Ryanair Launches New Liverpool Route To Corfu

Earlier this week the massive European low-fare-high-fee carrier, Ryanair, announced it was launching a new route from Liverpool to the Greek paradise of Corfu.

The budget carrier is starting the route in June next year and will operate it twice each week, “Ryanair is pleased to announce a new Liverpool route to Corfu commencing in June, which will operate twice weekly as part of our Summer 2019 schedule. Customers in the North West region can now book flights to the Greek sunshine as far out as October 2019, with our full schedule launching soon." Ryanair’s Robin Kiely said.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport’s Director of Aviation Development, Paul Winfield said: “Liverpool Airport is delighted to welcome this latest new route with Ryanair. This new route will allow passengers from across the North West to travel to Corfu from Liverpool, the Faster, Easier, Friendlier Airport in the North West.”.

Double win for Etihad Airways Engineering at the Aviation Business Awards

Etihad Airways Engineering, the largest commercial aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services provider in the Middle East, have just received two prestigious honours at the Aviation Business Awards 2018 held in Dubai on Tuesday 9 October. 

The ‘Unsung Hero of the Year’ and ‘Engineering Innovation of the Year’ awards recognise the company’s achievements in the past 12 months, by a panel of aviation industry experts.

The Technical Sales and Customer Service team at Etihad Airways Engineering was awarded the ‘Unsung Hero of the Year’ award which recognised the multi-cultural team for playing a key role in enabling the UAE’s vision to become a global aerospace hub.

The worlds longest commercial flight returns.........Singapore to Newark takes off.........

Another milestone in aviation took place on Thursday 11th October when an Airbus A350-941 belonging to Singapore Airlines with the registration 9V-SGB departed its home base of Singapore to operate a non-stop flight to Newark, New Jersey in the USA.  

9V-SGB is one of a small number of special ultra-long-range versions of the Airbus A350 aeroplanes which Singapore has ordered to operate really long, long flights. The award-winning airline has configured the super efficient jets with just 67 Business Class seats and 94 Premium Economy Class seats. Which actually doesn't sound too bad when you consider the aircraft will cover a distance of approximately 9,000nm (16,700km), cruising at 37,000 feet and whizzing along at more than 600 miles an hour, you'll want to be comfortable for the 18 hour+ flight time. 

It isn't the first time Singapore Airlines have operated the route non-stop, they started it in 2004 with another Airbus aircraft, an A340-500. However, the four-engined long-haul jet proved to be uneconomical as fuel prices rose dramatically and Singapore Airlines called a halt to the service and those lovely A340s were handed back to Airbus.  

This time the well-respected carrier will initially operate the route in three times a week, then move to a daily schedule as another of the A350-900ULRs arrive. The direct flights are said to save passengers around six hours that a transfer on an in-direct flight would take, which business passengers welcome. It also sets the Asian carrier apart from its competitors and that should help it take an even bigger slice of the market.

Delta partners with American Red Cross to help those affected by Hurricane Michael

US carrier Delta has confirmed this afternoon that it will help the American Red Cross provide food, shelter and cleanup to those in need, as a result of Hurricane Michael.

The American Red Cross is Delta's longest-standing nonprofit partner, which has allowed the company, its employees and customers to help people in need for more than 75 years. In addition to ADGP funding, employees participate in corporate blood drives throughout the year, making Delta the largest corporate sponsor of American Red Cross blood drives with 11,085 pints in Fiscal Year 2018 (Year End June 30).

Wizz Air changes baggage policy........

One of the fastest growing airlines in Europe, Wizz Air, is changing its baggage policy from 1st November, the airline confirmed this week.

The new and transparent baggage policy is aimed at easing boarding for passengers and guarantees all passengers can bring one free carry-on bag. 

As of 1 November, every passenger is entitled to bring one free carry-on bag (40x30x20 cm) on board, while those passengers who purchase WIZZ Priority will be allowed to carry a trolley bag (55x40x23 cm) into the cabin as well. Based on customer feedback and the changing travel patterns, Wizz Air has introduced a 10kg checked-in bag to facilitate comfortable travel experience with prices starting from as low as €7.

It is hoped the new policy will give passengers a variety of options for baggage, Johan Eidhagen, Chief Marketing Officer of Wizz Air said: “Passengers want unbundled products and that is at the heart of the Ultra Low-Cost Model, Wizz Air applies too. We want to offer our customers the lowest possible fares as well as a transparent view into ticket pricing. By unbundling products and services, Wizz Air democratises the way of travelling and allows for a pay-per-need offer.”

Bournemouth to Dublin new route for Ryanair to start in April 19

The low-fare-high-fee airline Ryanair has revealed it will launch a new route from Bournemouth to Dublin, starting in April next year.  

The new jet service will run four times a week and is part of the airline's new Summer 2019 flying programme. The airline launched the route on Thursday with an offer on seats from just £9.99, for travel in October, November, December and January if they book before midnight on 13th October.

