The first look at the Greater Bay Airlines 737.
(Photo: Oriental Daily)
Greater Bay Airlines becomes the first Hong Kong carrier to acquire the 737 Max. Boeing and the airline have inked a deal for an order for 15 models of the -9 variant in Hong Kong. The first aircraft is expected to deliver in Aug. 2024, with the remaining deliveries by 2027 with the deal potentially being a shot in the arm after the pandemic.
In the meantime, the airline has signaled to develop long-haul operations after signing a letter of intent to buy five 787 Dreamliners. Greater Bay Airlines could be the first Hong Kong carrier to buy 787 Dreamliners as well.
The new aircraft could carry more than 190 passengers in a two-class configuration, allowing the airline added capacity to meet the travel demand.
Greater Bay Airlines launched services last July with three leased Boeing 737-8, it currently operates four immensely popular destinations from Hong Kong, such as Tokyo and Seoul, South Korea.
“The new order will bring fantastic growth possibilities to GBA and enable us to strive for excellence in an innovative way for our valued customers.” Cho Bau Wong, chairman of the airline said.
“GBA’s commitment to 737-9s is a major endorsement of our 737 MAX family and its ability to serve new markets.” Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplane said during his first trip to Hong Kong in four years.
Mr. Deal revealed that Boeing has intense competition with Airbus. In the first phase of choosing the Boeing 737-800 as the airline’s jet, Boeing has begun holding talk with the airline. But the manufacturer has made every effort to seal a contract.
“The business model that Greater Bay Airlines represented, any time we work with an airline, they tend to want to share with us their future plans.” Deal said.
Expanding The Route Map
After nine months of launching the services, Wong said the performance of the company is slightly better than expected. Greater Bay Airlines is well known for focusing on the Southern China market. However, the airline hasn’t unveiled its plan to expand its route map to mainland China thus far.
The airline has revealed its strategy for developing its business by starting new services to Manila, Philippines, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In addition, the new flight operation to Osaka, Japan will be launched by the end of April. Meanwhile, the airline considers planning to bring in several additional 737-800 to meet its expansion needs before the delivery of the 737-9.
Also, Greater Bay Airlines will cooperate with Hong Kong International Airport to give away a number of air tickets. In the wake of the pandemic, Hong Kong’s aviation and travel industry were left behind. With a view to attracting tourists from around the world, the government has carried out a global promotion in March.
Sun Country 737-800 in the EAS community of Eau Claire, Wis. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Roughly one year ago, in March of 2022, SkyWest requested to terminate 29 Essential Air Service communities around the United States. We are now a year later and a lot has changed, and it is not the only airline that has requested to terminate EAS communities as fellow commuter airlines Boutique Air and Cape Air have made similar moves.
There are some communities that went through the EAS process rather quickly and started their new airlines within a month or two of the process beginning. On the other end of the spectrum, there are some communities that still haven’t chosen a new carrier and are going through the process a second or even third time as they never got the result they wanted.
We will go over the 29 communities that were in that request, where they are in the process and what has happened to them since then.
Alamosa, Colo.
This small community in Colorado was one of the first to receive a new airline under the EAS program with services starting in early June 2022. Denver Air Connection now serves this airport with flights to Denver on a mix of Embraer E145s and Dornier 328 Jet.
A Denver Air Connection Embraer E145 at Chicago O’Hare (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
The destination is the same as with SkyWest/United, so the only thing that has changed is the airline and aircraft type servicing them.
Pueblo, Colo.
The second Colorado community in the SkyWest ordeal also is seeing a new airline, Southern Airways Express did begin services to Pueblo from Denver in mid-January 2023. Flights operate on board an 8-seat King Air 200. Pueblo is the airline’s second destination from their new Denver hub.
Fort Dodge and Mason City, Iowa
These two communities have been linked together for a long time, even before SkyWest served there and the pilot shortage come around and they continue to be linked together. Skywest under the United Express brand continues to serve both communities with a nonstop flight to Chicago O’Hare and the tag flight between Mason City and Fort Dodge using the airline’s 50-seat CRJ-200 aircraft.
The Department of Transportation has issued an ‘Order Extending Service Obligation’ until March 11, which will keep the airline in the community until a new carrier is chosen and begins service. Even though the order expires soon, it will be extended like it has four times previously, and will continue to be until a new airline is chosen.
Sioux City, Iowa
SkyWest still remains in this community as well, Boutique Air did bid for this community but was rejected as they didn’t want to waive the right to dual-engine aircraft. The ‘Order Extending Service Obligation’ also applies to this community until another airline has been chosen and starts service.
