Monday, August 31, 2015

NEWS: JAL Expands China Operations


Japan Airlines have revised their current frequencies they are operating between Japan and China. Starting October 25th, JAL will be operating new daytime nonstop flights between Haneda and Shanghai Pudong airport. Additionally, the airline will increase flight frequency on it’s Haneda-Beijing route from 7 weekly to 14 weekly.

Also, Japan Airlines has agreed to expand their codeshare operations with China Eastern and China Southern Airlines on flights to and from Haneda Airport.

SPOTTING Arrivals at Heathrow from hotel roof (@planemadblog)

NEWS: Ethiopian Airlines Record Huge Profit & Revenue


Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s biggest airline announced a profit of $175 million in profit for the 2014/15 fiscal year. “The airline, which has been the most profitable in Africa for a couple of years now, exceeded its revenue and profit targets for the fiscal year”, Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam said in a statement.

The airline also announced $2.39 billion in revenues for the same year that ended on July 7th. Net earnings were $169.8 million.

NEWS: JetBlue To Launch Seasonal Services To Palm Springs


JetBlue Airways will begin a seasonal non-stop service between New York’s JFK Airport and Palm Springs Airport from January 14th 2016 to May 1st 2016. Seats will go on sale for $99 each way.

The service will operate 5 times per week between Thursday and Monday.

BREAKING Monarch Airlines #ZB252 from London LGW to Alicante is declaring an emergency. Live:

Courtesy of PlaneFinder

NEWS: Embraer Legacy 450 Receives FAA Certification


Embraer jets have announced that on August 31st 2015, they have received type certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The approval comes a few weeks after the aircraft earned certification from ANAC, Brazil’s Civil Aeronautics Authority. 

“The FAA certification highlights our commitment to delivering innovative products that go beyond customer expectations. With its unique features, the Legacy 450 offers outstanding technology and performance, along with unsurpassed comfort and style,” said Marco Tulio Pellegrini, President & CEO of Embraer Executive Jets. “The Legacy 450 is the first mid-light jet with full fly-by-wire technology and side-stick flight controls, which makes it easier to fly. The digital controls produce a smoother flight, improve performance, and reduce pilot workload.”

ALERT SAS #SK1583 from Stockholm is diverting to Amsterdam after fuel burn completion. Technical issue. Live:

NEWS: Ryanair To Open Base At Milan Malpensa


Ryanair have announced plans to develop Milan Malpensa into it’s 12th Italian and second Milan base after they opened a base in Milan Orio Al Serio.

According to the Eco Di Bergamo newspaper, the Irish airline will commence flights to London Stansted 3 times per day, Madrid Barajas daily and Naples International daily this winter.

This move will put Ryanair in competition with EasyJet as EasyJet is one of Malpensa’s biggest budget airlines. EasyJet currently offers services to 51 destinations from Malpensa alone.

NEWS: "New" Malaysian Secures AOC


Malaysia’s new holding company called Malaysia Airlines Berhad has secured their Air Operators Certificate from Malaysia’s Department of Civil Aviation (DCA). MAB was launched in July for the migration of all of MAS’s current operations, assets and liabilities.

“We would like to thank the Director General of DCA, Dato’ Sri Azharuddin Abdul Rahman for this very important milestone," MAB’s CEO Designate Christoph Mueller said. "The AOC is a testament to all our staff at Malaysia Airlines who have been working hard to fulfill all the necessary requirements and specifications by DCA. We are very excited and focused on MAB's take-off in September.”

VIDEO This is what victory sounds like. 16 Spitfires Flying Together!



This is what victory sounds like, 16 Spitfires Flying Together........
Posted by War History Online on lundi 24 août 2015

NEWS: Cork Airport Announces New Routes!


Cork Airport have been very busy recently as they have announced three new opening routes.

One of the routes is going to be with Aer Lingus as they are adding flights between Cork and Düsseldorf in May 2016 which will be ran twice weekly between the two European destinations. Welcoming the announcement of the new route, Cork Airport Managing Director, Niall MacCarthy said: “We’re delighted that Aer Lingus has added Düsseldorf to its schedule of services from Cork Airport; it’s great news for business and leisure passengers in the region.”

Another thing that has been announced by the airport is that CityJet will be adding flights from Cork to London City Airport. They will be adding 18 flights per week between the two destinations. The executive Chairman, Pat Byrne said: “We are very excited about this expansion of our route network. We believe the Cork to London City route has significant potential and indications are, as we launch a major marketing and promotional drive, that there are many travellers, both business and leisure, that want to enjoy the fast access and hassle-free experience that London City Airport offers.”

Finally, Flybe have announced plans to fly from Cardiff Airport to Cork. It has been said that Flybe will be using their Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft twice per week between the two cities. Flybe have failed to comment on their new route. As soon as we have more information about this route, then AirLive.net will be the first to let you all know!

NEWS Qantas Statement on flight #QF2

A Qantas Airbus A380 which diverted to Perth this morning will remain at the airport overnight.

* Passengers who were due to fly out from Perth this evening on the aircraft will be accommodated on other services this evening.

* Of the 407 customers who arrived in Perth, almost half were put on earlier flights with the remaining 225 passengers to fly on tonight’s services from Perth to the east coast.

* The airport and operations teams did their best to get the A380 aircraft departed in time to meet the Sydney curfew, however a mechanical issue unrelated to the previous issue was detected prior to take off and the aircraft returned to the gate.

* While we will always prioritise safety over schedule, we realise the delays are very unfortunate and frustrating for our passengers and sincerely apologise for the inconvenience.

BACKGROUND

* The aircraft diverted to Perth en route from Dubai due to a fuel pump issue. Engineers inspected the aircraft but another fault was found meaning the aircraft has to overnight in Perth while parts are flown from Sydney.

* The aircraft is expected to ferry empty back to Sydney tomorrow.

NEWS IATA chief Tony Tyler to steo down in spring 2016

The International Air Transport Association has announced that its director general, Tony Tyler, will retire in June 2016 after serving five years in the position. “Tony Tyler is a very effective leader of IATA, who is achieving much in his role as director general,” said Andrés Conesa, chairman of the IATA Board of Governors since June this year.

Details

NEWS Etihad expands codeshare with Belavia Airlines

Etihad Airways has expanded its codeshare partnership with Belavia - Belarusian Airlines, to offer travellers a daily service between Abu Dhabi and Kiev, Ukraine, via Minsk National Airport. Under the agreement Etihad Airways has placed its EY flight code on Belavia’s daily services between Minsk and Kiev. Belavia and Etihad Airways signed an initial codeshare agreement in 2013, allowing travellers to fly on Etihad-operated flights from Minsk to Abu Dhabi, and onwards to Ho Chi Minh City, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.

Details

NEWS: Finnair To Launch Edinburgh Flights!


Finnair have announced plans to launch services between Edinburgh and Helsinki in April of next year. The route is initially going to be seasonal and will offer connections to Asia through Finnair. The service begins on 18th April 2016 and will operate until 27th October 2016.

This flight will be served three times per week using one of their Airbus A319 aircraft.

Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Airport, said: “This is a significant route for Scotland and one we have been working very hard to secure. Not only will it give Scots fantastic connections to the Far East via Finnair’s excellent hub in Helsinki, it will also open up our country to significant traffic from Russia, China, Japan and Finland itself".

“I hope that this is the beginning of Edinburgh Airport further strengthening Scotland’s links with these key global destinations.”

BREAKING Stobart Air #EI3833 from Glasgow to Cork is declaring an emergency. Live:

UPDATE Stobart Air #EI3833 landed at Cork

BREAKING Air France #AF1059 from Newcastle to Paris CDG is declaring an emergency. Live:

UPDATE EMERGENCY Air France AF1059 safely landed in Newcastle.

UPDATE #AF1059 is suffering crack of windshield.

NEWS: SriLankan Airlines Adds Nonstop Service To Guangzhou!



SriLankan Airlines have announced plans to add a non-stop service between Columbo and Guangzhou starting on the 3rd December 2015, according to RoutesOnline.

The airline will introduce 3 weekly flights using their Airbus A330-200 and -300 aircraft. SriLankan Airlines said that the service to Guangzhou will overall increase in frequencies from 4 to 7 weekly as a result of high demand.

