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Late Start Diverts American Airlines Delhi-New York Flight To Gander

An ultra-long-haul flight, a substantially late start, and a longer-than-usual route – not the best of combinations when flying between cities pretty much on opposite sides of the world. But that’s precisely what happened to an American Airlines Boeing 777-300ER flying from New Delhi (DEL) to New York City (JFK) on November 29th. The otherwise non-stop flight had to make a stopover at Gandor airport before continuing on to JFK. Let’s find out more.


American Airlines’ 777 flying from Delhi to NYC had to be diverted to Gander due to the crew timing out. Photo: Getty Images.

Late start leads to diversion

American Airlines flight AA293 has a scheduled departure time of 12:55 am from New Delhi to New York JFK. The daily non-stop service between the two cities was recently inaugurated on November 12th, marking the official return of the airline to India since 2012.

The ultra-long-haul flight cannot use the Russian airspace for now (more on that later), which means that the aircraft has to take a longer route both ways, with the return flight to NYC being the longer of the two. Any significant delay for this particular flight risks the crew timing out and not completing the entire flight.

And that’s what happened on November 29th, when the flight to NYC was delayed by almost four hours. As reported by One Mile At A Time, the crew had two options – to cancel the flight or divert it to an intermediate point and have a crew change. The carrier chose the latter.

The airplane made a stop at Gander, and American had to fly another crew to the airport to complete the remainder of the 777’s flight to New York.

Late Start Diverts American Airlines Delhi-New York Flight To Gander
American had a crew change for the second leg of the flight from Gander to JFK. Photo: Radarbox.com

Longer route

Non-stop flights between India and the US are some of the longest in the world and mostly require rights to overfly Russian airspace for a more efficient route. Air India and United routinely take this route on their India-US flights to save both time and fuel.

One Mile At A Time reports that American Airlines currently does not have permission to use Russian airspace for this route. The airline’s management best knows the reason for this – perhaps there has been a delay in applying for airspace rights.

This has made an already long flight even longer, sometimes stretching the one back to NYC for more than 16 hours. The report suggests that Eric Ferguson, the president of the Allied Pilots Association (APA), is not happy with the new route to Delhi as the airline has been staffing the flight with just one captain and three first officers. Because of the longer route due to the Russian airspace problem and the flight almost reaching 16 hours, it should ideally have two captains.

American 777-300ER
American doesn’t have permission to overfly Russian airspace for this particular flight yet, making it take a longer route. Photo: Getty Images

Flights of this duration leave little room for significant delays. American Airlines does use the Russian airspace for some of its other flights, so it seems the carrier has had some delays in completing the necessary formalities to acquire the rights for the JFK-DEL flights. Hopefully, this is a minor hiccup along the way to what one expects to be a long and successful return of American Airlines to India.

Have you traveled non-stop between India and the US? What has your experience been like? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Aurigny Borrows A Small Plane From The Isles Of Scilly

Isles of Scilly Skybus is down by one aircraft as one of the fleet’s Twin Otters has been drafted to support an Aurigny Air Services route. Guernsey-based Aurigny had to borrow the plane for its Alderney air routes due to one of its Dornier Do-228-200s undergoing maintenance.


The aircraft coming from Isles of Scilly Skybus is a Twin Otter registered G-CEWM. Photo: Isles of Scilly Skybus

G-CEWM chosen for the mission

According to the BBC, an aircraft from the Isles of Scilly Skybus fleet has been drafted to cover for an Aurigny aircraft while it undergoes maintenance. The Skybus aircraft, a Twin Otter, will operate Aurigny’s Alderney routes.

Temporarily out of commission and undergoing routine maintenance is one of Aurigny’s Dornier Do-228-200s, of which the airline has three. In its place is the De Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter registered G-CEWM.

Since yesterday, November 25th, the aircraft has been operating a number of Aurigny routes, with data from RadarBox.com showing the following flights completed by the Twin Otter:

GR202GR501GR502GR505GR506Aurigny tells the BBC that the Isles of Scilly Skybus plane would be used until the completion of the Dornier’s scheduled maintenance.

Aurigny Air Services
The Skybus Twin Otter replaces one of Aurigny’s Dornier turboprops, pictured here. Photo: David Jones via Wikimedia Commons Stay informed:Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests.

bout the aircraft

The aircraft called upon to fill in at Aurigny Air Services is a De Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter, currently registered G-CEWM. The turboprop took its first flight in December 1979 and was initially registered as PZ-TCE to fly with South African carrier Surinam Airways.

The Twin Otter then spent some time with Desert Sand Aircraft Leasing, registered as N70551. It wasn’t until 2008 that the plane joined the fleet of Isles of Scilly Skybus. According to Planespotters.net, the 42-year-old aircraft had initially been configured with 20 seats but now only seats 19.

Twin Otter Isles of Sicily
The Skybus aircraft is now 42 years of age. Photo: Rob Hodgkins via Flickr 

Where do these airlines fly?

Both airlines connect mainland Britain to various islands located south of England in the English Channel and the Celtic Sea. Skybus has eight aircraft while Aurigny has seven (including a single 122-seat Embraer E190).

While two carriers and their small fleets of island-hopper aircraft have no overlap, both serve the city of Exeter.

Aurigny route map
The route map belonging to Aurigny Air Services. The carrier notably offers service to London Gatwick. Photo: Aurigny Air Services

While Skybus’ home base is Land’s End (LEQ), Aurigny’s hub is Guernsey (GCI). However, Aurigny also has bases located at Alderney Airport (ACI) and Jersey (JER).

Flying since 1984, Skybus operates routes to St. Mary’s on the Isles of Scilly, which is just a short 20-minute flight from Land’s End Airport or 30 minutes from Newquay and 60 minutes from Exeter. This allows for connections to regional services throughout the UK.

Skybus route
The small route map belonging to Skybus. Photo: Isles of Scilly Skybus

Have you ever flown with either of these airlines? Which route did you fly, and on what aircraft? Share your experiences with us by leaving a comment.

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Brussels Airlines Expands Its Fleet With A 9th Airbus A330 Jet

On November 22nd, Brussels Airlines announced that it will be adding a 9th Airbus A330 to its fleet. However, according to the airline’s statement, this new aircraft won’t be coming anytime soon, with an operational start of June 2022. The new addition rebuilds the Brussels long-haul fleet and facilitates growth in the African market.


Moving forward, the aircraft of Brussels Airlines will have a new, brighter livery. Photo: Brussels Airlines

Seven months’ notice

While we’re used to hearing about fleet expansions extremely early when it comes to brand new aircraft (that may not necessarily be produced yet), it’s interesting to have Brussels Airlines announce an additional A330 some seven months in advance.

The airline says that its 9th Airbus A330 will “become operational” in the Brussels Airlines fleet as of June 2022. The carrier exclusively operates the -300 variant of the A330, it should be a safe bet that this 9th aircraft will be the same.

The additional widebody will be used by the carrier to support its African operations, as it noted in Monday’s statement:

“With the extra capacity, the Africa expert of the Lufthansa Group will reopen the West African stations Conakry and Ouagadougou and add frequencies on its routes from Brussels Airport to Freetown, Monrovia, Banjul and Lomé.” -Brussels Airlines

Brussels Airlines Airbus A330-342 OO-SFD
A member of the Star Alliance and the Lufthansa Group, one of Brussels Airlines’ core strengths is connecting Europe to Africa. The airline considers Africa its most important market.  Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple FlyingStay informed:Sign up for our daily and weekly aviation news digests.

Shrinking and growing

At this time, Brussels Airlines has a total of eight Airbus A330-300s. However, in previous years, the carrier had as many as 12. This figure went down to 10 just before the global health crisis and was brought further down to just eight due to industry-wide challenges. This fleet reduction was part of the carrier’s “turnaround program in 2020.”

One route suspended in 2020 was its African service to Conakry (Guinea) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). The inclusion of this 9th jet will allow the carrier to resume this service and will see it operate three weekly flights to the West African nations, “as well as add additional frequencies to Freetown, Monrovia, Banjul, and Lomé.”

“We always said that we would go for growth as soon as market conditions permitted. As we see a strong demand in the West African market, we want to take the opportunity to go for growth and invest in an expansion of our African network. –Peter Gerber, CEO, Brussels Airlines

Brussels Airlines Airbus A330-342 OO-SFD (2)
Additional staff will be brought on as part of Brussels Airlines’ recovery. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Where will this aircraft come from?

The airline didn’t specify exactly which aircraft would be its 9th A330. However, the airline’s announcement noted that the jet would be an “allocation,” indicating that it would likely come as a reshuffle within the Lufthansa Group.

We do know that the airline “lost” its other A330s to Eurowings over the course of the pandemic. Of course, these jets have been repainted and reconfigured to meet Eurowings’ needs, but it might be more profitable for Lufthansa Group to shift one of these aircraft back to Brussels Airlines. Otherwise, there are a number of SWISS A330-300s stored in Amman (Jordan) at the moment. Ultimately, we’ll have to wait and see where this allocated aircraft will come from.

Where do you think Brussels Airlines will get this additional A330-300? Let us know by leaving a comment.

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Indian Airports Ordered To Phase Out Older Inefficient Vehicles

The Indian government’s plan of sustainable aviation practices in the country gained further momentum with the decision to replace all old airport equipment by next year. While some airports have already incorporated electric vehicles into their operations, the new mandate applies to all airports handling more than 3.5 million passengers per year.


