Icelandair is Going to Kansas City

Today, Icelandair announces seasonal service to the heartland of America with flights from Kansas City International Airport (MCI) commencing on May 25, 2018.  Icelandair's Kansas City service will offer three non-stop flights a week to Iceland on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, with easy connections to and from more than 25 destinations in Europe.

Kansas City is known as the "City of Fountains" and "Paris of the Plains." With a rich American history situated in the heart of the Midwest, Kansas City offers visitors upscale shopping, a thriving art scene and plenty of fine dining, along with some great steaks and unrivalled American BBQ.  It is also known as the home of the infamous outlaw, Jessie James and where cartoonist, Walt Disney, first created the iconic Mickey Mouse while an art student.  Music lovers know Kansas City as the home of "swing", where Count Basie started his new form of jazz in the local Kansas City clubs, and where Fats Domino was inspired to write his classic hit, "Kansas City, Here I Come."

"Icelandair has been in operation for over 80 years with a long and illustrious history.  But today marks the first time in that history that Icelandair will offer non-stop flights to and from the heart of America to Iceland and beyond.  This will not only benefit families and leisure travellers wanting to explore the world but will also open up many opportunities for business, trade and foreign relations between Europe and Kansas City.  Our network is bigger and stronger than ever and we offer our passengers more flights, more connections and a refreshing alternative to Iceland and beyond.  We look forward to welcoming Kansas City aboard", said Icelandair CEO Bjorgolfur Johannsson.

GOL preliminary traffic figures for December 2017

GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes  Brazil's #1 airline, announced today preliminary air traffic figures for the month of December 2017. Comparisons refer to the same period of 2016.

GOL's Highlights

The total volume of GOL departures increased by 3.4% and the number of seats was up 3.5% in December, resulting in an increase in supply of 5.5%. GOL's load factor was 81.0% in December 2017, 2.0 p.p. up over the same period of 2016, due to a growth in demand of 8.2% in the period.

In the domestic market, the volume of departures and number of seats increased by 3.0% and 3.1%, respectively over December 2016. In addition, GOL increased its supply by 4.5% in December over the same period the year before, while demand grew by 7.0%. GOL's Load factor was up 1.9 p.p. in comparison to the same month of the previous year, achieving 81.4%.

In December 2017, GOL's international market supply and demand rose by 14.5% and 19.3%, respectively, increasing load factor by 3.2 p.p. in relation to the same period of 2016.

Boeing, Turkish Airlines Announce Order for Three 777 Freighters

Boeing and Turkish Airlines announced that the carrier ordered three more 777 Freighters in December 2017. The new order came weeks after the carrier took delivery of two of the large cargo jets as part of its plan to further expand its freight business.

"These freighter orders will surely contribute to our significant target for establishing a young and efficient cargo fleet," said M. İlker Aycı, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee of Turkish Airlines. "The new aircraft will be delivered this year and will provide us with additional flexibility to serve more destinations while we continue to develop our global freight service."

Ramp up in Airbus China production

European aircraft manufacturing giant, Airbus has announced details of a deal to increase the number of aircraft it makes in China during a state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron.  During his three-day visit, Mr Macron said both France and China must open up to doing business with each other, saying "access to markets which is unbalanced [and] unsatisfying"

Airbus says it plans to produce six of its A320 jets each month by 2020 at the final assembly plant the company has near Beijing.  As part of the agreement, Airbus said it will "enhance its industrial partnership in Tianjin" which is one of four global facilities that assemble the whole family range of A320 craft.

Airbus said it hopes to "strengthen the cooperation with regards to technical innovation, engineering capabilities and supply chain expansion".

The manufacturer currently only produces four aircraft each month in China, this will increase to five by the end of 2019 and then cranking up to six jets by early 2020.

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British Airways to end the recline on short-haul whilst introduce new menu on longer services

British Airways travels further down the 'low-cost'  route by taking away the recline on it's short-haul route network.  Soon passengers will not have that little touch of comfort when the new fleet of aircraft based at Heathrow will be installed with the non-reclining seats.

