Garuda Indonesia's Inaugural Flight to London Heathrow

PK-GIF during its first final approach to London-Heathrow International Airport as flight GA86

The landing gear of PK-GIF, the Boeing 777-300ER of Garuda Indonesia touched down smoothly at London-Heathrow International Airport runway on 31 March 2016. This was the first flight of Garuda Indonesia to London-Heathrow. This route is operated by Garuda Indonesia flight 86 from Jakarta to London-Heathrow via Singapore. Garuda Indonesia operates this route with its three class Boeing 777-300ER.

Since September 2014, Garuda Indonesia has flown to London-Gatwick via Amsterdam. Then, Garuda Indonesia decided to move to the London-Heathrow, the largest airport in the United Kingdom. From now, Garuda Indonesia will fly five times in a week to London Heathrow. Congratulations, Garuda Indonesia!

Philippine Airlines' Inaugural Flight to Doha

RP-C8781, one of the Airbus A330-300 aircraft of Philippine Airlines, the flag-carrier airline of Philippines touched down at Doha-Hamad International Airport, Doha, Qatar for the very first time on Monday, 28 March 2016 at 07:33 A.M, Doha time. Philippine Airlines operates this flight as flight PR656, for the Manila-Abu Dhabi-Doha sector, while the Doha-Abu Dhabi-Manila sector operated as flight PR657 by Philippine Airlines. This route has a stop at Abu Dhabi. From now, the Manila-Abu Dhabi-Doha route will be served by Airbus A330-300 by Philippine Airlines. 

RP-C8781, Philippine Airlines’ Airbus A330-300 that flew the Philippine Airlines’ first flight to Doha. Photographed at Dubai International Airport

The reason of Philippine Airlines to open this route is to compete against Cebu Pacific, the low-cost airline of Philippines and Qatar Airways, the flag-carrier airline of Qatar. Cebu Pacific operates Doha route with Airbus A330-300 while Qatar Airways operates this route with Boeing 777-300ER. Congratulations, Philippine Airlines for your inaugural flight, and good luck for the Doha route!

The America's First Airbus A350-900 XWB Operated International Route For the First Time

Secons to the first touch down of America’s first Airbus A350-900 XWB in Miami

TAM Airlines, the airline of Brazil received PR-XTA, the first Airbus A350-900 XWB aircraft of TAM Airlines and also the first in America in December 2015. In February 2016, PR-XTA operated a revenue flight from Sao Paulo, the home base of TAM Airlines to Manaus in Brazil.

 

PR-XTA greeted by water salute after the first arrival in Miami

Yesterday, on 17 March 2016, PR-XTA, the America's first Airbus A350-900 XWB operated its first international flight from Sao Paulo to Miami as TAM Airlines flight 9610. The arrival of TAM Airlines flight 9610 was celebrated by water salute.Then, the flight back to Sao Paulo will be operated as flight JJ9611. The return flight was delayed for about three hours. The plane was flying near Suriname on the way to Sao Paulo when this article posted.

TAM Airlines ordered fifteen Airbus A350-900 XWB aircraft. The reason is to replace its old Airbus A330-200 aircraft. All the Airbus A350-900 XWB of TAM Airlines are configured with 348 seats, consisting 318 economy class seats and 30 business class seats. Until now, TAM Airlines is the largest operator of Airbus planes in the southern hemisphere. Congratulations, Airbus and TAM Airlines for the first international flight of TAM Airlines' Airbus A350-900 XWB!