Principal issues have come following tests with passengers which show that the throughput is only half of what is expected, and the number of check-in desks is vastly lacking.

The airport is also without sufficient fire cover, and facilities such as lounges, restaurants and retail are also not ready yet.

This has all come only three weeks before the main carriers at the airport – Lufthansa, Air Berlin and easyJet – were expected to begin their increased schedules from the new facility, having already started moving signage and equipment across from Tegel and Schonefeld airports, where they currently operate.

Lufthansa, who traditionally focus their hubs on Frankfurt and Munich, had announced a 40% increase in operations from Berlin with the opening of the new airport, and the basing of six Airbus A320 aircraft. The airline is now suggesting the airport doesn’t open until after the Easter holidays in April 2013. In the meantime, it will need to cram in the extra aircraft and routes from the existing Tegel Airport, which is vastly overcrowded, since it does not want to cancel the new routes (which have been selling well).
This is disappointing news from a country which prides itself on efficiency. I’ll do my best to keep you informed of developments and new opening dates when announced.Air Berlin, who will also increase the number of services from Berlin, has suggested that the new airport not open until the winter timetable begins at the end of October this year, to give the airport time to complete, and to then test it on the quieter timetable.

The name change will take place with the delivery of its new Airbus A330-200′s in 2013.

Fiji Airways was last used in 1970, and following losses the airline has decided to undertake a restructuring programme to try to improve the business and attract more passengers. Part of that is adding the ‘Fiji’ name to the airline, to hopefully increase awareness from passengers wanting to travel to the Pacific island nation.

David Pflieger, Air Pacific’s Managing Director and CEO, said “Globally there is high consumer awareness of Fiji as a holiday destination. We want to strengthen that association and also promote Fiji in every country we fly to. Returning to ‘Fiji Airways’ will better reflect our role as Fiji’s national carrier, and also assist Fiji by growing tourism and interest in the nation.”

Credit to World Airline News

The Sonesta Hotel at Maho Beach has become known as one of the great plane spotting destinations in the world, due mainly to the dramatic low arrivals of huge airliners only inches above peoples’ heads.

The hotel itself has great views, with balconies overlooking these final few seconds of the approach, and also of aircraft lining up for takeoff.

However, the place can be quite expensive. Therefore, you may be surprised to know that there is an alternative for spotting at Sint Maarten.
It is a smallish hotel, with 40 rooms. It includes free internet in guests’ rooms, and on-site restaurants, as well as other nearby shops and restaurants.This is the Travel Inn Hotel at Simpson Bay. It is around 2 miles from the airport terminal

Views from even-numbered rooms on the 2nd floor are the best options as they face east, towards aircraft traffic. You will be able to see aircraft departing the runway and turning right, away from the mountains.

Whilst this is not as close or dramatic as Maho Beach, it is a more affordable option. Plus, it is only a 10 minute drive to the beach, or the Sunset Bar which pipes in ATC over its speakers, and is the spot that most great photographs are taken from.

Book the Travel Inn Hotel at http://www.travelinnhotel.com/

Have you stayed in any other good hotels at St Maarten with views of aircraft movements?

Hope you enjoy.

This is run by the airport, and by the Washington Pilots Association – Paine Field Chapter. It is also in conjunction with the Flying Heritage Collection, and Historic Flight Foundation.

It will be a great aviation day, with static displays of GA aircraft and the historic warbirds that are worked on here. There will reportedly be five B-25 aircraft on display and flying!

From midday, there will also be a flying display of a number of the historic aircraft. And if you’re feeling flush, why not splash out on a biplane or helicopter ride?

In addition to all this, there will be food, stalls, entertainment running. The event is open from 9am-5pm, with $5 entry ($10 for a family).

Read more about it here: http://www.wpaflys.org/Chapters/Paine/ga_day.htm

The facility already services Dash 8 and Q400 aircraft, but now the commuter jet will also be handled here.

Flybe is based at Exeter, and also flies the Q400 aircraft, so it makes sense that their Aviation Services division handles their maintenance. However, over recent years a number of operators have sent their aircraft to Exeter to be serviced by them. This has resulted in a number of exotic aircraft visiting.

