Stories

Qantas Resumes International Flights Amid Border Reopening

Charlotte Seet
Verified

Edited By:

Benjamin Pham

A Qantas A330 in Honolulu (Photo: Ian McMurtry)

Australia —  having been dubbed a nickname as the “hermit kingdom”  because of its strict border restrictions — is finally able to reconnect with the world after reopening its borders.

The eventful reopening has allowed for the Australian flag carrier to reactivate its scheduled international flights from Melbourne, allowing for the iconic kangaroo to breeze through international skies once again.

Visiting An Old Favorite

QF35 who was bound for Singapore —  a popular destination in the airline’s vast network —  was the first international flight that Qantas is operating after a rough 20 months of inactivity. One of the carrier’s Airbus A330-300s — registered as VH-QPJ — which is nicknamed “Port Stephens” operated this important and exciting flight.

The carrier scheduled the flight to operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from Melbourne, Australia. In addition, QF35 is one of just two flights that are currently designated under Singapore’s Vaccinated Travel Lane services. The other route would be Sydney-Singapore,  which is planned to operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays as QF81.

Unfortunately, this schedule does differ quite drastically from Qantas’ double-daily services before in the pre-pandemic era, which also witnessed the luxury of having the Airbus A380 — Qantas’ flagship aircraft —  in service that made a stopover in Singapore before connecting to London.

The situation might change for the better eventually as Qantas prepares the return of its superjumbos, especially since it has been seeing relatively peak demand for its Sydney-Los Angeles and Sydney-London flights, which hints that the superjumbos might return to visit Singapore as well.

Coincidentally, the re-activation of international flights complements the opening of the Qantas First Lounge at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport, signifying progressive steps as the airline moves on to reopen nearly all of its 35 domestic Qantas Clubs and Business lounges across the country.

As for the remainder of its international lounges within the country and overseas, the timeline will be defined by the broader reopening of international borders and recommencement of the rest of Qantas’ global network.

Brand New Route

Additionally, Qantas is planning to double up its flight services to India after Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce said that the airline has been seeing a big surge in bookings for flights to India.

Previously, Qantas had only serviced flights to India via Singapore, whereby passengers would connect on its codeshare partner, the now-defunct Jet Airways. However,  Qantas is now recognizing an opportunity in the market where passengers would prefer to fly directly and avoid the hassle of a connecting flight.

As a result,  the airline will be launching a brand-new international route from Melbourne to New Delhi, India that will connect Victoria to the Indian capital for the first time in the airline’s history, with same-day connections to be made available from Brisbane, Australia; Canberra, Australia and Sydney.

The new Melbourne-New Delhi, India service will be operating four-times-weekly throughout the year, starting on Dec. 22.  However, flights from Melbourne to New Delhi, India will initially operate via Adelaide, Australia while the New Delhi, India-Melbourne service will operate non-stop.

Joyce said, “While the past 20 months have undoubtedly been the most challenging in Qantas’ history, as we emerge from the crisis we are taking new opportunities to broaden our network in response to unprecedented pent-up travel demand. This is helping us bring more Qantas employees back to work.”

For the rest of its international network, the flag carrier is still slowly warming up its engines as it prepares to reactivate flights Melbourne-London on November 27 and Melbourne-Los Angeles on December 19.

Charlotte Seet

Fascinated by aircraft from a very young age, Charlotte’s dream was to work alongside the big birds one day. Pursuing her dream, she went on to achieve her diploma in Aviation Management and is currently working on her degree in Aviation Business in Administration with a minor in Air Traffic Management. When she’s not busy with school assignments, you can find her aircraft spotting for long hours at the airport. In Charlotte’s heart, the Queen of the Skies will always be her favorite aircraft.

LaGuardia AirTrain Project Paused, Panel To Evaluate Alternatives

Vanni Gibertini
Verified

Edited By:

Parker Davis

LGA's new Terminal B hall (Photo: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey)

The relationship between the New York area residents and LaGuardia Airport has always been one of love and hate. On one side it is the most convenient airport to people and businesses based in Manhattan — especially Midtown and the Upper East Side — as it is located only eight miles from the heart of the Big Apple. But on the other hand, travelers have always considered LaGuardia a sub-par airport with its crowded spaces, low ceiling and shabby décor.

