Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) is in talks with Kingfisher Airlines (Mumbai) about a possible minority investment in the grounded airline according to the Wall Street Journal.

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Meanwhile the Deccan Herald of India believes Jet Airways (Mumbai) is a better investment for the Gulf carrier.

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Top Copyright Photo: Jay Selman. Boeing 777-3FX ER A6-ETF (msn 39700) prepares to land at Bangkok.

Etihad Airways: 

Kingfisher Airlines: 

Jet Airways: 

Bottom Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best. ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-500) with the test registration of F-WWEG (msn 788) arrives at Farnborough. Although painted, the turboprop was never delivered to Kingfisher Airlines as VT-KAT. Instead it went to Air Botswana as A2-ABS.

Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) reported a net profit of $42 million (USD) in 2012, up 200 percent from the $14 million net profit in 2011. The company saw strong improvements in revenues, passengers numbers and cost control.

Revenue increased 17 percent to $4.8 billion (from $4.1 billion), on passenger numbers that were up 23 percent to 10.3 million (from 8.4 million). These numbers were boosted significantly by Etihad Airways’ equity partnerships and codeshares, which delivered more than $600 million in total revenue.

In other news, Etihad Airways has strengthened its relationship with Air France-KLM, with the announcement that the UAE flag carrier will wet-lease an Air France Airbus A340-300 for use on the Paris-Abu Dhabi route from May 15 to November 30. 

Air France will operate the 272 seat aircraft as one of Etihad Airways’ two daily Paris-Abu Dhabi return services – EY 37 and EY 38 respectively.

Last October, Etihad Airways and Air France-KLM forged a strategic partnership which saw the two airline groups work together to create value for each airline.

The agreement expanded the UAE flag carrier’s European network with codeshare services beyond Paris to Bordeaux, Copenhagen, Madrid, Nice and Toulouse, and saw Air France place its AF flight code on Etihad Airways operated flights between Paris Charles de Gaulle and Abu Dhabi, and to cities beyond.

In other news, the airline will introduce daily Abu Dhabi-Amsterdam service with Airbus A330-200s starting on May 15 per Airline Route.

Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best. Airbus A340-313X A6-EYC (msn 117) of Etihad climbs away from London (Gatwick).

Etihad Airways: 

Air Seychelles (Mahe) on March 7 welcomed its second Airbus A330-200 in a ceremony at the Seychelles International Airport .

The new aircraft, Airbus A330-243 A6-EYZ (msn 807, ex VT-JWE), is leased from Etihad Airways and is named ‘Vallée de Mai’ in honor of Seychelles’ second UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. A6-EYZ is being operated by an all-Seychellois crew. At the controls were Captain Paul Belle and First Officer Hervé Morel, with the cabin managed by nine Air Seychelles cabin crew.

The Seychellois-operated flight is a significant milestone for the airline, which only a year ago retired its Boeing 767-300 aircraft and retrained all pilots and cabin crew to operate the Airbus A330. Equity partner Etihad Airways provided the training at its world-class facilities in Abu Dhabi.

Copyright Photo: Rainer Bexten. The first Airbus A330 is this A330-243 registered as A6-EYY (msn 751) and was leased from Etihad Airways on July 3, 2012. A6-EYY, pictured arriving at Johannesburg, is named “Aldabra”.

Air Seychelles: 

Route Map:

Please click on the map to expand.

Air Seychelles (Mahe) is now in the black. The flag carrier reported a net profit of $1 million in 2012 under the management and assistance of Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi). The airline issued this statement celebrating this achievement:

• Net profit of $1 million in first year of Etihad Airways management contract

• Significant synergies and cost savings from equity partnership with Etihad Airways

• Carried 247,750 passengers on its domestic and international network

• Introduced 19 new codeshares

• Expanded its international network launching flights to Abu Dhabi and, from March 24, Hong Kong 

Air Seychelles, the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles, has reported a net profit of $1 million for the 2012 financial year.

The positive result comes just 12 months after Etihad Airways acquired a 40 per cent stake in the airline and was awarded a five year management contract. The profit follows three years of significant losses.

The Chairman of Air Seychelles, Joel Morgan, said the past year had been focused on reshaping the business of the iconic Indian Ocean airline for success.

“The choice of Etihad Airways as a strategic partner has been the right one. Working with our new partner, we have had to make some hard decisions to turn the airline around. We are now seeing the successful results of our strategy,” he said.

“To record a profit after the immense challenges we faced a year ago is an incredible achievement. I am proud of the enormous progress Air Seychelles has made.  The recovery of Air Seychelles is a new chapter not only in our airline’s history—but our nation’s. I am confident we have now laid the ground work for sustainable profitability and our brightly-coloured aircraft will cheer the skies for years to come.”

Chief Executive Officer of Air Seychelles, Cramer Ball, said: “In the first instance, this meant looking at the cost-base, and then stripping down the business right across the airline’s operations to find the right shape and size for our national carrier.

“We introduced strict fiscal control in parallel with business process re-engineering to make our operation more efficient. We are a very different business today.”

He attributed this success to leveraging the economies of scale and synergies arising from the equity alliance with shareholder, Etihad Airways.

This entailed the renegotiation of contracts for catering, ground handling and in-flight entertainment, and the conclusion of joint contracts for fuel, uniforms and stationery supplies, all of which improved service and significantly reduced costs.

“Our first focus was on a new network plan which could support the hugely important tourist sector in Seychelles more effectively with good connections and broader choice for visitors to the archipelago.”

To optimize the schedule and enhance connectivity with its partner airlines, the Air Seychelles’ network was expanded through 19 codeshare destinations with Etihad Airways, opening up key European markets, and with the introduction of four flights a week to Abu Dhabi.

The network expansion was made possible by renewed investment in fleet. During the year, the airline introduced an Airbus A330-200 and wet-leased an Etihad Airways’ Airbus A320 on the Mauritius route.

