WELCOME TO WWW.PLANESINTHEAIR.COM

TOMORROWS TRANSPORTATION NEWS TODAY!

Tag: commitment (Page 4 of 6)

Enter Air to Purchase Up to Four Boeing 737-8 Jets

August 19, 2020 /

– New order expands Polish carrier’s commitment to the 737 family

– Enter Air: “Convinced 737 MAX will be the best aircraft…for many years to come”

Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Enter Air today announced the Polish airline is expanding its commitment to the 737 family with a new order for two 737-8 airplanes plus options for two more jets.

An all-Boeing operator and Poland’s biggest charter carrier, Enter Air began operations in 2010 with a single 737 airplane. Today, the airline’s fleet includes 22 Next-Generation 737s and two 737 MAX airplanes. When the new purchase agreement is fully exercised, Enter Air’s 737 MAX fleet will rise to 10 aircraft.

“Despite the current crisis, it is important to think about the future. To that end, we have agreed to order additional 737-8 aircraft. Following the rigorous checks that the 737 MAX is undergoing, I am convinced it will be the best aircraft in the world for many years to come,” said Grzegorz Polaniecki, general director and board member, Enter Air.

Enter Air and Boeing have also finalized a settlement to address the commercial impacts stemming from the grounding of the 737 MAX fleet. While the details of the agreement are confidential, the compensation will be provided in a number of forms and staggered over a period of time.

“In the settlement with Boeing, we agreed to revise the delivery schedule for the previously-ordered airplanes in response to current market conditions. The specific terms of the settlement are strictly confidential, but we are pleased with the way Boeing has treated us as its customer,” added Polaniecki.

“We are humbled by Enter Air’s commitment to the Boeing 737 family. Their order for additional 737-8s underscores their confidence in the airplane and the men and women of Boeing,” said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing, The Boeing Company. “We look forward to building on our decade-long partnership with Enter Air and working with the airline to safely return their full 737 fleet to commercial service.”

Enter Air 737 MAX 8 (7210) C1 Flight – November 28, 2018

JetBlue is First U.S. Airline to Achieve Carbon Neutrality for All Domestic Flying

August 16, 2020 /

JetBlue (Nasdaq: JBLU) today announced it has followed through on its commitment to go carbon neutral on all domestic flights. Earlier this year, JetBlue became the first major U.S. airline to commit to this critical and measurable step toward reducing its contribution to global warming, and is now the first U.S. airline to achieve carbon neutrality on all domestic flying.

On July 1, the airline began offsetting its carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) from jet fuel for all domestic JetBlue-operated flights. JetBlue views carbon offsetting as a bridge to other industry-wide environmental improvements like fuel with lower emissions. Therefore, JetBlue is also investing in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and to start, the airline is fueling flights from San FranciscoInternational Airport (SFO) with SAF.

Carbon neutrality is just one way JetBlue is preparing for a changing climate and ensuring a more sustainable business for its crewmembers, customers, shareholders and communities. JetBlue’s carbon reduction strategy focuses on reducing emissions in the first place. This includes investments to shrink its impact through fuel-saving technologies and aircraft, and advocating for a more fuel-efficient air traffic control system. JetBlue has achieved reductions in emissions on an intensity basis since 2015, and most recently improved 2.2 percent per available seat mile (ASM) from 2018 to 2019.Offsetting all remaining emissions from domestic flights and investing in SAF will help JetBlue move toward the lower-carbon economy for which aviation and all sectors must plan.

“The global pandemic reinforces the need to mitigate risks that threaten the health of our business. Our commitment to sustainability has only become more important as we prepare our business for a new climate reality,” said Joanna Geraghty, president and chief operating officer, JetBlue. “Even with a long recovery ahead following the COVID-19 pandemic, JetBlue remains focused on short- and long-term environmental opportunities, particularly lessening our largest impact – carbon emissions – and more fuel efficient flying.”

Boeing Resumes 737 MAX Production

May 28, 2020 /
  • Production system enhanced through factory initiatives

Boeing [NYSE: BA] has resumed production of the 737 MAX at the company’s Renton, Washington factory. The 737 program began building airplanes at a low rate as it implements more than a dozen initiatives focused on enhancing workplace safety and product quality.

“We’ve been on a continuous journey to evolve our production system and make it even stronger,” said Walt Odisho, vice president and general manager of the 737 program. “These initiatives are the next step in creating the optimal build environment for the 737 MAX.”

During the temporary suspension of production that began in January, mechanics and engineers collaborated to refine and standardize work packages in each position of the factory. New kitting processes will also ensure that employees have everything they need at their fingertips to build the airplane.