Ryanair’s Robin Kiely said: “Ryanair is pleased to announce a new Bournemouth route to Dublin commencing in April, which will operate four times weekly as part of our Summer 2019 schedule. To celebrate, we are releasing seats across our network from Bournemouth from just £9.99 for travel up to January 2019. This offer is available for booking until midnight Saturday."

Andrew Bell, Chief Executive Officer, Regional & City Airports (RCA), which is the owner and operator of Bournemouth Airport, said: “Ryanair’s Dublin route announcement is exciting news for local passengers – Dublin is up there with Amsterdam and Paris for city weekend breaks – and there is all of the convenience involved in flying from an airport on their doorstep."

A former yield controller from Dublin advised us that the airline usually has less than 5 'loss leader' fares on any single flight, so if you wanted one of those £9.99 fares, you've probably missed out already!

American Airlines awards $337,000 to aviation organizations dedicated to training tomorrow’s pilots

The US mega-carrier, American Airlines announced this week that it is awarding $337,000 to 17 aviation-focused schools and organizations around the USA that are dedicated to training the next generation of aviators. The grants are an example of the airlines continued efforts to help grow and diversify the nation’s pool of pilots.

“We believe we’re making the pilot profession more visible, accessible and obtainable to a broader range of people than ever before,” said Captain David Tatum, Director of Pilot Recruiting and Development for American.

Changes at the top of Aer Lingus. Out goes Kavanagh and in comes Doyle

Photo Eric Luke / The Irish Times

The mega European airline group behind British Airways, Iberia, Vueling, Level and Aer Lingus - the International Airlines Group confirmed on Thursday 11th October that the boss of its Irish airline, Aer Lingus will step down at the start of next year.

Stephen Kavanagh steps down as CEO on 1st January 2019 to pursue other interests, after a career that spanned over three decades at the Irish airline, with the last four in the top job. Although, he will still remain a  non-executive director of the company.

Willie Walsh, IAG chief executive and Aer Lingus chairman, said: “Stephen has been an exceptional chief executive and has transformed and modernised Aer Lingus. After a 30-year career, he has decided to step down. We wish him all the very best for the future and heartfelt thanks for all his outstanding achievements. We’re delighted that Stephen will remain on Aer Lingus’ board and provide advice and guidance to the airline”.

Taking over the top job at the Irish carrier which is part-way through a massive expansion programme will be Sean Doyle, a British Airways director.  Doyle originally from Cork joined British Airways in 1998 and has undertaken financial, strategy, commercial and alliance roles for carrier and was appointed to the airline’s executive management committee in 2016.

Walsh commented. “Sean has successfully held a variety of roles within British Airways, acquiring significant expertise and experience, which makes him ideally suited to lead Aer Lingus."

Air Canada expands Dreamliner services

.Air Canada to Increase YVR-Delhi Flights to Daily, Year-round; Expands Dreamliner Service From YVR to Several International Destinations in Summer 2019.

The Canadian legacy carrier Air Canada felt significantly threatened by the announcement yesterday from rival airline WestJet regarding the routes it would deploy Dreamliner 787 aircraft to, that it rushed out ahead of schedule its own 'Dreamliner' announcement.

Air Canada says they will upgrade its Vancouver to Delhi route to a daily operation from 2nd June 2019. The airline, that always seeks to stifle all competition confirmed it will be increasing its non-stop Melbourne service to four times a week all year long and its summer seasonal service to Zurich will increase to five flights a week. Meanwhile, the Vancouver - Osaka will become a five times weekly service between June and October next summer.  All of the flights will be operated with Air Canada's flagship Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Air Canada's Boeing 787 Dreamliner features three cabins of service with high-definition individual on-demand entertainment offering a wide range of movies, short films, TV programs and audio selections at every seat throughout the aircraft.

delta witnesses impressive growth in September

The large US airline Delta has issued its latest figures today, which showed the airlines cost-cutting measures had helped offset rising fuel costs that have beset much of the aviation industry. 

Delta's net income rose to $1.31 billion

The Trump supporting airline adjusted pre-tax income for the September quarter 2018 was $1.6 billion, and adjusted earnings per share were $1.80, at the high end of guidance. Adjusted earnings per share were up 16 percent compared to the prior year quarter, driven by revenue momentum, tax reform benefits and a four percent lower share count. Results reflect a $30 million negative impact from Hurricane Florence.

New air service linking Dallas and Austin with Taos

A new air service will start in December linking both Austin International and Dallas Love Field with the little, yet beautiful town of Taos.

The new air service will start on 20th December and makes a major milestone for both the town of Taos and Taos Regional Airport, as well as having an economic benefit to the region as a whole.  The new charter carrier is called Taos Air and is run in conjunction with Ultimate Jet Charters who will fly a Dornier 328 jet equipped with thirty 30 passenger seats.

The Taos Air launch follows the Taos Regional Airport's opening of its new crosswinds runway last August. "With the new runway in place, we are committed to positioning the Taos Regional Airport as an economic driver for Taos County and Northern New Mexico," said Daniel Barrone, Mayor, Town of Taos. 

