Photos: Condor Airlines Launches A330neo Service from Frankfurt to Seattle

Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at 08:52 PM ET

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A Condor Airlines Airbus A330-900 arriving at the gate at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)

The German leisure carrier Condor Airlines officially inaugurated the Airbus A330-900neo service on its Frankfurt to Seattle route on May 11, 2023. The flight was one of the first to be operated by the popular German leisure airline’s new aircraft.

Condor Airlines is the oldest leisure airline in Germany. The German carrier’s year-round service between Frankfurt and Seattle started in the Summer of 2011. In 2017, it added a second seasonal service between Munich and Seattle, which has yet to return after the pandemic.

While the very recognizable beach towel design will be a frequent visitor in Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, its Airbus A330-200 will still cover some of the flights until the airline receives more airplanes. The leisure carrier introduced the new type last December and planned to deploy it on the Seattle to Frankfurt route in February. However, supply chain issues caused the airline to lease Air Belgium’s A330NEO for the Seattle flight after operating only four flights on its own metal.

The Product

The carrier is converting its long-haul fleet to the A330neo, which will be on all of Condor’s long-haul flights to North America by 2024. The A330NEO is replacing the airline’s aging Boeing 767 aircraft, significantly reducing Condor’s operating costs. The latest generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, new wings, and aerodynamic innovations will reduce Condor’s fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 20 percent.

The Trent 7000 engine enabled great efficiency on the A330NEO. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)

The new airplane also comes with significant improvements in passenger experience. The new Airspace cabin on this aircraft offers a quieter flight experience and a more spacious environment than its predecessor. The interior is also very stylish, with a color concept featuring the “Condor Marina” and “Condor Earth” color schemes using subtle stripes as a recurring design element. Condor’s configuration will accommodate 310 passengers, featuring 30 seats in Business, 64 in Premium Economy, and 216 in Economy Class.

Entrance on Condor’s A330NEO. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)

It also offers high-speed broadband internet, onboard connectivity, and tablet holders. Each seat’s inflight-entertainment system is also Bluetooth-enabled, so passengers can use their devices with the IFE.

Economy

The Economy section offers few amenities. The economy cabin is in a 2-4-2 layout, similar to that of a traditional full-service carrier. However, this section is mainly targeting cost-conscious customers. Therefore, the legroom in this section is relatively limited at 30 inches. Although, the airline designated the bulkhead row as XL seats due to their extra legroom, which costs a little over $100 depending on your flight.

Condor’s A330NEO features moonlighting and Bluetooth audio. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)

Premium Economy

The premium economy seats are the same base seats as the economy class. While the seat isn’t necessarily a massive upgrade compared to the standard economy, the soft product promises exceptional value for this upgrade. In addition to the extra legroom and more reclining on the backrest, this section also features an adjustable headrest and footrest for more comfort. The premium economy also offers a blanket, a small amenity kit, and premium menu items as part of its service.

Business Class

The leisure carrier’s new business class is a huge step up from its old product on the 767 or its Airbus A330-200s.

The new plane is equipped with Safran’s Skylounge Core lie-flat seat that debuted on Starlux Airline’s A330NEO last year. The seat is 76-inch by 19-inch in bed mode and features a large 17.3-inch screen in 4K mode. Each seat is also equipped with USB-A and USB Type C charging ports. The seats are staggered and have a wing at head level for enhanced privacy. For those looking for more privacy, even-numbered rows offer window seats further away from the aisle, and the center pair are also further away from each other. The pair of seats in the odd-numbered rows will offer closer seating for those traveling together. Although the privacy divider will block direct views of your companion, the wall divider can’t be lowered for a larger bed.

Standard business class on Condor’s A330NEO. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)

The business class cabin on Condor’s A330neo looks elegant and stylish. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)

The Frankfurt-based airline opted for an open shelf rather than a storage cubby, making the seat feels more spacious. It offers a doored storage compartment on the floor in the absence of the storage cubby. The entire business-class cabin provides a great ambiance and does not feel like a traditional leisure carrier. While the trim and finishes still look fresh on these brand-new seats, my only complaint was that the touch controls could be more responsive.