“We are going to continue to build our capacity with a second A330-200, allowing us to start flights to Hong Kong to capture the lucrative Asian leisure market in March 2013. We will also be increasing the frequency of flights to Abu Dhabi, Johannesburg and Mauritius.”

A recently announced codeshare with airberlin will expand the island carrier’s network throughout Europe.

Network development was accompanied by investment in product and service enhancements.

“We have responded to the demand from our affluent leisure and tourism guests by introducing a new international inflight product and can now offer a business class experience to rival any airline. Air Seychelles offers on demand dining in business class and is the only airline to offer a lie-flat business class seat flying into Seychelles,” Mr Ball said.

Seychellois produce now features on the food and beverage menus introduced to enhance the dining experience.

In-flight entertainment was also upgraded with every seat offering video-on-demand, with expanded movie selections and games scheduled for early in 2013.

The year also saw the integration of the frequent flyer program, Seychelles Plus, with Etihad Guest, opening the doors to many more exciting offers and opportunities for its 18,000 members.

An important element of the airline’s turnaround strategy was a people program supported by cross-functional teams from Etihad Airways, introduced to transform the structure of the organisation to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

In addition to right-sizing the workforce to 550 staff, the plan makes for extensive and on-going training both in the Seychelles and at Etihad Airways’ state-of the-art Training Academy in Abu Dhabi.  One hundred and thirty-six cabin crew underwent training in Abu Dhabi to deliver a higher quality service. Twenty-nine pilots have also been fully-trained on the A330-200.

“Our team and our warm Seychellois hospitality is our secret ingredient and we are doing everything we can to make sure we nurture and develop our talent. We have forged partnerships to develop Seychellois talent and build career paths through MOUs with Seychelles Tourism Academy and the University of Seychelles. In 2012, 11 candidates were selected to join Etihad Airways technical engineering, graduate manager, and cadet pilot training programs.”

An on-going program will select Seychellois candidates for the career development programs in Abu Dhabi.

Established in 1978, Air Seychelles now has more than 200 domestic flights a week and a strong domestic charter business. The airline employs 550 people, 25 per cent of whom have worked with the company for more than 15 years. Forty per cent of the staff have worked at Air Seychelles for 10 years or more.

“Our partnership with Etihad Airways has made us a bigger player in the global aviation scene and we are better able to withstand the uncertainties and volatility in the global economy. In addition to our natural organic growth, in 2013 we’re looking to broaden our network through partnerships. Now we need to maintain our strategic focus and effort,” Mr Ball said.

Copyright Photo: Rainer Bexten. Airbus A330-243 A6-EYY (msn 751) approaches Johannesburg for landing.

Air Seychelles: 

Jat Airways (Belgrade) is moving closer to Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi). The latter will introduce daily Abu Dhabi-Belgrade flights on June 15. The two carriers are now exploring partnership options where Etihad could buy into the struggling Serbian carrier and help it upgrade its aging fleet. Etihad will take a hard look at Jat Airways before it makes an investment. If it invests, the investment is likely to follow and resemble the previous Airberlin (Berlin) investment. In the meantime, the two airlines will be code-sharing (see details below).

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Both carriers issued this statement:

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will commence daily nonstop flights between its home-base of Abu Dhabi and Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, from June 15, 2013.

Jat Airways, Serbia’s national carrier, will place its JU code on the new service, as well as to 21 destinations on the Etihad Airways network. In return Etihad Airways will place its EY code on 23 of JatAirways’ European flights.

This new Etihad Airways flights will help provide better travel access to Belgrade for several hundred thousand Serbian nationals living around the world.

Etihad Airways will operate a two cabin Airbus A319 aircraft on the service between Abu Dhabi and Belgrade, configured to carry 106 passengers, with 16 seats in Pearl Business Class and 90 seats in Coral Economy Class. The announcement was made on April 15, at a media conference in Belgrade hosted by James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr Hogan was joined at the media conference by Vladimir Ognjenović, JatAirways’ Chief Executive Officer.

As part of the codeshare agreement, subject to government and regulatory approval, JatAirways will place its JU code on Etihad Airways flights to Abu Dhabi and beyond to Bangkok, Beijing, Brisbane, Chengdu, Chicago, Colombo, Ho Chi Minh City, Islamabad, Johannesburg, Karachi, Kuala Lumpur, Kuwait, Lahore, New York, Melbourne, Seychelles, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Toronto, and Washington, D.C.

In return, subject to government and regulatory approval, Etihad Airways will place its EY code on JatAirways flights between Belgrade and Amsterdam, Athens, Berlin, Brussels, Copenhagen, Düsseldorf, Rome, Frankfurt, Gothenburg, Istanbul, Heathrow, Larnaca, Milan, Moscow, Podgorica, Sarajevo, Skopje, Stockholm, Stuttgart, Thessaloniki, Tivat, Vienna and Zurich.

Jat Airways will place its code on a number of the flights operated by Etihad Airways’ equity partner, Airberlin (Berlin). A major highlight of this would be the provision of a direct link for passengers travelling from Belgrade, via Berlin, to Chicago in the US. The capital of Illinois is renowned for having the second largest Serbian population of any city in the world, with an estimated 200,000 Serb nationals living in Chicago, and up to 500,000 residents of Serb origin.

Belgrade will become the third of five new destinations to be served by Etihad Airways in 2013, following the launch in March of flights to Washington, D.C., and in May to Amsterdam.

Etihad Airways will commence services later this year to Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Copyright Photo: Keith Burton.

Jat Airways: 

Video:

Air Canada (Montreal) and Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a commercial cooperation agreement that will enhance travel services between the United Arab Emirates and Canada.

While the two carriers currently have interline agreements in place for passenger and cargo services, Etihad Airways and Air Canada intend to offer customers through-checked bags, reciprocal codeshare services and frequent flyer benefits.

The MoU provides for reciprocal codeshare services to Etihad’s Abu Dhabi hub and select points in North America served by Air Canada via its Toronto hub.  The two parties have commenced discussions to finalize details with the objective of introducing codeshare services in the third quarter of 2013.

The agreement will also allow frequent flyer mileage accrual on codeshare flights by members of Etihad Guest and Aeroplan programs and reciprocal premium lounge access at Toronto and Abu Dhabi airports for eligible passengers of both airlines.

This announcement follows the recent decision by the Governments of the UAE and Canada to restore the previous visa regime which means Canadian nationals can once again obtain a free visa on arrival in the UAE.

The UAE is Canada’s largest merchandise export market in the Middle East region and more than 40,000 Canadians reside in the UAE. Furthermore approximately 150 Canadian companies are based in the UAE.

Subject to regulatory approval, Etihad Airways will place its EY code on Air Canada flights between Toronto and select North American points.

In return, Air Canada will place its AC code on Etihad Airways’ non-stop services between Toronto and Abu Dhabi, as well as Etihad Airways’ flights between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi.

Etihad Airways and Air Canada will also work together to enhance cargo services into and out of Abu Dhabi and Toronto, and beyond on each other’s networks.

Top Copyright Photo: TMK Photography/AirlinersGallery.com. Embraer ERJ 190-100 nIGW C-FHJU (msn 19000044) arrives at the Toronto (Pearson) hub.

Air Canada: 

Etihad Airways: 

Bottom Copyright Photo: Keith Burton. Boeing 777-3FX ER A6-ETK (msn 39686) takes off from London (Heathrow).

Air Seychelles (Mahé), the national airline of the Republic of Seychelles, on April 25 announced that it has entered into a code-share agreement with South African Airways (SAA) (Johannesburg), the national airline of the Republic of South Africa.

The first phase of the agreement will see South African Airways place its “SA” code on Air Seychelles’ non-stop flights between Johannesburg and Seychelles. South African Airways will also place its code on flights between the two largest islands of Seychelles, Mahé and Praslin, subject to approvals.

Subsequent to the launch of the partnership between Air Seychelles and SAA, the airlines will look into expanding the agreement to include Air Seychelles placing its ‘HM’ code on South African Airways’ non-stop flights between Johannesburg and destinations across South Africa.

Ticket sales are set to open on April 29, for travel from April 30.

The deal follows a strategic move by Air Seychelles to increase its connectivity throughout South Africa and continental Africa.

In March 2013, Air Seychelles introduced an enhanced schedule and additional weekly service on its Johannesburg route, bringing the flights to three return services per week with daytime departures and arrivals. The new schedule greatly enhances leisure and business travelers’ ability to connect seamlessly on both airlines across Africa and South Africa, particularly to Cape Town and Durban.

Top Copyright Photo: Rainer Bexten. Airbus A330-243 A6-EYY (msn 751) arrives at Johannesburg. The aircraft is wet leased from strategic partner Etihad Airways.

Air Seychelles: 

South African Airways: 

Bottom Copyright Photo: Terry Wade. South African is planning to retire its last Airbus A340-200 in late May. The SAA A340s are some of the oldest A340s flying. The pictured A340-212 ZS-SLB (msn 011) arrives at London (Heathrow).

Airberlin (airberlin.com) (Berlin) has announced its financial results for 2012. The company has returned to profitability and issued this statement:

• Net result of EUR 6.8 million ($8.7 million), 33.3 million guests
• Group revenue of EUR 4.31 billion, capacity utilization and yield increased
• Strategic partnership with Etihad Airways provides joint revenue of EUR 100 million, new code share routes expected to provide further growth
• First “Turbine” measures started – EUR 400 million until the end of 2014
• 180 positions already cut between January and the end of March 2013
• As of summer 2013, the Berlin and Dusseldorf hubs will be strengthened with increased flight frequencies and new destinations
• Revenue growth with fewer routes and increased frequencies: routes will be reduced from 523 in summer 2012 to 438 in summer 2013.
• Fleet reduction by twelve aircraft to 143 aircraft by the end of 2013
• The goal for 2013 is operational profitability, break-even at the EBIT level

Over the first months of the year, Airberlin, Germany’s second-largest airline, implemented numerous measures of the “Turbine” turnaround program. At the press conference on the 2012 results, airberlin’s CEO Wolfgang Prock-Schauer stated: “With Turbine, we are setting up airberlin in line with the market. We are becoming leaner, faster and are, at the same time, continuously improving our service and flight offers. In the first months of 2013, we have initiated a number of measures. It goes without saying that such programs have a start-up phase and start-up costs. We will reach ‘cruising altitude’ by the end of 2014.”

This two-year program will enable Germany’s second-largest airline to further expand its presence in core markets and to make structural changes aimed at making the company sustainably fit for the future. For that purpose, airberlin will further promote its integrated business model through which the company caters to tourist travelers and business clients. Up to the end of 2014, the Turbine program includes initiatives of approximately EUR 400 million, so as to achieve a sustainably competitive profit situation.

Turbine program with multiple measures started

The turnaround program comprises in particular the areas network and fleet, sales & distribution, products and services as well as operations. The first Turbine measures have already been implemented in this year’s summer flight schedule. The optimized offer strengthens airberlin’s presence in Europe and further expands the long-haul connections to North America. Airberlin is carrying out the network optimization by using the principle of increasing frequencies on economically profitable routes. The target is a robust network that is less susceptible to seasonal fluctuations and provides for more productive aircraft and personnel. As a result the airline is strengthening its long-haul hubs Berlin and Dusseldorf with additional long-haul frequencies and improved flight connections. These will increase in Berlin from ca. 7,600 to ca. 11,000, and in Dusseldorf from ca. 3,000 to ca. 4,050. At both airports, the number of weekly flight frequencies will grow by a total of 61 additional connections as compared to the previous year. At the same time airberlin has reduced economically unprofitable routes, with the number of routes decreasing from 523 to 438 on an annual comparison. With the optimized flight schedule, the fleet will be reduced from 155 aircraft at the end of 2012, to 143 aircraft at the end of 2013.

