Tag Archives: ZRH

Darwin Airline is insolvent, will reorganize, but it is grounded

Darwin Airline (Lugano) has announced it will cease all scheduled operations. Instead the company will revert to being a charter airline. The ATR 72-500s (pictured) will be returned to the lessors.

In related news, the company has entered into reorganization proceedings after it was declared to be insolvent (bankrupt).

The airline had recently rebranded as Adria Switzerland in association with Adria Airways on September 16, 2017 but has encountered unfavorable market conditions.

Update: On November 28, 2017 the airline was grounded by Swiss authorities after its AOC was revoked due to financial concerns.

Copyright Photo: Etihad Regional-Darwin Airline ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-500) HB-ACB (msn 662) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 922532.

Eurowings to start the Berlin (Tegel) – Frankfurt route

Eurowings, in the wake of the Airberlin collapse, will start flying the Berlin (Tegel) – Frankfurt route on March 25, 2018 according to Airline Route.

Parent, Lufthansa, also flies the route.

Etihad Airways Swiss flights to become all-Boeing 787 Dreamliner services

Etihad Airways’ flights to and from Switzerland will become an all-Boeing 787 Dreamliner operation with the aircraft being deployed on the Abu Dhabi – Geneva route, effective 25 March 2018.

The Dreamliner flights to Geneva will complement the airline’s existing 787 Dreamliner scheduled services connecting Abu Dhabi and Zurich, becoming the fifth European city to be served by the carrier’s rapidly growing fleet of next generation aircraft.

Etihad Airways currently operates daily flights between the UAE’s capital city of Abu Dhabi and both Geneva and Zurich.

Introduction of the 787 Dreamliner will also see a scheduling change that will continue to provide attractive timings for customers travelling to and from Geneva. Etihad Airways will be the only airline operating out of the UAE to offer an early morning arrival into Geneva, and the revised timings will also improve connectivity to a wider network of destinations across Asia and the Indian Subcontinent.

Etihad Airways has a fleet of 18 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners operating from Abu Dhabi to 17 destinations worldwide – Amman, Amsterdam, Beijing, Beirut, Brisbane, Düsseldorf, Madrid, Melbourne, Nagoya, Perth, Riyadh, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, Washington and Zurich.

Etihad Airways’ three-class Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners include eight First Suites, 28 Business Studios and 199 Economy Smart Seats, offering superior levels of comfort, entertainment and in-flight connectivity. On-board décor and lighting have been inspired by contemporary Arabian design, including the spectacular dome of the newly-opened Louvre Abu Dhabi, complementing the signature ‘Facets of Abu Dhabi’ identity introduced by the airline during its livery relaunch in 2014. Etihad Airways has pending deliveries of 53 Dreamliners.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner schedule to Geneva, Switzerland, effective 25 March 2018 (all times local):

Flight No. Origin Departs Dest Arrives Freq Aircraft

EY51 Abu Dhabi 02:50 Geneva 07:50 Daily Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

EY52 Geneva 09:55 Abu Dhabi 18:20 Daily Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

BA CityFlyer recruits new pilots

BA CityFlyer, a wholly owned subsidiary of British Airways, is visiting Birmingham at the end of November as part of a campaign to recruit new captains.

The airline is holding an open day at the Hilton Metropole Hotel at Birmingham NEC on Monday November 27 seeking pilots to operate flights on its growing network.

BA CityFlyer is the leading airline at London City Airport, operating a fleet of 20 modern Embraer 170 and 190 aircraft to more than 30 destinations throughout the UK and Europe.

The company began flying from Birmingham Airport in May 2017 for the first time in 10 years, and together with new services from Manchester, Bristol and London Stansted, the airline currently operates 58 routes to business and leisure destinations across Europe.

The Birmingham event aims to attract experienced direct entry captains to join the growing business. These new captains will operate services out of one of the airline’s two main bases at London City and Edinburgh.

On the day BA CityFlyer’s Head of Flight Operations, Captain Steve Cook, will be on hand to discuss the airline, career, lifestyle, selection and application process together with fleet managers and representatives from rostering and HR.

Captain Steve Cook said: “As BA CityFlyer continues to grow, we are recruiting captains to play an important role in our continuing success. As an airline we have a proud reputation for safety and highly trained professionals and we are coming to Birmingham to search for exceptional individuals to join us. “

As well as an impressive training record, new captains will need to have a passion for delivering top class customer service.

Steve added: “Our customers are at the heart of our business and it’s important that all our crew combine their flying skills with people skills and understand the importance of excellent onboard service.”

BA CityFlyer currently has 215 pilots, 104 captains and 111 first officers. The airline is also one of the biggest employers of female pilots, representing 15 per cent of the workforce in total, including eight captains.

Copyright Photo: British Airways-BA CityFlyer Embraer ERJ 190-100SR G-LCYN (msn 19000392) (700th) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 923259.

Cobalt Aero arrives in Frankfurt

Cobalt Aero added the Larnaca – Frankfurt route on November 1, 2017.

airBaltic will launch two new routes from Riga to Sochi and to Kaliningrad

airBaltic will launch two new routes from Riga to Adler/Sochi on May 14, 2018 and to Kaliningrad on April 16, 2018. Both routes will offer new travel options for travellers from the Baltics and Russia with convenient connections via Riga.

“Next summer both Sochi and Kaliningrad will be among the host cities for 2018 FIFA World Cup and the new connection via Riga will offer convenient flight options for those who are planning to attend the championship,” Reuss added.

Route	Flight frequency	Start date	*Price, Basic**	*Price, Premium**	*Price, Business**
Riga – Sochi	2 flights weekly	May 14, 2018	99 EUR	159 EUR	599 EUR
Riga – Kaliningrad	6 flights weekly	April 16, 2018	29 EUR	99 EUR	349 EUR

*Lowest fare, including taxes, fees and service charges, on www.airBaltic.com, subject to availability

airBaltic will fly from Riga to Sochi 2 times weekly, but to Kaliningrad 6 times weekly. The flight to Sochi is scheduled to last 3 hours and 10 minutes, while to Kaliningrad – 55 minutes.

Ukraine International is coming to Copenhagen

Ukraine International Airlines is planning to add new service to Denmark next summer with a new route linking Kiev with Copenhagen starting on April 25, 2018 per Airline Route.

Copyright Photo: Ukraine International Airlines Embraer ERJ 190-100LR UR-EME (msn 19000614) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 935415.

Adria Airways to add new service from Bern in the wake of the SkyWork closure (now cancelled)

Adria Airways has made this announcement:

After the announcement of expiry of SkyWork Airlines AG operating licence and cancellation of its flights from Bern (Berne), the Star Alliance carrier Adria Airways will establish flight connections from Bern starting on November 6, 2017.

Adria Airways will shortly station two aircraft in Bern and ensure continued connection between the Swiss capital and major European cities. Bern will thus continue to be connected to Berlin (TXL), Hamburg (HAM), Munich (MUC) and Vienna (VIE).

The planned flight schedule is as follows:

Update: Adria Airways cancelled plans for Bern service with the resumption of operations by SkyWork Airlines.

Copyright Photo: The new Bern flights will be operated by Adria Switzerland (Darwin Airline). Adria Switzerland SAAB 2000 HB-IYD (msn 059) (Etihad Regional colors) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 939608.

Airberlin operates its last flight

Airberlin, as previously reported, is closing its doors on October 27, 2017 and ended all commerical operations.

The last Airberlin revenue flight was flight AB 6210 from Munich on Friday, October 27, 2017. Airbus A320 D-ABHO operated the last flight which arrived at 11:58 pm (2358) local time.

Video:

This video films activities on the last day of operations on a Dusseldorf – Berlin (Tegel) flight:

On social media, Airberlin had a short message:

The company started as an U.S. airline named Air Berlin USA (below). The first revenue flight was on April 28, 1979. In 1990, the airline became a German airline and the USA was dropped from the title.

Top Copyright Photo: Airberlin (airberlin.com) Airbus A320-214 WL D-ABNQ (msn 6877) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 933101.

Below Copyright Photo: Airberlin (airberlin.com) Airbus A330-223 D-ALPB (msn 432) ARN (Stefan Sjogren). Image: 932873.

Below Copyright Photo: Air-Berlin (airberlin.com) Boeing 737-86J WL D-ABAT (msn 29120) ARN (Stefan Sjogren). Image: 935316.

Below Copyright Photo: Air-Berlin (airberlin.com) Boeing 737-76J WL D-ABLA (msn 36114) STN (Antony J. Best). Image: 901995.

Airberlin (Germany):

Video:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Air Berlin USA Boeing 707-331 N763AB (msn 17676) MIA (Al Rodriguez – Bruce Drum Collection). Image: 925005.

Air Berlin USA:

Singapore Airlines’ new cabin products to debut on Singapore-Sydney route

Singapore Airlines’ eagerly awaited new cabin products, which will be revealed at global launch events in Singapore over November 2-4, 2017, will debut on the Singapore-Sydney route in December.

The introduction of the new cabin products – in Suites, Business Class, Premium Economy Class and Economy Class – follows four years of development involving extensive customer feedback. They will initially be fitted on five new A380s that the Airline has on firm order with Airbus.

The first of the Airbus A380s with the new products will operate daily from 18 December as flight SQ221, departing Singapore at 2040hrs and arriving into Sydney at 0740hrs the following day. It will return as flight SQ232, departing Sydney at 1215hrs and arriving into Singapore at 1735hrs. Additional destinations for the new products will be revealed in the coming months.

The A380 entered service with Singapore Airlines in October 2007. In addition to Sydney, the Airline’s superjumbos serve Beijing, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, London, Melbourne, Mumbai, New Delhi, New York, Osaka, Paris, Shanghai and Zurich.