Flair Airlines Set to Paint the Skies in New Colours

Canada's leader in ultra-low fare travel is pleased to announce today, its first aircraft with its new livery is complete.  This design was chosen in the summer of 2017 by Canadians during an online customer survey in which several options for the new livery were available to choose from for Flair's aircraft fleet.

The recently acquired Boeing 737-400 in Flair's new colours is one of two additional aircraft scheduled to enter service.  "We are excited to unveil our new livery to the public.  The aircraft will take its inaugural flight during the holiday season. We are very proud to showcase our new colours. As the only airline that operates as an ultra low-cost carrier in Canada;  we know our passengers will be delighted to fly with us as they continue to enjoy the lowest fares in the country," says Flair Airlines CEO, Jim Rogers.

We are so excited to officially announce our Livery reveal! pic.twitter.com/nKE4H2Hyv3

— FlairAirlines (@FlairAirlines) December 19, 2017

Flair intends to make significant announcements early in 2018 about its expansion into Canada's ULCC market.

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Scott Allard Resigns Position As Allegiant Executive Vice President And Chief Information Officer

Allegiant Travel Company announced this week that Scott Allard has resigned his position as executive vice president and chief information officer.  Allard has been with Allegiant since 2011 and has overseen the company's technology planning and development.

Prior to joining Allegiant, Allard served as chief information officer at Spirit Airlines, and had previously held leadership roles at Travelworm, American Express and Priceline. 

Allard will depart his position with Allegiant on December 31.  Robert Wilson, senior vice president, information systems, will act as interim chief information officer until a successor is selected.

Embraer KC-390 Achieves Initial Operational Capability

The new Embraer KC-390 military transport and aerial refuelling jet completed a relevant milestone today, with Embraer demonstrating to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) the attainment of the Initial Operational Capability (IOC).

The achievement of the IOC ensures the necessary conditions have been met for the aircraft to start operations, in accordance with the scope agreed upon with the FAB. As part of the IOC, Embraer obtained a KC-390 Provisional Type Certificate from the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), which is a testament to the adequacy of the design in fulfilling the demanding certification requirements for transport aircraft.

"We are pleased to announce the achievement of this important milestone for the KC-390 Program," said Jackson Schneider, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. "The certification campaign has progressed as planned and the tests performed have been very successful, proving the maturity of the aircraft and confirming the performance and the anticipated capacities."

KLM Cityhopper welcomes 42nd Embraer

KLM Cityhopper welcomed 42nd Embraer aircraft with the delivery of the a new Embraer E175 jet.

The New aircraft marks another important step forward in KLM Cityhopper's fleet renewal program, which has seen the retirement of the much loved Fokker 70's in October of this year.  The KLM Cityhopper's fleet now consists entirely of Embraer aircraft and the carrier islargest Embraer  operator in Europe.

By the end of 2018, the total KLM Cityhopper fleet will consist of no less than 49 aircraft from the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer. The Embraer are far more environmentally friendly aircraft with a large number of technical features that significantly reduce fuel consumption and therefore CO2 emissions. In comparison with the Fokker 70, the fuel consumption of the new E175 + aircraft is no less than 22 percent lower, plus they look great adorned with beautiful KLM Cityhopper livery.

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Cathay Pacific Announces Nonstop Service From Dulles International Airport To Hong Kong

The leading airline of Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific Airways announced yesterday that it will begin a four-times-weekly nonstop service between Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. and its home of Hong Kong.  

The new service is due to start on September 16th 2018 and will become the longest nonstop air route to both Hong Kong and the Washington, D.C. region. It will also be the longest flight in Cathay Pacific's global network, at a little over 7,000 nautical miles. The service will be operated by the airlines first Airbus A350-1000 to the region (the carrier's A350-900 began service to San Francisco and Newark on October 28th 2017).

Washington, D.C. will become Cathay Pacific's seventh passenger service gateway in the U.S. and ninth in North America. The airline, which launched nonstop service from North America in 1983, flies to Hong Kong and beyond over 100 times per week from Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Newark, New York (JFK), San Francisco, Toronto and Vancouver. This is the latest gateway for Cathay Pacific in the Americas since its launch of nonstop service from Boston to Hong Kong in 2015—upgraded from a four-times-weekly to a daily operation in March 2017.

"Dulles International is an ideal destination for our next US gateway, with its ease of access to the D.C. Metropolitan area. Cathay Pacific is pleased to be the first air carrier offering nonstop flights from Washington, D.C. to Hong Kong," said Philippe Lacamp, Senior Vice President, Americas, Cathay Pacific. "Washington, D.C. has special meaning for Cathay Pacific. When the airline was co-founded over 71 years ago by American Roy Farrell and his Australian partner, Sydney de Kantzow, they had dreams of growing beyond a regional Asian airline, even including 'Pacific' in the name in the hopes that one day it would expand across the ocean. Farrell would have been proud to see the airline serve his country's capital."