“The steps we’ve taken in the factory will help drive our goal of 100 percent quality for our customers while supporting our ongoing commitment to workplace safety,” said Scott Stocker, vice president of 737 Manufacturing.

The 737 program will gradually ramp up production this year.

Kiwi Rail Plans $1.2 Billion Investment to Rebuild New Zealand

May 18, 2020 /

The Government’s $1.2 billion rail investment in Budget 2020 will help KiwiRail attract more customers and get more freight on rail, KiwiRail Group Chief Executive Greg Miller says. 

Building on the Government’s $1 billion investment in Budget 2019, this second round of funding includes $400 million towards replacing the aging Interislander ferries and $421 million to continue the replacement programme for some of KiwiRail’s oldest locomotives. 

The funding also includes $246 million, plus a $148 million top up of the National Land Transport Fund, towards ensuring New Zealand’s rail network, which includes more than 3000km of track, more than 1000 bridges and nearly 100 tunnels, is reliable and resilient.

“I welcome this substantial funding, which is another major boost for rail in New Zealand. For our customers this investment sends a clear signal that rail has a big future and gives them the confidence to get on board,” Mr Miller says. 

“Our customers want to make greater use of rail and we’re seeing more road operators reach out for our support as their networks contract. We’re here to help them.”

“The Government’s investment allows us to continue with our locomotive replacement programme and raise the standard of our rail lines, bridges and tunnels across the country. This will enable KiwiRail to offer better and more reliable train services for our customers, and move more of New Zealand’s growing freight task onto rail.

“This funding recognises that rail has a greater role to play in New Zealand’s transport sector, and that it can make a valuable contribution towards lowering our transport emissions, reducing road congestion and saving in road maintenance costs – which benefits our nation as a whole.

Fifteen new Gen 2.3 DL locomotives depart KiwiRail’s Mt Maunganui yard, shortly after arriving at the Port of Tauranga, in 2018.

“The range of track renewal and facility upgrades we are planning will also support our workforce of almost 4000, as well as numerous civil contractors and material supply businesses across the country.”

“I’m very grateful to the Government for this level of support and I know that KiwiRail’s customers will be pleased by this demonstration of our shareholder’s commitment to rail.”

Mr Miller says the $400 million contribution to replacing Interislander’s three aging ferries and necessary landside infrastructure highlights how important the ferry connection is to New Zealand.

“Our Cook Strait ferries are an extension of State Highway 1, moving 800,000 passengers and up to $14 billion worth of road and rail freight between the North and South Islands each year. 

“They are a must have for NZ Inc. The two new rail-enabled ferries will be more advanced, have significantly lower emissions and last for the next 30 years.

“This is a once-in-a generation investment and I am thankful for the Government’s support. It gives us the security to go out to international tender to build the ships, which we hope to see arriving on our shores in 2024 and 2025.”

Coastal Pacific crossing the Kahutara River.

Hawaiian Airlines to Focus on Critical Flights and Cargo Service

March 26, 2020 /
  • Airline to serve San Francisco and Los Angeles daily
  • American Samoa weekly starting in April

Hawaiian Airlines is reducing its April flight schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic with a commitment to continue offering its guests and cargo customers essential service within the Hawaiian Islands and between Hawai‘i and California and the U.S. territory of American Samoa.

The airline will maintain a reduced but still robust schedule of Neighbor Island flights, while bolstering all-cargo service to ensure goods continue to reach communities statewide.
 
“As Hawai‘i’s airline, we understand that our operation is essential to the state. We serve both guests who rely on us for important travel and the transportation of critical cargo,” said Hawaiian Airlines President and CEO Peter Ingram. “This has been the hallmark of our mission for 90 years and our dedication to our guests remains unchanged as we look to overcome this global crisis together.”
 
Starting Sunday, Hawaiian’s long-haul transpacific network will consist of one daily nonstop flight between Honolulu (HNL) and Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO), and one weekly flight connecting Hawai‘i to its Pacific island neighbor of Pago Pago, American Samoa (PPG). All routes will be operated with wide-body Airbus A330 aircraft.
 
The California routes present cargo opportunities to help maintain service for shippers affected by the reduction in passenger flights due to the state of Hawai‘i’s mandatory 14-day quarantine for overseas arrivals starting tomorrow in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The HNL-PPG route maintains vital service for the territory of American Samoa.
 
Guests traveling on Hawaiian’s Neighbor Island network will continue to enjoy convenient options throughout the day with 41 daily roundtrip flights scheduled for April. From Honolulu there will be 38 daily flights, including 13 to Maui, eight to Kona, seven to Kaua‘i, six to Hilo, and two each to Lāna‘i and Moloka‘i. From Maui there will be one roundtrip each to Hilo, Kaua‘i and Kona in addition to Honolulu service.

