United: Regional Fleet to Become Smaller Part of Airline

United’s regional strategy will involve larger aircraft and fewer frequencies with subsequently lower unit costs, the carrier said this week.

Ryan Ewing

Friday, October 18, 2024 at 07:45 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A United Express Embraer E175 (Photo: Shutterstock | Austin Deppe)

As its U.S. peers continue restoring pre-pandemic regional capacity levels, United says it is already there. But with unit cost pressures for smaller regional jets increasing, the Chicago-based airline doesn’t expect much growth in smaller markets.

During a third-quarter earnings call on Wednesday, United’s commercial chief, Andrew Nocella, said regional capacity has returned “a little bit quicker than we anticipated at the beginning of the year.” Still, though, Nocella adds that these smaller jets “do pressure CASM [cost per available seat mile].”

Just this week, United detailed plans to shake up its regional portfolio. In December, SkyWest will begin operating a handful of premium-heavy CRJ-550s under the United Express brand.

With 40 CRJ-550s already in service operated by regional carrier GoJet, Nocella shares that the airline continues to be pleased with the modified CRJ-700 variant that has just 50 seats. “That aircraft has been actually much better than expected for United. So we’re glad to be able to expand that, which allows us to better serve these smaller communities,” he said.

First class on United’s CRJ-550 (Photo: Dylan Oakes)

In addition, Mesa Airlines — which operates solely on behalf of United — is making the switch to an all-Embraer E175 operation “at United’s request.” The Phoenix-based regional carrier is slated to phase out its remaining 15 CRJ-900s by March 2025.

The active United Express fleet currently includes 57 Embraer E145s, 233 E170/E175s, 68 CRJ-200s, 58 CRJ-700s, and 15 CRJ-900s per Cirium Fleet Analyzer data.

A Different Regional Footprint

While both American and Delta touted their near returns to full regional jet utilization, United seems less concerned. “We are back to full utilization on the RJs [regional jets] at our new run rate fleet,” added Nocella.

The airline’s current fleet plan shows a slight bump of three additional 50-seat aircraft to be added by year-end. As pilot supply constraints improve, many regional airlines are still returning jets to service.

Nocella said he doesn’t expect “a large-scale change coming at United in how we serve these smaller communities.”

“So expect the RJ fleet to still be around and do [its] thing, but it will become a smaller and smaller percentage of the business,” he continued. “And we will serve the smaller communities with a mixture of RJs and mainline jets and have the lowest cost possible in those communities.”

Moving forward, he said, United’s regional strategy will involve larger aircraft and fewer frequencies with subsequently lower unit costs.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with an MBA. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks' owner FLYING Media, spearheading coverage in the commercial aviation space.

European Carriers Call for Action Against Chinese Counterparts

European airlines are calling for action against Chinese carriers to achieve a so-called level playing field amid the Russian airspace closure.

Anthony Bang An

Thursday, October 17, 2024 at 03:31 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A China Eastern 777 turns onto the runway in Los Angeles. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

European airlines are calling for a so-called “level playing field” with their Chinese counterparts, specifically referring to the Russian airspace access that Chinese carriers use and the absence of environmental costs.

According to Reuters, Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr said all flights to Europe, regardless of the airline, should avoid Russian airspace. ‘If you want a level playing field, we need to ensure any airline landing in Europe avoids Russian airspace. Until that happens there will be enormous advantages to Chinese carriers,” Sophr shared.

A Lufthansa Boeing 747-400 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Spohr also pointed to the European trading system as another “financial advantage” Chinese carriers have. Spohr’s Lufthansa has recently cancelled its decades-long route from Frankfurt to Beijing, citing costs incurred by longer flying time.

Other European airline executives, including Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith, have voiced similar concerns over the unfair competition, and the European Commission is said to be “examining the matter,” according to De Telegraaf.

Chinese Routes No Longer Profitable

Many European airlines are either reducing their presence or pulling out of China completely due to the unprofitability of operations. Polish carrier LOT, SAS, and Virgin Atlantic will all leave the country entirely next month, while Lufthansa and British Airways have both reduced their presence.