The 35 Airbus A320neo and A321neo planes that are scheduled to arrive soon will be without the recline button but instead, have a fixed "gentle recline". 

It put British Airways more on an equal footing with other low-cost carriers, such as easyJet and Ryanair who already utilise seats that cannot be adjusted/reclined, which save money in the long run.

As well as the new arrivals having no recline, British Airways will also completely refurbish all its existing Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, where the reclining seats will be removed. However, the airline will introduce in-seat power points as well as introducing onboard wi-fi, for sky high fees

Two new routes for Spirit

Spirit Airlines will be launching two international destinations to its rapidly expanding network, it has announced this week.  The bright yellow liveried airline will start services to new cities in Ecuador and Haiti. 

The routes will start from Fort Lauderdale this spring, expanding further what is already Spirit’s largest base of operation.

From 22nd March the ultra-low-cost airline, Spirit will begin flying from Fort Lauderdale to Guayaquil, Ecuador. The carrier plans to operate a daily round-trip flight throughout the year. Then on 12th April, they will launch a service to Cap-Haïtien on the north coast of Haiti. The schedule for this route will start off with three flights a week but may increase over time subject to demand. 

Spirit are pleased with their new Guayaquil routes, promoting it as the “Gateway to the Galapagos.” The city will become Spirit’s only destination in Ecuador at this time.  

Cap-Haïtien International Airport is the second busiest airport in Haiti and will add better connectivity to the region, the new service will also compliment Spirits other Haitian route to Port-au-Prince. 

"We are excited to add even more international options to our growing network,” Mark Kopczak, Spirit’s Vice President of Network Planning, said in a statement. 

Once these new routes begin, Spirit will be offering 54 destinations from Fort Lauderdale spread throughout the US, Caribbean and Latin America. 

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United Airlines Announces New Routes Connecting Eight Cities to Hundreds of Domestic and International Destinations

 United Airlines today announced it will begin new service between six of its domestic hubs and eight destinations in California, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, Virginia and Wisconsin.

The new flights, starting June 7, offer customers hundreds of connection opportunities across United's world-class domestic and international route network.

"We are excited to begin the new year by adding eight new flights as we continue our focus on making United the first choice for customers," said Jake Cefolia, United's vice president of Sales.

Hong Kong Airlines ranked most punctual airline in Asia; second globally in 2017

Hong Kong Airlines has been recognised for its excellent On-Time Performance (OTP), having been ranked by UK-based air travel intelligence company OAG as Asia's most punctual airline, and the second globally in 2017.

According to the "OAG Punctuality League 2018" report, which delivers the most updated statistics for airlines based on full-year data in 2017, Hong Kong Airlines achieved an OTP rating of 88.83% -- a significant increase as compared to 74.46% in 2016.

Hong Kong Airlines operates out of one of the world's busiest air hubs. To maintain its operational efficiency and strive towards OTP excellence, Hong Kong Airlines has always been exploring ways to improve overall flight punctuality. The move to the then newly built Midfield Concourse at Hong Kong International Airport in late 2015 presented an opportunity, as the 105,000 square-metre, five-storey facility provided 20 dedicated parking stands that would serve Hong Kong Airlines well. Currently, over 99% of Hong Kong Airlines' flights out of Hong Kong arrive and depart from the Midfield Concourse, which has become a significant contributing factor to the airline's improved OTP.   

Aeromexico Reports December 2017 Traffic Results

Grupo Aeromexico today reported December 2017 operational results.

Grupo Aeromexico transported 1 million 832 thousand passengers in December 2017; a 3.9% year-on-year increase. International passenger numbers increased by 19.5%, while domestic passenger numbers decreased by 4.4%. 

Demand, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPKs), increased by 15.2%, year-on-year. Aeromexico's capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometers (ASKs), increased by 15.5%, year-on-year. 

