A Horizon Air Embraer E175 at Paine Field. [AirlineGeeks - Katie Zera]
Embraer announced on October 10 that the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) approved financing for the export of six Embraer E175 commercial jets to the north American regional carrier SkyWest Airlines, Inc. (SkyWest). With the new financing facility, the number of aircraft acquired or to be acquired by SkyWest with BNDES financing totals 200 units
The financing, in the order of R$670 million -US 128,450 million-, will be through BNDES Exim Post-shipment, with disbursements made in Brazil’s local currency in favor of Embraer. SkyWest (importer) will assume the commitment to pay in dollars to BNDES, generating foreign currency for Brazil.
Brazilian BNDES is a key instrument for Embraer: it has helped finance sales globally, securing orders for continental and transcontinental customers such as Argentina’s Austral Lineas Aéreas, which acquired 24 E190 in April 2010.
The Embraer E175 is a well-known workhorse of the US regional market: limited by the Scope Clause, the E175’s maximum take-off weight and seating configuration makes it the perfect aircraft to serve as a feeder for larger carriers, surpassing the original E170 design. As the latest Scope Clause negotiations have not changed limits, the Brazilian manufacturer suspended the development of its natural successor, the E175-E2. Although is considered a three-year pause, it is unlikely that the variant will ever get to production, as the new generation aircraft will soon take over the construction lines.
A customer of BNDES since 1998, and of Embraer since 1986, SkyWest operates the world’s largest fleet of the E175 jet consisting of 232 E175 aircraft. BNDES, since 1998, has provided ten different financing facilities to SkyWest covering up to two hundred aircraft, comprised of eighteen delivered EMB120 aircraft, 175 delivered E175 and 7 to be delivered E175 aircraft.
This is the second financing tranche with BNDES for the sale of Embraer aircraft exports to SkyWest Airlines using the innovative Aircraft Financing Insurance Consortium (AFIC) offering from Marsh, the world’s leading insurance broker and risk advisor. The first financing was executed in December 2020 in amount of R$ 400 million, or US 77 million.
ICAO Headquarters in Montreal (Photo: Vanni Gibertini)
At its global headquarters in Montreal, Canada, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has just concluded its 41st Assembly, a global event that every three years gathers all Member States to decide the way forward for all global items involving commercial aviation.
For two weeks approximately 2,500 delegates and observers from 184 countries have participated in assembly meetings and working groups to set the path for the next three years as civil aviation embarks on its most important challenge so far. After years of talks and despite the skepticism of some countries such as Russia and China, the ICAO Assembly has adopted a new Long Term Aspirational Goal (LTAG) to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The same target had been agreed upon by the airlines of the International Air Transport Association during the 2021 Annual General Meeting in Boston, with some major players in the market committing to even more ambitious targets in the meantime.
“The significance of the LTAG agreement cannot be underestimated. The aviation industry’s commitment to achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2050 requires supportive government policies. Now that governments and industry are both focused on net zero by 2050, we expect much stronger policy initiatives in key areas of decarbonization such as incentivizing the production capacity of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). And the global determination to decarbonize aviation that underpins this agreement must follow the delegates home and lead to practical policy actions enabling all states to support the industry in the rapid progress that it is determined to make,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General in a press release.
This goal is intended to combine the effect of carbon dioxide emission reduction, and the increased production and deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). Those fuels are supposed to progressively replace fossil fuels and since most of them are plant-based and are cultivated on non-arable lands unsuitable for the production of food for human consumption, they produce a CO2 credit through photosynthesis during the first part of their lifecycle that goes to offset the emissions they produce when they are used as fuel for jet engines.
It is estimated that 65% of the mitigation needed to achieve the LTAG of net-zero emission by 2050 will come from Sustainable Aviation Fuels.
“States’ adoption of this new long-term goal for decarbonized air transport, following the similar commitments from industry groups, will contribute importantly to the green innovation and implementation momentum which must be accelerated over the coming decades to ultimately achieve emissions-free powered flight,” stressed the President of the ICAO Council Mr. Salvatore Sciacchitano.
“Countries have achieved some tremendous and very important diplomatic progress at this event, and on topics of crucial importance to the future sustainability of our planet and the air transport system which serves and connects its populations,” commented ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar.
