The Tata Group-owned Air India has announced its commitment to order 250 Airbus aircraft to boost its domestic and international operations.
The commitment includes 140 A320neo and 70 A321neo single-aisle aircraft as well as 34 A350-1000 and six A350-900 wide-body jets that will mark a new era for the country as the all-new, long-range aircraft celebrates its debut in the Indian market.
Image: Airbus
The order aims to both modernize and expand the airline’s fleet with the objective of creating a larger and premium full-service carrier that will cater to the growing travel demand in the region. Deliveries are set to commence with the first A350-900 arriving by late-2023.
Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental D-ABYA (msn 37827) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 960073.
Lufthansa has made this announcement today:
Due to an IT failure many Lufthansa IT systems are currently not working. Because of this reason, passengers must expect disruptions in the flights program and during the check-in process.
Important information on flight disruption: As of this morning the airlines of the Lufthansa Group are affected by an IT outage, caused by construction work in the Frankfurt region. Unfortunately, this has led to flight delays and cancellations. We are working on a solution swiftly. Until then we ask all affected guests flying on domestic LH flights in Germany to book a train ticket and request a refund on http://lh.com.
In other news, the flag carrier is also expecting a strike on Friday:
For Friday, February 17, 2023, the trade union ver.di has called for a one-day strike at various airports in Germany.
Top Copyright Photo: Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental D-ABYA (msn 37827) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 960073.
Porter Airlines is launching its first flights between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Edmonton International Airport (YEG). Edmonton is the first destination in Alberta to be added to the airline’s network.
Flights are operated with Porter’s new Embraer E195-E2 jets. A 132-seat, two-by-two configuration gives every passenger more space thanks to no middle seat.
Service on the Toronto Pearson-Edmonton route begins with one daily, non-stop return flight, increasing to three daily flights by May 1.
Boeing and Air India today announced the carrier has selected Boeing’s family of fuel-efficient airplanes to expand its future fleet with plans to invest in 190 737 MAX, 20 787 Dreamliner and 10 777X airplanes. Along with a comprehensive set of aviation services, Air India is advancing its fleet strategy to sustainably address South Asia’s rapidly growing market for domestic and international air travel.
The agreement between Boeing and Air India includes options for 50 additional 737 MAXs and 20 787-9s. When finalized, this will be the largest Boeing order in South Asia and a historic milestone in the aerospace company’s nearly 90-year partnership with the carrier. The order will post to Boeing’s Orders and Deliveries website when final.
Boeing and Air India today announced the carrier has selected Boeing’s family of fuel-efficient airplanes to expand its future fleet with plans to invest in 190 737 MAX, 20 787 Dreamliner and 10 777X airplanes. (Boeing image)
Air India has also contracted with Boeing Global Services for lifecycle support services, including digital solutions, spare parts and landing gear exchange programs, pilot and maintenance technician training, aircraft modifications and other services.
The 737 MAX will provide flexibility across Air India’s domestic and international network while reducing fuel use and emissions by 20% compared to the airplanes it replaces.
The 737-8, seating 162 to 210 passengers, depending on configuration, and with a range of 3,500 nautical miles, is the market’s most versatile single-aisle airplane, capable of operating profitably on short- and medium-haul routes.
The 737-10, the largest airplane in the 737 MAX family, offers the best per-seat economics of any single-aisle commercial jet, seating 188 to 230 passengers, depending on configuration with a range of 3,100 nautical miles.
Air India has benefited from the efficiency and flexibility of the 787 Dreamliner family with an existing fleet of 27 787-8s. The larger 787-9 will provide increased capacity, greater range and 25% better fuel efficiency compared to earlier generation jets.
.@airindiain is #ReadyForMore! Congratulations on your selection of 190 737 MAXs, including 737-8 and 737-10, 20 787-9 #Dreamliner(s), and 10 777-9s.
Norse Atlantic Airways has launched the sale of two new routes, London Gatwick to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood.