Aeromexico's December load factor was 80.3%, a decrease of 0.2 p.p. compared to December 2016.

Casa Cupula Honours Mexican LGBT Icon with new suite

As part of the continuing celebration of Puerto Vallarta’s luxury LGBT property’s Quinceanera, Casa Cupula has now opened the doors to its new Frida Suite, which celebrates the life and art of Mexican icon Frida Kahlo. 

Decorated in the style of Frida Kahlo’s paintings and imagery, Casa Cupula’s one bedroom/1.5 ba suite of 860 sq ft (80m2) includes a living area, kitchen, washer and dryer and a terrace with a view of Puerto Vallarta and a hot tub. Guests will enjoy the view of the Bay of Banderas while enjoying the shade of a heritage Papelillo tree and the flora and the fauna of the Sierra Madre, home to iguanas, squirrels, hummingbirds, parrots and other birds.

Kahlo’s work has been celebrated internationally for her incorporation of Mexican national and indigenous traditions and uncompromising depiction of the dark sides of the female experience and form. The artist’s personal life is often a focus of any reading of her life, as she had both male and female lovers, including a reported affair with Josephine Baker in Paris, and is one of the LGBT community’s most beloved icons.

Ground collision at Toronto Pearson causes delays

A major incident occurred at Toronto's Pearson airport where a WestJet Boeing 737-800 that had recently arrived from Cancun was waiting to proceed to its gate when it was struck by a Sunwing aircraft being pushed back. 

This incident took place at approximately 6.30pm local time on Friday evening on the apron around terminal 3.  The WestJet aircraft had been on the ground for around twenty minutes, waiting for a gate to be opened up when it was struck on its wing by the tail of the Sunwing aircraft - which that caught fire. From images shared on social media it appears the fire on the Sunwing aircraft was contained within the APU. 

There were 168 passengers and 6 crew on the WestJet aircraft at the time of the collision and they were evacuated via the emergency slides to the apron. Emergency crews raced to the area at terminal three and put out the fire. 

WestJet issued the following statement 

WestJet has confirmed that WS2425, a Boeing 737-800 with 168 guests and six crew onboard, inbound from Cancun to Toronto Pearson, while waiting to proceed to the gate and stationary, was struck by a Sunwing aircraft pushing back from the gate.    

Due to the position of the aircraft on the laneway, WestJet guests required evacuation via emergency slide. Emergency crews were on hand and responded immediately.  WestJet is in direct contact with the Transportation Safety Board, the GTAA and the various emergency agencies responsible for responding to, and investigating, this incident.  All 168 guests and six crew are accounted for. We can confirm guests are safely in the terminal.  

Some flights departing from and arriving at terminal 3 have been affected, although a spokesperson for the airport advised that other flights were operating as normal.

The Sunwing aircraft was not operating a passenger flight at the time of pushback, the travel company tweeted the following statement "There were no Sunwing crew or passengers onboard at the time of the incident.  We are awaiting further information from Swissport and will provide more details as they become available."

An investigation is currently underway. 

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Azul is the most on-time airline in Brazil and the most on-time Low-cost carrier in the Americas

Azul Brazilian Airlines is the most on-time airline in Brazil and the most on-time low-cost carrier (LCC) in the Americas.  As reported in the official OAG worldwide airline punctuality rankings, 84.14% of Azul flights arrived within 14 minutes and 59 seconds of their scheduled arrival time.  This on-time metric also makes Azul the fifth most on-time LCC in the world. 

OAG worldwide punctuality league 2018 names

 Azul as the most on-time LCC in the Americas

"This industry-leading result is a direct reflection of our constant focus on operational excellence.  Finishing the year as the most on-time LCC in the Americas demonstrates the high standards that we promise and deliver to our customers. This accomplishment is even more impressive considering that we operate almost 800 daily flights and fly to more than 100 destinations, which is approximately twice the number of domestic destinations served by our competitors.  I want to thank our crewmembers for their incredible dedication and focus in delivering the best customer experience in the industry", said David Neeleman, Azul's founder and Chairman. 