SAS will terminate its flights between Copenhagen and Shanghai, its last Chinese destination. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ben Suskind)

The market is traditionally profitable for carriers but has not fully recovered after the COVID-19 pandemic due to the slowed international traffic recovery out of China. The Russian airspace problems further discouraged European carriers from adding capacity. On the Chinese side, excess capacity has been dumped on the European routes with low fares.

Limited and Varied Response

Despite repeated calls from industry leaders, little has been done on the European level. So far, the only recorded action taken against Chinese carriers was by the Austrian government, who denied landing rights for a proposed Shanghai-Vienna connection by China Eastern on the grounds of ‘unfair competition’ earlier this year.

There has also been conversation around imposing an additional fee or tax for overflying Russia, as well as diplomatic efforts. The CEO of KLM, Marjan Rintel, has called for such a policy from the Dutch government and the European level. The Dutch cabinet, however, sees no possibility for its imposition, citing legal reasons, according to the Luchtvaartnieuws.

It is important to note that a ban or tax on overflying Russia will not only implicate Chinese airlines. Many other Asian airlines still routinely use Russian airspace on their way to Europe, such as Air India, MIAT Mongolia, and Uzbekistan Airways, among others.

Anthony Bang An

Anthony is an aviation enthusiast who grew up around the world from St. Louis to Singapore, and now lives in Amsterdam. He loves long-haul flying and finds peace in the sound of engine cruising. He aspires to share his passion for the sky though writing and providing another angle on the stories.

CEO of Nigeria’s Largest Private Airline Charged With Obstructing Justice in U.S.

Despite the legal challenges surrounding its leadership, Air Peace has continued to expand its operations, including plans for additional aircraft acquisitions.

Victor Shalton

Thursday, October 17, 2024 at 02:48 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An Air Peace 737 (Photo: Anna Zvereva, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons)

Allen Ifechukwu Athan Onyema, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest private airline, and the airline’s Chief of Administration and Finance, Ejiroghene Eghagha, face fresh legal challenges in the United States. Both have been charged with obstruction of justice, according to an announcement by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on October 11, 2024.

The charges allege that Onyema and Eghagha submitted fraudulent documents to U.S. authorities in a bid to thwart an ongoing investigation. This investigation, initially related to previous accusations of bank fraud and money laundering, has now expanded to include additional charges of obstruction.

The prosecution is a collaborative effort involving multiple U.S. agencies, such as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Treasury. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett L. Bradford and Christopher J. Huber are leading the case.

U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan emphasized the gravity of the new charges, stating, “Onyema, alongside his co-defendant, is accused of taking steps to mislead investigators and obstruct the government’s ongoing case. The work of our federal law enforcement agencies has been crucial in exposing this scheme, ensuring those responsible are held accountable.”

DEA and IRS Comments on the Case

Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division, also commented on the case, saying, “This is yet another example of the DEA’s commitment to rooting out individuals involved in financial crimes and money laundering.”

Similarly, Lisa Fontanette, Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the IRS Criminal Investigation division in Atlanta, said, “The latest indictment reflects the dedication of IRS-CI agents and our law enforcement partners in dismantling fraudulent operations.”

Air Peace Responds to Indictments

In response to these charges, Air Peace released a statement on October 13, 2024, acknowledging the situation surrounding its CEO and Eghagha. The airline’s statement, shared on its social media platform X, read: “Air Peace is aware of the latest legal developments involving our Chairman and CEO, Dr. Allen Ifechukwu Onyema, and our Chief of Administration and Finance, Mrs. Ejiro Eghagha. These allegations relate to legal proceedings from several years ago.”

The statement continued, “While new charges have been added, we reiterate that both Dr. Onyema and Mrs. Eghagha are innocent until proven otherwise. Their legal teams are actively addressing the situation, and we are confident that justice will prevail. Throughout this process, Air Peace remains operational and committed to providing high-quality service to our customers.”

Initial 2019 Indictment

Allen Onyema’s legal battles with the U.S. first made headlines in November 2019, when he was charged with bank fraud and money laundering. U.S. prosecutors alleged that Onyema had used Air Peace as a front for fraudulent activities, channeling around $20 million through the U.S. banking system. Ejiro Eghagha was also implicated, facing charges of bank fraud and identity theft.

According to the DOJ’s earlier statement, Onyema opened several personal and business bank accounts in the U.S. between 2010 and 2018, receiving substantial sums from international sources. Between 2016 and 2018, it was alleged that Onyema and Eghagha manipulated export letters of credit to transfer over $20 million to U.S. accounts, purportedly for the purchase of Boeing 737 aircraft for Air Peace. The transactions were said to be based on falsified documents.

One key element in the case was the role of Springfield Aviation Company LLC, an entity allegedly linked to Onyema. The company was supposedly used to funnel funds through the banking system, despite not owning any of the aircraft involved in the transaction.

The latest charges against Onyema and Eghagha focus on actions allegedly taken to obstruct the DOJ’s investigation. According to the indictment, Onyema instructed a Springfield Aviation manager in 2019 to sign a business contract and later present the contract as evidence, backdated to 2016. The backdated document was purportedly aimed at deceiving U.S. authorities and preventing the freezing of Onyema’s accounts.

Founded in 2013 by Onyema, Air Peace has grown into Nigeria’s largest private airline. It operates a range of services, including domestic and international flights, with a current fleet that includes 11 Boeing 737 aircraft, as well as five Embraer 195-E2s. The rest of the fleet comprises of a 777-200ER, two 777-300s, and six ERJ145s operated by its domestic subsidiary Air Peace Hopper.

Despite the legal challenges surrounding its leadership, Air Peace has continued to expand its operations, including plans for additional aircraft acquisitions in the near future that include five E175s and ten Boeing 737 MAX 8s.

Victor Shalton

Victor Shalton's love for aviation can be traced to when he was 11-years-old. As a seasoned aviation writer, he takes pride in providing the best aviation coverage around the globe and is passionate about advancing his skills in the aviation space. In addition, he loves travelling, writing, arts and while his speaking engagements have taken him around the world, he is proud to call Nairobi home.

Routes Europe 2026 Expected to Propel Rimini Airport Forward

Federico Fellini International Airport of Rimini and San Marino bets on hosting Routes Europe 2026 to increase its route network.

Vanni Gibertini

Thursday, October 17, 2024 at 11:22 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Federico Fellini International Airport of Rimini and San Marino's main terminal (Photo: TeddyDTE - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0)

One of the mantras of the airline industry is “sell airlines, buy airports.” Evidence shows that profitability can be much easier to reach among airports than among airlines, where even the most successful enterprises struggle to reach double-digit profit margins. But that is not necessarily true for small regional airports serving less densely populated regions or that, for whatever reason, are not able to attract healthy traffic streams.

One example of this harsh reality is Federico Fellini International Airport in Rimini, Italy. This airport, located in the middle of one of the most touristically-developed areas on the Italian Adriatic coast and named after the famous film director Federico Fellini, had good traffic flows in the recent past with a record 916,239 passengers in 2011, but poor management, bankruptcies, and external events led to a period of temporary closure in the middle of the 2010s.

Airiminum 2014 S.p.A. took over control in 2015 and committed to its relaunch.

Host of Routes Europe 2026

As part of this plan to develop new traffic, during the 2024 edition of Routes World in Bahrain, Airiminum 2014 announced it will host Routes Europe 2026, the regional event managed by the aviation consulting company ASM that promotes networking between European airports and airlines interested in serving the region.

“We are very proud to host Routes Europe in 2026 in our city for promoting our airport, its conference center and the city of Rimini in order to attract new flight services. Our objective to increase direct air connections is a top priority for Rimini Airport and for the future of the city,” said Leonardo Corbucci, CEO of Airiminum 2014 after the announcement. “Rimini Airport is the gateway for the territory to Europe and its promotion and development are a key element in maintaining Rimini as a cutting-edge city on an international level. We truly believe that Rimini will leave an indelible mark on the participants of the European development forum of 2026 and will help Airiminum Airport to grow even more in all markets.”

During Routes World 2024 in Bahrain, AirlineGeeks had the opportunity to meet with Enzo Salvatore Arena, post holder for aviation movements of Rimini Airport, to discuss the next development steps of this airport serving an area with three million visitors a year but currently only capturing a small percentage of the air traffic potential of its area.