Norse Atlantic Airways logo
The flights to Orlando will begin on May 25, 2023 and to Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood on May 26, 2023, with fares starting from £409 return including taxes. The new routes will be in addition to the current daily London to New York service that began in August 2022.
Flights to Orlando will operate four times a week in May and June and then a daily service in the height of the summer peak season.
Norse Atlantic exclusively operates Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
Norse Atlantic offers two cabin choices, Economy and Premium.
Norse Atlantic route map:
Norse Atlantic Airways route map
Top Copyright Photo: Norse Atlantic Airways (Air Europa) Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner EC-NVX (LN-LNO) (msn 38779) PMI (Ton Jochems). Image: 958106.
interCaribbean Airways has announced the addition of two aircraft to its fleet and an expanded flight schedule to service Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines.
The introduction of another Embraer 145 Jet and an ATR 42-500 series turboprop, with seating capacity of 50 and 48 seats respectively, increases interCaribbean’s fleet to 5 aircraft servicing the Barbados and Windward Islands’ routes.
Flights to and from Barbados will double, with more flights going nonstop to St. Vincent and Grenada offering greater availability to these destinations. interCaribbean is also launching new nonstop flights between St Vincent and St Lucia to give fast connections between these two destinations.
The extended schedule now links the Eastern and Western Caribbean with a twice weekly service from Georgetown and Barbados via Antigua to Providenciales, (Turks and Caicos), connecting onwards to Nassau, Bahamas, Havana, Cuba and Kingston, Jamaica.
interCaribbean Airways is a privately-owned and operated airline, headquartered in Turks and Caicos. The company operates EMB145 50-seat jets, ATR 42 48-seat turboprops, EMB 120 30-seat Turbo Prop and 19-seat Twin Otter aircraft.
With a network spanning from Georgetown Guyana in the south, Barbados to the east, Havana, Cuba to the west and Nassau, Bahamas to the north, interCaribbean connects 28 cities across 17 countries in the Caribbean.
New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) welcomed the arrival of CondorAirlines, (DE) inaugural flight #2016 from Frankfurt on February 13.
The flight was the first to be operated to the U.S. by the popular German leisure airline’s new Airbus A330neo aircraft, the first in what will become an exclusive, all-A330neo fleet operating on all of Condor’s long-haul flights by 2024.
Condor Airbus A330neo
The A330neo will replace the previous generation of Boeing 767-300 aircraft and will significantly reduce Condor’s operating costs.
Condor Airbus A330meo
Unrivalled Passenger Comfort Inflight
Condor’s A330neo will offer unrivalled inflight passenger comfort and will accommodate 310 passengers, featuring 30 seats in Business, 64 seats in Premium Economy and 216 seats in Economy class. The A330neo features an award-winning, whisper quiet Airspace cabin, providing passengers with a high level of comfort, ambience, and design. This includes offering more personal space, larger overhead bins, a new lighting system, and the ability to offer the latest in-flight entertainment systems and connectivity. The A330neo also features a state-of-the-art cabin air system, ensuring a clean and safe environment during the flight.
Best-in-Class, New Business and Premium Economy Class
The new Condor Business Class offers 30, lie-flat (180 degree) seats in a 1-2-1 configuration with direct aisle access for all guests. The seat conveniently converts to a 76-inch long by 19-inch-wide bed. Business Class guests have access to the latest movies, series, podcasts, and games, all accessible on a 17.3-inch screen in 4K mode, with touchscreen and remote control. The first row of Business Class will also feature four “Prime Seats”, with added space large enough to accommodate two guests who wish to dine together and an extra-large, 24-inch entertainment screen. The “Prime Seats” will feature added in-flight amenities including a premium travel kit, inflight pajamas, and a premium snack basket.
