PLAY announces 25% off shoulder season flights

PLAY, a low-cost Icelandic airline operating flights between the United States and Europe, today announced 25% off fall and winter flights to Iceland, Copenhagen, Paris, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Dublin today through 1st August 2024. The discount on PLAY’s already affordable fares increases the payoff of planning ahead, making summer the perfect time to lock in a vacation for the fall and winter seasons.

Booking a European getaway is anything but spur-of-the-moment; according to Expedia, the best time to book international airfare is two months in advance. PLAY’s 25% off fares encourages all travellers to get into the planning mindset for fall or winter trips to “chill” destinations, like Copenhagen or London. Travellers who book now can create an unforgettable experience during shoulder season, enjoying less crowds and lower travel costs. “Type-A” planners can enjoy the spoils of booking ahead, whether grabbing a Stroopwafel in Amsterdam or using their flight savings to splurge on accommodations by the Eiffel Tower during the off season in Paris.

To sweeten the deal, PLAY’s stayover option stacks a BOGO deal on top of 25% off flights, enabling travelers to visit two destinations for the price of one! They can choose to add up to 10 days in Iceland on the departing or returning flight, expanding their travel experience without increasing their flight budget. An extended stop in the Land of Fire and Ice provides the ideal window to see the Northern Lights, a free experience that lucky tourists can see only during the winter months.

"Budget travellers know that researching and planning ahead pays off in savings, enabling them to get even more out of every trip,” said PLAY CEO Einar Örn Ólafsson. “The ‘shoulder season’ is around the corner, and travelers should book their trips now to snag a discount on PLAY’s already affordable fares for their best trip yet.”

PLAY’s 25% off flight deal includes the airline’s Basic Bundle, a streamlined travel option with a small personal item included in their discounted fare. The deal runs today through August 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. It’s valid for one-way flights on roundtrip bookings to Iceland, Copenhagen, Paris, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Dublin between September 15 to December 15, 2024. Discount is applied to airfare, does not include taxes, fees, and carrier charges.

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Beechcraft King Air special “Crimson Edition” unveiled in honour of 60th Anniversary

Textron Aviation has announced a special edition 60th anniversary option for the iconic Beechcraft King Air 260 and 360 turboprops to celebrate the aircraft’s proud history of being the best-selling business turboprop family in the world. The new “Crimson Edition” King Air features a striking new interior and a vibrant red and silver exterior paint scheme, inspired by six decades of legendary Beechcraft customers and operators. The order book is open for the special edition aircraft, with deliveries beginning in 2025.

“The Crimson Edition of the King Air provides customers with an immersive experience that pays tribute to the turboprop’s renowned legacy, while also featuring modern luxuries and upgrades that showcase the aircraft's ongoing evolution,” said Christi Tannahill, senior vice president, of Customer Experience. “We’re honoured to celebrate a prestigious aircraft that is beloved by so many customers around the world.”

The King Air series aircraft has long been a customer favourite since its introduction in 1964. The legendary turboprop is synonymous with unwavering reliability, exceptional performance and unparalleled versatility, earning the trust and preference of operators worldwide.

New Crimson exterior scheme

One of the first noticeable attributes of the new “Crimson Edition” King Air is the iconic Beechcraft “B” on the aircraft’s tail. The exterior paint scheme showcases a metallic-like crimson, silver and black paint scheme. The aircraft’s new boarding step has hidden fasteners that create a sleeker appearance for entry, and its graphite silver finish perfectly matches the new exterior and interior.

Stunning custom interior

RTX's Ascentia awarded first predictive maintenance customer in Turkey with Freebird Airlines

Freebird Airlines gains a connected ecosystem through real-time data insights

Freebird Airlines has selected Collins Aerospace, an RTX business to add a comprehensive suite of digital solutions enabling the airline to make proactive decisions to improve operations across its A320 fleet of aircraft.

Freebird Airlines will implement Ascentia®, a cloud-based data management and analytics platform designed to provide a holistic view of aircraft maintenance. Freebird Airlines will use the solution to analyze maintenance data that will enable the air service to predict and reduce aircraft on the ground events, lowering maintenance costs and improving the passenger experience.

