Two Qatar aircraft damaged on the ground

This story is a few days old now but due to the incredible events thought I would share it anyway.

QATAR A350-1041 A7-ANB (MSN 102)

On the 30th April Doha Airport faced a violent storm with gusts up to 110 km/h (61 knots). Two parked Qatar aircraft got damaged during the storm. A Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner started rolling and pushed a neighbouring Airbus A350-900 causing damage to both aircraft. The 787 Dreamliner, which can weigh 119,950 kg (264,500lb) OEW, turned 45° to the left and was pushed into an equally heavy A350 by strong winds. The nose of the 787 aircraft hit the right-hand forward fuselage of the A350. Airport security video shows the first aircraft rolling along the tarmac heading straight towards the other plane. Both aircraft were parked at a remote stand and had been parked securely and chocked in accordance with AMM (aircraft maintenance manual) guidelines while operations at the airport had been temporarily suspended due to the high winds.

"No passengers or crew were on board at the time and the aircraft suffered only minor damage."

Aircraft Number One
Airline: Qatar Airways
Code: QR/QTR
Type: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
Registration: A7-BCT

Serial Number 38338/266

First Flew: 20/01/2015

Test Registration: N10187


Aircraft Number Two
Airline: Qatar Airways
Code: QR/QTR
Type: Airbus A350-941
Registration: A7-ALJ
Serial Number: 025
First Flew: 06/05/2016
Test Registration: F-WZFT

South Africa to get a new national carrier

South African Airways seems to have reached the end of the line. Despite clinging on to life for the past few months, the airline is now just days away from either being wound down slowly or liquidated quickly, depending on the actions of its 4,700 employees. This would make way for a new national carrier, one which it is hoped will provide jobs for the many who are set to lose out with the closure of SAA. South African Airways, almost a century old, seems to have reached the end of the runway. Discussions that took place between the Public Enterprises Department, SAA’s rescue practitioners, and workers unions suggest that the airline is on the verge of being liquidated. Business Rescue Practitioners (BRPs) Les Matuson and Siviwe Dongwana had previously planned to liquidate the airline and had issued a deadline of the 24th April for workers to choose between terminating their contracts or liquidating the airline. However, they put this on hold until May 1st. The flag carrier of South Africa was already struggling with its finances before the global health crisis rocked the aviation industry. At the end of last year, it filed for bankruptcy protection. However, domestic and international flight restrictions forced the operator to suspend all of its commercial services. Subsequently, last week, news broke that the company will lay off all of its staff at the end of April / early May. It confirmed that staff members will receive one month’s salary for each year that they have worked with the firm. Additionally, employees will receive payment for annual leave that has not been used, along with further month’s pay instead of notice pay. South Africa’s public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan signed a letter that was addressed to SAA’s unions. A deal was due to be finalized a few day ago. However, the involved parties now have another week to sort out underlying issues.

“We advise that the department agreed with Business Rescue Practitioners on a moratorium on the signing of the retrenchment (layoffs) agreements until Friday 1 May 2020,” the letter said, as reported by Reuters.

“As a result, the employees are not obliged to sign the collective agreement for the retrenchments for the period of the moratorium.”


South African Airways, founded on the 1st February 1934, was the state-owned flag carrier airline of South Africa. Its Headquarters was in Airways Park at O.R Tambo International Airport, the airline operated a hub-and-spoke network, linking over 40 local and international destinations across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Oceania from its base at O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, using a fleet of more than 40 aircraft. The carrier joined Star Alliance in April 2006 (2006-04), the first African carrier to sign with one of the three airline alliances.