Major Indian Airports have been asked to use electric equipment by May next year. Photo: Getty Images

Eco-friendly equipment

The Ministry of Civil Aviation of India (MoCA) is taking its aim for carbon-neutral airports seriously by giving a tight deadline to many airports to replace inefficient equipment. By May 2022, Airlines and Ground Handling (GH) companies have to find electric or more fuel-efficient replacements for their current equipment.

Once implemented, one could expect several airports in India to operate more sustainable transport buses, pushback tugs, baggage tractors, and a host of other equipment that help in passenger and cargo loading and cleaning aircraft, etc.

The Business Standard cites MoCA’s November 1st order, which says,

“It has been decided that all GH agencies and airlines doing self-handling at airports having passenger movement of more than 3.5 million passengers per annum shall comply with the minimum standard of ground support equipment and vehicle.”

So far, airports in the country have been following their own policies on such initiatives. This new mandate will help standardize the procedure and will affect around 25 airports.

Tight deadline

While the move is accepted and appreciated across the board, many feel that the deadline of May 2022 is pretty tight. The last two years haven’t been the best for airlines and aviation companies. The financial burden inherited following the pandemic makes it tricky for these new changes to be implemented in less than a year.

The order says that no ground support equipment older than 12 years will be allowed, even if refurbished. But many believe that the policy could be relaxed for certain equipment, such as the low ladders, that can be used up to 20 years when refurbished according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Delhi Airport
While the move is being appreciated, many feel the implementation deadline is tight. Photo: Getty Images

Procuring new equipment takes time, and airlines and GH companies feel that May 2022 is cutting it close. The Business Standard report quotes R Ramana, Director and CEO of GH agency AISATS as saying,

“The norms will require us to make multi crore investments. Equipment such as pushback tractors or low loaders (pallet loaders) are made to order. Usually it takes 6-8 months to receive them after placing an order. The intent of the policy is right… But its implementation timeline needs to be stretched and tailored so that airlines and ground handling companies are able to meet the conditions based on the capital expenditure implications.”

Green push

MoCA’s order is part of a larger plan by the Indian government to make Indian aviation, among other sectors, more sustainable and in sync with the global aviation industry’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality.

In June this year, Delhi and Hyderabad airports received ACI Asia-Pacific Green Airports Recognition for embracing newer technologies. Delhi was lauded for reducing carbon emissions by using TaxiBot for aircraft pushback; Hyderabad was praised for improving air quality at the airport by using electric equipment such as Fixed Electrical Ground Power (FEGP) and solar-powered Baggage Freight Loader (BFL), etc.

Delhi airport
Delhi airport has been lauded for using TaxiBots and becoming the first single-use plastic-free airport in the country. Photo: Getty Images

In February last year, Delhi’s IGI Airport also became the first in the country to be free of single-use plastics. Down south, Cochin airport became the first fully solar-powered airport in the world in 2015.

The global aviation sector has been pushing hard for better and efficient aircraft, sustainable fuel, and airport equipment. The contribution of an enormous aviation market like India is definitely required.

What are your thoughts on the Indian government’s plans for sustainable aviation in the country? Please leave your comments.

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From Kuala Lumpur To The World: The History Of Malaysia Airlines

Closing in on its seventy-fifth birthday, Malaysia Airlines is one of Asia’s most high-profile airlines. Nowadays, Kuala Lumpur-based Malaysia Airlines’ 99 aircraft flies 116 routes to 76 destinations in 22 countries. In addition to a comprehensive domestic and regional network, Malaysia Airlines has a presence throughout Asia, Oceania, the Middle East, and Europe.


A Malaysian Airways Fokker F27 Friendship photographed around 1970. Photo: foundin_a_attic via Flickr

The airline can trace its history through several name changes and ownership changes to 1947, when Malayan Airways Limited operated its first passenger flight. At the time, modern-day Malaysia did not exist. More recently, it hasn’t been the easiest ride for Malaysia Airlines. The contemporary state-owned airline has struggled to make a profit with the recent travel downturn has also highlighting the airline’s financial stresses.

post-WWII airline that grew fast

That early postwar airline, Malayan Airways, operated out of Singapore. The airline, a collaboration between Straits Steamship Company and Imperial Airways, operated Airspeed Consul twin-engined aircraft. The first passenger flight was on April 2, 1947. Five passengers flew between Singapore’s Kallang Airport and Kuala Lumpur’s Sungai Besi Airport.

With the input of airlines from friendly countries, Malayan Airways grew rapidly. By 1955, the airline was flying Douglas DC-3s. Within 20 years of that first flight, Malayan Airlines was flying a wide variety of planes, including the Douglas DC-4 Skymaster, Vickers Viscount, Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation, Bristol Britannia, de Havilland Comet 4, and Fokker F27.