Dodge City and Liberal, Kansas
These two communities aren’t linked together in a flight but do have a similar time frame. SkyWest has been trying to start a new brand of flying called ‘SkyWest Charters LLC’ or SWC for short, which will utilize CRJ-200s that are retrofitted to only have 30 seats instead of 50 seats. That way they can fly and operate under a ‘Public Charter’ under 14 CFR part 380, therefore being able to hire pilots with fewer hours. Up to this point, SWC has not yet been approved for a commuter authority certificate but it is in the works.
What SWC is proposing for both Dodge City and Liberal is flights to Denver Intl. and either Chicago O’Hare or Houston Bush as a second airport. Flights would have a United codeshare according to the document but would use the SkyWest Airlines branding for the aircraft, ticket counters, and other such items. The contract has yet to be awarded and they remain with the service they had before the termination request.
Paducah, Kentucky
Contour Airlines began service here in early December of 2022, they offer flights to Charlotte on board their 30-seat Embraer E135 or E145 aircraft. This is an Essential Air Service proposal, unlike the other contracts that Contour usually enters into, which are alternate EAS contracts.
A Contour Embraer E135 nicknamed “Pride of Contour” (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Not far away from Paducah, is another community that is now receiving Contour Airlines. The airline began service in December of 2022 offering nonstop flights to Nashville on the airline’s 30-seat Embraer E135 or E145.
Houghton, Mich.
This airport, located in Michigan’s upper peninsula will continue to see the same service for many years to come. The DOT has selected SkyWest/United Express for service to Chicago O’Hare on board the CRJ-200. This is the same service they had before so nothing is changing, the only difference is the subsidy they will be getting which is much higher than it was previously going from $2,204,520 a year to $6,507,497 a year.
Muskegon, Mich.
Muskegon has also begun service with a new carrier, with Southern Airways Express beginning flights to Chicago O’Hare on board the 8 or 9-seat Cessna 208 Caravan. AirlineGeeks had the opportunity to go on the inaugural flight of this airline out of Muskegon, which can be found HERE.
Fort Leonard Wood was one of the few communities that came out on top with more destinations than it had before. Previously with SkyWest, they only got service to one city, Chicago O’Hare. Now with Contour Air, they get nonstop flights to both Nashville and Dallas Ft. Worth, making it possible to connect in the small community between the two larger cities. Services began in the Fall of 2022.
Devils Lake and Jamestown, N.D.
These two cities are in the same spot as Dodge City and Liberal, they have received bids for SkyWest Charters, or SWC, for flights to two airline hubs under the SkyWest branding. As of now the service to these two communities get flights to Denver with SkyWest under the United Express brand as well as a tag flight between the two communities.
With the SWC proposal, it would separate each community and they would both get nonstop service to two hubs. They are proposing service to Denver Intl. and Chicago O’Hare from both of the communities, and just like the other SWC proposal, it would be under the SWC brand but with United codeshares.
Jamestown has also received a bid from North Pacific Airways, which would utilize Dash-8s to Minneapolis/St. Paul 14 times a week. The contract has yet to be awarded to anyone and they remain with the service they had before the termination request.
Kearney, Neb.
Kearney also has received a new airline, Denver Air Connection began flying to the community in November of 2022. They now see 12-weekly flights to Denver Intl. on the airline’s 50-seat Embraer E145.
North Platte, Neb. and Salina, Kansas
These communities have also yet to select a new carrier and rejected the proposals that were submitted the first time as the previous applicants didn’t satisfy one or more of the requirements put forth by the EAS program, they didn’t like the applicants and wanted to keep SkyWest, or they didn’t have dual engine airplanes and the city didn’t want to waive their right to that.
The most recent round of airline proposals for both communities was due on March 1, 2023, but have yet to be posted on regulations.gov at the time of writing this article.
Scottsbluff, Neb.
Another community with the SkyWest charters proposal is in the works here as well. The airline is proposing 9 weekly round-trip flights on the proposed 30-seat CRJ-200. Flights would have a United Airlines codeshare and would offer flights to both Denver Intl. and Chicago O’Hare. The contract has yet to be awarded and they remain with the service they had before the termination request.
Eau Claire, Wis.
This was perhaps the most interesting outcome of any EAS community I have ever seen and did cause a lot of debates on whether or not the airline actually fit the requirements for an EAS contract, but it happened. Sun Country was selected for the EAS contract in this small community with twice weekly year-round flights to Minneapolis/St. Paul, and seasonal service to a mix of Orlando, Ft. Meyers, and Las Vegas, the last of which will become the longest EAS route in the entire country.
