Rara Avis

Profit.

What a wonderful and dreamy word. All airlines are after it.

And then, there's Southwest Airlines.

Since 1973, the airline turned a profit every single year.

Yes, 1973/74/75/76/77...you get the picture.

A common fleet, motivated staff, simple fares, point to point routes, quick turn around times, hedging fuel, good planning and (probably) luck, too. They are all factors of this "rara avis" in the airline industry.

You may like Southwest Airlines, or you may not. But, it's undeniably that this carrier is an example to follow (and yet, hard to imitate!).

Did you know..?

Qantas and Gulf Air with the F1, ANA and the Pokemon, Alaska Airlines and Disneyland, Emirates and the World Soccer Cup, JAL and "Yokoso Japan", Finnair and Santa Claus, etc,etc
Special liveries are a common thing this days, from amazing, colorful liveries to small stickers. Airlines promote new routes, sales, countries and alliances.
China Airlines painted this Boeing 747-400 (B-18209) in special colors to promote tourism to Taiwan. Sadly, the plane was repainted after just one day.

The reason?
Pressure from communist government of China, for the use of the word “TAIWAN”.

Why Planes Were Made to Fly

Guess the Airline

1-Aerolineas Argentinas

2-Lan Airlines

3-Avianca

4-Mexicana de Aviacion

Answer: Aerolineas Argentinas

Who are you wearing ?

Big designer names and airlines are a match made in heaven. In most countries, flight attendants are like ambassadors in the sky, travelling all around the world, reflecting the culture and traditions of their homeland. That's why most airlines pay so much attention to uniforms. A navy blue skirt and jacket with a white shirt are not enough to represent an airline and an entire nation. Examples of famous designers are Emilio Pucci for Braniff, Anne Klein for Pan Am, Giorgio Armani for Alitalia, Christian Lacroix for Air France and the timeless Singapore Airlines uniform by Pierre Balmain.

Some airlines base their uniforms on the airline colors or livery.For example, Lufthansa and the blue and yellow. Alitalia with the green, Easyjet with the bright orange and British Airways with the blue and red.Others, prefer traditional dresses, for religious reasons and customs.Iran Air is one example. A dark uniform, head covered, long sleeves and ankle length skirt.Others opt for a modern twist, like Gulf Air or Emirates.

Another form of traditional dresses, are the ones that symbolize the country of origin.Japan Airlines used to have a kimono uniform . Air India a sari-like uniform.China Airlines flight attendants wear traditional chinese dresses in purple and pink tones.American Airlines used to use hawaiian style dresses on its flights to Hawaii. Something similar did Air France on its flights to Tahiti.Tyrolean Airways flight attendants used to wear traditional dresses from the tyrol region.

Survivor

On January 26, 1972 a McDonnell Douglas DC 9-32, exploded while en route from Stockholm to Belgrade.

The aircraft spun out of control, crashing near a town in Czechoslovakia, 27 of 28 people onboard died.

The only survivor was a flight attendant, she fell from 33,300ft.

She was in coma for 27 days, and continued working for the company.

She was entered into the Guinness Book of Records for the highest fall survived without a parachute.

Perfect Landing!

That was awesome!!

Apparently the pilot was a drunk, blind, republican midget...with parkinson.

More routes and planes for Goodjet!

Year2002:

Goodjet is preparing to almost double its route network in the next few months and expand its Airbus A320 fleet to six aircraft.

Goodjet serves eight international routes with three 180-seat A320s and is scheduled to introduce its fourth soon.

Goodjet will introduce services from its three Swedish bases to Alicante, Spain, in October, and will operate 14 routes by the fourth quarter. The carrier plans to use the new A320s to launch a network of domestic services by early next year, including between Gothenburg, Malm" and Stockholm as well as to other Swedish destinations.

Year2003:

Goodjet has canceled flights, left passengers stranded around Europe and broken off dealings with its carrier Transair.

The airline ceased operations in early 2003.

Wait a minute... The MD-12

Year1992:

McDonnell Douglas studied improved, stretched versions of the trijet MD-11.

The design grew into a much larger aircraft with four engines and two passenger decks extending the length of the fuselage. The airplane had a capacity for 513 pax in a three-class layout.

Despite aggressive marketing and initial excitement, especially in the aviation press, no orders were placed for the aircraft.

McDonnell Douglas was crazy...a double decker for 500+ passengers..? That's just Insane!!

Wait a minute...