In 1960, Malayan Airlines commenced its first long-haul flight to Hong Kong, using an 84-seat Bristol Britannia. Three years later, in 1963, modern-day Malaysia was born, and Malayan Airways rebranded to Malaysian Airways – just a tweak but one that better reflected the airline’s home base. In the same year, five ultra-modern Fokker F27 Friendships landed at Malaysian Airways.

malaysia-airlines-history
A MAS De Havilland Comet 4 photographed in the late 1960s. Photo: RuthAS via Wikimedia Commons

Malaysian Airlines System (MAS) breaks away from Singapore

In 1966, Singapore broke away from Malaysia to form the contemporary stand-alone city-state, and Malaysian Airways renamed to Malaysia-Singapore Airlines (MAS). Within a short time frame, Boeing 707s and 737s began arriving at the airline. But 20 years after formation, the airline was beginning to experience some growing pains.

Core to the problem were the differing interests of the two owners – the Governments of Singapore and Malaysia. As a city-state, Singapore had an outward focus and wanted to build up the airline’s international network. Malaysia wanted to focus on domestic routes at home.

That strategic conflict led to the break up of the airline in 1972. The two new airlines were named Singapore Airlines and Malaysian Airline System, informally known as MAS. Singapore Airlines took the Boeing 707s and 737s and began flights out of Singapore. MAS took the Fokkers and started concentrating on domestic routes and some international services from Kuala Lumpur.

After the breakup, MAS was operating 19 aircraft, including jets capable of operating flights through to London. With the advent of DC-10-30 aircraft in 1976, MAS flights to Amsterdam, Paris, and Frankfurt began.

Under Malaysian Government ownership, MAS really began spreading its wings. Like the present day, emerging nation-states put a lot of value on their national carriers having both an extensive network and a high profile. Malaysia was no exception.

malaysia-airlines-history
Malaysian Airlines System received its first Boeing 737 in 1993. Photo: Aero Icarus via Wikimedia Commons

sian Financial Crisis deals MAS a body blow

By the 1980s, MAS was flying to 47 overseas destinations. In addition to an extensive network throughout Asia, MAS flew to eight airports in Europe, seven airports across Oceania, as well as Los Angeles and Honolulu. MAS has always concentrated on Europe and Ocean at the expense of the Americas, where it struggled to make flights profitable. But that didn’t stop MAS from having a go. Over the years, they’ve tried flights as far afield as Mexico City and Buenos Aires.

Nonetheless, throughout the 1980s and 1990s, MAS grew into a significant long-haul airline. However, the airline was dealt a serious blow with the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. A series of financial losses caused MAS to undertake what nowadays would be called a “transformation program.”

Aside from one noteworthy annual profit in the early 2000s, the period of financial turbulence lasted well over a decade. Loss-making long-haul routes got the ax, but that couldn’t offset rising salary, airport, and aircraft costs. Fuel costs and poor revenue management would prove particularly problematic.

Towards the end of this century’s first decade, a business turnaround plan executed by a new CEO got the airline back into the black. CEO Idris Jala made some big changes at MAS. He rationalized routes, including ending all unprofitable international flights. MAS changed from a predominantly point-to-point airline to a hub-and-spoke airline.

Idris Jala also got serious about revenue management. He was so successful the Malaysian Government wanted him in the national cabinet. His successor, Tengku Azmil Zahruddin, took over in 2009. Around this time, a raft of new aircraft orders went in, including for Boeing 737s, Airbus A330s, and Airbus A380s.

Malaysia Airlines, Airbus A380, Retirement
Malaysia Airlines brought the Airbus A380 into service in 2012. Photo: Getty Images

troubled last decade at Malaysia Airlines

The last decade has been a turbulent one for MAS. The airline rebranded once again, this time to Malaysia Airlines. But the legacy airline struggled to compete against the rise of nimble low-cost airlines. This was perhaps best illustrated by the arrival of the expensive A380s in 2012. The big jumbos rapidly became an albatross for Malaysia Airlines.

Two high-profile incidents also kept Malaysia Airlines in the public eye for all the wrong reasons. Flight 370, a Boeing 777-200ER, and its 239 people onboard mysteriously vanished in 2014. Searches have never found that plane. In the same year, another 777-200ER was hit by a missile over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 onboard.

High turnover of executives, plans to delist the airline, rebranding, and cultural issues at Malaysia Airlines combined with financial issues to create a perfect storm of problems. The recent travel downturn was the icing on the cake, but the ongoing problems at Malaysia Airlines predate that.

It would be enough to end most airlines, but Malaysia Airlines survives. Owned by a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund, the airline may be a shadow of its former self and still in trouble, but Malaysia Airlines is hanging in there. The airline is still flying and waiting for better days. In 2021, Malaysia Airlines remains a highly recognized carrier with an excellent inflight product.

Malaysia Airlines will be back better than ever as people start flying again, rebuilding and planning to capture a slice of the glory days before the Asian Financial Crisis.

