Finnair opens new route to Lyon, adds long-haul frequencies to Osaka, Hong Kong, Delhi and Phuket

Finnair today announced the opening of a new winter route to Lyon, France, for the 2018/2019 winter season. Known for its gastronomy, historical landmarks and its proximity to the French Alps, Lyon is the second largest metropolitan area in France. As of December 11, Finnair will fly two weekly flights to Lyon from its Helsinki hub with an E90 aircraft. Operating on Tuesdays and Saturdays, the flights will offer smooth connections to Finnair’s Asian network. 

Continuing with its growth strategy, Finnair is receiving its twelfth A350 aircraft in 2018 and will be adding several frequencies to its popular long-haul destinations. Finnair’s route to Osaka will now become daily during the winter season with two additional frequencies on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Two additional frequencies will also be added to the Hong Kong route on Fridays and Sundays, for a total of 12 weekly frequencies. Finnair’s route to Delhi will become a daily destination during the winter season with the addition of a flight on Wednesdays and a fourth weekly frequency will also be added to the Phuket route on Mondays starting as of December 10. In addition, the schedule for Finnair’s flight to Miami will be modified so it better coincides with Finnair’s other North American departures and its connecting flights to Europe. 

Emergency landing at Warsaw's Chopin Airport

 Warsaw's Chopin Airport has been closed after an emergency landing by a LOT Polish Airlines aircraft blocks runway.

The aircraft was operating flight LO3924 coming inbound from Krakow when it landed without its nose gear descended and engaged.  There are no reports of injuries to either passengers or crew at this stage.

The Bombardier Q400 aircraft experienced problems with its nose gear and landed with it retracted. Passengers managed to escape the aircraft after it came to halt, blocking the runway at Chopin. Emergency crews from the airports' fire and rescue service were soon on the scene and no injuries are reported.. Passengers escape the aircraft which came to a halt on the runway

Lądowanie bez podwozia na lotnisku Chopina lot z Krakowa do Warszawy -koszmar!!!!! #Lot #chopinairport #warsaw pic.twitter.com/sWz1LxWU0H

— Rafał Brzoska (@RBrzoska) January 10, 2018

Secret airline has secret job to secret area, but tell no-one it is a secret

Janet aircraft at area 51

Situation vacant,  but don't tell anyone, we know the truth is out there - somewhere.

Are you looking for a cabin crew job with a difference?  Do you have a security conscious personality? Can keep things confidential?  Are you not afraid of aliens? 

If you can answer yes to all those questions, there maybe we have just the right job for you.....  it's a flight attendant position with a slight difference - it's for a pretty secretive airline!


Janet is an airline that flies from Las Vegas McCarran International Airport to various airbases around the region, including the famous Area 51, in the Nevada desert, the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale CA and Tonopah Test Range, Nevada.


According to various US websites including The Aviationist, the company is now looking for cabin crew.  Apparently the job advert - which has now been removed - states:

High School graduate or equivalent. Must pass Company operated jet aircraft Emergency Training and Initial Flight Attendant Training and maintain currency as a Flight Attendant. Must be able to effectively perform all assigned physical duties without difficulty and without assistance. Must be able to push and pull heavy hinged aircraft doors weighing up to 80 lbs. Must comply with Company specified dress code and uniform guidelines. Must possess effective oral communication skills, including good public speaking abilities. Possess basic math knowledge and basic computer skills. Must qualify for and maintain a top secret government security clearance and associated work location access. Possess a current State issued driver’s license.

So maybe, if you can find it,  you can apply for the job and maybe you'll be one day working for Janet airlines, which is part of the multinational AECOM group, operates a fleet of Boeing 737 -66N aircraft and five smaller Beech aircraft.  

Other secret jobs in the world include -

UK's Secret Intelligence Service (also known as MI6) Jobs

MI5 Security Service jobs

Russian Security FSB

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WestJet Encore reaches unique agreement with cabin crew members

 WestJet Encore yesterday announced its cabin crew members have reached an evergreen agreement between WestJet Encore and WestJet Encore Cabin Crew Members (CCMs).