This new agreement adds to a suite of solutions currently used by Freebird Airlines, including OpsCore™ for aircraft flight tracking, ARINC Hermes™ for smart ACARS message management, and GLOBALinkSM for communication services.

"This collaboration with Collins Aerospace marks a significant step forward in our maintenance operations," said Kerem Güngörmez, maintenance manager at Freebird Airlines. "By leveraging the advanced capabilities of Ascentia and Collins' integrated software solutions, we can enhance our maintenance, repair, and overhaul efficiency, reduce engineering costs, and improve our ability to predict and prevent on-the-ground events. This will ultimately result in a more reliable and cost-effective service for our passengers."

"Our software solutions allow Freebird to digitally transform their operations, using data-driven insights to inform proactive maintenance decisions that provide a high level of operational availability of their fleet," said Nicole White, vice president of Business Development for Connected Aviation Solutions at Collins Aerospace.

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Supernal and Sigma Air Mobility Collaborate on AAM Market Development

Supernal LLC – Hyundai Motor Group's (HMG) Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company – and Sigma Air Mobility – a Luxaviation Group company – today announced a joint effort to identify and develop targeted markets for future AAM infrastructure and investments, targeting key markets in South and Southeast Asia and potential opportunities in Southern Europe. The collaboration is intended to leverage the companies' combined expertise to lead in the visioning, launch and scale-up of decarbonized and accessible air mobility networks in these regions, with Sigma operating Supernal electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and providing vertiport development and operations and related services.

Announced at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow, the partnership unites Supernal and HMG's expertise in eVTOL design and manufacturing with Sigma and Luxaviation Group's global presence and extensive expertise in aviation fleet and infrastructure operations, training and technical services. Together the two parent companies operate in more than 60 countries, with HMG's global presence in 42 countries and Luxaviation operating in 23.

Supernal is reimagining intra-city mobility through the creation of an eVTOL vehicle that will travel 60 miles and cruise at 120 miles-per-hour to meet the growing demand for efficient transportation options in urban environments. Supernal is displaying S-A2, its full-scale eVTOL vehicle product concept, at the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow. Supernal will achieve commercial aviation safety levels and enable scalable manufacturing of its vehicles, aligning its development timeline with the broader ecosystem to enable operators to enter the market in 2028.

Avolon expands CFM portfolio with 150 LEAP-1A engines

       Avolon, a leading global aviation finance company, announced an order for 150 LEAP-1A engines to power 75 new Airbus A320neo family aircraft. The agreement also includes purchase rights for 150 additional LEAP-1A engines.

"These engines will power our orderbook of A320neo family aircraft and put us in an excellent position to service our customers narrowbody requirements out to 2030 and beyond," said Andy Cronin, CEO of Avolon. "Engine innovation has been one of the key tools to lower emissions and support the industry's decarbonization journey. We are delighted to continue our strong partnership with CFM International, and excited about leveraging their engines to support the transition of our fleet to more fuel-efficient technology."

Avolon, which has been a CFM customer since its launch in 2010, has a portfolio of 323 CFM-powered aircraft, including CFM56 and LEAP, as well as 180 aircraft powered by LEAP engines on order. 

Berniq Airways orders six A320neo Family aircraft to support growth

Berniq Airways, Libya’s airline, has placed a firm order with Airbus for six A320neo Family aircraft. The airline already operates six A320s and intends to further develop its regional and international routes with the additional A320neo Family aircraft.

Waseem Ezzway, Chairman of Berniq Airways said, "We are proud to be the first airline in Libya to order the advanced A320neo Family aircraft. This significant investment marks a new chapter for Berniq Airways as we continue to lead the way in modernizing our fleet and enhancing our service offerings.”

Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Executive Vice President Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business said, “It is a pleasure to see Berniq Airways expanding its fleet with the world's best-in-class single-aisle aircraft. The A320neo family will enable Berniq Airways to provide its customers with unparalleled comfort while offering the airline exceptional economic advantages.”

