Loganair Announces New Carlisle Services
Scotland’s Loganair has announced a
new partnership with Stobart Group that
will result in the carrier operating services
from the newly-renamed Carlisle Lake
District Airport to London Southend, as
well as flights from Carlisle to Dublin and
Belfast City. Loganair will operate eight
flights per day across the working week
and a total of 12 at weekends, connecting
Cumbria and the Lake District, which
receives 45 million visitors per year, to thethree destinations. The services start on
June 4 and all will be operated by 34-seat
Saab 340s.
Loganair’s Managing Director, Jonathan
Hinkles, said: “We’re both delighted and
honoured to become the first operator
at the new Carlisle Lake District Airport.
This partnership with Stobart will open up
Loganair’s services to a whole new range
of customers.
“With frequent services on each of thethree routes, we have every confidence
that these new flights will transform access
to and from the Lake District for many
thousands of customers each year, as well
as serving areas like the South West of
Scotland.
“This move highlights Loganair’s growing
reputation as an airline that consistently
looks for ways to develop into new markets
and we are confident that its brand will
travel well south of the border.”2017 – A Better Year for General Aviation
After several years of lacklustre
performance, General Aviation aircraft
deliveries in 2017 showed modest
growth, according to the General Aviation
Manufacturers Association (GAMA).
Overall, aircraft shipments rose from
2,268 in 2016 to 2,324 last year and
helicopter deliveries showed a healthy
7.5% increase, rising from 861 (2016) to- Business jets sales moved upwards
slightly, with newcomer, Honda Aircraft
producing 43 of their HA420 HondaJets,
but Bombardier deliveries of Learjets,
Challengers and Globals was down from
163 (2016) to 140.
Single-engined turboprops continued to
be popular, led by Pilatus, which handed
over 85 PC-12s, but there was a 20% fall
in sales of the King Air that dominates the
twin-turboprop sector. Single-engined
piston aircraft saw a healthy increase
with Cessna, Piper, Cirrus and Diamondreporting a rise from 656 units to 742- mainly thanks to large orders from
professional flight training schools.
Among the helicopter manufacturers,
Leonardo has not yet reported its figures,
but Airbus Helicopters was about equal to
last year with 352 commercial deliveries,
Robinson had a much better year thanks
to a 28% rise in R44s and Bell delivered
132 units including 27 of its new Model
505 Jet Ranger X. Rod Simpson
Meridiana, Italy’s second largest airline,
ceased to exist on March 1, and has been
replaced by Air Italy, a completely new airline
in terms of its aircraft, network, business
model and stakeholders, although it will retain
the latter’s ‘IG’ International Air Transport
Association airline code. Meridiana had
been owned by AQA Holding, a joint venture
between Alisarda (51%) and Qatar Airways
(49%) since September 2017.
Meridiana’s eight Boeing 737-800s and
three Boeing 767-300ERs will be phased
out. Starting in May, three new 737 MAX
8s and five former Qatar Airways Airbus
A330-200s will join the fleet, offering an
entirely new onboard product with individual
video screens for inflight entertainment and
Wi-Fi connectivity. The MAX 8s will have 178
bookable seats with a dedicated business
class cabin, even on domestic flights. On
long-haul services, the 260-seat A330s willfeature an executive cabin with 24 lie-flat
seats arranged in four rows in a 2+2+
layout. Economy will be in the usual Airbus
2+4+2 configuration with a 31in (79cm)
pitch. Starting from May 2019, the A330s
will be replaced gradually by Boeing 787-
Dreamliners leased from Qatar Airways.
Meridiana’s existing codeshareagreements with eight airlines has been
retained, including its tie-up with Qatar
Airways on services to Seoul, Tokyo,
Singapore and Malé, plus the MXP-Doha
connection. Air Italy is expected to announce
its US partner shortly, thus enabling
passengers to continue their journey beyond
New York and Miami. Matteo LegnaniAir Italy is the new name for Meridiana. The carrier is being given a complete overhaul,
including its fleet and network. Air ItalyGoodbye Meridiana, Hello Air Italy
Aigle Azur has taken delivery of its maiden
widebody aircraft. The former airberlin
Airbus A330-223, F-HTAC (ex D-ALPG),
is the first to wear the French carrier’s
striking new livery. Rowen Aquilina via
Chris CauchiAigle
Azur’s First
Widebody
http://www.aviation-news.co.uk 1110-13_civil_newsDC.mfDCDC.mfDCDC.mfDC.indd 11 06/04/2018 18: