Aliens and A330s: Inside Roswell Airport’s Aircraft Boneyard

Saturday, May 06, 2023 at 09:27 AM ET

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American MD-80s in Roswell (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Aircraft boneyards are top destinations for aviation enthusiasts who want a sneak peek into aviation history. Located around the United States and the world, these facilities store aircraft for airlines that need to retire an aircraft type, modernize their fleets, or temporarily downsize when they hit a bump in the road.

The most famous American boneyards are located in the country’s southwest; Victorville, Calif. and Tucson, Ariz. host two of the most well-known boneyards in the country. But the boneyard at the Roswell International Air Center in New Mexico is equally notable, both for the aircraft stored there and because the airport has active commercial flights on American Eagle.

As AirlineGeeks has previously reported, the Roswell International Air Center has a storied history. It was previously known as the Roswell Army International Air Field and the Walker Air Force Base. The military base was closed in 1967, and the airport assumed the identity we know today. The airport receives daily regional jet service to and from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, and air force jets doing pattern work are a regular sight at the airport.

The airport’s boneyard is host to beloved aircraft in the United States. It is home to dozens of retired American Airlines McDonnell-Douglass MD-80s as well as a mixture of Boeing 737s, 747s, A330s and 767s. There are modern jets waiting to be called back to the skies, and there are old jets more valuable for their parts and metals. There are familiar airline logos, retro liveries, cargo aircraft, and white-tailed aircraft neglected for years.

Such a scene is captivating for aviation enthusiasts. Boneyards like Roswell offer passengers a step into the past they can no longer access. In an industry consolidating into a duopoly between Airbus and Boeing and trending towards twin-engined narrowbodies capable of transoceanic flights, stepping onto an old MD-80 or a 747 configured for passengers instead of cargo brings back the nostalgia that is coming further and farther between on regularly-scheduled commercial flights.

Besides its boneyard, Roswell’s claim to fame is a 1947 incident concerning the debris from a downed military balloon that was recovered in Roswell. For decades since, theorists have speculated that this debris was actually a flying saucer whose existence was being covered up by the United States military. After the Roswell Army Air Field announced they had recovered a “flying disc,” the military quickly changed the statement to say that the item was actually a conventional weather balloon.

Whether it’s due to their history, the storied planes they host, or the theories surrounding them, aircraft boneyards hold a special place in aviation enthusiasts’ hearts. Whether taking a trip to reminisce about aviation history or curious to just look around, boneyards continue to be a favorite among aviation enthusiasts looking for a few extra aircraft.

Check Out These Exclusive Photos from Roswell:

American MD-80 aircraft in Roswell, New Mexico (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

A former Alitalia 777 aircraft in storage (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

All photos via AirlineGeeks photographer William Derrickson

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.

Trip Report: Singapore Airlines Short Haul Business Class

Taylor Guglielmino

Friday, May 05, 2023 at 11:52 PM ET

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Vanni Gibertini

Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-300ER (Photo | Gab01 by Creative Commons 3.0)

This flight is the second in a series of flights that took me around the world so I could fly on the world’s longest flight and despite being only one hour in length it may have been the best of the bunch.

Check-in

The check-in experience in Jakarta was lovely, I arrived about 30 minutes before check-in opened but the staff were able to get me checked in. After I received my tickets I made my way through to immigration and security. Immigration in Indonesia had a hard time understanding why I was only in their beautiful country for a matter of 5 hours. After a brief explanation that I was a writer and YouTuber my passport was stamped and I was on my way to find the lounge

Lounge Access

Singapore Airlines uses the Plaza Premium Lounge in Jakarta. At the time it was being shared with Japan Airlines and was fairly empty at 5 o’clock in the morning. The lounge had plenty of seating space and ample self-serve food options but what really made my morning was the live cooking station with a chef preparing meals from scratch. I opted for the noodle soup but omelets and other breakfast options were available. I found a private corner near a window and enjoyed my breakfast.

Plaza Premium Lounge at CGK | Taylor Guglielmino

Breakfast at the CGK Plaza Premium Lounge at CGK | Taylor Guglielmino

Boarding

Boarding for SQ953 started 10 minutes late, a delay that the gate agents profusely apologized for over the PA maybe 10 times. Walking down the jet bridge to a 777 for a flight that is only one hour long is something that I will never get tired of. It is worth noting that SQ does actually have a regional wide body fleet that was supposed to be employed on this flight but there was a last-minute equipment change that led to this flight being operated on the long-haul product. Business class on this flight was relatively empty but the world-renowned cabin service was the best of the entire trip (foreshadowing). I was promptly greeted by the two (TWO?!?!) cabin crew that would be taking care of me on this short flight and I settled into seat 20A.

Singapore Airlines Business Class Seat Abaord a 777 | Taylor Guglielmino

Cabin Crew and Meal Service

Shortly after takeoff, one of the cabin crew came by to confirm that I had preordered the Soya Noodle dish and to prepare the enormous tray table that the meal service would be placed on. Moments later my hot lunch was dropped off along with fresh fruit and yogurt. For this short flight, I chose to stick with water and orange juice. As I dug into the delicious noodle dish that laid before the cabin crew once again came around, this time with garlic bread. The food was great and U.S. mainline carriers could learn a thing or two about service, again this flight was in the air for only an hour but I was served a hot meal with drinks and garlic bread.

In Conclusion

After departing this short flight with SQ I thoroughly understood why they are held in such a high regard in the world of luxury commercial aviation. The crew was fantastic, the food was top notch and the seat comfortable. Singapore Airlines hit a home run with this flight and it left me feeling excited for my next flight, SQ24, the longest flight in the world.

Taylor Guglielmino

Emirates and Etihad Team Up to Boost UAE Tourism

Hemal Gosai

Friday, May 05, 2023 at 05:19 PM ET

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Etihad and Emirates Sign Interline Agreement (Photo: Emirates Airline)

The two major airlines of the United Arab Emirates have agreed to work towards a common goal: to boost tourism to the country. The Dubai-based carrier Emirates and the Abu Dhabi-based carrier Etihad have signed an agreement to expand their interline agreements to promote tourism in the UAE.

This will be accomplished by enabling one key feature that is going to be undoubtedly helpful to many tourists that are visiting the UAE, open jaw itineraries involving both major UAE airports.

Open Jaw UAE Tickets

In a couple of months, tourists will be able to fly into Dubai or Abu Dhabi and fly out of the other in a single ticket provided they’re flying on Emirates or Etihad. This allows for someone to explore multiple parts of the UAE without needing to travel back to the airport they came in at or have separate tickets. A tourist can fly into Abu Dhabi on Etihad, explore the Emirate for a couple of days, then go to Dubai for some more tourism, and then fly out of Dubai on Emirates.

Customers who are traveling into the UAE will also have the choice to travel from one city on both carriers’ networks and return to another point served by either airline.

This agreement officially kicks off in the summer with a focus on passengers coming from Europe and China.

Increasing Cooperation

It’s about time we see this level of cooperation between the two major airlines in the UAE. The two airports aren’t that far from each other, and both serve as major transit hubs for passengers. There are even rumors about the two airlines merging that circulate every so often.

Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai command significant tourism numbers with each city offering different attractions. It’s no secret though that Dubai is the more popular though. Hopefully, with the ease of open-jaw tickets there will be a greater balancing of tourism.

Perhaps in the future, as the interline agreement grows we will see additional benefits added such as chauffeur service between the two Emirate cities that go beyond airport pick-ups and drop-offs. There is a lot of potential in offering transportation services between the two cities as part of this agreement. A significant portion of the infrastructure already exists. Both Emirates and Etihad offer chauffeur services for premium passengers and bus services between the two cities for economy passengers.