NEWS IATA chief Tony Tyler to steo down in spring 2016

The International Air Transport Association has announced that its director general, Tony Tyler, will retire in June 2016 after serving five years in the position. “Tony Tyler is a very effective leader of IATA, who is achieving much in his role as director general,” said Andrés Conesa, chairman of the IATA Board of Governors since June this year.

Details

NEWS Emirates and MCI sign congress partnership

Emirates and MCI have announced a global alliance which will see Emirates becoming the official airline of its large and international events. MCI in turn will be the preferred Professional Congress Organiser for Emirates. The strategic partnership will help Emirates build a strong meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibition commercial brand in the meetings industry and better cater to its diverse and frequent business travellers.

Details

NEWS: United To Add Dreamliner Flights To Australia!


United Airlines have revealed that they are going to reply their Boeing B787-9 aircraft on the Sydney-Los Angeles and the Sydney-San Fransisco flights from the end of March next year. This means that all three of it’s daily flights between Australia and the US will use the B787-9 aircraft.

United launches their Dreamliner services to Melbourne last year and Alison Espley, the Japan and Pacific sales manager for United said the aircraft had “redefined flying for our Melbourne customers”.

She also added that “We’re (United) delighted that our Sydney passengers will not also enjoy the superior inflight comfort and amenities that the Dreamliner offers”.

NEWS Qatar Airways to return to Nagpur

Qatar Airways will be reinstating its non-stop flights to Nagpur, India, from Doha, starting 1st December 2015. The re-instated service will take the airline’s total weekly passenger flights from 95 to 102 across 13 key cities in India. Qatar Airways had previously served Nagpur from September 2007 to May 2009.

Details

NEWS Etihad expands codeshare with Belavia Airlines

Etihad Airways has expanded its codeshare partnership with Belavia - Belarusian Airlines, to offer travellers a daily service between Abu Dhabi and Kiev, Ukraine, via Minsk National Airport. Under the agreement Etihad Airways has placed its EY flight code on Belavia’s daily services between Minsk and Kiev. Belavia and Etihad Airways signed an initial codeshare agreement in 2013, allowing travellers to fly on Etihad-operated flights from Minsk to Abu Dhabi, and onwards to Ho Chi Minh City, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.

Details

NEWS Norwegian expands longhaul fleet

Norwegian has signed an agreement to acquire an additional two new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, enabling the company to launch even more long-haul routes. Both aircraft are scheduled to enter service in summer 2017. The 787-9 is larger than the eight 787-8s that Norwegian currently operates on its long-haul routes.

Details

NEWS Malaysia Airlines appoints marketing chief

Malaysia Airlines has named travel industry veteran Charles D. McKee as head of marketing. McKee will begin his new role on September 14.

Details

BREAKING Wing tips of two airplanes collided at the Oakland International Airport

There was a minor collision between the wing tips of two airplanes Sunday night at the Oakland International Airport, according to the airport spokesperson.
Une photo publiée par Manas G (@themanasutra) le

Sunday, August 30, 2015

NEWS: Icelandair Introduce Flights To Aberdeen!


Icelandair have announced a new year-round service from Aberdeen Airport to Reykjavik! The new route will be Icelandair’s second Scottish destination and their sixth destination in the UK. The route will be operated 4 times per week by an Air Iceland Dash 8 Q400.

“It is a pleasure to be able to announce Aberdeen on the same year as we celebrate 70 years of flying to Scotland. We see great opportunities in connecting this market to our route network of North American destinations. Travel times will be shortened and we’re confident customers will appreciate the easy connections in our hub in Iceland” says Birkir Holm Gudnason, CEO of Icelandair.

Carol Benzie, MD at Aberdeen International Airport said: ‘We’re thrilled to welcome Icelandair to Aberdeen, our first direct flight to Iceland. The decision to commence the service from the North East is fantastic news for both leisure and business travellers wanting to reach Reykjavik, and of course the extensive number of onward connections to the US and Canada now available. We look forward to working with Icelandair and its subsidiary Air Iceland and wish them every success with the route’.

NEWS: Boeing B777X "On Time" And Firm Configuration Confirmed!


Boeing Airplanes have announced that the basic design of the B777-9X has reached it’s firm configuration, meaning that the basic design and capabilities have been determined, as well as saying that the program is on time.

Boeing are confident of this happening as they have increased their commercial aircraft production to 76 a month by 2020, up by 14. It is said that the aircraft will compete with the Airbus A350.

ALERT VIDEO A PITTS S-2B crashes at airshow in Carinthia, Austria, pilot killed

NEWS: Kenya Airways Sell Remaining B777-200's!



Kenya Airways have managed to sell their 4 Boeing B777-200 aircraft, which were acquired by the airline in 2004 and 2007. List prices are estimated between $260-290 million due to their ages. It has been said also that Kenya Airways have contracted UK Firm Cabot Aviation to sell the planes on their behalf.

NEWS: JAL To Return To DFW!



Japan Airlines will be returning to Dallas Fort Worth in the fall of this year. It is said that the Japanese carrier will launch services between DFW and Narita up to 4 times per week using their Boeing B787-8 Dreamliner. That means there will be at least 500-600 seats available per week on these flights.

NEWS: Thomas Cook To Expand Even Further?



Christoph Debus, the CEO of Thomas Cook Airlines, was talking to James Field, one of the AirLive writers, over Twitter about the airline’s current fleet development program.

James asked Christoph: “Are you happy with TCX’s fleet development? Are you considering acquiring anymore Airbus A330 aircraft to expand your long-haul operations?”

Christoph replied: “We are happy with the fleet development and it’s modernisation. And yes, we are looking for further long-haul fleet growth”.

James: “If that is the case, are you going to consider Airbus’ NEO and CEO versions of the A330 or would you consider buying bigger aircraft, such as the A350?”

Christoph: "In the mid/long-term, it will be a Thomas Cook Airlines joint fleet decision and we don’t disclose any detail yet. In the short term however, it will be the A330 CEO”.

So it looks like Thomas Cook are looking to expand their network even further and for analysis, if they have said that the CEO version of the A330 will remain in the short-term, are they looking for new aircraft with the same seat capacity? Could they be going for the NEO variant in the future? Make sure to tweet us at @airlivenet and give us your thoughts on what Thomas Cook's next move will be.

NEWS: London City Airport To Be Bought!


London City airport may end up being bought by new investors in the coming months as Toronto-Based Borealis Infrastructure and German-Based Allianz put in a bid for the airport. London City airport is expected to bring in at least £2bn to the economy as well as to the airport itself also.

Details

NEWS: BA To Fly Dreamliner on Newark Routes!


According to RoutesOnline.com, British Airways have revealed plans to operate their Boeing B787-8 aircraft on the London Heathrow-Newark route from the 25th October 2015 until the 4th December 2015, replacing the B777.


NEWS: Cessna Latitude Deliveries Begin!


Cessna Aircraft have announced that they have started their initial shipment phase of the Cessna Latitude aircraft. Deliveries begin at the start of Q3 of this year.

Following this announcement, they will also be touring the U.S and showcasing the aircraft into Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Orlando, Atlanta, Houston and many more US cities. They plan to tour Europe, Middle East and Africa later this year.

NEWS: Sam Ratulungi Airport Shuts Down After Volcanic Eruption!



Mount Lokon, in North Sulawesi erupted at 11pm local time on Saturday August 29th (4:00AM GMT Sunday 30th August). This resulted in Sam Ratulungi Airport shutting down.

NEWS: Did VLM Save Waterford Airport?



Belgian carrier VLM have been operating into Waterford Airport in Ireland for a few months after the relaunch of the Belgian carrier earlier this year. As of now, only VLM operate into Waterford and take passengers to Luton and Birmingham from the small Irish regional airport.

UK regional carrier Flybe used to operate into Waterford from Manchester and pulled out putting Waterford in some deep trouble to find any potential airlines that would want to operate there.
On the image above, it shows all of the listed scheduled departures out of Waterford. They all show up as the Belgian Carrier VLM. Could this possibly mean that VLM is keeping Waterford alive for the local community and to provide the key routes into the UK?

I got in touch with CEO Desmond O'Flynn and he said: "In reply to your question, I would say that the arrival of VLM has been very important to the survival of Waterford as a fully-fledged airport offering scheduled services and employing 29 staff on a full-time basis.

We believe that VLM‘s experience at Waterford thus far after only four months of operation has
been very good. Load factors on both Luton (a daily service with double dailies from Monday to Friday) and Birmingham ( 4 / week) have steadily improved through the summer months. We understand that the two Waterford routes are among the best performing of the their scheduled services, to the point that both services will remain in place for the winter 15/16 season. One should also remember that Waterford Airport is VLM’s first base outside continental Europe and so it has been incumbent on Waterford Airport to make it a success at every level. As an Airport, we have also been able to demonstrate that even after the demise of Aer Arann / Stobart in early 2013 and the cancellation of the Flybe services from Manchester and more recently Birmingham, Waterford Airport still has a catchment to serve in the Southeast of the country, where people want to fly to and from the UK in a regular, time effective and hassle-free way, rather than having to travel further afield to other Irish airports to do so."

So will Waterford Airport be able to survive with the strength that VLM is providing to them? Will Waterford Airport have room for expansion and will they have room for more potential airliners to fly into the airport? I would love to hear your thoughts on this matter, so tweet James Field @JamesField2112

NEWS: Delta To Fly Direct To Heathrow From Salt Lake City!


Salt Lake City have managed to get a non-stop route between Salt Lake City and London Heathrow, courtesy of Delta Airlines. Delta will operate the flight on a Boeing 767-300ER and will operate daily from May 1st of next year.

“International travel is up all throughout the world and Salt Lake City is no exception. The Paris flight has been a success for Delta and Amsterdam has been tremendously successful, so we’re hopeful that London goes off with a bang as well”, Airport Spokeswoman Bianca Shreeve said.

NEWS: Allegiant Air Commits To Another A320!


Allegiant Air of Las Vegas have committed to a firm order of 1 Airbus A320 aircraft, bringing their total orders to 50 for the airline. Allegiant currently owns 34 aircraft in the Airbus A320 family.

“By the end of 2016, Allegiant will be a majority Airbus carrier as measured by available seat miles,” said Jude Bricker, Allegiant Travel Company senior vice president of planning. “This is an exciting milestone for Allegiant having taken delivery of our first Airbus aircraft just in 2013.”

“What happens in Vegas is what is happening around the world,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer – Customers. “Allegiant is among the growing ranks of low-cost carriers that appreciate the A320 Family as the perfect balance of comfort, economy and efficiency. Allegiant just marked its 50th consecutive profitable quarter and our aircraft in their fleet helped achieve that accomplishment.”

NEWS Malaysia Airlines appoints marketing chief

Malaysia Airlines has named travel industry veteran Charles D. McKee as head of marketing. McKee will begin his new role on September 14.

Details

NEWS Etihad expands codeshare with Belavia Airlines

Etihad Airways has expanded its codeshare partnership with Belavia - Belarusian Airlines, to offer travellers a daily service between Abu Dhabi and Kiev, Ukraine, via Minsk National Airport.

Details

NEWS Norwegian expands longhaul fleet

Norwegian has signed an agreement to acquire an additional two new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, enabling the company to launch even more long-haul routes. With this new agreement, the long-haul fleet will consist of 19 Dreamliners by 2018.

Details

NEWS New leadership for Etihad in Australia and Asia Pacific

Etihad Airways has appointed Lindsay White to the new position of vice president for Australia and Asia Pacific. In this role, White will assume responsibility for the entire Asia Pacific region, adding China, Japan, Korea and Thailand to his current portfolio of Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam.

Details

Saturday, August 29, 2015

NEWS: FAA Releases App For Drone Flying!

B4UFLY is a new app that has been released by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that shows users where they can fly their drones without them colliding into aircraft.

Over 1,000 people have been selected by the FAA to beta test the app. The public release is expected by the end of the year.

NEWS: Boeing Receive $1.49 Billion Contract For Poseidon Program!


Boeing have announced on August 28th, that they have signed a $1.49 Billion contract with the US Navy and the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) for 13 aircraft. The US Navy are due to receive 9 Poseidon Aircraft and the RAAF are due to receive 4 aircraft.

“By working together since the early stages of P-8A development, the U.S. and Australia have created one airplane configuration that serves the needs of both countries,” said Capt. Scott Dillon, U.S. Navy P-8 program manager. “The U.S. and Australian P-8As will be able to operate with each other effectively and affordably for decades to come.”

“Delivering premier aircraft on schedule and on cost has become a hallmark of the P-8 program,” said James Dodd, Boeing vice president and general manager of Mobility, Surveillance and Engagement. “We look forward to building on Boeing’s long-standing relationship with Australia by providing the quality, value and capability of the P-8A.”

Check out what else was said in Boeing's press release by clicking here!

NEWS: KLM Drop Offensive Ukrainian Pianist From Their IFE!


KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has dropped a recording from it’s inflight playlist by a controversial Ukrainian-born pianist. The Pianist, Valentina Lisitsa has gained a reputation for her comments on social media as she is a supporter of pro-Russian separatists in Eastern Ukraine. She has also labeled the Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko as a Nazi.

NEWS: Etihad Airways New Executive Appointment!

Abu Dhabi based Etihad Airways have announced a recent appointment in their executive staff. They have appointed Lindsay White as the new Vice President of Operations in the Asia and Pacific market. In this role, White will assume responsibility for the entire Asia Pacific region, adding China, Japan, Korea and Thailand to his current portfolio of Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam.

White brings more than 30 years of aviation industry experience to the role, having held various senior management positions at British Airways before joining Gulf Air in 2005 as its general manager in Malaysia and Brunei. He subsequently joined Etihad Airways as its country manager in Malaysia.

NEWS: Iron Maiden To Charter Air Atlanta Icelandic Jumbojet!



British heavy metal band Iron Maiden have announced that they will be chartering a Boeing B747-400 from Air Atlanta icelandic for their upcoming tour The Book of Souls World Tour next year. They will be using TF-AMI which will not require extensive reconfiguration.

"The greatest benefit of travelling in a 747 is that because of its colossal size and freight capacity we can carry our stage production and all our stage equipment and desks in the cargo hold without having to make any of the immense structural modifications needed to do this on the previous B757-200 ), the extent of which fans will have noted on the Flight 666 DVD," frontman and commercial pilot Bruce Dickinson said. "Although in reality we cannot carry much more gear the savings in complexity, time and cost make using the 747 even more practical. Furthermore, it is marginally faster - 0.85 MACH - and the range of around 7,000NM (13,000 km) is much greater which means we will not have to make the refuelling stops we needed to with the 757."

NEWS: Icelandair Celebrate 70th Anniversary of Glasgow-Reykjavik!



James Field takes a look at Icelandair's 70th Anniversary of their Glasgow-Reykjavik route!

On August 27th, Icelandair celebrated their 70th anniversary of their iconic route between Glasgow and Reykjavik. To celebrate this, Icelandair have announced that they will be increasing their frequencies out of Glasgow from 5 weekly to 6 weekly. This is going to increase the amount of seats on offer to 14,000 per week. The 6th flight will depart on a Saturday starting from 19th March 2016.

“It is delightful, that at the same time we are celebrating 70 years of our prosperous relationship with Scotland, we can announce the increase of an extra weekly flight from Glasgow. Demand from our longest serving international gateway is strong and we look forward to offering more options of flying to Iceland and connecting into our network to US and Canada.” said Andres Jonsson, General Manager Icelandair UK.

Francois Bourienne, commercial director at Glasgow Airport, said: "It is great news that Icelandair is increasing this service to six flights a week to mark its 70th anniversary of serving Scotland. This will help to increase connections for our customers to the 16 destinations that the airline serves in North America, including Boston, New York, Washington, Toronto and now Chicago and Montreal. Icelandair has clearly demonstrated its confidence in the Scottish market by adding significant new capacity for the past three years and today’s announcement builds on that once again. We look forward to continuing to work in partnership with the airline and to seeing more growth in years to come. “

NEWS: flydubai to Launch Astana Routes!



flydubai has announced plans to launch flights to Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital, extending their network to three destinations in Kazakhstan. The airline will operate four flights a week, starting from October 26th.

The other two destinations that flydubai operate to is Almaty and Shymkent. Click here to find out more information!

NEWS IATA chief Tyler steps down

IATA’s CEO and director general, Tony Tyler, will step down from the post next June after serving five years in the position.

Details

Photo: Airline offers 'unlimited free drink' because not enough meals for every passenger

A recent transatlantic trip descended into madness when air hosts announced there was 103 people on board and only 40 meals.

Peter took to Facebook to explain what happened next.... 


NEWS Qatar Airways to return to Nagpur

Qatar Airways will be reinstating its non-stop flights to Nagpur, India, from Doha, starting 1st December 2015. The re-instated service will take the airline’s total weekly passenger flights from 95 to 102 across 13 key cities in India. Qatar Airways had previously served Nagpur from September 2007 to May 2009.

Details

Friday, August 28, 2015

NEWS Air NZ sells retired Boeing 747-419 to GE

A anz spokesman for the airline sales and disposals of aircraft have confirmed that the last remaining Boeing 747-475 ZK-SUH which was stored at Victorville KVCV and was destine to be scrapped has being brought or sold to GE (General Electric) as a suitable replacement fuel test bed jet. The deal was sealed for a price of only 1.5mil with parts. The other Boeing 747-419 ZK-NBV former lord of the rings jet was sold off to a buyer of Saudi Arabia which has a new life. Mind you anz always have maintain a high quality after sale of there aircraft when they are retired.

http://ift.tt/1PBJApo

NEWS: Vietnam Airlines To Abandon Airbus A380 Plans!



Vietnam Airlines has formally dropped the A380-800 from its five-year operational plans due to not signing their MOU renewal after it expired in 2013. As a result of this, Vietnam’s fleet will have 122 aircraft by 2020 instead of the 150 it stated they were going to have by 2020.

Vietnam said that they have seen a change in the market conditions and that there has been a greater focus seen on the A350-900 and the B787 Dreamliner. Furthermore, Long Thanh International Airport, the new airport for Vietnam Airlines, will not be able to accommodate an Airbus A380 until 2020 anyway when it becomes fully operational.

Vietnam’s final reason into dropping the A380 orders were due to the pressure of seeking funds for the purchase of the aircraft. Between 2015 and 2019, Vietnam will take delivery of 8 Boeing B787-9’s and 10 Airbus A350XWB Aircraft.

NEWS: IATA CEO Tony Tyler To Resign!


The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that it’s CEO, Tony Tyler, will retire in June of next year.

“After five years as Director General and CEO of IATA, I believe it will be time for me to retire and leave the organization. It is a great privilege and responsibility to lead IATA, and I am proud of what the IATA team is achieving during my term of office. I greatly appreciate the support I receive from the Board of Governors and the membership at large, and from my colleagues. I remain fully committed to leading IATA until my successor is appointed in June next year,” said Tyler.

NEWS: Lufthansa To Receive First A320NEO By The End of 2015!



According to aero.de, Lufthansa are due to receive their first Airbus A320NEO aircraft before the end of the year. The aircraft, D-AINA (cn 6801), will be the first of 61 A320NEO’s. A further six will be delivered before the end of 2016. Lufthansa also have 40 A321NEO’s on order also.

NEWS: MH17 Report Due In October!



The final report into the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over Ukraine last year will be released on 13th October said the Dutch Investigators. They said the following in a statement!:

"The Dutch Safety Board (OVV) informed relatives and the accredited representatives to the investigation that the board will publish the final report on the investigation into flight MH17 on 13 October 2015," the board said in a statement. "Prior to the official publication of the report, the relatives will be informed about the conclusions of the investigation during a closed information meeting," the OVV added.

The OVV is in charge of looking into the exact cause of the crash but at this time, they will not say who was responsible. This is due to the tensions within Ukraine and the west over accusations that Russian rebel fighters shot down the aircraft with a Russian rocket launcher. 
Moscow deny responsibility for the crash and blame the Ukrainians. Image by AFP. Check out the November 2015 edition for the results from investigators!

NEWS: Etihad Airways Reduce Frequencies!

Abu Dhabi based Etihad Airways have announced plans to reduce frequencies on certain flights. The Abu Dhabi-Dublin service is being reduced from twice daily to 12/13 times per week. This means that the EY14/048 flights will not operate on a Tuesday or a Sunday.

Etihad are also reducing frequencies on their recently launched Abu Dhabi-Edinburgh services from a daily service to 5 times per week, which means not operating on Wednesdays and Fridays. 

A third reduction that they are making is on their Abu Dhabi-Chengdu service from a daily service down to 4 weekly. Finally, they are reducing their Kuala Lumpur service from twice daily to 12 weekly services.