ANA to form LCC with Hong Kong-based investment firm All Nippon Airways and Hong Kong-based First Eastern Investment Group signed an MOA to establish what the two are calling “Japan’s first low-cost airline” to operate both international and domestic routes from Osaka Kansai International. Link
Hawaiian, Delta launch inter-island codesharing Delta Air Lines said Thursday it will begin codesharing with Hawaiian Airlines on Sept. 15, placing the DL code on HA flights between Honolulu and Kahului, Lihue, Kona and Hila, as well as between Kona and Kahului. Link
Finnair settles disputes with Finncomm, agrees to invest in Finncomm Commuter Finnair yesterday reached a preliminary agreement with Finncomm to acquire a 20% stake in long-time regional partner Finnish Commuter Airlines and to acquire 100% of the companies that own Finncomm Group's 12 ATR 42/72 aircraft. Link
China Southern promotes premium economy class on international routes China Southern will begin promoting its new premium economy cabin on international routes this month beginning with its Guangzhou-Sydney route. Beginning Oct. 31, the new class will be available on services to Melbourne, Brisbane and other international routes except Japan and Dubai. Link
Poland issues tender for new jet trainer fleet Poland has launched its long-awaited tender for a new advanced jet pilot training system, outlining an ambitious set of performance characteristics for its replacement for the PZL Mielec TS-11 Iskra. Link
Competition regulator rejects Virgin Blue-ANZ Tasman pact Australia's competition regulator is intending to reject the proposed tie-up between Air New Zealand and Virgin Blue on trans-Tasman services. The two carrier disclosed their plan for codesharing and other combined activities in May and put it forward for consideration by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Link
Pilot error behind Air India Express 737 crash, say reports Pilot error has emerged as the likely cause of an Air India Express Boeing 737-800 crash on 22 May in southern India, say reports. Investigators told an official court of inquiry that the aircraft's pilot was on the wrong flightpath and had ignored his co-pilot, who told him to execute a go-around, say the reports. Link
Other News
Transaero Airlines took delivery of its seventh 777, lifting its fleet to 55 aircraft comprising 12 747s, seven 777s, 12 767s, 21 737s and three Tu-214s. The Russian airline in the spring signed contracts for the acquisition of five 777-200s previously operated by Singapore Airlines and nine ex-Japan Airlines 747-400s as part of its ongoing fleet development and modernization program. All five 777s have been delivered. Transaero is using them for operations on both international and domestic routes, primarily to destinations in the Far East.
Canadian regional Jazz Air announced Thursday it has reached a tentative labor contract with approximately 33 crew schedulers represented by CAW. Terms of the agreement were not released.
American Airlines will in spring 2011 relocate its San Francisco International operations to Terminal 2 from its current location in Terminal 3. American will have 14 ticket counter positions and 20 self-service machines in the newly constructed 575,000-sq.-ft. terminal, as well as a 9,000-sq.-ft. AA Admirals Club lounge. The new terminal, which is expected to receive Silver LEED certification under the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Designs program, will feature six security screening lanes, free Wi-Fi throughout the terminal, lounge areas, 12 restaurants and nine retail stores, American said. "We are pleased to relocate into a brand-new space that is both functional for our customers and employees, and is environmentally friendly in its design," said American SVP-Airport Services Tom Del Valle. "The LEED-certified terminal will allow us to provide exceptional customer service while reducing our environmental impact."
Malev said its restructuring of Malev Air Tours has been completed, including a 40% reduction in the subsidiary’s workforce over the past two years. The tour operator also reduced its expenditures by 34% year-over-year in 2009 and by 15% in the first eight months of this year compared to the prior-year period. "Consistently, step by step, we are carrying out the restructuring of Malev and its affiliates, one positive result of which is that this year Malev Air Tours is now standing on its own feet," Malev CEO Martin Gauss said. The airline, which last week received an emergency loan from the Hungarian government, expects its tour affiliate to be profitable for the full year.
Aeronautical Engineers announced it redelivered four 737SF passenger-to-freighter conversions in the third quarter, consisting of one 737-300SF to Cargo Air, one 737-400SF to MNG Airlines, one 737-300SF to Sideral Air Cargo, and one 737-200SF to Transmile Air Services. "The redelivery of four 737SFs in one quarter is a strong indicator that economies around the world are starting their upwards journey towards recovery," AEI VP-Sales & Marketing Robert T. Convey said.
