ISSN 1718-7966 NOVEMBER 24, 2014 / VOL. 466 WEEKLY AVIATION HEADLINES Read by thousands of aviation professionals and technical decision-makers every week www.avitrader.com WORLD NEWS Spirit to add 10 routes in spring 2015 Spirit Airlines announced it will be expanding its non-stop service to ten new destinations beginning in the spring of 2015. The new locations include domestic cities including Tampa, Baltimore/Washington, DC and Oakland/San Francisco Bay, and seven destinations in Latin America including Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salva- dor, Honduras, and Nicaragua (Inter- national routes are subject to foreign governmental approval). Jettainer welcomes first African A new Economy airline client ECAir dining Jettainer, provider of outsourced experience. ULD management, is taking over Photo: the supervision and maintenance of Qantas containers and pallets for Equatorial Congo Airlines (ECAir). The Congolese Food for thought airline has decided to outsource the Qantas leads revamped economy class dining management and maintenance of ULDs to Jettainer as soon as they start Australian flag carrier Qantas un- tralia’s leading producers and sup- service to economy passengers ena- their operation of flights using wide- veiled details of a new inflight dining pliers to deliver what we believe to bling them to pre-order their meal body aircraft. The airline is thereby fol- offering, which is set to re-define the be the best inflight economy dining online with access to an exclusive lowing a trend, confirms Don Jacobs, travel experience for international experience offered by any interna- dish as the fourth dish.” Sales Director at Jettainer GmbH: “In economy class passengers when tional carrier,” said Alan Joyce, Qan- There is also a growing trend to- order to cover the ULD demand, air- it rolls out across the network this tas CEO at the unveiling. wards food lines – especially smaller airlines and week from 25 sustainability airlines extending into wide-body op- November. The “Qantas buys from more than 1500 Australian in airline cater- erations – increasingly rely on external Australian car- ing particularly specialists. This provides additional rier is promising providers of foods, wines and beverages, helping sourcing and opportunities. We are expecting to more choice, environment. continue our growth with new clients larger meals many small Australian companies grow, develop Collaborations from various regions and several busi- and improved and find new markets.” service for between air- ness models in the coming year.” Alan Joyce, Qantas CEO at the unveiling economy/coach lines, cater- ers and farms Air Canada extends 787 routes. travellers. Joyce added that the new menu where the focus is on fresh farm Air Canada will expand the intro- Generally speaking, economy travel would offer more generous meals produce to offer sustainable meals duction of Boeing 787 Dreamliner is largely characterised by bad food and an increase from two to four and farm- to- table style dishes are aircraft featuring the airline’s new on most airlines but as passengers meal options. “We also have new becoming increasingly common. International Business Class and Pre- become savvier and demanding, meal categories, including a healthy mium Economy seating to more of airlines are being forced to re-think option, comfort food and a meal in- “In delivering the new service Qan- its routes to Asia from Vancouver in- their culinary strategies. spired by the route itself, like smoky tas continues to invest in Australian cluding Beijing in February and Seoul barbeque beef on our US flights. We in March 2015. “We have worked closely with Aus- have extended our Select on Q Eat Continued on page 3 PartsParts WantedWanted Post your excess inventory for FREE on StockMarket.aero, MRO & Logistics Software Solutions the fastest growing online aviation parts emarketplace componentcontrol.com Parts Search • Send RFQs • Price Search • Receive POs• iPhone/Android CONFIDENCE WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST WWW.GATELESIS.COM GA Telesis Engine Services (GATES) is a leading provider of commercial jet engine maintenance for GE, CFMI and Pratt & Whitney engines 3 WEEKLY AVIATION HEADLINES ...continued from page 1 suppliers and showcasing the best Korean Airlines have their own of what we have to offer to peo- organic farm on the island of Jeju. ple around the world,” said Mr The farm has chickens, cattle and Joyce. “Qantas buys from more an assortment of vegetables which than 1500 Australian providers of are mainly used in first class dish- foods, wines and beverages, help- es. In Sweden Kullaflyg, a small re- ing many small Australian compa- gional player offers a buy on board nies grow, develop and find new programme that is over 70% lo- markets.” cally produced. Elsewhere Delta in the US is also Nikos Loukas founder of Inflight- moving towards a similar meal feed.com observes that most of offering with their farm-to-table these products come from local programme on flights ex Atlanta farmers. “This not only helps the to FRA, CDG, LHR and AMS in locals, but makes for a pleasant business elite. The programme inflight dining experience for pas- Alan Joyce (far right) launches new Economy dining. Photo: Qantas centres on being more in tune sengers. The amount of people with agricultural practices whilst purchasing something inflight is part with their money for a greater and many more will hopefully fol- supporting local suppliers and quite high, they know the story quality meal. I think that these low suit,” says Loukas. farmers. of the product and are happy to airlines are really creating a trend good day when you can deliver on your promises sidiary (“ExpressJet Airlines”), has executed an AIRCRAFT & ENGINE NEWS ahead of schedule,” said Larry Flynn, president, agreement with United Airlines to reduce the Gulfstream. “Our customers have been waiting term of the existing 50-seat ERJ145 contract be- for the G650ER, the business jet that travels far- tween ExpressJet and United from November Bombardier delivers two Q400 NextGen ther at faster speeds than any other business jet 2020 to December 2017. ExpressJet Airlines an- airliners to Air Côte d’Ivoire on the market. This aircraft delivers speed and ticipates the reduction in the ERJ145 operations Bombardier Commercial Aircraft has delivered range, providing passengers a world-class travel will improve its overall operational reliability Air Côte d’Ivoire’s first two Q400 NextGen tur- experience. Gulfstream announced the G650ER and financial results. As a result of the decision boprops. The purchase agreement between in May of this year. The aircraft received type to remove the EMB 120 aircraft from service Bombardier and Abidjan-based Air Côte d’Ivoire, certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Ad- by June 2015, and as a result of the reduced which covers two firm-ordered Q400 NextGen ministration five months later. term to operate the ERJ145 aircraft, SkyWest aircraft plus two options, was announced on anticipates recording pre-tax special charges December 18th, 2013. Air Côte d’Ivoire is the (primarily non-cash) ranging from US$55m- national airline of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. SkyWest announces fleet and contract US$70m in Q4 2014. The airline has also opted to enroll its Q400 updates NextGen fleet in Bombardier’s Smart Parts pro- SkyWest announced fleet transitions and con- gram, which offers competitive and predictable AWAS delivers third of four planned new tract updates designed to improve SkyWest’s passenger aircraft to Lion Air component exchange and repair costs, as well overall efficiency and long-term profitability. as superior quality and availability of key com- Specifically, SkyWest announced that SkyWest AWAS has delivered a third aircraft, one A320- ponents. The five-year Smart Parts agreement is Airlines, its wholly-owned subsidiary, intends 200, as part of a four aircraft transaction with customized to meet the airline’s specific opera- to transition to an all-jet fleet by removing all PT Lion Mentari Airlines (Lion Air) for three tional and performance needs. remaining 30-seat Embraer 120 Brasilia turbo- 737-800s and one Airbus A320. These new prop aircraft (the “EMB 120s”) from service by aircraft were purchased directly by the airline Gulfstream begins delivering G650ER air- summer 2015. The EMB 120 fleet retirement from their respective manufacturers. AWAS craft to customers comes, in part, in response to increased costs is providing a financing solution for all four and additional challenges associated with new aircraft and then placing them on long-term Gulfstream Aerospace recently delivered the first FAR117 flight and duty rules, implemented in leases with Lion. This A320 will be assigned to fully outfitted G650ER business jet to a customer, January 2014. Separately, SkyWest announced and operated by Lion’s Indonesian full service ahead of the 2015 projected delivery date. “It’s a that ExpressJet Airlines, its wholly-owned sub- subsidiary Batik Air. 4 WEEKLY AVIATION HEADLINES AIRCRAFT & ENGINE NEWS Airbus to expand oversize air transport capability GA Telesis (UK) acquires six Airbus A321 Single-Aisle aircraft GA Telesis (UK) has purchased six Airbus A321s (CFM56-5B) last operated by Alitalia. GA Tel- esis has taken delivery of the first aircraft, MSN 434, and the remaining aircraft will be delivered through the end of 2014 and sub- sequently remarketed by the GA Telesis Asset Transaction Group (ATG). The first aircraft was delivered to Kemble, United Kingdom, where it will enter the GA Telesis disassembly pro- duction line. The engines will be overhauled by GA Telesis Engine Services Ltd (GATES) in Helsinki, Finland. The parts removed from the aircraft will be repaired by the OEMs, GA Tel- esis Component Repair Group Southeast, and GA Telesis Composite Repair Group, before be- ing distributed by GA Telesis part sales opera- tions globally. Airbus launches development of new Beluga oversize transport aircraft Photo: Airbus GE9X’s new TAPS combustor to maintain its cool under fire To industrially accompany the A350 XWB ramp-up and other aircraft production rate increases, Airbus took the decision to launch the development and production of five new Belugas.