Tag: canada (Page 12 of 15)

ExpressJet Airlines Begins Embraer E175 Service

June 13, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

ATLANTA, June 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — ExpressJet Airlines, a United Express carrier, today began service with its newest aircraft type – the Embraer E175. The first flight, UA4042 departed Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

“For ExpressJet and its 3,000 aviation professionals, the Embraer E175 is more than a new, high-tech aircraft,” said Chairman and CEO Subodh Karnik. “It is a symbol of ExpressJet’s future as a growing and trusted United Express partner.”

ExpressJet is adding 25 new E175s to its fleet in 2019. To date, the airline has taken delivery of four E175’s, and will continue adding new aircraft throughout the year. Additionally, ExpressJet recently expanded its crew training capabilities with the addition of an E175 full-motion flight simulator and a cabin door trainer at its Houston Training Complex.

To support its rapid growth, ExpressJet has hired more than 350 new pilots since the start of the year and will double that number by year end. Pilots who sign on with ExpressJet can expect a quick selection process, an immediate class date, and to bid for flying within three months. Pilots interested in signing on with ExpressJet should apply at expressjet.com/pilots or on airlineapps.com.

About ExpressJet Airlines
ExpressJet Airlines operates as United Express, on behalf of United Airlines (UAL), to serve more than 100 airports across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with over 3,300 weekly flights from bases in Chicago, Cleveland, Houston and Newark. ExpressJet’s fleet includes more than 110 Embraer E175, Embraer ERJ145 and Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft, with 25 new Embraer E175s being added in 2019. ExpressJet pilots enjoy top-tier pay and quality of life and a career path to United Airlines. ExpressJet is a subsidiary of ManaAir, LLC. ManaAir is majority-owned by KAir Enterprises and minority-owned by United Airlines. For further information, contact 404-856-1199, corpcomm@expressjet.com.

Alaska Air Adds Top Requested Destination From Paine Field

June 5, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

SEATTLE, June 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — It’s the place Alaska Airlines’ guests said they want to fly to the most from Everett: Palm Springs.

Palm Springs becomes the ninth destination served by Alaska Airlines at Paine Field in Everett.

So Alaska is making it happen.

Starting Nov. 5, you’ll be able to fly nonstop with us between Everett and Palm Springs every day of the week – just in time for the Coachella Valley’s popular winter travel season. You can buy your Alaska Airlines tickets now.

Alaska Airlines and its regional partners fly 46 million guests a year to more than 115 destinations with an average of 1,200 daily flights across the United States and to Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica. With Alaska and Alaska Global Partners, guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 900 destinations worldwide. Learn about Alaska’s award-winning service at newsroom.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).

SOURCE Alaska Airlines

For further information: Media Relations, (206) 304-0008

Bombardier Concludes Sale of Q Series Aircraft Program

June 3, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Bombardier (TSX: BBD.B) confirmed today the closing of the previously announced sale of the Q Series aircraft program assets to De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited (formerly Longview Aircraft Company of Canada Limited), an affiliate of Longview Aviation Capital Corp., for gross proceeds of approximately $300 million. Net proceeds are expected to be approximately $250 million after the assumption of certain liabilities, fees, and closing adjustments.

Longview will carry on the production of Q400 aircraft at the Downsview Facility in Toronto, and will continue performing aftermarket services for Q Series aircraft. Bombardier will provide transitional services and will license certain intellectual property to Longview to facilitate a seamless transition of the Q Series aircraft program.

Viking Plans Demonstration Tour for Guardian 400 Twin Otter

May 30, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Ottawa, Ontario, May 29th, 2019: Today during the CANSEC Defence & Security show, Viking Air Limited of Victoria, British Columbia has announced its plans to hold a world demonstration tour for its Guardian 400 aircraft, the special missions variant of the Viking Series 400 Twin Otter. The world tour will include detailed briefings and demonstration flights in Europe, Africa, Middle East, India, South East Asia, Oceania, and North America.

For the past six months, a production Series 400 Twin Otter has been undergoing modifications to transform into Viking’s Guardian 400 demonstrator aircraft for the proposed world tour. It will feature a right-hand SCAR pod with Hensoldt Argos EO/IR imaging turret, multi-spectral HDTV camera, mega-pixel HD Thermal imager, laser range finder, multi-mode auto tracker, and Remote Image Bus (RIB) video feed for display on the cockpit MFD or crew workstation. The demonstrator will also feature a left-hand SCAR pod with Leonardo Osprey Radar System and Sentient Vidar Camera system.

