A United Aviate Academy aircraft (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ryan Ewing)
The aviation industry has been plagued by several massive schedule disruptions in the past year, as airlines have been caught unprepared for a resurgence in travel demand across the world. After scaling back following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, airlines have said staffing shortages — not having enough pilots and flight attendants ready to fly — are to blame for many of the delays travelers have faced.
However, even looking at the years ahead, airlines are facing a relatively dire situation when it comes to pilots, as they try to ensure they will have enough trained professionals to fly all the aircraft the industry has now and the hundreds it will add in the years ahead.
In January, United Airlines — to help it and its regional partners with the future’s potential problems — opened the United Aviate Academy, an airline-run school that it hopes will help put hundreds of pilots each year on the path to flying for the airline. United Aviate Academy CEO Dana Donati sat down with AirlineGeeks to discuss some of the challenges facing pilots today and how the airline and the academy are looking to find solutions.
Tackling the Pilot Shortage
The aviation industry is facing one key problem when it comes to pilots: Airlines can’t find enough of them. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby told ABC News that, while U.S. airlines are looking to bolster their ranks by adding approximately 13,000 pilots in 2022, the U.S. will only contribute 5,000-7,000 of that number.
That problem is not unique to the U.S., meaning airlines all over the world are likely to need to compete for qualified graduates in the years ahead.
United sees the problem most prominently at regional carriers, as large legacy airlines such as themselves and American Airlines and Delta Airlines, their competitors, are generally able to pull pilots from those smaller carriers to start flying larger aircraft for higher pay.
“The regional airlines have to then find pilots that then have 1,500 hours and a good training track record, so that’s where the shortage lies,” Donati said. “What we can do as an academy is to bring students in here to make sure that these students are going to be safe pilots and provide them the highest quality of training and get them prepared for that next step of the regional airlines which is going to really help that environment while they start to see pilots leave the regional airlines for the legacy carriers.”
In 2022, the United Aviate Academy plans to see 240 students graduate, many of whom will go on to join U.S. regional carriers. In the years ahead, Donati said that number should increase significantly, getting closer to 500 in 2023. As it continues to train more pilots in the coming years, the academy hopes to be a contributor to lessening the impact of the pilot shortage across the industry.
Managing Cost
Worldwide, the price of obtaining training to become a commercial pilot is cited as one of the factors that deters potential applicants from joining the profession. At the United Aviate Academy, the cost through graduation is $71,250, a fee that does not change based on the number of hours a student flies.
SR-20 aircraft at the United Aviate Academy (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ryan Ewing)
“It’s really hard to tell a student, when they’re being charged hourly, exactly how much they’re going to be charged for flight training,” Donati added. “So that a student doesn’t have to guess how much their flight training is going to cost is a pro. I’d say the con sometimes is trying to come up with the $71,250, because they have to pay that over the course of the year. That can be somewhat of a barrier for students, but when you look at all the training they’re receiving — seven certificates over the course of 12 months — if they were to do that in an hourly flight school, they would still pay more than that.”
The cost takes them from their instrument rating to their multi-engine instructor rating, meaning their private pilot license — commonly known as a PPL — is free.
“A lot of that is to ensure that this is the career for them, that this is the flight training environment for them,” Donati added. “Everybody learns differently, and we want to our applicants, who then become our students, to be in an environment that can make them successful.”
However, applicants must complete the written portion of the private pilot license test prior to their acceptance of the academy — a process that runs the gamut as far as length.
Searching for Opportunity
When the Academy opened in January, executives said it had welcomed a first class that was approximately 80% women and people of color, part of initiative that garnered ire from groups that said United was hiring based on the wrong criteria. In response, Donati said she would point to the medical industry as one that purposefully sought to diversify its ranks in a way that would broaden the profession’s representation without sacrificing the skillset required.
As Donati describes it, United Aviate Academy’s mission relies on finding both qualified and diverse classes to fill its ranks, a mandate it has had no trouble with so far. Moving forward, the group is accountable for having classes — beginning on a monthly basis — that hit 50% women or people of color, a mark it significantly surpassed in its first.
Despite the criticisms that the airline was hiring for diversity over qualifications, Donati said United Aviate Academy has seen a 98% pass rate on first-time check rides, meaning its cadet pilots are almost universally hitting the metrics they need to the first time out.
Donati attributes that high rate to the United training foundation the academy’s students receive, a part of the experience she says will continue to be a feature of the program’s offerings as it continues to expand. That will come with time, however, with the academy growing and shifting to fit both the needs of United and those of potential pilots in the years ahead.
Parker joined AirlineGeeks as a writer and photographer in 2016, combining his longtime love for aviation with a newfound passion for journalism. Since then, he’s worked as a Senior Writer before becoming Editor-in-Chief of the site in 2020. Originally from Dallas and an American frequent flyer, he left behind the city’s rich aviation history to attend college in North Carolina, where he’s studying economics.
Hong Kong Government, Cathay Pacific Adhere to New Travel Guidelines
A Cathay Pacific A350-900XWB (Photo: Cathay Pacific)
In May, Hong Kong is going to relax its travel restrictions and allow non-residents to enter the city after a two years hiatus. Foreign travelers are required to be fully vaccinated with a negative COVID-19 test result before boarding the flight and hold a confirmed hotel booking for quarantine. The new rules show a sign of lifting travel restrictions, but it is far from fully reopening the border.
