Czech Airlines Upgraded its Airbus A310 for Flights to New York

Czech Airlines modernised the Airbus A310 deployed on its scheduled service between Prague and New York. In recent weeks, the aircraft underwent a large inspection connected with a major change in its interior, including seat modernisation. The plane also received the new Czech Airlines livery.

Passengers first encountered the renovated airplane on the Prague-New York route on Sunday 27 July. “By upgrading the interior, we are trying to meet our passengers’ demands and improve their comfort during the flight,” said Czech Airlines’ Vice-President for Marketing and Product Development, Petr Pištělák.

As a part of the planned IL-check inspection, which is one of the most extensive heavy-maintenance inspections, the aircraft’s interior was significantly upgraded. The wallpaper and paint are new, and any damaged plastic or composite items in the cabin, galley, and washrooms were replaced. The carpeting is also new. Seats underwent a general repair and received new upholstery in the new Czech Airlines colours.

An IL-check on Airbus A310-type aircraft is carried out after 72 months of operation. The inspection involves a comprehensive check of the aircraft’s structure and all of its systems.

Source: Czech Airlines

Aeroflot finished fifth place in the market research SoFie (Survey of Flights in Europe) commissioned by IATA

Service quality on board was asked on 20 routes: Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Budapest, Vienna, Dusseldorf, Geneva, Kopenhagen, London, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Nice, Oslo, Paris, Prague, Rome, Sochi, Frankfurt and Zurich. Thirteen of the leading airlines took part in the survey: Air France, Finnair, Czech Airlines, KLM, LOT Polish Airlines, Swiss, Malev, Austrian, SAS, British Airways, Lufthansa, Turkish Airline and Aeroflot.

Aeroflot customers are satisfied with service on European routes and rate the level of service well above average. As a result Aeroflot not only finished fifth place in both Economy and Business Class but also made sure to be among the top airlines in Europe.

Moreover value for money was also rated higher than average. Aeroflot managed to maintain her fifth place in Business Class and actually made third place in Economy Class.

Service on board Aeroflot in Business as well as Economy Class is on a very high level according to passengers.

Aeroflot also reached third place concerning boarding and on-time statistics. Passengers awarded Aeroflot second place in Business Class and fifth place in Economy Class for cabin comfort. The standing in the category meals and drinks could be improved, Aeroflot now finished fourth. Regarding the selection and quality of video programmes Aeroflot clearly succeed and finished on top of the ranking.

According to Aeroflot commercial director Alexey Sidorov this performance attests to positive dynamics. Thanks to the induced activities the goal to finish among the top five European airlines in this survey could be achieved now instead of 2010.

Source: Aeroflot

Qantas safety record

SYDNEY -- Australia's Qantas Airways has never lost a jet plane to an accident but there have been a number of scares involving the iconic airline known as the "Flying Kangaroo."
Its record was emphasized in the 1988 movie "Rainman" when an autistic character played by Dustin Hoffman insisted on flying with the airline because it had never a fatal jet crash.

• Qantas and its subsidiaries were operating a fleet of 216 aircraft serving 140 destinations in 37 countries as of December 2007, according to the company's website.

• The website also declares: "Qantas' reputation in the field of aviation safety is recognized worldwide. The Qantas brand is built on the group's strong flight safety record and safety is at the core of all group activities."

Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation, News Ltd, Qantas websites

Hole forces Qantas plane to land

EMERGENCY LANDING. Australian pilot Captain John Francis Barters (R) looks at the damage to a Qantas Airways plane after it made an emergency landing. The plane landed after plunging thousands of feet and losing cabin pressure during a flight from Hong Kong to Melbourne.

Passengers on a Qantas jumbo jet bound for Melbourne told how the plane plunged 6,000 meters and debris flew through the cabin in an "absolutely terrifying" mid-flight ordeal Friday. The Qantas Boeing 747-400 plane, carrying 346 passengers and 19 crew, made an emergency landing in the Philippine capital Manila after a rupture in its fuselage.

Stunned passengers reported how the jumbo, which had taken off from London and made a stopover in Hong Kong, plunged nearly 20,000 feet (6,000 meters) in what one said was an "absolutely terrifying" ordeal.

