American Airlines Donates $50,000 to Pittsburgh Community

Leading US air carrier, American Airlines has confirmed it will be donating $25,000 to the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh and $25,000 to the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Our Victims of Terror Fund to support the community in the wake of last Saturday’s horrific shooting that took 11 lives

The airlines Chairman and CEO Doug Parker said, "We were devastated to learn about the senseless act of violence this weekend at the Tree of Life Synagogue. American has been serving the Pennsylvania community for nearly 80 years, and we want to do our part to ensure members of the synagogue and affected Pittsburghers have access to the resources they need to care for those impacted.”

"Despite this terrible tragedy, the outpouring of support from around the world has been truly heartwarming,” said Adam Hertzman, Director of Marketing for the Jewish Federation. “We are so grateful to American Airlines for joining so many people and organisations in reaching out to help the Pittsburgh community in our time of greatest need."

The company also supports the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Centre for Education and Tolerance. Founded in 1984, the museum is dedicated to teaching the history of the Holocaust and advancing human rights to combat prejudice, hatred, and indifference.

American’s roots in Pennsylvania go back to 1939, when predecessor airline All American Airlines began operating in many small western Pennsylvania communities. Today, American employs nearly 10,000 staff in the state and operates 504 daily departures from eight cities across the state, 47 of which are from Pittsburgh.

German airline Lufthansa reduces its planned growth for 2019

The German airline Lufthansa reduces its planned growth for 2019.

The German Lufthansa Group achieved an Adjusted EBIT of EUR 2.4 billion for the first nine months of 2018 – a 7.7 % decline on the same period last year period which is primarily attributable to the integration costs at Eurowings. 

Adjusted EBIT margin for the period amounted to 8.8%. Nine-month results were also burdened by a €536 million rise in fuel costs, an increase in the costs incurred in connection with flight delays and cancellations, and higher maintenance expenses.

Loganair and Qatar agree interline deal

The Scottish regional airline Loganair has signed a new partnership agreement with Doha based Qatar Airways, the national carrier of the State of Qatar.

The new interline agreement allows passengers in the Loganair Highlands and Islands network to book one ticket, online or via their travel agent, to multi-long haul destinations when connecting through Edinburgh Airport thus saving both time and money (saving £78 on the APD tax). Also as the interline deal offers added protection for travellers should their connecting flights be disrupted.

Now Loganair passengers can connect easily to Qatar Airways vast hub-and-spoke network, linking over 150 international destinations on all continents from its base at Hamad International Airport, on a fleet of some of the most modern state of the art aircraft currently crossing the skies. 

Kay Ryan, Loganair’s commercial director said, "We are pleased that Qatar Airways has chosen to work with Loganair. This is an exciting deal with one of the biggest names in international air travel."

Spirit Airlines to become Honor Flight South Florida offical airline in 2019

US ultra low cost carrier Spirit Airlines has advised that it is partnering with Honor Flight South Florida to serve as the organization’s official airline in 2019. In the next year, Spirit will charter four Honor Flights to Washington, D.C. Approximately 340 total veterans will visit the memorials honouring their service and sacrifice to their country, all at no charge to those revered veterans.

WestJet to launch Fort Lauderdale service from St John's as the company releases its third-quarter results.

The Canadian airline WestJet has announced its third quarter results for 2018, this week along with details of a new service non-stop from St. John's to Fort Lauderdale this winter. 

The airline impressed industry commentators with recording net earnings of $45.9 million, this result compares with net earnings of $135.9 million reported in the third quarter of 2017. Year-to-date, WestJet recorded net earnings of $62.3 million. Many had thought the company would report loss for this difficult trading period.

"We are pleased to return to profitability in the third quarter," Ed Sims, WestJet President and CEO. "We have achieved this result despite continued downward pressure from the dramatic increases in fuel price and competitive capacity, along with the lingering impact of the threat of industrial action. We now look forward to the delivery of our first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in late January, and starting direct services in Spring 2019 from Calgary to London (Gatwick), Paris, and Dublin. I would like to thank every WestJetter for their focus on delivering award-winning service to our guests." 

CDB Aviation to lease three Airbus A320neo aircraft to Bamboo Airways

The Irish aircraft leasing arm of the China Development Bank Financial Leasing has signed a deal with Vietnam’s new start-up carrier, Bamboo Airways for three new Airbus A320-200neo aircraft. 

“We are pleased to welcome our newest, and first, customer in Vietnam, Bamboo Airways, and to support the carrier’s ambitious development plans to meet demand from the country’s booming tourism industry and rapid international air travel growth,” said CDB Aviation Chief Commercial Officer Patrick Hannigan. 

“We are eager to receive the aircraft from CDB Aviation, our strategic partner,” commented Bamboo Airways CEO Dang Tat Thang. “This is an important step in the journey of Bamboo Airways to prepare the best facilities for our guests.”

The airline had planned to launch flying operations on 10th October but was forced to delay due to licencing issues taking longer than expected.  At that time Dang Tat Thang, said "We have to revise the original plan. However, this will have no impact on Bamboo Airways' business strategy and pre-designated flight network,” advising that the airline would take to the skies in the last quarter of the year. 

UK Air Passenger Duty To Rise

In his autumn budget statement, the UK's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond has announced that Air Passenger Duty will rise with inflation from 2020.  This will make long-haul and medium-haul travel more expensive, however, the new rules won't apply to domestic air travel or short-haul flights.

The move has been widely condemned by airlines,  IAG, the owners of British Airways, Aer Lingus and Iberia said, “It’s ironic that this Brexit budget has undermined Britain’s global competitiveness by upping Air Passenger Duty, the world’s highest aviation tax, again.  We want to offer more flights to key trading markets, like our European competitors, but APD stifles route development to new emerging markets. If Britain wants to compete on the global stage post Brexit, it should be scrapped now.”

Virgin Atlantic said, that APD now accounts for more than a quarter of its lowest fares and customers were already paying a levy that was twice that of any other EU nation.

Mr Hammond also advised that e-passport gates at airports which are currently available to people from the Europe Union will now be open to passengers arriving from the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Japan.

Chicago and León linked by new service from United

United is the only U.S. carrier to offer nonstop service between Chicago and León

United Airlines this weekend inaugurated year-round, daily nonstop service between Chicago O'Hare and León, Guanajuato, Mexico. United is the only U.S. carrier to offer nonstop service between Chicago and León, providing convenient one-stop service for business and leisure customers from 42 cities across the U.S., Asia and Europe. Tickets are available for purchase on united.com.

"Mexico continues to be an important region within United's global route network," said Jake Cefolia, senior vice president of Worldwide Sales. "We are pleased to offer our customers a new way to get to León, a key business and tourism center for customers connecting in O'Hare from across the U.S., Asia and Europe."United has operated service to León for more than 25 years from its hub at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport. 

"United's new route between Chicago and León is great news for San Miguel de Allende and the surrounding areas. With this new route, visitors will have more alternatives to travel to San Miguel de Allende where visitors can enjoy the great culture this city has to offer and experience why it has become such a popular city to visit in Mexico," said Guillermo González, general director of the Tourism Board of San Miguel de Allende.across the U.S., Asia and Europe."

New Istanbul airport opens

Lauded to become one of the busiest international airports in the world and at a cost of $11.7 billion and 27 lives, the new Istanbul Airport finally opens after numerous delays.

The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan opened the new airport located just outside Istanbul on Monday, October 29th, telling the assembled dignitaries, guests and media that it will be called 'Istanbul Airport.  He also said that the airport will be able to handle 90 million passengers a year, and can be expanded to accommodate as many as 200 million in the future.

Originally it had been promised by the transport ministry that all flights would transfer from  Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport to the new airport within 48 hours of it opening. However, that has changed and the airport will have a very soft introduction to operating. Just a few flights have transferred to the airport, mostly a few domestic flights, plus international rotations to North Cyprus and Azerbaijan. It is understood that other flights will start to migrate to the new airport during January.  

(Image Turkish Presidents Office)

Air Canada starts two new routes from Alberta - Edononton to Las Vegas & Calgary to Palm Springs.

Canada's largest international airline, Air Canada launched two new daily, seasonal transborder routes over the weekend from bases in Alberta.

The airline and its staff held celebrations in both Edmonton and Calgary ahead of the inaugural flights to Las Vegas and Palm Springs respectively. "We are delighted to offer more travel options to Albertans with the addition of daily, seasonal services from both Calgary and Edmonton, which means golf, entertainment and the desert sun are a short flight away every day this fall and winter. With our flexible and diverse North American fleet, we are continuing to strategically add services to popular destinations," said Mark Galardo, Vice President, Network Planning at Air Canada.

The Edmonton to Las Vegas service will operate daily until the end of April on an Air Canada Rouge Airbus A319 aircraft.

The service to Palm Springs from Calgary also operates daily and again ends on 30th April and is scheduled for an Airbus A320 to fly the routes. 

New Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashes in sea off Jakarta

Debris field in the sea, 

Officials advise that all 189 people on a Lion Air brand new 737 MAX 8 are believed to have perished when the plane crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from Jakarta.

The aircraft has only been in operation since August and was operating Flight JT 610 from Jakarta and heading for Pangkal Pinang, in the Bangka Belitung Islands, when contact was lost with the aircraft just 13 minutes after taking off. The crew had reportedly asked to return to Jakarta due to a technical issue and according to radar tracking, it had struggled to gain height.

Emergency escape chute retrieved from the sea

Flight JT610 had taken off as normal from Jakarta at 06:20 local time on Monday morning, it was a new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft that had been in service with the airline since 15th August. Edward Sirait, chief executive of Lion Air Group, told media representatives that the aircraft had a technical problem on a previous flight, but that been resolved "according to procedure" set out by manufacturer Boeing.  The CEO also said: "We are also confused about the why since it was a new plane. We don't dare to say what the facts are, or are not, yet.

American Airlines 2018 third quater results......

American Airlines reported its third-quarter results earlier this week which show the mega-carrier made a pre-tax profit of $456 million. “Strong demand for American’s service led to record revenue in the third quarter and our eighth consecutive quarter of unit revenue growth. Our team continues to do an outstanding job of taking care of our customers, including during difficult situations such as Hurricanes Florence and Michael,” said Chairman and CEO Doug Parker. “Unfortunately, higher fuel prices increased our expenses by approximately $750 million versus the third quarter of 2017, which led to a decline in earnings.

“We have moved quickly to adapt to the higher cost environment with lower planned capacity growth, the cancellation of unprofitable flying, deferral of new aircraft deliveries, and continued aggressive cost management. We have significant revenue growth opportunities through initiatives such as expanded product segmentation, harmonization of aircraft configurations, and high-margin growth prospects in our most profitable hubs. We are confident these actions will return American to both revenue outperformance and earnings growth in 2019 and beyond and we remain very bullish on the future of American Airlines.”

Leicester City owner's helicopter crashes outside club's stadium

The helicopter belonging to the owner of Leicester City Football Club in the UK has crashed into the car park just outside the King Power Stadium just moments after taking off from the pitch.

There was a massive fireball after the helicopter came down just seconds after taking off from the clubs pitch inside the stadium, like it does after every home game.  Early indications and eyewitness reports are that there was a technical problem with the helicopters tail rotor that caused the aircraft to spin out of control. 

The helicopter, an AgustaWestland AW109, registration G-VSKP, had taken off of from the centre of the pitch at 2030 on Saturday 27th October. It came down in car park E, which is the staff parking area of the car park, approximately 190 yards from the stadium.  Emergency services were soon at the scene and at this stage, it is not known who was on the helicopter or if there were any casualties on the ground.

Images below of the helicopter on the pitch and taking off just seconds before the crash from BT TV who had been filming the earlier match between Leicester City and West Ham. It is not known yet if the chairman and owner of the club was on the helicopter at the time of the crash.

Sun Country pilot arrested for carrying a concealed gun in Florida without a licence.

Brian Andrew Machtemes
arrest photo

Brian Andrew Machtemes a 54-year-old pilot for Sun Country Airlines has been arrested at Southwest Florida International Airport, Fort Myers, Florida on Friday night for carrying a loaded gun in his flight bag.

The local police reported that the pilot was arrested after a Transportation Security Administration agent found the gun in a front pocket of his flight bag. The officer found a KEL-TEC .380 pistol in a material zip up pouch on the front of the bag. Local media reports that the gun was loaded with six rounds. 

The arrest report indicates that states that Brian Andrew Machtemes has a licence or permit to carry a weapon in Minnesota, but such a permit is not valid in Florida. TSA regulations state that while passengers are allowed to carry guns on US flights, they must be placed unloaded in locked boxes in checked luggage only, it is believed the same regulations apply to pilots and aircrew. It is also reported that Machtemes declined to answer any questions.

The flight had to be rescheduled for Saturday because Sun County didn't have any standby crews at the Southwest Florida Airport that could have completed the flight.

Sun Country Airlines that is transitioning its self away from being a well respected full-service hometown airline of Minnesota to a low rate ultra-low-cost-carrier confirmed that one of its pilots had been arrested, saying "We’re aware of the situation involving one of our pilots at the Fort Myers Airport and are in contact with local law enforcement. We are in the process of gathering information on what occurred.". Passengers were put up in hotels and given meal and drinks vouchers. 

