British Airways will introduce a summer seasonal service from its London Heathrow hub to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen starting on June 1.
The seasonal route will be operated four days a week.
Top Copyright Photo: British Airways Airbus A320-251N WL G-TTNH (msn 8489) ARN (Stefan Sjogren). Image: 960168.
British Airways aircvraft photo gallery:
Spirit Airlines has announced plans to hire more than 4,000 new Team Members in 2023 as the airline adds new planes and destinations to its growing network. The new hires will include Pilots, Flight Attendants, Aviation Maintenance Technicians and other support center roles.
Plus, Spirit is growing in new and existing cities, with positions available with Spirit and business partners at airport stations across the network. These job opportunities allow job seekers across the nation to soar with attractive travel benefits and the advancement opportunities associated with working for a dynamic and fast-growing airline.
The airline continued:
These exciting job opportunities follow the airline’s soaring 2022 hiring trend as thousands of new Spirit Team Members joined the growing company last year. Some recent hiring milestones include:
Top Copyright Photo: Spirit Airlines Airbus A320-271N WL N931NK (msn 9548) SEA (Brian Worthington). Image: 960323.
Spirit Airlines aircraft photo gallery:
GlobalX (Global Crossing Airlines) will operate a new route linking Lincoln, NE with Orlando.
The new route will start on June 8, 2023 and operate two days a week.
The Orlando route is complimented with six other routes radiating from Lincoln (LNK) starting in June for Red Way.
Lincoln is also the home of the University of Nebraska.
The flights will be operated for Red Way which has selected Lincoln as a hub for these charter flights.
Flights are operated with Airbus A320 or A321 aircraft. Flights are public charters sold by Red Way acting as a Sales Agent on behalf of GlobalX Air Tours, LLC as the public charter operator and Global Crossing Airlines, Inc. as the direct air carrier.
Top Copyright Photo: GlobalX (Global Crossing Airlines) Airbus A320-214 N281GX (msn 2830) MIA (Jay Selman). Image: 404288.
GlobalX aircraft photo gallery:
Ultra Air (Medellin) on March 29, 2023 announced that it suspended operations today (March 30) at 12:00 a.m. local time.
The short-lived airline was six Airbus A320s on domestic routes in Colombia.
The airline was founded in 2020 and commenced operations on February 18, 2022.
Top Copyright Photo: Ultra Air (Colombia) Airbus A320-214 N712AV (HK-5393) (msn 2712) TPA (Keith Sommer). Image: 956579.
Frontier Airlines may have lost the bidding war for Spirit Airlines, but it continues to expand at a record pace.
The fast-growing airline will launch new seasonal nonstop service from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) to San Francisco (SFO), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), San Diego (SAN), and Charlotte (CLT) in May and June of 2023.
With the new service, Frontier will serve a total of 17 nonstop destinations from Cleveland, continuing to be the most of any airline operating from CLE.
Service from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE):
| SERVICE TO: | SERVICE START: | SERVICE FREQUENCY: | INTRO FARE: |
| Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) | May 12, 2023 | 4x/week | $49* |
| Charlotte (CLT) | May 12, 2023 | 4x/week** | $29* |
| San Diego (SAN) | June 8, 2023 | 3x/week | $89* |
| San Francisco (SFO) | June 23, 2023 | 4x/week | $99* |
**Service offered less frequently for first week of service. Then, service is offered as reflected in the grid above starting May 20, 2023.
Meanwhile the carrier is also expanding at Tampa:
Frontier will launch new seasonal nonstop service from Tampa International Airport (TPA) to Phoenix (PHX) in May of 2023. Previously announced service to Punta Cana (PUJ) and Santo Domingo (SDQ) in the Dominican Republic will begin in May, as well. With the new service, Frontier will serve a total of 20 nonstop destinations from TPA and offer its largest ever summer schedule from the airport.
