Finnair modifies Airbus A350s to increase passenger and cargo loads on longer routes

Finnair has modified ten of its flagship A350s to carry more customers and cargo as it continues to increase capacity across its Asian routes. Finnair has worked with aircraft manufacturer Airbus to increase the maximum take-off weight for a specially selected number of its aircraft as demand for flights to and from Asia has risen.

Finnair says the modifications made involve changes and updates to the aircraft’s software system, placards and manuals in cooperation with the planes maker Airbus. The aircraft software compensates for the centre of gravity change and maintains the same handling characteristics which allows for an increase in maximum take-off weight by around eight tonnes and that then enables Finnair to carry more customers and cargo on long-haul routes to Asia. 

With these modifications each aircraft can carry more customers and cargo, but also more importantly extra fuel to fly the longer flight times between Finland and South Korea and Japan that have resulted in the closure of Russian airspace to Finnair and other European and US carriers since the start of the war in Ukraine. Finnair hopes these changes will help it restore profitability to the routes and the airline as a whole.

Leena Niemi, Finnair Compliance Manager for Technical Operation, said: “Usually we do everything we can to make our aircraft lighter, but for our flights to Tokyo and Seoul we’ve increased their maximum take-off weight to fly around Russia and meet the demand for increased customers, cargo and kerosene. While making the modifications, the safety and security of our aircraft and customers remained our number one priority.”

“In addition, the weight and balance data for the modified aircraft have been updated, the noise certificates of the aircraft have been renewed, and the aircraft maintenance program and life limits of the main landing gear parts have been updated.”

Qatar Airways and Airbus reach an amicable settlement in legal dispute

Qatar Airways and Airbus reach an amicable settlement in legal dispute

Qatar Airways and Airbus have announced they have reached an amicable and mutually agreeable settlement in relation to their legal dispute over A350 surface degradation and the grounding of A350 aircraft.

A repair project is now underway and both parties look forward to getting these aircraft safely back in the air.

The details of the settlement are confidential and the parties will now proceed to discontinue their legal claims.

The settlement agreement is not an admission of liability for either party.

This agreement will enable Qatar Airways and Airbus to move forward and work together as partners.

Tom Zheng appointed as Vice President of Technical Operations Business Planning and Services at Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines announced this week the appointment of Tom Zheng as vice president of technical operations business planning and services. In his new role, Zheng will lead a growing portfolio of technical operations initiatives, including expanded aircraft maintenance, dedicated freighter service for Amazon and a new fleet of Boeing 787-9s.

“Tom has offered invaluable leadership to advance significant initiatives within our growing technical operations team,” said Jim Landers, senior vice president for technical operations at Hawaiian Airlines. “His trusted voice and guidance will continue to make us a better, stronger airline as we diversify and grow our business.”

Zheng joined Hawaiian in 2009 as a senior project manager before becoming a director of strategic initiatives. He previously served as managing director of business planning and initiatives in technical operations. Prior to Hawaiian, Zheng was a management consultant for Deloitte and also worked for American Savings Bank and AT&T where he was a distinguished member of the technical staff and principal engineer.

He holds a Master of Business Administration degree with honours from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Science degree from the New York University Tandon School of Engineering, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

More service cuts at Finnair.......airline dropping in-flight and pre-order retail sales......

The Helsinki-based Finnair has announced it will drop all in-flight and pre-order retail sales of goods at the end of the month.

From 28th February 2023 the airline will discontinue in-flight and pre-order retail sales of cosmetics, accessories, gifts and other retail products. Pre-ordered products can still be delivered to flights up to 18th April 2023. 

"Onboard and pre-order shopping has become a less important service among our customers”, says Valtteri Helve, Head of Product Offering at Finnair.  "Already in spring 2020, we announced that we discontinue in-flight sales on our flights within EU as part of our goal to reduce the overall weight of the aircraft, and now it is time to take the next step. Food and beverage sales on flights will continue, of course, and we will continue to develop our service."

Removing this service also paves the way for an easier move to outsource more cabin crew services to other companies as well as outsourcing the whole flight operations. The airline is struggling to return to profitability and is trying to stem losses by cutting costs before axing even more of the individual aspects that differentiate Finnair from any other European budget carrier. 

"Together with our partners, we have been able to offer a wide range of products, and many Finnish brands have also been well represented on our flights", says Tiina Tissari, Vice President of Customer Experience and Products at Finnair.

During the final phase and to dump stock, Finnair is offering a 40% discount on products onboard or pre-order items. In-flight shopping is available on our long-haul flights, and flights to the Canary Islands, Dubai, Egypt, Iceland, Israel, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom. 