Flights are flown on board the airline’s 186-seat Boeing 737-800, the largest aircraft to be regularly scheduled on an EAS route. AirlineGeeks had the opportunity to fly on the Inaugural flight to this community, the trip report of which can be found HERE.
Sun Country’s ticket counter in Eau Claire (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Shenandoah, Vir., Clarksburg, W.V. and Lewisburg, W.V.
All three of these communities were awarded an EAS contract with Contour Airlines and have very similar services and started roughly at the same time. All will receive 12 weekly flights on board Contour’s 30-seat E135 or E145 aircraft and each has its own nonstop flights to Charlotte. Flights to each of the communities began in December 2022.
The remaining six communities; Johnstown, Penn.; Joplin, Mo.; Meridian, Miss.; Hattiesburg, Miss.; Victoria, Texas; and Decatur, Ill. have all remained in virtually the same place application and EAS process-wise as when they started, and that place is nowhere. They have all had EAS proposals the first time around but they all rejected their respective bidders for one reason or another. They instead have chosen to remain with SkyWest, but with greatly reduced flight frequencies, in hopes that as the pilot shortage slowly improves they will regain the original number of weekly flights and destinations that they had prior to starting this debacle.
They also all have an “Order Extending Service Obligation” which expired on March 1, 2023, and hasn’t yet been extended but almost definitely will be as no carrier has been chosen yet. They also have a “Hold in rate” amount, which the DOT is giving the airline to keep them in the communities until a new carrier is chosen, and isn’t any payment on top of the normal subsidy they usually get when serving the cities, but is a rate they pay them on a monthly basis.
It would also be interesting to note that SkyWest hasn’t submitted a proposal for their 30-seat SkyWest Charters idea in any of these six communities. None of them are in a bidding or application process either, meaning they hope to weather out the storm and bet that things will eventually get better for SkyWest and they’ll return to the normally allocated service on the 50-seat SkyWest CRJ-200s.
Overview
It is evident from this massive EAS termination process, that some communities are open to change with some of them happening very early on relative to the normal EAS process. But other communities are very resistant and don’t want anything except their 50-seat SkyWest/United Express branded service, and they are willing to accept a little less now hoping that they go back to full service hopefully soon.
Some airlines have come out better than they were before the process began, while at the same time, there are other airlines that probably got a lot less than they were expecting. The EAS map is definitely more diverse than it was before with the United logo covering fewer and fewer cities on it, and other airlines doubling the number of EAS contracts and routes they have. And of course, the Sun Country wild card in Wisconsin was a big surprise as well to the entire aviation community.
One year ago the top three EAS airlines were United-branded SkyWest with over 40 contracts, Cape Air with 18, and Delta-branded Skywest contracts with 15. Flash forward almost a year later, United-branded SkyWest is still at the top but now with 27 contracts, Southern Airways Express is now at 19 contracts up from 13 a year ago, and Contour is at 17 up from only eight a year ago.
The EAS map one year ago, March of 2022 (Photo: Gerardi Aviation)The EAS map now, March 2023 (Photo: Gerardi Aviation)
SkyWest isn’t the only airline that is requesting termination in EAS communities, Boutique Air requested termination with plans to rebid their communities citing higher costs, and Cape Air did the same citing pilot shortages for them. There is still a lot that could happen in the process and it does take time, but who knows what it will look like when it’s all said and done.
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.
Italy Continues to Experiment With Drones to Transport Blood
A few days ago, in the Milan area, blood samples to be analyzed were transported by drone. D-Flight – a company of the ENAV Group (and a subsidiary of Leonardo), Telespazio (which provides services for drone traffic management) and ENAC (Italy’s National Civil Aviation Authority) carried out a series of flights with a specially equipped drone to transfer untested blood samples (dangerous goods) collected at the Opera and Rozzano centers of Cerba HealthCare Italia.
ENAC Director General Alessio Quaranta commented that the Milan trial is the first operational authorization in a specific category issued by ENAC, in accordance with Regulation (EU) No. 2019/947, for the safe transport by drone of biological samples, which the regulations classify as dangerous goods.
ENAC’s goal is for such services to become commonplace as soon as possible, encouraging the creation of a system that works in synergy, as realized between ENAV (Italian National Flight Assistance Board) and D-Flight. Experimentation and coordination with actors in the unmanned world are making the possibility of using drones in various activities more and more concrete, benefiting the sustainability and efficiency of services in Italy.