The new adjustment comes after strict travel rules were lifted last month. In April, the government eased its quarantine rules and let Hong Kong residents quarantine for seven days instead of 14 days after returning from abroad. In addition, the government allowed the flights from U.S and other eight countries to fly into Hong Kong. Earlier, flights from nine countries were banned due to Omicron concerns. Hong Kong International Airport has seen an increase in passenger flights in the first two weeks of April.
Meanwhile, the government will adjust its flight suspension mechanism.
Starting on May 1, if any aircraft carries five passengers or more than five percent of the total number of passengers, whichever is higher, who test positive for Covid on arrival, the route will be banned for five days, instead of seven days.
According to the government, the new adjustment is balancing the expectation from the public as well as various sectors of the community to resume social and economic activities.
Hong Kong International Airport has welcomed the measures and believes the new policies are an appropriate response to air traffic demand. The airport will work with the community to prepare for the expected increase in flights and passenger loads.
One Step At A Time
Cathay Pacific also welcomed the new policies and looks forward to relaxing more restrictions in the near future.
According to Cathay Pacific’s North America schedule in May, they provide limited services to the customers, including eight flights to Los Angeles, five flights to New York, four flights to San Francisco, five flights to Toronto and seven flights to Vancouver, Canada. The carrier operated at least one daily flight to these cities before the pandemic.
The flag carrier of Hong Kong carried 30,628 passengers in March and the flight capacity remained extremely low at just 2% of pre-Covid-19 levels. Also, Cathay Pacific faced a setback in March. In response to the anti-pandemic measures, the carrier has trimmed down the flight capacity to Chinese cities.
Hong Kong has been carrying out “zero-Covid” and strict travel restrictions since the pandemic began. International Air Transport Association (IATA) weighed in on Hong Kong’s travel restrictions. Earlier, Willie Walsh, Director-General of IATA criticized the travel restrictions in Hong Kong as becoming a cost for the city as an aviation hub.
“It’s effectively off the map now, and I think it’s going to be difficult for Hong Kong to recover,” Walsh said.
Hong Kong Airport's Midfield Concourse. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Albert Kuan)
While the Covid-19 pandemic has severely affected passenger demand during the past two years, airports around the world had to adjust their masterplans to cope with the drop in traffic while still maintaining the investments level to improve their facilities in line with their long-term growth outlook.
One of the airports that has seen most of its traffic evaporate since the beginning of the health emergency in 2020 is Hong Kong International Airport. In 2019, the airport of this Chinese Special Administrative Region with a unique history, status and economic profile had seen more than 71.4 million passengers transit through its facilities. In 2021 that number had fallen to just 1.3 million, a 98.2% drop, with visitors for the first three months for 2022 reaching only 11,490 units.
Three-Runway System Project
Nonetheless, Hong Kong International Airport has been continuing its Three-Runway System (3RS) project that is planning to expand the airport to include a third 3,800-meter-long runway and a brand-new Terminal 2 and a 650-hectare extension to the man-made island that was created to host the. The project began in 2016 with a budget of HK$141.5 billion ($18 billion) and saw the new runway being cleared for use last Thursday after meeting all the requirements set out by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the South China Morning Post reported.
HKIA is confirming that the runway, together with the ground light guiding system that links it to the rest of the airport, will open by the end of the year and the entire project, which includes a new Terminal 2, an automated People Mover and a new baggage handling system, is going to be completed by 2024 on time and on budget.
However, the very tight restrictions that are stifling traffic in an out of Hong Kong due to the Chinese Government’s policy to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic are making recovery extremely difficult for the Special Administrative Region. While traffic in other parts of the world is approaching 2019 levels and other hubs in Asia, including rival Singapore, are re-opening to international traffic, Hong Kong is still unable to make plans on how to regain the role it had as a Southern Asia aviation and business center.
“Hong Kong is Off the Aviation Map”
During a press briefing at the beginning of the month, IATA Director General Willie Walsh said that Hong Kong has lost the role it used to have in aviation, Singapore’s Business Times reported. “It’s effectively off the map now, and I think it’s going to be difficult for Hong Kong to recover,” Walsh said. “It’s going to lag significantly behind the recovery that we’re seeing elsewhere and has led to a tough time for all airlines operating there. The restrictions there have been very severe and have led directly to the cancellation of a lot of services with airlines – effectively finding it incredibly difficult, if not impossible to operate there.”
Hong Kong has recently halved the quarantine time required for arriving passengers to 1 week, however with most Western countries dropping testing or quarantine for fully vaccinated passengers this measure does not appear to go far enough to sustain recovery.
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.
Ryanair Looks to Future with SAF, But Still Faces Internal Problems
Deboarding a Ryanair 737-800, operated by Malta Air, in Catania. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | João Machado)
Ryanair recently announced a partnership with the Dutch division of Neste — a Finnish oil and biodiesel refining, transportation and sales company based in Espoo, Finland. The company is currently the world’s leading supplier of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Neste currently produces 100,000 tons of SAF and production will increase to 1.5 million tons, or about 1.875 billion liters, per year by the end of 2023. Ryanair will fuel about one-third of its flights at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol with a 40% SAF blend.
The goal of using a 40% SAF blend will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60%. Ryanair currently has a goal of achieving decarbonization by 2050, moving toward a fleet that is 16% more fuel and carbon dioxide efficient with noise emissions reduced by 40%. According to Ryanair Director of Sustainability Thomas Fowler, by 2030 Ryanair hopes to operate 12.5% of its flights using SAF.
