Preflight

“Our customers have been asking us to re-start non-stop Singapore-US flights and we are pleased that Airbus was able to offer the right aircraft to do so in a commercially viable manner,” SIA chief executive Goh Choon Phong said on October 13. SIA ended its non-stop Singapore-Los Angeles and Singapore-New York (Newark) flights, which were operated by Airbus A340-500s configured with 100 business class seats, in 2013. At the time, the airline said high fuel prices had made those services, which were up to 19 hours in duration, uneconomic to operate.

Since then, the Star Alliance member has been searching for a suitable aircraft to resume those nonstop services to compete with the likes of North Asian carriers such as Cathay Pacific and those based in the Middle East, which serve multiple points in the US nonstop.

Currently, SIA flies to Los Angeles via Tokyo, San Francisco via Hong Kong and Seoul, New York (JFK) via Frankfurt, and Houston via Moscow. The airline has said previously a lack of available traffic rights from intermediate points has made it challenging to add extra one-stop flights to North America.

The Singapore-New York (Newark) route, which clocks in at 8,285nm, was the world’s longest nonstop passenger flight before SIA ended the service in 2013. Singapore-LA is 7,621nm.

“Non-stop flights between Singapore and additional points in the US are also under consideration,” SIA said.

SIA’s A350-900ULR was expected to have about 170 seats, compared with about 300 seats in the airline’s standard A350-900 configuration.

Deliveries of the A350‑900ULR, which will feature a modified fuel system to increase fuel capacity within the existing fuel tanks (from 141,000 to 165,000 litres) and an increased maximum takeoff weight (280 tonnes), were due to beginin 2018. Airbus said the “unique flexibility” of the A350 design “allows operators to reconfigure their A350-900ULR to the standard long-haul A350‑900 specification should they require it”.

SIA has changed its A350‑900 order book to include seven A350- 900ULRs. The airline has also exercised four of its 20 A350 options to increase the number of firm orders of the type to 67.

The first A350-900 was expected to be delivered in early 2016, SIA has announced, with Amsterdam the first permanent destination, after initial services to Jakarta andKuala Lumpur.

“We are excited to be working with Singapore Airlines to relaunch its premium non-stop service to the US,” Airbus chief Fabrice Brégier said in a statement.

“The A350 is the perfect, flexible platform for such operations, offering unrivalled operating economics for the very longest routes. And the wider and quieter cabin will provide the perfect environment for passengers to enjoy the world-famous Singapore Airlines in-flight product. ”

Qantas boss calls for investment in airports

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce says investing in Australia’s airports will help boost tourism and bring improved returns for the nation’s airport operators.

However, Joyce stresses that investment should come from either government or the airport owners and operators rather than from the airlines that use the facilities.

“Our airports show that there are some eye-watering returns from investing in the right infrastructure,” Joyce said during a speech at the National Press Club in Canberra on October 14.

“Both government and infrastructure sectors have good, easy access to cheap capital. Investment in airports is an ideal way to boost economic growth. ” “The alternative of asking airlines to pre-fund infrastructure would simply mean costs being passed onto passengers for services that they won’t receive for years. ” “It is a bizarre kind of lay-by program for infrastructure and it can have a significant unintended consequences on tourism by adding incremental costs to people’s journey that eventually reaches a tipping point and then those tourists choose to go to another country instead. ” Joyce said supporting growth in tourism was a way for the economy to transition away from the expected reduction in mining investment that was expected to continue for at least the next couple of years. “We now need to diversify the economy and build resilience,” Joyce said.

And that included giving those arriving into Australia a better first experience by improving customs and immigration services at the nation’s major airports.

Joyce said some passengers on a recent flight he was on from Hong Kong told him they faced “monstrous” queues after landing at Sydney Airport, while business leaders also told a similar story.

“That is not unique just in Sydney, that is what we are experiencing around the country,” Joyce said.

“Compare this to the US or Singapore, who have invested heavily in automation to cut down queues and make sure the first experience of their country is a more positive one. ” “There is a lot government and opposition can do with the tourism sector and the economy more broadly to make sure we can make the most of the opportunity.

“We need to continue to invest in tourism development, including infrastructure and marketing, however at a micro level we need to also address a few pain points for customers. ” Australia’s Department of Immigration and Border Protection earlier this year said it would roll out 92 SmartGates at eight international airports by mid-2016.

Another area Joyce said needed reconsideration was visa fees, with the soon-to-be-introduced multiple entry 10-year visa for Chinese citizens – one outcome fromthe recently concluded free trade agreement with China – just one example.

Australia is charging $1,000 for the visa, while the US charges $215 for a similar visa and Singapore’s 10-year visa costs $30.

“That’s $30 compared to our $1,000,” Joyce said.

“It is completely uncompetitive. ” Joyce enthusiastically backed the Australia-China free trade agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The Qantas chief executive also called for thegovernment to seek the “middle ground” as it pursued reform in areas such as industrial relations and tax.