It shouldn’t be a significant lift to start offering services like hotel-to-hotel or bus station-to-bus station services for passengers with qualifying tickets. It solves the challenge of needing to drag luggage from one city to the other.

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.

Frontier Inaugurates Routes from Puerto Rico

Zach Cooke

Thursday, May 04, 2023 at 09:00 PM ET

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Benjamin Pham

A Frontier Airbus A320neo in Las Vegas. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Frontier Airlines recently announced the inauguration of eight new routes from Puerto Rico to the United States and Mexico. The beginning of these flights will make Frontier the largest operator regarding non-stop routes to the island, from a previous 12 to now 20.

The Denver-based carrier began operating from San Juan to Chicago’s Midway Airport, Clevland, Ohio, Baltimore and Dallas-Fort Worth on May 4. Service to Baltimore and Dallas will be daily, while Chicago will be operated six times weekly and Cleveland, four times weekly. On May 5, the carrier started service to Detroit, which will operate four times weekly.

Lastly in San Juan, service to Cancún, Mexico will begin on May 11 and will operate three times a week. The airline will be the only carrier to connect Puerto Rico and Mexico directly. The routes to Cancún and Detroit will be operated seasonally.

The start of these routes comes just one day before Spirit begins its five-route San Juan expansion. The Mirimar-Fla.-based carrier has launched routes to Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit and Hartford, Conn. All routes listed began on May 5 with the exception of service to Hartford which will begin on June 7.

Frontier began service to two of these destinations just a day prior. Chicago will have new services from both carriers, albeit different airports served. Spirit will begin operations to Detroit first. Spirit is now joining existing Frontier service to Atlanta and Hartford.

Airline’s Other Island Destinations

San Juan isn’t the only airport seeing expansion from Frontier. Both Aguadilla and Ponce will see a new route operated by the Denver-based carrier to Tampa, Fla. and Orlando, Fla. respectively. Both routes will be operated three times weekly and began May 4. Service to Tamapa joins the carrier’s service to Orlando from Aguadilla making Frontier the only carrier to operate the route until JetBlue launches its service to Tampa in July.

Ponce is a new city served by Frontier. The carrier joins JetBlue and Spirit to operate to Orlando from the city. The three carriers are the only scheduled passenger carriers to operate into and out of Ponce. By beginning service to Ponce, Frontier now provides three airports for residents and visitors to choose from, joining JetBlue and Spirit to offer the most destinations from the mainland United States to Puerto Rico.

Jorge Hernandez, CEO of Aerostar Puerto Rico, made a statement highlighting the positive impact that the new routes will provide stating “We congratulate Frontier Airlines on expanding its operations. This growth will translate into more flight options for travelers and, therefore, more jobs and commercial activity at the airport, for the benefit of Puerto Rico.”

Dubbed America’s Greenest Airline, Frontier will operate the routes using Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft. According to Airfleets.net, the Denver-based carrier’s Airbus aircraft with the new engine option, or neo, makes up roughly 74% of the current fleet. According to a press release from 2021, Frontier plans on retiring the company’s A320ceo aircraft from the fleet by the end of 2024, with the A321ceos following by the end of 2028.

Currently, the carrier is the largest operator of the A320neos in the United States and plans on taking deliveries of A320neos and A321neos through the end of 2029 to expand the airline’s fleet size to 272 aircraft.

Zach Cooke

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

Vietnam Airlines Records Pre-Tax Profit and Expands Its Route Map

Pete Ainsley

Wednesday, May 03, 2023 at 01:00 PM ET

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Benjamin Pham

A Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner on approach into London's Heathrow Airport. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

After three years of the pandemic, Vietnam Airlines has reported the first pre-tax profit of VDN 19.3 billion ($822,500) in the first quarter of 2023. As a result of the strong travel demand, the revenue in the first quarter was doubled year on year and close to the pre-pandemic levels to VDN 23.64 trillion, the highest quarter revenue since 2020. However, the carrier has recorded a post-tax loss of VDN 37.3 billion.

