Category Archives: Airports

CSeries skips Dubai Airshow

01 Sunday Nov 2015

Posted by in Airbus, Airlines, Airports, Aviation, Boeing, Bombardier, Business, CS100, CS300, CSeries, Dubai, Dubai Airshow, News, Tourism, Transport, Travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

D1
CSBombardier will be showing off a few of its airplanes at next week’s Dubai Airshow, but the brand new CSeries aircraft will not be among them.

A list of aircraft that will be on display at the show released by the organizers does not include the CS100 or the CS300.

Instead, the Canadian manufacturer is sending the Q400 turboprop, Learjet 75, Challenger 350 and Global 6000 to one of the world’s premier airshows.

The CSeries aircraft made their airshow debut in Paris this summer, but Bombardier was unable to win any new orders at Le Bourget.

Cost overruns, long delays and most crucially a lack of new orders have beset the CSeries program.

300In an effort to resuscitate the CSeries, the Quebec government announced last week that it will invest US$1 billion in the program in exchange for a 49.5 per cent stake in a newly-created partnership.

“This partnership comes at a pivotal time, with the CSeries on the verge of certification,” said Alain Bellemare, president and CEO of Bombardier Inc., in announcing the deal.

“The market is there, our leadership is in place, we have the best product and with the support of the government, we are ready to make this aircraft a commercial success.”

Quebec has also asked the Canadian federal government to match its investment in the single-aisle aircraft project.

The CS100 can carry up to 125 people while the bigger version, the CS300, is meant for up to 160.

In all, Bombardier has won 243 firm orders for the CSeries aircraft, 180 of them for the CS300.

D2The Dubai Airshow runs from Nov. 8 through Nov. 12.

The organizers say more than 160 commercial, business and military aircraft will be on display at the show.

Orders worth more than US$200 billion were announced at the last show in Dubai, but analysts say no mega deals are expected this time.

Images are courtesy of Dubai Airshow and Bombardier.

Cochin becomes world’s 1st fully solar-powered airport

20 Thursday Aug 2015

Posted by in Air India, Airlines, Airports, Aviation, Bosch, Business, Calicut, Cochin, Electricity, Environment, God's Own Country, Kannur, Kerala, Kochi, Kozhikode, News, Pollution, Tourism, Transport, Travel, Trivandrum

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cial2Cial 5Cochin International Airport (COK) in southern India was opened just 16 years ago. This week it is celebrating a major environmental milestone – it has become the world’s first fully solar-powered airport.

More than 46,000 solar panels laid across 45 acres are generating 12MW of power, enough to run the airport smoothly.

“Now, Cochin airport will have 50,000 to 60,000 units of electricity per day to be consumed for all its operational functions, which technically make the airport absolutely power neutral,” its operator, Cochin International Airport Ltd., said in a release.

CIAL has been a trendsetter since its launch in the late 1990s. Cochin is the first Indian airport to be built under a public-private partnership model.

Cial1The company forecasts the project will help mitigate carbon emissions by more than 300,000 tonnes in the next 25 years. That is equivalent to planting three million trees, it said.

The busiest airport in Kerala state and the fourth largest in India, Cochin handled nearly seven million passengers in 2014-15.

The project was built by Bosch Energy and Building Solutions.

Images are courtesy of CIAL.

Emirates announces world’s longest flight

13 Thursday Aug 2015

Posted by in Aircraft, Airlines, Airports, Aviation, Boeing 777-200, Business, Dallas-Fort Worth, Dubai, Dubai Airport, Emirates, Longest Flight, News, Panama, Panama Canal, Panama City, Qantas, Sydney, UAE

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

EKEmirates is set to launch the world’s longest non-stop flight, from Dubai to Panama City, in February.

The flight from the Gulf emirate to the capital of Panama will last 17 hours and 35 minutes, the airline said Thursday.

Currently Australian carrier Qantas holds the record for the longest flight, one that links Sydney with Dallas in just under 17 hours.

The daily flight will be operated by a Boeing 777-200LR in a 3-class layout — eight in First, 42 in Business, and 216 in Economy, the company said.

“Panama City will be our first destination gateway in Central America, providing a convenient option for our passengers travelling from or through our global hub in Dubai and onward to destinations throughout Central America, the Caribbean and the northern part of South America,” said Emirates chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al Maktoum.

“We’re also pleased to be the only commercial airline to offer a daily, first-class service to travellers on what will be the world’s longest non-stop flight.”

panamaFlight EK251 will depart Dubai at 08:05 and arrive in Panama City at 16:40 daily. The return flight, EK252, will leave Panama City at 22:10, arriving in Dubai at 22:55 the next day.