Labor Issues Continue
However, despite this good news, Ryanair is once again at the center of controversy. In recent days, flight attendants working in the Belgian bases of Charleroi and Brussels have called a strike to denounce the deterioration of working conditions, including those errors in payroll. In a recent article in Belgian newspaper LeSoir, Ryanair was accused of not respecting the rights of its workers, as every month workers would be forced to check for errors in payroll. It often happens that Ryanair forgets to fill out health care forms, or fills them out incorrectly, due to a lack of knowledge of Belgian social law since human resources is based in Dublin.
Also, Ryanair management continues to push to maximize the sale of food or goods during flights. Within the company, those who sell the most enjoy perks such as promotions as well as better working conditions such as being able to return to work in their home country. However, given that there are only four Belgians out of the 400 Ryanair workers in Belgium, these conditions force the workers into a climate of competition among colleagues, and certainly damage the experience of the customer who is inundated with sales requests from the cabin crew.
A Ryanair 737-800 aircraft approaches Barcelona Airport. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derricksonn)
To make matters worse, working conditions are not the best, as there is very often a lack of water on planes for staff. Belgian law states that the employer must provide water in the workplace, but Ryanair would only provide its workers with water in the crew rooms on the ground, so if the flight lasts too long, the staff cannot use any of the bottles on sale for customers, and must buy it at full price — three euros ($3.25).
For these reasons, the Belgian staff of Ryanair requires a work contract with a fixed salary, regardless of the number of flights made and the items sold during the flight, but despite numerous complaints to the management, there has been no response yet.
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 Qantas 787-9 performs a test flight at Paine Field. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)
Airlines have one thing in common: they are far from perfect. But when a flag carrier makes headlines for one fault after another, does it deserve that esteemed position? Over the past few weeks, Qantas has found itself in that very situation. From poor customer service, unfair treatment of flight crew, and even flights without passengers’ luggage, Qantas has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. This leads to an important question: is Qantas really the spirit of Australia?
Qantas, Australia’s flag carrier with an impeccable safety record, has long enjoyed a privileged place in global aviation. Qantas – Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd – has grown into possibly the most iconic of all airlines. Kangaroo? Qantas. The red and white tail says all you need to know. Safety, reliability, and comfort – the spirit of Australia – and the slogan of its latest advertising campaign.
In recent weeks, however, this slogan has been called into serious question. Despite its recent television advertisement, with an ensemble cast of the most famous Australian faces and that Qantas choir, the reality making headlines is quite a contrast. The reader who so much as glances at Australian news would realize this truth. This reality is, in fact, enough to question if Qantas really does carry the spirit of Australia. So, does it?
Before an answer is given to this potentially volatile question, one must put on their deerstalker hat (it’s elementary, my dear Watson) and piece together the jigsaw that is laid before us.
Cracks in Qantas began to appear in the lead-up to this year’s Easter long weekend. Qantas passengers could barely withhold their righteous indignation when Qantas CEO Alan Joyce found a place to blame service delays at the airports – the passengers themselves. Although he quickly attempted to cover his tracks the very next day, the proverbial cat was out of the bag. Stating “our passengers are not match fit” for travel, a spark was lit which seems to have grown into a raging blaze and media storm.
The level-headed observer would wonder, quite rightfully, why such a simple statement could cause such anger. So what went wrong? The words in themselves reveal a symptom of a greater sickness – a flag carrier losing its footing.
Like every other airline around the world, Covid-19 hit Qantas hard. Australia’s airports experienced massive drops in passenger traffic, with Sydney Airport alone experiencing a 74% loss in international traffic and a 35.6% domestic loss (comparing March 2022 to the pre-Covid March 2019). Needless to say, a huge portion of that traffic would be Qantas flights. A loss of that magnitude means a similarly large financial loss for the airline, specifically $1.7 billion last financial year.
In handling this loss, Qantas’ executives received a 70% pay cut last year, mostly withheld bonuses. The real concern is how Qantas handles the money of those given credits for their flight cancellations. Last week, the Australian consumer advocacy group Choice lodged an official complaint with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) over “unfair terms and conditions on credit redemptions”. In a nutshell, Qantas’ credit policy means its holding onto $1.01 billion in credits, with only seven percent of Qantas customers using their credits and 19% of its budget airline Jetstar customers using theirs.
The actions of Australia’s flag carrier are hitting its passengers hard. The poor policy means that credits can only be used for equally-priced or more expensive flights. Found a cheaper flight? Looks like you’ll need to pay additional money since credits can’t be used for them. If calling the airline will help, brace – the wait times are hours long and sometimes result in a disconnection. Like a crescent moon after full, the reputation Qantas once enjoyed is beginning to wane.
The final nail in the coffin, in this writer’s opinion, is Qantas’ management of staff – or lack of. Passengers were already in disbelief over staff shortages. The long weekend saw entire flights leaving airports without any passenger luggage, with unions blaming this on outsourcing 2000 ground staff. An Australian federal court found the airline did so with some intent to clear union influence from its ranks.
News this week also noted some interesting methods of flight crew management. Australian employees were appalled that their shifts in some long-range flights had been swapped with employees from New Zealand. Attendants were photographed sleeping on seats under a blanket of, well, fabric (they were blankets). Under Australian fatigue laws, flight crew is protected from excessive fatigue by having fair rest requirements. They’re not unreasonable – they ask for a horizontal bed, clean rooms, and added days of rest depending on flight time and workload.
