Airliner World 09.2021

GARLIERO2PLB0OI2ANR1LET 2021 RAGeilrpoliobnraetl

within the September issue of

REVEALED: 2021’S WINNERS AND LOSERS
INCLUDING
www.Key.Aero • Latest global fleet data
•dAeilribvuersyainndsiBgohetsing
•aAnirdlifnaeilustraerst-ups
•aEvxicaltuiosniveanreaglyisoinsal

YOUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO AVIATION’S MOST CHALLENGING YEAR

www.key.aero 47

the global airline scene

American Airlines:

CRISIS COMMAND
How the world’s biggest carrier is riding the storm

PLUS Fearless Why so many airlines PART1: SEPTEMBER 2021 £5.49
or foolish?are launching in 2021 EUROPE

The day it Freezing cold
all changed in old Yaks

Two decades on: We fly rare Soviet
9/11’s scars remain relics over Siberia

CLASSIC GATWICK JETLINERS EXCLUSIVE READER COMPETITION*

*Closing date 29 October 2021

NO
NEED
TO
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WHEEL

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Hello and welcome to features to mark the 20th anniversary I am delighted to announce that all Gordon Smith
your September 2021 of the September 11 atrocities. Almost subscriber copies of Airliner World Group Editor,
edition of Airliner all of us will remember where we are now distributed in sustainably Commercial Aviation
World. While it is were when we first heard the news of sourced paper wrap, replacing the
usually ill-advised to the tragedy unfolding in the United poly material that was previously Martin Needham
attempt to read a thermometer inside States – events that many consider used. This enables Key Publishing Assistant Editor
an active volcano or assess the wind to be aviation’s darkest hour. It is to take a step forward in helping our
speed during a hurricane, we’re not therefore timely to pause to reflect planet, by ensuring our packaging is Thomas Haynes
the kind of editorial team to shy upon the legacy that the attacks left more sustainable and fully recyclable. Assistant Editor
away from a challenge. With this in on commercial flying in the US and I know this is a topic close to the
mind, we’re delighted to bring you around the world. heart of many readers, and my thanks Thomas Lee
the Global Airline Report 2021 in this go to those who have been in touch Assistant Editor
issue. Analysing this most turbulent From ultra-secure cockpits to over recent months to lobby for such
year for commercial aviation – while intensified security screening at a change. Consider this to be people Carol Randall
arguably still in the midst of the storm airports, the scars from the events of power in action! Associate Editor,
– we’ve mined the big data from that Tuesday morning are still visible. Commercial Aviation
ch-aviation to help cut through the Our main feature begins on page 34, Wherever you are in the world, I
hyperbole and provide a real-world with a special additional insight from hope you enjoy your September issue. Lee Howson
assessment of the current state of the Andreas Spaeth starting on page 80. Lead Designer
industry. From big picture overviews Gordon Smith
to bespoke regional insights, be sure On to matters a little closer to home, Group Editor
to check out this and I’ve no doubt that some of our
special report shaper-eyed subscribers will have Andy Mason
kicking off on Advertising Manager
page 47. noticed a change to how
their magazine has been Rebecca Antoniades
Elsewhere in this delivered this month. Ad Production/Design
edition, we’ve two After close co-ordination
with our production
and logistics partners,

COVER American Airlines
Airbus A321, N144AN
(c/n 6723) at LAX
AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM/
ALVIN MAN

LEFT A Condor Boeing 757-
300, D-ABOK (c/n 29020), at
Corfu on July 17, 2021
V1IMAGES.COM/DAVID DOLINAY

www.key.aero 3

06 News review

Airliner World’s global coverage

20 RecoveryWatch

We gather the latest insights as European carriers enter
an uncertain summer season

24 Ice cold in old Yaks

Bernd Sturm takes us around the remote Sakha Republic

34 The Tuesday when

everything changed

Twenty years on, Tom Batchelor reflects on 9/11’s legacy

44 Gatwick’s gas turbine timeline

We share some of the highlights from Tom Singfield’s new
book chronicling the classic jetliners of Gatwick Airport

47 Airliner World’s Global

Airline Report 2021

Tapping into data from ch-aviation, this special report

quantifies the most turbulent year in the history of flying

64 Start-up supremos

We kick off our round-up of the airlines launching in 2021

74 Completing the set

Gordon Smith speaks with senior figures from
Embraer and Helvetic Airways as the airline accepts its
first E195-E2

78 Back to business

We examine the risks associated with getting aircraft
back in the air after the pandemic

80 View from Heathrow 34

Andreas Spaeth shares his first-hand account of being at
the London gateway on 9/11

84 Deliveries

The latest commercial acquisitions

88 MRO news

Updates from maintenance, repair and overhaul providers

90 Historic aviation 80

Updates from the world of preservation

92 Departure gate

Readers’ comments and photos

94 Aviation training A subscription to

A round-up of recent developments

97 Air safety offers great savings on
cover price.
Accident reports and crash information
See pages 22-23 for details
98 American giant

Chris Sloan meets Brian Znotins from American Airlines to
learn more about the firm’s planning strategies

4 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

44
64
47

24 84

www.key.aero 5

News Review • Europe

A340-600

reactivation salvation

IN POSITIVE news for quad-jet premium demand” for leisure and Before the onset of COVID-19, the In other news, Lufthansa Cargo has
fans, Lufthansa has confirmed the business travellers. Consequently, the airline operated 17 examples of the revealed plans to introduce a pair of
temporary reactivation of five Airbus Toulouse-built jets – Airbus’s longest A340-600. According to Lufthansa, 12 passenger-to-freighter converted
A340-600s for summer 2022. aircraft at 247.3ft – are configured are in the process of being sold, while A321P2Fs from the beginning of 2022.
The Rolls-Royce Trent 500-equipped in a four-class, 297-seat layout. the temporarily reactivated five will go Based in Frankfurt and operated
widebodies are set to be based out Importantly, this includes eight seats up for sale at a later date. by Lufthansa CityLine on behalf of
of Munich. While specific destinations in Lufthansa’s first-class product. As the firm continues with its fleet Lufthansa Cargo, the type will be
have yet to be disclosed, the German It’s understood that the five airframes modernisation, it is shifting to more used to account for the earmarked
flag carrier said the type will be are D-AIHI (c/n 569, pictured), D-AIHP fuel-efficient, twin-engined types. 20% growth per year in cross-border
deployed primarily on services to (c/n 771), D-AIHT (c/n 846), D-AIHU Consequently, Lufthansa’s first E-commerce shipments in the next
Asia and North America. (c/n 848) and D-AIHV (c/n 897). These A350-900 featuring a first-class five years, in turn, increasing European
The move to reactivate the A340s, built between 2004 and 2008, product is scheduled to join the fleet air freight demand.
A340-600 comes amid “growing are currently stored in Teruel, Spain. by late summer 2023 at Munich. (Photo Lufthansa Group)

Home away from Stockholm Uep! Up and away

PLANS HAVE been set in motion for October 23 at twice-weekly, rising to SPANISH START-UP Uep! Fly – a It was reported by ch-aviation that
Finnair to start long-haul connections four-weekly by November 29. subsidiary of Swiftair – has begun Uep! Fly will continue to operate
from Sweden’s main capital gateway, Elizabeth Axtelius, director aviation fare-paying rotations. as a virtual carrier, using Swiftair’s
Stockholm/Arlanda, during the business at Swedavia, said: “The The firm, at the time of writing, air operator certificate (AOC). It
upcoming winter season. three long-haul destinations and used a sole 68-seat ATR 72-500, also revealed that Uep! Fly plans
Basing a trio of Airbus A350-900s the improved access are important EC-KKQ (c/n 763) – due to be to expand its network in phases
at the hub, the Finnish flag carrier additions. The expansion is a sign eventually joined by a further pair of – connecting the Balearics with
is scheduled to link Arlanda with of an aviation market undergoing turboprop examples sourced from mainland Spain initially, before
Thailand’s Bangkok/Suvarnabhumi change. The fact that airlines dare Swiftair – that was deployed on July entering into other countries, with a
and Phuket from October 22 and 24, to invest after these difficult times is 16 for its maiden intra-island services particular focus on markets that are
respectively. The Thai capital is initially clear evidence of Stockholm’s strong across the Balearic chain. The currently underserved.
earmarked at five-weekly frequency position and an investment in the 13-year-old aircraft departed Ibiza as According to the new carrier, its
before rising to daily from November biggest market in Scandinavia.” Flight WT 7770 to Palma de Mallorca, choice of name originates from a local
28, while Phuket is due to begin at a With Finnair’s oneworld membership, before flying to Mahón on the island Majorcan greeting that is similar to
weekly frequency, increasing to twice customers will be able to connect of Menorca as WT 7773 (pictured ‘hello’ or ‘hey’.
then thrice-weekly from November 4 through Miami with fellow alliance here, after arrival). (Photo Spencer Bennett)
and December 30, respectively. carrier American Airlines on to
Finally, a third city in the US, Miami/ destinations across the Americas.
International, is mooted to launch from (Photo Flickr Commons/Mark Harkin)

6 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

News Review • Europe

in brief

Next-generation narrowbody nears Loganair has added a new UK domestic
route to its portfolio, with the launch of
AIR FRANCE has detailed September fleets. According to its parent, the Air both Airbus and Boeing for a potential Norwich to Exeter. The four-times-weekly
as the expected delivery timeframe France-KLM Group, the type – with a order for 160 narrowbody aircraft, rotation is flown by the company’s 13-strong,
date for its maiden Airbus A220. The capacity of 149 seats – will “gradually understood to involve the A320neo 49-seat Embraer ERJ145s – previously, the
Paris-based airline has 60 of the larger replace” Air France’s A318 and A319 Family and 737 MAX respectively. link had been served by Flybe, since March
-300 (pictured) on firm order – after a jets; at the time of writing, it operates While most details remain limited at 2016. Elsewhere, Loganair – the UK’s largest
commitment in December 2019. 18 and 30 examples each respectively. this time, Bloomberg revealed that the regional airline – is scheduled to connect
The arrival of the A220 would mark In other developments, Bloomberg aircraft would be bound for KLM and Aberdeen with Dublin, from September 5
the start of the French flag carrier’s has reported that the Air France-KLM low-cost carrier Transavia. – also using the ERJ145. Initially, flights will
renewal of its short- and medium-haul Group has started negotiations with (Photo Airbus) be four-times-weekly, before increasing to
daily from March 28, 2022. The move comes
Albania’s following the collapse of Stobart Air, which
Airbus upgauge had previously plied the route.

Greek-based Sky Express has inked a deal
for six ATR 72-600s for an undisclosed
sum. In quick succession, the firm received
its maiden example of the type, SX-ELV
(c/n 1643), on June 30. In doing so, Greece
became the 54th country from which the
Franco-Italian manufacturer’s ATR 72-600
operates. The remaining five turboprops
are due to arrive over the next 12 months. At
present, Sky Express operates smaller ATR
variants – five examples each of the ATR
42-500 and ATR 72-500. According to SKY
Express president of the board of directors,
Theodoros Krokidas, the type is “well
suited” to service Greece’s island airports.

Air France Hop, the French flag carrier’s
regional subsidiary, has disposed of its
final Embraer ERJ145s. As COVID-19
forced the airline to draw in its horns, it
made dramatic cuts that affected both the
smallest and largest aircraft in the fleet.
The Airbus A380 was a much higher profile
retirement, however, 13 50-seat ERJ145s
were also pulled from service. While the
majority of the fleet has been stored at
Clermont-Ferrand, several examples
have been placed at Toulouse/
Francazal in anticipation of sale
to Namibia’s Westair Aviation.
(Photo Martin Needham)

This sleek-looking aircraft is the first Airbus A320 for Air Albania. The 2008-built, IAE V2500-powered airframe, TC-JPO (c/n 3567), was spotted outside Turkish SAS Scandinavian Airlines is set to deploy
Technic’s MRO facility at Istanbul/Sabiha Gökçen on July 21 and is poised to join the Tirana-based firm soon. With Turkish Airlines owning a 49% stake in Air Albania, its Airbus A321LRs on services between
the latter’s newly procured A320ceo, along with its existing A319ceo and Boeing 737-800, ZA-BEL (c/n 3142) and TC-JZG (c/n 60028), respectively, are sourced from Copenhagen and Boston from September.
Turkey’s flag carrier. ILGAZ DEGER The jet’s debut on transatlantic routes
from Denmark is part of a wider effort
The Boeing identity to re-establish the carrier’s links with
the United States, following COVID-19.
Polish charter firm, Enter Air, has procured this interesting hybrid-painted Boeing 737-800, SP-ESK (c/n 30693). The 2003-vintage jet, which was spotted rotating Also in September, SAS will increase the
from Palma de Mallorca’s Runway 24R in July, sports newly applied Enter Air titles while retaining the basic livery of Thailand-based NewGen Airways. Despite the frequencies from the Danish capital to Los
CFM International CFM56-powered airframe having left the latter’s fleet two-and-a-half years ago – note the Thai flag still present – and having previously been Angeles, San Francisco and Washington
operated by LOT Polish Airlines since, Enter Air looks like it is set to carry on this 737’s interesting hybrid tradition. JAVIER RODRÍGUEZ DC. The following month, services from
Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm to Miami
are due to be resumed as well.

Emerald Airlines has signed a memorandum
of understanding with Aer Lingus to operate
the Irish flag carrier’s regional and domestic
routes from 2023 until 2033. The start-up,
which has yet to receive an air operator
certificate (AOC) from Irish regulators, is set
to receive its first two ATR 72-600s later this
year and is considering tripling that number.
In anticipation of revenue services starting,
two former Virgin Australia examples are
currently undergoing maintenance checks
at Exeter Airport in the UK.

www.key.aero 7

News Review • CIS

Air Astana launches legal action

KAZAKHSTAN-BASED FLAG carrier “experienced complex, in-flight mechanical failures” regarding the vigorously defend against all claims
carrier Air Astana is suing Embraer failures that transferred across the jet. These comprised an emergency asserted.” Moreover, Embraer
regarding alleged issues with its aircrafts’ operating systems” and landing in Shymkent on June 22, stated to airline intelligence provider
contingent of 108-seat E190-E2s. that its flight crews had to engage in 2019, following an “anti-ice-wing ch-aviation that Air Astana was “the
A July 2 lawsuit, Air Astana JSC v. “highly complex recovery actions” to failure”, separate incidents of “vertical only airline that suspended use of
Embraer SA, at New York Supreme land the type safely. deviations without pilot command” on E2 aircraft, and they did so only
Court revealed that Air Astana seeks May 6 and July 22, 2020, followed by temporarily.”
“an award of damages” of no less In addition, the Almaty-based airline a “false cabin smoke alert” – causing
than US$11,888,495 plus attorneys’ stated that Kazakhstan’s landscape another emergency landing – the “While issues such as this do
fees and costs. with its geographic and topographic following September on a Kyzlorda occasionally occur, at no point did
“treacherous terrain and challenging to Almaty rotation, a “hydraulic pump this constitute an immediate safety
In the filing, Air Astana claimed weather” exacerbated the danger. failure” that led to a cascading failure risk and the aircraft landed safely,”
it wants to recover damages after Its home market covers more than a on November 9, 2020, during a the Embraer statement continued.
it was “constrained to suspend million square miles, but Kazakhstan Nur-Sultan-bound link, and finally
operations of a fleet of regional jet has only 19 airports capable of at least six slat failures on the jets Air Astana currently fields a
aircraft [the E190-E2] manufactured handling large commercial aircraft, resulting in missed approaches. five-strong inventory of E190-E2s
by Embraer, leaving a fleet of therefore offers “few and widely on lease from AerCap, comprising:
brand-new aircraft parked and spaced emergency landing options.” For its part, Embraer said in a P4-KHA (c/n 19020012), P4-KHB (c/n
empty on the ground, because July 3 statement that it “denies it 19020013), P4-KHC (c/n 19020014),
those planes were unsafe to fly.” In the filing, Air Astana detailed has breached any obligations P4-KHD (c/n 19020017) and P4-KHE
It added that the E2s flown by the examples of “multiple to Air Astana and will (c/n 19020019).
in-flight software and (Photo Embraer)

Deal inked for new Armenian carrier

AIR ARABIA and the Armenian to the July 14 deal, an independent According to the parties involved, the confident that the expertise Air Arabia
National Interests Fund (ANIF) have joint venture is set to be established start-up is due to “serve the strategic brings to the JV [joint venture] will
forged an agreement to launch a new as a low-cost firm based at Yerevan’s vision of Armenia’s fast-growing support the seamless launch and
national airline of Armenia. According Zvartnots International Airport. travel and tourism sector” and thus growth of the carrier.”
bolster the country’s economic growth
while simultaneously offering its own The name of the fledgling operator
citizens a cost-effective and reliable air is set to be decided by the residents
travel option. During 2019, the travel of Armenia through a national
and tourism sector contributed to competition which was due to have
approximately 11.8% of Armenia’s GDP. closed on August 14. The company’s
board of directors will then sift
Tatevik Revazian, chair of the Civil through all of the entries and choose
Aviation Committee of Armenia, said: the best suggestion.
“Having a strong national low-cost
airline is essential for the development Meanwhile, the securing of an air
of Armenia’s air transport sector, operating certificate (AOC) is poised
especially as a tool to recover faster to commence shortly.
from the COVID-19 crisis… We are (Photo AirTeamImages.com/
Valentin YVON)

The plane from Spain...