The airline served 5.1 million passengers in the first quarter of the year, increasing 63% year on year. It attributed to the Lunar New Year holidays in January, the airline needed to boost its capacity to meet the pent-up demand. Meanwhile, the international travel demand to U.S., Europe, Australia and domestic travel demand were also on the rise.

In addition, China has lifted its travel restrictions in January. Chinese government has gone further in allowing the travel agency to operate the sightseeing tours to Vietnam in mid-March. Vietnam has rolled out the red carpet for the first Chinese sightseeing tour in April. The Vietnamese carriers and the travel sectors are expected to be benefited from the sightseeing tours.

However, Pacific Airlines and Vietnam Air Services Company, the carriers’ subsidiaries were left behind, recording 40% lower than pre-pandemic levels. Earlier, The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has revealed that it is confident of recovering, expecting a full recovery from the pandemic by the end of the year.

Route Map Expansion

In the second year of the post-pandemic, Vietnam Airlines continues to spread its wings, launching Hanoi – Melbourne, Australia on Jun. 15. The airline will use A350-900 with three classes on the new route. The airline will operate 18 flights per week connecting two countries, providing the highest frequency in the country. Before the pandemic, almost 50% passengers flying with Vietnam Airlines to Australia.

India has been on Vietnam Airlines’ radar since last year, as the flights to New Delhi were launched in June. After one year of starting the flights, the airline will increase the service to India by adding Hanoi, Vietnam – Mumbai and Ho Chi Minh City – Mumbai starting on May. 20. Airbus A321s will be used on the routes.

In addition, the airline announced that its London service will resume to a daily service on Oct.29. Before the operation of daily service, the airline will gradually ramp up its frequencies to five-times-a-week starting from Jul. 1. Vietnam Airlines is in line with its rival, Bamboo Airways, to operate Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in three classes.

“With the resumption of daily services from London confirmed once again for this winter, we are determined to return to pre-pandemic passenger numbers – which peaked at approximately 74,000 from London Heathrow in 2019 – as soon as possible,” Phan The Thang, the airline’s general manager for the U.K. and Ireland, said.

Pete Ainsley

Cabo Verde Airlines Resumes Paris Routes and Expands Fleet

Victor Shalton

Wednesday, May 03, 2023 at 06:41 AM ET

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Vanni Gibertini

Cabo Verde Airlines (TACV) Boeing 737-700 (Photo: Instagram @caboverdeairlines)

Cabo Verde Airlines has announced the resumption of its flights between Cape Verde and Paris after more than three years of absence. From July 23, 2023, the airline will operate two flights per week between Praia-Nelson Mandela and Paris-CDG airport, operated by a Boeing 737-700 that can accommodate 12 passengers in Business class and 108 in Economy. Departures are scheduled on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. to arrive at 6:30 p.m., with return flights leaving France on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. to land at 2:20 p.m.

In addition to the Paris routes, Cabo Verde Airlines will also connect two other airports to the French capital starting from July 24, with a Boeing 737-700 taking off from Roissy to arrive at 2:20 p.m. in Sao Vicente-Cesaria Evoria then at 4:00 p.m. at its base in Sal-Amicar Cabral; it will leave on Wednesday at 7:45 a.m. and take off from Sao Vicente at 9:30 a.m. to land at 6:30 p.m. in Paris. Cabo Verde Airlines will compete with Azores Airlines in Praia, with Transavia France in Sal and without competition in Sao Vicente.

The airline had been grounded by the Covid-19 pandemic for 15 months but announced the resumption of its operations in June 2021, initially between Sal and Lisbon, its only other international destination at the time, with three weekly rotations.

After being renationalized in July 2021, Cabo Verde Airlines has just one 737-700 (D3-CCI) in its fleet, but it is expecting a second aircraft for July, a Boeing 737 MAX 8.

