Category Archives: airlines

Pilot turned author to hold book signing at Watermark Books on Saturday

April 19, 20132:54 p.m.

Wichita native Philip Donlay learned to fly at Riverside airport and earned his private pilot’s license at 17.

He then flew charter flights for Yingling Aviation, freight for Great Western Airlines and corporate jets for a Fortune 500 company. He was based in Wichita.

After more than 30 years as a professional pilot, Donlay was diagnosed with a medical condition that forced him to give up flying.

So he turned to another passion, writing.

At 2 p.m. Saturday, Donlay will hold a book signing at Watermark Books for his third novel, Zero Separation, an aviation thriller.

A fourth novel is scheduled for release next year.

Donlay now divides his time between Minneapolis and the San Juan Islands.

 

 

By Molly McMillin | Filed under airlines, airports, general aviation | Comments

Allegiant to resume seasonal Wichita nonstop service to Los Angeles

April 11, 201312:01 p.m.

In time to take the kids to meet Mickey this summer, Allegiant Air is resuming seasonal service from Wichita to Los Angeles.

Flights will operate two times a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays beginning June 5.

They will leave Wichita at 9:15 p.m. Flights will depart Los Angeles at 3:40 p.m. Pacific time.

The service ends August 14.

Allegiant also operates service from Wichita to Las Vegas.

 

By Molly McMillin | Filed under airlines, Wichita Mid-Continent Airport | Comments

Virgin America, JetBlue and AirTran best airline performers, new ranking shows

April 8, 201310:14 a.m.

Virgin America was ranked the top performing airline for 2012, followed by JetBlue and AirTran Airways, according to the 23rd annual Airline Quality Rating of the nation’s 14 airlines.

Virgin America was new to this year’s rankings.

The three lowest-rating airlines for 2012 were SkWest, ExpressJet and United Airlines, which ranked last.

American Eagle Airlines improved the most, moving from 15th place in 2011 to 11th place in 2012.

The annual rankings are co-authored by Wichita State University associate professor of marketing Dean Headley and Purdue University professor Brent Bowen.

Airlines are rated on on-time performance, denied boardings, mishandled baggage and consumer complaints from data obtained from the Department of Transportation.

Performance by the airlines last year was the second highest in the 23 years of research compiled by Headley and Bowen.

“Passengers are experiencing better performance by the airlines, although it might cost more to fly,” the authors said in a statement.

By Molly McMillin | Filed under airlines, airports, aviation industry | Comments

Use of mobile boarding passes hit 3 million mark in March

April 4, 201311:18 a.m.

A growing number of air travelers are using mobile boarding passes to check in for flights around the country.

NCR Corp. said that it delivered 3 million boarding passes to travelers during the month of March alone.

“In addition to making traveling easier — allowing passengers to check in on their own schedules, bypass check-in counter lines at the airport and go right to the security check-point — there’s definitely a ‘cool’ factor to using mobile boarding passes that’s exciting for travelers,” NCR travel vice president and general manager Tyler Craig said in a statement.

NCR’s mobile pass delivers a patented 2D bar code on a mobile device, which allows passengers to check in remotely and go directly to airport security check-points when they arrive at the airport.

The technology is offered by airlines around the world.

NCR is now launching NCR Dynamic Wallet, which provides boarding gate and flight departure times updated in real time.

It’s also launching NCR Ad Injection, which allows airlines to deliver messages to passengers via their electronic boarding passes.

 

By Molly McMillin | Filed under airlines, airports | Comments

United Express to begin nonstop service from Wichita to Los Angeles

Dec. 19, 20129:54 a.m.

United Express is beginning daily nonstop service between Wichita and Los Angeles International Airport beginning May 2, according to Wichita Mid-Continent Airport officials.

The airline will operate two daily departures and arrivals between the two cities. Los Angeles is Wichita’s fourth top passenger market.

The service will be operated by its regional partner, SkyWest Airlines, which will operate the flights using 66-seat Canadair CRJ-700 regional jets.

The flights are in addition to United’s daily service from Wichita to Chicago, Denver and Houston.

“We wish to thank United Airlines for recognizing the demand for service to the LAX market and bringing their valuable resources to Wichita,” said Valerie Wise, Wichita Airport Authority air service and business development manager, in a statement. “This will be a popular service for the business travelers in our region.”

United’s senior manager of market analysis Martin Kammerman said in a statement that the airline looks forward to serving the growing business market between Wichita and Southern California.

 

 

 

By Molly McMillin | Filed under airlines, airports | Comments Off

Spirit AeroSystems aftermarket business signs agreement with Ethiopian Airlines

Oct. 10, 201210:39 a.m.

Spirit AeroSystems has signed a multi-year supply agreement with Ethiopian Airlines for aftermarket customer support.

