Icelandair will make Cleveland its newest US destination, a move that would give that city its first non-stop link to a European airport in nearly a decade. Icelandair Tuesday announced its intention to fly from Cleveland to its hub at the Keflavik airport near Reykjavik. Connecting itineraries would be available to more than two dozen additional European destinations, including places such as London, Madrid and Paris. Icelandair did not reveal a specific start date for the new service, saying only that the route would launch in “May 2018" with a schedule of four flights per week. Still, the route is welcome news for the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. The airport last had trans-Atlantic service in 2009, when it was still a hub for United Airlines. “We are happy to be the first carrier to provide service to Europe in eight years,” Icelandair CEO Birkir Holm Gudnason said in a statement. “This addition also strengthens our route network and bridges Europe and Cleveland together by providing direct service to Iceland in addition to quick and convenient connections to 30 destinations in Europe.” Icelandair plans to use its Boeing 757s on the route, though its new Boeing 737 Max jets are expected to be in its fleet by then, possibly giving the airline another option for its Cleveland flights. <br/>
unaligned
Senegalese investigators have detailed several occurrences involving incorrect altimeter readings on the British Aerospace 125 jet involved in a fatal mid-air collision with a Boeing 737-800. None of the seven occupants of the Senegalair BAe125 survived after it crashed into the sea off the West African coast nearly 1h after the impact on 5 September 2015. Investigation authority BEA has concentrated on an apparent 1,000ft discrepancy between the aircraft's altitude, as stated by the crew, and that transmitted by the jet's transponder. The inquiry believes the BAe 125, as a result, was travelling in the opposite direction to the Ceiba Intercontinental 737 at the same altitude of 35,000ft. While the BAe 125's flight-data recorder was not recovered, the inquiry has uncovered evidence of previous similar altimeter problems on the 36-year old aircraft. These issues, in particular, included another serious conflict, with an Arik Air 737, on 23 July 2015 – six weeks before the Ceiba collision. Story has more details.<br/>
Alaska Airlines has reached an agreement with Gogo to equip its Boeing 737s and Virgin America’s A320 family aircraft with Gogo’s satellite-based 2Ku Wi-Fi service, an upgrade over the air-to-ground Gogo Wi-Fi now offered on Alaska’s flights. Alaska pointed out the 2Ku service provides 20 times more bandwidth than the ATG service and will be available on flights to Hawaii, Mexico and Costa Rica, routes on which the current service is unavailable. “We conducted an extensive review to find a satellite Wi-Fi solution that will allow us to give our guests full coverage across our route map, including in the state of Alaska and on flights to Hawaii,” Alaska CCO Andrew Harrison said. Alaska noted that the 2Ku service will enable passengers to get online before the aircraft reaches an altitude of 10,000 ft. and will provide “internet access from gate-to-gate, with speeds similar to those of wireless carriers on the ground.” Alaska has not yet determined pricing for the new Wi-Fi service, but said passengers “can expect that prices will be lower than they are today for ATG service, with options available such as hourly and daily rates.”<br/>
Russian aviation authorities have granted an air operator’s certificate (AOC) to new regional carrier Azimuth Airline. The airline will be based at Rostov-on-Don in the south of Russia, connecting regions of the southern part of the country including the North Caucuses. Azimuth’s network will include up to 100 routes. Azimuth, which will have a fleet of Sukhoi Superjet 100s (SSJ100s), took delivery of the first aircraft in July. The airline will launch operations from the old airport of Rostov-on-Don in September. Later it will move to the new Platov Airport, which is scheduled to open in December. The airline will also develop a regional network from Krasnodar International.<br/>
Thai Lion Air (TLA) is roaring to a lofty altitude with the introduction of medium- and long-haul routes using a new generation of jetliners. <br/>The Thai-registered budget airline affiliated with Indonesia's Lion Group has sought official approval to use three Airbus A330-300 wide-body aircraft to enable a range as far as Europe from TLA's base at Bangkok's Don Mueang airport. TLA will also incorporate the Boeing 737 Max, one of the world's newest commercial aircraft, by early next year, becoming the operator of one of the youngest and most modern fleets in Thailand. The entry of Airbus A330-300s and the 737 Max, which will require Thai authorities' approval, will usher in a new era of growth for TLA, which since December 2013 has operateddomestic and short-haul flights to neighbouring countries using a fleet of new 737-800 and 737-900ER models. The plan is geared towards the highly anticipated lifting of the red flag on Thailand's aviation safety by the ICAO by year-end. <br/>