“It is gratifying to see how diplomatic efforts focused on generating development and prosperity for Panama materialize,” said Isabel Saint Malo de Alvarado, vice-president of Panama.

“New doors to the country will open with a direct connection to the Middle East — a strong and thriving region with great synergies to both Panama and Latin America.”

Emirates has 235 aircraft in its all wide-body fleet. The airline flies to 147 destinations in 81 countries.

Images are courtesy of Emirates and Tocumen International Airport.

Austrian quits ‘unsustainable’ Dubai

20 Monday Jul 2015

Posted by in Aircraft, Airlines, Airports, Austrian Airlines, Aviation, Business, Colombo, Dubai, Dubai Airports, Emirates, IATA, Lufthansa, Mauritius, Miami, News, Tourism, Transport, Travel, UAE, Vienna

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


AustrianDubai is a hot destination for many airlines, but not so for Austrian Airlines. Not anymore.

The Lufthansa subsidiary announced Monday it will stop offering direct flights from Vienna to Dubai as of September in the wake of intense competition and price wars.

“Unfortunately, the Vienna-Dubai route has become unsustainable for us,” said CCO Andreas Otto.

Austrian, which began flying to Dubai in 1996, said up to 800 seats per day were on offer on the Vienna-Dubai route.

The last Austrian flight to Dubai will be on Sept. 13, returning home next day.

“The capacities which will become available will be deployed for attractive, new destinations, such as Miami, Mauritius and Colombo starting in October,” Otto said.

The image is courtesy of Austrian Airlines.

First Dreamliner goes on show in Nagoya

07 Tuesday Jul 2015

Posted by in Airports, ANA, Aviation, Boeing, Business, Centrair International Airport, Dreamliner, Japan Airlines, Museum, Nagoya, News, Technology, Tourism, Transport, Travel, ZA001

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

ZA001Several key parts of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner are made in Nagoya, the heart of Japan’s aerospace industry.

They are then flown from the city’s airport in a converted 747-400 freighter known as Dreamlifter to Boeing assembly plants in the United States.

AirportToday, Boeing rewarded the city for its contribution by donating the first 787-8 flight test aircraft to the Chubu Centrair International Airport.

Code-named ZA001, the airplane first flew on Dec. 15, 2009. It touched down in Nagoya on its last flight on June 22, 2015.

Many of its parts, including the main wing, forward fuselage and centre wing box, were manufactured in Nagoya.

“It is fitting that we bring Boeing’s first-ever 787 Dreamliner back home to Nagoya,” said George Maffeo, president of Boeing Japan.

“Many of our partners here spent countless hours to develop and produce the 787 Dreamliner’s airframe structure and Centrair was with us from the very start of the journey.”

He said the ZA001 had grown to symbolize the partnership between Boeing and Japan’s aerospace industry.

Airport4
“We are honoured to be selected by Boeing to house the permanent display of the world’s first-ever 787 Dreamliner,” said Masanao Tomozoe, president and CEO, Central Japan International Airport Co., Ltd.

“This milestone will allow us to significantly contribute to the aerospace community as well as the Greater Nagoya region by spurring the imagination and interest of future aviation pioneers here in Japan.”

Airport5Located on a man-made island off the coast of Nagoya, Centrair is an international hub serving some 30 cities.

Boeing has now donated three of the six Dreamliner flight-test and certification program aircraft.

The ZA002 was presented to the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Ariz. and the ZA003 to the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

Images are courtesy of Boeing.

The stars of the Paris Air Show 2015

08 Monday Jun 2015

Posted by in A350XWB, A380, Airbus, Airlines, Airports, Airshow, Aviation, Boeing, Bombardier, Business, Canada, CS100, CS300, CSeries, Dreamliner, Embraer, Le Bourget, News, Paris, Tourism, Travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Some of the aircraft that will be on static/flying display at the Paris Air Show next week.

The Bombardier CS300

The Bombardier CS300

The Bombardier CS100

The Bombardier CS100

The Airbus A350XWB

The Airbus A350 XWB

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

The Bell 429 WLG

The Bell 429 WLG

The Embraer ERJ135

The Embraer ERJ135

 Images are courtesy of Bombardier, Qatar Airways, Boeing, Bell and Embraer.

New Emirates A380: Sorry, no First Class

12 Sunday Apr 2015

Posted by in A380, Airbus, Aircraft, Airlines, Airports, Aviation, Business, Copenhagen, Dubai, Emirates, News, Tourism, Transport, Travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

All of the 13 airlines currently flying the Airbus A380 use aircraft with a three-class configuration, featuring First-, Business- and Economy-class cabins.

Hub2
The world’s largest operator of the superjumbo is planning to change that with the introduction of a two-class A380 later this year.

Emirates is launching a daily service from Dubai to Copenhagen in December, using what it says is the world’s first two-class configured A380, which can carry up to 615 passengers.

But the down side is the new A380 will not have a First-Class cabin. Instead, it will have 58 seats in the Business Class and 557 in the Economy Class.

Emirates began flying to the Danish capital about four years ago, using an Airbus A330. A few months later, the airline switched to the bigger Boeing 777.

Tim Clark and Thomas Woldbye announce the A380 service.

Tim Clark and Thomas Woldbye announce the A380 service.

“Today, based on strong load factors, we are happy to further up-gauge the route to our iconic double-decker, the A380,” said president Tim Clark.

As of December, the airline will offer more than 8,600 seats a week between Copenhagen and Dubai.

Emirates also noted that the aircraft would be more environmentally efficient than others, producing the lowest CO2 emissions per passenger kilometre of all commercial airplanes.

“Emirates is making history with this aircraft, its fuel efficiency is better than most modern small passenger cars in terms of fuel economy per passenger kilometre, allowing us to reduce emissions without compromising on comfort,” said Clark.

CPH2Meanwhile, the airport says it is investing heavily to make its infrastructure A380-compatible.

Copenhagen will be the first in Scandinavia to offer a scheduled A380 service.

“The increased capacity will hopefully stimulate more trade and tourism between Denmark and countries of the Middle East, Asia and Africa,” said Thomas Woldbye, CEO of Copenhagen Airports.

Emirates has 59 A380s in its fleet, operating from Dubai to more than 30 destinations worldwide. The airline has ordered a total of 140 superjumbos.

Images are courtesy of Emirates and Copenhagen Airport.

Bombardier CS300 makes maiden flight

27 Friday Feb 2015

Posted by in Aircraft, Airlines, Airports, Bombardier, Business, Canada, CS100, CS300, CSeries, Mirabel, Montreal, News, Quebec, Tourism, Transport, Travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

CS2“It’s a pilot’s aircraft.”

Those are the words of Capt. Andris Litavniks, who was in command on Friday’s maiden flight of Bombardier’s CS300, designed for the 100- to 149-seat, single-aisle market.

The airliner departed Montreal-Mirabel International Airport at 11 a.m. and returned four hours later, marking a major milestone in the CSeries program after years of delays and cost overruns.

“It was an absolute privilege to fly the first flight of the CS300 airliner and I’m absolutely ecstatic with how well it handled,” Litavniks said after landing the aircraft.

“It’s a pilot’s aircraft and handled exactly as predicted by simulation.”

The CS300 is expected to enter service in late 2016.

Test flights for the smaller CS100, which can carry up to 125 people, began in 2013. Certification for that aircraft is expected in the second half of this year with commercial flights starting shortly after that.

Bombardier believes the CS300 offers the best seat-mile cost in its category and is ideal for a range of routes from short-haul to longer transcontinental markets.

“Our CSeries aircraft program is progressing well, with results from testing as expected or better,” said Rob Dewar, vice-president of the program.

“The CS300 airliner will now join the five CS100 aircraft flight test vehicles that have amassed more than 1,000 flight test hours to date.”

Bombardier has won 243 firm orders for the CSeries aircraft, 180 of them for the CS300.

“It was a thrill to see the first CS300 aircraft take to the skies for the first time,” said Mike Arcamone, president of Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.

“We continue to see increased interest from all over the world and as our performance targets are validated, we expect the enthusiasm for the CSeries family of aircraft to grow even more.”

Images are courtesy of Bombardier.

Dubai International soars to new heights

27 Tuesday Jan 2015

Posted by in Airbus, Aircraft, Airlines, Airports, Boeing, Business, Dubai, Emirates, IATA, London Heathrow, Luxury Travel, News, Tourism, Transport, Travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Airport1Dubai’s main airport has become the busiest international passenger hub. Until now that honour belonged to London’s Heathrow Airport.

Official figures released Tuesday show passenger traffic at Dubai International soared to more than 70.4 million last year, up 6.1 per cent from 66.4 million the previous year.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al Maktoum

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al Maktoum

DXB2“This historic milestone is the culmination of over five decades of double-digit average growth,” said Dubai Airports chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al Maktoum.

