Cover Photo: A close up study of N918JT, a JetBlue Airbus A321-231 seen rocketing out of Los Angeles on February 3; the nose gear is nearly fully retracted.

Philippine Airlines announced plans to begin service from Manila (MNL) to New York Kennedy (JFK) in August. This route will be operated

by the carrier’s new 295-seat Airbus A350 equipment. Exact service frequency and commencement dates have not been revealed yet. Philippine plans to start four new trans-Pacific routes by 2019. 1

Interjet (23IF) will begin 3x weekly service to San Francisco (SFO) from Cancun (CUN) and Guadalajara (GDL) on March 14. Both routes

will be operated by 150-seat Airbus A320 equipment. 2

Iceland’s WOW Air (6WRF) will end 3x weekly service from Reykjavik (KEF) to Miami (MIA) on April 4. This route is currently served by

Airbus A330 equipment. 3

Alaska Airlines (ASAA) will end service from San Diego (SAN) to Mexico City (MEX) on May 19. 4

Air France (CNFF) will operate a pair of round-trip rotations from Paris De Gaulle (CDG) to San Diego this winter, with flights on

November 29 and December 4. These two trips will be flown by Boeing 777-328/ER equipment. 5

AeroMexico (ASMF) will end daily service from Mexico City to Calgary (YYC) on April 8. This route was only launched in June 2017

and operated by Boeing 737-800 equipment. 6

TSA discovered 104 firearms in carry-on bags for the week ending February 11, a new weekly record which obliterates the previously weekly record of 96 set the week ending July 30, 2017. TSA has now found 455 guns in carry-on bags in 2018. Click here to see how many guns have been found at each airport so far this year.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report that discusses TSA’s usage of Sensitive Security Information (SSI). Click here to review.

Two people were arrested upon arriving in New Orleans (MSY) on February 18 after they were caught with nearly 32 pounds of marijuana in their checked baggage. Authorities received a tip that the two would soon be landing; a drug sniffing dog confirmed things. 7

Saratov Airlines Fl. 703 crashed shortly after taking off from Moscow Domodedovo (DME) on February 11, killing all 65 passengers and six crewmembers. The flight was bound for Orsk (OSW); Saratov is a regional Russian airline. The accident aircraft was RA-61704, an Antonov An148-100B. The cause of the crash has yet to be determined. 8

An Iran Aseman Airlines ATR-72-212 (EP-ATS) crashed on February 18 near the Dena Mountains, which contain 40

peaks above 13,000 feet. 60 passengers and six crew on board were killed. Initial search and rescue efforts were hampered by fog and heavy snowfall. The accident aircraft was recently restored and

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returned to service after being grounded for seven years. 9

A United Airlines (CALA) Boeing 777-222 (N773UA) lost large portions of the right-hand engine cowling at 36,000 feet while

operating Fl. 1175 from San Francisco to Honolulu on February 14. The incident occurred 45 minutes prior to landing; the aircraft landed safely.

Photo by Maria Falaschi

United will introduce the Boeing 737 MAX 9 into revenue service on June 7, with flights based at Houston Intercontinental (IAH). United’s MAX 9 aircraft will have 179-seats, the same density as their 737-900/ER aircraft. 10

The Governor of Hawaii unveiled plans for a new $1.1 billion terminal at Honolulu (HNL). The proposed 800,000 square-foot facility will replace the nearly 50-year old concourse currently in place and add over a dozen wide-body gates, additional customs facilities and security checkpoints. The project is expected to be completed by 2028. 11

Grupo AeroMexico earned just a $914,000 net profit in 2017, with rising inflation in Mexico, the appreciation of the peso and fuel

costs being cited as factors weighing against the group. 12

Volaris (Z5XF) booked 16.4 million passengers in 2017, a 9.5% increase over 2016’s figures. System-wide load factor for the past year was

84.4%. The Mexican carrier enjoyed a 23.3% year-on-year increase in non-ticket revenues as well. Unfortunately, those increases didn’t stave off a $30.2 million net loss for all of 2017. 13 Volaris’ fleet of 71 aircraft (12 Airbus A319, 49 A320, and 10 A321) has an average age of 4.6 years, making it the youngest fleet in Mexico. 14

Qantas (QLMF) have painted their fourth Boeing 787-9 (VH-ZND) in an Indigenous Aboriginal livery. The aircraft is expected to be delivered

on March 2. 15

Photo by Katie Bailey

Qantas earned a record $976 million profit for the six-month period ending December 31. Qantas pointed to strong domestic demand as one of the main drivers of its profit. 16

The Boeing 737 MAX 9 was awarded an amended type certificate (ATC) from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on February 16, officially certifying the airplane for commercial service. The 737 MAX 9 is designed for a capacity of up to 220 passengers and a maximum range of 3,550 nautical miles. The MAX 9 has three more rows of seats compared to the MAX 8. 17

A collision between two vehicles on the ramp at London Heathrow (LHR) on February 14 cost a British Airways (BRAF) employee his life. 18

Alaska Airlines now allows passengers to check a case of wine free of charge on domestic flights from 18 West Coast

airports. Click here to find out which airports are Malbec friendly.

