An Air India Express Boeing 737 landing at Singapore Changi Airport. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)
It has not even been a few hours since the Indian airline’s deal with Airbus was officially announced and another deal, albeit known and expected, with Boeing has also been announced. U.S. President Joe Biden has applauded the deal, the sticker price for the same being $34 billion.
According to sources, the American manufacturer will supply a total of 220 aircraft. The deal means that the total outstanding orders of Air India stand at 470 aircraft. Two hundred fifty of those orders are to the French aircraft manufacturer, Airbus.
Boeing is no stranger to the Indian skies. It currently holds a 100% share of widebody aircraft in the country. Several airlines in the country are loyal and regular customers of the Boeing 737 family aircraft including the ill-reputed Boeing 737 MAX.
The fact that the Indian carrier has placed significant orders with both manufacturers has a certain thinking and logic behind it.
Air India is owned by the privately owned global conglomerate, the Tata Group of India. The airline was a loss-making government venture, and hence the process for privatization was started in 2017. The same ended with the Tata Group gaining control of two airlines- Air India and a subsidiary called Air India Express. Additionally, the Tata Group owns majority stakes in full-cost carrier Vistara and the low-cost carrier Air Asia India.
The mega deal with Airbus and Boeing enables upgradation and fleet modernization as and where required.
Ever since the Tata Group had all four airlines under its belt, speculation and professional opinion point to the fact that at some point or other, the number of airlines will be reduced through a consolidation of operations.
Air India has a mixed fleet of both manufacturers. Vistara also has aircraft from both manufacturers. Air India Express operates 737s exclusively. Air Asia India operates A320s exclusively.
Which aircraft will be placed where or with which airline depends on the requirements of the airline and the judgment of the management. Nevertheless, this entire deal could be called a masterstroke since by signing both deals, the needs of multiple airlines under the parent group will be able to solve.
Air India departure to Delhi from Dulles. [J David Buerk Photography]
The flag carrier of India, Air India has officially announced its deal to purchase 250 aircraft from Airbus of France. After much speculation and rumors, this deal was considered finalized by most people awaiting just an official announcement from all the involved parties.
This deal is in line with the policy of the TATA Group, the new owners of Air India. They are renewing and breathing life into the dilapidated and loss-making airline.
In a live stream, the deal was announced in the presence of Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India; Emmanuel Macron, President of France; N Chandrasekaran, the Chairman of Tata Sons; Guillame Faury, the CEO of Airbus and Ratan Tata.
As mentioned, the deal involves the purchase of 250 aircraft, a combination of widebody and narrowbody aircraft. Airbus has the A350 and the A330NEO as available options for widebody aircraft. The Indian carrier has opted for 40 A350s. It is not yet known which variant of the same has been ordered.
The France-based aircraft manufacturer has the A320 family and the A220 family on offer for narrowbody aircraft. The oldest Indian airline already has 68 planes of the A320 family [Source: Planespotters.net]. It is yet to be announced as to which narrowbody aircraft will be selected. However, logically speaking, the chances of more A320 family aircraft entering service are highly probable.
However, this is not all.
Air India was a government-owned entity, which was sold to the TATA Group in 2022. Incidentally, the airline was started by J.R.D. Tata. The same person started to build a business that has today spread across the globe and the name “TATA” is now known around the world across several sectors.
The 250 aircraft deal is just part of a massive modernization and upgradation plan in the works. Another 220 aircraft will be ordered, speculatively from the American aircraft maker, Boeing.
This brings the sum total of this massive fleet upgradation entailing 470 aircraft orders, which is absolutely enormous.
Additionally, the Tata Group has already invested a good amount of money to upgrade the interiors of its current widebody fleet in order to provide customers an experience with the best comforts and in-flight entertainment. Rumors flying around also state that the airline’s livery might also be updated if not changed.
This deal with Airbus is a massive win for the aerospace giant in India. Some might ask, “India is already filled with Airbus aircraft, how is this a win?” The answer that the French company has won orders for 40 widebody aircraft, ending the monopoly of widebody aircraft being enjoyed by Boeing. The last time an Airbus widebody was in regular use in India was by Jet Airways when it had the A330 in its fleet. However, Jet Airways went belly up in 2019. Since then no Indian airline has operated an Airbus widebody.
This order for 40 A350s beckons a new era of competition among the two aerospace juggernauts, Airbus and Boeing.
India is going through a paradigm shift in its aviation industry across all fronts. Both Airbus and Boeing already had their binoculars trained on the country since before the pandemic because of the massive boom in travel and aviation being predicted.
Each day airlines report figures which have crossed the pre-pandemic levels, an indication that the psyche of Indian travelers has been changed to the extent that they can freely traverse the country by air without irrational fear of Covid-19.
A Southwest Boeing 737 MAX 8 on approach to Paine Field.
(Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)
After the devastating operational meltdown that left hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded across the United States during last year’s holiday season, Southwest Airlines has resumed its “business as usual” mode doing what it has been doing best for over 50 years: flying customers and delivering results for its investors.
Despite the cost of the heavy disruptions that almost brought its network to a standstill towards the end of December, Southwest was able to deliver a profit during the last quarter announcing a dividend of $0.18 per share that will be paid on Mar. 29.