KYRGYZSTAN-BASED FIRM Sky the Pratt & Whitney PW4056-powered 747-400(BDSF), 9U-BBA (c/n 24311),
KG Airlines has added a Boeing airframe was stored at Bishkek’s which was later acquired by
747-400 to its fleet. The 1994-built Manas International Airport, the Belarus-based carrier Rubystar
widebody, EX-47003 (c/n 25703), primary gateway to Kyrgyzstan. Airways in January 2021.
is a former Wamos Air example,
EC-KXN (pictured at right) that had The recently procured 747-400 According to Sky KG Airlines’
the honour of being the last complements Sky KG Airlines’ two website, it offers services including
Spanish-registered jumbo after Tupolev Tu-204-100Bs, EX-20401 flight inspection, passenger and
a final flight from the country on (c/n 1450743864046) and EX-20402 cargo transportation, aircraft leasing
March 26 (see ’Europe News’, Airliner (c/n 1450744864049). Previously, and airport handling in Kyrgyzstan.
World, June 2021). Following this, Sky KG Airlines had operated another (Photo AirTeamImages.com/
example of the jumbo, a 30-year-old Loredana Cioclei)

8 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

SAAB 2000

It’s lonely at the top

No other turboprop airliner can match the
combination of power, speed, rate of climb,
short runway capability and service ceiling
of the Saab 2000.
Do you operate long regional routes in
challenging conditions? The Saab 2000
will give your capability the edge.
www.saab.com

News Review • Africa/Middle East

First comes second for Flyadeal

FLYADEAL HAS received its first $5.9bn 737 MAX order in favour of the economy-configured narrowbody that the Saudi Arabian low-cost carrier
brand-new Airbus A320neo, the first European narrowbody. on order, with deliveries due to be has accepted, having received a
aircraft from its 2019 Paris Air Show completed within three years. leased NEO, which had previously not
order – when the Saudia subsidiary The Saudia subsidiary has 30 CFM been taken up by Tianjin Airlines, from
made headlines by cancelling its International LEAP-1A-powered The jet, HZ-FAN (c/n 10255), is not Avolon last August. (Photo Airbus)
examples of the 186-seat, all the first example of the single-aisle jet

Flydubai drops 65 MAX orders

FLYDUBAI HAS slashed 65 Boeing 737
MAX jets from its commitments for 251
examples ordered between 2013-17.

The UAE-based carrier has already
accepted 16 narrowbodies – 13 737
MAX 8s and a trio of MAX 9s – the
amendment to its orderbook means it
will still accept a further 170 examples.

Flydubai said it adjusted its plans
“in line with the airline’s strategy of
rebuilding the travel sector, following
the COVID-19 pandemic and the
changing dynamics of the airline's
route structure”.

The carrier returned its flagship
737s to service on April 8. (Photo
AirTeamImages.com/Dipankar Bhakta)

Third wave batters South African airlines

SOUTH AFRICAN airlines including Travel restrictions combined with in Gauteng – also greatly reduced lockdown, restriction of travel in and
Kulula.com and Comair suspended international bans and very little to no their scheduled offerings. out of Gauteng [and] the rampant
services until August 31 owing to demand for business meant Comair transmissibility of the ‘Delta’ variant”.
a third wave of coronavirus in the suspended all its British Airways Start-up Lift had axed all its services (Photo Flickr Commons/Bob Adams)
country. Gauteng, the smallest and franchisee flying and the operations up to July 31, while Comair had initially
most populous of South Africa’s nine of its low-cost subsidiary, Kulula.com. planned to restart operations from
provinces, has been most affected Other carriers based at or with hubs July 30. The latter postponed this by
with all non-essential travel in and out at Johannesburg’s O R Tambo and four weeks, citing the “uncertainty
of the region being prohibited. Lanseria International Airport – both of the expected length of the
recently adjusted Level 4

10 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

News Review • Africa/Middle East

Alliance advantages in brief

QATAR AIRWAYS and Alaska In “the coming months”, the next earn miles on Qatar Airways services. With Emirates recording “strong leisure
Airlines have launched a codeshare phase of the strategic partnership Ties became even closer after Alaska travel demand” during the Northern
agreement, helping to “strengthen is earmarked to kick off, allowing officially joined the oneworld alliance Hemisphere summer, it has ramped up
the partnership” between the two travellers from Alaska Airlines to on March 31. operations as entry restrictions ease for
oneworld operators. connect on Qatar flights via Doha/ travellers. As Airliner World went to press
Hamad to Africa, the Middle East and In other news, Qatar deployed its at the end of July, the Dubai-based carrier
After becoming effective at the start South Asia. new-look Boeing 787-9 into revenue anticipated almost a 90% recovery of its pre-
of July, passengers from the Qatari passenger service on June 25 with pandemic network, equating to 880-weekly
flag carrier could book and connect At the time of writing, Qatar Airways a flight to Milan/Malpensa. The fresh services to 124 cities. In a boost for the
on to more than 150 routes in Alaska’s flies to 12 US gateways offering more two-class Dreamliner, featuring 281 Airbus A380, Emirates has increased the
network. Qatar Airways operates than 100 weekly rotations. economy seats and 30 business class number of super jumbo destinations to 15 –
flights to Alaska’s key hubs including suites, has since been deployed to on 129-weekly sorties – served by the type
daily services to San Francisco and The partnership between both other destinations including Athens, this summer. Bosses at the Gulf giant say the
Seattle/Tacoma, along with a carriers began last December and Karachi and Kuala Lumpur. move “demonstrates the importance” of the
twice-daily link to Los Angeles. included perks such as allowing (Photo Flickr Commons/Riik@mctr) double-decker to the firm’s recovery and
Alaska Mileage Plan members to growth strategy.

Vienna means something to Middle East carriers Gulf Air has launched a pair of fifth-freedom
services as the flag carrier expands its
THE AUSTRIAN capital has benefited Thursdays and Sundays with Boeing Julian Jäger, joint CEO and COO network beyond Bahrain/International.
from additional links to the Middle 787-9 Dreamliners offering 28 of the Austrian airport, said: “We The firm now operates Flights GF 944/945
East, with Saudia restarting its link Business and 262 Economy class welcome Etihad as a new airline to between the Greek capital, Athens, and
to Riyadh and Jeddah. The Saudi seats. The service then continues to Vienna. Etihad is a strong carrier with Larnaca, Cyprus (the aircraft departs/
Arabian flag carrier began deploying Milan/Malpensa before returning to a far-reaching route network and arrives the latter to/from Bahrain) using
Airbus A320s on the twice-weekly Abu Dhabi. we are delighted with its decision to Airbus A320/A321neos. Meanwhile,
route following a break of more than launch regular scheduled flights. The in Asia, Gulf Air deploys a Boeing 787-9
a year due to the pandemic. Vienna was the fourth new United Arab Emirates is an important on GF 165/166 from Singapore/Changi to
European destination that Etihad market and the new flight connection Bangkok/Suvarnabhumi and back before
Etihad Airways has also added a launched services to during July, is a good sign that things are slowly returning to Bahrain. Passengers are able
connection to Vienna’s Schwechat following Mykonos, Santorini picking up again.” to book seats on just the point-to-point
Airport, linking the two cities on and Malaga. fifth-freedom legs. According to Gulf Air’s
acting chief executive officer, Captain
Waleed Al Alawi, this is the “beginning of a
wider plan to expand globally”.

Air Seychelles is poised to operate a series
of special holiday charter rotations from
Bristol during the 2022 Easter and early
May bank holiday (April/May). The “short
series of flights”, enabled by a partnership
between the airline, airport and Air
Charter Service, are set to be flown by Air
Seychelles’ Airbus A320neo aircraft from
the gateway in southeast England direct to
Dubai/World Central before continuing on to
Mahé in the Seychelles. (Photo Airbus)

Retirements in Mauritius

AIR MAURITIUS has reduced its fleet as two Airbus A340-300s were also including long-haul routes to London The Democratic Republic of the Congo
by almost a quarter, following the disposed of. Heathrow and Paris/Charles de (DRC)-based Compagnie Africaine
retirement of two Airbus A319ceos Gaulle, after the Indian Ocean nation d'Aviation (flyCAA) has resumed
and an A330-200. The move means The airline entered voluntary responded incredibly effectively operations with the Airbus A320 after a
that the carrier’s average fleet age administration in April 2020, due to to the pandemic. As Airliner World five-year hiatus. The Central African
has dropped from 9.4 years to 6.2 what the company described as a went to press, 19 Mauritians had died carrier had procured a 12-year-old, CFM
years within the past 12 months. “complete erosion” of its revenue of coronavirus since the country’s International CFM56-powered example,
The trio were among five of the base, following the COVID-19 first confirmed case in March 2020. 9S-ABM (c/n 3900), which had previously
carrier's aircraft flown into storage, outbreak. However, it has been (Photo Gary Morris) served with India's GoAir (since rebranded
able to restart services quickly, to Go First). The incoming airframe was
ferried from Toulouse/Francazal in France
to its home and hub in Kinshasa on
July 2. According to ch-aviation, the
A320ceo began revenue services just over a
week later from the DRC capital to a swathe
of domestic cities.

SalamAir has begun services on a
new seasonal route between Muscat
and Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and
Herzegovina – its farthest destination
west. On July 12, the Omani low-cost
carrier deployed one of its six-strong Airbus
A320neos, A4O-OVG (c/n 9135) Hudhud,
on the inaugural 2,650-mile link. After
touchdown in Sarajevo, the jet received a
traditional water cannon salute.

www.key.aero 11

News Review • Americas

Porter pounces on E195-E2

IN A “defining” move, Canada-based 2022”. The agreement also includes Toronto/Pearson. While Porter has gateway – which prohibits all jet
Porter Airlines has firmed a 30-strong options to convert to the smaller yet to finalise the cabin configuration aircraft apart from MEDEVAC flights
order for the Embraer E195-E2 with E190-E2, providing added operational on the E195-E2, the airframe can – is served by the airline’s 29-strong
purchase rights for an additional 50 “flexibility” if need be. accommodate 120-146 passengers. fleet of De Havilland Canada Dash
– its first jet aircraft. 8-400s, therefore the E2 will not
With the type, Porter plans a major Excluding leasing companies, the operate to/from there.
Consequently, the deal – valued expansion of its network to “popular commitment is the second largest
at US$5.82bn at list prices with all business and leisure destinations” for the next-generation type, behind Porter Airlines has established
options exercised – is set to make across Canada, the USA, Mexico Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras which plans to recommence operations
Porter the type’s North American and the Caribbean, while specific signed for 51 examples back in 2015. from September 8, 2021 – nearly 18
launch customer. According to the routes are due to be unveiled in 2022. months after suspending flights due
Brazilian manufacturer, both the first However, Porter has already confirmed Following the move, Porter to COVID-19. A group of domestic
aircraft delivery and scheduled that the E2s will be deployed from reaffirmed its commitment to destinations are poised to resume,
entry-into-service date are Ottawa, Montréal/Trudeau and Halifax, operations out of Toronto’s Billy followed by US links on September 17.
earmarked for the “second half of along with the airline’s debut from Bishop Airport stating it will remain (Photo Embraer)
“core to its business”. The downtown

United agrees historic shopping spree

UNITED AIRLINES has signed Across the Atlantic, the operator’s to meet a resurgence in air travel… Meanwhile, two days prior to the
agreements for 200 Boeing 737 MAX 70-strong A321neo order with Airbus [This] move underscores the critical major order announcement on June
jets and 70 Airbus A321neos – the complements a December 2019 deal role United plays in fuelling the 27, United’s first MAX 8, N27251
largest order in the airline’s 95-year for 50 A321XLRs. Its total commitment broader US economy – we expect (c/n 43931), was delivered to its New
history and the biggest by a single for the European-built narrowbodies the [new aircraft] additions will have a York/Newark hub (pictured landing)
carrier in more than a decade. now totals 120 aircraft. significant economic impact on after arriving from Seattle’s Boeing
the communities we serve in terms Field – the type flew its first United
The deal with the American airframer When combined with the current of job creation, traveller spending fare-paying rotations in July.
comprises 150 MAX 10s and 50 order book, the Chicago-based firm and commerce." (Photo Cary Liao)
of the smaller MAX 8s, taking its expects to introduce more than 500
single-aisle orderbook with Boeing to new single-aisle airframes.
380 examples, including 30 that have
already been delivered. The June 2021 Around 40 are expected to arrive
agreement also includes the purchase next year, 138 in 2023 and as many as
of 737 MAX training simulator data 350 in 2024 and beyond. That means
packages to support United's pilot in 2023 alone, United expects to add
training programmes. about one new narrowbody aircraft
every three days.
As the launch customer for the MAX
10, the operator placed its first order in Scott Kirby, United CEO, commented:
2017 by converting 100 MAX 9s to the “Our ‘United Next’ vision will
larger variant. revolutionise the experience of flying
United as we accelerate our business