Maurizio Paggetti, Chief Operating Officer of ENAV and CEO of D-Flight, said that this represents a further step towards the realization in Italy of U-Space, an airspace dedicated to drones. U-Space will enable all types of operations, from the simplest to the most complex. The portion of airspace designated for drones will be up to 400 feet (120 meters) above the ground, with restrictions in some areas. Within this airspace, there are several categories of remotely piloted aircraft authorized to fly, subdivided according to technical specifications by the European regulation issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The objective of U-Space is to ensure integration between traditional air traffic and remotely piloted aircraft.
The flights, which took place on Monday, February 27, were conducted in BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line Of Sight) mode, meaning that the pilot had no visual contact with the drone. The aircraft, which took off and landed in a controlled fenced area (3×3 meters), is a hexacopter with a ballistic parachute, a dual communication channel and an EASA-verified flight termination system, weighing 25 kilograms with its load. The flights, carried out by the company Nimbus, which designed and developed the drone and the box for the safe transport of blood for analysis, covered rural and urban areas.
This is not the first time this type of transport has taken place in Italy. In October 2018, ABzero, had delivered blood bags with a drone, via a smart capsule that allowed the transport of blood, blood products and organs by controlling temperature and humidity conditions.
This type of experiment is of paramount importance to significantly reduce the time of blood transport and to evaluate the impact of flight on the red blood cells and platelets transported.
Vincenzo graduated in 2019 in Mechanical Engineering with an aeronautical curriculum, focusing his thesis on Human Factors in aircraft maintenance. In 2022 he pursued his master's degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Palermo, Italy. He combines his journalistic activities with his work as a Reliability Engineer at Zetalab.
A Lufthansa A330 departing Austin in 2019 with Air Force One in the background. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Mateen Kontoravdis)
Lufthansa Group has posted an operating profit of €1.5 billion ($1.59 billion) for the 2022 calendar year. “Lufthansa is back,” stated Carsten Spohr, chief executive officer of Deutsche Lufthansa AG. “In just one year, we have achieved an unprecedented financial turnaround. With an operating profit of 1.5 billion euros, the Lufthansa Group has achieved a much better result than expected. Demand for air travel remains high in 2023.” Deutsche Lufthansa AG is the parent company of airlines Lufthansa, Austrian, SWISS, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa CityLine, Air Dolomiti and Eurowings Discover.
In the previous financial year, the German consortium posted a €1.7 billion ($1.8 billion) loss on revenues of €16.8 billion ($17.8 billion). In 2022 the group saw revenues almost double to €32.8 billion ($34.75 billion). Passenger demand across the airlines of the Lufthansa Group more than doubled from 47 million carried in 2021 to 102 million in 2022.
Reflecting on the ‘unprecedented financial turnaround’, Remco Steenbergen, Chief Financial Officer of Deutsche Lufthansa AG said: “I have always made it clear that returning to a strong balance sheet was one of our top priorities in overcoming the crisis. Only a strong balance sheet provides the resilience needed to invest in the future of our business and to manage future crises. That is why I am extremely pleased with the progress made last year. We remain firmly committed to generating consistently strong free cash flows and continuing the deleveraging in 2023 and beyond.”
The Lufthansa Group had undertaken an ambitious transformation process and cost-cutting program across all areas of the business. The company reported that over 90 percent of this strategy had been completed through the end of the 2022 reporting year. The Lufthansa Group is also negotiating with the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance on potential investment in the Italian airline ITA Airways.
Other elements of the group’s strategy include the evaluation of selling what it calls ‘non-core assets.’ In a press release highlighting the 2022 result Deutsche Lufthansa AG reports that ‘AirPlus and LSG’s remaining catering business, following the sale of the European part, will be sold as soon as market conditions permit. Preparations for a possible partial divestiture of Lufthansa Technik are proceeding according to plan as talks with selected investors have already begun.’
Looking forward to the upcoming European summer the Lufthansa Group expects to operate at 85 to 90 percent of 2019 pre-pandemic capacity. However, a note of caution was raised in that ‘capacity development will be limited by the bottlenecks still expected in the European aviation system.’ This follows previously announced cuts to summer schedules impacted by labor shortages within the aviation industry particularly affecting major airports.
Striking an optimistic note for the future of the Lufthansa Group Spohr said: “We are investing billions in new fuel-efficient and state-of-the-art aircraft. With innovative services, a new premium cabin on board, and new digital tools, we want to remain the quality and innovation leader in our industry.”
In addition, Spohr added: “Likewise, it is our ambition to drive forward effective climate protection, for example by being the first airline group worldwide to introduce Green Fares. The Lufthansa Group is already number one in Europe and number four worldwide. For our guests and our employees, we want to continue to grow, shape the future and expand our market position.”
John has always had a passion for aviation and through a career with Air New Zealand has gained a strong understanding of aviation operations and the strategic nature of the industry. During his career with the airline, John held multiple leadership roles and was involved in projects such as the introduction of both the 777-200 and -300 type aircraft and the development of the IFE for the 777-300. He was also part of a small team who created and published the internal communications magazines for Air New Zealand’s pilots, cabin crew and ground staff balancing a mix of corporate and social content.
John is educated to postgraduate level achieving a masters degree with Distinction in Airline and Airport Management. John has held the positions of course director of an undergraduate commercial pilot training programme at a leading London university. In addition he is contracted as an external instructor for IATA (International Air Transport Association) and has been a member of the Heathrow Community Fund’s ‘Communities for Tomorrow’ panel.
A Lufthansa A350 taxis in Munich. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fabian Behr)
On Thursday, the Lufthansa Group announced an order for new Airbus and Boeing jets bringing its current order book to 108 new aircraft from the manufacturers. The latest order announcement included 22 aircraft consisting of Airbus A350-1000s and A350-900s along with Boeing 787-9s valued at 7.5 billion dollars. This announcement also included a timeline for the ill-fated four-engine aircraft and older fleet types operated under the group. Airlines under the Lufthansa Group umbrella include Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings and Germanwings, Lufthansa Cargo, Lufthansa German Airlines, and SWISS and Edelweiss.
The makeup of the order included 10 A350-1000s, five A350-900s, and seven Boeing 787-9s. This current order compliments previous orders by the group which includes the types listed above in addition to the Boeing 777-9. The A350-900s will join a fleet of already 22 strong and a previous order list that included 28 of the type. The 787-9s will join three that are currently in service and add to an order list that was 29 strong before the announcement.
It was not specified who would receive the aircraft ordered, however, some clues were given for the landing spot of the A350-1000s by a press release issued by the Group. It was stated that the -1000s would be deployed on premium heavy markets and include a first-class cabin. Currently, only Lufthansa and SWISS operate aircraft with first-class cabins. SWISS also have fairly new Boeing 777-300ERs in its fleet which have an average age of just 5.8 years and are unlikely to receive the new A350-1000s on order. Thus, the -1000s will probably be operated by Lufthansa with the new first-class cabin that was put on display for the first time mere days ago.
Fleet Retirements
Four-engine fans will be saddened by the latest announcement as it hinted towards the eventual retirement of multiple sub fleets operated by the Group’s airlines in the “medium-term future:”
Boeing 747-400s operated by Lufthansa
Airbus A340-600s operated by Lufthansa
Airbus A340-300s operated by Lufthansa, Edelweiss and SWISS
Boeing 777-200s operated by Austrian
Boeing 767-300s operated by Austrian
Airbus A330-200s operated by Eurowings
It is important to note that in the announcement, the Airbus A330-200 was the only variant of the A330 mentioned to be retired. Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa and SWISS all operate the A330-300 variant which appears to be included in future fleet planning for now.
With the latest order announcement, it appears that the entire Austrian Airlines long-haul fleet will be getting a revamp as they currently only operate the 777-200 and 767-300, which have average ages of 23.4 years and 22.2 years respectively. However, it is unclear what types the airline will be receiving.
Of the list above, the Airbus A340-600s are the only aircraft in Lufhtnasa’s fleet listed to be retired that offer a premium first-class product to customers. The Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8 also offer first class, however, those types are not on the proverbial chopping block from this announcement. In a recent release, the Cologne-based carrier also announced that they would be installing new revamped first and business-class seats on all new aircraft ordered and retrofitting aircraft currently in the fleet which have plans to stay. The A350-900s and 787-9s will be delivered with new business, premium economy, and economy-class products.
This order reinforces the already strong relationship that the Lufthansa Group has had in the past with both Airbus and Boeing. The Group has ordered and operated all Airbus fleet types since the 1970s. Lufthansa is also one of seven current customers for the new 777x.
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.
Trip Report: Contour Airlines’ Essential Air Service from Plattsburgh, NY to Philadelphia
Contour Airlines Embraer 135 at Plattsburgh Airport (Photo | Airlinegeeks)
The closure of the U.S.-Canada land border due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which remained in place for over two years between March 2020 and November 2022 was particularly hard for some of the regional airports in the U.S. that heavily rely on Canadian passengers to generate traffic. Among those Plattsburgh International Airport, nicknamed “Montreal’s U.S. Airport”, located in the northern part of the State of New York, close to Interstate 87 and only 64 miles from the Canadian city of Montreal with its 3 million inhabitants.
