Photo: HanShiJin
sábado, 26 de abril de 2025
SPECIAL SCHEME - CONDOR / A320-212 / D-AICA - First Condor A320 with blue strip
sexta-feira, 25 de abril de 2025
HYBRID c/s - Garuda Indonesia Leased A330-300 from World2fly ( CS-WFP )
Madrid Barajas - LEMD, Spain
Photo:: Alejandro Gutierrez Martin
SPECIAL SCHEME - Alaska Airlines newest livery, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Flyer, celebrates the spirit of adventure and dreaming big
Alaska’s latest Disneyland Resort-themed aircraft brings Princess Tiana’s story to life in the skies
By Maria Cid
Alaska Airlines unveiled its newest Disneyland Resort-themed aircraft, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Flyer, featuring a vibrant livery inspired by “The Princess and the Frog” and the upcoming Tiana’s Bayou Adventure attraction at Disneyland Park.
This marks Alaska’s ninth Disneyland-themed aircraft and its first to feature a Disney Princess, launching just in time for the Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration, which begins May 16, 2025.
Alaska Airlines is inviting guests to embrace adventure and dream big with its newest themed and most enchanting aircraft, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Flyer.
In collaboration with the Disneyland Resort, Alaska Airlines unveiled the vibrant new livery at Portland International Airport before it soared into its first sky-high adventure to Santa Ana, California. Inspired by “The Princess and the Frog” from Walt Disney Animation Studios, the design captures Princess Tiana’s adventurous spirit. It also celebrates the latest chapter in the princess and entrepreneur’s story of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the exhilarating water-based attraction and music filled journey at Disneyland Park in Anaheim.
The Boeing 737-800 features a stunning exterior showcasing Princess Tiana, paying homage to her inspiring story and immersive Tiana’s Bayou Adventure experience at Disneyland. The intricate design took artists more than 2,000 hours to paint, with joyful touches showing Louis the Alligator splashing among the water lilies on the bayou, a brilliant trail of friendly fireflies flowing from the plane’s nose to tail, and Mama Odie and Prince Naveen pictured on the winglets. For fun onboard, kids may enjoy Tiana’s Bayou Adventure snack pack for purchase beginning this summer, while supplies last.
This design marks Alaska Airlines’ ninth Disneyland Resort-themed aircraft—and its first to feature a Disney Princess. Guests will be able to fly aboard Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Flyer (tail number N596AS), throughout Alaska’s route network for the next several years, making every journey an enchanting experience and where every adventure will take flight.
By Maria Cid
This marks Alaska’s ninth Disneyland-themed aircraft and its first to feature a Disney Princess, launching just in time for the Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration, which begins May 16, 2025.
In collaboration with the Disneyland Resort, Alaska Airlines unveiled the vibrant new livery at Portland International Airport before it soared into its first sky-high adventure to Santa Ana, California. Inspired by “The Princess and the Frog” from Walt Disney Animation Studios, the design captures Princess Tiana’s adventurous spirit. It also celebrates the latest chapter in the princess and entrepreneur’s story of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the exhilarating water-based attraction and music filled journey at Disneyland Park in Anaheim.
The Boeing 737-800 features a stunning exterior showcasing Princess Tiana, paying homage to her inspiring story and immersive Tiana’s Bayou Adventure experience at Disneyland. The intricate design took artists more than 2,000 hours to paint, with joyful touches showing Louis the Alligator splashing among the water lilies on the bayou, a brilliant trail of friendly fireflies flowing from the plane’s nose to tail, and Mama Odie and Prince Naveen pictured on the winglets. For fun onboard, kids may enjoy Tiana’s Bayou Adventure snack pack for purchase beginning this summer, while supplies last.
This design marks Alaska Airlines’ ninth Disneyland Resort-themed aircraft—and its first to feature a Disney Princess. Guests will be able to fly aboard Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Flyer (tail number N596AS), throughout Alaska’s route network for the next several years, making every journey an enchanting experience and where every adventure will take flight.