Biggest summer schedule at Gatwick for British Airways in a decade

As the back to work blues set in, British Airways is turning up the heat at Gatwick as summer 2018 is set to be the airline’s biggest schedule in almost a decade.

In summer 2017 the airline operated around 1000 flights a week at its peak.  More than 150 additional weekly flights will take to the skies this summer* following the airline’s successful acquisition of Monarch’s take-off and landing slots.

Weekly flights to Malaga will be boosted from 27 to 35, Alicante from 14 to 22 and Faro from 17 to 21, while the airline’s summer flights to Tenerife will increase from six per week to 13, Madeira will be bolstered from six to nine per week and Lanzarote will rise from three to five flights per week at the Sussex based hub.

Norwegian reports record high year-end traffic figures: Carried over 33 million passengers in 2017

Norwegian reported its highest ever passenger figures in a single year with more than 33 million passengers and a load factor of 87.5 percent in 2017. The launch of 54 new routes and a substantial increase of intercontinental traffic contributed considerably to the growth.

Passenger growth, more new aircraft and high load factors characterized 2017. The company carried more than 33.15 million passengers in 2017, 3.8 million more than the previous year. The company took delivery of 32 brand new aircraft and launched 54 new routes, mainly between Europe and the U.S. The Group hired approximately 2,000 new staff members. The 2017 load factor was 87.5 percent, compared to 87.7 percent the previous year.

Norwegian also received several international customer awards in 2017, including two SkyTrax Awards: ‘Europe’s best low-cost carrier’ for the fifth consecutive year and the ‘World's best low-cost long-haul airline’ for the third year in a row.

Norwegian CEO Bjørn Kjos said: “The 2017 traffic figures show that our international footprint grows stronger, in line with the Norwegian Group’s strategy. Our Scandinavian operation is stable and positive, and we see that our long-haul and short-haul networks complement each other, consequently strengthening our competitiveness. Our growing long-haul networks from the UK and Ireland continue to be well-received by passengers, proving the demand for high-quality, affordable travel. Increased tourism creates economic value and new jobs at all the destinations we serve.”

Vietjet Celebrates Delivery of First Airbus A321neo

Vietjet celebrated the airline's first A321neo aircraft delivery at Airbus in Hamburg, Germany.  The aircraft, powered by Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan™ (GTF) engines, arrived in Ho Chi Minh City shortly after Vietjet celebrated six years of passenger flights and ten years since the airline was founded.

"We are very happy to take delivery of our first GTF-powered A321neo," said Dinh Viet Phuong, vice president of Vietjet. "We believe that the GTF engine will deliver exceptional fuel efficiency and a superbly quiet passenger experience."

Vietjet placed an order for 63 A320neo family aircraft in February 2016, and ordered an additional 10 aircraft just last month during a signing ceremony in Vietnam's capital, Hanoi. Both contracts included multi-year EngineWise™ Fleet Management Programs.

Chorus Aviation delivers two new Bombardier Q400 aircraft to Ethiopian Airlines

Chorus Aviation announced that a subsidiary of Chorus Aviation Capital completed the delivery of two new Bombardier Q400 aircraft placed on long-term lease to Ethiopian Airlines Group which was previously announced on November 29, 2017.

One year ago, Chorus established a new regional aircraft leasing subsidiary, Chorus Aviation Capital. The objective was to build Chorus Aviation Capital into a global aircraft lessor with a diverse customer base and fleet of regional jet and turboprop aircraft in the 70- to 135-seat range.

"We have built and grown Chorus Aviation Capital into a significant global business with a strong customer base, attractive aircraft assets and long-term contracted leases," commented Steven Ridolfi, President, Chorus Aviation Capital. "We are gaining momentum in this growing and dynamic market, and look forward to the continued success of this new and exciting business," he added.