“We are very proud to be the operator for Rimini Airport, completely privatized, and with a concession that will last until 2050, with a possible extension of one further year to account for the traffic we lost due to the COVID pandemic,” Arena said.

During 2020 the airport only registered 38,758 passengers, a 90% drop compared to 2019. But Rimini Airport’s toughest challenge was still to come, with the war between Russia and Ukraine and the economic sanctions towards Russia: “Until 2022 approximately 65% of our traffic was originating from those two countries, and although the passenger numbers were not exceptional, it allowed us to build a good profitability basis.”

New Year-Round Services to be Announced

At the moment, three scheduled airlines are operating from Fellini Airport: Ryanair is the biggest operator, with nine routes (eight of which are seasonal), then Luxair flies some services during the summer and Wizz Air has just started a year-round service to Tirana, Albania. Then there are also some charters operated by Neos to sunshine destinations in the Mediterranean. “Rimini is not only an incoming market,” explains Arena. “There are many people living here who work all summer and then want to go on vacation themselves when the season is over.”

The tourist season has been getting longer and longer in recent years, as the local authorities have been pushing on the fairs and exhibition market: “Between Rimini and the nearby Riccione there are approximately 340-350 events a year, and we have a circuit in Misano, right at the end of Runway 31, hosting top-tier motorbike competitions.” The season is now extending from April to almost November, providing a good business case for year-round services.

“There will soon be announcements for four new routes, which will start in summer 2025 and two of those routes will continue also in the winter,” said Arena. Rimini Airport is still working hard to re-establish a link to a major European hub in order to provide passengers in their catchment area a local option to connect to long-haul flights.

Until 2019 there was a Lufthansa service to Frankfurt, but the flight was not reinstated after a suspension caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now Lufthansa is in the process of purchasing a controlling stake in ITA Airways, the new Italian flag carrier: “We can’t say ITA Airways will be coming to Rimini soon, the decisional process is now more complicated and involves the parent company in Germany, but it is not totally out of question,” added Arena. “I am confident we will have another network carrier in Rimini within a few years.”

Stop the Leakage

Rimini Airport’s 30 km (19 miles) catchment area includes also the small landlocked country of San Marino, attracting 2.4 million visitors per year despite a population of only 34,000 people. According to an analysis by ASM, that catchment area generates approximately 2.8 million air journeys, 80% of which are leaked to other airports, some of them even as far as Milan, a 4.5-hour drive away.

Hopefully, when delegates of Routes Europe 2026 will descend on Rimini in less than two years’ time, they will be able to fly directly to Rimini instead of having to use Bologna or other airports in the region.

Vanni Gibertini

Vanni fell in love with commercial aviation during his undergraduate studies in Statistics at the University of Bologna, when he prepared his thesis on the effects of deregulation on the U.S. and European aviation markets. Then he pursued his passion further by obtaining a Master’s Degree in Air Transport Management at Cranfield University in the U.K. followed by holding several management positions at various start-up carriers in Europe (Jet2, SkyEurope, Silverjet). After moving to Canada, he was Business Development Manager for IATA for nine years before turning to his other passion: sports writing.

Mesa Reports $20 Million Loss, Drops CRJ Fleet

Mesa Air Group — the parent company of Mesa Airlines — reported a net loss of $19.9 million for the fiscal third quarter of 2024.

Ryan Ewing

Thursday, October 17, 2024 at 10:07 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Mesa Airlines CRJ-900 in Phoenix. (Photo: Shutterstock | Robin Guess)

Mesa Air Group — the parent company of Mesa Airlines — reported a net loss of $19.9 million for the fiscal third quarter of 2024. The regional carrier exclusively operates Embraer E175 and CRJ-900 jets on behalf of United.

On Wednesday, the Phoenix-based company said its United Express contract revenues were up 8% year over year, reporting a total operating revenue of $110.8 million.

According to Cirium Fleet Analyzer data, Mesa currently operates 56 E175s and 15 CRJ-900s within the United Express network. The carrier has been selling off some of its CRJs, removing six more from its fleet in June.

During the same month, Mesa announced it would furlough 12 pilots and defer training for 41 more due to a “significant and unexpected reduction in pilot attrition levels.” The carrier shared on Wednesday that it has begun recalling these pilots “in anticipation of improved aircraft utilization,” CEO Jonathan Ornstein said.

Transition to All-Embraer

In its earnings release, Mesa said it will transition to an all-Embraer fleet, removing the CRJ-900s from United’s network. This move, the airline said, was “at United’s request” and is slated to take effect by March 1, 2025.

United will reimburse Mesa for costs up to $14 million associated with the transition. In addition, United agreed to purchase two leased CRJ-700s for $11 million.

“While we are not yet providing a forecast for fiscal year 2025, our focus continues to be on increasing utilization and maintaining overall operational performance,” added Ornstein in the release. “As we transition into flying all E-175s, we will look to drive additional efficiencies from operating a single fleet type. We will also continue to consider longer-term financial and strategic opportunities to enhance the business.”

Mesa’s CRJ-900s previously flew under the American Eagle banner, but the two airlines terminated their agreement in April 2023 following a 30-year partnership. The carrier also ended a capacity agreement with DHL in May 2024.

A Mesa CRJ 900 in the American Eagle livery. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

During an early 2024 earnings call, fellow regional operator SkyWest shared that it would receive 20 more United-owned E175s. The carrier’s commercial chief, Wade Steel, said these jets would come from another United Express carrier but did not provide any details.

Cirium fleet data shows that these aircraft are likely coming from Mesa. At the time of writing, all 20 aircraft have transitioned into the SkyWest fleet.

Ryan Ewing

Elliott, Southwest Leadership Trade Blows in ‘Fight for the Future’ of Airline

Elliott launched a new podcast featuring one-on-one conversations with Elliott’s director nominees for Southwest’s Board of Directors.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Thursday, October 17, 2024 at 07:30 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A Southwest 737-800 takes off from Los Angeles. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Elliott Investment Management L.P. launched a new podcast featuring one-on-one conversations with Elliott’s director nominees for Southwest’s Board of Directors on Tuesday, one day after the investment firm called for a Dec. 10 special meeting seeking the election of eight total board nominees.

“Today’s launch of an innovative new podcast series will offer shareholders an opportunity to learn more about these uniquely qualified nominees,” Elliott said in a news release on Tuesday.

Described as an activist investor group, Elliott has previously called for Southwest CEO Bob Jordan to step down, though the carrier’s board has stood behind him after announcing several other leadership changes in September. Elliott currently owns approximately 11% of economic interest in Southwest.

Elliott’s podcast announcement comes the week of Southwest’s 2024 “Rise Above” leadership conference in Dallas. Some Southwest employees have pushed back publicly against Elliott’s messaging on social media with the motto: “It’s Our Southwest.”

One post quoted Jordan in an internal memo as saying: “This is not a fight ‘against Elliott.’ This is a fight for the future of Southwest Airlines.”

“It can all be gone in the blink of an eye if we aren’t vigilant, and if we don’t fight to preserve it,” he added.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

AirlineGeeks.com was founded in February 2013 as a one-person blog in Washington D.C. Since then, we’ve grown to have 25+ active team members scattered across the globe. We are all here for the same reason: we love deep-diving into the fascinating realm of the airline industry.

DOT Tentatively Awards Coveted Washington National Slots

The Department of Transportation tentatively awarded new slots for routes outside of Washington Reagan National Airport's 1,250-mile perimeter.

Ryan Ewing

Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at 04:11 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An American 737 MAX at Washington's Reagan National Airport (Photo: Shutterstock | BUI LE MANH HUNG)

The Department of Transportation tentatively awarded new slots for routes outside of Washington Reagan National Airport’s 1,250-mile perimeter rule on Wednesday. Earlier this year, Congress allocated the additional slots as part of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.

Five round-trip flights are set to be awarded with eight airlines applying. The outlined criteria for choosing air carriers were as follows: The exemptions must enhance options for nonstop travel to “beyond-perimeter airports” that do not have nonstop service from Reagan National as of the signing of the bill, or they must have a positive impact on the overall level of competition in the markets.

Four of the slot pairs were made available to nonlimited incumbent carriers while the remaining slot was available to one airline qualifying for status as a limited incumbent carrier at the airport.