As of March 2020^[update], the South African Airways fleet consists of an all-Airbus fleet of the following aircraft:

South African Airways fleet

Aircraft	In service	Orders	Passengers			Notes
			C	Y	Total
Airbus A319-100	7	—	25	95	120
Airbus A320-200	10	—	24	114	138
Airbus A330-200	6	—	36	186	222
Airbus A330-300	5	—	46	203	249
Airbus A340-300	7	—	38	215	253	2 stored To be retired in 2021.
			36	215	251
Airbus A340-600	4	—	42	275	317	2 stored To be retired in 2021.
Airbus A350-900	4	—	30	309	339
			28	298	326
Cargo fleet
Boeing 737-300F	2	—	Cargo
Total	39	—

Story sourced from different news platforms and Wikipedia

Airports blocks Virgin aircraft

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B737'S            File Photo

Virgin Australia planes have been blocked in with bulldozers on the tarmac at Perth Airport, over claims the company owes a ‘significant’ amount of money to the airport. The measures come after the airline was placed into voluntary administration this week amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Airport staff have blocked a number of planes with vehicles and heavy machinery, to prevent a towbar from being attached to them. This was “standard practice used in these situations”, a Perth Airport spokesperson said, claiming the facility was owed money by the airline. Virgin has significant outstanding invoices from Perth Airport for airfield and terminal use charges – money the airline has already collected from its passengers and the FIFO sector," the airport said in a statement. “While Perth Airport is working with the Virgin administrators, it also needs to protect its own interests." “Perth Airport has taken liens over a number of Virgin aircraft – a standard practice in these situations.” A Virgin Australia spokesperson confirmed to a number of aircraft had restricted access, but that scheduled flights were not impacted. "We are aware that Perth Airport has restricted access to our aircraft and the Administrator is dealing directly with Perth Airport on the matter. There is no impact to scheduled flights."

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA B777 & A330'S           File Photo

Qantas, which is currently locked in its own battle with Perth Airport over airport charges, criticised the move to impound the planes. In a statement, Qantas described the decision as extraordinary behaviour and deeply worrying for all users of Perth Airport. "Protecting your interests is one thing but parking a bulldozer in front of an aircraft while saying you're 'working to secure an agreement' is ridiculous," a statement from the head of external communications Luke Enright said. "It's no way to treat a customer of 20 years. "This kind of action is deeply worrying for all users of Perth Airport." Mr Enright characterised Qantas's dispute, which is currently before the courts, as relating to "excessive" charges and claimed Perth Airport was refusing to negotiate over the use of Terminal 4, something the airport emphatically denies. "They refuse to negotiate and pay up on the terminal they have effectively taken back from us, which is valued at well over $150 million," Mr Enright said.
Adelaide Airport has become the latest Australian airport to seize possession of Virgin Australia aircraft as collateral against outstanding bills. Since being placed into voluntary administration, it has been discovered Virgin Australia owes an estimated 6.8 billion dollars to 12,000 creditors. The South Australian airport claims it is owed 10 million dollars by the airline, and has followed the lead of Perth airport who recently blocked the exit of several parked Virgin jets with airport vehicles. Qantas has again defended Virgin Australia, slamming the behaviour as "ridiculous" and "extraordinary". 








Story sourced from here
https://10daily.com.au/news/a200424mnhbk/virgin-planes-blocked-from-tarmac-over-owed-money-20200424 and
https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6152018027001

Happy Birthday Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand's story began on the 26th April 1940 when its forerunner airline, Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL) was incorporated . TEAL began its first trans-Tasman services with flying boats, and over the years steadily expanded the size and scope of its operations and the extent of its international network. The route network was expanded from Australia and the Pacific to Asia, the USA, the UK and Europe. In October 1953 TEAL became jointly owned by the New Zealand and Australian Governments, and in April 1961 the New Zealand Government assumed full ownership.

In addition to TEAL operating international services, the New Zealand Government established NZ National Airways Corporation (NAC) in 1947. NAC was the primary operator of domestic air services between major centres and provincial cities and towns, and along with TEAL would later form the basis for today's Air New Zealand.

In April 1965 TEAL was renamed Air New Zealand Limited, and continued operating solely international services. 1965 also heralded the beginning of the jet era for Air New Zealand, with the arrival in July of the first DC-8 jet aircraft. The new jets meant that Air New Zealand could expand operations to North America and Asia, becoming a truly international airline.