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Emirates President Unsure When Final A380 Will Be Delivered

Emirates President Sir Tim Clark has revealed to Simple Flying that he has no visibility on when the airline’s last Airbus A380 will be delivered, a term he has previously used to describe the Boeing 777X. The Dubai-based carrier, and largest customer of the A380 had hoped to take its last of the giant aircraft this month.


Emirates isn’t sure exactly when its last Airbus A380 will be delivered. Photo: Getty Images

The Airbus A380 has become an icon of the aviation industry, though poor sales led to Airbus discontinuing the program early. Despite this, the giant of the skies is set to fly for many years yet, as Emirates won’t be looking to retire a brand new aircraft.

No clarity on the final delivery

Emirates had originally been due to take delivery of its final Airbus A380 in 2022, though earlier this year it revealed that the last one would be delivered in November. We’ve since reported that the last delivery has been delayed.

Talking about the last delivery at a Dubai Airshow round table, Emirates President Sir Tim Clark commented that he currently has no clarity on when his last A380 delivery will occur. He told Simple Flying’s Joanna Bailey,

“These aircraft should have come to us in October then November. One is meant to be coming this month, the last one next month. Now the one coming this month has also been moved.”

Emirates, Airbus A380, Deliveries
Emirates’ last Airbus A380 delivery has been delayed until December. Photo: Getty Images

Clark suggested that Emirates was eyeing December 16th for the delivery, but that this could be pushed back further. It is thought that the airline intends to make a song and dance about the aircraft’s delivery, though Clark indicated that the closer that we get to Christmas, the harder this will be.

The delivery truly will be one of a kind. There was obviously a huge celebration when the first Airbus A380 was delivered, and it seems as though Emirates wouldn’t want to not afford the end of the program the same privileges. The difficulty seems to be with the upcoming Christmas season, with Clark suggesting that anything after mid-December would be a conflict with the holiday.

Not the end yet

As mentioned, it’s not quite the end of the Airbus A380 program just yet. While Airbus has ended sales of the giant aircraft, it will continue to support them for the foreseeable future. After all, retiring a brand new jet is neither a good look for Airbus or Emirates.

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While Emirates recently scrapped its first Airbus A380, it’s still flying its younger aircraft. The airline is yet to confirm when it will phase out the giant of the skies, but the mid-2030s seems like the best guess as things currently stand.

Emirates, Airbus A380, Return
The last delivery will mark the end of an era for new passenger quad jets. Photo: Getty Images

Of course, Simple Flying will keep readers updated with any changes. While many passengers are truly interested in the cabin, the fact remains that most of the airline’s jets still lack premium economy, though this is set to change soon.

What do you make of Emirates’ Airbus A380 plans? Let us know what you think and why in the comments!

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How Much Can Boeing 787 Wings Flex?

Made possible with the use of carbon fiber material, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner’s wings have an incredible amount of flexibility. This flexibility allows load changes and wind gusts to be dampened, resulting in an overall smoother, less turbulent ride for passengers. But just how much can these wings flex?


A photo of a Boeing 787 undergoing its ultimate-load wing test. Photo: Boeing

Extreme testing results

It was over a decade ago, on March 28th, 2010, that Boeing completed its spectacular “ultimate-load wing-up bending test.” In this test, Speed News notes that extreme loads were applied to the airframe, replicating 150% of the most severe forces an aircraft could expect to encounter in service. WIRED notes that the test aircraft was essentially built to be “tortured on the ground and never fly.” So what was the result of this extreme test?

Subjecting the Boeing 787’s wing flexibility to near extremes, Boeing flexed the Dreamliner’s wings upward by approximately 25 feet (7.6 meters) during the test. Video of this extreme test can be seen below:

With this number being on the extreme end of the Dreamliner wing’s flexibility, we can safely say that typical flights with this type of aircraft (and essentially every other commercial jet) will experience much less flex. Even if the flex is much less, it’s an amazing sight to see, as Simple Flying photographer Vincenzo Pace can attest to- especially when these birds are banking on the Canarsie Departure.

Made possible by composite materials

The flexibility of the 787’s wings is made possible with the use of composite materials, including CFRP, or carbon fiber reinforced polymerCFRP). Boeing notes that the Dreamliner’s wings are comprised of approximately 50% of this composite material. Not only are wings more flexible, leading to a smoother ride, but they are also lighter- resulting in less fuel burn and greater efficiency, as Boeing explains:

“[Composite materials] allow a lighter, simpler structure, which increases airplane efficiency, reduces fuel consumption and reduces weight-based maintenance and fees. They do not fatigue or corrode, which reduces scheduled maintenance and increases productive time.”

One of the smoothest rides

Wing flexibility is not just incredible to watch, but it’s a massive benefit for passengers as well- especially those who hate turbulence and are more prone to air sickness caused by a bumpy ride.

Analyzing various factors including wing loading, gust alleviation, and wing flex, turbulence forecasting website Turbli crowned the Boeing 787-9 as the best aircraft to handle turbulence.

In its analysis, the website notes that the aircraft features one of the largest wing loading ratios for commercial aircraft: 750 kg/m2. Wing loading is the total mass of the plane divided by the wing’s surface area. “For comparison, the wings can take twice much weight per square meter than those of an Embraer ERJ-175,” it notes.

Add to this the 787’s incredible flex (an aspect ratio close to 11) and an advanced gust alleviation system, and passengers can keep the air sickness back neatly tucked away in the seat pocket.

Have you been on a Boeing 787? Have you noticed the incredible amount of flex of its wings? Share your experiences by leaving a comment.

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Air France Launches A New Menu For Premium Passengers

One of the things that Air France is most proud of is its inflight dining and the offering of fine french cuisine. Continuing with this tradition, the airline has teamed up with a pair of Michelin-starred chefs to offer a new menu for its first and business class passengers. Unveiled on November 11th, these delicious new options will be available this month through to February 2022. Let’s find out what the airline has to offer.


First and business class passengers flying long-haul will get to experience these new meals. Photo: Air France

Michelin-star dining at 35,000 feet

While many might complain about airplane food, not all meals are made the same. Air France is undoubtedly hoping that its La Première (first class) and business class passengers will realize this with the offering of new menus for its long-haul flights departing from Paris Charles de Gaulle.

For meals served between November 2021 and February 2022, the carrier is offering something quite special, teaming up with a pair of talented French Michelin-starred chefs for a new menu. Chefs Régis Marcon and Mathieu Viannay have been tasked with creating meals for long-haul passengers in two of Air France’s most premium classes.

Meals include vegetarian options but also include dishes with meat, poultry, and fish. “With these exceptional new dishes, Air France continues to promote French fine dining throughout the world,” the airline said in a statement.

Mathieu Viannay - Nage de dos de cabillaud aux petits légumes et olives Taggiasca-2 ©Air France
Shown here is a poached cod fillet with baby vegetables and taggiasca olives by chef Mathieu Viannay.  Photo: Air France

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Three Michelin-star dining in first class

Putting its best foot forward, Air France tasked three Michelin-starred chef Régis Marcon with preparing six new tasty dishes for its La Première. “Accompanied by the expertise of the Servair Culinary Studio, of which he is president, Régis Marcon revisits the seasonal products that are close to his heart.”

Below are the dishes, described in mouth-watering detail:

Vegetable lasagna, with tangy chive cream;Braised veal shank, sage sauce, potato gratin with porcini mushrooms;Beef tenderloin in red wine, sautéed potato, and morel cake;Pike and shrimp cake with lobster sauce, sautéed girolle mushrooms with tarragon, spinach;Mixed scallops and scampi with truffles, reduced jus and julienne vegetables;Confit pigeon, apricot sauce, lemon bulgur, mushrooms, and butternut.
Régis Marcon
The confit pigeon, apricot sauce, lemon bulgur, mushrooms and butternut by chef Régis Marcon Photo: Air France

Two Michelin stars in business

Arguably just as tasty as first class, depending on personal preferences, eight original dishes are being offered in business class. Air France has “entrusted” its menu to two Michelin-starred chef Mathieu Viannay, who has combined “delicate flavors and local produce to be enjoyed on board.”

The eight options are as follows:

Penne pasta, arugula and spinach gratin, ricotta cream with lovage;Risotto verde, vegetable Bolognese;Beef tenderloin, macaire potato patties, roasted beet, and smoked meat juices;Poultry fillet with morel mushrooms, spelt, and butternut squash risotto;Poached cod fillet with baby vegetables and taggiasca olives;Pike perch fillet, armorican sauce, yellow carrots, and herb semolina;Braised veal shank with sweet spices, split pea puree, mange tout, and hazelnuts;Roasted guinea fowl in coffee, celery confit, and stewed autumn vegetables.
Mathieu Viannay - Pintade rôtie, jus au café, céleri confit, fricassée d'automne-2 ©Air France
Roasted guinea fowl in coffee, celery confit, and stewed autumn vegetables. Photo: Air France
Mathieu Viannay - Risotto verde, bolognaise de légumes 1 ©Air France
Risotto verde, vegetable Bolognese by chef Mathieu Viannay. Photo: Air France

Considering the fact that Air France has laid on a whole slew of additional flights to the US this winter, these menus are perfect for Europeans traveling on Air France’s services across the Atlantic, or for Americans returning from Europe.

What’s the best inflight meal you’ve ever had? Share your experience with us by leaving a comment.