Year2005:

The first A380 was unveiled at a ceremony in Toulouse on January 18, 2005. Its maiden flight took place at 10:29 a.m. on April 27, 2005. This plane, equipped with Trent 900 engines, flew from Toulouse on a 54 minutes test flight.

The Airbus A380 is a 555 seats, double deck airplane...

National out of bankruptcy by year end!

Year2001:
Financial aid from the US Government will enable Las Vegas-based National Airlines to emerge from bankruptcy protection by year-end.
The plan calls for the introduction of smaller aircraft to National's fleet of 15 Boeing 757-200s. The smaller aircraft will operate on shorter routes in the hope of improving yields. The firm will continue with its plan to add five to seven aircraft per year for five years, bringing the fleet to 50 by mid-2007.

Year2002:
National Airlines has ceased operations on November 6, after failing to finalise a refinancing package, less than three months after its application for a US government loan guarantee was rejected.

Sexy Back...Then

Braniff International, "Air Strip" 1965.
Designer Emilio Pucci created a revolutionary new look from Braniff.
The uniforms included a fur coat, dresses and jackets in eight different interchangeable colors, a "coulettes" and even a "space helmet"!

Can you imagine that now? No way!I mean, not because of the slutty thing or the lunatic designs...Because of the extra weight. A fur coat, boots, coulettes, jacket, skirt, shirt, dress, hat, scarf, gloves and a space helmet!!

Like my mother used to say to me: Oil doesn't grow on trees! or something like that.

Did you know..?

In 1984, SAS began operating hovercraft between Copenhagen Airport and the busy southern Swedish port of Malmö. The 17-mile trip across the Oresund strait directly to the airplane tarmac in Copenhagen could be made in 30 minutes. The hovercraft (British Hovercraft Corporation AP-188s) were impervious to water, land, and ice. Although owned by DSO (a subsidiary of Danish State Railways), the hovercraft operated under the SAS name and with SAS personnel.

VG Airlines ambitious growth plans

Year2002:

Just three months after launch, Belgian long-haul carrier VG Airlines is preparing to almost double its network and fleet size.

Passenger numbers are already "healthy and increasing", with load factors averaging around 50% and peaking at 75-80%. VG says it may soon add "two or three" destinations and acquire up to three more aircraft.

The airline declines to specify where it is looking to expand as a variety of options are being examined, but says that it might not be limited to the USA.

Year2002:

The name VG Airlines was changed to Delsey Airlines, in hopes to turn things around.

But Delsey Airlines ceased operations on November 05th, 2002 as efforts to improve matters did not succeed in time.

The carrier operated 3 Airbus A330-200.

Air Inter will continue to be an independent carrier

Year1995:

Air Inter posted a net profit of Fr21 million ($4 million) for 1994, marking a turnaround from the Fr185 million loss forecast a year ago.

Within the next three years, Air Inter expects to lose one-third of its domestic traffic, but hopes to compensate through new routes to Spain, Portugal and North Africa.

Air Inter is 72% owned by the French flag carrier, Air France argues that it will continue to be operated as an independent carrier.

Year1997:

On April 1, 1997 it was absorbed into Air France. On that day Air Inter ceased to exist as a legal entity.

Sabena, first Net Profit in 40 years!

Year1999:

Sabena attributes its first net profit in 40 years to sustained growth in Europe.

The airline, owned by Swissair, made a net profit of BFr703 million ($20 million) last year, its first since 1958.

Long-haul business increased by 47% last year, and accounts for 17% of passengers. The carrier added three new long-haul destinations in April last year, from Brussels to New York Newark, Montreal and Sao Paulo, through a complicated leasing arrangement with City Bird.

Year2001:

Sabena went into liquidation on November 6, 2001.

A parliamentary commission in Belgium was established to investigate the demise of the airline. The commission came to the conclusion that Swissair took the major part of the blame for the bankruptcy of Sabena.

Song, getting stronger

Year2004:
Song, which many expected to die under Delta's new management, will instead grow, adding one-third more Boeing 757s this summer to make it a 36-strong fleet, with 12 more due to join them. The airline aims to fly to 40 destinations in the future, including some in the caribbean.
The low cost airline offer in-flight entertainment options such as films, live television and choices of digital music.
The 757's are configured in an all economy class 199 seats layout.



Year2006:
Song's last flight took off on April 30, 2006.
The airline had a fleet of 48 airplanes, flying to 17 destinations (21, throughout its history).
All airplanes are now retrofitted with Delta's two class layout.



I never had the pleasure of flying with song, but I heard many positive things about the airline.

Fairlines, for the riches, bit@#*s!