New Baseline Agreed for CORSIA
Another important environmental development achieved by the 41st ICAO Assembly has been the reaffirmation of CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) as the only benchmark to evaluate carbon emissions on behalf of the States and, most importantly for airlines, “the only economic measure to manage the footprint of international aviation”, said IATA Director General Willie Walsh.
As some countries have decided to independently introduce environmental taxes and financial penalties for more polluting airlines, the aviation community has been trying to fight against a scenario where a patchwork of local, narrow-focused initiatives would create a complex and expensive reality that would hamper the success of a fundamental global initiative like “net-zero 2050”.
A new target has been established at 85% of 2019 levels of CO2 emissions: this is supposed to be the new sustainable threshold that the aviation industry will have to reach and maintain in order to do its part in the fight against global warming.
Russia Ousted from the ICAO Council
During the first sessions of the Assembly, for the first time in the 75-year-long history of the ICAO a country was excluded by the ICAO Council, the internal organism in charge of running the organization, through a vote by the other State Members. Russia was voted out on Oct. 1, and after an initial refusal by the Russian delegation to accept the result, the decision was confirmed and ratified by all the present countries.
The attitude towards Russia was very tense from the very beginning: during the opening session of the Assembly, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly was very critical of the behavior of Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, especially with regard to the unlawful nationalization of hundreds of jets leased by Western companies to Russian airlines after economic sanctions issued by the E.U. and the U.S.A. The move that is costing billions of dollars to the leasing companies involved is a flagrant violation of the Chicago Convention that ICAO is bound to protect and enforce, and therefore the measure taken against Russia can be seen as a consequence of these violations.
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.
KLM Talks of Fleet Renewal as Alternative to Schiphol Airport Contraction Plan
A KLM 787-9 parked on the tarmac in Las Vegas. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Terrill Murriel)
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has put forward the renewal of its fleet with more economical latest generation aircraft as alternatives to the Dutch government’s green policy plans to cap capacity at Amsterdam Schiphol, arguing that fleet renewal would be a better option for reducing noise and carbon emissions.
Based at Amsterdam-Schiphol airport, the Dutch national airline last week reiterated its position on the government’s decision to continue to cap the number of departing passengers, a cap that could potentially cut the number of flight movements at the airport from 500,000 to 440,000 annually by the end of 2023 for five years while developing a new system of environmental standards. The lawmakers also proposed switching flights from Schiphol to Lelystad to safeguard route networks.
In a press release dated Oct. 6, the carrier argued that reduced airport capacity would benefit neither travelers nor the broader route network nor the Netherlands in general.
“Moreover, it restricts the earning capacity of airlines wanting to invest in sustainability. Fleet renewal offers a better alternative than capacity reduction. It will ensure a greater reduction in noise and emissions and allow travelers to keep flying. This will enable us to strike a better balance in the interests of Schiphol, the environment, the surrounding community, and travelers. We would like to discuss this alternative with the Dutch government,” the airline said.
“I share the cabinet’s aim of striking a balance between the interests of a good airport, the surrounding community, and the environment,” elaborated KLM CEO Marjan Rintel.
“To this, I want to add the interests of travelers. The cabinet’s current solution is to strike a better balance by reducing operational capacity at Schiphol. Calculations show that fleet renewal is a better alternative for reducing noise and CO2 emissions. This implies that it is a better solution for all. This is the issue I would like to address with the government.”
KLM could potentially drop up to 30 destinations from its network if the Dutch government proceeds with its plans to impose the “green cap” limiting movements at Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) to minimize noise pollution and CO2 emissions.
The NL Times, for example, cites a possible scenario of 25 European destinations removed by the SkyTeam alliance member, in addition to five on the long haul These capacity limitations could affect “travelers going to cities such as Kyiv, Porto, Belgrade, Montreal, Boston, Taipei or Osaka”.
According to the airline, the cap does not reflect KLM’s fleet-renewal plans, which include the incorporation of less noisy and more efficient aircraft. If these are taken into account, Schiphol could operate 500,000 movements annually with less noise pollution than the government’s 440,000-movement cap. KLM urged the lawmakers to re-run their calculations regarding Schiphol noise based on this data, rather than fleet details from 2018.
Speaking at the Aviation Festival in Amsterdam, KLM CEO Marjan Rintel acknowledged that a proposal has been submitted to the government regarding the cap. She gave few details but said that KLM hopes to retain the current 500,000-movement cap and meet the government’s sustainability objectives through fleet renewal, rather than traffic limits.