Canadians to benefit from new and expanded air transport agreements

From visiting friends and family to getting goods to markets around the world, Canadians rely on a robust aviation industry with diverse international air services. Expanding Canada's existing air transport relationships allows airlines to introduce more flight options and routings, which benefit passengers and businesses by providing greater choice and convenience.

The Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport, today announced that Canada has successfully concluded new and amended air transport agreements with Ethiopia, Cameroon, South Africa, Qatar and Morocco.

The amended agreement with Ethiopia allows designated carriers to offer up to five flights per week (up from three). The new agreement with Cameroon as well as amended agreements with South Africa and Qatar facilitate the operation of code-sharing between Canada and these countries. Code-sharing occurs when an air carrier sells seats on a flight operated by another air carrier, allowing it to expand its network and product offerings.The amendment to the agreement with Morocco provides flexibility for both own-aircraft and code-share services.

British Airways and easyJet perform well against global competition - OAG Punctuality League 2018

Six European airlines, including two from the UK - British Airways and easyJet are all featured in the top 20 for annual on-time performance (OTP) of the world’s largest airlines, according to the results of the OAG Punctuality League 2018

The OAG punctuality league tables are the aviation industry’s most comprehensive annual ranking of On-Time Performance for the world’s airlines and airports. They are compiled from analysis of around 57 million flight records 

The report from OAG, the global leader in flight information, ranks the two UK-based airlines at 10th and 15th respectively amongst the world’s largest carriers: BA with 79 percent and easyJet with 75 percent of flights both departing and arriving on time. The 2018 report also places easyJet in the top 20 low-cost carriers (LCCs) for punctuality, while Europe-based airBaltic took the top spot as the most punctual airline in the world, with over 90 percent OTP.

John Grant, Senior Analyst at OAG, said: “BA and easyJet are certainly holding their own amongst their global counterparts. In a highly competitive environment, it’s great to see the UK-based airlines reporting an impressive OTP.”

There is more on this story -  Birmingham Airport once again takes a top spot for on-time performance and London Heathrow shows strong on-time performance in new ‘Mega’ airport category

Two Jet Airways pilots grounded over cockpit fight

It has been reported today that two Jet Airways pilots have been withdrawn from flying operations after they had an altercation on a flight from London to Mumbai. 

The full details of the incident that took place on New Years Day have not been released, however, according to media reports in India, a male pilot slapped a female pilot around the face. The female pilot then left the cockpit for a while and only returned to the cockpit towards the end of the flight. 

Jet Airways has confirmed the incident took place and that both pilots had been taken off of their flight duties while an investigation takes place.  The airline also said it had reported this incident to the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation. 

There were 324 passengers on the flight to Mumbai at the time of the incident, Jet say it has “zero tolerance for any action of its employees that compromises safety” and “At Jet Airways, safety of guests, crew and assets is of paramount importance,” 

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EL AL Israel Airlines Continues its Renewal

More developments for Israels El Al as it strives for profits,  the airline has expanded its network with routes to North America, including the launch of a nonstop flight between Tel Aviv and San Francisco. The flights are scheduled to operate 3 times weekly on the new Boeing 787 aircraft and will start during the last few months of 2018.

In an effort to increase the dwindling passenger loads on El Al's European routes the carrier is introducing new routes and a new fare structure. There are 3 different family branded fares: Classic, Flex, Lite and new destinations include Larnaca, Kiev, Budapest, Prague and Berlin.  

EL AL's 737-800 aircraft flying to Europe will offer a new, gradually implemented, seating configuration; Economy Class seats will be replaced by new, comfortable slim seats, Business Class seats will also be replaced and a USB socket will be installed in each seat (in all classes of service). In addition, EL AL's 737 aircraft will introduce a gradually implemented innovative Internet service onboard that will enable passengers to enjoy wifi during the flight.  It's estimated that the entire fleet will be reconfigured by the end of 2019. 