Three New Services At Long Beach Airport
In addition to that the Texas-based carrier also announced an expansion of its domestic network adding 21 new routes that will start between July and September 2023. Three of these routes will launch from Long Beach Airport (LGB), the third airport in the Los Angeles area served by Southwest after Los Angeles International (LAX) and Burbank.
On Jul. 11 daily flights will commence to Colorado Springs, CO and El Paso, TX, while on Sept. 5 there will be a new daily service to Albuquerque, NM.
Long Beach Airport used to be the main base of low-cost airline JetBlue in Southern California before the New York-based carrier progressively moved the focus of its West Coast operations to Los Angeles International and eventually decided to stop serving the airport in October 2020. After the departure of JetBlue, Southwest Airlines spotted an opportunity and opened a base at Long Beach. With these new services just announced, now Southwest serves 22 destinations as far east as Orlando, FL and as far west as Honolulu.
Other routes to be launched include a mix of services restarted after the pandemic-induced hiatus and brand-new routes, as well as seasonal and year-round connections.
One of those is the flight from Baltimore International (BWI) to Oakland International (OAK), one of the very first transcontinental routes that were started by Southwest Airlines to connect two of the main hubs in their network.
Vanni fell in love with commercial aviation during his undergraduate studies in Statistics at the University of Bologna, when he prepared his thesis on the effects of deregulation on the U.S. and European aviation markets. Then he pursued his passion further by obtaining a Master’s Degree in Air Transport Management at Cranfield University in the U.K. followed by holding several management positions at various start-up carriers in Europe (Jet2, SkyEurope, Silverjet). After moving to Canada, he was Business Development Manager for IATA for nine years before turning to his other passion: sports writing.
Zero Emission Aviation Consortium Launched in New Zealand
An Air New Zealand 787 Dreamliner at Paine Field.
(Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Bailey)
A new Zero Emissions Aviation Consortium was recently launched in New Zealand to help the country become a pioneer in the commercial use of environmentally friendly hydrogen-powered aircraft.
Although hydrogen is a difficult gas to handle, it has a high energy density. It must be remembered that on Earth hydrogen is mainly found in combined form (with oxygen in water or with carbon), and in gaseous form in very small quantities in the Earth’s atmosphere. Therefore, unlike fossil fuels, hydrogen cannot be extracted but must be produced.
There are three kinds of hydrogen:
Brown hydrogen is produced from hydrocarbon-rich feedstocks such as fossil fuels, including methane and coal. It produces as much CO2 as the combustion of the fuel.
Blue hydrogen is basically brown hydrogen, but the CO2 produced is captured and stored permanently.
Green hydrogen is hydrogen, but produced from renewable sources (such as solar and wind) through the process of electrolysis, from which hydrogen can be produced, the subsequent conversion of which produces energy and water vapor, without producing any pollutants.
The consortium will focus exclusively on green hydrogen.
The Consortium
The six consortium partners, Airbus, Fortescue Future Industries (FFI), Air New Zealand, Hiringa Energy, Fabrum and Christchurch Airport, will work together to develop the necessary solutions to meet the targets and to develop policies, regulations and incentives to support the development of hydrogen aviation in New Zealand.
Airbus is already very active in this field and has been working for several years to develop and deliver the world’s first hydrogen-powered commercial airliner (the ZEROe project) with a target date of 2035.
Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) is a Western Australian green energy company committed to the production of environmentally friendly, carbon-neutral hydrogen from 100% renewable sources.
Air New Zealand is an airline with a fleet of 104 operational aircraft ranging from Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners and Airbus A320s to ATRs and Q300s. Air New Zealand aims to make its first hydrogen-powered commercial demonstration flight in 2026 and begin replacing its Q300 turboprop fleet with low-emission aircraft from 2030.
Hiringa Energy is a New Zealand-based company that has been developing high-capacity green hydrogen production and refueling infrastructure across New Zealand since 2017, with the first four stations already under construction in Hamilton, Palmerston North, Auckland and Tauranga, and plans to expand to 100 stations across New Zealand by 2030.
Fabrum is a New Zealand company that manufactures green hydrogen systems for ground infrastructure at airports, as well as onboard tanks to transport liquid hydrogen for zero-emission flights. It co-developed the world’s first electric aircraft engine for Magnix and built superconducting electric motors/rotors for SAFFRAN/Airbus. The New Zealand company recently developed lightweight liquid hydrogen tank technology for Emirates Team New Zealand’s Chase Zero boat, which is sure to be useful in aviation.
Christchurch Airport, on the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island, is currently developing a 400-hectare renewable energy zone called Kōwhai Park.
The creation of a consortium demonstrates once again that it is not enough for a single company or airport to ‘solve’ the problem of aviation emissions, but that collective and joint action is needed to create a system involving all the different players in the strategic sectors: design, logistics and infrastructure.
New Zealand already has green hydrogen buses, trucks, trains and boats, some of which are supplied by the country’s infrastructure. Through this consortium, it will be possible to define and develop the existing infrastructure to supply aircraft.
In the first phase, to be completed by the end of 2023, the hydrogen supply chain will be studied and the projected needs of the local aviation market up to 2050 will be assessed. This will be followed by an investigation into the feasibility of test flights of hydrogen-powered aircraft in New Zealand.
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.
EgyptAir has received its first dedicated narrow-body freighter, a Boeing 737-800SF, as part of the airline’s modernization plan.