In addition to its mission sensor package, the Guardian 400 prototype will be equipped with an Airborne Technologies’ tactical workstation with high-definition touchscreen monitors, data/voice/video recorder, Mission Management Unit (MMU), mission radio communications, intuitive hand controller for MCU & SLR camera targeting, CarteNav AIMS mission system software, Kestrel MTI targeting software, and IKHANA ergonomic mission seat for optimized crew comfort. The prototype will also be equipped with Viking conformal bubble windows, left and right wing-mounted hard points by IKHANA, Thunder Bay Aviation stretcher racks, and an aft lavatory for crew comfort.

With a target launch date of September 2019, the Guardian 400 world tour has briefing and demonstration flights proposed throughout Europe, North Africa, Central Africa, Southeastern Africa, the Middle East, Southern Asia, Asia Pacific, North America and will culminate in Ottawa, Canada to coincide with the 2020 CANSEC Defence & Security show.

“As we’ve anticipated development of a Guardian 400 technical demonstrator for many years, to now be able to show off its unique performance capabilities and incredible versatility to interested military and government organizations in their home countries is exciting to say the least,” said Robert Mauracher, Viking executive vice president, Sales & Marketing. “While the tour details are still under development, we encourage interested parties to contact us if they wish to participate in a flight demonstration.”

About the Guardian 400 Twin Otter:

Viking developed the Guardian 400 in response to foreign military and government agency demand for a medium-range maritime patrol, SAR and critical infrastructure platform based on the new Twin Otter Series 400 aircraft. Designed as an economical force multiplier for 21st century surveillance and security requirements, the Guardian 400’s low acquisition and operating costs combined with its modern, flexible architecture allows it to be customized to suit operators’ financial and mission requirements.

The Guardian 400’s robust design, minimal maintenance requirements, and exceptional short-field performance capabilities make it ideally suited for specialized government operations in extreme environments. Certified under the restricted category, the Guardian 400’s increased take-off weight and extended range internal Patrol Tank allow for operational sorties over 10 hours in duration.

Trusted by the governments of Peru, Panama, the United States, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam, over thirty Twin Otter Guardian 400 aircraft have now entered service in various roles, including maritime surveillance, search & rescue, parachute operations, pipeline monitoring, drug enforcement, medevac, and critical infrastructure support.

Viking Air To Attend CANSEC 2019 in Ottawa, Canada

May 23, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

On May 29 and 30, Viking Air will exhibit at CANSEC 2019 at the EY Centre in Ottawa, Canada. Hosted by the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), CANSEC is Canada’s premier defence industry event, offering attendees the chance to explore the latest technologies and support services available for Naval, Air Force, Army, Civil Security, and joint-force military units.

Viking invites CADSI members and government personnel attending the show to visit us at Booth 521 to learn how Viking’s diverse range of exceptional utility and special missions aircraft suit a variety of operational profiles.

About Viking Air

Incorporated in 1970, Viking Air Limited began as the successor to McKinnon Enterprises, a parts and modification facility working on the Grumman family of aircraft. After specializing in flying boats for over a decade, Viking switched focus in 1983 when de Havilland Inc. selected Viking as their exclusive spare parts manufacturer and distributor for the de Havilland DHC-2 Mk I Beaver, Mk III Turbo Beaver, and DHC-3 Single Otter aircraft.

About CANSEC

For over 20 years, CANSEC has provided a platform for defence industry professionals from across the globe to connect and share innovative products and defence technologies with national and international military staff and major procurement officials. Held annually, the event is open to CADSI members and government personnel, and is the largest tri-service defence trade show in North America.

Airbus Celebrates Delivery of its 12,000th Aircraft

May 20, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Airbus celebrated the delivery of its 12,000th aircraft ever in its 50-year history. The aircraft was an A220-100, assembled in Mirabel, Canada and handed over to U.S.-based Delta Air Lines.

The aircraft is the 12th A220 delivered to date to Delta Air Lines since the carrier received its first A220 in October 2018. The A220 started scheduled service with Delta in February 2019. Delta is the first U.S. airline to operate the A220 and is the largest A220 customer, with a firm order for 90 aircraft.

This milestone delivery of a Canadian-made Airbus aircraft to a U.S.-based airline highlights the growing presence of Airbus in North America. Since Airbus’ leadership of the A220 programme became effective on 1 July 2018, ground was broken in January this year in Mobile, Alabama for the construction of a second A220 final assembly line, set to start deliveries to U.S. customers in 2020.

Airbus delivered its first aircraft, an A300B2 to Air France, back in 1974. Fast forward to 2010, Airbus handed over its 6,000th aircraft, 36 years after its first. The pace continued to accelerate, taking Airbus just nine years to double that number, reaching 12,000th Airbus aircraft delivery on May 20, 2019.

