An Embraer regional jet operated by Envoy. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
This past Wednesday, Envoy Air — a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Airlines — retired its last Embraer 145 from their fleet. The final revenue flight for the carrier’s E145 landed at Chicago’s O’Hare airport at 6:01 p.m. local time from Wausau, Wis. according to Flightradar24.com.
The flight was operated by N933JN which was ferried to Abilene, Texas on June 1. At the time of writing, two of Envoy’s E145s were being ferried to Abilene, presumably for storage. Most of the carrier’s E145s will find a new life, remaining under the American Eagle umbrella to be operated by Piedmont Airlines.
Since beginning revenue service with now-defunct ExpressJet in 1997, the Embraer 145 aircraft has seen service across many global markets with production continuing until 2020. According to Airfleets.net, Envoy operated 200 of the type, since the carrier transitioned to the new name from the original American Eagle Airlines in 2014.
However, higher operating costs for carriers and a customer experience that couldn’t match its newer sibling and other turbine aircraft have partially contributed to the retirement of the type from Envoy’s fleet. The Embraer 170/175 will become the only type operated by Envoy. The larger regional jet was introduced into the Envoy fleet in 2014 and boasts a larger cabin with first-class seating along with wifi.
Something in this picture doesn’t belong. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Greg Linton)
American Airlines still believes in the effectiveness of the 50-seat aircraft, as the major carrier has transferred the majority of the E145s, Envoy has operated to Piedmont Airlines — also a wholly-owned subsidiary of American.
The move simplifies Envoy’s fleet, allowing the regional carrier to operate a single fleet type, the relatively newer E170/175. The move benefits Piedmont as well as the Salisbury, Md.-based carrier only operates the E145 in its fleet. So although the E145 has been retired from Envoy’s fleet, aviation enthusiasts can still fly on the aircraft under the American brand on routes operated by Piedmont around the East Coast.
Other Airline Operations of E145
While the retirement of Envoy’s E145s means one less United States carrier operating the type, the aircraft is still operated consistently in the States. According to Airfleets.net, CommuteAir is the largest operator flying 59 E145s and the smaller Embraer 135s on behalf of United Airlines throughout the country.
Piedmont is the second largest operator closely following CommuteAir operating 56. JetSuiteX follows the two regional carriers operating 39 E145s and E135s. Contour Aviation also operates the two variants around the country with 16 in their fleet.
The type is also operated by Denver Air Connection which has four airframes operating. There are also a plethora of private operators and militaries flying the aircraft type across the globe, continuing the legacy of the regional jet.
A Contour Embraer E135 nicknamed “Pride of Contour” (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
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.
Canadian North Announces Arctic Capital Express Flights
Canadian North Boeing 737-300 C-GCNU (Photo: Canadian North)
A new route is coming to Canada’s northern regions with the launch of Canadian North’s new Arctic Capital Express route. The new service is scheduled to launch on June 8, 2023 and will connect three Canadian provincial capitals.
Serving Canada’s Northern Communities
As the world’s second largest country by land size, Canada relies on air transportation to connect many of its remote areas. In addition to ten provinces in the southern portion of the country, Canada has three territories in the north. These territories pose some of the greatest transportation challenges in North America. The remoteness and small size of many northern Canadian communities makes commercial air transportation both expensive and essential.
Canadian North is an Inuit-owned airline that serves 25 communities throughout the territories of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, as well as major cities in the southern part of Canada. It operates a turboprop fleet of ATR 42 and ATR 72 aircraft and a jet fleet of Boeing 737 Classic and Next Generation aircraft. Not only does the carrier provide a link for residents and visitors to access the Canadian arctic, but it is also a lifeline for many communities, bringing essentials like food and medical supplies to Canada’s north.
The Arctic Capital Express
Canadian North has recently announced a new service called the Arctic Capital Express. The route is named after the destinations that it serves: Ottawa: Canada’s national capital, located in the province of Ontario, Iqaluit, the capital of the Canadian territory of Nunavut and Yellowknife, which is the capital of the Northwest Territories — another Canadian territory
Given the nature of its network, much of Air North’s schedule varies throughout the week. The Arctic Capital Express is scheduled to operate in both directions on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting on June 8, 2023, but there are some differences between the two days. Most notably, the Tuesday flights include an additional stop at Rankin Inlet in Nunavut.