Service from Tampa International Airport (TPA):
| SERVICE TO: | SERVICE START: | SERVICE FREQUENCY: | INTRO FARE: |
| Phoenix (PHX) | May 11, 2023 | Daily | $59* |
| Punta Cana (PUJ) | May 21, 2023 | 2x/week | $129* |
| Santo Domingo (SDQ) | May 22, 2023 | 2x/week | $129* |
Frontier has also announced it will operate its largest-ever number of departures from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) this summer. Just announced new routes include Frontier’s first-ever flights to Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) and the first time the carrier has connected RDU to Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) since 2019. Service to MDW and IAH will start in June. With these new routes, Frontier will operate a record 112 weekly departures this summer, serving a total of 20 destinations with nonstop service.
Service from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU):
| SERVICE TO: | SERVICE START: | SERVICE FREQUENCY: | INTRO FARE: |
| Chicago (MDW) | June 16, 2023 | 4x/week | $39* |
| Houston (IAH) | June 18, 2023 | 3x/week | $49* |
Frequency and times are subject to change.
Top Copyright Photo: Frontier Airlines (2nd) Airbus A320-251N WL N395FR (msn 11077) (Sage, the Pygmy Rabbit) BOS (Fred Freketic). Image: 960341.
Frontier Airlines aircraft photo gallery:
Air Malta is updating and simplified its livery with the pending delivery of the pictured Airbus A320-251N 9H-NEE (msn 11366).
The updated livery has removed the previous large “Malta” titles and intricate tail design of the previous livery.
Copyright Photo: Eurospot.
Jazeera Airways is gearing up for the 2023 summer season with three new European destinations – Munich, Germany, Belgrade, Serbia and Tirana, Albania.
In addition, the airline will also restart its flights to Prague, Czech Republic and Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Munich, the Bavarian capital is a very popular leisure and business destination in Germany and offers a variety of activities for different interests – both outdoors or indoors. One of Europe’s oldest cities, Belgrade is centrally located and one of the easiest places to reach in the Balkans. Tirana, the Albanian capital is also the country’s largest city. Known for its colorful architecture, Tirana extends at the Plain of Tirana in the center of Albania between a mountain in the east, hills in the south, and a valley to the north overlooking the Adriatic Sea. “The City of a Hundred Spires”, beautiful Prague lies at the heart of Europe and is full of great places to visit and delicious food to try. Sarajevo, a prominent center of culture in the Balkans, influences entertainment, media, fashion and the arts region-wide.
Flights to Sarajevo will restart on April 20, 2023 and to Prague will begin on June 8, 2023.
Jazeera Airways also offers good connections from these cities to other destinations in its network convenient transits through Kuwait.
Planned Flight Schedule
| Flight Number | Frequency | From | To | Departure (Local Time) | Arrival (Local Time) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J9 32N | Wednesday, Saturday | Kuwait (KWI) | Munich (MUC) | 08:25 | 13:10 |
| J9 32N | Wednesday, Saturday | Munich (MUC) | Kuwait (KWI) | 13:55 | 20:15 |
| J9 32N | Monday, Wednesday, Saturday | Kuwait (KW) | Tirana (TIA) | 22:40 | 01:20 |
| J9 32N | Monday, Wednesday, Friday | Tirana (TIA) | Kuwait (KWI) | 02:05 | 08:30 |
| J9 363 | Tuesday, Friday | Kuwait (KWI) | Belgrade (BEG) | 21:15 | 01:00 |
| J9 364 | Wednesday, Saturday | Belgrade (BEG) | Kuwait (KWI) | 01:45 | 07:00 |
| J9 037 | Thursday, Sunday | Kuwait (KWI) | Prague (PRG) | 08:15 | 12:45 |
| J9 038 | Thursday, Sunday | Prague (PRG) | Kuwait (KWI) | 13:30 | 19:40 |
| J9 327* | Thursday, Saturday | Kuwait (KWI) | Sarajevo (SJJ) | 07:00 | 10:55 |
| J9 328* | Thursday, Saturday | Sarajevo (SJJ) | Kuwait (KWI) | 11:40 | 17:30 |
*Flight schedules for Sarajevo will change after June 13, 2023.
Other flight schedules are also subject to change.
Top Copyright Photo: Jazeera Airways Airbus A320-251N WL 9K-CBF (msn 10201) LHR (Wingnut). Image: 956680.