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.
My aircraft in Hana, Hawaii (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
If you have read my articles in the past, then you know I love out-of-the-way airports, airlines, and aircraft. I would do almost anything to explore a new city or fly on a unique, rare aircraft type. So in the second article in my series, which I call “EAS Adventures”, I will start the trip at a larger airline hub, fly out to an Essential Air Service community and return to the same airport I started at, usually on the same aircraft that brought me there. What is the point of this you ask, if you have some time to kill at a hub during a long layover or if your flight gets delayed excessively, try venturing out to an EAS airport and seeing somewhere new during the downtime.
All locations in this article are located in the state of Hawaii.
Overview
For this EAS Adventure, I will be starting at Hawaii’s second busiest airport, Kahului International on the island of Maui, and flying to the EAS community of Hana which is also located on Maui. Hana is the smallest of three commercial airports located on the island of Maui, with Kahului Intl. being the largest, and Kapalua on the west end being the second biggest. I will be flying this adventure on Mokulele Airlines, whose flights are now operated by Southern Airways Express, on an 8-seat Cessna 208B Grand Caravan.
I started my day in Honolulu in the early morning flying a Unique Connection Series trip report through the EAS community of Kalaupapa on the island of Moloka’i, the trip report of which can be found HERE. Then I took a flight from Moloka’i to Kahului, followed by my flights out to Waimea and back which were the fourth and fifth flights of the day, the article of which can be found HERE. My flights out to Hana and back will be my sixth and seventh flights of the day, the most flights I had ever taken on commercial aircraft in a single calendar day, that record of which I have broken since that trip. Hana will also be the third EAS airport I will have been to in a single calendar day, another record that I have broken since that trip took place.
The ‘Road to Hana’ is a popular tourist attraction, and is a winding switchback road between Kahului and Hana, GoogleMaps says the drive is only two hours long, but locals have told me it usually takes five-to-six hours depending on how fast someone is driving. The flight to Hana only takes 10-minutes, so while you don’t get to drive along the switchbacks, you can spend your time enjoying Hana to the fullest and make a day trip. Or, if you are an AvGeek like me, just fly there and back in less than an hour for fun.
Just like most EAS communities, they receive two round-trip flights a day under the government-funded EAS program with Southern Airways Express, but they operate the Hawaii flights under the Mokulele Airlines banner and brand.
Day of the flight
As mentioned previously, these flights to Hana are my sixth and seventh of the day and I had already been to the counter at Kahului previously so they knew I was coming. For people who aren’t coming off other Mokulele flights, it is recommended you arrive at least an hour prior to your departure time. Even though I did come off another Mokulele flight, they did ask about my body weight again so they could seat me properly and safely in the correct row as they use smaller aircraft that are more affected by weight.
The Mokulele Airlines counter at Kahului Intl. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
After getting off my flight from Waimea my connection time was roughly three hours, which I spent plane spotting on a small hill adjacent to the commuter terminal.
The aircraft that would take me to Hana and back is an 8-seat Cessna 208B Grand Caravan that carries the registration of N852MA, the same tail number that carried me on my first two flights of the day through Kalaupapa, and is only fitting that the same tail number finishes out my day with the airline.
Going to Hana you’ll want to pick a seat on the right side of the aircraft as you will be flying along the north side of the island and is best for the views. With only three of us going to Hana, everyone chose a seat on the right, as when they assigned seats they only told us what row you need to sit in and you can choose which side.
Startup and taxi out to the runway and takeoff were simple as the Mokulele flights use the smaller runway which is located adjacent to the commuter terminal. Not even a minute after takeoff and we had already reached our cruising altitude of 500 feet, a nice cruising altitude to see the sights on this short flight to Hana.
Just after taking off from Kahului Intl. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Not much to explain as it was such a short flight, they had a magazine and route map but I spent my time looking outside at the views.
En-route to Hana (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
As it was getting to be evening the sun was a bit of an obstacle in terms of pictures, but despite that, even a bad picture is a good picture considering how close we were to the ground.
Looking towards the west out of the aircraft window (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
The larger windows of the Cessna 208 make this plane perfect for sightseeing no matter where you are in the cabin.
Flying towards Hana (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
it wasn’t long before I could see the small airport out of the left side of the aircraft, and we had begun our quick descent into Hana.