Although the reforms would be difficult, particularly given the strong views held by the stakeholders involved, Joyce said that was “not a good reason to kick the can down the road”.

“As a first principle nobody wants anyone to be worse off,” Joyce said.

“Reforms should be geared towards making us a more prosperous nation overall. ”

Global project investigating aviation safety data collection

A global project is investigating how airlines, regulators and other aviation groups both in Australia and overseas collect, analyse and share safety data.

The project began in 2012, when Flight Safety Foundation signed a memorandum of cooperation with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to look at ways of enhancing aviation safety through the exchange of safety information.

And while initial observations showed there were a number of different initiatives underway around the world to collect and analyse safety information, Flight Safety Foundation vice president of global programs Greg Marshall said none of them were “talking to each other”.

That led to the Global Safety Information Project.

The project has conducted focus group sessions in the Asia-Pacific and in the Americas to establish what types of safety information and data were being collected by key players in the industry and howthis data was being used to enhance aviation safety.

Flight Safety Foundation chief executive Jon Beatty said there was a lack of consistency in the way regulators, airlines air navigation service providers, unions, airports and other stakeholders collected safety data.

“It is increasingly clear that the collection, analysis and sharing of safety data and information represents the greatest potential for continued, long-term improvement of the aviation industry’s already stellar safety performance,” Beatty said in a statement.

Marshall, who was involved in running those focus groups – seven were held in the Asia-Pacific region and six in the Americas – noted there was some good work being done.

However, a point of difference that became apparent between the different jurisdictions was on the protections surrounding voluntary safety information.

While some countries, such as Australia, had legal protections for those voluntarily reporting safety information, others did not.

The next step will be a series of two-day workshops starting in March 2016 designed to get more information about the sharing and collection of safety data.

The Flight Safety Foundation, a non-profit organisation focusedon research, education, advocacy and publishing to improve aviation safety, has also assembled a legal advisory committee to look at the issue of legal protection and develop a legal toolkit, including some model legislation that countries could adopt to provide protection of voluntary safety data and information.

Marshall said the toolkit would be a purely voluntary measure.

“We are finding some states probably won’t because of the culture and other aspects,” Marshall told Australian Aviation in an interview.

“The philosophy of Just Culture just doesn’t sit within those states naturally.

“But we are finding a number of states saying that they would actually like to do something about it but don’t know how, so those toolkits will be ideally suited to those states that are willing to put in place those legal protections and establish those voluntary safety reporting systems. ” The concept of Just Culture centres around not punishing people for actions, omissions or decisions taken by them based on their experience and training. At the same time, gross negligence, wilful violations and destructive acts were not tolerated.

Poseidon production to reach 18 a year in 2016

Components of first RAAF P-8A already in production

Boeing expects to reach the full production rate of 18 P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft a year in 2016 as Australia gets ready to accept the first of eight of the type on order.

Components of the RAAF’s first P-8A are already in production with the fuselage for ‘Aussie 01’ due to begin final assembly in early 2016 and the first flight expected midyear.

Australia confirmed an order for eight Poseidon aircraft in February 2014 with options for four more. The first four aircraft are in various stages of preproduction while the next four have been contracted for advancedprocurement, according to Boeing Military Aircraft director of business development for maritime projects James Detwiler.

“When the LOT VII contract is signed next year they will have all eight officially on contract,” Detwiler said at Pacific Maritime International Exposition in Sydney October 7.

To date, Boeing has delivered 36 P-8s. The US Navy has received 29 P-8As while India has seven P-8Is and is due to take an eighth before the end of 2015.

The P-8A is based on the Boeing 737-800 commercial airliner.

The fuselage is built at Sprit AeroSystems as a dedicated P-8A alongside the commercial 737 fuselages in Wichita, Kansas, with assembly on a specific P-8A line at Boeing’s 737 factory in Renton, Washington State. Mission and sensor systems are installed at Boeing Field, near Seattle.

As well as some design changes to cater for military operations, the P-8A features a raked wingtip rather than the blended winglet seen on the 737 to integrate de-icing on the leading edge all the way to the tip to combat cold weather conditions during anti-submarine warfare operations.

Commonality with the commercial Boeing 737 extends to training as well as the sourcing of spare parts – P-8A pilots first obtain a commercial type rating for the 737 and then gothrough a “differences training” course that lasts for a few weeks.

“As various international potential customers look at commercial synergies with an installed base of commercial 737 Next Gen aircraft, they realise there are tremendous savings opportunities. ” Detwiler said.

“This aircraft has such a low cost per hour and with the common spares pool for those high-use items such as wheels and brakes, thoseare all commercial common. That was designed into the aircraft. It is the same thing with the powerplant.