Spirit will provide thrust reverser, fuselage and wing component spare parts for the airline’s fleet of Boeing aircraft, which will give the airline “predictable and competitive pricing for all parts in the Spirit catalog while ensuring availability for key parts and components,” the company said.

Ethoipian Airlines is Spirit’s first contract customer in Africa.

“This is a significant milestone for our company as we continue to expand our global support footprint,” Mike Williams, vice president and general manager of Spirit Aftermarket customer support, said in a statement.

 

By Molly McMillin | Filed under aircraft manufacturers, airlines, Spirit AeroSystems | Comments Off

Forecast: Germany will need more than 1,000 new airplanes in next 20 years

Sept. 11, 201210:43 a.m.

Germany will need more than 1,000 new passenger planes and freighters valued at $148 billion at today’s list prices over the next 20 years, a new Airbus global market forecast said.

Demand will include 690 single-aisle planes, more than 230 twin-aisle medium to long-range jets and close to 100 very large aircraft, such as the Airbus A380, the forecast said.

The forecast comes as the Berlin Air Show opens at the Berlin ExpoCenter Airport on Tuesday.

Hawker Beechcraft, meanwhile, announced its participation at the Berlin show, which runs through Sunday.

The company will have on display a King Air 250 and Baron G58.

Germany is the largest business aviation market in Europe, Hawker Beechcraft said. About 16 percent of the region’s business airplanes are based in the region.

The country will also be  the biggest market in Europe for passenger aircraft in the next 20 years, according to the Airbus forecast.

Its fleet is expected to nearly double over the next two decades.

Germany’s air travel has grown 45 percent from 2000 to 2011.

 

 

By Molly McMillin | Filed under Airbus, aircraft manufacturers, airlines, aviation industry, Boeing | Comments Off

Antonov An-225, the world’s biggest cargo plane, in Wichita today

April 2, 20122:01 p.m.

If you’re heading to Wichita Mid-Continent Airport today, you can’t miss the world’s largest and heaviest airplane, the Antonov An-225, a strategic airlift cargo aircraft.

The plane landed  this morning to deliver components for Coffeyville Resources, an oil refinery in Coffeyville.

It plans to take off about 8 p.m. on a 12-hour nonstop flight to the Ukraine, where it is based.

Yingling Aviation was filling the six-engine plane with 65,000 gallons of fuel, said operations manager Steve LaLonde. It can hold 92,000 gallons.

The plane made three fuel stops to get to Wichita from Milan, Italy, where the components were made, and entered the country in Bangor, Maine, LaLonde said.

The Antonov was designed by the Antonov Design Bureau in the 1980s to airlift the Energia rocket’s boosters and the Buran space shuttle for the Soviet space program.

The plane was completed in 1988. A second plane was partially completed.

 

 

By Molly McMillin | Filed under aircraft manufacturers, airlines, airports | Comments Off

AFM: Passage of FAA bill music to the ears

Feb. 8, 201210:32 a.m.

A variety of trade groups are praising Congress’ passage Friday of reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration for the next four years.

That includes musicians.

The bill includes provisions that create a uniform national policy regarding musical instruments on airplanes.

Any instrument that can be stored safely in the overhead compartment or underneath the seat can be considered carry-on luggage, according to the American Federation of Musicians.

The bill sets standard weight and size requirements for checked instruments. And musicians may buy a seat for an over-sized instrument, such as a cello, that are too delicate to be checked.

In the past, each airline could set its own policies on musical instruments.

“This is great news for professional musicians throughout the U.S. and Canada who carry the tools of our trade — our instruments — aboard commercial aircraft,” Ray Hair, AFM president, said in a statement.

By Molly McMillin | Filed under airlines | Comments Off

Wichita Mid-Continent Airport opens bidding for terminal construction

Dec. 21, 20114:23 p.m.

The city of Wichita and the Wichita Airport Authority will begin taking bids Feb. 17 on the construct ion of a new terminal building at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport. Groundbreaking is expected in May.

The terminal, the central part of a $160 million project, is expected to open in late 2014 or early 2015, city officials say.

The airport will hold a pre-bid meeting for contractors on Jan. 11.

The two-level, 273,000 square-foot terminal will feature 12 gates, each with a passenger loading bridge, more efficient passenger and baggage security screening, baggage claim and airline ticketing systems, city officials said.

It will be funded through Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Safety Administration grants, airport passenger facility charges and airport revenue.

The terminal was designed by Kansas City-based HNTB Architecture.

Potential bidders are encouraged to attend the Jan. 11 pre-bid meeting scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at the Wichita Airport Hilton hotel, city officials said.

By Molly McMillin | Tags: Filed under airlines, airports, Wichita Mid-Continent Airport | Comments Off