David Norden, CEO of Taos Ski Valley, one of the major stakeholders in the new air service said: "We're supportive of the Town's vision for the airport as a regional economic driver and premier tourist destination. Taos Air will now offer the closest, fastest and easiest route to the Rockies from Texas, a thrilling development for skiers, snowboarders and outdoor enthusiasts from that region."

JetBlue to install vortex generators to its entire fleet

The US low-cost airline JetBlue will be retrofitting its entire Airbus fleet with noise-reducing vortex generators. These small devices disrupt wind over ports on the aircraft's wings which can produce a “whistling” tone during approach into an airport.

The airline has had these vortex generators installed on all the new aircraft it has received since the start of 2015. Now the carrier has decided to add the gizmos to its 138 remaining Airbus A320 family aircraft through 2021. The fitting will be done at the same time as the aircraft's usual scheduled heavy maintenance checks.  

"While the airline industry has benefited from advances in technology and efficiency leading to quieter planes and engines, the work is never done,” said Joe Bertapelle, Director Strategic Airspace Programs, JetBlue. “We’re pleased to incorporate this advancement across our Airbus fleet."

KLM and Qantas sign codeshare deal

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Qantas, Australia's national carrier, have signed a code-sharing agreement, allowing both airlines to expand their networks substantially. 

For KLM passengers, this means they can fly from anywhere in the world, on a single ticket, with full baggage transfers, via Singapore to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth.

The code-share begins on 31 October 2018. KLM will attach its flight number to daily flights between Singapore and the four key Australian destinations listed above. Qantas will attach its QF code to KLM flights between Amsterdam and Singapore.

Qantas Frequent Flyers will be able to earn points and status credits when travelling on the Qantas-coded flights between Singapore and Amsterdam. Eligible customers will be able to access to the KLM Lounge in Amsterdam, in addition to the Qantas lounges in Australia and Singapore. The carriers are also exploring redemption opportunities on codeshare flights.

flydubai to move some flights to Dubai World Central (DWC)

flydubai has confirmed that it will move some flights to key destinations away from its home base of Dubai International DXB to Dubai World Central (DWC). 

The airline will operate flights to select destinations from Dubai World Central (DWC) in order to provide more travel options to passengers during the southern runway refurbishment project previously announced by Dubai Airports. That refurbishment project is scheduled to take place between 16 April 2019 and 30 May 2019 and during that period flights to some 39 destinations will operate to and from DWC.

Commenting on the announcement, flydubai’s Chief Executive Officer, Ghaith Al Ghaith, said: “As we saw in 2014, runway enhancement programmes continue to support the long-term vision for aviation in the UAE. With flydubai flights operating to select destinations from DWC, we aim to not only support this vision but to provide our passengers with as much choice as possible to travel across our network with minimum disruption.”

At DWC passengers will continue to benefit from all the convenient travel services offered by flydubai at one of the world’s future aviation and logistics hubs, flydubai said. 

The destinations affected are:  

Finnair forced to wet-lease Air Italy A330 to cover Miami and Chicago routes

One of the leading European airlines, Finnair has confirmed it will be wet-leasing an Airbus A330 aircraft from Air Italy for its Chicago and Miami routes for a limited period of time.

The short period is estimated to be from 12th October until 31st October and Finnair is having to hire in the Air Italy aircraft as one of its own long-haul aircraft was damaged at Chicago airport on 25th September when a high loader accidentally hit it. 

In order to continue to operate the Chicago and Miami routes the airline has had to wet-lease in the A330 from Air Italy, while the damaged aircraft gets repaired.  "The aircraft damage in Chicago was very unfortunate. With high-quality wet lease from Air Italy, we can continue operating our Chicago and Miami flights and offer our customers a smooth travel experience regardless of the aircraft change," says Jaakko Schildt, Chief Operating Officer, Finnair.

Luxurious First Lounge opens in New York for British Airways passengers......First Look inside.

The UK's British Airways has officially thrown opened the doors to a luxurious new First lounge at New York’s JFK Terminal 7, to gold cardholders and customers travelling in the airline’s First cabin on the airline’s most coveted route across the Atlantic.

The space is the airline’s first long-haul lounge to showcase the new design direction that customers are already enjoying in Rome and Aberdeen, and which will be rolled out across other destinations including Geneva, San Francisco and Johannesburg. The refurbishment forms part of a £52 million investment in the British Airways customer experience at JFK’s Terminal 7.

airBaltic Celebrates 23 Years in the Air

October is a milestone month for the Latvian airline airBaltic, it is celebrating its 23rd anniversary since the launch of commercial operations. 

The airline started on 1st October 1995 with its first flight ever from Riga to Stockholm with a small propeller SAAB 340. Martin Gauss, Chief Executive Officer of airBaltic: “We have played a central role in connecting Baltics to the world, and we are committed to further improve the air connectivity of each of the Baltic states in the future. By 2025, when airBaltic will celebrate its 30th anniversary, we aim to have a single fleet of up to 80 Airbus A220-300 aircraft. When airBaltic began operations, its team consisted of 21 employees. Today, our professional team has grown to 1 500 highly motivated individuals,” Gauss added.