“The shared goal is to make Dubai a global centre of aviation and we are nearing that goal thanks to an open skies policy, a friendly business environment, Dubai’s growing attractiveness as a centre for trade, commerce and tourism, growing network connectivity due to the rapid expansion of Emirates and flydubai and timely investment in aviation infrastructure.”

CEO Paul Griffiths said the rapid growth was expected to continue this year.

“Today we are also releasing our projections for 2015 traffic at Dubai International which forecast 79 million passengers,” he said.

“We will have more flights connecting more people to more destinations.”

Dubai also has a second airport, Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central.

Construction of the second phase of that airport is now underway.

Once completed, officials say, the airport will be able to handle 160 million passengers a year. It will also have the capacity to handle 12 million tonnes of cargo.

Images are courtesy of Dubai Airports.

Airbus raises aircraft prices

16 Friday Jan 2015

Posted by in A350XWB, A380, Aircraft, Airlines, Airports, News, Transport, Travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


FamiliesA year ago, the Airbus A380 cost a mere US$414 million.

As of January 1, the price of the superjumbo has gone up by $14 million to $428 million, the European aircraft manufacturer announced this week.

The single-aisle A318, the smallest member of the A320 family, will cost just over $74 million while the brand new A350-800 jet will sell for $269.5 million.

AirbusOn average, the company has increased its list price by 3.27 per cent.

That is the price nobody pays though, as airlines typically negotiate a better deal.

“The 3.27 per cent price increase has been calculated according to Airbus’ standard escalation formula over the January 2014 to January 2015 period, and enables Airbus to continue to enhance its profitability,” the company said.

 

Last year, the price went up by 2.6 per cent.

 

Airbus offers aircraft ranging in capacity from 100 to over 500 seats and has

sold more than 15,000 airplanes to some 380 customers worldwide.

 

Images are courtesy of Airbus.

Air Europa orders 14 Boeing 787-9s

15 Thursday Jan 2015

Posted by in Air Europa, Aircraft, Airlines, Airports, All Nippon Airways, Aviation, Boeing, Business, Dreamliner, Globalia, Madrid, News, Spain

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

ae

As it continues its transition to an all-Boeing long-haul fleet, Spanish airline Air Europa has ordered 14 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, valued at $3.6 billion.

Boeing said Thursday the order was booked in December and was previously attributed to an unidentified customer.

In all, the airline has ordered 22 787-8s and 787-9s.

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (from my collection).

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (from my collection).

“Since its beginning, Air Europa has always operated the most contemporary airplanes available to the market. With the steps we are taking, we will become an airline with the most modern fleet in the world,” said Juan Jose Hidalgo, president of Globalia, the parent company of Air Europa.

“We have always looked for the best quality and comfort for our passengers and the Boeing 787 meets our needs because it is faster, quieter and more comfortable as well as being more efficient and more respectful to the environment.”

The first Dreamliners will start arriving in 2016.

The airplanes will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines.

The deal with Rolls-Royce also includes a long term service support, the British engine maker said.

“We have plans to further expand our long-haul service and the Trent 1000 will deliver excellent economics through its performance and support service,” Hidalgo said.

The airline already has eight Trent 1000-powered 787-8s on order that will enter service in 2016.

TrentRolls-Royce said its engines powered the 787 test flight in 2009, the first 787-8 to enter service in late 2011 and the first 787-9 to enter service last year.

The first 787 was delivered to the launch customer All Nippon Airways in September 2011.

Boeing has won orders for 1,071 Dreamliners and delivered 228 so far. In addition to ANA, major customers include AerCap, Etihad Airways, Air New Zealand, Air Canada and Air India.

Air Europa is one of Spain’s largest airlines, serving more than 40 destinations.

Images are courtesy of Air Europa and Rolls-Royce.

Finnair, South African set high environmental standard

13 Tuesday Jan 2015

Posted by in Aircraft, Airlines, Airports, Aviation, Business, Environment, Finnair, IATA, IEnvA, News, South African Airways

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

IATAThe organization that represents global airlines says Finnair and South African Airways have become the first carriers to complete the highest level of its environmental assessment program.

The International Air Transport Association said Tuesday they completed State 2 of the IATA Environmental Assessment, or IEnvA, program, aimed at improving an airline’s environmental management.

Finnair“This ensures that an airline has implemented all of the IEnvA program standards, identified and mitigated its significant environmental impacts, and has set performance targets,” IATA said.