The agreement was designed to address key concerns and feedback collected and brought forward by the WestJet Cabin Crew Association (WCCA) representing WestJet Encore CCMs. The agreement covers work rules, compensation, including guaranteed minimum hours, and career progression and guarantees an ongoing annual review of the contract.

"We are pleased to reach an agreement that is simple, fair and provides an opportunity for ongoing feedback and adjustments," said Charles Duncan, President, WestJet Encore. "We wanted to create something with flexibility built in, so we could address concerns brought forward by our team in a timely matter. This agreement highlights the benefits of leaders and WestJetters working directly together. I thank the WCCA, our WestJet Encore CCMs and the Encore leadership team for their work on this agreement and genuine commitment to our business and our people."

The agreement began January 1, 2018.

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United Reports December 2017 Operational Performance

United Airlines released it's December 2017 operational results this week, showing consolidated traffic (revenue passenger miles) increased 2.7 percent and consolidated capacity (available seat miles) increased 3.7 percent versus December 2016. UAL's December 2017 consolidated load factor decreased 0.8 points compared to December 2016.

"Last month, our incredible employees braved subzero temperatures and peak holiday loads to lead United into first place among competitors in mainline on-time departures, completion factor and on-time arrivals," said Scott Kirby, president of United Airlines. "It was the best-ever December for our operation, putting us in a great position to continue to deliver a solid operation for our customers as we head into 2018."

The company now expects fourth-quarter 2017 consolidated passenger unit revenue to be about flat compared to the fourth quarter of 2016, driven by stronger yields and better close-in demand.

Delta Air Lines was named the World’s Most On-Time Airline among mainline carriers by the aviation data and analytics company FlightGlobal, incorporating FlightStats, and is the first U.S. airline to earn the industry-leading distinction in the nine years FlightGlobal’s FlightStats has presented its OPS Awards, according to a release by the company Tuesday.

In 2017, Delta’s mainline operation saw 85.94 percent of flights arrive within 14 minutes of the scheduled arrival time, the industry’s widely used definition of on-time, according to FlightStats.1

“We are extremely proud of what Delta employees have been able to accomplish in service to our customers to drive a safe and reliable global operation,” said Gil West, Delta’s Executive Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “The results reported by FlightStats are humbling and yet another proof point that Delta employees worldwide are redefining operational excellence. Hats off to all Delta employees who come to work every day looking for ways to make meaningful improvements to the airline and continue to differentiate ourselves from our competitors.”

Hawaiian Airlines to Add Daily Long Beach-Honolulu Service

Hawaiian Airlines today announced it will begin daily non-stop flights between Long Beach (LGB) and Honolulu (HNL) in the summer, offering Southern California travellers another convenient option for direct service to Hawaii. The new route, being inaugurated May 31 out of Honolulu on Hawaiian’s new Airbus A321neo aircraft, complements the carrier’s popular daily flights at nearby Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

“Long Beach is a perfect gateway for travellers in Los Angeles and Orange County to ease into their Hawaiian vacation,” said Peter Ingram, Hawaiian’s executive vice president and chief commercial officer. “We look forward to welcoming our guests onboard, where they will enjoy our award-winning Hawaiian hospitality in the comfort of our newest aircraft.”

Starting June 1, Hawaiian’s Flight 69 will depart Long Beach at 8:30 a.m. and arrive in Honolulu at 11:40 a.m., giving travellers the afternoon to explore O‘ahu or connect to a neighbour island. The return flight, HA 70, departs Honolulu at 12:30 p.m. and arrives in Long Beach at 9 p.m.

Hawaiian, Hawai‘i’s largest and longest-serving carrier, is deploying a new fleet of narrow-body A321neo aircraft to provide U.S. West Coast guests non-stop flights to more islands. The airline today is celebrating its first scheduled A321neo flight, between Kahului (OGG) on Maui and Oakland (OAK), as it prepares for service between Portland (PDX) and OGG on Jan. 18, followed by flights between OAK and Līhu‘e (LIH) on Kaua‘i on April 11, and Los Angeles (LAX)-Kona (KOA) on the Island of Hawai‘i in the summer.