Hawaiian’s schedule reductions for April resulted from the state of Hawai‘i’s quarantine entry restriction and the ensuing drop off of travel to and from the islands. Hawaiian is operating its regularly scheduled long-haul flights through today before it begins suspending routes tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Hawaiian has expanded interisland cargo service to facilitate the movement of essential goods ranging from food to medical equipment and machinery.
 
On March 3, a fleet of all-cargo ATR-72 aircraft operated by ‘Ohana by Hawaiian began offering flights five days a week between Honolulu and Kahului (OGG) on Maui and Kona (KOA) on the western coast of the Island of Hawai‘i. The new routes add to all-cargo service launched in summer of 2018 between HNL and Līhu‘e (LIH) on Kaua‘i and Hilo (ITO) on the eastern coast of the Island of Hawai‘i.

Hawaiian also utilizes its Boeing 717 passenger fleet to carry critical, time-sensitive cargo like pharmaceuticals and Blood Bank of Hawai‘i shipments.

Hawaiian is still experiencing an unprecedented volume of calls from guests and respectfully asks that only those with immediate travel needs contact the airline for assistance. Options to reach Hawaiian’s reservations team, to make online changes to tickets, and to see a list of travel waivers are available at  Hawaiian’s COVID-19 hub.
 
The airline also explains how it is keeping employees and guests safe by disinfecting aircraft and airport spaces, modifying boarding processes to prevent congestion at the gate, and adjusting in-flight services such as by distributing disposable sanitizing wipes.

Amtrak Names William Flynn as CEO and President

March 2, 2020 /

WASHINGTON – Amtrak announced that it has named William J. Flynn as its next Chief Executive Officer and President. Flynn, a seasoned business leader with four decades of transportation and logistics experience, will begin his role on April 15, 2020. Flynn succeeds Richard Anderson, who joined Amtrak as CEO in July 2017. Anderson, who fulfills his three-year commitment to the company this year, will remain with Amtrak through the end of the year as a senior advisor to Flynn. 

Flynn, 66, has been a successful leader across multiple modes of transportation, including rail, maritime and aviation. Most recently, he served 13 years with Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc., which serves the global air freight, military charter and passenger charter markets, as President and CEO and Board Chairman. He also held senior roles with CSX Transportation, Sea-Land Services, Inc., and GeoLogistics Corp.

“Bill is the right executive to lead us into the future,” said Amtrak Board Chairman Tony Coscia. “We’ve never been stronger as a company than we are today. We are modernizing the customer experience and delivering our service to more people. Bill has a consistent track record of growing and improving complex transportation businesses. We are confident he will build upon the strong foundation of record-setting growth and improvement set by the Board, Richard and the entire Amtrak team.”

In fiscal year 2019, Amtrak set new records in ridership, revenue and earnings. In 2020, Amtrak is on pace to achieve operational breakeven for the first time in the company’s 49-year history. Additionally, Amtrak is investing billions in capital assets and is undertaking the largest fleet renewal in company history, with new high-speed Acela trains entering service on the Northeast Corridor next year. 

“Amtrak’s future is incredibly bright and I’m excited to join the team,” said Flynn. “Amtrak service is vital to millions of Americans across the nation and by improving the customer experience, driving safety, and strengthening our partnership with states and other stakeholders, we can do much more for the American people. Tony, Richard and Amtrak’s dedicated employees have done an amazing job modernizing the company for the 21st Century. It’s a privilege to join them in continuing this work and advancing something as important as Amtrak’s mission.”  

“I congratulate the Board on selecting Bill to lead Amtrak into its 50th year and beyond,” said Anderson. “Bill brings deep expertise across all aspects of transportation and a true passion for the customer. As the company refleets our equipment, expands our services and advances key infrastructure projects like the Gateway Program, it will require the steady leadership and relentless drive for improvement that I know Bill can provide.”

SWISS Welcomes its First Airbus A320neo

February 24, 2020 /

SWISS took delivery today of the first of 25 new aircraft of the Airbus A320neo family. The new arrival was formally welcomed to the fleet and named “Engelberg” in a ceremony at Zurich Airport. In acquiring these advanced and efficient short- and medium-haul aircraft, SWISS is further underlining its commitment to resource-friendly aviation. With its innovative engine technologies, the Airbus A320neo consumes some 20 per cent less fuel than comparable aircraft of the older generation. SWISS’s new Airbus A320neo also features a newly developed seat that tangibly enhances its passengers’ travel comfort.

