SWISS has acquired a financial interest in Swiss-based technology company Synhelion in a further step to help bring solar fuels to market. Synhelion will be using the funds raised by this latest financing round to scale up and commercialize its technology. Alternative fuels such as the solar fuel being developed by Synhelion are essential to the achievement of the aviation sector’s ambitious climate goals.
19 December, 2022
SWISS promotes Swiss innovation and invests in Synhelion
London Stansted records best month yet as strong recovery continues in November
1.83 million passengers travelled through Stansted in November
12-month rolling total now stands at 22.3 million
London Stansted recorded its strongest recovery in passenger volumes yet in November.
The airport welcomed 1.83 million passengers during November, representing 97% of the passengers served in the same month in 2019, the highest proportion of traffic seen at Stansted throughout the recovery period.
Ciaron Brannigan, London Stansted’s Commercial Director, said: “We’re delighted with the continuation of the strong traffic trends in the winter season. This recovery has been underpinned by the introduction of new routes from Ryanair, including Catania (Italy), Asturias (Spain), Klagenfurt (Austria), Leipzig (Germany and Edinburgh, as well as capacity increases from Play to Reykjavik and Pegasus to Istanbul.With a busy festive season soon to be upon us, we expect to see passenger demand at the airport remain very strong over the period.”
Jetstar announces direct services from Auckland to Brisbane
18 December, 2022
Rocket Lab Prepares to Launch First Mission from Wallops Island
Rocket Lab USA, a leading launch and space systems company, is preparing to launch the Company’s first Electron mission from U.S. soil on December 18 between 6-8pm ET. The mission will take place from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2 at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility – a launch pad developed to support U.S. Electron missions for government and commercial customers.
The “Virginia Is For Launch Lovers” mission will deploy three satellites for radio frequency geospatial analytics provider HawkEye 360. The mission is the first of three Electron launches for HawkEye 360 in a contract that will see Rocket Lab deliver 15 satellites to low Earth orbit between late 2022 and 2024. These missions will grow HawkEye 360’s constellation of radio frequency monitoring satellites, enabling the company to better deliver precise geolocation of radio frequency emissions anywhere in the world.
While “Virginia Is For Launch Lovers” will be Electron’s first launch from the U.S., Rocket Lab has already conducted 32 Electron missions from Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand, delivering 152 satellites to orbit for customers including NASA, the National Reconnaissance Office, DARPA, the U.S. Space Force and a range of commercial constellation operators. Electron is already the most frequently launched small orbital rocket globally and now with the capacity of the pads at Launch Complex 1 and 2 combined, Rocket Lab has more than 130 Electron launch opportunities every year.
The launch window extends through December 19 to allow for weather or technical delays if required. Follow Rocket Lab on Twitter (@RocketLab) for real time mission updates.
Where to watch launch:
Launch fans eager to watch Electron take to Virginia skies for the first time can visit viewing locations including Robert Reed Park on Main Street or Beach Road spanning the area between Chincoteague and Assateague Islands. The Virginia, Maryland and Delaware Atlantic beaches also provide good viewing locations. The NASA Visitor Center at Wallops will be open for this launch. A live launch webcast will also be available at www.rocketlabusa.com/live-stream from around T-40 minutes.
17 December, 2022
World’s first net zero transatlantic flight to fly from London in 2023
Virgin Atlantic wins competition to receive government funding for the first ever net zero transatlantic flight.
- World first as Virgin Atlantic wins UK government funding to operate historic net zero London to New York flight
- Rolls-Royce, Boeing, Imperial College London, University of Sheffield, Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and ICF also form part of an iconic British-led consortium
- Heralds future of low carbon aviation, with the wider sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry potentially creating thousands of UK jobs while supporting delivery of net zero aviation emissions by 2050
The first ever net zero transatlantic flight will take off from the UK next year, with Virgin Atlantic receiving government funding to fly across the pond using solely sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
In 2023, one of Virgin Atlantic’s flagship Boeing 787s, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines, will take off from London Heathrow and make the journey to New York’s John F Kennedy Airport – a journey made by thousands of people for business, family and leisure every week. But this will be no ordinary journey.
When fully replacing kerosene, SAF can slash lifecycle carbon emissions by over 70% compared to conventional fossil jet fuel. This flight is expected to be fuelled by SAF made primarily from waste oils and fats, such as used cooking oil. The use of 100% SAF on the flight, combined with carbon removal through biochar credits – a material which traps and stores carbon taken from the atmosphere – will make the flight net zero.
Not only will SAF be key in decarbonising aviation, but it could create a UK industry with an annual turnover of £2.4 billion by 2040, and which supports up to 5,200 UK jobs by 2035.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:
"For decades, flying from London to New York has symbolised aviation’s ability to connect people and drive international progress. It’s now going to be at the forefront of cutting carbon emissions from flying.
Not only will this flight pave the way for future generations, but it will demonstrate just how much we can achieve when we work together on a shared goal – bringing together some of the best businesses and academics in the world and led by a British airline."
Shai Weiss, Virgin Atlantic CEO said:
"As an airline founded on and committed to innovation, we’re proud to lead a cross-industry consortium of partners to make aviation history by operating the first ever 100% SAF flight across the Atlantic. Virgin Atlantic’s inaugural flight in 1984 was to New York and today it continues to be one of our most popular routes. It will be an honour to pave the way for this important business and leisure route to become even more sustainable.
This challenge recognises the critical role that SAF has to play in decarbonising aviation and the urgent collective action needed to scale production and use of SAF globally. The research and results will be a huge step in fast-tracking SAF use across the aviation industry and supporting the investment, collaboration and urgency needed to produce SAF at scale. Our collective ambition of net zero by 2050 depends on it."
Aviation is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise and without urgent collaborative action it could be one of the highest-emitting sectors for greenhouse gases by 2050. To tackle this, the government published the Jet Zero strategy in July 2022 which sets out our approach for decarbonising the sector and champions SAF as one of the main tools for achieving Jet Zero.
Challenges remain, however, including the need to scale up SAF production and the existing limit on how much SAF is permitted in jet engines by current fuel specifications. Today, a maximum of 50% SAF blended with kerosene can be used in commercial jet engines. By using 100% SAF, the consortium will demonstrate the potential to decarbonise long-haul routes and bring us a step closer to net zero aviation.
It comes hot on the heels of the world’s first sustainable fuel military transporter flight using 100% SAF, completed by the RAF last month using the iconic Voyager aircraft.
Other challenges preventing a higher uptake of SAF include high fuel production costs, technology risk at commercial scale and feedstock availability. To address these, the government is working to set the UK up to be a global leader in the development, production and use of SAF, allowing us to progress towards net zero flying, and creating thousands of green jobs.
The government will introduce a SAF mandate requiring at least 10% of jet fuel to be made from sustainable sources by 2030 to create secure and growing demand, continue to invest in a domestic SAF industry through the £165 million advanced fuels fund, and work with the industry and investors to understand how to secure long-term investment into the sector. Along with this ground-breaking flight, these measures will support a growing role for SAF within the future of everyday flying.
Rachael Everard, Head of Sustainability, Rolls-Royce said:
"Congratulations to Virgin for winning the net zero transatlantic flight fund competition. This represents an incredible milestone for the entire aviation industry in its journey towards net zero carbon emissions.
We are incredibly proud that our Trent 1000 engines will power the first ever flight using 100% SAF across the Atlantic. SAF will play such an important role in decarbonising long-haul flight in particular and is a key element of our sustainability strategy.
The Trent 1000 can already be flown with a 50% blend of SAF on commercial flights and by the end of 2023 we will have proven that our whole family of Trent engines and business aviation engines are compatible with 100% SAF."
Sheila Remes, Vice President, Environmental Sustainability, Boeing said:
"Boeing is proud to support the Department for Transport and Virgin Atlantic in this endeavour. Our longstanding sustainability partnership with Virgin dates back to the historic 2008 commercial SAF test flight on a Boeing 747.
Together, as we add another SAF ‘first’ to our partnership and to the benefit of the industry, we know we are one step closer to a sustainable future of flight that will have zero climate impact."
As well as delivering cleaner skies, the development of a domestic industry for the production of SAF has the potential to improve fuel security and support thousands of green jobs. In 2020, it was estimated that a UK SAF industry could generate a gross value added (GVA) of up to £742 million annually and support up to 5,200 UK jobs by 2035. A further 13,600 jobs could be generated from the growing market for SAF through global exports – helping to level up the UK and boost the economy.
Delivering the transatlantic flight will help to gather the data needed to support ongoing and future work to test and certify higher blends of SAF and its non-CO2 impacts, while exploring how operational efficiency improvements, flight optimisation and carbon removals can contribute to achieving net-zero flights – not just in the UK, but for the global aviation industry.
Dr Marc Stettler, Imperial College London said:
"We’re delighted to be part of this project to advance understanding the non-CO2 effects of flying. As we adopt sustainable aviation fuels to decarbonise aviation, it’s essential that we also evaluate these non-CO2 climate impacts and demonstrate ways to reduce them."
Professor Mohamed Pourkashanian, Head of the University of Sheffield Energy Institute, said:
"We are delighted to be working on this prestigious and timely project to deliver the first transatlantic net-zero flight. Through this partnership of world-leading aviation experts from industrial and academic backgrounds, we’re going to help make sustainable aviation fuels a reality for long-haul flights.
The facilities at the University of Sheffield – including the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Innovation Centre (SAF-IC) – are at the cutting edge of SAF development, characterisation and testing. We’re excited to join this project to deliver the fuel which will drive the decarbonisation of the aviation sector, and secure greener, cleaner flights for the future."
Alastair Blanshard, ICF Sustainable Aviation Lead said:
"Flying over an ocean at nearly the speed of sound without producing any net climate impact will be an inspiring step towards a net zero aviation industry. ICF is delighted to partner with Virgin Atlantic to make this milestone a reality in 2023.
We will draw on our decades of experience in sustainable aviation to develop, apply and critically assess methods to estimate and measure the life-cycle climate impact of transatlantic operations, and apply these to achieve a net zero flight."
UK Passengers to benefit from biggest shake-up of airport security rules in decades
Over the next 2 years, most major airports will introduce cutting-edge systems into their security checkpoints, ushering in a new era of improved security and passenger experience when going through departures.
Not only will it mean greater convenience for travellers – as people will no longer need to spend time taking items out of their bags – but it will also enhance passenger safety, as security staff will have more detailed images of what people are carrying.
The government is laying new legislation today (15 December 2022) which will make it easier to streamline the processes that apply to UK airports in the future. By allowing us to take advantage of the latest advancements, such as developments in screening technology, it will help us to further improve the already high-security standards in the UK.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said:
"The tiny toiletry has become a staple of airport security checkpoints, but that’s all set to change. I’m streamlining cabin bag rules at airports while enhancing security.
By 2024, major airports across the UK will have the latest security tech installed, reducing queuing times, improving the passenger experience, and most importantly detecting potential threats.
Of course, this won’t happen straight away – this is going to take 2 years to be fully implemented. Until then, passengers must continue following the existing rules and check before travelling."
Passengers are currently required to remove tablets, laptops and liquids from their cabin baggage, while liquids have been limited to 100ml and must be in a clear plastic bag. This requirement will eventually be lifted, and the 100ml liquid container limit will be extended to 2 litres.
KLM Group’s CO2 emission reduction targets for 2030 approved by SBTi
KLM is committed to reducing its environmental impact as part of a transparent and responsible sustainability policy. An important part of this relates to its commitment to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 3 emissions by 30% per revenue tonne kilometre (RTK) by 2030 compared to 2019. Together with Air France-KLM and Air France, this target was submitted and recently approved by SBTi’s Target Validation Team. SBTi has determined that it complies with the well-below 2°C trajectory set for the airline industry, as determined by the Paris Agreement signed in 2015.
The Air France-KLM Group designed a coherent approach developed within the Group’s Destination Sustainability strategy with the ambition of CO₂ emission reduction based on three main pillars. The SBTi targets approval is a key element for the Group to ensure that Air France-KLM decarbonization strategy is coherent with scientific objectives.
Together with Air France-KLM and Air France, KLM has strong ambitions when it comes to making aviation more sustainable and balancing the development of our network with the environment. This requires major and fundamental decisions regarding our fleet, operations and our fuel use. The Science Based Targets and the associated CO2 reduction trajectory provide clarity and at the same time entail major challenges. To make them feasible and possible, we work closely with each other and with our sector partners to come up with technical solutions and innovations that support the energy transition in aviation.
Titan Aircraft Investments and Georgian Airlines confirm long-term lease deal for a Boeing 737
Airbus achieves key milestone on EGNOS European satellite-based navigation augmentation system
Airbus achieves key milestone on EGNOS European satellite-based navigation augmentation system
EGNOS V3 to support safety-critical aircraft, maritime and land applications
EGNOS V3 System CDR passed on schedule on 7 Dec 2022
H3 Dynamics adds hydrogen-electric propulsion to unmanned airships of HyLight
First successful hydrogen-powered airship flight took place in Milan, Italy
Hydrogen-electric airships can fly or hover quietly for days, with zero C02 emissions
Is Europe’s Future Combat Air System on its way to the first flight?
16 December, 2022
Samarkand International Airport joins Airports Council International.
American Airlines to offer AAdvantage members more rewards......
AAdvantage® membership is the only way to experience some of the best that American Airlines offers, and unlocks access to some of the airline’s best partner experiences
AAdvantage members continue to earn miles and Loyalty Points for everyday activities, making it easy to earn flights, customize their travel and achieve status
American introduces Loyalty Point Rewards, which members earn to unlock further benefits and choose rewards to customize their travel experience
AAdvantage members can earn new benefits and rewards before reaching status and between and beyond status levels
Introducing more AAdvantage benefits and Loyalty Point Rewards
Priority check-in, security and Group 4 boarding for one trip.Five preferred seat coupons.
Unlocking AAdvantage 2023 status and more
AAdvantage Status | Loyalty Points |
---|---|
Gold | 40,000 |
Platinum | 75,000 |
Platinum Pro | 125,000 |
Executive Platinum | 200,000 |
Updating mileage earn and redemption
Accessing everything American has to offer
Delta Cargo Selects IBS Software to Power Digital Transformation
15 December, 2022
JetBlue and Peacock soar to new heights with first-of-its-kind partnership
JetBlue, the only major U.S. airline with free high-speed Fly-Fi® and seatback screens at every seat, on every plane, is continuing to lead the industry in inflight entertainment by launching a first-of-its-kind partnership with NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock. Beginning Spring 2023, Peacock will become the exclusive streaming partner of JetBlue.