Hana Airport, out of the left side of the plane (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
We touched down in Hana at 5:26 P.M. local time, after a short 11-minute flight, we then turned around and backtracked on the runway to the small terminal.
Turning around on the runway to backtrack (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
As there is no TSA, the next group of passengers was waiting along the wall that was next to the small terminal building. Similar to Kalaupapa, the pilots act as customer service agents here in Hana.
This was the 39th EAS Airport I have visited, and the 3rd in the state of Hawaii with me now having visited all of them in this state. Just like every EAS airport I have seen, the terminal has its own unique flare, and here in Hana, it fits perfectly into the lush background scenery.
The small terminal building in Hana (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
The wall next to the terminal is made from Lava Rocks from right in the Hawaiian Islands, another feature adding to the unique aspect of this airport. Within the building contains bathrooms, a water fountain, and a small check-in desk, but the pilots couldn’t find the key for it on their giant key ring so it was never opened.
Looking towards the plane and the Lava Rocks (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
This is an important part, when flying on Mokulele or any small airline for that matter, make sure to talk to the pilots about which route the flight will be taking to your destination so you can select the side for prime viewing opportunities. Almost every single time the flight back to Kahului from Hana will take the north route, but today was a VERY rare treat, as we flew the longer way back to Kahului, flying around the south side. I talked with the other four passengers on the flight, most of them have taken the flight many many times before, and they told me they have never flown around the south end of the island and I was very lucky to be getting this chance.
Taxiing back out to the runway (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
99.9% of the time when they take the north route back to Kahului the left seat is best for the flight. But due to the very rare route we were taking, I sat on the right side for this flight. Most of the other passengers rushed on and choose left seats as they thought we’d be taking the normal route back, so it is always best to ask about the route before assuming.
Just after taking off from Hana (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
The cruising altitude for the flight back was 950 feet, higher than the first flight but still low enough to see the detail of the land below us. We also flew along the shoreline, but slightly over the water so the shore was visible for the entire flight back.
Flying along the shoreline south of Hana (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
This is another great example of how Mokulele Airlines’ flights are not only meant to get you places, but they are great for sightseeing as well. The Haleakalā Observatory was visible to passengers facing the island for almost the entire way around, including on the flight there and back. It was such a fun aspect, seeing the white observatory peak from almost every aspect of the flight since I left Kahului.
The Haleakalā Observatory (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
As we got closer to Kahului the land did change to a brownish-black color as we flew over the lava runoff area, a nice thing to see up close but even more fascinating seeing the expanse of the runoff from above.
Lava Runoff area (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Before we knew it, the land changed back to lush green and we slowly began to make our descent into Kahului
The landscape changes back to green (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
We could see the runway out of the right side as we turned onto final, and we touched down on the runway at 6:05 P.M. local time.
Kahului Intl. out of the right side, just before landing (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
The flight back to Kahului took 20-minutes, almost double the flight there, but it was completely worth the extra time getting to fly around the entire east end of Maui.
Getting off the plane back at Kahului Intl. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
We took off from Kahului at 5:15 and got back to the same place at 6:05, meaning from the time we left Kahului, until the time we got back it was only roughly 50-minutes. It is just another EAS Adventure that is definitely worth your time if you have a rather long layover at Kahului Intl. or need an AvGeeky activity to do. Plus, we took the long way back to Kahului, meaning most flights out to Hana and back will take less time. The pictures just don’t do the beauty of the flight justice and are truly a sight to behold flying so low along the shores of Hawaii.
It was a fun little adventure, and despite the fact I didn’t leave the airport grounds in Hana I still got to see some amazing sights along the way especially with the south route returning. EAS flights, and especially those in smaller unpressurized aircraft like these, offer some amazing sightseeing opportunities along the way to your destination. So next time you have extra time at the airport or if your flight gets delayed by a couple of hours at a hub, look for an EAS adventure, you may just like what you see.
A video account of my trip to Hana can be found below
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.
Airbus Forecasts Commercial Aircraft Services Market Double in Value by 2041
JetBlue's Airspace by Airbus main cabin interior on its Airbus A321LR aircraft, featuring wider seats, more legroom and features tailored to the traveler (Photo: Business Wire)
Airbus believes the market for civil aviation-related services will return to pre-pandemic levels in 2023, before doubling in value over the next 20 years.
Airbus is the world’s leading civil aircraft manufacturer as of 2019 by the number of aircraft deliveries, recently concluded summer 2022 season, with 479 aircraft orders so far. The largest number of orders came from the Chinese market, with nearly 300 orders from the country’s three largest carriers; Air China, China Southern, and China Eastern. The manufacturer managed to deliver 145 aircraft in the summer period.
According to the latest Global Services Forecast (GSF) dated Oct. 6, 2022, Airbus expects to grow from the current $95 billion to more than $230 billion in 2041. As a result, the number of people working in aviation services, which keep the world’s fleets in the air, will have to increase by another two million to compensate for the increase in demand. As Airbus itself states, “It takes millions of people to keep you flying.”
In 2022 alone, more than 11 million skilled people worked to keep more than 23,500 planes flying (passenger planes with more than 100 seats and cargo planes with a payload of more than 10 tons).
The GSF report states that passengers have shown in 2022, after two years of restrictions due to the pandemic, that they really want to fly again and return to pre-COVID levels. There was and there is an urgent need for services related to civil aviation, to meet the demand of the 3.3 billion passengers expected until the end of 2022, an increase of 43 percent over the number of travelers in 2021.
According to the report, there were 22,880 aircraft in service at the beginning of 2020, of which 33% will remain in service (including 2020 and 2021 deliveries), while 67% will be replaced.
Nearly 40,000 new deliveries are planned for the period 2022-2041. In 2041, it is expected that more than 95% of passenger aircraft will be a new generation (such as the Airbus A220, A320neo and the A350), with lower carbon emissions and less noise. In addition, fleet renewal enables the introduction of alternative fuels (SAFs), and further engage in decarbonization innovation. Asia-Pacific (with India) will become the largest market for services by 2041
An annual growth rate of 3.7 percent will lead to a doubling of the value of the service market over the next two decades, with a demand for highly skilled labor of about 600,000 new pilots, 640,000 new technicians, and nearly 900,000 new cabin crews.
Aircraft operators are focusing more on their core business, and services to improve aircraft availability and efficiency. As such, these services will be increasingly outsourced, increasing the market for suppliers. These services will be driven by the goals of sustainability and digitization, connectivity and innovation.
Vincenzo graduated in 2019 in Mechanical Engineering with an aeronautical curriculum, focusing his thesis on Human Factors in aircraft maintenance. In 2022 he pursued his master's degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Palermo, Italy. He combines his journalistic activities with his work as a Reliability Engineer at Zetalab.
A KLM Boeing 777 on approach into Amsterdam.
(Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fabian Behr)
KLM is proposing a fleet renewal program as the main solution to reducing noise pollution and CO2 emissions at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport. The announcement comes after the Netherlands parliament proposed cutting the number of annual flight movements at the airline’s hub from 500,000 to 440,000 by the end of 2023. The NL Times reports that the imposed measures would inflict ‘significant damage’ on the airline’s network and may result in the cutting of 30 routes with European destinations the hardest hit.
The Times cites a possible scenario of 25 European destinations being removed from the airline’s schedule with several long-haul routes also being cut. Transit travel through the Netherlands hub may affect travelers heading to cities such as Kyiv, Porto, Belgrade, Montreal, Boston, Taipei and Osaka.
KLM chief executive officer Marjan Rintel said, “I share the cabinet’s aim of striking a balance between the interests of a good airport, the surrounding community and the environment. To this, I want to add the interests of (air) travelers. The cabinet’s current solution is to strike a better balance by reducing operational capacity at Schiphol. Calculations show that fleet renewal is a better alternative for reducing noise and CO2 emissions. This implies that it is the better solution for all. This is the issue I would like to address with the government. Purely on the basis of facts and figures.”
The methodology applied by the Netherlands parliament to reach the flight movement targets has been criticized by a number of parties calling the plans ‘arbitrary,’ ‘one-sided,’ and ‘poorly substantiated.’ A report on the Dutch current affairs television program EénVandaag cited by the NL Times said that external experts from Erasmus University, SEO, and CE Delft consulted by the government after the decision had been made had all been critical of the decision.
According to the EénVandaag story the 440,000 capacity figure ‘is the minimum number required to guarantee Schiphol remains well connected to the world.’ The NL Times reported: “The Ministry looked at the 178 most important cities for business travelers Schiphol was connected to in 2019. Those require 296,000 flights per year. It also looked at Schiphol being connected to 385 cities, which would require 426,000 flights per year. The Ministry took an average of the two scenarios and added 2,000 flights to five special destinations – Suriname and the Caribbean Netherlands – plus 15 percent for holiday flights and another 5 percent as an uncertainty margin. The Cabinet rounded up and went for 440,000 flight movements per year.”
Floris de Haan from Erasmus University says that the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management’s method “gives a simplified representation of reality. Whatever model you choose, it will always have shortcomings. At the moment, the analysis results are one-sided.” CNN quotes Dick Benschop, outgoing president and CEO of Royal Schiphol Group as calling the Ministry proposal a “very risky approach.”
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.
An Air Premia aircraft takes off for its delivery flight from Everett, Wash. to Seoul's Incheon International Airport. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Bailey)
Air Premia — a South Korean startup carrier — is set to begin service to the United States for the first time beginning on Oct. 29. The budget carrier has had its eyes set on American soil for some time, registering with the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) in July 2021, but holding off due to the negative effects on demand caused by the pandemic.
Air Premia is South Korea’s first hybrid carrier — offering full service at the cost of a low-cost airline.
With the launch of commercial service on August 11, 2021, the airline was berthed during the COVID-19 health crisis and struggled to find its feet as its primary purpose is to provide service to medium and long-haul routes within the United States, Europe and Oceania. The carrier was forced to postpone any international flying and shifted its focus to domestic flying within South Korea to stay afloat.
With a bounce-back in demand, the airline will begin flying to Los Angeles International Airport from its Seoul, South Korea’s Incheon International Airport hub five times weekly.
With a scheduled block time of 10 hours and 50 minutes, Flight YP101, originating from Seoul, will take off at 13:20 and land in Los Angeles at 08:20. Customers will have the choice to fly on every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Heading back west to Seoul from Los Angeles, Flight YP102 will depart at 10:50 and arrive the following day at 16:20, for a total block time of 13 hours and 30 minutes.
Flight
Origin
Destination
Departure
Arrival
Block
YP101
Seoul
Los Angeles
13:20
08:20
10:50
YP102
Los Angeles
Seoul
10:50
16:20+1
13:30
Air Premia will utilize its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners on the new route. Passengers will have their choice between a Premium Economy Class seat and a Regular Economy Class seat.
Upon check-in Premium Economy Class guests will have a dedicated check-in counter as well as priority baggage handling, allowing for a quicker check-in process. Once onboard the aircraft, guests will be seated in a seat that utilizes 42 inches of pitch for additional comfort as well as a 13-inch touch screen with access to inflight entertainment.
Economy Class consists of seats consisting of 31-35 inches of pitch with a 12-inch touch screen.
The carrier currently operates a fleet of only two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners leased through Air Lease Corporation. However, the carrier has plans to quickly expand its fleet.
At a recent press conference CEO Yoo Myung-sub said, “By 2025, we plan to secure a total of 10 Dreamliners and aggressively increase long-distance routes. It will become an airline that travelers are satisfied with and come back to again.”
The hybrid concept of offering full-service at the cost of a budget carrier has proven to be difficult, however, the airline believes it found a gap in the market through the use of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. They believe the low-cost due to lower fuel burn of the Dreamliner will be a key to the airline’s success.
The low-cost carrier will provide direct competition to South Korea’s largest flag carrier, Korean Air, as well as Asiana Airlines and Philippine Airlines, which provides 2X-weekly outbound flights from Seoul, South Korea to Los Angeles, originating in Manila, Philippines.
In addition to its new US route, Air Premia currently provides service to Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Chase Hagl grew up in Twin Falls, Idaho. His love and passion for Aviation landed him in Orem, Utah where he obtained a B.S. in Aviation Management with a minor in Business Management from Utah Valley University. Chase currently works as a flight attendant in Charleston, SC and is also the primary Inflight ASAP ERC representative for startup airline, Breeze Airways. His experience in the aviation industry spans back four years, working in areas including agriculture application, customer service, maintenance, and flight ops. In his free time, Chase enjoys road biking, astronomy, and flying.
Mexicana Comeback? Mexican President Considers Creation of a State-Owned Airline
Photo provided by Richard Silagi (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said his government is considering the possibility of creating a publicly run airline to serve destinations that currently do not have good air connectivity.