During the past 23 years, airBaltic has carried nearly 40 million passengers and performed over 670 000 flights. In October 1995, airBaltic started operations from Riga to four destinations. Today airBaltic operates direct flights from Riga to over 70 destinations and its fleet has grown to 35 aircraft.

airBaltic serves over 70 destinations from Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius, offering the largest variety of destinations and convenient connections via Riga to its network spanning Europe, Scandinavia, the CIS and the Middle East. For summer 2019, airBaltic has introduced three new destinations from Tallinn to Malaga, Brussels and Copenhagen. In addition, next summer airBaltic will launch a new direct route connecting Riga and Stuttgart. The airBaltic fleet consists of 35 aircraft – 12 Airbus A220-300s, 11 Boeing 737s and 12 Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft.

Bamboo miss October first flight target but say they will fly before the end of the year

Bamboo Airways had been planning to launch flights today, Wednesday 10th October, but the dream and reality didn't coincicde. Bamboo planes failed to take to the air today as the new Vietnamese airline seems to be stumbling in its rush to get licences approved.

“It can’t start its operations until it gets the licence from the Ministry of Transport,” The Deputy Director of Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, Vo Huy Cuong,  told news agency Reuters on Wednesday after Bamboo Airways flights failed to take to the skies. 

The airline had made a big deal of its proposed schedule launch this October and back in March 2018, the group behind Bamboo, FLC signed an agreement to purchase 24 brand new Airbus A321neo aircraft. In July another order was placed, this time with the US manufacturer, Boeing for 20 Boeing 787-9 long-haul aircraft. 

Westjet to launch nonstop Boeing Dreamliner 787-9 service to Dublin, London and Paris from Calgary home base.

The Canadian Airline, WestJet today announced that it's connecting Alberta to the world as it launches its first three Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner international destinations from Calgary. WestJet becomes the first Canadian airline to base its Dreamliner aircraft out of YYC Calgary International Airport.

WestJet is launching non-stop service on board its Dreamliners from Calgary to London (Gatwick), Paris and Dublin on April 28, May 17 and June 1, 2019, respectively. Fares to all three cities will be available on westjet.com after 10 a.m. Calgary time today.

"Alberta's connectivity to the rest of the world is vital for our economy," said Ed Sims, WestJet President and CEO. "WestJet is investing in Alberta to bring further economic growth, boost tourism to the province, and to further position our city as an international aviation hub. We are excited to bring Albertans to the world and the world to Alberta."

JetBlue Advances Focus City Strategy with Network Reallocation, Including New Service in Guayaquil, Ecuador

The US low-cost carrier, JetBlue has announced a series of network changes that will advance its new strategy in multiple focus cities, making the airline even more relevant in its key markets and ensuring its network is optimized to meet customer demand.

Yesterday, JetBlue made the announcement that it was making a long series of network changes that will advance its new strategy in building multiple focus cities, designed to make the airline even more relevant in its key markets and ensuring its network is optimized to meet customer demand. The network changes are also key to achieving the airline’s margin commitments and delivering long-term value to its shareholders.

The reallocation of service will result in a new JetBlue city in Ecuador, new service between current JetBlue cities, and additional flights on popular routes. To free up aircraft time for the introduction of the new flying, JetBlue will reduce underperforming service.

Cathay Pacific offer special discount for Hong Kong and Macau seniors

Cathay Pacific are offing a special discount for special people from today, which will run until 30th November 2018 designed to make travel cheaper for seniors. Yes, from today, Hong Kong and Macau residents aged 65 and over will enjoy a 25% discount on all flights departing between 1 November 2018 to 31 March 2019. The discount applies to Business, Premium Economy and Economy Class tickets to selected Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon’s destinations worldwide.

25% off flights for Hong Kong and Macau residents aged 65 and over until 31 March 2019

As Hong Kong’s home airlines, we understand the importance of spending quality time with family and loved ones. Therefore, the promotion not only celebrates the contribution that our elder residents have made to our home, it will also apply to up to three accompanying adults who can enjoy a 10% discount when they travel with a senior citizen.

(Photo Cathay Pacific)

United Airlines Unveils World's Largest and Industry-Leading Flight Training Center

United Airlines unveiled its state-of-the-art flight training centre in Denver, Colorado. The single-site training centre is the largest in the world and home to the company's more than 30 full flight simulators representing all of United's fleet types.

The flight training centre is visited by United's more than 12,000 pilots at least once a year for new and recurrent training and is also the largest single-site training facility for other airline pilots. More than two dozen other airlines and government agencies send their personnel to train at the industry-leading facility. In addition to pilot training, the facility hosts flight attendants and maintenance technicians for emergency training and other activities.

Nashville to because a daily service says British Airways

The UK's British Airways is all set to increase its scheduled flights to Nashville next summer, operating a daily flight between Tennessee and Heathrow. The addition of two extra weekly services means Nashville is British Airways fastest new route to move to a daily service in 10 years.

