Joy Air launches the world's first new route of 2021

 Report by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA

Joy Air has launched the world's first new passenger route of 2021. The new route is Harbin - Jixi.

On 1 January 2021, Joy Air's MA-60 flight JR1561 departs from Harbin for Jixi at 7.40 am, touches down in Jixi at 9 am before leaving Jixi for Harbin at 9.30 am and arriving in Harbin at 10.55 am under flight JR1562.

On 6 January 2021, Joy Air's B737-800 will be deployed in the Harbin airport in order to launch new scheduled routes to Zhengzhou, Zhanjiang and Quanzhou then after.

See also : https://kucinta-air.blogspot.com/2020/12/joy-air-launches-five-new-routes-on-6.html

Italia Trasporto Aereo (ITA) unveils business plan as the new Alitalia

Image / Report : World Airline News

The Board of Directors of ITA - Italia Trasporti Aereo SpA (the new Alitalia) has approved the 2021-2025 Business Plan. The plan is still subject to Italian and European Commission approvals.

The plan outline is based on three main objectives:

1. Create an efficient, innovative and competitive air carrier, able to offer the country quality connectivity in synergy with the strategic sectors of premium leisure and international business, placing the best service to customers - businesses, people and families - combined with social, environmental and economic sustainability, through careful and prudent management of resources.
2. Develop a network of alliances aimed at expanding ITA's range of action, increasing its growth and employment prospects, optimizing its investments in fleet and systems.
3. Anchoring the network start-up, fleet and operating structures to the reality of the current context and their development, gradually and prudently, to the resumption of post Covid traffic, to ensure the public shareholder an efficient use of capital such as to allow an economic return on the amount invested, in line with the market. This, albeit in a still uncertain context, in which it remains difficult to accurately predict the evolution of demand and the consequent return on investments.

Operational Facts:

1. Focus on the Rome Fiumicino Airport as main hub and Milan Linate Airport.
2. Corporate structure with a holding company that will manage the flight operations, on which two subsidiaries will depend - and therefore with their own independent financial statements, which make it possible to constantly check their performance and compliance with the economic-financial balance - with specific skills in maintenance and handling, initially 100% controlled by ITA.
3. Investments in digital systems and platforms to guarantee the customer experience of quality travel, as a distinctive element of the offer, and to develop a flexible and lean organization.

Marketing Facts:

1. ITA aims to become the first choice on international destinations to and from Rome Fiumicino and to be the key company for business and leisure traffic to and from Milan Linate.
2. The air cargo transport will be developed through the usage of jetliners belly cargo and the maybe in future a possible set up of a cargo division at Milan Malpensa airport is under overlook.

The business plan in the first year of operation envisions:

1. 61 routes
2. 52 aircraft
3. Between 5,200 and 5,500 employees

International services from Rome:

2021: London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris CDG, Munich, Zurich, Geneva, Barcelona, ​​Madrid. Algiers, Tunis, Athens, Tirana, Cairo, Tel Aviv

2022: Valencia, Malaga, Frankfurt, Marseille, Belgrade, Malta, Sofia

2023: Moscow, Beirut, Amman

2024: Kuwait City, Jeddah, Riyadh

Domestic flights from Rome:

Turin, Bologna, Trieste, Verona, Venice, Florence, Bari, Brindisi, Naples, Lamezia, Reggio C., Catania, Comiso, Palermo, Alghero, Cagliari, Olbia.

International services from Milan Linate:

2021: London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris CDG and ORY, Frankfurt. Nationals on Rome, Naples, Alghero, Olbia, Cagliari, Palermo, Catania, Comiso, Reggio Calabria, Lamezia, Naples, Bari, Brindisi

2022: London (other stopover), Geneva, Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Luxembourg, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Stuttgart. National: Pescara

2023: Manchester, Hamburg.

By 2025 ITA will operate  services up to 93 routes.

The future aircraft fleet is to be determined.

Discussions are in progress with the old Alitalia SAI for the purchase of some of the commercial assets such as the Alitalia AZ code, 055 IATA ticket issuing plate, Alitalia brand, London Heathrow slots and Programma Millemiglia, the frequent flyer program.

