William Vignes
quarta-feira, 19 de maio de 2021
Philippine Airlines Seeks To Cut Boeing 777 And Airbus A350 Fleet
Philippine Airlines (PAL) is considering cutting its widebody fleet as the pandemic continues to impact business. The carrier will reduce its Airbus A350 and Boeing 777 fleet over the coming months by returning them to lessors. Let’s find out more about these fleet reductions.
According to Bloomberg, Philippine Airlines is currently planning a “comprehensive restructuring plan” that could see it enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US as well. The plan will see PAL substantially scale back its long-haul fleet as demand for that segment seems unlikely to fully recover for a few years.
The fleet changes will see a minimum of two A350s and up to four 777s return to lessors in the coming months. PAL is currently in talks with multiple lessors to work out agreements for keeping on or returning their fleet.The two A350s are reportedly already in the process of being returned to lessors and being redeployed to other carriers. This means PAL will only operate four A350-900s, down from six at the start of last year.
The larger 777 fleet could be reduced even more. PAL currently operates 10 777-300ERs, which means the airline could be left with six at the end of the restructuring. This would inevitably mean axing long-haul routes once travel resumes
Simple flying
Icelandic Startup Play To Receive Its First Jet Within Weeks
PLAY’s first aircraft coming soon
The airline that nobody was sure would ever take off is moving closer to a launch of its flights. PLAY, the Icelandic startup that aims to fill the void left by WOW Air, is reportedly set to receive its first A321neo by the end of this month, and two more in the coming weeks.
Recently appointed CEO Birgir Jónsson confirmed this plan for deliveries. He said that the first aircraft will arrive in early June, with the second two joining the fleet in July. All will be A321neos.
The publication further notes that although the A321neos are designed to carry up to 220 passengers, PLAY intends to outfit them for just 200, to ensure passenger comfort. Pilots for the airline are reportedly already undergoing flight simulator training in the UK, readying for the arrival of the first jet.
PLAY intends to be a low-cost airline, and has already noted that early destinations will include London, Paris, Copenhagen, Alicante and Tenerife. Its first flight has been announced for June 24th, but the initial destination is being kept under wraps.
GoAir rebrands: Go First
Preparing for its next phase of growth, Indian carrier GoAir has announced it will rebrand into Go First. Also part of the next phase is the transitioning of the airline into a ultra low-cost carrier, which means even less amenities included in the ticket-price and more of these available for an additional fee.
GoAir was founded in 2005 and currently has a fleet of seven A320s and 48 A320neos. It has its main base at Mumbai, with additional important hubs at Bengaluru, Delhi, Kolkata and Kannur. It flies to a total of 38 destinations. The airline is owned by the Wadia Group, the country's oldest conglomeration.
Illustration by Go First.
Scramble
Fly Gangwon to add A330 and B737s
In its Q1-2021 financial statement, Fly Gongwon has announced it will expand the fleet with two A330-200s and three B737-800s. The first A330-300 and B737-800 are to join this year, the rest next year.
The A330s are the first widebodies for the airline, which currently has a fleet of one single B737-800. Fly Gangwon wants to use the A330s to expand its cargo carrying capabilities and plans to deploy them from its base at Yangyang to destinations in China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore.
Scramble
SmartLynx Malta to add five A330s
SmartLynx Airlines Malta (LYX, Malta Int'l) has announced it will add three A330-300 makeshift freighters, converted from passenger aircraft through the removal of seats, with deliveries due by the end of June 2021.
"We understand that eventually, the long-haul cargo market will return to the pre-COVID levels, so SmartLynx Airlines plan to return the Airbus A330 aircraft to operate on long-haul passenger flights once that time comes. We believe that our low-cost structure and great efficiency will allow us to create competition to market veterans," Chief Executive of parent company SmartLynx Airlines Zygimantas Surintas said.
While the airline did not disclose the identity of the five aircraft, four will be dry-leased from CDB Aviation.
The A330s will be SmartLynx's first widebody aircraft. The Maltese airline currently operates one A320-200 and one A321-200, and is due to shortly take two A321-200(P2F)s, which will become the group's first dedicated freighters. The Latvian parent carrier operates three A320-200s and seven A321-200s, while SmartLynx Airlines Estonia (MYX, Tallinn Lennart Meri) operates three A320-200s, the ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows.
ch aviation
GEORGIAN AIRWAYS - VIP flight with the president of Georgia on board, coming from Yerevan for FITUR (tourism fair in Madrid
José Ramón Valero
domingo, 16 de maio de 2021
The MC-21-300 wing panel, made of Russian composite materials, delivered to the Irkut Corporation plant
The MC-21-300 wing panel, made of Russian composite materials, was delivered to the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, a branch of Irkut Corporation (part of UAC, Rostec State Corporation).
The wing panel will be installed on the MC-21-300 aircraft intended for delivery to the first customer. Earlier, this aircraft was equipped with a center section, also made of domestic composites.
Wing panel 17,5 m long was delivered from Ulyanovsk to Irkutsk by road. Specialists of Irkut Corporation and AeroComposite have developed special equipment with a system of fasteners and sensors to prevent structural damage during transportation.
Leading Russian chemists and technologists, including experts and academics from Moscow State University and Rosatom, participate in development and production of domestic composite. The technology used to produce large-scale wing box panels based on infusion technology was developed by AeroComposite and patented in Russia. Design experience and many tests of composite units carried out within the MC-21 program allowed Irkut Corporation to start building production aircraft.