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https://pugetsoundsilentflyers.org/?p=689

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Back From The Brink: The Story Of South African Airways

South African Airways (SAA) has been South Africa’s flag carrier since the 1930s. Over its nearly 90 years of history, the airline has grown from a small domestic carrier to a respected international full-service carrier operating some of aviation’s largest jets. After coming back from the edge of bankruptcy, the airline is looking to rebuild and launch itself from a position of stability.


SAA has had a total of 28 Boeing 747s pass through its fleet. This has included -200, -300, SP, and -400 variants. Photo: Getty Images

With its first flight taking place in February 1934, South African Airways began as a state-owned airline that took over the operations of Union Airways. As early as the 1940s, the airline offered intercontinental services and has been consistently doing so since then- even operating aircraft such as the mighty Boeing 747 and the Airbus A340. In recent times, however, SAA has faced financial challenges, leading to an intensive business restructuring process that began in 2019.

The early years

Beginning operations on February 1st, 1934, South Africa Airways was a government-backed airline managed by the country’s Railways and Harbour administration. The airline introduced the Junkers Ju 52/3m on November 1st of that year for domestic services and steadily acquired more aircraft throughout the decade. Types included the Junkers Ju 86s and the Douglas DC-3.

Between the 1940s and 1960s, the airline would go on to adopt the Lockheed Constellation L-749A, Lockheed Lodestar, Douglas DC-7B, and the Vickers Viscount. Indeed, as aircraft reliability improved, SAA introduced its signature Springbok intercontinental service in November of 1945. This route would see the airline operate a 34-hour multi-stop service from Palmietfontein to Nairobi, Khartoum, Cairo, Castel Benito, and Bournemouth.

The airline also notes that it offered inflight entertainment early in its history, as domestic service between Johannesburg and Cape Town even featured a cinema.

Lockheed Lodestar SAA
SAA’s early fleet included the Lockheed Lodestar. Photo: Alan Wilson via Flickr

The jet age

Entering the jet age, the airline would take on the Boeing 707, operating direct services to further away destinations. This included a Johannesburg to Rio de Janeiro service that first began in 1968.

Soon enough, the Boeing 747 would enter service with SAA. For the airline, its first “Queen of the Skies” would come in 1971 and be registered as ZS-SAN with the nickname ‘Lebombo.’ Five years later, the airline would go on to take delivery of its first Airbus A300 aircraft in 1976, named ‘Blesbok’ and registered ZS-SDA. The national carrier would go on to operate a total of 28 747s across four variants, and nine A300s across two variants.

Of the more exciting services operated by SAA, March 23rd, 1976 would see one of its Boeing 747SPs set a record for the longest non-stop commercial flight for connecting Seattle to Cape Town, a distance of 16,560km. This flight was 17 hours and 22 minutes in duration. The following year, SAA would connect South Africa to Australia with a 747SP service between Johannesburg and Sydney.

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The 707 enabled SAA to operate direct, long-distance services. Photo: Ken Fielding via Wikimedia Commons 

The 80s and 90s

The 1980s would be a tumultuous year for South African Airways and the country of South Africa as a whole as unrest intensified over government apartheid policies. Economic sanctions would be imposed on South Africa while foreign companies doing business in the country would experience pressure in their home countries to divest.

The November 1986 suspension of SAA’s flights from Johannesburg to New York would result from these sanctions. The USA withdrew its landing rights in South Africa, and the Australian government would do the same the following year.

With most sanctions repealed in 1991, SAA’s flights to New York and Australia could resume. SAA, in the post-apartheid era, would see multi-lingual greetings on its domestic flights. Languages included English, Zulu, Sotho, and Afrikaans.

The airline’s most significant shift, in a visual sense, took place on March 22nd, 1997. On this date, SAA unveiled a new corporate identity. Replacing the orange tail, dark blue cheatline, and Flying Springbok logo would be an identity designed to reflect the colors of South Africa’s new national flag: red, blue, gold, black and green.

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The 90s would see an end to SAA’s blue and orange color scheme. Photo: clipperarctic via Wikimedia Commons 

Fleet renewal and the 2000s

South African Airways would embark on a major fleet renewal program in the 2000s. In doing so, the carrier selected European planemaker Airbus as its supplier. A massive order for 41 new aircraft valued at US$3.5 billion would be placed. This consisted of A319s, A330s, and A340s.

In terms of partnerships, SAA’s induction into the Star Alliance would be one of its most significant moves. This took place in April of 2006 and would see the airline create two Star Alliance branded aircraft as per alliance requirements. These special-livery jets would be a 737-800 and an Airbus A340-600.

Amid this fleet renewal and development, and throughout subsequent decades, SAA would see an increase in competition from major international airlines, including from Emirates and even fellow Star Alliance member Ethiopian Airlines. Going as far back as domestic market deregulation in the 1990s, SAA would continue losing market share over the decades- a trend that would continue up until its 2019 business rescue.