All flights to Florida and Myrtle Beach, S.C. operated by Spirit Airlines and Allegiant Air were halted and only now are slowly coming back, but with much lower frequencies than before and without the return of Spirit Airlines, whose services used to be extremely popular among Canadian snowbirds as well as immigrants from the Caribbean and South American who would connect in Fort Lauderdale and make use of Spirit’s extensive network in the region.
Plattsburgh is trying to restart also with Contour Airlines, the operator who has won the contract for the Essential Air Service (EAS) to this town after the tumultuous exit by SkyWest, a regional operator on behalf of United Airlines that used to operate two daily flights to Washington Dulles, with a 50-seat Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft.
Contour Airlines has now replaced this service with a double daily link to Philadelphia International Airport operated with a 30-seat Embraer 135 aircraft.
Airlinegeeks has tried the service on a mid-week day trip to Philadelphia International Airport at the end of February.
Mere Minutes from Parking Lot to Gate
The outbound flight LF 3901 was scheduled to depart at 8.00 a.m. with an estimated time of arrival at Philadelphia Airport at 9.10 a.m. The adventurous trip towards the airport on a snowy February morning with a 9°F (-13°C) temperature saw us arrive at around 6.40 a.m. and park our car right in front of the entrance at the small airport.
We had already checked in online, but the boarding pass did not have the “TSA PreCheck” logo despite us entering our Frequent Traveler Number in the booking. Since the airport was completely deserted, we decided not to bother the lonely check-in agent and take off our shoes for once.
The main terminal hall, opened in 2017 after a $55 million investment by the local Chamber of Commerce offering four gates with boarding jetways, was occupied by just a couple of people busy with the vending machines, since the only food outlet was still closed.
Plattsburgh Airport, terminal building (Photo | Airlinegeeks)
As the expected time of departure was approaching, there was no sign of the aircraft at the gate nor any announcement by the gate agent. At approximately 8.25 a.m. it was announced that the aircraft would be towed to the gate “shortly” and boarding would start.
Plattsburgh Airport, terminal building (Photo | Airlinegeeks)
We eventually got onboard just past 9 a.m. using the stairs outside the jetway and walking a few meters in the snow to reach the aircraft. The flight took off approximately 90 minutes late at 9.26 a.m. It was quite surprising how there was no sense of urgency on behalf of any members of the ground or flight crew, especially considering how the main purpose of this flight is to allow passengers to connect with short and long-haul flights at Philadelphia to reach a wide range of destinations. In fact, it is possible to make a reservation with connecting American Airlines flights in Philadelphia in the same transaction on the Contour Airlines website, and all point-to-point fares between Plattsburgh and Philadelphia include a full-size carry-on and a checked bag, which is quite rare these days.
Boarding process, Contour Airlines at Plattsburgh Airport (Photo | Airlinegeeks)
The aircraft has a three-abreast seating configuration, with one seat on the port side and two on the starboard side. The interiors are quite worn out with blue leather seats offering a very generous 36” seat pitch throughout the cabin.
View of the cockpit from the cabin of a Contour Airlines Embraer 135 (Photo | Airlinegeeks)
During the 60-minute flight the onboard service is limited to soft drinks served with a tray service (no cart in the alley) and a free snack (cookies or salted pretzels) served afterward, which may be seen as counterintuitive.
Onboard service Contour Airlines (Photo | Airlinegeeks)
The flight arrived in Philadelphia at around 10.30 a.m. disembarking at Concourse F.
Philadelphia Airport, Concourse F (Photo | Airlinegeeks)
A Puzzling Delay
The return flight LF 3904 was scheduled at 6.50 p.m. that same evening, but while on the train from Downtown Philadelphia to the airport a text message advised of a 45-minute delay due to a late arrival of the incoming flight. Therefore, at the airport, we decided to investigate with the check-in agent why our boarding pass was not displaying the “TSA PreCheck” logo. Apparently, this was due to an unidentified glitch, which was fixed in no time by the agent who provided us with a new boarding pass allowing us to use the preferential “TSA PreCheck” lane.
After having rearranged our wardrobe (the temperature in Philadelphia had reached 66°F (19°C) during the day), we proceeded through security and to Gate F5 to wait for our flight. The new departure time of 7.35 p.m. came and went without a single communication from the staff. A Contour agent used the computer terminal at Gate F5 to re-accommodate passengers of the flight to Ogdensburg, NY that had been canceled, but we had to wait until almost 8 o’clock to hear an announcement of a further delay to our flight. We eventually boarded and left the gate at around 9 p.m. landing at a snow-covered Plattsburgh Airport just after 10 p.m., almost two hours after our original arrival time.