Network and station optimization will result in increased crew productivity. In the future, comprehensive aircraft maintenance (Base Maintenance) will only be carried out in Munich.

In connection with the restructuring cost reductions in personnel are necessary. Between January and the end of March 2013, 180 jobs will have been eliminated.

Airberlin is expanding its service in line with passenger requirements. From mid-year onwards, a modular catering concept will be introduced on the short and medium-haul flights. This will provide passengers with services commensurate with the duration of the flight. An example is the new Business Class seats introduced on long-haul flights.

Net profit for 2012

Airberlin concluded the 2012 business year with a return to profitability. The operating profit before interest and taxes (EBIT) of EUR 70.2 million was a significant improvement over the previous year results. The company’s net income of EUR 6.8 million marks a return to profitability and follows a loss of reported EUR 271.8 (restated: -420.4 million) in the 2011 business year.

In the past year, airberlin increased its group revenue to EUR 4.31 billion (2011: EUR 4.23 billion). While the number of passengers decreased by 5.5 per cent to 33.3 million (previous year: 35.3 million), capacity utilisation increased by 1.6 percentage points to 79.80 per cent (previous year: 78.21 per cent). This was achieved by a further fleet reduction of 15 aircraft to 155 aircraft and improvements of the flight schedule. Yield (revenue per passenger) improved by 7.7 percent to EUR 120.05 (previous year: EUR 111.43).

The spin-off of the frequent-flyer program “topbonus”, the implementation of the efficiency program “Shape & Size” and the increasing synergy effects resulting from the strategic partnership with Etihad Airways have contributed to the positive development of the operating result. In this context, Shape & Size has contributed EUR 250 million.

“The profit of the past financial year and the successful placement of the convertible bond enabled us to further stabilize the financial basis of the company. The favorable conditions, the swift placement and over-subscription of the bond demonstrate the market’s confidence in our company,” stated Airberlin’s Chief Financial Officer, Ulf Hüttmeyer. The goal for 2013 is a break-even at the EBIT level and therefore operational profitability.

The strategic partnership with Etihad Airways, which started at the beginning of 2012, has already shown positive effects within less than 12 months. By the end of 2012, codeshare routes enabled the two airlines to generate together a revenue increase of EUR 100 million. airberlin and Etihad Airways have already concluded almost 100 agreements with companies and sales partners and through synergies have further increased revenue and reduced operating costs. By further expanding codeshare routes with other Etihad Airways partners, airberlin will be able in the future to offer more destinations and increase revenue generated by codesharing. Furthermore, the strategic partnership is increasingly reducing costs for both airlines. For example, in the areas of procurement, maintenance, training and product harmonization, the two airlines are increasingly making use of their synergy potentials and expect these to reach their full potential in the coming years.

Global network established

Wolfgang Prock-Schauer assesses the advantages of the strategic partnership with Etihad Airways: “Our cooperation with Etihad Airways exceeds all our expectations.” This cooperation enabled airberlin to set up a global route network in the course of the past year. Within one year, Etihad Airways and airberlin have increased the number of codeshare routes to 90 connections and are flying to a combined 239 destinations in 77 countries. In 2012 alone, more than 320,000 passengers used the common flight network.

Airberlin’s membership in the global airline alliance, oneworld_^®, which started in March 2012, is also positive. The number of passengers traveling on these codeshare routes increased to 310,000 passengers.

Airberlin CEO Wolfgang Prock-Schauer added: “Our optimized route network together with the global network of our partners will enable us to be sustainably successful in the future. For that purpose, we need a functional hub in Berlin and the new airport BER that adheres to the operating times as foreseen in the official planning.”

Copyright Photo: Ole Simon. Airbus A320-214 D-ABFK (msn 4433) climbs away from Stuttgart.

Airberlin: 

Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) has announced it will recruit around 50 pilots from partner Airberlin (Berlin) which has been downsizing. The carrier issued this statement:

The move comes as Airberlin, Germany’s second largest carrier, continues to work through its Turbine business turnaround program, and as Etihad Airways prepares for significant international expansion.

The recruitment transfers began in April when the first batch of six Boeing 737-rated First Officers arrived in Abu Dhabi to start type conversion training on to the Boeing 777 at Etihad Airways’ Flight Training Centre.

Upon successful completion, the six pilots will undertake line training on the airline’s global network, before being fully licensed as type-rated Boeing 777 First Officers.

Further pilot transfers will take place in the coming months, comprising Airbus A320 Captains, Airbus A320 First Officers, Airbus A330 First Officers and Boeing 777 non-rated First Officers.

Etihad Airways’ current fleet of 77 Boeing and Airbus aircraft will grow significantly this decade with more than 90 firm order aircraft scheduled for delivery.

Over the next 12 months the carrier will take delivery of four Boeing 777-300 ERs, five Airbus A320s, one Airbus A321, one Airbus A330-200 and one Airbus A330-200 freighter aircraft.  Late next year, Etihad Airways will also introduce its first Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

Etihad Airways currently employs over 1,400 pilots, and plans to recruit 1,000 more by 2020.

In other news, Etihad has announced it has entered the second phase of its strategic partnership with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (Amsterdam) following the launch of new Amsterdam service. The airline issued this statement:

The daily service, operated by a two cabin Airbus A330-200 and configured to carry 262 passengers with 22 in Pearl Business Class and 240 in Coral Economy Class, was launched on May 15 and carries KLM’s KL code.

The launch of the new flights coincides with the addition of 12 new KLM destinations out of Schiphol Airport which now carry Etihad Airways EY code. KLM has also added its KL code to a further six Etihad Airways destinations from its Abu Dhabi hub.

The 12 additional destinations that Etihad Airways customers can now access through codeshare operations with KLM are Stockholm, Aberdeen, Barcelona, Bergen, Birmingham, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Gothenburg, Helsinki, Leeds/Bradford and Madrid.