The aircraft, which was sent for conversion work to Florida-based Aeronautical Engineers Inc. (AEI) in September 2022, arrived in Cairo International Airport on Feb. 4.
The 737-800SF offers a main deck payload of up to 52,700 lbs and includes 11 full height 88” x 125” container positions, along with a large 86- by 137-inch main cargo door and a single vent door system.
The aircraft will join EgyptAir’s cargo subsidiary, EgyptAir Cargo, which already operates three Airbus A330-P2Fs with a capacity of 60 tons per aircraft.
EgyptAir is seeking to expand in the cargo market and modernize its cargo and passenger fleet. The airline aims to increase its fleet size and open new freighter markets in the coming years, leveraging its strategic location near the intersection of Africa and the Middle East.
In addition to the 737-800SF, EgyptAir is expecting to receive the first two of seven Airbus A321neos in March, which will be leased from AerCap. The airline operates a total of 28 737-800 passenger aircraft, one Airbus A320, and eight Airbus A320neos.
AEI specializes in passenger-to-freighter conversions and has received approvals from several aviation authorities, including the FAA, EASA, TCCA, UK CAA, and ANAC. The company is committed to obtaining additional foreign approvals to assist its leasing customers in placing their aircraft around the world. The 737-800SF is the only aircraft in AEI’s conversion fleet that has been approved for ETOPS 180.
The AEI converted 737-800SF freighter also includes a flexible Ancra Cargo Loading System, a rigid 9g barrier, five supernumerary seats as standard, a galley, and full lavatory. The forward-thinking design allows for containers to be loaded into the aircraft a full 16.5” aft of the forward door jamb, ensuring ground operators have sufficient maneuvering room, which minimizes potential door and aircraft strikes.
EgyptAir’s MRO arm, EgyptAir Maintenance and Engineering, is reportedly considering performing its own 737 freighter conversions in the future. The airline’s cargo operations have grown during the COVID-19 period, with the company starting new routes to accommodate the need to transport medical items and agricultural crops.
EgyptAir’s acquisition of its first converted narrow-body freighter, the 737-800SF, marks a significant milestone in the airline’s modernization plan. The aircraft will join EgyptAir Cargo’s fleet and help the airline expand its presence in the cargo market, especially given its strategic location near the intersection of Africa and the Middle East.
With a focus on modernizing its cargo and passenger fleet and increasing its fleet size, EgyptAir is poised to meet the growing needs of the local market in terms of exporting goods abroad.
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.
A Vietnam Airlines A350-900 in Seoul. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ben Suskind)
Vietnam Airlines and Singapore Airlines are on the way to providing a better service to their customers. The two Asian carriers have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore the codeshare arrangements to facilitate better connectivity between the two countries.
The pair have a long-standing partnership for over two decades and keep seeking opportunities to expand their cooperation since travel restrictions were lifted.
“Over many years, Singapore remains one of the most important markets for Vietnam Airlines. We hope to leverage our joint capabilities throughout many commercial fields of our business and therefore provide seamless experience to our valued customers,” Le Hong Ha, Chief Executive Officer of Vietnam Airlines said.
“These win-win arrangement will offer more options and greater value for our customers, support economic growth, and bolster initiatives that facilitate tourism activities,” Goh Choon Phong, Chief Executive Officer of Singapore Airline responded to the MOU.
Increasing flights to China
Meanwhile, Vietnam Airline will bolster its services by resuming flight services to China in the coming months. China hasn’t fully reopened its market to Vietnam at the moment.
The flag carrier will resume three-times-a-week services between Hanoi and Beijing in March. Meanwhile, it will ramp up its flight frequencies from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Guangzhou and Shanghai to four times a week. Also, Vietnam Airlines is going to relaunch the route from Da Nang to Guangzhou, Shanghai and Chengdu, and Hanoi to Chengdu in April with two weekly flights on each route.
The flag carrier plans to operate Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 Dreamliners on specific routes to China starting in September.
China reopened its border in January. However, Vietnam hasn’t made a fortune from the policies thus far as China hasn’t approved Vietnam sightseeing tours.
Earlier, China has allowed its travel agencies to organize tours to 20 countries, such as Malaysia, Singapore and Philippines. Thailand and Indonesia started rolling out the red carpet for tourists from China last week, but Vietnam is a different kettle of fish. The travel sectors in the country are looking forward to welcoming Chinese tourists at any time soon.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam is optimistic about the future, expecting a full recovery from the pandemic by the end of 2023. The country recorded strong growth in the domestic aviation market in the last year.
However, Covid-19 is the perfect storm for the airlines. After three years of the pandemic, Vietnam Airlines is at risk of delisting from securities trading. Under the regulations, a company in the red for three consecutive years could be delisted. By the end of 2022, the airline recorded a loss of $1.46 billion.
An Embraer E195-E2 Registered as C-GKQJ Pulling into Toronto Pearson's Gate B39 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Porter Airlines marked the beginning of a new chapter with its inaugural flights between Toronto Pearson International Airport and Vancouver International Airport and I had a chance to experience the special occasion.
Since its inception in 2006, Porter has operated a fleet of De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400 turboprops from its base at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport but the airline is in a midst of a bold expansion. In July 2021, Porter and Embraer announced an order for 30 Embraer E195-E2s, making Porter the North American launch customer for Embraer’s E2 jets.
Towards the end of 2022, the airline announced that its first jet routes would connect Toronto Pearson International Airport with Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport, Montréal–Trudeau International Airport and Vancouver International Airport. These new routes not only signal the start of jet operations for the carrier, but also mark the beginning of Porter’s operations at Toronto Pearson International Airport. The announcement of its Vancouver route was particularly significant as it is the carrier’s first transcontinental route after having flown short-haul flights throughout eastern Canada and the United States over the past 16 years.
Along with the introduction of the Embraer E195-E2 to its fleet, Porter is debuting a revamped onboard product. Porter has long attempted to distinguish itself from other airlines by offering an elevated economy class experience, with offerings such as leather seats and free beer and wine served in glassware. With its expansion into transcontinental flights, the airline unveiled what they call a new “all-inclusive economy experience,” called PorterReserve. Its existing economy class product is now known as PorterClassic.
Porter has been promoting an elevated economy experience using the hashtag #ActuallyEnjoyEconomy (Photo: Porter Airlines)
The big day for Porter came on February 7, 2023 when the first flights to and from Vancouver were to take place. I was on board both flights to see what Porter had to offer in both PorterClassic and PorterReserve on its new transcontinental flights.
Toronto Pearson: Porter’s New Base
Porter Airlines began operations in 2006 with a small fleet of Dash 8 Q400s operating out of what was then known as Toronto City Centre Airport. The airport is located on an island off the shore of downtown Toronto. Porter currently operates 29 Dash 8 Q400s to destinations throughout central and eastern Canada as well as cities in the northeastern United States such as Chicago, New York and Boston. Jet aircraft are not allowed at the airport though, and Porter has started operating out of the much larger Toronto Pearson International Airport.
Porter operates out of Terminal 3, which is also served by WestJet, Air Transat and Sunwing, along with a number of Canadian low-cost carriers as well as some foreign carriers. Porter’s check-in area is located near the center of the high-ceilinged check-in hall, right beside the entrance to one of the security screening checkpoints. The check-in area has an area with self-service kiosks, a row of counters and a baggage drop area.
Porter counters at Toronto Pearson’s Terminal 3 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Porter kiosks and bag drop at Toronto Pearson’s Terminal 3 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
I had checked in online and had a boarding pass on my phone already. Porter doesn’t have a mobile app but I received my boarding pass via email. For the first flight to Vancouver, I was seated in PorterClassic. I would be seated in PorterReserve on the way back to Toronto.
I was quite early, having arrived at around 7:30 a.m. for a 10:15 a.m. flight. The Porter check-in and bag drop area was pretty quiet but I imagine that it will be busier as the airline adds more flights out of Toronto Pearson. I had no bags to check so I headed straight to security.
Toronto Gate Festivities
Porter’s inaugural flight to Vancouver was leaving from Gate B39. Since I had lots of time, I took a walk around the terminal. In addition to standard airport seating at each gate, Terminal 3 also has several lounge-style seating areas with power plugs and tablets for ordering food.
Departures board at Toronto Pearson’s Terminal 3 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Lounge seating at Toronto Pearson’s Terminal 3 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Around an hour and a half before departure, our aircraft was towed to the gate. The Embraer E195-E2 that would be taking us to Vancouver today was C-GKQJ, a brand new jet that was delivered to the airline in December and had entered service a week ago when Porter began its jet flights. The aircraft flew a few flights in January, presumably for flight crew training and ground crew familiarization.
An Embraer E195-E2 registered as C-GKQJ pulling into Toronto Pearson’s Gate B39 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
At around the same time, Porter staff began setting up the gate area for the inaugural flight. There was a table with coffee, tea and cookies.
Refreshments at the gate for Porter’s inaugural flight from Toronto to Vancouver (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Beside the refreshments table, there was a small booth where there was a locked box and a rack of keys. Passengers could line up to pick a key and try to open the box. Porter staff continuously replenished the keys until a passenger opened the box and won a pair of roundtrip Porter tickets to any destination in their network.
The box and keys after a passenger had won a pair of Porter tickets (Photo: Airline Geeks | Andrew Chen)
Porter had also set up a special Vancouver backdrop for photos. There were no speeches but Porter Airlines Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Michael Deluce was on hand to speak with employees and passengers and take some photos. I had the chance to chat with him briefly and he hinted that some more route announcements would be coming very soon. He was also on both inaugural flights.
Photo backdrop set up at the gate (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Porter CEO Michael Deluce speaking with airline employees (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Boarding started around five minutes early but ended up taking approximately 40 minutes, pushing our departure past the scheduled time of 10:15 a.m.
Cabin and Seats: Sleek and Modern
Porter’s Embraer jets are fitted with 132 economy class seats in a 2-2 configuration. The airline proudly states that it has no middle seats since both the E195-E2s and the Dash 8 Q400s have four across seating.
Porter Airlines Embraer E195-E2 cabin (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
On Porter’s E195-E2s, the first four rows are PorterReserve seats with 36 inches of pitch. All seats on the plane are 18.3 inches wide, a fairly decent width for economy class. The seats also feature an adjustable headrest.
PorterReserve seats on Porter’s E195-E2 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
PorterClassic seats are upholstered in grey and have 30 inches of pitch. Rows 5-7 and the two overwing exit rows have 34 inches of pitch and are called PorterClassic Stretch seats. There is an extra cost to select these extra legroom seats.