This Contour Airlines service “does what it says on the tin”, providing a connection to a major international airport for a regional community that would otherwise be an isolated airfield on the foot of the Appalachian Mountains. The challenging weather conditions were certainly partly responsible for the delays experienced, but given the seemingly relaxed attitude towards timetables, we would definitely schedule ample connecting times should we have to use this flight to catch an onward international connection from Philadelphia.
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.
One of GlobalX's first Airbus A320 aircraft registered N276GX (Photo: Global Crossing Airlines)
Global Crossing Airlines Group -GlobalX- successfully completed the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) International Safety Audit (IOSA).
The program is an assessment system that analyzes an airline’s operational management and control. IOSA uses internationally recognized auditing principles and is designed to perform a standardized analysis of airline operations. It was created in 2003. Companies are included in the registry for a period of 2 years, after which they must renew their certification.
Ed Wegel, President and CEO of GlobalX, said “Receiving our IOSA certification means that both our passengers and our airline partners can be assured that GlobalX’s personnel, processes, and procedures meet the highest safety standards in the world. We believe this certification will open up new markets and opportunities for us.”
Peter Cerda, IATA Regional Vice President for the Americas, added: “We congratulate GlobalX on successfully completing its audit. GlobalX joins a community of more than 400 airlines worldwide in the IOSA registry. This is the global industry standard for airline operational safety.”
GlobalX is a part 121 airline that operates Airbus A320 family aircraft and primarily operates charter flights in the U.S., the Caribbean, Europe, and Latin America. The airline became the first U.S. operator of the Airbus A321 P2F just over a month ago. The company’s second A321P2F is undergoing conversion work in Lake City, Florida. Its third freighter aircraft is currently operating for the company in passenger configuration and will be converted starting in October 2023, with the intention of entering cargo revenue service by April 2024.
Norse Atlantic Airways is strengthening its London Gatwick (LGW) operation with four new routes to the United States for the 2023 summer season.
The British capital becomes the company’s main base where it will offer seven transatlantic services and an offer of 25,688 weekly seats between the U.S. and the United Kingdom. In addition, the low-cost will be offering customers affordable fares for their travel to North America.
According to data obtained through the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), 3,260,392 passengers were mobilized in 2019 between London – Gatwick (LGW) and the United States, the latter being the main long-haul market of the British capital’s second main airport.
Norse Atlantic’s new flight schedule in the U.S.
These services are subject to government approval.
Boston (BOS)
Starts from September 2, 2023.
London/Gatwick – Boston Flight Z0 750 LGW 15:00 – BOS 17:20 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Boston – London/Gatwick Flight Z0 751 BOS 21:00 – LGW 08:45+1 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Washington – Dulles (IAD)
Starts from June 1, 2023.
London/Gatwick – Washington Flight Z0 740 LGW 15:00 – IAD 18:20 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Washington – London/Gatwick Flight Z0 741 IAD 20:25 – LGW 08:45+1 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Los Angeles (LAX)
Starts from June 30, 2023.
London/Gatwick – Los Angeles Flight Z0 711 LGW 10:35 – LAX 14:10 daily flights.
Los Angeles – London/Gatwick Flight Z0 712 LAX 16:25 – LGW 11:00+1 daily flights.
San Francisco (SFO)
Starts July 1, 2023.
London/Gatwick – San Francisco Flight Z0 731 LGW 10:00 – SFO 13:25 Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
San Francisco – London/Gatwick Flight Z0 732 SFO 15:25 – LGW 09:50+1 Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
All routes will be operated on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft seating 338 passengers in two classes (56 Premium Economy/282 Economy) and promotional fares are available from EUR 168 each way.
For the 2023 summer season Gatwick Airport (LGW) will be connected to the following destinations in North America: New York (JFK), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Orlando – International (MCO), Washington (IAD), San Francisco (SFO), Los Angeles (LAX), Boston (BOS), Las Vegas (LAS), Tampa (TPA), Orlando – Melbourne (MLB), Cancun (CUN), Calgary (YYC), Vancouver (YVR), Montreal (YUL) and Toronto (YYZ).
Porter Aviation Holding (PAHI) has partnered with Montreal – Saint Hubert Airport (YHU) to create a new terminal that will serve more than four million passengers. Construction will begin in the first half of 2023 and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2024, providing Porter with a second airport to serve the Montreal market.
Porter will continue to expand its operations at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL) and will also have a cabotage network at YHU. In an initial phase, the airline has identified 10 potential routes at Saint – Hubert (YHU), from Vancouver (YVR) in the west and to St. John ‘s (YYT), in the east.