12 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

News Review • Americas

WestJet eyes Tanks for your service in brief

dedicated US-BASED CARGO firm National Evergreen International Airlines, so its In preparation for the start of its first
cargo 737s Airlines has procured the world’s acquisition by National marks a return transatlantic services, JetBlue Airways
largest aerial firefighting platform for to its former cargo-carrying role. deployed one of its Airbus A321LRs to
CALGARY-BASED WESTJET plans conversion into a freighter. London/Heathrow on a proving flight.
to introduce Boeing 737-800BCFs The ex-Global SuperTanker Boeing Capable of delivering nearly 20,000 On July 12, the 138-seat, Pratt & Whitney
(Boeing Converted Freighters) as 747-400BCF, N744ST (c/n 25308) gallons of water or fire retardant, as PW1100G-equipped aircraft, N4022J
it launches a new dedicated cargo Spirit of John Muir, has recently been Tanker 944 the widebody jet fought (c/n 10303) Joel Peterson, departed New
service. The type – expected to be stored in San Antonio, Texas. wildfires globally from Chile to Israel, York/JFK as B6 9400 at 2024hrs. After being
in service by the second quarter in addition to those back home in the airborne for 6hrs 11mins, the narrowbody
of 2022 – is aimed to fulfil the Also known as Tanker 944, the USA, notably during the devastating touched down at the UK’s largest gateway
requirements of cargo forwarders, General Electric CF6-powered jumbo 2020 fire season in California the following morning at 0735hrs local time;
shippers and individual customers. – initially delivered factory fresh to (pictured below). the A321LR left Heathrow the next day. At
Throughout next year, WestJet Japan Airlines (JAL) in November 1991 the time of writing, JetBlue was scheduled
Cargo will grow its fleet of – was operated by Global SuperTanker However, Global SuperTanker to launch fare-paying services to the West
737-800BCFs – in turn generating Services for aerial firefighting from Services ceased operations in April London hub from August 11, followed by
increased employment opportunities 2016 having earlier been used by this year. neighbouring Gatwick on September 29.
– to work in tandem with the current (Photo v1images.com/Alex Crail)
offering of WestJet's existing Air Canada has outlined its summer
cargo business. transborder schedule between its home
nation and the US. This comes after the
Ed Sims, WestJet president/CEO, Canadian federal government confirmed
said: “Since our inception 25 years an easing of restrictions, including
ago, our goal has been to provide non-essential travel, between both nations,
competitive prices and superior which was due to occur from August 9. The
service levels. As we launch our Canadian flag carrier plans to operate up to
dedicated cargo service, into a 220 daily rotations from 55 routes to 34 US
market that maintains an even destinations. According to Mark Galardo,
greater need for competitive choice senior vice-president, network planning
than in 1996, it is our commitment and revenue management at Air Canada,
to provide more choice, decreased there are further plans to restore links to
costs and exceptional service.” all 57 US destinations previously flown “as
conditions allow”.
An eye on the SKY and was delivered on July 27. The
airframe is understood to be one of The blueprints for Spirit Airlines’ launch
THE MAIDEN Airbus A321neo for 238 seats and powered by CFM three A321neos, the other pair being into the Miami/International market have
SKY Airline Chile has been spotted. International LEAP-1A engines. It CC-DCC (c/n 10456) and CC-DCB been revealed. The firm is due to launch
The aircraft, which bore test was photographed arriving back (c/n 10466), that are set to be on operations from the airport on October 6,
registration, D-AYAR (c/n 10532), and at Airbus’ Hamburg/Finkenwerder long-term lease placements from Air with the aim of serving a combined 30
became CC-DCA, is configured with facility after a first flight on July 7 Lease Corporation (ALC) following a destinations across the US, Caribbean and
June 2019 deal. Latin America from the Sunshine State hub
According to ch-aviation, the type is by November 18. Miami/International is set
billed to enter service during the third to become Spirit’s third South Florida base
quarter of 2021. In addition to this trio, after Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.
the Santiago-based carrier currently (Photo Flickr Commons/Tomás Del Coro)
has a ten-strong commitment for the
A321XLR with Airbus in the orderbook Thanks to a “travel demand recovery”,
after a December 2019 agreement. Delta Air Lines has confirmed a major
fleet bolster with used aircraft. According
SKY Airline Chile also fields a to the Atlanta-based firm, it has entered
20-strong arsenal of A320neo jets. into agreements for 29 and seven
(Photo v1images.com/Dirk Grothe) used Boeing 737-900ERs and Airbus
A350-900s, respectively – the latter will
come on lease from AerCap. While the
move provides capacity, it also helps Delta
to “streamline and modernise” the fleet.
Amid COVID-19, the firm phased out older,
less efficient types including the McDonnell
Douglas MD-88, MD-90 and 777-200.
Bosses at Delta added that the pandemic
provided a “unique” opportunity to acquire
newer-generation types at lower costs.

Stars and stripes delight! Michigan, US-based Island Airways
has purchased a Britten-Norman
Bosses at Southwest Airlines celebrated the 50th anniversary of the carrier’s first flight with a stunning paint scheme called ‘Freedom One’. The 2014-built, CFM BN-2 Islander; set to boost its existing
International CFM56-powered Boeing 737-800, N500WR (c/n 36898), was spotted rocketing away from Dallas/Love Field on June 23 not long after being adorned four-strong inventory of the type. The
with the US flag. The latest design joins Southwest’s plethora of special liveries found on its 737s. These include: Arizona One, Florida One, Lone Star One, Nevada One family-run business, which has operated for
and Tennessee One. AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM/KEVIN BOYDSTON 76 years, connects Beaver Island located
in Lake Michigan with Charlevoix on the
mainland carrying passengers, freight and
mail – during winter months this includes
food, supplies and MEDEVAC. The Islander’s
purchase is due for a September arrival
and comes amid a resurgence in local
tourism following the devastating
coronavirus pandemic.

www.key.aero 13

News Review • Asia/Pacific

Indian Air Force hits double-bogey

AIR INDIA has sold six Airbus RKS Bhadauria told technology news the IAF as part of the deal, but it is double-bogeys on the main landing
A320ceos to the Indian Air Force (IAF) website Ele Times that the half-dozen understood the aircraft are among gear. This requirement was stipulated
for use as airborne early warning and airliners are unlikely to satisfy the the 17 examples originally acquired by owing to concerns that some Indian
control (AEW&C) platforms. air arm’s appetite for AEW&C assets, Indian Airlines – with which Air India airports didn’t have the infrastructure
Despite the deal, Air Chief Marshal and the IAF is also understood to be merged in 2007 – between June 1989 to accommodate the narrowbody.
interested in acquiring additional and December 1994 and which are Four-wheeled bogeys spread an
Embraer ERJ145s for the same role now stored at Delhi/Indira Gandhi. airliner’s weight across a wider area.
due to rising tensions with China. These jets are extremely rare among No other carrier has ever requested
It is not currently known which of Airbus A320s, with Indian Airlines this modification for the A320.
the A320s are to be transferred to requesting that Airbus install (Photo AviationImageNetwork/Bailey)

Far-flung Fairbanks flight flown

QANTAS HAS flown one of its 11-strong widebody passed near Micronesia, Pacific over the open ocean roughly Aleutian Islands chain before touching
Boeing 787-9s on a direct rotation the Marshall Islands and Wake Island, 1,690 miles east of Japan and 2,650 down in Fairbanks at 0838hrs local.
between Brisbane and Fairbanks, reaching a maximum altitude of miles west of the US mainland coast. It departed Alaska at 1810hrs the
Alaska, reportedly on a military 41,000ft. It eventually crossed the Near the end of its long journey, the following day bound for California.
charter. On July 12, the General International Date Line in the North three-class, 236-seat jet flew up the (Photo Qantas)
Electric GEnx-powered jet, VH-ZNC
(c/n 39040) Quokka, took-off from the
Queensland capital at 1342hrs as
QF 6041, flying the 7,088-mile sortie
in 12hrs 56mins.
Departing from Brisbane, the 787’s
routing took it on a north-northeast
heading, then passing east of Papua
New Guinea and over the Solomon
Islands. Continuing the flightpath
towards the Central Pacific, the

Go-ahead for Korean mega-merger

KOREAN AIR and Asiana Airlines are the two full-service carriers and their operational efficiency… while 8Fs, five 767-300ERs, 21 777-200ERs,
to proceed with their merger after low-cost arms – Korean Air’s Jin Air diversifying its schedules”. four 777-300s, 26 777-300ERs and ten
receiving approval from the state-run and Asiana’s Air Busan and Air Seoul. At present levels, the resultant 787-9s. Its cargo arm will comprise 16
Korea Development Bank (KDB). It also covered adherence to the Fair main-line firm will boast a 200+ 747-400Fs, seven 747-8Fs, 12 777Fs
The Korean flag carrier submitted a Trade Act, employee retention and strong fleet of ten Airbus A220-300s, and a single 767-300ERF. The merging
post-merger integration plan (PMI) to reorganisation of relevant subsidiaries. three A320ceos, 15 A321ceos, four of Jin Air, Air Seoul and Air Busan will
the KDB in March, which was reviewed Once the merger is complete, the A321neos, eight A330-200s, 37 A330- create a single low-cost carrier with
and revised with involvement from five airlines will become two carriers, 300s, 13 A350-900s, 16 A380-800s, 19 737-800s, 20 A321ceos, eight
several government agencies. The one full-service and one low-cost. three Boeing 737-800s, 18 737-900s, A320ceos and four A321neos. (Photo
final PMI includes integration plans for Korean Air said the result will “increase 16 747-400Fs, nine 747-8Is, seven 747- AirTeamImages.com/Andrew Hunt)

14 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

News Review • Asia/Pacific

Dreamliners deferred in brief
AIR NEW Zealand has “renegotiated 787-10s with Boeing in September year-round through to May 2022 – an
the delivery date” of its Boeing 2019 – at the time valued at US$2.7bn addition of 26,000 seats. StarFlyer has reaffirmed its commitment
787-10s. During an investor update, at list prices. Staying in Australia, Air New Zealand to the Airbus A320neo by agreeing
the flag carrier revealed its first Meanwhile, Air New Zealand has launched a new cargo route to take an additional five jets on lease
example of the largest Dreamliner has revealed plans to serve three between Los Angeles and Melbourne/ from SMBC Aviation Capital, bringing
variant to be delivered would shift Queensland, Australia destinations Tullamarine, awarded by the its total to eight aircraft. The
from the 2023 financial year to 2024. year-round. Following an agreement Australian government’s International Kitakyushu, Japan-based carrier
Air New Zealand added that it “retains with the Queensland government, Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) initially agreed to lease three
the ability to utilise a number of the firm’s two separate rotations from programme. The weekly freight NEO jets in November 2020 with the
further contractual delivery deferral Auckland to Cairns and the Sunshine service is due to operate until October Dublin-based lessor. Deliveries were set
rights on other aircraft due to be Coast, plus a Christchurch to Gold 31. The Kiwi carrier has operated a to start in January 2023. A third airliner is
[handed over] from 2024 onward”. Coast service are poised to shift from similar Brisbane-Los Angeles cargo expected to arrive in June 2025 with a full
The airline firmed an order for eight a seasonal April-October schedule to link since August 2020. complement set to have been accepted by
the beginning of 2026.
Outback the paint shop
All Nippon Airways (ANA) has phased out
the Boeing 737-700 – ending nearly 16 years
of association with the Renton-built model.
Having operated 18 of the type in its history,
the 120-seat, 2006-built example, JA06AN
(c/n 33876), flew the final rotation on June
27 between Okayama, western Japan
– roughly halfway between Hiroshima
and Osaka – and Tokyo/Haneda. Shortly
after, the airframe was ferried to Southern
California Logistics Airport on July 2. During
ANA’s association with the type it made
history after being the only operator to use
the 737-700ER; its pair, JA10AN (c/n 33879)
and JA13AN (c/n 33880), retired in 2016.

The first de Havilland Canada Dash 8-300 for Australian-based Maroomba Airlines was spotted at East Midlands Airport on June 23, a day after exiting the Pakistan International Airlines is to dry
paint shop sporting the firm’s new livery. The ex-Widerøe turboprop, LN-WFU (c/n 592) – pictured wearing temporary registration OY-CJY – is set to become lease four Airbus A320ceos from Seraph
VH-QQH. Shortly after, the 18-year-old Dash 8 – currently owned by lessor Nordic Aviation Capital – ferried to Devon for additional maintenance work by Aviation Management, using two of the
Exeter Aerospace as it prepared for the mammoth journey ‘down under’ from the UK. KARL NIXON jets to replace Boeing 777s. All four of the
narrowbody jets are set to be delivered
Soaring in the South Pacific to the Pakistani flag carrier by the end of
2021, with the first two examples having
SOFIA, THE Stratospheric Observatory widebody’s sixth deployment to the DLR SOFIA Project scientist explained: previously operated for Interjet. The jets,
for Infrared Astronomy, was deployed southern hemisphere. “These atomic oxygen measurements OE-IOR (c/n 7784) and OE-IOT (c/n 7792), are
to Papeete/Fa'a'ā International Airport During this stay, astronomers will are important for estimating currently stored at Perpignan/Rivesaltes.
on Tahiti, French Polynesia on July 19. use two of the airborne observatory's temperatures in the upper part of It is not currently known which of PIA’s
The move is a change of scenery from scientific instruments – the German the atmosphere and can confirm the dozen 777s are due to be returned to their
the heavily modified Boeing 747SP’s Receiver for Astronomy at theories describing the exchange of lessors. However, the company leases four
usual southern hemisphere haunt, Terahertz Frequencies (GREAT) for solar energy between Earth’s surface widebodies – two 777-200ERs, AP-BHX
Christchurch, New Zealand, which is high-resolution spectroscopy, and and space.” (c/n 35296) and retro-liveried AP-BMG
off limits due to COVID-19 restrictions. the US High-resolution Airborne The former Pan Am and United (c/n 32716) as well as 777-300ERs AP-BMH
The 2021 southern deployment is Wideband Camera (HAWC+) to Airlines jumbo is set to return to (c/n 32717) and AP-BMS (c/n 35782).
the 1977-built jet’s first trip to French measure magnetic fields. its Palmdale, California base in (Photo Martin Needham)
Polynesia while operated by the GREAT is set to be used to measure mid-September, following which
joint NASA/Deutsches zentrum für atomic oxygen in the earth’s it will go for an annual routine Low-cost, long-haul carrier, Scoot, is hoping
Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR, German atmosphere to better understand maintenance check before to begin fifth-freedom flights in Europe.
Aerospace Center), and is the climate change. Alessandra Roy, a continuing its observation work. From August 10, the Singapore Airlines
subsidiary plans to operate a thrice-weekly
Gotta catch Pikachu connection between Berlin/Brandenburg
and Singapore/Changi via Athens, Greece.
Scoot’s website shows these are to be
operated by its fleet of ten Boeing 787-8s.
Berlin flights were due to restart in August
(they were direct pre-COVID); in May Scoot
resumed links to Athens from Singapore.

ABOVE Japan’s Skymark Airlines has applied a vibrantly coloured Pikachu-themed livery to one of its 29-strong Boeing 737-800s, JA73AB (c/n 63408). To “meet significant e-commerce growth”
The cheeky Pokémon character features on the fuselage montage to help mark 25th anniversary celebrations of the media franchise and is part of Skymark’s due to COVID-19 – global e-commerce sales
‘Flying Pikachu Project’ to promote tourism in the island prefecture of Okinawa. The 177-seat ‘Pikachu Jet’ will be used to serve the carrier’s routes to the grew by 28% globally last year – the AirAsia
prefecture’s capital city, Naha, from Tokyo/Haneda, Nagoya, Kobe, Ibaraki, Fukuoka and Miyako. SKYMARK AIRLINES Group intends to add a dedicated freighter
aircraft. The announcement said a Boeing
737-800F, complemented by a pair of Airbus
A320s with their seats removed, would
help the “continued growth” of Teleport,
the logistics venture of AirAsia digital. A
spokesperson told ch-aviation that a
third-party cargo carrier will operate the 737
on behalf of the group’s logistics arm.

www.key.aero 15

News Review • International

CFM RISEs to Airbus Deliveries
sustainable challenge

CFM INTERNATIONAL – a to market a series of revolutionary World2fly has received the first of two all-economy, 432-seat Airbus A350-900s that it has agreed to lease
five-decade-long joint venture technologies, which will open new from Air Lease Corporation AIRBUS
between GE Aviation and Safran horizons for the new generation
– has unveiled its next-generation of single-aisle aircraft in terms of Airbus delivered the following aircraft in June:
airliner powerplant programme. consumption, fuel consumption and
The Revolutionary Innovation for reduced emissions. We embrace the A220-300 5 Air Canada (3); airBaltic; Delta Air Lines
Sustainable Engines (RISE) project imperative of sustainable aviation.”
is expected to culminate with The anticipated mid-2030s A320neo 30 AerCap (Sichuan Airlines) (2); AerCap (Spirit Airlines) (2); Air Lease Corporation (Volaris)
engines developed for both JET-A1/ service entry date suggests that (2); Aviation Capital Group (Viva Air Colombia); Aviation Capital Group (Volaris) (2);
sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and CFM International wants Boeing Avolon (S7 Airlines); Avolon (Vistara); BOCOMM Leasing (Air China); BOCOMM (Sichuan
hydrogen-fuelled versions entering to continue with the MAX while Airlines) (2); CALC (Air Travel); CDB Leasing (Aeroflot); China Eastern Airlines (2); Flynas
service in the mid-2030s. launching a successor to the (2); Frontier Airlines; GECAS (Air China); ICBC (Jazeera Airways); Private customer; Sky
The proposed powerplant is a fourth-generation 737, which Express; Spirit Airlines (2); Spring Airlines (2); Volaris
dramatic departure from the jet would enter service around 2035.
engines currently found on airliners, While problematic for Boeing, the A321ceo 1 Delta Air Lines
with a two-stage open rotor timescales involved appear to suit
architecture, which would enable a Airbus, which is aiming to develop a AerCap (Air Transat) (3); Air China; Air Lease Corporation (Aer Lingus); Air Lease
larger fan to interact with a greater zero-emission commercial aircraft Corporation (Vistara); American Airlines (2); BOC Aviation (Scoot); Cathay Pacific; China
volume of air. CFM International also by 2035 with its ZEROe programme. A321neo 26 Southern Airlines; GECAS (Salam Air); Gulf Air; IndiGo; JetBlue Airways (2); Juneyao
plans to incorporate technologies (Photo CFM International) Airlines; Lufthansa; Middle East Airlines; Peach; Spring Airlines (2); Turkish Airlines (2);
to enable the engine to Wizz Air Hungary (2)
be adapted for
hybrid-electric use. A330-900 2 Air Lease Corporation (Delta Air Lines); CIT Leasing (Corsair)
John Slattery,
chairman and CEO A350-900 9 Aeroflot (3); Air France; Air Lease Corporation (World2fly); China Southern Airlines; Japan
of GE Aviation, Airlines; Scandinavian Airlines; Singapore Airlines
stated: “The ties
between GE and A350- 2 Air Caraibes; Cathay Pacific
Safran have 1000
never been
stronger. A380-800 1 Emirates
Together,
with Total 76
the RISE
technology Meijer hints at Embraer
development
programme, we are turboprop launch
reinventing the future
of aviation by bringing EMBRAER COMMERCIAL Aircraft is to Meijer, reportedly stated that the new
press on with its plans to develop a airliner could enter service in 2027
clean-sheet turboprop airliner, eyeing or 2028. He affirmed that: “Embraer
a 2022 launch. Speaking during is still very much focused on the
a webinar marking the delivery of segment,” adding that “we are still
Helvetic Airways’ first E195-E2, the working on a turboprop and hope to
Brazilian manufacturer’s CEO, Arjan launch the programme in 2022.”

FAA tells Boeing to hold its A321XLR
horses over 777X approval coming
THE US Federal Aviation likely to take place early in 2024. concern, such as a critical avionics together
Administration (FAA) has refused to In a letter sent to Boeing by the FAA, system proposed for the aircraft that
allow Boeing to proceed with the next the regulatory body cites several does not meet FAA requirements and STELIA AEROSPACE has handed
phase of 777X flight testing as the reasons for requiring additional proposed modifications involving over the first sub-assemblies for the
manufacturer works towards gaining flight test hours to be conducted, late changes to both software and construction of the Airbus A321XLR
regulatory approval for the widebody. including: “an incident during a test hardware in the electronics of the prototype. The six forward fuselage
The FAA has warned the flight on December 8, 2020 when the jet’s flight controls. sections – which include the flight
Chicago-based manufacturer that it aircraft's nose pitched abruptly up Currently, at least eight firms have deck – have been built at STELIA’s
may have to conduct more test flying or down without pilot input.” Boeing already ordered a combined 320 777X Méaulte and Rochefort sites. STELIA
than previously anticipated, and that has yet to satisfy the FAA that it fully aircraft, among them British Airways, is also working on a new seat for the
certification would not realistically be understood and corrected whatever Lufthansa and Emirates. Airspace cabin. The firm claims it
issued in late 2023, further delaying went wrong that day. (Photo AirTeamImages.com/ “enables a modular business class
the type’s entry into service, now It also mentions other areas of Dipankar Bhakta) type configuration, with a comfort
level similar to a widebody.”
Another of Airbus’s manufacturing
partners, Premium AEROTEC,
delivered the first A321XLR
13,100-litre capacity rear centre tank
to Hamburg/Finkenwerder in May.
Deliveries of the XLR – which
offers a 30% greater range over the
baseline A321neo – are due to begin
in 2023. More than 450 orders have
been placed since its launch at the
2019 International Paris Air Show.

16 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

First flight for News Review • International
final MAX
variant No Branson pickle
for Virgin Galactic
BOEING HAS begun flight testing
the last and largest of the 737 VIRGIN GALACTIC has successfully the new commercial space industry. Internationale (FAI) – begins at 62.14
MAX variants, the 737 MAX 10. The completed what it describes as its first With each successful mission we miles up. However, while NASA
maiden 143ft 8in-long example, fully crewed spaceflight. The sortie are paving the way for the next follows the US Air Force and the
N27751 (c/n 66122), took off from was the company’s fourth generation of astronauts. I want to National Oceanic and Atmospheric
the US aerospace giant’s Renton rocket-powered flight. During its thank our talented team, including our Administration in using 50 miles as
Field facility on June 18, kicking off 90-minute trip, the aircraft reached pilots and crew, whose dedication and the boundary, NASA Mission Control
a certification programme set to be an altitude of 53.5 miles, which marks commitment made today possible. considers the line to be at 76 miles,
completed in 2023. the ceiling of the mesosphere, before They are helping open the door for the point at which atmospheric drag
The flight took place four years gliding back down to earth. greater access to space – so it can be becomes noticeable.
and a day after Boeing launched the Those on board, including company for the many and not just for the few.” Chief Pilot Dave Mackay, who
airliner at the 2017 International founder Sir Richard Branson, were It has been widely debated whether captained the historic flight,
Paris Air Show. tasked with fulfilling a number of Sir Richard Branson can consider previously flew Boeing 747s and
Boeing has developed a critical test objectives relating to himself an astronaut since the July Airbus A340s for Virgin Atlantic before
‘semi-levered’ landing gear system the cabin and customer experience. 11 flight, with different countries, joining the Crawley-based airline’s
specifically for the variant in order These included the conditions agencies and organisations using sister company.
to stretch the single-aisle jet to for conducting research and the different standards for the point Tickets for commercial services
accommodate 188-230 passengers. effectiveness of the five-day at which the earth’s atmosphere – due to begin once the company’s
The existing main landing gear as pre-flight training programme at ends and space begins. The United flight test programme has been
fitted to the 737 MAX 7, 8 and 9 Spaceport America. States Armed Forces definition of completed – cost around US$250,000
was too short and its wheel wells Michael Colglazier, chief executive an astronaut is a person who has and celebrities including Elon Musk,
too small to accommodate the officer of Virgin Galactic, said: “Today flown higher than 50 miles, while Tom Hanks and Justin Beiber have
66in-longer fuselage. is a landmark achievement for the the Kármán Line – recognised confirmed they are in line for a trip.
The company’s 737 chief pilot, company and a historic moment for by the Federation Aeronautique (Photo Virgin Galactic)
captain Jennifer Henderson, said
the aircraft “checked out exactly as
we expected”.
Boeing had 483 orders for the
MAX 10 at the time of its first flight,
with United Airlines having 100
commitments for the jet. United
has since increased its order to
250 examples, meaning it is due to
accept 47% of the variant’s entire
production run. Other carriers to
have signed for the airliner include
Lion Air, flydubai, GOL, TUI Group,
Copa Airlines and WestJet.

Boeing Deliveries Stereo MCs

Turkemnistan Airlines has received the 61st and final Boeing 777-200LR. This arrival brings the Central
Asian airline's tally of the type to four, including a VIP-configured example that's operated on behalf of
the country's government AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM/DIPANKAR BHAKTA

Boeing delivered the following aircraft in June:

777 Partners (Flair Airlines) (4); Aeromexico (3); Air Lease Corporation; Air Lease

737 MAX 8 26 Corporation (Blue Air); flydubai (2); ICBC Leasing; ICBC Leasing (Neos) (2);
Jackson Square Aviation (2); Southwest Airlines; Turkish Airlines (3); TUI Airways

(2); TUI fly Deutschland; TUI fly Netherlands (2); United Airlines IRKUT CORPORATION flew two The first MC-21-310, powered by a
variants of its MC-21 at the MAKS pair of Aviadvigatel PD-14s, had been
737 MAX 200 2 Ryanair (2) International Aviation and Space Salon painted by Spektr-Avia at Ulyanovsk
in July, with the first indigenously ahead of its appearance at the trade
737 MAX 9 5 Aeromexico (3); Alaska Airlines; Turkish Airlines powered example joining one of three show, held at Zhukovsky International.
Pratt & Whitney PW1400-equipped jets (Photo AirTeamImages.com/
767-300F 2 FedEx Express (2) during the flying display. Artyom Anikeev)

777-200LR 1 Turkimenistan Airlines

777F 4 DHL; FedEx Express; Qatar Airways Cargo (2)

787-9 Dreamliner 1 Turkish Airlines

Total 41

www.key.aero 17

News Review • Business Aviation

First BBJ MAX redelivered
JET AVIATION has redelivered the by Jet Aviation’s design studio, in completions. This interior is a fine Grischa Schmidt, added: “The brief
world’s first Boeing 737 BBJ (Boeing collaboration with the customer, example of the intricacy and attention was for a cosy, residential space in
Business Jets) MAX, with a VVIP cabin enabling it to “seamlessly integrate a to detail of our teams here in Basel. which one could relax and enjoy the
interior, to an undisclosed customer. bespoke cabin” with state-of-the-art As our first 737 BBJ MAX, this was ride. The living area features a deep,
technology and systems. an exciting opportunity to familiarise inviting sofa, a seven-seat dining table
According to Jet Aviation, the ourselves with [this] next-generation for socialising and a well-equipped,
entire outfitting work on the MAX Matthew Woollaston, Jet Aviation’s aircraft, and we look forward to functional kitchen. Wooden detail,
8 example, which involved being vice president completion sales, said: applying that knowledge to future soft fabrics and indirect lighting all
designed, crafted, and engineered, “As we strive towards creating the MAX projects.” complement this residential and
was carried out at its Basel, ultimate customer experience, we are relaxing atmosphere.”
Switzerland completions centre. committed to pushing the boundaries Senior director design at (Photo Jet Aviation)
The interior design was also created of what is considered possible in VVIP Jet Aviation’s design studio,

HondaJet Elite S launched

HONDA AIRCRAFT Company has traditional voice commands with Porsche-link limited edition
unveiled a new version of its successful text-based messaging, helping
HA-420 HondaJet family, dubbed
HondaJet Elite S. improve both the clarity and efficiency Phenom 300E accepted
of communications. This combines
According to the firm, upgrades are with the newly introduced advanced EMBRAER HAS handed over the first distinguish the exclusive link (note in
set to “expand operational capability steering augmentation system (ASAS),
and improve flight operation”. As which “maximises” safety, and reduces of ten limited-edition Phenom 300Es the picture above).
such, the aircraft will feature a pilot workload.
200lb-increase to its maximum – as part of its ‘Duet collaboration’ Michael Amalfitano, president and
take-off weight (MTOW), enabling the Michimasa Fujino, Honda Aircraft
ability to take an extra passenger, or Company CEO, said: “Since its with car manufacturer Porsche – to an CEO, Embraer Executive Jets, said:
fly up to 138 miles further at a higher introduction in 2018, the HondaJet Elite
payload during a “typical mission”. has achieved the best performance undisclosed customer in Florida. “We designed Duet in collaboration
in its class while also being the most
Additionally, the type features new efficient, and with the new Elite S, we As part of the Duet, the Phenom with Porsche to introduce a seamless
avionics, including FAA Data Comm take another step forward in expanding
and ACARS (aircraft communications, the aircraft’s capability.” 300E – which, according to Embraer, travel experience for those wanting to
addressing and reporting system) (Photo Honda Aircraft Company)
with the emphasis of replacing is the fastest and longest-ranged arrive in something totally original,
BUSINESS AVIATION NEWS BY NIGEL PITTAWAY
single-pilot certified jet – is paired while holding true to our vision of

with a Porsche 911 Turbo S (also a delivering the ultimate experience in

limited edition). business aviation.”

In a nod to the unique coupling, the For more details on the pairing, see

aircraft’s registration is painted on the Airliner World, January 2021 edition.

lower part of the car’s rear ‘wing’ to (Photo Embraer)

Deliveries continue at pace by aircraft services provider Chartright
Air Group, basing them at Toronto/
BOMBARDIER HAS hit recent Global single Global 7500 – becoming the the first time. This came after a pair of Pearson. At the time of writing,
7500 milestones. initial operator in Indonesia. Then, Global 7500s (pictured) were handed the worldwide Global 7500 fleet
Firstly, in June an undisclosed shortly after, Bombardier delivered over to separate customers, although comprises more than 50 examples.
Jakarta-based customer received a its flagship business jet in Canada for both are managed/offered for charter In other positive developments for
Bombardier, the manufacturer has
gained a firm commitment “from an
existing customer” for ten aircraft
worth US$451.8m at list prices – its
largest business jet order of 2021.
According to Bombardier, the order
mix will remain undisclosed at present
due to “competitive reasons”.
(Photo Bombardier)

18 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021



Recovery

EUROPEAN REWatch
In our monthly round-up from the Cirium team, we learn how Europe’s airlines are
faring with a rather unusual summer season

Lufthansa's Commercial aviation its lowest point this year, in early restrictions on entering the UK mean
#TogetherAgain in Europe appears to February, the equivalent figure was that the country is lagging behind
Airbus A350-900, be emerging from the around 5,000. its continental peers – passenger
D-AIXP (c/n 390), doldrums of the global numbers are still below their summer
pictured at Frankfurt pandemic. The continent Measuring activity by flight hours 2020 peak.”
on July 2, 2021 has been among the worst hit by the provides a similar snapshot. On July
SIERRA AVIATION imposition of COVID-19-related travel 12, departing services amounted to On July 12, a seven-day average
restrictions. As these have started a seven-day average of 32,399 flight of just 907 flights departed from
PHOTOGRAPHY to ease, services in the region are hours, up from 28,018 on July 1 and the UK, although this is a distinct
increasingly taking to the skies again. 14,339 at the beginning of May, improvement from earlier – on May 1,
underlining a relatively rapid bounce- just 315 passenger sorties departed.
In fact, data by industry analyst back.
Cirium shows the number of flights A recovery in UK schedules also
being operated in Europe has Jonathan Robins, air transport appears to be strongly tied to the
reached the highest level since the specialist, Cirium Dashboard at green, amber and red lists. However,
middle of March last year. Cirium, said: “Activity in the European these have fluctuated, for example
Economic Area has been bolstered Portugal was removed from the green
On July 13, departures in the region by the EU’s digital travel pass, which list in June, which impacted many
achieved a seven-day average of allows vaccinated, tested or recovered flights to the country from the UK.
16,182 passenger flights, up from passengers to move around the
13,709 at the start of the month. At continent with relative ease. However, Elsewhere, flight activity has
bounced back strongly in Russia,
led by domestic capacity, despite a
worsening COVID-19 situation over
recent weeks. Domestic activity has
also recovered quickly in Turkey.

