Lufthansa orders Boeing 777X Freighters

Lufthansa Cargo has ordered a total of ten freighters – including three current-technology Boeing 777F freighters and seven 777-8F freighters, Boeing’s next-generation freighter. In addition, leases for two Boeing 777F freighters (current technology), which run through 2024, will be extended for seven years each through 2031. The first of the 777F aircraft, which could be …

Future Aviation Forum 2022 – Day One Key Takeaways 

RIYADH – The opening of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to tourism, the proposal of harmonized air travel health policies, and the signing of bilateral air service agreements have been the leading topics during the first day of the 2022 Future Aviation Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Opening the Kingdom to the World At the …

Bangkok 747 Café: the World’s Largest Airplane Café

DALLAS – A flight of stairs stands in front of you to climb onto the iconic Boeing 747, but this time, it’s not to take to the skies but rather for some lip-smacking Thai cuisine. Situated in Bangkok’s Lat Krabang district, Thailand, the 747 Café revolves around a 71-meter long-retired Jumbo jet that has been …

Easy Come, Easy Go: The History of Go Fly

DALLAS – When the low-cost revolution began in the UK and Europe in the late 1990s, legacy carriers such as British Airways (BA) were slow to react as they believed these new entrants would never last. But as emerging airlines such as easyJet (U2) and Ryanair (FR) began to eat into BA’s passenger numbers, CEO …

TUI UK, Ireland to Stop Serving Hot, Cold Meals

DALLAS – TUI (BY) recommends travelers bring their own meals on some flights as it suffers from staff shortages at its catering supplier. TUI said on its website that ‘staff shortages’ had resulted in a reduction in services for short and mid-haul flights, only providing ‘limited’ snacks, and that it was monitoring the situation. Long-distance …

5/9/1967: Fokker’s F28 Fellowship Takes Flight

DALLAS – Today in Aviation, The Dutch-manufactured Fokker F28-1000 Fellowship prototype (PH-JHG) took to the skies for its maiden flight in 1967. In command was Fokker Chief Test pilot, Jos Moll. Also in the flight deck were Co-Pilot Abe van Der Schraaf and Flight Engineer Cees Dik. The flight lasted 75 minutes. The jet entered …

Saudi Arabia, ICAO, Propose Post-COVID Harmonization Policy for Air Travel

RIYADH – Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has announced the Harmonising Air Travel (HAT) policy, a framework intended to create a single, trusted, and updated source of information on entry requirements for international travelers. Developed in cooperation with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the HAT policy helps travelers by clarifying the …

Emirates rolls out Premium Economy on Sydney-London

Emirates will roll out its A380s equipped with Premium Economy on the Sydney to London route from June 1, 2022. The new cabin class will also be available to Emirates customers travelling on popular A380 routes to Paris from August 1 and Christchurch from December. READ: How the Airbus A350 went from defeat to victory …

easyJet to Remove Seats to Curb Staff Shortage

DALLAS – easyJet (U2) wants to eliminate seats from several of its aircraft this summer to conduct flights with fewer cabin crews. As with many major airlines, U2 is dealing with staffing shortages as it strives to restore pre-pandemic service levels. The airline claims that by removing the back row of chairs from its A319 …

Happy Mother’s Day from Captain Gorter

DALLAS – Being a mother and a pilot is a blessing. To see my two young ladies grow up to be responsible young adults is magic.  I also love having young visitors on the flight deck and watching their eyes light up when they see all the buttons and switches. To be able to take …

Allegiant Air Reveals Seven New Routes

DALLAS – US low-cost carrier Allegiant Air (G4) announced the launch of seven new domestic routes, starting operations in August 2022. With these new routes, G4 also increases capacity at its recently-opened base in Provo, Utah (PVU). The new routes include : PVU to Las Vegas, Nevada (LAS), starting August 18, 2022 PVU to San …

5/8/2008: Euromanx Ceases Operations

DALLAS – Today in Aviation, Isle of Man-based EuroManx (3W) ceased operations in 2008.  In a statement, the airline’s owners said, “Over the last six months, a number of factors, including rising fuel prices and reduced passenger numbers, have proved to be insurmountable obstacles to the airline being able to continue to operate.” The Beech …

The Air-Car Ferries of the 1960s

DALLAS – To cross over a sea or a channel with our cars, we use ferry boats, but back in the 1950s, it was done through the air. The story of Silver City Airways makes for an interesting one, as it was the first to launch such a service between the UK and mainland Europe. …

