American Bets on 737 MAX With New Order

The airline announced an order for 260 Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer narrowbody aircraft, including Boeing's yet-to-be-certified 737 MAX 10.

Ryan Ewing

Monday, March 04, 2024 at 11:33 AM ET

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Ryan Ewing

An American 737 MAX 8 in Renton, Washington (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

American is placing its bets on Boeing, announcing a new order on Monday for 260 new narrowbody aircraft. The Fort Worth-based airline’s latest order includes a combination of Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer aircraft.

The order includes 85 Airbus A321neo and 85 Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft along with 90 Embraer E175 regional jets. According to the carrier, the orders also include options for up to 193 additional aircraft.

As part of the announcement, American converted 30 planned 737 MAX 8 orders to the MAX 10. Despite being plagued by certification delays, it is the largest 737 variant to date. The conversion brings the airline’s total commitment for the MAX 10 to 115 aircraft with 75 purchase options for the type.

“We absolutely take current events into consideration as we’re going through our analysis of this order,” American’s Chief Financial Officer Devon May told Reuters in January. He said the airline considered different options from Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer as part of the deal.

American has 440 aircraft on order with the carrier’s orderbook now extending into the next decade. In a press release, the airline said it is “planning for the future with the new order of 737 MAX 10s and looks forward to certification of the aircraft.”

A rendering of an American Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft (Photo: Boeing)

Boeing Confidence

On a Q4 2023 earnings call in January, American’s CEO Robert Isom sharply rebuked Boeing, saying the manufacturer “needs to get their act together.”

“The issues that they’ve been dealing with over the recent period of time, but also going back a number of years now, is unacceptable,” Isom added during the call. “And no matter who it is, all of Boeing needs to come together and to get back on the right track.”

American has faced numerous 787 and 737 MAX delivery delays. In 2024, the airline expects to receive 20 737 MAX 8, six 787-9, and two A321neo aircraft, May shared during the January earnings call.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

First Scheduled 737 MAX Flights Set for Greenland

The country of Greenland currently doesn't see any service on anything larger than turboprop aircraft outside of its hometown airline Air Greenland.

Joey Gerardi

Sunday, March 03, 2024 at 05:33 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An Icelandair 737 MAX (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

The country of Greenland currently doesn’t see any service on anything larger than turboprop aircraft outside of its hometown airline Air Greenland, but that is all about to change come July 2024 with a major aircraft upguage from Icelandair.

Air Greenland’s sole Airbus A300-800neo seconds before touching down in Kangerlussuaq (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)

Icelandair is currently the only airline that serves the country at all other than Air Greenland. Currently, Icelandair operates year-round service from its Reykjavik/Keflavik hub to Nuuk and Kulusuk and also offers seasonal service to Ilulissat and Narsarsuaq. All of the service is currently operated on the De Havilland Canada Dash-8-200, mostly due to short runways around the country.

Narsarsuaq is a popular summer destination and is currently one of only two airports in the country that do see scheduled flights on jet aircraft, with the other being Kangerlussuaq. The latter is expected to be phased out as a major connecting point once the new longer runway opens in Nuuk this coming November and jet service will also likely cease too.

Icelandair had planned to operate one of its two weekly flights from Iceland to Narsarsuaq on the slightly larger Q400, but it just got a major upgrade and is now scheduled to be flown on its Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

Once the carrier starts its summer seasonal flight in July of 2024, the Saturday flights will be operated using a 737 MAX, while the Tuesday flights will continue to be the much smaller, Dash-8~200.

An Icelandair Boeing 737 MAX. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Although the Boeing 737-800 variant does serve the country with JetTime operating flights for Air Greenland, this will be the first time a 737 MAX will have scheduled flights in the country. This will not be the largest narrowbody aircraft to serve the country or Narsarsuaq as Air Greenland did operate its Boeing 757 in the past before selling the type in 2009. However, this will be the largest narrowbody to currently offer scheduled flights to the country.

Once the longer runway opens later this year in Nuuk, this major aircraft upgrade could be a sign of what is to come in Nuuk, not just for Icelandair but also for other carriers. Currently, the largest aircraft that can operate from the airport is the Dash-8~200.