These cities join the first phase of cities served by KLM, which carry the EY code, Billund, Cardiff, Newcastle, Oslo, and Stavanger.

KLM now has its KL code on six Etihad Airways’ flights to Abu Dhabi, Brisbane, Khartoum, Male, Muscat and Seychelles.

These join the initial group of cities served by Etihad Airways – Colombo, Islamabad, Lahore, Melbourne, and Sydney – which also carry the KL code.

In addition to flight operations Etihad Airways has this year wet-leased a Boeing 747-400 freighter from KLM. This aircraft, with a payload capacity of 124 tons, links the two cargo hubs of Abu Dhabi and Amsterdam, and increases our capacity to Frankfurt, Hong Kong and Dhaka.

From KLM’s partner, Air France, Etihad Airways has also wet-leased an Airbus A340-300 for use on the Paris-Abu Dhabi route from now until the end of the year.

Amsterdam joins a group of 17 leading European cities that Etihad Airways flies to including Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt, Geneva, London and Paris.

Copyright Photo: Arnd Wolf. Etihad Airways’ Airbus A330-243 A6-EYE (msn 688) (Manchester City Football Club) arrives at Munich.

Video: Etihad Airways.

Etihad Airways: 

Frameable Color Prints and Posters: 

Airberlin: 

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines: 

Atlas Air (New York) on May 30 started operating its newest Boeing 747-800F for Etihad Cargo (formerly Etihad Crystal Cargo) (Etihad Airways) (Abu Dhabi). The fully-painted freighter will operate twice-weekly cargo services to and from Miami.

Etihad Airways announced its new round-the-world cargo flight:

The jointly operated routing began on May 30, connecting Etihad Cargo’s Abu Dhabi hub with destinations in Asia, the United States, South America and Europe.

Miami (US), Viracopos (Brazil), and Quito (Ecuador) will become part the round-the-world Abu Dhabi-Hong Kong-Chicago O’Hare-Miami-Viracopos-Quito-Amsterdam-Abu Dhabi freighter service offered with an Etihad Cargo-liveried Boeing 747-8F Freighter.

Earlier this month, Etihad Cargo signed a signed a multi-year Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance (ACMI) agreement with Atlas Air to provide the Boeing 747-8F Freighter with its 138-ton cargo capacity to operate the new schedule.

The three new freighter destinations in the Americas will see Etihad Cargo’s network extend to 92 points across the globe. The carrier’s eight freighters operate to 28 of these destinations.

The Boeing 747-8F Freighter is the largest in Etihad Cargo’s current freighter fleet. The airline also operates three Boeing 777Fs, one Boeing 747-400ERF, one Boeing 747-400F and two Airbus A330-200Fs.

Etihad Cargo will take delivery of two additional freighters in 2013 and 2014, comprising two Airbus A330-200Fs.

Atlas Air previously made this announcement in May:

The 8th Boeing 747-800F freighter will fly on behalf of Etihad Cargo, the cargo arm of Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, pursuant to a multi-year aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance agreement that commences in May 2013.

The new contract between the companies follows a letter of intent announced on April 1, 2013, and complements an existing Boeing 747-400F ACMI arrangement between Atlas and Etihad. The aircraft will be operated in full Etihad Cargo livery.

Copyright Photo: Michael Bolden. The pictured Boeing 747-87UF N855GT (msn 37567) was delivered to Atlas Air on May 18, 2013. The Jumbo Freighter prepares to depart from Miami on its twice-weekly round-the-world cargo route.

Atlas Air: 

Etihad Airways: 

Virgin Australia Airlines (Brisbane) has announced that from October this year, it will operate its Airbus A330 aircraft on all Perth-Sydney weekday flights.

The introduction of a seventh Airbus A330 to Virgin Australia’s fleet later this year will see these aircraft operate all Perth-Sydney and Perth-Melbourne weekday services and two out of three Perth-Brisbane weekday services.

The airline now offers all customers on flights between Perth and the East Coast fully inclusive hot meals and beverages, as well as in-flight entertainment.

“We have had an extremely positive response to the introduction of our Airbus A330 “Coast To Coast” service and we are very pleased to now be offering this on all Perth-Sydney and Perth-Melbourne weekday flights.

The Airbus A330 aircraft feature Virgin Australia’s designer Business and Economy Class product, which includes luxury leather seating, generous seat recline and a range of gourmet food offerings.

In other news, Virgin Australia has announced flights to Milan, Italy and Amsterdam, Netherlands will be added to its codeshare agreement with Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) from June 3, 2013.

The announcement follows recent regulatory approvals being granted allowing Virgin Australia to codeshare on flights into Italy and the Netherlands.

Customers travelling on Virgin Australia’s network will be able to connect through Abu Dhabi on to Milan or Amsterdam on the same ticket. Velocity Frequent Flyer members will also be able to earn points and status credits on these routes.

The codeshare flight between Abu Dhabi and Milan will be operated by a two-class Airbus A330-200 seven times per week. Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam will be operated by a two-class Airbus A330-200 seven times per week. Etihad and Virgin Australia fly 28 times per week from Australia to Abu Dhabi, connecting to 14 codeshare destinations in Europe.

This is a continuation of the roll-out of Virgin Australia’s alliance with Etihad Airways, which already includes 50 codeshare and interline destinations globally. Virgin Australia will continue to work closely with Etihad Airways to develop a network aligned with the needs of their customers.

Etihad Airways currently operates flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane into Abu Dhabi.

Copyright Photo: Olivier Gregoire/AirlinersGallery.com.

Virgin Australia: 

Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) posted record profits for the second quarter and the first half of 2013. The airline issued this statement:

The national carrier of the United Arab Emirates achieved an eight per cent increase in Q2 2013 passenger revenues, generating $921 million (all amounts in US Dollars) (2012: $855 million), while passenger revenues for the first half of 2013 reached $1.8 billion (2012: $1.6 billion), up by 13 per cent.

