Airlines

TOULOUSE: World2fly, the new long-haul airline recently founded by the Spanish hotel company Iberostar, has taken delivery of the first of two A350-900s on lease from Air Lease Corporation, an American aircraft leasing company, becoming the latest operator of the world’s most efficient large widebody aircraft.

World2fly’s A350-900s feature a modern and highly-comfortable single-class cabin layout with 432 seats. Passengers will enjoy more personal space, wide seats and absolute well-being on board and appreciate the latest-generation in-flight entertainment and connectivity.

The A350 Airspace cabin is the quietest of any twin-aisle aircraft and offers passengers and crew the best flying experience.

The Airbus A350’s clean-sheet design features state-of-the-art aerodynamics, a carbon-fibre fuselage and wings, plus the most fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency and sustainability for World2fly, with a 25% reduction in fuel-burn and CO2 emissions compared to previous generation twin-aisle aircraft.

By the end of May 2021, the A350 Family had received 915 orders from 49 customers, making it the reference large widebody family for the next decades.

NEW YORK: United Airlines has announced a commercial agreement with Boom Supersonic to add supersonic aircraft to their global fleet. The carrier announced that they are buying 15 planes from Boom Supersonic, with the option to purchase 35 more.

Boom’s first commercial supersonic jet, the Overture, has not been built or certified yet. It is targeting the start of passenger service in 2029, with a plane that could fly at Mach 1.7 and cut some flight times in half. This means that a flight from New York to London, typically lasting seven hours, would only take around 3½ hours.

Once operational, Overture is expected to be the first large commercial aircraft to be net-zero carbon from day one; being optimized to run on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). It is slated to roll out in 2025, fly in 2026 and expected to carry passengers by 2029. United and Boom will also work together to accelerate production of greater supplies of SAF.

“Boom’s vision for the future of commercial aviation, combined with the industry’s most robust network in the world, will give business and leisure travellers access to a stellar flight experience.”

United vice president of corporate development, Mike Leskinen, said the Overture could dramatically alter some of the airline’s busiest international routes. “If we can cut the time to fly from the East Coast of the US to certain cities in Europe and do it with lower emissions, we think that’s very attractive” he said.

The Denver-based Boom Supersonic was founded in 2014, raising $270 million in capital, and has grown to 150 employees. For founder and CEO Blake Scholl, landing a firm order with a legacy airline validates his vision of bringing back supersonic flights.

“The world’s first purchase agreement for net-zero carbon supersonic aircraft marks a significant step toward our mission to create a more accessible world” Scholl said in a statement.

Boom plans to make its first flight later this year with a demonstrator jet called the XB-1. If it goes as planned, Boom will begin production of the Overture in 2023 and conduct its first flight in 2026. The ultimate hurdle will be winning certification by regulators, including the Federal Aviation Administration.

MUSCAT: Oman Air has launched a seasonal service between Muscat and Tbilisi, Georgia. The carrier will offer two weekly direct flights, on Wednesdays and Sundays, operated with Boeing 737 aircraft. Flights will operate from June 16th until mid-September, subject to government approvals.

The Wednesday flight from Muscat will depart at 20:15 and arrive in Tbilisi at 00:15.The flight from Tbilisi will depart Thursday at 01:15 and arrive in Muscat at 05:00.

Oman Air will maintain its comprehensive safety program throughout all elements of the travel journey to ensure that guests fly confidently. Masks are required when guests are on board the aircraft and in airports.

Distancing is maintained while guests board and exit the aircraft, which are carefully cleaned after each flight and at the end of every day.

KIGALI: RwandAir has become the first African airline to be awarded the top Diamond status rating for COVID-19 prevention measures, the highest attainable level.

The award comes from APEX Health Safety, powered by SimpliFlying, for the airline’s sustained work to ensure the highest standards of cleanliness and sanitisation for its customers and crew.

The Diamond rating positions RwandAir as the safest airline in Africa and comes after RwandAir was recently announced as the first African airline to vaccinate all staff.

APEX Health Safety, powered by SimpliFlying, sets the industry benchmark for customer-centric COVID-19 certification. It provides a scientifically-based validation system to encourage airlines to reach the highest possible standards for health and hygiene, and help restore customer confidence to fly, following the devastating impact of travel restrictions on aviation.

Each participating airline has to complete a 58-point checklist, which covers submission, verification, validation, and a quarterly review certification process.

Yvonne Manzi Makolo, CEO of RwandAir, said: “The health and safety of our customers and staff is the top priority for RwandAir, so we are delighted to be awarded Diamond status from APEX Health Safety, powered by SimpliFlying, for our COVID-19 prevention measures.

“Reaching the highest attainable level for hygiene standards is a powerful clean bill of health for the airline, and validation for all the hard work we have put in to ensure the safest possible traveller experience for our customers and staff.

“We know that restoring customer confidence to fly is critical to resume safe international travel, which is why we have undertaken a 360-degree approach to ensuring that every aspect of our operations meet the highest standards.

“From the deep cleaning and disinfection of aircraft, to automatic hand sanitiser dispensers available throughout Kigali International Airport, our hub, we have looked at every aspect of the customer journey to ensure we keep COVID-19 at bay and protect those who fly with us.

“Passengers are required to wear face masks throughout the flight, while our aircraft are equipped with HEPA filters to remove 99.9% of germs.”

Joe Leader, APEX CEO, said: “RwandAir has demonstrated the highest possible level of care for its customers becoming the first African airline to reach the hospital-grade Diamond level of APEX Health Safety powered by SimpliFlying’s comprehensive review.

“RwandAir proves that reaching this level of health safety does not depend upon the size of the airline, but rather the incredibly proactive steps taken for customer and staff wellbeing. We are deeply proud of RwandAir as a rising star for our entire airline industry in Africa.”

DOHA: Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker made a splash this week, saying he thought buying the Airbus A380s was the airline’s biggest mistake. It is a rare admission from an airline CEO who rarely backs down. Qatar Airways has a fleet of 10 Airbus A380s. All are presently inactive. Al Baker’s view on the plane doesn’t bode well for their future.

“It was good when it had launched in 2002,” Akbar Al Baker told in an exclusive webinar interview this week. But with rising fuel prices and growing awareness about the environmental impact of flying, the mega jumbo is no longer a good match for the times.

With demand for international travel at historical lows, the A380s unsuitability is more pronounced than ever.

“What is the point of deploying seats when you only have a 10% load factor in a large airplane? Al Baker rhetorically asked in reference to the A380.

The Qatar Airways CEO revealed earlier this year that half the airline’s A380 would not fly again. But at the time, he didn’t rule out the remaining five A380s winging their way around the world again. However, in April, Al Baker gave a strong hint about Qatar’s future strategy and where the A380 fitted into it.

“There is no future for the A380. It was the wrong airplane at the wrong time for the operator, it’s really painful to keep them in the skies,” he told.

Akbar Al Baker hammered home that message this week speaking to Simple Flying’s Joanna Bailey. While the CEO hasn’t officially confirmed the end of the A380 at Qatar Airways, its flying future at Doha is looking less likely by the week.

According to Al Baker, operators of the A380 face two key problems. The plane is very expensive to operate, and its emissions are high. Admitting many passengers were fans of the plane, he said there were bigger picture priorities.

“The damage it does to the environment should be the priority, not the comfort.”

Depending on weight, fuel price, and flying conditions, it is estimated to cost between US$26,000 and $29,000 per hour to fly an A380. Say it takes 14 hours to fly between Doha and Seattle. Splitting the estimated cost down the middle, the operating cost of that flight, if using an A380, would be in the vicinity of $385,000. The operating costs of the Boeing 777-200ER Qatar Airways currently used on that route are less than half that amount.

And there are more efficient aircraft available to Al Baker than Boeing 777-200s.  The CEO is a big fan of Boeing’s Dreamliners and the Airbus A350. Alongside the long-awaited and much delayed Boeing 777X, these three aircraft types will form the backbone of Qatar Airways’ long-haul fleet for the foreseeable future.

The A380’s reign at Qatar Airways is likely to be over shortly.

“We will continue to invest in airplanes, that have lower emissions and airplanes that are environmentally free,” Al Baker said this week.