The daily service will be operated by the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, the state of the art aircraft designed to enhance customer wellbeing.  The aircraft accommodates 214 customers across three cabins, with 154 seats in World Traveller (economy), 25 seats in World Traveller Plus (premium economy) and 35 seats in Club World (business).  All customers will be able to enjoy free meals and drinks, individual widescreen TV screens with complimentary on-demand entertainment, and a free checked bag.

The Lufthansa / Ryanair row over Laudamotion is now at an end.....

The bitter and acrimonious row between Lufthansa and Ryanair over Laudamotion and leasing contracts is over, after being settled out of court according to both airlines.

A war of words started when Ryanair accused Lufthansa of telling lies over a dispute with the amount of aircraft Lufthanas had leased to Laudamotion that Ryanair has effectively taken over. The German airline was seeking to end the lease of some planes to Laudamotion because, it said, the budget carrier had missed leasing payments. Ryanair said Lufthansa was telling lies and then suddenly legal action was on the cards. A London court had been scheduled to begin hearings at the start of November, however, in a statement issued on Tuesday, that's all over!

Laundamotion/Ryanair will now return the nine aircraft that are leased from Lufthansa, they are to be handed back during the first half of 2019.  “On that basis the parties have settled the litigation between them, the matter will not therefore be heard by the High Court in London in November 2018.”

The Austrian Laudamotion actually wont suffer a lack of aircraft as it has new Airbus aircraft on order as well as flying 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from Ryanair, although the plan is to have a complete Airbus fleet to reduce costs. 

Norwegian takes over from British Airways as the leading non US airline to New York

The UK's British Airways has long held the crown as the most prolific non-US airline to transverse the Atlantic to the New York region. However, as Bob Dylan might says, those times are a changing! 

According to the latest figures from Port Authority of New York and New Jersey show that the leading low-cost airline, Norwegian carried 1.67 million international passengers to and from three of New York City’s airports, surpassing British Airways, which carried 1.63 million people. 

A bullish British Airways spokesperson dismissed the latest figures, "We fly up to 70 times a week from all three of our London airports. Our commitment to New York is as strong as ever." Which is no surprise as the Heathrow - New York JFK routes is the airlines most profitable, raking in around £18,500 per hour and about 6% of the carriers yearly revenue.

However, a large slice of the passenger pie is going to the leading low-cost long-haul airline, Norwegian which has seen passenger number to and from New York City continue to increase. Norwegian has now also overtaken Lufthansa and Emirates to reach the top spot in July. Norwegian operates 16 routes from three airports in the New York City area – John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International and Stewart International Airport to: Amsterdam; Barcelona; Belfast; Bergen; Copenhagen; Dublin; Edinburgh; Guadeloupe; London; Madrid; Martinique; Oslo; Paris; Rome; Shannon; and Stockholm. Norwegian launched its first route to New York on 30th May 2013 from Oslo and Stockholm on 31st May 2013.

WestJet passenger numbers up for September

This week the Canadian airline WestJet announced its September 2018 traffic results which saw the carrier drop load factor on its flights to just 79.2%

Whilst the load factor was down by 1.2% on last years totals, it still saw revenue increase with revenue passenger miles (RPMs), or traffic, increased 9.7 % over last years results. Capacity, measured in available seat miles (ASMs), grew 11.3 % over the same period. WestJet welcomed an additional 137,000 guests in September, a year-over-year increase of 7.1 per cent. Year-to-date traffic growth continues to outpace capacity additions.

"We are pleased with our strong year-over-year traffic growth as we flew close to 7 million guests and attained our second highest ever load factor for the quarter. During the month of September, we also achieved the best operational completion rate in North America on our WestJet mainline business," said Ed Sims, WestJet President and CEO. "As we transition through our shoulder period into the busy winter season, I want to thank every individual WestJetter for continuing to provide our guests with an award-winning service experience.".

How did United do in September?

Photo United Airlines

The mega US carrier United released its September results this week which demonstrated an impressive level of growth for the airline as revenue passenger miles increased by 6.7% and available seat miles increased 6.1% when compared to September 2017. 

Some of the highlights for United in September include:

Introduced a better boarding process at gates in airports around the world, giving customers more space at the gate, less time waiting in line and improved boarding information to create a less stressful environment.

Committed to reducing the company's greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2050, further strengthening UAL's ambition to be the world's most environmentally conscious airline.

Launched a Crowdrise fundraising campaign to support those affected by Hurricane Florence, Typhoon Mangkhut, flooding in Western Japan, wildfires in California and other disasters.

Announced an additional 100 flights and more than 10,000 seats daily to 12 of the country's top ski destinations during the 2018/2019 ski season, as well as the addition of more than 8,500 seats from U.S. hubs and eight other U.S. cities to Las Vegas for the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show.

Air Tahiti Nui gest first 787-9 Dreamliner

The impressive South Pacific airline, Air Tahiti Nui has received its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner from Boeing, via a special lease deal with Air Lease Corp. 