Fleet-wise, Cirium data shows that
the Airbus A320 is currently the most
popular airliner type for European
operations, which continue to be
dominated by short-haul services.
The aircraft family accounted for
7,077 sorties on July 12, followed by
the Boeing 737 with 5,047 services
and Embraer E-Jets with 1,139.

Gearing up for summer

As the volume of flights continues
to increase worldwide, Cirium’s
relaunched On-Time Performance
(OTP) Report revealed Spanish
low-cost airline Vueling to be
Europe’s most punctual mainline

20 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

HITS MAJOR

 COVERYMILESTONE

carrier for June, with just over 94.5% Also rising up the ranks were Copa small airport category. In the global
of its rotations arriving on time. Airlines and LATAM Airlines. medium airport category, London/
Stansted rose to the top with an
Further afield, North America saw Meanwhile, in the Asia-Pacific, ANA on-time departure rate of more than
Air Canada rise from second place has taken top spot, with a staggering 95.9% – a surprising result as the
in May to first place in the mainline on-time arrival of more than 98.1%, Essex complex did not feature among
airline category, with an on-time in the mainline airline category last month’s top 20.
arrival of almost 87.8%, taking the – beating last month’s winner,
top spot from Hawaiian Airlines in a Japan Airlines (JAL). It is likely the The return of Cirium’s On-Time
historic first. two carriers will be neck and neck Performance Reports, which is the
this summer for the much-delayed longest-standing analysis in the
But it is worth noting that carriers in Olympics. Japan also continues aviation industry, is a positive sign for
North America were heavily affected to excel when it comes to airport the sector. “As flights return, we now
in June by a major thunderstorm rankings, with Japanese gateways have a level playing field to analyse
which swept across the east coast, topping the list in three out of four the on-time performance of airlines
causing wide disruption to air travel. airport OTP categories. and airports once again,” explained
Extreme weather conditions are well Cirium CEO Jeremy Bowen. “While
known as being significant disruptors Tokyo/Haneda ranked at the top the factors that cause delays – such
to airline and airport performance. of the global airport category for as congested airspace, taxiways or
the second month running, with connecting passengers – simply
Further south, across Latin America, more than 97.8% of flights departing did not exist in 2020, they are
GOL Linhas Aéreas moved up to on time. Meanwhile, Japan’s Itami likely to return slowly in 2021
take first place in the mainline Airport took top spot as the most and into 2022.”
category with an on-time arrival of on-time large facility for June, and For more insight visit cirium.com
93.4% – beating rival Avianca to Matsuyama Airport ranked first in the
the top spot.

www.key.aero 21

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Ice cold in
Russia’s Sakha When temperatures District and is the world’s largest
Republic is battered fall well below ABOVE The author, subnational governing body by area,
freezing in Western braced for the extremes at 1,190,555 square miles.
by some of the Europe, many of of the Siberian winter
harshest weather our daily routines ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF Mirniy is the region’s third largest
on the planet, yet face restrictions and infringements. BERND STURM city and, with a population of
commercial aviation Governments issue warnings, while 37,000, is similar in size to Salisbury,
continues almost roads, railways and airports are often BELOW KrasAvia Yakovlev Wiltshire. The Siberian outpost
without disruption. subject to disruptions, diversions or Yak-42D, RA-42406 basks was founded in 1955 following the
Bernd Sturm puts on even complete shutdowns. in the low, winter sunlight discovery of a nearby kimberlite pipe
his big coat and heads during a stopover at rich in diamonds, which has led to
east to find out how Russia’s Sakha Republic is a little Omsk/sentralny en route the creation of one of the world’s
different. It boasts the northern from Krasnoyarsk to Ufa largest open pit diamond mines,
hemisphere’s coldest average measuring 4,100ft wide and close to
temperatures, with the mercury often 1,800ft deep. Unsurprisingly, most of
plunging below -35°C for months the town’s inhabitants are involved in
on end. While one might assume the mining industry.
this would slow down life to a glacial
drip, people living in such extreme However, for the aviation enthusiast,
conditions have adapted remarkably Mirniy is also known for being
well and life continues as normal in home to the Alrosa Air Company.
spite of snow, ice and dangerously A subsidiary of Alrosa, the world’s
cold temperatures. largest diamond mining company,
it has become famous for its eclectic
The Sakha Republic’s extreme mix of rare Soviet types and for being
temperatures are only matched by the the last operator of the Tupolev Tu-134
vastness of the region. Also known and Tu-154 in passenger service,
as Yakutia, it covers more than half although both types have since been
of the country’s Far Eastern Federal retired by the firm.

24 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

old Yaks
terminal building but was planning
While a trip to remote parts of three hours of daylight, with the sun ABOVE Buses wait in front some extended periods outdoors.
Siberia requires thorough planning only rising slightly above the horizon. of Mirniy Airport's terminal However, just equipping myself with
year-round, a trip during the winter The rest of the day would be dark and suitably warm clothing proved to be
is anything but commonplace and bitterly cold. a challenge. I soon discovered that
careful preparation is needed. We Western European outfitters simply
were likely to face temperatures In the weeks leading up to do not cater for the temperatures I
between -30°C and -50°C, while the trip, I was expecting was likely to encounter, and suitable
Mirniy’s proximity to the Arctic circle not only to hop from clothing was hard to find.
means there would only be around a warm aircraft
into a warm A turbulent start

After weeks of preparation, flights
and accommodation were booked,
a visa had been issued and I was
ready to go. Just two days before
the trip, a sudden change in the
flight schedule threw a spanner in
the works. I had planned to arrive
at Mirniy in style aboard Alrosa’s

www.key.aero 25

sole remaining Tu-134, still in use on ABOVE Public transport in Check-in for the onward flight to (c/n 4520421116567), was waiting
some flights to Krasnoyarsk at that Mirniy is provided by old Mirniy had already begun and we with its rear air-stair deployed. The
time. However, the airline informed Soviet-built public buses. soon discovered the reason for the 1991-built trijet had initially been
me that my original flight had been The locals often use fur schedule change. The route’s usual delivered to Aeroflot’s Chelyabinsk
cancelled and advanced by more than clothing to keep out the cold flight number – 6R597 – had been division before flying in Kazakhstan
a full day. This meant a wholesale substituted for 6R9971, indicating and later for Fars Air Qeshm in Iran,
rejigging of my flights from Europe BELOW The crowd of that the replacement service had before returning to Russia and joining
to Krasnoyarsk to accommodate an more than 100 mine been chartered. It quickly became Izhavia. Our flight was one of the
earlier departure, while two friends workers, all dressed evident that it had been chartered aircraft’s first for its new operator after
were forced to stay at home as their in black, board the all by the diamond mine for a shift an extended period of storage. We got
visas weren’t valid for the rearranged white Yak-42D, RA-42401, change – the three of us being the settled at the back of the aircraft, close
dates. As if these administrative for a two-and-a-half-hour only passengers on the all-male to the trio of Lotarev D-36 turbofans,
headaches weren’t enough, I also flight to Mirniy link not dressed in the company’s for the two-and-a-half-hour flight.
learned to my bewilderment that black uniform. The following day’s
the aircraft type had changed to a scheduled flight had received only a The approach into Mirniy was
Yakovlev Yak-42 instead of the Tu-134. handful of bookings and was deemed particularly scenic as we descended
As Alrosa doesn’t use the Yak-42, surplus to requirements. over the sun-dappled frozen
this left me wondering which airline landscape, with the engines’ polished
would be operating the connection The operator substituting for Alrosa aluminium inlet lip skins gleaming
between Krasnoyarsk and Mirniy. remained a mystery until well after in the soft sunlight. All too soon the
we had reached the departure lounge, eight low-pressure tyres of the main
Non-uniform day which included an outdoor smoking wheels touched down on Mirniy´s
area on the ramp itself! We were bumpy, snow-covered runway and,
The only flight available that would ushered onto the transfer bus, which with no reversers installed, the pilots
get me to Krasnoyarsk in time was slowly made its way across the apron used the wheel brakes to safely slow
with NordStar Airlines via Moscow/ into a storage area where a Turukhan down the aircraft until we reached
Domodedovo aboard Boeing Aviakompania Yak-42, RA-42401 our parking position.
737-800, VQ-BKR (c/n 33559). My
three travel companions had also
managed to arrange earlier departure
times and we arrived at the Siberian
airport within minutes of each other.
The excitement of finally embarking
on our long-awaited adventure hadn’t
been tempered by a near-sleepless
night on a Moscow airport bench.

26 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

Polyarny Reka Nakyn

Moscow Nel'kan
Ufa
Mirny
Lensk

Russian

Omsk

Novosibirsk Krasnoyarsk

The army of identically uniformed expected the weather to cut through ABOVE Locations It is hard to describe just how
miners were quickly up from their every millimetre of unprotected skin, Bernd visited on different it felt being outdoors in these
seats and heading down the rear leaving us feeling like we were being his Siberian adventure extreme conditions. Everything was
steps, keeping us from deplaning. stabbed by tiny knives. KEY ANDY O’NEILL covered by a thick layer of snow and
When we finally descended, we frost, while buildings, trees, streets
were battered by the Arctic cold, We collected our luggage at the BELOW Snow and ice and rivers seemed trapped in a frozen
the -35°C air and a strong northerly single baggage belt inside the airport's help to make aircraft stasis. Ice clung to everything that
wind giving us a shock introduction small terminal building. While the appear to have been wasn’t sheltered from the cold, but
to the harsh realities of life in the huge Cyrillic lettering shouting stored for much longer daily life seemed to be untouched.
Sakha Republic. None of us had ‘airport’ from the roof had survived than they actually have
the collapse of communism, the old Mirniy residents are well
hammer and sickle had been replaced accustomed to these conditions.
by Alrosa’s company logo. We headed Parked cars are either plugged into an
into town. electric heater or left running with the
owners locking the car with a second
Exploring a frozen city key from the outside while shopping,
to prevent thermal cracking of the
After checking in to our small hotel engine block and ensure that the oil
– one of two just establishments keeps circulating.
providing accommodation in Mirniy
– we used what remained of the brief The local bus network is operated
window of daylight to put on as many using extensively modified
layers of clothing as we had with us Soviet-era vehicles that are better
and start exploring the area on foot. suited to the conditions than

www.key.aero 27

their western-built counterparts. RIGHT The Mir mine viewed
The most prominent customisation from Alrosa's Antonov
is an extended exhaust pipe which An-38, flying past the giant
runs up to the roof of the bus. This is excavation at 1,000ft
a convenient feature as all vehicles
produce immense amounts of BELOW The Mir open pit
steam while driving and directing diamond mine is among the
the exhaust gases above the traffic deepest man-made holes
prevents other vehicles from being on Earth. The ten-storey
shrouded in mist. buildings on the eastern
edge of Mirniy are dwarfed
Most buildings use highly inefficient by the vast cavity
central heating systems designed
in Soviet times, with hot water
coming from central boiler plants
and the heating running at full steam
with no means of regulating their
temperature. The only way we could
adjust the temperature in our hotel
room was by opening the window
ever so slightly to take the edge off
the oppressively hot central heating.
Never would I have dared sleeping at
-40°C with an open window!

Catching the ’38

The following morning, after an
early start and a hearty breakfast,
we braced ourselves for the cold
and headed out to catch the bus to
the airport. At the time of our visit,
Alrosa’s fleet was gradually shifting
away from its Soviet roots and the
company had begun inducting
Boeing 737-700s and 800s. While
the carrier was now looking west, it
continued to use Antonov An-24s
(NATO reporting name Coke) for
shorter sectors and flights to unpaved
gravel airstrips such as Lensk, 120
miles south of Mirniy. It also operated
several Ilyushin Il-76 Candids and
sole examples of the An-26 Curl

28 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

and An-38, the latter a lengthened operated by a pair of An-28s instead. ABOVE An imposing round of tea and conversations about
version of the An-28 Cash and even With the next flight a week away, I view of Ilyushin Il-76TD, the challenges of operating in such
rarer than the Tu-134 and Tu-154 had to admit defeat. RA-76420, being an extreme environment followed.
which had originally prompted prepared for its next flight Unfortunately, we also received
our trip. The company’s helicopter Just 11 An-38s were ever built, word that the An-38 was undergoing
operations are conducted using including two prototypes, and only BELOW Tupolev Tu-154M maintenance and wouldn’t be
a handful of Mil Mi-8 Hips and a two examples remain in service with RA-85757 was the last available for our charter flight, at
single Mi-26 Halo. Alrosa. The airline uses the aircraft of its kind in scheduled least not today. I was very quickly
on cargo and mining charters to service wordwide. It was reminded of my disappointment in
It was the An-38 which was top remote airfields such as Nakyn, 200 finally withdrawn from Khabarovsk years earlier.
of my ‘hit list’ – I’d previously miles northeast of Mirniy, which are use on October 28, 2020
tried and failed to fly on one of the unable to accommodate larger types. Our spirits were lifted slightly by
elusive Honeywell TPE-331-powered Occasionally, they are also rostered the offer of an apron tour to get up
commuters back in 2013 during on links to Polyarniy and Lensk when close with the carrier’s diverse fleet.
a trip to Khabarovsk, close to the there is reduced demand. The sun was already close to setting
Sino-Russian border. At the time, by the time we had been issued with
Vostok Airlines used a trio of the Not taking any chances, we had security permits and were ushered
regional airliners to connect remote agreed to charter an An-38 for a out onto the ramp.
settlements to its base. Initially, local sightseeing flight to see the
our flight had been delayed due city and its cavernous Mir open An Il-76 and a Mi-26 were being
to fog at Nel’kan, our destination, pit mine from the air. Ahead of the readied for their next sorties, with
and by the time the weather had flight, we received a warm welcome warm air being pumped into the
improved down route, an issue with from the company’s commercial cabins of the two aircraft. The rest of
the aircraft meant the service was director at Alrosa’s head office and the fleet looked like frozen dinosaurs
were given a tour of the building. A from an era long gone and unlikely

Alrosa operates a single example of the Mil Mi-26T, the world's largest helicopter to enter serial production. Hoses have been attached to facilitate
warming of the cabin and engines BERND STURM

www.key.aero 29

to return to life any time soon. Diamonds are forever ABOVE Alrosa's sole
Among them was RA-85757, which Antonov An-26, RA-26668
would make history on October 28, The phone rang early the following is framed against a
2020, when it operated its final flight morning with news that the An-38 glorious Siberian sunset
from Mirniy to Novosibirsk, the was still undergoing maintenance.
world’s last scheduled Tupolev We instead spent the day viewing the BELOW Despite having
Tu-154 operation. Mir diamond mine from the ground. first flown in 1994, the
The pit was the largest diamond mine Antonov AN-38 features an
It was a surreal experience to dug during Soviet times and is one of all-analogue flight deck
witness the setting sun producing the largest man-made holes on Earth.
all sorts of halos and light pillars, It measures 4,100ft feet in diameter
reflecting in the tiny ice crystals while being more than 1,700ft deep.
floating in the air. After more than An old excavator close to the mine
an hour walking in the cold we could has been repurposed as a viewing
barely move, with our hands, cheeks platform, while blocks of flats on the
and feet freezing. Our cameras had eastern side of town help to give some
also been struggling in the cold, with sense of scale.
some refusing to work in the bitter
sub-zero temperatures. We spent Open-air mining at Mir stopped in
some time warming up with more tea 2001, but work to unearth diamonds
and vodka in Alrosa´s facilities before underground continues with a large
heading downtown in order to find a processing plant adjacent to the
warm, cosy pub to spend the evening. Mir site. Helicopter flights directly
above the mine are prohibited, as

30 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

severe wind shears are a common Later, we received another phone LEFT Archaic 'fasten aboard this elusive bird, we were
phenomenon in the region. call from Alrosa updating us on the seatbelts' and 'exit' signs painfully close, but anything can
An-38’s status. The aircraft was out make the An-38 appear happen in aviation. To make things
After visiting the mine, we headed of maintenance, but we weren’t out much older than it is even more tense, the following day
out into the taiga – the name given of the woods just yet. The Antonov’s would be our last in Mirniy. I spent
to the woodland between the tundra technical woes had led to cargo BELOW The the night on tenterhooks.
and steppes in northern Siberia – for which couldn’t be moved piling up Mirniy-headquartered
some more sightseeing, admiring the over the past several days. Our flight carrier is now the Hot transfer
snow-covered boreal forest outside of had to be postponed until the next sole operator of the
town and a huge monument bearing morning. After so many tries to fly An-28-based airliner One member of our group was
the town's name. scheduled to depart Mirniy at midday,
but there was only sufficient daylight
for a VFR flight in the An-38 around
11am. Fearing he may be about to
miss out on the main attraction, he
was spared disappointment thanks to
some creative planning from Alrosa.
The airline would arrange for a direct
ramp transfer from the Antonov onto
his departing flight, even holding
the outbound flight back until he had
taken his seat.