“Stage 2 also certifies that an airline has developed processes for monitoring and reviewing its performance against its environmental targets and objectives.”

Meanwhile, Icelandair, Qatar Airways and SriLankan Airlines completed IEnvA Stage 1, joining Air Transat, Kenya Airways, LATAM, LATAM Cargo and Malaysia Airlines.

Five years ago, the industry agreed to cut net carbon emissions by 50 per cent from 2005 levels by 2050.

“This certification is proof of our commitment to environmental leadership within the aviation industry,” says Pekka Vauramo, Finnair’s CEO.

“Environmental sustainability is at the core of Finnair’s operations and we are SAcontinuously working to improve our environmental performance.”

There was no immediate comment from South African Airways.

Images are courtesy of IATA, Finnair and South African Airways.

Emirates becomes the wide-body king

28 Sunday Dec 2014

Posted by in A380, Airbus, Aircraft, Airlines, Airports, Aviation, Boeing, Business, Emirates, News, Tourism, Transport, Travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

The airline's 100th 777-300ER takes off from Everett, Wash. Boeing photo.

Emirates is celebrating a major milestone.

The UAE national carrier now has the world’s largest wide-body aircraft with a fleet of 218 passenger jets and 14 freighters.

In 2014, the airline says, it added 13 Airbus A380s, 12 Boeing 777-300ERs and two Boeing 777 freighters to its fleet.

The aircraft included the 100th Boeing 777-300ER and the 50th Airbus A380.

The Dubai-based airline flies to nearly 150 destinations around the world, including Toronto, operating more than 3,500 flights per week.

Photo shows the airline’s 100th 777-300ER taking off from Everett, Wash., in October 2014. Courtesy: Boeing

Seattle museum gets a Dreamliner

08 Saturday Nov 2014

Posted by in Air Canada, Air India, Air New Zealand, Aircraft, Airlines, Airports, All Nippon Airways, Aviation, Boeing, Business, Dreamliner, Japan Airlines, Museums, News, Tourism, Transport, Travel

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

D2Seattle’s Museum of Flight is celebrating a rare acquisition — one of the original Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner test airplanes.

It was donated this week to the museum by the American manufacturer, also based in Seattle.

Known as ZA003, the airplane was the third 787-8 produced by Boeing.

In donating the aircraft, the company cited its unique past.

Boeing said the ZA003 had circumnavigated the globe multiple times in 2011 and 2012, first as part of test and certification program and later during the Dream Tour, which introduced the 787 to the world.

“This revolutionary airplane caps the museum’s collection of historic commercial airplanes, beginning with our 1932 Boeing 247, which was the first all-metal, modern airliner,” said Doug King, president and CEO of the museum.

“It was followed by our 1969 prototype 747, the first jumbo jet, and now with the first composite airliner, the 787. It’s an incredible addition to our comprehensive display.”

One of the largest air and space museums in the world, the Museum of Flight attracts more than a half million visitors annually.

As of last month, Boeing had won orders for 1,050 Dreamliners from nearly 60 customers. More than 200 airplanes have been delivered so far.

Major Dreamliner operators include All Nippon Airways, Air India, Air New Zealand, Japan Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines and Air Canada.

Photo shows visitors waiting to see the Dreamliner at the museum Saturday. Courtesy: Boeing 

Etihad’s ‘Facets of Abu Dhabi’ livery beautiful

28 Sunday Sep 2014

Posted by in A380, Abu Dhabi, Airbus, Aircraft, Airlines, Airports, Aviation, Boeing, Business, Dreamliner, Eithad Airways, News, Transport, Travel

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

AirbusLess than a week after unveiling its first Airbus A380 in the beautiful “Facets of Abu Dhabi” livery, Etihad Airways has revealed its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in the same colours.

The airline says the new livery is inspired by the culture, landscapes and the modern architecture of the UAE’s capital.

While the A380 rolled out of the Airbus paint hangar in Germany last week, the Dreamliner rolled out of its paint hangar in the United States on Sunday.

787-9Etihad has ordered a total of 10 Superjumbos and the first A380 will operate on the Abu Dhabi-London route from December. Sydney and New York are other planned A380 routes.

Etihad, which has ordered 71 Dreamliners including 41 787-9s, will get its first aircraft later this year.

They will be introduced on six of the airline’s routes: Dusseldorf, Doha, Washington, Mumbai, Brisbane, Australia and Moscow.

The airline hopes to paint its entire fleet of more than 100 aircraft in the new livery over the next three years.

Images are courtesy of Airbus and Boeing