Qantas, for its part, did what the spirit of Australia calls for – employment of international staff to bypass Australian employee rights. It seems international employees don’t need that same care. For a carrier that carries the Australian spirit, it sure seems to be dropping it off mid-flight. If one is in the business of customer service, it’s self-explanatory that staff must be up to that task. In fact, it’s elementary.
As Qantas emerges from its slumber, it should be careful to not fall out of bed. Qantas, as a flag carrier, is responsible for more than the carriage of passengers – it carries a spirit. Australians are proud of their airline; the flying kangaroo is their symbol of connection with each other and the world. The humble beginnings have led to greatness, yet that greatness can easily be humbled.
What does the future of Australia’s flag carrier hold? This writer can only speculate, but I am yet to be convinced its reputation of old will stand. Perfection is pretty hard to achieve, but the standards which this airline upholds are a pretty good place to start.
Mike’s love affair with flight and mechanical objects in the sky began at an early age, fascinated by space documentaries and the vintage Flight Simulator ’95. He currently works as an instructor for UAVs and is training to receive his Private Pilot Licence with the goal of working in manned flight instruction. An avid reader of all things aviation and manned space flight, Mike stays close to developments in aerospace while reminiscing and sharing the rich history of flight with others. He loves writing, engineering and science.
Breeze Airways A220 with a Viasat Radome. (Photo: Breeze Airways)
JetBlue founder David Neeleman’s low-cost airline Breeze Airways plans to begin operating flights to the West Coast of the United States. The introduction of new routes will operate from the Southeastern region as it aims to expand its network and become a more viable option for travelers looking to flyfrom secondary U.S. markets as well as the airlines’ first routes out of New York. Breeze, however, will not be flying any of the big 3 New York City airports. Instead of operating out of Newark, LaGuardia or John F. Kennedy, Breeze intends to fly from Westchester County Airport, roughly 30 miles north of New York City.
Beginning on September 7, 2022, Breeze will begin flying to Los Angeles followed by services to Las Vegas commencing the following day. Flights to San Francisco will start on November 2. All three flights will be operated by Breeze’s brand new Airbus A220 aircraft featuring a low-density configuration, allowing the airline to operate full flights from Westchester to the West Coast as Westchester County Airport’s runway is not suitable for higher capacity aircraft with its short 6,549-foot runway.
Breeze’s A220 aircraft offers more space, is quieter and more cost-effective for the airline which means lower ticket prices for the passenger. Neeleman said, “the Airbus aircraft embodies the Breeze ideal of merging kindness with technology, pairing unrivaled passenger comfort with eco-friendly efficiency. With the A220, Breeze is giving our Guests the widest cabin, highest ceiling, largest windows and biggest overhead stowage in this class, while still managing to burn 25% less fuel, with half the noise footprint of past generations.” The A220s serving Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco will also have 36 First Class seats for those passengers seeking even more comfort on the cross country trip.
Neeleman’s former airline, JetBlue, has been the largest airline operating out of Westchester since beginning service there in 2007. JetBlue currently flies to five cities in Florida to meet demand and serve as a convenient option for New York City’s suburban upper-class. As Breeze’s new routes begin, JetBlue will become the second airline in Westchester while Breeze will offer services to the Southeast as had been announced back in March. Many residents of the Westchester area have for years needed to drive to one of the big 3 airports in New York City for service to the West Coast but with Breeze’s new routes, this will hopefully change. It’s cheaper, more convenient and in most cases a stronger coach product than what many of the larger airlines operating out of JFK and EWR are offering.
Since its founding in 2018 as Moxy Airways, Breeze has expanded rapidly after beginning commercial services in May of 2021. The airline currently has a firm order for 40 Airbus A220 aircraft with an option for 40 more planning to receive one A220 per month for the next six years.
Ezra Gollan is a student, photographer and aviation enthusiast based in New York, New York. He has spent over half a decade around New York City’s airports as a photographer.
Four of the EAS carriers in this update, TOP: Denver Air Connection and Delta Connection BOTTOM: Air Choice One and American Eagle (Photos: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Essential Air Service (EAS) has been in the news frequently for the past couple of months, and large airports aren’t the only airports that have news to report on. This is a continuation of the series, titled ‘EAS Round up’, and will touch on any news regarding the contracts in the EAS airport community since the last EAS Round-Up which can be viewed HERE.
Whether it is a new airline being selected for a city, the current airline being re-selected to serve the community, or there are noticeable services changed to the current contract, they will be announced in this series.
The past four months have been particularly newsworthy in the EAS community, with SkyWest’s request to terminate 31 EAS communities and Southern Airways Express’ acquisition of Air Choice One. With airline proposals for 29 of SkyWest’s EAS communities originally due on April 11, 2022, and then extended a month until May 11, 2022, this felt like as good a time as any to go over EAS contract changes since the last edition of this article back in October of 2021 before all of the SkyWest community change announcements happen.
Airports With Service Changes
Jonesboro, Arkansas (JBR)
This community located in northeastern Arkansas has re-selected the current carrier Air Choice One for the contract, but with a new additional destination. Back when this contract renewal was announced in December of 2021, it wasn’t known that they would be acquired by Southern Airways Express in a few short months. This was to become Air Choice One’s only EAS contract, but the acquisition by Southern Airways Express means the latter mentioned carrier will now have possession of all four EAS contract communities in the state of Arkansas.
Air Choice One Cessna 208’s in Fort Dodge, a city they no longer fly to (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
The Air Choice One name and brand will be replaced by Southern Airways Express by mid-summer 2022 according to SAE Chief Marketing officer Keith Sisson. This will also be the final contract that will ever be awarded to Air Choice One as that name will not be around once the contract expires in 2026.
Flights will operate to St. Louis 12 times weekly and Nashville six-times weekly. The contract began on March 1, 2022, and will run until Feb. 28, 2026. The subsidy will be $2,217,130 for the first year, $2,283,644 for the second year, $2,352,153 for the third year, and $2,422,718 for the fourth year.
Burlington, Iowa (BRL)
This city in southeastern Iowa was a former Air Choice One city and is now served by Massachusetts-based Cape Air. Flights began on Feb. 1, 2022, and will run until the contract expiration on Jan. 31, 2026. Although the carrier is new to this community, the destinations served from here won’t change and will offer 12-weekly flights to each Chicago O’Hare and St. Louis, for a total of 24-weekly flights.
A Cape Air Tecnam P2012 Traveller (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
The subsidy will be $2,582 for the first year, $2,659,561 for the second year, $2,739,347 for the third year, and $2,821,528 for the fourth year. All flights are scheduled to operate on the Tecnam P2012 Traveller.
Imperial, California (IPL)
This is one of the three EAS airports in the state of California, this one is located along the southern part of the state not more than 10-miles from the US-Mexico border. The community was also the only EAS destination for Hawaii-based Mokulele on the mainland, but since then the Mokulele was bought by Southern Airways Express and now operates under that brand. They currently have flights to LAX airport, but come May 1, 2022, they will be adding a new destination from this community, Las Vegas.
The front of the terminal building in Imperial, Calif. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Flights will operate 18 times a week to LAX and six times a week to Las Vegas. All flights will be operated on the 8/9 seat Cessna 208 Caravan, as previously mentioned the contract will begin on May 1, 2022, and will run until April 30, 2026. The subsidy will be $2,920,934 for the first year, $2,993,957 for the second year, $3,068,806 for the third year, and $3,145526 for the fourth year.
Saranac Lake, New York (SLK)
This EAS community, located inside the Adirondack State Park finally got something they have been requesting for many years, a nonstop flight to the New York City Area. Cape Air still holds the contract at this airport, with 14-weekly flights to Boston and seven weekly flights to JFK Airport in New York City. The flights are scheduled to operate on the Tecnam P2012 according to the contract, although most tend to operate using the Cessna 402.
A Cape Air Cessna 402 in Saranac Lake, N.Y. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
As previously mentioned, this contract began on March 1, 2022, the contract will run for the next four years until Feb. 28, 2026. The subsidy will be $2,557,622 for the first year, $2,634,351 for the second year, $2,713,381 for the third year, and $2,794,783 for the fourth year. This will be the only EAS flight to operate out of JFK Airport, but not the only one in the New York City area as nearby Newark Liberty does have one EAS contract which will be discussed later in this article.
McCook, Nebraska (MCK)
This small city in southwest Nebraska will be the latest city to get a new airline, currently, they have Boutique Air but come June 1, 2022, they will receive Denver Air Connection. Starting on June 1, 2022, until May 31, 2024, they will receive Denver Air Connection with flights to, you guessed it, Denver at a frequency of 12 times a week. Flights will operate using the Metroliner, a once almost extinct aircraft in the United States that will now see its second route along with fellow Nebraskan city Alliance.
A Denver Air Connection Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner in Alliance, Neb. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Denver Air Connection’s route map is starting to look very familiar to Boutique Air’s old route map. This will be the fourth EAS city that DAC will take from Boutique in the past three years, the others being Clovis, N.M.; Theif River Falls, Minn.; and Ironwood, Mich. The subsidy will be $2,910,856 for the first year and $2,969,074 for the second year, with the contract ending on May 31, 2024.
Jackson, Tennessee (MKL)
Another Boutique Air city is going by the wayside, with the only EAS community in the state of Tennessee going to Southern Airways Express. Flights will operate 18 times a week to Atlanta-Hartsfield Jackson International Airport. So while the number of flights a week isn’t changing, they are losing St. Louis as a destination and all flights on the new carrier will be flown to Atlanta using the Cessna 208 Caravan.
The contract begins on June 1, 2022, and will run until May 31, 2024, at s subsidy rate of $2,558,436 for the first year, and $2,622,397 for the second year, with the contract ending on May 31, 2024.
Airports Re-Selecting Current Carrier
Aberdeen, South Dakota (ABR) and Bemidji, Minnesota (BJI)
These next two cities are linked to the same contract and have identical service offerings from each EAS Community. Aberdeen, located in northeast South Dakota, and Bemidji, located in northcentral Minnesota will both have SkyWest service under the Delta Connection brand. Each community will see 14-weekly round trip flights to Minneapolis St. Paul on 50-seat CRJ-200
One of Delta/SkyWest CRJ-200’s at Minneapolis St. Paul (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
The contract began on March 1, 2022, and will run until Feb. 28, 2025. The only difference between the communities will be the subsidy cost; in Aberdeen, the subsidy will be at a rate of $3,207,595 annually, and in Bemidji, the annual subsidy rate will be $1,863,375. This difference in price is due to the flight length, as Aberdeen is a little bit further from Minneapolis.
Waterloo, Iowa (ALO)
This community in eastern Iowa is one of the only four-EAS contracts that American Airlines holds. Unlike most of the EAS contracts that are held by the regional carriers, this one is actually held by mainline American Airlines. What this means is that airlines have increased flexibility when it comes to the EAS communities, and they can serve them on any jet they wish to. Of course, you are not going to see a large jet here ever for obvious reason, but they can use any aircraft type they would like to as long as the contract is completed.