Jazeera Airways aircraft photo gallery:
Frontier Airlines is trimming back on its expanding route map. The fast-growing airline will cut 14 seasonal routes starting on April 18 according to The Points Guy:
Boston – Miami – ends on April 18
Philadelphia – Phoenix – ends on April 18
Hartford/Springfield – Denver – ends on April 20
Orlando – Pittsburgh – ends on May 6
Las Vegas – Memphis – ends on May 8
Las Vegas – New Orleans – ends on May 8
Orlando – Rochester, NY – ends on May 8
Minneapolis/St. Paul – Phoenix – ends on May 8
Baltimore/Washington – Las Vegas – ends on May 10
Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood – Las Vegas – ends on May 10
Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood – Chicago (Midway) – ends on May 10
Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood – Phoenix – ends on May 10
New York (LaGuardia) – Miami – ends on May 10
Houston (Hobby) – Las Vegas – ends on May 10
Top Copyright Photo: Frontier Airlines (2nd) Airbus A320-251N WL N349FR (msn 8766) (Hops, the Rabbit) ONT (Michael B. Ing). Image: 960311.
Frontier Airlines aircraft photo gallery:
Avianca Airlines has announced the launch of two new direct routes from Boston and Orlando to San Salvador, capital of El Salvador, a country located in the Central American region.
The Boston – San Salvador route will begin operations on June 1 with four flights a week, while the Orlando – San Salvador route will begin operations on June 11 with four flights a week. The operation will be operated with Airbus A320 aircraft with capacity for 180 passengers, with Premium, Plus and Economy seats.
The itinerary for these routes is:
| Flight | Route | Departure | Arrival | Frequency | Start |
| AV445 | Boston – San Salvador | 17:25 | 20:50 | Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday | June 1, 2023 |
| AV444 | San Salvador – Boston | 9:00 | 16:05 | Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday | |
| AV0423 | Orlando – San Salvador | 15:50 | 16:40 | Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday | June 11, 2023 |
| AV0422 | San Salvador – Orlando | 9:25 | 14:25 | Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday |
*Local Time. Itinerary subject to government approval
Top Copyright Photo: Avianca (El Salvador) Airbus A320-251N WL N769AV (msn 8170) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 960288.
JetBlue Airways today announced new nonstop service between Orlando International Airport (MCO) and two top Caribbean destinations, as the airline unveils new plans to bring more low-fare, high-quality flights to Central Florida.
Launching in November 2023 and out for sale today, JetBlue will fly from Orlando to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and Santiago, Dominican Republic (a). After its planned combination with Spirit, JetBlue expects to reach 200 flights a day in Orlando by 2027.
As a strong advocate for the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority’s (GOAA) development of Orlando International Airport’s Terminal C, JetBlue became the terminal’s anchor tenant in October 2022. GOAA’s continued investment in the airport provides an elevated experience for JetBlue customers in Terminal C today and paves the way for continued growth in the region in the years to come.
More than 4,000 JetBlue crewmembers are based at the airport and at JetBlue’s Orlando Support Center (OSC), which includes a state-of-the-art training facility featuring classrooms, flight and cabin simulators, a ditch pool and other equipment used both for new crewmember training and for those requiring recurrent training. JetBlue’s Orlando training facility also includes The Lodge at OSC, the airline’s 24/7 dormitory facility dedicated to providing a focused training environment for crewmembers.
Connecting Orlando to Popular Caribbean Destinations
Daily Schedule between Orlando (MCO) and Punta Cana (PUJ)
Beginning November 4, 2023
| MCO – PUJ Flight #1077 | PUJ – MCO Flight #1078 |
| 8:35 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. | 1:10 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. |
Daily Schedule between Orlando (MCO) and Santiago (STI)
Beginning November 4, 2023
| MCO – STI Flight #1265 | STI – MCO Flight #1266 |
| 1:00 p.m. – 4:20 p.m. | 5:30 p.m. – 7:10 p.m. |
Top Copyright Photo: A retired tail design: JetBlue Airways Airbus A320-232 N527JB (msn 1557) (Dots) MCO (Ton Jochems). Image: 960280.
