Airways Magazine April 2022

This is Airways! For you who are aviation enthusiasts at heart, ‘300’ will trigger in your mind images of some aircraft models like the Airbus A300 or the -300s series of various Boeing models (from the 737 to the 777). But, in this case, let’s talk about 300, a popular movie based on a fictionalized ancient battle in which 300 Spartans struck fear and terror into the hearts of their far more numerous opponents (sorry, I don’t want to spoil the movie for those who haven’t seen it yet). Each issue of Airways published since 1994 has become one of our 300, delivering not fear but awe, and not terror but fun to our readers as we covered the ups and downs of the air travel industry. We are steadily heading toward…

ON THE COVER Inspired by the unimpeded Alberta winter snow and wind, the distinctive Edmonton International Airport’s control tower dominated the cover of our 300th issue. Designed to fit naturally, the building reminds us why YEG is a masterclass in winter operations. PHOTO ALEX PRAGLOWSKI SOCIAL MEDIA airwaysmag 1,008 likes Featured photographer, Luca Knopp (@Planespotter_luca) “I was more than happy that I was able to spot the Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 retrojet for the first time.” OUR MOST VIEWED VIDEO Let’s take a look at the latest developments in the aviation industry in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Airways is now on YouTube. Be sure to subscribe and get the latest news and our Weekly AvFix.…

1 ALASKA AIRLINES AIRBUS A321-214 N855VA MSN 5179 As the official partner airline of the San Francisco Giants, Alaska Airlines (AS) has rolled out a second baseball-themed jet. The Giants’ logo appears on the central section of the fuselage and Lou Seal, the team´s mascot, adorns the boarding door. 2 LYNX AIR BOEING 737-8 MAX C-GJSL MSN 43312 · LN 7852 Calgary-based ultra-low-cost carrier Lynx Air (Y9) has taken delivery of its first Boeing 737-8. The jetliner, configured in a single-class cabin with 189 seats, will initially serve domestic routes and later take on transborder routes and other international destinations. 3 CONNECT AIRLINES BOMBARDIER DHC-8-402Q N881WM MSN 4216 US startup Connect Airlines (MW) has its first aircraft, leased from Chorus Aviation. The carrier intends to focus on business travelers and to operate flights between Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) and…

LUV is in the Air! Salt Lake City, USA PHOTOGRAPHER: MICHAEL RODEBACK HOMETOWN: SALT LAKE CITY, USA SOCIAL MEDIA: MICHAELRODEBACK HOW I GOT INTO AVIATION PHOTOGRAPHY: When I was very young, just two or three years old, my brother Jeff would take me to the airport. He photographed the airplanes while I looked up in awe. He would then sit me in front of his computer at home to view the pictures in a continuous loop. A few years later, he stopped taking photographs and began working on his Pilot’s license. I still filed through his photos regularly, wanting to take pictures just like them. These are some of my earliest, fondest memories. Today, we have both realized our dreams: Jeff flies the planes, and I take the pictures. PLANE SPOTTING THESE DAYS: For me, plane spotting is…

IN THE UNITED STATES, consolidation has been a significant trend in the air travel industry since the early 2000s. We have seen the merger of Delta Air Lines and Northwest in 2009, United Airlines and Continental in 2010, American Airlines and US Airways in 2013, and Southwest Airlines and AirTran in 2011. Now, two new airlines are tying the knot. Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines aim to create a new airline with a massive fleet poised to dominate the US ultra-low-cost carrier market. The proposed airline, the name of which has not yet been revealed, will offer over 1,000 daily flights to 145 destinations in 19 countries with a fleet of 284 Airbus A320 family aircraft. Together, Frontier and Spirit have 350 next-generation Airbus aircraft on order, giving them a significantly strong…

THE YEAR 1978 proved to be one of the most influential in American aviation history. On October 24, President Jimmy Carter signed the Airline Deregulation Act into law. This gave airlines, and not the government, the power to set their fare structures and to select their routes. Fierce competition followed. Airline profits plummeted, and many airlines declared bankruptcy or went out of business altogether. As part of the act, the government ensured that certain cities unlikely to be profitable would keep their air service. Under the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, which is still in effect today, the government subsides routes connecting these small cities to larger ones. It offers airlines of all sizes a chance to bid, considering the subsidy needed and the quality of service being offered. Within the…