• Planes are pressurised as cruising altitudes are freezing and lack sufficient oxygen to breathe
• Hole causes decompression, rapidly reducing air pressure and risking exposure
• Oxygen masks are deployed and pilot makes emergency descent to breathable altitude

Though a loud bang was heard and wind rushed into the plane, passengers remained calm, donning oxygen masks as the pilot made the emergency descent.

An urgent investigation is underway into what punched a hole of about three meters in diameter into the fuselage near the right wing.

Qantas chief executive officer Geoff Dixon said initial inspections showed the aircraft had sustained a hole in its fuselage, and it was being inspected by engineers.
He said the flight crew performed emergency procedures after oxygen masks were deployed and there were no reports of any injuries.

Qantas Airways boasts of its safety record, having never lost a jet to an accident. In the 1988 film "Rain Man," an autistic character played by Dustin Hoffman insists on flying with the airline precisely for that reason.

Qantas flight QF30, which took off from Hong Kong at 9:00 a.m. (0100 GMT), had been due to arrive in Melbourne at 1145 GMT, according to the Qantas website. June Kane, a passenger on that flight said the problem appeared to centre on the baggage compartment of the plane.

Qantas said a replacement plane would collect the passengers and crew later Friday and fly them overnight to Melbourne.

Safely off the plane, some passengers exchanged high fives while another smoked a cigarette.

Delta to launch non-stop service between New York and Bonaire

Delta Air Lines has announced that it will launch a new non-stop service between New York's John F Kennedy International Airport and Bonaire in the Netherlands Antilles, starting December 20, 2008.

The new flight from New York to Bonaire complements Delta's existing flight between Atlanta and Bonaire. Delta is offering customers a one-way introductory fare of $239 for travel between January 10, 2009, and April 4, 2009. Round-trip ticket purchase is required and tickets must be purchased by August 6, 2008.
Christophe Didier, vice president of sales and government affairs for Latin America and the Caribbean at Delta, said: "The Caribbean is a big part of our international expansion strategy as we add service and increase frequencies to popular beach destinations during the winter months."

Ronaldinho's flight of fancy

Air France's chief stewardess Hurpin Odile (right) celebrates her last flight after 30 years of service with a picture with Ronaldinho.

WE KNOW about his amazing football tricks and skills.

But do you know what is Ronaldinho's favourite food?

Serve him a plate of foie gras, which means goose liver in French, and the buck-toothed Brazilian superstar is likely to flash his megawatt smile.

Ronaldinho, who is one of three overaged players named in Brazil's Under-23 Olympic football squad, showed a special liking for the French delicacy during his Air France flight from Paris to Singapore yesterday.

'He didn't finish much of his food except for the foie gras, which he told me in Portuguese that it was very good,' Ms Benedicte, an Air France stewardess who served him on the flight, told upon her arrival yesterday.

Besides foie gras, Ronaldinho seems to prefer beef as his choice of meat.

That was what he chose over chicken and prawns for his main course.

Asked if Ronaldinho, who is known to be a party animal, consumed any alcohol on the plane, Benedicte said: 'No, he abstained from alcohol. I guess because he's a professional footballer.'

Despite his superstar status, Benedicte said that Ronaldinho was 'very friendly and courteous' towards the crew members.

The newly-signed AC Milan star spent most of his time on the 12-hour flight listening to his iPod and catching up on his sleep.

Benedicte said: 'They were obviously very tired from the long flight from Brazil.

'Ronaldinho slept very soundly throughout the flight.'

The Brazilians' arrival yesterday created a stir at Changi Airport, where about 500 fans had gathered to welcome them. But not many people on board flight AF256 knew that they were on the same flight as the samba boys. It is understood that the Brazilians were ushered into their business class seats only after the bulk of the passengers had boarded the plane. Singaporean Joseph Kwek, who bought an economy seat, only realised that he was in the company of the samba boys after the plane landed. 'It was too late by the time I saw them. We had already touched down by then. I only managed to take a picture of them from far as we were not allowed to get close to them,' lamented the 26-year-old bank officer.

Below, flight stewards Legeard Stephan (left) and Dieu Adrien are delighted to get their pictures taken with the Brazilian superstar too.