Condor Business Class
In Premium Economy Class, guests enjoy more personal space thanks to a generous extra seat pitch of 35 inches and a greater backrest angle of up to six inches. In addition, the multi-adjustable headrest and footrest at every seat ensure a significantly more comfortable flight experience. Both the Premium Economy Class and Economy Class seats have 13.3-inch in-seat 4K monitors with touchscreens, which can be used to enjoy the extensive in-flight-program. Condor’s A330neo features a 2-4-2 seating configuration in both classes.
A brand-new feature awaits guests in all three classes: Condor’s new A330neo offers high-speed broadband internet and onboard connectivity. The latest in-flight-entertainment technology provides a wide of films, series, and podcasts. Each seat has an extra holder for a mobile device, so that streaming is also possible. In addition, personal Bluetooth headphones can be connected to the aircraft’s in-flight-entertainment system.
The cabin also features mood lighting in all three classes that can be individually adjusted to suit the time of day. This helps guests aboard to fall asleep easily and wake up more relaxed.
Modern Elegance with Stylish Accents
Visually, the new cabin product impresses with a stylish color concept featuring the “Condor Marina” and “Condor Earth” color schemes as well as subtle stripes as a recurring design element. This includes a striped badge on every seat as well as uniformly striped headrest covers in Business and Premium Economy Class. This complements Condor’s new branding which is proudly displayed on the exterior of each A330neo. The design of the cabin was implemented by the design agency müller/romca industrial design based in Kiel. Remo Masala, owner of the visionalphabet agency in Berlin, who designed Condor’s new brand identity, guided the process with creative direction.
Top Copyright Photo: Condor Flugdienst Airbus A330-941 D-ANRH (msn 2024) (Condor Beach) YYZ (TMK Photography). Image: 960056.
WestJet Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 C-FXWJ (msn 60546) FLL (Tony Storck). Image: 960054.
WestJet has unveiled 20 new routes and three new destinations to the airline’s summer schedule. Offering a comprehensive network of connectivity between Western Canada and the United States, WestJet’s summer network additions feature new nonstop service to Washington Dulles, Detroit and Minneapolis/St. Paul, with new routes added to Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Nashville and Seattle/Tacoma.
WestJet will increase its service up to nearly 30 percent in Calgary, 50 percent in Edmonton and 10 percent in Vancouver when compared to 2022.
Expanded U.S. network with more routes and increased access to Delta hubs
This summer WestJet will introduce Minneapolis/St. Paul, Detroit and Washington D.C. (Dulles), to its network, in addition to investing in new routes and restoring service to an expansive list of U.S. destinations.
Through its longstanding partnership with Delta Air Lines, guests connecting through Minneapolis/St. Paul and Detroit will gain access to two more of the U.S. airline’s major hubs. Building on WestJet’s current service to Delta hubs, including Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle/Tacoma, WestJet guests will now have access to over 150 U.S. destinations on a single purchased ticket with check-in for all flights at the first departure, baggage tagged to their final destination and lounge access for select guests. Additionally, frequent flyers of both airlines will continue to enjoy extensive reciprocal benefits any time they fly with either carrier, including earning and redeeming in their preferred program.
Highlights of WestJet’s summer 2023 transborder and international service
Destination
Start Date
Peak Season Frequency
Departure Time
Arrival Time
Calgary – Austin*
May 18
2x weekly
09:40
14:30
Calgary – Chicago*
May 18
4x weekly
12:15
16:40
Calgary – Detroit1
May 26
5x weekly
12:35
18:05
Calgary – Washington D.C. (Dulles)
June 2
3x weekly
09:45
16:02
Edmonton – Minneapolis1
June 2
5x weekly
08:15
11:46
Edmonton – Seattle1
May 19
5x weekly
10:30
11:30
Vancouver – Atlanta1
May 17
4x weekly
22:25
06:05
Vancouver – Nashville
May 19
2x weekly
10:00
16:19
Vancouver – Orlando*
May 6
1x weekly
11:00
19:52
Winnipeg – Los Angeles3
Apr 30
3x weekly
07:00
08:38
Toronto – Bermuda3
May 5
2x weekly
07:00
10:42
*Resumption of service/ 1 Delta hub/ 3 Continuation of winter service
Enhancing nonstop west to east connectivity
As part of WestJet’s new strategic direction, the airline is taking strides to further provide guests with extensive opportunities to seamlessly and affordably travel across Canada. Substantially strengthening Canadian connectivity, WestJet is adding five new routes between Eastern and Western Canada, further positioning its network to support travel demands across the country.