Icelandair is Going to Kansas City

Today, Icelandair announces seasonal service to the heartland of America with flights from Kansas City International Airport (MCI) commencing on May 25, 2018.  Icelandair's Kansas City service will offer three non-stop flights a week to Iceland on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, with easy connections to and from more than 25 destinations in Europe.

Kansas City is known as the "City of Fountains" and "Paris of the Plains." With a rich American history situated in the heart of the Midwest, Kansas City offers visitors upscale shopping, a thriving art scene and plenty of fine dining, along with some great steaks and unrivalled American BBQ.  It is also known as the home of the infamous outlaw, Jessie James and where cartoonist, Walt Disney, first created the iconic Mickey Mouse while an art student.  Music lovers know Kansas City as the home of "swing", where Count Basie started his new form of jazz in the local Kansas City clubs, and where Fats Domino was inspired to write his classic hit, "Kansas City, Here I Come."

"Icelandair has been in operation for over 80 years with a long and illustrious history.  But today marks the first time in that history that Icelandair will offer non-stop flights to and from the heart of America to Iceland and beyond.  This will not only benefit families and leisure travellers wanting to explore the world but will also open up many opportunities for business, trade and foreign relations between Europe and Kansas City.  Our network is bigger and stronger than ever and we offer our passengers more flights, more connections and a refreshing alternative to Iceland and beyond.  We look forward to welcoming Kansas City aboard", said Icelandair CEO Bjorgolfur Johannsson.

GOL preliminary traffic figures for December 2017

GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes  Brazil's #1 airline, announced today preliminary air traffic figures for the month of December 2017. Comparisons refer to the same period of 2016.

GOL's Highlights

The total volume of GOL departures increased by 3.4% and the number of seats was up 3.5% in December, resulting in an increase in supply of 5.5%. GOL's load factor was 81.0% in December 2017, 2.0 p.p. up over the same period of 2016, due to a growth in demand of 8.2% in the period.

In the domestic market, the volume of departures and number of seats increased by 3.0% and 3.1%, respectively over December 2016. In addition, GOL increased its supply by 4.5% in December over the same period the year before, while demand grew by 7.0%. GOL's Load factor was up 1.9 p.p. in comparison to the same month of the previous year, achieving 81.4%.

In December 2017, GOL's international market supply and demand rose by 14.5% and 19.3%, respectively, increasing load factor by 3.2 p.p. in relation to the same period of 2016.

Boeing, Turkish Airlines Announce Order for Three 777 Freighters

Boeing and Turkish Airlines announced that the carrier ordered three more 777 Freighters in December 2017. The new order came weeks after the carrier took delivery of two of the large cargo jets as part of its plan to further expand its freight business.

"These freighter orders will surely contribute to our significant target for establishing a young and efficient cargo fleet," said M. İlker Aycı, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee of Turkish Airlines. "The new aircraft will be delivered this year and will provide us with additional flexibility to serve more destinations while we continue to develop our global freight service."

Ramp up in Airbus China production

European aircraft manufacturing giant, Airbus has announced details of a deal to increase the number of aircraft it makes in China during a state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron.  During his three-day visit, Mr Macron said both France and China must open up to doing business with each other, saying "access to markets which is unbalanced [and] unsatisfying"

Airbus says it plans to produce six of its A320 jets each month by 2020 at the final assembly plant the company has near Beijing.  As part of the agreement, Airbus said it will "enhance its industrial partnership in Tianjin" which is one of four global facilities that assemble the whole family range of A320 craft.

Airbus said it hopes to "strengthen the cooperation with regards to technical innovation, engineering capabilities and supply chain expansion".

The manufacturer currently only produces four aircraft each month in China, this will increase to five by the end of 2019 and then cranking up to six jets by early 2020.

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British Airways to end the recline on short-haul whilst introduce new menu on longer services

British Airways travels further down the 'low-cost'  route by taking away the recline on it's short-haul route network.  Soon passengers will not have that little touch of comfort when the new fleet of aircraft based at Heathrow will be installed with the non-reclining seats.

The 35 Airbus A320neo and A321neo planes that are scheduled to arrive soon will be without the recline button but instead, have a fixed "gentle recline". 

It put British Airways more on an equal footing with other low-cost carriers, such as easyJet and Ryanair who already utilise seats that cannot be adjusted/reclined, which save money in the long run.

As well as the new arrivals having no recline, British Airways will also completely refurbish all its existing Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, where the reclining seats will be removed. However, the airline will introduce in-seat power points as well as introducing onboard wi-fi, for sky high fees

Two new routes for Spirit

Spirit Airlines will be launching two international destinations to its rapidly expanding network, it has announced this week.  The bright yellow liveried airline will start services to new cities in Ecuador and Haiti. 

The routes will start from Fort Lauderdale this spring, expanding further what is already Spirit’s largest base of operation.

From 22nd March the ultra-low-cost airline, Spirit will begin flying from Fort Lauderdale to Guayaquil, Ecuador. The carrier plans to operate a daily round-trip flight throughout the year. Then on 12th April, they will launch a service to Cap-Haïtien on the north coast of Haiti. The schedule for this route will start off with three flights a week but may increase over time subject to demand. 

Spirit are pleased with their new Guayaquil routes, promoting it as the “Gateway to the Galapagos.” The city will become Spirit’s only destination in Ecuador at this time.  

Cap-Haïtien International Airport is the second busiest airport in Haiti and will add better connectivity to the region, the new service will also compliment Spirits other Haitian route to Port-au-Prince. 

"We are excited to add even more international options to our growing network,” Mark Kopczak, Spirit’s Vice President of Network Planning, said in a statement. 

Once these new routes begin, Spirit will be offering 54 destinations from Fort Lauderdale spread throughout the US, Caribbean and Latin America. 

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United Airlines Announces New Routes Connecting Eight Cities to Hundreds of Domestic and International Destinations

 United Airlines today announced it will begin new service between six of its domestic hubs and eight destinations in California, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, Virginia and Wisconsin.

The new flights, starting June 7, offer customers hundreds of connection opportunities across United's world-class domestic and international route network.

"We are excited to begin the new year by adding eight new flights as we continue our focus on making United the first choice for customers," said Jake Cefolia, United's vice president of Sales.

Hong Kong Airlines ranked most punctual airline in Asia; second globally in 2017

Hong Kong Airlines has been recognised for its excellent On-Time Performance (OTP), having been ranked by UK-based air travel intelligence company OAG as Asia's most punctual airline, and the second globally in 2017.

According to the "OAG Punctuality League 2018" report, which delivers the most updated statistics for airlines based on full-year data in 2017, Hong Kong Airlines achieved an OTP rating of 88.83% -- a significant increase as compared to 74.46% in 2016.

Hong Kong Airlines operates out of one of the world's busiest air hubs. To maintain its operational efficiency and strive towards OTP excellence, Hong Kong Airlines has always been exploring ways to improve overall flight punctuality. The move to the then newly built Midfield Concourse at Hong Kong International Airport in late 2015 presented an opportunity, as the 105,000 square-metre, five-storey facility provided 20 dedicated parking stands that would serve Hong Kong Airlines well. Currently, over 99% of Hong Kong Airlines' flights out of Hong Kong arrive and depart from the Midfield Concourse, which has become a significant contributing factor to the airline's improved OTP.   

Aeromexico Reports December 2017 Traffic Results

Grupo Aeromexico today reported December 2017 operational results.

Grupo Aeromexico transported 1 million 832 thousand passengers in December 2017; a 3.9% year-on-year increase. International passenger numbers increased by 19.5%, while domestic passenger numbers decreased by 4.4%. 

Demand, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPKs), increased by 15.2%, year-on-year. Aeromexico's capacity, measured in Available Seat Kilometers (ASKs), increased by 15.5%, year-on-year. 