The CFM56 engine core is identical to the other 8,000 or so engines in commercial service today so there’s a huge sparing pool and parts pool that they can tap into. ” On Boeing’s expectation that it will achieve its full production rate of 18 aircraft in 2016, he explained: “Every other month we will deliver two aircraft to make that 18. We are somewhere in the transition between 12 and 18 at the moment. ” Detwiler said figures from the US Navy showed the program had so far achieved US$2. 1 billion in savings through production efficiencies and the steady ramp up in production.

“We’ve drastically reduced our production times, learning curves and that sort of thing,” Detwiler said.

Qatar adds Sydney, Adelaide to Australian network

Adelaide to be first Australian port for A350 services

Qatar Airways is launching nonstop flights to Adelaide and Sydney in 2016 and is the first airline to announce Airbus A350 services to Australia.

The Doha-based carrier, which currently flies daily to Perth and Melbourne, will begin flights to Sydney from March 2016 with Boeing 777-300ERs, while daily services to Adelaide will commence in May with the A350-900.

Qatar quickly confirmed a March 1 2016 launch of its new Sydney-Doha route after the Australian and Qatari governments approved an increase in available capacity between the two countries to Australia’s main four gateways of Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

The new Sydney service is scheduled as an evening departure from Doha, arriving in Sydney at 1805 local time. The return takes off from Sydney at 2220.

Meanwhile, the oneworld alliance member’s Adelaide schedule features an evening departure from Doha, arriving in Adelaide in the afternoon the following day.

The return will take off from Adelaide in the evening, arriving at Doha in the early morning the next day.

“2016 is going to be yet another exciting year for Qatar Airways and we are very pleased that Australia will figure prominently in our expansion plans,” Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker said in a statement.

“Our launching of flights to Adelaide and Sydney next year will provide even more choice for holidaymakers and business travellers to Australia, and also provide a strategic air link for travellers from Adelaide to the rest of the world. ” The Australian government announced on September 24 an expansion of the bilateral air services agreement from 14 available frequencies a week to the main four Australian airports, to 21 frequencies a week, effective immediately, paving the way for Qatar to add Sydney and then Adelaide to its network.

RAAF KC-30 tanker refuels F-35 for first time

An RAAF KC-30A tankertransport has refuelled an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for the first time. During a four-hour test flight from Edwards Air Force Base on September 25 KC-30A A39-001 made 59 ‘contacts’ with F-35A development aircraft AF-4, five of which were ‘wet’, transferring a total of 42,000lb of fuel, Defence announced on September 29. “Refuelling between the KC-30A and F-35A is an important step towards the KC-30A’s achievement of final operational capability (FOC) and represents continued progress in the development of the F‑35A,” Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Leo Davies said.

“This achievement is significant because the future of Australia’s air combat capability is reliant on the successful partnership between these two aircraft and our ability to be interoperable with our international partners. ”

Angus Houston awarded Oswald Watt Gold Medal

Sir Angus Houston has been awarded the Oswald Watt Gold Medal for his role in the search for MH370 and his work as Australia’s special envoy to Ukraine after the shooting of MH17.

The retired Air Chief Marshal and current chairman of Airservices was presented with his medal at Canberra’s Parliament House on September 22, where he delivered the Sir Reginald Ansett Memorial lecture.

Houston described the tragic disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 and shooting of MH17 as a “couple of the blackest blots on our recent history”. “It’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do,” Houston said when accepting the medal.

“In both places we worked as one team to do the very best we could. ” The Gold Medal, named after World War I pilot Oswald Watt, originated in 1921 and recognises “a most brilliant performance in the air or the most notable contribution to aviation byan Australian or in Australia”. It is not an annual award. Rather, it is awarded on merit, with the Royal Federation of Aero Clubs of Australia executive responsible for deciding whether a medal will be awarded in any given year.

The federation said on its website Houston was recognised “for leadership with the Joint Agency Coordination Centre coordinating the Australian Government’s support for the search into missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 and his appointment as Special Envoy to Ukraine to lead Australia’s efforts on the ground in Ukraine to help recover, identify and repatriate Australians killed in the MH17 crash”.

Previous recipients have included astronaut Andy Thomas, Hudson Fysh and Reg Ansett.

CASA proposes changes to charter flight rules

CASA is seeking public comment on proposed new rules for passenger flights that would have charter flights come under the same safety standards as regular public transport (RPT) services, which CASA said would result in “improved safety standards in some areas of operations for nonscheduled flights which are currently classified as charter”.

CASA said the proposed rules would apply to passenger and cargo operations in aircraft fitted with more than nine passenger seats or with a maximum takeoff weight of more than 8,618kg. Many of the proposed changes would formalise current practices, while others would simplify compliance.

The proposed new rules followed comprehensive consultation with airlines, smaller air operators, aviation industry representative groups and pilot and cabin crew an Australian or in Australia”. It is not an annual award. Rather, it is awarded on merit, with the Royal Federation of Aero Clubs of Australia executive responsible for deciding whether a medal will be awarded in any given year.

