QATAR Airways to Launch Boeing 787 Service to London from mid-Dec 2012

Update at 1135GMT 26NOV12

QATAR Airways starting 13DEC12 will begin Boeing 787 operation on Doha – London Heathrow route once a day, as per 26NOV12 GDS timetable and inventory display. From this date, QR075/076 to be operated by the Dreamliner on daily basis. Previously the airline publicly announced the Dreamliner will enter London operation from 01DEC12, which apparently no longer the case.

London is QATAR’s 3rd Boeing 787 destination. Schedule:

QR075 DOH0625 – 1105LHR 788 D
QR076 LHR1505 – 0045+1DOH 788 D

Nordic Aviation Capital delivered 1st of 12 CRJ1000 to Garuda Indonesia

Nordic Aviation Capital is pleased to confirm that it has leased the 1st of 12 CRJ1000, MSN 19028 to Garuda.

Nordic Aviation Capital A/S is a global aircraft leasing company dedicated to the worldwide sale, purchasing and financing of commercial jet and turboprop aircraft. NAC is the largest turboprop lessor in the world.

The company provides aircraft to well-known carriers such as American Airlines, Lufthansa, US Airways, Flybe, TACA and other major regional carriers including Widerøe and TRIP Linhas Aéreas. Nordic Aviation Capital’s current fleet of over 190 aircraft includes, ATR 42, ATR 72, Bombardier Dash 8, Boeing 737, CRJ 200, Fokker 50 and Saab 2000 aircraft.

Turkish Airlines inaugurates operations to Sebha (Libya)

With existing services to Benghazi, Misurata and Tripoli in Libya, Turkish Airlines now adds flights to Sebha. Beginning December 13rd, 2012, Sebha flights will be operated 3 times per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays in both directions.

Mitsubishi Aircraft and SkyWest, Inc. Conclude Definitive Agreement for 100 Mitsubishi Regional Jets (MRJ) and 100 Options

NAGOYA, Japan, December 13, 2012 – Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation and SkyWest, Inc., the holding company for two regional carriers that conducts the world’s largest combined regional airline operations, announced today that they have executed a definitive agreement for the purchase of 100 MRJ90 aircraft and up to an additional 100 option aircraft. The agreement sets forth respective rights and obligations that enable Mitsubishi Aircraft and SkyWest to mutually position themselves for opportunities in the US regional airline industry. MRJ deliveries to SkyWest are currently anticipated to commence in 2017, with deliveries of executable option aircraft currently anticipated to commence in 2021. Based on the MRJ90 list price, SkyWest’s order for 100 aircraft is valued at US $4.2 billion, with an additional US $4.2 billion related to the executable 100 options.
“I am absolutely delighted to have reached agreement on this important partnership,” said Hideo Egawa, President, Mitsubishi Aircraft, “Without a doubt, this is a major order and significant boost for the MRJ program. Mitsubishi Aircraft continues to work hard to deliver our next generation aircraft to our valued customers around the world.”
“SkyWest is pleased to have collaboratively reached a definitive agreement with Mitsubishi Aircraft,” said Bradford R. Rich, President, SkyWest, Inc. He continued, “SkyWest believes the MRJ, with its significant advancements in fuel economy, passenger comfort, and environmental friendliness, will be a valued addition to our fleet. We are looking forward to strengthening our relationship with Mitsubishi Aircraft.”

Qatar to Keep Airbus A330s Flying Longer on Dreamliner Delays

Qatar Airways Ltd. plans to keep its Airbus SAS A330 aircraft in service longer than previously planned because its new Boeing Co. (BA) 787s aren’t arriving fast enough, its chief executive officer said.
To avoid a capacity crunch on scheduled flights, Qatar is moving protectively to upgrade some of the 29 A330s it has in its fleet, CEO Akbar Al Baker said today. Changes include new seats and in-flight entertainment, he added, without specifying how many planes will be involved.
Al Baker said Qatar Airways has been falling behind its expansion plan because of delays on the 787, which is comparable in size to the A330 model. Qatar has already taken delivery of three 787s and should get two more on Dec. 19, taking the fleet to five. The figure will grow to 10 by the end of 2013, compared with an original plan for 30 before the program delays.
“Due to these 787 delays we have a huge upgrade program for our Airbus A330s to extend their time with us for at least three more years,” Al Baker told journalists in London.
A Boeing 787 jet just handed over to the airline developed a technical glitch similar to one that forced a United Continental Holdings Inc. aircraft to make an emergency landing, Al Baker said today. The plane has been grounded since Dec. 9 and may remain so for at least four days, a situation Al Baker called “unacceptable.”

Garuda Indonesia Adds Six New Destinations In Europe And The Middle East

Garuda Indonesia, the airline of Indonesia, this week launches flight services to six new destinations as a result of the airline’s recently signed codeshare agreement with Etihad Airways.
Through this worldwide codeshare partnership, Garuda Indonesia opens new services to six international destinations: London, Paris, Manchester, Moscow, Athens and Muscat. The airline also officially moved its international hub from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, Etihad’s headquarters on 2 December 2012.
Emirsyah Satar, President and CEO of Garuda Indonesia said: “The decision to move our hub was made to deliver on our promise to raise the quality of service for our customers, and is a key part of the codeshare agreement signed with Etihad Airways in October, a partnership of which we are immensely proud.
The opening of the Abu Dhabi hub will accommodate passengers who wish to travel to more than 80 destinations served by Etihad Airways in 50 cities in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa,” he added.
As part of the agreement, Etihad Airways will also now have access to Garuda’s three Australian ports.
Bagus Y. Siregar, Vice President for Garuda Indonesia Australia and SWP commented: “The South West Pacific region is growing in customer demand exponentially each year.  This exclusive codeshare offers Eithad’s passengers access to our ports in the region, and also opens the world further to Garuda Indonesia’s passengers.
The agreement encompasses a codeshare agreement across passenger services including frequent flyer programs, and a cooperation across cargo, engineering, maintenance and airport services.
Throughout this cooperation, Garuda Indonesia will continue to expand its network to more than 27 destinations in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa; Paris, London, Frankfurt, Milan, Munich, Manchester, Dublin, Dusseldorf, Geneva, Brussels, and Athens in Europe; New York, Toronto, Chicago in the North American region, Domodevo in Russia, Cairo, Johannesburg and Nairobi in Africa; and Jeddah, Muscat, Dammam, Riyadh, Amman, Istanbul, Bahrain, Kuwait and Beirut in the Middle East.
Etihad Airways passengers will now be connected with Garuda Indonesia’s network of services across the Indonesian archipelago, Asia, Australia and Japan. Specifically, Etihad will partner on the following routes: Jakarta - Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta – Abu Dhabi, and to major cities in Indonesia, such as Surabaya, Denpasar, Manado, Makassar and Balikpapan (from Jakarta).

Garuda Indonesia Launches Free Limousine Service

Garuda Indonesia, the flag carrier of Indonesia, is launching a free airport-to-destination limousine service for their Executive Class passengers arriving at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta to enhance their travel experience in the air and on the ground.
From now on to May 31, 2013, passengers who fly with Garuda Indonesia on the Executive Class to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta will be presented a complimentary limousine voucher to redeem a free ride from the airport to the hotel. Passengers can enjoy a hassle-free journey from Hong Kong to their hotel in Jakarta.
“Garuda Indonesia always strives to offer a more delightful, comfortable and convenient travel experience to Hong Kong business travellers. Therefore, we are very excited to offer a series of services, including the limousine service, fast track immigration services and the Premium Check-in Area launched earlier this year. We sincerely hope that these services can cater to the needs of our business travellers,” says Riza Perdana Kusuma, General Manager Hong Kong & Macau of Garuda Indonesia.
Aiming to deliver enhanced customer service to business travellers, Garuda Indonesia also launched the first ever Premium Check-in Area at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport earlier this year. With the integrated check-in facilities in the Premium Check-in Area, Executive Class passengers can enjoy the services for their convenience including general check-in, extra baggage allowance, flight upgrades, flight re-routing, ticketing, flight reservation and airport tax payment.
In order to meet the growing demand of business travellers between the two cities, Garuda Indonesia now offers two flights daily between Hong Kong and Jakarta at a low price on Executive Class. Flights from Hong Kong to Jakarta are aboard brand new Airbus A330-200s and Boeing 737-800NG.
In recent years Garuda Indonesia has increasingly been recognized at international level after being named as Skytrax’s “The World’s Best Regional Airline” and voted “Best International Airline” for a third time in Roy Morgan’s Customer Satisfaction Awards this year.