@Airbus #A220 @Delta

Bombardier Sells Five Learjet 75’s to Undisclosed Customer

May 8, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

May 7, 2019 – Montréal Bombardier Inc., Business Aircraft, Press Release

Value of Learjet 75 transaction an estimated US$69 million based on 2019 list prices
Learjet 75 aircraft features the quietest and most private cabin in its class, an eight-seat double club configuration, a smooth ride and the only flat floor in the light jet category
Bombardier’s Learjet fleet recently celebrated 25 million flight hours

Bombardier today announced that an undisclosed customer has purchased five industry-defining Learjet 75 aircraft. The transaction is valued at approximately US$69 million dollars based on 2019 list prices.

Today’s announcement follows the landmark achievement Bombardier’s fleet of trailblazing Learjet aircraft set earlier in 2019, when the fleet surpassed the 25 million flight-hour mark, adding yet another accomplishment to an impressive string of Learjet milestones and firsts. The first Learjet business aircraft entered service in 1964, creating the experience and defining the industry of private flight.

“The ultimate business tool, Learjet 75 aircraft feature industry-leading performance and help drive direct bottom line results,” Peter Likoray, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales and Marketing, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “Reliability and longevity are just two of the reasons customers among Fortune 500 companies continue to choose Learjet aircraft for productivity gains. With its bevy of recent enhancements, the Learjet 75 aircraft is a superior business jet offering in terms of size, performance and reliability, all at highly competitive operating cost.”

Bombardier continues to invest in this industry-leading light business jet, with its recently-released comprehensive Garmin G5000 avionics upgrade, which will allow customers to optimize their routes and paves the way for future technological enhancements. The upgrade will be offered as forward and retrofit for in-service Learjet aircraft. Bombardier also recently announced that Learjet 75 aircraft operators now benefit from lengthened intervals between recurring major powerplant inspections, which have been extended from 3,000 to 3,500 engine hours.

Renowned worldwide for its sleek ramp appeal and favoured by pilots for its impressive handling characteristics and high-performance, the Learjet 75 is the only business jet in its class to feature an eight-seat double-club configuration, a flat floor throughout the cabin and a pocket door for reduced noise levels.

Since acquiring the Learjet Corporation in 1990, Bombardier has introduced an impressive eight new models, including the best-selling Learjet 75 aircraft, which entered service in 2013.

About Bombardier

With over 68,000 employees across four business segments, Bombardier is a global leader in the transportation industry, creating innovative and game-changing planes and trains. Our products and services provide world-class transportation experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety.

Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Bombardier has production and engineering sites in 28 countries across the segments of Transportation, Business Aircraft, Commercial Aircraft and Aerostructures and Engineering Services. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, Bombardier posted revenues of $16.2 billion US. The company is recognized on the 2019 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World Index. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.

No Survivors Found in Mexico Crash of Jet Carrying 13 People

May 7, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – All 13 people aboard were killed when a private jet crashed between the U.S. city of Las Vegas and Monterrey in northern Mexico, authorities said on Monday.

The wreckage of the plane was found via aerial surveillance in a remote mountainous zone in the northern municipality of Ocampo, the government of Coahuila state said in a statement.

A photograph published on local television network Milenio showed what it said were the burnt remnants of the plane, broken into pieces, spread over charred earth.

The Coahuila government said the flight plan listed 13 people on board. It said no survivors were found.

Mexican media reported that the passengers had been to a boxing match between Mexican boxer Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and U.S. fighter Daniel Jacobs in Las Vegas on Saturday.

The nationalities of the victims were not immediately clear. The surnames of the three crew and 10 passengers published by the Coahuila government were all Hispanic.

The victims were aged between 57 and 19, according to a version of the passenger list published in Mexican media.

Newspaper Diario de Yucatan said on its website that among the victims were 55-year-old businessman Luis Octavio Reyes Dominguez, his wife, and their three children.

In a statement, Canada’s Bombardier Inc identified the jet as a Challenger 601 and said the plane had gone missing about 150 nautical miles from the northern Mexican city of Monclova.

Expressing its condolences to the victims, the company said it had been in touch with Canada’s transportation safety board and would work with the investigating authorities.

Mexican broadcaster Televisa reported the twin-engine jet lost contact on Sunday with air traffic controllers sometime after 5:20 p.m. local time (2220 GMT) as the pilot descended to avoid a storm.

Francisco Martinez, an emergency services official in Coahuila, told Milenio recent adverse weather conditions would form part of the investigation into the crash. However, he stopped short of saying weather had caused it.

(Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon, Noe Torres, Ana Isabel Martinez, David Alire Garcia and Allison Lampert; Editing by David Gregorio and Tom Brown)

Airbus Delivers First A321LR to Canada’s Air Transat

May 7, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

Air Transat, a Canadian leisure and holiday travel airline, took delivery of its first Airbus A321LR aircraft. The A321LR is one of 15 the Montreal-based carrier is scheduled to receive. Air Transat leases the A321LR from AerCap.

The A321LR, with its unique Airbus Cabin Flex configuration allowing for installation of additional fuel tanks, will have a range of up to 4,000 nautical miles. Air Transat plans to use the A321LR for long-distance flights out of Canada, principally on more extended, thinner routes to European, Caribbean, Central and South American destinations. The A321LRs will replace older planes with an ultra-modern, highly cost-efficient aircraft equipped with state-of-the-art interior amenities for an enhanced and enjoyable passenger experience.

“The arrival of this new generation of aircraft is an important moment for our company and our passengers in many respects,” says Annick Guérard, Chief Operating Officer at Transat. “The Airbus A321LR represents what Air Transat stands for today and what we strive for in the coming years. It reinforces our position as a leader in sustainable tourism, while also offering our passengers a superior on-board experience.”

“We are proud to deliver the A321LR to Air Transat and to be associated with such a fine, innovative airline,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer. “The A321LR, with its increased range and low operating costs, enables Air Transat to increase flight frequencies, expand its network and strengthen its competitive position. Airbus will provide Air Transat with world-class support and work to ensure its ongoing success.”

The Air Transat A321LR is configured for 199 seats in two classes, including 12 premium Club Class seats in an exclusive cabin with personalized service and ergonomic seating. Economy Class seats are wider, provide more personal space and are equipped with a state-of-the-art entertainment system.

The A321LRs are part of a larger leasing deal Air Transat has with AerCap to convert to an all-Airbus fleet by 2022 as it phases out older widebody and narrowbody planes.

Air Transat is Canada’s number one holiday airline. It flies to some 60 destinations in more than 25 countries in the Americas and Europe, offers domestic and feeder flights within Canada, and carries some 5 million passengers every year. Based in Montreal, the company employs 3,000 people. Air Transat is a business unit of Transat A.T. Inc., a leading integrated international tourism company specializing in holiday travel and offering vacation packages, hotel stays and air travel.

@airtransat @airbus #A321LR

Air Canada Reports Surprise Profit Despite MAX Grounding

May 6, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

May 6 (Reuters) – Air Canada on Monday reported a surprise quarterly profit that sent shares up 4 percent in morning trading, helped by flying more passengers and its purchase of a loyalty program, despite rising costs from the global grounding of Boeing’s 737 MAX jets.

Canada’s largest carrier said it sees strong booking trends ahead of the busy summer season, and expects second quarter results in line with forecasts made before the March global suspension of the Boeing MAX in March following two fatal crashes involving the model.

Air Canada stock was up 4 percent, even as Canada’s main stock index fell at the open on Monday, after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to raise tariffs on China, triggering a global rout in risky assets.

Air Canada Chief Executive Calin Rovinescu said the carrier, which operates 24 MAX jets, would return the planes to service based on its own safety assessment, in addition to regulators giving it the green light.

During the first three months of the year, Air Canada and other North American carriers that fly the MAX scrambled to replace flights following harsh weather and the plane’s grounding, while facing pressure from rising fuel costs.

“First quarter is always the most demanding for Canadian airlines,” Rovinescu said. “This year was an exception and it was made more so with the unexpected grounding of the 737 MAX.”

Air Canada canceled 1,600 mainline flights during the first three months of the year, a 40 percent increase compared to the first quarter of 2018, Rovinescu told analysts.

The company was able to protect most of its flights from the date of the grounding through April 30 by entering into new leases, among other strategies, he said.

For the first quarter, the company reported a 9.4 percent rise in total operating revenue to C$4.45 billion ($3.30 billion), beating analysts’ estimate of C$4.39 billion.

In January, Air Canada closed a deal to acquire the Aeroplan loyalty program.

Aeroplan revenue and strong demand drove a nearly 5 percent increase in passenger yield, the company said, even as cost per available seat mile (CASM) — a measure of how much an airline spends to fly a passenger — climbed 3.8 percent.

Air Canada said traffic rose 4.2 percent while passenger revenue per available seat mile, a key revenue measure for airlines, increased 4.5 percent in the first quarter.

The Montreal-based company reported an adjusted net income of C$17 million, or 6 Canadian cents per share, in the first quarter ended March 31, compared to a loss of C$26 million, or 10 Canadian cents per share, a year earlier.

Analysts’ on average had expected a loss of 18 Canadian cents, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. ($1 = 1.3467 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Allison Lampert and Shanti S Nair ; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila and Bill Trott)

About Bombardier

Archives