PorterClassic seats on Porter’s Embraer E195-E2 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Each seat had a seatback pocket and a literature pocket that included the WiFi connection instructions. The seatback pocket had an air sickness bag, a copy of Porter’s inflight magazine, a safety card and a buy-on-board menu, which I will explore later.
Porter Embraer E195-E2 seat (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Seatback pocket contents on Porter’s E195-E2 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
The overhead panel had a reading light, air vent and flight attendant call button. Each pair of seats also had two universal power plugs located between the two seats under the seatback pockets.
Overhead panel on Porter’s E195-E2s (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
In-seat power plugs on Porter’s E195-E2s (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
I noticed that many rows, including both rows that I sat in, had misaligned windows. On both flights, I had to either turn my head backwards or lean forward in my seat to look out the window. However, I realize that this isn’t really in Porter’s control but is rather an issue with how far apart the windows are on the E195-E2.
PorterReserve seating with a misaligned window on a Porter E195-E2 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Departure from Toronto
Our flight ended up departing around 15 minutes late due to the boarding delay and traffic at the airport. We took off from Runway 23, leaving wintry Toronto behind for warmer weather.
Departure from Toronto Pearson on Porter’s inaugural flight to Vancouver (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
WiFi and Entertainment
Porter’s E195-E2s offer free WiFi for all passengers. Members of the airline’s frequent flyer program, VIPorter, get free uninterrupted WiFi after watching a 30-second video advertisement. Those that don’t sign into a VIPorter account still get free WiFi but will need to watch an advertisement every 30 minutes to remain connected. Passengers can also sign up for the free VIPorter program while on board.
WiFi connection screen on Porter’s E195-E2 (Screenshot: Andrew Chen | AirlineGeeks)
I tested the connection speed three times over the course of the two flights and found download speeds ranging from 18.3 to 44.4 Mbps. I had no issues streaming videos, using email or browsing social media. On my first flight from Toronto to Vancouver, my tests showed upload speeds of 0.04 and 0.07 Mbps. I had some issues sending and uploading photos during that flight, with single photos taking up to an hour to post on social media. On the return flight though, I measured an upload speed of 0.32 Mbps and I was able to post photos within a minute.
WiFi speed tests on board Porter’s inaugural Vancouver flights (first two are from the YYZ-YVR flight and the third one is from the YVR-YYZ flight) (Screenshot: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Porter also offers free streaming entertainment through its Wi-Fi connection. I counted approximately 80 movies and 60 television shows, with anywhere from 1 to 8 episodes per show. For some reason though, I was unable to get the streaming entertainment to work. I tried it on both flights and used my phone and laptop but the content player would not start the video. Porter also provides a copy of its in-flight magazine, re:Porter, at every seat.
Streaming entertainment options on Porter’s E195-E2 (Screenshot: Andrew Chen | AirlineGeeks)
Streaming entertainment options on Porter’s E195-E2 (Screenshot: Andrew Chen | AirlineGeeks)
Porter does not have seatback entertainment screens. However, there are significant cost and weight savings that result from the decision not to install screens and the free Wi-Fi and streaming entertainment should be more than enough to keep passengers occupied during their flight. Even without the streaming entertainment, the ability to browse the internet and stream videos on YouTube kept me entertained while on board.
PorterClassic Food & Beverage
Porter has long been known for offering a premium food and beverage experience. The airline provides free wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages. On past Porter flights that I have taken, all drinks were served in glassware. On these flights though, it appeared that wine and beer were served in glassware and non-alcoholic beverages were served in paper cups. However, during one of the drink services I received ginger ale in a glass.
Porter Airlines snack basket (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Porter E195-E2 snack and beverage service (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
As part of its revamped economy class product, Porter has introduced snacks for purchase (in addition to their free snack selection). Passengers seated in PorterClassic can also purchase fresh meals. These meals are included for PorterReserve passengers, but I will cover that later in this report.
Porter E195-E2 menu cover (Photo: Andrew Chen | AirlineGeeks)
Porter E195-E2 menu (Photo: Andrew Chen | AirlineGeeks)
Porter E195-E2 menu (Photo: Andrew Chen | AirlineGeeks)
Porter E195-E2 menu (Photo: Andrew Chen | AirlineGeeks)
On our inaugural flights, PorterClassic passengers were offered a free meal entrée. On the flight to Vancouver, it was a breakfast meal service because the scheduled departure time was before 10:30 a.m. We were offered the choice of a raspberry chia smoothie bowl or a croissant breakfast sandwich. I chose the chia smoothie bowl and my seatmate lent me their breakfast sandwich for a photo. I found the smoothie bowl to be fresh and tasty. The portions were small but I’m not sure if they were small sample sized versions of the entrées or the actual ones that will be sold.
Card explaining the free entrée service on Porter’s inaugural Vancouver flights (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Breakfast entrées served on Porter’s inaugural Toronto to Vancouver flight (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Inaugural Flight Goodies
During boarding, all passengers were handed an envelope that contained a welcome letter, a keychain and a 150 Canadian dollar flight voucher. Having taken both flights, I received two of these envelopes.
Porter Airlines inaugural Vancouver flight letter, keychain and voucher (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Lavatories
Porter’s E195-E2s have two lavatories: one at the front of the cabin and one at the back. Throughout the two flights, I used both. The lavatories were both fairly small and the one at the back of the aircraft is located within the rear galley space.