The airline will use the longest-range Dreamliner to replace its older Airbus A340s connecting its home base in the South Pacific with world capitals such as Paris, Tokyo and Los Angeles. The carrier has configured the new fleet arrival with 294 seats spread over three classes. The cabin features a new business class equipped with 30 fully lie-flat seats, along with 32 premium economy seats.

Tahitian airline to fly longest-range 787 from

the South Pacific to Europe, Asia

"Our dream has finally become reality with the arrival of Air Tahiti Nui's first 787-9 Dreamliner," said Michel Monvoisin, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Air Tahiti Nui. "The Tahitian Dreamliner will make flying to one of the world's treasures an unforgettable experience, as we introduce new seats and a culturally inspired cabin on the 787. As we celebrate our 20th anniversary this year, the 787 Dreamliner will guide us toward another successful 20 years and beyond."

Hawaiian Airlines September and year to date numbers crunched and presented.

From the sunshine Islands of Hawaii, the local hometown airline has released its latest results this week, showing Hawaiian Airlines welcomed nearly 919 thousand guests in September 2018, a record for the month of September and an increase of over half a percent from the same period last year.  Total traffic (revenue passenger miles) increased 5.8% on an increase of 9.6% in capacity (available seat miles).  Load factor decreased by 3.0 points to 83.6 percent.

For the three months ended 30th September 2018, Hawaiian welcomed more than three million guests, a record for the third quarter and an increase of 1.3 percent over the same period last year.  Total traffic increased 6.2 percent on an increase of 8.1 percent in capacity.  Load factor decreased 1.6 points to 85.5 percent.

SkyWest Airlines and ExpressJet Airlines release September results

SkyWest has issued its latest figures and in September that company reported 138,900 block hours during the month, compared to 145,200 block hours in September 2017. This was a decrease of 6,300 or 4.4%.  The net decrease was consistent with SkyWest's fleet transition plan to improve the mix of aircraft in its fleet.  

Over 91% of flights on-time - SriLankan Airlines is the most punctual global airline in September 2018

SriLankan Airlines are celebrating after recently being named the world’s most punctual airline in the month of September 2018 in the key categories of ‘Global Airlines’ and ‘Major Airlines’, by the flight data analysis company Flightstats.com.

An extraordinary 91.37% of SriLankan Airlines’ flights in September 2018 were on time according to an analysis by Flightstats.  Flightstats analysed data of 41 carriers in the category of ‘Global Airlines’ across every continent - Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East, and South America – including most of the world’s largest and most prestigious airlines. Airlines are categorized among four categories – the others being Regional Airlines and Low Cost Carriers – with some airlines appearing in more than one category.

In the ‘Global Airlines’ category, SriLankan’s punctuality was far ahead of the giant U.S. based carrier Delta Airlines that was in second place with 86.74% flights on time, while third place went to the Japanese airline ANA with 86.61% on time.

Guillaume Faury to take over the top job at Airbus

The Board of Directors of Airbus have confirmedtoday that Guillaume Faury will take over from Tom Enders in the top job at the European planemaker nest year.

Faury, is already a well-known face at Airbus as he currently serves as President Airbus Commercial Aircraft and has now been confirmed to succeed Tom Enders, who remains CEO until the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 10 April 2019, when the appointment of Faury as executive member of the Board will be submitted to shareholders.

The first A320neo for Scoot delivered

The low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines,  Scoot has taken delivery of its first A320neo at a special ceremony in Toulouse, France.

Scoot has placed orders for 39 of the technologically advanced and fuel-efficient A320neo aircraft under its fleet renewal programme. The new addition complements the airline’s existing fleet of 27 A320ceo Family aircraft.

Powered by Pratt and Whitney PurePower engines, the new aircraft features 186 seats in Scoot’s configuration. Selected for its outstanding operational efficiency, comfort and range, the A320neo will be deployed by Scoot on its services across Asia.

Featuring the widest single-aisle cabin in the sky, the A320neo Family incorporates the very latest technologies including new generation engines and Sharklets, which together deliver at least 15 %  fuel savings at delivery and 20 % by 2020. With more than 6,100 orders received from over 100 customers, the A320neo Family has captured nearly 60 % share of the market.

Dublin calls....... The Russians are coming!

The leading Russian airline, Aeroflot has confirmed that from the 28th of this month, October, the carrier will start regular flights to Dublin, the capital of Ireland. 

Aeroflot says it will introduce daily flights on Airbus A320 aircraft,  Vitaly Saveliev, CEO of Aeroflot, said: “Today Aeroflot ranks as a leading global carrier and we continue to expand our international route network. This winter we will open new routes as well as increasing flight frequencies to popular destinations. We are pleased to offer travellers new international destinations as well as additional flights to popular tourist destinations, thus expanding travel options with Aeroflot for both business and leisure travellers.” 

 The schedule for the new service:

flight SU 2590 will depart Sheremetyevo at 19:20 and arrive in Dublin at 20:45.

return flight SU 2591 will depart Dublin at 21:45 and arrive at Sheremetyevo at 04:50 +1.

Mixed results for Icelandair

The struggling Icelandic airline Icelandair has released its latest results showing that the number of passengers on international flights was around 427,000 in last month,  an increase of just 1% when compared to September last year. 

