New Hyatt Regency hotel opens in London.....

Hyatt Regency London Albert Embankment has opened, the 142-room hotel marks the eighth Hyatt-branded property in London and is part of Hyatt Hotels UK growth plan.

Hyatt Regency London Albert Embankment is conveniently located, just a five-minute walk to the capital’s political epicentre, Westminster, home to landmarks including the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square and Big Ben. A short stroll along the River Thames from the hotel leads to the South Bank, an area celebrated for its world-class arts and cultural venues, whilst nearby Vauxhall Station provides direct access to many of the city’s major travel hubs.

“London remains a priority market for our planned brand growth in the U.K., and we are delighted to add Hyatt Regency London Albert Embankment to our expanding list of properties in the capital,” said Felicity Black-Roberts, vice president of development of Hyatt Europe. “This is the third Hyatt Regency branded hotel in the city, further demonstrating how Hyatt is intentionally growing our brand portfolio in the U.K., bringing our most renowned brands to the in-demand markets where our guests and World of Hyatt members want to be.”

Guestrooms

A total of 142 well-appointed, contemporary guestrooms make the most of the enviable riverside spot, with many featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that provide immersive views of the city’s iconic skyline. On the 14th floor, a range of executive suites offer king-size bedrooms, spacious, modern bathrooms, and relaxing lounge areas, accompanied by a private balcony for guests to enjoy exclusive panoramas across London.

Dining

For those looking for a multifunctional setting to share, socialize and collaborate, POTUS bar and restaurant delivers a diverse and distinctive menu of North American classics alongside traditional British favourites. Meanwhile, the rooftop restaurant, cocktail bar, and shisha terrace Mezemiso serves authentic Lebanese and Japanese cuisine to create an incomparable dining experience overlooking the memorable sky-high views of the city.

Amenities

The hotel’s additional amenities reflect the Hyatt Regency brand commitment to encouraging productivity and peace of mind. This includes an on-site fitness centre fitted with the latest Technogym equipment, and five technology-enabled meeting rooms, which have been designed to inspire connection, offering 15,273 square feet (1,419 square meters) of combined meeting space for a range of events, from business conferences to group gatherings.

“We are pleased about the collaboration with Hyatt to open Hyatt Regency London Albert Embankment,” said Ivan Drinkwater – Cannon Corporate spokesperson. “The hotel is set to be the destination of choice for the millions of business and leisure travellers who visit this corner of London each year. Our team is ready to provide them with intuitive service and elevated experiences amongst the bustle of one of the city’s most popular areas.”

Hyatt Hotels have refused to curtail operations or investments within Russia following the invasion of Ukraine and continues to support Russian authorities. 

Etihad Airways looking for top talent in search of adventure

Etihad Airways, the award-winning national airline of the United Arab Emirates, is continuing its global recruitment campaign, seeking talented people who love to explore the world while delivering world-renowned customer service. 

As travel demand surges, Etihad continues to grow and will be hiring candidates across cities worldwide throughout January.

Etihad has a diverse cabin crew team made up of more than 150 nationalities that currently fly to 64 destinations around the world. 

Cabin crew will be based in the city of Abu Dhabi, known for its warm hospitality and culture. The city is recognised for its safety, stunning beaches, award-winning restaurants and nightlife, with endless opportunities on your doorstep to explore arts, entertainment, and lifestyle activities.

Cabin crew are provided with fully-furnished accommodation in Abu Dhabi, competitive salary, medical insurance, and fantastic travel benefits for them and their friends and family. They will also have discounts on food and beverage and leisure activities in the vibrant surroundings of the UAE’s capital. 

Dr Nadia Bastaki, Chief Human Resources, Organisational Development & Asset Management Officer, Etihad Airways, said: “If you’re interested in a flying career then there is no better place to start than here. Those who are selected will be able to experience different cultures, visit wonderful destinations, and grow their career within Etihad. 

“At Etihad, we believe our people should have the same sense of care as we offer our customers.”