Embraer & Wideroe Deal

Embraer and Widerøe, the largest regional airline in Scandinavia and launch customer for the E190-E2, have reached an agreement on a Flight Hour Pool Program for the airline's soon to be inducted E2 fleet. This is the first contract of its kind signed for the E-Jets E2, Embraer´s second generation of the E-Jets family of commercial aircraft.

The agreement will cover more than 300 key rotatable components, for the airline's E190-E2 fleet. Widerøe will receive its first E190-E2 in April of 2018, beginning revenue service with the aircraft shortly afterwards.

"This contract reminds me of the first Pool we signed for the E-Jets current generation, 14 years ago. It was for just one aircraft and proved to be the first of many others," said Johann Bordais, President & CEO, Embraer Service & Support. "Widerøe is once again showing their confidence in Embraer, its products and level of support; something that embeds our responsibility and commitment with the airline even deeper."

Delta Reports Operating Performance for December 2017

Delta Air Lines  reported this week its operating performance for December 2017. The company carried 14.4 million passengers across its broad global network in the month.
Monthly highlights include:

Ordering 100 state-of-the-art Airbus 321neo aircraft with deliveries beginning in 2020 and a long-term commitment with Pratt & Whitney for Delta TechOps to be a major maintenance, repair and overhaul provider for the PW1100G and PW1500G engines, powering Delta's A321neo and C Series aircraft;

Being named the transportation industry leader and one of America's Most JUST Companies by Forbes and JUST Capital, a ranking of social and corporate responsibility;
Ranking as the top airline and No. 17 on the list of 50 large companies on Glassdoor Employees' Choice Awards, a list of the Best Places to Work in 2018; and
Retiring from scheduled service the Boeing 747-400 fleet, among the most iconic and recognizable aircraft, and the final retirement by a U.S. air carrier.

Norwegian makes several changes to its Group Management

Geir Karlsen (52) is Norwegian’s new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Karlsen comes from the position as Group CFO at the London-based shipping company Navig8 Group. He has extensive experience from listed companies within shipping and offshore. Norwegian’s acting Chief Financial Officer Tore Østby continues in the Group Management in a new position as Executive Vice President Strategic Development. Kurt Simonsen (59) joins the company as Chief Information Officer (CIO).

Geir Karlsen has over the last 12 years held various CFO positions with international companies such as Golden Ocean Group and Songa Offshore. He now comes from the position of Group CFO at London-based Navig8 Group, the world’s largest independent pool and management company. Geir Karlsen has a degree in Business Administration from BI Norwegian Business School.

Geir Karlsen said: "I look forward to becoming a part of the top management at one of Norway's most international growth companies and to take part in its ambitious growth plans. Norwegian has become an internationally renowned airline with an existing fleet of more than 140 aircraft and a pending order of more than an additional 200. Aviation is characterised by strong competition, and I hope and believe that my background and experience will contribute to further developing the company.”

Norwegian CEO Bjørn Kjos said: "I'm very pleased that Geir Karlsen will be a part of our team. A major part of his professional experience clearly resembles the airline industry, where lease agreements and financing of major transactions are key to success. At the same time, he has extensive management experience from major international companies that is very important to enable Norwegian’s global growth.”

Airbus, Indigo Partners finalize orders for 430 A320neo Family aircraft

Airbus announced just before new year that it had finalized agreements with Indigo Partners and its four portfolio airlines for the purchase of 430 additional A320neo Family aircraft for ultra-low-cost airlines Frontier Airlines (United States), JetSMART (Chile), Volaris (Mexico) and Wizz Air (Hungary).  The signed purchase agreement follows a Memorandum of Understanding among the parties announced at the Dubai Air Show last month.

The 430-aircraft order is made up of 274 A320neos and 156 A321neos worth $49.5 billion at list prices. Airlines in the Indigo Partners family had previously placed orders for a total of 427 A320 Family aircraft.