The capacity measured in available seat kilometres (ASK) increased by 3%.  The load factor was 81.0% compared to 81.1% in September last year. In September the trend was similar as in recent months. Sales to destinations in North-America has not been in line with increased capacity while sales to Europe have been strong. Load factors on Icelandair´s routes in Europe were 84.9%, an increase of 5.4 percentage points from last year while load factors to North America were 78.7%, a decrease of 3.4 percentage points from last year.

The number of passengers on domestic and regional flights were just short of 29 thousand, decreasing by 15% compared to September last year. Flights to Belfast, Aberdeen and between Keflavik and Akureyri stopped mid of May, explaining the reduction in the number of passengers.  The load factor was 70.5% increasing by 0.2 ppt. Sold block hours in charter flights increased by 18% between years. Freight increased by 9%. The number of available room nights at the Company’s Hotels was up by 20% from last year. The room occupancy was 93.7% compared to 90.9% in September 2017.  The occupancy increased betweeen years in all of the hotels.

The airline's board has recently gone cap in hand to investors seeking more money for the company amid increased competition and high fuel costs which are having a negative effect on the companies financial position. 

Air France - KLM September results

The Air France KLM group released its September results this week, which showed the group increased the number of passengers it carried by some 2.7% during September, whilst overall the load factor remained pretty stable.

KLM continued to see modest improvements in both revenue and the number of passengers it took for a ride during last month according to the latest figures,. These also showed that year to date the Royal Dutch Airline is over % up on 2017 results.

September saw the passenger load factor drop slightly to 89.7% (-0.4%pts). This was due to higher capacity in available seat kilometres (+2.0% ASKs) compared to lower traffic growth in revenue passenger kilometres (+1.5% RPKs).

This slight drop had a number of causes combined with a fall in load factor in Europe. There was robust growth in passenger traffic on North and South American routes, while capacity and traffic to African and Asian destinations decreased.

The load factor for KLM Cargo rose to 66.4% (+1.3%pts), because capacity decreased (-4.3% ATKs) more than traffic (-2.4% RTKs).

At Transavia, while capacity remained more or less the same, traffic grew somewhat, resulting in a higher load factor.

Fuel surcharges on the way for Qatar Airways?

It has emerged today that Qatar Airways is the latest in a long line of global air companies that are considering the introduction of fuel surcharges on tickets prices to help cut the costs of huge fuel bills.

Qatar boss Akbar al-Baker told Reuters news agency on Monday, 8th October that the airline is considering such a move to help it step back into profit following losses. The Doha based airline amassed a whopping $69 million loss last year amid political tensions with its near neighbours and higher than expected fuel costs. The airline is poised to make a similar loss this year unless it can drastically change its economic outlook.

“We hope we will be able to move to profitability in the current financial year, even though the oil prices are rising,” The Qatar Airways Cheif Executive said, whilst also confirming the airline is considering fuel.  

There are a number of other airlines that have already instigated or are currently considering adding fuel surcharges to the price of air tickets, those include Malaysia Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Virgin Atlantic and Qantas.  

F16's escort KLM jet to Amsterdam after unruly passenger gets angry.

There was drama in the skies over Germany on Saturday and a KLM flight was escorted by two Dutch Air Force F16 fighters to Amsterdam after an American passenger became aggressive.

The 29-year-old American man had become aggressive towards the purser on the flight after apparently being asked to return to his seat. It is then that a scuffle broke out and members of the cabin crew with the help of other passengers, that the offending American was restrained, according to reports from the Dutch border control.

According to local media, the KLM flight from Abu Dhabi was around thirty minutes from its destination and home base of the airline Amsterdam's Schipol Airport when the drama unfolded.  The passenger, who has not been named' as taken into custody when the flight arrived at the airport after being given an expedited arrival and escorted by the fighters.

The Dutch border police told local media that a small number of passengers had been slightly wounded by the man's aggression, who was taken into custody at the airport and was said to be in a disorientated state, he later underwent a psychiatric evaluation.

A KLM spokesperson told local media that staff had followed the correct procedures for when dealing with unruly passengers and said the airline 'regretted the unpleasant incident'. 

F16's escort KLM jet to Amsterdam after unruly passenger gets angry.

Spirit Airlines begins international operations and announces new crew base

More Florida fun for hometown airline, Spirit as they announce new crew base location and start international operations.

Spirit Airlines staff have been celebrating the first day of international service out of Orlando International Airport by announcing it will bring hundreds of new jobs to the Orlando area with a new crew base for Flight Attendants and Pilots.

The crew base is scheduled to open on 1st December this year and will start with nearly 150 crewmembers. This move will help support Spirit’s massive international expansion in Orlando, adding to the 150 airport services jobs recently created to support the growth. Spirit is expected to bring hundreds of more inflight positions to Orlando this spring with job fairs expected in the coming months.

SaudiGulf Airlines expands into Pakistan with four new routes

A major expansion into Pakistan is on the cards for SaudiGulf Airlines, as the full-service carrier confirms four new routes Dammam this October.