For more than 25 years, Alaska Airlines and Disneyland Resort have collaborated to bring magic and happiness to the skies,” said Sybil Crum, vice president of marketing and commercial strategy at Disneyland Resort. “As Disneyland Resort prepares to celebrate its 70th anniversary, this latest addition honors our legacy and looks ahead to a bright future with Princess Tiana leading the way.”
The newest livery joins a lineup of Alaska’s beloved Disneyland Resort -themed liveries, including “Mickey’s Toontown Express,” which pictures playful images of Mickey and Minnie Mouse along with their friends, Goofy, Pluto and Donald & Daisy Duck at Mickey’s Toontown in Disneyland Park; the space-black “Star Wars Transport to the Disneyland Resort” livery that celebrates Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland Park; and “Friendship and Beyond at Disneyland Resort,” which portrays larger-than-life versions of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and Jessie in Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure Park.
Photos by Joe Nicholson & Molly Smith, Alaska Airlines
Fleet groundings cause losses to balloon at Air Tanzania
These are some of the findings in the Annual Audit Report for Public Entities for the fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) in question, tabled in the country's National Assembly on April 16 by the Controller and Auditor General (CAG).
According to the report, Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) has consistently sustained financial losses over the last six years. In 2023-24, despite receiving TZS70 billion (USD26 million) for staff expenses and TZS57 billion (USD21.2 million) in capital grants, the airline’s annual net loss rose from TZS56.6 billion (USD21 million) in 2022-23 to TZS91.8 billion (USD34.2 million) in 2023-24.
"The worsening financial position was primarily driven by high lease and maintenance costs for newly acquired aircraft, further straining resources," it notes.
Delayed A220-300 ops
In particular, the audit found that Air Tanzania's four A220-300s had been grounded for periods ranging from 279 to 721 days by June 30, 2024, due to poor performance and inadequate support services, including limited spare parts. Despite being grounded, the flag carrier incurred TZS9.16 billion (USD3.4 million) in fixed costs for these aircraft during the financial year.
"The grounding of Airbus A220-300 aircraft due to corrosion and manufacturer-related engine faults led to significant flight disruptions, revenue losses, and unrecovered fixed costs on insurance, maintenance, and staff expenses," he disclosed.
ATCL received TZS5.49 billion (USD2 million) in lease incentives from the TGF - Tanzania Government Flight agency, but this covered only 60% of the fixed costs of the grounded Airbus Canada aircraft. Inadequate feasibility studies and poor understanding of purchase contract terms led to missed warranty claims on engine damage, causing avoidable financial losses.
The CAG recommended that ATCL reassess its A220 technical issues with the government; study optimal aircraft types for efficient, region-suited operations; and, with the TGF, review contracts to recover missed warranty benefits. The TGF owns the aircraft and leases them to ATCL.
Long-grounded Q300
The audit also revealed that ATCL incurred TZS369.13 billion (USD137.4 million) in unpaid lease and maintenance fees over six years, and spent TZS20.63 billion (USD7.7 million) on "uneconomical repairs" for its grounded sole Dash-8-Q300, 5H-MWF (msn 474). This led to a financial loss of TZS91.8 billion (USD34.2 million) and reduced operational capacity.
The Q300 has been grounded for seven years, with nearly four years spent on unsuccessful maintenance, it added. Key issues include the aircraft’s outdated model and spare parts scarcity, along with managerial failure to assess the economic viability of repairs.
Cumbersome relationship
A major deficiency flagged in the audit is the relationship between Air Tanzania and the TGF, which requires the airline to pay fixed monthly aircraft rental to the government agency. However, unpaid lease fees and maintenance reserve charges for six consecutive financial years amount to TZS369.13 billion (USD137.4 million), accounting for 63% of the total reported outstanding liabilities of the airline, TZS595 billion (USD221.7 million), as of June 30, 2024.
The unpaid lease fees and maintenance charges were mainly due to the high operational and maintenance costs faced by ATCL, leading to significant financial difficulties for the company.