JetBlue Airways aircraft photo gallery:
Hong Kong Airlines will launch four-times weekly nonstop flights connecting Hong Kong and Fukuoka from April 7, 2023. The new service will offer passengers additional flight options to popular destinations in Japan, while also boosting travel flexibility.
Situated off the southwest coast of Japan, Fukuoka is renowned for its beauty, surrounded by the beautiful ocean and picturesque mountains that offer stunning seaside scenery. The harbor city is also named as the metropolis of southern Japan and the gateway to Kyushu. Over the centuries, the city has found a balance of combining modern urbanity with its glorious history, boasting many buildings that have been lovingly preserved from the Meiji period.
Hong Kong Airlines is excited to operate direct flights to Fukuoka for the first time, adding this charming port city to our growing network.
Japan is always listed as the first choice for Hong Kong travellers. With Japan lifting its travel restrictions, the Company believes that the direct flight service to Fukuoka will provide customers with more travel options.
Hong Kong Airlines adjusts its business strategy and network from time to time to respond to changing market conditions. With the anticipated increasing travel demands, the Company also proudly announces that it would resume five-times weekly service to Bali Denpasar and daily service to Shanghai Hongqiao starting from April 17.
Ticket reservation for the route is now available at designated travel agents. Booking at the Hong Kong Airlines website will be announced at a later stage.
Hong Kong Airlines flight schedule* between Hong Kong and Fukuoka is as follows (All times local):
| Route | Flight Number | Departure | Arrival | Frequency |
| HKG – FUK | HX640 | 1025 | 1500 | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun |
| FUK – HKG | HX641 | 1600 | 1835 |
* Flight number and schedule may change without prior notice
Established in 2006, Hong Kong Airlines is a full-service airline firmly rooted in Hong Kong. The airline flies to 25 destinations across Asia Pacific, and currently maintains 89 interline and 16 codeshare agreements with multiple airline partners and ferry service providers. Hong Kong Airlines operates one of the youngest fleets in the world. It has been awarded the internationally acclaimed four-star rating from Skytrax since 2011.
Fleet:
Route:
Top Copyright Photo: Hong Kong Airlines Airbus A320-214 WL B-LPP (msn 7035) HKG (Javier Rodriguez). Image: 948418.
Hong Kong Airlines aircraft photo gallery:
Scandinavian Airlines-SAS has announced 10 additional European routes:
To meet increasing demand for travel, SAS adds yet another 10 routes and more frequencies for the upcoming summer and autumn. Starting in June, SAS also resumes traffic to Tokyo.
With summer just around the corner, SAS continues to ramp up by offering customers an additional 10 European routes as well as adding frequencies to popular Mediterranean destinations such as Alicante, Malaga, Mallorca, Split and Sicily. These additional destinations come on top of 20 new, previously announced routes.
SAS continues to plan for a busy summer to Italy with up to seven daily flights from Scandinavia to Milan and more flights from Copenhagen to Florence and Naples. SAS is adding more domestic flights from Oslo to Bergen, Stavanger, Trondheim and Ålesund as well as more flights from Copenhagen to Ålesund. More seats and flights are also offered between Stockholm and Helsinki.
Continuing to grow presence in the US, SAS starts operating flights from Gothenburg and Aalborg to Newark, New York with an Airbus A321LR.
As of June, SAS resumes traffic to Haneda, Tokyo three times a week. Prior to that SAS will operate several flights to Tokyo in April to accommodate for the high demand around Easter. The route will be operated by Airbus A350 aircraft.
During spring, SAS also adds a third weekly service on Copenhagen-Shanghai.
SAS’ aircraft fleet includes some of the most environmentally friendly aircraft on the market with significantly lower emissions and less noise than previous-generation aircraft – as demonstrated by both the Airbus A350 and A321LR on long-haul routes, and Airbus A320neo on short-haul where emissions are reduced between 15% and 30%.
New routes added to the summer traffic program:
· Stockholm-Florence – new twice-weekly service on Fridays and Sundays from mid-August
· Stockholm-Larnaca – new weekly service on Saturdays from mid-August
· Oslo-Tenerife – new weekly service on Tuesdays from late June to mid-August
· Oslo-Hamburg – up to twice-weekly service resumed from Easter
· Oslo-Berlin – up to five times-weekly service resumed from Easter
· Oslo-Prague – new twice-weekly service on Thursday and Sundays from end-September
· Bergen-Palma de Mallorca – new weekly service on Saturdays from mid-June to mid-August
· Bergen-Manchester – twice-weekly service resumed on Mondays and Fridays from September
· Trondheim-Split – new weekly service on Saturdays from end of May to mid-October
· Oslo-Tallinn – new twice-weekly service on Thursday and Sundays from mid-August
More flights added on multiple routes, such as:
· Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm to Barcelona, Malaga, and Palma de Mallorca
· Stockholm to Beirut (subject to regulatory approval)
· Copenhagen to Catania and Palermo
· Oslo to Alicante and Las Palmas
· Bergen and Stavanger to Alicante
· Bergen and Stavanger to Split
Top Copyright Photo: Scandinavian Airlines-SAS Airbus A320-251N WL SE-ROU (msn 9262) SZG (Gunter Mayer). Image: 957907.
SAS aircraft photo gallery:
Controladora Vuela Compañía de Aviación, S.A.B. de C.V. (Volaris) reported its February 2023 preliminary traffic results.
In February 2023, Volaris’ capacity (measured in ASMs) increased by 20.4% year-over-year, while demand (measured in RPMs) increased by 21.2%; the result was a load factor increase of 0.5 pp YoY to 83.2%. Volaris transported 2.5 million passengers during the month, a 17.3% increase compared to February 2022. Demand in the domestic Mexican and international markets increased by 13.7% and 42.4%, respectively.
Enrique Beltranena, Volaris’ President and CEO said: “In line with what was stated in our last earnings call in February 22, we are seeing healthy traffic growth and solid booking curves for the upcoming spring season. In February, consumer demand remained robust across all of our markets, with particular strength observed in international regions. Jet fuel prices were slightly more favorable than the prior guidance provided to the market.”
| Feb 2023 | Feb 2022 | Variance | YTD Feb 2023 | YTD Feb 2022 | Variance | |
| RPMs (million, scheduled & charter) | ||||||
| Domestic | 1,697 | 1,493 | 13.7 % | 3,630 | 3,132 | 15.9 % |
| International | 751 | 528 | 42.4 % | 1,660 | 1,197 | 38.7 % |
| Total | 2,449 | 2,021 | 21.2 % | 5,290 | 4,329 | 22.2 % |
| ASMs (million, scheduled & charter) | ||||||
| Domestic | 2,035 | 1,736 | 17.2 % | 4,306 | 3,727 | 15.5 % |
| International | 908 | 708 | 28.2 % | 1,932 | 1,559 | 24.0 % |
| Total | 2,943 | 2,445 | 20.4 % | 6,239 | 5,286 | 18.0 % |
| Load Factor (%, scheduled, RPMs/ASMs) | ||||||
| Domestic | 83.4 % | 86.0 % | (2.6) pp | 84.3 % | 84.0 % | 0.3 pp |
| International | 82.7 % | 74.5 % | 8.2 pp | 85.9 % | 76.8 % | 9.1 pp |
| Total | 83.2 % | 82.7 % | 0.5 pp | 84.8 % | 81.9 % | 2.9 pp |
| Passengers (thousand, scheduled & charter) | ||||||
| Domestic | 1,984 | 1,757 | 12.9 % | 4,208 | 3,625 | 16.1 % |
| International | 519 | 376 | 38.0 % | 1,158 | 857 | 35.1 % |
| Total | 2,502 | 2,133 | 17.3 % | 5,364 | 4,482 | 19.7 % |
Top Copyright Photo: Volaris Airbus A320-271N WL N532VL (msn 7904) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 960185.