Singapore Airlines schedule 787-10 to Taipei route from January 2019

Singapore Airlines is planning to introduce a new aircraft on the first day of next year between its home base of Singapore and Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei, Taiwan.  The airline advises that it will bring a brand new Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner to the route indefinitely.

Singapore airlines will become the first carrier to ever operate that model type of in Taiwan when the aircraft takes on the direct daily service starts on 1st January 2019.  The well-respected carrier says the 787-10 will operate flight SQ876 which takes off at 0815 from Singapore's Changi Airport and arrives at Taiwan's Taoyuan International Airport at 1300 local time. While flight SQ877 departs from Taoyuan at 1410. and lands back in Singapore at 1855.  Apparently, the airline will continue to schedule an A330 Airbus aircraft to the other rotation on the route - flights SQ878 and SQ879.

LOT Polish Airlines offers to reinstate workers it sacked for striking, providing unions suspend further industrial action

Photo Jacek Bonczek

It is being reported that the management of LOT Polish Airlines has offered to reinstate the 67 staff it recently sacked for taking strike action. If the news is true, it will be a major u-turn for the carrier who had warmed more sackings would be forthcoming, should more staff take industrial action.  

The hardline stance adopted by the airline was roundly criticised by many industry advisers both in Poland and internationally. It also appeared to have the opposite effect, with more staff members taking strike action over the last week, causing the cancellations of a large number of flights. 

In a statement with the unions, the company said it had offered to reinstate the 67 sacked workers while the unions have promised to suspend strike action until Monday afternoon. A spokesperson for the unions said LOT's decision to dismiss the staff and impose self-employment contracts on employees was against Poland’s labour laws and regulations.  

Another new Delta service on the way, Detroit to Sacramento.

Earlier this week, Delta Air Lines released details of another new service it will be introducing next year. The company will be operating a daily Boeing 737-800 service between its hub at Detroit Wayne County Metropolitan Airport and Sacramento International Airport beginning 17th next year.

This new service follows on from other recent additions to the timetable the airline has recently announced from the growing hub. A service to San Jose, California starts 15th November, while a nonstop service to Honolulu is scheduled to start on 29th June.

“The new Detroit to Sacramento service will give our customers even more choice to travel between Northern California and the Eastern U.S.,” said Joe Esposito, Delta’s Senior Vice President – Network Planning.

Flights will operate on the following schedule:

The flight from Detroit Wayne County Metropolitan Airport departs at 1955 and arrives in Sacramento International Airport at 2205 local time.  The return service is timed to leave at 2250 flying overnight and arriving in Sacramento at 0614 the next morning. 

The Boeing 737-800 aircraft scheduled for the route features 16 seats in First Class, 36 in Delta Comfort+ and 108 seats in Main Cabin/economy. The aircraft type also benefits from onboard free in-flight streaming entertainment via Delta Studio and seatback screen, power ports and access to Wi-Fi available at every seat.

The airline recently took delivery its first Airbus A220 aircraft at a special ceremony in  Montreal Canada where the CEO Ed Bastian both welcomed the jet to the Delta fleet. He also denied industry rumours that the carrier is the secret buyer of financially troubled Italian airline Alitalia. 

(Photo Delta Air Lines)

Emirates sends its iconic A380 aircraft to Russia's Saint Petersburg

Dubai based Emirates has marked aviation history earlier this week as the A380 landed in Russia’s northern city St. Petersburg. 

The worlds largest airline flew the world largest commercial passenger aircraft into Pulkovo International Airport (LED), at 2050 local time.

This is the first time the iconic double-decker aircraft has landed in St. Petersburg.

A welcome ceremony was held at the airport in attendance of Vadim Besperstov, Emirates Manager for Russian Federation and CIS, Julien Franiatte, Airbus Head of Country Russia, and Vladimir Yakushev, Chief Executive Officer of Northern Capital Gateway, trade officials and esteemed media members.

Another new service from Delta Air Lines Columbus Ohio hub heads to Salt Lake City coming soon from Delta (when we say soon we actually mean next year!)

Delta has added more than 40,000 available seats from Columbus in the last year.

Delta Air Lines released details on Friday 26th October of a brand new service between Columbus International Airport and Delta’s hub at Salt Lake City International Airport beginning on 17th June next year. The new Airbus service offers more options and connections for customers travelling to and from Columbus and the western United States.  

