NEW ZEALAND: EVA Air Leases Its Boeing 777 To Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand will use a leased plane from Taiwan's EVA Air to cover for Dreamliner aircraft that are still affected by Rolls-Royce engine problems.

An EVA Boeing 777-300 will be used on Auckland-Vancouver and Auckland-Nadi routes for a fortnight from later this month.

It is the second leased 777 Air New Zealand is using.

During a six-week period until early September, the airline has an ex-Singapore Airlines 777-200 on the Auckland Honolulu route as it works through checks and repairs, if needed, to different parts of Trent engines.

The EVA plane is believed to be about nine years old, six years younger than the ex-Singapore aircraft which has been praised as roomy but has had problems with its in-flight entertainment system.

Air New Zealand said that it was leasing planes because continuing to get customers to their destinations has been its first priority as it worked through disruption from engine issue.

EVA Air is a fellow Star Alliance member.

This particular aircraft is of a similar standard to our Air New Zealand fleet with business, premium economy and economy class seating, the airline said.

There are 38 business class seats, 64 premium economy and 221 economy seats.

We are pleased to confirm that Air New Zealand crew and pilots will be operating this aircraft, who will provide the friendly Kiwi service our customers are familiar with.

Earlier this year the airline wet leased older Airbus A340s from charter operator Hi Fly that needed to be staffed by its Portuguese crew.

Air New Zealand's flight schedules have been badly affected because nine of its 11 Boeing 787s have engines subject to inspections of compressors and range some can fly from airports has been restricted.

Engines have been flown to Singapore to replace cracked compressor blades, a job that can take 10 days but also stretch for weeks depending on what else is needed.

The intermediate compressor problems, and earlier turbine blade problems led to groundings and severe disruption for airlines, including Thai and LATAM which also serve this market.

British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Singapore Airlines' regional carrier Scoot have also been affected by problems with Trent Package C engines, used by about a quarter of the Dreamliner fleet.

EVA Air started flying in 1991, has 78 aircraft serving 63 destinations. It had more than 12 million passengers across its network and the US is its biggest market outside of Asia Pacific.

The airline was awarded best business class and premium economy class in Asia, at the 2018 TripAdvisor Awards which are determined by airline reviews and ratings submitted by travellers worldwide.


Tourism Observer

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airline Luxurious Suite

If you’ve ever dreamed of flying at the height of luxury on Singapore Airline’s legendary first class suite, the month of August presents an extremely rare opportunity to do so at an affordable price.

From now until Aug. 23, Norwegian Air will operate one of its daily London Gatwick to New York JFK routes on a leased A380 jumbo jet that formerly belonged to Singapore Airlines.

That means that some passengers who book seats in its premium cabin will get a mega upgrade, elevating their experience from the extended legroom and amenities of a normal Norwegian premium ticket to a private suite with lie-flat beds.

Singapore’s premium product is recognized by many as the best in the industry, so flying it for just over $600 one-way is a steal.

Why is a low-cost airline known for its hyper-efficient aircraft operating a route on the four engine A380 super jumbo jet?

Like several other major transatlantic carriers, Norwegian has been heavily affected by the engine problems of some Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

This issue with the Rolls Royce-manufactured Trent 1000 engine has caused airlines to create workarounds while their aircrafts are inspected for safety.

In the case of Norwegian, the airline has entered a wet-lease contract with an airline called Hi Fly, which has a business model of providing a fully-equipped aircraft—crew, maintenance, insurance and all—when an airline cannot operate a route on its own aircraft and doesn’t want to cancel flights.

Hi Fly operates all manner of aircraft, and it acquired the 12-year-old A380 it is using on this route in July.

Amenities and aircraft configuration on these wet-leased flights can differ significantly from what are advertised on Norwegian’s website at the time of booking.

But in this particular case, that divergence could be a win for passengers. Even those who don’t end up in the suites will find the business class cabin a notable upgrade compared to Norwegian’s premium economy product.

According to a statement from Norwegian given to The Points Guy, the aircraft will be used on its evening London-New York and overnight New York-London services.

In the booking portal on Norwegian’s website, you should see - Operated by Hi Fly where you’d normally see the aircraft type.

So what are the odds of snagging a suite after purchasing a premium ticket?

Rather than allowing customers to choose between the 12 first class suites or 60 lie-flat business class seats, they all cost the same, and Norwegian is randomly allocating the suites to premium passengers, according to reports.

So if you buy a premium ticket on one of the A380s, you have a 16.67% chance of getting seated in the first class cabin, according to aviation blogger Sam Chui, and you’re guaranteed to at least get a lie-flat seat.


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NEPAL: Hi Fly To Provide Nepal Airlines Two Airbus A330-200s

Nepal Airlines Corp. (NAC) will take delivery of the first of two Airbus A330-200s in June, in order to expand its international network following the acquisition of the two wide-body planes.

Portuguese wet-lease specialist, Hi Fly, will provide both airplanes, which are currently in final assembly stage in Toulouse, France.

The two A330-200s, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, will feature a two-class cabin configuration that will seat a total of 274 passengers, respectively 18 in Business class and 256 Economy class.

Likewise, the 2-aisle cabin will have each seat equipped with RAVE Centric, the latest In-seat AVOD In-Flight Entertainment System.

According to NAC, it has signed a 12-year contract of total-care-package for the aircraft’s Rolls-Royce engines, including spare engines, if needed.

Nepal Airlines flies to eight international destinations from its main hub in Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM), including Kathmandu to Doha (Qatar), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Hong Kong, Bangkok (Thailand) and Dubai as well to Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai (India).

Also, it operates domestic flights from its regional hubs at Biratnagar, Nepalgunj, and Pokhara.

As of January 2017, the oldest airline from Nepal manages a fleet of 12 aircraft, consisting of two Airbus A320-200s, one Boeing 757-200M, two Xian MA-60 used for regional flights, three de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, and four Harbin Y-12 only two used due to lack of pilot.


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PORTUGAL: Wet Lease Operator Hi Fly Procures Two Airbus A380s

Portuguese wet-lease operator, Hi Fly, has announced the acquisition of two former Singapore Airlines A380s, which the Asian carrier retired after ten years of operation.

Singapore took delivery of its first A380 in 2007, becoming the world’s first operator of the type. However, shy of 11 years later, it returned the two eldest double-decker planes to its lessors in June 2017.

The Asian carrier announced that its first two Airbus A380s were “undergoing de-lease work before returning to the lessor.”

For an aircraft of such young age, it is surprising to see it phased out.

The plane’s last revenue service was from Singapore to London-Heathrow, then ferried to Tarbes Airport in France where it had been painted in a full-white livery, and its four Rolls-Royce engines had been removed.

The fate of these two planes remained uncertain. There was a strong likelihood that the A380s were to be potentially scrapped for parts.

However, increasing rumors suggested that Hi Fly wanted to purchase these two planes to substantially add capacity to its diversified fleet, and cater to airlines that need peak season capacity at the lowest possible cost.

Hi Fly operates a fleet of 15 widebody A330s and A340s.

Hi Fly president Paulo Mirpuri says the acquisition of the world’s largest airliner has been part of our company’s plans for a while.

The airline expects to take delivery of the first A380 in mid-2018.

The planes will be configured with a three-cabin layout, totaling 471 passengers in First, Business, and Economy Class.

Hi Fly says that in its upper deck, the A380 will offer 12 First Class spaces, followed by 60 Business Class seats.

On the lower deck, 399 positions will add to a total of 471 passengers.

The airline also mentioned that future high-density configurations might carry up to 868 passengers.

The Portuguese wet-lessor usually operates flights on behalf of airlines that need backup planes in case issues arise with their fleet, or a sudden spike in capacity is required.

The service it provides consists of an airplane, fuel, and crew, operating on behalf of the contracting carrier.

With the current Boeing 787 engine woes, for instance, Hi Fly has wet-leased numerous A330s and A340s to airlines around the world who desperately needed a replacement until the Dreamliners come out of maintenance.

Venezuelas Estelar recently entered into a wet-lease agreement with Hi Fly’s Maltese subsidiary to open up a new route between Caracas and Madrid.

Hi Fly provided an Airbus A340-300 for the service, but when the aircraft was scheduled for maintenance, a bigger A340-500 was provided.

However, the fact that the A380 is a niche product could be a cause for concern for Hi Fly.

Only 14 airlines around the world operate the type and not every airport in the world is A380 ready, tightening the opportunities for airlines to show real interest.

Furthermore, the fact that Emirates has been the only carrier to order more A380s, and airlines like Singapore and Malaysia Airlines are looking to get rid of the oldest units, suggests that the future of the plane, as a whole, is in trouble.

Nevertheless, having a high-density plane capable of carrying up to 868 passengers could prove lucrative during the Hajj pilgrimage season, which is the most productive season for a wet-leasing airline.

But an aircraft the size of the A380 would need to be operational year-round for it to make financial sense.

It is positive news for the A380 program. Scrapping an aircraft after ten years of service is a definite proof of failure.

Hi Fly’s endorsement of the type will give the airline great relief.


Tourism Observer