Cabo Verdfe Airlines is adding a leased Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 to its fleet, become a new operator of the type.
The new addition will arrive in July.
The airline is conducting a name the new aircraft contest:
Cabo Verde Airlines wants, once again, to give voice to its customers, which is why we are launching a public voting campaign to choose the name of our newest Boeing 737-8 MAX.
Among the names suggested by our employees, three stood out: CIDADE VELHA, ESPERANÇA and MORABEZA. Now, it’s up to you to decide which one will be the official name of our plane.
Voting will be open to the public for 7 days and will be conducted through a secure and reliable voting program. Your participation is very important to us!
Be sure to participate and be part of the history of Cabo Verde Airlines.
Two 737 planes crash within several years of each other. The similarities are striking but investigators are stumped. It takes a third near miss, for investigators to get the break they need and crack the case.
Mayday: Air Disaster – From Season 4 Episode 5 “Hidden Danger”: United Airlines 585 USAir 585
Around the globe, more than six billion people have traveled on a Boeing 737. They’re the backbone of the aviation industry. But in 1991, something happened onboard a 737 that sent shudders through the world of aviation.
Moments from landing, United Airlines 585 starts spinning out of control and falls out of the sky at 450 kilometers per hour. Everyone on board is killed. In ten violent seconds, the crash site has become one of the most mysterious air disasters in aviation history.
Almost two years after the crash, the NTSB had studied the crew, the weather, the rudder, and thousands of other pieces of evidence – but they can’t solve the mystery.
Mayday: Air Disaster is a dramatic non-fiction series that investigates high-profile air disasters to uncover how and why they happened. Mayday: Air Disaster follows survivors, family members of crash victims and transportation safety investigators as they piece together the evidence of the causes of major accidents. So climb into the cockpit for an experience you won’t soon forget.
ANA (All Nippon Airways) Boeing 777-281 ER JA745A (msn 40904) (‘Kimetsu no Yaiba – Demon Slayer Jet Vol. 3) ITM (Akira Uekawa). Image: 960405.
ANA (All Nippon Airways) has released this third version of the special livery promoting the animated TV series, following JA608A (Volume 2) and JA616A (Volume 1).
The special livery is called ‘Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayer) Jet Volume 3″.
ANA commented on the series of special liveries:
“ANA and ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’ are both high-profile cultural ambassadors for Japan, and we are excited about continuing our partnership to promote domestic travel,” said Junko Yazawa, Executive Vice President, Customer Experience Management & Planning of ANA. “The debut of the latest ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’ inspired livery is a sign of how ANA is aiming to bring passengers back through engaging promotions onboard the aircraft.”
On this third version, the airline issued this statement:
All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan’s largest and 5-Star airline for nine consecutive years is launching its third painted aircraft featuring pictures and characters from the popular animated TV series “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.” ANA Group began its collaboration with the anime in December 2021, and the first aircraft with “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” livery entered service on domestic routes on January 31, 2022 and the second aircraft on March 26, 2022.
The design for the new livery is based on an original illustration by ufotable, drawn exclusively for the ANA aircraft and illustrates characters Tanjiro, Rengoku and Tengen in a dynamic pose. The special livery will be on the Boeing 777-200ER (aircraft number: JA745A) aircraft. In addition, special in-flight announcements* by Tanjiro, Rengoku and Tengen can be enjoyed onboard.
“The latest ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’ inspired livery is dedicated to the return of an entertaining and unique travel experience for our passengers,” said Tomoji Ishii, Executive Vice President, Customer Experience Management & Planning of ANA. “This partnership highlights Japan’s rich pop culture and restores a coveted in-flight experience.”
Top Copyright Photo: ANA (All Nippon Airways) Boeing 777-281 ER JA745A (msn 40904) (Kimetsu no Yaiba – Demon Slayer Jet Vol. 3) ITM (Akira Uekawa). Image: 960405.
Neos on April 6 launched a new weekly route from Amritsar’s Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport to Toronto (Pearson) in Canada on April 6, 2023 via its Milan (Malpensa) hub.
Neos was born in June 2001 and, once it obtained the Air Carrier Certificate on March 7, 2002 from the National Civil Aviation Body (ENAC), its first Boeing 737-800 I-NEOS “City of Milan” took off from Milan Malpensa the following day to Senegal (Dakar and Cap Skirring).
Ceremony at Toronto (Pearson)
Regular flights started in October of the same year as the only Italian air carrier being authorized to fly the route Italy-Cape Verde, followed by routes to the Canary Islands in August 2003 and to numerous important holiday destinations in the Mediterranean in the summer of 2004.
Long haul flights finally started in December 2004 and are currently performed by six Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.
United Airlines Boeing 767-322 ER WL N648UA (msn 25285) AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 960392.
United Airlines will fly to 114 different international cities this summer and has expanded its flying by 25% versus last year to meet the sharp increase in demand for travel outside of the U.S. The airline is already the largest carrier across both the Atlantic and Pacific and this summer’s schedule includes nearly 25 new routes. According to United booking data, international bookings are already 15% higher than the same period in 2022*.
Highlights of the 2023 summer schedule include:
New service to Malaga, Dubai, and Stockholm
Additional flights to Rome, Paris, Barcelona, Berlin, Shannon, Edinburgh, and Naples
Almost two dozen daily flights to London-Heathrow
Service to unique places like Amman, the Azores, Palma de Mallorca and Tenerife
Expanded service to Australia, serving Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane
10 daily transpacific flights to Tokyo-Haneda, Tokyo-Narita and Osaka
Twice-daily flights to Seoul, South Koreafrom San Francisco
Service to Hong Kong from San Francisco
Tickets are on sale now on the airline’s mobile app and on United.com.
“United will give travelers more options than ever before this summer – especially if they want to fly internationally,” said Patrick Quayle, senior vice president of global network planning and alliances. “With unprecedented demand for travel overseas, we’ll have more service to popular cities while also adding new and unique destinations for customers to explore.”
Newark – Dubai, UAE
On March 25, United launched daily service between New York/Newark and Dubai, UAE, operated on a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft. The flight is part of a historic commercial agreement between the airline and Emirates that will enhance each airline’s network and give their customers easier access to hundreds of destinations within the United States and around the world. MileagePlus members traveling on United’s New York/Newark-Dubai flight can earn and redeem award miles on connecting flights to nearly 75 destinations in the Emirates and flydubai networks. United is the only U.S. airline to offer non-stop flights to Dubai from the U.S. and flies to more destinations in the Middle East and India than any other U.S. airline.
Newark – Malaga, Spain
United is adding a fifth Spanish destination to its global network with new direct flights between New York/Newarkand Malaga. Starting May 31, travelers will be able to explore Spain’s Mediterranean coast with three flights per week to Malaga on a Boeing 757-200. United flies to more destinations in Spain than any other U.S. airline and this summer will offer direct flights to three Spanish cities that no other U.S. airline serves: Malaga, Tenerife and Palma de Mallorca.
Newark – Stockholm, Sweden
On May 27, United will return to Stockholm for the first time since 2019 with service from New York/Newark. United first began serving Stockholm, which locals proudly refer to as the “beauty on water”, in 2005. United will reconnect customers to this culturally rich and dynamic capital city with daily flights on a Boeing 757-200.
San Francisco – Rome, Italy
United broadens its industry-leading European network from San Francisco with daily flights to Rome launching on May 25 on a Boeing 777-200ER. United is the only U.S. airline to offer direct flights to Europe from its hub in San Francisco, and this summer will offer non-stop flights to seven popular European cities. With flights to Rome, Milan, Venice and Naples, United continues to fly to more cities in Italy from the U.S. than any other airline in the world.
Chicago/O’Hare – Shannon, Ireland
Beginning May 25, United will add more seasonal flights to Shannon, Ireland with new daily flights from Chicago O’Hare – giving customers more options to explore some of the country’s most scenic destinations including Limerick and Galway. United is the only U.S. carrier to offer direct flights to Shannon with its existing seasonal service from New York/Newark, and also offers direct flights to Dublin from Chicago, New York/Newark and Washington Dulles. United will fly a Boeing 757-200 on this route.