American uses the 50-seat Embraer E145 to serve this community with 13-weekly round trip flights to Chicago O’Hare, and flights are usually operated by Envoy. But due to the nature of who holds the contract, if some type of maintenance issue arises and Envoy is unable to operate flights they can swap out to Piedmont which also operates E145s, or even SkyWest and their CRJ-700.
The contract begins on May 1, 2022, and runs until April 30, 2024, at an annual subsidy rate of $3,986,989. Due to this being the same airline and destinations served at the present time, passengers flying the route will probably not even be aware of the contract renewal come May 1.
Decatur, Illinois (DEC)
Decatur, located in the center of Illinois currently has SkyWest under the United Express brand operating the flights to this community using 50-seat CRJ-200s to Chicago O’Hare. The contract began on Feb 1, 2022, and will theoretically run until Jan 31, 2025, at an annual subsidy rate of $2,572,847. The reason I say “theoretically” is due to the fact that Decatur is one of the 31 EAS communities that SkyWest has requested to terminate.
A United Express CRJ-200 arriving into Chicago O’Hare (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
With the DOT denying the termination of SkyWest’s contract until a replacement carrier is found, and the EAS bidding process in the works, there is a very good chance that this contract will not make it to 2023 let alone the normal ending date of Jan. 31, 2025. The deadline for new carriers to submit their EAS service proposals are due on May 11, 2022, so there is a very high chance this city will be back in the news in the next month or so.
But until a new carrier is chosen and a decision has been made by the DOT, SkyWest under the United Express branding will continue serving Decatur to Chicago O’Hare. Flights to Chicago will operate 12 times a week, on the previously mentioned CRJ-200.
Owensboro, Kentucky (OWB)
This community will also be keeping their current airline, Cape Air, at least for the next two years. The contract began on Jan 1, 2022, and will run until Dec. 31, 2023, at a subsidy rate of $2,128,874 for the first year and $2,192,740 for the second year. Service is scheduled to operate 14-times a week to Nashville, Tenn., and seven times a week to St Louis, M.O., and all flights are scheduled to operate on the carriers Tecnam P2012 Traveller.
The subsidy rate will be $2,128,874 for the first year and, $2,192,740 for the second year.
Cape Air’s brand new Tecnam P2012 Traveller in Manistee, Mich. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Pellston, Michigan (PLN)
This city in the northern part of Michigan’s southern peninsula will be reselecting SkyWest under the Delta Connection brand. It was s super simple decision, the community has had Delta for many years, and Northwest before the merger. The contract began on Feb. 1, 2022, and will run until Jan. 31, 2025, at an annual subsidy rate of $2,313,625 with flights operating 12 times a week to Delta Air Line’s Detroit Metro hub.
My view from my seat on Delta’s CRJ-200 in Detroit (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Watertown, New York (ART)
Another one of American Airlines’ four EAS contracts has been renewed, Watertown is located in northern New York state and is the carrier’s only EAS contract east of the Mississippi River at this current point in time. Flights will operate onboard Embraer E145s to Philadelphia 12 times a week, and currently, most flights are operated by Piedmont. Although flights are operated by Piedmont, because the contract is held directly by American Airlines, they have the ability to switch to any of their regional operators at a moment’s notice.
An American Eagle Embraer E145 departing Watertown, NY (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
The contract began on Feb. 1, 2022, and will run until Jan. 31, 2024, at an annual subsidy rate of $4,701,099.
Hibbing, Minnesota (HIB)
Another SkyWest city being selected for EAS renewal, this city is located in northern Minnesota will continue to receive 12 weekly flights to Minneapolis St. Paul under the Delta Connection brand. All flights are scheduled to operate on 50-seat CRJ-200s. The annual subsidy rate will be $3,889,635 per year, and the contract will begin on June 1, 2022, and will run until May 31, 2024. It is truly interesting to see how many Delta Connection branded SkyWest EAS communities are renewing their contracts, while at the same time SkyWest is requesting to terminate 31 United Express branded destinations.
Cody, Wyoming (COD)
This is another contract being held directly by the major carrier, in this case, United Airlines. United is able to use any aircraft it wishes on the route, again, obviously you will never see an Airbus or Boeing aircraft scheduled on the route, but they do have the ability to switch between aircraft types and regional carriers at will. Flights are contracted to be either on the CRJ-200 or Embraer E145 both of which have 50-seats and will operate from the airline’s Denver hub 14 times a week.
United Express regional jets lined up at its Rocky Mountain hub (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Another unique aspect of this contract is that it isn’t in effect for the entire calendar year, and they are only subsidized for service between Oct. 1 and May 31 each year. United provides unsubsidized service to Cody during the peak tourist months of June through September. Due to the seasonality of the contract, the subsidy rate is relatively low for jet service coming out at $996,968 annually, the contract will begin on June 1, 2022, and run until May 31, 2024.
Clovis, New Mexico (CVN)
This city made the switch from Boutique Air to Denver Air Connection back in 2020, and the community has been happy with the switch to DAC as they have been reselected for the contract here that will run for the next four years. The contract will begin on May 1, 2022, and will run until April 30, 2026, at an annual subsidy rate of $4,804,921.