The first Airbus A320neo of Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) landed in Zurich at 10:57 today. The aircraft, which bears the registration HB-JDA, arrived directly from Airbus’s Hamburg-Finkenwerder works airport in northern Germany. SWISS will be receiving a total of 25 new aircraft of the Airbus A320neo family (the “neo” stands for “New Engine Option”) between now and the end of 2024: seventeen A320neos and eight of the larger A321neo version. The new twinjets will replace older Airbus A320 family aircraft in the SWISS fleet’s ranks and, with their innovative powerplant technology, will help substantially further enhance SWISS’s environmental efficiency.

After arriving in Zurich, the latest member of the SWISS aircraft fleet was formally welcomed in the hangar area by a delegation of invitees from the political, business and media worlds, and was also named “Engelberg”. The naming was jointly performed by Alex Höchli, the mayor of the Central Swiss mountain resort, and Brother Meinrad Haberl of Engelberg Monastery.

Lower fuel consumption and lower noise emissions

Thanks to the advanced technology of its Pratt & Whitney engines and its aerodynamic “sharklet” wingtip extensions, the Airbus A320neo consumes up to 20 per cent less fuel than comparable aircraft types. The new twinjets are also equipped as standard with noise-reducing vortex generators. As a result, a departing Airbus A320neo has a noise footprint on takeoff which is around half the size of the footprint produced by a comparable aircraft type.

“Our new Airbus A320neo family aircraft will substantially further reduce the average age of the SWISS aircraft fleet,” says SWISS CEO Thomas Klühr. “Once they are all delivered, our aircraft’s average age will be one of the youngest in Europe at around nine years. These billion-franc investments will further enhance our environmental credentials, too,” Klühr continues, “because operating an advanced and fuel-efficient aircraft fleet is one of the most effective means of all of reducing the ecological impact of aviation activities.”

An innovative seat for greater travel comfort

The new SWISS Airbus A320neo also offers substantially more travel comfort to both Business and Economy Class passengers, thanks to its newly-developed seats from Italian manufacturer Geven. With their ergonomic pressure distribution over the backrest and the seat cushion, the new seats deliver a tangibly pleasanter sitting experience. And the innovative horizontal placement of the literature pocket above the seat table also provides more personal space.

It’s not just aloft, either, that passengers will enjoy an even more comfortable flight: the new seats can be reclined to 20 degrees (instead of the previous 12) during the taxi, takeoff and landing phases. And Business Class travellers can even recline their seat to a full 26 degrees during the cruise phase of flight.

SWISS will be deploying its Airbus A320neos on its short- and medium-haul routes of up to 4,200 kilometres within Europe and to and from destinations in North Africa and the Middle East. The Airbus A320neo accommodates 180 passengers in Business and Economy Class.

Southwest Airlines Opens Its Largest Hangar Facility at William P. Hobby Airport

January 8, 2020 /
  • $125 Million Maintenance facility showcases commitment to Houston through new infrastructure investment to support long-term growth for Southwest
Southwest Airlines opens new hangar facility at William P. Hobby Airport in Houston

DALLAS, Jan. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) today officially opened a new maintenance facility at William P. Hobby International Airport, highlighting the importance Houston holds for the nation’s largest domestic airline* and underscoring its commitment to Safety while investing in the Bayou City.

The 240,000 square foot maintenance complex, now the largest in the airline’s network, includes offices, training facilities, warehouse space, and a 140,000 square foot hangar. This allows for the nearly 400 Houston based Technical Operations Employees to work simultaneously on up to six 737 aircraft indoors and has space for an additional eight aircraft outside the hangar bays. It replaces Southwest’s smaller Technical Operations facility at Hobby Airport, which opened in 1988.

“This state-of-the-art hangar will support our Technical Operations Team’s unwavering commitment to Safety and maintaining our fleet to the highest standards,” said Gary Kelly, Southwest Airlines Chairman and CEO. “I’m very proud of our hundreds of Technical Operations Employees in Houston for the work they do every day to support our growing operation from Houston’s Hobby Airport, which includes almost 200 departures per day during peak seasons to nearly 70 destinations across the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean.”

A Boeing 737 sits inside Southwest’s new hangar at William P. Hobby Airport in Houston

“We thank Southwest Airlines for its nearly 50-year partnership and commitment to the Houston community,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said. “Between the direct employment of 5,000 local residents, continued growth in flight activity, and this investment in infrastructure, the airline represents $3 billion in economic impact for Houston each year, and that’s something that makes us proud and thankful.”