The ongoing $8 billion redevelopment that commenced in 2015 and is still ongoing has transformed the look of the terminal buildings improving traveler’s satisfaction and making it look like the world-class airport it has the ambition to be.

The redevelopment also includes the creation of a public transport solution that would allow the airport to be linked to the City in a manner that would allow passengers to bypass the heavy traffic usually plaguing its access roads. In 2019 the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the entity operating the airport, approved a $2.05 billion financing for the AirTrain, a monorail similar to those in operation both at JFK and Newark, which would connect the Terminals to the Subway and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) at Willets Point, right behind the CitiField baseball stadium.

However, the newly-elected Governor of New York Kathy Hochul decided last month to pause the project in order to evaluate possible alternatives to the AirTrain. “The [Port Authority] will work in close consultation with independent experts and stakeholders, and will complete its work as expeditiously as possible, consistent with the need for the review to be thorough and rigorous,” the administration said in a statement.

The decision to go ahead with the AirTrain option had been largely controversial in New York at the time, as opposers claimed a one-seat transport option was to be preferred to a solution that would require travelers to connect either with the Subway or with a train in order to reach Manhattan. Furthermore, the proposed 2.3-mile AirTrain would have traveled southeast from the airport in order to reach Willets Point, therefore heading further away from Manhattan and increasing the distance to be covered by passengers.

New Options Considered

Last week the Port Authority announced the creation of a blue-ribbon panel that would look into various alternatives, NBC New York reports. These options would include

•  Improved and expanded bus service, including dedicated lanes

•  Ferry service

•  One-system rides, including the extension of existing subway lines

•  Elevated guideway options from existing LIRR and subway stops

•  Other technologies “that can be implemented in the near-term”

The panel would include representatives from the New York City Transport commission, the New York Metro and Transportation Agency (MTA) and external consultants from Denver Airport, the City of Los Angeles, and Heathrow Airport in London.

The process will be completed “as expeditiously as possible”, according to the Port Authority.

The extension of existing N or W subway lines, which has been suggested by critics of the now-paused AirTrain project, would be more challenging since at least the final section before the airport station would have to run underground, increasing the estimated costs to at least $2.5 billion in the best-case scenario.

If an alternative to the existing AirTrain project is selected by the panel, a new environmental impact assessment would have to be performed and this is likely to delay the start of construction for up to 18 months.

Vanni Gibertini

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.

Viva Aerobus Celebrates 15 Years, Announces New International Route

Juan Pedro Sanchez Zamudio
Verified

Edited By:

Benjamin Pham

Viva Aerobus A320 LAS William Derrickson
A Viva Aerobus A320 in Las Vegas. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

The Tianguis Turístico is one of the most important events in the Mexican tourism sector and a business forum based on pre-established appointments between Buyers and Exhibitors. This year, the event took place in Mérida, located in the province of Yucatan, from Nov. 16 until Nov. 19.

This year was the 45th edition of the Tianguis Turístico. During the conference, Mexican Tourism Secretary Miguel Torruco Marqués recognized Viva Aerobus for its contribution to the air connectivity of Mexico in its 15-year history, which it will celebrate Nov. 30.

Viva Aerobus celebrates its 15th anniversary at a time of historic growth, having carried more than 80 million passengers since its founding in 2006 and showing a strong revival in demand compared to recent months.

It is important to remember that in 2020, Viva Aerobus maintained a leadership position in the reactivation of the North American aviation industry by becoming the first carrier on the continent to resume 100% of its operational capacity after the Covid-19 pandemic affected the aviation industry, an achievement it reached in November 2020.

According to a press release, Viva Aerobus was positioned in March 2021 as the first Mexican carrier to exceed pre-Covid-19 passenger traffic, a trend it has maintained in the last eight months with more than one million passengers transported per month.

The Mexican ultra-low-cost carrier will conclude this 2021 with 55 Airbus aircraft, the youngest fleet in Mexico, including the four aircraft it will receive in the last two months of the year.

Network Growth

Viva Aerobus also recalls that this year it has already launched 11 new routes, five domestic and six international. At the 45th edition of the Tianguis Turístico, Viva Aerobus announced a new route between Cancun and Bogotá route that will begin on Dec. 16. Last August, Viva Aerobus landed for the first time in Colombia with its Mexico City to Bogotá route.

In this way, Viva Aerobus reaffirms its commitment to the state of Quintana Roo, being one of the Mexican carriers with the largest number of routes to and from Cancún and celebrating the record of 17 million passengers that it has transported from this city, which is one of its five operating bases.

Cancún has become a key destination for Viva Aerobus, in which the ultra-low-cost airline continues to grow its flight offerings.

Juan Pedro Sanchez Zamudio

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.

Opinion: Spectre of Meltdowns Looms Over Holiday Travel

Hemal Gosai
Verified

Edited By:

Parker Davis

Travelers walk through an arrivals hall. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Albert Kuan)

More so than usual, airlines in the U.S. need to brace for the upcoming holiday season this year. After what was essentially a muted holiday season last year, the seams have burst and flyers are getting back to the skies in droves for the holidays. People are eager to see their loved ones for the holidays and are paying for airfare at or near pre-pandemic fares.

Normally airlines can handle the surge, but this time around, some airlines are less than prepared for this holiday season due to the thing that everyone seems to blame for everything these days, Covid-19. The pandemic pummeled the industry last year and caused unforeseen damage.

Several airlines in the United States have been plagued with staffing issues due to Covid-19, resulting in thousands of flights being canceled in short amounts of time causing operational meltdowns stranding tens of thousands of passengers. The staffing issues appear to be impacting both flight attendants and pilots, both groups are necessary to get planes off the ground.

Holiday Pay Incentives

Airlines are trying to get staffing back up by recruiting more staff, but that takes time. A second strategy is to offer existing staff large amounts of incentive pay to work during the holiday season.

Southwest Airlines is offering staff frequent flyer points worth over $1,400 if they meet attendance goals over the holidays. Pilots are being offered a minimum of time-and-a-half for peak holiday trips and double pay for picking up open flights.

American Airlines is offering their flight attendants 50% higher pay for working holiday trips and up to triple pay for those flights if they also meet attendance goals over the season. Pilots are being offered a similar incentive — 150% pay for all flights over peak holiday days and 200% pay for pilots who pick up trips. Positive space travel was also offered guaranteeing pilots a seat on flights to travel to their base.

This strategy has seen mixed results with the American Airlines pilots’ union soundly rejecting the additional pay offer, instead preferring the airline sort out its contract with the pilots instead. The Southwest flight attendants’ union said the holiday incentives were insufficient, the Southwest pilots’ union reached an agreement on the incentive offerings.

Tens of thousands of Americans have had their travel plans disrupted over the past few months over the course of numerous operational meltdowns. There’s a chance all of this will happen again, ruining people’s holidays.

Pilfering Pockets of Taxpayers

The irony here is that American taxpayers have given billions of dollars to airlines to prevent this. Last year airline CEOs paraded themselves up and down Washington D.C. telling lawmakers that they needed billions in bailout money to keep staff on payroll. They and other airline interest groups, like unions, touted the importance of the aviation industry and the need to keep staff on payroll to be “ready” when travel returned.

Airlines pilfered a tidy sum of $79 billion from the American taxpayer to avoid the exact situation they are subjecting travelers too. Airlines took billions of dollars to keep people on payroll, yet airlines still found ways to remove people from payroll through early retirements and voluntary separations. Nearly 400 customer service representatives at Southwest Airlines took voluntary separation packages. A quarter of the American Airlines reservations team elected to leave. Delta Air Line’s call staffing was allegedly down 50%.

There are rumors that resistance to vaccine mandates are also creating disruptions with employees calling in sick as a form of protest. This further stretches already stretched staffing.

American travelers have every right to be outraged at the past operational meltdowns and the uncertainty around operational reliability for the holiday season, we did pay through the nose to ensure “readiness” after all. All of this could’ve been avoided if airlines did what we paid them billions of dollars to do.

Hemal Gosai

Hemal took his first flight at four years old and has been an avgeek since then. When he isn't working as an analyst he's frequently found outside watching planes fly overhead or flying in them. His favorite plane is the 747-8i which Lufthansa thankfully flies to EWR allowing for some great spotting. He firmly believes that the best way to fly between JFK and BOS is via DFW and is always willing to go for that extra elite qualifying mile. Hemal's opinions are his own and do not reflect those of his employer.

CMA CGM Group Becomes Latest Airbus A350F Customer

Charlotte Seet
Verified

Edited By:

Parker Davis

The Airbus A350F. (Photo: Airbus)

The air cargo market has been soaring sky high with an expectation of reaching a record-breaking $175 billion this year, painting an even brighter picture for the coming 2022.