Year1997 (The Spice Girls were soo cool...back then)

A new French airline was created ,claiming to offer affordable full first-class service to every passenger.

The "tres-chic" airline will fly from Paris CDG to the major cities in Europe, innitially with a pair of MD-80's cnfigured in an all-first class 72 seats layout.

A fleet of up to ten MD-80s is envisaged, which will be equipped with an interactive in-flight entertainment system. A "lounge" at the rear of the plane will provide a Jetphone telephone service. Passengers will be allowed to bring as much hand baggage into the cabin as they need - freeing revenue-earning space below decks for freight.

This is AWESOME!!!

Year 1999:

Fairlines has finally been liquidated by the French commercial court after the carrier amassed debts of Fr460 million .

The airline operated one route from Paris to Nice.

Passenger load factors seldom rose above 30%, leaving the airline with insufficient cash flow.

The 747 "window nose" and "tiger lounge"

Year1960's and 70's

Juan Trippe, the chairman of Pan American Airlines, launch customer for the 747, wanted a window in the nose so first-class passengers could see where the plane was going.

Boeing built a full-size mockup of the "tiger lounge" in the early 1970s, with the furniture in tiger skin, to show customers the possibilities of passenger comfort on its new jumbojet.

Early Boeing ads for the 747 talked about onboard movie theaters, a library, staterooms for passengers and conference rooms for business travelers. Even private lavatories.

Year2008:

There is no nose window on the 747. Nor is there a Tiger Lounge.

But...to be fair:

Today, airlines like Virgin Atlantic offer a bar area, mini-massages and manicure and mood lighting system.

On the Emirates A380, First Class passengers enjoy two showers and 14 private suites, plus a personal mini bar.

Others, like Iberia and ANA have cameras installed so the passengers can see the take off and landing from their seats...to see where the plane is going!

Guess the Airline

Is it:

A-Singapore Airlines

B-Emirates

C-Sri Lankan

D-Air India

Answer: setarime

Oasis Hong Kong is a hit!

Year2007:

Oasis Hong Kong Airlines and its affordable business class formula has been a resounding success.

Oasis will expand its fleet to a total of about 20 aircraft, a mixture of 747-400s and 777s.

Service to Oakland is now set to launch in December, after the carrier postponed a June launch.
The airline is also eyeing east coast destinations including Florida, New York and Washington DC.
It will likely fly to Chicago and New York before Washington DC and Florida, but no start dates have been set.

Year2008:

Hong Kong’s Air Transport Licensing Authority (ATLA) has stripped grounded carrier Oasis Hong Kong Airlines of all its air traffic rights.

The 17-month old airline only operated flights from Hong Kong to London and Vancouver.

BWIA considering Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Zurich!

Year1995/2002:
BWIA new owners believe that they can more than double the Trinidad and Tobago flag-carriers turnover in five years.
The airline, now owned by the Acker Group, its Caribbean investors and employees, will shortly place orders for two Boeing 767-300ERs and eight 757-200s, both with engine choices to be decided. A third 767 and two more 757s could follow eventually.
BWIA West Indies Airways is considering three European destinations to expand its international network .The airline is looking at Amsterdam, Frankfurt or Zurich, with one of these destinations to be served from spring 2003.

Year2008:
The company announced on September 8 2006 that the airline would be shut down on December 31 2006.
A new airline was created, Caribbean Airlines.The only european route is to London (codeshare with British Airways).

Skybus orders 65 firm airbus A319

Year 2006:

Skybus has placed a firm order with Airbus for 65 A319. The contract represents one of the largest single orders ever by a US carrier.

The low cost carrier is making rock bottom-priced fares its main selling point in the battle for passenger numbers.

Skybus airport strategy is based on a very broad concept of catchment areas by assuming that people will drive considerable distances to get to an airport with its low-fare service.

Year2008:

The airline ceased operation on April 4th, 2008.

The airline cited high fuel costs as a major driver of its decision to shut-down operations.

Promises...

Aerolineas Argentinas Flying to ATH, IST, FRA...

Year 2002:

By October 2002 the argentinian carrier will start operations from MAD to Athens and Frankfurt. And later to Istanbul and Vienna.

A hub in Miami will be created to serve new caribbean and central american destinations.

Year 2008:

Aerolineas Argentinas flies from Madrid to London/Gatwick and Paris CDG.

The routes to Athens, Istanbul, Frankfurt, Vienna and the Miami hub never materialized. Only Munich and Zurich for a brief time in cooperation with Air Comet.

The airline is (back again) a state owned carried.

Promises...