There is more on this story -

Hainan Airlines launches non-stop service between Shenzhen, China and Cairns, Australia

Hainan Airlines launched a non-stop service between Shenzhen, China and Cairns, Australia. The maiden flight of Hainan Airlines HU745, which took off from Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport at 1050 pm on December 19, 2017, Beijing time, landed at Cairns Airport at 830 am on December 20, 2017, local time. Following the roll-out of the Shenzhen-Brisbane service on September 20, 2017, this will be Hainan Airlines' second direct flight service from Shenzhen to Queensland as well as the airline's sixth direct flight service to Australia.

With the launch of the new service, Hainan Airlines will have established a route network in Australia spanning three eastern states and four major cities, with 12 round-trip flights weekly. The route, with two round-trip flights weekly, will be serviced by an Airbus A330 deluxe wide-body aircraft with spacious cabins. Business Class passengers will be provided with 180-degree lie-flat seating with an in-seat massage feature, Bose headsets and top quality BVLGARI toiletry bags. Passengers in all classes will have access to an exclusive on-demand entertainment system and a gourmet selection of Western and Oriental meals. 

More follows ⇓

British Airways first class fares slashed

British Airways has opened the doors to cheaper first class fares for the festive period by introducing a rather low fee of just £200 each way.

The deal is only on offer for a limited time when fliers will be able to purchase a ticket for the airline’s exclusive First cabin from just £200 more each-way than a Club World ticket on the majority of routes across the Atlantic. The cost of flights to British Airways’ newest long-haul destination Nashville would be £1,719 return.

 Of course, if you do decide to purchase one of those tickets, you'll be able to use the recently upgraded and refurbished Concorde room with complimentary concierge services and spa, a roomy private flat-bed six-foot seat with luxurious bedding, an intimate cabin with just a few seats, world-class wines and an a la carte menu.

Alaska Airlines Group November Results

Alaska Air Group Inc. today reported November and year-to-date operational results on a consolidated basis, for its mainline operations operated by subsidiaries Alaska Airlines Inc. (Alaska) and Virgin America Inc. (Virgin America), and for its regional flying operated by subsidiary Horizon Air Industries Inc. (Horizon), and third-party regional carriers SkyWest Airlines and Peninsula Airlines.

Air Group's acquisition of Virgin America took place on Dec. 14, 2016. Operational results below include Virgin America results from pre-acquisition periods for comparison.

AIR GROUP

On a combined basis for all operations, Air Group reported a 9.2 percent increase in traffic on a 9.3 percent increase in capacity compared to November 2016. Load factor decreased 0.1 points to 84.2 percent.

The results tables follow.

Air Canada Inaugurates Non-Stop Flights to Cartagena

Air Canada's inaugural flight, AC1872 from Toronto to Cartagena departed yesterday morning, marking the airline's newest destination in its ongoing international expansion.

"We are very pleased to add Cartagena to our global route network," said Benjamin Smith, President – Passenger Airlines at Air Canada.  "Air Canada is continuing its strategic international expansion with a diverse range of exciting new non-stop routes this winter to Australia, South America, the Caribbean and the United States.  We recently welcomed customers onboard new services from Toronto to St. Vincent and to Belize, Montreal to Lima, Vancouver to Melbourne and to Yellowknife, and we are looking forward to our new flights from Vancouver to Orlando, and Ottawa to Puerto Plata launching before the end of the year."

Deer Jet Arrive In Antartica

Deer Jet made history recently by becoming the first Chinese private jet operator to fly from China to the Antarctic. The arrival of one the company's private jet at Wolfs Fang airport marks a new charter service between China and the Antarctic.

Deer Jet is known for its pioneering role in transforming business aviation in Asia and around the world. More than 22 years ago the company was established as the first private jet operator in China and transformed itself from humble beginnings to its current position as the largest business aviation group in Asia.

Deer Jet's Antarctic landing is a more than a milestone for China's business aviation. This operation is also a significant contribution for the development of international air travel and transportation, providing access to the world's most remote areas.

For this challenging flight, Deer Jet prepared for over a year, conducting and evaluating hundreds of risks, flight routes, flight support and emergency plans to ensure a safe flight. This level of precision and attention to detail is what made Deer Jet the first World's Seven Star Private Jet Company.

More expansion from Norwegian with new crew base at los Angeles as the airline introduces more Europe bound flights.

Los Angeles crew base established to support growth – for new routes to Madrid and Milan 

Norwegian announced last week the further expansion of its long-haul networks with four new routes between Europe and the United States to Europe: New York City/JFK and Los Angeles to Madrid; New York City/JFK to Amsterdam; and Los Angeles to Milan. Norwegian now offers 61 nonstop transatlantic routes between the US and Europe.