FAMOUS

Not even the crew members were informed of the Brazilians' presence.
It was not until the players decked out in their famous yellow and green shirts boarded the plane that they realised that the samba boys were on the flight.
Once the plane landed, the crew members mobbed the players for photographs.
No prizes for guessing who was the most sought-after player.
Whipping out their handphones, Air France stewards Legeard Stephan and Dieu Adrien proudly showed this reporter the photos they took with Ronaldinho.
Stephan said: 'Ronaldinho was really friendly. He obliged with all the requests for photographs and autographs.'
Hurpin Odile was one of the lucky ones who got a photo with Ronaldinho.
It was a nice moment for the Air France chief stewardess, who was serving on her last flight before she goes into retirement.
The Frenchwoman told: 'This is actually my last flight before I retire after 30 years of service.
'My daughter lives in Brazil and is a big fan of Ronaldinho.
'She'll be thrilled to see this picture.'

Azul começa treinamento da equipe

Começou na segunda, 21/07, o treinamento de pilotos, comissários e técnicos em manutenção na sede da Azul em Barueri (SP). O programa de treinamento foi aprovado pela Anac e deve se estender até agosto para os comissários e até setembro para os pilotos. A empresa planeja começar suas operações em dezembro de 2008 ou nos primeiros meses de 2009. A turma inicial é de 15 comissários e 10 pilotos que estarão em treinamento conjunto para depois receberem capacitações específicas em separado. Em seguida, os comissários irão para a Embraer, em São José dos Campos e os pilotos para Orlando nos Estados Unidos, onde serão treinados em simuladores de vôo. Os técnicos de manutenção e chefes de equipes de terra, que atuarão nos aeroportos estão tendo 40 dias de treinamento também na Embraer.

Jin Air a pris son envol

La nouvelle compagnie low-cost sud-coréenne est partie conquérir les cieux. Jin Air, filiale de Korean Air, a décollé de l’aéroport de Gimpo (Séoul) à 10h le matin du 17 juillet pour se rendre à Jeju, sa première destination.L’inauguration des opérations de la compagnie s’est faite de façon originale, de manière à coller avec l’image jeune et décontractée qu’elle souhaite véhiculer. DJ, gros ruban multicolore et équipage en jeans étaient de la partie. Jin Air n’exploite actuellement qu’un Boeing 737-800. Mais dès l’année prochaine, la flotte et le réseau devraient se développer. Les appareils seront alors cinq, trois B737-800 et deux Airbus A300-600. Busan devrait également être intégrée au programme de vols. La ville coréenne sera rapidement suivie des premières destinations internationales. Intégrées au réseau dès le second semestre 2009, elles seront toutes situées dans des pays ayant conclu un accord de ciel ouvert avec la Corée du Sud.

Air France

An innovative carrier which analysts predict is on the path to “global domination”, whilst still staying true to its Parisian routes, Air France truly is a market leader in the aviation field.
With more than 183 destinations in 98 countries, and employing over 17,000 global staff to operate, Air France is more than just a legacy carrier.
The national carrier for France, known for its excellence in food and travel, began its days in 1933 with a range of extensive flights throughout Europe.

Air Fance First Class

Now merged with Dutch Airline KLM, Air France has become one of the largest airlines in the world offering a combined network of over 300 destinations.
The 589 dual-fleet carrier bases itself in Paris’ Charles de Gaulle International Airport and is a part of the SkyTeam Alliance. As a part of the SkyTeam Alliance, Air France counts Delta Air, Alitalia and Korean Air as just some of its partners in providing the best world wide service for its customers.
This alliance has seen it recently announce a trans-Atlanic partnership with Delta and Northwest allowing the four carriers to co-ordinate schedules.

Air France also has several programs that make travelling with the airline a care-free and relaxing experience. Their mileage points club, Flying Blue, is another way of travelling that allows frequent fliers to accumulate SkyTeam points to exchange for flights and upgrades.
Planète Bleue is also a program that ensures a perfect flight to a traveller’s destination, or a pint-sized traveller to be more accurate. Planète Bleue is a program that ensures that children travelling from the age of 12 till 17 will be looked after with the greatest care.
Air France has built its name on quality service and care. With this, their reputation is something that they continue to enhance this tradition, even as they celebrate their 75th anniversary.