“Our customers tell us that more choices for flights going east and west across the U.S. are important to them, and we’re pleased to offer new Columbus service to and from our Salt Lake City hub,” said Joe Esposito, Delta’s Senior Vice President – Network Planning. “This service will link Columbus to Salt Lake City and dozens of other cities in the Western U.S.”

The service will operate on Delta's Airbus A319 aircraft, with seating for 16 in First Class, 36 in Delta Comfort+ and 108 in Main Cabin. Free in-flight streaming entertainment via Delta Studio and seatback screens, power ports and access to Wi-Fi is available at every seat.

The first Airbus A220 for Delta is handed over...

It's official: Delta Air Lines' fleet now features the state-of-the-art and experience-rich Airbus A220-100, slated to debut on scheduled flights in January.

At a ceremony in Mirabel, Quebec, where the Airbus A220, formally known as Bombardier's CSeries jets are made, Delta became the first North American operator of the A220.

"The innovation, creativity and remarkable engineering skills that went into the design and production of this aircraft is simply breathtaking," said Delta CEO Ed Bastian to an audience of Delta, Airbus and Bombardier employees gathered in Mirabel. "The A220 will serve as the cornerstone of our future domestic growth."

Delta's A220 is the latest investment in a fleet modernization program that aims to replace 20% of older, less-efficient aircraft by 2020. The A220 will bring an elevated customer experience to top business routes with features that customers will look forward to every time they fly.

"We at Airbus are dedicated to providing the right products for a marketplace that needs modern, efficient and customer-friendly aircraft — and the remarkable A220 certainly delivers," said Guillaume Faury, President of Airbus's commercial aircraft business. "When a great airline like Delta puts a new aircraft into service, the entire industry takes note. The A220 team is gratified by the confidence that the Delta family has placed in this aircraft."

airBaltic sees passenger numbers rise as boss implies the British were too thick to understand what leaving the EU meant.

airBaltic has carried 3 168 893 or 18% more passengers during the first nine months of 2018 than in the same period last year according to the latest figures released by the Latvian airline.

The passenger numbers were also up for the month of September which saw 16% more people travel across its route network than in September 2017. It carried 398 846 on routes spanning Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, CIS and the Middle East. 

Martin Gauss, Chief Executive Officer of airBaltic: “We are on our way to reach our target of carrying 4 million passengers in 2018. This winter we will continue to fly to such favoured destinations as Lisbon, Malaga, Madrid and Nice, which are very popular among our passengers. We can expect to see passenger growth also for the remainder of the year.”

During the first nine months of 2018 airBaltic has operated 42 294 flights and its average load factor on those flights was 77%. Last month the Latvian government owned and funded airline performed 5 108 flights with an average load factor of 79%.  The airline also seems to be improving with its 'on-time performance' in the first nine months of the year 87 out of 100 airBaltic flights left on time or within 15 minutes, in September that number rose to 90.

JetBlue Increases International Flights with New Guayaquil Service

The US airline JetBlue announced this week that new flights between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and Guayaquil, Ecuador’s José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport (GYE) are set to launch on 28th February 2019, with introductory fares starting at  $89 one way from Fort Lauderdale. 

 “With nearly a third of JetBlue’s capacity already in the Caribbean and Latin America, new flights between south Florida and Guayaquil advance JetBlue’s leadership in this important region,” said Andrea Lusso, director route planning, JetBlue. “At the same time JetBlue will connect customers with a unique city full of attractions and the gateway to the Galapagos.”

Volaris Reports Third Quarter 2018 Results

Volaris one of the leading ultra-low-cost airlines serving Mexico, the United States and Central America, today announced its financial results for the third quarter 2018 this week.

WestJet celebrate 15 years in Nova Scotia

The Canadian airline WestJet has been involved with Nova Scotia for 15 years and the Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil joined WestJet President and CEO Ed Sims at WestJet's Calgary campus today to celebrate 15 years of investment in the province. 

"WestJet's presence in Nova Scotia has made a significant, positive impact regionally, nationally and internationally," said Premier McNeil. "That commitment to our province enhances trade, investment and business growth while helping attract more students, immigrants, and visitors. We congratulate the WestJet team for the past 15 years of growth and look forward to even more success in the years ahead."

Qingdao Airlines Takes Delivery of First A320neo Aircraft

Aero engine maker Pratt & Whitney and Qingdao Airlines celebrated delivery of the airline's first A320neo aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines.  

