Hong Kong Airlines cleared to land in Vancouver

Commencing on June 30, Hong Kong Airlines will operate daily direct flights between Hong Kong and Vancouver by Airbus A330 aircraft.

Li Dianchun, chief commercial officer of Hong Kong Airlines said, "This new route service is Hong Kong Airlines' debut in North America. The new route will also open up more opportunities for travelers worldwide to leverage our connectivity in Asia, hence bringing more diverse and convenient travel options for travelers from Hong Kong, the Pearl River Delta region, Oceania and North America."

Established in 2006, Hong Kong Airlines has grown remarkably in just ten years with a wide destination network covering 36 major cities across the Asia Pacific region, including Gold Coast, Auckland, Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei, Tokyo, Sapporo, Seoul, Bangkok, Bali and Okinawa. The current operating fleet is made up of 34 Airbus aircraft, consisting of 29 passenger aircraft and five freighters.

First Oceania route for Tianjin Airlines

Tianjin Airlines will launch the first Chinese flights from Auckland to Chongqing and Tianjin, China, in December. The flights will operate between Tianjin, Chongqing and Auckland three times a week using an A330 aircraft.

It will be the first Oceania route for the airline. In May, Tianjin imported its first A330 aircraft, since then nine international routes have been in operation, including Tianjin-Moscow and Tianjin-Chongqing-London.

The launch will involve direct flights from China's fourth largest city, Tianjin to Chongqing, one of the world's largest urban centers and a major manufacturing and transportation hub in southwest China, and then fly to Auckland three times per week all year-round.

Chongqing is a major economic center of the Yangtze basin and has a population of more than 30 million. Chongqing has invested heavily in infrastructure and is well connected to the rest of China. These infrastructure improvements have led to the arrival of numerous foreign direct investors in industries including car manufacture, finance and retailing.

With a population of more than 15 million, Tianjin is the largest coastal city in northern China and the major gateway port serving the capital Beijing. It is also home to a Special Economic Zone where key experimental economic reforms are taking place, and has become a hub of advanced industries and financial activities with 285 of Fortune 500 companies now having presence there.

The A330 selected by Tianjin is designed to carry 260 passengers with 18 business class seats and 242 economy class seats. Auckland Airport estimates that Tianjin Airlines' new service will add 83,000 seats for Auckland route every year and will provide a $102 million boost to the New Zealand tourism industry.

Tianjin Airlines Company Limited was founded in June 2009, as an aviation enterprise co-established by Tianjin government and the HNA Group. It opened its first international route in 2010 and now operates more than 20 international routes, connecting China to Japan, South Korea, Russia, Southeast Asia and other international destinations. Within the next five years, the airline plans to add more than 10 A330 wide-body aircraft, and more international routes to Europe, Oceania and America, connecting to major cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Melbourne and more.

Two Airbus A330-300 planes leased to major Asian airline

FLY Leasing Limited, a global lessor of modern commercial jet aircraft, announced Tuesday it has acquired two Airbus A330-300s manufactured in 2013 and has leased the planes to a leading airline in Asia in a sale and lease-back transaction.

"FLY has acquired 16 aircraft for more than $660 million this year," said Colm Barrington, CEO of FLY. The company now has a fleet of 122 aircraft on lease to more than 65 airlines in over 35 countries.

Hawaiian Airlines adds Airbus A330 simulator for pilot training

Hawaiian Airlines, Hawaii's largest and longest serving airline, has unveiled an Airbus A330 Full Flight Simulator (FFS) at its corporate headquarters to provide on-site training for its pilots. The airline announced the new addition in a company press release on Tuesday.

The simulator is manufactured by Sim-Industries, a subsidiary of LockheedMartin, and allows Hawaiian to continue its Advanced Qualification Program for pilots using the most advanced and sophisticated technology available. Hawaiian is the first and only Hawaii-based airline to have a FFS on-site for its pilots. The multi-million dollar investment is estimated to return $3.6 million in cost savings every year, the company said in a press statement.

“This means that Hawaiian Airlines' pilots can now complete their qualification at our facilities here in Honolulu," said Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian Airlines president and CEO.
Prior to the installation of the FFS, Hawaiian utilized third-party simulation facilities in Florida at significant expense to the company.

Construction is currently underway for a new facility where the FFS is housed, and will include classrooms and offices for instructors and pilots.
There are currently 627 Hawaiian Airlines pilots, of which 233 fly the A330 aircraft. About 250 new and current A330 pilots are expected to use the FFS this year, with 26 instructors to lead the Advanced Qualification Program. Hawaiian currently has a fleet of 13 A330s, with nine more slated to be delivered by 2015, bringing the total to 22.

“The A330s are more fuel-efficient and have longer operating range than Hawaiian's fleet of Boeing 767-300 aircraft,” the airline said. The new A330s will allow Hawaiian to open new nonstop routes between Hawaii and visitor markets throughout North America and East Asia. Although, Hawaiian just launched their inaugural flight to Sendai, Japan, last week using Boeing 767-300ERs.

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