Anyone interested in travelling the world for a living can bring their CV to the open days listed in the table below. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview the next day. 

Successful candidates will enjoy a comprehensive training programme in Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi, UAE: Al Raha Beach Hotel - Channel Street. CV Drop on January 16 from 9AM to 6PM, Assessment Day January 17

Dublin, Ireland: Radisson Blu St. Helen's Hotel. CV Drop on January 17 9AM to 6PM. Assessment Day January 18

Bratislava, Slovakia: Sheraton Bratislava Hotel. CV Drop on January 24 from 9AM to 6PM. Assessment Day January 25

Istanbul, Turkey: Radisson Blu Hotel, Istanbul. CV Drop on January 25 from 9AM to 6PM. Assessment Day January 26

Madrid, Spain: Melia Madrid Princesa CV Drop on January 30 from 9AM to 6PM. Assessment Day January 31

Delta Air Lines announces December quarter and full year 2022 profit

 

Generated double-digit operating margin in December quarter with EPS ahead of guidance

Expect March quarter revenue to accelerate further relative to 2019

Reiterating outlook for significant earnings and cash flow growth in 2023, including EPS of $5 - $6 and free cash flow of more than $2 billion

Delta Air Lines reported financial results for the December quarter and full year 2022 and provided its outlook for the March quarter 2023. Highlights of the December quarter and full year 2022 results, including both GAAP and adjusted metrics, are on page five of the full release and are incorporated here.

"Delta people rose to the challenges of 2022, delivering industry-leading operational reliability and financial performance, and I'm looking forward to recognizing their achievements with over $500 million in profit sharing payments next month," said Ed Bastian, Delta's chief executive officer.  "As we move into 2023, the industry backdrop for air travel remains favorable, and Delta is well positioned to deliver significant earnings and free cash flow growth. We expect to grow 2023 revenue by 15-20% and improve unit costs year-over-year, supporting a full-year outlook for earnings of $5 to $6 per share and keeping us on track to achieve more than $7 of earnings per share in 2024."

VINCI Airports reports 2022 traffic levels up by 51%

● Traffic up by 51% (46% if including OMA airports) in the last quarter compared to 2021 – down 17% (15% with OMA) from pre-Covid levels

● Traffic for the entire year doubled compared to 2021, reaching 72% (75%) of the 2019 baseline

● In Portugal (ANA) and Serbia (Belgrade airport), the last quarter was the first to exceed 2019 levels

● New arrivals in the VINCI network, OMA airports in Mexico, enjoyed outstanding performance

Airports in the VINCI Airports network welcomed almost 501 million (over 56 million with OMA airports) passengers in Q4 2022, i.e. almost 17 million (or 18 million with OMA) more than in 2021 – down 17% (or 15%) from the same period in 2019. Over 186 million (209 million with OMA) passengers used our airports over the whole year - i.e. twice the traffic of 2021 - down 28% (or 25%) from 2019.

Passenger traffic1 continued to grow in the fourth quarter, confirming resilience despite the particularly challenging economic outlook in Europe. Outside of Asia, traffic was almost back to pre-crisis levels in December (down by just 9%) and the recovery of international traffic had caught up with that of domestic traffic, a marker of the gradual return to normality. Airports across Portugal and in Belgrade in Serbia illustrated this growth, exceeding their pre-crisis traffic levels since October. The outstanding Q4 momentum (9% above Q4 2019 levels) of OMA airports in Mexico, new arrivals in the VINCI Airports network, has confirmed this market’s enormous potential, both domestically and to and from the US.

Unless stated otherwise, all variations in the following paragraphs refer to traffic levels in Q4 2022 as compared to the same period in 2019.

Passenger traffic held up in Europe, despite an uncertain economic and geopolitical context. Traffic was particularly robust in Portugal with regards to connections to France, Spain and the UK enabled by significant development of low-cost airlines. Ryanair (up by 15%) rolled out a substantial winter programme at both Porto and its base in Funchal, while easyJet (up by 20%) added extra capacity at Porto and acquired new airport slots at Lisbon. Traffic growth at Belgrade airport in Serbia accelerated rapidly in this quarter – peaking at a 13% increase in December – thanks to flights offered by Air Serbia, Wizz Air and Turkish Airlines. In France, Lyon Saint-Exupéry airport made the most of visiting friends and relatives (VFR) traffic on certain international routes (with Porto up by 30%, Algiers up by 41%, and Istanbul SAW up by 36%) over the autumn half term and the festive season. At London Gatwick, after a slight dip in November, traffic picked up again in December – particularly to Spanish destinations such as Tenerife and Malaga. The airport continued to build back its range of long haul international destinations with several connections reopened over the quarter, such as to Vietnam, Costa Rica and South Africa.

JetBlue's transatlantic services to London enhanced......

Additional Heathrow Slots Allow JetBlue to Offer Customers a More Diverse Schedule of Flying Between the U.S. and the U.K.

New York's hometown airline, JetBlue has launched a programme to enhance its transatlantic operations to London with a new daytime flight option.

Starting March 25, 2023, the carrier is going to be offering a new morning departure from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR).  This will give travellers the all-new option to arrive in the United Kingdom the same day they depart the United States. 

The new flight is a direct result of JetBlue obtaining an additional pair of slots at Heathrow, further enhancing the carrier's presence at the U.K.’s busiest airport.

JetBlue is currently the only U.S. carrier to serve both Gatwick and Heathrow, offering customers on both sides of the Atlantic greater choice and convenience. JetBlue’s multi-airport approach in London, with diversified flying at two of the U.K.’s busiest airports, has already allowed the airline to grow a meaningful customer base of loyal transatlantic fliers and build valuable relationships with key teams at both airports.

JetBlue flights between the U.S. and London feature premium Mint suites and the airline’s award-winning core seats. JetBlue offers the most legroom in coach (a), on-demand entertainment on every seatback, free and fast Fly-Fi broadband internet (b), complimentary snacks and soft drinks, and great customer service. JetBlue’s entrance into the transatlantic has introduced a new era of customer-focused, low-fare travel for leisure and business travellers.

Customers in both core and Mint can stay connected throughout the flight, with JetBlue being the only airline to offer all travellers unlimited, free high-speed wi-fi on flights between the U.S. and the U.K. Additionally, customers have access to a curated selection of seatback entertainment, allowing customers to have a multiple screen experience onboard – just like they do at home.

Emirates expands its A380 network with the resumption of services to Birmingham, Glasgow and Nice

 Emirates has announced it will scale up its A380 operations with the iconic double-decker returning to Glasgow (26 March 2023), Nice (1 June 2023) and Birmingham (1 July 2023). The airline has also announced it will resume its second daily service to Stansted starting from 1 May 2023, utilising its wide-body Boeing 777-300ER aircraft fitted with its renowned ‘Game Changer' First Class product. With the return of the second daily flight to Stansted, Emirates will ramp up  its operations to London with 11 daily flights, including six times daily to London Heathrow and three times daily to Gatwick. The airline continues to expand its global network and increase capacity in line with growing travel demand.

Emirates currently deploys its flagship A380 to 40 destinations worldwide. By the end of this summer, the popular aircraft will be serving almost 50 destinations, restoring close to 90% of the airline’s pre-pandemic A380 network.

Emirates is the largest operator of Airbus A380, with more than 80 aircraft currently in active service. 

The airline continues to rebuild its global network and ramp up operations to meet robust travel demand.

Emirates has also announced it will resume its second daily service to London Stansted in May 2023, boosting its London operations to 11 daily flights.

By the end of this summer, Emirates will have recovered close to 90% of its pre-pandemic A380 network.

The airline first launched A380 operations to Birmingham in 2016; Nice in 2017; and Glasgow in 2019.

For more information on flight schedules, visit emirates.com.

The first Emirates A380 to be completely refurbished under the airline’s US$ 2 billion retrofit program was deployed earlier this month on the Dubai-London Heathrow service featuring the Premium Economy cabin, and Emirates’ latest cabin interiors including lighter colour palettes in First and Business Class. The airline also plans to ramp up its four-class A380 operations featuring Premium Economy cabins to more than 35 destinations across 20 countries by March 2024.

The Emirates A380 is loved by customers for its spacious and comfortable cabins, quietness, and unique on-board features such as the Onboard Lounge and First Class Shower Spa. Customers can also enjoy award-winning inflight entertainment on ice with more than 5,000 channels of on-demand entertainment via the industry’s largest screens across all cabins.

Hyatt Regency London Albert Embankment opens

Hyatt Regency London Albert Embankment has opened, the 142-room hotel marks the eighth Hyatt-branded property in London and is part of Hyatt Hotels UK growth plan.

Hyatt Regency London Albert Embankment is conveniently located, just a five-minute walk to the capital’s political epicentre, Westminster, home to landmarks including the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square and Big Ben. A short stroll along the River Thames from the hotel leads to the South Bank, an area celebrated for its world-class arts and cultural venues, whilst nearby Vauxhall Station provides direct access to many of the city’s major travel hubs.

“London remains a priority market for our planned brand growth in the U.K., and we are delighted to add Hyatt Regency London Albert Embankment to our expanding list of properties in the capital,” said Felicity Black-Roberts, vice president of development of Hyatt Europe. “This is the third Hyatt Regency branded hotel in the city, further demonstrating how Hyatt is intentionally growing our brand portfolio in the U.K., bringing our most renowned brands to the in-demand markets where our guests and World of Hyatt members want to be.”

Guestrooms

A total of 142 well-appointed, contemporary guestrooms make the most of the enviable riverside spot, with many featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that provide immersive views of the city’s iconic skyline. On the 14th floor, a range of executive suites offer king-size bedrooms, spacious, modern bathrooms, and relaxing lounge areas, accompanied by a private balcony for guests to enjoy exclusive panoramas across London.

Dining

For those looking for a multifunctional setting to share, socialize and collaborate, POTUS bar and restaurant delivers a diverse and distinctive menu of North American classics alongside traditional British favourites. Meanwhile, the rooftop restaurant, cocktail bar, and shisha terrace Mezemiso serves authentic Lebanese and Japanese cuisine to create an incomparable dining experience overlooking the memorable sky-high views of the city.

Amenities

The hotel’s additional amenities reflect the Hyatt Regency brand commitment to encouraging productivity and peace of mind. This includes an on-site fitness centre fitted with the latest Technogym equipment, and five technology-enabled meeting rooms, which have been designed to inspire connection, offering 15,273 square feet (1,419 square meters) of combined meeting space for a range of events, from business conferences to group gatherings.

“We are pleased about the collaboration with Hyatt to open Hyatt Regency London Albert Embankment,” said Ivan Drinkwater – Cannon Corporate spokesperson. “The hotel is set to be the destination of choice for the millions of business and leisure travellers who visit this corner of London each year. Our team is ready to provide them with intuitive service and elevated experiences amongst the bustle of one of the city’s most popular areas.”

Hyatt Hotels have refused to curtail operations or investments within Russia following the invasion of Ukraine and continues to support Russian authorities. 

Korean Air celebrates the Year of the Black Rabbit with traditional decorations

Korean Air exhibits traditional good luck charms for the Lunar New Year.......

To celebrate the Lunar New Year, Korean Air will display Bokjori, a decoration of good fortune, at various company sites in Korea from January 16 to 27.

Hanging Bokjori is a traditional Korean custom to bring and share good luck and fortune for the year. Bokjori is a strainer made of woven bamboo, and was traditionally used to wash rice before cooking.

Since 2008, Korean Air has displayed Bokjoris every Lunar New Year to wish its customers good health and blessings in the new year, while preserving and promoting this Korean traditional custom. The Bokjoris will be displayed at various locations, from the airline’s domestic airport check-in counters and lounges to its headquarters, and downtown offices. 