JetBlue took delivery of its first A220

Image / Report : World Airline News

JetBlue Airways today announced it has formally taken delivery of its first Airbus A220-300 aircraft, marking the start of a new era for the airline's fleet. The aircraft – tail N3008J – is scheduled to arrive at JetBlue's home at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) this evening from Airbus's U.S. production facility in Mobile, Ala. It is the first delivery of 70 A220 aircraft JetBlue has on order, which will be phased in to ultimately replace the existing fleet of 60 Embraer 190 aircraft.

The A220 boasts a nearly 30 percent lower direct operating cost per seat than the current E190. Lower seat costs come from both fuel and non-fuel savings. The A220 fleet will also help to further reset JetBlue's maintenance costs well into the decade. The airline anticipates the A220 fleet, with improved reliability and longer maintenance intervals, will have a maintenance cost per seat that is more than 40 percent lower than E190s.

With a range of up to 3,350 nautical miles and a 40 percent lower fuel burn per seat than JetBlue's E190 aircraft, the favorable economics open the door to new markets and routes that would have been unprofitable with JetBlue's existing fleet. The A220 covers a wide mix of new and existing market possibilities with excellent economics on short, medium and even potentially transcontinental markets. This will allow for better overall aircraft utilization and provide a competitive advantage for JetBlue in short haul markets.

The A220 is powered exclusively by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, which deliver double-digit improvements in fuel and carbon emissions. Optimizing fuel burn is an important first step in JetBlue’s cost-conscious sustainability strategy, and prioritizing fuel-efficient aircraft and engines aligns with JetBlue’s approach to reducing emissions. Earlier this year, JetBlue became the first major U.S. airline to achieve carbon neutrality for all domestic flights, and later announced its plans to achieve net zero carbon emissions across all operations by 2040. The A220’s significant reduction in per-seat emissions will help JetBlue meet and maintain its sustainability commitments.

The interior of JetBlue’s A220 will be as impressive as the operating capabilities of the aircraft. Customers will also enjoy an elevated inflight experience with wider seats, spacious overhead bins and extra-large windows. JetBlue’s fleet features the most legroom in coach (a) and free Fly-Fi®, the fastest broadband internet in the sky (b). JetBlue will reveal details of its custom-designed A220 cabin – featuring thoughtful, customer-friendly touches throughout – in January 2021.

Urumqi Air launches direct flight to Yutian from Urumqi on 26 December 2020

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA

Starting from 26 December 2020, Yutian Wanfang Airport will be officially put into operation. Urumqi Air will also launch the Urumqi = Yutian route on the same day, becoming the first airline to operate at Yutian Wanfang Airport, helping Yutian County alleviate poverty and promote regional economic development.

The Urumqi = Yutian route is operated by a B737-800 passenger plane with the flight number UQ2573/4. The outbound flight will depart from Urumqi Diwopu International Airport at 10 am and arrive at Yutian Wanfang Airport at 12 pm. The return flight will depart from Yutian Wanfang Airport at 2 pm and arrive in Urumqi at 4 pm

Yutian County is a county under the jurisdiction of the Hotan Prefecture of Xinjiang. It has a long history and is an important town on the southern Silk Road. The vast desert, the magical Populus euphratica forest belt, the towering Kunlun Mountains, the Silk Road ruins in the sand sea, and the beautiful oasis on both sides of the Keliya River all add to the scenery of Yutian, and more and more tourists choose to come to Yutian for travel, sightseeing, feel the unique folk customs and the charm of intangible cultural heritage. Urumqi Air's launch of the Urumqi = Yutian route will continuously improve the transportation network in Xinjiang, improve the traffic conditions in Yutian and surrounding counties and cities, and provide safer, more comfortable and convenient air travel services for passengers visiting Xinjiang.

The Urumqi = Yutian route will also effectively shorten the spatial distance between Yutian and Urumqi and even inland cities, break the bottleneck restricting the economic development of Yutian, and effectively promote the high-quality development of the local economy. In the future, Urumqi Air will continue to open routes from Yutian to Shanghai and Shenzhen, bringing closer personnel, economic, and trade exchanges between Yutian and first-tier cities, and building an air bridge from Yutian to the rest of China.