Also known as the Transportes Aéreos de Cabo Verde (TACV), the Cape Verde’s flag carrier, will lease the second aircraft to add to its only 737-700. The airline has launched a competition with its customers to baptize the future aircraft, with “Cidade Velha”, “Morabeza”, and “Esperança” currently leading the suggestions.

TACV had suspended its operations during the Covid-19 pandemic and relaunched its route between Praia-Nelson Mandela and Lisbon at the end of 2021, with Humberto Delgado Airport now also being served from Sal and Sao Vicente-Cesaria Evoria.

Renationalized in July 2021, TACV has transported 28,000 passengers since resuming operations. According to the Minister of Transport Carlos Santos, TACV is “in negotiation to rent a second plane to connect to Boston”, a city that, along with Brazil and France, is part of the airline’s plan for the near future “to be able to bring and promote more and more this interconnection with the diaspora, in the midst of all this turmoil.”

TACV has received state aid several times during the pandemic.

In February last year, the Cape Verdean government had granted another guarantee for a loan of USD 1.58 million to TACV, in view of “emergency needs”, such as the payment of salaries.

In March 2019, the State of Cape Verde sold 51% of TACV for USD to Lofleidir Cabo Verde, a company 70% owned by Loftleidir Icelandic EHF (Icelandair group, which took 36% of Cabo Verde Airlines — company’s trade name) and 30% by Icelandic entrepreneurs with experience in the aviation sector (who took over the remaining 15% of the privatized 51% share).

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.

Indian Low-Cost Carrier Go First Files for Bankruptcy

Devaansh Dhoot

Tuesday, May 02, 2023 at 07:33 PM ET

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Vanni Gibertini

Go First's Airbus A320neo (Photo: Twitter @GoFirstairways)

Go Airlines of India, branded as “GO FIRST” has voluntarily filed for resolution and protections with the National Company Law Tribunal in New Delhi.

The low-cost carrier has filed for the same under Section 10 of the Insolvency Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

The 55-aircraft-strong carrier had to take the step owing to financial and operational problems being faced due to the increasing number of failing engines supplied by Pratt & Whitney. The engine manufacturer is the sole supplier of engines for the airline’s Airbus A320NEO fleet.

The airline was planning on going public last year. The airline, originally called GoAir, rebranded itself as “Go First” for the IPO.

The Indian airline has a fleet of 55 A320 NEOs, all powered by P&W engines. Since 2018, the same has been facing glitches, hampering operations, and causing delays and monetary losses to Go First as well as IndiGo. The difference between IndiGo and Go First is that the former has a huge fleet of A320s with both CFM and P&W engines. Hence, IndiGo is not facing similar complications as Go First.

P&W non-compliant with arbitration ruling

As of May 1, 25 out of 55 A320NEOs of the aircraft are grounded owing to engine issues. After a round of arbitration under the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) dated Mar 30, 2023, the airline was awarded a verdict wherein P&W where required to supply at least 10 serviceable leased engines by April 2023 and a further 10 engines per month until December.

The same award was confirmed again on Apr. 15.

Pratt & Whitney failed to provide any serviceable leased engines to the troubled airline, further maintaining that no such engines are available to comply with the arbitration award.

The losses sustained by the single aircraft type operator in monetary terms are enough to make any airline operator sweat. In order to keep the airline in the air, the promoters have already infused nearly $391 million. Since the airline commenced operations in 2005, the promoters have invested approximately $800 million.

The engine-issue-plagued airline has received support from the Indian government via its Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme.

The airline claims that the grounding of 50% of its fleet owing to P&W engine glitches, while still paying 100% operating costs has set the company back by a whopping $1.3 billion in lost revenues and additional expenses.

The Indian airline has been paying lessors amounts due even for the non-operational, grounded aircraft.

At its very essence, and as observed by the SIAC, the financial issues faced by the airline can also be laid with the ongoing issues with Pratt & Whitney.