The touch button on the Skylounge Core seats are not the most responsive. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)

The business class cabin is in a 1-2 configuration with direct aisle access for all guests. However, the staggered configuration means your feet will be in a tight footwell unless you are upfront in the Business prime seat.

The Business Prime seat is similar to Virgin Atlantic’s Retreat Suite, which offers an oversized ottoman in the first row of the business class cabin. The larger ottoman can sit your travel companion for a face-to-face dining experience during the flight. Unlike its British counterpart, which only offers two of the superior seats on its A330neo, the German carrier has four Business Prime seats in the front row of its plane. The crown symbol in the seat map fittingly represents these throne seats.

Overall, Condor has revamped itself after departing the Thomas Cook Group. Its new product throughout the A330neo is a considerable evolution, and passengers should look forward to a great value and experience onboard.

Fangzhong Guo

Fangzhong grew up near an OEM airport in northeastern China, where he developed his enthusiasm for aviation. Taking upon his passion, he's now working as an aircraft interior design engineer. Besides working in the aerospace industry, Fangzhong enjoys trying out different types of airplanes and seeing how airplane interiors have evolved. So far, he's flown on over 80 types of aircraft. He also planespots in his spare time. His rarest catches included the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft and AN-225.

Hawaiian Airlines Debuts New Boeing 787 Cabins

Andrew Chen

Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at 02:50 PM ET

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Ryan Ewing

Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 787-9 economy class cabin (Photo: Hawaiian Airlines)

Hawaiian Airlines has revealed the cabin designs for its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The airline has 12 Boeing 787-9s on order, with the first delivery expected later this year.

The new Dreamliners will feature a total of 300 seats, with 34 lie-flat business class seats and 266 economy class seats. Hawaiian’s Boeing 787-9s are slated to enter service in early 2024 and deliveries will continue through 2027.

Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 787-9 (Photo: Hawaiian Airlines)

Leihōkū: Garland of Stars

Hawaiian’s Boeing 787-9s will feature a new business class product called Leihōkū, meaning “garland of stars” in Hawaiian. The business class cabins will feature 34 lie-flat suites with doors in a 1-2-1 configuration. Center seats will have a retractable divider that allows guests travelling together to share a space. Each seat will also feature an 18-inch entertainment screen, as well as charging outlets and wireless charging.

Hawaiian Airlines’ Boeing 787-9 business class product is called Leihōkū, meaning “garland of stars” in Hawaiian (Photo: Hawaiian Airlines)

The seats selected by Hawaiian are Adient Aerospace’s Ascent seat, which can also be found on Qatar Airways’ Boeing 787-9s. Adient Aerospace is a joint venture between Boeing and automotive seat manufacturer Adient.

Hawaiian Airlines’ has selected the Adient Aerospace Ascent seat for its Boeing 787-9 business class cabin (Photo: Hawaiian Airlines)

Hawaiian’s 787 Main Cabin

The economy class cabin will have 266 Collins Aerospace Aspire seats. Each seat will feature ergonomically countered back and arm rests, a 12-inch seatback entertainment screen and USB-A and USB-C charging ports. There will also be 79 “Extra Comfort” seats with more legroom and AC power outlets.

Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 787-9 economy class features Collins Aerospace Aspire seats (Photo: Hawaiian Airlines)

A Nod to Hawaiian Culture

The cabins on Hawaiian’s new Dreamliners feature various Hawaii-inspired design elements. The airline aims to celebrate Polynesian navigators and worked with design consultant Teague to honor those who sailed the Pacific by observing the sun, stars, winds, waves and wildlife.

Hawaiian’s Boeing 787-9 cabins will have a simulated sky that can depict various themes, including sunrises, sunsets and soft daylight. The cabins will also be able to display a star-lit ceiling that will allow passengers in Leihōkū seats to gaze upwards at a starry sky.

A starry ceiling in Hawaiian Airlines’ Boeing 787-9 cabin (Photo: Hawaiian Airlines)

Other design touches that pay tribute to Hawaiian culture include wall panels depicting native wood grains and lavatory floors inspired by black volcanic sand. The airline stated that laminates and fabrics will reflect the forms of native plants and that the Hawaiian language will be integrated into seat row numbers and cabin placards.