Analysis revealed that TZS260.19 billion (USD97 million), or 73% of the TZS354.21 billion (USD132 million) debt to the government, was due to concessionary leases payable to the TGF. The delay in settling these balances was attributed to low revenue at the airline and challenges in managing the concession lease agreement with the TGF.
Current fleet status
According to ch-aviation fleets and ADS-B data, only five of Air Tanzania's fleet of 16 aircraft remain grounded as of April 2025. All but one of the A220-300s are operating on domestic and regional routes, as are its two B737-9s, and four out of five DHC-8-Q400s. Two of the airline's three B787-8 widebodies are flying long-haul routes to Guangzhou and Mumbai International. Its only freighter, a B767-300F, is grounded due to delays in pending flight permits and slot approvals, according to the audit report.
CH Aviation
ROUTES - HISKY BUCHAREST – NEW YORK SERVICE CHANGES FROM SEP 2025
YR-KID / A330-200 / Hi Sky / OTP
Photo: Ton Jochems
Photo: Ton Jochems
ORDER - Saudia Group discloses order for 10 Airbus A330neo aircraft for flyadeal
Toulouse, France, 23 April 2025 – Saudia Group has disclosed an order with Airbus for 10 A330-900 aircraft for its subsidiary flyadeal. It marks the first widebody order for the subsidiary and paves the way for new long-haul services and enhanced passenger experience, whilst advancing the airline’s goal of operating the youngest fleet among the Middle East’s low-cost airlines.
The agreement was announced at a signing ceremony held at Airbus’ facilities in Toulouse in the presence of His Excellency Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group, Christian Scherer, CEO Commercial Aircraft at Airbus, Saleh Eid, Vice President of Fleet Management and Agreements at Saudia Group and Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales Commercial Aircraft at Airbus.
H.E. Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar stated: "This deal marks a pivotal milestone in our ambitious strategy to modernise and expand our fleet. It builds on last year’s historic deal with Airbus for 105 aircraft. This step aligns with our national strategies under Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to connect 250 destinations and facilitate the travel of over 330 million travelers and 150 million tourists by 2030”.
Benoît de Saint-Exupéry said: “Saudia Group’s A330neo order for flyadeal marks a key step in advancing the Kingdom’s aviation ambition to unlock long-haul markets and attract new customers. The A330neo’s proven versatility, new generation efficiency, and excellent passenger experience will perfectly support Saudia Group’s strategic growth and solidify their position as a global aviation leader. We look forward to seeing the versatile champion fly in flyadeal colours."
Saudia Group ordered 105 Airbus aircraft, including 54 A321neo aircraft for flyadeal in May 2024. Currently, flyadeal operates a fleet of 37 A320 Family aircraft and Saudia a fleet of 93 A320 Family and A330 aircraft.
Powered by the latest generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, the A330-900 is capable of flying 7,200 nm / 13,300 km non-stop. The A330neo features the award-winning Airspace cabin, which offers passengers a unique experience, high level of comfort, ambience, and design. This includes more individual space, enlarged overhead bins, a new lighting system and access to the latest in-flight entertainment and connectivity systems.
At the end of March 2025, the A330 Family had won over 1,800 firm orders from more than 130 customers worldwide. As with all Airbus aircraft, the A330 family is already able to operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and is targeting up to 100% SAF capability by 2030.
quarta-feira, 23 de abril de 2025
ROUTES - KOREAN AIR EXTENDS NS25 747-8I LONDON OPERATIONS
25JUL25 – 15AUG25 Day x247 (except selected dates)
18AUG25 – 29SEP25 Day 135
13OCT25 – 24OCT25 Day 135
KE907 ICN1055 – 1720LHR EQV D
KE908 LHR1935 – 1615+1ICN EQV D
The Skyteam member previously only scheduled 747-8I service On Day x247 from 25JUL25 to 30AUG25. Separately, in last Friday’s update (18APR25) regarding the carrier’s revised A380 operation, planned A380 service to Hong Kong between 23AUG25 and 31AUG25 has been removed since the publication.