As part of his daily morning press conference, the president said on Tuesday that the Ministry of National Defense (SEDENA) could run an airline that would initially have ten aircraft, including the controversial presidential airplane, to offer regular commercial services.
The presidential aircraft is the same Boeing 787-8 acquired during Felipe Calderón’s administration, with registration number XC-MEX, which aroused controversy from the moment of its acquisition. Before taking office, the current president spoke out against its purchase because it represents “a bad deal” for Mexico. After becoming the country’s leader, he put the plane up for sale but never found a buyer.
“The economic viability analysis is being carried out”, said López Obrador. According to the president, his administration is currently analyzing types of aircraft for the new airline’s fleet. However, he clarified that no decision has been made yet, but that “it is very likely that this new airline will be in place by next year”.
In addition, he said the move would represent the return to Mexico of “a symbol and an emblem”. He also remarked that the investigation into the probable future nature of the airline should be expanded. In that sense, he commented that “Mexicana” or another name that “relates to Mexico” would be the best option, although they should analyze the legal viability of that name.
If formed, the carrier would join a list of state-owned companies that look to provide connectivity rather than obtain profits: Colombian SATENA and Argentinian LADE, both operated by the country’s Air Force, are two examples of this particular business model.
The memory of Mexicana de Aviación
The name Mexicana attracted particular attention because of its coincidence with Mexicana de Aviación, a national airline founded in 1921 that ceased operations permanently in 2010. During its last decades of activity, the company remained a majority state-owned enterprise.
On Wednesday, López Obrador reiterated that “it would be very good for the name Mexicana de Aviación to be used in this company that will possibly be formed”. On the other hand, he pledged to consult with the former workers of the defunct company and talk to them about the situation of the lawsuits for unjustified dismissals.
However, he clarified that the Mexican government would not be able to support a full rescue of the company. “We are going to rescue the Mexican people. We must invest where there are benefits for the nation”.
This article was written by Agustin Miguens for Aviacionline.
Embraer's E2 featuring the "Profit Hunter" livery. (Photo: AirlineGeeks
Royal Jordanian Airlines and Embraer have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the introduction of two variants of the E-Jet E2 aircraft family, produced by the Brazilian manufacturer, into the Jordanian flag carrier’s fleet.
The agreement was sealed at the Istanbul Air Show by Royal Jordanian Vice President and CEO Samer Majali and Embraer CEO, Arjan Meijer. The document details that the operator plans to add ten aircraft over the next few years. Deliveries would include the E190-E2 and E195-E2 variants.
According to Royal Jordanian, the E190-E2s will have a 12-seat configuration in Crown Class (the airline’s Business Class service) and 80 seats in Economy for a 92-seat configuration. The larger E195-E2s will have the same number of seats available in Crown Class and 108 seats in Economy. The seat configuration will be 2-2, with two seats on either side of the centre aisle. The aircraft will have the traditional interior features of both variants, including larger luggage bins, adjustable ambient lighting, and high-speed wireless connectivity.
Samer Majali said the choice for the Embraer’s medium-range twin-engine family is related to the lower fuel consumption these aircraft offer. The move is part of the fleet expansion and modernization program that the company will undertake over the next few years.
Royal Jordanian has been an Embraer customer for fifteen years. It currently operates two E175s and two E195s. As such, the chosen alternative will reduce investment in crew training programs and reduce spare parts procurement costs. The new aircraft would provide up to 25% fuel savings per flight and per seat compared to those currently in the fleet.
“Embraer is honored to be selected by Royal Jordanian to provide the next generation of regional aircraft to their fleet”, said Arjan Meijer. ” The E2 family of advanced-generation E-Jets offers the quietest, lowest polluting, and most fuel-efficient aircraft in the under 150-seat market”, he added.
Royal Jordanian is not only moving forward with regional fleet renovation: the carrier has recently signed an agreement with Airbus to introduce up to twenty A320neo (New Engine Option) family aircraft to replace the thirteen A320ceo (Current Engine Option) that the Jordanian flag carrier currently operates. The company assured that they developed «exhaustive feasibility studies» to choose the best option to replace its A319ceo, A320ceo and A321ceo. Also, Samer Majali confirmed that discussions are underway with Boeing to add four 787-8s in the coming years.
Currently, Royal Jordanian has seven aircraft of this kind in its fleet. In addition, the company’s top executive commented that they are evaluating the possibility of acquiring airplanes of the larger capacity 787-9 and 787-10 variants.