The federation said on its website Houston was recognised “for leadership with the Joint Agency Coordination Centre coordinating the Australian Government’s support for the search into missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 and his appointment as Special Envoy to Ukraine to lead Australia’s efforts on the ground in Ukraine to help recover, identify and repatriate Australians killed in the MH17 crash”.

Previous recipients have included astronaut Andy Thomas, Hudson Fysh and Reg Ansett.

unions, CASA said in a statement on October 9.

“Other key changes include provisions for the use of new technology such as synthetic vision and enhanced vision systems, requirements for underwater locating devices on some flights, requirements for additional medical equipment on aircraft, restrictions on rostering inexperienced flight crew and new training and checking requirements for cabin crew,” CASA said.

“Other changes proposed include new terminology and rules for extended diversion time operations, clearer rules for operations on narrow runways, simplified equipment regulations, new datalink recording requirements, options for more flexible pilot training and checking programs, simplified pilot recency requirements, formalising a cabin crew to passenger seat ratio of one to fifty and new recency requirements for cabin crew.

“The proposed new rules – to be contained in Part 121 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations – align to the maximum extent possible with International Civil Aviation Organization standards and recommended practices. ”Public comments on the proposed changes are due by November 27.

Meanwhile, CASA has warned operators of remotely piloted aircraft to stay away from bushfire areas or they could face fines of up to $9,000 and potentially even criminal prosecution.

CASA said there were “countless” instances where remotely piloted aircraft, more commonly known as drones, posed a real safety risk to firefighting aircraft and bush firefighters.

“Drones flown in bushfires could collide with firefighting aircraft or hit firefighters on the ground,” the regulator said.

“A collision between a drone and a firefighting aeroplane or helicopter could lead to a catastrophic accident.

CASA said flying drones near bushfires could cause aerial firefighting to be suspended until the drone was located and removed in order to avoid possible mid-air collisions with an aircraft. This could put people on the ground at extra risk.

The Authority said it was working with the National Aerial Firefighting Centre to raise awareness of the dangers of having drones near bushfire-affected areas.

Karratha airport new terminal

The City of Karratha has cut the ribbon on its new $35 million airport upgrade that includes capacity to receive international flights, an expanded departures area and space for a premium airline lounge.

Following the redevelopment – part of the council’s $100 million capital investment program at the airport that has included work on upgrading the tarmac, power supply and a water recycling program – Karratha Airport will have the capacity to handle 1. 2 million passengers a year.

That gives it plenty of room for growth given currently about 800,000 travellers a year use the airport. During the peak of the mining boom, Karratha boasted direct services to Australia’s east coast capitals as people flew in to work on the large resources projects in the area. However, as the resources sector has transitioned from construction to production, those flights have been dropped, leaving mainly service to Perth, as well as charter and helicopter services.

City of Karratha chief executive Chris Adams said the focus of the council in the period ahead would be to work with airlines to grow the number of destinations from the airport, particularly on international services and a resumption of nonstops to the major capitals on the other side of the country.

The new terminal includes dual lane security screening, eight arrival and departure gates with seating for 700 people, an upgraded check-in area and expanded baggage collection facility.

City of Karratha Mayor Peter Long said the council was keen to raise awareness about the Pilbara region as a “largely undiscovered tourist gem”.

Government outlines cautious approach to expanding ADS-B mandate

There will be a cautious approach to any broadening of ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast) mandates beyond 2017, Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development secretary Mike Mrdak says.

The current mandates require all flights operating under instrument flight rules (IFR) to have ADS-B, which is a satellite-based technology enabling aircraft to be accurately tracked by air traffic controllers and other pilots without the need for conventional radar, by February 2 2017.

While there is presently no requirement for flights operating under visual flight rules (VFR) to have ADS-B, Mrdak says expandingthe mandate is something that will be looked at in 2016.

“We haven’t looked beyond IFR at this stage but our intention was to always post-2020 to have a program which would then start to expand,” Mrdak told delegates at the 2015 Safeskies conference in Canberra on September 23 in response to a question.

“We will probably through the course of next year start to go back to government with our thinking on whether we expand the ADS-B mandate further. It will be a cautious approach. We do recognise … there is a significant cost for most of the industry in doing that. ” Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) director of aviation safety Mark Skidmore also spoke favourably about one day extending the use of ADS-B to VFR flights.

“The aspect of ADS-B and all aircraft, I would encourage everyone to get ADS-B, it is a wonderful idea,” Skidmore said.

“ADS-B is the future. It is definitely going to give us a solution that allows us to see everyone across this great country of ours.

“I really think that it is necessary but I have got to understand theimpact on the community out there, particularly VFR operations and how we actually are going to implement that so I can’t say I am going to do it. ” Figures from Airservices showed 238 VFR aircraft were fitted with ADS-B at the time of publication.

(Airservices publishes stats updated weekly on ADS-B equippage on its website. ) Meanwhile, some 99. 5 per cent of all commercial jet flights at FL290 and above were ADS-B equipped as of September 14, with turboprops at 95 per cent and business jets at 80 per cent.

Overall, 67 per cent of all IFR flights are currently fitted with ADS-B.

“It is actually progressing along at a rate which is consistent with where we are with the mandates,” Airservices acting chief executive Jason Harfield said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss noted Australia’s ADS-B network of 74 ground stations was the “first in the world to achieve comprehensive continent-wide ADS-B capability”. “As ADS-B regulatory mandates draw near, CASA and Airservices will work closely with all industry sectors in the implementation of this important safety initiative,” Truss told the conference.

“Australia has become an early adopter of ADS-B given the significant benefits it brings to vast parts of the continent that for so long have had no surveillance coverage. ” There were plans to build 15 more ADS-B sites, which would provide blanket coverage down to 10,000ft, from 30,000ft currently.

Mrdak said the potential expansion of Class E airspace, which covers populated coastal areas, would also lend itself to a potential expansion of the ADS-B mandate.

“The availability of E airspace and what that gives us in terms of efficiency as well as improved safety outcomes is something we all want,” Mrdak said.

“I can certainly see post-2017 a significant expansion of E and I. know that is something Mark and the OAR (Office of Airspace Regulation) are working on and over time that will mean that a number of VFR operators will need to equip more and more with ADS-B to get the benefits of access to the E airspace. ” Australian Business Aviation Association (ABAA) chief executive David Bell said his organisation supported the implementation of ADS-B.

“Very nearly all of the ABAA members’ aeroplanes are equipped.

There are a few dragging the chain because of one manufacturer in America who has been very slow on the uptake there and I am hoping those remaining jets will be equipped in the next couple of months,” Bell told the conference.

“But I do think that parts of general aviation have a major problem with it, some of the training schools etc equipping their aircraft can be quite expensive as a percentage of thevalue of their aircraft. ” Bell said some of the non-ABAA members that were yet to equip their fleet with ADS-B technology were either flying older aircraft or had aircraft for sale.

Skidmore said industry was doing a good job of reducing the cost of fitting ADS-B.

“I’ve actually been demonstrated recently a kit that was 400 grams and very cheap,” Skidmore said.

“Industry is taking up the challenge and producing some great pieces of equipment. ” Meanwhile, on October 7 Airservices announced it had signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with US-based Aireon to look at a space-based ADS-B system. Aireon is working with a number of air navigation service providers to create a platform capable of tracking ADS-B equipped aircraft around the globe in real-time via satellite by 2018.

Air New Zealand forecasts $400m first half pre-tax profit

Boosts Auckland hub with new flagship international lounge

Air New Zealand expects to almost double pre-tax profit in the first half of 2015/16 as the airline benefits from lower fuel prices, a simplified fleet and a “buoyant” tourism market.

The Star Alliance carrier had guided the market to expect “significant earnings growth” in the current year at its 2014/15 results presentation in August and chairman Tony Carter told shareholders at the airline’s annual general meeting in Auckland on October 7 that view had “strengthened” after a strong start to 2015/16.

“We are very pleased with the first quarter performance of the 2016 financial year and the business is on target to exceed profit before taxof $400 million for the first half of this financial year,” Carter said in prepared remarks.

“Looking ahead, the company is very well positioned with buoyant tourism to New Zealand, a lower current fuel price environment, an increasingly efficient fleet and a company with proven agility in responding to changing circumstances.

“As a consequence, we are confident of our ongoing strong performance in the coming years.

“The company is in the best shape it has ever been and ready to seize on the many opportunities in front of it. ” The forecast of NZ$400 million profit before tax excludes any contribution from its 26 per cent shareholding in Virgin Australia, suggesting the result for the six months to December 31 2015 could be even higher given Virgin is expected to be profitable and therefore make a positive contribution to Air NZ’s bottom line in 2015/16.

Air NZ reported normalised profit before tax of $216 million for the first half of 2014/15, which included a NZ$14 million loss from its 25 per cent stake in Virgin.

The airline has maintained capacity forecasts of 11 per cent growth in available seat kilometres (ASK) across its domestic and international network for the full 2015/16 year.

This included two new long-haul routes – Auckland-Houston and Auckland-Buenos Aires – startingin December, as well as eight per cent growth across its domestic network from additional frequencies to Auckland, Christchurch and Queenstown and the gradual phasing out of 19-seat Beech 1900D aircraft on regional routes, with the type due to be withdrawn by the end of 2016.

“Stronger commercial results will be achieved through growing and developing our markets through the use of our own fleet and network and in conjunction with alliances partners to expend our presence in the Pacific Rim,” Air NZ chief executive Christopher Luxon told shareholders in prepared remarks.

Luxon said demand in the domestic market was “filling the additional capacity already”, given the airline’s August traffic stats showed domestic revenue passenger kilometres rose 7. 2 per cent compared with a 7. 4 per cent increase in ASKs.

“We are very proud of our New Zealand domestic and regional network and will continue to operate a world class jet and turboprop network providing the best productfor customers with the frequency, service, reliability, reputation and value to respond to any competition,” Luxon said.

Air NZ faces a fresh competitive threat on its home turf from December when Qantas’s low-cost unit Jetstar commences regional operations with a fleet of five Q300 turboprops, with Nelson, Napier, New Plymouth and Palmerston North from Auckland and Wellington the initial destinations.

Meanwhile, there was “modest” four per cent growth forecast for trans-Tasman, which is served in partnership with Virgin, and Pacific Islands routes.

“We will also see fleet simplification on the Tasman going forward as we replace the Boeing 767s with new Boeing 787-9s – providing additional capacity and giving our customers a greater inflight experience,” Luxon said.

“Our alliance with Virgin Australia is going from strength to strength and provides us with 51 per cent market share on the Tasman. ” Air NZ this month started offering premium economy for sale on its trans-Tasman, Bali and Pacific Islands services operated by Boeing 787-9, 777-200ER and 777‑300ER fleet.

The Star Alliance member has also boosted the strength of its Auckland hub with a new flagship international lounge designed to cater for the expected growth in tourists and international transfer passengers as the airline expands its network with new routes and additional capacity.

The 2,000m2 lounge is 40 per cent larger than Air NZ’s existing Auckland international lounge and the second to have been redesigned in 2015, following the opening of a refurbished Sydney Airport lounge in May.

US-based architects Gensler have maintained the look and feel of the Sydney lounge, while adding a few elements unique to the Auckland facility such as an outdoor terrace with living wall garden, a “digital ceiling” over the bar and some hanging chairs for “a bit of fun”.

Luxon says the new Aucklandinternational lounge, part of a NZ$100 million, four-year program to upgrade its lounge network, is a key plank in the airline’s investment in the future alongside its new aircraft orders and development of new technologies.

“As we go forward we are looking at expansion into South America, into North America and clearly having a strong lounge proposition for high-value leisure travellers as well as corporates that are doing business is really important,” Luxon told Australian Aviation in an interview during a media preview of the new lounge on September 25.

“Auckland is the home of Air New Zealand and it is the gateway to New Zealand because it is the genuine big city that we have in the country. ” The airline member has focused heavily on boosting international transfer passengers in recent times, with a particular emphasis on capturing a larger share of Australians heading to the Americas.

That international-to-internationaltransit experience relies on not only improved Air NZ lounge facilities at its biggest hub, but also ensuring Auckland Airport has appropriate infrastructure to manage the increase in transfer passengers.

To that end, Luxon said the operators of Auckland Airport were fully aware of Air NZ’s plans for the period ahead.

“The airport has a great master plan around how to expand the airport, build one integrated terminal of domestic and international and make it a much better experience so we are dealing with massive amounts of growth and we are trying to ensure the infrastructure keeps up,” Luxon said.

“We share our plans very openly with the airport company so they understand that we are growing fast and they can see that we are turning on a lot of the taps of this tourism growth to New Zealand. ” Luxon said Air NZ was currently considering increasing the frequency of its Buenos Aires service, which is currently scheduled to run three times a week, based on ticket sales.

“At the moment we want to make sure we get off to a great start. We are doing better than we expected and we expect to grow capacity on the back of that,” Luxon said of the Buenos Aires route.

“That’s very much our focus.

“Our intention is to keep growing and building all our routes to daily services and we’ve been doing that internationally. You can see that with Shanghai and Hong Kong and in our US markets. ” Gensler Principal Architect David Loyola said the design effort focused on ensuring the lounge “reflected the Air New Zealand brand, responded to the unique sense of place and elevated the customer experience”.

“We are optimistic we have achieved these goals and it’s very exciting to see the project completed,” Loyola said in a statement.

Jetstar heading to the Cook Islands

Jetstar is expanding its international network from New Zealand beyond trans-Tasman routes with new flights to the Cook Islands starting in March 2016. The three times a week service between Auckland and Rarotonga will be operated by Airbus A320s and is Jetstar’s first non-Australian international destination from NZ since it dropped direct Auckland-Singapore services in July 2014. The Qantas-owned low-cost carrier said the flights would originate from Sydney or Melbourne and it will offer formal connections from Australian-originating passengers, as well as those departing from its NZ domestic ports. Jetstar will be the first new entrant on the Auckland-Rarotonga route, which is currently served by Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia, in more than 10 years. The Cook Island is Jetstar’s second Pacific Islands destination. It also flies to Nadi, Fiji from Sydney and the Gold Coast.