Delta Air Lines Offers Two Nonstop Flights Between the U.S. and Ecuador: One to Quito, One to Guayaquil

NEW YORK, July 7, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) today announced changes to its Ecuador schedule to offer nonstop flights between Atlanta and Quito, as well as Guayaquil. Delta currently offers one daily flight from Atlanta to Ecuador that stops in both Quito and Guayaquil before returning to Atlanta. Starting Sept. 5, 2008, Delta will split the route and offer nonstop service in each direction between Atlanta and Quito. Nonstop service in each direction between Atlanta and Guayaquil starts Dec. 1, 2008. "Both of these nonstop flights to Ecuador will help our passengers save time while giving them a more pleasant, hassle-free travel experience," said Christophe Didier, vice president of Sales and Government Affairs in Latin America and the Caribbean for Delta Air Lines. "The nonstop flight to Guayaquil will launch in December to capitalize on peak demand during the holiday season."

Delta's schedule between Atlanta and Quito starting Sept. 5, 2008:

Flight DL331
Departs Atlanta at 5:30 p.m.
Arrives Quito at 9:45 p.m.
Frequency Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat/Sun

Flight DL330
Departs Quito at 11 p.m.
Arrives Atlanta at 5:30 a.m.
Frequency Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat/Sun


Delta's schedule between Atlanta and Guayaquil starting Dec. 1, 2008:

Flight DL345
Departs Atlanta at 5:30 p.m.
Arrives Guayaquil at 11 p.m.
Frequency Mon/Fri/Sat

Flight DL344*
Departs Guayaquil at 12:05 a.m.
Arrives Atlanta at 5:31 a.m.
Frequency Tue/Sat/Sun

*Flight starts Dec. 2, 2008

NWA Announces Service to Taiwan Via Tokyo

Northwest Airlines announced today that it is resuming service to Taipei, Taiwan from its hub in Tokyo. This new service provides convenient connecting service to NWA’s West Coast gateway cities of Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle.
Starting August 31, 2008, NWA flight 95 will begin daily non-stop service from Tokyo-Narita to Taipei, Taiwan. Flight 96 from Taipei, Taiwan to Tokyo will begin the following day, September 1, 2008. Northwest will utilize its 757-200 aircraft on the route offering 20 seats in World Business Class and 160 seats in coach class. This service will complement daily 747-400 existing service from Taipei, Taiwan to Osaka, Japan.

Jet nose cone caves in mid-flight

Northwest Airlines is investigating why the nose cone on one of its planes caved in on a flight Sunday from Detroit, Michigan, to Tampa, Florida.
The damage to the plane occurred during the flight, but didn't affect Flight 478's scheduled 2:30 p.m. landing in Tampa, Florida, said Northwest spokeswoman Kristin Baur.
Baur, who called the damage a "minor maintenance issue" and a "very rare occurrence" said all 182 passengers on board arrived in Tampa safely.

The Boeing 757 is one of the most common commercial aircraft in use today. The nose, which is made of a carbon fiber, houses radar that scans for weather.

Air France quer usar trens como alternativa

A Air France-KLM está em conversações para formar uma join venture com um operador privado de trens. A ação pode resultar na mudança de vôos de curta distância da empresa para uso trens de alta velocidade já em 2010.

A empresa confirmou que está explorando o uso de serviços complementares de trem em algumas rotas e considerando gerir seus próprios serviços. Anteriormente, a Air France- KLM já comprou assentos para seus clientes em serviços já existentes de trens de alta velocidade europeus, assim com a alemã Lufthansa. A operadora de trens privados Veolia Transportes confirmou as negociações com a Air France.

As viagens de trem internacionais entre os países da União Européia devem ser liberalizadas em janeiro de 2010, permitindo a criação de novas operadoras de trens privados. O plano seria para Veolia operar os trens sob a marca Air France do aeroporto de Paris, Charles de Gaulle, para cidades como Amsterdam, Frankfurt e adiante.

A mudança de foco da aérea vem em um tempo de incertezas com os preços recordes do petróleo e a pressão para cortar vôo de curta distância, que são desproporcionalmente custosos, onde outras alternativas de transportes são viáveis.