Nigerian Airlines to Suspend Domestic Flights

Arik Air Boeing 737-800 landing at London Heathrow Airport (LHR). Photo: DALLAS – Domestic flights in Nigeria will stop on Monday in protest of the rising cost of jet fuel, which has nearly quadrupled this year. The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) says the hike in jet fuel prices makes operations unsustainable, adding that “No …

airBaltic Resumes Cargo Ops from Ukraine, Tours A220

DALLAS – airBaltic (BT) has reopened cargo operations from Kyiv, Ukraine in a mail transport system collaboration with UkrPoshta. Via a press release this week, Martin Gauss, BT’s Chief Executive Officer said, “We do our utmost to help the Ukrainian nation. As a result, a regular truck line Kyiv-Riga now feeds airBaltic flight network from Ukraine to …

One of a Kind Visit to Victorville (+PHOTOS)

SEATTLE – When the US government began a series of military base closures in the late 1980s and 1990s as the Cold War wound down, communities across the country struggled to reinvent uses for these bases and offset the loss of jobs. The process was not always pretty or smooth. While some bases found second …

JetSuiteX’s Embraer ERJ-135 Top Gun Livery

DALLAS – On the big screen, Maverick flies F-18 fighter jets; in real life, it’s an Embraer ERJ-135 aircraft that bears the Top Gun livery. The jet, registered N259JX, was built in 2001 for American Eagle, a regional subsidiary of American Airlines (AA), and flew until 2014 when it was retired in Brazil. The ERJ-135 …

5/7/2013: Skywest Rebranded as Virgin Australia Regional Airlines

DALLAS – Today in Aviation, Australian regional carrier Skywest (XR) was rebranded as Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VA) in 2013.  Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson was on hand, along with VA’s then CEO John Borghetti at Perth International Airport (PER) to officially launch the new subsidiary. The first two XR jets to wear the VA …

Airlines Scramble Due to Dubai Airport Runway Renovation

DALLAS – From May 9, the northern runway at Dubai International Airport (DXB) will be closed for 45 days due to major renovations. To allow for sweeping maintenance work and to ensure efficient and safe operations at DXB, which is one of the busiest airports in the world with only two runways and the busiest …

Russian Outbound Tourism Collapses amid Ukraine Invasion

Istanbul Airport, Turkey. Photo: By Arne Müseler – Own work, DALLAS – ForwardKeys statistics show Russian outbound tourism has declined as a result of Russia’s military operations in Ukraine. Already severely hampered by pandemic travel restrictions, February 2022 outbound international plane tickets from Russia were 42% of pre-pandemic levels in the week preceding the start …

IAG Reports Q1 Losses amid Staffing Woes

DALLAS – International Airlines Group (IAG) reported its shares fell 12.7% in Q1. The group made strong progress in other key categories. A notable feature of the report was that IAG’s passenger capacity in Q1 2022 increased to 65% of what it was in Q1 2019 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the airline group’s …

Today in Aviation: Pacific Southwest Airlines Maiden Flight

DALLAS – Today in Aviation, Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) operated its first flight with weekly service between San Diego and Oakland, US, in 1949. The carrier began the operation with a leased Douglas DC-3 and a stop in Burbank, California. Pacific Southwest Airlines was the United States’ first major low-cost carrier. It operated from 1949 …

How Airbus A350 went from defeat to victory

The dramatic arrival of the prototype Airbus A350-1000 this week to commemorate the signing of the largest order in Qantas’s 102-year storied history was in stark contrast to one of Airbus’s most humiliating order defeats at the hand of Flying Kangaroo in 2005. In December that year, Qantas ordered up to 115 Boeing 787s over …

Boring quits Chicago for Arlington, Virginia.

Boeing has announced that it is moving its global HQ from Chicago to its Arlington, Virginia campus just outside Washington, D.C. The aerospace and defence firm’s employees based at Arlington support various corporate functions and specialize in advanced aircraft development and autonomous systems. Boeing said that in addition to designating Northern Virginia as its new headquarters, Boeing plans …

Qantas to face stiff competition scrutiny of Alliance deal

Qantas will face stiff competition scrutiny of its proposed deal to buy Alliance Aviation as it will give it the lion’s share of the important resource charter market. On Thursday, May 5, 2022, Qantas announced it had reached a deal to fully acquire Australian-based operator Alliance Aviation Services, enabling it to snare a much greater …

Boeing Names Northern Virginia Office Global Headquarters

DALLAS – Boeing’s Arlington, Virginia campus near Washington, D.C. will serve as the company’s global headquarters. In addition to establishing Northern Virginia as its new headquarters, Boeing intends to establish a research and technology cluster in the region in order to leverage and recruit engineering and technical expertise. According to the company, it will maintain …

Frontier Airlines Begins Nonstop Miami-Kingston Service

DALLAS – Today, Frontier Airlines (F9) begins service between Miami International Airport (MIA) and Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) in Kingston, Jamaica. The route marks the first time F9 has offered service to the Jamaican capital. Flights will operate three times weekly year-round. KIN, formerly Palisadoes Airport, is located south of the island 19 km away …