NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) today announced it will make its highly anticipated entrance into the transatlantic market with nonstop service between New York’s John F. Kennedy international Airport (JFK) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR) starting August 11, 2021. New York’s Hometown Airline® will further enhance its U.S. and U.K. schedules with nonstop service between New York-JFK and London Gatwick Airport (LGW) starting September 29, 2021. London service from Boston, where JetBlue is the leading airline, will start in Summer 2022.
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Mexico City, March 10, 2021 – Cooperating with DHL Global Forwarding, Aeromexico managed to achieve its first flight in its history to Russia operating a cargo charter flight. The flight departed from Mexico City on March 8, with a stopover in Madrid, Spain. The flight continued on to Moscow Sheremetyevo International Airport in Russia, landing on March 9. Following cargo loading, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft took off for the return flight to Mexico City, once again stopping over in the Spanish capital.
Aeromexico, in the last 12 months, has landed its Dreamliner aircraft at 20 new airports in 14 countries including: Belo Horizonte, Cabo Frio, Cali, Fortaleza, Frankfurt, Guatemala, Guayaquil, Hong Kong, Kingston, Moscow, Panama, Porto Alegre, Quito, Santo Domingo, San Jose, San Pedro Sula, San Salvador, Shenzhen, Winnipeg, and Wuhan.
Since the start of the pandemic, Aeromexico has transported more than 6,400 tons of cargo on 325 charter operations to ship medical supplies and other necessary goods to Mexico, as well as 16 countries. Aeromexico Cargo operates in more than 40 airports in Mexico, and several other destinations including the USA, Canada, Central America, South America, Asia, and Europe. The most common cargo carried includes medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, perishable goods, live animals, and high technology consumer and corporate items.
Rex Airlines marks another major milestone tomorrow, as the first of its Boeing 737-800NGs lands in Sydney in full Rex livery (airline colours). The aircraft arrived in Brisbane today just after 7:30pm on a transit stop after its major scheduled check overseas. The aircraft is due to touch down in Sydney at 8:30am on Christmas Eve.
Planespotters will be in for a treat as they finally get to see Rex’s official livery on its Boeing 737 in the Sydney skies.
Rex has leased six Boeing 737-800NG aircraft in readiness for its inaugural service from Melbourne to Sydney commencing 1 March 2021.
Brisbane will be added to Rex’s capital city network after Easter.
Rex’s Deputy Chairman the Hon John Sharp AM said, “The livery of Australia’s favourite Regional Airline is now emblazoned on a 737, ready for take-off. It’s a historic moment.”
“Our second 737 is currently being painted by Douglas Aerospace at one of the country’s finest aircraft paint facilities in Wagga Wagga. The remaining four 737s are undergoing scheduled checks and will be brought in-country over the next 3 months.”
“With Rex’s entry into the domestic market, passengers are no longer forced to choose between cheap fares that come with limited service and reliable service with premium fares. Rex is bringing its renowned country hospitality to the capital city market, offering twice the value at half the cost. This is the shake-up Australia’s domestic aviation sector has been crying out for and it could not have come at a better time, as Australia struggles to recover from the worst pandemic in the last century.”
To celebrate its launch, Rex is offering 100,000 special $79 fares between Melbourne and Sydney on sale now at rex.com.au.
Rex is Australia’s largest independent regional and domestic airline operating a fleet of 60 Saab340 aircraft (pre-COVID) on 1,500 weekly flights to 59 destinations throughout all states in Australia. Rex will begin its domestic services with six 737-800NGs in March 2021. In addition to the airline Rex, the Rex Group comprises wholly owned subsidiaries Pel-Air Aviation (air freight, aeromedical and charter operator) and the two pilot academies, Australian Airline Pilot Academy in Wagga Wagga and Ballarat.
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended many airlines’ strategic plans. Yet other airlines — especially those with strong balance sheets and a focus on the leisure market — are forging ahead with their plans, seeing the pandemic as an opportunity to gain market share from weakened rivals.
JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ: JBLU) is firmly in the latter camp. While the company has deferred some aircraft orders, it still plans to take delivery of its first Airbus A321LR next year, allowing it to launch its long-awaited service to London. Earlier this week, one of the last puzzle pieces fell into place, as the airline was granted slots allowing it to operate up to three daily roundtrips to London starting in the summer 2021 season.
El Al Israel Airlines is outsourcing operation of its main freighter route between Tel Aviv and Liege, Belgium, to Atlas Air Inc. under an extended charter arrangement.
Atlas, an aviation services company headquartered in Purchase, N.Y., said Tuesday it is leasing El Al a Boeing 747-400 all-cargo aircraft, operating it with its own crew and providing maintenance and insurance (ACMI) beginning this month.
El Al, a new customer for Atlas, is experiencing strong growth in demand across its freight network, according to the announcement. The Israeli carrier sells the space on the plane and covers expenses such as ground handling, landing fees and fuel.
No terms of the commercial cooperation were disclosed, but ACMI deals typically run for one to three years.
(Reuters) – A World War Two-era B-17 bomber trying to make an emergency landing at an airport near Hartford, Connecticut, crashed and burned on Wednesday, killing seven people on board and closing the airport for several hours, authorities said.
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress took off from Bradley International Airport on Wednesday morning and the crew contacted the air traffic control tower five minutes later to report a problem, National Transportation Safety Board member Jennifer Homendy said at a news conference.
During the crew’s attempt to land back at the airport, the plane struck stanchions near a runway and careened across a grassy area and a taxiway before striking a de-icing facility, said Homendy, whose agency sent a 10-member team to investigate the crash.
Rescue crews from numerous emergency response agencies raced to the scene where a plume of thick, black smoke billowed skyward after the crash.
Seven people died in the crash and six others, including a worker in the de-icing station, were treated for injuries ranging from minor to critical, James Rovella, commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, told the news conference.
A total of 13 people were on board the plane, including three crew members, Rovella said.
The names of the seven people who died have not been released pending notification of all the victims’ families. All the victims were adults, Rovella said.
ESCAPE HATCH
Some people on the plane opened an escape hatch and helped others get out, he said.
“During the course of the next coming days, you’re going to hear about some heroic efforts from some of the individuals that were in or around that plane,” he said.
The airport, located in the town of Windsor Locks, was closed for about 3-1/2 hours after the crash.
The plane was operated by the Massachusetts-based Collings Foundation, which is dedicated to the preservation and public display of automotive and aviation-related history.
“The Collings Foundation flight team is fully cooperating with officials to determine the cause of the crash of the B-17 Flying Fortress and will comment further when details become known,” the foundation said in a statement.
The vintage plane was one of only 18 B-17 aircraft still operating in the United States.
Reporting by Peter Szekely and Maria Caspani in New York, Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles and David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney
Comment: I have made several pilgrimages to see the Collings Foundation aircraft over the years, and some of my personnal photos of this aircraft can be seen below. Thank you