Qantas returns to Bali

Qantas is returning to Bali with scheduled services for the first time in seven years with seasonal flights from Sydney during the upcoming summer holidays. The airline said on September 17 it will operate a total of 33 flights between Sydney and Bali from December 4 2015 to January 29 2016 with Boeing 737-800s. Qantas is joining an already crowded Bali market, with four carriers currently offering flights on the Sydney-Bali route – its wholly-owned low-cost unit Jetstar, local rival Virgin Australia, Garuda Indonesia and Indonesia AirAsia X. While Virgin also uses a 737-800, Jetstar (787-8), Garuda and Indonesia AirAsia X (A330s) deploy widebodies on the route. Qantas’s flights will operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays as an early evening departure from Sydney and an overnight service from Bali. The Flying Kangaroo’s 737s have either 174 seats (12 business, 162 economy), or 168 seats (12 business, 156 economy) depending on configuration. A Qantas spokesperson told Australian Aviation the airline ceased flights to Bali in October 2008, when it handed the Perth-Bali route over to Jetstar, while the last scheduled Sydney-Bali service took place in December 2006.

Jetgo to serve Melbourne via Avalon

Regional carrier Jetgo has confirmed it will be able to begin flights between Dubbo and Melbourne on October 27 after securing access to Avalon Airport. Jetgo had planned to fly to Melbourne Tullamarine but said recently it was unable to get terminal space. Moves to operate into nearby Essendon Airport then hit a roadblock because of a lack of passenger screening facilities and regulatory hurdles from the Office of Transport Security. However, Jetgo will be able to add Melbourne to its growing regular public transport (RPT) network thanks to Avalon Airport, which will accommodate the three times a week Jetgo service on a temporary basis while security facilities are set up at Essendon. At the same time, Jetgo has also commenced ticket sales for two additional Dubbo-Brisbane flights a week, which will increase the frequency on the route to six times a week.

United to return to New Zealand

San Francisco-Auckland flights to start July 2016

United is returning to New Zealand for the first time in 13 years with a new San Francisco-Auckland service due to start on July 3 2016.

The flights will initially operate three times a week with Boeing 787-8s before increasing to daily from October 30 2016 with the larger 787-9 Dreamliner.

United said its flights would be operated in coordination with fellow Star Alliance member Air New Zealand, which currently flies daily between San Francisco and Auckland.

The pair already work together and codeshare on each other’s services for New Zealand-US travel as part of a long-standing partnership and earlier in 2015 signed a Statement of Intent to “deepen and further define” their alliance.

“We’re very excited about adding Auckland to our industry-leading global route network and offering our New Zealand customers nonstop service to the US,” United vice chairman and chief revenue officer Jim Compton said in a statement on October 9.

“We have a long history of working together with our partners at Air New Zealand to provide customers with expansive travel options across and between the United States, New Zealand, and beyond. With the launch of United’s new San Francisco service and Air New Zealand’s new Houston service, we are expanding our partnership, and bringing the benefit of even more service options to the traveling public. ” Currently, Air NZ is the only airline offering nonstop flights between NZ and the US mainland, with daily service to San Francisco, 18 flights a week to Los Angeles and four flights a week to Vancouver from its Auckland hub, with five times weekly flights to Houston due to begin in December. The NZ flag carrier also competes with Hawaiian Airlines on the Auckland-Honolulu route.

Meanwhile, United flies daily from Sydney to Los Angeles and San Francisco, and daily from Melbourne to Los Angeles.

Air NZ chief executive Christopher Luxon welcomed United’s return to Auckland as part of an expanded partnership between the two carriers.

“To have a partner carrier with a network like United Airlines promoting destination New Zealand and attracting visitors through its immense sales and distribution channels will provide a significant boost to inbound tourism,” Luxon said in a statement.

“We look forward to working together with United to continue to build the links between New Zealand and the US. ” United’s entry comes as Qantas and alliance partner American forge a new revenue-sharing alliance on trans-Pacific routes that market watchers believe is likely to lead to American also launching nonstop flights from the US to NZ in the period ahead.

The third significant player on trans-Pacific routes is the combined Virgin Australia-Delta Air Lines alliance, which operates twice daily from Sydney and daily from Brisbane to Los Angeles.

United’s last flight to New Zealand was on March 29 2003.

Cathay adds Adelaide frequency, upgauges Sydney

Second daily 777-300ER service for SydneyCathay Pacific will add a fifth weekly flight to Adelaide from December 2 in response to “high demand” from both inbound and outbound passengers.

The new services will see a new Wednesday evening departure from Hong Kong, which arrives in Adelaide on Thursday morning.

The aircraft will then head back after a short turnaround in the South Australian capital.

“Since we introduced our new schedule in early April last year which provides better connections, particularly to the UK and Chinese destinations, we have seen demand surge,” Cathay’s general manager for southwest Pacific Nelson Chin said.

