Stories

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
Verified

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.

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

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.

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
Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

British Airways and Iberia
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
Verified

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.

Southwest Halts 2024 Pilot Hiring Plans

Southwest is the latest airline to adjust its pilot hiring plans in 2024. The Dallas-based airline is pausing all new hire classes this year.

Ryan Ewing
Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Southwest 737 aircraft
A Southwest 737 in Las Vegas. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Southwest is the latest airline to adjust its pilot hiring plans in 2024. The Dallas-based airline is pausing all new hire classes this year, it said in a memo viewed by AirlineGeeks.

“Based on expected capacity growth beyond 2024, we’ve made the difficult decision to suspend Initial First Officer Training classes through the remainder of 2024 and defer job offers, beginning with our April classes,” the memo to prospective candidates said.

A Southwest spokesperson shared that the airline plans to pause new hire classes starting in April.

“Southwest is slowing hiring across the Company in 2024 to levels at or below our attrition rate, and we’ve adjusted Pilot hiring in line with our current business plan. Our published flight schedule is aligned with these staffing levels,” an airline spokesperson said in a statement.

The airline said it will move pilots with conditional job offers (CJO) to a so-called “deferred candidate pool,” which will be used when hiring recommences. The airline did not provide a specific date to resume hiring.

According to data from FAPA.aero, Southwest hired 1,916 pilots in 2023, one of the highest years on record for the carrier. In January 2024, the airline and its pilots – represented by the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) – inked a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with immediate 29% pay increases.

In a different memo shared by xJonNYC on Twitter/X, the carrier said it now projects to hire 345 pilots this year.

In a Q4 2023 earnings call, Southwest CEO Bob Jordan hinted at reduced hiring plans in 2024. “…we planned in 2024 with head count flat to down as compared with year-end 2023 as we slow hiring to levels that are at/or below our attrition rate that will drive efficiency gains in 2024 with more to come in 2025,” Jordan added.

While several U.S. carriers have slowed previous record-setting hiring trends, Spirit joins Southwest in halting new hire classes altogether. The ultra-low-cost carrier (ULCC) announced in October 2023 that it would pause pilot hiring indefinitely.

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.

Southwest Launches New SAF-Focused Subsidiary

Southwest on Wednesday announced the launch of Southwest Airlines Renewable Ventures (SARV), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the carrier.

Ryan Ewing
Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Southwest 737s
Southwest Boeing 737s at Paine Field. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

Southwest on Wednesday announced the launch of Southwest Airlines Renewable Ventures (SARV), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the carrier focused on securing sustainable aviation fuel efforts. This initiative aligns with the Dallas-based airline’s goal of replacing 10% of its total jet fuel consumption with Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) by 2030.

As part of its launch, SARV invested $30 million in LanzaJet, Inc., a company developing and producing SAF. LanzaJet utilizes a patented ethanol-to-SAF technology and operates the world’s first commercial plant for this process in Georgia.

Southwest says it will continue acquiring SAF through offtake agreements while SARV manages its SAF investments, including a previous investment in SAFFiRE Renewables. SAFFiRE works with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and holds rights to technology converting corn stover into cellulosic ethanol, a key component in LanzaJet’s SAF production process.

“Our launch of SARV and our investment in LanzaJet demonstrate that we are not sitting on the sidelines. Rather, we’re in the game by taking proactive, disciplined steps toward securing affordable SAF for Southwest, as we continue to march toward our goal of net zero by 2050,” said Bob Jordan, President & CEO of Southwest Airlines in a press release.

“We look forward to working with companies and organizations developing important technology, like LanzaJet, which could help us meet our SAF goals,” Jordan added.

LanzaJet plans to construct a new ethanol-to-SAF facility specifically for Southwest, enabling the conversion of SAFFiRE’s ethanol into larger quantities of SAF. Overall, LanzaJet expects to produce 10 million gallons of SAF and renewable diesel a year.

“LanzaJet’s ethanol-to-SAF technology represents the next generation of sustainable aviation fuel and will transform global aviation’s ability to meet its 2050 net zero targets. We’re proud to be working with Southwest Airlines to build out this industry as well as working with SAFFiRE Renewables to use ethanol made right here in the U.S.,” said Jimmy Samartzis, CEO of LanzaJet, as part of a press release. “Southwest’s equity investment in LanzaJet will help us continue to grow and scale to meet the demands of the aviation industry, while unlocking the significant potential of the U.S. biofuels industry to benefit local communities and support the agriculture industry.”

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.

British Airways and South Africa’s CemAir Ink New Interline Agreement

British Airways has forged an interline partnership with CemAir, a South African regional airline, as announced in a press release on Monday.

Victor Shalton
Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A British Airways Airbus A380 taxis in Los Angeles. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

British Airways has forged an interline partnership with CemAir, a South African regional airline, as announced in a press release on Monday. The collaboration aims to improve connections to leisure destinations exclusively served by CemAir and favored by British travelers.

Under this arrangement, British Airways and CemAir offer the convenience of single-ticket itineraries, along with onward booking and baggage transfers from Johannesburg and Cape Town to various destinations including Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Margate, Durban, Hoedspruit, Plettenberg Bay, George, Maun, and Victoria Falls.

Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ Director of Network and Alliances, expressed excitement about the new interline agreement with CemAir, stating, “We’re thrilled to launch this partnership, providing customers with more travel options within South Africa. This is great news for travelers looking to explore more of the country and broaden their travel horizons.”

On his part, Miles van der Molen, Chief Executive Officer of CemAir said in a press release, “We are delighted to partner with British Airways, a name synonymous with quality and elegance. With roots dating back to 1919, British Airways has been the constant in the rapidly changing airline industry for over a hundred years. Our interline agreement provides our customers with convenience and savings as they can now seamlessly connect from our flights to the vast global network of this iconic airline.”

“As we continue our expansion during the post Covid recovery period we realise that now more than ever partnerships are key to our success. Working with market leaders like British Airways is a further demonstration of our commitment to our customers to provide the best service and value.”

Moving Away From Comair

Previously, British Airways facilitated onward connections from Johannesburg and Cape Town through Comair, which operated domestic routes as a British Airways franchisee and an affiliate member of the oneworld alliance. Comair also operated as a low-cost carrier under its own brand, Kulula.com.

However, following the collapse of Comair on June 9, 2022, British Airways’ South Africa network faced challenges. The signed partnership with CemAir helps fill this gap. At the moment, British Airways offers two daily non-stop flights from London Heathrow to Johannesburg International Airport.

CemAir has been capitalizing on opportunities in the evolving aviation landscape in South Africa. Since resuming operations in June 2020, the airline has expanded its domestic route network. It has also secured interline agreements with major carriers, including Ethiopia Airlines in January 2021 and Qatar Airways in February 2021, enabling more seamless travel options for passengers across both carriers’ networks on a single ticket.

A CemAir CRJ-200 parked on the ramp. (Photo: CemAir)

Furthermore, Emirates signed a new interline agreement with CemAir on August 23, 2021.

At the moment, CemAir serves 11 domestic destinations and 4 international destinations in three countries, according to travel booking engine Flightconnections.

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.

Breeze Plans First Routes from New Hampshire

The start-up airline will begin offering flights to and from New Hampshire for the first time since launching in 2021.

Brinley Hineman
Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Breeze A220
A Breeze A220 in Phoenix. (AirlineGeeks - William Derrickson)

Breeze Airways is launching new nonstop flights from New Hampshire to various beach destinations.

The start-up airline, which launched in May 2021, is expanding nonstop service to Charleston, S.C., Fort Myers, Fla., and Orlando, Fla. from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. The airline will also begin operating one-stop flights in September to Tampa, Fla.

This is the airline’s first New Hampshire airport. All routes will use an Airbus A220-300. The carrier recently announced that it would soon become an all-A220 operator as it places the Embraer E190 into charter operations.

“We are equally excited to welcome our new friends from Charleston and show them what we all love about Manchester and the Granite State: our arts and entertainment scene, a growing foodie scene, and, of course, the world class outdoor recreation that this state is known around the globe for,” said Manchester Airport Director Ted Kitchens in a press release.

New Route Details

  • Seasonal Charleston flights will begin June 14 and run on Mondays and Fridays
  • Seasonal Fort Myers flights will begin Oct. 2 and run on Wednesdays and Saturdays
  • Orlando flights will begin June 14 and run on Mondays and Fridays
  • Tampa flights will begin Sept. 5 and run on Thursdays and Fridays. The service includes one stop but doesn’t require changing aircraft.

Breeze president Tom Doxey said the airline’s popularity has grown in New England, with Providence, R.I. and Hartford, Conn.

Brinley Hineman

Brinley Hineman covers general assignment news. She previously worked for the USA TODAY Network, Newsday and The Messenger. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and is from West Virginia. She lives in Brooklyn with her poodle Franklin.

Airlines Operating Special Solar Eclipse Flights To Give Passengers a 30,000-Foot View of Phenomenon

The Delta flight was so popular among astronomy enthusiasts that the flights sold out in 24 hours, prompting the airline to add a second.

Brinley Hineman
Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Southwest 737
A Southwest Airlines 737-700 pushing back in Pittsburgh. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Some airlines are offering special flights to see April’s total solar eclipse, giving passengers a unique opportunity to witness the astronomical event from 30,000 feet.