"Today is an exciting milestone for Qingdao Airlines as we take delivery of our first A320neo aircraft," said Mr Wu LongXue, President of Nanshan Aviation Industry Group & President of Qingdao Airlines Co., Ltd.  "We believe the GTF engines will deliver the fuel savings, reduced environmental footprint, and quieter flight experience for our passengers that we have been looking forward to."

Qingdao Airlines, founded in 2013 and headquartered in Qingdao, Shangdong, China, announced its selection of the GTF engine to power an order of 18 firm A320neo family aircraft in November 2016.  The airline offers domestic and international flight services to destinations across China and Northeast Asia. 

Pratt & Whitney will also provide Qingdao Airlines with engine maintenance through a long-term EngineWise® Comprehensive service agreement. Qingdao Airlines is the eighth GTF engine operator in China.

"It is our pleasure to welcome Qingdao Airlines to the Pratt & Whitney family," said Rick Deurloo, senior vice president of sales, marketing and customer support at Pratt & Whitney. "The GTF engines offer proven economic benefits to support Qingdao's operations, and we are honoured to be a part of their growing fleet.  We look forward to a long and bright future ahead."

GOL Partners with Gogo for Connected Aircraft Services

One of Brazil's leading airlines, GOL Linhas Aereas and the leading global provider of broadband connectivity products and services to the aviation industry, Gogo, announced this week that GOL will become the launch partner for Gogo's Aircraft Data Service, Wireless Quick Access Recorder and Automated Turbulence Reporting – tapping into aircraft data to drive operational efficiency. 

Gogo's partnership with GOL launches a new business line for Gogo, and enables GOL to access real-time information, streamline processes, and generate new service opportunities by securely bonding aircraft data through Gogo's 2Ku high-speed global satellite connectivity system.

GOL becomes launch partner for Gogo's

data management and operational solutions

Alaska Air Group's Third Quarter Results

Alaska Air Group Reports Third Quarter 2018 results

Alaska Air Group, reported third-quarter 2018 GAAP net income of $217 million, or $1.75 per diluted share, compared to $259 million, or $2.09 per diluted share in the third quarter of 2017. Excluding the impact of merger-related costs and mark-to-market fuel hedge adjustments, the company reported adjusted net income of $237 million, or $1.91 per diluted share, compared to $270 million, or $2.18 per diluted share, in 2017.

"In the nearly two years since our merger closed, we've now completed approximately 90% of our integration milestones," said Alaska CEO Brad Tilden. "With that work now behind us, we are doubling down on what we do best - keeping fares low, delivering leading operational performance and offering top-rated customer service. The recent recognition by Condé Nast Traveler shows what our people can accomplish when we focus on what's most important and pull together as one team."

The following table reconciles the company's reported GAAP net income and earnings per diluted share (Diluted EPS) for the three and nine months ended Sept. 30 2018, and 2017 to adjusted amounts.

Manta Air to take delivery of two ATR 72-600s

The new Maldives airline will start flights with the latest generation ATRs

The new domestic airline in the Republic of Maldives, Manta Air, has secured its first two ATR72-600’s through Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC) it was confirmed recently. The first aircraft will be introduced in November 2018, with the second planned to join Manta Air’s fleet before the end of the year. 

The aircraft will ensure improved connectivity between the beautiful Maldivian atolls and will be initially operating from the main Velana International Airport, to three airports: Kudahuvadhoo in Dhaalu atoll, Dharavandhoo in Baa atoll and Thimarafushi in Thaa atoll.  

Edward Alsford, Chief Operation Officer of Manta Air, declared, “Manta Air is an exciting new domestic airline based in the Republic of Maldives. Our mission is to make flying an enjoyable and effortless experience by ensuring the highest safety standards are established and maintained. We are introducing two brand new ATR72-600’s aircraft into the Maldives. This demonstrates Manta Air’s dedication to high standards, and our commitment offers the best levels of service for our passengers. These aircraft benefit from having the most modern and comfortable turboprop cabin. Manta Air has taken the unusual step of removing a row of seats to provide our passengers with additional legroom in both economy and business class.”

Lion Air to lease four ATR72-600s from Chorus Avaition

Lion Air is to get four new ATR72-600's from Chorus Aviation Inc leasing arm its been confirmed today. This transaction marks the second multi-aircraft leasing transaction in the fast-growing Southeast Asia region for Chorus who already lease 78 aircraft to 12 lessees in 12 countries in the region.  