The A320 Family is the world’s most popular single-aisle aircraft having won more than 18,000 orders from more than 300 customers around the world. The A321neo is the largest member of Airbus’ A320neo Family, offering unparalleled range and performance. By incorporating new generation engines and Sharklets, the A321neo brings a 50% noise reduction and at least 20% fuel savings and CO₂ reduction compared to previous generation single-aisle aircraft, while maximising passenger comfort in the widest single-aisle cabin in the sky.

As with all Airbus aircraft, the entire A320 Family is already able to operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The manufacturer is targeting to have its aircraft up to 100% SAF capable by 2030.

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American Airlines to launch automated tag for mobility devices

American Airlines to launch an automated tag for mobility devices, part of an ongoing commitment to improve wheelchair and mobility device handling across its network. Developed in-house by American’s Technology team, the tags are currently used in the airports where American and its regional partners operate.

“American is committed to improving the travel experience for our customers who use wheelchairs and mobility devices,” said Julie Rath, American’s Senior Vice President of Airports, Reservations and Service Recovery. “Streamlining the check-in and tagging process is an industry-leading effort that will help us further improve how we handle wheelchairs for our customers who entrust us to transport their devices on their journey.”

New automated tags, replacing the previous manual tags, feature customer- and device-specific data like itineraries, delivery points, device weight, battery type and the number of items removed and taken on board. This additional information will ensure more accurate and consistent information for team members handling the devices and provide enhanced visibility of the devices throughout customers’ travel journeys. The automation also enables the device's information to be more easily shared across frontline team members’ applications, ensuring team members have the right information at the right time.

American has launched multiple improvements across its operation to deliver a positive, more seamless travel experience for customers with wheelchairs and mobility devices. These actions have helped American improve handling of these devices. American’s handling rate for mobility devices improved by nearly 13% from the first half of 2023 to the first half of 2024.

Hands-on training for team members: With the help of an outside organization, American offers in-person mobility device training to its Airport Customer Service and Customer Operations team members and vendor partners, which supplements comprehensive web-based training delivered to all American airport team members.

Investing in airport infrastructure: Wheelchair movers have been deployed and lifts are being installed at the airline’s hubs and other airports with high mobility device traffic, which helps lower the risk of damaging mobility devices and team member injury.

Streamlining the traveller experience: American made it easier for customers to add and maintain wheelchairs and other mobility devices as part of their travel profiles. Starting this fall, customers can conveniently access their saved travel preferences, such as traveling with a mobility device or service animal and apply their details to any upcoming trip when managing on aa.com. Enabling customers to manage these needs digitally ensures the airline has the necessary information to safety and securely transport devices.

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Airports under attack.....

European airports have been warned they now face unprecedented attacks by various eco-terrorist groups such as Just Stop Oil,  Last Generation and Folk Mot Fossilmakten. The campaign groups have sped up their 'international uprising' for the height of summer travel getaways and there are said to be plans for a mass invasion of both Orly and Charles de Gaulle Airports in Paris in the opening days of the Olympics.

Nine Just Stop Oil members have been arrested at London's Heathrow Airport on suspicion of conspiring to interfere with a site of key national infrastructure under the Public Order Act. The group had planned to cut through the security fence in multiple locations and block one of the main runways. 

Scores of flights have been cancelled, delayed or diverted at Cologne-Bonn Airport today after five terrorists from Last Generation glued themselves to the tarmac on the taxiway and all operations had to be halted. 

Oil Kills confirmed that five of its activists had been intercepted at Barcelona El Prat Airport before they could damage too much property. In Finland, other protesters blocked security gates at Helsinki Vantaa Airport and another group Folk Mot Fossilmakten cut through the security fence in Oslo to block a taxiway at Gardermoen Airport before officers removed them some 30 minutes later.

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Pilot survives as 18 people perish in Kathmandu plane crash

The pilot is the only survivor of a plane crash at Nepal's capital, Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport. It is understood that eighteen other people perished in the plane crash that appears to have caught fire just after its take-off from the airport on Wednesday.

 

The aircraft, belonging to Saurya Airlines is said to have been carrying out a test flight with 17 company employees and two crew at the time of the crash. The flight was scheduled to go to Pokhara in the country's west, a key tourist hub. 

