YBBN spotting pt2

Some more of the pics I like from my spotting trip on tuesday

I'm kicking off today with an international flavour

Etihad Airways Airbus A330-243 A6-EYF departing YBBN for Abu Dhabi via Singapore

Air Niugini Boeing 767-336 P2-ANA as ANG4 departing YBBN for Port Moresby

Thai Airways Boeing 777-3D7ER HS-TKC departing YBBN as TK474 to Bangkok

Now moving back to an Australian focus

Tiger Airways (Australia) Airbus A320 VH-VNB departing YBBN as TT435 to Melbourne

 I'm not sure what it is about the TT birds, but I find them amazingly photogenic

Jetstar Airbus A321 looking gorgeously golden int he late afternoon sun, while also looking equally patchy is seen departing YBBN as JQ817 to Sydney

Alliance Airlines Fokker F100 VH-XWM is seen departing YBBN as UTY2366 to Rockhampton

And finally Qantas Boeing 767-336 VH-ZXF is seen departing YBBN as QF537 to Sydney

News round up - QF, VA, TT

Australian Aviation are reporting Qantas will lease a Boeing 747-400ERF freighter to operate its RTW cargo flights, which are currently contracted out to Atlas Air.

To be branded in the distinctive new Qantas Freight livery, the 747-400ERF is expected to enter service by the end of 2013, subject to regulatory approval. It will be operated by Express Freighters Australia, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qantas Freight.

I assume there will actually be a "new" freight livery not just the same livery as the Qantas freight B767-200F wears

Read more on the new QF B744ERF HERE

---

The ACCC have cleared Virgin Australia to take a 60% controlling stake in rival Tiger Airways, effectively returning Australia to a state of duopoly.  There will now be two groups operating the Qantas group with Qantas & Jetstar and Virgin + Tiger.

“Essential to reaching this view was the ACCC’s assessment, made after thorough and extensive testing of the issue, that Tiger Australia would be highly unlikely to remain in the local market if the proposed acquisition didn’t proceed. Absent this conclusion the acquisition raised considerable competition concerns,” ACCC chairman Rod Sims said.

 Read more on the approval via Australian Aviation HERE

---

Virgin Australia who had previously only offered free meals and drinks on their transcontinental flights and some of their 'capital connection' flights are now offering free meals and drinks to all economy passengers on flights over 2hrs 45mins in duration.

Virgin Australia's flights to Denpasar and Phuket are the first routes on the ‘free food’ schedule, with the airline planning to “progressively roll out the service on all flights over 2h 45m by the second half of this year”, a Virgin Australia spokeswoman confirmed to Australian Business Traveller.

Of course this probably wont apply to SYD-BNE flights that are delayed by air traffic control measures and often turn a seemingly simple 1 hour flight into something closer to 3 or 4.

Read all about the new offerings HERE

YBBN Spotting

I recently had the opportunity to spend an afternoon out spotting at Brisbane (YBBN/BNE) and here are the first fruits of that spotting trip.

Vincent Aviation currently have their BAe 146-200 ZK-ECO in Brisbane, its seen here operating as VIN810 to RMA

Virgin Australia are well represented at their home base - here we see Virgin Australia/Skywest ATR 72-500 VH-FVL operating as VA667A to Moranbah (MOV)

Seen departing for Newcastle (NTL) as VA1106 is Boeing 737-8FE VH-VOQ

The final Virgin bird in this post is another Boeing this time B737-8BK VH-VUM departing for SYD as VA954

Qantas Boeing 737-838 VH-VXO wears special Share the Spirit titles and is seen here departing for Townsville (TSV) as QF974

And just to prove that no matter how well you frame a shot and prepare - often nature intervenes and something photobombs you (Q400 VH-QOJ)

This has to be my favourite photo of the ones I have edited so far, its Tiger Airways A320 VH-VNF rotating off 01 bound for SYD as TT802

Good news for NZ pax transiting at LAX

Its good news for passengers on NZ1/2 transiting between AKL and LHR at LAX with US Customs approving a move that will allow NZ transit pax to avoid having to go through standard security queues to access the terminal during transit.

The system, which has been trialled for several months, still requires transit passengers to complete the standard US visa. But they're then issued with a special 'token' and can forego the usual security queue.

This should make the transit process a lot nicer for passengers who are now able to access the Air New Zealand lounge or the general (airside) terminal including shops/amenities etc, instead of previously being forced into a gate lounge during transit.

Read the full story on the changes at ausbt.com HERE

NZ/VA announce CHC-PER trial

To celebrate the official opening of the new terminal at Christchurch, Air New Zealand in conjunction with alliance partners Virgin Australia will launch a 21 week trial on the CHC-PER route with a twice weekly Boeing 767-319ER service.

The Air New Zealand flights will operate twice a week from December 3 to April 26, and if they prove popular, they will become permanent.
Christchurch Airport CEO Jim Boult says that's more than 19-thousand seats over 21 weeks and an outstanding boost for Christchurch and the South Island.

The official Christchurch International Airport press release also says CHC will benefit from B763 services on the SYD route which points to the 763 operating a AKL-SYD-CHC-PER-CHC-SYD-AKL routing.

Check out the offical CIAL press release HERE or the Christchurch Press article HERE

From the archives - P2-ANA

Here is a quick snap I took two years ago on my way home to Classic Fighters 2011.

Air Niugini Boeing 767-336ER P2-ANA seen taxiing in to the International terminal at Brisbane

P2-ANA at YBBN 22-04-11 © nzompilot 2011-2013