The Canadian airline is also looking to connect YHU to its main hubs in Toronto: Billy Bishop Airport (YTZ) and Lester Pearson Airport (YYZ). This will provide Porter with a more convenient flight offering between Canada’s two major cities. The routes will be served by 78-seat De Havilland Dash 8-400 and 132-seat Embraer E195-E2 aircraft.
The development of the new Saint Hubert (YHU) facility follows the same Billy Bishop (YTZ) revitalization model that Porter has been a part of for the past two decades. Porter’s commitment at YTZ was the catalyst for route development and infrastructure investments that led to the airport to transport nearly 3 million passengers on more than 20 routes, with an annual economic impact of $3 billion.
Saint Hubert (YHU) will be the next Billy Bishop (YTZ) in the Province of Quebec
YHU’s new terminal will provide more efficient passenger processing, saving the travel time and lounge usage that Billy Bishop travelers are familiar with. PAHI originally designed and built the modern terminal at YTZ that is in use today.
“Saint-Hubert has incredible potential as a complementary secondary airport for Montreal, with a convenient location for an important part of the local market and also easy access to downtown Montreal,” said Michael Deluce, president and CEO of PAHI.
The new terminal will be available to other airlines, including Pascan Aviation. Pascan’s existing Saint Hubert (YHU) network on regional flights from Quebec. Porter and the regional airline intend to create a codeshare partnership, this will provide travelers with greater options to fly between the Province of Québec and other regions of Canada.
“With an ambitious fleet plan, state-of-the-art aircraft and an established track record of airport management, Porter is the perfect match for Montreal Saint-Hubert Airport. This new partnership will provide world-class air services to the people of the Greater Montreal and Quebec regions,” said Yanic Roy, managing director of Montréal-Saint-Hubert Airport.
The investment will create more than 500 permanent jobs at Saint Hubert (YHU), including full-time positions in terminal and airline operations, in addition to establishing a new pilot and flight attendant base.
A Kenya Airways Boeing 787-8 at Schiphol Airport. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | James Dinsdale)
Kenya Airways Cargo is set to expand its freighter fleet as it seeks to meet growing demand for cargo services.
The airline will lease two Boeing 737-800F aircraft in the third quarter of the year, according to CEO Allan Kilavuka, a move that comes as the airline looks to capitalize on the growing demand for air cargo and generate more revenue from its freight business amid heightened competition from other carriers in the region.
“We shall lease the aircraft in quarter three,” Kilavuka said, without providing details on the leasing.
The new freighters have better range and can reach further afield than the existing freighters, with the ability to carry around 20 tonnes to destinations in the Middle East, India, Istanbul, and Southern Europe.
KQ’s current Boeing 737-300F fleet have a lower cargo capacity and cannot operate long-range flights. The airline currently operates two 737-300F aircraft. The additional aircraft will help Kenya Airways Cargo tap into the growing demand for cargo services, which has surged during the pandemic.
Increased Cargo Appetite
Following the success of its cargo-only flights during the Covid pandemic, the airline developed a customer base during the Covid pandemic that is yearning for more, especially to the Middle East and India, according to Kenya Airways’ cargo director, Dick Murianki, speaking on the sidelines of the Air Cargo Africa event in Johannesburg.
Speaking at the conference session later in the day, the airline’s chief executive, Allan Kilavuka, said that two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners had been used on cargo-only flights to long-haul destinations in China and Europe during the pandemic, with each aircraft able to carry around 50 tonnes per flight.
The conversion enabled Kenya Airways to increase its cargo volume by 29% to 63,726 metric tons in the year ended December 2021, compared to the same period in 2020.
The CEO added that outbound volumes during the cargo-only operation had been much stronger than inbound, but there could be an opportunity to use Nairobi as an import hub for the rest of Africa.
The Covid-19 pandemic has prompted a surge in air cargo demand, as passenger flights were significantly reduced due to travel restrictions. Cargo carriers have stepped in to meet the demand, using their freighter fleets to transport medical supplies, perishable goods, and other essential items.
Kenya Airways Cargo’s expansion of its freighter fleet is a strategic move to capitalize on the growing demand for air cargo, as the airline aims to develop its cargo operations further.
Freighters, as compared with bellyhold operations, allow carriers to operate long-haul flights to airports where passenger demand isn’t strong enough to justify the use of larger aircraft.
The success of cargo-only operations during the pandemic has demonstrated the potential for expanding air cargo services in the future, and the investment in new freighters will enable Kenya Airways Cargo to position itself as a leading provider of air cargo services in Africa.
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.