American and Delta

Both American and Delta won their respective proposals for long-distance flights from Reagan National. American plans to serve San Antonio with daily Airbus A321 flights.

Delta is set to serve its Seattle hub with daily service from the D.C. airport on an Airbus A321neo. The airline will compete directly with Alaska on the same route.

“American would like to thank the city and community of San Antonio, the San Antonio International Airport, U.S. Senator Cruz and the entire Texas delegation for its strong partnership and support of this effort. I’d also like to thank DOT for recognizing the overwhelming value this route will bring to a previously unserved market,” said American executive vice president Nate Gatten in a Wednesday news release. “We look forward to DOT issuing a final order so we can begin connecting more members of Military City USA with our nation’s capital and our industry-leading global network.”

Alaska and Southwest

Alaska and Southwest were also awarded new routes. Alaska will add service between Reagan National and San Diego on a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The Seattle-based carrier also serves San Diego from Washington Dulles.

An Alaska 737-800 at Reagan National Airport (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Craig Fischer)

San Diego is the largest unserved market from the airport, previously flown by US Airways before the route was axed in 2014.

“Alaska is proud to connect these two critical markets and looks forward to providing our premium service to guests in San Diego, Washington, D.C. and across the West Coast,” the airline said as part of a statement.

Southwest will operate new flights between Washington and Las Vegas following the slot award. The carrier will go head-to-head with American on the route.

United

Even with its nearby hub at Washington Dulles, United is slated to take the fifth slot, adding more flights to San Francisco. The route would be the carrier’s second daily flight between the two cities.

The DOT’s decision remains tentative, the agency noted as part of a “show cause” order issued on Wednesday. A public comment period will be available prior to a final order. The agency’s order can be found here.

In addition to the carriers that received tentative awards, JetBlue, Spirit, and Frontier applied for one of the five slots. In a July statement, Breeze — which does not currently serve the airport — called the reauthorization legislation unfair and anti-competitive because it excludes nonincumbent airlines.

JetBlue scaled back capacity on some of its existing routes from Reagan National during the upcoming winter months.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024 at 9:24 p.m. ET to include a quote from Alaska Airlines.

Ryan Ewing

‘Lucky Coincidence’ Thwarts Alleged Russian Attack on DHL Flight

Officials suspect foul play after a parcel caught fire on the ground shortly before it was to be loaded on an aircraft in Germany.

Ryan Ewing

Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at 02:15 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A DHL 777F in Everett, Wash. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

German intelligence officials are pointing fingers at Russia after what has been described as an incendiary device was nearly planted on a DHL aircraft in July.

During a recent hearing, Thomas Haldenwang, head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Germany, said the country avoided a serious aircraft accident by “only a lucky coincidence.” German newspaper Tagesspiegel reports the fire-starting parcel was set to be loaded on a DHL flight in Leipzig.

The flight was delayed, and the parcel caught fire on the ground. Haldenwang said that had it caught fire midair, a major accident could have followed.

In August, Reuters reported that the German government notified businesses that fire-starting packages may be circulating within shipping networks. The warning followed a series of reports that other parcels had ignited in transit.

Russia is suspected of being behind these parcels. Officials said the German government has seen a rise in “aggressive behavior” by Russian intelligence agencies.

Also in July, a similar incident occurred at a DHL facility in Birmingham, England. It is under investigation by U.K. counter-terrorism officials. According to The Guardian, the package caught fire after arriving from a flight on July 22 before being extinguished by firefighters.

In a statement to Reuters, the logistics company said, “DHL applies strict security measures throughout its global network and works in full compliance with all applicable transport security laws, regulations and procedures.”

Ryan Ewing

South African Airways Expands Route Network

Heading into the holiday season, South African added more flights to its network, catering to the larger numbers of passengers who travel during that time.

Lorne Philipot

Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at 12:27 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

A South African A330 taking off. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | James Dinsdale)

South Africa’s national airline is extending its reach and increasing its flight schedule. Heading into the year-end holiday season, South African Airways (SAA) has added more flights to its network, catering to the larger numbers of passengers who travel during the period.

The increased flight schedule is made possible by South African having received additional leased aircraft. According to data from Planespotters.net, the airline currently has an operating fleet of 10 aircraft. This includes seven Airbus A320s, two Airbus A330s, and an Airbus A340.

