be delivered to Qatar.
Qingdao Airlines (Qingdao, Shandong Province), a Chinese start-up airline, has taken delivery of the companyโs first ever aircraft, an Airbus A320 aircraft equipped with Sharklets, on lease from Hong Kong-based China Aircraft Leasing Company (CALC). The airline will become a new operator and make its first commercial flight from its home base of Qingdao in Eastern China to Chengdu, capital city of Sichuan Province in Southwestern China, later in April.
The A320, powered by CFM56 engines, features a comfort two-class cabin with eight business and 144 economy class seats.
Sharklets are made from light-weight composites and are 2.4 meters tall. They are an option on new-build A320 Family aircraft and standard on all members of the new A320neo family. They offer operators up to four per cent fuel burn reduction on longer range sectors and provide the flexibility of either adding an additional 100 nautical miles range or increased payload capability of up to 450 kilograms.
Qingdao Airlines placed an order for 23 A320 Family aircraft in 2013 (see photo below).
Top Copyright Photo: Gerd Beilfuss/AirlinersGallery.com. The pictured A320-214 D-AXAJ at Hamburg (Finkenwerder) became B-9955 (msn 6061) on the hand over yesterday (April 10).
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