Dublin Aerospace signed an agreement with XL Airways Germany to provide base maintenance services of four 737-800s for the winter season 2010/2011. The contract commences Nov. 1.
BH Air signed an aircraft and landing gear maintenance services contract with Turkish Technic, which covers RIB-5 inspection (modification and corrosion repair as required) of three A320s and landing gear overhaul for specified aircraft. Work will be carried out at Turkish Technic’s facilities in Istanbul, through the end of March 2011.
Turkish Airlines introduced 777-300ERs on its thrice-weekly Istanbul Ataturk–Sao Paulo Guarulhos route starting Dec 26. TK will increase flights to SAO to four per week on Feb 22.
Ethiopian Airlines increased its cooperation with ASKY Airlines, in which it has a 25% holding, and introduced new connectivity between West Africa and ET's network through its hub Addis Ababa. ET has announced it will transfer its Monrovia operations to ASKY.
Flybe launched a six-times-weekly service to Manston in Kent to Manchester Sept. 7.
JetBlue Airways will launch daily New York JFK–Providenciales service Feb. 17 and will operate seasonal weekly Boston–Providenciales service beginning Feb. 19, both aboard A320s.
United Airlines will launch daily San Francisco-Mammoth Lakes Yosemite service Dec. 16 aboard 66-seat CRJ700s.
Malaysia Airlines increased five-times-weekly Kuala Lumpur–Yangon service to seven-times weekly.
Wizz Air will launch thrice-weekly Brno–London Luton service Dec. 16 and will increase Prague-LTN service to nine-times-weekly Oct. 31, operating the route 11-times-weekly Dec.19-Jan. 9. It will also launch twice-weekly Lviv–Memmingen service and twice-weekly Kiev–Stockholm Skavsta flights Dec. 18. American Airlines will operate thrice-weekly Dallas/Fort Worth-Rio de Janeiro seasonal service Dec. 16, 2010-April 4, 2011 and June 9, 2011-Aug. 22, 2011 aboard a 767-300.
AVIATION QUOTE
To set foot on the soil of the asteroids, to lift by hand a rock from the Moon, to observe Mars from a distance of several tens of kilometers, to land on its satellite or even on its surface, what can be more fantastic? From the moment of using rocket devices a new great era will begin in astronomy: the epoch of the more intensive study of the firmament.
— Konstantin E. Tsiolkovsky, 1896.
ON THIS DATE
September 10, 1993
Boeing finishes production of their 1,000th 747 airplane, 26 years after the 747 program was launched.
On October 12, 1993, Boeing delivers line No. 1,000 to Singapore Airlines.
While taxiing out in sequence behind a Lufthansa airliner at Frankfurt, a C-130 crew noticed an orange "Remove before flight" streamer hanging out of the Lufthansa nose wheel well (their nose gear locking pin was still installed). Not wanting to cause too much embarrassment by going thru the controller, the 130 crew simply called the Lufthansa aircraft on the tower frequency:
"Lufthansa aircraft, Herky 23." No reply.
They repeated the transmission and again there was no reply. Instead, the Lufthansa pilot called the tower and asked the tower to tell the Herky crew that "the professional pilots of Lufthansa do not engage in unprofessional conversations over the radio."
The 130 pilot quickly replied, "Frankfurt tower, can you please relay to the professional pilots of the Lufthansa aircraft that their nose gear pin is still installed?"
TRIVIA
Tail ID
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And let's get one thing straight. There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight. — E. B. Jeppesen
1. 2. EN Air Dolomiti 3. 4U Germanwings 4. GH Ghana Airways 5. IY Yemenia 6. LM Livingston Energy Flight 7. LO LOT Polish Airlines 8. OA Olympic Airlineways 9. TP TAP Air Portugal 10. VY Vueling 11. W6 Wizz Air
"I mean, we're in a galaxy far, far away, and we still have to change in Atlanta" (Stewie Griffin as Darth Vader)
1. BM, Air Bee Airlines 2. EN, Air Dolomiti 3. 4U, Germanwings 4. GH, Ghana Airways 5. IY, Yemenia 6. LM, Livingston Energy Flight 7. LO, LOT, Polish Airlines 8. OA, Olympic Airlines 9. TP, TAP Portugal 10. VY, Vueling Airlines 11. W6, Wizz Air
And let's get one thing straight. There's a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight. — E. B. Jeppesen
Olympic Airlineways