Joey Gerardi

Joey has always been interested in planes for as long as he can remember. He grew up in Central New York during the early 2000s when US Airways Express turboprops ruled the skies. Being from a non-aviation family made it harder for him to be around planes and would only spend about three hours a month at the airport. He was so excited when he could drive by himself, the first thing he did with his driver's license was get ice cream and go plane spotting for the entire day. He graduated from Western Michigan University in 2022 with a B.S. in Aviation Management & Operations and a Minor in Business, and currently works for a major airline in his hometown.

Livery of the Week: Alaska Honors Military Service

Alaska operates a special aircraft livery, known as "Honoring Those Who Serve," to pay tribute to members of the United States Armed Forces.

Ryan Ewing

Friday, March 01, 2024 at 08:05 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Alaska's special 'Honoring Those Who Serve' livery (Photo: Alaska Airlines)

Editor’s Note: AirlineGeeks is excited to launch our ‘Livery of the Week’ series. Every Friday, a team member will share an airline livery, which can be from the past, present, or even a special scheme. Some airline liveries are works of art. The complexity associated with painting around critical flight components and the added weight requires outside-the-box thinking from designers. The average airliner can cost upwards of $200,000 to repaint, creating a separate aircraft repainting industry as a result.

Have an idea for a livery that we should highlight? Drop us a line.

Alaska operates a special aircraft livery, known as “Honoring Those Who Serve,” to pay tribute to members of the United States Armed Forces. The design, which was conceived by a group of Alaska Airlines maintenance technicians, features several symbolic elements.

The aircraft’s fuselage is painted blue, with a red stripe running along the side, reminiscent of the American flag. On each side of the aircraft, “Honoring Those Who Serve” is displayed prominently along the fuselage along with an “Alaska Airlines Salutes” medallion near the nose, featuring five stars representing the five branches of the U.S. military: Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

An Alaska 737-900ER in the ‘Honoring Those Who Serve’ scheme (Photo: Ian McMurtry)

On the engine cowlings, five stripes further reinforce the connection to the five branches of the military. The winglets are also painted in an American flag theme.

Each version of the livery has a different quote near the rear cargo doors. On the 737-900ER, a quote from President Calvin Coolidge reads, “No person was ever honored for what they received. Honor has been the reward for what they gave.”

This special livery is not just a visual tribute; it is also part of a broader Alaska initiative called “Alaska Airlines Salutes,” which encompasses various programs supporting veterans, active military personnel, and their families.

The “Honoring Those Who Serve” livery has been featured on several aircraft types in the carrier’s fleet, including a Boeing 737-800 (N570AS), Boeing 737-900ER (N265AK), and Embraer 175 (N651QX). The special livery was first unveiled in 2016.

Looking for a new airplane model? Head over to our friends at the Midwest Model Store for a wide selection of airlines and liveries.

Ryan Ewing

Spirit Shakes-Up Summer Route Network

Ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) Spirit has announced a new route shakeup which will see the carrier cutting routes and adding new ones.

Zach Cooke

Friday, March 01, 2024 at 03:00 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Spirit A319. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) Spirit has announced a new route shakeup which will see the carrier cutting routes and adding new ones. Initially reported by Ishrion Aviation, the Mirimar, Fla.-based carrier will launch or resume 11 new routes and cancel 12 routes from its schedule.

Route Cancelations

Boston and Cleveland were the most affected in the route shake-up, losing four and three routes respectively. According to Ishrion Aviation, these routes will continue to operate into the summer at which time they will end or were scheduled to resume and will not.

Atlanta International Airport (ATL) to:

Fort Meyers International Airport (RSW)
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)

Boston’s Logan International Airport (BOS) to:

Fort Meyers International Airport (RSW)
Las Vegas Harry Ried International Airport (LAS)
Miami International Airport (MIA)
Tampa International Airport (TPA)

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) to:

Las Vegas Harry Ried International Airport (LAS)
Miami International Airport (MIA)

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to:

Oakland International Airport (OAK)

Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) to:

Miami International Airport (MIA)

Memphis International Airport (MEM) to:

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

Raleigh Durham International Airport (RDU) to:

Orlando International Airport (MCO)

Route map of the services that will be axed by the carrier for the upcoming summer season. (Photo: gcmap.com)

New Routes

While the ultra-low-cost carrier will be cutting back on service, new routes will also be launched. Baltimore will be seeing the largest expansion having four new routes added, two of which will be transcontinental to the west coast. All routes listed below will launch in May, except for the Houston to Charlotte service which will launch on June 5.

Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) to:

Boston’s Logan International Airport (BOS)
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
San Diego International Airport (SAN)
Portland International Airport (PDX)

Boston’s Logan International Airport (BOS) to:

Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) to:

Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)

John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) to:

Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR)
New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA)

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to:

Louisville Muhammed Ali International Airport (SDF)

Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to:

San Diego International Airport (SAN)

Indianapolis International Airport (IND) to:

Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR)

New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to:

Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)

Route map of service to be launched in the coming months by Spirit. (Photo: gcmap.com)

The addition and removal of flying comes at a time when the carrier is struggling with operational issues. Spirit operates an all-Airbus A320 series fleet, with new NEO aircraft being plagued by engine issues. This has led to previously announced route cancelations, most notably service to Tulum’s new airport in Mexico.

Overall, the route changes resulted in a net gain of two routes from this announcement, taking effect over the summer.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated on Monday, March 4, 2024 at 3:22 p.m. ET to remove route additions from Louisville that were only intended for the Kentucky Derby.

Zach Cooke

Zach’s love for aviation began when he was in elementary school with a flight sim and model planes. This passion for being in the air only intensified throughout high school when he earned his Private Pilot Certificate. He then attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, earning his certificates and ratings to later flight instruct and share his passion for aviation with others. He now resides in the North East living out his dream as an airline pilot.

AvWeb, Firecrown Debut New Aviation Storytelling Show

AvWeb and Firecrown have launched a new show called Inside Aviation aimed at taking viewers on a journey through the fascinating world of aviation.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Friday, March 01, 2024 at 02:00 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

The first episode of Inside Aviation features Jack Sweeney, a college student whose recent flight-tracking activities have created some controversy. (Photo: Firecrown)

AvWeb and Firecrown are launching a new show called Inside Aviation. The program will delve into the diverse world of aviation, exploring various aspects and uncovering captivating stories that will resonate with both aviation enthusiasts and professionals alike.

Inside Aviation promises to take viewers on a journey through the fascinating world of aviation, showcasing the technical aspects and human experiences through a diverse array of special guests. The show’s format is designed to be engaging and informative, catering to a broad audience and stirring the conversation around a variety of topics from commercial to general aviation and everything in between.

Hosted by Kevin Cortes, a private pilot and FLYING Magazine’s director of audience development, and Ryan Ewing, founder and executive editor of Firecrown’s AirlineGeeks.com, the show is set to air every Friday in both visual and audio formats.

The Pilot Episode: “Tracking Taylor Swift and Elon Musk + Urban Air Mobility’s Future”

Inside Aviation’s first episode debuted on March 1, featuring two guests. The first half of the show focuses on the ever-evolving future of urban air mobility, while the second portion discusses recent controversy around tracking private aircraft.

Jack Daleo, a staff reporter at FLYING Magazine who primarily covers urban air mobilities, joins the show to discuss what’s in store for the development and deployment of UAM aircraft. The dialogue dives into recent blockbuster commitments, including JSX’s plans to acquire 332 hybrid-electric aircraft. From regulatory landscapes to supply chain complexities, Daleo also answers questions about what he expects the eVTOL space to look like in the next decade.

Daleo also curates a weekly newsletter, called Future of FLYING, where he deep dives into the latest happenings on the cutting edge of aviation.

Later in the pilot episode, Cortes and Ewing are joined by Jack Sweeney, a Florida-based college student whose recent flight-tracking activities have created some controversy both inside and outside the aviation space. Sweeney began setting up various bots to track Elon Musk’s private jet in 2020, leading to threats of legal action from the billionaire.

Sweeney’s flight-tracking bots took aim at other celebrities too, including Mark Cuban and most recently Taylor Swift. The 22-year-old student continues to be threatened with legal action but asserts that his tracking activities are already public information.

In the episode, Sweeney answers questions about why he feels compelled to track these high-profile figures’ aircraft and the technology behind flight-tracking tools. He also discusses the recent taunts, with Musk calling him an “awful human being” on X (formerly known as Twitter) in early February.

Inside Aviation can be found on AvWeb’s YouTube channel and Facebook page in a video format. The show is also available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple.

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.

TAP Air Portugal Announces Summer Route Additions

TAP Air Portugal announces expanded summer routes between Lisbon and North America, with increased frequencies and seasonal operations.