“Having similar values allowed McCarthy Building Companies and Southwest Airlines to form an integrated team to address the many entities and hurdles involved with constructing such a high profile project at a major airport. This was instrumental in the success of this project and the teams’ ability to deliver it on time,” said Jim Stevenson, McCarthy’s Houston Division President. “We are proud of our partnership with Southwest and pleased to be part of this important maintenance hangar project that will have such a high impact on its operations.”

The airline is currently investing in aircraft maintenance build-outs at Baltimore/Washington International Airport and Denver International Airport, as well as an expansion of its maintenance facility at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport. Including the projects in Denver and Baltimore, the airline expects to have eight maintenance hangars throughout the United States.

Broadcast-quality photos and videos are available for download at the carrier’s online newsroom, swamedia.com/houstonhangar.

(Left to Right: Mario Diaz, Director, Houston Airport System, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Gary Kelly, Southwest Airlines Chairman and CEO, Original Houston Technical Operations Employees Brad Shelton, Paul Mould, B.J. Ritter, and Landon Nitschke, Southwest Airlines SVP of Technical Operations)

Air Kiribati Receives Its First Embraer E190-E2 Jet

December 30, 2019 /

São José dos Campos, Brazil, December 30th, 2019 – Air Kiribati, the flag carrier of the Republic of Kiribati, received today its first E190-E2 jet. Embraer announced the contract with the Government of Kiribati, in partnership with its national airline, Air Kiribati, in December 2018. The airline ordered two E190-E2s and has purchase rights for two more.

“Aviation is critical for any island nation and Kiribati is no exception. Our Government has made the conscious decision to take into our hands the opportunity to unlock economic prosperity for our people and our nation through the purchase of these two aircraft,” said Hon. Willie Tokataake, Minister for Information, Communication, Transport and Tourism Development of the Kiribati Government. “The arrival of our first jet today is the culmination of three years of vision, strategic thought, government focus, research, evaluation, hard work, commitment, partnership and a good measure of problem solving.”

Air Kiribati is the launch operator for the E190-E2 in Asia Pacific. The aircraft will be configured in a dual class layout seating 92 passengers in total, with 12 seats in business class and 80 seats in economy class. Located in the central Pacific, Air Kiribati can now fly longer domestic and international routes than it currently does with its turboprop fleet.

“This is first E190-E2 delivered in the Pacific region,” said Cesar Pereira, Asia Pacific Vice President, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “We’re are honored that Air Kiribati selected the E190-E2 as the best fit for the airline’s challenging flying environment. The E190-E2 has cutting-edge technology and is the most fuel efficient and environmentally-friendly single aisle jet in the world. These attributes are extremely important for Kiribati.”

With a maximum range of up to 2,850 nautical miles, the E190-E2 can serve destinations throughout the vast expanse of Kiribati, including nonstop from Tarawa to Kiritimati (Christmas) Island, one of the most challenging routes in the Pacific. The current domestic flight from Tarawa to Kiritimati requires an international stopover in Fiji.

Spanning four time zones and comprised of more than 30 islands, Kiribati is the only country in the world to be in all four hemispheres. Embraer has been present in the Pacific since the first Bandeirante was delivered to a customer in Australia in 1978. The company continues to support operators across Oceania more than 40 years later.

The E190-E2 is the first of three new aircraft types in the E-Jets E2 family, developed to succeed the first-generation E-Jets. Compared to the first-generation E190, the E190-E2 burns 17.3% less fuel and nearly 10% less than its direct competitor. This makes it the most efficient single-aisle aircraft on the market. The E190-E2 generates significant savings for airlines in terms of maintenance costs. It has the longest maintenance intervals – 10,000 flight hours for basic checks and no calendar limit in typical E-Jets utilization. This means an additional 15 days of aircraft utilization over a period of ten years.

The E2 cockpit features advanced Honeywell Primus Epic 2 integrated avionics. Combined with closed-loop fly-by-wire controls, the systems work together to improve aircraft performance, decrease pilot workload and enhance flight safety. From a passenger perspective, the E2 cabin features a comfortable two-by-two layout. The absence of a middle seat enables passengers to have an enjoyable flight experience with more legroom and additional luggage storage space.

Embraer is the world’s leading manufacturer of commercial aircraft up to 150 seats with more than 100 customers across the world. For the E-Jets program alone, Embraer has logged more than 1,800 orders and 1,500 aircraft have been delivered. Today, E-Jets are flying in the fleets of 80 customers from 50 countries. The versatile 70 to 150-seat family is flying with low-cost airlines as well as with regional and mainline network carriers.

« Older posts Newer posts »

Archives

© 2024 WELCOME TO WWW.PLANESINTHEAIR.COM

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