On Tuesdays, flight 5T 118 is scheduled to depart from Yellowknife, Canada’s Airport at 10:00 a.m. and make stops at Rankin Inlet Airport and Iqaluit Airport before arriving at Ottawa, Canada’s Macdonald–Cartier International Airport at 9:00 p.m. The flight will be operated by a Boeing 737-300.
Additionally, on Tuesdays, the flight is scheduled to leave Ottawa’s Macdonald–Cartier International Airport at 9:40 a.m. and make stops at Iqaluit Airport and Rankin Inlet Airport before arriving at Yellowknife Airport at 4:35 p.m. The flight will be operated by a Boeing 737-400.
On Thursdays, flight 5T 118 is scheduled to depart from Yellowknife Airport at 11:00 a.m. and stop at Iqaluit Airport before arriving at Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport at 9:00 p.m. The flight will be operated by a Boeing 737-400.
In addition, on Thursdays, flight 5T 119 is scheduled to leave Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport at 9:40 a.m. and stop at Iqaluit Airport before arriving at Yellowknife Airport at 3:20 p.m. The flight will be operated by a Boeing 737-300.
Canadian North’s Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft are configured in all-economy configurations. Some of these aircraft are also the Combi variant, allowing for flexible mixed cargo and passenger configurations. The airline’s passenger-only Boeing 737-300s have 136 seats and its passenger-only Boeing 737-400 has 156 seats.
The airline states that the new route will allow passengers to reach their destination in a single day, reducing the need for overnight stops. “We’re focused on improving northern air service, it is our mission to make life better in the communities we serve,” Michael Rodyniuk, President and CEO of Canadian North said, in a press release. “Our new Arctic Capital Express will help streamline travel and shipping.”
Andrew is a lifelong lover of aviation and travel. He has flown all over the world and is fascinated by the workings of the air travel industry. As a private pilot and glider pilot who has worked with airlines, airports and other industry stakeholders, he is always excited to share his passion for aviation with others. In addition to being a writer, he also hosts Flying Smarter, an educational travel podcast that explores the complex world of air travel to help listeners become better-informed and savvier travelers.
A BA A350-1000 in London. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
Recently, British Airways announced an expansion of its services to Accra, Ghana, citing improved route performance metrics. The airline will increase its flights from the current daily nonstop service to 10 weekly flights, effective from the IATA’s Winter 2023 season.
This expansion includes the addition of three flights operating from London’s Gatwick Airport, utilizing a Boeing 777-200ER. The move aims to meet the growing demand for travel between the United Kingdom and Ghana, catering to both point-to-point passengers and those traveling to Manchester, U.K.; the United States and Eastern Canada.
Starting from Oct. 29, British Airways will enhance its connection between London and Accra, offering travelers more flight choices. The new route from Gatwick to Accra will operate three times a week, supplementing the existing daily service from London Heathrow Terminal 5.
With the introduction of flights from London Gatwick, British Airways offers Ghanaian travelers an alternative gateway to London. Premium customers, as well as Gold and Silver Executive Club members, can enjoy the recently refurbished lounges at London’s Gatwick Airport, providing a seamless and comfortable travel experience.
The expansion also provides increased cargo capacity on the route to Ghana, benefiting Ghanaian exporters who can now transport perishable and other goods more efficiently through IAG Cargo, the cargo division of the International Airlines Group.
The expansion of flights to Accra is part of British Airways’ broader strategy to restore and strengthen its Africa route network. The airline has recently added Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt to its network in Africa and has doubled the number of flights to Cairo since 2019. These developments reflect British Airways’ commitment to expanding its presence in Africa, providing customers with more options, enhanced products, and strategic partnerships. By carefully considering routes and regions with growth potential, the airline aims to optimize its network to serve the diverse needs of travelers.
“Restoring our Africa route network has given us an opportunity to introduce new aircraft, routes, products, and partnerships, providing customers with more flexibility, choice, and an enhanced travel experience,” Moran Birger, British Airways’ Head of Sales for Africa, Middle East, and South Asia, said.
Enhanced Onboard Experience
To commemorate the start of the new services, British Airways is offering a launch special with attractive fares for travelers flying from London’s Gatwick Airport to Accra. Passengers can experience the airline’s renowned Club World and World Traveller cabins and onboard experience while taking advantage of these promotional fares.
Moreover, passengers on these flights will soon be greeted by the newly unveiled British Airways uniform. Designed by British-Ghanaian Saville Row fashion designer and tailor, Ozwald Boateng OBE, the uniform reflects the airline’s commitment to style and marks the first uniform redesign in 20 years.
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.
Qantas' first 717 (Photo: Alec Wilson from Khon Kaen, Thailand, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons)
After operating for two decades, Qantas Airways’ first Boeing 717 with registration VH-NXI will bid farewell to the airline in June. The aircraft operated Jetstar’s maiden flight between Melbourne and Launceston on the airline’s launch day in 2004. It has been sold to an undisclosed North American operator.
The aircraft has flown for QantasLink for the past 15 years and is named ‘Blue Mountains,’ accomplishing more than 29,000 flights and serving over 1.6 million passengers in years. ‘Blue Mountain’ was first registered in Australia in 2000, operating its first commercial flight for Impulse Airlines. Qantas acquired Impulse in 2001 and rebranded as QantasLink.
The Boeing 717 was designed for short-haul markets in the 1990s, accommodating about 100 passengers. It resembled the Douglas DC-9 in size and performance, launching as the McDonnell Douglas MD-95. The aircraft was rebranded as the Boeing 717 after a merger between McDonnell Douglas and Boeing in 1997. Boeing delivered the final two 717s to Midwest Airlines and AirTran Airways in 2006.
“It’s the end of an era for those Boeing 717s which have played a crucial role in connecting Australians across our domestic and regional network for more than two decades.” Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas Group said in a press statement.
Qantas said ‘Blue Mountains’ is the third 717 to retire and the fleet of QantasLink’s 20 Boeing 717s will be gradually replaced by 29 Airbus A220 aircraft as part of the Project Winton fleet renewal program revealed in 2022. A320s and A220s are expected to become the backbone of its domestic fleet for the next twenty years.
Early Stages of Fleet Renewal
According to Qantas, the carrier’s biggest fleet renewal program in history is underway, and the group will receive a new aircraft every three weeks on average for the next few years. The new aircraft will be paving the way for expanding its network and restoring capacity while lowering emissions and improving efficiency.
In the meantime, Qantas has welcomed two new arrivals: a Boeing 787 Dreamliner and a Jetstar A321neo LR. The carrier has received its seventh A321neo LR, with the remaining 11 A321neo LR to be delivered by the end of 2024.
After keeping its head above water for three years, Qantas forecast its international capacity can reach 100% of pre-Covid levels by March 2024. While travel demand continues to rise, Qantas has been working to restore capacity and recalled five international aircraft back into its fleet in recent months. In January, the latest A380 stored in the desert was reactivated and an additional A380 will return to service by the end of the year.
An American 737 departs from Dallas/Forth Worth.
(Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
American Airlines is adding additional flight frequencies on one of its most popular routes, which connects Austin, Texas with the airline’s hub at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, according to Ishrion Aviation on Twitter.
In the month of September, American is flying between Austin and Dallas 16 times daily. American’s regional partners will operate 3 Embraer E175s on the route per day, while mainline American Airlines will fly 1 Airbus A319, 2 Airbus A320s, and 10 Boeing 737-800s on the route, per Ishrion Aviation.
American will test these schedules for a month, though there are possibilities that the frequencies could be expanded further. Additionally, Dallas and Austin will be connected 17 times on September 8 and 10.
Based on 2022 statistics, American is the second-biggest airline in Austin, representing about 20% of traffic at the airport; Envoy Air, one of American’s wholly-owned regional subsidiaries, holds an additional 5%. American has a long way to go to catch up with Southwest, which carried nearly 40% of Austin’s passengers in 2022, but it still has a healthy lead over third-place Delta Airlines, which holds just over 10% of Austin’s traffic.
This is a significant step up for American, who held a 16% market share in 2019, to Southwest’s 33% and Delta’s 14%.
Dallas is the second-most-popular destination in Austin after Los Angeles. Besides these two, American also flies from Austin to Denver, Las Vegas, Chicago, Phoenix, Orlando, New York, and Charlotte as well as multiple international destinations.
American Airlines has been a leader in Austin, competing with airlines such as Southwest to control the market share at the airport. Dallas is an especially important connector into Austin; serving as American’s major midwestern connector and American’s single largest hub, Dallas brings in passengers from across the country to bring them to Austin.
Austin is undergoing a $4 billion upgrade to accommodate this spike in traffic. Airport officials estimate that the facility might process 30 million passengers by 2027. Nevertheless, the airport has been plagued with issues in recent years, most recently a near-collision in early 2023 when a Southwest aircraft was cleared for takeoff directly below a FedEx cargo jet executing a missed approach.
Whether Austin’s continued growth will cause further issues has yet to be seen, but American is placing a significant bet on Austin’s future and is vying for a significant role at the airport. Just which airline will win the bidding war to secure the largest role in Austin will be seen in the coming months and years.
John McDermott is a commercial pilot pursuing a career in professional flight. His passion for aviation began in an Ann Arbor bookstore with a tale of enemy pilots during World War 2, and he hasn't looked back. Besides flying and writing for AirlineGeeks, John volunteers with Professional Pilots of Tomorrow and travels whenever he gets the chance.
My aircraft for the flight pulling into the gate (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Reykjavík, Iceland-based Icelandair was founded over 85 years ago in 1937, originally under the name Flugfélag Akureyrar. It has flown to many destinations over the years out of its International hub located at Reykjavík/Keflavík Airport, and a smaller hub at Reykjavík Domestic for flights within Iceland. The carrier is most known for its Icelandic stopover program, which allows passengers to stop in Iceland for up to seven days on flights between North America and Europe (or vise-versa) at no extra flight cost.
Detroit was Icelandair’s 13th destination in the United States and its 15th in North America, not only can passengers fly to Iceland but also onward to over 25 destinations in Europe as well as Greenland and domestically in Iceland. The new flight from Detroit to Reykjavík/Keflavík began on May 18, 2023, and will operate four times a week on board the carrier’s 160-seat Boeing 737 MAX 8.
All times discussed in this trip report are expressed in local time at that specific location unless stated otherwise.
Day of the Flight
The flight to Iceland left Detroit in the evening, so I flew in from another smaller airport within the state of Michigan a couple of hours before the flight got me into Detroit around 5:30 p.m. and with a departure time of three hours later I decided to head right to check-in. Icelandair operates out of the Evans terminal in Detroit.
The Icelandair check-in desks in Detroit (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
A nice perk of Icelandair is that it does participate in the TSA PreCheck program, which means you hopefully will have a much easier time going through security especially when it is busy. Check-in was a breeze and they printed my boarding pass, and it took me only five minutes to get through the PreCheck lane at security.
I made my way through the terminal down to the end where the flight would be departing out of, gate D5.
Walking towards my gate in Detroit, near the end of the terminal (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
When I arrived at the gate party setup was underway with a cake and goodies already out for passengers that were on the flight. The cake was beautifully decorticated like the outdoors with northern lights on top, trees, mountains on the bottom, and a waterfall going down the side.
The cake at the Icelandair Inaugural party in Detroit (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
I spent the next hour or so talking to other AvGeeks at the gate as well as Icelandair executives including an interview with Michael Raucheisen, who is the Communications Manager for the airline in North America, a video interview of this interview will be posted at a later date.
Interviewing Michael Raucheisen during the inaugural party in Detroit (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
It wasn’t long before the star of the show arrived, TF-ICN, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 that was delivered to the Icelandic carrier back in 2019. This also happened to be my first flight onboard a 737 MAX of any variant, which was another exciting aspect of this trip for me. My aircraft was named ” Mývatnm,” which is a volcanic lake located in northern Iceland.
By this time the crew had shown up there was a photo opportunity with them too. Not long after the CEO of the airline Bogi Nils Bogason made an appearance for a speech.
The CEO of Icelandair Bogi Nils Bogason, in the middle (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
A couple of other executives from the airport authority as well as the county made speeches, which can be found in the video at the end of this article. Following the speeches there was a ribbon cutting before the boarding of the aircraft started.
Ribbon cutting for the inaugural Icelandair flight from Detroit (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
When getting onto the aircraft, the crew was giving out Detroit Metro Airport branded bags with pens, hand sanitizer, and a 66° North winter hat which ended up coming in handy on the trip.
For this flight across the Atlantic, I was seated in 3A, which is located in the carrier’s Saga Premium class which is the first four rows on their 737 MAX 8.
My seat 3A for the flight over to Iceland (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Also waiting at the seat for us was a bottle of Icelandic Glacial water, a pillow, and an Icelandair-branded blanket for the overnight trip.
At each seat was a large IFE screen which had a USB port on it as well as a headphone jack. Shortly after boarding, the crew came around and offered everyone a glass of sparkling wine
Sparkling wine was given to passengers before departure (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
During the taxi out to the runway, we were given a traditional water cannon salute, believe it or not, this is the first time I have ever been inside the plane for a salute.
The traditional water cannon salute from inside the aircraft (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
We then proceeded to head to the runway and gracefully lift off towards Iceland. I did notice how quiet it was on board compared to the other earlier versions of the Boeing 737.
Taking off from Detroit-Metro bound for Iceland (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Passengers on the left side of the plane could see the Detroit Metro Airport slowly disappearing into the distance just (under/over) the unique 737 MAX scimitar winglet.
Detroit Metro Airport in the distance as we turn north towards Iceland (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Onboard Dining
Roughly 30 minutes after takeoff the flight attendants came around with a small bowl of cheese bread and asked us what our drink order would be. I choose Orange juice as I didn’t want to drink alcohol right before bedtime.
Shortly after that, the crew came around with the dinner menu, for those without dietary restrictions or pre-specified meals. The menu was the following; warm bread with whipped butter and Icelandic sea salt, Burrata cheese with Parma ham, and cherry tomatoes would be the starter.
For the main course, the airline had a warm option or a cold option from which passengers could choose. The warm option was Feta-pesto chicken with sundried tomatoes rice, and lemon butter sauce. The cold option was beef steak with potato salad, grilled asparagus, and a chili bearnaise sauce. For this flight, I choose the cold option as I felt it would pair well with the starter.
The desert was a chocolate mousse quenelle with Oreo crumble around it. Everything came out at once on the same tray which was beautifully presented on a tablecloth that the flight attendants laid down before bringing food out.
The dinner on the inaugural Detroit flight (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
By the time all the food orders were completed and the food was in front of us, it was roughly an hour after takeoff.
At the time dinner was pretty much cleaned up, it was as dark as it was going to get. Due to the fact that we were headed north during some of the longer months of the year, the light never completely disappeared from the sky. There was still a slight sliver of light on the horizon and it began to slowly come up as we went further north.
I opened the blanket up, put the pillow behind my head, and got as much sleep as possible as redeye flights are never easy to sleep on, no matter how comfortable or quiet the environment is.
Also in the amenity kit was a cool section of stickers that you could put on your chest so the crew would know whether you wanted to be woken up for duty-free, food, or not at all. A neat little idea that could definitely serve a great purpose on longer flights and I think should be included on more airlines as I have been a culprit of sleeping through food in the past.
The sticker depicting what you want the crew to wake you up (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
I woke up after two-and-a-half hours of what I thought was sleep although I am not completely sure. It was 5:20 Iceland time meaning it was just after 1 A.M. back in Detroit, these shorter redeyes are always difficult as it doesn’t give you much time to sleep, but it does get you to your destination really early giving you an entire extra day to enjoy Iceland. There were roughly 40 minutes left in the flight and they were making announcements about starting to descend soon.
In the early hours of the morning (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
The skies were very cloudy so I couldn’t really see anything below, although there wasn’t much below us besides the ocean so I wasn’t disappointed. The flight attendants came around and collected garbage and cleaned the cabin for arrival. It wasn’t more than 20 minutes until we made our approach to Reykjavík/Keflavík Airport.
Just about to land in Iceland (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Landing
We landed in Iceland at 6:02 a.m. after a total flight time of five hours and 12 minutes. It was a great flight for me with a lot of firsts; my first 737 MAX flight, my first time in the cabin for the water cannon salute, my first time flying on Icelandair, and my first time being in Iceland.
Most flights arrive in the early morning from North American cities that flew overnight, and then they all leave for Europe roughly 2-3 hours later. then the process repeats in reverse in the early afternoon as flights go from Europe to Iceland, and then onto North American destinations.
Reflecting back on the flight, it was very pleasant and featured multiple AvGeek aspects from the inaugural celebration and the deplaning in Reykjavík/Keflavík, to the amenity kits, headrests on the plane, and the present presentation of the meal. You can definitely tell the difference from a passenger perspective between the 737 MAX and the older models of the 737 as it did feel more roomy and it was noticeably quieter during takeoff.
A video account of this Detroit Inaugural flight can be found below:
Editor’s Note: Icelandair provided AirlineGeeks with the seat on this flight, but this trip report is an honest portrayal of the events and is in no way swayed by that aspect.
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.
China Eastern's first C919 (Photo: N509FZ, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons)
On the morning of May 28, COMAC’s C919 started its maiden flight from Shanghai’s Hongqiao International Airport to Beijing’s Capital International Airport. The China Eastern flight MU9191 took off at 10:32 a.m. local time, and landed at 12:31 p.m., after two hours of flight time. In the coming month, China Eastern scheduled its C919 on the route between Shanghai Hongqiao and Chengdu Tianfu with one round trip every day.
The first flight of COMAC C919 was highly anticipated by the public. While the flight MU9191 was in the air, it was the #1 tracked flight on Flightradar24. Local aviation enthusiasts were also grouped around airports to capture this historical flight as it takes off and lands.
Onboard the Flight
Passengers onboard the flight includes representatives from COMAC and China Eastern, government officials, local media, and a handful of aviation enthusiasts who were chosen from the pool of a lucky draw. Along with those passengers, there were the director of CAAC, the president of China Eastern, and the president of COMAC.
For this special flight, China Eastern specially designed a boarding pass reflecting the maiden flight of COMAC C919. Before the flight, passengers are invited to join a celebration at the China Eastern hanger at Shanghai’s Hongqiao International Airport. In the air, cakes were served to all passengers onboard, along with a special meal that was selected through an online vote, and even the water bottle was printed with “maiden flight of C919.”
The First C919 In Service
The first COMAC C919 in service, B-919A, was delivered to China Eastern on Dec. 9, 2022, shortly after the aircraft was fully certified by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) in September 2022. A 100-hour flight testing began right after the delivery and was completed by February 2023. Afterward, the aircraft was sent back to the COMAC factory at Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport for further testing and modification and was pushed out of the factory in early May. After another 70-hour flight test was done during May, the aircraft was finally ready to begin commercial service by May 28.
The Comac C919 after receiving its type inspection authorization. (Photo: Comac)
As the first Chinese-designed, mid-sized single-aisle aircraft, the COMAC C919 was considered to be a long-term competitor with Boeing’s 737 MAX and Airbus’ A320neo. As of the moment, the second C919 was already rolled out of the production line, and it is planned to deliver to China Eastern in the latter half of this year. COMAC has not released any future delivery plans, however, the initial customers of C919 will likely be the “Big Three” Chinese airlines: China Eastern, China Southern, and Air China.
Based on the initial feedback of the first passengers onboard the COMAC C919, the experience on the flight was not quite different from what it is on a Boeing 737 or Airbus A320.
Editor’s Note: Stay tuned for additional coverage on the C919’s rollout into commercial service.
Lei is from Inner Mongolia, China, and now lives in Guangzhou. He grew up in an aviation family, where his passion began. During his time at Penn State University, he studied Industrial Engineering specializing in operations research, and he graduated with an honor’s thesis on airport gate assignment optimization. Now, he is a Purchasing Manager with Procter & Gamble. In his free time, he enjoys flying, reading, and wandering around the city.
Air Canada Increases Capacity to ‘Winter Sun’ Network Above Pre-Pandemic Levels
An Air Canada A321. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)
Air Canada has followed up the expansion of several European routes to year-round services to Toulouse, Barcelona, Edinburgh, Lisbon, Rome, Madrid and Copenhagen with the announcement of the strategic expansion of its winter schedule. The airline announced it will increase capacity for the 2022-23 Northern Winter to more than 8 percent above its 2019-20 pre-pandemic schedule. The increased capacity is 11 percent above last winter and will include four new routes from Montreal’s Trudeau International (YUL) and Toronto’s Pearson International (YYZ).
From 29 October a four-times-weekly service from YYZ to Monterrey, Mexico will commence with a weekly YUL to Los Cabos, Mexico flight beginning on 01 December. Fort-de-France (FDF) and La Romana (LRM) in the Caribbean will be served from YYZ and YUL commencing 16 December (YYZ-FDF, weekly) and 17 December (YUL-LRM, weekly), respectively.
“We are seeing strong, ongoing interest for winter leisure travel, and as the leading carrier from Canada to popular sun destinations with up to 683 weekly flights planned this winter, we are thrilled to add exciting new services from Toronto and Montreal to the Caribbean and Mexico and significant increases from our Vancouver hub in response to pent up demand,” said Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President, Revenue and Network Planning at Air Canada.
“With the most flights to choose from coast to coast this winter to popular leisure sun destinations and convenient travel package options through Air Canada Vacations, customers can begin booking their vacation to their preferred destination now,” added Mr. Galardo.
Air Canada is seeking to leverage hub activity through YYZ from its extensive and expanded European destination network. Mr. Galardo noted that: “(Air Canada) have optimized our schedule to conveniently connect Europe to popular leisure destinations in Florida and Mexico, enabling customers from Spain, France, Italy, the U.K. and Denmark to enjoy one-stop travel to sought-after North American vacation destinations this winter.”
Highlights of the Vancouver (YVR) increases in capacity include the doubling of flights to Las Vegas and Phoenix to 14 per week. Puerto Vallarta and Cancun will have 7 flights per week up from 3 and 4, respectively) with Miami doubling to 6 weekly flights. A larger aircraft will service the YVR – San Diego route to achieve a 110 percent capacity increase. Los Cabos will be served by 2 extra flights over the winter raising the number of flights to 5 per week.
In addition to the increases in service from YVR to Cancun, the popular Mexican destination will see 21 weekly flights from Toronto (up from 11), 14 from Montreal (also up from 11) and 3 weekly flights each from Edmonton, Halifax and Ottawa (up from 2). Quebec City will also see an extra weekly flight to Cancun bringing the total number to four.
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.
Passenger Opens Door on Asiana Airlines Aircraft Mid-flight
Asiana Airbus jets in Seoul (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ben Suskind)
A passenger onboard an Asiana Airlines flight was arrested on Friday after opening an Airbus A321’s emergency door mid-flight. The man was taken into custody after landing at Daegu International Airport, and all passengers and crew onboard survived. Roughly a dozen passengers received medical treatment for minor injuries.
The aircraft was coming into land when the incident occurred. The aircraft was under 1000 feet from the ground, and cabin crew was slow to respond due to the imminent landing. Passengers recount that the man tried to jump from the plane after opening the door.
“It was chaos with people close to the door appearing to faint one by one and flight attendants calling out for doctors on board through broadcasting,” one 44-year-old passenger told Yonhap, adding they thought the plane would blow up.
Video of the incident has since circulated, showing high winds entering the cabin from the open door as the flight continued toward landing.
A statement from South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport said that, under the Aviation Security Act, any passenger who improperly operates doors, exits, or equipment inside an aircraft could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
An Asiana A380 in Seoul (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ben Suskind)
Geoffrey Thomas, an author at AirlineRatings, told CNN that it’s technically impossible to open airplane doors inflight due to the airstream flowing around a flying aircraft. The Airbus A321 lands at roughly 150 knots, so this plane was almost certainly flying at or above that speed when this incident occurred.