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Alaska reported a 75.8% system-wide load factor for January, down 2.3% from January 2017. This figure includes both Alaska and Virgin America (VQIA) flights, as the two now operate under a Single Operating Certificate (SOC). 19

Newark, New Jersey (EWR) will soon begin construction on a one-million square-foot terminal, featuring 33 gates for domestic flights. The $1.41 billion project is slated to be fully operational by 2022. 20

Shannon, Ireland (SNN) saw 1.74 million passengers in 2017, 21 while to the south, 2.3 million passengers flew from Cork (ORK) last year. The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) reports that 1,135,845 flights landed in Ireland in 2017. 22

Shannon (SNN) as seen in November 2017.

With airlines making large sums of money again, pilot groups are beginning to seek the reinstitution of their pension plans. Read more here.

A recent survey of Envoy Air (SIMA) employees, a regional airline owned by the American Airlines Group, showed that 75% of

employees earn less than $13 an hour, with nearly 25% of employees relying on food stamps and other public assistance to make ends meet. American Airlines earned a $1.9 billion profit in 2017. 23

Latvian carrier AirBaltic, the first airline in the world to accept Bitcoin as payment (in 2014), had the best on-time

performance of any airline in the world in 2017. 90.01% of its flights were on-time – departing or arriving within 15 minutes or the scheduled time. 24

Swift Air (I5EA) has added two Boeing 737-4Q8s to their fleet, with N760AS and N769AS, both formerly

with Alaska Airlines, being delivered in mid-February.

Qatar Airlines (QYCF) took delivery of A7-ANA, an Airbus A350-1041 on February 21. This is the first -10 variant of

the A350 to be delivered to any airline. Revenue service will begin on the Doha (DOH) to London Heathrow sector tomorrow. 25

What was first reported in Vol. 129 of the Aviation Update has now come to fruition as Italy’s Meridiana has officially been rebranded as Air Italy. Air Italy plans to grow its fleet from its current dozen aircraft to nearly 50 by 2022. Note that Qatar Airlines owns 49% of the carrier; hence the maroon color of Qatar in the Air Italy livery. 26

Wait a minute: Air Italy isn’t new; it has been around since 2005? True. Air Italy was founded in 2005, then merged with Meridiana in 2011, with flights operating

on behalf of Meridiana using their logo, livery etc. Now Meridiana is rebranded as the new Air Italy.

Sun Country Airlines (SCNA) laid off 350 employees from its ground handling operation at Minneapolis (MSP) on February 22. Those jobs

(ticket counter agents, sky caps) will be contracted out, with former Sun Country employees eligible to apply. 27

Flydubai earned a tidy $10.1 million profit last year, an increase of 18% over 2016’s totals. The Dubai-based airline

flew 10.9 million passengers last year, a new record.

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If you aren’t familiar with Flydubai yet, you probably will be soon – they have 295 Boeing 737s on order – putting them on pace to become one of the world’s largest airlines in the future. 28

Copa Airlines (DCIF) booked a $370 million net profit in 2017, up 10.6% over 2016’s totals. 29

Following on the heels of Lufthansa’s (DLAF) recent new livery, released to widespread disappointment, Icelandair (ILRF) appears to have unveiled a revamp of their livery as well. Spotted at Paine Field on a Boeing 737 MAX awaiting delivery, we can see a lighter shade of blue in use, and a switch in underbelly paint from the current vibrant blue to a plain light grey.

Airliners.net / Brandon Farris

While we are on the topic of new liveries – for the spotters out there – D-AIZC is the first Airbus A320 in the new livery for Lufthansa. It joins Boeing 747-830 D-ABYA as the first two aircraft in the fleet to have the new paint.

Southwest Airlines (SWAA) will begin international cargo shipments in May, with four Mexican airports set to begin

the new service. 30

Here is an interesting article from an astrophysicist who ran several simulations to come up with a boarding method that is five times faster than most current processes.

Los Angeles had more Originating and Destination (O&D) passengers (nearly 33 million) than any other airport in the U.S. in 2017. 31

Aer Lingus (MEDF) means ‘air fleet’ in Gaelic.

XA-VOI, an Airbus A319-132 with Volaris, was withdrawn from use (wfu) and ferried on February 13 to Guadalajara where it was returned to the lessor.

LN-RPW and LN-RPA, both Boeing 737-683s with Scandinavian (SCSCF), were wfu and ferried on February 12 and

19, respectively, to Glamorgan, Wales (DGX) for part-out and scrap.

SE-RJF, an Airbus A320-232 with Scandinavian, was wfu and ferried on February 12 to Glamorgan, where it will join its sister ships for part-out and scrap.

The Aviation Update is compiled by Greg Gayden from open source material gathered across the internet, and features news regarding international operations

to/from the United States and the commercial aviation industry in general. To subscribe, simply send a request. The Update is published multiple times each month as news warrants. Unless otherwise noted, IATA codes used for airports & FAA designator codes for airlines.

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The Third Edition of Commercial Aviation 101, a 245 page book which explores current security programs and the basics of the aviation industry, is now available on Apple iBooks, Amazon and available in PDF format.

Paperback copies can be ordered here.

1 https://centreforaviation.com/insights/analysis/philippine-airlines-long-haul-strategy-part-2-new-nonstop-routes-to-new-york-jfk-and-toronto-363464 2 https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/277260/interjet-schedules-san-francisco-launch-in-march-2018/ 3 https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/277219/wow-air-schedules-last-miami-flight-in-april-2018/ 4 https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/277264/alaska-airlines-ends-4-routes-in-s18/ 5 https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/277307/air-france-adds-limited-time-san-diego-service-in-4q18/ 6 https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/277217/aeromexico-ends-calgary-service-in-april-2018/ 7 http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2018/02/marijuana_luggage_airport.html 8 https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/11/world/europe/russia-plane-crash-saratov-airlines.html 9 http://avherald.com/h?article=4b511c15&opt=0 10 https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/united-to-debut-first-737-max-in-june-446033/ 11 http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/37499833/state-unveils-plan-to-build-11b-concourse-at-honolulu-airport 12 http://atwonline.com/airline-financials/grupo-aeromexico-2017-net-profit-hit-rise-fuel-costs-inflation 13 http://atwonline.com/airline-financials/volaris-posts-30-million-net-loss-passenger-revenue-growth-stalls 14 https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180221006489/en/Volaris-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-2017-Results-8 15 http://australianaviation.com.au/2018/02/qantass-fourth-787-9-completes-maiden-flight/ 16 https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/companies/qantas-posts-record-interim-profit-promises-500m-shareholder-bonanza-20180221-p4z17a.html 17 http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=20295&item=130130 18 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5389945/Passengers-evacuated-planes-Heathrow-Airport.html 19 http://www.frequentbusinesstraveler.com/2018/02/alaska-air-reports-traffic-and-capacity-increase-but-lower-load-factor-for-january/ 20 http://www.frequentbusinesstraveler.com/2018/02/port-authority-green-lights-new-terminal-for-newark/ 21 https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/shannon-group-falls-short-of-targets-set-five-years-ago-1.3394947 22 http://www.eveningecho.ie/corknews/More-than-23-million-passengers-used-Cork-Airport-in-2017-7df5ab79-11b4-4e08-973a-96c1479d7f9f-ds 23 https://www.dallasnews.com/business/american-airlines/2018/02/21/airline-workers-food-stamps-union-targets-american-airlines-subsidiary-fight-livable-wages 24 https://www.sfgate.com/chris-mcginnis/article/An-unlikely-airline-is-the-world-s-most-punctual-12628355.php 25 https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/277314/qatar-airways-opens-a350-1000xwb-london-reservation-for-late-feb-2018/ 26 https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2018/02/20/air-italy-new-airline-looks-push-out-alitalia/356145002/ 27 https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2018/02/21/sun-country-airlines-lay-off-350-minneapolis-ground-workers/358951002/ 28 http://atwonline.com/airline-financials/flydubai-2017-net-profit-18-emirates-partnership-strengthens 29 http://atwonline.com/airline-financials/copa-posts-370-million-2017-profit-passenger-rise-cost-management 30 http://atwonline.com/airports-routes/southwest-launch-first-international-cargo-services-may 31 https://www.forbes.com/sites/tedreed/2018/02/22/the-airport-business-is-booming-fitch-says-as-lax-jfk-and-vegas-lead-nation-in-local-traffic/2/