The use of strong and lightweight composite materials resulted in the development high aspect ratio wing and improving the aircraft aerodynamic performance and at the same time increasing the fuselage diameter. The wide passenger compartment provides greater comfort for the crew and passengers, reduces airport turnaround time of the aircraft due to accelerated boarding and disembarkation.
Video: MC-21-300 wing panel delivery
Swiss to shrink fleet
Swiss has announced a reorganisation based on the assumption that demand for flying will remain 20% lower compared to pre-Corona. As a result, the company announced a reduction of staff, fleet and network.For us aviation enthusiasts, most notable are of course the changes to the fleet. In total, the airline expects to reduce the fleet in the coming year with fifteen aircraft: ten (older) A320/A321s and five long-haul aircraft (A330 or A340). Swiss will also reduce its wet-leased operations (mostly impacting Helvetic Airways).
As a result of a smaller fleet, the airline will cut frequencies on many routes and several (unknown yet) long-haul destinations will be cut.
Currently, Swiss has a fleet of nine A220-100s, twenty A220-300s, eighteen A320s, three A320neos, five A321-100s, three A321-200s, two A321neos, fourteen A330-300s, five A340-300s and twelve B777-300ERs.
Photo: FPP - LPPT
Corsair Takes Delivery Of Its Second Airbus A330neo
F-HSKA took off from Toulouse at 13:27 on May 12th and landed just south of Paris at Orly one hour and five minutes later, at 14:32 local time. The new widebody specimen joins the airline’s first A330neo, delivered in March this year, and another five A330ceos already in Corsair’s fleet.
Photo: Alain Carpentier - TLS
Airline Startup Of The Week: Spain’s World2Fly
Spain’s World2Fly is all set to start flying next month after it received its Air Operators License (AOC). The carrier will operate a fleet of Airbus A350s and A330s from Madrid and Lisbon to destinations in Latin America. Let’s find out more about this carrier.
According to Routesonline, World2Fly has secured its AOC this week, clearing the way for it to begin flights. The carrier plans to offer transatlantic flights to destinations in Latin America starting this summer. World2Fly will operate its first-ever flight on 19th June from bases in Madrid–Barajas and Lisbon Airport.
The airline is owned by Iberostar, a global hotel and tourism chain that holds 120 luxury properties globally, including in Latin America. World2Fly will primarily function as a leisure charter airline, carrying travelers to Iberostars properties in three countries at first.
The airline’s first three destinations will:
Havana, Cuba
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Cancun, Mexico
As we draw closer to World2Fly’s first flight, we have more details about the carrier’s cabin configuration. The airline will feature a whopping 432 seats on its A350-900, close to the aircraft’s maximum capacity. This likely signals the A350 will be configured in a single-class economy layout, one of the few airlines opting for this.
Meanwhile, the A330-300s are slightly less dense, with only 388 seats. The A330-300 can carry up to 440 in a single class configuration, which means that Which2Fly’s aircraft might possibly feature a premium economy. However, this could also mean a more comfortable economy layout for passengers.
As we draw closer to World2Fly’s first flight, we have more details about the carrier’s cabin configuration. The airline will feature a whopping 432 seats on its A350-900, close to the aircraft’s maximum capacity. This likely signals the A350 will be configured in a single-class economy layout, one of the few airlines opting for this.
Meanwhile, the A330-300s are slightly less dense, with only 388 seats. The A330-300 can carry up to 440 in a single class configuration, which means that Which2Fly’s aircraft might possibly feature a premium economy. However, this could also mean a more comfortable economy layout for passengers.
World2Fly will have one of the densest A350-900s in the sky when it takes delivery. Photo: Airbus
World2Fly’s Director General Bruno Claeys has said the airline would take delivery of one A350 and one A330 this month. The next A350 will join the fleet in May 2022, while dates for the other A330s remain unknown for now.
According to Planespotters.net, the airline’s A350-900 is registered EC-NOI and was originally meant to go to Aeroflot. However, the latter deferred delivery, allowing World2Fly to take it up instead. However, the Spanish carrier’s A330-300s are on lease from AerCap and well over 10 years old.
Travel reopening
As travel slowly reopens, travelers are desperate to fly out and get some sun. Most popular destinations in Latin America opened their borders months ago, allowing visitors globally to enter quarantine-free. As Europe eases travel restrictions, expect many to fly long-haul to their favorite leisure spots soon.
However, questions over testing and quarantine upon return to Europe remain in doubt currently. While Germany has removed most restrictions for travel from nearly 100 countries, the UK has only cleared 12 countries for quarantine-free travel. The coming weeks will provide more clarity on the popularity of World2Fly’s plans and travel rules.
World2Fly’s Director General Bruno Claeys has said the airline would take delivery of one A350 and one A330 this month. The next A350 will join the fleet in May 2022, while dates for the other A330s remain unknown for now.
According to Planespotters.net, the airline’s A350-900 is registered EC-NOI and was originally meant to go to Aeroflot. However, the latter deferred delivery, allowing World2Fly to take it up instead. However, the Spanish carrier’s A330-300s are on lease from AerCap and well over 10 years old.
Travel reopening
As travel slowly reopens, travelers are desperate to fly out and get some sun. Most popular destinations in Latin America opened their borders months ago, allowing visitors globally to enter quarantine-free. As Europe eases travel restrictions, expect many to fly long-haul to their favorite leisure spots soon.
However, questions over testing and quarantine upon return to Europe remain in doubt currently. While Germany has removed most restrictions for travel from nearly 100 countries, the UK has only cleared 12 countries for quarantine-free travel. The coming weeks will provide more clarity on the popularity of World2Fly’s plans and travel rules.
Simple Flying
Photos: Alain Charpentier - TLS
sábado, 15 de maio de 2021
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