Travel industry to benefit with enhanced flight search and booking from Cirium and Amadeus deal

Amadeus integrates Cirium’s advanced flight schedules data into its Travel Platform solutions, enriching the available dataset for flight and search bookings

The deal expands the decade-long partnership between the two industry leaders

Access to the new data continues to enhance the search and booking experience for travel sellers and travellers

Cirium has signed a deal with Amadeus to provide its advanced flight schedules data into the Amadeus Travel Platform, further enhancing the dataset available for flight search and bookings.

As one of the travel industry’s technology leaders, complete and timely data is essential for Amadeus to deliver high quality information to customers. The new deal means that Cirium’s comprehensive schedules data will be integrated into the Amadeus Travel Platform, benefitting many Amadeus clients in the travel space, including airlines, travel providers and more.

Jeremy Bowen, Cirium CEO said: “Combining two leaders in their respective fields in the travel industry, through the expansion of Cirium’s partnership with Amadeus, will further improve flight search and bookings, as well as enable the industry to unlock new market opportunities, maximize revenue and produce a more efficient experience for the traveler. Our new partnership goes beyond providing global flight schedules to the Amadeus Schedules Analytics tool. It enhances its industry-leading Travel Platform, allowing Cirium’s schedules data to enrich the quality of information for Amadeus customers.”

Sam Abdou, Executive Vice President, Air, Rail & Global Online, Amadeus said: “The expansion of our partnership with Cirium and further integration of its data into our multi-sourced air schedules data platform enriches our dataset and contributes to maintaining a high data accuracy and bookability for our customers.”

Another Airbus A321neo delivered to Frontier Airlines

Aviation Capital Group has delivered a brand new Airbus A321neo aircraft on long-term lease to Frontier Airlines. This jet is powered by the ultra-efficient Pratt & Whitney GTF engines and is the first of seven A321neo aircraft scheduled to deliver to the airline from ACG’s order book with Airbus. Traditional to Frontier Airlines, this A321neo has a new special livery with “Ozzy the Orca” painted on the tail.

“We are delighted to deliver this new Airbus A321neo aircraft to Frontier Airlines, and we look forward to continuing to build on our strong relationship with the airline,” said Ross Campbell, Vice President of Marketing for ACG. “This aircraft will provide fuel efficiency, passenger comfort, and supports Frontier Airlines’ commitment to ensuring the sky is for everyone – offering a superior level of ultra-low-cost service.”

“We are pleased to expand our long and valued relationship with ACG through the delivery of this new A321neo,” said Robert Fanning, Vice President - Fleet, Frontier Airlines. “The highly fuel-efficient A321neo aircraft are helping to further our sustainability mission as America’s Greenest Airline as we continue to expand our fleet.”

Aviation Capital Group was founded in 1989 and is one of the world’s premier full-service aircraft asset managers with approximately 480 owned, managed and committed aircraft as of September 30, 2022, which are leased to approximately 90 airlines in approximately 45 countries. ACG is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tokyo Century Corporation.

United Airlines appoints Karolien De Hertogh as Director Sales U.K. and Ireland

United Airlines has appointed Karolien De Hertogh as Director of Sales U.K. and Ireland, effective 15 February 2023. De Hertogh brings more than 15 years of industry experience to her new role, taking over from Bob Schumacher.

De Hertogh, who will report to Managing Director International Sales, Marcel Fuchs, will be responsible for spearheading United's overall sales strategy in the U.K. and Ireland. Her appointment comes at a time of further expansion in both the U.K. and Ireland this year, with the introduction of an additional second daily flight between London Heathrow and Los Angeles, starting 26 March 2023, increasing the number of daily services between London Heathrow and the U.S. to 23. United is also scheduled to introduce a new daily nonstop seasonal service between Shannon Airport and its hometown hub at Chicago O’Hare, starting 26 May 2023, as well as a second daily flight from Dublin to New York/Newark for the summer season, commencing 23 April 2023.

“With over 15 years' experience in the aviation business, Karolien has been at the forefront of change and brings great strength and expertise to our team as we build on our success in the U.K. and Ireland,” said Marcel Fuchs, United’s Managing Director International Sales. "Karolien has an impressive track record and a sharp focus on driving the business forward. I know she will continue to work closely with the travel community as we enhance the United travel experience for all our customers."  

Fuchs added, “The whole United family wishes Bob Schumacher the very best after a highly successful career at United spanning almost 30 years.”  

Having originally joined United in 2007 as Regional Sales Manager for the U.K., Ireland and Belgium, De Hertogh was subsequently appointed as Head of Corporate Sales, U.K. with responsibility for managing corporate business throughout the country. Prior to joining United, De Hertogh had already gained a wide and diverse range of experience within the aviation industry, initially working in both airline reservations and as an airport-based customer services agent, and latterly with British Midland International as Sales Manager for Belgium and Luxembourg, and subsequently as General Manager U.K. and Ireland with responsibility for commercial strategy.

Fledgling Norwegian carrier Flyr files for bankruptcy and halts all flights.

The new Norwegian budget carrier Flyr, which only launched in 2021 has filed for bankruptcy today.  The airline announced on its website that it had been unsuccessful with the new financial plans and thus 'the board has concluded that there are no alternatives for further operation.   The company filed for bankruptcy on 1st Feb 2023. Flyr has now ceased trading and all flights are cancelled and will not be rescheduled.'

The company employed some 400 staff employees who now find their employment ended as the airline can no longer survive. Many of them had already been furloughed by the carrier as it struggled to cut costs, suspended routes and hunt for new investment. 

The Norwegian stock exchange suspended trading in the company's shares today and it is understood that the carrier's fleet of 737 jets are in the process of being repossessed by the leasing firms. 

The company published the following statement, "Many thanks to everyone who has chosen to fly with us over the past year and a half. We will miss you all from the bottom of our hearts and deeply apologize to everyone affected by the fact that we now have to go in for landing.

We encourage everyone who has booked a ticket with us to contact their credit card company for a refund.

The bankruptcy trustee has now taken over all responsibility for Flyr going forward, and can be contacted via email flyr@kvale.no. Please note that this is the only channel open for any questions and information."

Fledgling Norwegian carrier Flyr files for bankruptcy and halts all flights.

United, Tallgrass, and Green Plains Form Joint Venture to Develop New Sustainable Aviation Fuel Technology Using Ethanol

 
        United Airlines, Tallgrass, and Green Plains Inc. have announced a new joint venture – Blue Blade Energy – to develop and then commercialize a novel Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) technology that uses ethanol as its feedstock. If the technology is successful, Blue Blade is expected to proceed with the construction of a pilot facility in 2024, followed by a full-scale facility that could begin commercial operations by 2028. The offtake agreement could provide for enough SAF to fly more than 50,000 flights annually between United's hub airports in Chicago and Denver.*

Blue Blade's new SAF technology was developed by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), a leading centre for technological innovation in sustainable energy. SAF, which uses non-petroleum feedstock, is a low-carbon alternative to traditional jet fuel that offers up to 85%** lower lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.

United, Tallgrass, and Green Plains will invest up to a combined $50 million in the joint venture – Blue Blade Energy – to develop the technology

United has entered into an offtake agreement with Blue Blade Energy for up to 135 million gallons of ethanol based SAF annually and up to 2.7 billion gallons in total

United has invested in more SAF production than any other airline

"The production and use of SAF is the most effective and scalable tool the airline industry has to reduce carbon emissions and United continues to lead the way," said United Airlines Ventures President Michael Leskinen. "This new joint venture includes two expert collaborators that have the experience to construct and operate large-scale infrastructure, as well as the feedstock supply necessary for success. Once operational, Blue Blade Energy has the potential to create United's largest source of SAF providing up to 135 million gallons of fuel annually."

United, Tallgrass, and Green Plains will each provide their unique industry expertise to help develop the joint venture. Under this collaborative approach:

Tallgrass will manage research and development of the technology, including pilot plant development, and will manage the construction of the production facility.

Green Plains will supply the low-carbon ethanol feedstock, and use its ethanol industry expertise to manage operations once the pilot facility is constructed.

United Airlines will assist with SAF development, fuel certification and into-wing logistics, and has also agreed to purchase up to 2.7 billion gallons of SAF produced from the joint venture.

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"At Tallgrass, we are striving to innovate how we deliver the energy that powers our nation and enables our quality of life," said Alison Nelson, Vice President, Business Development at Tallgrass. "Air travel uniquely connects people and improves lives, and the advancement of this novel SAF technology presents a meaningful opportunity to reduce emissions from aviation.  We are excited to partner with industry leaders United Airlines and Green Plains on this initiative."

Fly Meta to lease four Boeing 777-300ERSF aircraft

Fly Meta, the Hong Kong-based global air cargo charter company is to lease four Boeing 777-300ERSF aircraft from AerCap Holdings,  scheduled to deliver in 2024 through 2025.

The Boeing 777-300ERSF, also known as 'The Big Twin', is the first passenger-to-freighter aircraft conversion program of the Boeing 777-300ER and will be the largest twin-engine freighter when it enters service this year.