If an engine manufacturer of faulty engines does not repair, supply new engines, or provide compensation for losses faced when the same issue manages to cripple 50% of the available capacity, any airline no matter how big or small will face similar problems.

In the past 24 hours, the airline halted flight bookings on May 3 and 4. Third-party booking websites removed the listing of the same. Additionally, the airline has also sued Pratt & Whitney.

The filing for resolution and protection has made Go First the first airline to file for bankruptcy since Jet Airways in 2018.

Aviation in India was following a commendable upward growth with the industry witnessing the best April in terms of domestic traffic, with the highest traffic and loads. The sector was able to cross the average daily traffic of February 2020, the last month of regular operations before the pandemic.

All the above simply points to all that Go First is losing in terms of revenue, traffic, and market share.
Regardless of whether or not the airline is able to recuperate from this speedbump, it will end up missing what looks to be a very fruitful and promising summer season in India.

Devaansh Dhoot

Japan Airlines Announces New Disney-Themed Livery

Andrew Chen

Tuesday, May 02, 2023 at 06:00 AM ET

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Benjamin Pham

The inaugural Boeing 787 Dreamliner for JAL preparing for a flight from Seattle to Tokyo. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

Japan Airlines (JAL) has unveiled its latest Disney-themed special livery to mark the 40^th anniversary of Tokyo Disney Resort. The Japanese flag carrier has announced that a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft will start flying with the new look on June 9, 2023.

A Disney-Themed Experience

The special livery will feature popular Disney characters in front of a colorful background. Tokyo Disney Resort’s two theme parks, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, will also be represented by images of the parks’ centerpieces, Cinderella Castle and Mount Prometheus. The aircraft will be named “JAL Colorful Dreams Express” and will celebrate the resort’s “Dreams Go Round” 40th anniversary celebration.

Rendering of Japan Airlines’ special livery for the 40th anniversary of Tokyo Disney Resort. (Photo: Japan Airlines)

Not only will the aircraft feature a special livery, but passengers traveling on board the plane will also receive to themed amenities and service items. Passengers can request a special boarding certificate, which features one of three designs depending on when they travel during the year-long anniversary event. Once on board, travelers will find headrest covers featuring 40th anniversary artwork as well as themed paper cups during beverage service.

Themed cups, headrest covers and special boarding certificates for Japan Airlines’ themed aircraft for the 40th anniversary of Tokyo Disney Resort. (Photo: Japan Airlines)

The aircraft that will receive the new special livery is a 17.5-year-old Boeing 767-300ER, registered as JA614J. Japan Airlines is scheduled to make its Disney-themed debut on June 9, 2023 with a two-hour commemorative flight departing and arriving at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

The aircraft was first delivered to the airline in 2005 and currently has a domestic configuration with five first class seats, 42 “Class J” business class seats and 205 economy class seats.

According to the airline, the aircraft will serve domestic routes between Haneda Airport and destinations throughout Japan including Sapporo, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Osaka and Okinawa. The livery and experience will remain in service until the end of the anniversary celebration at the end of March 2024.

A Decades-Long Partnership

Japan Airlines has had a long-standing partnership with Tokyo Disney Resort. For instance, it has been a sponsor of Tokyo Disneyland, since the park opened in 1983. The carrier was a longtime sponsor of StarJets, an aerial carousel-style ride similar to the Astro Jets attraction found at Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Florida. The Japanese version of the attraction closed in 2017.

A Japan Airlines Boeing 767-300ER (JA615J) in 2022 with a “Disney 100” special livery. (Photo: Japan Airlines)

Since the early 1990s, Japan Airlines has had over a dozen special liveries themed for various aspects of Tokyo Disney Resort. Over the years, aircraft had special paint jobs and decals to mark special occasions such as Tokyo DisneySea’s opening and the 30th and 35th anniversaries of the resort, which helped promote the resort.

The Disney-themed aircraft have mostly been domestically-configured jets. Additionally, The resort’s success over the years has largely relied on Japanese visitors.