Arya Karnik

Friday, March 01, 2024 at 09:22 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

TAP Air Portugal's newly delivered Airbus A330-900neo. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Tom Pallini)

Portugal’s flag carrier, TAP Air Portugal, has announced in a press release issued on Thursday that the carrier will be adding 10 more frequencies weekly between Lisbon and North America, along with resuming its seasonal operations.

The carrier plans to offer 77 weekly flights between Lisbon and the United States, representing an increase from the 72 weekly flights in Summer 2023. Between Lisbon and Canada, TAP Air Portugal plans to offer 20 weekly flights, an increase from the 15 scheduled last summer.

The flight increases from the United States will be seen at Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C. where there will now be two flights a day. TAP will also be adding an additional flight from San Francisco, with now six weekly flights to Lisbon. From Dulles Airport, the airline faces no nonstop competition, with Star Alliance partners United, Turkish Airlines, and Lufthansa offering one-stop flights.

From Canada, four weekly flights will be added from Toronto, bringing the flight offering up to 14 flights weekly, along with an additional flight from Montreal. However, the airline does face competition in Canada, with Air Transat offering a nonstop flight to Lisbon from both cities.

The airline also plans to resume seasonal operations to tourist destinations, including Porto Santo, Alicante, Ibiza, Minorca, Palma de Mallorca, and Naples. On these routes, the airline faces stiff competition from low-cost carriers like Ryanair and easyJet.

The addition of increased flight offerings to strong North American Star Alliance hubs will be welcomed by frequent fliers of United and Air Canada. Star Alliance continues to entrench themselves with continued offerings from Washington, San Francisco, Toronto, and Montreal.

Arya Karnik

Ever since he was a kid, Arya has been interested in aviation. With his entire family overseas, he has taken many family trips worldwide to places like the United Kingdom and India. He lives in Colorado but attends The University of Alabama, studying Computer Engineering with a minor in Computer Science. He hopes to obtain his PPL and eventually translate his engineering degree to working in operations at an airline.

FAA Calls for Boeing Action Plan to Address Quality Issues

The FAA slammed Boeing, demanding a 90-day plan to address "systemic quality-control issues" after a mid-air scare on a new 737 MAX 9.

Tolga Karadeniz

Thursday, February 29, 2024 at 02:02 PM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Stored 737 MAX aircraft await to fly at Paine Field. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sharply criticized Boeing on Wednesday, demanding a comprehensive plan within 90 days to address “systemic quality-control issues” plaguing the aerospace giant. This comes after a series of incidents, including a mid-air emergency on a brand new 737 MAX 9, raised renewed concerns about Boeing’s safety culture and manufacturing processes.

“Boeing must commit to real and profound improvements,” Administrator Whitaker said following a meeting with Boeing Chief Executive Officer and President Dave Calhoun and his senior safety team on Tuesday. “Making foundational change will require a sustained effort from Boeing’s leadership, and we are going to hold them accountable every step of the way, with mutually understood milestones and expectations.”

This plan must address the findings of the ongoing FAA audit, incorporate the recently released expert review report, and outline concrete steps to improve Boeing’s Safety Management System (SMS). Notably, the plan should also integrate the SMS with a new Quality Management System, ensuring consistent oversight across Boeing’s supply chain and driving a measurable shift towards stricter quality control throughout manufacturing.

Series of Events Lead to FAA Criticism of Boeing

The FAA’s criticism stems from a string of recent events, starting with the January 5 tincident where a door plug detached from a new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9, forcing an emergency landing. A preliminary report from the National Safety Transportation Board (NTSB) indicated that four key bolts were missing from the detached door plug. This revelation, coupled with Boeing’s production slowdown and regulatory scrutiny, has drawn the ire of airline industry executives and customers.

Administrator Whitaker visited the 737 production line in February to discuss quality control processes with employees and met with Alaska Airlines officials regarding a mid-flight door issue in January. Additionally, the FAA has halted production expansion of the MAX, is exploring the use of a third party to oversee Boeing, and is finalizing an enhanced oversight audit of their production and manufacturing systems incident following the release of a critical report earlier this week by an independent panel commissioned by the FAA in 2023. The report identified “inadequate and confusing implementation of the components of a positive safety culture” at Boeing.

Boeing Pledges Commitment to Address FAA Concerns

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun, in a recent statement, emphasized the leadership team’s “total commitment” to addressing the FAA’s concerns and developing the plan. He added, “We have a clear picture of what needs to be done,” and stated Boeing’s commitment to creating a comprehensive action plan with measurable criteria, demonstrating the “profound change” demanded by the FAA.