Our Novosibirsk-built An-38, RA
41904 (c/n 4163839010004), was
already waiting for us when we
arrived at the airport the following
morning. While the 1999-built
regional airliner had spent its entire
working life with Alrosa, there had
been frequent and often lengthy
periods of storage, including a

www.key.aero 31

six-year stint from 2009. It had ABOVE The An-74-derived the windows clear so we could see Less than five minutes after our
seemed unlikely the aircraft would type faces an uncertain out of the airliner. landing, he was airborne again and en
return to service, but it emerged from future as political tensions route to Novosibirsk.
a major overhaul in 2019 wearing the between Russia and Our crew comprised a captain and
company’s new livery. Ukraine have halted a first officer. After welcoming us on Long way home
production and made it board, they gave a short safety briefing
An added bonus was being able challenging for operators before quickly starting the engines Mirniy is connected to Moscow by
to watch the ground crew prepare to acquire spare parts and taxiing towards Runway 25. The several weekly non-stop services.
the aircraft for departure. This was westerly departure allowed for an However, we opted to fly back to the
nothing like the quick ’bags off, bags BELOW This 2012-built incredible view of the Mir mine Russian capital on as many sectors
on’ operations you see in many parts Antonov An-148, RA-61713, and indigenous aircraft as possible.
of the world. Large heaters were shortly before departing – situated just 200 yards from the The first of these was to Krasnoyarsk
placed next to the turboprop’s two Mirniy for Krasnoyarsk as airport perimeter – as we climbed with Angara Airlines on one of its
engines to preheat them ready for Angara Airlines flight 2G 808 away. We joined the visual circuit Antonov An-148s, RA-61713
start-up. This produced masses of and performed a low approach for (c/n 27015041013). While the 148 was
steam rising into the clear Siberian another look into the depths of one built in much larger numbers than
sky. While the Honeywell TPE-331s of the largest holes in the planet. It the An-38, the Motor Sich
defrosted, the captain invited us to was breathtaking to compare the D-436-powered airliner is also
take part in the pre-flight walkaround. enormous size of the mine with the operated in ever dwindling numbers.
city from the air. This is due to the souring of political
Another heater had been placed in relations between Ukraine and
the entrance door to warm the cabin, We were free to move around the Russia which has led to the end of
but when we boarded the windows cabin and flight deck during the trip. production at both countries’ plants
were still covered in a thick layer The aircraft´s roomy cabin was only in Kiev and Voronezh, and increasing
of frost and ice. Having anticipated sparsely lit and featured benches that difficulty in acquiring spare parts for
this, we had equipped ourselves with can be folded up against the cabin the An-74-derived airliner.
ice scrapers – the kind you’d use on walls for cargo use rather than seats.
your car windscreen – to clear the All too soon it was time to land and Angara Airlines is the type’s last
windows of frost so that we could once we had reached our parking operator, save for Air Koryo, and
take photographs during the flight. It position and the door opened, our retired the last of its five examples at
proved to be a constant battle to keep friend was rushed over to the waiting the end of 2020. Despite the trials and
Boeing 737-800 by private minibus.

32 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

tribulations involved with keeping As it was a snowy night, a lengthy ABOVE A 1992-built they exist to transport people and
the type airworthy, flying aboard de-icing session preceded our Yakovlev Yak-42D, cargo vast distances in a country
the An-148 is a pleasant experience. departure. There was almost an RA-42414, stands out that spans the European plain in
It boasts a bright and spacious cabin hour between boarding and getting against the icy backdrop the west, across the Ural, Baikal and
while the high wing design provides airborne, but once the bright orange of its Krasnoyarsk base Caucasus mountain ranges to the
for excellent visibility. de-icing fluid had cleared from the Kamchatka Peninsula in the east,
cabin windows, we were rewarded BELOW The sun sets on and from the Black sea resorts in the
Back on a Yak with wonderful views across the the world´s last Tupolev south to the Arctic circle in the north.
Siberian taiga and the frozen River 154 in airline service As if I needed confirmation of this,
After arriving in Krasnoyarsk, we Irtysh. Everyone was required to our onward flights to Moscow and St.
decamped to the local airport hotel deplane at Omsk/Tsentralny while the Petersburg aboard Aeroflot’s Airbuses
and were treated to a breakfast aircraft was readied for the onward were cancelled due to heavy snowfall
of buckwheat, sour cucumbers flight to Ufa, with just 15 passengers. at Ufa.
and sausages before returning
to the airport. We had a flight on For a final time we were welcomed The silence of the airport was
another Yak-42 in store for us aboard by flight attendants with the shattered by the KrasAvia Yak-42
today: a KrasAvia example which customary caramel-flavoured sweet which we had arrived on returning to
would take us to Ufa, the capital of served on all Russian domestic flights. its base. Let’s hope that there will be
Bashkortostan, with an intermediate Once more we had the chance of sufficient niches in the future to
stop at Omsk. Our jet, RA-42406 soaking up the atmosphere of these require the come-what-may,
(c/n 4520424116683), was originally legendary Russian airliners, with the whatever-the-weather, no-nonsense,
delivered to Aeroflot´s Volgograd open overhead racks, forward folding no-job-too-small capabilities built
unit in 1992. It made regular visits to seats and window curtains, the into every Antonov, Ilyushin, Tupolev
several European airports, including charm of an era long gone in most or Yakovlev airliner.
Hannover in the 1990s, when parts of the world.
serving with Meta Aviotransport The author would like to extend his thanks
Makedonia. The trijet later served These aircraft were never truly to the team of Alrosa Airlines in Mirniy, who
with Air Volga and Kuban Airlines, designed to compete with Airbuses
joining its current user in July 2015 and Boeings, nor built to be as welcomed him so warmly in their frozen
after several years in storage. economically and environmentally homeland and were a tremendous help in
viable as physically possible. Rather
planning and realising this trip.

www.key.aero 33

When the first reports airports and airlines, demanding BELOW The sun sets properly secured and air traffic
came in of a massive sweeping changes in security on a flag hanging on a control systems were vulnerable to
fire engulfing the procedures that remain in place 9/11 memorial in front attack. Experiments even showed that
upper floors of one today. Before 9/11, no US-registered of the Manhattan individuals with fake IDs were able
of New York City’s aircraft had been bombed or hijacked skyline on April 15, 2021 to access departure gates at certain
World Trade Center towers, it was in more than a decade. While isolated GARY HERSHORN/GETTY IMAGES sites. Rapid turnover of staff, poor
not immediately clear what had incidents such as the 1995 sarin gas training and the often monotonous
caused it. Unconfirmed eyewitness attack on the Tokyo subway spurred nature of the work were said to be
accounts suggested that an aircraft transport authorities worldwide partly to blame for the lapses. There
was involved, and that it looked to consider how to improve safety were also anecdotal issues around
deliberate. Any ambiguity about the and security measures, the sheer the sensitivity of the scanning
origins of the inferno were all but magnitude of 9/11 meant this was machines in addition to gaps in
confirmed minutes later when a prioritised like never before. the intelligence and pre-screening
second jet slammed into the second efforts of security agencies. Amid a
tower at the southernmost tip of Life before 9/11 catalogue of retrospective alarm bells,
Lower Manhattan. perhaps the biggest flaw was that the
Before the attacks of September system was seemingly preoccupied
In all, four airliners were hijacked on 2001, aviation security had a number with detecting explosives rather than
September 11, 2001 – the other two of significant vulnerabilities. Studies dangerous people.
having crashed into the Pentagon in conducted in the aftermath showed
Virginia and a field in Pennsylvania. these to include flawed baggage and Enter the TSA
It was an audacious co-ordinated passenger screening processes that
attack that cost nearly 3,000 lives and were unable to adequately detect Sweeping changes were enacted by
triggered the most profound shake-up items of concern, and audits that the US Congress in the immediate
the aviation industry had ever seen. revealed 'threat objects’ were often aftermath of the attacks, firstly with
missed by baggage screeners. This the Aviation and Transportation
September marks the 20th was compounded by the fact that Security Act on November 19,
anniversary of the atrocities. Beyond checked baggage on US domestic 2001, which led to the formation
the human tragedy of that Tuesday flights did not require screening. of the Transportation Security
morning and the geo-political Administration (TSA).
earthquake it unleashed, the attack Security experts had warned that
had far-reaching implications for sensitive areas at airports were not The act mandated that US

34 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

changedTehve eTureysdthayiwnhgen
As we approach the 20th anniversary of the
September 11 atrocities, Tom Batchelor reflects on
how the attacks have influenced the aviation industry

www.key.aero 35

government-employed screeners ABOVE A surveillance
inspect all passengers, baggage and camera image shows
freight, while shifting responsibility two men identified by US
for security away from the Federal authorities as suspected
Aviation Administration (FAA). hijackers Mohammed Atta
(R) and Abdulaziz Alomari
A year later, the TSA became part (C), who took a commuter
of the new Department of Homeland flight from Portland before
Security (DHS), which assumed connecting on to American
overall responsibility for keeping Airlines Flight 11 in Boston
transportation safe. By that point, the US NAVY/GETTY IMAGES
TSA had hired around 60,000 staff,
including passenger and baggage RIGHT Crews work
screeners and federal air marshals, at the Pentagon crash
allowing 90% of all checked luggage site on September 14, 2001
to be monitored for explosives. But TECH SGT CEDRIC H RUDISILL/
as further attempts by terrorists DOD/GETTY IMAGES
to target aircraft in the following
decades showed, those immediate BELOW This Boeing
changes went only some of the way 767-200, N612UA,
to addressing the problem. In his (c/n 21873) was in service as
statement to the National Commission United Airlines Flight 175 on
on Terrorist Attacks Upon the September 11. The aircraft
United States (also known as the is pictured in San Francisco
9/11 Commission) in 2003, Gerald two years prior to the attack
Dillingham, the then-director of civil KONSTANTIN VON WEDELSTAEDT/
aviation issues for the US General WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Accounting Office – the research

arm of the US Congress – said
that having spent billions of dollars,
the aviation sector was “much
more secure now than we were
then”. However, he added: “Major
vulnerabilities remain, particularly
in air cargo, general aviation, mass
transit, and port security.”

Global impact

With its historic reliance on
transatlantic routes, the UK aviation
industry felt the impact of the attacks
more acutely than most international
markets. That said, decades of dealing

36 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

with domestic terrorism linked to for example the Jordanian terrorist ABOVE The events of overall security budget went towards
The Troubles in Northern Ireland [Nezar Hindawi] who tried to smuggle September 11, 2001 caused enhancing screening of passengers
meant that many counter-terrorism a bomb on board an El Al flight from a seismic shift in commercial on the ground.
measures were relatively well Heathrow in his girlfriend's handbag aviation both in the United
advanced. “The UK has had to deal [in 1986]. That was only stopped States and around the world In the two decades since the attacks,
with threats from the IRA for the because El Al has additional security GETTY IMAGES/PHOTOSHOT equipment has evolved sufficiently
best part of 50 years, so in a sense checks at the gate.” so that physical checks on every
we have had to be much more aware BELOW The TSA, created passenger are no longer required. In
of those risks than perhaps those Indeed, Israel and its flag carrier in response to 9/11, is their place are full-body scanners,
in the US were,” John Strickland, an El Al have been at the forefront a US Department of advanced technology X-ray
aviation analyst and director of JLS of measures to improve aviation Homeland Security agency imagers for carry-on items and
Consulting, told Airliner World. “But security, leading the way with TRANSPORTATION SECURITY explosive-detection portal devices,
there were weaknesses in the UK too, onboard agents, extra baggage ADMINISTRATION often referred to as ‘puffer machines’.
checks and exceptionally thorough The result is a less invasive process
pre-screening of passengers while at the same time maintaining
including conducting interviews very high levels of security.
prior to boarding. At the other end
of the spectrum, Nordic countries While greatly improved on pre-9/11
such as Sweden historically had processes, the years that followed
less onerous security procedures, were not incident-free. After the
particularly for domestic sorties attempted bombing of Northwest
pre-9/11, mirroring the lower threat to Airlines Flight 253 in December
their aviation networks. 2009, the Obama Administration
accelerated deployment of
Keeping airports safe whole-body imaging devices using
advanced imaging technology.
Airport security was one of the most
visible changes in the aftermath of “Since 9/11, airports have had to
9/11. Reflecting the urgent need to install more elaborate scanning
plug weaknesses in the system, the machines and commit to screening
majority of the US government’s 100% of bags,” explained Strickland.
“One of the most significant

www.key.aero 37

ABOVE Pictured in October 2001, chief pilot
of JetBlue Airways Lanny McAndrew, stands
behind one of the new bullet-force-resistant
cockpit doors rolled out on JetBlue aircraft
SPENCER PLATT/GETTY IMAGES
LEFT A sign warning passengers that
they can no longer carry liquids hangs at
Philadelphia Airport on August 10, 2006
following the failed ‘liquid bomb’ plot
WILLIAM THOMAS CAIN/GETTY IMAGES

Thomas H Kean, chairman of the 9/11 Commission, speaks during a press conference after the release of its final report in July 2004. The investigation
found "failures of imagination, policy, capabilities and management" by the US government BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

38 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

changes has been the liquid ban 2010 that it was capable of vetting ABOVE • Airbus A330-300, Onboard security
[dating from 2006, when a terrorist 100% of passengers who were N820NW (c/n 859), was
plot to detonate liquid explosives, flying to or from US airports, using involved in a failed terror A further major change that made
disguised as soft drinks, carried on the Secure Flight system, while attack on Northwest Airlines flying more secure in the wake of
board aircraft travelling from the UK the TSA has developed a programme Flight 253 on Christmas Day the attacks was the introduction of
to the US and Canada was foiled], to detect suspicious passengers with 2009. It wears the livery of reinforced cockpit doors. This was a
and recently security services have thousands of behaviour detection Delta Air Lines following its mission of the TSA and by the spring
been moving towards profiling of officers at airports across the US acquisition of Northwest of 2003 around 80% of commercial
passengers, from the point at which operating under the Screening AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM/PAUL aircraft operating in the US had these
they book their ticket. Passengers by Observational BUCHROEDER fitted, with the remainder following
Techniques (SPOT) initiative. shortly afterwards. Airlines have also
“The increased security measures BELOW • President Barack adapted their operating procedures
after 9/11 have made the process By 2012, 3,000 behaviour detection Obama with his national to ensure there is another physical
of flying more time-consuming for officers had been deployed at security team in the White barrier – typically a member of the
the passenger, and added costs for the 176 airports, at an annual cost of House Situation Room on cabin crew – standing guard if the
airport operators. Inevitably approximately US$200 million. January 5, 2010 after the cockpit door does need to be opened
those costs are transferred to Christmas Day attack bid in flight.
passengers through ticket prices,” WHITE HOUSE PHOTO/
observed Strickland. PETE SOUZA While there is little debate over the
net impact on inflight safety, the extra
Risk-based passenger screening security comes with a downside for
remains a focus since it directs aviation enthusiasts since the chance
resources where security agencies to sit in the jump seat or even visit the
believe they are most needed, flight deck – for adults and children
with profiling of passengers alike – has been all
alongside tougher visa rules and but removed.
a move towards ‘known traveller’
programmes to streamline security Added to this was the expansion of
checks for those who are deemed to the federal air marshal service. Before
be lower risk. 9/11, there were said to be just 33 sky
marshals who were mainly deployed
The DHS declared in November on international flights.