Korean Air continues its efforts to promote Korean culture. The airline has recently added new Korean inflight meal options such as spicy pork lettuce wraps, bulgogi rice with acorn jelly in cold broth, and has also expanded its selection of inflight entertainment with more Korean dramas, TV programs and K-pop.

 Get ready for the aviation industry’s comeback

In his New Year’s address to the Korean Air team, Korean Air’s Chairman and CEO, Walter Cho, emphasized the importance of gaining a competitive edge as the aviation industry normalizes post-COVID. Cho also confirmed the company’s plans to successfully complete the acquisition of Asiana Airlines in 2023.

“We’ve seen a glimpse of normalization and the airports are beginning to bustle with passengers we have missed dearly. We also found hope and pleasure in returning to work to see our colleagues,” shared Walter Cho in his New Year’s message that was posted on the company’s employee site on January 2.

Cho urged the team to more fully understand customers' needs and keep up with the market demands. “We need to identify in advance our customers’ preferred destinations and services, and analyze when and where to add operations as well as which services to enhance.”

Amidst growing economic uncertainties, Cho assured that the airline is confident and ready to move forward. “There have been numerous challenges on our way, but we’ve always overcome and leveraged them to create new opportunities. We’re armed with more than half a century of experience and will use this insight to address our future.”

Cho reiterated, “2023 is a pivotal year for completing the huge task of closing our acquisition of Asiana Airlines. We are in the last stage with the remaining overseas competition authorities reviewing the merger.” He thanked the Korean Air team for their patience and asked them to do their part going forward as one family.

Cho also emphasized Korean Air’s environment, social and governance (ESG) duties as a responsible member of society. “ESG management is no longer a choice, but mandatory to the survival of our future,” he said. “We’ve always been committed to the well-being of our society. Introducing eco-friendly aircraft, reducing waste through increased in-cabin recycling, and operating an ESG committee to improve governance are all part of our efforts to support our social responsibility. We will not stop here, but continue to make Korean Air a responsible company that fulfills its corporate responsibilities and is beloved by its customers.”

Finally, Cho said, “While the future demands more wisdom from us than ever, we will continue on our path as we always have. We are the country’s top aviation experts and know how to give our customers around the globe the ultimate travel experience.”

JetBlue announces seven new domestic and international routes set to take off in 2023 - from New York and Boston focus cities

JetBlue has announced that a variety of new routes launching this year – many made possible through its Northeast Alliance (NEA) with American Airlines – delivering more competition and new choices to customers in the airline’s New York and Boston focus cities. JetBlue is also advancing its focus city strategy on the West Coast with the introduction of an all-new international route in Los Angeles. These routes add more JetBlue flying across all corners of the airline’s route map in the Americas.

“The Northeast Alliance continues to provide us with new opportunities to unlock even more growth potential in New York and Boston, with added benefits for customers across our network as we introduce new flying in markets where for too long travelers have had little or no competition,” said Dave Clark, head of revenue and planning, JetBlue. “At the same time, we’re introducing new flying elsewhere in our network to grow on the West Coast as part of our broader 2023 growth plans.”

New York and New England

JetBlue’s new flying in New York and Boston brings a new choice to many routes with limited competition today and is made possible through JetBlue and American’s innovative NEA. Across New York’s three major airports, the NEA will fly more than 500 daily departures in 2023, as well as nearly 200 daily departures in Boston. So far, the NEA has resulted in approximately 50 new routes out of JFK, LGA, BOS and EWR; increased frequencies on more than 130 existing routes; 90 nonstop routes with increased capacity; and 17 new international routes launched.

Norwegian wins three awards at the Grand Travel Awards

Norwegian wins three awards at the Grand Travel Awards

The Grand Travel Award was established in 1995 and holds an annual prize giving ceremony for the Norwegian travel trade. Votes are cast by employees throughout the travel and tourism industry. The award ceremony took place in Oslo on Thursday evening.

CEO Geir Karlsen awarded Leader of the Year.