Volaris aircraft photo gallery:
airBaltic has announced that during the summer season of 2023 it will wet-lease four additional aircraft short-term – to meet the increasing passenger demand and ensure a successful performance of planned flights. To support these efforts, a partnership with the leading narrow-body ACMI and charter operator Avion Express has been established, adding the Airbus A320-232 aircraft of 180 seats to the fleet of airBaltic.
In total, two of the aircraft will operate out of the Riga base, starting from March 26 to October 28, while one will be based in Vilnius and another in Tallinn, from March 1 to October 28.
The wet-leased aircraft will be available in two configurations, with burgundy red leather seats and blue textile seats. The onboard ambiance will feature airBaltic-branded white headrest covers, Baltic Outlook inflight magazine, and the airline’s safety cards. Furthermore, the crew of Avion Express has been instructed to detail, in order to ensure the same high standard of service asairBaltic.
The Airbus A320-232 aircraft of Avion Express (registration numbers: 9H-AMI, 9H-AMK, 9H-MLY, 9H-MLX) have been manufactured in the period from 2008 to 2011.
airBaltic provides flights to more than 70 destinations from Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius and Tampere.
Austrian Airlines issued this financial report for 2022:
For the first time since 2019, Austrian Airlines closed the past financial year with a positive result (Adjusted EBIT) at EUR 3 million (2019: EUR 19 million). After two years dripping with red ink (2020: EUR -319 million, 2021: EUR -249 million) a slight positive result was capitalized 2022, despite a weak first quarter, which was still marked by the restrictions of the pandemic. Decisive factors for this positive development were higher average ticket revenues and the steep increase in passengers (2022: 11.1 million). Passenger figures have reached 76% of pre-crisis level over the entire course of the year and doubled compared to the previous year (2021: 5 million).
“Also 2022 has not been an easy year for us. In the first quarter air traffic has in many places still been very limited due to entry regulations, in February expenses for fuel and energy have skyrocketed due to the war at our doorstep“, says Austrian Airlines CEO Annette Mann. “We have won our guests back with resilience and flexibility. With a solid summer performance we were able to land in the black!”
The annual result in detail
In 2022 Austrian Airlines’ revenue rose from EUR 743 million last year to EUR 1.871 billion (+152%) and this amounted to only 11 percent less than the revenue of 2019 (EUR 2.108 billion). The total revenue amounted to EUR 1.949 billion, +152% and the total operating expenditures of EUR 1.946 billion, +90% above the previous year. For the first time since 2019 (Adjusted EBIT: EUR 19 million) Austrian Airlines has generated a positive Adjusted EBIT with a plus of EUR 3 million. With the key date of 31 December 2022 Austrian Airlines employed 5,659 staff.
The increase in passengers combined with higher average ticket revenues drove up the total operating revenue in the past year. With 11.1 million passengers, Austrian Airlines transported twice as many passengers, compared to 2021 (2021: 5 million) und came closer to pre-crisis level (2019: 14.7 million / – 24%). Especially with the second quarter a strong catch-up effect in air travel took place, particularly in the touristic segment. The comparison of the second half year shows a clear recovery of the passenger figures close to pre-crisis level (second half year 2022: 7 million, second half year 2019: 8 million). In 2022 Austrian Airlines almost doubled its offer in seat kilometers from 11.3 billion (2021) to 21.7 billion. The average load factor of 79.4% has reached a value close to the one of 2019 (80.8%).
Early repayment and inflation compensation for all employees
The record result of the third quarter paved the way for the early repayment of the state-backed loan by the end of 2022, which was taken in the course of the Corona pandemic. Good liquidity and the granting of a credit line by Lufthansa Group allowed for Austrian Airlines to fully repay the remaining EUR 210 million of the total loan of EUR 300 million three years earlier than foreseen. Also the salary cut for Austrian Airlines employees agreed in 2020 was ended earlier by the end of 2022. For an additional relief, an inflation compensation of up to a total of EUR 3,000 was payed to all employees.