More than 1,200 pounds of fresh hops were shipped via Alaska Air Cargo to Maui and Anchorage within 24 hours of harvest in Central Washington. (Photos: Alaska Air Cargo | Ingrid Barrentine)
Alaska Airlines, Yakima Chief Hops and Bale Breaker Brewing Company are teaming up to deliver fresh hop harvests to Hawaii and Alaska. The farm-to-kettle operation will bring three collaboration beers on tap at select Alaska Lounges.
Traditionally, breweries can only use dried hop pellets to add flavor to beers because hops are extremely perishable. However, breweries in the Pacific Northwest have the opportunity to brew with fresh hops and add different floral notes to their beers each harvesting season since the region accounts for three-quarters of the US’s hop production. Hops needed to reach the brewing kettle within 24 hours of harvesting. Therefore fresh hop beers have largely been a regional delicacy until now.
The “Fresh Hops Fly” Idea
The fresh hop, in front of an Alaska Airlines plane. (Photo: Alaska Air Cargo)
According to Alaska Air Cargo, Jake Spotts, the airline’s postal affairs manager and a beer enthusiast, wanted to leverage the company’s expertise in shipping perishable products like fresh Alaskan seafood to ship fresh hops to breweries outside the Northwest. It is something that no other US airline has done on a commercial scale.
The team has a lot of experience in shipping fresh produce on time. The cargo company provides seamless transits and cold-chain support on dedicated cargo planes and passenger plane belly cargoes for Alaskan seafood such as halibut and geoduck. Most notably, the Seattle-based airline even holds annual cooking competitions upon first delivery of the season’s salmon crop.
Once the team determined it had the expertise, Spotts and Drouhard, the managing director of Alaska Air Cargo, reached out to one of Spotts’s favorite breweries, Bale Breaker Brewing Company. The parties hit it off and started working on the logistics.
Farm-to-Kettle Logistics
The fresh hops were shipped the same day they were harvested. (Photo: Alaska Air Cargo)
Bale Breaker reached out to Maui Brewing Co. in Hawaii and 49th State Brewing in Alaska. The brewers worked on beer recipes to highlight the hops’ fresh flavor and coordinated logistics with the Alaska Air Cargo team and Yakima Chief Hops, one of the largest hop distributors.
The harvest was timed so the hops could be bagged onsite at the farm immediately after picking to keep the hops as fresh as possible throughout the shipment. They were loaded into refrigerated trucks and driven to the Alaska Air Cargo offices at Sea-Tac International Airport just in time to load onto the aircraft.
The team shipped more than 1,200 lbs of fresh hops non-stop to the brewers. “Scalability of shipping fresh hops has really been the challenge to overcome because you only have about 24 hours from harvest before the hops start to degrade,” said Bryan Pierce, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for YCH.
The co-owner of Bale Breaker has also been racking up some frequent traveler miles for this collaboration. He’s been personally traveling to the breweries in Hawaii and Alaska to assist in brewing their first-ever fresh hop beers.
The Beers
In addition to the brewer’s taproom and distribution channels, travelers can look for these seasonal delights in Alaska Lounges at select airports.
You can also have a taste of the Alaska Lounge at the comfort of your home. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)
Bale Breaker will have two beers on draft at Alaska Lounges in Sea-Tac International Airport at the Alaska Lounge in Portland International Airport. The Homegrown fresh hop IPA will feature citrusy, blueberry, pine resin, and fresh-cut grass flavors, while the Citra Slicker Wet Hop IPA will focus on citrusy and floral tasting notes.
Freshial Delivery Hazy Fresh Hop IPA features plane-themed packaging. (Photo: 49th State Brewing)
Freshial Delivery Hazy Fresh Hop IPA from 49th State Brewing will be available at the Alaska Lounge in Anchorage International Airport. While the brewer did not list official tasting notes on the website, one can expect floral and tropical fruit flavors for the type.
Maui Brewing Co named their beer Hop Cargo Fresh Hop IPA, which will only be available on draft at the Alaska Lounge in Sea-Tac, North Satellite. The style is similar to that of the Homegrown IPA. All beers are on tap now, remember to enjoy the hoppiest time of the year by grabbing a pint of fresh hop beer the next time you swing by Alaska Lounge.
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.
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