After receiving his award for Leader of the Year, Norwegian’s CEO, Geir Karlsen said; "It is truly an honour to receive this award. I must, however, share this with all my colleagues in Norwegian. The strong unity across departments, nationalities and our bases is essential and the reason we can deliver a first-class product to our customers. Since this award is given by the travel and tourism industry it means a lot to me”.

Norwegian is the largest Norwegian airline, and one of Europe's leading low-cost carriers with over 4,000 employees. From its bases in Norway and other cities in Europe, the airline offers an extensive route network between the Nordic countries to destinations across the continent. According to the on-time performance review from Cirium for 2022, Norwegian was the most punctual airline in the Nordics and amongst the best in Europe.

Best Domestic Airline and the Best Airline in Europe

Arajet ends 2022 as a leading Dominican Republic-based air carrier

Low-fare airline to offer more than half a million seats to travel to North, Central, South America, and the Caribbean in 2023

Arajet, the newest low-fare airline in the Caribbean region ended the year as a leading Dominican Republic-based carrier with over 81,000 travellers transported between September 15 and December 31. In 2023, Arajet is expected to offer more than 500,000 seats to passengers across North, and Central South America, and the Caribbean.

“I’m proud of what we have accomplished in just a short period of time,” said Víctor Pacheco, CEO and founder of Arajet. “Since Arajet officially inaugurated operations in September, thousands of Dominicans who had never flown have been able to do so and we are excited to continue our positive impact in attracting tourists from destinations that had never been connected directly.”

Arajet’s arrival in Dominican Republic is having a significant impact on tourism with the number of travellers to the region up significantly over prior years as those routes were introduced in 2022.

Arajet is the only airline in the region to have started operations with completely new and ultra-efficient aircraft and has opened 17 destinations since launching in September 2022. “We expect to double our fleet of Boeing 737MAX8 aircraft in 2023 as we continue to execute against our growth plan and provide Dominican travellers with new flight options, lower fares, and better service,” said Pacheco.

Recently, Arajet launched several alliances and products that deepen its mission to democratize aviation, among them an alliance with PagaTodo to allow residents of the Dominican Republic to buy air tickets and pay in cash at any of the 1,500 Paga Todo couriers throughout the country. The airline also recently introduced Arabonito, a corporate bonus that allows companies to reward the performance of their employees with the purchase of plane tickets or services.

Top airline in the Middle East and Africa for punctuality is .........

Oman Air, the national airline of the Sultanate of Oman, has been named top in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) for punctuality. As per the results of the 2022 On-Time Performance Review by global aviation analytics leader, Cirium, the airline’s on-time arrivals stood at 91.38%, almost 5% ahead of the region’s second-highest ranking airline.

The annual Cirium On-Time Performance Review is considered the global gold standard for airline and airport performance, its results are based on data collected from more than 600 sources of real-time flight information. It defines on-time flights as those that arrive within 15 minutes of the scheduled gate arrival.

Captain Nasser bin Ahmed Al Salmi, Chief Operating Officer at Oman Air, said, “During 2022, the global operational environment has been challenging, with many airports affected by disruptions and resource challenges, as well as the lingering effects of Covid-19. Despite such a backdrop, we have continued to maintain an excellent service record. To have achieved this recognition for on-time performance against some of the world’s most reputable airlines is a testament to the dedication and hard work of all Oman Air staff across our global network. As we enter into 2023, we look forward to continuing to pursue excellence in all elements of our guest experience, from punctuality to convenience, our products and services, and of course our signature Omani hospitality.”

Continuing to position itself as a major international carrier, Oman Air has set several benchmarks for quality, comfort and hospitality in the last year, earning itself the 2023 Five-Star Major Airline rating by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX), among others. Evolving to meet the demands of a rapidly shifting market, the airline has made increasing investments in its products and services, offering guests innovative cabin design, exceptional hospitality, and a growing range of destinations from its hub in Muscat. 

Virgin Orbit - start me up mission mishap.