Last call for Alitalia

Venda da empresa entra em nova estratégia, segundo Aristide Police.

A Alitalia observa as últimas chances de evitar sua falência afirmou o presidente da empresa, Aristide Police, durante reunião com acionistas para aprovar os prejuízos de 495 milhões de euros ( US$ 779,1 milhões de dólares) registrados em 2007. A companhia que segue ativa graças aos recursos do empréstimo emergencial de 300 milhões de euros feito pelo governo italiano, concentra sua expectativa em uma nova possibilidade de venda. O banco Intesa SanPaulo foi convocado para ser o articulador geral desta negociação que deverá ser completada até o final de julho.

"Estamos encarando uma última chance e não podemos correr o risco de perder," afirmou Police, dizendo esperar uma estratégia apropriada para recuperação e desenvolvimento da empresa com novas alianças junto a parceiros internacionais novos ou já existentes.

Um leilão inicial para comprar 49,9% da Alitalia fracassou em 2007, quando todos os possíveis compradores desistiram. Uma planejada venda para a companhia aérea Air France-KLM acabou após os sindicatos terem rejeitado propostas de corte de empregos. Já o empréstimo do governo à Alitalia está sendo investigado pela Comissão Européia para determinar se ele está fora das regras de ajuda estatal.

Air France and Veolia in rail alliance talks

The French airline company Air France has been holding talks with the rail firm Veolia with a view to providing high-speed travel by train as well as flights. It has been speculated that such a partnership would allow the airline to cut fuel costs by transferring some of its services onto trains. Air France confirmed it had been having discussions on this matter.
Under the proposal it is reported that Veolia would be running trains under the Air France brand from the airline's hub at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport to destinations across Europe. As a combined effort of the two companies it is likely to concentrate on international travel because the European Union is planning to free up the market for international rail passengers in 2010.

Amsterdam airport trials self-service baggage check

A man uses an automated luggage check in machine at Amsterdam airport in this July 4, 2008

AMSTERDAM - Passengers departing from Amsterdam airport can now cut waiting times and minimize human contact by using a machine to check in their luggage.
Schiphol airport launched a trial with airline KLM on Friday that allows passengers who have checked in via a self-service kiosk or on the Internet to drop off their luggage at a machine.

Passengers place their luggage into a large, white machine, scan their boarding pass and answer the usual security questions via a touch-screen. The machine weighs the luggage and prints out a label that passengers attach to their suitcase.
The luggage will be subjected to the same security screening as bags checked in at the regular counter.
An employee will check passports during the trial to make sure that the luggage belongs to the passenger, but future machines will have the capability to scan passports as current self-service kiosks already do.

A man uses an automated luggage check in machine at Amsterdam airport in this July 4, 2008

Historic China-Taiwan flight takes off

Liu Shaoyong, chairman of China Southern Airlines Co., piloted a Chinese tourist flight to Taiwan, ending a six-decade ban that deprived the island of visitors from its closest neighbor.
Passengers applauded when the Airbus A330 landed in Taipei at 8:05 a.m. after a flight of about 95 minutes from Guangzhou Baiyun airport in southern China. The role of Liu, 49, a trained commercial pilot and former vice-minister, underscored the trip's significance for the nation and its largest airline.
China and Taiwan agreed in June to start direct flights for tourists for the first time, signaling a rapprochement between governments estranged since their civil war ended in 1949. Allowing visitors from the world's most populous nation may boost Taiwan's economy, forecast to grow at less than half the pace of its larger neighbor this year.
``The road from rapprochement to peace has been a great leap forward,'' Liu said before the flight. ``This is a very exciting moment not just for the Chinese aviation industry and for China Southern, but also for myself as an aviator.''

Liu, wearing a captain's uniform, said he'd be at the controls for both take-off and landing.

Taipei-based China Airlines took off this morning for Shanghai, the first weekly flight for tour groups by a Taiwan carrier to the mainland. Six China-based airlines and five from Taiwan will operate 36 weekly round trips.
``This non-stop flight saves me a lot of time because normally I would travel from early morning for a whole day,'' said Michael Yin, a passenger. Direct flights shave as much as six hours off the journey across the 100-mile (161-kilometer) Taiwan Strait. Until now, the estimated 1 million Taiwanese living in China have changed planes in Hong Kong or Macau.