Now it looks set to get better, with CRJ aircraft also coming in.

The deal was signed at the recent All Series Bombardier Operators Conference, and Exeter has now become the only facility aside from Bombardier to be approved to do this work on both aircraft types.

So watch out for some interesting movements heading Exeter’s way in the future.

Following the sale of bmi to IAG recently, the future of bmibaby has been hanging in the air. But yesterday they finally made their position clear with announcements of routes being cancelled from June and September across their network. Unless the airline is sold soon, I’d say they will be gone by the Winter timetable.

The current plan is to pull out of routes from East Midlands to Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Geneva, Glasgow, Newquay, Nice and Paris from 11 June.

Then, from 10 September, all remaining routes (mainly Mediterranean destinations) will be pulled.

But on the flip side, Flybe has announced that it will be stepping in to set up a hub at East Midlands from the Winter 2012/13 season (starts end of October), and introducing flights to Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Jersey and Paris CDG (in addition to Belfast, which is already operated).

So a bittersweet change of scenery for the airport, with the sad loss of a based airline but welcome replacement on some routes by another.

Other airports on bmibaby’s route network will also lose flights, including Belfast City and Birmingham.

British Airways have announced that they’re going to restart their route between London Heathrow and Seoul Incheon in South Korea.

This is the first announcement to come since the IAG deal to buy bmi was completed, after which the airline promised to increase service to Asia.

The new route will commence on 2 December 2012, and is on sale now. It will utilise a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, operating six times weekly.

The route was last operated in 1998. However, Dave Crawley, BA’s Commercial Director, says “We have seen significant growth in customers wanting to travel to Seoul for both business and pleasure.”

Seoul Incheon is one of the biggest airport hubs in Asia – very interesting for the spotter, and situated fairly close to the domestic Gimpo Airport where you can see the domestic Korean Air and Asiana Airlines fleets.

As the Asian carriers start carrying passengers around on their new 787s, the Dreamliner World Tour is still underway, with N787BX – the third prototype aircraft – visiting many customers in airports around the world ahead of them taking delivery.

This past week the aircraft has been in the UK, visiting Thomson Airways at Manchester, Virgin Atlantic at Gatwick, and British Airways at Heathrow. I was lucky enough to be invited by the latter to come and have a look around the state-of-the-art plane as it took part in the re-opening ceremony of the airline’s Grade II listed hangar, which has recently undergone modifications to accommodate the 787s and A380s that will be entering the fleet from 2013.

Once the ceremony, tea/coffee and sampling of the new Club World tuckbox menu had been enjoyed, my allotted time of 10.20am for a tour of the aircraft arrived.

After entering through the door, it was now Boeing’s job to entertain. A number of employees were on hand to show us around the aircraft interior, explaining the fantastic features. A bunch of flowers on a pedestal framed the spacious, cathedral-style entrance area whilst mood lighting flickered overhead.

Up front, wide seating had been installed to demonstrate First Class, whilst in the rear Dreamliner-themed Economy class seating still looked a cut above the rest.

In the cockpit, one of the pilots who has been taking the aircraft on its tour explained the unique layout which aids flight crew workloads and revolutionises aircraft operation, whilst still maintaining a conversion time of only 5 days for existing Boeing 777 pilots.

In the rear, a rare glimpse into the world of the crew rest area was offered. Climbing a narrow, steep staircase behind an unassuming door led to the loft space with six beds and more mood lighting.

And how can we leave out the toilets. The doors are positioned to allow wheelchair users to pull right up, and the space age seat lids glide up and down.

It should also be mentioned that alongside the Dreamliner, British Airways had pulled in their new A319 ‘Dove’ Olympics logojet G-EUOH, and members of the marketing team were keen to stress how much effort BA employees are putting in to this year’s London Olympics – both at Heathrow and as part of the bigger picture of being a sponsor partner.

Whilst the hangar has had millions spent on it, removing office space, creating a gap above the door to fit the A380 tail, and creating rigs that can extend around aircraft receiving maintenance, it is nice to see the original arch across the ceiling which exists from the BOAC days and gains the building its listed status. The neighbouring hangar will be worked on next to bring it up to the same standard.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

My thanks to British Airways for the invite.