Hawaiian Airlines’ Boeing 787-9 cabins feature wall panels depicting native wood grains (Photo: Hawaiian Airlines)

“The combination of our evocative cabin design and unparalleled service will make our 787 the most relaxing and enjoyable choice for travel to and from Hawaiʻi,” said Avi Mannis, chief marketing and communications officer at Hawaiian Airlines in a press release. “We take pride in sharing our home with our guests, and the design and details of this product truly reflect what it means to be the flagship carrier of the Hawaiian Islands.”

Andrew Chen

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.

India’s Star Air Begins Service in Rajasthan

Devaansh Dhoot

Tuesday, May 16, 2023 at 03:08 PM ET

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AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Star Air's inaugural flight receives customary water cannon salute. (Photo: Harsh Tekriwal)

Star Air has commenced operations in Jaipur (JAI) from both Bengaluru (BLR) and Belagavi (IXG). The service to Jaipur is via Belagavi. The route is a thrice-weekly affair as advertised on the airline’s website and social media. The first flight was conducted using the Embraer 145. The first Star Air flight to Jaipur landed on Monday with a customary water canon salute, with the Jaipur International Airport management organizing a small event to celebrate the airline’s first flight to the city. With Star Air starting operations in the capital of Rajasthan, tourists from the western coast and southern part of the country have yet another option available to them.

The above operations come at a time when the regional airline is ramping up operations and routes in a steadfast manner. The airline services the Indian states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. With an operational fleet of seven Embraer Regional Jets, the airline’s ERJ-145s and the new ERJ-175s are increasing frequency and routes.

The airline commenced operations in January 2019 and is the sole active operator of the Embraer 175 and 145 in India. In India, the narrow-body aircraft market is dominated by Airbus and Boeing aircraft. The regional aircraft market is dominated by ATR and DeHavilland Canada. In such a market, Embraer has a presence in India because of Star Air. Embraer E-Jets were operated in India between 2005-2010 by now-defunct Paramount Airways.

The new route to Jaipur will increase the available capacity for the city and the state. Rajasthan has a lot of tourist traffic owing to tourist destinations like Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, etc., and several religious destinations. Star Air’s flights will help boost tourism, according to the airline. Several other Indian airlines like IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara, etc., do operate flights to Jaipur. However, Star Air is the only airline to operate flights in the Belagavi-Jaipur sector.

Filling the gap left by GoFirst

Another airline that used to operate flights to Jaipur from Bangalore was GoFirst. The airline was in the news due to its decision to file for voluntary insolvency proceedings under the Indian Bankruptcy Code. As the article is being written, the airline’s operations are still halted.

Star Air’s offering to Jaipur will also manage to take some advantage in the vacuum created by GoFirst’s insolvency proceedings.

With this development, the Indian aviation industry can be well described as a combination of success, failure, hiccups, trouble, and amalgamation.

With Star Air starting to spread its wings to newer destinations and launching flights across more city pairings, the regional airline is venturing into the mainstream routes in a calm, cool, and steadfast manner rather than just launching flights left right, and center.

Devaansh Dhoot

Alaska Airlines Expands Onboard Food Options

Andrew Chen

Tuesday, May 16, 2023 at 02:35 PM ET

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AirlineGeeks.com Staff

An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-800 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Greg Linton)

Alaska Airlines is adding more variety to its onboard food offerings, doubling the number of pre-order options for economy passengers and increasing the number of entrée choices for first class customers. The Seattle-based carrier recently announced that it was introducing new menu items and expanding its food selection.

New and Expanded First Class Entrée Options

Those traveling in Alaska Airlines’ First Class cabin receive meals on flights that are 670 miles or longer. The quantity of the food service increases with the flight distance:

On flights 670 miles and above, passengers get an entrée option. Lunch and dinner meals also include dessert.
On flights 1,000 miles and above, passengers receive a fruit bowl or appetizer salad, depending on the flight departure time, along with a choice of a hot entrée or a fruit and cheese platter. Lunch and dinner flights also include mixed nuts and a dessert.
On flights 2,140 miles and above – Hawaii and transcontinental flights – First Class passengers get an appetizer, bread and butter and a choice of a hot entrée or a fruit and cheese platter. Breakfast meals are served with Greek yogurt and lunch and dinner meals are served with ice cream. A snack basket is also served prior to arrival.

