Aloha Shuts Down

Aloha Airlines, the Honolulu-based airline, announced that after Monday, March 31st, 2008, it would halt all passenger service. They attributed their shutdown to higher fuel costs and high competition.

(courtesy www.newsoxy.com)

(Courtesy starbulletin)

Facts about Aloha Airlines

• Headquartered – Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
• Started on - Aloha Friday, July 26th 1946
• Founded by – Publisher Ruddy Tongg
• Hubs – Honolulu International Airport
• Fleet – Boeing 737-200, Boeing 737-200C, Boeing 737-700 and Boeing 737-800

Message from CEO David A. Banmiller

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Funny: Cricket, Football and Emergency Landing

Back on Jan 9th 2006, an Air Deccan flight was trying to make an emergency landing in Solapur, India. The pilot had to do two flybys to get the spectators and players off the runway that were playing cricket & soccer (The flyby was also successful in shooing away people answering nature’s call).

Original blog coverage here.

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Get Paid to Fly

As reported here and here, Budget Airline Flybe is hiring people (172 temps) to fly between Norwich Airport (small Airport in Eastern England) and Dublin to avoid a penalty (forgo a $550,000 rebate).
In response – “But Richard Jenner, managing director of the airport in eastern England, called
the British carrier’s move “ludicrous” and said the target had to be met by
regular fare-paying passengers.“

Facts about Flybe Airlines -

• Based at - Exter International Airport, England
• Misc - Largest Regional Airline in Europe
• Operations – Over 150 routes to 55 airports
• Hubs – South Hampton, Birmingham, Manchester and Belfast City Airport
• Operations start - November 1st 1979 (as Jersey European Airways)
• Fleet – BAe 146-300 , Embraer 145, Embraer E-195 AR and Bombardier Dash 8 Q400

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V Australia launched with daily flights from Sydney to LA

Virgin Blue group launched its three class premium international airliner, V Australia with daily service from Sydney to LA.

Mr Branson claimed, “With Virgin Blue flying within Australia and to New Zealand and the
South Pacific and Virgin Atlantic between Australia, Hong Kong and
London, V Australia flights to the United States are the obvious last
piece of the puzzle“

Currently, the airlines is offering return fares of $999 between Sydney and US.Facts about V Australia -

• Owned by - Virgin Blue Holdings Limited
• Fleet - Boeing 777-300ER
• Inaugural Flight – Sydney-Los Angeles

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Video: Lufthansa 320 Landing Attempt

The pilot was trying to land the Airbus 320 in Hamburg, Germany. The only problem was there was a storm with 155 mph cross winds. The plane almost crashed, before the pilot applied full power to get it back in the sky. Awesome Video!!! Check out the “About” at you tube page for the video.

[youTube = http://youtube.com/watch?v=LMmoFHFCLZg%5D

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Funny Video: Headroom?

[youTube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=f3sc534vR8o]

Watch out before you close the bin .

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Long Lost Airlines – Kiwi International Airlines

A friend of mine was talking about her experience on a Kiwi International flight from Newark to Chicago, when they had to do an emergency landing. The conversation inspired me to do this section on long lost airlines (they keep popping every year).

Facts bout Kiwi International Airlines (all courtesy Wikipedia) -

• IATA: KP, ICAO: KIA, and Callsign: Kiwi Air
• It was a Part 121 (defined as – Operating Requirements: Domestic, Flag, and Supplemental Operations) American Airlines
• Operation Period – From September 21, 1992, to March 23, 1999
• Founded by – Eastern Air Lines pilot Robert Iverson
• Hubs - Newark, Miami and Atlanta
• Bankruptcies – 1996 and 1999 (after 1999′s bankcruptcy, it had to stop the operations)
• Turning Point - In fall 1994, Iversion managed to secure a 25 mil dollar IPO offer which was rejected by the board.
• Fleet - Boeing 727 (BAC plan for 11 firm and 5 options was scraped when Romero, Romanian partner failed to find funding).

More Information -

Uniforms – Click here

Pictures on Airliners.net – Click here

Wikipedia Article – Click here

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New Airlines – Thomas Cook Airlines

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New Airlines keep popping every year. So, it is time for travel company Thomas Cook to start it’s own.

Facts -

• It is a result of merger between MyTravel and Thomas Cook
• Launch Date – March 30th 2008
• Number of Aircrafts – 42
• Inaugural Flight – London, UK (Gatwick) to Reus, Spain (Departs at 5:05 am)
• Hubs – Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, London Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle, East Midlands
• Aircrafts – Airbus (320-200, 321-200, 330-200) and Boing 767-300ER

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Board Pass on your Cellphone Screen?

(Image from USAToday)

Facts -

• All the big US Airlines allow the feature of checking in through a mobile device
• Continental is currently testing Electronic passes (no boarding pass at all).
• A little risky, since what if the reader is not able to read properly?
• Though, helps us to become a little more “green”.

More on the article – here, here and here.

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Contentinental Jet’s Tires Blow during Houston Landing

Facts -

• Flight Date and Time – March 27th 2008 (landing around 6pm)
• Flight – From Oklahoma City to Houston
• Airplane – Boeing 737
• Damage - 4 tires
• Flight Status – Landing at Houston Bust Intercontinental Terminal
• Airline – Continental
• Passenger Load - 113 passengers (with 5 crew)
• More – It was not an emergency landing
• Fun – All passengers on the flight got drink tickets ($5 worth).

For more information read this.

For Video – Here

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