Al Baker 'very disappointed' after latest 787 grounded by electrical issue

Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker has vented his frustration about more technical problems blighting his Boeing 787s after the airline's third aircraft suffered an electrical issue on its delivery flight and had to be grounded for repairs.

The carrier, which operated its inaugural long-haul 787 service on 13 December from its Doha base to London Heathrow, has received three 787s and will take two more before year-end.

Speaking at Heathrow following the flight from Doha, Al Baker described his frustration about the latest problem and warned Boeing that it had to raise its game. "Unfortunately our third 787 has the same [generator control unit] problem that diverted a United 787," he said. "Fortunately it was on a delivery flight, but the aircraft is grounded and I am very disappointed with Boeing. They have to get their act together very fast because we will not accept any more defects with our aeroplanes because we have waited too long for them."

Al Baker says that the 787 has been "on the ground" since 9 December but he hopes the fault will be rectified and it will be cleared to fly again by around 15 December. "We are happy with Boeing's reaction to our AOG situation," he says.

Qatar is due to receive five more 787s during 2013 and will gradually introduce the type across its network as the fleet expands. The aircraft is now operating daily flights to Heathrow and its next destination will be Perth. Other early European 787 destinations will be Frankfurt and Munich. 787 Flights to Tokyo Haneda and Osaka in Japan as well as to the USA are also planned, says Al Baker.

AirAsia orders 100 Airbus jets including 64 A320neos

Budget carrier AirAsia has ordered another 64 Airbus A320neos as well as a further 36 baseline A320s.

The deal confirms AirAsia as the undisclosed customer behind a deal for 100 A320s booked in November.

AirAsia had previously indicated that it was negotiating for 100 jets but that it had opted against a high-density Bombardier CSeries.

No delivery dates have been disclosed for the AirAsia jets, nor has an engine selection been given.
It takes AirAsia's overall Airbus orders to 264 A320neos and 211 regular A320s.

Airbus values the agreement, unveiled during an event at its UK plant at Broughton, at $9.4 billion at catalogue prices.

Star Alliance gets London Heathrow's newest digs in Terminal 2

Travellers on Star Alliance airlines to London's Heathrow airport will enjoy the brand new Terminal 2 when it opens in 2014.

The new T2 will be almost exclusively dedicated to Star partner airlines, in a welcome move to consolidate flights by the alliance's massive list of members from terminals 1, 3 and 4.
Virgin Atlantic's UK domestic flights -- and Aer Lingus, which will be doing the actual flying for Virgin –– will also shift to T2.

The first impact on Australians will initially be that Singapore Airlines' and Thai Airways' flights shift into the new terminal, with new lounges sure to follow.

Elderly and grotty Terminal 1 will be knocked down, with a further opportunity for expansion on its soon-to-be-former site.

But clearing numerous Star Alliance airlines out of T3 will also allow that overcrowded terminal -- used by a huge number of Australians heading to and from London -- to gain a bit of breathing room.

Relief for Terminal 3's lounge pressure?

That'll be especially useful for the lounge situation, which is cramped at the best of times.
With extra space available near gate 5 once the Singapore Airlines lounge moves, plus the Air Canada/SAS London Lounge near gate 11, there's an opportunity for new lounges for oneworld and the Qantas-Emirates alliance.

Air Canada also occupies one of the three arrivals lounges in Terminal 3 (the others are American Airlines' oneworld offering and Virgin Atlantic's Revivals lounge), which could open the gates for a third facility or an update of one of the existing lounges.

The full list of Star Alliance members serving Terminal 2 will be: Aegean Air, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EgyptAir, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT, Lufthansa, SAS, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Swiss, TAP, Thai, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways.

BA reveals Airbus A380, Boeing 787 Dreamliner seatmaps

British Airways has unveilled the seating plan for its new Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliners, both of which will take to the skies next year.

As previously reported, the British flag-carrier's A380 superjumbo will sport all four classes – from BA's lush First cabin to World Traveller economy and World Traveller Plus premium economy – while on the 787, BA continues the trend reported by Boeing of dropping first class for business, premium economy and economy.

BA Airbus A380 seatmap

The seating chart for British Airways' A380 shows each of the 12 superjumbos will carry 469 passengers across four classes.

As Australian Business Traveller revealed in September, British Airways won't be fitting an all-new Club World business class seat to the A380, opting instead for what a spokesperson described as "an evolution of the current seat".

 
The lower deck is the domain of 14 lush first class mini-suites, which BA promises will have "extra personal and stowage space" due to the A380's wider main deck compared to the current fleet of Boeing 747s and Boeing 777s.

Back behind the curtain will sit 44 Club World business class seats in a 2-4-2 configuration, followed by 199 World Traveller economy seats arranged 3-4-3.

Upstairs are a further 56 Club World business class seats in a 2-3-2 layout over two four-row cabins. Yes, we know the BA seatmap itself says 53 seats, but with eight rows of seven seats, you do the maths!

There's also a compact World Traveller Plus premium economy cabin of 55 seats in a 2-3-2 configuration, plus 104 more World Traveller economy seats arranged 2-4-2. (Our tip: those upstairs seats will be the ones to pick if you're in World Traveller.)

BA's split-level Club World business class

With Club World split over both decks of the A380 there's some promise for passengers critical of BA's business class seat not offering direct aisle access.

Over the three cabins – one downstairs, two upstairs – six window seats and five centre seats boast direct aisle access, while a pleasing twelve aisle seats have nobody picking their way over you.

BA, Qantas and other oneworld frequent flyers can usually snag these seats before others get their hands on them. 

Interestingly, close scrutiny of the seatmap shows an extra side section in each the rear-facing middle seat. If this is a handy work area or additional inflight storage, these could be a top choice for business travellers.

British Airways has a dozen superjumbos on order, with the first due to arrive in July 2013 followed by three more before the year is out.

While BA as yet to announce routes for the A380, the airline has hinted that Hong Kong will be the superjumbo's debut route, while Hong Kong, Singapore, New York and Beijing are shortlisted for the A380s first commercial destinations.

British Airways is hinting that Hong Kong will be the debut route for its Airbus A380, with first flights around the middle of next year.

BA Boeing 787 seatmap

British Airways' Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner will carry 214 passengers divided into the predictable mix of business, premium economy and economy.

 
35 Club World business class seats sit at the pointy end in a new 'triple' configuration of 2-3-2, the same as upstairs on the A380. The extra space to the side of centre seats also appears on the A380 upstairs.

That's followed by 25 World Traveller Plus premium economy seats laid out 2-3-2, and 154 World Traveller economy seats split 3-3-3. (More on that economy layout below.)
Read: Boeing 787 customers drop first class

BA has 24 of the 787-8 Dreamliners on order, with the first due in May 2013 and three more by year's end.

A further 16 of the stretched Boeing 787-9s will follow from 2015, although the seating plan for those longer models has yet to be finalised.

BA's Dreamliner dilemna: good for business, bad for economy

Overall, the twin cabin Club World layout on the 787 is great news for business class passengers who appreciate the benefits of direct aisle access.  

A full four window seats and two centre seats don't require you to vault like a gazelle (or hippo) over the person in the aisle. Similarly, a pleasing eight aisle seats don't have a window or centre passenger neeing to clamber their way out.

Bad news for Economy in the final analysis, though: British Airways has plumped for the ultra-dense 3-3-3 layout, where seats are as narrow as you'd find on a Boeing 737 short-range plane hopping between Melbourne and Sydney.

That's fine for a brief flight, but BA previously removed these extra-narrow seats from its Boeing 777 fleet when customers complained. Super-tight seating makes the BA 787 one to avoid in economy on the long haul.

Virgin Atlantic to join SkyTeam?

Virgin Atlantic could sign onto the SkyTeam airline alliance following the overnight purchase of 49% of Sir Richard Branson's baby by US carrier Delta, one of the founding members of SkyTeam.
Although Branson has traditionally been reticent to join an alliance, he recently indicated that this may become a matter of survival.
"Virgin Atlantic has always enjoyed its independence, but since pretty well every competitor that we have has an alliance I think we have finally decided that to survive we need to have an alliance," Branson told Bloomberg Television in October, tipping the announcement was likely to come within the “next three to four months."
Speculation immediately fell on both the Star Alliance and SkyTeam camps, given that oneworld is home to his bête noire British Airways.
One factor in Star's favour was that then co-owner of Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines, belongs to the Star family.
But Delta's planned purchase of the entire SQ stake – a deal valued at US$360 million – obviously changes that dynamic.
Under the new Delta-Virgin Atlantic alliance travellers on both airlines will automatically enjoy reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, such as earn-and-burn rights on both airlines plus access to Delta Sky Club and Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse lounges.
Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyers won't be left in the lurch, however, with SQ promising in a media statement that "commercial arrangements between Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic, encompassing codesharing, frequent-flyer programme ties and reciprocal lounge access, are expected to remain in place after the divestment."

Spirit Airlines signs commitment for 75 Airbus A320 Family jets

Deal includes 45 A320neo eco-efficient aircraft

15 November 2011 Press Release

Spirit Airlines and Airbus signed today at the Dubai Airshow a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 75 single-aisle aircraft, comprising 45 A320neo aircraft (new engine option) and 30 A320s. The engine selection will be announced later.

The new aircraft will be used on Spirit’s targeted growth markets in the U.S., Caribbean and Latin America. The A320neo will help build on the great economic success the airline has already enjoyed with their existing all-Airbus fleet of 35 A320 Family aircraft

“We are excited to expand our partnership with Airbus and grow our fleet into the next decade,” said Ben Baldanza, President and CEO of Spirit Airlines. “Spirit Airlines’ low fares require an efficient, reliable aircraft and the A320 Family, including the neo, fits that model well.”

“The A320 and A320neo continue to set the pace,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. “The unrivalled economics of these aircraft convinced Spirit to go all-Airbus and that decision has clearly paid off since for the airline.”

The A320neo has over 95 percent airframe commonality making it an easy fit into existing fleets while offering up to 500 nautical miles (950 kilometres) more range or two tonnes more payload. The A320neo reduces fuel burn by 15%, which is equivalent to 1.4m litres of fuel – the consumption of 1000 mid size cars.  This saves 3600 tonnes of CO2 per aircraft per year, the amount of CO2 absorbed by 240,000 mature trees. The A320neo aircraft also has a considerably smaller noise footprint.

Including today’s announcement, firm orders and commitments for the A320neo, launched less than a year ago in December 2010, already exceed 1,300 from 23 customers and makes the aircraft the fastest selling airliner ever.

777 program reaches milestone faster than any other twin-aisle airplane

These images are available for editorial use by news media.

EVERETT, Wash., Nov. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) workers today began assembling the 1,000th 777. The airplane is a Boeing 777-300ER (extended range) model. It will be delivered to Dubai-based Emirates Airline in March 2012.
Emirates is the largest 777 customer with 95 777s currently in its fleet; the 1,000th 777 will be its 102nd.
Production began with loading of the 97-foot (29.5 meter) wing spar – the main support structure for the wing – into a giant tool that automatically drills, measures and installs more than 5,000 fasteners into the spar. The spar components are built in Auburn, Wash., by Boeing Fabrication employees.
"We reached this milestone in only 16 years, eight years sooner than the runner up the 747, because of the enormous popularity of the airplane by the airlines that operate it, and the passengers who fly on it," said Larry Loftis, vice president and general manager of the 777 program. "Sixty-four airlines have ordered 1,295 777s. The numbers prove that the 777 is the world's preferred airplane. In fact, it's preferred 1,000 times over."
A ceremony to mark the start of production was held today in Everett. Additional employee thank-you events will be held as the airplane moves through the 49-day build process.
"We couldn't have reached this milestone without the innovation and inspiration of the thousands of employees here at Boeing and at the more than 500 suppliers around the globe that build the 777," Loftis said. "We thank them and honor them for their contribution to aviation history," he said.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner (Experimental ZA001 - ZA005) Landing Locations

787 Landing Locations

Airport	Date	Airplane
King County International (Boeing Field)	12/15/09	ZA001
Grant County International (Moses Lake)	1/05/10	ZA001
Paine Field (Everett)	1/14/10	ZA002
Spokane International Airport	2/1/10	ZA002
Southern California Logistics Airport (Victorville)	3/9/10	ZA002
Glasgow Indusrial Airport	3/29/10	ZA001
Eglin Air Force Base (Florida)	4/18/10	ZA003
Lackland Air Force Base (Kelly annex)	4/28/10	ZA003
Meadows Field Airport (Bakersfield)	4/30/10	ZA004
Logan International Airport (Montana)	5/13/10	ZA002
Colorado Springs Airport	5/19/10	ZA002
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport	5/22/10	ZA004
Pinal Air Park (Arizona)	6/22/10	ZA003
Sea-Tac International Airport	6/28/10	ZA002
Great Falls International Airport	7/13/10	ZA005
Portland International Airport	7/14/10	ZA005
Farnborough Airport	7/17/10	ZA003
Rapid City Regional Airport	7/17/10	ZA005
Shannon Airport (Ireland)	7/20/10	ZA003
Mather Airport	7/22/10	ZA002
Walla Walla Airport	7/24/10	ZA005
Yuma International Airport (Arizona)	7/26/10	ZA002
Edwards Air Force Base (California)	8/16/10	ZA001
Roswell Air Center (New Mexico)	8/18/10	ZA001
Keflavik International Airport (Iceland)	8/31/10	ZA002
Preston Smith International Airport (Texas)	9/04/10	ZA001
Svalbard Airport (Longyearben, Norway)	9/08/10	ZA002
Fort Lauderdale International Airport	9/10/10	ZA003
Valley International Airport (Texas)	9/13/10	ZA003
McCarran International Airport (Las Vegas)	10/13/10	ZA001
Charles De Gaulle International Airport (Paris)	11/4/10	ZA006
Schipol Airport (Amsterdam)	11/5/10	ZA006
Stockton Metropolitan Airport (California)	11/8/10	ZA002
Laredo International Airport (Texas)	11/9/10	ZA002
Billings Logan International Airport (Montana)	1/10/11	ZA001
Denver International Airport (Colorado)	1/11/11	ZA001
Albuquerque International Sunport Airport (New Mexico)	1/22/11	ZA005
Rafael Hernandez Airport, Aguadilla (Puerto Rico)	1/25/11	ZA005
El Alto International Airport, La Paz (Bolivia)	1/29/11	ZA005
Viru Viru International Airport, Santa Cruz (Bolivia)	2/2/11	ZA005
George Bush Intercontinental/Houston Airport (Texas)	2/2/11	ZA005
Fairbanks International Airport (Alaska)	2/15/11	ZA003
San Bernardino International Airport (California)	3/4/11	ZA003
Kona International Airport (Hawaii)	3/10/11	ZA005
Cheyenne Regional Airport (Wyoming)	3/22/11	ZA001
Yakima Air Terminal - McAllister Field (Washington)	3/25/11	ZA001
Casper/Natrona County International Airport (Wyoming)	3/27/11	ZA001
Salina Municipal Airport (Kansas)	3/28/11	ZA001
Gander International Airport (Canada)	4/1/11	ZA001
St. John's International Airport (Canada)	4/2/11	ZA001
Ely Airport (Nevada)	4/23/11	ZA005
Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport (Texas)	5/9/11	ZA001
Ontario International Airport (California)	6/4/11	ZA004
Le Bourget Airport (France)	6/21/11	ZA001
Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport (Poland)	06/24/11	ZA001
Tegel International Airport (Berlin, Germany)	06/25/11	ZA001
Berlin Brandenburg International (Germany)	06/26/11	ZA001
Charleston International Airport (South Carolina)	06/27/11	ZA001
Rogue Valley International Airport (Oregon)	06/28/11	ZA003
Tokyo International (Haneda) Airport (Japan)	07/02/11	ZA002
Osaka International (Itami) Airport (Japan)	07/05/11	ZA002
Kansai International Airport (Japan)	07/06/11	ZA002
Okayama Airport (Japan)	07/07/11	ZA002
Hiroshima Airport (Japan)	07/07/11	ZA002
Central Japan (Nagoya) International Airport (Japan)	07/10/11	ZA002
Guam International Airport	07/12/11	ZA102
New Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (India)	07/13/11	ZA002
Klamath Falls Airport (Oregon)	07/14/11	ZA001
Boise Air Terminal/Gowen Field (Idaho)	07/15/11	ZA001
San Jose de Chiquitos Airport (Bolivia)	07/20/11	ZA004
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (Texas)	07/20/11	ZA001
Wittman Regional Airport (Oshkosh, Wisconsin)	07/29/11	ZA001
Jorge Chavez International Airport (Peru)	07/29/11	ZA004
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (Florida)	07/29/11	ZA004