Moderate growth and new fleet members
After the national carrier had to downsize since 2020 due to the crisis, two of a total of four brand-new Airbus A320neo aircraft have been joining the existing fleet since October 2022, laying the foundation for slight growth, also in terms of staff. COO Francesco Sciortino: “The Austrian team deserves to grow. New aircraft and new employees are the reward for a great performance in the past year. In 2022, we were among the top 5 most punctual airlines in Europe – despite immense challenges. With this motivation, we are already preparing for the coming summer!”
Variety in Europe and increased frequencies to Asia this summer
The Austrian Airlines flight schedule in summer 2023 will include over 120 destinations with seven new scheduled routes to Porto, Marseille, Billund, Tivat, Tromsø, Vilnius and Palermo. Like last summer, the US destinations will be served with a dense weekly frequency of up to 33 connections. Thanks to the relaxation of travel regulations to China and Japan, Austrian Airlines is also able to increase the number of flights to Asia. As of March, Shanghai is again served three times a week, while flights to Tokyo will be operated up to five times a week in the summer flight schedule. CCO Michael Trestl: “In 2023, we want to welcome even more passengers with a smile and our world-famous charm. Austrian Airlines offers a piece of Austria above the clouds all around the world!”
Outlook for the financial year 2023
Current bookings and the addition of the remaining two of the four A320neo aircraft to the fleet in early summer have already set the course for a successful new financial year. The continuing upward trend in the tourism segment is now also reflected again in medium- and long-term bookings. “For 2023, we expect a significant improvement in our results”, concludes CEO Annette Mann.
Overview of key facts and figures 2022 (rounded):
| 1-12 2022 | 1-12 2021 | 1-12 2019 | Change YOY 2021 | Change YOY 2019 | |
| Revenue in € million | 1,871 | 743 | 2,108 | +152% | -11% |
| Adj. total operating revenue in € million | 1,949 | 774 | 2,181 | +152% | -11% |
| Adj. total operating expenditures in € million | 1,946 | 1,024 | 2,164 | +90% | -10% |
| Adjusted EBIT in € million | 3 | -249 | 19 | – | – |
| EBIT in € million | -2 | -238 | 15 | – | – |
| Passengers in thousands | 11,142 | 5,008 | 14,651 | +122% | -24% |
| Available seat kilometers (ASK) in million | 21,700 | 11,324 | 28,510 | +92% | -24% |
| Capacity utilization (passenger load factor) in % | 79.4 | 61.9 | 80.8 | +17,5pp | -1,4pp |
| Number of flights | 95,040 | 56,201 | 139,230 | +69% | -32% |
| Fleet size (fleet in operation) | 63 | 61 | 82 | +2 | -19 |
| Regularity of operation | 98.8% | 99.5% | 99.0% | -0.7pp | -0.2 pp |
| Punctuality on departure | 77.3% | 86.0 % | 76.6 % | -8.7pp | +0.7 pp |
| Punctuality on arrival | 83.2% | 89.9 % | 80.6 % | -6.7pp | +2.6 pp |
Overview of key facts and figures Q4 2022 (rounded):
| Q4 2022 | Q4 2021 | Q4 2019 | Change YOY2021 | Change YOY 2019 | |
| Revenue in € million | 505 | 251 | 496 | 101% | +2% |
| Adj. total operating revenue in € million | 521 | 258 | 503 | 102% | +4% |
| Adj. total operating expenditures in € million | 521 | 311 | 503 | 68% | +4% |
| Adjusted EBIT in € million | 0 | -54 | 1 | – | – |
| EBIT in € million | 1 | -40 | 1 | – | – |
Top Copyright Photo: Austrian A320-214 WL OE-LZE (msn 5754) PMI (Ton Jochems). Image: 958129.
Austrian Airlines aircraft photo gallery:
SAS has entered into new sale and leaseback agreements with Aviation Capital Group (ACG).
Through the new agreements, SAS has secured long-term financing for ten new Airbus A320neo aircraft, scheduled to be delivered through the first quarter of FY2024.
“We continue to make progress with our transformation plan and these new sale and leaseback agreements are an important part of that – securing competitive financing for our renewed fleet of modern and fuel-efficient aircraft. We are pleased to renew our long-term strategic partnership with ACG, one of the world’s leading aircraft financing partners,” said Anko van der Werff, President and CEO, SAS.