Preliminary analysis of data from the Start Me Up mission has begun to shed light on the outcome of the January 9th flight and next steps to follow.

Mission terminated after reaching space but prior to achieving orbit as a result of premature shutdown of first burn of second stage

Prior to Start Me Up mission, every customer satellite launched by Virgin Orbit had reached its desired orbit

Virgin Orbit has begun an internal investigation into root causes

Pending satisfactory conclusion of failure investigation and completion of corrective actions and mission assurance processes, Virgin Orbit plans its next launch from Mojave

Discussions have begun for anticipated future return to Spaceport Cornwall

Mission Recap

The Start Me Up mission was the first orbital launch attempt in history conducted from western Europe. The flight was conducted by Virgin Orbit’s air-launched LauncherOne system from the newly commissioned Spaceport Cornwall in the UK, which just a few weeks ago was transformed from a mere slab of empty cement at a commercial airport into the world’s newest space launch operations center.

After successfully proceeding through pre-launch operations and taking off as planned from the runway at Spaceport Cornwall, Virgin Orbit’s carrier aircraft traveled to the bespoke drop zone selected for this mission and successfully released the rocket.

The rocket then ignited its first stage engine, quickly going hypersonic and successfully completing the stage one burn. Initial data assessments indicate that the first stage of the rocket performed as expected, that the rocket reached space altitudes, and that stage separation, ignition of the upper stage, and fairing separation similarly occurred per the planned mission timeline.

Later in the mission, at an altitude of approximately 180 km, the upper stage experienced an anomaly. This anomaly prematurely ended the first burn of the upper stage. This event ended the mission, with the rocket components and payload falling back to Earth within the approved safety corridor without ever achieving orbit.

Virgin Orbit’s carrier aircraft and its crew returned safely to Spaceport Cornwall.

Update on the Investigation and Next Steps

Virgin Galactic updates leadership structure

Virgin Galactic Holdings, an aerospace and space travel company, has announced its updated leadership structure to support commercial spaceline operations, which are on track for Q2 2023 as previously announced by the Company.

The organizational changes will support the Company's core near-term objectives of delivering increased flight frequency and executing on rapid fleet development plans.

As part of this leadership update, Swami Iyer, President, Aerospace Systems, will be departing from his position, effective January 12, 2023. He will continue to serve as an advisor to Michael Colglazier, CEO of the Company, until March 3, 2023 to ensure a smooth transition.

"With the completion of the enhancement program for our mothership at hand, our streamlined leadership structure will help propel the business forward as we prepare for commercial spaceline operations," said Colglazier. "Swami has been instrumental in establishing our future production strategy and in leading the work to prepare our initial ships for commercial flight, and we are incredibly grateful for his contribution. Our experienced leadership team brings deep expertise to the next exciting phase for the Company – flying our customers safely and regularly to space and expanding our future fleet."

The leadership team of industry veterans leading Virgin Galactic's spaceline operations includes:

Mike Moses, President, Spaceline Missions and Safety

Moses has led flight and mission operations at Virgin Galactic since 2011 following his seventeen-year career at NASA, where he led space shuttle launch operations until the shuttle retired from service in 2011.

Mike Moore, Executive Vice President, Spaceline Technical Operations

Moore joined Virgin Galactic in 2022 following a long and successful career as SVP, Technical Operations with Delta Airlines. His team at Virgin Galactic works to ensure vehicles are manufactured, maintained, and sustained to the highest standards of quality, reliability, and efficiency.

Steve Justice, Senior Vice President, Spaceline Programs and Engineering

Justice – a 39-year veteran of Lockheed Martin and a "legend" in its Skunk Works division – leads the design, engineering, and program management of Virgin Galactic's spaceflight system and future fleet development.

Planned upgrades of VMS Eve are complete, and the mothership is expected to enter ground tests next week before commencing flight tests to verify the enhancements to the ship. Commercial service remains on track to begin in Q2 2023.