A Denver Air Connection Dornier 328Jet at Denver Intl. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
The carrier will provide six weekly flights to both Denver and Dallas Ft. Worth, for a total of 12 weekly flights out of Clovis. Flights are contracted to be on either a 30-seat Dornier 328Jet or a 50-seat Embraer E145, meaning the airline has the flexibility to add or reduce seats based on demand and aircraft availability.
Presque Isle, Maine (PQI)
This is another contract that is held directly by United Airlines, and another contract that has many unique aspects to it. First, it is the highest subsidy of any EAS contract in the lower 48 states at an annual subsidy rate of $10,874,142. That number is truly astounding considering the last time the contract was renewed in 2020 the annual subsidy rate was $6,838,045, one of the extreme examples of how the cost of flying and operating aircraft has gone up dramatically since 2020.
United’s CRJ-550 in its new livery (Photo: AirlineGeeks)
And secondly, this is the only EAS route in the lower 48 states that will offer a first-class section on a regular basis, as all flights are scheduled to operate on United Express CRJ-550’s which are operated by GoJet. Flights from Presque Isle will operate to Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey, making it the only EAS route to operate out of that airport. This contract will run for the next two years, beginning on June 1, 2022, and going until May 31, 2024.
Thief River Falls, Minnesota (TVF)
For the final community in this update, we have another former Boutique Air city, which was won by Denver Air Connection back in 2020. They along with Clovis, are very happy with the service DAC has provided in the past two years, and so happy that they have recommended they renew the contract for five years. Flights will continue to operate to Minneapolis St. Paul using either the 30-seat Dornier 328Jet or 50-seat Embraer E145, giving them the ability to swap aircraft types if operationally necessary.
A Denver Air Connection Embraer E145 at Chicago O’Hare (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
This is the last time you will probably hear about this community for a long time, as the contract will begin on June 1, 2022, and will run all the way until May 31, 2027. The subsidy rate will be $5,801,566 for the first year, $5,975,603 for the second year, $6,154,871 for the third year, $6,339,517 for the fourth year, and finally $6,529,702 for the fifth year.
With SkyWest requesting to terminate 31 of their EAS cities, and them in the midst of the bidding process currently, this is probably the last time you will see the map below with so many United logos on it as come fall 2022, they all might be operating or planning to operate with a different airline.
This is the updated map, as of April 21, 2022, of all the EAS contracts and their operators in the lower 48 states and Hawaii.
A diagram of the current (April 2022) providers of Essential Air Service in the United States, Excluding Alaska (Diagram: Gerardi Aviation Photography)
All numbers and information in this article come from publicly viewable documents on Regulations.gov
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.
Canadian Carrier Flair Airlines’ Ownership Row Escalates
The new Flair Airlines livery seen on one of the airline's 737-400s. (Photo: Flair Airlines)
The ownership row over Canadian ultra-low-cost carrier Flair Airlines escalated this week with the issuing of a joint statement by two major industry bodies. The National Airlines Council of Canada and the Air Transport Association of Canada are calling on the Canadian federal government to reject the Edmonton-based airline’s request for an 18-month extension to address ownership concerns.
In the statement the two organizations that represent Air Canada, WestJet, Air Transat and a number of other airline operators and aviation industry suppliers stated: “If granted, this unprecedented request would allow Flair to continue operating outside the bounds of existing Canadian law, setting a troubling precedent while also threatening consumer confidence in the sector, at a time when the travel industry is working hard to provide a strong and sustainable future for air travel for Canadians.”
As reported last month, Canadian law forbids foreign capital to exceed 49 percent of the total stake or 25 percent for an individual. 777 Partners, a Miami-based investment firm, stated that it reached that maximum share, but what is being investigated is Flair’s board composition, as the US firm owns three of the five seats.
The joint statement also alluded to the fact that if Flair is found to have breached the ownership it may lose its license to operate. The statement reads: “By failing to comply with basic, longstanding Canadian ownership and control rules, Flair places considerable uncertainty on the shoulders of travelers, potentially leaving them stranded without a backstop should Flair fail to abide by Canadian ownership and control requirements, as ordered by the Canadian Transportation Agency.”
The row has understandably provoked concern by airline customers and Flair Airlines has been seeking to offer reassurance ahead of the busy summer season. Recent marketing messaging on social media has alluded to the investigation with slogans such as ‘We’re here to stay so you can go’ and ‘We’re not going anywhere, but you can (for less).’
In a pinned tweet the airline makes a direct statement ‘We’ve read the news, and the comments and we understand the sentiment caused by the media. We are a Canadian airline that will be here for years to come.’
In a statement responding to the joint statement, the Financial Post cites Flair Airlines’ chief executive officer Stephen Jones as stating, “Air Canada deployed anticompetitive practices against WestJet and WestJet borrowed from Air Canada’s playbook to launch anticompetitive practices against Flair Airlines. Today, they are teaming up to protect their high fares, which is great for them but not for Canadian families. Without Flair, Canada has some of the highest airfare in the world.”
Flair Airlines have until 3 May to respond officially to the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) if the 18-month exemption is not granted by the federal government. In a press conference held on Thursday, Mr. Jones opened with the statement that the airline is ‘here to stay.’ He further added that the airline will meet the deadline in its response to the CTA and there there was ‘zero chance’ that the airline will lose its license on 3 May and customers should be confident in booking with Flair.
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.
Alaska Airlines Reports First Quarter Loss of $143 Million, Sees Second Quarter Strength
An Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Katie Zera)
On Thursday, Alaska Airlines released its first quarter earnings for 2022, posting a net loss of $143 million for the quarter ending March 31. The Seattle-based carrier reported a loss of $1.14 per share, compared to a net loss of $131 million, or $1.05 per share in the first quarter of 2021 during a peak of new Covid-19 cases being reported.