Destination
Start Date
Peak Season Frequency
Departure Time
Arrival Time
Calgary – Moncton
June 14
3x weekly
09:15
16:49
Calgary – Thunder Bay*
June 29
3x weekly
14:00/15:45
18:36/20:21
Calgary – Quebec City*
May 19
4x weekly
17:55
23:55
Edmonton – Charlottetown
June 14
1x weekly
10:25
17:58
Edmonton – London
May 19
2x weekly
10:25
15:52
Edmonton – Moncton
June 29
2x weekly
10:25
17:57
Edmonton – Ottawa*
Apr 30
6x weekly
09:00
14:43
Edmonton – Montreal*
June 30
2x weekly
01:00
07:03
*Resumption of service
Bringing Western Canadian communities closer through a strengthened regional network
As Western Canada’s undisputed home-team carrier, WestJet is enhancing its aviation gateway for business and leisure travel opportunities by further strengthening regional connectivity with the resumption of non-stop flights and increased frequencies.
Destination
Start Date
Peak Season Frequency
Departure Time
Arrival Time
Calgary – Terrace*
May 1
4x weekly
09:40/14:10
10:58/15:28
Edmonton – Nanaimo*
April 30
2x weekly
10:30
11:29
Edmonton – Penticton*
July 1
2x weekly
11:00
11:27
Kelowna – Regina*
May 21
2x weekly
17:30
20:34
Kelowna – Saskatoon*
June 2
2x weekly
17:35
20:29
Kelowna – Winnipeg*
June 2
3x weekly
19:15
23:33
Vancouver – Regina*
Jun 30
2x weekly
20:45
23:47
Winnipeg – Victoria*
April 30
2x weekly
17:30
18:28
*Resumption of service
Top Copyright Photo: WestJet Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 C-FXWJ (msn 60546) FLL (Tony Storck). Image: 960054.
Copa Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX 9 HP-9911CMP (msn 44212) MIA (Tony Storck). Image: 960048.
Copa Airlines has announced the launch of its new nonstop service from its Hub of the Americas® in Panama City, Panama to Austin, Texas.
The new flight will begin operations to the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) on July 6, 2023,and will become the 15th U.S. destination for Copa Airlines.
The launch of Copa Airlines’ new Austin route in the U.S. adds to the airline’s continuous expansion efforts in North America joining fourteen other cities including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando, Tampa, San Francisco, and Washington.
Fleet:
Copa Airlines fleet
In addition to the launch of the new route in Baltimore on June 28.
The Copa Airlines nonstop flight to and from Austin will operate four (4) weekly flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, departing Panama at 9:18 a.m. (local time) and arriving at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport at 2:04 p.m. (local time). The return flight will operate on the same days, departing Austin at 3:34 p.m. (local time) and arriving back in Panama at 8:16 p.m. (local time).
Top Copyright Photo: Copa Airlines Boeing 737-9 MAX 9 HP-9911CMP (msn 44212) MIA (Tony Storck). Image: 960048.
Porter Airlines is launching direct service between Ottawa International Airport and Charlottetown Airport, with flights taking off on May 17.
The new daily, non-stop route is to be served by 78-seat De Havilland Dash 8-400 aircraft.
Photo: Porter Airlines.
Porter currently serves Moncton, Fredericton, Halifax and St. John’s, N.L., in the region.