Porter E195-E2 front lavatory (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Porter E195-E2 rear galley and lavatory area (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Arrival into Vancouver
It had rained heavily that morning in Vancouver but by the time we arrived, the skies had mostly cleared. There were lots of people on the ground at the gate, with many taking photos and videos. Most of them were on the right side of the aircraft so my photo doesn’t show the full crowd on the ground.
After landing in Vancouver on Porter’s inaugural flight (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Pulling into the gate at Vancouver International Airport on Porter’s inaugural flight (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Our plane pulled into Gate B27 around 25 minutes behind schedule.
Porter’s inaugural flight to Vancouver International Airport parked at Gate B27 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Vancouver Gate Celebrations
The pre-departure function in Vancouver was a much grander affair than the festivities in Toronto. I got off the plane and saw a lineup of television cameras and lights facing a podium with a Toronto backdrop. Vancouver International Airport puts on a show for each of their inaugural flights and today’s flight was no exception, with music, Toronto-themed decorations, refreshments and even a special cake.
Media setup at the gate in Vancouver for Porter’s inaugural flight (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Refreshments at the gate in Vancouver for Porter’s inaugural flight (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
There were speeches from a councilor from the local Musqueam First Nations band; Porter CEO Michael Deluce; and Andy Margolis, Vice President, Airport Capacity & Systems Design at Vancouver International Airport. The speeches were followed by a photo op and a media availability.
Porter CEO Michael Deluce speaks at the gate in Vancouver (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Photo op at the gate in Vancouver (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
Boarding commenced soon after. Although the key and box activity was not replicated in Vancouver, the gate agents did announce that one passenger had been randomly selected to win a pair of roundtrip Porter tickets.
Boarding gate in Vancouver for Porter’s inaugural flight (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
PorterReserve Seating
PorterReserve seats are upholstered in blue and have 36 inches of pitch. Aside from the color, the seat itself is identical to PorterClassic seats so I won’t go into the seat features again.
E195-E2 PorterReserve seats (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
E195-E2 PorterReserve seats (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
In addition to the premium onboard experience, PorterReserve passengers get perks such as priority check-in and boarding, two pieces of checked luggage and free seat selection.
Departure from Vancouver
We took off from Runway 26L slightly behind schedule. I love looking out the window when flying in and out of Vancouver. The views really show off the beauty of the Canadian west coast.
View of Vancouver International Airport and the surrounding area after departure on Porter’s inaugural flight out of Vancouver (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
PorterReserve Food & Beverage
As I mentioned in the introduction, PorterReserve passengers have meals included in their fare. Service started around half an hour after takeoff with the snack basket. Immediately afterwards, the meal service began. The menu had been handed out during departure and was part of a card that also included a postcard.
PorterReserve postcard and menu (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
PorterReserve postcard and menu (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
I first received a box, which opens to reveal the two appetizers and a chocolate truffle. There was also cutlery and a paper phone stand. I then had to fold open the front portion of the box to reveal spots for the entrée and a drink. The concept is creative and aesthetically pleasing but the flight attendant had to stop and explain the box opening sequence to each pair of passengers before serving them their main entrée.
PorterReserve closed meal box (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
PorterReserve meal box with appetizers (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
For the entrée, I chose the mango chicken. The presentation of the food was excellent, with a sleek look and vivid colors. The entire meal and all entrée options were served cold. The food quality was also very good. It tasted very fresh, but I felt that the Korean cauliflower and mango chicken would have been better served warm. The Korean cauliflower and cheese puffs were both quite tasty. The chicken was well-seasoned but I found the rest of the entrée could have used more seasoning or salsa. Until I looked at the menu again to prepare this report, I didn’t realize that the rice was supposed to be coconut rice since it simply tasted like plain white rice. Overall though, I was quite impressed with Porter’s meal box.
PorterReserve meal on Porter’s inaugural flight from Vancouver to Toronto Pearson (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
The food and beverage service flow was also a bit awkward. I had barely finished my snack before the meal boxes came around. Then after everyone received their meal, the accompanying drink service didn’t come around until people were finished or almost finished their food. I didn’t have anything to drink during most of my meal and my seatmate had finished his food before he got a drink. We then waited nearly an hour after eating before the meal boxes were collected. Service was also fairly slow on the outbound flight from Toronto to Vancouver.
Quite frankly though, I thought this was understandable and forgivable. The flight attendants were used to working short turboprop flights with a quick snack and drink service and were adjusting to the new onboard products and procedures. The flights that I took were the first two passenger flights that Porter has operated with a meal service, and I am confident that the service flow will improve greatly over time. As Porter continues to develop its E195-E2 product, I’m sure that the procedures will be refined over time and the airline will consider further improvements such as warm meals.
Service
Aside from the understandable challenges with the service flow, I found that the service was fantastic. The flight attendants were caring and attentive and fit well into Porter’s image of being a friendly airline. In addition to delivering the new meal service for the first time in the airline’s history, they had to serve an almost full flight on the first leg and around 100 passengers on the second leg. They had a challenging job working this inaugural roundtrip and they definitely rose to the occasion.
Arrival into Toronto
After the meal service was complete, the sun began to set outside and the crew dimmed the cabin lights.