During the fourth quarter of 2021, the airline reported net income of $18 million, or $0.14 per share. For the year, the company reported a net profit of $478 million, or $3.77 per share, made possible because of the federal Payroll Support Program that provided $914 million to the airline in the first half of 2021 due to the pandemic.
These results compare to a net loss for the fourth quarter and full year 2020 of $447 million, or $3.60 per share, and $1.3 billion, or $10.72 per share.
“Alaska has a proven track record and a resilient business model that delivers in good times and through challenging ones” said Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci. “March results were particularly strong, marked by our highest cash sales month in history and revenues that exceeded 2019 levels for the first time since the pandemic began. Our people are working hard to get our airline back to its pre-COVID size and to return to growth from there, all while delivering the operational excellence that we’re known for.”
On a positive note, as air travel continues to recover, Alaska Airlines increased advance bookings in both their leisure and business travel sectors, generating $287 million in operating cash flow for the first quarter. Alaska also ended the quarter with a debt-to-capitalization ratio of 50%, within their target range of 40% to 50%.
On average, the airline had a 78.6% load factor on flights in the first quarter of 2022, a 25% increase from the first three months of 2021.
A Positive Outlook
Looking forward, Alaska has plans to rapidly accelerate the transition of its mainline fleet to all-Boeing aircraft, consisting of different models of the Next Generation aircraft.
In an attempt to drive economic benefits through cost savings, the carrier introduced plans to transition the regional fleet of Horizon Air — its regional subsidiary — to all-Embraer jets by the end of 2023. The aircraft will offer operational simplicity and better fuel efficiency, according to the airline.
Alaska received nine Boeing 737-9 aircraft, bringing the total number of 737-9s in its fleet to 20. Additionally, the airline modified its Boeing aircraft order to include six firm orders and 41 options for the Boeing 737-10 in addition to 10 firm orders for the 737-8.
“While recovery in our industry is never linear, our caring and dedicated people and the strength of our competitive advantages position us for success no matter what challenges we face,” Minicucci said.
The carrier continues to look towards the future and is making significant strides in the search for success in the post-pandemic environment.
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.
LATAM Records April’s Operation, Launches New Routes
A LATAM 767-300 arrives in São Paulo/Guarulhos. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | João Machado)
Recently, the LATAM Airlines Group released its projection for passenger operations for April, which was up 70 percent for April, compared to the same month in 2019. The airline’s projection is measured in available seat kilometers (ASK).
In a press release, LATAM Airlines Group stated its flight and cargo operations for this April, and the reports showed an improvement in operations. This projection represents an increase of 2.1 percent from March — the highest figure so far this year.
LATAM Airlines Group has been promoting the reactivation of tourism and the promotion of trade to increase connectivity in the region. The airline plans to operate approximately 1,059 daily national and international flights during April, connecting 132 destinations in 20 countries.
This month also sees the introduction of operations from Lima to Cartagena, Colombia and Rio de Janeiro and a route between Quito, Ecuador and Bogotá, Colombia. With this new international operation, LATAM Airlines is currently connecting Lima with 5 different cities: Bogotá, Colombia; Medellín, Colombia; San Andrés Barranquilla, Colombia and now Cartagena.
The group’s cargo business has almost 1,360 cargo freighter flights, with the delivery of a newly converted freighter, which brings the operating fleet to a total of 13 freighters. These projections are subject to the pandemic’s evolution in the countries where the group operates.
In March 2022, passenger traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was 66.5% in relation to the same period in 2019, based on an operation measured in available seat kilometers (ASK) of 67.9 percent, compared to March 2019.
As a result, the load factor decreased 1.7 percent, down to 81.1 percent. In regards to cargo operations, the load factor was 60.6 percent, which corresponds to an increase of 2.6 percentage points — compared to March 2019.
LATAM’s Operational Estimate for April
Brazil
● 74% projected operation (versus April 2019). March 2021 projection reference: 74%
● 97% domestic and 53% international
● Total April destinations: 49 domestic (equivalent to 503 daily flights on average) and 18 international
o Updates:
▪ International: introduction of the Río de Janeiro/Galeão-Lima route (3 flights/week)
Chile
● 59% projected operation (versus April 2019). March 2021 projection reference: 55%
o 73% domestic and 52% international
● Total April destinations: 15 domestic (equivalent to 115 daily flights on average) and 22 international
Colombia
● 107% projected operation (versus April 2019). March 2021 projection reference: 109%
o 164% domestic and 58% international
● Total April destinations: 17 domestic (equivalent to 177 daily flights on average) and 5 international
o Updates:
▪ International: introduction of Bogotá-Quito (5 flights/week) and Cartagena-Lima (3 flights/week) routes
Ecuador
● 41% projected operation (versus April 2019). March 2021 projection reference: 34%
● 120% domestic and 19% international
● Total April destinations: 8 domestic (equivalent to 39 daily flights on average) and 3 international
The three things Juan Pedro loves most about aviation are aircraft, airports, and traveling thousands of miles in just a few hours. What he enjoys the most about aviation is that it is easier and cheaper to travel around the world and this gives you the opportunity to visit places you thought were too far away. He has traveled to different destinations in North, Central, South America and Asia. Born, raised and still living in Perú, Juan is a lawyer, soccer lover, foodie, passionate traveler, dog lover, millennial and curious by nature.
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