Porter will be the only airline offering daily nonstop service between Ottawa and Charlottetown, with flights initially available until the last week of October.
In September 2020, the company was founded as JOOT Aviation Project GmbH under by former easyJet pilot Daniel Broda and former Germania manager Johannes Klinsmann. The new entity was renamed LEAV Aviation GmbH in May 2021 according to Wikipedia.
Photo: Hahn Airport
The first Airbus A320-200 was leased from Standard Chartered Aviation Finance and previously operated by Tigerair Australia, was transferred to Cologne-Bonn Airport in September 2021 and registered in February 2022.
The Air Operator Certificate (AOC) was issued on May 4, 2022.
The airline operates two Airbus A320s (D-ANDI and D-ANNE).
Virgin Atlantic Airways announced today that it will be suspending services between London Heathrow and Lahore and Islamabad.
A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: “As we continue to ramp up our flying program in 2023, we’ve taken the opportunity to review our entire network and decided to make a few changes.”
“Following this review, it is with regret that we’ve taken the difficult decision to suspend our services between London Heathrow and Pakistan. Since commencing operations in December 2020, we have been proud to offer choice for customers travelling between London and Manchester in the UK, and Islamabad and Lahore in Pakistan. During that time, we have also provided important cargo capacity, as well as delivering vital medical supplies.”
Virgin Atlantic will continue to operate services between London and Lahore until May 1, 2023 and between London and Islamabad until July 9, 2023.
Background
Virgin Atlantic launched flights from London Heathrow to Islamabad and Lahore and Manchester to Islamabad in the height of the pandemic in December 2020
The routes were launched when many destinations, including the US, were closed for travel. Our Pakistan routes were targeted to capture the visiting friends and relatives (VFR) market which was one of the first sectors to recover.
As Virgin Atlantic ramps up its flying programme for 2023, the airline is reviewing its network and ensuring resources are utilised in the most optimal way to achieve operational resilience.
The final Pakistan flight dates are:
LHR-LHE VS364 departs 30th April 2023 at 21:55
LHE-LHR VS365 departs 1st May 2023 at 12:25
LHR-ISB VS378 departs 8th July 2023 at 21:55
ISB-LHR VS379 departs 9th July 2023 at 12:40
Our teams will communicate with any affected customers due to travel after these dates to share their options which include rebooking (if applicable) or a full refund. Customers who have booked with a third party travel agent should contact them to discuss their options.
Top Copyright Photo: Virgin Atlantic Airways Airbus A350-1041 G-VLUX (msn 274) LHR (Keith Burton). Image: 960046.
Air Canada Cargo and Emirates SkyCargo have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deliver more benefits to their air freight customers around the world.
The MoU, which builds on the airlines’ strategic commercial partnership announced last year, was signed at Emirates Headquarters in Dubai, UAE by Nabil Sultan, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Cargo and Matthieu Casey, Managing Director Commercial, Air Canada Cargo.
Under the terms of the MoU, Air Canada Cargo and Emirates SkyCargo will work closely on a number of initiatives, which include expanding cargo interline options and block space agreements, pending any required regulatory approvals. These enhancements aim to offer freight customers of both airlines access to more capacity on a larger combined global network.
Air Canada Cargo will have access to Emirates SkyCargo’s high frequency distribution network through the belly-hold of Emirates scheduled passenger flights to over 140 global destinations, as well as the additional capacity offered by 11 freighters currently in the Emirates fleet. In return, SkyCargo will have access to over 60 cities in Canada and more than 150 cities across five continents through Air Canada Cargo thanks to a fleet of Boeing 767 freighters and the belly-hold capacity of Air Canada’s scheduled passenger flights.