Alaska Airlines has one of the most generous meal policies for domestic first class passengers in the United States. Delta Air Lines and American Airlines only offer full meals to its domestic first class passengers on flights from 900 miles long and United Airlines provides meals to its first class travelers on flights that are 800 miles or longer. Alaska will also be offering customers a choice of up to five entrées on transcontinental and Hawaii flights and four options on most other flights. The “big three” – Delta, American and United – generally offer two or three entrée options to its domestic first class passengers.

In its latest catering announcement, Alaska also revealed new First Class entrée items

Breakfast includes options like a mushroom omelet, a chicken sausage breakfast bowl and lemon blueberry pancakes.
Lunch offerings include a wedge salad with applewood bacon, a Korean barbeque chicken sandwich and a caramelized onion Angus burger.
Dinner options include a flat iron steak, herb-roasted chicken and ginger beef stir-fry noodles.

Vegan options, such as a spicy tofu wrap and a white bean chili with grilled polenta, will also be available for pre-ordering. Select flights departing the San Francisco Bay Area will also have handcrafted tamales on board. The airline is also bringing back printed menus on its transcontinental and Hawaii flights.

More Main Cabin Pre-Order Items

In Main Cabin – Alaska’s economy class cabin – the carrier is doubling the number of food items available for pre-ordering. Breakfast options will include a turkey, bacon and tomato bagel sandwich, as well as a smoked salmon bagel sandwich. The lunch and dinner selection includes two salad choices designed in partnership with Seattle-based Evergreens Salad and two new wraps.

Alaska’s new Main Cabin food options include a Salmon Bagel Sandwich and Stand Banh Mi Salad (Photo: Alaska Airlines)

Alaska is also touting a new family-friendly menu item called the Jetsetter’s Jam sandwich. It is the airline’s take on the traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Since Alaska is a peanut-free airline, the sandwich is made with toasted cashew and oat butter instead of peanut butter. It is served on a sweet croissant bread alongside fresh fruit and a slice of Tillamook cheese. The new sandwich will be available in Main Cabin on flights over 775 miles.

Alaska Airlines’ Jetsetter’s Jam sandwich (Photo: Alaska Airlines)

“What our guests have to say is important, and they told us that more food and beverage variety would be great, so we set out to make that happen,” said Todd Traynor-Corey, Managing Director of Guest Products at Alaska Airlines in a press release. “We’ve worked hard to give our guests of all ages a wider selection of food, from classic comfort food to more healthful options all while representing the vibrant flavors of the West Coast.”

Andrew Chen

Commission Recommends Conditions for Takatso Consortium’s Acquisition of South African Airways

Victor Shalton

Monday, May 15, 2023 at 03:07 PM ET

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Jack Dawin

A South African Airways A340-600 on approach to Frankfurt. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fabian Behr)

South African Airways (SAA) has been in the midst of a semi-privatization process, with the Takatso consortium poised to acquire a majority stake. However, the Competition Commission has recommended that two companies, Syranix and Global Aviation, who co-own low-cost airline LIFT, leave the consortium before it acquires SAA. The commission stated that their presence in SAA would lead to a substantial reduction and brake on competition in the market for national passenger airlines.

The Competition Commission’s Concerns

In a statement, the Competition Commission expressed apprehension that the Takatso consortium’s acquisition of SAA could reduce competition in the domestic passenger airlines market. The commission highlighted the potential for Takatso to gain access to SAA’s competitively sensitive information, given its majority stake in the airline. This concern is further amplified by the concentrated nature of the domestic passenger airlines market, where barriers to entry are high, and coordinated effects are possible. To remedy this, the commission and the parties involved have agreed to a divestiture condition. This condition stipulates that Global Aviation and Syranix, both minority shareholders of Takatso, must fully divest from the consortium before the merger’s implementation.

The Competition Commission’s recommendation also included a moratorium on layoffs. Takatso will have to maintain a minimum number of employees at SAA. The deal was initially rejected by Takatso, but after some negotiation, the consortium agreed to the terms set by the commission, including the divestiture of Syranix and Global Aviation.

Takatso’s Response and the Minister’s Support

Gidon Novick, a co-founder of LIFT, a low-cost airline operated by Global Aviation, stated that they had not agreed to sell their minority stake and intended to remain as minority shareholders without board representation or access to sensitive information. Novick highlighted the industry practice of airlines cooperating in various ways, citing SAA’s previous partnership with Airlink. On the other hand, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan welcomed the Competition Commission’s decision, emphasizing that it would strengthen SAA, provide necessary capital, and position it as an essential economic enabler for the country.

Implications for Takatso Consortium

The Takatso consortium, led by infrastructure investment firm Harith, is now faced with the requirement of complying with the commission’s conditions. Harith will become the sole company in Takatso, as Global Aviation and Syranix fully divest. Harith’s stake in Lanseria Airport, though previously subject to scrutiny, was deemed unlikely to raise concerns by the commission.

SAA has been in the red since 2011 and was sold for around €3 to Takatso in May 2022. The consortium must invest nearly $200 million in SAA, with the state adding $120 million, and retaining 49% of the capital. Harith General Partners Proprietary Limited, an asset management company that has invested in the development of the Johannesburg-Lanseria airport, is leading the consortium. SAA seeks to redevelop its long-haul business as part of the investment plan.

South Africa and Kenya announced a strategic partnership agreement in November 2022, with the objective of launching a pan-African airline group by 2023, which would bring together South African Airways and Kenya Airways. This followed a cooperation protocol signed by the two national companies two months earlier, with the aim of promoting the exchange of expertise, innovation, digital technologies, and best commercial practices.

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.

GoFirst Gripes With Pratt & Whitney Ahead of Relaunch

John McDermott

Monday, May 15, 2023 at 03:04 PM ET

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Jack Dawin

(Photo: News9live.com

Internal sources have revealed to the website MoneyControl that Indian budget airline GoFirst plans to resume flights on May 24. The airline filed for bankruptcy protection at the start of May due to engine problems on its aircraft.

GoFirst will return with a smaller operation, operating four fewer aircraft than it currently has. The airline reports it has 51 departure slots at Delhi’s main airport and 37 departure slots in Mumbai.

“We acknowledge the flight cancellations might have disrupted your travel plans and we are committed to providing all the assistance we can,” the airline said. “As you are aware, the company has filed an application for immediate resolution and revival of operations. We will be able to resume bookings shortly. We thank you for your patience.”

GoFirst’s Engine Problems

GoFirst’s fleet of Airbus A320NEO family aircraft is equipped entirely with Pratt & Whitney engines. Certain engines made by the airline have lately become notorious for their relatively high failure rate; GoFirst started experiencing problems with these engines after receiving its first Pratt & Whitney-powered A320NEO in 2017.

GoFirst has been battling with Pratt & Whitney for years over these engines. The two parties originally agreed that the engine manufacturer would compensate GoFirst for engine support. This agreement only lasted until 2019, part of the reason why GoFirst now says that the parts it is owed have been withheld.

In February 2023, Pratt & Whitney suggested a plan to offer replacement engines to GoFirst. Even at that time, up to half of GoFirst’s planes had been grounded due to engines with their Pratt & Whitney engines, costing the carrier over $1 billion. However, the engine maker said it could provide extra engines at a rate ¼ as fast as these engines failed. GoFirst subsequently filed for emergency arbitration, after which Pratt & Whitney was ordered to provide serviceable spare engines to the airline.

Back in Court

Now, as GoFirst prepares to restart flights, it has approached a court in Delaware to attempt to enforce the arbitrator’s decision. However, Pratt & Whitney says it faces additional risks as a result of the airline’s bankruptcy filing. The engine maker says it will pursue legal action against GoFirst, saying the airline, instead of being a victim, is nothing more than another insolvent airline that cannot uphold its contracts.

“Go First’s recent bankruptcy filing has radically changed the field of play in terms of Go First’s need for relief and IAE’s risk,” said a filing by International Aero Engines, in which Pratt & Whitney is a shareholder.

“Go First airline’s allegations that Pratt & Whitney is responsible for its financial condition are without merit. Pratt & Whitney will vigorously defend itself against Go First’s claims, and is pursuing its own legal recourse,” said a Pratt & Whitney spokesperson.

Other Pratt & Whitney Engine Issues

Pratt & Whitney says that GoFirst just wants to jump the line for engine delivery while the manufacturer recovers from ongoing supply chain issues. However, GoFirst is not the only airline suffering from Pratt & Whitney engine problems. Fellow Indian carrier IndiGo is also experiencing Pratt & Whitney issues on their Airbus aircraft, and KLM Cityhopper is experiencing issues with its Embraer E2 planes, which are powered by the same engines that GoFirst and IndiGo are using. Iraqi Airways has grounded its entire fleet of Airbus A220s, all powered by the same model of Pratt & Whitney engines, while Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority investigates the engine issues.

“KLM Cityhopper is consulting with Embraer and engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney to seek a solution for these issues, which have no impact on flight safety,” KLM said in a statement in May.

“The entire Indian aviation sector is hit due to sub-standard products supplied by the engine makers,” Go First chairman Varun Berry said in a statement.

“P&W cannot wash their hands off their liabilities after supplying sub-standard engines which has led to huge losses for all airlines. 18% of Indian aviation capacity is currently grounded due to non-supply of engines by P&W,” Berry continued.

“Supply chain recovery following the pandemic remains stressed. We believe the situation will stabilize throughout 2023. This will support the increased output of new and overhauled engines. In the interim, we are providing direct logistical support to our suppliers. We are expanding our MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) capacity and working to reduce shop visit turnaround times to improve service availability,” a spokesperson for Pratt & Whitney said.

John McDermott

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.

Kenmore Air Partners with Alaska Airlines

Joey Gerardi

Sunday, May 14, 2023 at 06:20 AM ET

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Edited By:

Vanni Gibertini

A Kenmore Air airplane in front of the Space Needle. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)

Local Kenmore, Washington-based airline Kenmore Air, announced through an email with its customers that they would begin partnering with the Seattle-based airline. Kenmore Air is the largest floatplane operator in the United States, flying over 80,000 passengers a year including their land-based operations which fly under their ‘Kenmore Air Express’ banner on board the Cessna 208 Caravan.

The benefit will be mostly seen north of Seattle at Paine Field, where Kenmore Air Express operates flights to Orcas Island and Friday Harbor in an island group known as the ‘San Juan Islands’. Alaska Airlines’ passengers can now book flights in a single itinerary to the San Juan Island from other destinations with a connection in Paine Field.

An Alaska Airlines E175 at Paine Field (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Bailey)

In addition, Alaska mileage members can now earn miles when flying on Kenmore flights. Brett Catlin, the vice president of loyalty, alliances, and sales for Alaska Airlines did have something to say about this new partnership in a press release on Kenmore’s website; “Our guests can fly with us from destinations across the West such as Anchorage, San Francisco, and Las Vegas to Everett, and then hop on a convenient flight with Kenmore Air to enjoy all the San Juans have to offer – and earn Mileage Plan miles along the way.”

Kenmore and Alaska are both local airlines, with Seattle-Tacoma and Kenmore Harbor being located only 21 miles away from each other, folks in the region are accustomed to both airlines. And now, with the partnership, changing between the carriers is now easier than ever.

All data, documents, and quotes were pulled from public airline websites and schedule data.

Joey Gerardi

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

Qatar Airways Resumes Nonstop Service to Auckland

Hemal Gosai

Sunday, May 14, 2023 at 12:18 AM ET

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Edited By:

Vanni Gibertini

A Qatar Airways Airbus A350-1000 XWB enters the Terminal 8 ramp at JFK Airport. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Shaquille Khan)

Qatar Airways will be resuming daily nonstop service to Auckland from Doha starting in September 2023. The route was first introduced in 2017, when at the time it was the world’s longest flight. It unfortunately was a victim of the pandemic and the flight was cut since New Zealand had closed its borders for a considerable amount of time.