An estimate by Chicago-based aircraft manufacturer Boeing sees that the overall air cargo industry revenues were increased by over 15%, whereby freighters remain the backbone of the massive industry.

Dedicated freighters allow for palletized capacity, hazmat and project cargo considerations that passenger aircraft cannot truly offer, which is why the global freighter fleet is also expected to grow by over 60 percent over the next two decades.

Both commercial and cargo airlines worldwide would definitely be wanting to order the best freighter that would suit their capacity and network needs, indicating that the market for introducing game-changing freighters is just starting to boom.

A New Customer

Boeing has been slightly more domineering in the freighter market, with the popular likes of the Boeing 747F and the 777F, as well as the 737F, but fellow rival Airbus is looking to turn the tables quite soon.

During the Dubai Airshow, Airbus has managed to obtain quite a good number of orders for its highly-anticipated Airbus A350F, a dramatically positive change considering the manufacturer has not truly been able to sell a freighter for a considerably long time.

The first A350F customer was Air Lease Corporation, which had ordered a grand total of 111 aircraft, including seven A350F, 25 A220-300, 55 A321neo, 20 A321XLR and four A330neo.

Following close behind was the CMA CGM Group – a global leader in shipping and logistics – as a binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two parties.

Planned to be operated by CMA CGM Air Cargo, the purchase of four A350F aircraft will bring CMA CGM’s total Airbus fleet to nine aircraft, including the current five A330-200F already present.

“We are proud to welcome CMA CGM Air Cargo in the group of operators for the A350F and we are equally pleased to support the company’s future strategic development,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International in a press release.

The A350F

The first-ever A350F aircraft is scheduled to be deli ered in 2025 and is set to be based on the extremely popular A350, the world’s most modern long-range leader.

Featuring a large main deck cargo door and a fuselage length that will be best optimized for cargo operations, the A350F will allow for airlines to serve all types of cargo markets such as express, general cargo and special cargo – potentially allowing for the A350F to offer more freighter volume as compared to the 777F.

Additionally, more than 70% of the airframe will be made of advanced materials to save on take-off weight and allow for almost 20% less fuel burn, making the A350F to be the only new generation freighter aircraft ready for the enhanced 2027 ICAO carbon emissions standards.

Scherer went on to add that “the A350F will fit seamlessly thanks to its composite airframe and latest technology engines, it will bring unbeatable efficiency in terms of fuel burn, economics and CO₂ emissions,” allowing for long-term sustainable growth of Airbus customers.

Next Big Hit

With such inquisitive features on the A350F, Airbus could finally be looking at the end of its freighter market drought as its current regular A350 commercial customers could start putting in orders as well.

Holding the title as the world’s biggest A350 customer, Singapore Airlines might consider the opportunity considering that its current freighter fleets include the reliable, but less-fuel efficient and aging Boeing 747-4ooF.

Other potential customers will include Qatar Airways, which had previously hinted interest in the freighter version of its flagship aircraft, or even the likes of Cathay Pacific Cargo and Lufthansa Cargo.

Charlotte Seet

Fascinated by aircraft from a very young age, Charlotte’s dream was to work alongside the big birds one day. Pursuing her dream, she went on to achieve her diploma in Aviation Management and is currently working on her degree in Aviation Business in Administration with a minor in Air Traffic Management. When she’s not busy with school assignments, you can find her aircraft spotting for long hours at the airport. In Charlotte’s heart, the Queen of the Skies will always be her favorite aircraft.

Malaysia Airlines Expand Codeshare Agreement With Singapore Airlines

Putu Deny Wijaya
Verified

Edited By:

Jack Dawin

A Malaysia Airlines A350. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ben Suskind)

Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines will revive and expand its codeshare arrangement between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur to 15 domestic Malaysian destinations, seven European locations, and two South African cities. This comes after Malaysia and Singapore announced that from November 29, a Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) arrangement will be implemented, allowing consumers to travel easily for business or pleasure. The airlines said in a joint statement on Thursday that the major expansion of codeshare agreements within Malaysia and outside the two nations comes amid the progressive reopening of international borders and increased demand for air travel.

Destinations to be Offered by The Codesharing Agreement

  • Customers of Singapore Airlines will be able to fly to and from Kuala Lumpur starting November 29 as the company adds 15 additional codeshare destinations throughout Malaysia. Alor Setar, Bintulu, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan, Kuching, Labuan, Langkawi, Miri, Penang, Sandakan, Sibu, and Tawau are among the places to visit.
  • Customers of Malaysia Airlines will be able to book flights from Singapore to seven European destinations, including Barcelona, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Moscow, Munich, Rome, and Zurich, as well as Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa, beginning January 1 next year. These codeshare arrangements will be gradually expanded to encompass more sites on the Singapore Airlines or Malaysia Airlines networks, according to the airlines.

According to the release, this major expansion of codeshare agreements is the first part of a broad commercial deal inked by Malaysia Airlines and SIA in 2019. The airlines seek to form a cooperative commercial agreement between Malaysia and Singapore as part of the accord. The codeshare flights will eventually become available for purchase through the airlines’ separate booking channels, subject to regulatory permissions.

This would allow partners to coordinate flight schedules, provide combined pricing offerings, align corporate programs, and look at tying the KrisFlyer and Enrich frequent flyer programs together. Both airlines would also look at collaborating on tourist marketing activities and multi-stop flights that would allow consumers to go to other Malaysian destinations through Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Remarks From Both Executives

“Malaysia Airlines looks forward to the long-awaited Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, the first VTL for Malaysia. This is indeed very timely considering the upcoming festive season and year-end holidays where residents of both countries have traditionally spent their time either in Singapore or Malaysia.

“We look forward to more VTLs for Malaysia so we can safely revive travel globally. Our codeshare expansion with SIA to Europe and South Africa couldn’t happen at a better time and we are especially grateful for the synergy and warm relationship between the two airlines that have made this partnership possible,” said Malaysia Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer Izham Ismail.

SIA executive officer Goh Choon Phong, also said this partnership will help to boost the tourism industries in both countries, as well as the wider Southeast Asia region.

“The partnership is testament to the spirit of collaboration that underpins the strong and long-standing relationship between Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines,” he added.

Putu Deny Wijaya

Putu Deny Wijaya was always an aviation enthusiast by heart, growing up in Indonesia where air transport is very vital. His first love is The Queen of The Skies, serving the trunk routes between Jakarta and Denpasar. He brought along this passion with him throughout college by conducting his bachelor study abroad in the Netherlands for the purpose of experiencing a nonstop 14-hour long-haul flight. For Putu the sky's the limit when talking about aviation. He hopes that he would be able to combine his passion for aviation and knowledge of finance at the same time.

FedEx Shuts Down Hong Kong Pilot Base, as Cathay Pacific Adopts a New Strategy

Kalai Raajan
Verified

Edited By:

Jack Dawin

A FedEx 767 rolls out of the hangar (Photo: Boeing)

FedEx, the world’s largest delivery company, announced on Wednesday, Nov. 17 that it was closing its Hong Kong crew base and sending pilots overseas, blaming coronavirus restrictions that have left “no clear date” for when the city would return to normalcy.

The move is the latest setback to Hong Kong’s status as a global logistics powerhouse, as severe travel restrictions and rigorous quarantine procedures isolate the city from the rest of the globe. FedEx’s system chief pilot, Robin Sebasco, claimed the airline needed to “adapt” to the global economic, regulatory, and business environment in a company document indicating that a January decision to relocate its pilots out of the city was now permanent.

Industry stakeholders said the move reflected the government’s strict quarantine policies making it an increasingly difficult operating environment for businesses, though the decision was seen as unlikely to affect FedEx’s flights into and out of the city, which are largely operated by pilots based in California. While Hong Kong has experienced almost no local coronavirus infections for months as part of its zero-Covid strategy, the mandated 21-day hotel quarantine for anyone returning from various countries means the city is effectively cut off from the rest of the globe, even as the rest of the world reopens.

FedEx confirmed this in a statement, with a spokesperson stating that the business would “continue to retain its operations in Hong Kong, which are crucial to our Asia-Pacific and global network.” She went on to say that closing the local pilot base will “enable us to continue to staff our Hong Kong and Asia flights without being subject to Hong Kong immigration restrictions.”

Cathay Pacific, unlike FedEx, takes a different method.

Cathay’s View

Cathay Pacific is also a key shareholder in Hong Kong International Airport’s Asia Airfreight Terminal. FedEx Pilots from Hong Kong routinely traveled to Guangzhou to operate cargo flights from FedEx’s regional hub. Similarly, Cathay Pacific is considering relocating pilots outside of the city for up to four months in order to work around the city’s rigorous quarantine requirements.

The government recently tightened exemptions for local cargo pilots after three Cathay Pacific flight crew members were confirmed to be sick with Covid-19 in Frankfurt, where a suspected outbreak occurred at the crew’s hotel. Earlier on Wednesday, Elsa Yuen May-yee, president of the Hong Kong Logistics Association, warned that the government’s recent decision to require 130 Cathay Pacific aircrew to undergo 21 days of mandatory quarantine after returning from Frankfurt would have a negative impact on the sector, especially given the increased demand during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Its’ Plan

Cathay Pacific will require all aircrew exempt from Hong Kong’s tight quarantine protocols to self-isolate and avoid gatherings upon their return, even as it plans a drastic contingency plan to base pilots overseas for months at a time to bolster up personnel. It is currently polling pilots to gauge their enthusiasm in the new contingency, which would see them transferred outside of Hong Kong, quarantined in between flights to and from the city, and kept out of the local community – and away from their families – for four months at a period.

Pilots are being asked if they would want to be located in Dubai, Anchorage, Chicago, or other unspecified sites on both coasts of the United States. The new strategy is viewed as a workaround for Hong Kong’s tough anti-epidemic efforts, which are causing the airline’s aircraft operations to become unstable.

Cathay Pacific announced the “increased” self-isolation regulations to its employees on Monday night, with the measures slated to go into force on Wednesday. Three Cathay freight pilots who were exempt from quarantine upon arrival later tested positive for the coronavirus days later after re-entering Hong Kong. As a result of the pilots who tested positive, there is a greater emphasis on crew conduct during stopovers. All three had spent layovers at the Hyatt Regency Mainz, a hotel near Frankfurt, Germany’s international airport.

With that exemption potentially jeopardized as a result of the recent infections, Cathay has encouraged pilots from all of its cargo and passenger fleets to express their interest in its relocation contingency from ports other than Hong Kong. The airline stated that the relocation plan may begin as early as January 2022, or it might be scrapped entirely if judged unnecessary.

Kalai Raajan

Kalai has always wanted to work in the aviation industry, having been fascinated by its inner workings since he was a child. In pursuit of his dream, he obtained a diploma in aviation management and is currently interning with a low-cost airline, under in-flight policies. In his free time, he loves to engage in recreational activities, and watch sports. In the upcoming years, Kalai intends to pursue his degree at a business school before working as an executive for a global airline around the world.

Turkish Airlines Boasts Record Flying to the U.S. In 2022

Winston Shek
Verified

Edited By:

Jack Dawin

A Turkish A330-300 in Dusseldorf (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fabian Behr)

Amid high expectations for summer transatlantic flying in 2022, Turkish Airlines plans to operate a record amount of flying to the United States, offering a total of 132 frequencies, per theaeronetwork. In total, 36 weekly frequencies will be added, representing a 36 percent increase in capacity from previously scheduled capacity.

Where will Turkish Airlines Boost Capacity?

Five routes to the U.S. will see double-daily service next summer, including flights from Istanbul to Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami, starting in late March, and San Francisco and Washington Dulles, starting in late May. Four of these routes are to United Airlines hubs, where Turkish Airlines passengers can connect to other destinations within their codeshare partner’s network. 

Additionally, flights to Boston and Houston see an increase in frequency from daily to ten times weekly. Turkish Airlines’ newest addition to its route network, Dallas, will grow to daily frequencies in 2022, after the route’s launch in October 2021. Moreover, flights to Atlanta will rise daily from five times weekly. Meanwhile, flights to New York and Newark see no increase in capacity from their respective totals of three daily services and daily service.

In total, the Star Alliance carrier will operate to eleven destinations in the U.S. in 2022. When compared with pre-pandemic capacity, Turkish Airlines will grow by more than 75 percent by the summer of 2022, driven by its new flights to Newark and Dallas in 2021, in addition to the aforementioned scheduled increases.

Generally, these new frequencies will be facilitated by Turkish Airlines’ Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in a two-class configuration. Specifically, the Boeing 787-9 features 300 seats, including 30 business class seats in a 1-2-1 seating configuration and 270 economy class seats in a 3-3-3 seating configuration.

On other routes during the summer, Turkish Airlines utilizes its 349-seat Boeing 777-300ER to Chicago, Miami, San Francisco and Washington Dulles once daily; Los Angeles 11 times a week and New York-JFK twice daily. Furthermore, the carrier operates its A330-300, but primarily to Boston and Newark.

During the winter, Turkish Airlines has conducted gauge and frequency increases. From December through January, flights to Miami temporarily increase to twice daily. Additionally, flights to Newark see an upgrade to an Airbus A350-900 through the winter, the only Turkish Airlines’ A350 service in North America.

New Destinations on the Horizon

Furthermore, Turkish Airlines is eyeing new services to the United States, amid its record growth in 2022. In the past few months alone, the Istanbul-based carrier announced its intentions to start flights to Denver, Detroit and Seattle, in addition to Dallas, which launched earlier in October 2021. 

With Istanbul’s position as a central hub for U.S. travelers to the Middle East, India, Asia and Africa, the airport easily rivals hubs in Doha and Dubai. These proposed additions would boost Turkish Airlines’ U.S. route portfolio to 14 destinations, beating out other Middle Eastern players’ networks to the United States.  

When comparing each carrier’s depth of service in the United States, in the summer of 2021, the Doha-based carrier offered a record number of 115 weekly frequencies, meaning that Turkish Airlines would beat out the carrier in frequency. 

However, currently, Qatar Airways flies to 12 destinations in the U.S, compared to Turkish Airlines’ 11 destinations. Similarly, Qatar Airways utilized 2020 and 2021 to add new services to the United States, specifically new flights to San Francisco and Seattle, boosting its West Coast presence. 

Ultimately, with this new flying, Turkish Airlines hopes to grow its United States network and generate more capacity to bolster its position as a key player for flights to the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Winston Shek

Ever since Winston was a toddler, he has always had a fascination for airplanes. From watching widebodies land at Washington Dulles to traveling the world, Winston has always had his eyes towards the skies. Winston began aviation photography in 2018 and now posts his photos occasionally on his Instagram account. He previously wrote for a blog. In his free time, Winston loves to play chess, do recreational activities, and watch sports. Looking into the future, Winston plans to service the aviation industry.

South Korea Expected to Remove 737MAX Grounding Next Week

Ian McMurtry
Verified

Edited By:

Jack Dawin

Eastar Jet's 737 MAX 8 (Photo: Boeing)

After 32 months of being grounded, Boeing has neared completion of getting the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft recertified to fly in South Korea. The aerospace manufacturer and customers of the Boeing aircraft are believed to get the green light to start operations again next week, following a grounding that has taken place since March 2019.

This immediate change takes hold for one airline right now as Eastar Jet had taken delivery of two Boeing 737 MAX 8 models in the months leading up to the suspension, but the fallout of COVID-19 resulted in the airline suspending operations. Easter Jet is based in Seoul-Gimpo International Airport and operates to 21 destinations using four aircraft with the potential to bring in four additional Boeing MAX models in the coming years. Even if the MAX is ungrounded it might not see immediate action from Eastar Jet as the airline is currently restructuring and has not utilized its Air Operator Certificate since early 2020, the low-cost airline hopes to pick up a new AOC in early 2022 and start operations in the following months.

However, other airlines have much larger plans that have since been put on hold while the MAX went through recertification. The largest MAX consumer in South Korea currently sits at Jeju Air as the airline looks to take on 40 MAX 8 aircraft with options for 10 additional aircraft. Korean Air follows at 30 confirmed orders for the same variant with 20 additional optional models. Low-cost airline T’Way is also stuck in limbo, waiting for 8 of the 737 MAX 8 to be delivered in the coming years. For T’Way and Korean, some of the aircraft have already come off the production line and are in the large inventory pile that Boeing accumulated when the aircraft had lost certification but was still being produced.

As for the decision tree, the process of getting the aircraft back airborne in Asia has been a long process for Boeing. China is by far the biggest thorn in Boeing’s ungrounding movement and has yet to allow the MAX to get airborne again. However, it is believed that this will finally come to a head in the near future and Boeing can begin seeing MAX operations in the nation again. As for South Korea, it is still keeping a close eye on the restart of operations. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said that while it does plan on keeping close tabs on the aircraft’s reintegration into service and will oversee that proper training is given to Boeing 737 MAX pilots.