In order to build the Yutian boutique route, Urumqi Air will provide full service guarantee for the Yutian = Urumqi route and the subsequent Yutian  = Urumqi = Shenzhen, Yutian = Urumqi = Pudong routes. Passengers taking flights can enjoy 20KG free baggage allowance and free in-flight meals and other high-quality services providing more convenience for travelers.

Alaska Airlines to fly its first 737-9 in March 2021

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA

Alaska Airlines signed an agreement with Boeing to purchase 23 more Boeing 737MAX9 (737-9) aircraft, with a total order volume of 68, and another 15 optional orders, bringing the total number of optional orders to 52.

Alaska Airlines plans to receive 13 737-9 aircraft in 2021, 30 in 2022, 13 in 2023, and 12 in 2024. The newly received aircraft are mainly used to replace the existing Airbus A320 series aircraft in the fleet and gradually build a single-type trunk line fleet.

Alaska Airlines plans to fly its first Boeing 737-9 aircraft in March 2021.

In October 2012, Alaska Airlines ordered 32 Boeing 737-9 aircraft and another 37 optional orders and in November 2020, it announced that it would lease 13 737-9 aircraft.

EL AL Israel Airlines' first commercial flight to Rabat on 22 December 2020

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA / Image : Web Screenshot

The first direct commercial flight between Israel and Morocco took off from Tel Aviv on 22 December 2020. Jared Kushner, son-in-law and adviser of US President Trump, also took the flight.

On 22 December, Kushner and Israeli national security adviser Meir Ben Shabbat led an official delegation to take the Israeli state-run EL AL business flight from Tel Aviv to Morocco’s capital Rabat.

Before the flight took off, Kushner said at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, "I hope that this flight to Morocco today will create the same amount of momentum between Morocco and Israel." Israel has created many business opportunities for the two countries.

The plane arrived in Rabat, the capital of Morocco, on the same day. The airframe was painted with the words "Peace" in Hebrew, Arabic and English. The U.S. Embassy in Rabat broadcasted the landing process online.

The scheduled itinerary of Kushner and Bin Shabat includes meeting with King Mohammed VI of Morocco and signing a series of agreements with the Moroccan authorities there. This trip aims to showcase the diplomatic achievements of the Trump administration in the Middle East.

With the mediation of the United States, Morocco became the fourth Arab country to normalize relations with Israel this year. Prior to this, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Sudan had established diplomatic relations with Israel.

Embraer E190 joins Myanmar Airways International's flight operations on 22 December 2020

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA / Image courtesy : MAI

Myanmar Airways International's first E190 aircraft went into operation on 22 December 2020, with four flights in a single day. In addition, the second E190 of Myanmar Airways International (MAI) is expected to arrive in the country on 23 December 2020. MAI will expand its E190 flight route network to cover 9 destinations across the country; for some routes operated by its sister airline Air KBZ, the seat class of the aircraft has been increased on the basis of the turboprop aircraft originally used. .

MAI has also signed Embraer’s aviation material sharing plan, and all E-jet series aircraft operators in the Asia-Pacific region (excluding China) have joined the plan. Since the beginning of 2020, four new E-Jet series aircraft operators have been added to the Asia-Pacific region (excluding China).

"Our pilots, flight attendants, flight attendants and our employees are all proud to be able to soar together with the E190 aircraft and provide our passengers with a better flying experience," said Saravanan Ramasamy, CEO of MAI. "We look forward to a fruitful cooperation with Embraer. The launch of E190 is another important milestone in Myanmar's international aviation fleet expansion strategy and the development of the domestic jet fleet network. With the increase in demand, we plan to increase the frequency of E190 flights to 8 flights per day."

Joy Air launches five new routes on 6 January 2021

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA

From 6 January 2021, Xi'an-headquartered Joy Air will launch a new Boeing 737-800 passenger aircraft at the Harbin base and open Harbin - Zhengzhou, Harbin - Zhanjiang, Harbin - Quanzhou, Zhengzhou - Zhanjiang and Zhengzhou - Quanzhou routes.

Joy Air flies daily from Harbin to Zhengzhou while Joy Air's Harbin - Zhanjiang, Zhengzhou - Zhanjiang routes are operated on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. It flies on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from Harbin to Quanzhou, while it flies from  Zhengzhou to Quanzhou on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. All flights are operated by its B737-800 aircraft, and the specific flight schedules can be checked on Joy Air's official website.

As an important operating base of Joy Air, the airline has opened routes to many domestic cities such as Changsha, Jiagedaqi and Mohe from Harbin. The Harbin - Zhanjiang and Harbin - Quanzhou routes manifest its first entrances into  the Zhanjiang and Quanzhou markets, laying a solid foundation for the continued development of the southern coastal tourist city market in the future. 

In the follow-up, based on Harbin Airport's core strategic location in the Northeast and its surrounding radiation power, Joy Air will extend its route network to connect the Northeast, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Pearl River Delta and other regions, covering the north and south, radiating across the country, and building convenient and fast air bridges.

Joy Air New Timetable

Flight                Frequency               Routes                                          Timings

JR1525             2, 4, 6              Harbin - Zhengzhou - Quanzhou        8.15 am - 11.50 am , 12.50 pm - 3.10 pm

JR1526             2, 4, 6              Quanzhou - Zhengzhou - Harbin        4.35 pm - 6.50 pm. 8.05 pm - 10.55 pm

JR1527             1, 3, 5, 7          Harbin - Zhengzhou - Zhanjiang         8.15 am - 11.35 am, 12.35 pm - 3.30 pm

JR1528             1, 3, 5, 7          Zhangjiang - Zhengzhou - Harbin       4.15 pm - 6.50 pm, 8.05 pm - 10.55 pm

OTT Airlines launches ARJ21 flight on 28 December 2020 under the MU code

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA 

China Eastern Airlines announced on 17 December 2020 that its subsidiary OTT Airlines will officially launch ARJ21-700 flight on 28 December 2020. The full announcement is as follows:

OTT Airlines is a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines Co., Ltd. The company aims to establish a foothold in the Yangtze River Delta, serve the coastal areas, and radiate the surrounding areas. 

The main base of OTT Airlines is Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. It uses the two-character MU code and the 781 ticket settlement code. The domestic ticket usage conditions, baggage service policies, membership services, etc., enjoyed by passengers taking the actual flight operated by OTT Airlines are consistent with those of the actual flight operated by China Eastern Airlines.

Neither China Eastern nor OTT Airlines has mentioned the first outbound airport destination of its ARJ21 aircraft.

China Express' three CRJ-900NG aircraft delivered to Quzhou Airlines

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA / Image : CARNOC

Picture: Wu Shunze, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Quzhou City and Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee, and Li Zhiliang, President of China Express Airlines Co., Ltd. unveiled the nameplate of Quzhou Airlines.

In the morning of 16 December 2020, as a CRJ-900NG aircraft flew from Chongqing to Quzhou, the establishment of Quzhou Airlines and aircraft delivery ceremony kicked off at Quzhou Airport.

Quzhou Airlines was established as a joint venture by Quzhou Xin'an Industrial Investment Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Quzhou Communications Investment Group, and China Aviation Industry Investment Co., Ltd. In the future, Quzhou will gradually build a regional aviation hub based on Quzhou Airlines.

It is reported that, including the CRJ-900NG aircraft that landed at Quzhou Airport today, Quzhou purchased a total of 3 aircraft from China Express.

On 20 October 2020, China Express and the Quzhou Municipal Government signed an agreement to jointly build an aviation hub. The two parties are committed to in-depth cooperation in tourism, industrial incubation, fresh and cold storage and other aspects based on air transportation, and jointly build Quzhou’s "four provinces border "Central City" goal vision.

Li Zhiliang, President of China Express Airlines Co., Ltd., said, “Today, we witnessed the implementation of strategic cooperation projects between the two sides, which is the beginning of win-win cooperation and common prosperity for both parties.”

Loongair launches Nanjing - Wenzhou flight on 19 December 2020

Report by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA

Loongair launches Nanjing - Wenzhou flight on a daily basis from 19 December 2020.

According to schedules, Loongair flight GJ8530 departs from Nanjing for Wenzhou at 9.50 pm, arrives in Wenzhou at 11.15 pm before leaving Wenzhou for Nanjing at 8.45 am and landing in Nanjing at 10.05 am under flight GJ8529.

Air India Express on Singapore - Tiruchirappalli - Chennai routes before the pandemic

 Pictures by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA