United Airlines has revealed plans to expand operations at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT) by relocating the aircraft stationed at its base in Guam to the Japanese airport. The aircraft will help United service new secondary markets that are not serviced by major airlines in the area. Andrew Nocella and Patrick Quayle revealed the plans in an interview with Brian Sumers for the Airline Observer. Andrew Nocella is United’s Executive Vice President and CCO, and Patrick Quayle is United’s Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances. The pair are known for testing many new long-haul routes and adjusting United’s network based on the results. Nocella mentioned that United’s results in Guam have been subpar. But instead of moving the fleet stationed there back to the US, it will move them eastward to the land of the rising sun. This is an option because United still holds traffic rights in Tokyo. The Boeing 737-800s that United Airlines will station in NRT will not be handling major routes such as service to Bangkok, Shanghai, or Singapore because United’s partner in the region is handling those routes, All Nippon Airways (ANA).<br/>
star
Croatia Airlines plans to unveil its new visual identity and livery on Tuesday June 18. The new branding will be introduced with the arrival of its first Airbus A220-300 aircraft, which is currently in the paint shop. The carrier has remained tight-lipped on its new look, but an emphasis will be put on revamping the company’s logo as part of its new visual identity. The carrier’s initial logo was chosen in an international competition in 1993 and was designed by Vilim Vasata who in 1995 developed the current brand identity, while Ivana Ivanković, who serves as the company's Head of Corporate Design, was responsible for the airline’s existing livery, which was adopted in 2004. Croatia Airlines refreshed its look by slightly tweaking its livery in 2019. As part of the new design, the letters "Croatia" on the fuselage were made larger, making them more noticeable and recognisable. The Croatian checkerboard symbol, featured on the tail, was further extended down the body of the aircraft, while the blue underbelly became white. However, to this day, the airline’s entire fleet has not been painted in the new livery. The new visual identity will only be featured on the carrier’s incoming fleet of fifteen A220 jets, as the company will become a single-type operator. Aircraft currently utilised by the airline will be returned to their owners.<br/>
Air Incheon, South Korea's cargo airline, has been reportedly selected as the preferred bidder to acquire the cargo division of full-fledged carrier Asiana Airlines, according to industry sources Friday. The cargo-only airline outbid three competitors – Jeju Air, Eastar Jet and Air Premia – in a bidding process, which started earlier this year. Korean Air Lines, South Korea's flagship air carrier, which is pursuing a merger with Asiana Airlines, will hold a board meeting next Monday to approve the sale plan of Asiana's freight unit, the sources said. Korean Air plans to complete the sale process by the end of this year. The sale of Asiana Airlines' cargo division is part of conditions recently set by the European Union due to competition concerns related to the merger. Korean Air has secured approval from 13 countries and regions, including the EU, and is waiting for final approval from the United States. Asiana Airlines' cargo business unit is known to generate revenue of over 1t won ($749.4m) annually. The cargo division deal is expected to be concluded at around 500b won.<br/>
Two people have been injured on an Air New Zealand flight from Wellington to Queenstown during “intense” turbulence. Hato Hone St John said it sent two ambulances to Queenstown Airport at 2.50pm on Sunday, June 16 and took two patients in moderate condition to Lakes District Hospital. A passenger on the flight told local media outlet Crux that the cabin crew were serving drinks when the full coffee pot poured onto a woman. "She received burns and a paramedic attended to her ... she had some blistering,“ the passenger told Crux. The passenger said that a flight attendant had called it “the worst ... turbulence in her career”, adding that it “wasn’t super long but intense”. Air New Zealand chief operational integrity and safety officer Captain David Morgan confirmed to Stuff Travel a customer and crew member were injured during turbulence on NZ607 from Wellington to Queenstown on Sunday. "The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is our number one priority, and our crew are trained to respond to these situations. Our operating procedures outline our onboard response to different levels of turbulence, including detailing when passengers and crew are required to take their seats during the flight. From time to time, clear-air turbulence can occur where rough air is not visible to the flight crew. We’re always reviewing our operating procedures in line with both regulation and international best practice to ensure the safety of our customers and crew is prioritised."<br/>