Air Serbia to launch flights to Chicago

Air Serbia has confirmed it will launch direct flights between Belgrade and Chicago (O'Hare International Airport - ORD) starting on 17 May 2023, thus continuing to expand its operations in the United States market. 

After a pause of more than 30 years, the Serbian national airline is again starting a service to the famous Windy City. Until 11 June, flights will be operated twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, while as of 12 June, Belgrade-Chicago flights will be operated three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Flights will last approximately 11 hours and will be operated by Airbus A330 aircraft from Air Serbia’s long-haul fleet. Tickets are already available for purchase at the starting price of 640 euros for a round trip, with all taxes included.

“After more than three decades, the JU 506/507 flight will mark the return of the national airline to Chicago. This is an extremely important city and we are certain that direct flights between Belgrade and Chicago will mean a lot not just to the Serbian diaspora, but also to the wider Balkans region. By introducing flights between those two cities, the region will be better connected to Chicago, and passengers will have more choices. With the good connections that Air Serbia offers we expect great interest for these direct flights, for those who want to continue their travel to other destinations,” said George Petković, Vice President Americas, Air Serbia.

By re-opening the route, Air Serbia will, via Belgrade, provide good connections between Chicago and other cities in its network, such as Athens, Vienna, Berlin, Bologna, Bucharest, Dubrovnik, Istanbul, Larnaca, Ljubljana, Prague, Pula, Podgorica, Rome, Sarajevo, Skopje, Sofia, Tivat, Venice, Zagreb, and many others. On the other hand, thanks to its interline partnership with JetBlue and American Airlines, Air Serbia will be able to offer better connections to passengers who will continue their travels toward other locations in North America from Chicago and New York.

With almost 2.8 million citizens, Chicago is the most populous city in the state of Illinois and the third biggest city in the U.S., after New York and Los Angeles. It is located on Lake Michigan, and is a part of both the Midwest and the Great Lakes areas. The city itself is considered an important hub for finance, culture, commerce, industry, education, technology, communication and transportation. Chicago is famous for its unique artistic sculptures and installations.

Chicago’s O'Hare International Airport (ORD) is one of the six highest-traffic airports in the world, and in 2019, its services were used by over 90 million passengers, who had access to 236 destinations.

Air Serbia is the national airline of the Republic of Serbia, the successor of the first national airline, Aeroput, established in Belgrade in 1927. We have been operating under our present name since October 2013.

Air Serbia operates scheduled, seasonal and charter flights to over 70 destinations in Europe, the Mediterranean, North America, Asia and Africa, in passenger and cargo traffic. In cooperation with our airline partners, we also offer flights to international destinations in Asia, Australia, North America and Africa.

In addition to Nikola Tesla Airport in Belgrade, which is our base, Air Serbia also flies from Constantine the Great Airport in Niš and from International Airport Morava near Kraljevo.

Airbus and ArianeGroup sign Ariane 6 transition batch contract in Spain

Airbus and ArianeGroup sign Ariane 6 transition batch contract in Spain

Airbus will provide innovative lightweight carbon fibre structures for the next fourteen launchers

IFS - Interface structure of Ariane 6  - Photo Airbus

Airbus and ArianeGroup have signed a contract for the next transition batch of Ariane 6 large carbon fibre structures. The contract includes the manufacturing and supply of innovative, large, lightweight structures for the next fourteen Ariane 6 launchers, to be manufactured until 2025. The contract will support ArianeGroup's ramp up to full production rate by then.

Airbus builds up to four carbon fibre structures for each Ariane launcher at its Getafe site, near Madrid. The new state-of-the-art 4.0 industrial facility includes a dedicated manufacturing and assembly line for the Ariane 6 launcher structures. The latest technology innovations have resulted in a reduced mass while delivering a stronger structure in a single piece at a lower cost. The Interface Structure (upper and lower) is the largest space carbon fibre structure ever produced in Europe. The other structures include the Launch Vehicle Adapter, for the upper stage; and the Equipped Solid Rocket upper part of each rocket booster.

“Signing this contract is a significant step forward, not only for Airbus and its launcher activities in Spain, but for the overall Ariane 6 programme,” said Luis Guerra, head of Space Systems in Airbus in Spain. “It demonstrates that Spanish participation is key to the future of Ariane 6 and what is next in space for Europe.”

“Following the signature of the exploitation contracts with Sabca, Europropulsion, Avio and MTAerospace, this contract with Airbus is a new and key step towards a strong Ariane 6 European team” said Stephane Nogatchewsky, Head of Procurement of ArianeGroup. “While the inaugural flight of Ariane 6 is getting closer and the industrial ramp up is intensifying, this collaboration is a positive and critical milestone for the future of Ariane 6 operations. Also, unifying European actors is paramount to ensure further Ariane 6 industrial robustness, competitiveness and preserve European autonomous access to space.”

The Ariane 6 programme is the only European asset that allows independent access to space for strategic missions, and the flexibility to launch both heavy and light payloads to a wide range of orbits for applications such as Earth observation, telecommunication, meteorology, science and navigation.

UK's Spaceport launch coming soon.....

Establishing orbital launch capabilities in the UK is bringing investment and jobs into Cornwall and other communities across the UK.

The UK’s first orbital space launch moved one step closer to take-off as Spaceport Cornwall received the UK’s first-ever spaceport licence and the first launch coming soon.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority issued the licence, following consent from Transport Secretary Mark Harper, meaning he is in agreement with the licensing decisions made by the UK Civil Aviation Authority.

Spaceport Cornwall, based at Cornwall Airport Newquay, has demonstrated to the regulator it has met the appropriate safety, security, environment and other aspects to operate a UK spaceport. The approval also means Spaceport Cornwall has the infrastructure, equipment and services for horizontal space launches.

Historic moment as UK Civil Aviation Authority issues first-ever UK spaceport licence

Spaceport Cornwall has demonstrated it meets the statutory requirements on safety, security, environment and other aspects to operate a UK spaceport

Nearly 150 satellite licences issued by the UK Civil Aviation Authority, supporting the growing space sector which is creating thousands of jobs

The licence enables Virgin Orbit to begin ‘wet dress’ rehearsals ahead of a proposed launch, which would be the first of its kind on European soil.

This latest licence adds to nearly 150 satellite licences already approved by the UK Civil Aviation Authority since becoming the UK’s space regulator in July 2021.

The growing space industry will boost innovation and is estimated to be worth £16.5 billion and support 47,000 jobs, with 2,500 apprentices opening the sector up to even more people.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: "The cosmic cornerstone is being laid for the UK’s first orbital space launch, with the UK Civil Aviation Authority granting Spaceport Cornwall the first-ever spaceport licence.

Virgin Orbit’s planned launch reinforces our position as a leading space nation as we look to the future of spaceflight, which can spur growth and innovation across the sector, as well as creating thousands of jobs and apprenticeships."

Richard Moriarty, Chief Executive of the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said:  "This is an historic moment as we licence the first-ever spaceport in the UK. We’re proud to be playing our part in facilitating the UK’s space ambitions through assessing the safety, security and other requirements of these activities. This is another major milestone to enable this country to become a leading launch nation.

When we became the space regulator, we committed to delivering in an open, effective and proportionate way, with public safety at its heart. Our work does not stop with this licence decision as we continue to assess other licence applications and oversee the effectiveness of licenced activities, all enabling the UK’s space sector to grow safely and securely."

Melissa Thorpe, Head of Spaceport Cornwall, said:  "To be the first Spaceport in the UK with a licence to operate is a historic moment. The regulatory environment created by the Civil Aviation Authority ensures that UK launch will set the global bar in terms of responsibility and transparency.

Cornwall is now ready to open up the use of Space for Good, and support the UK industry in harnessing the power of space to benefit life on Earth."

The UK Civil Aviation Authority’s licence for Spaceport Cornwall follows months of working closely with government and other organisations including the Marine Management Organisation, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Health and Safety Executive.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority continues to work on several licence applications, including being in very advanced stages with Virgin Orbit on its applications for launch and range licences, as well as the satellite operators, ahead of a proposed first UK launch.

The regulator is also progressing applications from a range of other spaceports and operators, and recently started a consultation on the environmental effects of a proposed SaxaVord launch in Scotland.

Dan Hart, Virgin Orbit CEO, said:  "Obtaining this license marks a point of distinction for Spaceport Cornwall, and is a key preparatory milestone for this first orbital launch from the UK. 

Cosmic Girl  Photo Crown Copyright. Spaceport Cornwall

We appreciate the efforts of the British regulatory agencies with the support of the US Federal Aviation Administration in this first-time licensing process, as we strive in our respective roles to ensure a safe and successful mission in the coming weeks."

Ian Annett, Deputy CEO at the UK Space Agency, said:  "The first-ever spaceport licence granted by the UK Civil Aviation Authority is another major milestone as we look forward to the first satellite launch from UK soil this year. Getting to this stage is a testament to the hard work from partners across government and industry to make our launch ambitions a reality and we are now tantalisingly close.

Establishing orbital launch capabilities in the UK is already bringing investment and jobs into Cornwall and other communities across the UK and inspiring a new generation to join our growing space sector."

Councillor Louis Gardner, Cornwall Council portfolio holder for economy, said:  "What a fantastic milestone. We are now one step closer to becoming the UK’s first operational Spaceport and I speak for all of us at Cornwall Council as we await with great excitement the next steps, looking towards Launch UK with our partners the UK Space Agency and Virgin Orbit."

LauncherOne arrives.. Photo Spaceport Cornwall

With the landing of Virgin Orbit’s launch carrier aircraft – Cosmic Girl – and the arrival of LauncherOne, the future has arrived. Cosmic Girl, really more of an old bird, rather than a girl, the old 747 jet will carry LauncherOne to an altitude of roughly 35,000 ft before deploying the rocket, the arrival of key Ground Support Equipment and the integration of the majority of the payloads complete; LauncherOne is the last piece of the launch infrastructure to arrive on site.

Later this year, LauncherOne will carry seven payloads into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) on the Start Me Up mission. This will include the first-ever satellite launched by the Sultanate of Oman focused on Earth Observation; future-facing return satellite tech aboard Wales’ first satellite, built by Space Forge; a Maritime monitoring payload built by Horizon Technologies and the Satellite Applications Catapult; as well satellites from the MOD, DSTL and US National Reconnaissance Office.

The launch service was acquired by the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) from Virgin Orbit National Systems, a Virgin Orbit U.S. subsidiary serving classified customers, as the first task order on NRO’s Streamlined Launch Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity Contract or “SLIC.” Start Me Up manifest includes:

IOD-3 AMBER (aka IOD-3) – Developed by Satellite Applications Catapult (“SA Catapult”) and Horizon Technologies and built by AAC Clyde Space, all based in the U.K. IOD-3 Amber is expected to be the first of more than 20 Amber satellites to provide space-based Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) data to users.

Prometheus-2 –Two cubesats owned by the U.K. Ministry of Defense’s (MOD) Defense Science & Technology Laboratory Dstl. These satellites, co-funded with Airbus Defence and Space who are designing them jointly with In-Space Missions, will support MOD science and technology and activities both in orbit and on the ground through the development of ground systems focused at Dstl’s site near Portsmouth.

CIRCE (Coordinated Ionospheric Reconstruction CubeSat Experiment) – CIRCE is part of a joint mission between the U.K.’s Defense Science and Technology Laboratory and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL).

DOVER – Developed by RHEA Group in the UK, it is the company’s first satellite in its 30-year history. The satellite is being co-funded through the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Navigation Program (NAVISP) and built by Open Cosmos of the United Kingdom. DOVER is a SmallSat that was created as a pathfinder for resilient global navigation satellite systems.

ForgeStar-0 – Developed by Space Forge of Wales, the satellite is a fully returnable and reusable platform to enable in-space manufacturing. This launch will be the first for the company’s ForgeStar platform and will test future returns from space technology.

AMAN – Oman’s first orbital mission, it is a single earth observation satellite meant to demonstrate the future feasibility of a larger constellation and was developed after a memorandum of understanding among the Sultanate of Oman, Polish Small Satellite manufacturer and operator SatRev, Poland-originated AI data analytics specialists TUATARA, and Omani-based merging technology innovator ETCO. The agreement includes additional planned small satellites, including this, the first in Oman’s history.

STORK-6 – Stork-6 is the next instalment of Polish Small Satellite manufacturer and operator SatRev’s STORK constellation. Virgin Orbit previously launched two spacecraft in this constellation on a previous launch and looks forward to continuing to launch SatRev’s STORK spacecraft in the Future.

Condor A330neo with connectivity

Photo Condor

Optimally connected at all times even on board: With the arrival of Condor's new Airbus A330neo long-haul aircraft, guests will in future enjoy not only the largest movie selection ever with Condor FlyConnect, but also high-speed broadband Internet on board. This means that even above the clouds, guests can be reached online at any time via their own mobile device and use online services. In addition to the free in-flight entertainment program with the largest selection ever, guests on flights with the A330neo will in future be able to choose from three different data packages.

On the entire A330neo fleet, Condor offers its guests the option of connecting to WiFi on board with their mobile device with Condor FlyConnect. Three data package options are available for this purpose, which can be added starting at seven euros. The options available are Chat Unlimited, Basic (two hours) and Premium (four hours), so that each guest can purchase the right package for their individual use. To use the service, guests simply need to connect to the FlyConnect WiFi in flight mode on board and visit www.condorflyconnect.com. Guests have the option of testing the chat function free of charge for the first ten minutes, allowing them to use messenger services, for example, before opting for one of the data packages. In the future, guests will also find all the information they need to use the service in the in-flight menus and in the in-flight entertainment of the entire A330neo long-haul fleet and on condor.com.

Best entertainment above the clouds

On board the new A330neo long-haul fleet, guests of all booking classes can expect the best cinema entertainment. They can choose from up to 250 films and 160 series, including well-known blockbusters and new releases, free of charge. The personal 4K monitor at each seat also allows guests to choose from podcasts and music to make the time fly by. In addition, guests can also download a wide selection of eJournals in various languages in advance, including magazines, daily newspapers, travel guides, and children's books.

LATAM Airlines Flight 2213 pilots arrested following crash

Authorities in Peru are under pressure following news that The flight crew of LATAM 2213 were also placed under arrest and held in custody in Lima up until last night. 

The  International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations - IFALPA issued a statement condemning the detention. "The Federation considers this situation unacceptable. Holding individuals in custody who are already under intense psychological pressure due to an accident is extremely detrimental to flight safety and can only hinder the investigation. Further, it shows a complete disregard for the Positive Safety Culture principles laid out by Annexes 13 (Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation) and 19 (Safety Management) to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. It may also lead the public to conclude that the accident resulted from the flight crew’s intentional acts, rather than technical issues or a string of errors originating from multiple factors."

In any similar circumstances, the flight crew should be provided immediate medical care and evaluation. In no circumstances is it appropriate to question them in the immediate aftermath of any accident or incident until they have been professionally evaluated by qualified medical personnel who can determine their mental and physical fitness to contribute accurate information to investigators.

The IFALPA also said that only an extensive, complete accident investigation conducted in accordance with ICAO Annex 13 will provide the recommendations required to advance aviation safety and prevent reoccurrence.  IFALPA, therefore, urges the Republic of Peru to adhere to and fully implement ICAO's positive safety culture principles, especially in the wake of such a tragic accident.

Finnair strikes back and staff following industrial action with another 150 jobs axed.

Photo Finnair

The financially troubled national carrier of Finland has hit back at staff who have caused a last-minute strike by announcing 150 more jobs will be axed.

The airline says the job losses are because of the impacts of the closure of Russian airspace, although some can continue to be employed if they take on a new role. Finnair says it will offer career coaching and training opportunities for those that seek to be redeployed. 

Due to the dramatic changes in Finnair’s operating environment caused by the closure of Russian airspace, Finnair now reduces approximately 90 jobs in Finland. Some employees can be offered a new role at Finnair. Outside Finland, 57 jobs will be reduced.  The personnel reductions will be implemented by the end of February 2023. Finnair continues its determined actions to restore its profitability, for example through decreasing unit costs and strengthening unit revenues.

"Finnair employees are committed professionals, who in many ways have already had to stretch, first during the pandemic, and then because of the war started by Russia. I’m deeply sorry that we must take these difficult but necessary measures in our quest to restore our profitability," says Topi Manner, Finnair CEO.

The change negotiations concern some 770 employees in Finland who work in executive, manager and expert roles. Finnair has a total of approximately 5300 employees globally.

Eurowings sees trend reversal in business travel: bookings up 60%

Photo Eurowings

Demand for business travel is picking up significantly: compared to previous year, bookings at Eurowings rose by 60 percent in November. In relation to the summer months, current bookings are even twice as high. The current top routes at Eurowings include, for example, the European connections from Dusseldorf to Milan and Vienna, from Hamburg to London and from Stuttgart to Budapest. Among the domestic German routes, connections from Berlin to Cologne, from Dusseldorf to Berlin, from Stuttgart to Berlin and from Hamburg to Stuttgart are far ahead. This highlights a trend reversal: for the first time since the start of the Covid pandemic, Eurowings is no longer recording a drop in demand toward the winter half-year – on the contrary: there is a revival in booking figures in the business travel segment.

“We see a rising dynamic in business travel across all industries. Travel is currently increasing in almost all sectors – also because the pent-up demand for face-to-face meetings is very high,” says Eurowings CEO Jens Bischof. Many managers are starting to build up personal networks again, especially since the contact persons in many companies have changed after the long Covid break. Airlines are also feeling a consistently positive impact on their bookings due to the elimination of the masking requirement as the last travel restriction.

Eurowings is the market leader at the airports in Cologne/Bonn, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, and Stuttgart and, based on its data, is able to obtain a representative overview of how business travel is developing in Germany.

Trade shows as major travel drivers

The upswing is particularly noticeable at the major German trade fair locations in Cologne, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, and Stuttgart, which are also Eurowings' largest bases: the need for personal exchange fills the trade fair venues, thus driving business travel and attracting visitors from all over Europe. For example, around two-thirds of all global industry events are held in Germany, and four of the world's ten largest exhibition centres are located in Germany. Air travellers take advantage of the attractive off-peak times to arrive from Birmingham, Geneva, Lyon, Prague, Salzburg, or Stockholm, for example. Air traffic is also benefiting from a significant easing of the situation at German airports. Since the holiday travel peak in the summer months, much of the load has been taken off the system, and the recruitment waves are also having an impact throughout the industry. Eurowings, for example, has so far flown with a reliability rate of 99.5 percent in November – a recognized high figure in the industry.

Air Canada to offer live TV onboard select domestic flights

Air Canada has today announced it has launched Live TV on select aircraft and domestic routes, becoming the only Canadian carrier to offer customers the ability to cheer on their favourite sports teams by watching global sporting events in real time or watch live national news onboard a flight. Live TV on Air Canada flights currently features six Canadian English and French channels which are available as part of the airline's complimentary and extensive inflight entertainment programming.

Six Canadian national sports and news channels in English and French

Customers can watch exciting live sports on TSN and RDS, including soccer, hockey, football, golf, basketball and more, plus national, world, and business news

55% of mainline aircraft to be Live TV-enabled by the second quarter of 2023

"We are thrilled to launch Live TV as the newest addition to our unparalleled onboard entertainment. Customers will be able to enjoy content from great Canadian channels in both English and French. Sports fans flying with us can enjoy the exhilaration of watching regular season, playoff and championship games in real time, while business news junkies will appreciate remaining connected to market trends and current events, right from their seat. As we continue elevating the customer experience, we look forward to expanding Live TV to more flights, and bring even more leading content and features in 2023," said John Moody, Senior Director - Product Design, at Air Canada.

Live TV is presently available on domestic routes from coast to coast operated with a Live TV-enabled aircraft. Currently 40 Boeing 777, Boeing 787, Airbus A330 and Airbus A220 aircraft are Live TV-enabled, and Air Canada expects 50% of domestic flights operated by mainline aircraft to offer Air Live TV by the second of quarter 2023.

Air Canada's Live TV experience is delivered through a satellite-connected, inflight entertainment solution.

Live TV programming on Air Canada flights is comprised of:

TSN, TSN 2 and RDS delivering comprehensive live sports coverage for marquee sports events including soccer, hockey, basketball, football, baseball, golf, professional motor racing, and more

CTV News Channel delivering breaking news from communities across Canada and around the world as the country's 24-hour all-news network

LCN, Quebec's all-news station delivering news and rich programming from morning to night

BNN Bloomberg as Canada's definitive source for business news, delivering breaking finance updates and live market coverage

Azul Linhas Aéreas adds three additional A330neo to fleet

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 for the upcoming years. This reaffirms our position as the airline with the most modern fleet in the region, with 70 percent of our capacity coming from fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly aircraft,” said John Rodgerson, Chief Executive Officer of Azul.

“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.

AirAsia X to be the first airline to reconnect Kuala Lumpur directly to Busan

AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail and President of BTO Jung-Sil Lee at the MoU signing ceremony between AAX and
BTO at Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur. Photo Air Asia

AirAsia X (AAX), the mid-range airline affiliate of AirAsia Aviation Group, is set to be the first airline from Malaysia to reconnect direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Busan, South Korea in early 2023.

The thrice-weekly flights will be the second AAX route to South Korea after launching flights to Seoul in April this year.

In addition to relaunching the route, AAX also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Busan Tourism Organisation (BTO) to develop joint sales and marketing campaigns, leverage travel agents support, strengthen flight connectivity, and foster both countries’ economies through tourism.

The MoU was signed at Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur by AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail and President of BTO Jung-Sil Lee.

AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail said: “We are excited to be the first airline from Malaysia to return to Busan. South Korea is an incredibly important market and we have seen tremendous growth from our existing route to Seoul with around 80% average load factor. Starting with three weekly services and based on strong forecast demand, we expect the flight frequency to Busan to return to daily services by year-end. We believe the relaunch of the Busan route will provide a significant boost to strengthen business and tourism ties between Malaysia and South Korea, and we wish to thank the governments and relevant authorities for their tremendous support.

Breitling launches new Navitimer watch exclusive to SWISS

Photo SWISS

Swiss watch manufacturer Breitling has launched a new watch model that is exclusive to SWISS. The new Navitimer B01 SWISS Limited Edition will be restricted to just 700 pieces and is available for sale solely on selected SWISS routes. SWISS and Breitling have been partners for years, and intensified their collaboration earlier this year to promote sustainable air travel.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is now offering its inflight guests the opportunity to acquire the new Breitling Navitimer B01 SWISS Limited Edition wristwatch. The launch of Breitling’s new watch model coincides with both the 70th anniversary of the company’s first iconic Navitimer chronograph and SWISS’s own 20th birthday. The new model, which is being produced in a limited edition of 700 pieces and is available exclusively on selected SWISS long-haul routes, was jointly unveiled this Thursday morning by SWISS CEO Dieter Vranckx and Breitling CEO Georges Kern. The classic Breitling Navitimer aviator watch has proved hugely popular since the launch of its initial model back in 1952.

“SWISS and Breitling share the same values,” says SWISS CEO Dieter Vranckx. “Our brands are both bywords for the highest quality, and we both put a firm focus on the details. The new Navitimer SWISS Limited Edition excellently embodies all these characteristics. And I’m delighted that, to help mark our 20th anniversary, we can offer it exclusively to our SWISS inflight guests.”

Reigniting regional travel, Australia’s air transport opportunity

Photo SITA | Reigniting regional travel, Australia's air transport opportunity

According to the latest data, Australia is seeing a strong resurgence in domestic air travel, with 4.7 million passengers flying domestically in July 2022, the strongest month of travel since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The Australian post-pandemic domestic travel boom is primarily driven by leisure travel, with passengers heading for popular destinations like Queensland over the winter months. More passengers travelled between the Gold Coast and Canberra, Melbourne, and Adelaide in July 2022 compared with pre-COVID-19 (July 2019).

While pent-up domestic travel demand is an encouraging sign for the industry, airports and airlines have struggled to meet this demand, operating with slashed workforces, surged fuel prices, and battling extreme weather events.

In July 2022, the domestic airline industry reported the worst on-time performance on record and cancellation rates over three times the long-term average. Half of all domestic flights arrived late in July, while the airlines cancelled 6.4% of all scheduled domestic flights. In line with global conditions, high jet fuel prices and fewer flights meant that discount economy airfares increased 56% from April to August 2022, reaching their highest point since late 2020.

While flight cancellations and airfares are key concerns, other issues like delays, mishandled baggage, or long queues at security also threaten long-term industry recovery.

Regional airports in particular are seeing a stronger-than-expected resurgence of passengers. To meet this demand, they must now deliver a seamless near-walk-through airport experience while maximizing assets and minimizing costs. Airports and airlines must evolve their existing solutions to achieve agility in times of increased volatility without investing in costly new infrastructure.

It’s not an easy problem to solve. What’s clear from our conversations with regional airports is that as they enter a new post-pandemic operating environment, they want to be prepared for the changes and the return to full passenger capacity, mitigating the risks associated with staff shortages. With more scalable technology, they can now deliver the same experience to their airlines and passengers as major hubs without a complete overhaul of technology infrastructure.

Agile solutions to combat capacity constraints

From our experience in digitizing the industry – before, during, and post-pandemic – we see common issues facing highly cost-conscious regional airports, with a desire to be able to fund the types of smart digital ways of working found in larger airports.

Cloud technology makes the digital journey and cutting-edge IT affordable and accessible for regional airports. With leading passenger processing capabilities accessible via the cloud, airports can enable shared common-use approaches cost-effectively, saving on infrastructure, space, and maintenance. Not only that, but they’re also well-placed to embrace additional capabilities as they choose, such as self-boarding, self-bag drop, off-airport processing, and more.

In Australia, SITA now serves most regional airports with versions of its passenger processing solutions. Recently Newcastle airport adopted SITA’s Flex solution to help manage increasing passenger numbers, while Cairns and Townsville employ common-use terminal equipment (CUTE) and common-use self-service (CUSS) solutions.

SITA Flex brings leading cloud-based passenger processing capabilities, enabling a digital passenger experience based on contactless, self-service journeys from check-in to boarding.

According to SITA’s Passenger IT Insights, released in June 2022, more passengers are using mobile devices for booking, on board the aeroplane, and bag collection. Automated gates saw increased adoption for identity control, boarding, and border control, while 87% of passengers have positive emotions about identity control and 84% about bag collection. Underscoring this insight, IATA’s recently revealed 2022 Global Passenger Survey results showed increased interest in off-airport processing services, additional options for baggage handling, and biometric solutions.

This type of technology deployment means airlines can enable passengers to use their mobiles to have a near walk-through, touchless airport experience. In contrast, airport workforces can use mobile devices to coordinate and perform tasks efficiently.

A changing regional aviation landscape

As Australia enters its vital summer travel period, we expect travel volumes to remain robust.

But even as passengers are drawn back to travel during the journey — particularly from regional airports — they will demand the same digital experience and efficiencies they receive at international hubs. On top of that comes greater airline expectations, route volatility, space constraints, and staff multi-tasking, which can impact the passenger experience. Then, as journeys become more digital, there’s a growing need for seamless interoperation across travel systems and technologies – not just among large and small airports but also with other modes of transport.

While Australia has fared better than other parts of the world, like Europe and the US, when it comes to mishandled baggage, the return to full capacity could present new challenges over the summer period. Technology will be critical to support airlines with baggage management solutions that reduce the number of mishandled bags and their associated costs.

In the face of these profound changes, regional airports must adjust their strategies to address the post-pandemic environment. Like bigger airports, regional airports will need to consider a digital shift to cope with future capacity constraints and ensure agility and resilience of operations.

Star Alliance and HSBC Australia reimagine airline rewards for consumers with a world-first credit card

The HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card is a first by a global airline alliance. It brings together seven of the world’s leading airlines on a single credit card platform.

Participating member airlines include: Air Canada, Air New Zealand, EVA Air, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, THAI and United Airlines.

Australian cardholders are eligible to fast track to Star Alliance Gold Status[2]in their first year through spending on everyday eligible[3] purchases.

The launch comes as a new HSBC Travel and Finance[4] survey reveals over half (55%) of Australians 18+ are planning or considering an overseas trip in the next year, with 88% of those travellers agreeing it is important to budget properly for trips given increasing inflation and cost of living.

HSBC Australia and Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance, today announced the launch of the HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card[1] in Australia, providing customers with greater choice when earning and using their airline points.

Australian customers can earn Star Alliance Points on their everyday eligible credit card purchases that can be converted to miles/points in participating Star Alliance member carrier frequent flyer programs. The card is the world’s first credit card created with an airline alliance and will be issued exclusively on Visa credit. It brings together seven launch Star Alliance carriers on a single credit card platform.

Jeffrey Goh, CEO of Star Alliance, said: “Star Alliance is delighted to launch this industry-first loyalty product together with HSBC and Visa. This is very much consistent with a key strategy of Star Alliance which is to offer a loyalty proposition that others talk about.

Southwest Airlines celebrates mile high heart with special concert

Southwest Airlines has been spreading its love across Colorado by thanking its Customers and three local organizations focused on making the state a great place to live, work, and play. During the past two weeks, Southwest® awarded 15 million Rapid Rewards® bonus points as part of its Mile High Heart Beats sweepstakes. Grand prize winners and their guests received an invitation to a special concert featuring The Reminders and Quinn XCII at Summit in Downtown Denver.

The carrier also made a surprise announcement to support Make-A-Wish® Foundation of Colorado, Junior Achievement Rocky Mountain, and Special Olympics Colorado. Each organization will receive a $20,000 donation to continue focusing on making Colorado a great place to call home.

"A lot has changed in the last few years, but one thing that hasn't is Southwest's commitment to our Customers and the communities we serve," said Bill Tierney, Southwest Airlines Vice President of Marketing & Digital Experience. "Our People go above and beyond to show their Mile High Heart and connect our Customers to things important in their lives."

New Eurowings Premium travel credit card with improved range of benefits

New Eurowings Premium travel credit card with an improved range of benefits

Barclays is launching a new premium travel credit card in cooperation with Eurowings and Miles & More. With the new Eurowings Credit Card Premium, customers can not only make payments worldwide free of charge and withdraw money abroad free of charge – they also benefit from many other advantages when travelling with Eurowings. These include, for example, free seat reservations, free transportation of sports baggage, and the use of fast lanes at various airports. In addition to this, users earn valuable Miles & More award miles with every card transaction, which they can redeem for as few as 3,000 miles. A Eurowings award flight can be booked for as few as 9,000 miles. It was only in the summer of 2022 that Barclays connected its Eurowings credit card portfolio to the Lufthansa Group's Miles & More loyalty program.

“This year, we have fundamentally revised our Eurowings partner cards. Thanks to Miles & More, our customers now enjoy the benefits of one of the world's leading loyalty programs. And with the new Eurowings Credit Card Premium, we are launching a credit card that is one of the most attractive travel credit cards in Germany thanks to its excellent price/performance ratio,” says Tobias Grieß, CEO of Barclays' European retail business.