Today’s figure is a closely guarded
secret, but unconfirmed reports
within the US media suggest it could
be in the thousands.

Despite the seemingly impressive
scale of the clandestine operatives,
they still cover only a small
percentage of the daily commercial
flights that operate to, from and
within the United States.

Cargo and general aviation

One part of the puzzle that took more
time to address was cargo security.
The TSA took steps to improve the
systems that were in place, including
setting up a database of known
shippers designed to smooth the
process and flag higher-risk freight.

It took until 2010 for the screening
of all cargo on passenger-carrying US
flights to take place, and even longer
to ensure all inbound international
cargo shipments carried on passenger
airplanes were checked in this way.

Among most recent developments,
at the end of June 2021, tougher
rules on baggage screening were
implemented by the International
Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)
to ensure that screening of all-cargo
flights is carried out to the same

www.key.aero 39

high standard as cargo shipments on ABOVE • A mid-flight flight schools was voluntary, making
passenger services. visit to the cockpit was an already patchy picture even
a dream come true for harder to quantify.
The other theoretical vulnerability many young aviation
is general aviation – understandably fans prior to 9/11 AIRBUS Passenger perspective
less regulated than commercial
flying since it involves far fewer BELOW • Before COVID-19, Despite continued chinks in the
people and typically takes place in long queues for security aviation armour, one factor that has
less crowded airspace. screening were common at significantly improved security since
major global hubs ROBERT the attacks is passenger behaviour.
Dillingham said in his evidence ALEXANDER/
to the 9/11 commission that GETTY IMAGES Bruce Schneier, a fellow and lecturer
general aviation was “far more at the Harvard Kennedy School,
open and potentially vulnerable said the single most important
than commercial aviation”, as security implication of 9/11 was that
demonstrated by an incident in “passengers realised that they had to
which a flight student in Florida fight back” – something he said they
crashed a Cessna 172 into a Tampa had come to realise “by themselves
skyscraper just a few months after within a few hours”.
the 9/11 attacks. In fact, much of the
guidance to improve security at US Speaking to Airliner World, Schneier
described many of the post-9/11

40 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

changes as “security theatre”, in place permanently and not roll ABOVE • An display board estimated there were an additional
including the “nonsense” liquid ban. back anything.” at Dusseldorf Airport 2,200 road deaths in the US in the two
shows the non-status years after 9/11 as people swapped
“Basically, we were scared, we Appetite for travel of Germanwings flight flights for car journeys, with air
did a whole lot of things that did 4U9525 from Barcelona. passenger numbers only recovering
no good,” he said. “Finally we Much like the COVID-19 crisis, The Airbus A320, D-AIPX to their pre-attack peak in July 2004.
reinforced the cockpit door. That demand for air travel plummeted (c/n 147), crashed in the
was something that the airlines in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. French Alps earlier that day “9/11 really winded the industry,”
screamed about for decades because Passengers numbers and available SASCHA STEINBACH/GETTY Strickland said. “Immediately
it adds weight to the aircraft. They seats fell dramatically in the weeks afterwards transatlantic travel was
finally capitulated, so that was good. that followed and remained relatively BELOW • Israeli flag carrier closed down, so you couldn't fly even
Nothing else made any difference, low for years, primarily caused by El Al has some of the most if you wanted to, and business class
apart from teaching passengers they travellers dissuaded from flying by robust security measures was severely impacted. I said at the
had to fight back.” the newly perceived risk. Researchers of any scheduled airline time I didn't think it would ever
AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM/
This was made abundantly clear IDO WACHTEL
by the response to Richard Reid, the
British terrorist who was successfully
subdued by passengers on board
American Airlines Flight 63 from
Paris to Miami in December 2001
after he attempted to detonate
explosives hidden in his shoes.

Schneier was also critical of the
TSA and the apparent reluctance
among security officials to relax rules
deemed less effective.

“It is actually very hard to remove
them, simply because of the
bureaucracy. Imagine… you
remove a security measure and
you get it wrong. You’ve just lost
your career. But if you keep it in place,
no one is going to fault you, so
the incentive is to keep measures

www.key.aero 41

fully recover, but it has. I use that ABOVE A US Customs
example a lot now when discussing and Border Protection
the COVID pandemic, because it did officer watches over
fully recover.” travellers at Los Angeles
International Airport
There were two more consumer DAVID MCNEW/GETTY IMAGES
changes in the post-9/11 era, as
documented by the US Department RIGHT Modern pilots
of Transportation’s statistics bureau: need to consider a wide
the first was a shift towards range of possible threats
low-cost carriers; and the second to aircraft security DENVER
was a redistribution of capacity from INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
domestic to international routes by
legacy airlines in reaction to the BELOW Initiatives such as
dominance of budget airlines in the TSA PreCheck allow ‘trusted
US. Twinned with this was a more travellers’ to bypass some
direct impact on one aircraft in of the more stringent
particular – Concorde. Among the security measures at US
9/11 victims, explained Strickland, airports TRANSPORTATION
were dozens of regular supersonic SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
passengers, as well as those who
in their professional roles were
responsible for approving colleagues
to fly on the expensive but ultimately
ill-fated jet. “There were around 20
or 30 of Concorde’s regular travellers
– those who might use Concorde
for one flight a week – who died in
the attack on the Twin Towers,” he
said. “They were also the boardroom
executives who were authorising
other employees to fly on Concorde,
so 9/11 actually took a dent out of its
passengers. Obviously, the Air France
crash in 2000 was a major factor, but
9/11 meant BA had lost some of its
most regular customers.”

Ongoing weaknesses

While much progress has been made
in the two decades since the attacks,
it is no secret that security blind
spots remain. One that a group of
US lawmakers are seeking to fix is
the vulnerability of the cockpit when
the door to the flight deck is opened
mid-flight. Eric Ferguson, president

42 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

of the Allied Pilots Association, said BELOW The 'Tribute in crash of Germanwings Flight 9525 to shore up cybersecurity, particularly
in March of this year: “Since the Light' memorial shines in 2015, which saw an Airbus A320 with regard to air traffic and air
September 11 terrorist attacks, aviation from Lower Manhattan bound for Düsseldorf from Barcelona navigation systems – an area that
security has been greatly enhanced on September 11, 2018, to deliberately flown into the French has attracted increasing attention
through hardened cockpit doors and remember the 2,977 people Alps by one of the two pilots, Andreas in recent years. The document lists
a host of revised procedures, but killed in New York, the Lubitz – killing himself and 149 additional vulnerabilities, such as
our nation’s commercial airliners Pentagon and Pennsylvania innocent passengers – triggered the threat to critical infrastructure,
nevertheless remain vulnerable SPENCER PLATT/GETTY IMAGES a fresh consideration of how to including airports and aircraft, from
to a cockpit breach by those who secure cockpits from passengers attacks using drones and to aircraft
would do us harm. That’s totally while making them accessible to the from shoulder-fired missiles. To
unacceptable. Fortunately, there is a crew at all times. After the shocking address the latter, the DHS conducted
solution: inexpensive, lightweight, incident, the European Aviation a research programme which
wire-mesh gates between the cabin Safety Authority (EASA) said two concluded in 2009 with the FAA
and cockpit door to block access to crew members should always be in certifying two systems capable of
the flight deck whenever the cockpit the cockpit, meaning a member of protecting airliners against
door is opened during flight.” the cabin crew should step in if one heat-seeking missiles. However the
of the pilots needed to step out, for technology was never adopted by
In 2018, Congress ordered the example to use the lavatory. This rule commercial aircraft in the US largely
FAA to mandate secondary cockpit didn’t last long however, with EASA due to the high purchase and ongoing
barriers on new planes only, but relaxing the requirement shortly maintenance costs.
that has yet to happen. The Saracini afterwards, saying it would instead
Enhanced Aviation Act of 2021, be left up to individual airlines to “While Congress has not formally
named after Victor Saracini, captain decide how to proceed. “Fortunately, debated the issue since the
of United Airlines Flight 175 flown I can’t think of any incidents, other conclusion of the DHS programme
into the south tower of the World than Germanwings, where flight deck in 2009, any future terrorist attempts
Trade Center, would go some way doors have played a major part,” Dr to use standoff weapons, including
to address this, with the barriers Barry added. “I think the industry shoulder-fired missiles, to attack
estimated to cost less than £10,000 has adapted well to locked flight deck civilian aircraft could quickly escalate
per aircraft. doors, but erecting barriers between a this to a major national security
team is never going to be ideal.” priority,” CRS researchers Bart Elias,
One drawback of the strict protocols David Randall Peterman and John
governing locked flight deck doors is Even after 20 years of adaptations Frittelli concluded.
they can impede crew co-operation, and overhauls, the industry has more
experts say. “The [1989] British issues to address. In a report compiled Closing considerations
Midland crash at Kegworth brought for US lawmakers by analysts from
about changes where the industry the Congressional Research Service The steps taken to improve security
worked hard to bring down barriers (CRS) in February 2021, several areas in the aftermath of 9/11 have
between cabin and flight crew,” were listed as warranting further undoubtedly made flying safer. From
said Dr David Barry, a former safety consideration. These included risk-based screening initiatives to
manager at a UK airline for more than incorporating biometrics into the comprehensive baggage checks and
ten years and now a senior lecturer passenger screening process to verify strengthened cockpit doors, flying
at Cranfield University's Centre for identities, improving co-ordination in 2021 is markedly more secure
Safety & Accident Investigation. “The between law enforcement personnel, than two decades ago. But while the
emphasis became about working as a vetting and screening transportation measures that are currently in place
single team, not two, for the benefit of workers accessing secured areas and have so far prevented another attack
safety. 9/11 undid a lot of the work, or developing cost-effective solutions to on US soil, passengers continue to pay
at least, made it harder.” screen air cargo and freight without the price in terms of the increased
causing unnecessary delays. time and cost of air travel. Finding the
The other danger is that the balance will be crucial as technology
impenetrable cockpit door system Considerations are also being made improves and threats evolve.
can be used against the crew. The

Additional reading

In the September 2021 issue of our sister
magazine Aviation News, we remember the
people and aircraft caught up in the tragedy

through personal accounts and records.

www.key.aero 43

Gatwick’s

gas turbine

Pictures from the pages of aviation

timelineauthor and photographer Tom Singfield’s
much-anticipated new book

Spantax operated 14 Former Gatwick air traffic Gatwick Jetliners, celebrates the first airports devoid of variety, with
149-seat Convair CV-990 controller Tom Singfield three decades of turbojet and later non-duopoly types becoming
Coronados, making it the has headed down Memory turbofan-powered operations at increasingly scarce.
world’s largest operator Lane and turned right the hub, and follows 2019’s warmly
of the type. The Spanish down Fascination Street received Classic Gatwick Propliners. Maybe some day, we will remember
charter airline later once more, to produce a second A320neos and 737 MAX 8s as fondly
replaced the quadjet pictorial lovesong to the rich and It’s difficult not to lament recent as those before us who look back on
with Douglas DC-8s varied history of London’s second advances in technology and design 707s, Douglas DC-8s and Convair
owing to the Coronado's airport. His new book, Classic as well as COVID-related retirements Coronados. But that may mean we
voracious fuel consumption as aviation steadily marches towards have to wish impossible things...
ALL IMAGES VIA TOM SINGFIELD

RIGHT • British Caledonian
Charter was formed in
1982 as a joint venture
between BCal and the
Rank Organisation. The
carrier was rebranded
and relaunched in 1985
as Cal Air International. It
operated a trio of ex-Laker
Airways McDonnell
Douglas DC-10-10s
including G-GCAL (c/n 46501)
– this jet is now preserved
at Pima Air and Space
Museum, Arizona,
having later served as a
Project Orbis flying
eye hospital programme

44 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

LEFT • Surinam Airways
Douglas DC-8-63, N4935C
(c/n 45931), was a colourful
visitor to the West Sussex
airfield on May 2, 1987. It
was leased by Monarch
Airlines for around a
fortnight in late April
and early May of that
year to operate a charter
service to Corfu, Greece

ABOVE • BAC One-Eleven, G-ASJI (c/n BAC.013), was one of ten examples ordered by British United Airlines in 1961. It was delivered to the carrier on April 15,
1965 – six days after sistership G-ASJJ had flown the world’s first commercial service by a BAC One-Eleven when it connected Gatwick and Genoa, Italy

LEFT • Air Alsace was
formed as an air taxi
operator in Colmar, France,
in 1962. The company leased
three VFW-Fokker 614s from
1976/77 and these flew
mostly from Colmar to Paris.
The three were returned to
the manufacturer in 1980
and broken up for spares

LEFT • Horizon Travel, a
Birmingham-based tour
company, launched Orion
Airways in late 1978 and
commenced flying with
four Boeing 737-200s in
1980. While most well
known for its Boeing 737
operations, the carrier
leased two 375-seat Airbus
A300B4s from Lufthansa
between 1987 and 1989

People Express used leased ex-Braniff Boeing 747s on services to Gatwick from May 26, 1983. The carrier's approval
to operate transatlantic services was reportedly expedited after the US authorities threatened to remove bilateral licence
agreements for British Airways and British Caledonian unless People Express operations were greenlit quickly

www.key.aero 45

ABOVE• Itavia McDonnell Douglas DC-9, I-TIGI (c/n 45724), departs Gatwick on April 7, ABOVE• Alitalia’s charter arm Società Aerea Mediterranea (SAM) replaced its propliners with a fleet of Sud Aviation
1980. The Long Beach-built jet exploded mid-air and crashed into the sea off Naples Caravelles for charters around Europe including Gatwick. Seven different Caravelles were leased long-term from
just two months later, killing all 81 on board. Theories about the crash cause include a Alitalia, while other jets also appeared at Gatwick in full colours of the Italian flag carrier, sometimes carrying
bomb or errant missile ‘Chartered by SAM’ stickers