Qantas Expands Fleet with A320neo

Airbus announced that Qantas has selected Airbus A320 aircraft for its new premium airline to service routes to/from Australia and the Asian region. In addition, Jetstar Airways – a subsidiary of Qantas – has selected the Airbus A320 to continue its growth in Australia and Asia. The commitment to order consists of 110 A320 Family aircraft including 78 A320neo.
“We are delighted to be investing in Airbus’ fuel efficient A320 Family, including the new A320neo as part of Qantas’ international transformation plan and Jetstar’s pan-Asian expansion.” said Alan Joyce, Qantas CEO. “The A320 Family’s outstanding operational efficiency and comfort, paired with its environmental credentials, make it the right choice for Qantas.”

The A320neo is a new engine option for the A320 Family to enter service in 2015. It incorporates latest generation engines and large “Sharklet” wing tip devices, which together will deliver 15 percent in fuel and CO2 emission savings. The A320neo has over 95 percent airframe commonality with the existing A320 models while offering up to 500 nautical miles (950 kilometres) more range or two tonnes more payload. It is offered with engines from CFM International’s LEAP-X or Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower PW1100G. Qantas will make its engine decision at a later date.
Airbus has received more than 1200 A320neo orders and commitments since its launch just nine months ago, in December 2010.
In parallel with this new order, Qantas has decided to adapt deliveries of the last six of its twenty A380s to the airline’s new business plan. This affects deliveries after 2013. At present, Qantas’ A380 fleet stands at ten, making the carrier the third largest A380 operator worldwide.
Source: Airbus

SIA Unveils Scoot – New Low-Cost Carrier

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has unveiled its new low-cost carrier named Scoot. Scoot is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Airlines that will provide medium and long haul no-frills flights to and from Singapore. Independently operated and managed, the airline is expected to begin operations in mid 2012 with an initial fleet of four Boeing 777 aircraft, purchased from parent company Singapore Airlines.

Adhering to the low-frills spirit that has proven so popular in short haul arenas in Asia and around the world, Scoot will offer great value airfares up to 40% less than legacy carriers. Guests will be empowered to customize their travel to suit their personal requirements, partaking of only those elements they want and not subsidizing the choices of others. Meals, preferred seats and baggage, amongst many other items, will all be available for selection.

Scoot, which will operate from Changi Airport Terminal 2, will offer two cabins. Specific seats, cabin features and offerings are currently being evaluated.



The Airline’s first-year destinations will include Australasia, China and others – some routes being completely new, others new to no-frills airline operations. The specific cities will be progressively announced over the coming months as negotiations with airports and tourism bodies progress. Flights will open for booking in the early part of 2012.

Thereafter, as the fleet expands and longer-range aircraft are inducted, Scoot’s geographic footprint will steadily grow to encompass India, Europe and other markets at a later stage such as Africa and the Middle East.

More at flyscoot.com

Source: Scoot

Chinese Airline Places Order for Bombardier CRJ900 NextGen

Bombardier Aerospace announced that a Chinese airline, which has requested to remain unidentified at the present time, has signed a conditional purchase agreement for six Bombardier CRJ900 NextGen aircraft. The transaction, which is the first for CRJ900 aircraft in China, includes options on additional five CRJ900 NextGen aircraft.

“Since the introduction of the original Canadair Regional Jet in 1992, Bombardier’s CRJ Series aircraft have become the best-selling regional aircraft program in history and we look forward to welcoming more operators in China,” said Guy C. Hachey, President and Chief Operating Officer, Bombardier Aerospace.

“Bombardier Aerospace is uniquely positioned as the only aircraft manufacturer with three distinct and optimized aircraft families in the 60- to 149-seat market segment. We are well positioned to grow our commercial aircraft business in China.”



More than 80 Bombardier-produced aircraft, including CRJ Series and Q-Series commercial aircraft, as well as Learjet, Challenger and Global business jets are currently operating in China.
Bombardier predicts over the next twenty years a demand for almost 2,400 commercial aircraft in the 60- to 149-seat segment in China.

Bombardier has recorded firm orders for 1,708 CRJ Series aircraft (including 265 CRJ900 and CRJ900 NextGen aircraft), with 1,647 CRJ Series aircraft (including 252 CRJ900 and CRJ900 NextGen aircraft) delivered so far.

Source & Image: Bombardier Aerospace

Garuda Buka Jalur Penerbangan Langsung ke Istanbul

Besar Kecil Normal

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Garuda Indonesia Airlines (GIA) membuka jalur penerbangan langsung dari Jakarta ke Istanbul. Pernyataan ini disampaikan Direktur PT GIA Emir Syah Satar dalam pertemuan dengan Wakil Perdana Menteri Turki Bulent Aricn.

"Seperti yang tadi sudah dikatakan bahwa sudah ada kerja sama antara Garuda dan Turki Airlines," kata Emir di Hotel Shangri-La, Sabtu, 10 Desember 2011.

Menurut Emir, pembukaan jalur langsung ini penting untuk mengakomodasi para wisatawan, baik Turki maupun Indonesia, yang ingin mengunjungi masing-masing negara. Rencananya, Garuda akan membuka dua jalur penerbangan langsung ke Istanbul.

Dalam kesempatan yang sama, Garuda menanyakan kemungkinan dibukanya jalur langsung bagi maskapai Indonesia dari Jeddah ke Istanbul, khususnya bagi jemaah haji yang melakukan umrah.

Menjawab pertanyaan ini, Wakil Perdana Menteri Turki Bulent Arinc tidak langsung menyatakan sikap. Menurut Bulent Arinc, kemungkinan itu bersifat sangat teknis. "Hal ini merupakan kewenangan dari duta besar dan antar-pemerintah, tapi saya akan mencatat ini," ujar Bulent Arinc.

American Airlines di Mata Penumpang

TEMPO.CO - Bangkrutnya maskapai penerbangan American Airlines menuai tanggapan beragam dari para penumpang. Tak sedikit yang memaki dan kesal, tapi ada juga yang menyatakan penyesalan lantaran sudah telanjur cinta dengan airlines terbesar nomor empat dunia tersebut.

Satu yang kesal ialah Corina Fallbacher, 47 tahun, yang baru saja menempuh perjalanan dari Orlando menuju rumahnya di Chicago. Ia mengatakan tak akan terbang dengan American Airlines jika tahu perusahaan itu mengajukan kepailitan kemarin. "Buat apa memakai jasa mereka, saya takut penerbangan tiba-tiba batal," ujarnya kesal.

Penumpang lain bahkan menyamakan layanan American Airlines dengan mobil ternak. "Mereka memperkecil ruang untuk kaki, seperti mengepak Anda dalam ruang sempit. Ibarat mobil ternak," kata Mike Baird dari Westbury, New York. "Mereka tak peduli siapa yang mereka terbangkan."

Tapi yang mengharukan ialah pernyataan Sue Kronich, warga New York. Satu waktu saat terbang menuju Miami Beach, Florida, Kronich meninggalkan selembar katalog seni di bangku penumpang karena telah selesai membacanya.

Rupanya, seorang karyawan American Airlines menemukan katalog itu, dan menyerahkannya tiga hari kemudian saat Kronich berada di loket tiket untuk memesan penerbangan ke kota lain. "Mereka memiliki karyawan yang baik, yang begitu peduli saat memberikan pelayanan, sayang sekali mereka sudah berakhir," ujarnya.

Sedangkan Edward Shumksy, juga warga New York, membandingkannya dengan layanan maskapai lain. "Saya pikir American Airlines lebih baik daripada maskapai domestik lainnya, meski tidak sebagus maskapai Eropa dan Asia," kata dia.

Kemarin American Airlines mengajukan perlindungan kebangkrutan di Pengadilan Pailit Amerika setelah tak sanggup lagi melunasi utang yang tinggi. Kinerja keuangan mereka rupanya diguncang biaya bahan bakar yang tinggi serta mahalnya gaji karyawan kontrak.

Dalam sidang pengajuan kepailitan pada Pengadilan Federal di New York, manajemen perusahaan itu mengaku memiliki utang tak terbayar sebesar US$ 29,6 miliar serta sisa aset US$ 24,7 miliar.

Perusahaan yang berbasis di Fort Worth Texas ini pun segera menghapus beberapa rute penerbangan yang tak menguntungkan.

Yang pasti, pengurangan rute penerbangan akan berdampak pada pemutusan hubungan kerja sebagian karyawan serta terganggunya layanan penerbangan berlangganan (frequent flyer). Saat ini American Airlines memiliki 78 ribu karyawan dan melayani 240 ribu penumpang per hari.

Transaero Airlines firms up order for eight A320neo aircraft

First customer in Russia and CIS for eco-efficient A320neo

Transaero Airlines, Russia’s second largest airline, has signed a firm order for eight A320neo aircraft following a Memorandum of Understanding signed in August at the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2011 in Moscow. The A320neo (new engine option) is an efficiency improvement package offering up to 15 percent fuel savings on the A320 Family.

Transaero Airlines is planning to operate the aircraft on its extended medium-haul network of domestic and international routes as part of its expansion strategy and fleet renewal programme. The engine selection will be announced by the airline at a later date.

Olga Pleshakova, Transaero Airlines CEO, said, “This order for the A320neo confirms Transaero’s ambition to become the first operator of this aircraft type in Russia, the CIS and Eastern Europe. These newest aircraft will enable us to offer maximum comfort to our passengers, while their high fuel efficiency will help us make air transportation affordable for wider audience. “

“Transaero is an exceptionally forward looking and pioneering airline in Russia and we are delighted to play such a significant role in the company’s future strategy.” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. “In a fiercely competitive market this is a great endorsement for our eco-efficient, passenger pleasing A320neo aircraft.”

Over 8,100 A320 Family aircraft have already been ordered and more than 4,800 delivered to more than 340 customers and operators worldwide reaffirming its position as the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft family. The A320neo has over 95 percent airframe commonality with the current A320, making it an easy fit into existing fleets while offering up to 500 nautical miles (950 kilometres) more range or two tonnes more payload at a given range.

The A320neo is a new engine option for the A320 Family entering into service from 2015 and incorporates latest generation engines and large "Sharklet" wing tip devices, which together will deliver 15 percent in fuel savings. This reduction in fuel burn is equivalent to 1.4m litres of fuel – the consumption of 1,000 mid size cars.  This saves 3,600 metric tonnes of C02 per aircraft per year, the amount absorbed by 240,000 mature trees. The A320neo NOx emissions are 50% below CAEP/6 and this aircraft also has a considerably smaller noise footprint.

FedEx signs on for 27 767-300Fs

FedEx plans to add 27 Boeing 767-300F freighters to its fleet beginning in 2014.

The company in a statement said it signed an agreement covering the freighters, and plans to take delivery of three aircraft in 2014 followed by six per year in fiscal 2015-2018.

FedEx's decision to opt for the -300F follows evaluations it conducted with Boeing earlier this year for the development of a new freighter based on the 767-400ER, which would offer a production bridge to the US Air Force KC-46A refuelling tanker.

"The 767s were selected as the best choice to begin replacing FedEx Express's MD10 aircraft, some of which are more than 40 years old," the company said. FedEx concluded the 767-300Fs will provide similar capacity as the MD-10s, with improved reliability, an approximate 30% increase in fuel efficiency and a 20% reduction in unit operating costs.
At the same time FedEx revealed plans to delay delivery of 11 777Fs.

Two aircraft are being deferred from fiscal 2013, five from fiscal 2014 and one per year in fiscal 2015-2018 in an effort to balance air network capacity with demand. FedEx stated it is exercising two 777F options targeted for delivery at the end of its refined delivery cycle.

"FedEx Express took action during the quarter to adjust its network, particularly in Asia, as recent inventory destocking trends have impacted demand for our FedEx Express services," said Alan Graf, FedEx executive chief financial officer. "The deferral of our 777 aircraft deliveries is a continuation of those efforts, enabling us to make appropriately-timed international 777 capacity additions over the next decade.

With these actions, we expect fiscal 2013 capital expenditures to moderate to approximately $3.8 billion."

KOMPAS.com - Maskapai penerbangan Perancis Air France menyatakan siap terbang lagi ke Libya. Syaratnya, kondisi di negara itu makin aman dan kondusif. "Kami siap terbang lagi ke Tripoli," begitu pernyataan Air France.

Dalam laman Air France, sebagaimana Xinhua menulis pada Rabu (21/12/2011), akan ada penandatanganan kesepahaman dengan Libya Airlines dan Afriqiyah Airways untuk kerja sama perawatan. Kedua maskapai penerbangan asal Libya itu selama konflik berdarah mengalami kerusakan pesawat dan peralatan. "Kami merasa tersanjung dengan kerja sama ini," kata Wakil Presiden Industri Air France Franck Terner.

Kemarin, Menteri Perdagangan Perancis Pierre Lellouche berkunjung ke Libya untuk mencari kerja sama bisnis bernilai miliaran euro.

Lao Airlines eyes clear skies ahead

LAOS-In an interview on Wednesday, Lao Airlines Sales and Marketing General Manager Mr Alain Walter said “As Laos develops, the number of customers opting to travel by air will increase and will overtake other means of personal transport.”

Mr Walter is a professional consultant from France who will assist Lao Airlines in providing excellent customer services.

He will work for Lao Airlines for two and a half years to develop market strategy, with the aim of consolidating the airline's future passenger turnover. He has been working for the company for three months.

Mr Walter said “As the development of Lao Airlines continues, it will be a leading air transporter in the future.”

“Lao Airlines is in the process of innovating and improving itself to become a leading air provider, both on a domestic and international scale,” airline Vice President Mr Sengpraseuth Mathouchanh said, speaking at a reception in Vientiane on Wednesday for foreign experts and professionals.

Until now Lao Airlines has been flying ATR and MA aircraft, connecting Lao cities to the world.

As of last month, and with the ongoing support of the Lao government, Lao Airlines has now added two Airbus A320 to its fleet.

Mr Sengpraseuth said “Partly we are preparing for Visit Laos Year in 2012, along with the ASEM Summit and many other important conferences that have been scheduled. As part of a new phase in Lao Airlines' expansion and to help us provide the best for our customers, we have acquired experts and professionals including pilots, engineers, technicians, and marketing and public affairs staff to help us in these matters.”

“I strongly believe that with this team, we are in the best of hands to provide a fast, secure, efficient and enjoyable service for our customers.”

“Thank you each and every one of you for your help in transmitting the knowledge and skills needed to our staff, in order to build Lao Airlines into a leading and valuable passenger carrier,” he said.

A Lao Airlines official said the experts and professionals were recruited from France, Cambodia, Malaysia and America. Staff have also been recruited from Airbus in France.

The airline's two new Airbus fly from Vientiane to Luang Prabang, and internationally to Kunming in China, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, to Singapore, and to Bangkok.

I n 2014, Lao Airlines expects to take delivery of at least two more jet aircraft, which will be able to fly longer distances. The airline plans to fly to Japan, the Republic of Korea and to Guangzhou in China.

The first local private carrier, Lao Central Airlines Public Company, will take to the skies this month. It will initially fly two 150-seater Boeing 737-400 aircraft and will make its inaugural flight once its second aircraft has arrived in Vientiane.

Lao Central initially expects to operate flights to Thailand and then to Vietnam, China and Cambodia. After that, all of the Asean countries remain a possibility. By the end of next year, the airline also hopes to take delivery of nine Russian jets.

Boeing, Air France-KLM Finalize Order for 25 787s

PARIS, Jan. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Air France-KLM Group have finalized an order for 25 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, with options. The order was signed in late December 2011 and was recorded on Boeing's Orders & Deliveries website, attributed to an unidentified customer. A preliminary agreement was first announced on September 16, 2011.

"By making the 787 a key part of its fleet renewal, Air France-KLM strengthens its position as a worldwide leader," said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Reaction to the Dreamliner's entry into service has been phenomenal and we look forward to seeing passengers of Air France-KLM fly on this revolutionary airplane."

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner is a slightly larger version of the 787-8 and will carry 250-290 passengers on routes of 8,000 to 8,500 nautical miles (14,800 to 15,750 kilometers). The 787 provides airlines with incredible fuel efficiency, resulting in exceptional environmental performance. The airplane uses 20 percent less fuel than today's similarly sized airplanes. It also travels at a speed of Mach 0.85, which is similar to the speed of today's fastest wide-body airplanes.

The order increases the number of 787-9s on order to 305 airplanes. The 787 Dreamliner family, including the 787-8 and 787-9, has accumulated a total of 860 orders from 59 customers located all over the world.

Eight French companies partner with Boeing on the 787 Dreamliner. They include Dassault Systemes (software solutions), Labinal (wiring), Latecoere (passenger doors), Messier-Bugatti-Dowty (main and nose landing gear, electric brakes), Michelin (aftermarket tyres), Radiall (connectors), Thales (electric power conversion system, flight display, in-flight entertainment system), and Zodiac Aerospace (primary power management system, emergency slides, water and waste systems, cabin interiors, galley inserts and seats, and other equipments).

The Air France-KLM Group is a long-time and valued customer with a large Boeing fleet of 188 airplanes in operation, including 74 for Air France and 114 for KLM. Air France-KLM is one of the world's largest 777 operators.

source: boeing.com

Virgin Atlantic: no business seats on new UK domestic flights

Virgin Atlantic is gearing up for UK domestic flights from London to regional economic hubs Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Manchester, but they won't sport business class -- the Airbus A320 jets are filled from tip to tail with economy seats.
The airline has chosen to lease the four planes needed for its six daily Edinburgh return flights and the three times daily Aberdeen & Manchester services from Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus, and those jets come in an all-economy arrangement.
And while the planes and crew will be decked in Virgin Atlantic's British colours and uniforms, you'll also notice an Irish lilt on board, as Aer Lingus is also supplying the crew.
Manchester flights will start on 31 March, with Scotland services starting in April. Tickets will go on sale from 19 December.
"The timings will also give the most attractive offering to passengers travelling direct between London and the UK regions," Virgin Atlantic promises, "with flights spread at key points throughout the day including morning arrivals into Heathrow to give business travellers a full day in the capital and an early morning departure from London to Edinburgh for business visits to the Scottish capital."
That early morning departure will suit Australian passengers arriving on VS201 from Sydney via Hong Kong, which gets in at 0450.
UK flights will run from London Heathrow's Terminal 1 -- quashing hopes of using Virgin's world-class Terminal 3 Clubhouse lounge to freshen up before your onward flight to Europe. Your best bet will be to stop into the Terminal 3 Revivals lounge in T3 before heading on to T1.
Virgin has said that there will be lounge space available in London, Scotland and Manchester for its Flying Club Gold-tier frequent flyers and passengers connecting to and from Upper Class passengers, but this looks like being a contract lounge situation.

Rolls-Royce test-flies first 787-9 demonstrator engine

Rolls-Royce has flown the demonstrator engine for the Boeing 787-9, a higher-thrust version of its Trent 1000 powerplant.

The manufacturer says it conducted the initial flight with a Boeing 747-200 testbed in Tucson, Arizona.

It has also completed a 150h endurance test at the manufacturer's UK facility in Derby, as well as over-temperature tests through which the powerplant must be run at temperatures exceeding normal limits.

Rolls-Royce is upgrading the Trent 1000 for the 787-9. The engine will deliver 74,000lb (329kN) and feature a new turbine case cooling system.

Further upgrade of the Trent 1000 is planned, including a thrust increase to 76,000lb in order to power the proposed 787-10X stretch.

Qantas alert over 'seat selection' email scam

IN BRIEF | Qantas is warning travellers of an email scam involving fake 'seat selection' fees allegedly charged for an upcoming flight.
The airline has taken to social media channels including Facebook and Twitter to advise passengers of the fake emails, which allegedly come from 'Qantas Customer Services' and carry the subject line 'Seat Selection Fee Receipt'.
The emails – which do not contain information such as the traveller's name, flight number or any booking reference code – cite a fee for seat selection and also contains a 'Qantas Airways confirmation pdf.zip' file attachment which is believed to contain some form of virus or spyware.
Qantas is reminding its passengers that 'authentic' emails regarding seat selection include the customer's name and details of their specific booking, and do not include any file attachments.

Singapore Airlines: new business class seats forward-facing, not herringbone

Singapore Airlines will roll out new business class seats in the third quarter of 2013 but is playing the caution card in keeping a forward-facing design and holding out on premium economy, with concerns the 'in-between class' could cannibalise high-yield business fares if passengers opt for the cheaper albeit less comfortable seats.
Speaking with The Australian, SQ's senior vice-president of product and services, Tan Pee Teck, said that while premium economy "is not a closed matter for us... we are not getting the sense it's a truly successful product."
While premium economy isn't likely to appear on Singapore Airlines' new seating grid, Tan confirmed the new business class seats would follow a conventional forward-facing layout rather than move to the popular herringbone layout now being adopted by many airlines.
Read: Expert guide to business class seat & cabin layouts
The new seats will however provide "more storage place for devices such as mobile phones and increased privacy for tablets".
Singapore Airlines has contracted James Park Associates, creators of its current A380 business class seats, to design the new seats which will debut on the airlines' late 2013 deliveries of Boeing 777-300ER planes, followed by its fleet of Airbus A350s.
Singapore Airlines has earlier said it would target "improved comfort in both seating and sleeping positions" on the seats, which some passengers criticise for a lack of relaxing positions and being too wide to let them get properly comfortable.
Tan also told The Australian that SQ would stick with personal in-seat touchscreens rather than adopt wireless streaming to tablets, saying "there's a very bright future for the in-seat video product."
As previously reported, Singapore Airlines will also be fitting its A380-style business class seats onto the Boeing 777-200ER planes used for many long-haul destinations out of Singapore, with the upgrade due to be completed in July 2013.

Virgin Australia warns flyers of email scam

Virgin Australia is warning travellers over a spate of fake emails which appear to be sent by the airline but "may contain a virus or other harmful software such as spyware."

The fake emails claim to contain information on Virgin Australia travel itineraries, however the airline says "we advise customers not to open emails claiming to be Virgin Australia itineraries if they do not have travel booked in the immediate future."

Two give-aways that these emails are as a phony as three dollar bill: they're addressed from Virgin Blue rather than Virgin Australia, and they contain a file attachment ending in 'PDF.zip'

"Customers with any questions relating to their travel should contact Virgin Australia on 13 67 89" the airline suggests.

The fake Virgin Australia itinerary emails follow a similar set of emails which did the rounds earlier this week, purporting to be from Qantas regarding payment of a seat selection fee.

Emirates: new Dubai business & first class airport shuttle buses

Business travellers fed up of getting stuck at the back of the bus when their plane parks on the tarmac away from the terminal will be keen on Emirates' new business and first class shuttles.
The 41 new vehicles mean that passengers paying a premium for the expensive seats don't have to hang around on the hot concrete waiting for everyone else to get off the plane before the bus heads for the terminal.

Instead, the shuttles will give business and first class passengers a head start over economy passengers when it comes to pelting towards the terminal — and, if you're on a short connection in Dubai, it'll mean a less stressful "will I make the plane" experience.

At other airports, since business and first class passengers are usually off the plane first, it's an awkward choice of staking out and defending a spot near the door to be first off, or ending up squashed into a corner and being last off.

Not a great way to end your otherwise comfortable and pleasant flight — especially with the bus doors open to Dubai's blisteringly hot air.

Emirates has stumped up the equivalent of A$19 million for the 26 business class shuttles and 15 first class transports. First class passengers will enjoy one of 43 Mercedes E-Class cars or 20 Viano vans to whisk them across the tarmac.

The airline says that it has outfitted the shuttles with a "stylish interior designed to reflect the ambiance and quality of their onboard experience."

We're hoping that reflects the more sedate design of business class rather than the brass and glitz of first.

“With the addition of the new transfer shuttles, our vision is to extended and interpret the luxury of our onboard product in a way that will both delight and exceed the expectations of our discerning customers,” says Tony Chandler, Emirates' Vice President in charge of Product Development and Operations Improvement.

Australian Business Traveller hopes other airlines follow suit. The bus dilemma is a real pain, especially at international hub airports where customs and immigration queues are longest.

Virgin Australia releases iPad, iPhone app for wifi streaming

Virgin Australia is set to start trials of inflight wireless streaming to traveller's own tablets, laptops and smartphones, today releasing its own In-flight Entertainment apps for the iPad and iPhone.

A single Boeing 737-800 is being fitted out for the test, which uses Lufthansa Systems' BoardConnect technology to beam content over wifi direct to each passenger's own devices.

The iPad and iPhone apps let you tune into Virgin's inflight entertainment to enjoy over 300 hours of free movies, TV shows and music.

Virgin has also beefed up its apps with 'offboard' information about the airline, the airports and destinations it serves.

Download: Virgin Australia In-flight Entertainment for iPad and iPhone
Windows and Mac laptops running Microsoft's Silverlight web software can also enjoy the programming, with a special Wireless In-Flight Entertainment System Check web page to ensure your kit supports Virgin's streaming system.
Lufthansa Systems also ran the Qantas Q Streaming trial earlier this year, although the eventual rollout of Q Streaming across Qantas' Boeing 767 fleet was done in concert with Panasonic Avionics.
More on Q Streaming: AusBT's full video and review of the system plus a deeper dive into the technology itself.
Virgin already offers wifi content streaming on several flight using its own Samsung Galaxy tablets which are carried on board in limited numbers and supplied to travellers.
The trial is scheduled to run to late January, with Virgin then aiming to introduce it across the rest of its domestic fleet.
"Subject to it being successful – which we expect it to be – we'll start the (fleet-wide) fit-out round about February, and by the end of 2013 we'll have a large part of our fleet done" Virgin Australia CEO John Borghetti told Australian Business Traveller last month.

As to which aircraft will see the upgrade, "Obviously we're going to do the aircraft without IFE first" Borghetti said, "and then the last aircraft to be done will be the 330s. Although they've got a very good (IFE) system in place, for product consistency we want to make sure they too have the WiFi."
Upgrading each aircraft with the necessary hardware, including a content server and a handful of wifi hotspots, is a relatively quick task, Borghetti explained.
"When the aircraft's parked at night you do the work, and within two or three nights you've done an aeroplane. So effectively you can move very quickly and do the whole fleet... within 12 to 18 months."
For more on Virgin Australia's inflight entertainment streaming trial, visit the airline's What is Wireless In-flight Entertainment? page

Korean Air launches service to Saudi Arabia

Korean Air has resumed service to the Saudi Arabian cities of Riyadh and Jeddah after a more than 10-year hiatus.
The Seoul/Incheon-Riyadh-Jeddah route will be operated with an Airbus 330-200, seating 218 passengers and equipped with Korean Air’s premium seats including the First Class Kosmo suite.
The Seoul/Incheon-Riyadh-Jeddah flights operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. KE961 departs at 21:55 and arrives in Riyadh at 3:10 the next morning. The flight continues its journey departing from Riyadh at 4:20, arriving in Jeddah at 6:15. The returning KE962 departs from Jeddah at 11:00 and arrives in Riyadh at 12:35. The flight departs from Riyadh at 13:55 and arrives Seoul/Incheon at 5:00 the next morning.

Saab secures Braathens Regional´s component supply for further five years

Defence and security company Saab has signed a five-year extension contract with Braathens Regional for the supply of components for the Saab 2000. The order is valued at SEK 90 million.
The contract encompasses the repair and supply of components and maintenance service for the Saab 2000 airplane. The deal is within the framework of an ongoing programme in which the customer receives replacement components whilst components are either sent for inspection or repair.
Golden Air Flyg AB – which will be changing its name to Braathens Regional on 1 January 2013 – is a regional company operating out of the Trollhättan-Vänersborg Airport, Sweden. The company is a part of Braathens Aviation, which also owns Malmö Aviation and Sverigeflyg. Braathens Regional already had a contract with Saab for component supply, and has now chosen to extend this contract for five years.
“The Saab 2000 offers regional airlines dependable performance, comfort and service combined with low operating costs,” says division manger Torsten Öhman, business area Support and Services at Saab. “The contract extension demonstrates Saab’s proven ability to provide support solutions which help reduce costs and contribute to operators’ competitiveness. Braathens Regional is an important customer for Saab and we are looking forward to continued long-term collaboration.”
Braathens Regional with its eleven Saab 2000s and five ATR72-500s, is Saab’s largest 2000 operator.
Saab’s broad portfolio of products and solutions includes service and maintenance for a large portion of the Saab 340s and Saab 2000s currently in operation worldwide; 400 aircraft distributed over 75 operators in 37 countries.

AerCap Signs $200 Million Pre-Delivery Payment Facility for Boeing 737-800s

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands, December 14, 2012 – AerCap Holdings N.V. (“AerCap”, NYSE: AER) today announced that it has signed a $200 million facility with DBS Bank Ltd. of Singapore, to finance the pre-delivery payments for ten new Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
This funding facility completes all of AerCap’s pre-delivery payment requirements for its ten Boeing 737-800 aircraft order. This order was placed in 2010 with deliveries scheduled during 2015.
Paul Rofe, Group Treasurer of AerCap said: “We are pleased to have pre-delivery funding in place for these committed Boeing 737-800 purchases. Having the lessees already in place for these aircraft was instrumental in helping us source this financing. The current transaction further strengthens our important relationship with DBS Bank who, as one of the major participants in aviation financing, has supported AerCap’s business model in the past through the provision of various other facilities.”
In total, AerCap has now raised $1.5 billion of debt financing during 2012.

The First Scheduled Flight of LOT Dreamliner

Warsaw, December 14, 2012 – At 8:00 a.m. today, LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner SP-LRA took off from the Chopin Airport in Warsaw on its first scheduled flight to Prague. It is the first commercial flight of the LOT Dreamliner.

Flight LO 523 from Warsaw to Prague lasted 57 minutes. On board there were 175 passengers for whom LOT had prepared special certificates commemorating this first extraordinary flight. For the return flight, 149 passengers have been booked. The plane is planned to take off from Prague airport at 10:05 a.m. and is scheduled to arrive in Warsaw at 11:10 a.m.
The Dreamliner will fly to Prague on selected dates from mid-December to mid-January, 2013. The upcoming flights are scheduled to operate on December 15, 16, 18, 19, 20 and 28. The four remaining dates are January 2, 11, 12 and 14, 2013.
The flight to Prague kicked off a series of promotional flights in Europe, at which time the Dreamliner will visit nine European cities in total: Prague, London, Vienna, Munich, Frankfurt, Hannover, Kiev, Budapest and Brussels.
We have decided to operate the first Dreamliner flight to Prague, as it is a one-hour flight only from Warsaw and it seems ideal for the first „neighbourly” visit of LOT Dreamliner in Europe. Actually, it will not be the only flight to Prague – the Dreamliner will visit the Czech capital a number of times – says Zbigniew Mazur, acting LOT CEO. I am glad passengers from the Czech Republic will be the first to experience the comfort of travel on board the world’s most modern passenger plane belonging to the Polish carrier – adds Zbigniew Mazur.
As we have mentioned previously, the first trans-Atlantic flight of LOT Dreamliner will be operated to Chicago on January 16, 2013. Its next destination will be Toronto on February 1, 2013. On February 3, passengers will fly aboard the Dreamliner to New York, and Beijing will welcome the LOT Boeing 787 one month later – March 3, 2013.

Air Astana takes delivery of its first A321 directly ordered from Airbus

Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s flag carrier, has taken delivery of its first A321 out of a total of six A320 Family aircraft ordered from Airbus in May 2008. The delivery was celebrated in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. The aircraft will join Air Astana’s fleet, which already includes 10 A320 Family aircraft, operated on the airline’s domestic and international network.
The airline’s A321, powered by IAE V2500 engines, features a two class cabin layout, seating 28 passengers in business class and 151 in economy.
Air Astana started commercial service with its first Airbus aircraft, an A320, in 2006, and is currently operating one A319, seven A320s and two A321s.
“The arrival of the first owned Airbus A321s at Air Astana is not only a major event for the airline, but also for the government of Kazakhstan. Having launched the airline with minimal capital in 2002, we are pleased to have built up sufficient financial strength to the point where we are now taking delivery of a new fleet of substantial value. Air Astana has entered an important new phase of its development,” said Peter Foster, President of Air Astana.
“We congratulate Air Astana on their first delivery of directly ordered Airbus aircraft. We are confident that the market leading A320 Family will strongly contribute to Air Astana’s growth”, says John Leahy Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. To date, more than 8,800 Airbus A320 Family aircraft have been sold and more than 5,300 delivered to 380 customers and operators worldwide, making it the world’s best-selling commercial jetliner ever. With proven reliability and extended servicing periods, the A320 Family has the lowest operating costs of any single-aisle aircraft. The A320neo, with almost 1,580 firm orders from more than 30 customers since its launch two years ago, is the fastest selling commercial aircraft ever and is on track to enter service from 2015.

ATR inaugurates its new training center in Singapore

ATR today officially inaugurated a new Training Center in Singapore both for commercial aircraft pilots and maintenance crew. It is located in the Seletar Aerospace Park, a major hub for the Singapore aerospace industry. The inauguration was attended by Singapore government officials, the French and the Italian ambassadors, top executives of Asian ATR operators and ATR CEO Filippo Bagnato with other top management representatives of ATR.
The new center has the capacity to train more than 600 pilots and maintenance crew per year. The facility features the new Full Flight Simulator (FFS), an integrated suite of flight training devices and advanced classroom settings to provide both pilot and maintenance training for multiple ATR aircraft platforms. The new FFS enables training for both ATR 42-600s and ATR 72-600s variants. Fully equipped, the facility and its flight training equipment have recently been certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
“We are pleased to expand our presence with this new training facility focused on the rapidly growing regional carrier market in South East Asia," said Filippo Bagnato, ATR Chief Executive Officer. "ATR’s extensive presence in Asia and around the globe, together with our unwavering commitment to quality, assures our customers of the highest fidelity and reliability for their training programs. The aim is to be always closer to our customers”. ATR and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), the lead government agency for planning and executing strategies, have closely collaborated to launch this new training facility. “We are pleased to have the strong support of Singapore’s Economic Development Board. Our facility in Singapore will enable ATR Eastern Support, ATR’s dedicated customer support centre for Asia Pacific which has already been operating in Singapore for close to 25 years, to bring our comprehensive regional support services offering to a higher level hand-in-hand with the industry and public sector,” added Mr Bagnato.
Mr. Lim Kok Kiang, Executive Director, Transport Engineering of EDB said: “We are absolutely delighted that ATR has chosen to locate its regional training centre in Singapore. ATR’s investment is a strong vote of confidence for Singapore, and underscores our efforts to provide comprehensive aftermarket solutions for Asia-Pacific. We look forward to deepening our partnership with ATR as it continues to grow and expand in this region.”
ATR currently offers training services for its operators at 4 locations worldwide: Toulouse, Paris, Johannesburg and Singapore. This new training facility completes ATR’s offer in Singapore, where it already has a Customer Support Center and a warehouse for Asia-Pacific operators.
More than 250 ATR airplanes fly in Asia-Pacific operated by some 50 airlines in the Asia Pacific region.

Cathay Pacific Releases Combined Traffic Figures for November 2012

Cathay Pacific Airways today released combined Cathay Pacific and Dragonair traffic figures for November 2012 that show an increase in passenger numbers alongside a drop in capacity. For the third month in a row, cargo and mail tonnage showed an increase compared to the same month in 2011, but was some way short of the tonnage achieved in November 2010.
Cathay Pacific and Dragonair carried a total of 2,361,137 passengers in November – an increase of 3.8% compared to the same month last year. The passenger load factor rose by 0.7 percentage points to 79.2%, while capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASKs), showed a 4.3% decrease. For the year to date, passenger numbers have risen by 5.2% compared to a capacity increase of 3.3%.
The two airlines carried 140,824 tonnes of cargo and mail last month, an increase of 6.3% compared to November 2011. The cargo and mail load factor fell by 1.4 percentage points to 63.9%. Capacity, measured in available cargo/mail tonne kilometres, rose by 5.1%, while cargo and mail tonne kilometres flown rose by 2.8%. For the year to date, tonnage has declined by 6.1% against a capacity drop of 3.5%.
Cathay Pacific General Manager Revenue Management James Tong said: “A combination of fewer flights and using more of the fuel-efficient, but smaller, Boeing 777-300ERs on long-haul routes brought down our overall capacity in November. However, we continued with our strategy to strengthen our regional network, adding a new Dragonair service to Kolkata. Passenger numbers were satisfactory in the Economy cabin on long-haul routes, but demand in the premium cabins continued to be weaker than expected, especially within the region. Yield remained under pressure in all classes.”
Cathay Pacific General Manager Cargo Sales & Marketing James Woodrow said: “The uptick in demand that began in late September continued through November, again driven by significant shipments of hi-tech consumer products out of key manufacturing centres such as Western/Central China and Vietnam. We operated close to a full freighter schedule throughout the month and mounted a number of charter flights and extra sectors. While we welcome the recent upturn in demand, we have not seen the kind of sustained year-end peak we saw in previous years and the market outlook continues to be uncertain, particularly from Asia to Europe.”