Photo: Duncan Stewart
FLEET - Garuda Indonesia, Citilink eye 100 active aircraft by YE25
Garuda Indonesia (GA, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta) and subsidiary Citilink aim to have 100 aircraft in service by the end of the year, according to new Garuda CEO Wamildan Tsani. Currently, per the ch-aviation fleets module, the two carriers have 90 aircraft in-service.
Tsani told the newspaper Bisnis Indonesia that he was exploring all options to build the fleet, including wet and dry leases, citing the acquisition of three B737-800s via dry leases in recent months as evidence of this. However, the primary pathway to rebuilding the in-service fleet at both airlines is reactivating out-of-service aircraft. Tsani said two more B737-800s would re-enter service this quarter after spending a period of time on the ground for maintenance reasons.
Garuda Indonesia currently has 21 aircraft out of service, including four A330-200s, nine A330-300s, two A330-900Ns, four B737-800s, and two B777-300ERs, although some of these aircraft, such as the four Airbus widebodies at the centre of a protracted dispute with their lessors, will unlikely ever resume flying for Garuda.
Citilink has 23 aircraft on the ground, including thirteen A320-200s, five A320-200Ns, one A330-300, six ATR72-600s, and a single B737-500. Some of these aircraft, such as the B737-500, will also not resume flying for the carrier.
The weakening local currency further favours the reactivation of grounded aircraft rather than acquiring additional aircraft. The Indonesian rupiah has recently fallen to near three-decade lows because of political instability within the country and tariff changes out of the United States. Tsani said it costs around USD300,000 per month to lease individual aircraft, a significant impost when the local currency is so weak.
CH Aviation
terça-feira, 22 de abril de 2025
FLEET - C909 starts commercial operation in Vietnam ( Vietjet )
Two C909 aircraft wet-leased by Chengdu Airlines to Vietjet Air officially opened the route of "Hanoi = Con Dao = Ho Chi Minh City" on April 19th, 2025, marking the beginning of commercial operation of China's commercial aircraft in Vietnam.
Wet leasing is an internationally accepted aircraft leasing method. The lessor not only provides the aircraft but also offers support in the aspects such as crew, safety management, maintenance support, and operation control. With respect to the wet lease of the C909 aircraft to Vietjet Air, Chengdu Airlines, the lessor, has established a special team to actively promote all preparatory work and leverage its rich experience in operating C909 aircraft to efficiently ensure the smooth operation of the aircraft in Vietnam.
Vietjet Air is the first private airline in Vietnam, mainly operating domestic routes in Vietnam and international routes in the Asia-Pacific region. Its annual volume of passenger transport ranks among the top in Vietnam. Vietjet Air's wet lease of the two C909 aircraft this time will further enhance its fleet capacity, enrich its regional route network, and contribute to the development of Vietnam's air transport market.
So far, three overseas airlines, namely TransNusa, Lao Airlines and Vietjet Air, have cumulatively used C909 aircraft to open 15 routes in Southeast Asia, carrying more than 250,000 passengers.
Wet leasing is an internationally accepted aircraft leasing method. The lessor not only provides the aircraft but also offers support in the aspects such as crew, safety management, maintenance support, and operation control. With respect to the wet lease of the C909 aircraft to Vietjet Air, Chengdu Airlines, the lessor, has established a special team to actively promote all preparatory work and leverage its rich experience in operating C909 aircraft to efficiently ensure the smooth operation of the aircraft in Vietnam.
Vietjet Air is the first private airline in Vietnam, mainly operating domestic routes in Vietnam and international routes in the Asia-Pacific region. Its annual volume of passenger transport ranks among the top in Vietnam. Vietjet Air's wet lease of the two C909 aircraft this time will further enhance its fleet capacity, enrich its regional route network, and contribute to the development of Vietnam's air transport market.
So far, three overseas airlines, namely TransNusa, Lao Airlines and Vietjet Air, have cumulatively used C909 aircraft to open 15 routes in Southeast Asia, carrying more than 250,000 passengers.
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