In 1973, Air New Zealand introduced the larger DC-10 to their fleet. The airline operated with a combined DC-8 and DC-10 fleet until the 1980s, when the larger Boeing 747 began to replace the older jets. The airline has been a member of the Star Alliance since 1999

Their first 747-200 arrived on the 22nd May 1981 (ZK-NZV CN 22722) and their last Boeing 747-400, affectionately referred to by pilots as "Daddy's Yacht", completed its final flight on the 12th September 2014 landing in Auckland from San Francisco.  ZK-NBV (CN 26910) was that aircraft.

AIR NEW ZEALAND B747-419 ZK-NBV (CN 26910)

AIR NEW ZEALAND B747-419 ZK-NBT (CN 24855)

On the 8th July 2014 ANZ took delivery of their first of 6 state of the art B787-9 Dreamliners (ZK-NZE 34334) The first aircraft was handed over to Air New Zealand at the Everett plant, and arrived in Auckland three days later. The first 787-9 service operated on 9 August 2014, from Auckland to Sydney and return

AIR NEW ZEALAND B787-9 ZK-NZE (CN 34334)

At the start of June 2014, Air New Zealand announced it would be placing a NZ$1.6 billion order with Airbus for thirteen Airbus A320neo and Airbus A321neo aircraft.  The airline’s first A321neo was unveiled on the 26th September 2018 and arrived in Auckland on the 5th November. The aircraft entered revenue service on the 23rd November 2018, operating between Auckland and Brisbane.

AIR NEW ZEALAND A320-271NEO ZK-NHA (CN 8715)

AIR NEW ZEALAND A321-271NX  ZK-NNA (CN 8496)

AIR NEW ZEALAND A321-271NX (8573)

Air New Zealand's mainline fleet consists of Boeing aircraft for long-haul flights, and Airbus aircraft for domestic- and short-haul international flights. Its wholly owned subsidies, Mount Cook Airline, Eagle Air and Air Nelson, operate ATR 72 and Bombardier Q300 turboprop aircraft.

AIR NEW ZEALAND BEECH 1900 ZK-EAC (CN UE426)

OPERATED BY EAGLE AIR

AIR NEW ZEALAND DASH 8 Q300 ZK-NEA (CN 611)

AIR NEW ZEALAND ATR 72-212 ZK-MVD (CN 1117)

OPERATED BY MOUNT COOK AIRLINES

AIR NEW ZEALAND A320-232 ZK-OJF (CN 2153)

AIR NEW ZEALAND B767-319 ZK-NCI (CN 26913)

 

Air New Zealand has had some amazing liveries in the past

AIR NEW ZEALAND B777-319 ZK-OKO (CN 38407)

AIR NEW ZEALAND B777-319 ZK-OKP (CN 39401)

AIR NEW ZEALAND B777-319 ZK-OKQ (CN 40689)

As of the 29th February 2020, the Air New Zealand fleet consists of the following aircraft:

Aircraft	In service	Orders	Passengers					Notes
			B	P	S	E	Total
Airbus A320-200	23	—	—	—	—	168	168	International configuration.
			—	—	—	171	171	Domestic configuration.
Airbus A320neo	4	2	—	—	—	165	165	Replacing older A320-200 Next deliveries from 2021.
Airbus A321neo	7	7	—	—	—	214	214
ATR 72-600	27	2	—	—	—	68	68	taken over from Mount Cook Airline
Boeing 777-200ER	8	—	26	40	54	192	312	To be replaced by Boeing 787-10
Boeing 777-300ER	8	—	44	54	60	184	342	Includes one aircraft dry-leased from EVA Air.
Boeing 787-9	14	—	27	33	39	176	275
			18	21	42	221	302
Boeing 787-10	—	8	TBA					Deliveries from 2022 to replace Boeing 777-200ERs.
Bombardier Q300	23	—	—	—	—	50	50	taken over from Air Nelson
Total	114	19