Tolga Karadeniz

Tolga is a dedicated aviation enthusiast with years of experience in the industry. From an early age, his fascination with aviation went beyond a mere passion for travel, evolving into a deliberate exploration of the complex mechanics and engineering behind aircraft. As a writer, he aims to share insights , providing readers with a view into the complex inner workings of the aviation industry.

Delta Pilot Charters Entire A330 for Retirement Send-Off

Airline pilot retirement send-offs are often met with plenty of fanfare, but one captain took his retirement party to a whole new level.

Ryan Ewing

Thursday, February 29, 2024 at 11:16 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Delta Air Lines Airbus A330-900 at Tokyo Haneda International Airport (Photo: Shutterstock)

Airline pilot retirement send-offs are often met with plenty of fanfare, including water canon salutes along with free tickets for family on the final flight. But one captain took his retirement party to a whole new level.

On Tuesday, Delta flight 8871 flew from Dallas/Fort Worth to Kona, Hawaii via Los Angeles. This flight served as a retirement trip for the captain. But instead of being a regular passenger-carrying flight, it was a charter.

According to some reports and air traffic control chatter, Captain Keith Rosenkranz is retiring after a 33-year career at Delta. To celebrate, he chartered an entire Airbus A330-900neo for a day-long trip to Hawaii.

Captain Rosenkranz, Delta A330-900 pilot, went all out for his retirement celebration! ?✈️ Chartering his own A330neo, he whisked his family and friends off to Hawaii for a whirlwind 24-hour adventure! #aviation #avgeek #planespotting pic.twitter.com/JwmZevJ75F

— AIRLINE VIDEOS (@airlinevideos) February 28, 2024

Rosenkranz is a former U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter pilot and author of a book called ‘Vipers in the Storm: Diary of a Gulf War Fighter Pilot.’

An Overnight in Hawaii

Per Flightradar24 tracking data, the chartered aircraft was N411DX. On February 27, it flew from Dallas/Fort Worth to Los Angeles where it made a roughly one-hour stop. Then, the aircraft departed Los Angeles for Kona, Hawaii, arriving at 2:28 p.m. local time.

On February 28, the A330neo completed the same routing on the return, arriving in Dallas/Fort Worth at 10:10 p.m. local time. The aircraft returned to revenue service after ferrying back to Los Angeles later that evening.

A Grand Send-Off

On Twitter/X, aviation inside xJonNYC shared that approximately 100 passengers were onboard the flight, including Captain Rosenkranz’s family and friends. Delta’s A330-900neo aircraft are configured to seat up to 281 passengers.

Rumors shared by xJonNYC state that, in addition to Rosenkranz’s family and friends, also onboard were other Delta captains and their families. In 2020, many airline pilots were not able to participate in a proper retirement send-off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Like most airlines, Delta charters its aircraft to sports teams and for other special events. These types of charters don’t come cheap though, sometimes reaching hourly rates between $30,000 and $40,000. On its website, Delta says, “charter pricing is based upon a number of parameters such as: desired travel dates, aircraft type, fuel burn (i.e. gallons per hour), block hours flown, aircraft repositioning (i.e. ferrying) required, ground handling costs and catering costs.”

Ryan Ewing

IAG Announces Large e-SAF Deal With U.S. Company Twelve

The Madrid-based International Airlines Group (IAG), a holding corporation controlling five airlines has reached a landmark agreement with e-SAF producer Twelve.

Vanni Gibertini

Thursday, February 29, 2024 at 08:56 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

British Airways and Iberia aircraft at London's Heathrow Airport. (Photo: Shutterstock | Fasttailwind)

The Madrid-based International Airlines Group (IAG), a holding corporation controlling five airlines (British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling, and LEVEL), has reached a landmark agreement with e-SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) producer Twelve for the purchase of 785,000 tons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) over the next fourteen years.

“We have a roadmap to achieve net zero by 2050 including a target to fly with 10% Sustainable Aviation Fuel by 2030,” said IAG’s CEO Luis Gallego in a press release.”The shortage of sustainable fuel globally continues to be a problem for our industry although innovative companies like Twelve are an important part of the solution. This new deal will contribute towards our 2030 SAF target. We would like to see similar projects scale in Europe, and we look forward to working with governments across our key markets to build a SAF industry to deliver jobs, economic growth and a stable supply of SAF.”

This deal will see IAG purchase approximately 12% of the amount of SAF available worldwide. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade organization representing 320 airlines accounting for 83% of total air traffic, SAF will be responsible for 65% of the reduction in emissions to reach net zero CO2 emission by 2050.

Although SAF produces the same amount of CO2 during the combustion to power jet engines, their manufacturing process is eliminating CO2 from the atmosphere producing a net-zero effect throughout its lifetime.

e-SAF Uses Renewable Electricity to Absorb CO2

e-SAF is a power-to-liquid process that converts renewable electricity, water, and CO2 into synthetic liquid fuels that can be used in aviation. The CO2 can be captured from various sources, such as industrial emissions, biogenic waste, or direct air capture. The renewable electricity can be generated from solar, wind, hydro, or other sources.

Twelve is a company based in Berkeley, Calif., that specializes in carbon transformation and power-to-liquid technology. E-Jet is the SAF solution created by Twelve that is fossil-free and has up to 90% lower lifecycle emissions than conventional fuels, and it is certified to operate with existing engines and aircraft.

The company is currently building a demonstration plant in Moses Lake, Wash., which will provide the first deliveries of E-Jet to IAG as of 2025.

This is the largest e-SAF commitment ever announced by a European airline group, which has earned IAG an award for “SAF Offtake Deal of the Year.”

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.

Emirates Launches Fifth Freedom Route to Cambodia

In May, Emirates is starting service to Cambodia via Singapore while adding another fifth freedom flight option for passengers.

Hemal Gosai

Thursday, February 29, 2024 at 08:00 AM ET

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Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Emirates is the largest operator of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with 134 jets in the fleet. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

Emirates announced that it will resume a fifth freedom flight to Phnom Penh in Cambodia. Service will start May 1, 2024 from Dubai via Singapore.

The airline will fly a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in a three-class configuration with eight first class seats, 42 business class seats, and 310 economy seats.

The flights will operate on the following schedule:

EK 348: Departs Dubai at 2:30 a.m. arriving in Singapore at 2:05 p.m. The flight then departs from Singapore at 3:35 p.m. arriving in Phnom Penh at 4:35 p.m.
EK 349: Departs Phnom Penh at 8:50 p.m. arriving in Singapore at 11:50 p.m. The flight then departs from Singapore at 1:40 a.m. the next day and arrives in Dubai at 4:55 a.m.

This network addition is yet another fifth freedom route that Emirates will fly, allowing the airline to serve a new destination that may not have enough demand at the moment to dedicate an entire aircraft for nonstop operations. The airline added another fifth freedom route last week from Dubai to Bogota via Miami.

Another interesting note with this new flight is that Emirates will be the only airline operating a widebody aircraft on the route which could be appealing to many premium travelers. Singapore Airlines is the only other full-service carrier operating the route, but it currently only operates Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. While both airlines still offer lie-flat business class for the short flight, Singapore Airlines does not offer a first class cabin on the route while Emirates will.

Growth in Cambodia

The country is expecting to inaugurate a brand-new international airport in 2025, replacing the current Phnom Penh International Airport. Furthermore, tourism is growing in the region and Cambodia is highlighting some of the unique things the country has to offer. Most notably, Angkor Wat; the massive Buddhist temple complex in a northern province of Cambodia called Siem Reap. It’s even a UNESCO World Heritage site being one of the most important archeological sites of Southeast Asia as the center of the historical Khmer Kingdom.

Cambodia is also focusing on expanding global trade. Emirates is not only seeking to make money shuttling passengers around, but also cargo. The aircraft Emirates will be using for this route offers 300 tons of cargo capacity in and out of Phnom Penh. Some of the commodities expected to be exported from the country include pharmaceuticals and other high-value goods such as high-end apparel and footwear.

This new route opens up more options to fly to the country and there is the additional benefit of the fifth freedom flight to get between Phnom Penh and Singapore.

Hemal Gosai

Hemal took his first flight at four years old and has been an avgeek since then. When he isn't working as an analyst he's frequently found outside watching planes fly overhead or flying in them. His favorite plane is the 747-8i which Lufthansa thankfully flies to EWR allowing for some great spotting. He firmly believes that the best way to fly between JFK and BOS is via DFW and is always willing to go for that extra elite qualifying mile. Hemal's opinions are his own and do not reflect those of his employer.