The flight was part of a routine maintenance check and crashed at around 05:30GMT,  that's about 11:15 local time, just moments after take off.  An eyewitness told the AFP news agency "There was a very loud noise, it sounded like maybe a truck had overturned on the road.  We ran after we saw [the crash]. The plane then hit the ground and caught fire. We were about to run to the site but then there was an explosion so we ran away again,"

"Shortly after takeoff ... the aircraft veered off to the right and crashed on the east side of the runway," the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal advised in a statement.  In videos of the scene, it appears that the aircraft tilted sideways before attempting to level out and hitting the ground, close to the airport. 

Dan Bahadur Karki, a spokesperson for the local police told BBC Nepali 'that the pilot sustained injuries to his eyes and forehead but was not in a life-threatening condition. 

Mukesh Khanal, head of marketing at Saurya Airlines said: The plane was scheduled to undergo maintenance for a month beginning Thursday ... It is unclear why it crashed"

It is understood the aircraft was one of two Bombardier CRJ-200 regional jets Saurya Airlines has in its fleet

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Qatar Airways orders 20 extra Boeing 777-9 jets.......

Boeing and Qatar Airways announced this week at the Farnborough AirShow an order for 20 more Boeing 777-9 aeroplanes, but it is not a new order,  it is a recycled order by Boeing to enhance its media reputation at the air show. The order was originally announced earlier this year and was marked as unidentified on Boeing's Orders & Deliveries website.

"Qatar Airways is proud to announce an expansion to the existing Boeing 777X aircraft order with an additional 20, totalling 94 Boeing 777X aircraft," said Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer. "

"Qatar Airways is a leader in our industry, and we are honored the airline added 20 more 777-9 jets to its large Boeing order book," said Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "We appreciate their confidence that Boeing's market-leading widebody family will provide outstanding fuel efficiency and a superior passenger experience for its global operations."

In addition to the 777X family, Qatar Airways has 12 787 Dreamliner and 25 737 MAX aircraft on order. 

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SKY Airline selects RTX's Pratt & Whitney GTF engine to power up to 39 Airbus A320neo family aircraft

Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, announced that Chilean-based SKY Airline has entered into a memorandum of understanding to select the GTF engine to power 10 firm Airbus A321XLR aircraft, with options for 29 Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft. With this selection, SKY Airline becomes a first-time Pratt & Whitney customer.

"This selection is a testament to SKY Airline's confidence in the GTF engine over the long term," said Rick Deurloo, president of Commercial Engines at Pratt & Whitney. "These engines and aircraft will enable SKY to continue its route expansion while delivering industry-leading fuel efficiency and low CO2 emissions."

Pratt & Whitney plans to provide long-term maintenance services via an EngineWise™ Comprehensive service agreement.

American Airlines orders 180 CF34 engines to power new Embraer 175 fleet

GE Aerospace announced that American Airlines has finalized an order for 180 CF34-8E engines plus spares to power its fleet of 90 new Embraer 175 regional jets.

"The CF34 engine has a long track record of success with American Airlines and we're grateful the American team is putting its trust in us again," said Russell Stokes, President and CEO, Commercial Engines and Services, GE Aerospace. "This order, along with the CFM deals announced this spring with American, highlight our continued success at providing our customers industry-leading products and services."

More than 7,500 CF34 engines are in service with more than 900 Regional and Business Jet operators globally. The CF34-8E has accumulated more than 40 million flight hours and 29 million cycles since entering service on the Embraer E170/175 in 2004. Today, the CF34 engine line, which includes -3, -8, and -10 models, powers more than 2,500 regional commercial aircraft.

"The reliability and performance of the CF34 engine has been critical to our success for many years," said American's CFO Devon May. "We look forward to continuing our strong partnership with GE Aerospace as we invest in modernizing and strengthening our domestic and regional fleet."

New £21 million fund from British Airways to put 200 aspiring pilots from all backgrounds through training

                                  British Airways has announced a £21 million investment to give up to 200 prospective pilots the chance to follow their dream of flying for a commercial airline without the worry of self-funding the £100,000 cost of training, opening the door to being a pilot to more people than ever before.