Both airlines bring particular experience in handling unique cargo, such as oil and gas drilling equipment, car parts and pharmaceuticals on their dedicated fleet of freighters or passenger aircraft.mirates
Since announcing their strategic partnership in 2022, Emirates and Air Canada have implemented a passenger codeshare agreement that spans 46 destinations across North America, the Middle East, Asia and Africa, and have launched a Loyalty program partnership to allow Aeroplan and Skywards members to earn and redeem Miles and Points on all flights operated by Air Canada and Emirates, respectively.
In the wake of the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, Emirates is setting up an airbridge withthe International Humanitarian City (IHC),to transport urgent relief supplies, medical items and equipment to support on-ground aid efforts and search and rescue activities in both countries. The first shipments are due to go out today on EK 121 and EK 117, consisting of high thermal blankets and family tents from UNHCR, followed by World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Food Programme (WFP) relief cargo of medical kits and shelter items, co-ordinated by the IHC in Dubai.
In the coming days, more consignments of blankets, tents, shelter kits, flash lights, water distribution ramps and trauma and emergency health kits will be transported on Emirates.
Emirates SkyCargo plans to dedicate cargo space for around 100 tonnes of humanitarian relief goods over the course of the next two weeks across its daily flight operations to Istanbul. The critical emergency supplies carried on Emirates will then be delivered by local organisations to affected areas in southern Turkey and northern Syria, supporting on-ground responders and providing much needed aid to the hundreds of thousands of people impacted by the earthquakes.
Vietnam Airlines and Singapore Airlines (SIA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen the commercial collaboration between the two airlines.
The carriers will initially explore opportunities for codeshare arrangements to facilitate better connectivity between Vietnam and Singapore. This could potentially be expanded to include other destinations that SIA serves. The two airlines will also explore other areas of commercial cooperation that could offer more value and options to their customers.
Vietnam Airlines and Singapore Airlines have had a long-standing partnership for over 20 years. As international border restrictions eased in 2022, both airlines sought opportunities to expand their bilateral cooperation to provide quality service for their customers travelling between Vietnam and Singapore.
Top Copyright Photo: Vietnam Airlines Airbus A350-941 VN-A897 (msn 197) (SkyTeam) AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 956426.
Viva (Air Colombia) Airbus A320-251N WL HK-5361 (msn 10313) MIA (Antony J. Best). Image: 960043.
Viva Air of Colombia has voluntarily started a local debt restructuring process as it awaits the official government approval of its merger proposal with Avianca.
Viva Air issued this statement (translated from Spanish):
Viva, the low cost airline that promotes air travel in Colombia and the region, announces the start of its Process of Business Recovery (PRE) in accordance with the regulations that protect companies affected by the COVID-19 crisis, with a view to achieving their permanence in the market, pending the urgent definition by Aerocivil about its alliance with Avianca.
This determination occurs due to the crisis that it faces when adding to the effects of the COVID-19, the current macroeconomic factors that are public knowledge
Additionally, the company has not been able to access capital during the last nine months since it has not yet been possible to implement its integration with another airline, which is still pending authorization from the National Government.
Viva takes part in this voluntary recovery process that lasts 90 days, in order to restructure their debts through a negotiation with their major creditors to continue operating under sustainable conditions that guarantee the continuity of the company.
This decision is given after six months of waiting of the definition of the alliance with Avianca, which if approved would allow us to continue in the low-cost business through our linkage to another group of airlines with weight in the region, with which we want to ensure the preservation of jobs, and reinforce our commitment to generate higher levels of connectivity in the country at low cost on the basis of obtaining the required capital injection.
After studying all the alternatives available to the current situation, we enter this voluntary mediation process while we wait for the urgent decision by the authority of our alliance with Avianca. just as we have adapted in the past, we are convinced that we will be able to overcome this situation for the good of all passengers who have benefited from the Bajo model.
Viva Air President Felix Antelo
During this restructuring, at Viva we will continue to ensure the continuity of operations and the provision of our services.
Top Copyright Photo: Viva (Air Colombia) Airbus A320-251N WL HK-5361 (msn 10313) MIA (Antony J. Best). Image: 960043.