South African Airways Airbus A340-642 ZS-SNG (2)
SAA would also be an operator of the massive Airbus A340-600. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

2019: Pushed to the edge

After years of struggling to make a profit, South African Airways was placed under administration, ceasing all operations in December 2019. The airline was placed under a form of bankruptcy protection called a “business rescue,” which would see appointed business experts work to pay off debts, raise cash (by selling off assets), reduce airline costs, and restructure operations towards profitability.

It was just a couple of months later that South Africa and the world would be confronted by the global health crisis. Perhaps coming at the best possible time (if there is such a thing), SAA’s business rescue process overlapped significantly with travel restrictions and border closures.

South African Airways Airbus A350-900 ZS-SOC
Two of SAA’s Airbus A350-900s were leased from Air Mauritius. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Notable moves during this business rescue process included the removal of the airline’s Airbus A340-300s, the sale of everything from premium crew luggage to chopsticks, and the return of the airline’s leased Airbus A350s.

After around 17 months of bankruptcy protection to deal with its financial situation, SAA received R7.8 billion ($537.87 million) from the government.

Resuming operations in late September 2021, the airline has a much smaller fleet consisting of the following aircraft:

3x Airbus A3192x Airbus A3201x Airbus A330-3002x Airbus A340-600

With a new strategy and a new operational structure, it remains to be seen if South African Airways will be able to successfully turn a profit and compete in this highly competitive space.

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AirAsia Is Eyeing A Narrowbody Airbus Freighter

AirAsia wants to start flying dedicated freighters as it diversifies away from its core low-cost passenger operations. Reports suggest the airline is talking to Airbus about developing a freighter version of its popular A321neo passenger plane.


AirAsia is in talks with Airbus about producing an A321neo freighter. Photo: AirAsia

irAsia wants Airbus to make an A321neo freighter

AirAsia has a massive 362 narrowbody aircraft order with Airbus. Recently, the airline has tinkered with that order, including upsizing some A320neos to A321neos. AirAsia has also extended the delivery timeline, which now runs through to 2035.

According to a Reuters report on Wednesday, AirAsia now wants to convert a “meaningful chunk” of those ordered passenger planes to freighters, specifically an A321neo freighter.

“For a lot of the markets that we need to reach both in range but also in capacity, it’s a great product,” Pete Chareonwongsak, CEO of AirAsia logistics division Teleport, said.

AirAsia is busy re-inventing itself from a purely low-cost airline into a southeast Asian logistics giant. The airline’s executives have expended a lot of time and energy developing to-the-door delivery options for people and packages, including drones and flying taxis.

Teleport already has its first dedicated freighter, a Boeing 737-800. It plans to take a further five over the next two years. But these planes are a stop-gap solution, and AirAsia is an Airbus airline. In the meantime, the Boeings will boost AirAsia’s freight capacity by 45%.

“We have pilots and spare parts for A320 family aircraft, so we would prefer it,” AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes said earlier this year.

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AirAsia received its first A321neo in 2019. Photo: AirAsia

irbus needs customers to commit

Whereas Boeing produces a range of dedicated freighters, aside from the future A350 freighter, the only dedicated freighter Airbus now makes is the A321P2F. A new-build A330-200F failed to take off, as did a freighter version of the A380.

Reports in August suggested Airbus was talking to potential customers about an A321neo freighter. But those reports also say Airbus won’t launch any new freighter versions without a baseline of customers already locked in. It is suggested Airbus will need at least 50 firm orders to consider an A321neo freighter.

Reuters cites an Airbus spokesperson saying they constantly talk to customer airlines about their future needs and adapt their product line accordingly. The Airbus spokesperson declined to provide specifics on any potentially soon to be announced A321neo freighter.

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Insiders say Airbus will need at least 50 firm orders before starting to produce any freighters. Photo: AirAsia

Is Airbus over AirAsia?

A potential problem for AirAsia is that passenger planes from the A320 family have sold like hotcakes. Airbus is under no real pressure to generate further sales by developing costly variants.

AirAsia is also under financial pressure and has spent much of the last 18 odd months wrangling with Airbus over delivery dates and aircraft types in existing orders. Subsidiary airlines, such as AirAsia X, have proved especially problematic for Airbus.

Whether Airbus wants to deepen its relationship with AirAsia right now is an interesting question. But AirAsia has big ambitions in the freight sphere. Tony Fernandes has said a lot about this lately, seeing the AirAsia Group as the Amazon Prime of southeast Asia.

He is also under some pressure to act reasonably soon. China’s JD Logistics is eyeing a fleet of 100 dedicated freighters by the end of this decade, and AirAsia could lose any first-mover advantage.

Talks continue between AirAsia and Airbus. But it is uncertain whether they can do a deal in time for an announcement at the upcoming Dubai Air Show.

Did you miss our previous article…
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