“These customer-friendly and efficient A320neo Family aircraft form a great platform for continued growth for our family of ultra-low-cost airlines,” said Bill Franke, Managing Partner of Indigo Partners. “The Indigo Partners team looks forward to creating even more value for even more passengers around the world with these modern and efficient aircraft.”

John Leahy, Airbus’ Chief Operating Officer, Customers, added, “Bill Franke and the teams from Wizz, Volaris, JetSMART and Frontier are great partners, and the global Airbus team is very proud to continue to meet their growing needs for aircraft that provide value, reliability and comfort.  The A320neo Family offers the lowest operating costs, longest range and most spacious cabin in the single-aisle aircraft market, making the ‘NEO’ a great choice for these low-cost airlines in the Americas and Europe.”

CALC orders 50 A320neo aircraft

CALC (China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings Limited), a full value-chain aircraft solutions provider for global airlines, has signed a firm order for 50 A320neo Family aircraft. This latest incremental order brings CALC’s total order book to date to around 200 Airbus single-aisle aircraft.

Mr. Mike Poon, Chief Executive Officer of CALC, said, “We are proud to augment our fleet by adding 50 in-demand A320neo jetliners that have outstanding fuel efficiency, reliability and passenger comfort. Since CALC’s inception, we have maintained a close and dynamic relationship with Airbus, and the commitment marks yet another endorsement of our mutual trust. This bulk purchase will significantly expand CALC’s fleet portfolio and further solidify our position as a full value-chain aircraft solutions provider. Currently, the majority of our fleet comes from direct purchase from manufacturers and that will remain the major source of our new aircraft.”

“We are very happy with this repeat order by CALC. It is once more a great endorsement for our leading A320 Family aircraft. With unbeatable fuel efficiency and the lowest operating costs, it is the best match for CALC’s customers. Thanks to the widest single-aisle cabin in the skies, the A320neo passengers will enjoy the best in class comfort,” said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer - Customers, Airbus Commercial Aircraft.

BA to lease more Qatar Airways aircraft

Qatar Airways are coming to the rescue of British Airways yet again, although this time it isn't because of industrial action, but the lack of aircraft.

The British carrier has submitted another application to the UK regulator the CAA for the approval to wet lease six Qatar Airways Airbus A320 aircraft.  According to the application, submitted in December, BA will hire the aircraft and crews from Qatar between 9th February and 9th April to cover for the UK's carrier's own late arriving A320neo aircraft. 

Aircraft A7-LAA to A7-LAF are needed to complete British Airways spring schedule, although the exact routes the Qatar aircraft will operate has yet to be assigned.  And whilst British Airways may hope it won't have to rely on Qatar to wet lease aircraft to them for longer periods of time, it's good news for many BA passengers, as the Qatari aircraft are considered to be more comfortable and the crew more efficient and friendly than the ones they are replacing. 

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AerCap boosts A320neo portfolio by 50 aircraft

Leading aircraft lessor AerCap holdings has upped its A320neo portfolio after signing a firm agreement to buy 50 additional aircraft. This transaction brings AerCap's firm orders for the A320neo Family aircraft to a total of 270, owned and on order.

Aengus Kelly, CEO of AerCap said, "As the largest lessor of the A320neo Family aircraft, we have already placed three-quarters of our A320neo Family aircraft from our existing forward order book with Airbus. We have seen significant market appetite for these aircraft from our diverse customer base. This transaction is in line with our portfolio strategy of investing in the most in-demand modern technology aircraft in the world.”

“AerCap is one of the most highly regarded lessors and an additional 50 A320neo Family aircraft to an existing portfolio of 220 is a fabulous endorsement of the world’s favourite single-aisle aircraft,” said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer Customers, Airbus Commercial Aircraft.

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Order a jet flight with the click of a button? The Internet of Things takes flight in private jet charters

GrandView Jets launches 'Press for Jet' web-enabled button to order private jet services
on-demand. GrandView operates Phenom 300 light jets out of the
DC/Baltimore region and will be opening a base in Texas early 2018.