Washington Dulles – Berlin, Germany
United will begin capital-to-capital service between Washington, D.C. and Berlin, Germany on May 25. United will be the only carrier to offer non-stop flights between these cities with daily flights on a Boeing 767-400ER. United offers more flights to Berlin from the U.S. than any other airline, with existing year-round flights from Newark.
Chicago O’Hare – Barcelona, Spain
United continues to expand its best-in-class European network from Chicago this summer with new direct, daily flights to Barcelona on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, starting May 25. This summer, United will fly to 14 destinations in Europefrom Chicago, more than any other airline. This new flight builds on United’s existing service to Barcelona from New York/Newark and Washington Dulles.
More Flights to Paris and London
United will have 23 daily flights to London Heathrow this summer, with the recent addition of a second daily flight between Los Angeles and London Heathrow on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. United offers more flights and more business class seats from New York and the west coast to London than any other U.S. carrier and this summer. This new flight builds upon United’s recent London expansion, with additional flights from Newark, San Francisco, and Denver, as well as new flights from Boston.
United is also adding more options for travel between Washington Dulles and Paris Charles de Gaulle with a second daily flight launching June 2, operated by a Boeing 777-200ER. United currently offers year-round flights to Paris from New York/Newark, Washington Dulles, Chicago and San Francisco.
Resumption of Unique Seasonal Service and Added Flights to Popular Destinations
Along with adding new flights, United will fly nine transatlantic routes it added last summer, including direct flights between New York/Newark and Nice; Denver and Munich; Boston and London Heathrow; Chicago/O’Hare and Zurich; and Chicago/O’Hare and Milan, as well as flights to four destinations not served by any other North American airline, including Amman, Jordan; Azores, Portugal; Palma de Mallorca, Spain and Tenerife, Spain. United has also added a second seasonal frequency from New York/Newark to Edinburgh, Scotland from May 25 to October 27 and from New York/Newark to Naples, Italy from June 23 to September 7.
Asia Pacific Expansion
This summer, United will also be the largest airline across the Pacific, serving 27 unique destinations. Excluding Mainland China and Hong Kong, United’s capacity across the Pacific will exceed 2019 levels by more than 15% this summer. United recently resumed pre-pandemic service between Denver-Tokyo/Narita and San Francisco-Hong Kong, and added new service to Tokyo/Haneda from Washington Dulles and Los Angeles.
United will also have an expanded schedule between Australia and the U.S. this summer, including non-stop routes to Australia’s three largest cities – Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Plus, the airline’s recently launched codeshare partnership with Virgin Australia also allows travelers to make easy connections to more than 20 additional cities within Australia.
*International bookings up 15% in March 2023 vs March 2022
Our 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣th 737 MAX enters the fleet.
In fact, we've got two new planes entering our fleet every week this year.
American Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 N313SB (msn 44469) MIA (Bruce Drum). Image: 105922.
American Airlines has announced it will temporarily cut some New York area flights this summer, joining other carriers.
American is reducing the frequency of flights between LaGuardia Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, Kansas City and St. Louis and the Newark-Chicago O’Hare route accordin g to Reuters.
This follows the FAA’s decision to temporarily return 10% of slots at New York LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport as a result of air traffic controller shortages. The U.S. carriers agreed to the cuts provided they did not backfill the slots.
In other news, according to Reuters, the Allied Pilots Association (APA) is near to reaching a new contract agreement with the company.
Top Copyright Photo: American Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 N313SB (msn 44469) MIA (Bruce Drum). Image: 105922.
American Airlines aircraft photo gallery (Boeing):
Qatar Airways Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 A7-BSC (msn 43329) PAE (Brian Worthington). Image: 960386.
Qatar Airways has decided to take over the pending leases from Air Lease Corportation (ALC) and AerCap for seven new Boeing 737-8 MAX 8s that were previously destined for S7 Airlines.
Qatar Airways becomes a new operator of the type.
Qatar Airways is expanding its short-haul operations.
In addition, in July 2022 Qatar and Boeing finalized an order for 25 737-10 MAX 10 airplanes.
S7 Airlines was unable to take delivery of the new airliners due to sanctions against Russian carriers due to the illegal invasion by Russia of Ukraine.
The first aircraft has been painted in Portland, OR and is now pending delivery to Qatar Airways.
Top Copyright Photo: Qatar Airways Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 A7-BSC (msn 43329) PAE (Brian Worthington). Image: 960386.
Sun Country Airlines has announced it will acquire five Boeing 737-900ERs that will expand its passenger fleet in late 2024 and 2025.
Under terms of the deal, Sun Country will acquire current leases for the five aircraft which will remain on lease to Oman Air until the leases begin to expire in late 2024 and through 2025.
Sun Country will take delivery of one aircraft in late 2024 and the other four throughout 2025.
Purchasing the aircraft under their existing leases is advantageous to Sun Country for several reasons:
This transaction demonstrates Sun Country’s ability to opportunistically acquire aircraft in a tight market at favorable economic terms while providing fleet growth certainty through 2025.
Acquiring five aircraft of the same variant guarantees sufficient scale to be efficient in Sun Country’s existing fleet of 737-800s.
The 737-900ER has more seat capacity than 737-800s and can fly a longer range.
Sun Country will deploy capital to acquire the aircraft today while receiving lease revenue though 2025.
Finally, used aircraft induction lead times have been challenged by supply chain constraints and engineering support. This transaction allows Sun Country to minimize the transition time of modifying the aircraft and induction into revenue service.
The acquisition will be financed through a credit facility with MUFG Union Bank.
MGA Airlines (Mavi Gôk Aviation) – goturkiye.com Boeing 777-3ZG ER TC-MGG (msn 35302) MUC (Arnd Wolf). Image: 960382.
MGA Airlines – Mavi Gök Airlines (Antalya, Turkey) is expanding with new aircraft.
The Turkish airline recently added its first Boeing 777-300 ER.
Photo: MGA Airlines.
Mavi Gök Airlines (MGA) was established in Antalya in March 2007.
MGA obtained its own AOC (Air Operator Certificate) in July 2022 and made its first official flight to Budapest on July 19, 2022 with a Boeing 737-800.
MGA has also updated its logo.
Top Copyright Photo: MGA Airlines (Mavi Gôk Aviation) – goturkiye.com Boeing 777-3ZG ER TC-MGG (msn 35302) MUC (Arnd Wolf). Image: 960382.
WestJet Cargo and the GTA Group announced a long-term partnership that will support the expansion and growth of domestic cargo opportunities for both businesses. Beginning in 2022, WestJet Cargo is partnering with the GTA Group to increase shipping capacity using four dedicated Boeing 737-800NG freighters operated by WestJet, to fulfill overnight express cargo service out of WestJet’s Toronto hub.
WestJet’s 737-800NG narrow body aircraft is perfectly suited to serve the overnight express freight community offering increased flexibility and frequency. Quick to fill and fly, with among the best fuel efficiency in the cargo category, these freighters will provide the partnership a competitive cost advantage. In addition to dedicated freighters, WestJet Cargo will further support the GTA Group’s service through WestJet’s existing cargo business in the bellies of its commercial fleet.
Founded in 2001 and based out of Toronto, Ontario, the GTA Group of companies offers a diverse array of aviation related services ranging from ground service equipment maintenance, rental and sales to ground and cargo handling, ecommerce and cargo sales.
WestJet Cargo on March 20, 2023 announced that it has received Transport Canada’s approval and official certification of its four 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters (BCF). Following certification, WestJet Cargo and the GTA Group will expeditiously implement three freighters into service, as dedicated aircraft that will fulfill the large-scale needs of businesses, freight forwarders, shippers and individual customers across North America. The fourth of WestJet Cargo’s dedicated freighters is expected to join the accompanying fleet later this year, following the completion of its conversion.
Top Copyright Photo: WestJet Cargo (WestJet Airlines) Boeing 737-804 (F) WL C-FTWJ (msn 32904) YYZ (TMK Photography). Image: 960375.
Emirates Airline Boeing 777-300 ER A6-EQH (msn 42353) PAE (Nick Dean). Image: 939728.
Emirates has now restored its full Japanese network with the resumption of its passenger services to Tokyo-Haneda on 2 April 2023, further building on the airline’s continued expansion in the Southeast Asia region.
Operated by one of Emirates’ latest Boeing 777 “Game Changer” aircraft, flight EK312 departed from Dubai on April 2 at 7:50hrs, and arrived in Tokyo-Haneda at 22:35hrs. The return flight EK313 departed from Haneda on April 3 at 00:05hrs and arrived in Dubai at 06:20hrs. All times are local time.
Photo: Emirates
In addition to Tokyo-Haneda, Emirates also operates daily services to Tokyo-Narita and Osaka. From these points, the airline offers passengers access to 24 additional domestic cities in Japan through its codeshare partnership with Japan Airlines. Japanese travellers can also benefit seamless access to more than 130 destinations across 6 continents via Dubai, including popular destinations such as Italy, Spain, US, France and UK.
Top Copyright Photo: Emirates Airline Boeing 777-300 ER A6-EQH (msn 42353) PAE (Nick Dean). Image: 939728.
Jet2 on July 21, 2023 will start a new route linking London (Stansted) to Burgas, Bulgaria.
The new route will operate two days a week.
The Burgas Airport principally serves Burgas and other seaside resorts of the Bulgarian south coast which attract many tourists during the summer season.
Top Copyright Photo: Jet2-Jet2.com Boeing 737-800 WL G-JZHR (msn 63148) (Friendly Low Fares) SZG (Gunter Mayer). Image: 960366.
Boeing suffered through four tough years. The company is now picking up deliveries for its 737 MAX airliners and 787 Dreamliners.
Boeing logo
Boeing is now hiring again to pick up the pace. However its is now behind Airbus in ordfers and deliveries.
CEO David L. Calhoun stated in the 2022 annual report:
CEO David L. Calhoun
“Every day we work to transform our company to service big defense and commercial needs. There is substantial and growing demand for the products and services we create, with more than $400 billion in open orders. In response to these demands and in light of post-COVID supply chain challenges, a priority is making our aircraft production capabilities more predictable and scalable. We do this work while meeting exacting safety and quality standards that are set by our regulators and customers and reflect our values, and I am incredibly proud of the progress we have made in our journey together.
Our mission—to protect, connect and explore our world and beyond—is supported by our unwavering commitment to strengthening safety through continuous improvement, learning and innovation. We will never forget the lives lost in the 737 MAX accidents. Their memory drives us every day to uphold our responsibility to all who depend on the safety of our products and services.
Despite facing existential challenges in our company’s recent history, there has not been a single year in the last decade when we did not invest substantial time and capital to enhance our capabilities and deliver innovation. We established research and technology centers in Australia, Brazil, China, Europe, the Middle East, India, South Korea and most recently in Japan. We believe the unique local perspectives our teammates bring to the table allow us to collaborate globally to find technology solutions that drive future growth.
Boeing is one of the most sophisticated engineering and technology companies in the world. We specialize in creating the world’s leading aerospace and defense products and solutions. Prioritizing and expanding large-scale capability investments will help us secure our future.
Additionally, distinctive new capabilities will deliver breakthrough benefits to our customers and reshape our industry in our favor, while uncovering new opportunities for growth. As part of our capability-building journey, we grew our workforce by about 23,000 teammates in 2022, primarily in engineering and manufacturing.
Our team works around the clock to create pioneering physical materials, sophisticated digital platforms and advanced production systems. Digital threads increasingly knit together our capabilities from design to production to support. Big data linked to intelligent analytics powers technologies embedded into our products and services while creating more efficient operations.”
Virgin Australia Airlines Boeing 737-8FE WL VH-BZG (msn 37822) BNE (Ton Jochems). Image: 945036.