Meanwhile, Cathay has commenced a second Boeing 777‑300ER rotation to Sydney.

Flight CX101 from Hong Kong, operated by B-KQR, arrived at Sydney a little after 1030 local time on October 2.

Upgauging a second of four daily Cathay flights between Hong Kong and Sydney from the Airbus A330-300 to the 777-300ER represented an eight per cent increase in capacity.

Cathay’s three-class Boeing 777-300ERs have 340 seats (40 business, 32 premium economy, 268 economy), compared with either 242 seats (39 business, 28 premium economy, 175 economy) or 251 seats (39 business, 21 premium economy, 191 economy) on the A330-300s used to serve Australia.

The airline flies 74 times a week to Australia and has utilised the full amount of available frequencies to the country’s four major gateways – Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney – for Hong Kongdesignated carriers.

Therefore, any increase in capacity will have to come through larger aircraft and not additional flights.

Air New Zealand ‘sustainability framework’ part of drive to become a “world-class” organisation

Air New Zealand chief executive Christopher Luxon says that putting environmental, social and economic sustainability at the heart of his airline’s operations is part of the company’s drive to become a “world-class” organisation.

“The bottom line is, getting out of the world of aviation, the very best companies in the world, that are, frankly, doing really well commercially, have their heads sorted on this stuff,” Luxon told journalists after the launch of his airline’s ‘sustainability framework’ in Auckland on September 16.

“You find the best companies in the world doing well commercially are also doing well in a sustainability sense, they are doing well with customers, they’ve got great cultures inside their organisations and that’s the ambition that we want to have, we want to be not just a really good airline or a really good company in New Zealand, we want to be a truly great and world-class organisation and that means we have to have bigger ambitions than what we have had. ” The sustainability framework – launched at a breakfast event in Auckland attended by New Zealand business and political leaders, environmentalists and social entrepreneurs – sees Air New Zealand commit to increasing its environmental as well as social and economic sustainability through a range of measures from carbon offset programs to recycling to providing funding for environmental research.

The airline’s sustainability initiatives will be guided by a “Sustainability Advisory Panel” comprising six independent experts – leading environmentalist, Sir Jonathon Porritt, co-founder and director of the UK-based Forum for the Future; University of Auckland academic and writer Dame Anne Salmond; New Zealand entrepreneur and conservationist Rob Fenwick; social entrepreneur Derek Handley; US biofuels expert Suzanne Hunt; and International Air Transport Association (IATA) chief economist Brian Pearce – as well as Luxon and Air New Zealand’s chief flight operations and safety officer, Captain David Morgan.

The airline will also publish annual sustainability reports, the first of which was launched at the September event, and has reaffirmed its commitment to IATA’s voluntary sustainability targets, most notably carbon free growth by 2020 (ie offsetting the increase from carbon emissions from growth from 2020 onwards).

While the sustainability framework has a much broader focus than carbon emissions, moves around the world to price carbon – New Zealand already has an emissions trading scheme for domestic carbon emissions – means “future-proofing” the business to be ready for a price on carbon emissions is a central consideration.

“That’s the point,” said Luxon. “It’s coming so get ready. ” “That’s exactly why we start now because if you are running your business just because of imposed targets that will evolve and change over time, that’s not the reason to do it. The reason to do it is because a) it is the right thing to do but b) we are actually future-proofing and de-risking the business. ” Continued Luxon: “At some point when carbon is priced and it will come, it’s coming, we’ll be more ready for it than our competitors and we’ll have a better relative competitiveness as a result. ” In the nearer-term Air New Zealand announced several initiatives as part of its sustainability framework launch including a new supplier code of conduct to ensure the airline’s suppliers meet its sustainability goals, transitioning, “where feasible”, the airline’s fleet of road vehicles and ground support equipment to electric power, and a uniform recycling program.

The New Zealand flag carrier also announced it has signed on as a participant of the UN Global Compact; that it is setting up an annual speakers series to bring international “thought leaders” on social development, business growth and environmental issues to New Zealand; and that it is extending support and sponsorship arrangements with the NZ Department of Conservation and Antarctica New Zealand and the New Zealand Antarctic Research Institute.

Longer-term, meeting the carbon free growth goal is a “stretch target”, conceded Luxon.

“We’ve got to try and find our way through the solutions for that but we think we can. It’s a great challenge yet they are the goals that we signed up for … and we really want to make sure we deliver them and we can model out there that an airline can actually do that because I think there is still some skepticism from airlines around the world that believe that really when push comes to shove will you actually be able to deliver it on the timescale, and we want to demonstrate that.

“That’s the role that we can play, despite being a relatively smaller airline in that global aviation place, a bit like we take [a different approach to] innovation, a bit like we do our engagement with consumers differently from other airlines, we can do this differently from other airlines and actually make a serious emotional and rational commitment to delivering. ”