Porter E195-E2 cabin with dimmed mood lighting (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
A second drink service was offered about an hour and forty-five minutes prior to landing and we soon found ourselves descending back into Toronto for a landing on Runway 24L.
Porter drink service with glassware (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Andrew Chen)
We arrived around 20 minutes behind scheduled and taxied towards Gate B6. There was a slight delay before pulling into the gate as we waited for the ground crew to be ready. Gate B6 is located in a satellite building and required a walk through an underground tunnel to the main part of Terminal 3.
Terminal 3 tunnel at Toronto Pearson International Airport (Photo: Andrew Chen | AirlineGeeks)
Final Thoughts
Overall, I was very impressed with Porter’s new jets and service. Although there were some hiccups such as the service flow and streaming entertainment, Porter has clearly developed an excellent product. With no middle seats, free Wi-Fi for all passengers and revamped food and beverage offerings, Porter is well-positioned to deliver a competitive onboard experience.
With PorterReserve, the airline has created a unique product in the Canadian market. Priced between economy class and premium economy/North American business class offered by competitors, there isn’t really anything directly comparable. PorterReserve will therefore offer a creative new onboard option for Canadian travelers.
Porter has begun a new chapter in its history. The homegrown regional carrier operating turboprops out of the small downtown airport is now starting to fly jets from Canada’s largest airport to destinations throughout North America. Additional jet destinations that have been announced from Toronto Pearson include Calgary and Edmonton in Alberta and Halifax in Nova Scotia and the carrier is looking to expand to the United States and the Caribbean. It is an exciting time for Porter Airlines and I am looking forward to seeing what they have in store.
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.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries(MHI) announced the discontinuation of SpaceJet development activities, which Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation, a consolidated MHI Group company, had pursued. The company previously announced freezing development of the regional aircraft in 2020. The company quietly scrapped the test articles at its base in Moses Lake, Wash.
In its financial results briefing, the company cited several reasons for canceling the program.
Technology: Partial revisions are needed due to prolonged development. Decarbonization solutions are also required.
Product: Difficult to obtain understanding and necessary cooperation from global partners
Customer: Little progress on scope clause (conditions related to aircraft number and size included in airline-labor union agreements) relaxation resulted in M90’s not meeting North American RJ market needs. Recent pilot shortages also add to the uncertainty of SpaceJet’s business viability.
Funding: Further extensive funding is required to continue the Type Certification acquisition process. Business is not feasible in the market environment described above.
While the group does not have another active aircraft developmental program, it is still committed to the aerospace industry. It plans to continue OEM business with the acquired CRJ program. In addition, it will also apply knowledge learned to the F-X next-generation fighter program. Meanwhile, the industry giant will look for next-generation technologies suited for new aircraft development programs.
MHI officially cancels the SpaceJet Program. (Photo: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries)
The SpaceJet
The MRJ or SpaceJet program started in 2008, with an order for 25 aircraft from All Nippon Airways — targeting a 2013 introduction. The first test flight occurred on November 11, 2015, with a total of 7 MRJ90 test aircraft and 1 MRJ70 test aircraft, the program accumulated over 3,900 flight test hours.
The ill-fated jet had nearly 200 conditional orders from the U.S.’s Skywest Airlines and Republic Airways Holdings. However, the conditional order would never materialize, as the pilot union outright refused to adjust the scope clause.
The aircraft — renamed SpaceJet in 2019 — was supported by the Japanese government and domestic firms, including Toyota. It also attracted another headlining order from Mesa Airlines with the relaunch of M100, a 76-seat airplane that would have met the scope clause.
Sadly, with mounting cost overruns and the pandemic’s impact, the Japanese company slashed the program’s budget by 95%, effectively killing the program. Eventually, it started dismantling the test articles after shutting down its office in Seattle and Moses Lake, leading to the official cancellation this week.
MHI’s Ambition
The development of the Mitsubishi SpaceJet was Japan’s first domestic attempt to produce a commercial plane since the YS-11, a turboprop made by Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing that ended its production in 1974.
Mitsubishi Heavy has been a major aerospace component supplier. Due to the country’s close ties with the US, it has been heavily involved in Boeing’s supply chain, providing some of the most critical components, such as the wing box of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Despite its experience designing and manufacturing structural components for the aerospace industry, the company struggled to define requirements and create a complete aircraft.
In 2014, the company signed an agreement with the Seattle-based aerospace engineering firm AeroTEC seeking flight test assistance for the Mitsubishi regional jet. Unfortunately, the technical expertise was insufficient to bring new life to the program.
In the end, not only did the world lose a potential competitor for the Embraer E-jets, but Japan’s Aircraft OEM dream will also have to wait for another day.
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.
IATA Figures Show Positive Growth in 2022 Passenger Demand
A flydubai Boeing 737 departs from Dubai International. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Hisham Qadri)
This week, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported on the ongoing aviation industry recovery in 2022. The airline industry organization released statistics that show that total passenger traffic was up 64.4 percent in 2022 over 2021. This figure accounts for 68.5 percent of the 2019 pre-pandemic levels reflecting the fact that a number of countries still had travel restrictions for most of the year.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General said, “The industry left 2022 in far stronger shape than it entered, as most governments lifted COVID-19 travel restrictions during the year and people took advantage of the restoration of their freedom to travel. This momentum is expected to continue in the New Year, despite some governments’ over-reactions to China’s re-opening.”
