Airbus invests in climate solutions company, Carbon Engineering Ltd. to support world’s largest direct air carbon capture R&D facility.

Airbus invests in climate solutions company, Carbon Engineering Ltd. to support world’s largest direct air carbon capture R&D facility.

Airbus invests in Carbon Engineering Ltd., a Canadian-based climate solutions company, operating the largest Direct Air Carbon Capture (DACC) Research & Development facility in the world.  

The investment will contribute to funding part of Carbon Engineering’s advanced direct air capture R&D technologies at the company’s Innovation Centre in Squamish, B.C., Canada. 

“Carbon Engineering’s Direct Air Capture technology provides a scalable, affordable solution to decarbonize aviation,” said Daniel Friedmann, CEO, of Carbon Engineering. “We are thankful to Airbus for taking action and continuing to lead the way by helping accelerate solutions for the industry and for the climate.”

“We are proud to be investing in Carbon Engineering, reaffirming our commitment to the use of direct air carbon capture as a two-fold solution for the decarbonisation of the aviation industry,” said Karine Guenan, VP ZEROe Ecosystem, Airbus.

The Metafly Club takes off with acquisition of Dassault Falcon 2000 jet for private charter clients

The Metafly Club has announced its first aircraft acquisition, a Dassault Falcon 2000 Heavy Jet, to serve charter clients on all Metafly Club routes. The Metafly Club has partnered with world leader in luxury private aviation, M2Jets to launch the first luxury charter jet membership program, merging private aviation and luxury hospitality perks, to offer ultimate access to private jet routes and destinations around the globe. The 10-seater Falcon 2000 VIP Business Jet offers unmatched performance capabilities, modern designed interiors, comfortable seats, and superior amenities on board all aircraft. The Metafly Club plans to expand its fleet to 12 aircraft in 2023.

CEO Hassan Chowdhury commented, “With the acquisition of the Falcon 2000 Heavy Jet for The Metafly Club clients and the goal to expand to 12 aircrafts in 2023, we are proving ourselves to be leaders in luxury private aviation, offering our customers the ultimate private jet and hospitality experience.”

Real estate and hospitality entrepreneur Hassan Chowdhury, in partnership with Moshe Malamud, founder, and chairman of M2Jets, and nightlife mogul Richie Romero, founded the private charter jet brand, which will offer members ultimate access to luxury mid-size and heavy private jets, including fleets of Hawker 800, Falcon 50, Falcon 2000, Falcon 900, Falcon 7X, Challenger 604, Gulfstream IVSP and Gulfstream V in addition to the Falcon 2000. VIP clients will have access to multiple international routes aboard these jets, as well as memberships perks at the hottest clubs, restaurants, and private accommodations under The Metafly Club umbrella, including Bouge Villas, Sushi By Bou, and Nebula, ensuring ultimate comfort and world-class hospitality service.

Air Canada Invests in Canadian Technology that Captures Carbon Directly from the Air to Fight Climate Change

Air Canada today announced an equity investment/loan of $6.75 million into Canadian climate solutions company Carbon Engineering (CE). The investment supports the advancement of CE's Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology that pulls carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly out of the air at large, industrial scale.

Under its Climate Action Plan, Air Canada has committed to achieve net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. To help achieve this goal, the company created a $50 million investment fund to support new technologies. The $6.75 million being invested in CE comes from this fund and follows on an earlier announcement by Air Canada that it is investing US$5 million in Heart Aerospace, a Swedish company developing electric hybrid aircraft.

"We remain focused on seeking innovative, long-term, sustainable GHG emissions reduction solutions for aviation, and carbon capture is one we have outlined in our strategy to achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. Last year, we became the first Canadian airline to sign an MOU with CE to explore carbon capture scalability and other initiatives for our industry. We are proud to invest in CE to further advance new, transformational technologies towards carbon removal commercially," said Michael Rousseau, President & Chief Executive Officer at Air Canada.

According to CE, their DAC process uses large fans to pull in air and then, through a series of processes, extracts the CO2 while returning the other air components to the environment. The captured atmospheric CO2 can be used to reduce aviation emissions by producing sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) that can be drop-in compatible with today's aircraft. The captured CO2 can also be safely and durably stored in geologic reservoirs to provide carbon dioxide removals that can used to offset GHG emissions.

Dutch court finds three men guilty of murder following the shooting down of MH17 in July 2014,

 

MH17 was partly reconstructed as part of the investigation into the disaster.
Photo Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters

 

A Dutch court has found three men guilty of the mass murder of 298 people and unlawfully causing an aeroplane to crash in the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 operating flight MH17 on 17th July 2014. 

Two Russians and a Ukrainian,   Leonid Kharchenko, Sergei Dubinsky and  Igor Girkin were all found guilty in their absence with each getting a life sentence. A third Russian, Oleg Pulatov, the only one to employ legal representation during the trial was acquitted by the judges. 

The 777 was operating flight MH17 between Amsterdam and Kula Lumpur and was shot down with a Buk missile launcher that was Russian-made and supplied. The jet had 298 onboard at the time, coming from 17 countries, the majority - 196 were from the Netherlands, 43 from Malaysia, 38 from Australia and 10 from the UK.

Sergei Dubinsky ordered and oversaw the transport of the Buk missile launcher

Leonid Kharchenko oversaw the Buk, acting on Dubinsky's instructions.

Igor Girkin, was the military leader of the Donetsk People's Republic, who was convicted of deploying the missile and seeking Russian help.

The UK's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly gave a statement following the conclusion of the flight MH17 trial:

"Today’s guilty verdict, convicting 3 individuals of murder in relation to the downing of MH17, is an important step in securing justice for the families of the victims.

Two hundred and ninety eight lives, including those of 10 British nationals, were tragically lost on 17 July 2014. Thousands more have been devastated in the years since, as family and friends continue to grieve for their loved ones.

The downing of MH17 was a shocking violation of international norms which keep our societies safe. It serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of Russia’s actions in Ukraine over many years.

My thoughts remain with the families of all those killed in this heinous attack, including people from the Netherlands, Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia, Belgium, Germany, the Philippines, New Zealand and Canada."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: "An important court decision in The Hague. The first sentences for the perpetrators of downing MH17. Punishment for all RF's [Russia's] atrocities then & now is inevitable."

The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, said: "This is yet another step in the pursuit of truth and justice for the victims and their loved ones. And important as this verdict is, it is not the final conclusion … It is not the end. All parties will have the right to appeal, so the judgment is not yet final. But to reiterate, an important step has been taken today."

British Airways has become the first UK airline to trial the use of biometric technology for international flights.....

British Airways has become the first UK airline to trial the use of biometric technology for international flights, enabling customers taking part in the trial to travel through the airport ‘smartly’ without having to show their passport.

Customers who sign up to take part in the airline’s trial from London Heathrow Terminal 5 will be invited to scan their face, passport and boarding pass on their smartphone or tablet ahead of travel, with this information being kept safe and secure. 

When trial participants arrive at the airport, Smart Bio-Pod cameras verify their identity in under three seconds, allowing them to keep their passports safely in their pockets until they reach their destination.

David Breeze, Operations Transformation Manager for British Airways, said: “Not only is this the first time that our customers have been able to register their biometric information at home, but it’s the first time they can use it for British Airways’ international flights. This is a secure and efficient tool that makes for a smarter and smoother airport experience, which will reduce the time it takes us to board aircraft”

“The beauty of this technology is that it also frees our people up to look after more complex customer enquiries and deliver the best possible customer service.”

The trial will run for six months on British Airways flights to Malaga, Spain. Customers who opt-in will be invited to make use of the Fast-Track security lane and will receive complimentary priority boarding.

If the trial is successful, it’s expected to be extended to more international flights.

It follows the introduction of automated biometric technology on British Airways’ domestic flights in 2017, when the carrier became the first UK airline to introduce the technology, which records customers’ facial scans at Security and matches it to them at the boarding gate.

Select customers travelling from London Heathrow Terminal 5 are being invited to volunteer and will receive an email three days ahead of their flight.

Customers taking part in the trial can also register their identity at various touchpoints at Check-In Zone B

The technology used in the trial has been created by travel technology company Amadeus, customised for British Airways

Participants will be directed to a customer service representative if they have not been able to provide their Advanced Passenger Information or immigration requirements ahead of time

Participants are still required to carry their passport when travelling and will be required to show it when they reach their destination airport

JetBlue to start flights to Paris

JetBlue is set to expand its transatlantic flights with a new service to Paris starting next summer. Paris will be JetBlue’s second transatlantic destination following the airline’s successful launch of service to London in August 2021, where it has quickly grown its schedule to five daily flights between the United States and the United Kingdom. 

With service to both London and Paris, JetBlue will play a unique role in disrupting high-fare legacy carriers that have used joint ventures and global alliances to dominate these routes for decades.

“JetBlue is offering something completely unique to what you get from the big global legacy airlines on these routes – where a single high-fare joint venture operates nearly three-quarters of the flying,” said Robin Hayes, chief executive officer, JetBlue. “The response to our London service is proof that combining great service with low fares works. We can’t wait to bring our reimagined Mint and core offerings to Continental Europe’s most visited city.”

JetBlue plans to launch nonstop service between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) in summer 2023, and will later add nonstop service between Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and Paris-CDG. Seats will go on sale in the coming months.

Paris is the largest European destination not currently served by JetBlue from its two Northeast focus cities, New York and Boston – and the market between the U.S. and France is the second biggest in the world. JetBlue plans to offer flights to Paris from both cities as it continues to grow its relevance in the Northeast with new routes most frequently requested by customers. France is the world’s most visited country and is on track to reach nearly 75 million visitors this year, with equally strong travel trends expected in 2023. JetBlue’s new service at Paris-CDG will provide the airline with a high visibility presence at the major global hub where it can further establish a new customer base of travelers looking to fly between Europe and the U.S.

“Atout France would like to welcome JetBlue into the family of carriers that have chosen to service France,” said Anne-Laure Tuncer, Director USA Atout France and regional coordinator for the Americas. “With so much pent up demand, JetBlue is just in time to have their American customers experience the vitality and diversity of France’s offerings, new culinary itineraries, exciting upcoming sporting events – such as the Rugby World Cup 2023 and the Paris Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games 2024 – and everything else France is known for.”

The airline’s Mint® premium experience – which first raised the bar on transcontinental travel in the U.S. and was completely reimagined for transatlantic flying – offers customers a fresh choice when flying between the U.S. and Europe. JetBlue Mint features 24 fully lie-flat private suites with a sliding door – including two Mint Studios™ – and a custom-designed seat cushion developed by innovative mattress company Tuft & Needle. Its proprietary T&N Adaptive® foam with a breathable cover creates a cool and comfortable sleep experience unlike anything in the sky. Mint also boasts countless intuitive design touches that help every customer feel at home in the air. JetBlue has also introduced its latest innovation – the stunning Mint Studio – offering even more space in a premium experience.

JetBlue’s industry-leading core experience was also reinvented for transatlantic flying and offers a new level of service to customers who generally fly “coach” but still want a great experience at an attractive fare. With just 114 core seats – including 24 Even More® Space Seats – customers enjoy a boutique-style experience no matter where they sit. All of the comforts JetBlue customers have come to expect is enhanced by the airline’s partnership with New York-based restaurant group Dig to bring its signature build-your-own dining concept to tray tables at 35,000 feet – JetBlue’s complimentary meal in core. Core customers also enjoy a free selection of soft drinks, coffee, tea, beer, wine and liquor. The A321LR features new extra-large overhead bins, and all customers regardless of fare type may bring one carry on, space permitting, and one personal item.

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Airbus Final Assembly Line Asia assembles its first A321 aircraft

Photo Airbus

Airbus has announced the commissioning of the first A321 aircraft to be assembled at its Final Assembly Line Asia (FAL Tianjin) in Tianjin, China. The breakthrough expands and deepens the collaboration with China’s aviation industry, and demonstrates Airbus’ commitment to enhance its long-term strategic partnership with China.

The FAL in Tianjin officially started the adaptation work to become A321 capable in August 2022. It is the first major upgrade of the assembly line since operations commenced in 2008. FAL Tianjin’s first A321 aircraft is scheduled for delivery in early 2023.

“Since we announced our plans to expand the capability of FAL Tianjin to A321 production last November, I am proud that the Airbus Tianjin team has successfully completed the relevant adaptation work on schedule by working closely with European experts and our suppliers to overcome the impact of COVID-19” said George Xu, Airbus Executive Vice President and Airbus China CEO. “The commissioning of the first A321 aircraft underlines Airbus' commitment to China, marking a new milestone in the industrial cooperation with our Chinese partners.”

Airbus has four A320 Family assembly facilities around the world: Toulouse, France; Hamburg, Germany; Tianjin, China; and Mobile, United States. By the end of 2022, all commercial aircraft assembly sites will be A321-capable, as part of the industrial strategy to de-risk the ramp up and to meet the rising share of A321 production.

Inaugurated in 2008, FAL Tianjin was the first Airbus commercial aircraft assembly line outside Europe. In the same year, the first aircraft sections arrived on site. Since its first A320 delivery in 2009, FAL Tianjin has delivered more than 600 aircraft over its 14 years in operation. It has become a role model of successful Sino-European cooperation.

The A321neo is the longest-fuselage member of Airbus’ best-selling, single-aisle A320 Family, comfortably seating as many as 244 passengers in a higher-density arrangement, with a longest range reaching 4,700nm/8,700km. Featuring the widest single-aisle cabin in the sky, the A320neo Family offers a 20 % reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 as well as a 50% noise reduction compared to previous generation aircraft, thanks to incorporating the very latest technologies including new generation engines and Sharklets. By the end of September 2022, the A320neo Family has received over 8,500 firm orders from more than 130 customers worldwide.

Star Alliance named the World’s Leading Airline Alliance at the World Travel Awards 2022

Star Alliance named the World’s Leading Airline Alliance at the World Travel Awards 2022

Star Alliance Los Angeles lounge also named North America's Leading Airport Lounge

Both awards have been won for the third consecutive year

Star Alliance has been named the World’s Leading Airline Alliance at the World Travel Awards for the third consecutive year. At the North America 2022 edition of the awards held in August, the Star Alliance Los Angeles airport lounge also retained the award for North America's Leading Airport Lounge for the third year running.

In receiving these awards, Star Alliance CEO Jeffrey Goh said: “We are extremely delighted to be receiving the World Travel Awards for the third consecutive year. This is particularly fitting as we celebrate our 25th anniversary this year.”

Mr Goh continued: “These awards are testimony to the great work that more than 400,000 employees across the Star Alliance network do each day in delivering safe and seamless travel, and also to all the customers who have continued to give us and our member carriers their confidence and support.”

Now in its 29th edition, the World Travel Awards was established to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all key sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality industries. The annual awards are awarded based on a worldwide poll of qualified executives working within travel and tourism, and the consumer travel buyer.

Graham E Cooke, Founder, World Travel Awards, said: "Star Alliance continues to set the benchmark for global aviation and I am delighted that both the travel trade and the public have acknowledged this by voting it the World’s Leading Airline Alliance 2022 at the World Travel Awards. Earlier this year, Star Alliance’s ground-breaking LA lounge was also the runaway winner for North America's Leading Airport Lounge once again."

In addition to these two awards won at the alliance level, a number of Star Alliance member carriers also came away as individual winners this year. Nine of them won awards in 21 categories, ranging from World’s Leading Airline – First Class, to Leading Airlines in Europe, Oceania, Asia and Mexico & Central America.

Azul Linhas Aéreas adds three additional A330neo to fleet

Azul Linhas Aéreas adds three additional A330neo to fleet

Photo Airbus

Azul has signed a firm order for three A330-900 which will allow it to further expand its international network and complement its existing A330 operations, bringing the airline’s total fleet of A330neo aircraft to eight.

“We are delighted to have secured three more next-gen Airbus widebody aircraft which ensures the complete transformation of our fleet from old-generation to next-generation. We are focused on maintaining our widebody fleet stable while at the same time benefiting from the fuel efficiency savings from these aircraft.” declared John Rodgerson, Chief Executive Officer of Azul, and continues “with this order we have done just that”.

“We applaud Azul’s decision that shows their forward-looking strategy and proves the economics and performance of the A330neo are most compelling. The A330neo is the perfect tool to support Azul in expanding its fleet with the right-sized, modern widebody, leveraging the latest technology and efficiency and contributing to reducing CO2,” said Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International.

The A330neo is a member of Airbus’ leading Widebody Family that provides lower operating costs and reduced environmental footprint by combining enhanced technologies from the A350 with highly efficient Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines. Featured with the Airspace cabin, the A330neo offers an unmatched passenger experience and operational efficiency thanks to a redesigned welcome area, enhanced mood lighting, larger and modern overhead compartments and new window and lavatory designs.

Azul Linhas Aereas launched operations in 2008 and has since grown to service more than 150 destinations within Brazil, and flies non-stop to the United States, Europe and South America. Azul received the Americas’ first A330neo in 2019 and operates 12 A330 Family aircraft. In the coming weeks, Azul will start operating four A350-900 to further expand its route offering and benefit from the Airbus commonality concept.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, Airbus has sold over 1,150 aircraft and has a backlog of over 500, with more than 700 in operation throughout the region, representing almost 60 percent market share of the in-service fleet. Since 1994, Airbus has secured approximately 70 percent of net orders in the region.

Air Canada was recently recognized by Forbes as one of the World's Best Employers 2022

 

Photo CNW Group/Air Canada

Air Canada was recently recognized by Forbes as one of the World's Best Employers 2022, and as a company which provides excellent employment opportunities at local and international levels.

Air Canada was recently recognized by Forbes as one of the World's Best Employers 2022, and as a company which provides excellent employment opportunities at local and international levels. 

"As a global carrier, we believe that creating a workplace culture that supports employee fulfilment, growth and development helps us attract and retain the best talent in Canada and globally. Air Canada continues to hire in various positions as it implements its strategic plan in restoring its international network, products and services, and we are thrilled to be recognized by Forbes as one of the world's best employers for the third consecutive year," said Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer and Public Affairs.

According to Forbes, selection of the World's Best Employers 2022 is based on independent surveys by market research group Statistica of roughly 150,000 employees in more than 55 countries around the world. Participants were asked to rate employers according to various topics such as image, trust, gender equality, corporate social responsibility, culture and benefits. Over one million data points were analyzed.

The Forbes award is the most recent recognition Air Canada has received for human resources, corporate culture and employee engagement in 2022, which include:

One of Canada's Best Employers for Diversity 2022 by Forbes

One of Canada's Best Employers 2022 by Forbes

One of Montreal Top Employers 2022 by Mediacorp (for the ninth consecutive year)

Payworks Award for Best Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy at the Canadian HR Awards 2022

 Interested in taking their careers to new heights with Air Canada may find more information here.

Finnair set to subcontract out inflight service on more long-haul routes

The Helsinki-based Finnair is no stranger to outsourcing or subcontracting and is about to start change negotiations with its cabin crew in Finland to discuss its plans to subcontract inflight service on routes to/from Thailand and the US to partners.

Possible subcontracting would be implemented by the end of 2023. The plan is a part of the efforts to restore Finnair’s profitability by reducing unit costs and strengthening unit revenues. Finnair made considerable losses during the covid-19 pandemic, and the closure of Russian airspace significantly impacts Finnair’s ability to generate profit.

Finnair’s primary target has been to find solutions for decreasing unit costs together with its employees. During this autumn, Finnair has discussed with all its employees about possibility to achieve savings by changing employment terms. For cabin crew, Finnair proposed changes for example to crew utilization efficiency, layover hotel rules and to additional pay-per-hour rules for long flights, as the closure of Russian airspace has made the flight times to Asia considerably longer. A negotiation result was reached with some employee groups, but unfortunately, a solution was not found with the cabin crew in Finland. In this situation, Finnair must seek savings through alternative measures.

If realized, the subcontracting plan could result in reducing up to 450 jobs in Finnair’s Inflight services. Finnair currently employs approximately 1750 cabin crew members in Finland. The cabin service for Finnair’s Singapore, Hong Kong and India routes as well as for the Doha routes from Stockholm and Copenhagen is provided by Finnair’s partners already.

“Our target continues to be to find a savings solution together with our cabin crew. We now need a genuine will from the negotiators to find solutions that would allow us to continue inflight service with our own crew, and avoid redundancies. Discussion on alternative solutions is a vitally important part of the change negotiations process”, says Topi Manner, Finnair CEO.

The change negotiations will start on November 23 and are estimated to last at least six weeks. A social support program to help those who could lose their work in re-employment will be discussed in the negotiations.

Arajet launches new route between Santo Domingo and Kingston

Arajet, the Dominican Republic's new low-fare airline, has announced the launch of a direct route with two weekly frequencies to connect the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. 

The route’s first flight at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston was attended by a rich representation of local government officials, including Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade; Rev. Kenneth Richards, Archbishop of Kingston; Senator Aubyn Hill, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment; Mark Golding, Leader of the Opposition and Chairman of the People's National Party; and Angie Martínez, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic in Jamaica.

“This flight from Arajet opens a complete new and exciting chapter in the relations between Jamaica and the Dominican Republic,” said Senator Johnson Smith.

Derived from its wide range of international flights to Europe and the United States, Norman Manley International Airport is considered a key air connectivity centre in the Caribbean. The new route represents a significant opportunity for Arajet to stimulate the air and tourist traffic between Santo Domingo and Kingston, strengthen ties between the two regions and build a bridge that allows communication and transportation of national and international travellers.

"Achieving air connectivity between the Dominican Republic and Jamaica has long been one of our most important goals,” said Ambassador Martinez. “We are proud of how Arajet is leading the charge in democratizing aviation in the Caribbean, Latin, Central and North America, and putting the Dominican flag at the top.”

Arajet will offer two weekly frequencies to Jamaica on Mondays and Fridays with tickets starting at US $257 and flights departing from Santo Domingo at 17:20 and arriving at 17:55 in Jamaica and departing at 18:40 from Jamaica and arriving at 21:05 in Santo Domingo.

“My dream is that a tourist who visits the Dominican Republic from Europe or United States, can spend a few days in my country, learning to dance merengue and enjoying our wonderful white sand beaches,” said Víctor Pacheco Méndez, Arajet´s CEO and founder. “And later, from Santo Domingo, they can also take advantage of our new direct route to Kingston and get infected with their reggae and visit the waterfalls at Ocho Ríos, Montego Bay and all the other scenic destinations this beautiful country has to offer.”

Arajet’s first direct flight to Kingston is supported by an initial fleet of five new latest-generation Boeing 737 MAX-8 aircraft that provide a comfortable and safe flight experience in a cabin of 185 reclining seats with maximum comfort and enough personal space. The planes are the quietest on the market producing 40% less noise pollution per trip, while their LEAP-1B CFM engines save up to 14% more fuel compared to single-aisle planes, allowing the airline to save on operating costs that support low fares so everyone can fly with simple, direct bookings.

Since launching in September 2022, Arajet has inaugurated 15 destinations of its initial network. The airline connects Santo Domingo with point-to-point, non-stop flights to Mexico City, Monterrey and Cancun in Mexico; San José in Costa Rica; San Salvador in El Salvador; Guatemala City in Guatemala; Lima in Peru, Quito and Guayaquil in Ecuador; Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Marteen in the Caribbean; and Cali, Barranquilla and Cartagena in Colombia.

In December, Arajet will continue inaugurating direct flights to Medellín and Bogotá in Colombia.

Space Perspective becomes the first global space travel experience company with a fleet of Marine Spaceports

Spaceship Neptune launches from the stern of MS Voyager. (Photo: Business Wire)

Space Perspective unveiled MS Voyager – the world’s first Marine Spaceport for human spaceflight, and the first in a planned fleet of this new class of spaceports globally. Spaceports are sites for launching and receiving spacecraft. Now with the capacity to launch from marine-based sites around the world, in addition to launching from land on Florida’s Space Coast, Space Perspective becomes the first global space travel experience company, offering safe and sustainable journeys to the edge of space from where Explorers live and play.

The name Voyager is a homage to the Voyager 1 Space Probe mission which, on astronomer Carl Sagan’s request, took a photo of Earth from across the solar system on February 14th, 1990. That photo, now known iconically as the Pale Blue Dot, inspired Sagan’s book of the same name and his call for humans to “preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known” – words that reverberate through Space Perspective’s mission today.

“Space Perspective will change your relationship with our planet by providing the quintessential astronaut experience of viewing Earth from the blackness of space,” said Jane Poynter, Space Perspective’s Founder and Co-CEO. “It’s imperative for us to think about our business with a global mindset. Removing geographic borders for launch and landing accelerates our mission of making this transformative experience more accessible to the world and international marketplace – safely, reliably and with minimal impact on our planet.”

Plans are underway to integrate marine-based launches into marquee global events, and conversations are active with several potential destinations across the globe to offer Explorers an awe-inspiring view of some of the world’s most iconic geography.

“We always imagined offering the opportunity to view the most incredible natural phenomena from space, including the Northern Lights, the boot of Italy, the sheer scale of the Nile Delta, and the deep blue seas around the Bahamas. Marine Spaceports like MS Voyager make this a reality,” said Poynter.

The SpaceBalloonTM is inflated as Spaceship Neptune readies for launch from MS Voyager. (Photo: Business Wire)

MS Voyager and future Space Perspective Marine Spaceports give the company the operational flexibility needed to grow its business more quickly to reach a supply-constrained global market for commercial space travel that analysts recently estimated could reach over $8 billion by 2030[1]. Marine Spaceports create ideal launch conditions in two ways: by navigating to areas of good weather, which allows for year-round operations within a region, and by moving with the sea breeze, so there is virtually no wind across the deck. This enables more frequent launch opportunities, as well as more options for the time of day, including sunrise and sunset nighttime stargazing flights for Explorers.

“This is another important milestone and a proud moment for the Space Perspective crew both in terms of pioneering engineering and the ability to scale our offer quickly, globally. We are grateful to our extended crew of dynamic, best-in-class operational partners,” said Space Perspective’s Founder, Co-CEO and CTO Taber MacCallum.

Ascenda powers the new HSBC Star Alliance credit card

Ascenda, the global rewards technology company, today announced its partnership with Star Alliance, the world's first and leading airline alliance, to power the innovative customer value proposition for the anticipated new HSBC Star Alliance credit card.

As the first ever credit card from a major airline alliance, it combines the appeal of seven leading global airlines into a unified proposition. The back-end technology and fully digital user experience are powered by Ascenda's cloud-based loyalty platform. The new product is exclusively available to residents of Australia.

The HSBC Star Alliance credit card reimagines the loyalty experience for Australian residents with not only the ability to earn points, but also a fast track to Star Alliance Gold Status through everyday spending. Star Alliance Gold Status offers benefits such as lounge access, priority services and extra baggage allowance on eligible fares across all 26 Star Alliance member carriers.

Christian Draeger, VP Customer Experience, Star Alliance said: "The HSBC Star Alliance credit card is a unique proposition that brings together seven of our member carriers on a single platform. In line with our vision to enable a seamless customer experience, we needed a world-class technology solution to ensure quality delivery. Ascenda's advanced platform proved to be a suitable foundation that delivers efficient and secure interoperability among various systems.

"We are thrilled to bring this truly groundbreaking product to the market in collaboration with Star Alliance" added Kyle Armstrong, CEO at Ascenda. "As a company, we thrive on unlocking exceptional rewards value and access to inspiring experiences, both of which are embodied perfectly in this trailblazing project."

Ascenda is the global technology company that makes banking & payments rewarding - delivering digitally native, intuitive and easy-to-deploy rewards solutions that enable brands to grow revenue and build deeper customer connections across the entire financial relationship.

The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance, based on a customer value proposition of global reach, worldwide recognition and seamless service. Since inception, it has offered the largest and most comprehensive airline network, with a focus on improving customer experience across the Alliance journey.

VistaJet takes dining to new heights

The leading private aviation company redefines gastronomy in flight with expert scientific and artistic findings, signature seasonal menus and Michelin-starred partners

At a table at 45,000 feet — higher than Mount Everest — is probably the highest you will ever dine. This is the unique experience offered by VistaJet, the first and only global business aviation company, allowing passengers to embark on a curated voyage through the finest delicacies in the world — on board and at their destination.

Even the greatest gourmand has to reset their senses when flying as the effects of altitude, lower humidity and increased noise and movement will have an effect, from metabolism to how we perceive different tastes. In particular, cabin air reduces the aroma that, together with taste, makes flavour — up to 80% of what people think is taste is, in fact, smell. Flying private, of course, does help to minimize the impact on the senses. At 45,000 feet, a VistaJet Global 7500 aircraft has an equivalent air pressure of only 4,500 feet and a controlled humidity level. But still, a difference can be noticeable.

Done well, food nourishes the heart and soul, body and mind. Why, then, is it so often the forgotten factor in the air — a necessity rather than a pleasure? Factors in flight are no reason to compromise.

“We have been on a journey to transform the private dining experience in the air — to make it something to savour”, says Diego Sabino, Vice President of Private Dining at VistaJet. “Simple things, big flavours and the best ingredients prepared and cooked to perfection will always travel well. We have explored the art and science of dining, so our Members can cherish time together on board, with the right taste, whatever the occasion.”

To ensure every passenger savours every bite, VistaJet’s expert eye to inspire the palate include:

Signature Seasonal Menus

VistaJet is focused on seasonality, health and wellbeing, continually evolving its menus for all — whether travelling for business, with family and friends, or celebrating a milestone — no matter where they are flying from.

Perception of salt and sweetness reduces by 30%; while humidity in the home is typically around 45%, in an aircraft it can be 20% or less, desensitizing taste buds. That is why VistaJet works with more than 7,000 trusted suppliers around the world: the finest producers and purveyors to source the freshest and highest quality ingredients and dishes. Every dish is prepared for in-flight, high-altitude dining.

Renowned Partners

Even top chefs need to change the way they think about food that will be served on board a flight. Many of our award-winning partners have reformulated their iconic dishes and created exclusive meals to taste perfect in a VistaJet cabin.

Working with over 100 of the most sought-after private chefs and Michelin-starred restaurants for those special moments both in the sky and on the ground, our renowned Private World partners include a gateway to the most enlightening dishes — the revered Nobu Matsuhisa offering a new and exclusive dish onboard flights from the U.S.; Michelin-starred Alex Dilling from his eponymous restaurant at Hotel Café Royal in London; the inspired Nuhma Tuazon in New York; the delectable Tosca di Angelo at The Ritz Carlton in Hong Kong; the specialist Bon Soirée onboarding dishes from England; the legendary Zeffirino in Genoa, Italy; Chef Ivan Alvarez at the picturesque Ithaafushi — The Private Island, Maldives; the considered Origin Grill at the Shangri-La in Singapore; and a partnership with Taj Hotels around the world, including their Michelin-starred Chef Sriram of London’s Quilon, Varq at Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, The Palm Dubai, House of Ming at Taj Mahal Hotel New Delhi, Wasabi by Morimoto at Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai, and Thai Pavilion at the President, Mumbai.

The Little Book of Dining in the Sky

It is nearly impossible to recreate our favourite restaurant in the sky, and nor should we try — there are obvious limitations to space and cooking facilities, in addition to how food tastes, smells, looks and feels. But this is no reason to compromise.

The Little Book of Dining in the Sky explores the art and science behind eating well with VistaJet. Tasting notes, jet chef secrets, travel wellness, the jet kitchen and service suggestions for whomever you are dining with. The musings and expert advice are all aimed at helping you discover the pleasures of the table, at altitude.

The Process and Unparalleled Service

The story behind how food gets from the farm to fork in flight is one of attention to detail across the entire supply chain. It is impossible to recreate the environment of a world-class kitchen in the sky, but we aim to come as close as possible.

As soon as your flight is booked, VistaJet’s Private Dining team will propose bespoke menus for you to choose from.

Sourcing specific ingredients can take a full day, while up to six hours might be needed to take food from the kitchen to the aircraft. Menus are finalised at least 24 hours before departure to ensure sourcing and preparation standards.

The private chef or restaurant starts creating the dishes. At this point any allergies, intolerances or other dietary needs will have been checked several times.

Hot dishes are freshly prepared by hand and par-cooked. Ingredients are packed into over-ready containers, and then blast-chilled to lock in taste, texture and freshness.

The meals are couriered to the departure airport in refrigerated vehicles and loaded onto the jet around 90 minutes before departure. VistaJet flies from 1,900 airports in 187 countries — about 96% of the world.

In the air, the VistaJet Cabin Host will finish cooking the food before it is expertly presented and served to passengers. All VistaJet Cabin Hosts are trained by the British Butler Institute, certified up to Level 2 in wine and spirits training and are food-safety qualified. They have also received expert plating tutorials from chefs specializing in different cuisines.

For more information on VistaJet and its private dining offerings, visit vistajet.com/privatedining.

The leading private aviation company redefines gastronomy in flight with expert scientific and artistic findings, signature seasonal menus and Michelin-starred partners