Top Copyright Photo: Scandinavian Airlines-SAS Airbus A320-251N WL SE-RUE (msn 10407) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 959819.
SAS aircraft photo gallery:
JetBlue Airways today announced three new routes launching this summer – enabled in part by its Northeast Alliance (NEA) with American Airlines – which will further increase competition and choice for travelers across the Northeast. Seats are out for sale starting today with fares as low as $59(a).
New York City
Enabled by the NEA, JetBlue’s new service between New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) and Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) will deliver a customer-centric alternative for travelers across the busy Northeast Corridor that has historically been dominated by high-fare legacy carriers.
Daily Schedule between New York (JFK) and Washington DC (DCA)
Beginning June 15, 2023
| JFK – DCA Flight #1887 | DCA – JFK Flight #1888 | ||
| 7:00 a.m. – 8:40 a.m. | 6:30 a.m. – 7:55 a.m. | ||
| JFK – DCA Flight #2487 | DCA – JFK Flight #2488 | ||
| 1:15 p.m. – 3:01 p.m. | 2:10 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. | ||
| JFK – DCA Flight #2587 | DCA – JFK Flight #2588 | ||
| 7:15 p.m. – 8:55 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. – 6:48 p.m. |
Westchester County
JetBlue is also launching new summer seasonal service from Westchester County Airport (HPN), further bolstering JetBlue’s leadership position in the Greater New York area and offering customers more choices to popular summer travel destinations.
Daily Schedule between Westchester (HPN) and Martha’s Vineyard (MVY)
Summer Seasonal Beginning May 25, 2023
| HPN – MVY Flight #2666 | MVY – HPN Flight #2665 | ||
| 3:45 p.m. – 4:55 p.m. | 1:50 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. |
Daily Schedule between Westchester (HPN) and Charleston, S.C. (CHS)
Summer Seasonal Beginning May 25, 2023
| HPN – CHS Flight #2647 | CHS – HPN Flight #2648 | ||
| 11:59 a.m. – 2:14 p.m. | 3:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. |
Top Copyright Photo: JetBlue Airways Airbus A320-232 N806JB (msn 5302) (Barcode) JFK (Fred Freketic). Image: 960154.
JetBlue Airways aircraft photo gallery:
Viva Air (Colombia) and its subsidiary Viva Air Perú suspended their operations on February 27, 2023.
The group blamed the financial situation on the delay on the merger request with Avianca from Aerocivil.
The airline issued this statement:
Viva regretfully announces the suspension of its operation, due to delays in the timely definition of the alliance that would allow its integration with a stronger and
larger airline group. Unfortunately, for now we will not be able to honor travel plans for passengers with current flights with Viva and will inform them promptly of the steps to
follow this decision.
Top Copyright Photo: Viva (Air Colombia) Airbus A320-251N WL HK-5366 (msn 10482) MIA ((Bruce Drum). Image: 105915.
Viva Air (Colombia) aircraft photo gallery:
JetBlue Airways’ flight attendants, represented by the TWU, are opposing the merger with Spirit Airlines. The union has sent a letter to the Attorney General and the Department of Transportation opposing the merger.
Meanwhile the flight attendants of Spirit Airlines, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, are agreeing with and supporting the takeover of Spirit by JetBlue.
The Department of Justice will rule on the merger request. JetBlue has vowed to fight any refusal.
Top Copyright Photo: Spirit Airlines Airbus A320-271N WL N972NK (msn 11173) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 960137.
Spirit Airlines aircraft photo gallery:
Air Valletta Group, backed by private Cypriot investment has launched Airbus A320 and A330 operator Valletta Airlines (St. Julian’s, Malta), which will focus on global charter and ACMI markets starting early 2023.
Targeted regions for operations are North and South Americas, Europe, Middle East and Far East Asia.
Valletta Airlines has received its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) and aims to start with one Airbus A320-200, with plans to grow it’s fleet to three Airbus A320-200s and two A330-200s by the end of 2023.