GrandView Jets, an affiliate of GrandView Aviation, is releasing a 'Press for Jet' Web-enabled button that allows clients to order a private jet at the press of a button. The device is an Amazon's Web Services' IoT button powered by ButtonJoy software. Particular preferences like routes, meals & drinks, and special requirements are connected to the client's button. Once a client presses, they're immediately contacted by GrandView Jets' dispatch department to arrange their trip and can be wheels up in as little as 2 hours.

4 People sent to hospital after toxic odour on American Airlines aircraft.

An unusual 'mechanical issue' forced an American Airlines flight scheduled to depart Boston for Charlotte, to return to the departure gate on Monday after reports of an odd toxic odour on-board.  The smell was so bad that it caused four people - three crew members and a passenger - to be sent to the hospital.  

American Airlines says the aircraft had turned around and returned to the terminal due to to a mechanical issue, although at this stage it is unclear what the issue was or if it contributed to the mysterious odour.

Whilst the four people were taken to local hospitals the other passengers deplaned and were taken to Charlotte on a different aircraft a few hours later. The original aircraft was inspected and returned to service later in the day.

American issued a statement "American Airlines Flight 1719 from Boston to Charlotte returned to the gate prior to departure on Jan. 1 because of a possible mechanical issue,"

The statement goes on to say "There were reports of an odor onboard and the captain elected to return to the gate.  The aircraft was taken out of service and the flight departed for Charlotte later in the day with a replacement aircraft. Three flight attendants and one passenger requested medical attention at Boston Logan and were transported to a local hospital to be evaluated. All were later released,"

The airline has remained silent on possible causes for the odour or irritation caused to some of those on the aircraft. 

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Tianjin Airlines launches a new route from Auckland to Tianjin via Xi'an

Tianjin Airlines debuted its first flight from Auckland to Tianjin via Xi'an on December 30, 2017. This is Tianjin Airlines' second intercontinental flight between China and New Zealand, coming after the flight from Auckland to Tianjin via Chongqing which began to operate in December 2016.

Tianjin Airlines new international flight products

Free-accommodation service for transit passengers

When the flight connecting time is more than 6 hours and less than 48 hours, one-night accommodation is free for passengers who take Tianjin Airlines international flights and transit via Chongqing on domestic flights of HNA Group or Tianjin Airlines. Free-accommodation service is also provided for passengers who take Tianjin Airlines international flights and transfer via Tianjin and Xi'an on Tianjin Airlines' domestic flights under the same circumstances.

International ticket package

Tianjin Airlines provides air ticket packages, available for both business and economy classes. Passengers flying Tianjin Airlines between China and UK, Russia, Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand can enjoy favourable pricing.

Seat selection service

Tianjin Airlines provides seat selection service on some international routes. Passengers who depart from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Phuket, Korea and Japan can select the seats in the first and exit rows of economy class for a suitable price. These spacious seats will give fliers additional legroom and a more comfortable experience. Passengers can also purchase seat selection service during the check-in process and our staff will assist with the seat selection.

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Norwegian aims for its biggest ever year of growth in 2018

That highly respected and increasingly popular Low-cost airline Norwegian has revealed some impressive plans for 2018 as the award-winning carrier’s rapid expansion will take the airline to new heights!

The airline will build upon its growth by launching new long-haul routes – including its first service to South America, introducing a new enhanced Premium cabin and in-flight Wi-Fi to new long-haul aircraft. Norwegian will also add more affordable flights to its most popular USA destinations.

Europe’s third largest low-cost carrier flew 5.8 million passengers from the UK & Ireland and launched more than 15 routes in 2017. Some of its successes include commencing groundbreaking transatlantic flights from Scotland, Belfast and Ireland to smaller US east coast cities and taking low-cost long-haul global with the world’s longest low-cost route between London and Singapore.

Read on the see what Norwegian’s continued expansion top five developments for 2018 are: