Essay topics on airlines in 2020

A nice new year's eve to everyone.

I want to write about the recent trends in the aviation industry in this year.

Indeed, the aviation industry in this year was at the mercy of the new coronavirus, aka. COVID-19. The virus spread throughout the world in a blank of an eye, and as a result, most international flights were suspended. Not only the tendency of aircraft, but also the management of airlines was greatly affected. Many companies were forced into bankruptcy and operation suspended. Let's see some examples. Air Asia Japan, the Japanese - Malaysian joint venture company launched in 2014, was stopped operation in October and went into liquidation in one month later. Other example is Flybe of United Kingdom and Nokscoot of Thailand. The former is filing bankruptcy in March and the latter has decided to discontinue in June. 

Even in my home town, Fukuoka, there were no international flights about two months in spring. Although there are gradual movements to resume operations, starting with cargo flights, however they are unlikely to recover as soon as possible before the pandemic hit. 

The photo below is taken on May 6 which was the last day of the long weekend in Japan called Golden Week. As you see the picture, there were no airplanes✈ at the international terminal❗

Of course, domestic flights were also in a very bad situation; about 130 departure flights a day being suspended at one time. Again, there was a gradual recovery trend, but it is certain that the outlook for the future is difficult to overcome the coronavirus disease increasing in Japan.

In terms of equipment trends for worldwide, due to prolonged coronavirus infection, companies are forced to reduce the number of fleets and retired at early age. For example, British Airways, the UK's national flag carrier, announced the immediate retirement of all the Boeing 747-400s on July 17. In Japan too, All Nippon Airways (ANA) was decided to sell 30 unit of Boeing airplanes such as the 777 family for cost reduction. On the other hand, Japan Airlines (JAL) keep introduced an Airbus a350-900 for domestic flights. 

      

A day at FUK on 25 December 2020, part 2/2020年12月25日福岡空港での飛行機たち（その2）

After having lunch, I went back to the spotters place next to the south runway 34. I was keep going to take pictures of planes takeoff and landing until the half past five.

昼食後飛行機ファンたちの撮影スポットである南側滑走路34隣に戻って5時半ごろまで撮影しました。

I was lucky to see the Vissel Kobe jet of Skymark Airlines. The aircraft registration number JA737X is a special livery which is collaborated with Vissel Kobe, a Japanese professional football⚽ club based in Kobe. 

たまたまスカイマークのヴィッセル神戸ジェット（機体番号：JA737X）が飛来しているのを見かけてあわててシャッターを切りました。

At 3:51 pm, an ANA flight NH258 to Tokyo Haneda was waiting for takeoff. The aircraft registration number JA715A was used for flight of the day. This is a fleet of ANA's Boeing 777-200ER (B7) series mainly used for short and medium haul flights. Now she is flying in Japan only.

午後3時51分：離陸待ちの全日空NH258便東京羽田行き。機体番号はJA715Aでした。当機はもともと国際線仕様でしたが、数年前から国内線に転用されています。

A Philippine Airlines plane was coming in a few minutes. This is a flight number PR425 to Manila.

数分後にフィリピン航空のPR425便マニラ行きが離陸に向けて滑走路を走行しているのを見かけました。

The plane✈ was taking off after 4 minutes.

飛行機✈は4分後に離陸。

At 4:10 pm, a Cathay Pacific cargo flight to Hong Kong was waiting for takeoff.

午後4時10分：離陸待ちのキャセイパシフィック航空の香港行き貨物便。

At 5:15 pm, a Japan Airlines flight JL322 to Tokyo Haneda was taking off on Rwy 16. The aircraft registration number JA04XJ is currently in use since the fuselage was received from Airbus in last October. A month later she became a special painted plane nicknamed 20th Arashi Thanks Jet. This is the 6th generation of JAL's Arashi (嵐) Jet since 1999. 

When it went into service on domestic flights, they already decided to disband this year. I was very lucky to meet her before end of this month😂  

午後5時15分：日本航空のJL322便東京羽田行きが滑走路16から離陸。機体番号はJA04XJでした。当機は「20th Arashi Thanks Jet」ラッピング機で昨年11月26日から運航開始。ただ今年末の嵐の解散決定で年内で運航を終えるとのことです😢

A day at FUK on 25 December 2020, part 1/2020年12月25日福岡空港での飛行機たち（その1）

On Friday, I went to the airport to see planes takeoff and landing. I was lucky to see the EVA Air Airbus a330-300. She came to a regular flight of BR/EVA 106 from Taipei. In addition, there are some taking airplane photos such as the JAL Dream Express Fantasia 80🐭 of Japan Airlines that began operating from one month ago. 

金曜日（25日）は飛行機を見に行きました。この日はエバー航空のBR106/105便がA330-300の新塗装機で飛来してくる情報をネットで知ったので、朝11時過ぎに家を出て早速空港へ。ほかにもJALの特別塗装機が3機も来ていたので見応えのある一日でした。

Let's start uploading.

それではUPしてゆきます。

At 12:18 pm, a Japan Airlines flight JL312 to Tokyo Haneda was taking off on Rwy 34. The aircraft registration number JA773J is a special livery that she has a nickname of Minna no JAL 2020 Jet for Tokyo Olympics successful. 

The Olympics will be postponed due to COVID-19 so still flying to Japan at the moment😊 

午後12時18分に日本航空のJL312便東京羽田行きが滑走路34から離陸。機体番号はJA773Jでした。当機は「みんなのJAL2020ジェット」特別塗装機で今年（と言っても来年）の東京オリンピック成功を祈願した塗装となっています。

An Asiana Airlines plane was coming in one hour. This is a flight OZ131 to Seoul Incheon. 

1時間後にアシアナ航空のOZ131便ソウル仁川行きが離陸に向けて滑走路を走行しているのを見かけました。

At 1:29 pm, a Philippine Airlines flight PR426 from Manila was landing. They put the latest model of Airbus A321 family, the neo series, into its short-haul routes from September 2019.

午後1時29分にフィリピン航空のマニラ発PR426便が着陸。機体番号はRP-C9937でした。当機は昨年9月に同社が投入したエアバスa321型機の最新鋭neoシリーズの1号機です。

After that an EVA Air flight BR105 to Taipei was waiting for takeoff. The aircraft registration number B-16338 was used for flight of the day. It's one of the newly painted airplane which have been received in March 2017.

その後エバー航空のBR105便台北行きが離陸するところを見かけました。機体番号はB-16338で2017年3月に受領した新塗装機です。

The plane✈ was taking off after three minutes. 

飛行機✈は3分後に離陸。

At 2:16 pm, a Japan Airlines flight JL316 to Tokyo Haneda was taking off. From November 18, the airline has launched the specially designed airplane "JAL Dream Express Fantasia 80" to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the release of the Walt Disney movie, Fantasia. 

午後2時16分に日本航空のJL316便東京羽田行きが離陸。機体番号はJA622Jでした。JALは11月18日からディズニー映画「ファンタジア」の公開80周年を記念した特別塗装機「JAL Dream Express Fantasia 80」を就航させています。

Have a good trip to Tokyo.

どうぞ東京ディズニーリゾートでの楽しいひとときを。

The time is already the half past two, so I have to take lunch. I bought a doughnut🍩 at the nearest Seven-Eleven convenience store. It's quite simply because my dinner🍗 for Xmas🎄🎅😁

時刻はすでに2時半。クリスマスディナー🎄🎅でチキン🍗を食べるので昼食を簡単に済ませたいと思い、近くのセブンイレブンでドーナツ🍩を買って再び滑走路34エンドの撮影スポットへ。

 

To be continued..

続く..

Plane spotting at Fukuoka Airport on 20 December 2020/2020年12月20日福岡空港の飛行機たち

Yesterday I went to the airport to see planes takeoff and landing in the afternoon. I was lucky to see the Philippine Airlines Airbus a330-300. She came to a regular flight of PR/PAL 426 from Manila. We usually can't see this plane because she'll going to Tokyo and Osaka on a daily basis. Yesterday was Sunday so that the airline has sent a large plane to Fukuoka instead of usual A321s.   

昨日は飛行機を見に行きました。この日はフィリピン航空のPR426/425便がエアバスa330で飛来してくる情報をネットで知ったので午後2時過ぎに家を出て早速撮影スポットである滑走路34隣へ。PRのa330型機はこれまで数回FUKに飛来していますが、たまたま自分が見に行ったときには来なかったので初収穫となりました😄

Let's start uploading.

それではUPしてゆきます。

At 4:30 pm, a Philippine Airlines flight PR425 to Manila was waiting for takeoff.

午後4時30分：離陸待ちのフィリピン航空マニラ行きPR425便。

There's no landing planes at this time, the plane was taking off quickly.

この時間帯は到着機がなかったので飛行機はすぐに離陸しました。

The Japan Airlines flight JL323 from Tokyo Haneda was landing at 4:48 pm in the evening. When the plane was landing, it was coming to an One World livery❗ I was amazed to see JAL's special livery plane😁

午後4時48分に日本航空の東京羽田発JL323便が着陸。機体番号はJA771Jで当機はワンワールド塗装となっています。

Sightseeing at Mojiko Retro, part 2

 I want to keep uploading my taking pictures of Mojiko Retro at night.

I really like the Christmas🎄 lights show near the Former Moji Customs building because I feel like it Europe😄

Before I get around the town, I took a picture of Shimonoseki city center facing the opposite side across to the Kanmon Strait.

Kanmon Bridge. It looks a little blurry, so I tried to fix but I couldn't do it. Sorry😌   

The Blue Wing Moji movable bridge at night.

Beautiful Christmas decorations in front of Premier Hotel Mojiko formerly known as the Mojiko Hotel.

 

Sightseeing at Mojiko Retro, part 1

On the evening of December 11, we had decided to take a drive🚗 to Mojiko Retro (門司港レトロ) which is a popular tourist attraction in Kitakyushu. 

As the name suggests, there are some retro buildings still standing around the Mojiko Station. These buildings date back to the 1910s when Mojiko was prospered as a result of trade with Asia and Europe.  

It's good to take a walk at the old town especially during the evening hours. 

The Blue Wing Moji movable bridge. It rises up to 6 times a day but not night time⭐

After crossing a bridge, I took a picture of the Old Moji Customs building and Mojiko Highmart, a high-rise apartment in the background. 

Just across the street, we could see a red brick building🏛 of the Old O.S.K Lines Limited Company. The classical style building, built in 1917, was the former office of that shipping company, and had been used until 1991.

The new Mojiko Station building. I was able to see it for the first time after the repair was completed in March last year.  

Going back to the old town, I walked around the corner souvenir shop.

To be continued..

A long way to go to Shiroyama Park, Kagoshima

After visiting Heiwadai Park, we went to see the panoramic views of Sakurajima and Kagoshima from Shiroyama Park observatory. It's a long ways away, so it takes three hours to get there. 

We want to go Ebino Plateau first, then we have to go Kasugaen tea🍵 factory in Hioki city for greeting. But the road to Ebino Plateau was closed due to volcano🌋 We've decided to go a different route by way of Yusui town in Kagoshima Prefecture. After having lunch, we got lost on the way to the city. When I looked it up on Google maps, they said that we should take the back road. I think it is the best way to get to Kasugaen factory, I should go do that. Going down the back road and passing through some gentle curves, we got there at about half past three.

When we came here, a husband and a wife welcomed us warmly. She said, "Do you have a tea?". We say hello. We had a nice chat over a cup of tea. We bought some green tea for souvenir. 

After that we went up to Shiroyama Park viewpoint. Like we've been there before, it is a clear blue sky. This is the most beautiful time of year where the mountain meets moon🌙

I took pictures of Kagoshima city in the evening.