Compensação de CO2 das viagens tem pouco êxito na Europa

Para passar uma imagem de empresa "verde", as grandes companhias aéreas e as agências de viagens vêm propondo uma "compensação" pela contaminação com CO2 resultante de seus trajetos, mas os clientes estão resistentes a pagar para ter uma boa consciência ecológica. O princípio é aparentemente simples: para compensar o CO2 emitido durante as viagens, os turistas são convidados a pagar, ao comprar suas passagens, um suplemento destinado a financiar projetos de luta contra o efeito estufa (proteção de florestas, energias renováveis). Mas a "compensação não é uma ciência exata: para um vôo de ida e volta entre Paris e Nova York, por exemplo, um passageiro assume a emissão de entre uma e três toneladas de equivalente CO2, segundo cálculos distintos de empresas e associações, e o preço a pagar varia entre 15 e 75 euros".

A companhia aérea Air France propõe a seus clientes, desde outubro de 2007, que "compensem" suas viagens mediante doações entregues a uma associação. A companhia aérea não publicou nenhum balanço da operação mas, segundo a associação Goodplanet, ela teve pouca aceitação. A Goodplanet estima que "apenas mil" clientes da Air France fizeram doações. A British Airways, a primeira a se lançar neste tipo de operações (em março de 2006) mostrou a mesma discrição que sua concorrente francesa sobre os resultados obtidos, igual à alemã Lufthansa, que iniciou seu programa em setembro de 2007.

New JFK-Lyon Nonstop Flight

Starting July 17, 2008, Air France offers nonstop flights between New York - JFK and Lyon. Its SkyTeam partner, Delta, will operate this new service, following a very convenient schedule on a comfortable Boeing 757-ER.

JFK to Lyon Flight AF8987/DL174, departs 4:30PM and arrives 7:05AM no fligts on Mondays and Wednesdays;

Lyon to JFK Flight AF8992/DL175, departs 9:30AM and arrives 12:15PM no fligts on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Northwest Airlines is dropping three European routes because of high fuel prices

Just 11 weeks after launching its Minneapolis-St. Paul to Paris non-stop service, record oil prices and decreased demand are forcing Northwest Airlines to say au revoir to the flight in October. At least until next spring.
The airline is suspending the Paris service effective Oct. 8, but plans to bring it back next March, the airline said. Two other international routes — Detroit-to-Dusseldorf and Hartford, Conn.-to-Amsterdam —are being cancelled.
The Eagan-based airline recently indicated that it will trim its overall capacity this fall by up to 9.5 percent, with the bulk of the reductions coming on domestic routes. But the international moves today indicate it couldn't sit by while certain international flights continued to underperform.
Customers with advanced bookings on those three routes will be offered alternate flights with Northwest or its SkyTeam partners.
Northwest's main transatlantic aircraft is the Airbus A330, but the airline also uses Boeing 757s for some routes.

79 year old Continental Airlines flight attendant retires

Ray Hope (pictured at right) made his final flight as a Continental Airlines flight attendant this past Friday. He thought it was time to retire; he will be 80 years old in August. According to a Houston Chronicle article about Ray Hope, this is his second retirement. Before he became a Continental Airlines flight attendant 16 years ago, he had a 40 year career as a commercial photographer. Mr. Hope, whose daughter has been a Continental flight attendant for 22 years, was in his sixties when he applied for the cabin crew job. He told that he had "some good days and some bad days." But the experience taught him patience, he said.
"It's just a good experience of meeting people and communicating with them," Hope said. "I think it's the best choice I've ever made in my entire life. I wish I would have done it sooner."He called being a flight attendant a "rewarding job" that he hated to give up, but he felt it was the right time to do so. The almost-80 year old now plans to spend time with friends at a retirement community, making wooden toys for children in Child Protective Services. He jokes, though, about a possible third career as a Wal-Mart greeter. Ray Hope's daughter, Diane Peckham, who said of her father, "He's not one to relax very easily. He's always one to do something." Best wishes to Ray Hope for his retirement years.