RIGHT • Laker Airways
Boeing 707-138, G-AVZZ
(c/n 17699), was used by
International Caribbean
Airways – a joint venture
between the Barbados
government (51%) and
Laker Airways (49%).
The former-Qantas jet
operated schedules between
Barbados and
Luxembourg via Gatwick

RIGHT • Jugoslovenski
Aerotransport (JAT)
Boeing 727-2H9,
YU-AKK (c/n 22665), had
recently returned to the
company from lease
to Air Afrique when it
visited Gatwick in July 1986

46 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

2021 Global
within the September issue of Airline
Report
INCLUDING
• Latest global fleet data
• Airbus and Boeing

delivery insights
• Airline start-ups

and failures
• Exclusive regional

aviation analysis

YOUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO AVIATION’S MOST CHALLENGING YEAR

www.key.aero 47

Welcome

Hello and welcome Aviation failures 2020
to Airliner World’s
Global Airline Report Airline Country Merged with (if applicable)
2021. We’re delighted Austral Argentina Aerolíneas Argentinas
to share a wealth of Flyest Argentina
exclusive insights and analysis during LATAM Airlines Argentina Argentina AvA Airways
what continues to be an incredibly Atlantis European Airways Armenia German Airways
challenging period for commercial Tigerair Australia Australia Cathay Pacific
aviation. Unless stated, all of the data Lauda Austria
on which our report is based has been LEVEL Europe Austria Irkut
kindly supplied by airline intelligence Fleet Air BG Bulgaria
specialist, ch-aviation. Express Air Canada Southern Airways Express
Island Express Air Canada Raytheon Technologies
Alliances at a glance 2021 SAGA - Sahel and Gulf Airlines Chad Raytheon Technologies
One Airlines Chile
Airline Alliance Airline Alliance China Xinhua Airlines China
Air Austral Alliance Vanille Air Europa Skyteam Jet Time (2006) Denmark
Air Madagascar Alliance Vanille Air France Skyteam Tigua Aerotours Dominican Republic
Air Mauritius Alliance Vanille Alitalia Skyteam TAME Amazonía Ecuador
Air Seychelles Alliance Vanille China Airlines Skyteam TAME Ecuador Ecuador
Int'Air Îles Alliance Vanille China Eastern Airlines Skyteam TAME Xpress Ecuador
Air Antilles Caribsky CSA Czech Airlines Skyteam Jet Time Finland Finland
LIAT (2020) Caribsky Delta Air Lines Skyteam LGW - Luftfahrtgesellschaft Walter Germany
Winair Caribsky Garuda Indonesia Skyteam SunExpress Deutschland Germany
Air Nostrum Oneworld Kenya Airways Skyteam WDL Aviation Germany
Alaska Airlines Oneworld KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Skyteam Waves Guernsey
American Airlines Oneworld Korean Air Skyteam Cathay Dragon Hong Kong
BA CityFlyer Oneworld Middle East Airlines Skyteam Air Italy Italy
British Airways Oneworld Saudia Skyteam Ernest Airlines Italy
Cathay Pacific Oneworld Tarom Skyteam AirAsia Japan Japan
Comair (South Africa) Oneworld Vietnam Airlines Skyteam AZee Air Kazakhstan
Eastern Australia Airlines Oneworld Xiamen Airlines Skyteam Rahila Air Libya
Envoy Air Oneworld Aegean Airlines Star Alliance Love2Fly Malaysia
Fiji Airways Oneworld Air Canada Star Alliance Avianca Airlines Perú Peru
Fiji Link Oneworld Air China Star Alliance Borus Russian Federation
Finnair Oneworld Air India Star Alliance Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Russian Federation
Hokkaido Air System Oneworld Air New Zealand Star Alliance BRA - Braathens Regional Aviation Sweden
Horizon Air Oneworld Air New Zealand Link Star Alliance Tropical Air Tanzania (United Republic of)
Iberia Oneworld All Nippon Airways Star Alliance NokScoot Thailand
Iberia Express Oneworld Asiana Airlines Star Alliance Real Tonga Airlines Tonga
J-Air Oneworld Austrian Airlines Star Alliance AtlasGlobal Turkey
Japan Airlines Oneworld Avianca Airlines Star Alliance flybe United Kingdom
Japan Air Commuter Oneworld Brussels Airlines Star Alliance California Pacific Airlines United States
Jetconnect Oneworld Copa Airlines Star Alliance Compass Airlines United States
Japan Transocean Air Oneworld Croatia Airlines Star Alliance ExecAir of Naples United States
Malaysia Airlines Oneworld EgyptAir Star Alliance Frontier Flying Service United States
Network Aviation Oneworld Ethiopian Airlines Star Alliance Hageland Aviation Services United States
NoRRA Oneworld EVA Air Star Alliance J.A.R. Aircraft Services United States
OpenSkies Oneworld LOT Polish Airlines Star Alliance Makani Kai Air United States
Piedmont Airlines Oneworld Lufthansa Star Alliance Miami Air International United States
PSA Airlines Oneworld SAS Scandinavian Airlines Star Alliance Pacific Airways United States
Qantas Oneworld Shenzhen Airlines Star Alliance PenAir United States
Qatar Airways Oneworld Singapore Airlines Star Alliance Raytheon United States
Royal Air Maroc Oneworld South African Airways Star Alliance Shoreline Aviation United States
Royal Air Maroc Express Oneworld Swiss Star Alliance Shoreline Aviation Oxford United States
Royal Jordanian Oneworld TAP Air Portugal Star Alliance Trans States Airlines United States
S7 Airlines Oneworld Thai Airways International Star Alliance United Technologies United States
SkyWest Airlines Oneworld Thai Smile Star Alliance ViaAir United States
SriLankan Airlines Oneworld Turkish Airlines Star Alliance
Sun-Air Oneworld United Airlines Star Alliance Over the past few weeks our the industry at such a turbulent time,
Sunstate Airlines Oneworld Cebgo Value Alliance editorial team has been busy we’ve tried our best to provide you
Aeroflot Skyteam Cebu Pacific Air Value Alliance crunching the numbers to bring with this ‘eye of the storm’ snapshot,
Aerolíneas Argentinas Skyteam Jeju Air Value Alliance you the facts and figures from with 2019 and 2020 figures provided
Aeroméxico Skyteam Nok Air Value Alliance airlines and manufacturers across for context where available.
Scoot Value Alliance the globe, as well as a few stories
that you might have missed. We start this year’s report with a
While it isn’t easy to take stock of comprehensive roll call of airline
start-ups and failures, along with the

48 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

Aviation start-ups 2020

latest details of alliance members. We THIS IMAGE: Airline Country Mohahlaula Airlines Lesotho
then examine the fascinating global AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM/ LIAT (2020) Antigua and Barbuda
trends in airframe deliveries and DANISH AVIATION PHOTO Wadadli Cargo Antigua and Barbuda Airline Country
retirements. With many carriers still COVER IMAGE: AeroPuna Argentina Lone Star Air Liberia
mothballing significant proportions AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM/ NovAir (Armenia) Armenia Fly Desert Libya
of their fleet, we later analyse aircraft ALVIN MAN Global Jet Aruba Aruba Heston Airlines Lithuania
in storage pending what is hoped to Air71 Bangladesh Jump Air Lithuania
be a sustained surge in passenger ASL Fly Executive Belgium Air Atlanta Europe Malta
travel. We conclude our report with a Abaeté Brazilian Airlines Brazil Gestair Aviation Malta Malta
regional focus, highlighting the major ITA Transportes Aéreos Brazil Lauda Europe Malta
developments that have shaped the NELLA Linhas Aéreas Brazil SVL Airlines Malta
aviation landscape where you are. Nossa Linhas Aéreas Brazil VLU (Mexico) Mexico
VoeAmérica Brazil HiSky Moldova (Republic of)
All data is correct as of June 2021. GullivAir Bulgaria Air Montenegro Montenegro
While we endeavour to present as Burundi Airlines Burundi Skyway Mozambique Mozambique
timely a report as possible, the rapid Cabo Verde Connect Services Cabo Verde Stage-Air Netherlands
pace of change within the sector OWG Canada Pasifika Air New Zealand
means further adjustments will Pivot Airlines Canada Binani Air Nigeria
inevitably have occurred between the Régionair Canada Braathen Air Norway
data extraction and publication. Treq Canada Flyr Norway
Air Haking Chad Norwegian Air Shuttle AOC Norway
Assuming you’re sitting comfortably China Southern Air Cargo China Bocas Air Panama
with your seatbelt securely fastened, Quzhou Airlines China LaPerů Peru
we now invite you to prepare for a Sanya International Airlines China Bohol Wings Philippines
rather bumpy journey reflecting a Sichuan Shuanglong China Cargo Union Poland
wild 12 months. JetSMART Colombia Colombia CU Air Poland
Ultra Air Colombia LOT Polish Airlines (Mk.II) Poland
Gordon Smith, Group Editor Aberdair Aviation Congo (Democratic World2Fly (Portugal) Portugal
Republic of) Fly Lili Romania
ETF Airways Croatia HiSky Europe Romania
Fly Air41 Airways Croatia Air Leader Russian Federation
Cyprus Jetlines Cyprus Irkut Regional Aircraft Russian Federation
SKY5 Airlines Cyprus KEMZ AVIA Russian Federation
Rosa Airlines Czechia Slava Russian Federation
Airseven Denmark Taiga Russian Federation
Jettime Denmark Lift Airlines South Africa
SmuuthCare Denmark Aura Airlines (Sri Lanka) Sri Lanka
Red Air Dominican Republic Fly Lankan Asia Sri Lanka
Sky Cana Dominican Republic Lakwin Aviation Sri Lanka
Ecuatoriana Airlines Ecuador Spark Air Sri Lanka
Equinoxair Ecuador AirGotland Sweden
Ajwaa Airlines Egypt Skĺneflyg Sweden
FlyEswa Eswatini Air Mountain Switzerland
CieloFly France Air Ticino Switzerland
Air Georgia Georgia SouthSuisse Airways Switzerland
Easy Charter Georgia Sham Sky Aviation Syrian Arab Republic
Green Airlines Germany Unity Air Zanzibar Tanzania (United
JOOT Aviation Germany Republic of)
MeerExpress Germany Lulutai Airlines Tonga
EW Discover Germany Zone Four International Uganda
Alpine Air (Greece) Greece Mesk Air United Arab Emirates
Eagle Seaplanes Greece Aer Lingus (United Kingdom) United Kingdom
Ippias Airlines Greece ASL Airlines UK United Kingdom
North Wings Greece European Cargo United Kingdom
One China Global Airways Hong Kong NEBO Air United Kingdom
N-Ice Air Iceland NetJets (United Kingdom) United Kingdom
IndiaOne Air India flybe (2021) United Kingdom
SpiceShuttle India AspenJet United States
TruStar India Houston Air United States
Toos Airline Iran (Islamic Republic JetOUT United States
of) Miami Air United States
Aer Nasc Ireland Rambler Air United States
Emerald Airlines (Ireland) Ireland Air Marakanda Uzbekistan
ITA - Italia Trasporto Aereo Italy Hidaya Airlines Uzbekistan
LitorAli Airlines Italy Humo Air Uzbekistan
flyOriole Jamaica Vietravel Airlines Vietnam
Premier Airlines Kenya FLY CORALway Wallis and Futuna
Moalem Aviation Kyrgyzstan Moka Airways Yemen
Royal Zambian Airlines Zambia

About ch-aviation

Founded in 1998 in Chur, ch-aviation’s fully customisable • Route network and schedule
Switzerland, ch-aviation database includes: data for more than 820 airlines and
has become an influential approximately 107,000 routes, the most
airline intelligence • Detailed and summarised data on accurate codeshare and
provider and a great Swiss the current status of almost 66,000 wet-lease disclosure data available in
aviation success story. aircraft around the world, updated the industry and real-time tracking of
weekly and including operator, age, route network updates (route launches,
It welcomes more than two million engines and status. suspensions and cancellations).
users each year and is proud to
count hundreds of companies • Airline directory tracking the • Airport database listing location,
in the airline industry as its status of nearly 4,700 active operators, IATA and ICAO codes and airfield
customers. Nevertheless, it remains sortable by aircraft type, country, information for more than 6,800
small enough to care about the continent and types of operation. airports worldwide. Detailed reports
specifics that have always made This also features start-up tracking, on operators, schedules, route
the difference between good and including address and contact details, networks and capacity.
outstanding data. and an extensive list of reservation www.ch-aviation.com
system vendors and users.

www.key.aero 49

Slowly but surely
The number of aircraft to
Canada is among the have been removed from of its entire fleet. While KLM, like UK continent. Yet the US is also home to
slowest markets to return its storage over the past year counterpart British Airways, quickly eight of the ten largest collections of
fleet into active service, with accounts for more than withdrew its remaining Boeing stored airliners worldwide, including
46% of airliners registered in 20% of the global fleet. 747-400s and began placing more the three largest of these: Roswell
the country currently stored However, the continued uncertainty efficient widebodies on cargo-only International Air Center (RIAC),
AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM/ and hesitancy regarding the easing services, it has benefitted from the Southern California Logistics Airport
of travel restrictions means that reopening of long-haul routes to (SCLA) and Pinal Airpark together
RYAN PATTERSON airlines are not experiencing the same further flung regions of the Kingdom hold 1,743 airframes – more than the
recovery owing to differing stances of the Netherlands, such as Aruba rest of the top ten combined.
among governments. and Curaçao in the Caribbean.
Outside of China – which has
This situation is highlighted on Dutch leisure carriers TUI fly been able to leverage its extensive
opposite shores of the North Sea. Netherlands and Transavia have been domestic network to bring 90%
As the UK’s traffic light system able to mobilise fleets due to a greater of its fleet back online – Asian
continues to fluctuate, more than half easing of traffic restrictions across nations which had previously been
the country’s 761 airliners remain Europe than their UK equivalents strongholds for low-cost carriers have
in storage. Based purely on this have experienced. Popular tourist failed to bounce back meaningfully.
metric, ch-aviation data suggests destinations including Greece, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam have
that the country’s aviation industry Cyprus, Malta, Italy, Portugal and all faltered due to their reliance on
is recovering at the slowest rate in Spain’s Balearic and Canary islands international connections. Globally,
Europe, with only seven other nations have enabled the carriers to restore only Hong Kong has fared worse
faring worse worldwide. large parts of their networks, although – its COVID-19 woes having been
not at the scale seen pre-pandemic. compounded by months of civil
Meanwhile, the Netherlands has unrest and because its Cathay Pacific
currently reactivated all but seven of The United States has also fared flag carrier had primarily served as a
its 221 airliners – accounting for 97% well, with a boom in domestic sorties long-haul specialist.
not only helping to get carriers back
Continent Active Total 2021 % stored 2020 % stored flying, but also creating opportunities While Africa’s active fleet more than
for holiday hotspot hubs such as doubled from 320 to 778 between May
Africa 819 1,281 36% 59% Key West to buck trends, increase its 2020 and May 2021, the continent’s
Asia 7,446 10,001 26% 35% annual passenger count and attract aviation industry is unlikely to bounce
Europe 4,861 6,573 26% 45% new airlines and services during the back at a similar pace to the US,
North America 6,577 8,016 18% 35% pandemic. Overall, North America Europe and Asia owing to the likely
Oceania 650 809 20% 42% has returned 82% of its global fleet to speed at which vaccines will be rolled
South America 782 1,110 30% 63% active duty – more than any other out across African countries. So there
Global Fleet 21,135 27,790 26% 46.5%

50 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2021