"AerCap is delighted to welcome Fly Meta as a new customer to the 777-300ERSF 'The Big Twin' freighter conversion program," said Rich Greener, the Head of AerCap Cargo.  "With 25% more capacity than today's smaller twin-engine long-haul freighters, the Big Twin offers significant cost efficiencies, superior range, and outstanding operational commonality, and is therefore the ideal aircraft to support Fly Meta's growing widebody freighter fleet."

"We are thrilled to sign these lease agreements with AerCap for four Boeing 777-300ERSF freighter aircraft. We are confident that the situation will change for the better as China lifts its Covid restrictions, and that the cargo market will grow steadily over the coming years. We believe that the volume capabilities and greater cost efficiencies of the 777-300ERSF will give us a competitive advantage in the market." said Helen Chen, the CEO of Fly Meta.

AerCap Cargo and Israel Aerospace Industries Group (IAI) launched the 777-300ERSF conversion program in 2019, known as 'The Big Twin'. Today, AerCap Cargo has a firm order book of 20 Boeing 777-300ERSF aircraft and a further ten options. The first aircraft is expected to deliver in the first half of 2023 to US cargo airline, Kalitta Air.

Two years to commercial pilot license......with Condor

In two years to the Multi Crew Pilot Licence (MPL) including a type rating: To make this possible for prospective pilots, Germany's most popular leisure airline is offering pilot training in cooperation with the TFC Käufer flight school in Essen for the seventh time as part of the Condor Ab-Initio Program (CAP).

In recent months, a total of 12 applicants have been offered a training position. During the two-year training, which started yesterday, a theoretical and practical phase awaits them. In addition, the training includes type rating, i.e., type training, in this case for the Airbus A320 aircraft type.

Condor and the flight school TFC Käufer are focusing on CO2 reduction: for the first time, an electric aircraft and a corresponding virtual reality simulator will be used as part of the training. Photovoltaic systems on the roof of the flight school building will also cover the simulator's electricity requirements. In total, 70 percent of the training will be conducted on electric aircraft. Photovoltaic systems on the roof of the flight school will also cover the simulator's power requirements. The Velis Electro electric aircraft from the manufacturer Pipistrel that will be used is the first electrically powered aircraft licensed by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for training operations.

London Stansted Trust relaunches with £150,000 to giveaway

London Stansted’s community arm is celebrating the new year by relaunching with a new name and committee.

Stansted Airport Community Fund will replace Stansted Airport Community Trust and provide £150,000 a year in grants to local charities and community groups within a ten-mile radius of the airport.

Projects that support community life, leisure activities, the environment and conservation will qualify to receive donations of up to £5,000, with a flagship award of up to £50,000 being presented annually.

The airport is relaunching the fund to strengthen its ties with the community as part of its successful planning application to serve up to 43 million passengers a year.

It will donate £1.5 million to the fund over the next decade, which will be topped up by fines levied on airlines that breach strict noise restrictions.

Daniel Burford, London Stansted’s Community Engagement Manager, said:

“Stansted Airport is an integral part of the community, and we take our responsibility to be a good neighbour, provide educational opportunities and drive sustainability forward very seriously.

“The new fund will allow our new committee members to work together with local people in deciding where the £150,000 annual donation from the airport goes to.

“We have made the application process as simple as possible but we’re happy to offer help to any groups who may be interested in applying.

“We know that community organisations continue to face huge challenges and grant funding like this is more important than ever.

“We hope that the fund will help bring the community together and make a positive difference for local residents."

An independent committee representing local authorities and airport stakeholders, including the airport consultative committee, has been appointed as part of the revamp, and they will meet every three months to consider grant applications.

Airbus Commercial Selects Altair SimSolid in ZEROe Sustainable Aircraft Initiative

Altair), a global leader in computational science and artificial intelligence (AI), announced that Airbus Commercial has selected Altair SimSolid – the game-changing simulation technology that performs structural analyses on fully featured CAD assemblies within minutes – in its ZEROe global initiative, which aims to create the world's first zero-emission commercial aircraft.

Altair SimSolid will streamline Airbus teams in their development of the world's first zero-emission commercial aircraft

"Altair SimSolid is the premier simulation technology for engineers, designers, analysts, and manufacturers. It eliminates geometry preparation and meshing, which are the two most time-consuming, expertise-extensive, and error-prone tasks in conventional structural simulations," said Sam Mahalingam, chief technology officer, Altair. "Airbus choosing Altair SimSolid further solidifies Altair as a leader in worldwide sustainability initiatives and continues the two companies' long and fruitful history of successful collaboration."