Aeromexico's December load factor was 80.3%, a decrease of 0.2 p.p. compared to December 2016.

Casa Cupula Honours Mexican LGBT Icon with new suite

As part of the continuing celebration of Puerto Vallarta’s luxury LGBT property’s Quinceanera, Casa Cupula has now opened the doors to its new Frida Suite, which celebrates the life and art of Mexican icon Frida Kahlo. 

Decorated in the style of Frida Kahlo’s paintings and imagery, Casa Cupula’s one bedroom/1.5 ba suite of 860 sq ft (80m2) includes a living area, kitchen, washer and dryer and a terrace with a view of Puerto Vallarta and a hot tub. Guests will enjoy the view of the Bay of Banderas while enjoying the shade of a heritage Papelillo tree and the flora and the fauna of the Sierra Madre, home to iguanas, squirrels, hummingbirds, parrots and other birds.

Kahlo’s work has been celebrated internationally for her incorporation of Mexican national and indigenous traditions and uncompromising depiction of the dark sides of the female experience and form. The artist’s personal life is often a focus of any reading of her life, as she had both male and female lovers, including a reported affair with Josephine Baker in Paris, and is one of the LGBT community’s most beloved icons.

Ground collision at Toronto Pearson causes delays

A major incident occurred at Toronto's Pearson airport where a WestJet Boeing 737-800 that had recently arrived from Cancun was waiting to proceed to its gate when it was struck by a Sunwing aircraft being pushed back. 

This incident took place at approximately 6.30pm local time on Friday evening on the apron around terminal 3.  The WestJet aircraft had been on the ground for around twenty minutes, waiting for a gate to be opened up when it was struck on its wing by the tail of the Sunwing aircraft - which that caught fire. From images shared on social media it appears the fire on the Sunwing aircraft was contained within the APU. 

There were 168 passengers and 6 crew on the WestJet aircraft at the time of the collision and they were evacuated via the emergency slides to the apron. Emergency crews raced to the area at terminal three and put out the fire. 

WestJet issued the following statement 

WestJet has confirmed that WS2425, a Boeing 737-800 with 168 guests and six crew onboard, inbound from Cancun to Toronto Pearson, while waiting to proceed to the gate and stationary, was struck by a Sunwing aircraft pushing back from the gate.    

Due to the position of the aircraft on the laneway, WestJet guests required evacuation via emergency slide. Emergency crews were on hand and responded immediately.  WestJet is in direct contact with the Transportation Safety Board, the GTAA and the various emergency agencies responsible for responding to, and investigating, this incident.  All 168 guests and six crew are accounted for. We can confirm guests are safely in the terminal.  

Some flights departing from and arriving at terminal 3 have been affected, although a spokesperson for the airport advised that other flights were operating as normal.

The Sunwing aircraft was not operating a passenger flight at the time of pushback, the travel company tweeted the following statement "There were no Sunwing crew or passengers onboard at the time of the incident.  We are awaiting further information from Swissport and will provide more details as they become available."

An investigation is currently underway. 

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Azul is the most on-time airline in Brazil and the most on-time Low-cost carrier in the Americas

Azul Brazilian Airlines is the most on-time airline in Brazil and the most on-time low-cost carrier (LCC) in the Americas.  As reported in the official OAG worldwide airline punctuality rankings, 84.14% of Azul flights arrived within 14 minutes and 59 seconds of their scheduled arrival time.  This on-time metric also makes Azul the fifth most on-time LCC in the world. 

OAG worldwide punctuality league 2018 names

 Azul as the most on-time LCC in the Americas

"This industry-leading result is a direct reflection of our constant focus on operational excellence.  Finishing the year as the most on-time LCC in the Americas demonstrates the high standards that we promise and deliver to our customers. This accomplishment is even more impressive considering that we operate almost 800 daily flights and fly to more than 100 destinations, which is approximately twice the number of domestic destinations served by our competitors.  I want to thank our crewmembers for their incredible dedication and focus in delivering the best customer experience in the industry", said David Neeleman, Azul's founder and Chairman.