The April 8 eclipse — when the moon passes between the Earth and sun, blocking out the sun’s rays — will pass over North America, and those in the right place will spend about 4-and-a-half minutes under the cloak of darkness. A lucky few will have the opportunity to observe the eclipse’s totality for longer as they soar through the sky chasing the early night.

Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines are operating flights that will follow the eclipse’s path of totality in America. The Delta flight was so popular among astronomy enthusiasts that the flights sold out in 24 hours, prompting the airline to add a second. This next total solar eclipse visible from the contiguous United States won’t occur until 2044.

Delta announced the news Monday about flight 1010, which will be operated on an A321neo and will depart from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and arrive at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. Sold-out flight 1218 will be operated on an A220-300 and will hit the skies from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport before landing in Detroit.

Eclipse Viewer – Purple Galaxy | The Space Store

The airline is deploying bigger aircraft with larger windows to enhance the experience and “is the result of significant collaboration and exemplifies the close teamwork Delta is known for,” said Managing Director of Domestic Network Planning Eric Beck.

Southwest shared news about its totality-path flights after the October solar eclipse, which Chief Meteorologist David Dillahunt called “an exciting sneak-peak of the total solar eclipse.” Those flights will depart from Dallas, Austin, and St. Louis. The airline is also holding a sweepstakes for a “total eclipse experience,” including a flight and stay at Omni Hotels in the departure cities of Dallas and Austin and the arrival cities of Pittsburgh and Indianapolis.

The airline operated similar flights in 2017, making it a no-brainer to celebrate this year’s eclipse from the skies, said Southwest spokeswoman Ashley Bain.

“For us, it’s connecting people to places and experiences … this is what we do best,” she said, adding that the eclipse is an anticipated moment of 2024.

Bummed you couldn’t make one of the special flights? Both Delta and Southwest have other flights that could pass through the totality path.

Totality will last nearly twice as long as the 2017 eclipse, when the longest period of totality was 2 minutes and 42 seconds near Carbondale, Ill., NASA said. April’s totality will last about 4 minutes and 28 seconds, the agency projected. The path will stretch from Texas through Maine, stunning viewers along the way and even scrambling animals, who think night has fallen early.

Alaska Airlines in 2017 operated a special invitation-only flight that gave passengers an unreal look at the eclipse. Although the airline isn’t offering flights that chase this year’s eclipse, it’s offering flights to destinations that fall in the eclipse’s path of totality to get space nuts in the right place.

Tanya Harrison, a planetary scientist who works at the Earth and Planetary Institute of Canada, was one of the experts on the 2017 flight who took in the eclipse from the skies. She has also witnessed a nearly total eclipse in Arizona and said viewing it from an airplane “was hands down probably the coolest thing I’ve ever gotten to do, including working on Mars Rovers.”

“There’s something about space that fascinates everyone,” she said. “The sky is a shared experience. We can all look up and see what’s going on.”

Whether viewing from an aircraft or on the ground, Harrison urged viewers to use eclipse glasses to avoid eye damage. She said airlines offering the special flights was “fantastic” and provided a way to enhance the experience by “opening up the opportunity to experience how amazing the universe is.”

Witnessing the spectacle from an aircraft provided a different experience than viewing from the ground. Harrison said the clouds turned yellow and were illuminated by remaining light. While she and other scientists were mesmerized watching the astronomical event, eclipse enthusiasts on board watched shadows playing on the clouds that would’ve been impossible to observe from the ground.

The eclipse also offers a huge potential for an economic boost as tourists and umbraphiles descend upon cities perfectly situated for totality viewing. The 2017 eclipse, which crossed 14 states, injected millions of dollars into local economies after decades without a total eclipse.

Brinley Hineman

Brinley Hineman covers general assignment news. She previously worked for the USA TODAY Network, Newsday and The Messenger. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and is from West Virginia. She lives in Brooklyn with her poodle Franklin.

Lufthansa Confirms Initial Routes for New Subsidiary

The Lufthansa Group has announced the initial route network for the summer 2024 launch of its newest subsidiary Lufthansa City Airlines

Ryan Ewing
Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

One of Lufthansa City Airlines' first Airbus A319s (Photo: Lufthansa Group)

The Lufthansa Group has announced the initial route network for the summer 2024 launch of its newest subsidiary Lufthansa City Airlines. The airline initially plans to offer flights from its Munich hub to nine destinations, including domestic flights to Berlin, Hamburg, Bremen, Düsseldorf, Cologne, and Hanover.

The airline will also operate short-haul international routes to Birmingham, Bordeaux, and Manchester. According to Cirium Diio schedule data, all routes are currently served by Lufthansa.

Lufthansa City Airlines says it plans to gradually expand its network in the following months with additional destinations across Europe. The airline also has orders for 40 Airbus A220-300s with options for 20 more.