The new carrier from Saudi Arabia has announced it will operate four flights per week from Dammam to Lahore & Islamabad and three flights each week to Sialkot and Karachi. The routes are scheduled on the carriers Airbus A320 featuring a two-class cabin configuration, comfortable business class and standard economy. 

"We are pleased to announce our next international routes expansion starting with four destinations in Pakistan from Dammam, SaudiGulf Airline’s main base in Saudia Arabia. Through our hub in Dammam, we will connect passengers from Pakistan across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Jeddah, Abha and Riyadh." Chief Commercial Officer, Karim Makhlouf said at a recent press conference. ,

SaudiGulf Airlines is also looking to expand its fleet, in addition to the 4 brand new Airbus A320s of the current fleet, the carrier will add another aircraft to the fleet before the end of 2018.

Air Zimbabwe goes into administration in desperate bid to resuscitate the struggling airline

The commercial aviation industry in Zimbabwe saw an interesting turn this week when it was confirmed in official reports that the government has appointed an independent administrator to take over the day to day running of the loss-making national airline.

Air Zimbabwe has been struggling to turn a profit for quite some time and has amassed more than $300 million in debts, including to foreign creditors and had faced a very uncertain future. The airline had been forced to axe most international routes, ground and store three of its current fleet, leaving just three in an airworthy and operational condition. 

Chartered accountant Reggie Saruchera has been appointed by Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi to work as 'administrator' of Air Zimbabwe in an effort to turn the fortunes around for the ailing air company.  Saruchera has been granted the power to “raise money in any way without the authority of shareholders for the purposes of the reconstruction,” of the airline and it is hoped positive signs will become visible early next year.

 The government announced back in April this year it had purchased two Boeing 777s from Malaysia, along with a smaller Embraer aircraft for future development of Air Zimbabwe. However, the government said the airframes would be leased out until Air Zimbabwe returned to profitability. 

On Friday, Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said the government was hoping to sell stakes in Air Zimbabwe and other state-owned companies under a package of reforms. That could be a risky strategy, historically the airline failed to garner investment from the private sector and few companies would be willing to invest in an operation with so much debt. 

(Images Air Zimbabwe)

September passenger numbers up for Aeromexico

Aeromexico reported its September 2018 operational results a little earlier this week. The group transported 1 million 715 thousand passengers in September; a 8.7% year-on-year increase. International passenger numbers increased by 5.1%, while domestic passenger numbers increased by 10.7%.

Demand, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPKs), increased by 7.8%, year-on-year. Aeromexico's capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometers (ASKs), increased by 7.2% year-on-year.  Aeromexico's September load factor was 81.0%, 0.4 p.p. higher than September 2017.

Azul Reports September Traffic

Azul, one of the biggest names in Brazillian aviation and the largest airline in Brazil by the number of cities served and flight departures, released its preliminary traffic results for September 2018, earlier this week.

According to the numbers, consolidated passenger traffic (RPKs) was up some  16.0% compared to September 2017 on a capacity increase (ASKs) of 16.1%. As a result, the load factor remained flat at 83.2%. Domestic load factor was 82.6% and international was 85.0%.

“In the third quarter, consolidated RPKs increased 20.2% on a capacity increase of 19.3% year over year. We are very pleased with the current demand environment in Brazil, which continues to improve as we approach the high season. We have just received our 18th A320neo, and couldn’t be more excited with the superior economics and revenue enhancing benefits of these aircraft,” says John Rodgerson, Azul’s CEO. 

Azul currently operates some 766 flights each day to over 110 destinations on a fleet of 120 aircraft and employs more than 10,000 crewmembers. As of 30th September this year, the airline had a network of 218 non-stop routes and was recently awarded best airline in Latin America by TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice and best regional carrier in South America for the eighth consecutive time by Skytrax. 

Lufthansa introduces new direct connections to Austin & Bangkok for summer 2019

The German airline Lufthansa has advised that it will further expand its vast route network next year with services to Austin in the USA and Bangkok in Thailand.

From 3rd May 2019, the airline will offer its first connections from Frankfurt to Austin, which will be the carriers third destination in Texas alongside Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston. The flights will go five times a week on an Airbus A330-300.  The flight, LH 468 will leave the Frankfurt hub in the morning and reach Austin in the afternoon (local time) after a travel time of around ten hours. The return flight departs from Texas in the late afternoon and lands at Frankfurt Airport in the morning of the following day. Onboard, passengers can expect the usual high level of Lufthansa comfort in 255 seats in Business, Premium Economy and Economy Class.

The new Munich to Bangkok service is due to that on 1st June next summer, further expanding the Bavarian hub for the carrier. The service will be flown by new Airbus A350-900 aircraft and will take off daily from Munich to Thailand in the afternoon. 

Lufthansa has also confirmed they will put more crews and aircraft on standby at its main hubs in Germany in future in an effort to cut down backlogs and delays. This is part of a raft of measures to redress various problems with commercial aviation that have arisen in Germany in recent times.