Japan Airlines Boeing 747-400D (JA8908) with a “Disney friends” special livery in 2001. (Photo: Ken Fielding (Wikimedia Commons), licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0)

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.

Alaska Begins New Partnership with Taiwan’s STARLUX

Joey Gerardi

Monday, May 01, 2023 at 03:06 AM ET

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An Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)

Seattle-based Alaska Airlines has just begun its partnership with Taiwan-based STARLUX. The Taiwanese carrier just began its first flights to the United States two days ago, on April 27, 2023, which operated from the country’s capital in Taipei to Los Angeles, which is an Alaska Airlines hub.

The partnership means members from both airlines can enjoy benefits such as earning and spending miles in each other’s countries. Alaska Airlines passengers can now connect directly to STARLUX in LAX and continue onto 16 other destinations in Asia.

STARLUX Airlines’ first Airbus A350-900 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport after its delivery flight (Photo | STARLUX Airlines)

Alaska Airlines’ SVP of fleet, finance, and alliances Nat Pieper did have something to say regarding the partnership in a press release from the airline: “STARLUX is a premier global airline offering world-class service and amenities. We’re proud to be their first airline partner. Our guests will love flying on STARLUX, connecting the West Coast, Taipei and many more incredible places in Asia. We’re thrilled to offer our loyal Mileage Plan members another exciting way to see the world.”

STARLUX passengers flying into the United States can also connect with Alaska Airlines to over 100 destinations from their hub at LAX. The partnership also means bags will connect in either direction and within each other’s route network making it easier for passengers given the complexity of LAX.

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.

New French ATC Protests: Ryanair Petition Surpasses 600,000 Signatures

Vincenzo Claudio Piscopo

Monday, May 01, 2023 at 03:03 AM ET

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AirlineGeeks.com Staff

Ryanair is one of the many carriers affected by the ATC strike (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fabian Behr)

May 1, 2023, Labor Day, will see the next round of protests in France against the raising of the retirement age from 62 to 64. The reform, approved by the French Constitutional Court on April 14, has sparked new protests across the country. The change, sought by current President Emmanuel Macron, was presented as a way to force workers to pay more into the system, which the French government says is on the verge of going into deficit. The reform would also require 43 years of work to be eligible for a full pension, while people are already entitled to a full state pension at the age of 67, regardless of contributions.

Most French unions have therefore called on citizens and workers in all sectors to take to the streets in protests and marches. Air Traffic Controllers have also taken part in general strikes, and the French authorities have warned that this will lead to disruptions from the evening of Sunday, April 30, until 6 a.m. on Tuesday, May 2.

Just a few days ago, EasyJet CEO Johan Lundgren said that the British airline does not contest the right to strike, but flights on French soil must be protected, warning that France must deal with strikes before tourists “go elsewhere”. During the protests, some 10 million travelers were affected by delays and 64,000 people had their flights canceled.

In Paris, the Direction générale de l’aviation civile (DGAC) has asked airlines to cancel 33 percent of scheduled flights at Orly and 25 percent at Charles de Gaulle and Beauvais airports on May 1. However, not only French airports will be affected, but most likely the flight will only “pass through” French skies. The most affected airports will be Paris Orly, Charles de Gaulle and Beauvais, as well as Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nantes and Nice.

Ryanair confirmed that more than 600,000 passengers have already signed the “Protect Passengers: Keep EU Skies Open” petition launched by the Irish low-cost airline five weeks ago. The aim is to call on EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to take immediate action to protect the freedom of movement and overflight of European citizens during the French air traffic control strikes. Once the petition reaches one million signatures, the airline will present it to the EU Commission.

According to Ryanair’s website, in the first four months of 2023, more than 50 days of French ATC strikes (10 times more than in all of 2022) forced the Irish airline to cancel more than 3,700 flights, resulting in the short-term cancellation of more than 666,000 passenger flights, not only in French skies, but also in Germany, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

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.