To support the continuous growth at Los Angeles International Airport, Norwegian will open its fourth American crew base with 150 cabin crewmembers during the first quarter of 2018. The airline already has four crew bases for cabin crew and pilots in the U.S.

Norwegian CEO Bjorn Kjos said: “2017 has been a year of exponential growth for Norwegian in Europe and the United States. Next year, we will continue our long-haul expansion by offering passengers easy and affordable connections between the US and some of Europe’s most exciting cities.”

Service from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to Madrid-Barajas Airport will launch on July 18, 2018, and operate three times per week. Service to Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport will launch on May 7, 2018, and will operate four times per week.

OneJet Announces Three New Routes from Pittsburgh to Palm Beach, Kansas City and Memphis

The air transportation network that provides consumers in the US increased access to nonstop travel in small to medium markets, OneJet announced the introduction of three new routes from the Pittsburgh International Airport.

The company will introduce nonstop service to Palm Beach, Kansas City and Memphis. Palm Beach and Kansas City services will begin 7th March 2018, with Memphis service added on 27th March 2018. The company will concurrently begin nonstop service between Memphis and Kansas City. Tickets for all routes will go on sale beginning on 17th Jan. 2018.

With the launch of these routes, OneJet will introduce its new OneJet Plus service to the Pittsburgh market, offering expanded service onboard larger ERJ135 aircraft and providing travelers with enhanced amenities, including exit-row legroom at each seat (approx 38 inches); free 4G high-speed Wi-Fi; streaming entertainment gate to gate; and complimentary beer, wine and snacks en route. Travelers will also receive the same check-in conveniences that standard OneJet flights provide, including TSA Pre access for eligible travellers and valet planeside baggage service.

"For the past two years, OneJet's right-sized, point-to-point, nonstop services have met our customers' demand for expedited travel between key business and leisure destinations," OneJet CEO Matthew Maguire said. "The introduction of the OneJet Plus service marks a major milestone for the company, providing access to longer routes, along with an even further enhanced in-flight experience. We look forward to continuing to expand our network and supporting the growth of the communities and corporate customers we serve."

ATR Delivering aircraft to the other side of the world!

Friday the 15th of December marked the delivery of the latest ATR 72-600 to Air Calédonie at the Final Assembly Line B in St Martin with VIPs from ATR, Air Calédonie and Pratt & Whitney in attendance. This is the latest delivery in a partnership that stretches back for over 30 years as this airline was one of our earliest customers. Since then, Air Calédonie have progressively expanded and upgraded their fleet and the evolution of this relationship is a true measure of the quality of our products.

Air Calédonie represents just one of many airlines who use their ATR fleets for inter-island operations. Our aircraft’s ability to take off and land from short and unpaved runways, as well as its unrivalled economics, make it particularly attractive to island operators. It is also the only regional turboprop to have received its ETOPS120 certification which allows it to fly for long distances on one engine, opening up new possibilities, in terms of routes, to many inter-island operators. These characteristics explain why our aircraft are so popular with airlines in France’s Outre Mer as well as those flying island routes in Indonesia, the Caribbean, the Canary Isles and all over the world. This versatility once again illustrates why the ATR -600 series aircraft are the market leaders in Regional Aviation.

More pictures follow

Transat A.T. Inc. - Results for fourth quarter and fiscal 2017

Transat A.T. Inc., one of the largest integrated tourism companies in the world and Canada's holiday travel leader, posted revenues of $698.6 million for the quarter ended October 31, 2017, compared with $612.1 million for the same period in 2016, an increase of $86.4 million, or 14.1%. The Corporation recorded adjusted operating income1 of $78.5 million, compared with $46.5 million in 2016. Net income attributable to shareholders amounted to $148.1 million ($4.00 per share, basic and $3.97 per share, diluted) for the fourth quarter of 2017, compared with $34.9 million ($0.95 per share, basic and diluted) in 2016. Before non-operating items, Transat reported adjusted net income3 of $46.4 million ($1.24 per share) for the fourth quarter of 2017, compared with $24.2 million ($0.66 per share) in 2016.

"The fourth quarter, like the summer as a whole, was excellent. Financially, our summer results were among the best in our history and significantly improved our results for the year compared with last year. From a strategic standpoint, we made great strides towards establishing our hotel division and in several other major areas, including fleet composition, and corporate leadership succession," said Jean-Marc Eustache, President and Chief Executive Officer of Transat.

WestJet's November Results

Last week WestJet announced its November 2017 traffic results with a load factor of 82.4 percent, an increase of 2.4 percentage points year over year. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), or traffic, increased 12.1 percent year over year, and capacity, measured in available seat miles (ASMs), grew 8.9 percent over the same period. The airline flew a record 1.9 million guests in November, a year-over-year increase of 13.2 percent or approximately 226,000 additional guests.