Altair SimSolid will save Airbus' design and engineering teams time, money, and hassle. Altair SimSolid was selected because it has shown that it will reduce elementary part analysis delivery times from days to minutes, and cuts complex assembly delivery times from several months to less than one week in some cases. Additionally, Altair SimSolid's intuitive, easy-to-implement operations and interface lets users work without needing to clean geometry or prepare models beforehand. Altair SimSolid also allows Airbus's design and engineering teams to explore more design iterations in shorter timeframes, which will expedite project timelines and deliver sustainable innovations quicker.

"By using Altair SimSolid, our teams can explore more design possibilities in a simple, easy-to-implement environment," said Christophe Brand, head of airframe methods and tools, Airbus Commercial. "By not requiring our teams to clean geometries beforehand, Altair SimSolid helps us significantly reduce delivery times and build better products. With it, we look forward to building the future of zero-emission aircraft technology."

The ZEROe project aims to create the world's first hydrogen propulsion-powered commercial airline fleet and enables Airbus to explore a variety of configurations and hydrogen technologies that will shape the development of future zero-emission aircraft. Airbus is working towards a mature technology readiness level for a hydrogen-combustion propulsion system by 2025.

KLM appoints Zita Schellekens as SVP Sustainability & Strategy

KLM has appointed Zita Schellekens as Senior Vice President (SVP) for Sustainability & Strategy, effective 1 March 2023. This is a new position on KLM's Executive Committee. Previously Schellekens spent two and a half years as Sustainability Director at DSM. In that time, she joined forces with former DSM CEO Feike Sijbesma to invest in innovative, sustainable start-ups. She is also a member of the Royal Schiphol Group's Sustainability Advisory Board. Prior to her position at DSM, Schellekens' responsibilities as Director of Corporate Affairs at HEINEKEN included sustainability, public affairs and communications at various locations in Asia, Africa and the Netherlands.

.n her new role, Schellekens is responsible for the Transformation and Sustainability teams, founded to further accelerate the company's sustainability efforts. She reports directly to KLM CEO Marjan Rintel.

Marjan Rintel - CEO KLM said: "The Dutch want to carry on flying and we see travel increasing globally. KLM intends to make it possible to fly responsibly, because this is the only way we can take KLM safely into the future. That means investing in a good product for customers, making smart use of technology, and setting ambitious sustainability goals. Zita's drive and decisiveness and her wealth of experience in tackling complex sustainability issues at major companies all make her the ideal candidate to lead the way in improving KLM’s sustainability. We were already on the right track and I look forward to what we will achieve together in the time ahead."

Zita Schellekens - upcoming SVP Sustainability & Strategy, commented "I am committing myself to a tremendous mission: the sustainable transformation of KLM. It's a huge and challenging mission, and one that is absolutely necessary. In my new position, strategy, transformation and sustainability converge. That means focusing on accelerating the transition to sustainability, exploiting every innovative solution available, and setting up smart public-private partnerships. I am convinced that my new role will allow me to make a significant contribution to achieving KLM's ambitions and to helping the industry undergo the necessary change."

Republic Airways hosts 11th Annual Plane Pull at Indianapolis International Airport

Republic Airways today announced its 11th Annual Plane Pull presented by Lucas Oil will take place on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at Republic Airways Indianapolis Maintenance Center Hangar located on Indianapolis International Airport property at 3998 S. Hoffman Road, Indianapolis. The sky is the limit for this family-friendly event that has raised nearly $3.6 million since its inception. The event benefits A Kid Again, Indiana Wish, Riley Children’s Foundation and Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at Ascension St. Vincent.

The Plane Pull began in memory of Tyler Frenzel, a Carmel, Indiana, boy who died from leukaemia in 2004. Over the years, funds raised through the Republic Airways Plane Pull have supported children battling life-threatening illnesses.

“Our community’s most valuable asset is our next generation. This unique opportunity to care for some of our most vulnerable children is a powerful way for people to make a difference and Republic Airways is proud to host this event,” said Amy Arnell, Director of Corporate and Community Responsibility for Republic Airways. “Whether you build a team with friends from work, school, church, or your neighbourhood, all are welcome to join us at this family-friendly event!”

The public is invited to participate or watch teams of ten race against the clock to pull a 24-ton aircraft across 15 feet. In addition to the Plane Pull, the event will feature a Kids’ Zone with activities for youth of all ages, food and beverage vendors and a variety of aircraft and airport vehicles to see and tour.

Event information, team registration and sponsorship opportunities can be found at RepublicPlanePull.com.

Republic also will host its annual Plane Pull Gala at Lucas Estate, catered by Prime 47, on Friday, April 21. The exclusive evening event will include silent and live auctions. Details on tables, donations and corporate sponsorship opportunities for the gala are available at RepublicPlanePull.com.