The route will be operated by an Airbus A350-1000 that features 46 business class and 281 economy suites. This aircraft choice will guarantee all business class passengers QSuites, Qatar Airway’s current generation business class product. All A350 aircraft have QSuites, while most of Qatar Airways’ long haul fleet features QSuites. The exception being Boeing 787 and Airbus A380 aircraft.

Flights are scheduled to optimize connections from Europe, specifically the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The flight schedule is as follows:

Doha to Auckland: QR920 departs at 1:50AM and arrives a day later at 2:45AM

Auckland to Doha: QR921 departs at 3:00PM and arrives at 11:15PM

Currently Qatar Airways does fly to Auckland but it’s not nonstop service. The airline first flies to Adelaide, Australia then continues onward to Auckland. The benefit of nonstop service will also be extended to passengers who have already been booked these flights to Auckland via Adelaide since passengers previously booked on this route will be re-accommodated on the nonstop flight.

Returning to Growth Post COVID

The resumption of nonstop services comes as the airline seeks to rebuild and expand its route network as the world adapts to living with COVID-19. While the airline did maintain a significant portion of its route network through the pandemic, some routes were cut. As travel returned, an additional challenge cropped up, the lack of aircraft. Qatar Airways faced challenges with Airbus over quality issues of certain A350 aircraft. This led to several aircraft being grounded resulting in limited capacity.

Most of these challenges have been resolved with Airbus and it’s expected to see the airline continue to grow.

Recently the airline has had Boeing 737 MAX aircraft enter service as part of a strategy to grow flights within the Gulf Cooperation Council.

The airline has also expanded outside of the Gulf Cooperation Council with the resumption of flights to Morocco and Birmingham in the UK. The flights Casablanca and Marrakesh in Morocco will operate four time a week to and from Doha. The flights will operate through the summer season with Marrakesh as a seasonal tag that will operate until early September. The flight to Birmingham will also operate during the summer schedule daily.

All three destinations will be served using Boeing 787-8 aircraft with 22 seats in business class and 232 seats in economy.

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.

Emirates Group Reports Most Profitable Year Ever

Vincenzo Claudio Piscopo

Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 08:45 AM ET

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AirlineGeeks.com Staff

An Emirates A380 in Dubai. (AirlineGeeks | Hisham Qadri)

A few days ago, the Emirates Group released its annual report for 2022-23, which turned out to be its best ever, with a new record profit. Following the lifting of almost all pandemic-related restrictions worldwide, there was a complete turnaround from last year’s loss.

Emirates Group posted a record profit of AED 10.9 billion ($3.0 billion) compared to last year’s loss of AED 3.8 billion ($1.0 billion).

Targeted investments

To support the expansion of its operations and strengthen the Group’s future capabilities, Emirates intensified its global recruitment activities during the last year. As a result, the Group’s total workforce grew by 20 percent to 102,379 employees from more than 160 different nationalities.

In 2022-23, the Group has invested heavily in new aircraft, facilities, equipment, businesses and cutting-edge technology. Upcoming goals include:

A comprehensive multi-billion dollar aircraft cabin refurbishment program;
An order for five new 777 Freighters;
Construction of a new pilot training center;
New training aircraft for its cadets at the Emirates Flight Training Academy;
Construction of a new advanced cargo facility in Erbil, Iraq.

In addition, the airline’s strategy of using modern and efficient aircraft has always been at the forefront. Last year, Emirates received two new 777 freighters. It also retired 4 older aircraft, including 2 A380s, 1 Boeing 777-300ER and 1 freighter, bringing its total fleet to 260 aircraft at the end of March, with an average fleet age of 9.1 years. Emirates’ order book stands at 200 aircraft.

Fewer restrictions, better performance

Emirates’ total passenger and cargo capacity increased by 32 percent in 2022-23, as the airline continued to restore passenger services across its network. Emirates also signed codeshare agreements with new partners, notably United Airlines and Air Canada, expanding the airline’s connectivity in the Americas to more than 200 new points.

As a result, Emirates’ total revenues increased by 81 percent to AED 107.4 billion ($29.3 billion), while total operating costs increased by 57 percent over the previous fiscal year. Fuel accounted for 36 percent of operating costs compared to 23 percent in 2021-22.