The first of these new ATR aircraft for Lion Air is scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2018, with the remaining three scheduled for delivery in the first and second quarters of 2019. It is anticipated that the aircraft will be operated by members of the Lion Air Group in Indonesia and Malaysia. 

Edward Sirait, Chief Executive Officer, Lion Air Group said, "We are delighted to start this new relationship with Chorus, as a lessor."

"We are very pleased to add Lion Air to our portfolio, expanding our global network of customers in line with Chorus' vision to deliver regional aviation to the world," said Steve Ridolfi, President, Chorus Aviation Capital.  "We are proud to have earned the trust of exceptional customers and continue to evaluate multiple opportunities as we expand our leasing business."

(Image ATR)

Second security breach on British Airways website uncovered

A second security breach on the British Airways website has been uncovered during the investigation of a previous security hack that affected more than 380,000 transactions in September.

This latest data breach affects more than 185,000 customers, of which 77,000 have had their name, address, email address and detailed payment information was taken. A further 108,000 people lost personal details apart from the CVV number for their payment cards. 

The parent company of British Airways, IAG said both attacks seemed to have been carried out by the same group or gang and passengers .could have been caught out by a website compromise that had gone undetected for months.

The airline advised that it would contact the customers to let them know that their information had been accessed and potentially stolen.  

This is the latest in a series of data hacks on airlines around the world, Cathay Pacific, Air Canad and Delta have all recently experienced data hacks that have compromised passengers personal details. 

A data breach at Cathay Pacific compromises 9.4 million passengers details

Hong Kong based airline Cathay Pacific says the personal data of up to 9.4 million passengers have been accessed in massive security breach.  

Upon discovery, the company took immediate action to investigate and contain the event and whilst the company has no evidence that any personal information has been misused the airline had reported the incident to the Hong Kong Police. 

The airline advises that the following personal data was accessed: passenger name; nationality; date of birth; phone number; email; address; passport number; identity card number; frequent flyer programme membership number; customer service remarks; and historical travel information.  In addition, 403 expired credit card numbers were accessed. Twenty-seven credit card numbers with no CVV were accessed. The combination of data accessed varies for each affected passenger.  

Southwest reports third-quarter results

Southwest Airlines has released its third quarter 2018 results today which showed the carrier achieved a record net income of $615 million, its operating income of $798 million, or $796 million, excluding special items. 

Joint venture talks intensify at Norwegian as the carrier reports its latest results

One of the worlds most popular airlines, the low-cost carrier Norwegian has issued its latest figures for the third-quarter today.  In total, around 11 million passengers travelled with the airline during the third quarter - an increase of 11% and its load factor remained high at 90.5% which is just slightly down when compared to last year's 91.7%.

The numbers have been collated, crunched and calculated and the airline reported a result (EBT) of NOK1.6 billion that is £149 million for the third quarter of 2018. The airline proudly announced that it had continued to reduce its unit costs despite a capacity growth of 33%. Although looking ahead, it expects that growth will slow, consequently further reducing unit cost.

The net profit for the third quarter was  NOK1.3 billion (£121 million), an improvement of 18% compared to the same quarter last year. The company's unit costs excluding fuel have decreased by 10% this quarter. The total revenue increased by 33% to NOK13.4 billion  (£1.2 billion). 

New Sabre technology enables proactive approach to China Eastern's fare setting strategy

One of the leading technology providers to the global travel industry, The Sabre Corporation, announced this week that long-term partner China Eastern is the first airline to adopt Strategic Fare Analyser, a new Sabre technology developed from a close collaboration between China Eastern and the Sabre Operations Research and Data Science Consulting team. With no comparable solution available in the market, Strategic Fare Analyser can assist decision makers at any airline in evaluating different fare strategies and their estimated impacts.

Headquartered in Shanghai, China Eastern Air is among China’s three major air transportation groups. Currently, it operates a fleet of over 600 aircraft, with an average age of around 5.5 years, making it one of the youngest fleets in major airlines in the world.  The carrier is a member of the SkyTeam global alliance and it serves over 100 million passengers globally and ranks 7th in the world. China Eastern Air has a vast network, reaching 1,052 destinations in 177 countries and it continues to grow. 

(Photo China Eastern Air)

KLM launches voice assiatnces on Google Home

Now your voice can help you get basic info on your next KLM flight if you live in the Netherlands on Google’s smart speaker and voice assistant, Google Home, starting this week.

The new service started o Wednesday and the airline will offer four voice-activated services in Dutch, with the aim of offering its customers the ultimate travel experience using digital innovation. Two services are completely new and complement two existing KLM voice services, all of which have been developed using artificial intelligence and KLM technology. 

First Asian woman to fly solo around the world is inspiring women to pursue their dreams.........

Award-Winning documentary on Silver Airways pilot Julie Wang to be featured at two major film festivals

An award-winning documentary entitled “FLYING SOLO: Around the World with Julie Wang,” is scheduled to be featured during the 33rd annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) taking place in Fort Lauderdale between 2nd and 18th November. It will also be at the Chinese American Film Festival (CAFF) taking place 27th October through to 30th November in Los Angeles.

The documentary, produced and directed by Ed Moy, is the inspiring story of pilot and flight instructor Julie Wang and her around-the-world solo flight. Wang is the first Asian woman and first Chinese person to pilot an aircraft around-the-world solo. She is only the ninth woman to fly solo around the world, along with three Americans, four British and an Australian preceding her. Wang, a married mother of one child, is an Airline Transport Pilot, certified flight instructor, an FAA-designated chief flight instructor for the Part 141 courses offered by Zulutime Pilot at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, and a pilot for Silver Airways based in Fort Lauderdale.

JetBlue name new vice president of technical operations

This week the New York based JetBlue has announced the appointment of William Cade as the carrier’s new vice president, technical operations. Cade joins JetBlue early next month to oversee the airline’s maintenance, materials, quality, engineering and technical purchasing functions. He will be based in Long Island City, N.Y., and report to Warren Christie, JetBlue’s senior vice president, safety, security & fleet operations.

A 30-year industry veteran, Cade most recently served as vice president, base technical operations for American Airlines, responsible for multiple heavy maintenance bases along with global heavy maintenance vendor and support shop operations. Cade has held several leadership roles at American serving as technical operations managing director for various regions for over 15 years.

Boeing's impressive third-quarter results

The Boeing Company reported third-quarter revenue of $25.1 billion driven by higher defense volume services growth. The company delivered 190 commercial aeroplanes, including 57 737 MAX aircraft during the third-quarter. 

Revenue increased to $25.1 billion driven by higher defense and services volume

Strong operating cash flow of $4.6 billion; repurchased 7.0 million shares for $2.5 billion
Total backlog grew to $491 billion, including more than 5,800 commercial aeroplanes
Cash and marketable securities of $10.0 billion provide strong liquidity
Reaffirmed cash guidance; raised revenue and EPS guidance; updated segment margin guidance

Delta removes single-use plastics onboard, in clubs

US airline Delta is continuing the removal of a variety of single-use plastic items, including stir sticks, wrappers, utensils and straws from its aircraft and Delta Sky Clubs. The ongoing effort comes on the heels of the global airline's leading move to remove plastic wrap from international Main Cabin cutlery in April, and is expected to eliminate more than 300,000 pounds in plastic waste annually – that's more than the weight of two Boeing 757 aircraft.

Other moves contributing to Delta's long-time sustainability efforts include the elimination of unnecessary plastic wrapping from Delta One amenity kits, and reducing Styrofoam in the cafeterias at Delta's Atlanta headquarters in favour of compostable and/or reusable alternatives. Delta's Minneapolis office campus ditched Styrofoam altogether in 2015.

United Airlines to offer nonstop service to Barcelona for Mobile World Congress

The US mega-carrier, United Airlines has announced today that it will offer special nonstop flights between San Francisco and Barcelona in February 2019 to make travel to Mobile World Congress more convenient for Bay Area residents. The largest mobile event in the world, the 2019 Mobile World Congress is expected to attract more than 107,000 attendees from 2,400 companies, bringing together the latest innovations and leading-edge technology.

Available for sale this Thursday, the San Francisco-Barcelona flights will be operated by a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft with the following schedule:

Surf Air unveils Surf Air Express

Surf Air today announced Surf Air Express, a new "per-seat" brand and membership that opens up the Surf Air network to fliers in need of better air travel.  With prices comparable to business and last-minute economy fares, Surf Air Express successfully positions the air travel company to expand beyond frequent business commuters paying a monthly subscription, and into the broader market of air travel by offering flights on their scheduled service to all of their routes on a portion of their flight times. Surf Air is already well known for its All-You-Can-Fly monthly membership which provides access to semi-private, scheduled flights on Surf Air branded aircraft that are operated by FAA certified and DOT-registered third-party air carriers.