Two A319 aircraft have been painted in the Lufthansa City livery (Photo: Lufthansa Group)

Two of the four Airbus A319s planned for deployment this year have already been painted in the Lufthansa City livery. The Lufthansa Group says “…passengers on board Lufthansa City Airlines can expect the Lufthansa product offering and customer experience for short and medium-haul routes.”

Plans to add the new subsidiary have been met with pushback from various labor unions that represent Lufthansa employees. The unions claim this move allows Lufthansa to reduce costs by hiring employees at the new airline under less advantageous contracts.

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.

Analysis: Chinese Carriers Double Down on the Middle East

Capacity is at an all-time high between China and the Middle East, with Chinese carriers driving the growth, motivated by weak demand elsewhere.

Anthony Bang An
Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A China Southern 787 in Beijing (Photo: Shutterstock)

Abu Dhabi welcomed its first Chinese carrier in a decade; Doha welcomed its first-ever Chinese airline last year; Cairo welcomed back Hainan and China Eastern, who have not served the country in almost a decade; Istanbul welcomed two new Chinese airlines in 2023. The list goes on, and capacity is at an all-time high between China and the Middle East.

Xiamen Airlines operates the 787 to Doha (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Anthony An)

There seems to be a unified shift among major Chinese carriers in their capacity offerings to the region, but is it a move to turn the carriers to profitability after consecutive losses, including in 2023, or geopolitical?

Summary of New Services

Route Airlines Status Frequency
Shanghai – Istanbul China Eastern Launched 2023 Daily
Beijing – Istanbul Air China Launched 2023 Three weekly
Beijing Daxing – Doha Xiamen Airlines Launched 2023 Daily
Xiamen – Doha Xiamen Airlines Launched 2023 Twice weekly
Shanghai – Cairo China Eastern Launched 2023 Three weekly
Shenzhen – Cairo Hainan Airlines Launched 2023 Three weekly
Haikou – Abu Dhabi Hainan Airlines Launched Feb 2024 Twice weekly
Shanghai – Riyadh China Eastern Commences on April 8, 2024 Three weekly
Beijing Daxing – Tehran China Southern Commences on April 15, 2024 Twice weekly

It is important to note that most of the flights are brand-new connections. China Eastern did not fly to Cairo for around a decade, and Doha and Riyadh have not seen scheduled Chinese passenger carriers before.

Many of the new routes happen in tandem with air transport projects in local airports, including Saudi Air Transport Initiative and Istanbul’s ‘100 Airlines for the 100th Anniversary,’ with Air China being the 100th carrier.

An Air China 777-300ER in Los Angeles (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Abu Dhabi welcomed its first Chinese carrier in a decade rather quietly, with Hainan Airlines launching a route to Haikou. The two weekly flights will be the only connection between the Southern Chinese Hainan Province and the UAE. Etihad has been struggling in China; the cancelation of its Guangzhou service earlier this year means it only has ten weekly flights to Mainland China.

Next Up: Saudi Arabia

At the time of the writing, there are no Chinese carriers serving the country, and the only air service is by Saudi national carrier Saudia, which flies to Guangzhou and Beijing from its hubs in Jeddah and Riyadh, providing a total of around nine weekly flights.

As reported by Aeroroutes, China Eastern plans to launch a new service to Riyadh in the summer of 2024. The airline plans to operate three weekly flights with Airbus A330-200 aircraft. China Southern also filed service to Riyadh from Beijing Daxing, operating twice weekly with an A330-300.

Air China, on the other hand, was reportedly awarded to operate the Beijing Capital – Riyadh route by the CAAC. Several other carriers, including Juneyeo, Hainan Airlines, and China Southern, also hold rights to fly to Riyadh, but it is uncertain whether they will materialize.

OAG data suggest roughly 300,000 two-way passengers traveled between China and Saudi Arabia, the majority of which transited, with Dubai being the most popular. The demand is expected to grow even further with the increase in trade and leisure demand.

Why the Middle East Focus?

Demand is growing and most are captured by transit carriers, including Emirates and Qatar. Chinese carriers can also tap into the connecting market from East Asia to the Middle East with competitive fares.

Geopolitics may also be a factor with it being difficult to increase flights to North America as bilateral agreements dictate the traffic. Second, China has increasingly close ties with the Gulf nations, and new flights often serve as a ‘show of diplomatic ties’ for the Chinese.

In addition, Chinese carriers have some of the largest long-haul fleets but with low utility. In 2019, there were over 300 round-trip flights weekly between the US and China. In 2024, the latest agreement permits 70. Between China and Canada, there are eight flights a week in 2024, compared to over 100 in 2019. The airlines need new destinations to utilize the aircraft.

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.
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