Air101: Virgin Galactic rapidly growing with new spaceship manufacturing facility in Mesa, Arizona

Air101: Sarah E. Kim named as Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Virgin Galactic

Air101: Virgin Galactic announces third quarter 2022 Financial Results And Provides Business Update

Air101: Virgin Galactic names two primary suppliers for its 'Delta Class Spaceships'

Air101: Virgin Galactic Appoints Mike Moore as Executive Vice President, Spaceline Technical Operations

Air101: Virgin Galactic secures land for new astronaut campus and training facility

Could the humble dragonfly help pilots during flight?

 Using autonomous technology to further enhance safety and efficiency in Airbus aircraft

The Airbus UpNext DragonFly demonstrator takes inspiration from the incredible vision and intelligent flight capabilities of the dragonfly. DragonFly has now entered the final three months of its testing phase, which will put its flightpath capability, automated landing technology, and pilot assistance technology through its paces.

 Airbus UpNext Dragonfly demonstrator

 

When safety is concerned, continuous improvement is the name of the game. At Airbus, we are constantly looking to different sources of inspiration to find proactive solutions that can enhance safety and improve performance. 

And what better to be inspired by than the wonderful, natural world? Biologically-inspired engineering – or biomimicry – has led us to many of our creative solutions, from our “sharklet” wing-tip design that reduces drag, to our fello’fly demonstrator that mimics the formation flying of snow geese for improved performance.

Our latest demonstrator to use biomimicry is DragonFly, inspired by – you guessed it – the dragonfly. A dragonfly has phenomenal vision, the ability to see in 360°, and can recognise landmarks, which in turn help it to define its territorial boundaries. The systems we are developing and testing are similarly designed to review and identify features in the landscape that enable the aircraft to “see” and safely manoeuvre within its surroundings. 

These innovations can offer an additional layer of safety for aircraft, particularly in the context of emergency operations. In the unlikely situation where a crew is unable to control the aircraft, DragonFly can redirect the flight to the nearest appropriate airport and facilitate a safe landing. 

 

So how does it work? 

DragonFly could be a game-changer when it comes to derisking emergency operations. Its focus is on three key areas, each one drawing on a combination of data captured during flight and a vast corpus of flight information to promote automated yet intelligent decision-making. 

DragonFly offers a solution to help ensure safe flight and landing. If the crew are unable to control the aircraft, the onboard function detects the issue and automatically selects the most suitable airport to redirect the aircraft towards. 

But of course, flight paths and external factors are complex and changing. A dragonfly scans its surroundings and adapts its journey accordingly. Our DragonFly demonstrator does much the same thing, taking into account external factors such as flight zones, terrain and weather conditions as it chooses where to land. But unlike a regular dragonfly, our DragonFly also benefits from a constant channel of communication between the aircraft and both Air Traffic Control and the Operations Control Centre of the airline to ensure a safe and coordinated approach.

 

"In the same way that dragonflies can recognise landmarks that help them to define boundaries, our demonstrator is equipped with cutting-edge sensing technology and software, capable of managing in-flight and landing operations. The DragonFly demonstrator has been made possible through cooperation within the Airbus engineering community and with our trusted external partners, and we look forward to the insights that this final stage of testing will deliver."

             Isabelle Lacaze, Head of DragonFly demonstrator, Airbus UpNext

 

Safe, automated landing at any airport in the world

A dragonfly’s vision works far more quickly than a human’s, which is why we have designed a system that combines sensors, computer vision algorithms and robust guidance calculations to make landing in low visibility or difficult weather conditions much easier. 

These innovations pave the way for automated landing (if necessary), or can be customised according to the pilot’s flying skills to relieve them of additional processes in the event of an emergency or critical situation. 

In time, DragonFly’s innovations could allow the aircraft to land at any airport in the world regardless of whether it is equipped with existing ground equipment technology currently used for automatic landing.

The final aspect of the DragonFly demonstrator incorporates pilot assistance technology to help the crew manage taxi guidance and instructions, including navigation and surveillance, freeing them up to focus on other important tasks.