That leaves China as Boeing’s biggest target, but even that shows signs of promise. The Civil Aviation Administration of China found that Boeing’s design changes met the group’s expectations and would meet with airlines in the coming weeks to talk about the MAX. These airlines range from government-backed entities like Air China and China Eastern as well as private firms like XiamenAir. Boeing will also continue to work towards bringing the final two MAX variants online, with the smaller MAX 7 and largest variant MAX 10 still in different steps of the certification process.

Ian McMurtry

Although Ian McMurtry was never originally an avgeek, he did enjoy watching US Airways aircraft across western Pennsylvania in the early 2000s. He lived along the Pennsylvania Railroad and took a liking to trains but a change of scenery in the mid-2000s saw him shift more of an interest into aviation. He would eventually express this passion by taking flying lessons in mid-Missouri and joining AirlineGeeks in 2013. Now living in Wichita, Kansas, Ian is in college majoring in aerospace engineering and minoring in business administration at Wichita State University.

New Airline Joins Canada’s Expanding Aviation Market in Alberta

John Flett
Verified

Edited By:

Jack Dawin

A mock-up of Lynx Air's Boeing 737 aircraft. (Photo: Lynx Air)

The Canadian province of Alberta will have another scheduled passenger airline operating from Calgary in 2022. Charter airline Enerjet is rebranding to Lynx Air and plans to operate an ultra-low-cost business model in competition against WestJet subsidiary Swoop that is also headquartered in the province’s most populous city.

Lynx Air will operate new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft with an initial fleet of three planes due in early 2022. There are firm orders and lease agreements in place that could see the airline operating forty-six 737’s within the next seven years.

Brad McMullen, Senior Vice President of Sales, North America, Boeing Commercial Airplanes said, “Boeing’s newest 737 aircraft enables the lowest cost operation of any aircraft in its market segment, making it a great fit for Lynx Air’s ultra-low-cost business model. Passengers can feel confident in Lynx Air’s choice of a modern fleet, knowing this latest generation of aircraft are designed to offer the greatest flexibility, reliability and efficiency in the single-aisle market.”

Merren McArthur has been announced as the chief executive officer (CEO) and president of Lynx Air having previously served as CEO of ultra-low-cost carrier Tigerair Australia, CEO of Virgin Australia Regional Airlines and founding CEO of Virgin Australia Cargo.

McArthur said: “We have created an ultra-affordable fare structure which is focused on simplicity, transparency and choice. Our à la carte pricing will empower passengers to pick and pay for the services they want, so they can save money on the trip and spend where it counts – at their destination.”

The CBC reported that the airline’s network of destinations has not been confirmed but will initially be a mix of short-haul domestic services. McArthur stated, “As we evolve, we will expand to transport into the United States and ultimately internationally, providing Canadians more connections when they travel.”

The news of the introduction of Lynx Air comes a day after Swoop announced plans for a major expansion of services from Edmonton. Swoop will add services to eight Canadian cities and Palm Springs, California from the Albertan capital. This represents a 76 percent increase in capacity from Edmonton compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Charles Duncan, President of Swoop said, “This is a major milestone for Swoop as we underscore our commitment to leading the way for ultra-low fare air travel in Canada and reaffirm our position as the airline with the most destinations from Edmonton. With a strong focus on growth and Edmonton as our partner, we will continue to provide our travelers with more non-stop flights and ultra-low fares while supporting the recovery of Canada’s travel and tourism economy.”

On the same day as Lynx Air’s announcement, Edmonton, Canada-based Flair Airlines released details of expanded services to Mexico from several Canadian cities starting February 1. Flair will offer nonstop flights to Los Cabos twice a week from Vancouver, Abbotsford and Edmonton. Nonstop flights to Cancun will be twice a week from Ottawa and Kitchener-Waterloo.

“The average February temperature in Canada is -6 °C; the average temperature in Cancun is 28 °C, so February seemed like a good month to start service,” Garth Lund, Flair’s Chief Commercial Officer, said. “We can’t wait to get our customers to the beach.”

Lynx’s McArthur summed up Alberta’s increased commercial aviation presence, stating, “We are excited to bring competition and choice to the Canadian aviation market at a time when Canadians are yearning for the opportunity to fly again, whether it be to see friends and family or to take a long-awaited holiday.”

John Flett

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.
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