Virgin Australia Airlines on March 31 resumed services between Australia and Vanuatu, further expanding the airline’s connectivity to the Pacific Islands.
Virgin Australia’s highly anticipated return to the Pacific Island nation is the latest step in rebuilding its short-haul international network and comes after services to Samoa and a brand-new Gold Coast-Bali route took off this month. New short haul international services will see Virgin Australia grow its international capacity by 50 per cent from FY23 to FY24.
Direct services from Brisbane to Port Vila operate on the airline’s Boeing 737-800 aircraft up to five times a week in peak periods, and up to three times weekly in off peaks.
Top Copyright Photo: Virgin Australia Airlines Boeing 737-8FE WL VH-BZG (msn 37822) BNE (Ton Jochems). Image: 945036.
Air India Boeing 777-237 LR VT-ALH (msn 36307) PAE (Nick Dean). Image: 905949.
Air India has introduced an all-new Premium Economy experience for travellers, offering a superior cabin product, world-class inflight services, and added on-ground convenience. The airline has opened sale for the new cabin, for travel starting May 15, 2023, becoming the first and only Indian carrier to offer the choice of four cabin classes – First, Business, Premium Economy, and Economy.
Air India’s Premium Economy class will be initially available to customers travelling on select routes operated by its fleet of Boeing 777-200LR aircraft: Bengaluru-San Francisco, Mumbai-San Francisco, and Mumbai-New York.
Air India’s Premium Economy offers an exclusive travel experience designed for customers who do not mind paying a reasonable premium over Economy Class fares to fly in style and enjoy a lot more space, comfort, and convenience.
Fast-track airport experience: Premium Economy customers will be able to check-in at dedicated counters and have priority tags affixed to their check-in baggage, and also be amongst the first to be invited to board the aircraft.
Separate, spacious cabin with wider seats: Premium Economy class on Air India’s Boeing 777-200LR aircraft features 48 leather-upholstered, memory foam seats that have 19 inches of width, 38 inches of pitch, and 5 inches of recline with adjustable leg rest and footrest, and winged headrests. The seats provide extra legroom for customers to stretch out during flight, enabling customers to rest or work in comfort.
Amenities: Premium Economy customers receive a complimentary, elegant TUMI amenity kit (specially designed for Air India) consisting of a pair of flight socks, an eye mask, MALIN+GOETZ lip moisturizer, and a pen, in addition to carpet slippers. Customers also receive noise-cancelling headphones for use during flight to complement the experience of Air India’s In-flight Entertainment (IFE) system.
Onboard dining: Customers will be welcomed on board Air India’s Premium Economy class with a welcome drink served on an elegant silver tray and a menu card reflecting a glimpse of a delectable culinary experience during the flight. On board, customers will be able to choose from a delicious selection of three meal choices for the main course, served on fine chinaware casserole, accompanied by an appetizer and dessert. The drinks menu includes a fine selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Top Copyright Photo: Air India Boeing 777-237 LR VT-ALH (msn 36307) PAE (Nick Dean). Image: 905949.
AerCap Holdings N.V. has announced it has signed lease agreements for two 737-800BCF (Boeing Converted Freighters) with newly launched cargo airline, PT Rusky Aero Indonesia, operating as Raindo United Services.
The first passenger-to-freighter conversion will be completed by Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services Co. Ltd. (BSAS), and the second by Taikoo (Shandong) Aircraft Engineering Co. Ltd. (STAECO).
PT Rusky Aero Indonesia, operating as Raindo United Services, is a scheduled air cargo transportation company that was established on June 4, 2022. The company obtained a Standard Certificate of Domestic and Foreign Cargo Scheduled Commercial Air Transport on December 13, 2022. Supported by two Boeing 737-800BCF aircraft, Raindo United Services will provide a one-stop solution for cargo services with real-time tracking from first to last mile. The features of real-time tracking can be easily accessed via the Raindo App which is available on the App Store and Google Play Store. Raindo United Services will serve domestic (Jakarta, Medan, Balikpapan, Makassar and Surabaya) and international (Singapore, Hong Kong and Guangzhou) routes from July 2023.