According to IATA, the figures show significant regional disparities in airline passenger capacity and demand. The North American region is closest to 2019 levels with available seat kilometers (ASK), a measure of capacity, 9.9 percent off pre-pandemic levels and the demand metric, revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), 11.3 percent behind. Asia Pacific still has some way to go with ASKs 55.6 percent and RPK 49.4 percent below 2019 figures.
Unsurprisingly given the ongoing restrictions for most of the year in major markets such as China and Japan international passenger traffic figures for Asia Pacific were way down in 2022. Capacity was just 35 percent of 2019 and demand at just 32 percent. Domestic operations in the Asia Pacific region also showed a negative trend with both lower capacity and demand in 2022 over 2021.
The Middle East saw the largest percentage increase over 2021 in both total capacity (67 percent) and demand (144.4 percent). However, both of these metrics are still approximately 25 percent behind data from 2019. The Middle East’s domestic market operated close to 2019 levels with capacity and demand down just 4 percent and 10 percent, respectively.
Brazil was a positive story for the Latin American and Caribbean region with domestic traffic close to pre-pandemic levels in 2022 with RPKs totaling 94.6 percent of 2019 levels. Overall the Latin American and Caribbean region’s domestic capacity was 1.6 percent above 2019 with demand just 0.5 percent below pre-pandemic levels.
The European region was a positive story for the airline industry in 2022 at least in terms of capacity and demand. Despite staffing shortages and multiple disruptions over the peak summer travel season, the IATA statistics show domestic capacity (-6.7 percent) and demand (-3.1 percent) close to pre-pandemic levels. In further positive news, the passenger load factor (PLF) for European domestic flights exceeded 2019 levels by 3.2 percent, reaching 85.1 percent. Africa was the only region to record positive PLF figures over 2019 for both domestic and international passenger traffic.
Walsh summarized the year’s passenger traffic numbers, saying, “Let us hope that 2022 becomes known as the year in which governments locked away forever the regulatory shackles that kept their citizens earthbound for so long. It is vital that governments learn the lesson that travel restrictions and border closures have little positive impact in terms of slowing the spread of infectious diseases in our globally inter-connected world. However, they have an enormous negative impact on people’s lives and livelihoods, as well as on the global economy that depends on the unfettered movement of people and goods.”
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.
Japan Airlines Announces Flagship Airbus A350-1000
Japan Airlines Airbus A350-900 and Airbus A350-1000 Renderings (Photo: Airbus)
Japan Airlines has announced that the Airbus A350-1000 will be its new international flagship aircraft. The Tokyo-based carrier will be debuting its first flagship aircraft in two decades in the second part of 2023.
A New Flagship Aircraft
The Airbus A350-1000 will be replacing the Boeing 777-300ER, as Japan Airlines’ international flagship aircraft. The airline received its first Boeing 777-300ER in 2004, and it has served as the carrier’s premier international aircraft. Japan Airlines has 13 Airbus A350-1000s on order, which will be replacing the airline’s current fleet of 13 Boeing 777-300ERs.
In a recent press release, Japan Airlines stated that their A350-1000s will enter service in the Tokyo to New York market on flights between Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport in winter 2023. Although no other further route announcements have been made, it is likely that the A350-1000 will be deployed to current 777-300ER destinations such as Paris, London, Chicago and Los Angeles.
Japan Airlines has not yet announced any details of the cabin configuration or products but there are some indications of what to expect. First Class seats are currently on sale on the Tokyo’s Haneda Airport to New York JFK route through next winter so it does not appear that the carrier is doing away with its First Class.
The carrier already has a set of respectable international premium products and the airline stated in a press release that with the A350-1000, it will be “developing new cabin specifications for international flights to provide a new unprecedented experience for each and every one of our customers.”
It appears that the A350-1000 will have a four-cabin configuration, just like the 777-300ERs that it is replacing. While very few details of the new offerings have been released, the carrier is certainly aware that its main competitor, All Nippon Airways, introduced a stunningly spacious business class suite called The Room a few years ago.
The bar for premium international products in the Japanese market is high and Japan Airlines will be striving to deliver a competitive product.
Expanding the Fleet
Japan Airlines already has 16 Airbus A350-900s in its fleet, with another two on order. These aircraft are used on domestic routes and have high-density seating configurations.
The airline’s A350 fleet will therefore be split into two distinct parts, with the A350-1000s serving international routes while the A350-900 operates throughout the airline’s domestic network. Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways have long had a need for large, high-density aircraft for the country’s busiest domestic routes. Japan Airlines’ A350-900s have the highest capacity of any aircraft type in the fleet, with some planes configured with nearly 400 seats.
Despite the carrier’s new commitment to its A350 fleet, Japan Airlines has traditionally been a Boeing operator. Even after the introduction of the A350-1000, the airline will have nearly 50 Boeing 787 aircraft. The A350 will be the carrier’s only Airbus aircraft, with the rest of the fleet consisting of Boeing 737s, Boeing 767s and Boeing 777s.
Even historically, the airline has largely operated aircraft from Boeing and McDonnell Douglas, both of which later merged into the Boeing that exists today. Notably, Japan Airlines has operated a large number of Boeing 747 aircraft, ranging from the Boeing 747-100 to the high-density Boeing 747-400D.
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.