Revenue generated by codeshare and equity alliance airline partners was $184 million in Q2 2013. This was 25 per cent above the $147 million turnover in the same period of 2012.  Partnership revenue comprised 20 per cent of the airline’s total passenger revenue in both Q2 and the first half of 2013.

The President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, James Hogan, said the company’s Q2 and half year results were achieved despite the continuation of unsteady economic and geopolitical factors, with air fare yields slightly lower for the quarter, compressed by strong competitive capacity growth and resultant price competition.

“Despite the tough global trading climate, we have still achieved record, double digit growth in both Q2 and the first half of 2013,” Mr Hogan said.

“This reflects not only the continuing popularity of our Abu Dhabi hub, but the growing maturity of our airline partnership strategy and the strength of our cargo operations, which continue to well exceed industry growth rates.”

Mr Hogan said a significant achievement in Q2 was the improved contribution of the Etihad Airways equity alliance partners, in particular Germany’s Airberlin, which has become the largest codeshare contributor. This reflects increased connectivity between the integrated networks of the two airlines.

Etihad Airways increased its codeshare partnerships during Q2, adding Serbia’s national carrier, Jat Airways (Belgrade), and announced new partnerships with Air Canada (Montreal), South African Airways (Johannesburg) and Belavia (Minsk) of Belarussia, all to take effect during Q3. With these inclusions, Etihad Airways will have 45 codeshare partners and a virtual global network of more than 350 destinations, the most comprehensive of any alliance or Middle Eastern airline.

In Q2, Etihad Airways’ Available Seat Kilometers (ASKs) – reflecting network seat capacity – rose by 13 per cent to 17.2 billion  (2012: 15.2 billion).  Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPKs) – reflecting traffic – increased by 13 per cent to 13.3 billion in Q2 2013 (2012: 11.8 billion).

This growth was achieved through the delivery of two new Boeing 777-300 passenger aircraft –  a three-class version seating 328 passengers and a two-class model seating 380 -  and a corresponding increase in flights, including new services to Amsterdam, Sao Paulo and Belgrade.

Results for Q2 were further strengthened by the introduction late in March of daily flights to a fourth new destination, Washington, D.C.

Etihad Cargo continued to achieve the strongest growth in the company, with 112,963tons uplifted in Q2 2013 (2012: 89,470 tons) and 215,124 tons in the first half of 2013 (2012: 174,622 tons). This reflected a massive 26 per cent growth in Q2 and 23 per cent growth for the first half of 2013.

The growth in cargo volumes was underpinned by the delivery in Q2 of three new freighter aircraft – one Airbus A330-200F, one Boeing 777-200F and the company’s first Boeing 747-8F, which was wet leased from Atlas Air – taking the cargo fleet to nine. Cargo performance was further boosted by increased passenger services, providing more under-floor freight capacity.

During Q2 Etihad Airways announced that, subject to regulatory approvals, it would acquire 24 per cent of India’s Jet Airways, enlarging the Etihad Airways equity alliance and group network.

In addition, Etihad Airways signed an Initial Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Serbia to discuss potentially investing in Jat Airways.  Etihad Airways also secured Australian regulatory approval to increase its equity stake in Virgin Australia from 10 per cent to 19.9 per cent.

As well as its Virgin Australia stake, Etihad Airways holds a 29 per cent shareholding in Airberlin (Berlin), 40 per cent of Air Seychelles (Mahe) and three per cent of Aer Lingus (Dublin).

Copyright Photo: Duncan Kirk/AirlinersGallery. Newly-built Boeing 777-3FX ER A6-ETP (msn 41699) lands at Paine Field near Everett after a test flight. The new airliner was delivered on June 25, 2013.

Etihad Airways: 

Jat Airways (Belgrade) is getting a new makeover with a new brand, new name and new aircraft. The airline will be renamed Air Serbia. Etihad Airways is taking a 49 percent share in the Serbian flag carrier. Etihad Airways will wet lease two Airbus A319s to the struggling carrier. A further eight A319s will join the fleet in order to retire the aging Boeing 737 fleet.

Etihad Airways has issued the following statement:

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates(UAE) has unveiled plans to acquire 49 percent of Jat Airways. The Abu Dhabi-based carrier has also been awarded a five year management contract for the Serbian national airline.

• Etihad Airways to acquire 49 per cent of Jat Airways
• Jat Airways to be renamed and rebranded Air Serbia
• Etihad Airways awarded five year management contract for new airline
• Etihad Airways and Government of Serbia both to inject $40 million
• Etihad Airways and Government of Serbia to each provide up to $60 million further funding
• Air Serbia to launch fights to Abu Dhabi from October 2013

These are two of the key components of a wide-ranging strategic partnership agreement, signed by Etihad Airways and the Government of Serbia, which includes a fleet of new aircraft, and a new integrated network of international destinations enabling greater access for business and leisure travellers to Serbia.

The historic agreement follows the launch of Etihad Airways flights between Abu Dhabi and Belgrade in June and will significantly enhance trade and investment relations between the United Arab Emirates and Serbia as well as boosting the tourism sector in both countries.

Economic ties between the two countries, valued at EUR 23.3 million in 2012, three times greater than in 2011, continue to expand with a number of key government agreements signed in recent months which will see investments in agriculture, defence, technology, and tourism.

The strategic partnership agreement was announced by James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways and Aleksandar Vučić, Deputy Prime Minister of the Serbian Government, at a media conference in Belgrade today, Thursday August 1, 2013.

Within the agreement Etihad Airways will make available a $40 million loan facility which will be converted into equity on January 1, 2014, subject to regulatory approval. This will be matched by an equal funding injection by the Government of Serbia.

Etihad Airways and the Government of Serbia will also each provide further funding through shareholder loans and other funding mechanisms of up to $60 million to meet working capital requirements and support network development for the newly created Air Serbia.

The rebranding and renaming of JatAirways to Air Serbia is a significant moment in the history of the Serbian carrier which is more than 80 years old. Tail fins on Air Serbia aircraft will feature the Serbian coat of arms and the country’s state colours on both sides.

The new livery was designed by a team in Serbia and the UAE and provides a new look and feel for the national airline. The aim was to make a break with past practice, but not with Serbian heritage and also offer an unmistakeable national identity.

Among other planned developments will be an enhanced flight network, codesharing with Etihad Airways and Airberlin, adding to Air Serbia’s current network of 33 cities another 12 destinations in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

The new destinations are Abu Dhabi (complementing Etihad Airways’ daily service), as well as Banja Luka, Beirut, Bucharest, Budapest, Cairo, Kiev, Ljubljana, Prague, Sofia, Varna, and Warsaw.

Among the first new destinations to be launched by Air Serbia will be a four flights a week service between Belgrade and Abu Dhabi.

Complementing Etihad Airways’ current daily flights, the new Air Serbia service will start in October 2013 and will move to daily when the new fleet grows to facilitate an increased service.

The new A319 aircraft will be in Air Serbia livery, with a stylish cabin trim and product of a standard never seen before operating out of Belgrade.

The current Ja tAirways fleet of 10 Boeing 737-300 aircraft will be retired from scheduled operations, and in the short term will be replaced by leased narrow body aircraft. In the longer term, an Air Serbia order will be made for 10 new narrow body aircraft.

The strategic partnership agreement will also offer unprecedented career development opportunities for Air Serbia cabin and flight deck crew, who will have access to Etihad Airways’ world class Training Academy and facilities in Abu Dhabi.

Air Serbia will become Etihad Airways’ sixth equity partner following investments in Airberlin (29.21 percent), Air Seychelles (40 percent), Virgin Australia (10.5 percent), Aer Lingus (2.99 percent) and most recently Jet Airways (24 percent – subject to regulatory approval).

Copyright Photo: Rolf Wallner/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-3Q4 YU-AON (msn 24208) taxies past the camera at Zurich, displaying the current name and 2004 livery.

Jat Airways: 

Jet Airways (Mumbai) reported a $59 million loss in its fiscal first quarter. This is the second quarterly loss for the carrier. Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) has secured regulatory approval to a 24 percent share of the carrier for $379 million.

Etihad Airways is on a buying spree to acquire minority shares of smaller carriers to code-share with and also to increase traffic for both carriers.

Read the full financial report: CLICK HERE

Read the Chairman’s Speech: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: TMK Photography/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A330-302 VTY-JWT (msn 1370) departs from Toronto (Pearson).

Jet Airways: 

Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) has no intention of joining one of the traditional airline alliances. Instead it is quickly building an alliance of aligned airlines in which its has an equity share. The latest target is reportedly loss-making Alitalia (2nd) (Rome).

Alitalia, which is currently 25 percent owned by the Air France-KLM Group (Air France and KLM are code-share partners of Etihad), was rescued from bankruptcy in 2008. It was acquired by a consortium of Italian companies including bank Intesa Sanpaolo and is reportedly discussing with Etihad Airways about a possible new partnership according to this report by Reuters.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Meanwhile Etihad Airways is moving ahead to increase its equity in Virgin Australia Airlines (Brisbane), following recent approval by the Foreign Investment Review Board to increase from a 10 percent shareholding to 19.9 percent.

Etihad Airways equity alliance is a planned alternative to the legacy airline alliances. The Etihad equity alliance now has five members, following a deal to invest in Serbia’s national airline, Air Serbia (Belgrade).

Etihad Airways also is awaiting regulatory approval for investment in a sixth airline, India’s Jet Airways (Mumbai), which gives the equity alliance a combined total of more than 420 destinations, 500 aircraft and more than 96 million passengers each year.

In other news, Etihad Airways has announced new services for the Australia market including:

• Airbus A380 aircraft from Sydney and Melbourne to Abu Dhabi
• Construction of premium lounges at Sydney and Melbourne Airports from 2014
• Additional flights from Melbourne and Brisbane to Abu Dhabi
• Commencement of nonstop flights between Perth and Abu Dhabi

Copyright Photo: Paul Denton/AirlinersGallery.com. Painted in the special Formula 1 livery to promote the Abu Dhabi’s Grand Prix, Airbus A340-642X A6-EHJ (msn 933) climbs away from the runway at Geneva.

Etihad Airways: 

Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) has introduced a new “Flying Nanny” program that will be appreciated by parents flying with children (and probably other passengers around them). The airline has also introduced new in-flight entertainment for children. The airline issued this statement:

Our specially trained Flying Nannies have been approved by Norland, the UK’s renowned childcare nursing college. They’re here to provide an extra pair of hands – whether it’s helping to get the children settled for bed, keeping them entertained or simply offering advice and support to parents.Every Flying Nanny will be equipped with a goody bag of games and activities to help keep the kids occupied, easing the pressure on you. They might be making their own hand puppets, trying origami for the first time, or joining other children in a drawing competition. They could even find themselves enjoying face-painting, learning a magic trick or having fun with food.

The type of activities your children get involved in will be down to the creativity and ingenuity of both themselves and their Flying Nanny. Yet, even in the confines of an aircraft, the options are endless and our Flying Nannies are specially trained to make the most of what’s available onboard.And whilst we can’t take them off your hands completely, as we must cater to the needs of every family onboard, we hope our ‘Flying Nanny’ goes someway to making your experience with Etihad that little bit more relaxing and enjoyable.

Etihad’s in-flight entertainment system includes a fun-filled children’s section, with a special interface that features our four much-loved animated characters: Kundai, Boo, Zoe and Jamool.

There’s a huge variety of entertainment on offer to keep your children entertained, all carefully selected with a younger audience in mind. Etihad also offers a parental lock feature, which allows parents to block unsuitable content at request.

For television and movie buffs, there’s our Kids Club for pre-schoolers and children under 12 years old, with a combination of live-action and animated titles. Teenagers also have access to their own section, offering Disney and a variety of popular Hollywood titles for their age group.

We also provide around 30-60 games across our fleet, together with a variety of music albums on our Audio-on-Demand section, including albums from teen-idols like Justin Bieber and Katy Perry.

In addition to the in-flight entertainment and Flying Nanny, every child over 3 years old will also receive their own children’s pack, containing enough games, activity books and stickers to help keep boredom at bay.

Copyright Photos: Etihad Airways.

Video:

Etihad Airways: 

Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) has announced its plans to acquire the five Boeing 777-200 LRs (Longer Range) from Air India (Mumbai). The airline issued this statement:

The two carriers signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) in Mumbai earlier this week paving the way for the deal.

The 777-200 LRs will be used on the airline’s new route between Abu Dhabi and Los Angeles, which starts on June 1, 2014.

Etihad Airways currently flies to New York (JFK), Chicago (O’Hare), Washington (Dulles), DC and Toronto (Pearson) in North America, and to São Paulo in Brazil, and has stated its ambition to add new services to both continents.

Subject to approvals, the aircraft will be delivered to Etihad Airways from the beginning of 2014 and each will be re-fitted in a three class cabin configuration consistent with similar aircraft in the Etihad Airways fleet.  It is expected the first aircraft will enter service in April 2014.

The purchase comes as Etihad Airways finalizes details on a new fleet order which will meet its organic growth and expansion requirements to 2025 in line with its rolling network plan.

The Boeing 777-200 LR, of which less than 60 were manufactured, has a design range of 17,370 km, allowing it to connect almost any city in the world from Etihad Airways’ hub at Abu Dhabi International Airport.

The five Air India 777-200 LR aircraft, which Etihad Airways is purchasing, are on average, six years old, helping the airline to maintain its overall position of having one of the most modern fleets in the industry.

Etihad Airways’ current fleet will reach 87 aircraft by year end, with 14 new deliveries from aircraft manufacturers during 2013.

In other news, Etihad has announced it will increase its share in Virgin Australia Holdings to 19.9 percent. At 19.9 percent, Etihad Airways has reached the threshold approved by Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board in June 2013.

Etihad Airways and Virgin Australia Airlines (Brisbane) signed a 10-year strategic partnership agreement in August 2010 that includes code-sharing on flights, joint sales and marketing activities, and reciprocal earn-and-burn on their respective frequent flyer programs.

For more information, please see: CLICK HERE

Finally, Etihad Airways and airBaltic (Riga) have announced a new Abu Dhabi-Riga joint route which will start on December 16, 2013.

The announcement follows the signing of a codeshare agreement between the two airlines.  Subject to regulatory approvals, airBaltic will operate the new four weekly return flights using a 116 seat Airbus A319 aircraft.

With seating capacity for 14 Business class and 102 Economy class passengers, the flights will operate on a split schedule, ensuring optimal connectivity over each airline’s respective hubs in Abu Dhabi and Riga.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Air India’s Boeing 777-237 LR VT-ALD (msn 36303) prepares to touch down at London’s Heathrow Airport.

Air India: 

Etihad Airways: 

Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi) according to Reuters, is expected to place a large order shortly for additional Boeing jets, including the new Boeing 777X mini-jumbo and additional 787s.

Etihad is nearing its 10th anniversary on November 12.

Etihad’s order could pre-empt a widely expected large order for 100 or more 777X from rival Emirates Airline (Dubai) when it hosts the Dubai Air Show in November.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Karl Cornil/AirlinersGallery.com. Etihad Airways is already a Boeing 777 operator for both passenger and cargo operations. Boeing 777-3FX ER A6-ETN (msn 39689) completes its final approach at London’s Heathrow Airport.

Etihad Airways:

Boeing (Chicago) today formally launched the 777X program at the 2013 Dubai Airshow with a record-breaking number of customer orders and commitments for the newest member of its twin-aisle product family. Agreements for 259 airplanes from four customers across Europe and the Middle East provide a strong foundation to support development and production of the airplane.

Representing the largest product launch in commercial jetliner history by dollar value, 777X orders and commitments include Lufthansa with 34 airplanes; Etihad Airways with 25; Qatar Airways with 50 and Emirates with 150 airplanes. The combined value of the agreements is more than $95 billion at list prices.

The 777X builds on the passenger-preferred and market-leading 777, which today commands 55 percent of market share in its category in terms of backlog, and 71 percent of the in-service fleet worldwide. The 777X family includes the 777-8X and the 777-9X, both designed to respond to market needs and customer preferences.

The 777X builds on the best-in-class dispatch reliability from today’s 777, as well as offering more market coverage and revenue capability that surpasses the competition. The 777-8X competes directly with the A350-1000, while the 777-9X is in a class by itself.

Opening new growth opportunities for airlines, the 777-9X offers seating for more than 400 passengers, depending on an airline’s configuration choices. With a range of more than 8,200 nautical miles (15,185 km), the airplane will have the lowest operating cost per seat of any commercial airplane.

The second member of the family, the 777-8X, will be the most flexible jet in the world. The airplane will seat 350 passengers and offer an incredible range capability of more than 9,300 nautical miles (17,220 km). In addition, the airplane will have unmatched takeoff and payload capability compared to the competition.

The 777X introduces the latest technologies in multiple places, including the most advanced commercial engine ever – the GE9X by GE Aviation – and an all-new high-efficiency composite wing that has a longer span than today’s 777. The airplane’s folding, raked wingtip and optimized span deliver greater efficiency, significant fuel savings and complete airport gate compatibility.

Like the 787 Dreamliner which was launched as the 7E7, the 777X will be formally named at a later date. Design of the 777X is underway and suppliers will be named in the coming months. Production is set to begin in 2017, with first delivery targeted for 2020.

According to Reuters, Boeing will firm up the configuration of the aircraft in 2015 and plans to have a detailed design by 2016.

Production will begin in 2017, with the first test flight scheduled for 2019 and first delivery in 2020.

The Launch Customers:

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