Emirates SkyCargo

Last year, the cargo division signed commercial agreements with United Airlines and Air Canada to expand the reach and capacity of its network for customers. Emirates SkyCargo contributed 16 percent of the airline’s revenues and recorded a solid AED 17.2 billion ($4.7 billion), down 21 percent from last year’s best performance, but still strengthening its leadership in the cold chain transportation of temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals.

Emirates ended the fiscal year with an exceptional level of liquidity of AED 37.4 billion ($10.2 billion), up 79 percent from the end of the previous year. HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of the airline and Emirates Group, expressed his pride in this achievement, which is “not only a full recovery but also a record result.”

Vincenzo Claudio Piscopo

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.

Trip Report: Surviving the World’s Longest Flight

Taylor Guglielmino

Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 06:04 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

A Singapore Airlines A350 performing the inaugural flight from Seattle. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

Flying on flight SQ24 has been ot the top of my aviation bucket list for a while now. The opportunity to fly on the world’s longest flight isn’t something you can do every day but I wanted to see what it would be like to survive on an airplane for nearly a full day.

Check-in and Lounge

Check-in for this Singapore Airlines flight was done in Jakarta as a part of my connection. The staff was friendly and helpful and I was on my way promptly. While I didn’t have time to utilize the lounge during my layover in Singapore all business class passengers are invited to utilize the SilverKris lounge at Changi Airport.

Boarding

Singapore Changi does the security screening at each gate so once you clear security you are essentially in a box that you can’t leave without having to go through security once again. It is worth noting that there are no restrooms in the secure area so plan accordingly. Once boarding was called all passengers pushed their way to the jet bridge with no real organization. I was seated in 29K, the last row of business class and if you find yourself in the second business class cabin I recommend using the economy jet bridge, it saves a good bit of time.

The Seat

Laying flat at an angle (Photo: Taylor Guglielmino)

The seat is large and comfortable with ample storage space near the window as well as under the footwell. The main complaint that many have, and I tend to agree, is that you are required to sleep diagonally across the seat. I found that you can get comfortable, even on your back, when the seat is in bed mode. The trouble with Singapore Air’s seat comes when you try to put your feet up, the seat is facing straight ahead but the footwell is at a 45-degree angle towards the window.

The Singapore Airline Business Class Cabin (Photo: Taylor Guglielmino)

The Food and Service

The food on this flight was average, I went for a mixture of Southeast Asian and Western and I ordered all my meals via “Book the Cook.” My first meal started with a seared tuna salad followed by a main course of Chicken and Rice that was underwhelmingly underseasoned. To finish an ice cream thing was plopped down in front of me along with a fruit plate, I learned that these were just the last two things on the cart so that’s what I was given with no real explanation. The second dinner service started with Singapore Airlines’ famous chicken satay, which I believe must have been the mid-flight snack that I missed out on because I was asleep. Following the satay was a salmon salad with potatoes and eggs and finally for the main I was served the beef steak with polenta and vegetables.

The service on this flight was well below expectations and well below what SQ advertises, ultimately I felt ignored while the passenger directly across the aisle waited on hand and foot. When I asked for an amenity kit and slippers, which is what the information left at your seat tells you to do, the flight attendant made it seem like I was bothering him. Ultimately it was a very poor showing for the SQ crew on this flight.

Seared Tuna Salad (Photo: Taylor Guglielmino)

Chicken and Rice (Photo: Taylor Guglielmino)

The Ice cream and fruit (Photo: Taylor Guglielmino)

Mid-flight snack, Chicken Satay (Photo: Taylor Guglielmino)

Salmon Starter (Photo: Taylor Guglielmino)

Beef Steak Main Course (Photo: Taylor Guglielmino)

In Conclusion

The big question at the end of this is, Will I fly Singapore Airlines again? It’s a hard maybe, I won’t go out of my way to fly with them again considering there are so many very good airlines in Asia but when the time comes I will give SQ another shot and I’ll report back. I’m happy I got to fly on this route and it definitely checks something off my AvGeek bucket list and that is the whole reason I took this flight.

If you’d like to watch the video trip report of this flight it can be found here:

Taylor Guglielmino