“The airplane is automatically set to adjust the pressure of the cabin according to the altitude of the aircraft,” Asiana Airlines said. “When the aircraft is high up in the air, it is impossible to open the door but when the altitude is low and close to landing, the door can be opened.”
Asiana Airlines A321 lands safely at Daegu Airport in South Korea after the emergency exit door was opened by a passenger on approach. 9 people taken to hospital with breathing difficulties. pic.twitter.com/Jzed4PMDvc
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) May 26, 2023
Opening Aircraft Doors Inflight
Jet engines compress air and send it into the cabin to pressurize the passenger compartment. The pressure differential between inside and outside air, as well as the aforementioned slipstream, make it physically impossible to open an airplane’s door in flight. But as planes come in to land, the pressure differential of air inside and outside the aircraft is slim, eliminating that factor in the physics of opening plane doors.
At a normal cruising altitude, there are eight pounds of force against every square inch of a plane’s interior, per the Washington Post, which equates to about 1,100 feet of pressure against each square foot on an emergency door.
“Just by pure pressure alone, the force required to open the door would be astronomical,” said Bob Thomas, an Assistant Professor of Aeronautical Science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
The pressure on an aircraft drops closer to the ground when the pressurization inside the aircraft decreases to more closely match air pressure on the ground.
“This individual appears to have been able to open a door on approach,” said Nick Wilson, an Associate Professor of Aviation at the University of North Dakota. “At a lower elevation, there’s less differential pressure. That would be one of the important factors that allowed this door to be opened at all.”
Though very infrequent, there have been incidents where unruly passengers have tried to open aircraft doors in flight. Two such incidents occurred in the United States in 2022.
Even with a door open, aircraft are structurally sound and safe at low altitudes like this.
John McDermott is a commercial pilot pursuing a career in professional flight. His passion for aviation began in an Ann Arbor bookstore with a tale of enemy pilots during World War 2, and he hasn't looked back. Besides flying and writing for AirlineGeeks, John volunteers with Professional Pilots of Tomorrow and travels whenever he gets the chance.
Qantas to Wet Lease Two Finnair A330 Aircraft to Bolster Sotheast Asian Routes
A Finnair A330 in Seattle (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)
Recently, Qantas announced that it is boosting its international capacity for the coming season, partly with the help of oneworld alliance member Finnair. The press release stated that Qantas plans to wet lease two of Finnair’s A330 aircraft. The exciting news for Qantas passengers is that the aircraft that come equipped with Finnair’s revolutionary new seats they have called the “Air Lounge.” These new business class seats have received much praise from travelers despite the seats not being able to recline. Instead, passengers are invited to treat the seat like a couch and make themselves comfortable. The contour of the seat is entirely padded so that passengers can relax as they choose.
Finnair’s New Business Class Seat (Photo: Finnair)
What is a Wet Lease?
A wet lease is quite a common occurrence in the airline industry; it means that an airline is leasing an aircraft as well as its crew to service a particular route. When passengers board the select flights that will have a QF flight number and QF catering they will be met by Finnair cabin crew as well as the Finnair cabin. This is an exciting prospect for any Australians that may otherwise not have the desire to try out Finnair’s business class product all the way to Helsinki. Finnair has crews based in Singapore.
Qantas’ Plans Moving Forward
The wet leasing of these aircraft coincides with Qantas wanting to reactivate some of its aircraft. The statement from Qantas states “From late October 2023*, the national carrier will add around one million seats to its international network over 12 months compared to its current schedule, offering customers more choice to popular destinations across Asia, the United States and the Pacific.”
The Australian and International Pilot’s Association Response
In a statement to Australian Aviation AIPA’s Captain Tony Lucas had this to say:
“Qantas’ decision to wet lease two Finnair aircraft is shocking, bitterly disappointing and could have been avoided with more effective management decisions. It beggars’ belief that Qantas is outsourcing the Spirit of Australia while simultaneously converting two of our own A330 passenger aircraft into freighters.”
In conclusion, the wet leasing of Finnair’s A330 is a net positive for the passenger experience. That being said, the frustration of the AIPA and its pilots is understandable as routes are being taken away from them and given to a company that has no foothold in the Australian market, only time will tell if this was a proper decision from the Australian flag carrier.
