This week Mexican Low-Cost Carriers (LCC's) Volaris and VivaAerobus officially announced the expansion of their international operations to Colombia and South America. Volaris and VivaAerobus will begin flying to Bogotá, Colombia later this year, with VivaAerobus being first in line to launch service on August 21, followed by Volaris on October 6. Both LCCs announced the start of Colombia-bound flights to a trade show audience at the 2021 Vitrina Turística ANATO convention in Bogotá on Wednesday. Currently, the only LCCs flying between Mexico and Colombia…
Boeing has completed the first of the necessary test flights to get the largest variant of the Boeing 737 MAX family airborne. The aerospace firm announced on Friday that the Boeing 737-10 completed the successful first flight mission on the morning of June 18th from Renton in the Seattle area. The first flight would consist of a two-hour flight that originated at the Boeing 737 factory in Renton at 10:07 am local time and touch down at nearby Boeing Field at 12:38 pm after completing…
Australian flag carrier Qantas is looking to expand its current three-year deal with Alliance Airlines - a partnership that provides its regional subsidiary QantasLink an addition of the Embraer E190 to its fleet - the airline announced in a press release on Thursday (June 17). QantasLink already has a current fleet of fourteen E190s, with three already active flight operations. With the partnership expansion, the airline will now be committed to leasing an additional four aircraft, bringing the total in its fleet to be eighteen…
To re-open borders without quarantine and restart aviation national governments need to be confident that they are effectively mitigating the risk of importing COVID-19. This means having accurate information on passengers’ COVID-19 health status. Informing passengers on what tests, vaccines and other measures they require prior to traveling, details on where they can get tested, and giving them the ability to share their tests and vaccination results in a verifiable, safe and privacy-protecting manner is the key to giving governments the confidence to open borders.…
Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific is looking towards working with French aircraft manufacturing giant, Airbus, to innovate a new concept of reducing the number of flight crews needed on long-haul flights, with the idea of a lone pilot operating the flight deck for the majority of the flight time. The concept is named within Airbus as Project Connect, and it aims to certify its A350 aircraft family for single-pilot flight operations, mainly during the cruising phase when the aircraft would be at high altitudes and relatively…
Ryanair and the owner of their largest UK airport base have begun legal proceedings to challenge the UK government’s ‘traffic light system’ of international travel. The Irish-based carrier and Manchester Airports Group (MAG), owners of London Stansted, East Midlands and Manchester airports are seeking clarity on how the UK government is categorizing countries into the ‘green’, ‘amber’ and ‘red’ lists. The ‘traffic light’ system was adopted on 17 May as a means of reopening international travel to UK citizens and residents. Each level has a…
Many people have been forced to quarantine at home and follow strict guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid-19 for over a year, leading many to be eager for a return to the skies and being able to travel freely, which can be seen by already crowded airports and fuller flights worldwide. Several major airlines have already begun to increase flight frequencies and inaugurate new flights to enhance route connectivity and accommodate the upcoming surge in air travel. In Air Canada’s case, this proposal has…
Korean Air flew its longest flight since its founding in 1969 last weekend using one of its Boeing 777-300ER passenger jets. The jet, registered KE8047, operated a nonstop cargo flight to Miami International Airport on June 12 from Korean Air's base at Seoul's Incheon International Airport. The journey lasted 14 hours 42 minutes, covering a total distance of 8,330 miles. Although Miami, a hub for many passenger and cargo routes to South America, is already one of Korean Air's cargo-only destinations, this is the first…
The Covid-19 pandemic has forced several international airlines to file for bankruptcy and enter administration in order to not only stay afloat but also as a way to pay off continuously-piling debts as the severe decrease in passenger numbers and highly-restrictive border closures have resulted in decreasing revenues earned for these airlines. Thai Airways has been no exception, having gone into administration in 2020 and just recently, having gotten the majority of its creditors onboard for a rehabilitation plan last month. Approximately 91.56% of creditors voted…
After a year and a half of COVID-related challenges, Copa Airlines is starting to ramp up its operations in the United States. Beginning this June, the airline will offer new flight frequencies to six major cities along the East Coast and West Coast, expanding its network to over 55 destinations throughout the Americas via Panama. Opportunity for Expansion With New Frequencies In a memo from Copa, the airline outlined its new daily flight frequencies to six cities in the US. The airline will operate 9x…
After a year-long hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic which crippled leisure and business demand as a result of border…
“Our flight deck should reflect the diverse group of people onboard our planes every day. That’s why we plan for 50% of the 5,000 pilots we train in the next…
Late last year, the impending arrival of vaccines for COVID-19 stood as a glimmer of hope for the travel industry. Many thought vaccines would help travel return and begin down…
Korean Air flew its longest flight since its founding in 1969 last weekend using one of its Boeing 777-300ER passenger jets. The jet, registered KE8047, operated a nonstop cargo flight…
The world woke up on Friday morning to the sad news that His Royal Highness Prince Philip passed away at the age of 99. A life dedicated to being by…
When the coronavirus pandemic hit the world economy full force in March 2020, the aviation industry faced its worst travel crisis ever. Air travel hit its steepest dropoff in history.…
In an industry notoriously difficult in normal circumstances, aviation faced extraordinary challenges in 2020. As COVID-19 spread, the travel industry was among the hardest-hit industries as governments closed borders and…
TBT (Throwback Thursday) in Aviation History: African Safari Airways
TBT (Throwback Thursday) in Aviation History: Western Airlines
TBT (Throwback Thursday) in Aviation History: Alas Uruguay
TBT (Throwback Thursday) in Aviation History: DETA Air
TBT (Throwback Thursday) in Aviation History: Virgin America
Essential Air Service (EAS) has been in the news frequently the past couple of months, and large airports aren’t the only airports that have news to report on. This is a continuation of the series, titled ‘EAS Round up’, and will touch on any news regarding the contracts in the EAS airport community since the last EAS Round-Up which can be viewed HERE. Whether it is a new airline being selected for a city, the current airline being re-selected to serve…
According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), Air China's new base in Chengdu Tianfu International Airport is complete. Even though the majority of international travel remains closed, China's Tianfu International Airport is expected…
The Covid-19 pandemic that has devastated air travel demand around the world is about to see yet another victim. The Swedish government has announced its intention to permanently shut down Stockholm Bromma Airport — operating…
This week Mexican Low-Cost Carriers (LCC's) Volaris and VivaAerobus officially announced the expansion of their international operations to Colombia and South America. Volaris and VivaAerobus will begin flying to Bogotá,…
Boeing has completed the first of the necessary test flights to get the largest variant of the Boeing 737 MAX family airborne. The aerospace firm announced on Friday that the…
Australian flag carrier Qantas is looking to expand its current three-year deal with Alliance Airlines - a partnership that provides its regional subsidiary QantasLink an addition of the Embraer E190…
This is Part One of a two-part series about Silver Air and its flights to Elba. Check back on AirlineGeeks for Part Two. More than a year after COVID-19 devastated…
After months of excitement and anticipation, the long-awaited Breeze Airways has officially launched! On May 27, Breeze flew its inaugural…
In part 1 of this EAS trip report, I arrived at the Nashville International Airport and checked in for my…
Throughout the pandemic, people in Taiwan have led relatively normal lives. They went to work in offices, attended classes and…