International Routes

According to Sustainability in the Sky, South African Airways will grow its presence on two key international routes. SAA’s services between Johannesburg and Mauritius will double from December 1. The airline will operate two daily flights on the route.

From January 7 of next year, the carrier will increase frequencies between Johannesburg and Perth to five times a week.

Regional Routes

South African Airways will also increase frequencies on a number of its intra-African routes, from its Johannesburg hub.

Starting on November 3, the airline will increase services to Accra in Ghana, to four flights a week. On the same day, it will add frequencies to Lusaka in Zambia, taking the total to 12 weekly flights.

On November 4, the carrier will launch flights to Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Five frequencies will be offered each week. At the same time, SAA will increase frequencies to Harare in Zimbabwe, taking the total number of flights to 12 per week.

Then, on November 5, the airline will increase frequencies to Kinshasa (DRC), to four services per week. Flights into Lagos will be increased to four services a week, from November 7.

Domestic Routes

South African Airways currently operates flights between Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). From November 1, it will also increase services between Johannesburg and Gqeberha to three times a day.

Lorne Philipot

Lorne is a South Africa-based aviation journalist. He was captivated and fascinated by flying from the day he took his first airline flight. With a passion for aviation in his blood, he has flown to destinations in all corners of the globe. Lorne has traveled extensively and lived in various countries. Drawing on his travels and passion for aviation, Lorne enjoys writing about airlines, routes, networks, and new developments.

Qantas to Resume Second-Longest A380 Route

The airline is expanding its schedule with new A220 routes and the return of more A380s, including additional superjumbo service to the U.S.

Pete Ainsley

Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at 09:23 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Qantas A380 lands at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Qantas will expand its route map with new Airbus A220 flights and the return of additional A380s in 2025, expecting an increase of 220,000 seats to its international network.

The Australian flag carrier will increase its capacity to the U.S. by 13% next year. With the return of Boeing 787 Dreamliners to the Brisbane – Los Angeles route, passengers have more options of choosing Premium Economy as a result of doubling seat capacity.

More U.S. A380 Service

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Airbus A380 will once again be deployed on flights between Sydney and Dallas/Fort Worth starting Aug. 11, becoming the second-longest route operated by the superjumbo jet. Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Airbus A380s will operate the route on an alternating basis.

At nearly 9,000 miles, Emirates operates the longest A380 flight between Dubai and Auckland. Qantas’ Dallas/Fort Worth-Sydney flight is approximately 8,600 miles.

From Feb. 6, the airline will increase Melbourne to Dallas/Fort Worth flights to a four-times-weekly service. However, Sydney to New York (via Auckland) will reduce from six to five times a week.

Qantas marks 70 years of flying to North America in 2024. Earlier this year, the airline announced new flights between Melbourne and Honolulu starting in 2025.

A Qantas A380 in long-term storage (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

The airline said it expects to add two more A380s to its fleet after being in pandemic-era storage programs.

Deploy A220 to Singapore

QantasLink, the regional airline for the Qantas Group, will launch Darwin to Singapore flights with its new Airbus A220 in March. The airline originally launched the route with Embraer E190s, but the A220 could offer 50 additional seats every week.

QantasLink’s first Airbus A220 (Photo: Qantas)

The airline ordered 29 A220 jets in 2022 with the aircraft entering service between Melbourne and Hobart. The A220s are expected to replace the fleet of aging Boeing 717s.

“We’re so excited to be offering our customers more than 220,000 additional seats on our network, a new international destination, and our brand-new A220 aircraft for our Singapore – Darwin flights, which will be the first of its kind to operate out of Singapore,” Cam Wallace, Qantas Group International CEO, said in a news release.

Meanwhile, Qantas will launch brand-new service to Palau, an island country in the western Pacific, in the coming months with Boeing 737 aircraft.

However, the carrier also announced that it will cease service between Sydney and Seoul, South Korea, from mid-June 2025. Jetstar will ramp up its flights on the route from four times a week to a daily service. Qantas explains the decision to withdraw from the Korean capital city can allow its aircraft to be deployed on other routes.

Pete Ainsley