The Speedbird Pilot Academy aims to attract the very best talent for the future generation of pilots while boosting social mobility and diversity within the airline’s pilot community. The airline works with community groups to help encourage applicants from people who may have previously been put off from applying due to cost.

Launched last year and open to applicants annually, the Academy is already training 100 future British Airways pilots who managed to beat off competition from more than 20,000 candidates to have the cost of their tuition paid for by the airline. Funding was in place for an initial 100 places on the 2025 programme, which has now been increased to 200.

It takes two years to complete training and become a qualified First Officer with the airline. British Airways currently employs around 4,000 pilots.

British Airways made the announcement during the airline’s appearance at Farnborough International Airshow, where it is exhibiting a brand new A320neo aircraft complete with new interiors. The aircraft flew into the show powered by more than 35 per cent Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

Leasing giant Avolon orders 310 engines at Farnborough Air Show

160 engines ordered from Pratt & Whitney and 150 from CFM International

Engine orders valued at over US$5 billion at current list prices

Options to purchase 310 further engines

Avolon, a leading global aviation finance company, announces orders for 310 new engines to power 155 Airbus A320neo family aircraft in its order book. Avolon has ordered 160 GTF engines from Pratt & Whitney, and 150 LEAP-1A engines from CFM International.

The combined orders, announced today at the Farnborough Airshow, are valued at over US$5 billion at current list prices. The agreement also includes options to purchase a further 160 Pratt & Whitney engines and 150 CFM International engines. The orders represent Avolon’s largest ever engine commitment.

Both engine types help to lower carbon emissions by delivering at least 15% reduced fuel consumption compared to previous generation engine technology, and also reduced noise levels. Transitioning the global fleet to new technology aircraft is the biggest near-term action that can be taken to reduce aviation emissions, and Avolon is committed to a target of having over 75% of its fleet comprising the youngest, most fuel-efficient aircraft by the end of 2025. Beyond its 2025 target, the evolution of its fleet will be supported by deliveries of the A320 neo family aircraft out to 2032 that these engines will power.

Avolon currently has 115 A320neo family aircraft in its delivered and managed fleet, of which 39 are powered by Pratt & Whitney engines and 76 by CFM International engines. Following its order for 100 A321neo aircraft in December 2023, Avolon now has an orderbook of 279 A320neo family aircraft.

Andy Cronin, CEO Avolon, commented: “These engines will power our orderbook of A320neo family aircraft and put us in an excellent position to service our customers’ narrowbody requirements out to 2030 and beyond.  Engine innovation has been one of the key tools to lower emissions and support the industry’s decarbonisation journey. We are delighted to be working with both Pratt & Whitney and CFM International, and excited about leveraging their engines to support the transition of our fleet to more fuel-efficient technology.”

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Macquarie AirFinance puts on order for 20 Boeing 737 MAX jets

Boeing and Macquarie AirFinance announced this week that the lessor has made its first direct order for Boeing aeroplanes. The purchase of 20 737 MAX 8s doubles Macquarie AirFinance's existing 737 MAX 8 order book, which it acquired from ALAFCO Aviation Lease and Finance Co. in 2023.  By expanding its 737 MAX portfolio, Macquarie AirFinance will scale up its fleet of the poorly designed aircraft that continue to suffer safety issues following two fatal crashes. 

"The continued expansion and renewal of our fleet underscores our confidence in the strong future growth prospects of global commercial air transport. This order increases our existing OEM order book to 86 firm aircraft and will enable our airline partners to access the most modern, fuel-efficient aircraft," said Eamonn Bane, CEO of Macquarie AirFinance.

"As single-aisle fleet renewals gain momentum, Macquarie AirFinance's choice of the 737-8 will allow its customers to phase out older aeroplanes and operate the industry's most fuel-efficient jets," said Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Lessors such as Macquarie AirFinance are key partners to Boeing and our airline customers, supporting aeroplane deliveries and offering financial solutions to carriers that want to renew or grow their fleets with the 737 MAX."

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